#and a while ago my father (bastard of a man) told me when my brother was upset that he didnt want to deal with his emotions

[chaoticas-hell]

When your parents keep accidently admitting that yeah, you're the 3rd and really the only parent to your 15 yr brother:

[entitled-fangirl]

Indeed, my girl.

Cregan Stark x Velaryon!reader

Summary: The reader is dealing with the grief of losing Luke. Cregan helps in the ways he can.

Warnings: Talks of attempted sa, Threatening, Talks of death, cursing, mental health

Masterlist

................................................................

She hadn't been the same since the death of her younger brother. 

Cregan had noticed it. 

Fewer meals, fewer baths, fewer words, and fewer movements entirely. 

As if the grief was killing her from the inside. 

And he could only watch.

He was a man of action. He'd killed men with his bare heads for far less.

And he could only watch as grief was murdering his wife. 

...

"There's something on your mind," he stated from the doorway of their shared chambers.

She sat on the floor in front of the fireplace. 

When she made no motion to look at him, he walked to her, kneeling down with a hand on her back, "I wish I knew what you think so much about."

She shook her head as she stared at the flames. Her voice was hoarse, "No, you don't."

He tilted his head, "Try me."

She turned and looked at him from over her shoulder. 

Only then did he notice the hollowing of her cheeks. 

The dark circles under her eyes. 

She sniffled, "Does the pain go away?"

He felt his chest tighten. 

The death of his own younger brother. 

His brother had died years ago.

"No."

Her eyes filled with tears.

"You just learn to live with it." He said awkwardly. 

Starks were not made for emotions.

She turned to him completely now, abandoning warmth of the fire, "How?"

"I dunno. It just happens one day." He looked off in thought. "You forget about it for a while. But…" 

She felt herself leaning into every word.

"You still see him in every first snow of the winter. Every pine tree with missing branches." He lets out a strained laugh, "And every fucking rabbit."

She shifted herself closer, wiping at her cheeks. "I… I see him. When I close my eyes."

He nods, "You will. You always will."

"I haven't felt this since," she pauses, "Since… Ser Harwin died."

Ser Harwin Strong.

Her biological father.

"And did that ever go away?" He asked quietly.

She sniffled, "No. But it became easier with time. When…" Her eyes flooded with tears again, "When I forgot what he looked like."

He couldn't help the coo from his throat as he immediately pulled her into his lap.

"What if I forget what he looks like, Cregan?" She asked in horror.

He tucked her face into his neck, "It'll be alright."

"What if… if this was my fault?" She sobbed into him.

"How could it ever be your fault, my girl?" He asked calmly.

Her shoulder shook with hiccups, "Like… with… with Harwin… and I… it's… it's my fault…"

He pulled her away from him to look into her eyes, "What do you mean?"

"I had… and when…" 

"Shh," he immediately cooed. "Tell me when you're ready. " His hands brushed her cheeks gently, catching stray tears as she tried to steady her breathing. 

After a while, she managed it enough to speak, "I was the reason… Harwin was sent away."

His brows furrowed, "I'm not understanding you, sweet girl."

"He was sent away for… for defending us as bastards against Ser Criston. And… Harwin was already mad at Criston because of me."

Cregan hummed, "Alright?"

"I look like him but… I… I looked like my mother then. And… Criston at one point liked my mother very much. And… and in turn, he began to take a liking to me."

Cregan's jaw clenched at the sound of where the story was going. 

"One night, I… I was going to my chambers and… and he pinned me to the wall and… tried to… sully me."

His hands that were on her hips tightened and his eyes darkened, "What?"

"You took my maidenhead, Cregan. You know that."

Her words did little to comfort him. "But how far did he get? I'll fucking kill him myself."

"I'm fine. I got out. And… I told Harwin. He promised to deal with it the next day and… Criston questioned our parentage that day. That day it all happened and he was sent away. To die in that stupid fucking fire." She leaned back, "If I had just kept it to myself, he wouldn't have been so angry-"

"-No. No. Don't even begin to say that," Cregan said firmly as he took her face in his hands again. "You did it all right."

"It doesn't feel like it."

"I know it doesn't."

"Luke looked like him the most."

He pulled her to him again. 

Her voice grew low, "I'll kill them all."

Cregan stared at the flames of the fireplace. 

He was quiet for a while, until his voice came out strong and firm, "The North remembers."

She leaned away, rubbing at the few tears that still laid on her cheeks. "The Greens don't know what they've done."

"Aye. They don't."

Here, in Winterfell, the two lovers began to find solace in each other. 

"You're the only other person that I…"

Cregan hung on every word now. He spoke in a low murmur, "Say it. You can say it to me."

"-I've never told anyone else what happened with Cole. Besides Harwin. Just… you."

He felt a protective feeling surge through him. Nothing was getting through him to her, he'd make sure of that.

"You remind me of him, you know."

He paused, "Who, my girl?"

"Harwin."

His lips parted, "How…. How so?"

Her hands moved his face, caressing his cheeks until they grew firm, "You wouldn't let anything fucking touch me either."

He could've let that smirk grow more on his face, but he kept it suppressed, "I won't let anyone or anything touch you, my girl. I swear it."

She hummed, relaxing, "Much like him. Like home."

Cregan let a smile come across his face, "I'm honored I'm like home to you, sweet Princess."

"He…" She smiled, recalling a memory, "He had taught my brothers the sword. As a girl, I had no luxury. But… in secret, he gave me lessons with throwing knives."

His head tilted, impressed, "He taught you how to throw knives?"

"He was a talented man."

"Aye."

"That's how I did it."

"Did what, pretty?"

She paused, taking a deep breath, "How… I defended myself. Cole, he… he pinned me to the wall. When he was distracted, I pulled my knife on him and threatened him with something… too unladylike to say."

Cregan Stark felt a deep surge of pride flow through his body at her confession. "Tell me."

"Oh, no. It's… it's too crude."

His hands moved to her thighs, "Please, wife. I must know."

"I threatened to… 'take the thing that he thinks with' and... I did not mean his head."

Cregan let out a bark of a laugh, throwing his head back dramatically. 

When he came back to, his smile never left, "My little dragon of a wife. It seems you're just full of fire!"

She smiled, "Is that a bad thing?"

He pulled her closer to him, "Absolutely not." His lips brushed hers, "I'm quite fond of it."

"Good," she whispered. 

Their lips connected in a soft kiss.

"They'll pay. I promise." Cregan said as he pulled away. "Starks don't forget oaths."

"Winter is coming. Isn't it, Cregan?"

He smiled, "Indeed, my girl."

.........................................................................

[mischiefandlies]

Still love you. Promise.

Loki x reader

Masterlist

Notes: Reader (like me) has two parents and a brother who takes the piss in any possible situation (it's a talent at this point).

Warnings: horrible git being mean to Lokes. But no, except for a bit of swearing, not really.

You and Loki had been seeing each other for a while now, so when you happened to be in town for a mission, you decided to go and visit your parents. Loki agreed to come with you, and so you told your mum that you and he would be joining them for Sunday dinner. Loki (not that he let on to you) was absolutely bricking it- what on earth was he supposed to say to your parents? Hi, nice to meet you, I'm that alien god that caused an extra-terrestrial invasion 6 years ago. He couldn’t think of any conceivable universe where your parents would accept him.

To be fair to Loki, you were slightly nervous yourself. Sure, you and your brother had bought home a few oddballs before, but you’d never snagged a prince from another planet. Even you had to admit, you weren’t expecting the best reception.

To your surprise, it went extremely well. Your mum and Loki seemed to chat all the time; he was even helping out in the kitchen. When all five of you sat round the table, you were cracking jokes and laughing, and your brother and Loki both ended up taking the mick out of each other. Only your dad was quiet, but by the end of the day, he seemed to have warmed up to your boyfriend a little more. “You seem happy,” your dad said, out of earshot of everyone else. “It looks like he makes you happy.”

“He does.” you agree.

Your dad looks him up and down and sighs. “I suppose that’s all that matters. If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

It was on the drive back that you noticed how quiet Loki was. Eerily so.

“Are you alright Lo?” you ask.

“I’m just fine darling.”

“Are you sure?” you ask.

There's no reply. Loki's looking out the car window, avoiding eye contact with you. You take one hand off the steering wheel to hold his hand. He leans over and presses your hand to his lips, kissing your knuckles (and making it difficult to focus on the road).

He pipes up eventually, saying “Are your parents always like that?”

“Why?” you ask, “Did they say something?”

“No love. They're just… not as I expected.”

You wait for him to elaborate, but he doesn’t. Eventually, you have to ask, “What were you expecting if not that?”

He sighs deeply. “When I was on Asgard, I was presented as a suitor for several other royal families, as well as high up members of the nobility. I would have to go and meet the fathers of potential brides before meeting the brides themselves. Often, Thor and I would both attend, and he would always be picked as the better of the two. It was normally because he was first in line, but there was the occasion when the fathers felt the need to give me some feedback. “Too weak” or “scrawny”. “The runt of the pair”. There was one comment in particular that stung- it was an Asgardian noble, but his sister worked in the palace’s infirmary. He knew about my heritage. He told me “I wouldn’t let my daughter marry a sly, cold-blooded bastard like you for all the gold in Asgard.” And yet, your parents didn’t have an unkind word to say.”

You are too shocked to respond. How the fuck could anyone spit such cruel words into another person’s face? Especially when that person was as kind and respectful and sweet as Loki, a man who had looked at you with nothing but pure adoration since you met.

“Loki, that is a horrible thing for someone to say.” You finally found your voice. “You’re not weak or scrawny, and you should never have been pitted against Thor like that. It’s so wrong. And of course my parents like you- they can see how happy you make me.”

Loki mumbles something you can’t catch.

“Pardon?”

“I said you don’t think you’d be happier with someone else?”

“God, no,” you reply. “Loki, how often do I need to tell you “I love you” before you believe it?”

Loki perks up at this. “You really still love me?”

“You think I've changed my mind since this morning?”

He looked a little sheepish. “Well, I don’t know, do I?”

“Loki, I will love you till the end of time. Promise.”

[didyoutrydynamite]

The Compromise

Scene: *Jaune and Lucien walking through the woods outside their home. It is just a week away from Beacon’s initiation and just before the night Jaune was going to make his escape. But things have drastically changed now that Lucien has come home early from his working trip, barged into the house not too long ago and demanded that they take a walk outside together, bringing them to now. Neither have yet to say a single word and the mood is palpably tense.*

Jaune: S-so, how was the hunting trip?

Lucien: I cut it short. While I was out there I had gotten an interesting call from an old colleague of mine. Have I ever told you about Glynda Goodwitch?

Jaune: Um, I don’t think so.

Lucien: Used to go to Beacon around the time I was a student. Even now she’s still there as a teacher. She called me because she happened to come upon your transcripts and wanted to confirm some details with me.

Jaune: Dad-

Lucien: *Holds his hand up to silence Jaune* To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement.

Jaune: *Looks down, feeling the weight of guilt hit him*

Lucien: *Continues, his tone firm* Do you have any idea what kind of position you've put me in? The position you’ve placed yourself in? Thank the Brothers it was Glynda who caught it first so I could straighten this out!! *Grumbles to himself* At least before that conniving bastard had gotten to it first. Ozpin would have snatched you up in a heartbeat.

Jaune: I’m sorry…

Lucien: You’re sorry?! What were you thinking!? What was the plan?! That you waltz into one of the most dangerous schools in the world with no training, no prior knowledge, no AURA, and walk back out a Huntsman?!

Jaune: *Voice wavering* I just... I wanted it so badly, Dad.

Lucien: Wanted what? To throw your life away?! Because this is-

Jaune: I WANTED TO BE LIKE YOU!

Lucien: *Taken aback by Jaune’s outburst, his expression softens, a mix of surprise and concern* Jaune...

Jaune: *His voice breaks* The Arcs have always been great warriors. You've always been this incredible Huntsman, this hero, and I... I'm nothing like that. I wanted to prove that I could be someone like you, that I wasn't just a failure.

Lucien: Jaune, I have never thought of you as a failure.

Jaune: Then why won’t you give me a chance?! Why do you refuse to train me!?

Lucien: It’s not that simple-

Jaune: -Why don’t you believe I can be a hero too?!

Lucien: Because you can be anything!

Jaune: *Taken aback*

Lucien: *Takes a deep breath* My father never left room for choice. Since I could walk, he placed a weapon in my hand, grooming me solely for the life of a Huntsman... And now, Jaune, I’m trapped. I have a wife and eight children, and the only way I know to provide for them is through a life of combat, never knowing if it will be the last time I see any of you again. It's not that I regret the path I've taken. It’s a job that needs doing, and if it meant finding the love of my life and having the most wonderful kids in the world, I'd make the same choices again. But there isn't a day that passes when I don't wish I could leave the Hunt for good, put down my weapon, and just live out the rest of my days safe at home with my family.

Jaune: *Quietly* Dad I didn’t know…

Lucien: *Sighs heavily, his eyes reflecting a mixture of regret and understanding* You couldn't have known, Jaune. I’ve done all I could to hide it. I wanted you to have choices not burdens. I won’t make the same mistakes my father did, so I want you to be able to be anything and know I still love you.

Jaune: *Silent for a long moment* Then let me do this.

Lucien: *Expression softens* There's equal honor in living as a good man as there is in being a skilled warrior, Jaune.

Jaune: Then I want to live as both.

Lucien: *Takes a long sigh, closing his eyes as he frustratingly runs his fingers through his hair.* One. Year.

Jaune: What?

Lucien: *Opens his eyes* Give me one year to shape you up. If you still want Beacon after that, I'll put in the application myself.

Jaune: Really?!

Lucien: *Raises a finger* But there are conditions.

Jaune: Name it! I’ll do anything.

Lucien: First, you have to finish high school and earn your GED.

Jaune: Of course!

Lucien: And I'm not talking about barely scraping by. I want you on the honor roll.

Jaune: A's and B's! Got it!

Lucien: Next, you have to join either a sport, a club, or some other activity this year.

Jaune: *Confused* What? Why?

Lucien: Because it builds character and life experience. Plus, whether Beacon happens or not, this is your last year to enjoy being a kid. Trust me, savor it while you can. Take this extra year to make memories with your friends and family.

Jaune: *Silent for a moment, then nods* Right. I will.

Lucien: And lastly, I'll be the one in charge of your training. Over the next year, we'll be delving into the basics to ensure you're ready. You'll follow my instructions to the letter, the way I instruct you and when I instruct you. I'll be shaping you just like my old man shaped me. Unfortunately for you - we've got only a year to nail this down. Fail my training, you can forget about Beacon entirely. Understood?

Jaune: *Gulps* Understood, sir.

Lucien: *Stern* I need you to Arc’s Promise me that you understand.

Jaune: Arc’s Promise!

Lucien: *Deeply sighs* Alright then. First things first. I need to activate your Aura.

Jaune: Wait, you can do that?

Lucien: Anyone with Aura can do it. Now, stop talking, and come here.

Jaune: *Walks up to his dad* 

Lucien: *Places a hand on his son's shoulder, then focuses* For it is in honor that we wield our swords. Through this, we become guardians of justice, defenders of the weak against the tides of injustice. Noble in purpose and unswayed by temptation, I release your soul, and by my valor, standby thee.

Jaune: *Feels the Aura flow through him, awakening something inside.* Woah…

Lucien: *Genuinely looks impressed.* Woah is right. If you got one thing going for you already, it looks like you have a hell of alot of Aura. *Softly smiles* That’ll come in handy.

Jaune: *Smiles and hugs his dad* Thanks dad.

Lucien: *Hugs his son back* You’re welcome, son. By the way, you’re grounded until school starts.

Jaune: What?!

Lucien: Consider yourself under house arrest for the rest of summer break. I’ll be damned if I did all this just for you to sneak off to Beacon anyways. Also, you committed a felony.

Jaune: Yeah, fair enough. And don’t worry dad, I won’t be going anywhere just yet. I mean, like you said it’s just one more year, what could I possibly miss?

A/N: So this is basically the new idea I've been playing around with. An Au where Jaune doesn't get into Beacon and experience Volume 1-3 with the rest of the main cast, but instead trains with his dad for the next year to prepare legitimately for the next school year. This will mostly follow Jaune's home life and training in his home village along with his family and a cast of friends and other characters around. Name is still a work in progress, but I think for now I'll call it the One Year Au.

[creative-kny-fics]

I think you've read the manga but if not then you don't have to write this-

I was wondering if you could do like an au thing?? Cuz I know this isn't canon and would probably never actually happen in the anime..

Ler: Kokushibou

Lees: Sanemi, Muichiro, Genya?

It's fine if you don't wanna write this :3

Okay, definitely a good idea. So... Ehhhh... I'll do it with 2 AU!

Ler: Kokushibo (UpperMoon 1) / Michikatsu Tsugikuni

Lees: Muichiro Tokito, Sanemi Shinazugawa and Genya Shinazugawa

~First AU - Actor AU~

(Clarification: Michikatsu is the godfather of the actor who plays Muichiro. That's why he calls him 'uncle' and he calls him 'nephew'. They are not related by blood)

'The wind hashira...' 'Yes, you're right... I am the wind... the wind That will tear your head off, bitch!', Sanemi and Kokushibo exchanged glances, until...

'And cut! Good shot gentlemen! See you here first thing tomorrow morning!', Sanemi and Kokushibo sighed, walked over and high-fived.

'Good job, "Shinazugawa"! I didn't think you'd mean it!'

'You don't know me that well then... "KoKuShIbO"!', were the two friends? Something like that

Their relationship was neither good nor bad, but there was something that united them, Sanemi's brother and Michikatsu's 'nephew' had a 'relationship'.

Since they both found out, they have gone out a few times with the minors and have exchanged words. The production thought the idea of them getting along was good, it was fun to hear them both roast each other

'By the way, Sanemi, have you seen Muichiro? After seeing him leave the set to take off his props, I haven't seen him again'

'No, but if Genya is not here, I have the feeling that they are together,' Sanemi took a good look around the set, found them, they were talking to the actors who played the Kamado brothers, Kanao, Inosuke and Zenitsu.

After a few minutes, Muichiro insisted that his uncle invite both brothers to his house, Michikatsu sighed and agreed. 'Come! Let's go to my room!'

'Ohh of course not! You two stay here!' Muichiro stopped at the stairs, frowning and trying to ignore what his uncle said. He didn't obey him

'Hey! Wait until your father finds out about this!'

Michikatsu and Sanemi heard the door slam shut. 'What are you going to do now? He won't listen to you!'

'Ohhh I definitely know how to get him to obey me!', Michikatsu cracked his knuckles

He waited a few minutes before yelling for them to go down and eat dessert, it was partly true, they both went down and ate, but when they were about to leave... 'Hey!! LET ME GO YOU IDIOT!!'

'Ohhhh of course not! You disrespected me! And you just called me an idiot!'

'Aaaaah!! Nemi!! Tell him something!!', Sanemi only saw them and took his bowl of ice cream and continued eating. 'Damn bastard!!'

'My my! Now I know why you two are dating! You have no respect for your elders... And you know that those who do not obey their elders win, right little nephew~?'

Muichiro looked at Genya, but the look he gave him made him realize that they would not get out of there for a long time. 'D-damn man-! Mhmhmhm!'

'W-why-?!' 'I'm not someone who enjoys hitting children, so the only way I can teach Muichiro a lesson is this!'

Genya didn't understand, if the problem was with Muichiro, why was he tickling him?!. 'Oooh little brother... It seems that you forgot that a few minutes ago you told me to go to hell. That is the answer!'

'S-shuhuhut uhuhup! Muhuhuihi! Tehehell hihim to stahahap!'

'Stohohop!! Fuhuhuckihihing ohohold mahahan!!'

Apparently, Michikatsu would have to teach both of them a good lesson, especially Muichiro.

'Hey "Koku", shall I tell you something? If you want Genya to really laugh, tickle his armpits!', Sanemi laughed when his brother threatened him with his gaze, but it didn't last for long, as he immediately closed his eyes while laughing and trying to push away that hand that was trying to to get into his armpits. 'Nohohoho!! Muhuhui!! Hehehelp!!'

'Ooooh, Muichiro won't be able to help you~ he knows what happens next...'

Muichiro blushed and started kicking in the air when Michikatsu slid one of his fingers around his belly button, sometimes 'intentionally' poking in and twisting it. 'AAAAAH!!! NOHOHOHO!!! WAHAHAHIHIHIT!!! I'M SOHOHORRY!!!'

'Mhm, you always say that when I start tickling you there! And you little one~?'

'Mehehehe?! AHAHAHA!!! NEHEHEMIHIHI!!! HEHEHELP MEEEE!!!', do you think Sanemi is going to help him? I mean yes he will, but not now that the fun is just beginning!

It had probably been about 3 minutes, they didn't know it, they had been trying to escape (unsuccessfully) from Michikatsu's clutches.

But unlike Sanemi, Michikatsu laughed before letting them go and ruffled his hair. 'Are you going to ignore me when I give you an order again?'

'N-no...'

'Good! I hope that serves as a lesson to you and your boyfriend!'

Muichiro nodded, walking over to Genya and hugging him before closing his eyes for a moment. 'You took too long, if I had tickled them, it would have taken less time than you to tickle them', Sanemi scoffed, regretting it when Michikatsu grabbed one of his wrists and pulled him towards him, sitting him on his lap and tickling his armpits. .

'MMMMM!!! N-NO-!!! AAAAAH!!! BAHAHAHACK OHOHOFF!!!' 'Well, who would have thought, you really are brothers! You both have the same tickle spot!'

Michikatsu laughed when Sanemi slapped him trying to push him away.

'So... It would have taken less time to make them both give up, huh? Well... Let's see if you can last more minutes than them!', don't worry, yes he will! And he will eventually be freed... If he stops trying to hit Michikatsu like that

~Second AU - Original AU (somewhat modified)~

Clarification: I know that when Muichiro is nailed to the post, pillar, column (whatever you prefer to call it), Kokushibo had already cut off one of his hands and buried his katana in the carotid. But not here!

Muichiro managed to prevent his hand from being cut off and when Kokushibo did not pierce his carotid, but instead nailed Muichiro's uniform to the pillar to support him. (I hope the explanation was clear-)

Ler: Kokushibo (UpperMoon 1)

Lees: Muichiro Tokito, Sanemi Shinazugawa and Genya Shinazugawa

'I...?! Descendant of this guy...?! And what does that matter?! Family or not, he's a demon!', Muichiro frowned, it was impossible, what did it matter if it was his family? He had one job and that was to kill demons!

Without warning, he approached him to try to cut him off, but when he realized, there was no one in front of him, he turned around, the UpperMoon 1 was behind him.

He raised his eyebrows and approached him again to try, at least, to cause him some kind of damage, but he couldn't, damn it!.

'Muichiro... So you're fourteen years old right now... And your technique is so refined for your age. That's a very good technique... Mist... I see...', Kokushibo opened his eyes slightly, in the middle of the fog he saw how two reddish spots formed on Muichiro's cheeks.

Kokushibo was proud that Muichiro, being his descendant and being at a young age, was able to make that mark appear, a small smile forming on his lips.

'The mark appeared... I see...', Muichiro's speed increased, but it was not enough to do any damage.

The only thing he managed to do with that speed was prevent Kokushibo from drawing his katana and doing him any damage, but let's be honest, Muichiro's speed would not match Kokushibo's, because when he approached him, Kokushibo grabbed Muichiro's katana and nailed his uniform to the pillar closest to them. 'AGH!!'

'Muichiro, you've done a very good job so far... Is it hurting?... Let me help you, humans are so fragile...', Muichiro started kicking, he didn't want any demons to get close to him, very much. except that demon that now called him 'his descendant'.

He kicked him repeatedly, but he didn't seem to have any success in doing so, Kokushibo managed to dodge every kick from Muichiro, he had even managed to hold his ankles to stop him from kicking him, he only stopped when he felt a pair of fingers caressing his back, a shiver ran through his body. That feeling, that kind of chill he had already felt before, but where...?!

'Your back seems fine... You don't have any broken ribs, that's good... Your legs definitely work well... Huh?'

'S-stay a-away from me!! D-don't t-touch me!!', Kokushibo didn't understand, he was trying to make sure Muichiro wasn't hurt, and he wanted him to get away? Looking a little closer, Muichiro was fighting a smile.

After the events in the village, Muichiro had not only recovered his feelings and memories, he had also become more sensitive to light touches.

'Why do you have a little smile on your lips?'

'I-I'm not s-smiling!'

'Aren't you? So why do I see a little jump when I do this?'

Kokushibo put his two hands on his sides, he didn't squeeze or anything, he just put them and felt like this time, Muichiro gave a little squeak.

This reminded Kokushibo, this is what Douma always does to annoy Akaza, and if they, being demons, were ticklish, what could he expect from a human child like Muichiro?

'I see, I'm tickling you in a roundabout way, aren't I?' 'H-Huh?! O-of course n-no! 'K-Keep your h-hands away from my s-sides...!'

'It doesn't tickle you, so you wouldn't mind if...?', this time, Kokushibo squeeze his sides, waiting a few seconds to do it again and after a while he started doing it often. 'So you're ticklish, huh? I supposed it'

'I-I'm nohot-!! F-fuckihing old mahan!!', again Muichiro started kicking, but this time, he screamed loudly when Kokushibo grabbed one of his ankles.

If he dared, he swore he would enjoy watching him turn to ashes after cutting off his head. 'Hey!! Let go of my foot!!'

'I just want to make sure that you haven't hurt yourself, you used your legs to try to lessen the impact, but still, I would like to check, do you think?', Muichiro was now confused, how was it that a battle, in which, supposedly there should be blood, screams and blows, had it become a children's game?!

Whatever the answer, it didn't matter! He had to escape from there! But how?! He had tried to draw his katana but had not been successful, how could he do it now? Considering that one of his feet was being held by him

'Mmmm, good, they seem to be fine, you're moving them naturally', Muichiro sighed in relief, but when he opened his eyes, Kokushibo began to touch his tummy, more precisely close from his belly button.

This time he couldn't hide his smile and clenched his teeth with all the strength he had, all in vain.

'G-gehehet ohohohoff!! OHOHOI!! NO NO NO!! GRRR!!' 'Looks like I've found a bad place, right? I apologize for that'

This scene was seen by Genya, who was confused, he had come to rescue Muichiro, but he did not expect to find that he would be being tickled by a demon.

He knew he had to help him, but what was he going to tell the others? "I saved a hashira from dying in the clutches of a tickle monster"? It sounded strange to him... 'THIHIHIS IS UNCOHOLNCEHEHEHEIVEHEHEAHAHABLE!! GEHEHET OUT OF MEEEEEE!!'

'Why don't you try and push me away? Muichiro Tokito'

Before he could answer him, Muichiro started laughing so hard that he thought his uniform would give way and make him fall to the floor, but apparently, he was strong enough not to. 'Oooh, so it's your belly button, huh?'

'AAAAAH!! FUHUHUCKIHIHING DEHEHEMOHOHON!! I HAHATEHEHE YOHOHOU!!'

'I don't understand your reason for hatred, is it because I'm tickling you or is it because-?', Kokushibo was interrupted by the sound of some gunshots, Muichiro immediately recognized who had provoked them.

'GENYA!! RUN AWAY FROM HERE!! GO AWAY!!' 'OF COURSE NOT!! I CAME TO SAVE YOU FROM-!!, Genya froze, the only person she was seeing was Muichiro, where was the UpperMoon 1?!

'GENYA!! BEHIND YOU!!', before Genya could turn around or try to grab his gun, he was lifted face down, now he understood Muichiro, this was something ridiculous! 'Another slayer? How many more of you are there?'

'I WON'T TELL YOU ANYTHING IDIOT!!'

'I see, it seems that I will also resort to the same methods that I used in Muichiro'

'This place is a fucking labyrinth!! Damn... If only there was a way to know where the demons are and-...', Sanemi fell silent, he heard an echo of a scream that asked for help, he smiled, it was what he needed.

'It seems that the gods want me to eliminate this demon by force! I hope it's one worth killing!', he laughed before starting to run and follow the screams.

As he got closer, the screams became clearer until he stopped to hear them clearly... That voice, those screams... 'ANIKI!!!'

'GENYAAA!! STUPID DEMON, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MY LITTLE BROTHER, I WILL KILL YOU!!', he increased his speed, there was no time to waste, his brother was in trouble! Or maybe... He wasn't?

He poked his head around one of the pillars, all he could see was Genya's legs desperately kicking at whoever he was holding.

'BASTARD, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU-?!', Sanemi stopped his attack, blinked repeatedly and rubbed his eyes. 'So? How many more of you are there?'

'I'M NOHAHAHAT GOHOHOING TO TEHEHEHELL YOHOHOHOU!! I'D RATHER DIE!! AAAAH!! SHIHIHIT!! DAHAHAMN DEHEMOHOHON!!'

Yes, he was definitely seeing and hearing correctly, his brother was receiving a tickle assault from a demon, and worst of all, that demon was UpperMoon 1!!. 'I'M COMING GENYA!! FUCK!! IT DOESN'T COME OUT!! GRRR!!'

'I don't think you'll be able to get out of there anytime soon, why don't you ask your other friend who's hiding behind those pillars for help?', Kokushibo pointed at Sanemi, who froze, he didn't think he'd notice.

Muichiro and Genya looking at where he pointed, did not know whether to smile or demand that he run and look for Himejima. 'SHINAZUGAWA!!'

'That katana... That air... Let me guess, you're the Wind Hashira, aren't you? I must then assume that this little one is your brother-?', Kokushibo was surprised again, Sanemi had managed to snatch Genya away and left him near Muichiro, returning his pistol and katana.

'Seriously, you are a pathetic little brother... But don't worry, your brother is now here to save you...' 'Aaaah, demon slayers brothers... How nostalgic', well, what was he going to complain to Kokushibo? What he was tickling his brother? What he tickled Muichiro? It was not something worthy, according to him

We advanced the fight a little, because the only thing that happened next was a series of insults from Sanemi to Kokushibo.

'YOU SHOULD SEE THAT KATANA, IT'S DISGUSTING!!', Sanemi, could you stop insulting people you don't know?

Kokushibo definitely wouldn't need a katana to grab Sanemi and lift him up by his uniform. 'I don't share your opinion, slayer'

'It's a shame! I say that's it!! OI!!', Sanemi used both hands to push his hands away from him, he wasn't going to fall the same way Muichiro and Genya had fallen.

'AAAAAH!! MORON!! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!!' 'I'm not even putting much effort into getting close to you, Shinazugawa...'

'AGH!! TRY HARDER!!' 'THAT'S A TRY YOU IDIOT!!', while Sanemi was 'fighting' against Kokushibo, Muichiro and Genya tried as much as possible to remove the katana from the pillar where it was buried.

After much struggle, they finally managed to get her out and high-fived in victory.

'Well, we don't have time to waste! Nemi is in trouble! Let's go Muichiro!', Muichiro nodded and they both ran to look for him.

'You can see him?' 'No... But... But I do hear his screams of laughter', Muichiro and Genya looked at each other and gasped, it seems that Sanemi had also fallen into the UpperMoon 1 'game'

[gaysindistress]

As Good a Reason - four

pairing: Mob!Bucky Barnes x reader

summary: when Brock Rumlow picks a fight he can’t win with the White Wolf, he drags his Snake back. Six years after she ran away, Y/N Rumlow is faced with a choice to make; do as she’s told and kill the White Wolf or overtake her father instead because spite’s as good a reason to take his power?

warnings: cursing, violence, weapons

word count: 3k

A/N: Bucky gets darker the next few parts so I’m warning y’all now and no one gets surprised. I’ll add a ⚠️Dark!Mob!Bucky⚠️warning in the parings as well as the warnings.

three | series masterlist

Tag list: @cakesandtom @elizacusi-blog @unaxv @hidden-treasures21 @vonalyn

disclaimer: credits to original creator/poster of image/gif. found on Google/Pinterest. The women in the banners are not how Y/N is supposed to look. They are merely for aesthetic purposes and Y/N is written vaguely enough for anyone to see themselves in her.

John is sewing up Victoria’s hand as she grimaces and swallows the entire bottle of Vodka in one gulp. Niklaus, on the other hand, is frantically pacing the room, wearing ruts into the floor. John tries to get him to stop or slow down even but he refuses. 

“We’re fucked, absolutely fucked,” he mummers under his breath. 

Victoria practically growls as John pulls at the stitches to tie them off before snapping at her brother, “Of course we are. We let that bastard take Y/N.”

John looks to Niklaus nervously and then back to Victoria. 

“Oh my god, what did you two idiots do?” “Nothing, we did nothing,” Niklaus snaps back at her. 

“No, you did something. Tell me or I’ll throw you both through the window.”

John spills almost instantly, “Klaus made a deal with him last year.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” she shrieks. 

Niklaus rushes over to her and quickly puts his hand over her mouth to silence her, “Shut up for the love of god. I’ll tell you if you promise to not say anything. Brock is literally down the hall.”

She nods and he starts in with the tale of how he might have royally fucked up. 

About a year and half ago, Brock caught him and another man together and beat Niklaus to a pulp. He had been laid up in the hospital for weeks and needed routine visits afterward from the injuries he sustained. In addition to being beaten within an inch of his life, Brock had threatened to kill them if he ever caught them again. That had been the final nail in the coffin for Niklaus; after years of enduring the torture that his father put him and his siblings through, he made the decision to get rid of him once and for all.

The most natural choice was the White Wolf.

He was feared across the East Coast and was gaining power rapidly. He threatened Brock’s authority in New York and it made him nervous, sketchy, and scared. Niklaus arranged a meeting with Steve, his community liaison, and set the plan in motion however it all crumbled when Brock caught wind of a rat amongst his ranks. He had Niklaus and John execute too many innocent men and he even made a move on the White Wolf’s men. He’d murdered Tony Stark, one of the White Wolf’s close friends and advisors, setting forth a domino effect of violence. He retailed as one would and with Y/N being dragged back in, it complicated things. Niklaus tried to uncomplicate it and remove her from the equation with the planned ambush at the party but he never expected that she would willingly take the deal. Hoping that she was still the stubborn teen she had been, he’d hoped that the White Wolf would have to take her against her will and keep her locked away until it was all over with. 

“You are the biggest idiot I have ever met,” Victoria says with an equal amount of shock and annoyance, “Why didn’t tell me before? I could’ve helped you plan something better.”

“I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt if it all went south. I figured I could take the brunt of it while John got you to safety.”

Victoria scoffs, “So a suicide mission?”

“No.”

“Yes! You know him better than anyone. He will tear you apart limb by limb, sew you back up and do it again until he gets bored. And even then he’ll find a new way to entertain himself.”

John makes a disgruntled noise at all of her moving and says, “But if Brock’s dead, it’s all worth it.”

“No it isn’t John! You’ve been friends since birth practically and you’re seriously suggesting that him being dead is for the best? Klaus,” she pleads with her brother, “we have to find another way. Call him and find another way. Please, I can’t lose you.”

“There’s no other way. Either the White Wolf kills Brock before he can get to me or I try my hand at it and our father kills me.”

Her eyebrows furrow in pain and sadness as John finishes her hand. The moment he’s done she leaps up and wraps her arms around her brother.

Niklaus grips her back tightly ad if he’s afraid she’ll disappear into thin air and buries his face in her hair.

“You better hope Y/N figured out a better plan.”

He nods against her head.

“I love you, Klaus.”

“I love you too.”

Brock loves to incite fear in everyone around him whether that be with his voice or a violence. He craves to make all those in the same room as him fear for their lives if they so much as breathed wrong and that is especially true with his children. He lives to see the terror that lives in their eyes when they see him or how their bodies go rigid when he walks past them. He wants to see them shutter when he walks too close to them. He wants them to hold their breath until he leaves. He wants them and everyone else to walk on eggshells when he is around. He wants them to fear him in every sense of the word. 

Victoria’s small sniffles piss him off to no degree and he backhands her hard enough that she falls to the ground. Niklaus, ever the loyal son, only flinches at the sound of the impact and does nothing to help his sister. He knows that if he even so much as moved a muscle, he would be next. 

“Can someone please explain to me how the fuck you let that bastard take Y/N?” he growls at them as he rubs the bridge of his nose. 

Victoria climbs to her feet and with hit tears pooling in her eyes, she matches his anger, sneering back at him, “He knew we were going to be there. We didn’t stand a chance.”

“You had Y/N. You had every advantage I could’ve given you but somehow you two still fucked it up and killed her in the process.”

Niklaus risks his head and speaks, “She’s not dead. He took her hostage.”

Brock marches up to his son and grips his face in one bone crushing hand as he says, “That’s even worse. He can use her to get to me.”

“Y/N won’t give you up no matter how much she hates you. She wouldn’t risk Victoria and I getting hurt,” Niklaus scoffs and jerks his head away. 

In a flash, Brock whips out a pistol and pushes against his forehead, “You’re useless, you know that? I’ve done nothing but provide for you and give you everything you could ever want. Still you fuck up and prove to me that you’re only ever going to be a thorn in my side. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t put a bullet in you and Victoria.”

Victoria makes a startled gasp and lunges at her brother in efforts to push the gun away but John grabs her and holds one of his own to her temple. She whispers insults under her breath and curses him for being “a fucking traitor and a bastard.” Niklaus looks at her for guidance because he’s a loss for words. There’s nothing he could say that wouldn’t get someone hurt. She shakes her head as much as she can, urging him to not say anything. The one piece of information he can give their father to save them would end with Y/N’s head on a platter but it’s all he has to offer.

“Nik please,” she whispers with even more tears in her eyes. 

“I don’t have a choice.”

“Nik you always have a choice. Don’t do this please. Él la matará.”

He will kill her.

“Don’t speak that shit in my house,” Brock growls at her, “Try again and this time peak English.”

She pleads with her brother again in Spanish, earning another growl but with the gun against both of their heads, he has to do something. Giving away himself would ruin any chance at catching Brock off guard in the future so he goes the only thing he can.

Niklaus tears his eyes away and locks eyes with his father as he utters Y/N’s death sentence, “She made a deal with him; in exchange for our lives, she helps him kill you.”

“Is that so?” Brock asks, cocking his head in amusement before turning to look at Victoria, “I think I might have to send a message to that brat if that’s the case.” One shot. 

And a body drops. 

Steve chooses to grab Y/N by her hair this time, keeping his hand wrapped in her braid so that he has complete control of her. The White Wolf gives him a disapproving look but doesn’t say anything as they walk into a looming and dark house. Matching the exterior, the house is black and sleek with no hint of personality anywhere to be found. It looks very much like a house that a mob boss would buy to launder his money and she assumes that this is the case. 

“Stop gawking,” Steve tells her with a harsh tug of her hair and she hisses at the pain. The White Wolf looks back and motions for Steve to bring her forward. 

Taking her arm in his like a pretend gentleman, he explains that until Brock is dead, she will be staying with him. She’s not to leave and if she does, she needs to have explicit permission from him and a security detail will go with her. Steve smirks when her eyes flicker over to him, indicating that he will be the spearhead of that detail. The White Wolf saying her name brings her attention back to him and continues to explain that the house is hers, she has free reign as long as she stays within its walls. He stops them at a door at the end of a hallway, “This is my office…”

She interrupts him, “And it’s off limits. I know the drill.”

He smiles, looking her up and down while he wets his lips, “Smart girl.”

A part of her shutters in disgust but another…. 

“How much time do you need?”

“What?” she questions, searching his face for any hint of explanation. 

“It’s been six years since you left home so I’m assuming you need some time to figure out a plan. How much time do you need?” 

“You make it seem like I left on good terms,” she mumbles, shrinking under his intense gaze. 

He chuckles, “Sorry, RAN AWAY.”

She sighs and looks around her, “He’s living in one of his old properties so I already know how to get in and out. It really depends on how quickly you can get me what I need.”

“And that is?”

“How do you want it done?” He takes a moment to think about it as he pushes open his office door and leads her inside. Steve closes the door, locking just the two of them inside. The White Wolf pours both of them a glass of whiskey and hands one to her before taking a seat on a massive leather couch. However with him and his overwhelming presence on it, it looks child sized. He motions for her to sit in a chair across from him and she hestiants but he insists. 

“That’s up to you, little snake. You want him to suffer, right?” he asks as he takes a sip, wincing at the blissful feeling of the burn. 

“Don’t turn this on me,” she pauses, realizing that she only knows him by his alias,  “I don’t know your name.”

“My name?” “That’s what I just said.”

He narrows his eyes at her before giving her the answer she seeks, “James.”

“Don’t turn this on me, JAMES. It’s not about what I want, this is about your little fight with him,” she snarks at him, “The only reason why I’m involved is because of opportunity. You saw a chance to get back at him for whatever reason and preyed on me because of my past with him.”

James reclines in his seat, allowing himself to enjoy her anger and admire her in the process. 

“Did he tell you what this is all about?”

“No but I don’t exactly care either. All men have an ego the size of the sun and turn to violence when it gets bruised.”

He chokes on his drink at her appraisal but agrees nonetheless, “Fair enough. So what do you need?”

“I’ll need a Beretta M9A4 with a silencer, an M4, and a set of knives.”

“Strange list, anything else?”

“A getaway car and a driver.”

“I’ll have Sam do it.”

“Hm,” she stops him after taking a sip of her drink, “No, I don’t trust him.”

“I really don’t think trust should be something you’re worrying about right now.”

Y/N slips her heels off and draws her legs onto the chair with her, getting as comfortable as she can to level a bored look at him. James takes in her form as she’s curled into herself and he wets his lips with his tongue. 

“Who do you want then?” 

“Steve.”

A beat passes. 

“Or you.”

He questions her with a smirk as he slides through down into the leather couch. He’s lounging at this point, completely ignoring the fact they’re discussing murder. 

“Me?”

“I don’t trust any of your men and most certainly not you but you wouldn’t do anything to put me in harm’s way if you’re involved.”

His phone rings and he picks it up, eyes never leaving hers, “Hello?”

She can’t make out what the other person is saying but she can tell they’re frantic. James lets out an annoyed sigh and closes his eyes as his head hits the back of the couch, mumbling along as the person on the other side rambles on and on. His attention being off of her gives her the opportunity to really look at him. 

Eyes taking over him, Y/N takes in the way his midnight blue suit compliments his eyes and how his white shirt underneath is unbuttoned in an absurdly attractive manner. Just under his suit jacket is a hint of leather, a holster she assumes given what little she knows of him.  

“He’s not going to do anything and even if he did, I have people close by.”

The sheer dismissive tone brings her back to his face where she locks eyes with him. He must have lifted his head when she wasn’t looking and was most certainly watching her checking him out. She finishes the rest of her drink and sets the empty glass on the coffee table between them. 

“Încetează. Seriously calm down and use your brain, Klaus. He’s not going to do anything stupid. If he did, he would ruin any chance of survival he has. ”

She gives him a questioning look and he winks at her instead of explaining.

When he hangs up, she immediately jumps into her line of questions to which he explains that her brother has been working with him for some time now. 

“Klaus? As in my brother Niklaus? He’s helping you?”

“He came to me last year and asked if I would help him with… some business.”

“Why did you make a deal with me if you already had one with my brother?”

“It never hurts to have multiple options.”

She groans in frustration and rubs at her temples. Of course she would’ve been suckered into some farce of a deal by a shady businessman. The temptation to throw something at him becomes too strong and she hurls one of her heels at him. It misses and clatters to the ground behind him to which he chuckles at and gets to his feet. His shoes scuffle the floor as he pours himself another glass. Rather than sitting back in his original place, James rounds the coffee table and sits in front of her on it. 

“Brock would see it coming if I had Klaus do it regardless of how good your brother thinks he is. You, on the other hand,” he starts, pointing at her, “are the perfect option. He still has hope that you’ll find it in your heart to love daddy again so you still have a chance to gain his trust hence why I brought you here. Taking you away from him builds the tension, makes him sweat, makes him vulnerable and reckless. It puts him in the perfect position for me to release you back to him and boom my Rumlow problem is gone.”

“You still haven’t told me what he did.”

James leans forward so he’s invading her space, “It didn’t seem important a minute ago.”

Y/N matches him and leans forward too, “Well it is now. What did he do?”

“He killed a very good friend of mine.”

“You have friends?” She laughs at him and before she can stop him, he grips her braid again and pulls her off the chair and onto the ground before him. 

He yanks her towards him and whispers in her ear, “Learn when to stop, little snake. It’s unbecoming of you.” 

She glares him with all the hatred she feels for men like him but it flatters when his eyes flicker from hers to her lips parted due to the pain in her scalp.

"You look good on your knees for me," he lets spill out before releasing her.

She knows that he meant for it to come out but nonetheless she throws herself back as far as she can to get away from him. James, the flirty and seemingly harmless man is gone and in his place the White Wolf reemerges. He smirks at her desperate attempt to put space between them and winks at her again, this time making her body revolt at the gesture. Standing, he leaves the room without another word to her. 

Whatever safety and trust she hoped to gain tonight is gone the moment he closes that door. 

She’s alone. 

Completely and utterly alone.

[dany-is-my-queen]

A Question of Loyalty VI

Rhaenyra Targaryen x reader, Alicent Hightower x reader

Word count: 1.8k

Summary: When dragons of green and dragons of black dance, you have to choose the color that suits you best.

A weary sigh escaped your lungs as the sun set, the remnants of the reddish orange sun fading sublimely.

If Daemon hadn't killed your uncle, you have known what he was talking about. But he took it to his grave, he was in a rage that surely would have been that and not something serious.

You prayed for his soul in the Godswood for he was a member of your family despite his eagerness to bury your father.

“My lady.” A familiar voice came from behind, it was hoarse. “I wanted to thank you for your support back in the Throne Room. I knew you would root for my cause.”

“I didn’t do it for you, Rhaenyra. I did it for Lucerys.” You coldly replied.

“Right, yeah. I still very much appreciate your vote of confidence towards us.” You gave her a once-over.

Rhaenyra had a look of burden all over her, years ago you would ask her what was wrong, then help her to ease her turmoil but now, you just let the silence settle in.

“I want to name her like you.” She spoke, massaging her belly.

“I do not know if I’m worthy of such honor.”

“You are, Y/N.”

“Are you certain she’ll be a girl?”

“I’m counting on it.” You smiled faintly, it didn’t reach your eyes. You tried damn hard to disguise your hurt, the princess read your unreadable thoughts and aimed to grab your hands, out of instinct you recoiled before she could, she jerked back.

“My father is dying. But I noticed that his model city was immaculate. I don't think Alicent cared so much about cleaning it, or sending someone to do it. I thank your for it.”

“It is a sad thing, that the King is in such condition. But Queen Alicent has been seeing to the Realm’s interests. She’s doing her duty to the Kingdoms by ruling them wisely.” Rhaenyra sneered.

“Has she now? She meant to set aside Luke, your brother’s son… how is that doing a good job?”

“My brother’s son…” You mimicked, her gaze piercing as a dagger. “Laenor is dead. Cuckolded, you married your uncle, Rhaenyra. Why?”

“Y/N…—“ Tremendous amount of guilt invaded Rhaenyra, oh how she wished she could come clean about the truth of him.

“He was a far better man than Daemon will ever be. Even Harwin was. How could you?”

“Would you have wedded me?”

“What?”

“You’ve heard me. Would you’ve let me take you as my wife after Laenor’s demise?”

“That’s nonsense…”

“To me it never was, Y/N. With your brother gone, I had to strengthen my line. I had to—“

“You needn’t have to if you hadn’t mothered bastards!” She had no right to be offended, and you didn’t mean ill will towards the lads, she winced angrily for a second before she went softer. You still cared for her, she knew.

“We never tried, Y/N. We could never. I needed heirs, you can’t hold that against me forever.”

“Your line is stronger than ever. You are to be the Queen. I do hope Daemon suffices. I hope he’s gentle to you and treats you right.” You stepped to leave the Godswood, the starry night already hanging on your heads. Rhaenyra’s eyes were narrowed as you walked past her, she nigh stopped you, but she chose not to.

-

In the morrow, Helaena randomly chatted about “trivial” stuff while the twins were playing on the other side of the room. You were trying to gain the Her Grace’s attention, hopefully she would walk in and you’d take the chance.

“The old High Septon told my father that king’s laws are one thing and the laws of the gods another, the boy said stubbornly. Children are made in a marriage bed and blessed by the Father and the Mother, but others are born of lust and weakness, he said. The grey-haired man claimed that some are born of love and devotion. Blessed with wisdom and kindness, a rare type. But a type nonetheless.” A queer, uncomfortable perplexity began to invade you as Helaena finished speaking.

“Helaena, do you mind elaborating? Where did you hear this? Or rather, read it. Is it about your sister’s children?” You started interrogating her with dread. She squinted at you with a calm countenance, as calm as midnight waves. “Sweet Helaena…” Clearly with no intention of further elaboration. You wouldn’t want to overstep her boundaries or make her uneasy, as you knew she would get.

You were nonplussed. It was rude of you to decline the invitation made by the King himself, but you couldn't bear to be at the same table with the two women, you couldn't bear the deadly looks, the comments. You couldn't deal with it now that this was unveiled to you.

Your mother Rhaenys was secluded in her chambers to wash the image of Vaemond's head split in two. You couldn't face her, not yet.

You had a hundred questions swirling around, you were bewildered, stupefied. It made sense now, it was clear. Your uncle was about to say that you were born of your father's affair with another woman, Helaena spoke in riddles on the same subject. You've been lied to all your life, you were not a legitimate child... It was too much.

You poured glass after glass, until you emptied the flagon thrice in a row, your head spinning and your movements unfocused. The young princess meant well, she thought you deserved to know the truth. She loved you, why would she made this up?

You were a bastard. You were a fucking bastard. Your father’s been keeping this from you since forever, did your mother.., no, did Rhaenys pretended to love you? No, she did love you. It did make sense now why you didn’t have a resemblance to her, or to any Targaryen, but… you didn’t look like Corlys either.

Who the hell was your real mother? Was she a whore, a noble lady? Did she care? Was she still alive? How did you bond with Silverwing if you were just a simple bastard? Endless questions plagued your mind as you kept on drinking them away, your vision blurred, your heart staggered.

You slurred your way around the Keep, not with a precise destination, barely able to stand on your feet. A pair of vigorous arms caught you.

“Y/N? What happened, why are you like this?” The Princess worriedly examined you. “How much did you drink?”

You couldn’t bring yourself to look at her, maybe it was the booze in your system, or your inability to maintain eye contact with the culprit of your many heartaches.

“You skipped dinner with us, so you could get ridiculously hammered?” She nigh yelled at you, seldom did she act like the big woman, but given your state she could not talk softly to you.

“Leaving…— leaving without saying goodbye?” You managed to say.

“We are used to that.” Rhaenyra said back, your legs wobbly, her grip still stable in your waist, she pulled you closer to her.

“Ao gaomagon naejot fuck around rūsīr Harwin no isse these halls, sir rūsīr Daemon. Jāhor ziry mirre mōris?” (You used to fuck around in these halls with Harwin, and now with Daemon. Will it ever end?) You clumsy garbled in Valyrian. Rhaenyra bitterly sniggered.

“Hae lo ao weren't fucking se dāria pār, sepār raqagon ao issi sir.” (As if you weren't fucking the Queen then, just like you are now) She spat. You were wasted, and to be honest had no more vitality to keep on crossing swords with her.

“Let go of me, Rhaenyra.”

She hesitated, fearing that you would fall to the ground as soon as she loosened her grip, but you did not, you steadied your step and walked away from her as quickly as possible. The princess was puzzled, she should have accompanied you to your quarters, she should have, instead she turned to her children and her husband, determined to leave the city at once.

You ended up in front of a familiar wooden door, you thumped dramatically wishing the Queen could spare you some of her time. She did, she was still in her green gown, her locks were messy. She flinched at the sight of you.

“You stink of wine.” She uttered.

You’ve been here before, you remember being here under the same circumstances, and yet you couldn’t stop.

You pushed Alicent back to her bed, in your drunkenness you managed to be careful not to act so rudely.

She gasped, and did no more than contemplate the face of the woman she’s always been in love with. She’s always desired you, yearning to be yours again… she bit her lip rougher to halt herself to devour your inviting, redden lips.

You tucked yourself into the side of her neck, your breathing overflowing with craving. You were still intoxicated, but it was wearing off in a quick pace.

The noise you moaned next came from the depths of you. “Rhaenyra”

Alicent stiffened and fought with all her might to stop her hand from slapping you. Aware of the terrible blunder you had made, you buried even deeper into her, pressing tightly your body to hers.

“Go to her. I wager she’s still here.” She tried to shove you away, she could already feel the tears materializing.

Seeing the hurt written in her sobered you up in a blink of an eye. You finally spoke up, chests colliding.

"I wish I had long silver hair, striking blue eyes. I wish I had a free spirit, breaking all the damn rules no matter what the consequences. I wish I had a freaking dragon" Alicent shouted.

"I adore your chestnut locks, your deep brown eyes. I love how exquisitely you carry yourself when it comes to rules. And Silverwing took to you so well, why would you need a dragon?"

“So you would love me as much.”

“Ali…— Alicent.” She quivered under you at the way you pronounced her name. “I’m tired of this sickening game. I want us. I want you. It’s always been you. To me you're perfect just the way you are.” You weren't going to force her on you, so you stood up and rubbed your temples. "I am definitely not worthy of you now, Your Grace, but I will work on myself to give you a version that is, I vow to you." Alicent interlaced your fingers, preventing you from leaving the room.

“I’d ask you to stay the night, but I must look after the King.”

“I know, duty comes first.” She hummed.

“And I wouldn’t want my sheets to reek of you, bathe yourself. Have some rest. We can talk in the morrow.” A profound hopefulness made its way to you. You tittered, Alicent gave you a quick peck on the corner of the mouth, as you watched her fade into the castle halls.

Will love ever be the end of duty?

Tagging: @loveislove4 @evattude @lethal-minds @sophiexoxsblog @sunshove @tired-ninfa @rxscpctals @glorioushamsterqueen @lesbicentism @newcaptainofsquad9

[witchersmistress]

Family is everything

Hello my darlings i am back!! this particular story is for the lovely @livesinfantasyland so this is my apology to you!

Trigger warnings: warm and fuzzy feelings, angst, saucy feelings and irritations at yours truly

Word count: 1k

my usual warnings, you do not have permission to copy my work in any shape way or form, if you do ill find you and haunt you for the rest of your days

You hated family get-togethers more than anything. Sure you got to see your mom, dad and siblings but that wasn't what made you dread them, not even your mom’s brother whom you rarely see and stopped calling your uncle when you were 15. No no no, it was much worse, it was your fathers best friend that he had met in the military, someone who has known you all your life, someone who not even 30 minutes ago had you cumming in your childhood bedroom, with the pink walls and white frilly covers on your full size bed, because you wore a short dress to the cook out and he didn't like it, that was the man you dreaded to see in a public setting

Captain . Logan. Fucking. Syverson.

That smug mother fucker with his texan drawl, over there sipping a beer with dad,running his hand down his face, his distinctive hand tattoo with some bite marks glaring back at me,  like his face wasnt just buried in my pussy while i bit down on that hand to prevent my screams from escaping. I mean sure with him i have absolutely no problem if he text me “ STFUATTDLAGG”

And I do, no questions asked, like Daddys good little whore, but seeing him at family gatherings or out in public when I am with mom or dad is the bane of my existence. That man damn well knows the effect he has over me and knows i don't control my facial expressions or my mouth all that well, which is why his spreader bar and i have are the best of friends most times. He says I look pretty with my anklets. So you know what I did, I got one of those anklets that have to be welded on much like the bracelets. The look on his face was priceless. My ass was red hours later but totally worth it. I was grinning like the cat who ate the canary, while my mom asked me all sorts of questions about it. My father shook his head and Sy just drawled “Kids will be kids you know” but that wink he gave me while he took a long sip of his beer told me that I was indeed in deep shit, and I loved it.

So that is our game, I find new ways to disobey him and I get punished and I love it. Before I get too far ahead of myself, I probably should explain how I ended up in this situation in the first place and how I ended up with my dad’s best friend being my dom. It's a classic situation of the wrong place at the wrong time. I was out in LA visiting an old friend and Sy was out here for work so my parents felt comfortable letting me go. I lied to his face when I said I was staying in for the night, total bullshit lies but how can you tell someone whom you've known forever that you were going to check out a sex club and put yourself up on the auction block?

Well you don't so you lie like your life depends on it. So here I am drinking a fruity cocktail at the bar waiting for my name to be called. My best friends Ed and Jill were here with me. After all this was her idea and Ed just came along for the ride “Come on’ she said “Lighten up, it's not like you're selling yourself, you are offering up an hour of your time and you get a percentage off your final price'' she wiggled her eyebrows at me. I pulled at my black mini dress “You look hot” Ed said when he was done ogling this drop dead gorgeous male waiter that just walked by, Ed always knew how to pick them. The good looking ones that will break your heart. Syverson included. The club was buzzing with more activity than usual. 

“What's all the fuss about?” I mused out loud. “The boss man is here” a deep barton voice said behind me, causing me to jump. It was the bartender, a sneaky bastard. Placing a hand on my chest, he threw a white towel over his shoulder and gave me a wink before walking away. Jill and Ed were in some kind of debate when a woman dressed in all black with red heels approached me “ Ms. Harlowe?” I nodded, setting my empty glass on the bar, “If you would follow me, you are to be called next” I gulped and followed after her. Jill and Ed gave me a thumbs up as I walked away.

As we walked through the smoky lounge I felt as if ice water was spilled down the back of my neck and down my spine. I looked around to see if I could pinpoint the culprit but it was too crowded to even begin to figure it out. That feeling followed me all the way up to the stage, where the woman rattled off some of the basic rules which I wasn't listening to. I was too busy looking out at the crowd. I spotted Ed and Jill towards the back and the butterflies in my stomach settled but i couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me from one of those dark corners

“Now Ladies and gentlemen, our last bid for the evening is the lovely, this stunning briar rose, Aurora Harlowe'' swallowing the lump in my throat i made my way into the spotlight and looked around the room, men had sat up straight, specifically one gentlemen in the back, i could only see from his chest down, he had an empty tumblr in his hand that i thought was going to break since he was squeezing it so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

He slammed back what was in the glass before waving to the waitress for another one. Even though i couldn't see him, i knew his gaze was trained on me, the auctioneers voice pulled me out of the haze that Mr. Whiskey had casted on me “ for just one hour of her time, the bidding will start at $10,000” one man called out 11 and another man called out 12, but my heart stopped when a deep timber yelled “$15,000 for the girl” my heart dropped out of my chest and into my stomach there was no doubt in my mind that was Mr. Whiskey himself.

[horizon-verizon]

Even before the others reached White Harbor, King Jaehaerys had called together his council in the Red Keep, to consider an entreaty from his queen. When Septon Barth, Grand Maester Benifer, and the others had assembled, Alysanne told them of her visit to the Wall, and the day that she had spent with the whores and fallen women of Mole’s Town. “There was a girl there,” the queen said, “no older than I am as I sit before you now. A pretty girl, but not, I think, as pretty as she was. Her father was a blacksmith, and when she was a maid of fourteen years, he gave her hand in marriage to his apprentice. She was fond of the boy, and he of her, so the two of them were duly wed…but scarcely had they said their vows than their lord came down upon the wedding with his men-at-arms to claim his right to her first night. He carried her off to his tower and enjoyed her, and the next morning his men returned her to her husband.

“But her maidenhead was gone, together with whatever love the apprentice boy had borne her. He could not raise his hand against the lord for peril of his life, so instead he raised it against his wife. When it became plain that she was carrying the lord’s child, he beat it out of her. From that day on, he never called her anything but ‘whore,’ until finally the girl decided that if she must be called a whore she would live as one, and made her way to Mole’s Town. There she dwells until this day, a sad child, ruined…but all the while, in other villages, other maids are being wed, and other lords are claiming their first night.

“Hers was the worst story, but not the only one. At White Harbor, at Mole’s Town, at Barrowton, other women spoke of their first nights as well. I never knew, my lords. Oh, I knew of the tradition. Even on Dragonstone, there are stories of men of mine own house, Targaryens, who have made free with the wives of fisherfolk and serving men, and sired children on them…”

“Dragonseeds, they call them,” Jaehaerys said with obvious reluctance. “It is not a thing to boast of, but it has happened, mayhaps more often than we would care to admit. Such children are cherished, though. Orys Baratheon himself was a dragonseed, a bastard brother to our grandsire. Whether he was conceived of a first night I cannot say, but Lord Aerion was his father, that was well-known. Gifts were given…” “Gifts?” the queen said in a voice sharp with derision. “I see no honor in any of this. I knew such things happened hundreds of years ago, I confess it, but I never dreamed that the custom endured so strongly to this day. Mayhaps I did not want to know. I closed my eyes, but that poor girl in Mole’s Town opened them. The right of the first night! Your Grace, my lords, it is time we put an end to this. I beg you.”

A silence fell after the queen had finished speaking, Grand Maester Benifer tells us. The lords of the small council shifted awkwardly in their seats and exchanged glances, until finally the king himself spoke up, sympathetic but reluctant. What the queen proposed would be difficult, Jaehaerys said. Lords grew troublesome when kings began taking things that they regarded as their own. “Their lands, their gold, their rights…”

“…their wives?” Alysanne finished. “I remember our wedding, my lord. If you had been a blacksmith and me a washerwoman and some lord had come to claim me and take my maidenhead the day we took our vows, what would you have done?” “Killed him,” Jaehaerys said, “but I am not a blacksmith.”

“If, I said,” the queen persisted. “A blacksmith is still a man, is he not? What man but a coward would stand by meekly whilst another man has his way with his wife? We do not want blacksmiths killing lords, surely.” She turned to Grand Maester Benifer and said, “I know how Gargon Qoherys died. Gargon the Guest. How many more such instances have there been, I wonder?” “More than I would care to say,” Benifer allowed. “They are not oft spoken of, for fear that other men might do the same, but…” “The first night is an offense against the King’s Peace,” the queen concluded. “An offense against not only the maid, but her husband as well…and the wife of the lord, never forget. What do those highborn ladies do whilst their lords are out deflowering maidens? Do they sew? Sing? Pray? Were it me, I might pray my lord husband fell off his horse and broke his neck coming home.” King Jaehaerys smiled at that, but it was plain that he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. “The right of the first night is an ancient one,” he argued, though with no great passion, “as much a part of lordship as the right of pit and gallows. It is rarely used south of the Neck, I am told, but its continued existence is a lordly prerogative that some of my more truculent subjects would be loath to surrender. You are not wrong, my love, but sometimes it is best to let a sleeping dragon lie.”

“We are the sleeping dragons,” the queen threw back. “These lords who love their first nights are dogs. Why must they slake their lust on maidens who have only just pledged their love to other men? Have they no wives of their own? Are there no whores in their domains? Have they lost the use of their hands?” The justiciar Lord Albin Massey spoke up then, saying, “There is more to the first night than lust, Your Grace. The practice is an ancient one, older than the Andals, older than the Faith. It goes back to the Dawn Age, I do not doubt. The First Men were a savage race, and like the wildings beyond the Wall, they followed only strength. Their lords and kings were warriors, mighty men and heroes, and they wanted their sons to be the same. If a warlord chose to bestow his seed upon some maid on her wedding night, it was seen as…a sort of blessing. And if a child should come of the coupling, so much the better. The husband could then claim the honor of raising a hero’s son as his own.” “Mayhaps that was so, ten thousand years ago,” the queen replied, “but the lords claiming the first night now are no heroes. You have not heard the women speak of them. I have. Old men, fat men, cruel men, poxy boys, rapers, droolers, men covered with scabs, with scars, with boils, lords who have not washed in half a year, men with greasy hair and lice. These are your mighty men. I listened to the girls, and none of them felt blessed.”

"The Andals never practiced the first night in Andalos,” Grand Maester Benifer said. “When they came to Westeros and swept away the kingdoms of the First Men, they found the tradition in place and chose to let it remain, just as they did the godswoods.”

Septon Barth spoke then, turning to the king. “Sire, if I may be so bold, I believe Her Grace has the right of this. The First Men might have found some purpose in this rite, but the First Men fought with bronze swords and fed their weirwood trees with blood. We are not those men, and it is past time we put an end to this evil. It stands against every ideal of chivalry. Our knights swear to protect the innocence of maidens…save for when the lord they serve wishes to despoil one, it would seem. We swear our marriage vows before the Father and the Mother, promising fidelity until the Stranger comes to part us, and nowhere in The Seven-Pointed Star does it say that those promises do not apply to lords. You are not wrong, Your Grace, some lords will surely grumble at this, especially in the North…but all the maids will thank us for it, and all the husbands and the fathers and the mothers, just as the queen has said. I know the Faithful will be pleased. His High Holiness will let his voice be heard, never doubt it.” When Barth had finished speaking, Jaehaerys Targaryen threw up his hands. “I know when I am beaten. Very well. Let it be done." And so it came to pass that the second of what the smallfolk named Queen Alysanne’s Laws was enacted: the abolition of the lord’s ancient right to the first night. Henceforth, it was decreed, a bride’s maidenhead would belong only to her husband, whether joined before a septon or a heart tree, and any man, be he lord or peasant, who took her on her wedding night or any other night would be guilty of the crime of rape.

Fire and Blood, by George R.R. Martin pg 268-272

[Full Account of How the right of the First Night was Abolished]

[lya-dustin]

Cupid kills with arrows

Chapter 6

Cw:suggestive themes

Gif by @littleunigreekdreamer

The next change of horses finds them putting Aemond’s wicked mouth to the test.

While their entourage is slightly embarrassed at seeing them so disheveled, most of them are relieved to know the lack of consummation was not due to Aemond sharing the same tastes as Aemma’s late father nor Ser Gwayne, the Queen’s younger brother.

Now that Aemond and Aemma had decided to take things slow and see where it goes, the rest of the trip passed quickly.

Or at least it felt like that when conversation flowed and at some point, Aemma decided she was more comfortable on Aemond’s lap with a hand inside his open doublet while he had both of his up her skirt.

That had been hours ago, when they were still on the road and not when she was annoyed that he requested a separate bath at the lodge.

They were to sleep apart and he would visit her chambers should Aemma want him.

For every step forward, he dragged them two steps back.

Taking matters into her own hands, she went through the adjoining door in only her dressing gown and took advantage of his limited line of sight.

“Jaehaerys and Alysanne slept bare until they consummated their marriage to foster intimacy between them.” Aemma feels very bold as she stands in front of him and when he refuses to acknowledge her and instead looks to his left, she takes off her robe to really get his attention.

“I wager they slept naked after that too.” He says as he puts his eye patch back on and finally turns to look at her.

Drinks her in and once he is satisfied with his observation, he gestures for her to join him.

“I thought we agreed to give us a try.” She said taking in the sight of him bare and thanked the gods the water was pleasantly hot and barely reaching his midsection.

Muscled but lean as it was usual for Targaryens, a smattering of fine silvery hair on his chest and a scar on his right arm he didn’t have before.

“It was for sake that I called for separate rooms, Aemee.” He defends his actions and gestures to his left side. “Many ladies, including my lady mother, find the sight of me without the eye unseemly.”

He was insecure about that; the people had said he was not a whole man due to his missing eye. That he may as well be dead because no lady could stand the sight of his missing eye.

There were horror stories she had been told about how the scar made him ugly and how the eye patch barely helped.

They all had been wrong, of course, Aemond was far better looking than Aegon if you ask her.

“What makes you believe I will be one of those ladies?” she asks as she gets comfortable in the tub with him. It was not so small that they were cramped, but both had to draw their knees slightly to fit allowing the chance to just crawl between his legs and show him how little the sight would bother her.

Of course, the sight would be something to get used to, but she is optimistic and has hopes for their marriage.

“Suit yourself.” He rolled his eye in annoyance and sat back to let Aemma remove his eye patch.

It is definitely an unnerving sight.

Not as horrific as she believed, but her curiosity is piqued. How does he care for that? Did it itch? Does popping the sapphire in and out daily hurt?

But what stuns her into silence is that had her mother not jumped in front of her, Aemma would also be missing an eye… or worse, dead.

Sure, the queen had a right to be outraged, but to demand that a child be maimed after an accident caused by her fostering enmity between them by saying bastards are not people was just shit reasoning.

Even though Aemond was the party most grievously injured and did not deserve to lose his left eye, it was his mouth and his mother’s inability to keep her children out of her politics that caused him to lose it in a fight he started.

While Rhaena had no real claim to Vhagar, it is just considered good sportsmanship and common dragon etiquette to give the other potential claimant a real chance.

Luke had acted in self-defense as Aemond was going to bash his head in with a rock.

Aemma had ---in an attempt to prevent her little brother from being maimed in retaliation--- taken the blame saying it was her fault for not taking Teora with her when she followed Aemond outside.

“I told you, Aemee, you would not be able to handle it.” He said morosely.

“It’s not that, just realized that I too would be missing an eye if your mother had had her way.” Aemma makes the mistake of being honest.

At the wedding it was clear that he adored his mother, his mother who was not agreeable to the match.

The queen never liked her, hated how close Aemma was with Helaena, how people always said Aemma was the sun to Helaena’s moon, how grandfather favored her over the queen’s children and how she refused to even acknowledge the truth about her brothers.

Even at one and ten, Aemma had discovered if anyone publicly said or acknowledged that Harwin was her brothers’ true father, her brothers, Harwin and even her mother, would be executed as dictated by the laws Maegor had made and Jaehaerys had kept.

Anyone who wished her brothers’ death was simply not a good person.

But you cannot say that about Alicent the Pious who’s kinsman was the High Septon and who’s favorite son was going to choose his mother over his wife over this.

“I am sorry for making this about me. I promise you that your lack of eye does not scare me, and I am sure once time passes, I will become so used to the sight of it we won’t even know it’s there.” She tries to brush that under the rug, but he stops her from rambling on by putting his hand on her neck.

For a moment, she thinks he might throttle her for speaking ill of his mother.

But he doesn’t, instead he says this.

“Your words aren’t enough, ābrazȳrys.” The smirk on his lips tells her he ignored her words or has forgotten them already.

A part of her wonders if he has completely put it out of his mind or is just reserving it for a later time when he can throw it back at her.

“Then tell me, valzȳrys, how I can prove it to you.” Aemma swallows her fears and gasps when the answer she gets is Aemond brushing lips against hers softly and once he confirms her silent consent, pulls her for a real kiss.

They do not fuck, but Aemma puts what she learned from Septa Coryanne’s sexual escapades to good use.

If they continue like this, his affliction will be cured in no time.

She is warm, soft, and smelling of flowers tucked up under his arm. This intimacy was foreign to Aemond, he had never given the other women a chance fearing an attachment to them would bring ruin to him.

While he had been apprehensive to Aemma’s suggestions and demands to sleep with him on the same bed, Aemond was glad he gave into the Silver Queen’s orders.

He hates the feeling of shameful vulnerability he has had since she intruded into his rooms and hijacked his bath, but if she will have to get used to his ugly side, he could get used to having someone be there exclusively for him.

Unfortunately, there was bad blood between their families.

He hated his nephew ---her brother--- and she likely hated his mother for wanting to either kill her or maim her to avenge him.

But that can wait, while they are here, the war between the Greens and the Blacks do not exist.

She will like that, he thinks, until they are back at the Red Keep, only they exist, no politics, no bad memories, just them and what he knows will become a better marriage than Jaehaerys and Alysanne.

[lizard-shifter-noms]

Broken Bloodlines Chapter 1

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Hello everyone! Arc two will now be gradually uploaded (im thinking every saturday but if someone has a better suggestion im all ears) also the chapters for arc two will be shorter for ease of reading.

(i know the general attention span of people has gone down cuz Internet)

this Story contains Vore, Dont like dont read. (not in this chapter but in future ones)

have fun reading!

and as always reblogs are appreciated! (Also ASK's are open so feel free to bother me!)

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What? What did he just say?

I was looking at the man that had just titled himself my brother, 

older brother to be exact.

That couldn't be, could it?

He was a full Blooded elf so technically it could be.

After all, I had no idea what my elven father did before he met my mother and subsequently ditching her.

And looking at him I could see the resemblance, he looked like a colorless and stretched out version of me, including that one stubborn strand of hair that would not leave from my forehead.

Though the rest of his hair was a lot longer than mine

But the fact that he was older likely meant that not only was I a Bastard but also the result of adultery.

Fuck. 

And on top of that i had no idea what to do now, sure he was apparently my brother but i had absolutely no idea how to act.

He was essentially a stranger to me, but at least it didn't seem like he meant harm as he had not brought any weapons with him.

I was struck with the realization that had he done this just a month or so earlier he would have been executed by the old king.

Still, if he'd known about me, why was he here now? And not sooner?

“I- so wait, if you knew about me why did you only come to see me now?

Why not sooner? And why at all? 

You could just have continued to ignore me like you did till now”

He had stopped smiling, but his face still looked like porcelain and kind of unreal.

Maybe that was just an elf trait? 

I'd do my best to ignore the uncanniness of it.

He blinked before answering in the same melodic but kinda monotone voice.

“I did not know about you until recently as my mother told me the things our father did while she was on her deathbed”

Oh, so it had been a dirty little secret until the cheated on elven woman decided to come clean before moving on from this world.

Though there was no emotion in his voice when he mentioned his mother dying.

Strange guy, but I would give him a chance.

I had no idea about elven culture after all, 

So that might be normal for him?

“What else did he do? Don't tell me we have more siblings”

He shook his head slowly and elegantly.

“He died five years ago before he could sire anymore children”

Oh, so both of his parents were dead,  well both of mine were dead too since my mother had been dead for years, but frankly i did not give a fuck about a man i had never met and who decided to ditch my mom.

Then I realized something.

“Wait what's your name? You haven't mentioned it and you know mine so it's only fair if you tell me what to call you”

He seemed slightly surprised for a split second and I was almost sure I had imagined it as his face was as unmoving as ever.

“You can call me Fable, pleased to meet you Brother”

He did a little bow at the end of his sentence that I would attribute to elven culture too but to me it seemed quite unnecessary.

Also Fable surely was not his real name.

I knew Fae folk used aliases a lot as their names held power or whatever, but if he wanted to be called Fable I'd call him that.

Not that i had anything else to call him anyway, 

and the alias did kinda suit him.

“Fable it is then, sounds nice, soo uh, what do you want to do now? 

I could show you the Garden? If you want?”

Yeah, this was awkward, but showing him the garden was something simple and maybe we'd get to talk a bit more,  somewhere were there werent that many people around, maybe get to know the guy a bit more than this weird introduction.

He didn't react much other than a soft nod, so I led him to the door.

Only to almost walk into Rikaad.

“Oh, hey Rikaad, how are you?”

He looked from me to Fable and back.

“I see you met the man that was asking about you”

I nodded and Fable just stood there looking at him, 

I had to tell him that staring at people was considered weird at best and downright rude and creepy at worst.

“I- yeah, this is Fable, apparently he's my half brother”

Rikaad looked to Fable, having to tilt his head up a little at the taller man which he definitely wasn't used to, and then back at me.

“I can kinda see it now that you are standing next to each other, 

but I have to say I was very surprised as an Elf walked in, 

especially with the…history of this Kingdom.

 But i'm glad that that is in the past now, so you two have fun, i have to read some letters Maringand sent”

Letters from maringand? 

I really hoped they did not recognize him from the tower incident.

Eh, surely just bureaucratic nonsense containing congratulations on his new kingship.

“Probably just some paper stuff about you being king now,  though i have no idea why Royalty is so obsessed with that”

He shook his head a little.

“Wish i knew, i for sure do not like it,  and it wastes so much paper that it just takes up way too much space.

Well, i'll be off then, you make sure not to wander too far from the castle,

i still haven't found the paperwork about the Fae ban and i don't want anything to happen to you”

With those words he walked off to what either was his study room or what it was named or wherever they kept the mail.

I turned back to Fable.

“Did you see anything that interests you on your way here? 

We could check that out first if you want?”

He just looked at me for a few seconds before responding.

“I did not see much aside from the plants,  i came in through what i assume is the main door and the walk to the castle itself was rather short”

Right, the main door was maybe a hundred meters away from the castle, so what else could I show him?

Man this was not going well thus far.

Oh, I could show him my favorite rock, I liked to just hang out there after all!

Or was that weird? 

If he thought it was weird I might be able to pass it off as human culture.

Or maybe I could just tell him it was my preferred place as a lookout at, Well, nothing really.

Yeah, I'd do that, and maybe I could ask him a bit more about Ardua,  He was the Elven side of the family after all.

But what if he thought I was an idiot for not knowing stuff?

Maybe I'd try to finally talk to Oakley about it first.

I really did not want to be seen as an idiot not even an hour into meeting him, I'd ask Oakley first for sure.

I also noticed that while we had walked a bit around the castle Fable had not once spoken of his own volition other than when he greeted me.

Maybe he thought it would somehow be rude? I didn't know much about elven culture so maybe the host always had to speak first?

Aside from that, he seemed a bit…vacant, to say the least, 

but not in the way Robin was, more like an empty vessel.

Fable was just there and not interacting with anything around him unless he had to or was told to.

He wasn't even reacting to the cat purposefully walking in his path,  he just stepped over her and she seemed annoyed enough to slink off into the garden again.

Now while I had no idea what Elves were like I had to admit that this was.. Odd, very odd.

Or maybe it was somehow not allowed to interact with another person's pet? Was that rude for Elves?

Maybe he'd just read about human culture and responded how he thought he was supposed to?

It would explain why he was so weird, and the staring thing.

I'd have to tell him that people were unnerved by that.

Maybe some smalltalk would get him to open up a little? 

Even if I hated smalltalk.

“So you said you are my older brother, how old are you then?”

He turned to face me while not breaking his gait whatsoever.

“I am currently twenty-one, and you are as i have been told eighteen,  Is that correct?”

Finally he asked an actual question.

“Yes, im eighteen, as are half of my friends,  I'll introduce you to them later, after i showed you around a little”

I’d title the rock as my favorite lookout, I had no idea if titling it as my preferred sunspot would sound weird or not.

Well, he had to know about Ardua so it might not be? Whatever the case, I did not want to look like more of an idiot than I already was.

Lookout it was then.

And we had already reached it, 

I'd better warn Fable about the ledge though.

“Well, this is one of my favorite places at the castle, the boulder over there makes for a nice lookout and the stone itself has no jagged edges so you can sit on it without having to worry about getting cut.

You do have to be careful about the edge of the cliff though,  it's not a hundred percent stable everywhere so keeping a few meters away might save you from falling down”

He still just stood next to me, but I could see he was looking all over the place, likely taking in the scenery.

Still, his face did not change,  which was weird but maybe elves had different facial cues?

Then he spoke again, albeit still a little monotone.

“It is a pretty place, the rock looks worn down from years of humans walking over it and you can see very far out from here”

He was now looking over the edge of the cliff which was still a good few meters away, I now had to show him that the rock was safe to stand on as long as it wasn't wet.

“Yeah, you can see even further by standing on the rock itself,  don't worry it's really sturdy,  you just have to make sure you don't slip, come on i'll show you”

I walked up the rock and beckoned him to follow which he did.

Standing at the top of the boulder one could see really far away, And really far down too.

Id have to ask someone how tall it was exactly,  surely SOMEone had measured that before.

There was a light breeze blowing, but it was so weak that there was no danger of suddenly getting swept off by it.

“What do you think Fable? Isn't this beautiful? 

Can you see anything cool?”

He walked up next to me and looked far out, likely looking for something of interest, without shielding his eyes from the sun which was a bad idea so I'd make sure to get him to a more shadowy spot after this.

He answered my question, just as monotone as ever.

“I can see a fleet of boats, they have blue and gray flags on their mast’s”

I looked wherever Fable was looking and he was right,  Some maringand ships, big ones too, all lined up in a nice row while sailing along the coast.

“Those are Maringand ships, Maringand is the neighboring kingdom, no idea what they are doing though”

They were in some sort of formation, maybe a sailing exercise?

“Whatever, not our Problem, what do you wanna do next?”

I'd like to get him out of the sun, he was a pale person so he'd definitely get sunburn if he stayed out of the shade too long.

“I do not know what else there is to see, i do not know the area”

Right, he'd never been here before. 

How would he know where anything was? That was really stupid of me.

I'd just show him uhh, Oakleys tower! 

Yes, that was in a more shadowy area too so he wouldn't get sunburn!

“I could show you Oakleys tower? 

Oakley is a friend of mine albeit a weird one, very weird,  but he's an okay guy if a bit silly and annoying at times”

I waved at him to follow and hopped off the rock back onto the grass.

Oh wait Oakley wasn't human either, id better mention that.

“Oakley isn't human, he’s, well i don't know what its called but he has birdlike legs and his arms are wings with a few fingers and a thumb”

Fable just stared at me as expressionless as he'd been since I saw him first like half an hour ago.

“With Wings and Bird Legs he might be a Harpy”

Harpy? I was pretty sure I heard that before, but I thought they had Feathers or something? 

Maybe Oakley was also a Bastard and just didn't wanna tell anyone?

I wasn't about to pry though, He'd helped me too much as that I would invade his privacy like that.

“Well, maybe? I haven't asked him because i thought it was rude, and i've known for a few weeks now so it would just be awkward”

Continuing to walk through the denser trees I noticed Fable had to duck a lot more than I did, well he was taller by like a head.

“Hey, how tall are you anyway? It's something over six feet right?”

Asking for his height surely wasn't considered rude was it? I hoped not.

“I am six foot four exactly”

Was that tall for an elf? I wouldn't ask that though,  I didn't want to be seen as more of an idiot than I was.

“Huh, i'm just five ten, well most of the time”

He seemed confused about the last part and I noticed he did not have an Ardua Bracelet, well Oakley had said they were rare and maybe he didn't know that this was one?

It was possible that they didn't all have the same design after all.

“Il show you what i mean later, here isn't enough space, and i want to show you around the Castle first anyway”

He gave a tiny nod and I shoved one of the bushes a bit to the side to reveal that we had reached Oakleys tower.

The askew building had seen better times but also a lot worse ones.

Oakley really managed to make that dusty hull livable again, 

and he also put a hammock into the old Oak Tree.

It looked a lot nicer than before and I wondered how long it would take him to finish putting his stuff away.

“Donovan!”

I looked at the source of the voice and saw Robin sitting on the ground next to the herbs he had planted.

Right, he'd been busy with this while I went to the castle.

The cat was also there and Robin was using a long leaf of grass to play with her.

Robin didn't know that the pale elf next to me was my brother though, I'd better tell him before he heard it from someone else and got confused.

“Hey Robin! Come here for a sec, i want you to meet Fable”

He tilted his head in confusion and the cat snatched the blade of grass away from him.

He stood up and patted the dirt off of him while me and Fable walked fully into the little clearing that surrounded the tower.

“So this is Fable-”

I pointed at the elf.

“-and uhh turns out he's my half brother?”

Robin looked confusedly between both of us for a few seconds.

“i can kinda see that, you both got the hair thingy”

He motioned to his forehead and I knew exactly what he was speaking of.

He stepped in front of Fable who was almost comically taller than him.

“Are you okay? You are very pale”

Oh, Robin probably had never seen an Albino before, fuck.

I hoped Fable wouldn't take offense to it.

“Robin he's Albino, Pale is normal in that case”

He still seemed a bit confused.

“What's an Albino?”

He didn't even know what an Albino was in the first place, 

I couldn't help but put my hand over my face at this.

“Albinism is just when the body does not make pigments, you know the stuff responsible for hair and skin color, that doesn't work in an Albino”

Now he seemed to get it, but i couldn't blame him,  barely anyone knew what an Albino was as they were really rare.

He turned to Fable with a rather miserable expression.

“Sorry, i didn't know, didn't wanna be rude”

Fable just stared at him for a bit before he answered.

“No offense taken”

Phew, I only now noticed how tense I had gotten,  and that I wouldn't have known what to do if they didn't get along.

Well, it seemed they did as Robin dragged the cat over and presented her to Fable.

“This is the cat that keeps walking around here,  i like her, she's nice and fluffy”

Fable just stared at the Feline,  did they not have cats wherever the Elves lived? Well as far as i knew Humans had been the ones to domesticate the little tigers.

And to the Cats credit she didn't seem to mind that Robin held her like a wet Towel which left her legs dangling over nothing.

“Mrow?”

Fable face was as unmoving as ever if slightly confused,  Maybe Elves really did not have cats like this.

“You can pet her if you want, here like this”

I stretched my arm out and brushed it over the cat's head which caused her to purr.

Fable still didn't do anything, so I decided to be bold and took his arm and put his hand over the cat.

Now he seemed to get it and his slender fingers gently brushed between the cat's ears.

“She is soft”

Robin beamed at that and I couldn't help but smile at it even if Fable's expression was as neutral as ever.

Maybe he just wasn't a very expressive guy.

The cat put one of her paws up and repeatedly bapped at Fable's hand, as if trying to tug it closer, who in turn stopped and withdrew his hand.

“Mrew”

“I think she likes you!”

Robin held her a bit higher and the cat started twisting around to face him only to jump out of his hands and use her claws to climb over him and jump into the next tree.

“No wait, where are you going?”

Welp, cats will be cats,  and maybe she was sour about Fable stopping to pet her.

“She’ll come back later, she always does,  maybe she saw a bird or something”

He nodded and then turned back and excitedly pointed at the little Herb garden.

“Oh I got done with the plants! I put them so that they wouldn't obstruct anything! Do you think Oakley will like it?”

I looked at the stone enclosed patch under one of the windows of the tower.

He had arranged it really pretty, plants growing in between the freshly raked dirt and smelling of a variety of herbs I could only half identify.

I did recognize Parsley sage and thyme though and some rosemary too.

It looked really well done all in all, whatever Barsen was showing him when he had the time really paid off.

“I think he'll love it, hell, I love it, it looks very well made!”

Fable looked over to me for a second before he too took a look at what Robin had done.

“It does seem expertly made”

Was all he said but there really was no need for more words when that already was point on.

��What is expertly made?”

A voice came from above and I looked up to see the familiar winged form of Oakley perched on one of the trees.

He'd come back, and brought a big bundle of stuff with him that hung from a tree branch next to him.

That probably wasn't all of it, but surely the most important stuff for now.

“Oakley! Hey! Look, Robin made you a little herb garden!”

He dropped down from his perch and landed on his feet with practiced ease.

“So I see, practical, now I don't have to run all over the place should I need any of them, thank you little Ginger!”

Robin smiled really wide at the praise while Oakley turned to face me and Fable.

He froze for a second as he saw the Elf though.

“Am I in the right place or did I go wrong somewhere? 

What's an Elf doing in Kamerasca of all places?”

He went up close to Fable and I somehow Doubted that my halfbrother would like that.

“Uhh Oakley that's my halfbrother,  apparently my father had an actual wife before he met my mom”

Oakley blinked a few times in that birdlike manner of his before he looked back and forth between me and Fable.

“Hmmm, well there is an undoubtedly similarity,  I can do a blood test if you want?”

A what? And what for?

“A Blood test? What do you mean by that? What for anyway?”

He tilted his head which once again reminded me of a magpie or crow.

“Basically i can use alchemy to see how exactly you two are related to each other if each of you give me a drop of blood to test it on”

Oh, so he could find out who was related to who if he had a tiny blood sample of each? That was kinda cool.

“i, well I guess we could, what do you say Fable? 

Want to make sure you found the right guy?”

Fable however was just looking at Oakley,  still not moving more than necessary.

Luckily he did answer me rather quickly.

“We can do that,  even if i am fairly certain that i have found the right place”

Seems like my joke didn't land,  maybe he just didn't have any sort of humor though.

Not that I would ever claim to understand whatever Humor Elves had.

Well, I didn't think doing that could harm any of us, so why not?

“Well, why not? Wait,  do you even have the stuff you need to do that here?”

Oakley looked surprised for a second before he reacted.

“Fuckdamnit, i knew i forgot something, no matter you can just each give me a sample and i can do it later while you do... Whatever”

yeah, that sounded more like Oakley,  and we could always get the result at a later point.

He procured two empty vials from somewhere in his cloak that seemed to hold way more than it feasibly should and handed one to me and the other one to Fable.

“Here hold this for a moment i'll be right back”

I looked at it for a moment debating on how the fuck i would get any of my blood into the vial while Oakley dragged the Bundle he brought trough the door with Robins help.

I glanced over at Fable who had opened his mouth and used one of his fangs to prick his thumb before he held it over the vial.

Smart, and also he had the same Fangs I did. 

I don't know why but I had expected them to be thinner.

Maybe because he was a lanky guy.

But using his fang was a good idea so I tried the same.

I had to press a bit more than I thought as the skin was rather thick so I was a bit surprised when I finally managed to get through.

I might have went a little deeper than i wanted and it bled like fuck but at least i got enough to put in the vial.

“I would have given you tools to do that! You couldn't wait a minute???”

Both of us looked back at Oakley who had emerged from his tower and held a pair of needles in his hands.

Oh, yeah, why did I think he wouldn't give us something to do that properly?

That was really dumb from both of us, but at least i wasn't the only one.

Oakley pulled a bit of thin bandages out of his cloak and tossed them to me.

“Fucks sake, what did you even use? 

Make sure that's clean and bandaged”

He then took the vials and went back inside where I could hear something clattering as well as a few curse words that followed immediately after.

Robin walked out after that, holding the cat again who had some weird herbs in her mouth.

Catnip no doubt.

“Sorry Oakley, I will try and keep a better eye on her!”

“Did you even name the little menace? You ought to do that soon or she'll only respond to cat, Now Scram! All of you!”

I turned to Fable who had put bandaged his thumb in the meantime.

“I think we ought to leave, besides we can get whatever the result is later”

I dragged Fable away from the tower while Robin went to bring the cat back to the castle, not that she would stay there if she didn't want to.

So now we were in the middle of the small woods that grew in the Garden.

“Soo uhh i basically showed you the only two interesting things in the Garden, there might be more but i don't know where,  i’d have to ask Barsen about that” 

Fable just looked at me and silently held out the rest of the bandages.

Oh, right, my thumb was still bleeding but I had gotten lucky and none of it got on my clothes.

“Thank you”

I unraveled part of the bandage and then wrapped it around the bleeding finger, making sure it held and wouldn't slide off.

Then I realized I had nothing to cut the rest of the bandage with, 

well time to use my teeth again.

I really hadn't realized how sharp they actually were,  or how useful they were when there was nothing else to cut stuff.

Fable was just standing there, seeming awkwardly out of place.

Well what else was there to do? I could see if we were able to find Barsen and ask him if there were any cool spots?

Or we could go back to the castle and I'd show him where I was staying.

Yeah that seemed like a good idea,  and if we did meet Barsen on the way I could still ask.

“Well I have no idea what time it is but I think we'll go back to the castle and see whatever Oakley did tomorrow?”

Fable just gave a slow nod and I led him back towards the castle.

I did not see Barsen anywhere so instead I opted to show Fable the shed where I was staying.

I would not call it a shed in front of him though, I didn't want him to think the people here were mean and made me sleep in some random shed.

Which also reminded me that I had no idea where Fable was staying,  Did he have anywhere to stay here?

If not I would ask Rikaad if there was a room that he could use, 

or he probably could use the Loft thing in my room.

I had no idea how Fable was about privacy though,  it was very possible that he'd prefer to have a room to himself.

Eh, for now I'd show him my place and then offer to let him stay there.

I still thought that the castle itself was an impressive build especially with being right on top of a cliff.

Looking over at Fable I saw that he was looking at something up ahead while we walked.

Craning my neck a little I tried to see what had captured his attention.

It was Nea, with a pair of crutches since her foot was still not very usable, and she was threatening Arthur with them.

Arthur himself was not very happy about that,  especially as Nea managed to land a hit with the bottom of one of the crutches right to his abdomen.

Ouch, that had to hurt, I knew very well that Nea could pack a punch.

Oh wait neither of them had seen Fable yet,  i'd better tell them then, especially the stab happy Nea.

Both were Guards and seeing a random person that definitely wasn't from the area in the middle of the castle would probably set off alarm bells in their heads.

Also I did not want either of them to punch Fable.

So I motioned to Fable that he should follow me and walked up to the two arguing Humans who stopped as soon as they saw me.

Nea still managed to jab his foot with her crutches though, earning an angry glare, before waving at me.

“Oi who's that with ya? I never seen a fellow that pale, or tall”

People really liked to point out that Fable was pale huh.

And Nea was of course as gruff as always, and on top of that no doubt still sour about being told to take it easy with her foot.

“I-uh that's Fable, as it turns out he's my half brother”

Nea simply gave a thumbs up and sat back down on the bench that was behind her while Arthur just stared back and forth between me and Fable.

Right, Arthur had the habit of being rather hostile to new people, especially to ones taller than him.

As I kind of had Expected Arthur came a bit closer and looked at Fable with narrowed eyes.

To Fable's credit he did not react negatively to being scrutinized like this.

In fact he did not react at all besides staring right in Arthur's face who seemed to get uneasy after a few seconds of this.

Then Nea hit his back with one of the crutches.

“Leave ta Pale guy in peace ya dumbass! 

Ya ought to be more friendly to folks!”

Arthur did not take well to being assaulted like this though.

“OW! Stop hitting me!”

Nea stood back up at that and menacingly waved one of the crutches in his direction.

“I'll stop hitting ya when ya stop fussin’!”

Oh, had Arthur tried to tell her she shouldn't be outside right now?

“You're Not even supposed to be out here!”

Yep, he did, oh well not my problem.

And at least neither were now negatively engaging with Fable.

Instead they were negatively engaging with each other.

Fable however must be really confused by this display and I debated just leaving while Nea was beating Arthur with a now slightly bent crutch.

“Ow! Ow! Stop that! 

I'm only here cuz the medics said to get you back inside!”

While they were busy I turned back to Fable who was just watching this unfold in front of him with the same unemotional expression as always.

“Yeah, sorry, we can just leave and talk to both of them later,  when they are not in the same vicinity”

“Oi ya two dun have ta leave, i'll shut him up in a sec!”

I looked back at Nea who had grabbed Arthur and was wrangling him into a chokehold.

He did not look happy at that and tried to wriggle free but Nea had a tight grip on him.

Also his face started to get a bit red and I doubted he got enough air.

She'd let him go should he faint though, at least I was sure of it.

“Yeah uhh i'm not gonna ask what's going on,  i really just wanted to introduce Fable”

I pointed at the Elf who gave a polite bow.

“Well, hello! How'd you like tha place so far?”

It was astounding that Nea could carry a normal conversation while having someone in a chokehold, but it was Nea so why was I surprised?

And at least Fable gave a somewhat direct answer for once, 

maybe he was a tiny bit intimidated by her, 

I wouldn't blame him if that was the case.

“The castle seems very well kept and the Garden is taken good care of, it is a fine place to be”

Nea stared at him for a second, then laughed.

“Ya don't gotta be so polite with me, i might be a high ranking Guard but ya don't have ta be such a mannerly fella!”

She dropped Arthur, who went down to the ground with a strangled wheeze, and grabbed both of her Crutches and for the first time seeing her today used them as she was supposed to.

“Well, I see like three medics glaring at me through tha window,  so I better head back, see ya some other time!”

Looking at the castle it took me a few seconds to see what she meant but then I noticed that there were indeed a few people in medicinal getup looking out of one of the windows.

Nea herself walked at a brisk pace back inside,  damn despite only having one functional foot she was really fast.

“That's what it took? Really?”

Wheezed a form on the ground and I looked down to see Arthur holding a hand to his throat and using the bench to pull himself up with his other one.

“Are you okay? I know Nea is unreasonably strong”

He muttered a few expletives under his breath before answering for real.

“Well the only thing hurt is my pride, and neck, but im fine otherwise”

I could see that his throat was rather pink in the places Nea had held him, and his face was still a bit red too.

“Yeah, you look like you've been hanged”

He glared at me for that comment.

“Not helping, at all, so wait a second that guy there is your brother? 

Did I hear that right or did Nea squeeze a bit too hard?”

He seemed a bit winded but Nea definitely did not hold him that strongly.

“No, i mean, yes that's my Half brother, 

and no i don't think Nea squeezed you that badly”

Well I fumbled that one badly.

Arthur stood up completely and stood once again in front of Fable,  this time without narrowed eyes, and looked up at him.

“You are tall as fuck,  and i didn't think i'd meet anyone with pointier ears than he has”

For someone who used to be royalty he sure didn't act like it, he was actually rather rude but that's just how he was.

Maybe living life with other people trying to mold him into something he wasn't had left its mark and now he refused to be polite out of principle.

Whatever the case,  I wished he'd shove that attitude aside at least for a little bit.

But Fable gave no indication that this comment bothered him in any way.

But then again his face barely moved at all unless he was talking, 

it was like a mask and a tiny bit unnerving if i was honest.

But I did not let that bother me, sure it was a bit hard to figure out what he was thinking but aside from that he was a really polite person.

Or maybe he was afraid of fucking up like i was.

Maybe introducing him to Arthur without telling the shorter man about it beforehand was a bad idea, maybe we'd better leave now.

“Well i was just about to show Fable where im staying, 

you can continue with whatever you were doing though”

Arthur looked back at me then.

“Yeah, sure, my neck hurts now anyway so im going to check with a nurse to make sure Nea didn't strain it too bad, 

you have fun or whatever”

He walked off into the castle while carefully holding his neck and i turned back to Fable ready to apologize for Arthur's dumb behavior. 

“Don't mind him, he's not usually like that,  he's just sour about Nea putting him in a chokehold”

Fable looked over to where Arthur had vanished for a second.

“That does seem like something to get upset about”

His comment was as monotone as it seemed to always be and I wondered for a brief moment if he'd ever suffered a throat injury.

If he did then i wouldn't bring it up,  though there were no scars anywhere on him that i could see.

There was also the possibility that he was just like that,  or he was afraid of saying the wrong thing to the wrong person.

Well the last part was rather relatable so i wouldn't be surprised.

I led him back around the castle towards my place trying to remember if I had left anything just lying on the floor and if I put all the dishes away from when Robin or the others were there to chat.

The only thing I could come up with from the top of my head was that there was a dirt-filled mug that had some wood sorrels,  or as Barsen had called them Oxalis, growing out of it that Robin had left on one of the mostly empty shelves.

Whatever, I'm sure it would be fine, I wasn't a messy person by any means, that and I didn't have much stuff to begin with.

Maybe that's why Oakley had called me a minimalist when he entered the shed for the first time.

Maybe I should call him messy as soon as he was done cramming all his stuff in the tower.

I was really glad that the entrance also had a smaller door that could be used by anyone not Ardua or Giant.

Even if it took a whole day to get installed I found it worth it,  and the carpenter was paid a fair amount for it too.

Opening it I thought that maybe I should install a lock too at some point.

Whatever, I'd show Fable my place and then offer to let him stay in the loft thing that I rarely used.

I noticed that the doorframe was exactly as tall as him,  any smaller and he'd have to duck.

Looking around my room i was glad that i had taken a broom to it just yesterday as it had been dusty as fuck.

I turned back to face Fable who was  looking around a bit.

“Well, this is my place, what do you think? 

Sorry if its a little messy i didn't expect company”

He looked around for a second or so more before he answered.

“You have quite the big room all for yourself,  they must hold you in high regard”

Well that was not what i had expected him to say, but his comment got me thinking.

DID they hold me in high regard? 

This was literally just a repurposed shed.

But they could have told me to go into Human form and sleep like that in one of the normal rooms like everyone else.

But they had taken the time and resources to help me build this,  and had asked for nothing in return.

Well aside from the fact that i got used as a mattress sometimes.

I still wasn't used to actually having friends huh.

But I did my best to help them too when they needed it.

Especially Robin who sometimes wanted to just hide from the world.

In the week since the first incident with his panic attack hed only asked once to be hidden away after a storm had hit the castle.

There had been no damages but it sure had been scary,  especially for someone as small as Robin.

That was also something i wasn't sure if i could talk to Fable about it, I was a hybrid so he might not have the doubled organs and if I started talking about eating people he'd think me crazy or a monster.

Then again it might also be plain rude in elven culture to do something like that, if they even could.

Yeah, I'd better not mention THAT part to him.

“I mean I guess? They are my friends after all,  oh by the way do you already have a place to stay? 

If not you can just take the loft over there, i rarely use it anyway”

I pointed to the ladder that went up to the aforementioned loft.

Fable Just nodded.

“I do not have prepared a place to stay, thank you for the offer,  i will accept it with gratitude”

He really was a mannerly guy huh,  He had even closed the door behind him.

“Well, is there anything you want to do? So far I just showed you around a bit, but what's something you want to do?”

He just looked at me, seemingly not understanding for a few seconds before he cautiously answered.

“I don't know what there even is to do in this place,  but if you have a library i would like to spend time there”

A library? I'm sure the castle had one,  if i found it in that absolute nightmare of a floorplan.

But hey! Fable finally had decided on something on his own! 

Even if books weren't my type as I found most of them boring.

But maybe that was only because I was a slow reader and didn't have the patience for some of the thicker tomes.

“Sure! I'm not entirely certain where exactly in the castle it is but we'll find someone to ask, also just to warn you the floorplan of this building is an absolute nightmare and i think the architect might have been drunk”

Fable just stared at me, he really had no sense of humor huh?

Whatever, I tried, now to find someone that knew where on this nightmarish layout of rooms.

I led Fable back outside and debated for a second if we should go through the door right beside the shed or the main one.

There was a higher possibility of us finding someone if we went to the main one so that was the best bet I figured.

Going back to the front I got distracted by a commotion at the Gate that was built into the protective wall that surrounded the castle.

——————————————————————————

NEXT / PREVIOUS / OVERSIGHT

[glamourstories]

The family had gathered finally, quietly bickering amongst one another as they sat either side of the grandiose table. All of them had tried to sit as close as they could to the head of the table where sat Henri LeBlague.

He had lost some luster over the last couple of years, his face more gaunt, his skin more pockmarked as age had crept up on him. While his widely extended family argued loudly Henri occupied himself by swirling an olive on a cocktail stick around the rim of his martini glass.

He cleared his throat with a cough before gently tinging a fork on the side of the glass proving he still held power over the family as a silence washed over the table like the waves on sound. They all turned to look at him intently.

“I’m sure you are all aware of why I gathered you here today. It is of the matter of my will.”

To his left Leah, his eldest daughter, feigned acting surprised. Opposite her, her ex husband and Henri’s protégé William rolled his eyes. Henri ignored them both and carried on. “I will hear no objections, I’m sure there will be many. I have spent many an evening thinking long and hard how best to divvy up the estate and I am certain I have made the right decision for the future well-being of the estate and all its holdings.” There wasn’t a foot at the table that didn’t shift nervously, all expecting bad or terrible news that they had been cut out. They had all rumoured over the years but the day had finally come when Henri’s patience had run empty. “You will all listen as I will say this plainly and only once. So without further ado.”

Henri paused dramatically to take a swig of his martini. Putting the glass down he opened his mouth but no sound came out. He scratched at his throat as his eyes bulged in their sockets before he shook his arms wildly causing his chair to topple over backwards with him in it.

Leah leaned over to look at him. “Father, this isn’t funny.” She had long since grown tired of her fathers pranks. “Father? Daddy?”

A girl, one of Leah’s nieces who’s name she never bothered to remember was the first to stand up and rush to Henri’s side. She checked his pulse. “He’s… dead.”

The family all looked at one another. As usual, Leah was first to speak. “No he does this all the time, dearie.”

“He’s dead, Leah.” William asserted.

“Oh don’t be silly William, it was never your best quality.” She said dismissively.

Leah felt a hand gently touch the top of hers as she turned to look at her new husband, a man named Thomas, a kind soul if a bit weedy. “Darling… he’s dead.”

Leah glanced between her husband, her ex and her father. “Oh.”

True to form it didn’t take long for the accusations to start. “I bet she did it!” Yelled Peter, Leah’s least favourite younger brother. “I heard you saying you wish the ‘old bastard’ would just die already!”

It was hard to tell if she was genuinely offended, everything Leah did seemed so fake anyway. “I would never, if anything it was William!”

William immediately stood up, slamming his palms on the table. “What? Your father loved me. If anything he was ready to cut you out and give it all to me!”

Another grandchild scoffed. “Oh please, we all know he hated the way you ran the company. He only put up with you because of that contract you made him sign all those years ago when you married his daughter.”

“Blake!” The boy’s mother, another of Leah’s younger siblings, scolded him. Even though they were all thinking it. “Besides William is all bluster, he doesn’t have the spine. If anything he was poisoned so it had to have been…”

The room was in chaos, blame and slander flew every which way, often revealing more of their own schemes than genuine accusation. The first grandchild, the girl who had pronounced Henri dead, still sat shocked by his side. She was a young girl who’s name was Frankie and truth be told, she was far too nice to be a part of this family.

She had always enjoyed spending weekends with her grandad. Sure he could seem cruel, especially when he spoke of his family, but he was always sweet to her and her back to him. He had taught her to play chess, and taken her to plays. She felt tears well up in her eyes at the memories and what was now lost. The only tears in the whole room.

She wiped her face on her sleeve as she look at the table. She focussed on his glass. Then looked down at Henri’s throat, then back at the glass. “The olive is gone…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A simple, obvious premise, but I do enjoy the obvious.

A murder mystery, without a murderer. The victim just choked on a drink, but nobody believes it was an accident because of the victim’s importance.

[eaingels]

A flicker in the dark Part 1

Summary: Rose Lancaster just about escaped death after a family scandel came to light. Her family gets murdered by the Lantsov crown, while she's set free. Five years after everything Rose returns to Os Alta as the servant Lilian Howard, working in the Little Palace. When she sees the handsome General Kirigan again, something inside her starts to spark. After all who could ever be afraid of the dark?

A/N: This is something I wrote a while ago but was never sure of. But I decided to post it anyways. This will be a more mature story so 18+ only.

Five Years Before

I was supposed to die. I should be dead if it wasn’t for some miracle. I was standing in the blistering sun waiting for my death when I was found not guilty of treason. Never in the history of Ravka had this happened. I remember looking at the bodies of my parents and brother hanging from their nooses, when the order came through. A soldier came running from the Grand Palace, heaving when he stepped next to the king to give him a note. The grounds between the Little and the Grand Palace was filled with people who were eager to watch the noble house of Lancaster be hanged. Even my friend Evelynn of house Godwin stood amongst the crowed with not a glimpse of sorrow in her eyes. Times like this proof who your real friends are right? Her father Duke Egerton stood behind her, smiling. He had gotten what he wanted. The Lancaster’s were out of the way. Almost. He was now in the Kings favor. His right hand. The same right hand where my father used to be until he made some mistakes. The king, a man the same age as my father with a belly the size of a carriage wheel, read the note twice. Thrice. From where I was standing with the noose loosely around my neck, I could see his eyebrows twitching. The other Royals of three different houses were standing behind him, trying not to pry their neck to see what had the Kings attention. Even the commoners were looking with interest wondering why the daughter of a traitor wasn’t choking already. The king ignored all the stares and ripped the paper in too sending the soldier away with the bat of a hand. And then he looked at me. Never in my life had I been scared as I was now. My heart was pounding when King Pjotr Lantsov looked at me like he was going to rip my head of himself. But he didn’t scare me. A life at court had taught me that. Not even the man on his left scared me. The Darkling, General Kirigan, The Commander of the Second Army and a Shadow Summoner. The only one of his kind. But the king who used to adore me now looked at me with disgust. 

“It seems something has come to light” he said loud and clear. The murmuring stopped and I could have sworn the ground had never been this quiet. Even the birds weren’t singing. I just looked at him, too afraid to open my mouth. 

“Rose Lancaster has been found not guilty of treason” his voice was loud and clear. And I swear I almost dropped to my knees, if the noose wasn’t around my neck. Duke Egerton’s smile faded, and he snapped his neck to the king. 

“That isn’t possible” he shouted. Even Evelynn turned her head in disbelieve. The whole crowed was now talking. I wanted to smile, but something told me the king wasn’t finished yet. 

“Rose Lancaster is the bastard daughter of Miriam Lancaster. And by law not a member of the House of Lancaster” I nearly vomited. I wasn’t a Lancaster? I barely felt the noose around my neck being removed and my hands untied. People were shouting now, but not at me, at the noble houses. They were angry for putting an innocent girl on the gallows. I couldn’t believe it, not even five minutes ago they were ready to see me die. A guard dressed in a green and blue uniform led me of the platform back to the dungeons. As we passed the king, he stopped me with just the look in his eyes. 

“You got lucky little girl. If it wasn’t for your mothers written confession you would have been hanging, there with them” he looked me over. I could have guessed what I looked like. Small, underweight of all those weeks in the dungeon. Dressed in grey prisoner’s clothes that were too big for me. “It’s a shame really. You could have been queen one day. You are a lot easier on the eyes that Duke Egerton Godwin’s daughter”. I was still too baffled of what had just happened to fully process what he said. I looked at the tall man on his left. The Darkling. Just like always his posture and facial expression revealed nothing of what he felt, but his eyes were on me. My mother had told me stories from when I was little every time, we were at court I would ask the Commander to show his shadows. And when he did, I squealed and tried to catch them. But then I turned eleven and I was time to act like a Lady and a future Queen. It had never been a secret that the King and my father had arranged Vasily and I to be married as soon as both of us were of age. 

“Thank you for sparing me Moi Tsar” I said bowing my head. The King lowered his voice. 

“Be smart and get as far away from here as possible”. I just nodded and followed the soldier back to the dungeons where I stripped of my title and took the advice the King gave me. Twenty minutes later, I was off to never return.

[trinrose3]

Wrote a little bit more of that James and Jessica first meeting fic I wrote a few days ago, which can be found here :}

Trigger Warnings: There's some descriptions of child abuse and alcoholism, and a retelling of an event of abuse, but nothing is like, graphic or anything.

Jessica sat in that stupid hospital bed for at least an hour before anyone returned to her room. She honestly felt a little bad; she hadn’t meant to scare off that nurse and doctor. Was it something she said? Did they know who her brother was? Was he some scary evil villain or something?

She huffed as she slammed herself back against the brick-like mattress on her bed, her hospital gown feeling all too much like a constraint but leaving her all too vulnerable as well.

Well, there goes her escape attempt. Goodbye, freedom.

There was a knock on the door.

Jessica squinted her eyes, tensing like a deer who had heard the shaking of a bush. It was the same doctor as before. However, this time, his face was almost as pale as the streak in his hair, which seemed like a hard feat even for him; the only color on his face was the deep purple bags beneath his eyes. He shook as he entered the room; even his cane barely helped him stand upright.

Slowly, the ghost-like man approached her bedside, silence so thick one could choke on it. The man’s deep brown eyes, which were once filled with warmth and care, were carefully blank and unwillingly far off.

The silence clung to her, making her feel the need to itch; she was never good with silence; it usually meant something was very wrong in her house.

Fiddling with her hands as she squirmed, Jessica looked around the room, “Sooooo,” she began, not really knowing where to lead the conversation, “what’s up…?”

The doctor carefully focused his eyes on the floor, “I have some…questions for you.”

“Okay?” Jessica’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Do you…” The words looked like they were caught in his throat, “Do you happen to be from a small town right outside Boston?”

“Potentially.”

“Was your father a cop?”

She tightened, “How the fuck did you—”

“Your mother, an alcoholic?”

“I didn’t even tell you my name; how do you know this?”

The haggard man gently rubbed his knee, “She claims to be a stay-at-home mom, but doesn’t really do anything with the mom aspect of that description.”

Jessica just opened and closed her mouth like a fish. Who was this man?

“Don’t even get me started on him,” he continued, giving a dry but pained laugh.

“Pillar of the community,” Jess said dryly, sarcasm dripping off every word.

 “...Did they tell you what happened to your brother?” The man asked hesitantly.

“They told me he abandoned us but…I don’t believe them. I mean, he left, but abandoned implies that he owed our shit parents anything.” Jessica peered at the door, wanting to escape for the billionth time in her life, only for her eyes to meet with the nurse from earlier and a man who seemed to be rapidly pacing while talking on the phone.

“Anything else?”

“He got hit by a car when he was a kid? They didn’t really talk about him that much unless it was to threaten or insult me, of course.”

“It wasn’t a car crash.”

“What?” Confusion and a creeping sense of anger began to swell. “How the fuck would you know?!”

The mysterious man in front of her continued like he didn’t hear a word out of her mouth, “I was about ten when it happened. I tried to run away, but I got caught…and he was drunk..” James took a shuddered breath as he blinked away tears, “..said he wanted to make sure I would never be able to run away again…”

She knew her father was a bastard, and she herself was used to being the punching bag for her parents but holy fucking shit…

Jessica wanted to say something, but words wouldn’t form.

For the first time in her life, Jess’s eyes met with her brothers. They were almost haunting in the way that they gleamed; their warm brown hue was filled with cold sorrow and guilt. This wasn’t the first meeting she had pictured her whole life.

“I’m sorry,” James said, “If I had known—”

“Don’t,” She cut him off, shaking her head. “You did nothing wrong.”

“I would be lying if a small part of me wasn’t upset that you left, but,” she continued, gesturing around her,” clearly you had the right idea since now we’re both here.”

She couldn’t tell if the noise he made was a laugh or a sob; she just knew a part of her wanted to mimic it.

“Sorry for..running out of the room earlier. That..wasn’t my greatest moment as a professional.” James said, wiping away tears.

“Can’t really blame you,” Jessica replied, ignoring how her eyes seemed to have a flooding issue of their own.

A soft smile graced her brother’s lips, “Think you can tell me your name now?”

“Jessica.” She said, extending her arm open for a handshake.

He laughed a bit at the display and extended his own to shake hers, “Well, Jessica, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty wicked,” She joked, only for the need to sob uncontrollably overpower her.

She couldn’t see through the waterfall of tears as her body shook with her cries. She hated crying, especially in front of others and especially in front of family, but she felt like she had no control; Jessica felt like the scared little girl she would no longer have to be.

It didn’t take long for the man to come closer; hesitancy was clear in his movement. She could tell he was sitting next to her from the way in which the bed dipped, and a new sense of warmth pooled nearby. A gentle hand had pressed against her back for the first time in her life, trying to soothe her. Jessica didn’t care how awkward her position was or how uncomfortable it would feel as she twisted to bury herself in the man’s chest, practically digging her nails into his back, absolutely terrified to let go.

James’ arms wrapped around her, kind and protective, a feeling she was more than happy to get used to.

[teenbasher]

Random moranception one shot @moranormoron (found this buried in my drafts from years ago, holy shit!)

It had been a long time since I had run into him.

Perhaps a year and a half.

I was older now, not wiser, at least not as I hoped I would be by the time we'd meet again.

This time though, I was brave, braver than ever before.

Blood still on my shirt and nuckles. Adrenaline slowing down.

I had.....

I had attacked him.

Finally, let out my anger against him.

The confromtation was brief in my mind. Everything happened much too quickly.

After a long time, he came to pull me out of the military school he had me locked me up in when he got bored of using me as his personal punching bag.

He came back, after I swore I'd seen him for the last time in my life.

But if he taught me, if anything at all, in the last few years is that he is in fact the boogy man and no matter how much I try to run he will find me and drag me back into his jaws whenever he fancies; as he did after disowning me and tossing me out like garbage at 13, just to track me down not even three years later to further abuse me.

After a week of coming back home, suffering no less abuse than at school; perhaps more. It certainly always felt that way when I returned.

I am lucky he didn't kick my teeth in this time, I wouldn't be as lucky as I had been last time, when Severin just so happen to drop by surprised a couple of days after the incident and save me from spending the rest of my life without the top front row of my perly whites.

No, this time, the old bastard was trying to control himself a little while, enjoy it little by little and not burn me out in one go; as he had after picking me off the streets at fifteen.

Losing count of how long I was bed bound after the fractures the metal bat he took to me for hours caused; can’t blame him for going so hard that time, after so long without seeing me, his dedication to inflicting me pain almost made me nostalgic, knowing that in some sick and twisted way, this had gotten as closed as I'd ever get to receiving his love.

Rationally, it makes no sense at all to hurt what you love. Hell for years I told myself he never loved me and was punishing me for causing Alexander's death, but.....if he despised me as I thought he did, why did he always came back for me?

Either way that's my own twisted personal fucked daddy issues not even Freud could decipher.

Today he descided to wear me down with labor intensive work around the manor.

After doing most things he didn't want to do, he called me into the barn. The moment I stepped inside my stomach sank. As I saw my father sitting down behind an old, worn out table (our old kitchen table) in the middle of the barn. A metal bucket sat on top. By the look plastered on his face I knew something bad was about to happen.

As soon as he saw me come in he motioned for me to walk closer and as I did, he stood up and motioned for me to sit down.

Not wanting to, but knowing better than to risk angering him & making things worst for myself, I did as he asked of me. Which I knew was a mistake, but I couldn’t say no, I couldn’t walk away from my father because deep down I just wanted to feel loved by him & it seemed the only way he knew how to show any form of attachment to me was through pain & torture, so be it.

sitting down however he walked behind me & for a moment he stood motionless, thinking I presumed. Then he placed his hands on my shoulders and squeezed gently before telling me I deserved this. & soon my head was being held under water as he attempted to drown me again, this time in filthy water inside the worm down bucket.

I mentally prepared myself to feel extreme pain, as I sat down, not knowing what his game entailed this this, but being forced to swallow water for however long he managed to hold me, triggered the panic and fear I felt multiple times before whenever he attempted to murder me, the way my brother died, or maybe he just enjoyed see me struggle & squirm in that particular scenario, it fulfilled something sick inside of him & I accepted that, except that for whatever reason anger rose up in my chest so strongly, I acted without thinking or having any real control of my actions.

I don’t know how I pushed him off of me for long enough to regain a normal rhythm of breathing, much less how I managed to overpower him to where I found myself on top of him on the ground, pounding into him every once of anger I withheld for years.

I am not sure if I killed him or not, but when I stoped his face was bloodied and I bolted out of there. I just ran until I got to the station and jumped into the first train I saw.

Nothing felt real.

[canirove]

The Lord in Blue | Chapter 1

Summary: "You are getting old, you are unmarried, you are a disgrace to the family and to the crown." That's what my mother always told me. But then I met him, Lord Mason Mount, the most wanted man at court, the one all the mothers wanted their daughters to marry, and the one who would change my life.

Author's note: This is based on a dream I had with Mason months ago, probably thanks to me watching too many episodes of The Great in one go 😅 It’s a period drama, but it isn’t set on an specific moment in time. There are little mentions of the Tudors, so imagine it somewhere between Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria reigns. It also is the first thing I write, so bear with me 😁 And happy Valentine’s day! 💜

Next chapter

Masterlist

I wake up to the sound of someone giggling. My niece. I can hear her getting closer to my bed, trying not to make any noise despite the creaky old floor giving away that she is coming. Once she is close enough, I hear her take a big breath before she screams "happy birthday, auntie!"

Downstairs my family has made a special breakfast. My two younger sisters hug me, while my brother-in-law just smiles at me. My mother, on the other hand, is already giving me her judgy look that always says the same: you are getting old, you are unmarried, you are a disgrace to the family and to the crown.

Because we are royals. My father was the late King's brother, and the current Queen is my cousin, almost like an older sister. We grew up together at court, and even though she was the heir to the throne, we did everything together. From taking the same lessons, to spending the day reading on the woods or sneaking out to see the cute boys swimming on the lake. But everything changed when my father got sick and we had to move to the countryside.

Everything that was happening in the country, my mother not wanting me to marry someone who wasn't a Lord, and me not wanting to marry someone who could be my father or joining a nunnery, lead us here. To my birthday. To accepting that I'm going to be the unmarried rich aunt who spoils her nieces and nephews with everything they want.

I was 16, about to be properly introduced in society. But that never happened. The doctor had said that the country air would benefit my father's health, but that didn't happen either. After he died, my mother decided to stay there, she didn't want the pitiful looks from the other ladies.

A couple of years later, the King died, which started a civil war. Some lords didn't want a woman on the throne, and bastard sons appeared out of nowhere. But in the end, my cousin showed them all that she was meant to be queen, and time has proven it.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

I open the little package first. Inside it there is a pearl necklace with our family's initial in gold hanging from it, just like the one the Lady from my favorite painting at court wears. I just hope I have better luck than her and can keep my head on my shoulders.

We were almost done with our breakfast when someone knocked on the front door. A messenger. And not any messenger, a royal one.

"This is for the birthday lady" he says. "The Queen has order me to wait until you ñgive an answer to her letter".

As I take the package and the letter from him, my mother shows him the way to the kitchens, where he can wait.

While my sisters and my niece marvel at it, I read the letter.

Dear cousin,

It's your birthday! I know you don't like celebrating them, but this is a special one! And not because of what your annoying mother says (don't  tell her I called her that). Your life isn't over, you aren't a disgrace. In fact, those two things are about to change. I need you back  at court with me. As my Lady, as my right hand. Big things are happening by winter, and I need people I can trust next to me. And there also is a certain someone I want you to meet, someone that both you and your mother will like. Yes, he exists. Please tell me you'll come back.

Kind regards, the Queen.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

The next few days pass in a blur. It's all about getting ready, packing my things, getting new dresses, new shoes, new everything. I don't have time to think about what is about to happen, though there was not much to think about, to be honest. I love living in the countryside, but I miss the court and my cousin.

When it's time to leave, everyone is crying, telling me how much they'll miss me, how happy they are for me. Everyone but my mother, of course. When she comes to say goodbye, she only says one thing. "This is your second chance. Don't ruin it".

I don't share a single tear. It isn't until I'm more than half way through my trip that it finally hits me, and I can't stop crying. I'm   leaving that little bubble that has been my home since what it feels like forever, I'm not going to see my family in a long time. I'm going back to court, to a new one full of strangers except for my cousin. I have no idea about how it works. And I'm not a kid anymore, I'm an adult, and at court people play very dangerous games. Just ask the Lady from the painting.

"What are we going to do now?" I ask.

While I'm thinking about her and her life, my carriage suddenly stops, and I can hear the horses complaining. Before I can get out, the driver comes to me.

"There is a tree on the road, my lady. It probably fell last night during the storm."

Moving the tree takes longer than I expected, but mainly because the horses aren't in the mood to cooperate. Seeing that this is going to take some time, I pick one of my books and sit under one of the trees to read. I've not finished the first page, when I hear that someone is coming. Two riders. They stop when they see the carriage.

"We can try and move it using one of the horses, but it'll  take some time."

I just nod at his suggestion, leaving the carriage in case I can be useful somehow.

"What has happened here?" one of them asks. He has dark hair and quite a big nose. Big, but interesting. Suddenly, he turns to look at me, brown eyes scanning my face. I know I was staring at him, and I instantly feel the heat coming to my face. Thankfully, my driver stars telling him what has happened, making him look the other way. I try to focus on my book, let the men discuss what to do with the tree and the horses. But I can't help it and I look at him from time to time. He's wearing very fancy clothes, all of them a dark shade of blue. So is his companion. They probably are some lords who live in the area and who went for a ride.

With the help of their horses, who were more willing to cooperate than ours, they all move the tree to one side. When they've finished, I see him smile. He has a beautiful smile, but just as big as his nose. Is everything on him big, I wonder? Wait, what am I think about? Woman, focus! I can feel the heat coming back to my face again when I notice him walking towards me.

"We've moved the tree, my lady. You can continue with your journey."

"Thank you very much, Lord..."

"Lord Mount" he says. "Count Mount to be more precise".

"It's fine", he says. "I'm used to people laughing when they first hear it, I've been teased about it since I can remember."

The most horrible laugh ever leaves my mouth when he says it.

"I'm so sorry, my lord. I didn't mean to be rude." I can feel my face burning again and I want to hide, but I don't know where.

"I'm sorry you've had to endure that, my lord" I reply.

"Don't be, my lady. I've got my revenge on most of them." When I look at him, he's smirking, a dimple showing on his left cheek. "Hope we'll see each other again, my lady" he says while bowing.

"My lord" I bow back.

He and his companion are gone and I'm back on my carriage, already on the move. But there is only one thing I can think about. That smirk and that damned dimple on his left cheek.