#also contemplating a world where the kids survive is soooo much it is So Much like. if you have siblings you get it and if you dont you dont

[potatoesandsunshine]

de rolo children...........

[northlandian]

Final Thoughts

So this is it. 

Endgame is 1000% complete. The premiere was last night, and in less than 48 hours, it will be released to the public. Well, at least for me, in about...

(Yes, I have a countdown on my phone that’s been set up since last year that goes until Thursday, April 25, 2019, at 6:00pm)

I wanted to make a post about my predictions. Something I could come back to, so I could see if I was right or wrong. I remember doing that last year with some of my favourite fan artists and laughing at their prospective situations that turned out to be true.

But you see, the truth is... I have absolutely no idea what to expect. And that's not just a cheap copout of me saying "It's a Marvel movie, therefore anything can happen". We know nothing. Literally nothing. The trailers are compilations of repetitive clips revealing nothing past the first 20 minutes of a 3-hour 2-minute movie. We don't even know the films true plot.

Is there a time jump? Do they time travel? Why are they splitting up into teams, seeing how well that proved to work last time? How is Scott saved? Tony and Nebula? And what is their plan?

I don't know. I really don't. All any of us can do is take shots in the dark. RDJ said it himself that it is near impossible to predict what's going to happen.

So that got me thinking about something I've considered pretty much since the debut of the first trailer...this movie is unpredictable...but there are some assumptions we've been making that we are assuming as a fact are going to happen.

But then there are also moments that I believe deserve to happen. Story arcs that need to be completed. Endings certain characters deserve.

So, drawn-out intros aside, here are my final thoughts on this movie.

Tony

Tony is an enigma. I've made a post in the past discussing why he might actually not die based on the chess motif and the necessity to save him as the "King", despite the fact that death is what we'd all expect. I'll be honest, when the first trailer came out, I thought to myself, "Wow. They're really trying to prep us for the heartbreak by shoving this foreshadowing down our throats.” 

Obviously, this is based on the first half of the first trailer, with him adrift in space. I thought that maybe Captain Marvel would be the one to save him, or maybe Pepper in her rescue armour that was seen a couple months ago from a set photo. But how would they know where he was?

But after the second trailer debuted, I think I'm going to make the assumption that it is, in fact, Nebula, with her spare bodily robotic parts, who saves the two of them and brings them back to earth. I'm also going to assume that the scene from the trailers of Steve and the rest looking up at the night sky outside the compound (if that scene is even real) is them seeing Tony and Nebula arriving back to earth. Though I have considered the possibility of the space ship recording scene actually taking place at the end of the move...which would suck. But I'm also going to assume, based on the third trailer and clips that followed of Steve and Tony together, that they actually do reunite, in the present time.

Of course, this does not excuse him from the possibility of dying at all. And he very well could. But then, another thought crossed my mind. In Infinity War, the first time we see Tony on screen is with Pepper, discussing their wedding and possible children. See...why would they foreshadow that if they were to never make reference of it again? Sure, there's a possibility of a time jump with perhaps a wedding and maybe kid squeezed in there. After all, the whole vibe we're given from the second trailer is the question of where the world is supposed to go from the tragedy endured, and how some move on (then Steve of course says "but not us" but anyways). But that's only with the off chance that there is a time jump, and it seems kind of off in the first place. So assuming the foreshadowing wasn't for no reason, I'd like to think that there's a chance he lives long enough to retire and have a kid. 

Tony and Pepper mentioning a kid isn't the only foreshadowing given for his survival, though. There was one line from Avengers that always stuck with me, and sort of got overshadowed by Tony's narcissistic but hilarious description of himself ("Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."). It comes when Steve is criticizing Tony's character and motivation. He says:

"You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play. To lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

To which Tony immediately responds:

"I think I would just cut the wire."

Time and time again, Tony has proven Steve wrong, the first obviously being when he flew through the wormhole in the same movie. But what if this is his play in this one too? To be presented with a one-or-the-other choice for who can be saved, but manages to do both? Alternatively, this could also play out to the opposite of our favour; maybe Tony does finally just crawl over the wire for someone. For example, I've pictured a scenario where they do indeed go back in time to retrieve the stones before Thanos does. It's a plausible situation, considering we know nothing of their plan. But when it comes time to retrieve the soul stone, it's Tony who decides to make the sacrifice. Maybe he argues over it with Steve, who would want to finish what he started with Red Skull and complete the fate he was given 70 years ago, but ultimately Tony forces him to comply to what he wants, which is to finally make the ultimate sacrifice. 

(And for the record, if either of those situations plays out, I'm suing Marvel for emotional distress)

But there's one other option, and it's based on a line spoken by Tony in the trailer that really stuck out to me. It was when he was leaving his message to Pepper in the second trailer, and it's where he says:

"I know I said no more surprises, but I was really hoping to pull off one last one."

At first thought, I thought it may be like a "Surprise, honey! I'm not dead, and I've returned to earth to help defeat that giant grape!" sort of thing. And maybe it is. But I've also considered the possibility of Tony tricking someone or something. Perhaps tricking those into thinking he was dead. He did do it in Iron Man 3. But then again...who knows.

Sidenote: That's the end of my first thought and everything on Tony, and I have, like, *at least* twelve more to go. I was not expecting this to be this huge. Whoops.

Steve

It is so hard to get a read on what the hell is happening with this damn character. On one hand, Chris Evans has been talking for the longest time as if we all already know that his characters dead, with the way he speaks about his wrap-up with Marvel in general. But then there are people like the Russo's who say they have things in store that we don't know about yet. Like what?? Who do we believe? Are they just trying to cover up his obviousness? Or are we, again, making predictions that we shouldn't because this movie is actually so unpredictable??

Obviously, I don't know what's going to happen. What I will say is, I know what the fanbase expects, and that's for him to die. But again, just like in Tony's case, if that's one of the top expected outcomes, isn't it less likely going to happen?

Personally, I'm in favour of one specific theory many fans have contemplated and considered. The theory is that Steve, whether it be a result of the plot or by choice, goes back in time to the '40s, and that's where he lives out the rest of his life. He has his dance with Peggy, something foreshadowed so many times, including in the trailers, and they end up living together happily, and he endures the life he always wanted before going in the ice - that is how he phrased it at the end of Age of Ultron. So yes, he would most likely be "dead" in the present day from old age, as would Peggy (since she had already died in Civil War), but he would live out the life he always wanted.

OR - and I just thought of this now, literally as I'm writing - get this. He goes back to live in the '40s. But in present day, he's still alive, just very old. The Avengers (or whoever's left) go to see him by the end of the movie, maybe even during the after credits. And...it's Stan Lee. He is Steve Rogers. His final cameo.

(This seems highly unlikely, but the thought amused me. I also can't remember if the super soldier serum allows you to age properly in normal circumstances, but I don't wanna look it up at the risk of running into spoilers. Oh well, unresearched theory is unresearched.)

Thor

Don't get me wrong, I am still very much in the mindset of:

But if I'm being completely honest, yes, Thor, just like every other O6, the God of Thunder known by humans for his immortality, has a chance of not making it. With talks of a Thor 4 with dir. Taika Waititi, it seems unlikely, but the chance is still there. And it did get me thinking...

Loki telling him before his death, "The sun will shine on us again"...did he mean in Valhalla? I have had the thought of Thor possibly biting it, but then a scene where we see him there, reuniting with Loki, Heimdall, Frigga...even Odin. His loved ones. The ones he thought he could not go on without, finally being together again, him being happy in the afterlife.

It's a sucky thought, but a possible one.

Loki

Soooo...here we are. I'm not going over my whole freaking theory again, but I stand by what I wrote. Including the portion with the disclaimer where I established that I could be totally wrong.

But a possibility I also totally support is one where he is brought back with time travel. Why would he have a poster if he doesn't make a reappearance? What that reappearance is, I have no idea. Maybe, just like the comics, he does purposely bring the Avengers together in New York. Or maybe it's something heartfelt at the end, where time has rolled back, and it's immediately following Ragnarok. Thor is aware of the reverse, and everything that's happened, and Loki saunters into the dressing room again and makes the comment on Thor's eyepatch, but Thor is just so happy to see him, that he just hugs him, as it was foreshadowed in Ragnarok, and all is well, and they live happily ever after in Norway on Earth ruling Asgard together...

Idk. Just a thought.

A Cinematic Parallel

So this was just something I noticed when comparing the Infinity War and Endgame trailers.

So remember in the Infinity War trailer, where we see Tony just sitting with his hands folded over and we were like "huh wonder why they're covered in dirt", and then it turned out it was cause Peter just died, and it was his dust, and we all had a good laugh/cry when looking back on it.

Well...you know that moment in the Endgame trailer when Steve is covered in what looks to be sweat and dirt and he tightens his shield around his arm or something, and looks to be in extreme anguish over...something?

Well... I think that's our one glimpse at the end, just as Tony's was in the Infinity War trailer. I think someone just died in that moment.

That's literally it for that.

Death

We don't know who's going to die. We don't. And we don't know how. But that fact that the Russo's, Paul Rudd, and Chris Evans have been openly joking about character deaths is a definite indicator that whoever and however they go is not going to be mainstream. Like, I don't think it's going to be a Loki-type death, or the Tony-almost-death, where the character is just too overpowered by Thanos, or whoever else, and they die as a result. It's going to be complex. Or a decision the character makes that is self-sacrificing. Or something similar to the Steve time travel theory. But whatever it is, it is likely incredibly hard to guess.

Time Travel

The theories of time travel that have been circulating since the debut of Ant-Man and the Wasp are still just that - theories. I'll be honest, I'm still not 100% sure how the quantum realm can possibly assist them, other than getting them stuck in a time vortex. And even still, the operators of said quantum realm machine are dusted. That's all we have to go off of; that, obvious hair and suit changes throughout the trailers and set photos, and, of course, the fact that there are limited options as to how they can actually succeed at this point.

The Suits

Honestly, I just included this section to make fun of their new suits some more. They are so freaking ugly, it's hilarious. I remember when the photos of them were first leaked, everyone laughed and said it was too ugly to be real, yet HERE WE ARE.

So you can imagine how hard I laughed when I saw the second trailer for the first time, and how conflicted I was over how cool their "walk" was, but how gross the suits were.

Some actual memes I saved before the official release of the suits:

Bonus: Something I saved literally last November. And we're about to find out in less than two days...God, I'm not ready.

Prospective Scenes

There were a couple of scenes other than those I've already listed that would be incredibly satisfying to see.

Firstly, Tony and Pepper's wedding.

I always pictured it as the after credits scene. A final symbol of rest, retirement, and relaxation for Tony. And everyone's there, too. The rest of the O6, but also Peter and May, Happy, Rhodey, Sam, Wanda, the Guardians, T'Challa, Shuri, and their friends, Bucky, Dr. Strange (both reluctantly), Wong (of course), and the rest of their friends and (remaining) family. Everyone's watching as the shot is on them. And standing behind them, telling Tony he may kiss the bride, is the minister - Stan Lee. His final cameo.

(Or at least the one I originally had in mind).

The perfect ending for the perfect character arc. And oh, how unlikely it is to happen.

I'm also curious to know, now that it's confirmed, how the story will reintroduce Valkyrie, who happens to be one of my favourite characters, and also who may have escaped with her (hopefully with one of my other favourite characters...).

But there is a scene which we know for a fact is going to happen, and may have gotten a glimpse of during the final trailer, with the shot of Rocket and Nebula sitting somberly and holding hands. It's Rocket finding out that the other Guardian's didn't survive. Since separating from the other Guardians in Infinity War, Rocket did not know of their outcome, and there was no one to relay the message. That...is going to be heartbreaking to watch. Especially after seeing Rocket's character development in GOTG 2.

Prospective Dialogue

Just like certain scenes, there are lines that would be amazing to hear from specific characters.

The first, and probably most popular and obvious, is, of course:

"Avengers Assemble"

If Cap doesn't finally deliver this line with so much passion in this goddamned movie...

But then there was also a line of my personal preference that I really wanted to be heard in the movie, especially if it was said by either Tony, or Steve, or both of them to Thanos. And it's...:

"Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it."

Which is why I was SO HYPED BUT ANNOYED when I heard it in the trailer because so much of that content isn't going to make it into the movie.

I guess we'll see.

The Stones

So a common...what would you call it...theme, I guess? I've noticed is the correlation between the Avengers and the infinity stones. There are, of course, the six original Avengers left, and six stones. Each Avenger happens to almost perfectly fit into the representation of each stone.

Thor is the Space Stone - Probably most obvious. The Tesseract came from his family, and he has done space travel all his life.

Steve is the Time Stone - As he is "the man out of time".

Banner is the Mind Stone - A scientific genius, yet can't control his own mind.

Barton is the Reality Stone - He conceals his reality - his family - from the rest of his life and his world.

Natasha is the Power Stone - Often viewed as the weak link, even by allies (ie. Scott in Civil War), yet probably one of the strongest and most powerful team members, both physically, and mentally.

And finally - Tony is the Soul Stone - The godfather and soul of the team.

I don't know what this means for Endgame, if it means anything at all. It was just something I noticed.

Fate

There is one last theme I've come to notice throughout the original six, and it's the fact that each of them had their fate severely altered, almost unnaturally, to end up where they are in Endgame.

Tony, of course, almost died in a cave after being kidnapped by terrorists. He only built the Mark 1 suit to escape, and nearly died in the process of that. If he did not go to Afghanistan for the weapons presentation, not only would he not be Iron Man, but he would not be with Pepper, and he would still be manufacturing weapons - or worse, Obidiah would've had him killed another way.

Steve, of course, was selected to be the test subject of the super soldier serum, but that's not what altered his fate. He was destined for that for his grit and determination alone. His fate was altered when he survived something he shouldn't have - When he came out of the ice alive. None - and I mean none - of the events within the Avengers, SHIELD, or anything could have happened if he had died as he was supposed to.

With Bruce, you'd think I would refer to his gamma experiment in general, but that's not it either. That was also destined, similar to Steve's experiment. His is mentioned more briefly in Avengers, and it's the fact that he tried to kill himself. His attempt backfired, as he says he immediately transformed into the Hulk and thus, survived. But his intent was there, and if not for the quick reflexes and will to live of the Hulk (something that was NOT demonstrated in Infinity War, mind you), he would be gone.

Clint's and Natasha's basically go hand-in-hand. In Avengers, we find out that Clint was sent to kill Natasha, as she was part of the KGB. Natasha, in return, would have to try and kill Clint, not that it would have been different from any other enemy of theirs at the time. But because Clint made the call to try and reason with her and get her to turn, they both came out alive rather than the false dichotomy of a situation that would have left at least one of them dead.

And finally, there's Thor. His is a bit trickier to pinpoint because although he's been in death-defying situations, it's unclear if he's ever come close to death like a mortal would. But it's Thor who actually describes this fate that got me thinking about this theme in the first place, as he tells Rocket in Infinity War:

"You know, I'm 1500 years old. I've killed twice as many enemies as that, and every one of them would have rather killed me, but none succeeded. I'm only alive because fate wants me alive."

Fate wants him alive. And apparently it wants the other five alive as well. Otherwise, three of them would be dust, based on probability of the snap. But all six of them remain.

Again, I have no idea what this means for Endgame. I'm just pointing out what I believe to be significant.

Wow, so those are a lot more thoughts than I thought I'd have...this took about 3 hours to write, lol. So I think I'm going to leave it at that, and find out what happens on Thursday. I am in no way ready for it to all be over. And I've never been so terrified to watch a movie. And I've never had to consider that this might be the final 48 hours of a characters life.

This is going to be big. And I can't wait. But goddamn I am so scared.

[traveller-lover-dreamer]

Daughter of the Sea, chapter 1

 Soooo, he’re the first chapter to Daughter of the Sea, like I promised. It’s long and it took me all day to write it oops haha I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as you did the prologue! As I said in my last post, the prologue will come later in the story!

Prologue

Pairing : Royalty!Tom Holland X Royalty!Reader

Words : 5862

Warnings: Mention of death, other than that I think we’re good

        Ever since you had been old enough to stand still for an entire day your father had asked you to attend to his audiences. Being the daughter of the Southerner king sounded cool until you found yourself stuck in an audience chamber, standing still in the hot and humid summer air, barely able to breathe because your corset was just a little too tight.

           You usually didn’t wear corsets. You had never liked them. Even though he knew that, your father forced you to wear one this morning, saying it was the ways of the Northerners and that you had no choice.

           The bird had come in late last night, announcing the arrival of the Northerner prince and his court. You were expecting them today around midday, but it was getting late in the afternoon and they still hadn’t arrived. You knew by the way your father was tensed on his throne that this was a bad thing. A really bad thing.

           The peace between the two kingdoms had always been fragile. The ways between the South and the North were just too different. According to your father, the Northerner were a serious people. They didn’t know how to have fun, they lived just to survive in the cold of their North. Your people was more frivolous. It helped to live in a region where the weather wasn’t trying to kill you each time you stepped outside.

           The capital of the South was situated on the coast of the Emerald Sea. Most of the kingdom consisted of isles in the sea but you had never been to them. As your father said, “a woman on a ship means a shipwreck in a week”. So you stayed on the continent in Azkapoor, the city of a thousand lights. The most beautiful city in the world according to your dad. It truly was beautiful. Everything was covered in rare precious stones. Every building had its own colour depending on where you were in the city. The rich had rubies and topazes on top of a gold coating, the poorest district had only quartz of a hundred different colours. The military district was covered in sapphires and emeralds and the castle was made of diamonds and all the other precious stones, nested in walls of glass or rocks coated in gold. When the sun was shining and it was most of the time, the city literally glimmered from a thousand lights. It was beautiful.

         Your father said the capital of the North was boring compared to Azkapoor. It was nestled in a valley between the Black Mountains and it was made of stones and marble. Nothing impressive compared to Azkapoor.

         It helped that Azkapoor was the richest city in the world. Not only because of your father but because a lot of merchants lived here. And with them came their fortune.

         There was the sound of a trumpet outside of the audience chamber and then the marshal entered the room, with a group of around thirty people behind him.

“The prince of the North, Thomas Stanley Holland, and his court”, the marshal announced as a young man started walking down the aisle toward the throne.

       You were currently standing on your father’s left, two feet behind the throne and you felt your blood stopping in your veins. Yes, your father had been the one to invite the Northerners to the tourney, but this young man was acting in a provocative way as he didn’t wait for her father to tell him to come to the throne. You held your breath as you noticed your father’s knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists.

        The young man stopped in front of the throne and smiled his brightest smile as all of his court bowed to show their respects to your father. The prince looked at them before sighing deeply and bowing.

“You can rise”, your father said in his coldest tone.

“It’s an honour to be here, your Grace”, the prince said with a velvety voice.

           His eyes went to you and for a moment you forgot how to breathe. He was handsome. Definitely one of the most handsome men you had seen in your life. His curly hair was dishevelled a bit, probably because of the wind outside, but it suited him well. His brown eyes were gorgeous as they shone when he smiled at you.

“I don’t recall my father mentioning you had such a lovely daughter”, he said as his eyes went back to your father.

“Show some respect”, Lord Blackfyre, your father’s right hand, hissed.

           The prince raised his hands.

“I meant no offence”, he replied. “I only speak the truth.”

“Enough”, your father intervened as you noticed Lord Blackfyre putting his hand on the pommel of his sword.

           During the entire interaction your eyes had been riveted on the prince’s eyes. The fact he thought you were lovely had made your heart go crazy and your cheeks turn red. You looked away when his gaze went back to you, a mischievous smile on his lips.

“My daughter is not yours to contemplate, Prince Thomas”, your father declared with a stern voice.

“Then why dress her like a Northerner?” the prince asked, his smile only growing wider.

“To show some respect you clearly are lacking”, your father answered.

“Why are we so serious, aren’t we here for a tourney?” the prince said, changing the subject.

           Good move. You knew by the way your father was tensed that the prince was risking his life by talking about you this way.

“The tourney begins tomorrow at dawn”, your father declared. “May the best knight in the Two Kingdoms win. Don’t miss the feast tonight.”

           Your father dismissed the audience and the Northerners left first, followed soon by your father’s own court.

“That kid is playing a dangerous game”, Lord Blackfyre said once everybody had left the room.

“If he says another word like that I’m cutting his tongue”, your father declared.

“It didn’t offend me, my King, nothing to be worried about”, you jumped in, regretting it immediately when your father turned to look at you, a dark look in his eyes.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion”, he said. “Did you forget who killed your brother?”

           You lowered your gaze to the ground, afraid your father was going to hit you for your insolence. You wanted to tell him you didn’t forget it, it was always there in the back of your mind, but you didn’t say a word.

          Ever since your brother’s death, your father had hated you with all his heart. Before that, he treated you well, even though he wasn’t necessarily loving. He had a son, he had no reason to despise the one that took his wife away. About that, your mother had died the day she had given birth to you. Your father never loved you because of that. It meant he couldn’t have other sons that could go on and take care of his kingdom when he would die.

          Now that his only heir was gone, your father hated you. He kept saying you were going to be the end of his kingdom because a woman couldn’t rule it.

           Your brother had died at the Battle of the West Gate, the same battle that had put an end to the War of the Two Kings. Your father had lost the battle and he had been forced by the Northerner King to make peace. They had signed a treaty saying both of the kingdoms were going to cohabit in peace from now on and that they were going to form an alliance. The Northerner King didn’t ask your father for anything, even though your father had been the one who had tried to invade the North. He only took Lord Blackfyre’s son as a hostage and in return your father had taken the king’s squire as a hostage. His name was Harrison Osterfield and you had grown up by his side, even though he was a couple years older than you. You hated to admit it but he had taken your brother’s place in your life.

“Let’s not let this get between us while the Northerners are here”, your father said. “They need to think that we are united.”

           You looked up from the ground, wondering if you had heard your father right.

“I don’t want those barbarians to think we are weak”, he continued. “We may have lost the war but we sure aren’t going to lose the tourney.”

           Your father’s pride had been deeply hurt when he had lost the war. You knew this tourney wasn’t about having fun, it was about showing to the Northerners he was stronger than them and that he could crush them if he wanted. You also knew that this was what your father wanted. He wanted to take revenge on them.

           You wondered if it was a mistake for the Northerners’ king to have sent his own son here. To your father’s eyes, there was no better revenge than to kill his enemy’s son, to give him a taste of his own medicine. 

“Y/N, go to your evening class with Master Emond”, your father ordered.

           You nodded your head, bowing slightly before leaving. One of your father’s guards followed you as you made your way up to the Southwest Tower. You couldn’t breathe correctly thanks to your corset, so you took your time climbing the stairs.

           When you got at the top, you joined Master Emond on the balcony where you usually took your classes. The guard stayed at the door to make sure no one was going to intrude on your lesson.

“Sit”, ordered old Master Emond as he was watching the city. “See the dust in the west?”

           You looked in the direction he pointed, squinting until you saw what seemed like a dust cloud.

“I think so”, you answered.

“It was caused by the passing of the Northerners”, he explained. “More precisely because of their horses.”

“Oh”, you said.

“Anyways, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about today.” The master grabbed a heavy book on the table to his left and gave it to you.

“The geography of the Two Kingdoms”, you read the title.

“We’re having a geography lesson today”, the master said.

You opened the book carefully, your fingertips grazing the maps that laid in front of your eyes.

“Where are we right now?” asked the master.

“Azkapoor”, you answered. “The capital of the South.”

“And what is the capital of the North?” Master Emond enquired.

           You hesitated as you searched through the book. You only knew it was nestled between some mountains, you had no idea how it was called. You found a map of the North and eventually your eyes rested upon the capital of the North.

“Londir”, you answered. “It’s between the Black Mountains.”

           The master nodded his head.

“Now, what lies between the North and the South?”

           You knew this answer all too well. You had heard a dozen of stories about that sea. The Mermaid Sea. Few were the sailors that dared sail its waters and fewer where the men that came back.

“The Mermaid Sea”, you said.

“Do you know where the Mermaid Sea’s name come from?”

           You shook your head.

“Legend says that in its depths lie a city greater than anything you had ever seen”, the master began. “It supposed to be more beautiful than Azkapoor. In this city lives a people. The mermaids. Half fish half human, those mermaids feast on man’s flesh. They have tamed a species of sea serpents and those serpents attack ships to sink them so the mermaids can feast on their crew.”

           A cold shiver went down your spine. It was just a legend but you had heard once that all legends come from a truth. The thought that there was something true in this story was scary.

“That is the reason why our people don’t sail its waters anyways”, said Master Emond. “We go on foot if we want to go north. Where do we need to pass if we want to get there?”

“By the West Gate”, you answered. Where my brother died.

“That is correct”, declared Master Emond.

           The geography lesson went like this until the sun set. When it did, Master Emond ended the lesson. You left him on the balcony. When you got out of his quarters, the guard that had waited for you followed you down the stairs. You walked to your own quarters in the western wing of the castle. Your father’s man stayed outside of your quarters, keeping guard in front of the door.

           You rang a bell, calling your servant to help you get out of your dress to get ready for the feast tonight. Namila arrived a moment later with a gown in her hands.

“Hi, my lady”, she said, bowing.

“Namila, you don’t have to bow for me, I told you a thousand times”, you laughed.

“Of course, sorry.” She smiled. “Your father has suggested that, and I quote him, ‘my daughter shouldn’t wear Northerners garment tonight or I’ll kill the boy.’ So I brought you this new dress.”

           She put it on your bed and your breath got caught up in your throat. It was a Southerner’s dress, which meant there wasn’t any corset (thank the gods) but instead a low V-neck. The dress was made of green silk and the silhouette of flowers was embroidered into it with a gold thread. It was soft to the touch and clearly not as hot as the one you were dressed with right now.

“Help me to get out of that corset”, you asked to Namila. “I’ll have to take a bath too, I sweated so much in that gown today.”

           Namila laughed. “Of course, my lady.” She started to unlace your gown and for the first time in hours you were able to take a deep breath.

“Thank gods”, you whispered underneath your breath.

“Your bath is already ready”, Namila told you. “I got it ready while you were still with Master Emond.”

           You liked your bath not too hot and Namila knew that. You walked to your bathroom and climbed down the stairs leading to the refreshing water. Your bath looked more like a small pool and you swam to your balcony overlooking the Emerald Sea. The moon was rising above the water, casting a silver glow on the waves.

           Namila had put some essential oils in the water and it smelled incredibly good.

“Do you need help to wash your hair, my lady?” asked the girl.

           You turned around and swam back to the staircase that led to the water.

“Yes, please”, you replied.

           You sat in the stairs as she started to wash your hair.

“Remember when we were little girls and you swam with me in my bath instead of helping me clean up?” you asked.

“Yes, I do”, she chuckled. “Your father was so mad when he found out about that.”

           You laughed at the memory of it. Namila was the closest thing to a friend you had had in your life. Well, she did was a friend. She and Harrison were practically your only friends. You had never liked the other noble girls, they all were jealous of you because you were a princess. Yes, being a princess was nice, but you didn’t like it that much. It was a complicated life.

“I’ve heard that the Northerner Prince said you looked good”, Namila said when she finished washing your hair.

“How did you hear this?” you asked, blushing.

“My friend Gina is seeing one of the guards and he told her”, she explained.

           That reminded you of how different your lives were. To see someone was so normal for people of her class. As a princess, you had never had the chance to see someone. You had never kissed a boy and of course you were still a maiden. You had to be a maiden for your father to be able to marry you. Last time he had talked to you about wedding, he had told you he had promised you to the prince of one of the isles he had conquered. You didn’t know when and you just hoped it wasn’t going to be soon. The perspective of getting married scared you more than anything. And you knew you would never be able to marry for love, you were just a pawn in your father’s chest game.

“What do you think of the prince?” Namila asked.

           For a moment you were confused. Had she heard your thoughts? You then remembered what you had been talking about a moment before.

“Thomas? He’s attractive, I guess”, you answered.

“Just attractive? He’s a prince, I’m sure he’s way more than attractive”, Namila said.

“I don’t know”, you laughed. “He’s a Northerner.”

“And? What does that change?” Namila asked.

           Again you were faced with how different your lives were. For you, the Northerners were the enemies. Well, to your father’s eyes they were. To yours, they were just… Northerners.

“His people killed my brother.”

“My lady, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to remind you of this”, Namila apologized.

“It’s fine, Namila, don’t worry.”

           You got out of the bath and she gave you a towel to dry yourself. You walked back to your main room, Namila behind you. She helped you to get into your gown and then you sat in the chair in front of your tall mirror. She braided your hair in the Southerner’s way. Your hair were long and the fishtail braid was caressing the skin of your back. Because of course the dress was opened in the back, in the Southerner’s way.

“You’re ready, my lady”, Namila declared.

           You stood up, admiring the view in the mirror. The gown was truly beautiful, definitely one of your favourites up to date.

“There’s going to have a lot of dancing tonight”, you told her. “I wonder if the Northerners will dance.”

“Dance with the prince!” Namila yelled excitedly.

“Perhaps I will”, you laughed. “If he’s like Harrison, he won’t be a good dancer though.”

           Namila laughed. “I hope he’ll be better, you’d look good with a prince by your side.”

           It was your turn to laugh. Yeah, perhaps I would but I don’t think my father would appreciate that.

           You left Namila in your room, hugging her to thank her for everything. You walked to the feast room, the guard behind you and joined your place at your father’s right. Lord Blackfyre was sitting in front of you and the Northerner prince was sitting by his side. You blushed when the man looked at you, his eyes going down your frame, especially down your low V-neck. He refrained from saying anything but you saw in his eyes that he was devouring you.

           Harrison was sitting beside you. You wondered how he made it to the high table and you understood when Tom and he started talking. They were friends. That made sense, since Harrison was a Northerner.

           There was an orchestra on the balcony above your head and although the song they were playing was beautiful, the sound was loud and you barely heard a thing of the boy’s conversation. You looked around, noticing the rest of the Northerners were sitting in the back of the room. Where the low-born usually were. You hoped they didn’t take that as an offence. Maybe putting Harrison and Thomas at the high table was your father’s way to show the Northerners that he meant no offence.

           Your father got up from his seat and the talking in the room slowly stopped. When everyone was in silence, your father started his speech.

“Today, I am welcoming at our table old enemies”, he began. “Maybe they once were enemies, but today they are our friends. They are our brothers, our fathers, our sisters and our mothers. Let this tourney be a proof we are united under the same banner, the banner of the Two Kingdoms.”

           There was some shooting from some knights and your father silenced them with a move of his hand.

“Tomorrow at dawn, the bravest amongst you are going to joust. And the last one standing is going to be declared the winner of the first day. Tomorrow’s feast is going to be in his honour. The Bohort will take place the day after and the best archer will be celebrated. Last but not least, the melee will take place three days from now, and the winner will be declared the best knight in the two kingdoms.”

Your father paused as there was some cheering, both from the Northerners and your people.

“From water we came and to water we will all return one day”, your father continued. “May the feast begin!”

           Your father sat down as a hoard of servants walked in with plates of food in their hands. Soon enough the clatter of utensils on plates were heard as people were starting to eat. Most of the feast consisted of sea food. Well, most of your alimentation consisted of sea food, since Azkapoor was on the coast of the Emerald Sea.

           Throughout the meal, you noticed the Northerner prince didn’t eat that much. He probably wasn’t a fan of sea food. His face lit up when they brought what seemed like turkey to the high table. That he ate a lot of.

           Harrison suddenly nudged you in the ribs.

“Hey, I can’t believe I made it to the high table tonight”, he said.

“Yeah, it’s amazing! And not only did you make it to the high table but you’re also sitting next to the princess. Usually, my father’s counsellors sit here.”

“Even though your father doesn’t like us Northerners, he knows how to please us”, Harrison stated.

           It had been a while since he had said he was a Northerner. Somehow, this made your heart sink in your chest. Maybe he wouldn’t want to be your friend anymore now that his people were here.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine”, you lied.

           He furrowed his brows. He knew you were lying but he shrugged it off, turning around to talk to his prince.

           About the prince, he was wearing a typical Southerner attire. He was wearing a green tunic that somehow matched your gown. It was made of cotton, unlike your dress and it was glimmering underneath the light, letting you know a gold thread had been intricately sewn into it. The colour suited him well.

           The prince looked at you. You felt embarrassed that he had caught you staring and you looked away, hoping your cheeks hadn’t turned too red.

           Soon enough, the meal was over and the servants cleared a space in the middle of the room where people would be able to dance. You watched as some nobles started dancing and smiled. The ambiance in the room was great, it almost made you forget about the fact the Northerners were supposedly enemies.

“Do you want to dance?” Harrison asked.

           You nodded your head quickly. You got up and he took you by the hand, bringing you to the dancefloor. The music was exhilarating and you danced with Harrison for a moment before changing partner with a nobleman you didn’t remember the name of.

           You didn’t know this, but most of the men on the dancefloor were dying to dance with you. It was an honour for them to be able to say they danced with the princess. Unfortunately for them, you always went back to Harrison, even though the boy kept tripping on his feet. It made you laugh and that was what was important to you. To have fun. So you kept going on between Harrison and the nearer guys.

           Once, you found yourself in front of a Northerner. A knight, you thought even though you had no way of knowing. You recognised him by his sober attire. The Southerner clothing were more colourful and this man was only covered in maroon. It was stylish though, but different from what you were used to.

           Your eyes met your father’s eyes at the high table and disapproval was written all over his features. You looked away. He wasn’t going to stop you from having fun tonight.

           You went back to Harrison and as the song came to an end, you found yourself in the arms of none other than the Northerner prince. You wished to switch back to Harrison as fast as possible, but the song that came next was a slower song. You weren’t supposed to switch partner in this dance, it was more of a slow waltz.

“Guess you’re stuck with me”, the prince said, a smile in his voice, as he noticed how you had tried to switch partners again.

“Uh, yeah, I guess”, you blushed.

“I’m glad you decided to wear the dress I chose for you”, he added.

You raised your head to look at him. “What did you say?”

“I sent your servant to you with this dress, what did she tell you?” he asked.

“She told me my father sent it, not you”, you answered, feeling betrayed by Namila. “Why would you want me to wear this gown?”

“Matching outfits”, he explained as he made you spin around before catching you back in his grip.

           You were suddenly closer to him, one of his hands was on your hip, the other holding your hand, guiding you around the dancefloor and your heart stopped beating in your chest as your gaze got caught up in his.

“You’re even prettier up close”, he whispered.

“You look handsome too, my prince”, you replied, trying to remember your courtesy lessons you had had a couple of years ago.

           Under his stare it was difficult to remember anything. He made you turn around so your back was facing him. He put one hand on your hips, the other still in yours and you looked over your shoulder to him. His face was centimeters away from yours and a soft smile was on his pink lips. You wondered how it would feel to kiss him right there in the middle of the dancefloor. After all, he was a prince. He could be the one you were going to marry. Not that stranger from across the sea.

           You felt your father’s stare burning on you, but you couldn’t look away from the prince’s lips. He spun you around again and caught you so you were facing him now. Both of his hands were on your hips now, holding you close, pressing you to his body. You weren’t swaying to the music anymore, his lips were so close to yours…

           That’s when you freaked out. Legit freaked out. You got out of his grasp, shoving him away a bit too roughly and you walked away from the Grand Hall where the feast had been held. You felt hot and you needed air.

           You walked out in the fresh night air. You walked to the gardens, never stopping to see if someone was following you. There were guards at every entry to the gardens, you weren’t scared for your life.

           You knew the gardens alleys by heart and you made your way toward the weeping willow tree that was on the side of the cliff leading to the Emerald Sea. You stood next to it, watching the waves hitting the rocks below you.

“Aren’t you afraid you are going to fall?” asked a voice behind you.

Of course he had followed you.

“I’d be afraid if I were you”, the prince said.

           You turned around to see him standing there, a few meters behind you.

“Thomas…” was all you managed to get out.

“Ah, don’t call me Thomas, call me Tom”, he gently said. “I hate being called by my entire name, makes me feel like my mom is scolding me.”

           He chuckled and the sound made your heart skip a beat.

“Why did you run away?” he suddenly asked. “Did I scare you?”

You shook your head. “No, of course not, Tom, I just needed some air. It was pretty hot in the Hall.”

“Was it?” he asked a smirk on your lips.

           You didn’t understand why, but the way he was looking at you at the moment stopped you from thinking straight. All you could think of was his hands on your hips.

“Yeah, it was”, you replied. “We should head back in before my father sends his men to kill you.”

“Why don’t we stay out a little more?” he said. “We still hear the music from here, we could dance. And your father wouldn’t see us.”

“Tom, we can’t”, you refused. “You’re a Northerner, I’m a Southerner. My father is going to get you killed if you touch me.”

“Then I’d die a happy man”, he frankly said.

           You blushed as he took a step toward you.

“Why me?” you asked. “You could have anyone in that room without risking your life, why me?”

He smiled. “Because you are the prettiest of them all, my lady.”

           His voice was velvety, it felt as if it was coated in sugar. But it was the best thing ever. Nobody had ever dared talk to you like this, you had always been unapproachable because of your title. But here he was, talking to you like an equal, like if you weren’t a princess, like if you were just another girl. Or perhaps he was talking to you like you were a princess, but he was considering you as an equal. Which would make sense since he was a prince.

           You stopped your train of thoughts as he took another step towards you.

“Can I have another dance with you, my lady?” he asked softly.

          The realization that he considered you as an equal was enough to help you take a decision.

“Yes”, you accepted, holding out your hand for him to take.

           He took it gently and pulled you away from the cliff. You started to sway together, to the distant sound of the music in the hall, interrupted sometimes by the cry of a cricket or by the waves hitting the rocks at the bottom of the cliff.

           The air smelled sweet, all the flowers in the gardens being the source of the smell, and a gentle breeze was caressing you both. The moon was the only light, but it was full and its glow was strong enough to cast your shadows on the ground. And in the sky laid a million stars, shining endlessly.

           It was weird. How you barely knew Tom and you were there, in his arms, swaying to a melody perhaps only your hearts were hearing. You had never believed in soul mates. You had never believed in love. The only thing that you believed in is that you all came from water and to water you all returned someday. It was a Southerner saying that came from a legend… but we shall explain that another time, shall we?

“It’s beautiful”, Tom said.

“What?” you asked in a whisper.

“Everything”, he replied. “The starts, the moon, the willow.” He paused for a moment, his gaze going to your face. “You.”

           His mouth was only a couple of centimeters away from yours and maybe the gods pushed you a little forward, maybe Aphrodite whispered to you, giving you her courage and boldness, but you closed the gap between your mouths.

           You had never kissed a boy and here you were kissing the first prince you had encountered in your life. Tom stiffened for a moment, before melting into your touch. He kissed you back ever so gently, his lips soft against yours. It was like coming home after a long time away. It was like being born again, it was like the singing of birds in the morning, it was like the breeze during a hot summer afternoon, like the rain after a long drought.

           For the first time in your life, you felt right where you belonged. And you could tell by the way he was kissing you back that the feeling was reciprocated.

           When you pulled apart, after what seemed like a sweet eternity, you opened your eyes to meet Tom’s gaze.

“What was that for?” he asked, his smile spreading into a soft smile.

“I don’t know”, you answered.

           He laughed gently before kissing you again. You let your hands wander up his chest, one finally finding its place on the back of his neck, the other resting flat on his chest. You could feel his heartbeat underneath it. It beat rapidly, much like yours did.

“Princess, Tom, I don’t want to step on your moment, but the king is looking for you everywhere”, a voice said.

           You felt extremely embarrassed for a moment and you got out of Tom’s embrace. It was Harrison.

“Of course he is”, you mumbled.

“Is it really a good idea for me to walk back in there?” Tom asked, a small laugh falling from his lips. “I don’t want to die today.”

          Harrison laughed too, but you didn’t feel like laughing. What was your father going to say?

         You walked back to the hall, Harrison and Tom behind you. Your father seemed to be fuming. You enjoyed the view for a moment before he saw you. If looks could have killed, you would have died instantly.

        You walked to the high table. Harrison followed you, but Tom instead walked to the Northerners’ table. You eventually sat back in your place beside your father and he just looked at you for a moment, disapproval in his eyes.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he enquired in an icy tone.

“I needed some fresh air”, you answered.

“I don’t want to see you around that Northerner again, is that clear?”

“My King, father, aren’t we supposed to treat the Northerners as friends tonight?” you challenged him.

           Your father seemed impressed by your reply. You had never ever questioned his orders before and instead of infuriating him more, he found himself proud of you. He would never admit that to you, but he was impressed. Finally, you were standing up to him. Finally, you showed some qualities he wanted in the heir to his throne.

“That didn’t mean you could run out in the night with him”, he declared. “You are promised to the prince of the Golden Islands, remember that next time you feel like running out in the night with a barbarian.”

           That’s it? Your father wasn’t going to punish you? You were genuinely surprised and you turned to look at Harrison, who had the same look plastered on his face. You turned back to your father. Had he gone crazy? He ignored your gaze and you figured it was your cue to leave.

“May I return to my chambers?” you asked.

“Go”, your father simply answered.

           He didn’t have to tell you twice. You quickly got up and walked out of the Grand Hall. You noticed Tom wasn’t there anymore either and you wondered where he had gone.

           As you made your way to your chambers, you couldn’t help but to remember the feeling of Tom’s hands on your hips and the feeling of his lips on yours. Namila won’t believe me.

Chapter two here!!

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