#anna's creature creation

[bill-gates-hate-blog]

anon i have created your bear

[nature-godsgardenofeden]

♥

Juvenile Anna’s 

[smallgodseries]

[image description: A very tall white-haired fellow in a grey suit with black shoes sits on a throne of books, with an open tome resting on the leg he’s crossed over his knee. He is bearded but - like Abraham Lincoln -  has no mustache. 

He is haloed in a light violet light and looks up from his book in an expectant manner. Text reads, “262 LONG HAL – SMALL GOD OF FINISHED PROJECTS”]

•••••

Beginnings are easy. Everything begins.

Endings, though—those are hard. Seeing something small and fragile from conception to execution can be the next best thing to impossible. The world changes while you work, you see. That idea that seemed so brilliant a hundred thousand years ago is played-out and dull now, or you get bored, or Netflix releases a show that has just enough superficial similarities that you know you’ll never be able to convince anyone you didn’t rip off your whole beautiful nightmare from someone else’s dream.

Middles, though—middles are the worst of all. People get lost in middles, never to be seen again. people wander into the swamps and snarls of the undefined center and sink into the muck. The road between inspiration and completion is littered with the bones of those who never escaped the middle.

He comes after you’ve made your beginning, and no one sees him arrive; you just look up at some point and he’s there, walking beside you, eyes on the horizon. As long as you press forward, he presses forward with you, and if you sink into the swamp, he won’t save you, but he will grieve. He grieves for all the ones who fall along the way.

And if you make it to the ending with him, if you get there, he will take the dream you have walked into the world in his long-fingered hands, and he will smile at you, and he will tell you your creation is safe with him. If you’ve been a good companion, traveled well, enjoyed the road, he may tell you where Anna is waiting. Because she’s always waiting, and he has always loved her, fickle, brilliant creature that she is. They are two sides of the same coin, morning and night, and they are never once together, and they have never been apart.

#Small Gods#smallgodseries#Seanan McGuire#Lee Moyer#icons and stories

[clarette-arsenault]

Here are some inspirations for Clarette Arsenault! There is a blank template below the cut, given to my by @evrensadwrn. Image sources are linked in the names.

Pygmalion - A mythological sculptor who created a statue and fell in love with it. He wished for it to come to life, and it did. Clarette creates new vampires in an attempt to do the same.

The Witch from Howl's Moving Castle - The witch desires Howl's heart in order to use it along with a body and brain from different men to cobble together the perfect person. She also does everything with a sense of style and a heap of madness, which is very Clarette.

Jaques-Louis David - One of the founders of neoclassicism, and widely considered its greatest artist. Neoclassisim arose after the Renaissance in response to Greek and Roman art, and focuses on creating the ideal image through visual harmony and universal themes. David's place in this movement made him extremely important within French politics. For example, he worked directly with Napoleon and switched sides expertly as the tides of war shifted. Clarette survived through the ages in a similar way and has similar views on art.

Anna Kerenina - Unsatisfied with the life she has, Anna throws it away through infidelity. After realizing that she is still not satisfied, she swings between mania and depression and self-sabotages all of her relationships until she meets a tragic end. Similarly, Clarette is never satisfied and struggles with the same wild changes in mood.

Victor Frankenstein - Frankenstein creates a custom creature, and then abandons his creation in horror. Clarette has done this...too many times to count.

Cosimo de'Medici - The Lord of Florence was a patron of the arts and the reason that much of the best Italian art of the 1400s exists. His wealth and influence also made him crucial to know in political circles. Clarette does the same for actors in Hollywood, and gains similar prestige from doing so.

[wannabecatwriter]

Anna Luis [Obscure Associations] (Thanks for the tag, @dandylion240!)

animal / OWL

colors / BURGUNDY, GRAY

month/ MARCH

songs / BAD DREAMS by BAKERMAT

number / 17

plant / ROSE

smells / SANDALWOOD

gemstone / BLOODSTONE

time of day/ LATE NIGHT

season / SPRING

places / HER ROOM AT HOME

food / WARM RAMEN NOODLES

drinks / HOT COFFEE

element / WATER

astrological sign / PISCES

sky / CLOUDY

weather / RAIN

magic / ILLUSION CREATION

weapon / PAINTBRUSH

social media / - (she doesn't really use social media)

make-up product- EYELINER, LIPSTICK

candy- CHOCOLATES

method of long-distance travel- CAR

art style / PAINTING/PHOTOREALISM

fear / LOVED ONES DYING

mythological creature / YETI

piece of stationary / PAINTBRUSH

three emojis / 😴😔🍝

celestial body / MOON

Tagging @igglemouse @nocturnalazure @citylighten

[annawayne]

Hello dear precious most talented and stunning Anna.

I hope you are well, and thriving as much as this life could allow.

Can I, a mere mortal, ask your highness to elaborate on your latest work of art? And to explain to me -a mere vincible creature- your splendid creation?

I shall wait for your answer, most patiently.

Thank you,

Someone who admires you so much

Mimi, first of all, you're NOT a "mere mortal" (even tho I know you were in the mood for such language, STILL I can't just pass by), you're amazing. And secondly, thank you a lot for asking, I'm so glad to share more about this art, truly. Thank you!

So, the original post here and for the reference I leave the art here too:

So, let's start with one of the most remarkable things here - the embroidered cloth in the background.

We call it "rushnyk", and it's both a decorative and ritual cloth. Rushnyk, as for rituals, is used for all the major events in life - birth, marriage and death, and we call it like the "line of life", since it has the long rectangular form, that reminds a path, and it leads a person through life. That's why each symbol, embroidered in rushnyk, aside from the specifics of each region that has its own unique pattern, has its meaning, the symbolism, the whole novel in threads, and that's why rushnyk is a part of the inheritance and each house, each family has its own story embroidered in cloth.

Let me tell you a bit of a wedding ritual with rushnyk: for the wedding and during the whole ceremony, more than 20 different rushnyks are used for different purposes (sometimes, it can be even more than 30!), but the most important ones are 4 of them:

- the one for the stepping on it - the most important one, it's a symbolic ritual of the newlyweds stepping on it, like a declaration that they will spend this life side by side together, to show the equal position and respect in marriage. This rushnyk is used only once, for one wedding, only for one newlyweds, and each detail is like the code for their happy future together. That's why this rushnyk is inherited ONLY, for the future generations new wedding rushnyk for stepping on it are embroidered from scratch. And then, this wedding rushnyk is used for the decorative purpose only (yeah... The one that is behind Annie and Armin is THIS ONE rushnyk :3 so you can decode some symbols on it too);

- the one for the icons (well, that is optional, if people are religious);

- the one for tying the newlyweds hands together - works +- the same as the wedding rings and the stepping ritual, to show that the newlyweds are connected, decided to spend this life together;

- the one for the korovai - the special ritual round bread, decorated with several symbols like moon, sun, animals, flowers etc (of course, each symbol has its meaning for the newlyweds and it varies by region). The bride and groom were given the korovai as a blessing before the wedding ceremony. The korovai was shared by all the wedding guests, and this was considered the culmination of the wedding.

But even in general, rushnyks were used like the typical decoration on the wall and could be done also just like for the decorations purpose only, framing paintings, icons, photos, the entrance, like the belief that each symbol on the rushnyk protects people in the photos and the house from the evil spirits and bad luck.

Well, for the whole jewelry thing I already explained here, on this post! For the embroidery of their shirt, it's all the same, but I just want to mention that here, both of them wear the ornaments from the West part of Ukraine, from the Lviv region.

Next, are these specific candle holders - it's a traditional Ukrainian candle holder for three candles, and it originated from West Ukraine, from Hutsuls - the one who lives in the Carpathians mountains, but it's widely used everywhere in Ukraine. The part of the Lviv region also has the Carpathians, so yep!

Next one, the bunches of guelder rose, that in Ukrainian is "kalyna".

Kalyna is, actually, an important symbol for Ukrainian culture in general, it's the symbol of love, happiness, respect, eternity, and also a bunch of kalyna is used in the wedding ritual as well, it was for decorations of vinok (ithe flowery crown with ribbons and others decorations), for korovai ornaments, for rushnyk embroidery etc, and also the bunch of kalyna - is a symbol of blood, shedded for the independence of Ukraine.

Also, I need to note another thing, I already mentioned in this post that Ukrainian culture is about layers.

Actually, what we see at Annie and Armin is not only the open shirts but more like the last layer of the clothes, it's nothing but the naked body under it.

So, based on everything I just said, the whole composition, the lightning, their pose - everything should speak as a frozen moment of their intimacy, sensuality, of trust and respect, and all the symbols and some small details work together to show it, to straighten the whole vibe of their first married night or something like this. Even their opened shirts are not because for fanservice (only) and because I'm down bad for these two, but rather to show their closeness, their trust and admiration, their unity and their vulnerability they show each other with an open heart.

So well, that's it!

Thank you so much for asking, and I enjoyed writing all of it. I tried not to make it boring, so I hope it was entertaining.

[mindgamcs]

*I AM NO CHEAP THIEF / IT'S THE WORLD OR NOTHING AT ALL.

*NAME: Delphine Baudelaire. *TITLE: The Oracle. *AGE: 29. *PINTEREST: here

»» the flourish of hands married to the drama of words; action as distraction so the discretion of your thievery can commence; the shadows on the wall, shapes created only in others' illumination, shifting with the faintest breath; a deck of cards as both shield and spectacle; a tightrope fraying at both ends; delusive creation as an act not just of godhood, but girlhood — something known in the very fibers of your being.

BASICS, HISTORY, SECRETS & WANTED CONNECTIONS UNDER THE CUT !!

*BASICS.

BIRTH NAME: Delphine Baudelaire NICKNAMES: Delphi TITLE: The Oracle AGE: 29 D.O.B.: tbd (i'm feeling gemini or sag energy for this one <3) BIRTHPLACE:  Tomasina, Madagascar LANGUAGES SPOKEN: French (native), Malagasy (native), English ORIENTATION: Bisexual biromantic RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single ?? (possibly has some fwbs, see history below) CHILDREN: none POSITIVE TRAITS: alluring, witty, adaptable NEUTRAL TRAITS: flirtatious, inventive, coy NEGATIVE TRAITS: delusive, dishonest, mercurial INSP: Holly Golightly, Selina Kyle / Catwoman, Anna Karenina, Margaery Tyrell

*TLDR. (APP + SOME EXTRA DETAILS)

We are so glad to see you safe, FORTUNE-TELLER (SPY FOR MADAGASCAR) DELPHINE BAUDELAIRE of FRANCE! It’s dangerous out in the world these days, but I hear that you are ALLURING and COY enough to handle it. Just don’t let your MERCURIAL NATURE bring you down! Stay on your guard, because with your secret being at risk for exposure, you wouldn’t want everyone to find out THAT YOUR LOYALTIES HAVE BEGUN TO SHIFT FROM THE COUNTRY EMPLOYING YOU TO THE COUNTRY ON WHICH YOU SPY. For Delphine, time has been rendered thick with the hauntings of her past. Born in Madagascar to a poor, criminally-inclined family, she learned quickly to steal in order to survive, and to charm as a means of disarm. As punishment for her and her father's treasonous acts at the start of Madagascar's solidification as a standalone nation, she acts as a spy on the French, with her cover being half-socialite, half-court entertainer. Now, with political revolution spilling over the hallowed halls Delphine has grown accustomed to, she contends with the promise and purpose for something greater than herself, the temptation of her nature, and the hauntings of her past.

*HISTORY.

[ trigger warnings for: mentions/descriptions of blood, war, implications of sex work, more tbd ]

I. EMBER IN THE ASH

»» Delphine's childhood was littered not with toys and pretty things, but stoney streets lined with more bloodshed than blossoms, soldiers fighting over territory disputes as the country itself clamored for independence. Her family was not made of fighters but of thieves. She quickly followed suit, roaming the reddened streets to pick the pockets of the fallen for any trinket to pawn, unbothered by the sights or sounds of the dying.

»» Once too young to know the difference between polish and peril, Delphine used the shell casing of a musket as a hard candy. A gnawing pain in the mouth of a two-year old brought her mother's attention to the hollowed-out bullet between the young Delphine's gums. But, before taking it out, her mother first brandished the moment to her father, a chorus of look at your daughter less a call for reprimand and more an affectionate coo — all for putting a killing thing in her young little mouth.

II. BEAUTY & BETRAYAL.

»» It wasn't the metal that poisoned her, but the so-called love she was weaned on, love which taught little of the closeness of kin in exchange for all manner of thievery, conning, and swindling. Beyond just the apple of her father’s eye, she was fruit bowl and orchard to him — a perfect creature whose particular talents were rarely seen, to set upon the masses in a firestorm of charisma and chaos, blinding the world with her unquestionable beauty.

»» However, he bet on the wrong grand scheme, believing that his wife's homeland could never separate from the 'greater' nation of France. The betrayal of secrets slipped from Delphine's mouth to the ears of a war-hungry general of a neighboring tribe — only for both the general and her father to be put to death for treason, once the nation formalized.

III. GAME, SET, MATCH.

»» Delphine, only nineteen, found her fate left in the hands of a country eager to cement its standing. They saw promise in her, but rejected the leniency of a pardon, too fearful of the girl to grow into her father's shadow, and too wary of the ease in treating the chaotic birth of a nation as ladder rungs upon which to ascend. What better use for a girl whose talents lay in dishonesty and charm than to set her on the world at large?

»» A bag, a few memories, and the crumbs of her birthplace were the only things she carried with her on the journey to the nation on which she was tasked to spy, her mother left in the clutches of Madagascar's government as collateral. It was her father's native country, but it bore no similarities to the man she knew — where he was shadowy but strong, France was a weakened country clinging to the notion of its more glorious past.

»» To the French court, Delphine presented herself as both refugee and gift, escaping the fray as the new country solidified itself, with a talent for supposed divination. To the court, she was no great threat: less a girl who knew the nature of their newfound enemy, and more a pretty young thing they could use to entertain the court from time to time — a distraction.

»» Their attention, however, was grasped entirely when she 'predicted' the location and outcome of a battle, one which supposedly gained France a different African ally. The truth of the matter rested in Madagascar's own carefully planned instructions, sewing seeds of certain belief for the French while Madagascar went on to harvest. A long game, to be sure, but one which garnered secret strides while France was none the wiser.

IV. SHIFTING TIDES.

»» Nearly ten years into her employ, Delphine has become a bourgeoning young socialite, a favorite in the court if only for her entertaining charm and talents as a so-called oracle. Privately, a few nobles have taken to indulging her mercurial fancies in exchange for a nights sharing a warm bed and the divined assurances of their success. The woman enjoys the life to be certain, but still finds herself practicing her old thieving ways from time to time, playing with fire less for excitement, but more so as a means of keeping her core warm.

»» It is not for those reasons, however, that her loyalties have begun to shift. Instead, as a means of gathering information on all facets of the French people, Delphine has taken to associating with more of the common folk, finding in them a certain kinship that simply doesn't exist amidst the lacquered halls and gilded glory of the upper-crust. With a political revolution tinting the rosiness of France in shades of democracy, Delphine has found herself utterly captivated by what seems to be a purpose greater than herself — but the temptation of her nature still lingers, and the hauntings of her past may loom too heavily to ever truly escape.

*WANTED CONNECTIONS.

my brain hurts but i'll add these soon i promise <33 hmu in the meantime pls!!!

[thefreelanceangel]

Second question! Can Anna see someone as a friend? Or if not friend then Ally? Someone Useful, not 'Useful'. Or does pretty much everyone turn inevitably in to prey? If it's possible what exactly does someone have to do/be to reach it? (Bonus for same questions to Seifer.)

In Anna's view, even Seifer is prey if she's hungry enough. She just has (mostly) enough self-control to turn away from him if she's at That Point. (Their butler and their cook both have remarkable survival instincts because neither of them have yet been in Anna's line of sight when she needs to eat. Stalworth and Oktai have been working for the d'Latus for years now, they know what's up.) By and large, Anna keeps herself fed well enough to avoid the "will mindlessly tear into any living creature near her" stage.

Mostly.

However, it's possible for Anna to eventually see someone as "useful enough to not immediately eat even when hungry." Stalworth and Oktai, for instance. Their elezen butler and their Xaela cook are paid very well, do very good work and Anna shows her appreciation by actually treating them like people rather than obstacles.

The household yurei, Tsukiko, also earned pseudo-immunity from Anna by being a truly magnificent servant and fiercely loyal retainer. It is, however, pseudo-immunity. If Anna is hungry enough, no one around her is safe. She can eat the dead just as well as the living.

When she's fed, it's possible to become an ally. C'allie Kyho is one of the very few people to boast being Seifer's lover and surviving Anna's presence all in the same span of time. The miqo'te does tasks for Anna, gets boons in return (usually complicated alchemical creations), and is allowed to visit the d'Latu properties freely.

At one point, Anna 'adopted' a cannibalistic yokai (a Jubokko that took on a female Au Ra shape for entertainment) and made it very clear to others that Wisteria was hers and fucking with her daughter would result in death. Wisteria eventually chose to take root in the d'Latus yard and Anna feeds her daughter very well. She even occasionally sits outside and reads to her.

Overall, Anna is not a social person. She doesn't seek it out, she doesn't really feel a lack of connection, and it's ... difficult to become anything in her eyes that isn't "edible." But it's not impossible and she'd even be willing to take on an apprentice or two, provided they learned the Correct Rules for interacting with her.

Disrespect her and die.

If she snarks at you (insults, etc.) snark back rather than whimpering like a little bitch.

Touch her husband and die.

Don't whine if she gets bored and walks away, but find something interesting to talk about.

Touch her husband and you will die.

Anyone interested in magical experimentation is theoretically welcome, but whining about morality and ethics gets you thrown out.

Did I mention no touchy the Seifer?

And if someone can offer a really good mint dessert, well... That's very likely to get them some clemency.

And my husband's answers for Seifer:

Seifer can see someone as a Friend, but it's going to take a lot of time and effort. C'allie has reached that point. As for Ally, yes. Just because he may be manipulating someone to get what he wants does not mean he will not assist them to achieve the goal. Seifer is an opposite of Anna in the regard of him not turning everyone into Prey. He does socialize, and even tho he's often disappointed by it, he's realized he does require socialization from time to time to help clear his mind and reassure himself that he's on the right track. He's attempted countless times to sway others to his side of thinking, and while he has rarely succeeded those that he has swayed are forever changed and considered allies of the d'Latus.

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

"Gentlemen. How's the water?"

Victoriana cringed as she sank into the hot water. That had sounded lame even to her.

"It's fine," Travis replied, his voice clearly making his disinterest known. "It's just like any other hot tub: boring and filled with the skin cells of everyone in it."

"Gross, Travis. Shove over."

Bronwen pushed her way into the hot tub, over the protests of the boy she was shoving.

"Hey, Claudia. Hey, Theo. What's up? Anything interesting happening?"

"Not since I got in like thirty seconds ago," Victoriana snapped, irritated by her friend's arrival. How was she supposed to talk to Theo with her snooping around? Travis didn't want to be there and thus wouldn't get in her way, while Bronwen very clearly would.

"Hey, Bron, maybe you should stay inside for a bit. Your vampire skin will burn if you stay out too long."

"I'm only half vampire and can stay out for hours. You've seen me do it all the time, Your Highness. I don't want to wait in the stupid house when the excitement is happening put here."

"What excitement?" Travis grumbled, looking enviously at the house.

Victoriana frowned at the negative energy coming at her, so she playfully splashed Theo, trying to get his attention in a positive way.

Across from her, Bronwen fumed, her pale skin turning dark red. Theo didn't like to be splashed, at least not by anyone other than Adam. She'd tried it herself once and he'd glared at her, but to her astonishment, he merely smiled at the princess.

It has to be because she's rich and going to inherit Pleasantview one day. It has to be as simple as that.

"So, you see Rien, you want your brushstrokes to be confident and bold. Make a statement with your art. Fuel your creation with your emotions."

Anna examined her progress on her painting, then looked at Rien's canvas beside her. It wasn't too bad for a beginner.

Adrian had begged the reaper to help his daughter find a passion for something other than tarot card reading, and Anna had been more than willing to help. As a dead soul in the afterlife, she'd tried her hand at many things to pass the time. Everything there became tedious after a number of years. Painting wouldn't fulfill her desire for a family of her own or give her the ability to make choices and see the world change because of them, but it had been a decent distraction. Working for the grim reaper was an incredible escape from the monotony of the afterlife. All of her many hobbies did come in handy as a mother though. She was great at distracting and soothing kids with a craft or sudden game of basketball.

"I know how to paint," Adrienne replied. "We do have art class in school, remember? I'm only here to make Daddy happy so that I can get my cards back."

"Fair enough," Anna said casually.

Adrienne had been hoping for a scandalized gasp or stern disapproval, but Anna offered her nothing but indifference. Adults were supposed to be easy to manipulate, but Anna didn't even flinch. To the child, it seemed that reapers were magical creatures with nerves of steel, when really, Anna was a mom to three very strong-willed children. There was very little that she hadn't seen.

"What are you going to do if he doesn't?" she asked. "You could be waiting a very long time. It might be more fun if you tried a bunch of stuff while you wait. Make him see how little you're affected by him taking them, so he gives then back to you."

"He'll die if he doesn't. He makes the lady mad and I need to see what she's planning to help them."

This comment did cause Anna to pause. It didn't seem vengeful or angry, just a simple statement of fact.

"Your parents aren't going to die soon. I'd know about it if they were," she replied, looking at the child strangely. Again, nothing malicious was coming from her. It was like she was just reading the paper, bored by the printed facts. "What lady wants to hurt your daddy? Do you know her?"

"You only know when someone's death is written in stone," the child stated, as if it was obvious. "You'll only know when it can't be changed. I can help them if I had my cards."

"Finally! Time to finish my book," Travis exclaimed, reclining on a chair by the pool. "Everyone pretend I'm not here."

"Already done," Bronwen said, rolling her eyes as she sat beside him.

"That's looking really good so far," Anna commented. She held her brush up to the canvas and feigned a painting motion.

What on earth was this kid talking about? There were well established cases of people prophesying the future through dreams, or while under the spell of Life, but this seemed different. Part of their onboarding as reapers had been learning about the various ways a possible vision of a future could be spelled out, but this child was a mystery. She claimed to need to use her tarot deck to access the supernatural, but Anna had her doubts. The girl has demon blood and was ripped out of her father at birth as his spirit fell deep into the demonic void. What kind of impact would that have on a child? As far as she knew, the topic had never been brought up once in their reaper briefings.

"What lady wants to hurt your father?" Anna prompted again, hoping for a better response than before. "If she's dangerous, I may be able to protect your parents."

Adrienne shrugged, wiping her brush clean.

"I don't know for sure, but I keep getting the words 'red queen" when I read my cards," she replied. "She has dark hair, I think. I can almost picture her, but I need my cards."

"Dark hair, pasty skin, way too much lipstick?"

Anna held her breath as Adrienne nodded.

"Yeah, I think that's her. Why do you know her?"

"Uh, yeah, you could say that. Rien, you don't have to worry about her, she died a long time ago. Claudia took the throne from her daughter. The Red Queen is long dead."

"I just keep getting those words in my readings," Adrienne replied, her expression extremely patronizing. "I never said that she was alive or anything. You can't take everything literally when reading cards."

"Oh, well, if you see anyone who wants to hurt your dad, you can tell me or any of the adults here," Anna sighed, trying to hide her frustration from the child. "We can help."

"So, uh, Victoriana. Hi. Do you want to swim, or hang out here? We could talk if you want. I wanted to get to know you better, if that's okay."

Theo flushed, trying not to come across as dull or like he only cared about her money. Despite his best efforts, it felt like he was failing.

"I'd like to get to know you," the princess replied shyly. "I wanted to talk about demons if that's okay. How did you know you had a dark form? Does it hurt to change? How dangerous do you think your family really is these days?"

"Uh...I'm not sure," Theo answered awkwardly. He wasn't sure why the crown princess of Pleasantview was interested in his family and demons in the first place. Of course, Theo knew they were related and shared a demonic family, but Victoriana asking about it seemed odd. "It doesn't hurt, really. It kind of itches. My dad says he has our family under control, but it's nothing you have to worry about, being a princess and whatever. I can tell you about it if you want though."

"I would like that," Victoriana said cautiously. No need to seem as desperate for answers as she truly was. "I'd really like that. Your dad sounds like an interesting person."

"He is, I guess."

"Yeah. I guess."

The two teens stared awkwardly at the ground, unable to think of a way of progressing their conversation without revealing their shared paternity or coming across as some kind of weirdo.

"She knows already, Theo," Adrienne sang, as she skipped by the teens. "You both know the same secret, so stopping being weird."

"You know about me?" both teens said at once, watching their shared sister skip away. "Oh, thank god."

"I didn't know you knew," Theo said. "Here I was trying to be subtle about it and you already knew! I never thought you'd believe me!"

"My mom told me," the princess confessed. "I made her tell me and now she's mad at me, but I finally know! I've been going insane just thinking about it. Who told you?"

"I saw your connection after a spell," Theo confided. "I thought you'd think I was after your money or something if I came out and told you. I still can't believe it."

"We have a lot to talk about," Victoriana said eagerly. "Maybe you could tell me more about Roman Bellamy. I'd like to know all about him. For political analysis of course." An unwavering look passed between the half-siblings, promising that they would keep their true connection a secret from the rest of the teens at the pool. The last thing Victoriana needed was a scandal breaking out while her mother was already mad at her.

"Let's go inside and get some of that lemonade I saw Anna pouring," Theo suggested, gesturing towards the house. Victoriana nodded eagerly.

"Awsome!"

"So Adrienne has a vivid imagination," Anna began, trying to phrase her words gently. Her nephew's shoulders slumped before she could continue her sentence.

"You're telling me," Adrian groaned. "The damn thing is, she's almost always proven right when she 'imagines' things. Even Roman can't read cards like she can."

"So she says. I know you worry about her, Adrian. She seems like a very bright child. Lonely though."

"That's my main concern. Her sister has enough charisma for the both of them. Luci is in every sports team at her school and has tons of friends. Rien keeps to herself and acts like she's already thirty. I don't know what to do, Anna. I've never experienced anything like this before. I used to think that we had an interesting family, but Roman's is something else. Do I put her with other demon hybrids? Should I register her in Crystal Cove to learn about crystals and tarot readings? There has to be somewhere she can shine, but I'm at a loss for where. All I want is for her to have the happy childhood I dreamed of for her, but nothing seems to make her happy."

"We all find our paths eventually, Adrian. I know it's frustrating now, but Rien will find her way. When I was born, I was destined to be the queen of Strangetown and Twikkii Island. What my actual destiny turned out to be was quite different. And Claudia was no different. I would have never chosen the path she's walking for her, but it's where she belongs. It sounds like your daughter is beginning to figure out her future, you just need to wait and be patient."

"You've raised two teens who have turned out to be incredible adults, I'll try my best to follow your example," Adrian said, bowing his head as he spoke.

"You're way too uptight for someone of your rank," Anna teased. "With the succession guaranteed, Maura’s heirs have bumped you even further from the throne. You might as well relax and enjoy your estate like Edana's husband. Luci will need to know how to conduct herself at court, but very little else."

"That's not how my parents saw it," Adrian replied stiffly. "I have a duty to uphold to the crown. Should the unthinkable happen and the royal family is lost once more, Luci is still in the line of succession. If she didn't assume the throne herself, then she needs to defend the monarch. She should just be thankful that I'm not sending her to the military academy I was sent to. My father went there, so of course I had to as well."

She paused for a moment.

"Try growing up in Strangetown," Anna laughed. "From what I'm told, it's intense. I spent an eternity with my grandmother in the afterlife, learning about our family and traditions and a million other superstitions. I love it all, but to live it everyday? I don't envy my cousin."

"Do you think that maybe you spend too much time thinking about what your parents would do or think? They're lovely people, but you're not them."

"They weren’t perfect, that's for sure. I just miss them. I wonder what they'd say about my kids or trying to run a business with Roman. Would they like Evren? How would they help Rien? I wish I knew."

"You'll see them again someday and I know they'll be proud of you no matter what path you choose in life. Try relaxing a bit. Your kids have a long path before them, you just need to trust them."

"Relaxing? Sure, maybe when I'm dead," Adrian scoffed. "Roman needs me to manage our business and Evren needs me to keep him from murdering Wanda Bellamy and the kids need me for everything else. Maura is still pissed at me for sticking with Roman after everything and I don't know how I'm going to pay to send Fiolett to school next year, which Evren has also been extremely cagey about. Should I marry Evren? Does he even want that? If I do, will it change everything for us? If I-"

"Again, maybe you should try practicing relaxation before you take on the entire world," Anna interrupted. "Why don't you take a day just to yourself this week? Maybe even an afternoon if that's too hard. When you quiet your mind, you may find the answers you're struggling with."

"An afternoon," Adrian repeated slowly. "I guess it couldn't hurt. Abe could watch the boys while Fiolett is in school. I don't see the harm in trying."

[scltnsea]

— the ship was slowly rocking near the coastline where the pirates usually sought refuge, teetering on the gentle waves like the ocean was catching her breath after the storm that had passed through. sea legs were integral to a pirate, however, supplies and other necessities required trips to the mainland and it was nice, every so often, to find footing on stable ground ( though, james would argue every square foot of never island was anything but stable ). begrudgingly, james followed his crew off the ship and adjusted his coat, shaking his shoulders of the storm that had just blown past them, eyeing how mother nature had caressed the shore that had the beaches littered with shells, driftwood and varying debris. he felt a presence beside him, an aura that was hard to dismiss, and turned his head to look down at the individual accompanying him.

❛ — ah, anna... ❜

the fireball standing beside him burned bright enough to set the sun to shame. if the stars were able to reach out to them, james was certain they'd recruit anna to replace the very giant star that beat down upon his tired, heavy shoulders. she was violent, she was ruthless, she wielded her weapons with a smile and wore the scarlet blood of other's with a pride he himself had yet to become familiar with. her disdain for the inhabitants of peter's treehouse made his seem petty, at times, and he admired her dedication and her commitment to whatever cause he assigned to her. a lilt of a smile graced his face, softening hard features momentarily as he turned his head forward, watching crew members disappear in neat batches amongst the trees past the beach's edge.

❛ the smell of the land after a storm is a bit inspiring, isn't it ?? ❜ james took a deep breath through his nostrils, lids fluttering shut, the very scent he was mentioning tickling his nostrils before he released a slow exhale through parted lips. ❛ it reminds you that after all of that thrashing, all that excitement... the aftermath is all that more delightful... ❜ he turned to face her again, tilting his head, grazing his eyes over her features before turning back to look at the ship. the jolly roger took the storm like it was one of the ocean's creatures itself, and james took a moment to fondly dote on her before returning his attention to anna.

❛ the calm after the storm, anna, is only temporary. for when one storm passes, another is sure to follow.... ❜ clearing his throat, james began to advance forward, nodding his head in the direction he was walking, silently instructing her to follow. ❛ now i must ask you to swear to secrecy...as i assure you a storm is brewing sooner than anyone is anticipating. alas, this storm won't be one of mother nature's creations...❜ he stopped, turning to face her once more, a wicked, mischievous glee twinkling in his eyes;

❛no, my dear, it shall be one of OURS. ❜

@fortunefavorcd

[bill-gates-hate-blog]

To answer questions: To A: I would actually prefer to work with an animal persona because it's out of my comfort zone and drawing humans is what i'm better at. I might be interested in doing something like that in the future, but probably not now. I don't think I have submissions open, but asking or DMing is just fine by me.

To B: I would prefer not to draw fanart of an established character if i can help it. I worry that if I do one, many people will request fanart, and I don't really want to spam my followers with things that they didn't really follow me for. I apologize.

[nature-godsgardenofeden]

♥

Am I still in California?

[kelpieice]

Thoughts on Ships, Jarida

This is a ship I can see potential in. Jack and Merida would start out on a rocky beginning just meeting each other and mainly I believe it is because she is human and Jack Frost is a spirit of winter. Once they got over that difference and began a genuine friendship, their relationship as a potential couple would also begin slowly.

Even in a friend group of the creation of the Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons, I can see Merida and Jack being particularly close in a way special to them even among both Hiccup and Rapunzel. (Though every friend has a special and different friendship among their peers. Like my HC that Jack and Hiccup are more like bromances because in cannon they are not gay, which would have an effect on their relationship as friends)

Merida does know what a healthy relationship looks like from observing her parents. In one of Merida’s spin off chapter books, there was a brief description about how her parents were not just King and Queen but best friends.

 So I would believe that Merida would want a relationship similar to her parents. One in which she already has a strong close emotional relationship to her significant other. Being randomly married off can add scariness because you are marrying someone who is a complete stranger. Queen Elinor was lucky she was able to get that kind of relationship with Fergus, but being randomly married off could also mean you may grow to loath your partner or are not remotely attracted to them. As friends I can already see Jack Frost and Merida being close, who mess with each other. Merida’s fiery disposition against Jack’s cool one. How they would be romantically perhaps wouldn’t change to how their friendship would be, except with some hand holding and romantic aspects tossed in. What I take the most fascinating of this ship is that we have a human and a winter spirit.

Magic

I really think that Merida would be more cautious when her and Jack would meet for the first time. Jack would see Merida as Merida, a fiery human. Merida would just see a magical winter spirit and would not see Jack as Jack until she learned he was not dangerous. I believe this is because of Queen Elinor who believes in magic and would of told her about the unseelie court. In personality Jack Frost is more seelie but his magic being that of winter, a very harsh season would be associated with unseelie. (I always take it funny with my idea of Jack taking a form of a fox because if he told Merida he doesn’t typically look like a fox. Her brain would go towards unseelie and that Jack would look like a scary icicle person. Then she sees what he actually looks like and goes, shoot he’s cute.)

With Merida as a human and Jack as a spirit of winter, I do think it be an effect on their relationship either in friendship or relationship. In a scenario of either Dark Frost or if Jack just has a complete mental break down and his magic got out of control. Merida would find herself out of any other character, finding it hard to get close to get through to him. Rapunzel has magic, Hiccup has access to a magical creature and even Elsa has her own winter magic. Merida is just human with no magical resources. I think she would find herself feeling very useless and would be hunched over a fire taking shelter with Anna while the others try to get close to Jack. Also it be difficult with knowing she’d age but Jack would stay the same. That be difficult for the two of them romantically. Jack couldn’t become her King but could always remain a friend but if it led to a brake up because of magic, it be pretty difficult time for the two of them. Merida would still have to be Queen and would have to pick one of the lords sons, hopefully her choice is patient with her for her breakup with a spirit and she gets another shot at a close and loving relationship.

I like Jarida because it is a relationship that I could see happening. They would be great friends with potential of being a couple but because of Jack’s magical nature as a spirit it would force a eventual break up due to Merida’s duties of future Queen. It be a relationship of high’s and lows ending with real feels towards the end.

[dragonskxn]

When Anna'd wake up and open her front door for whatever reason, she'd be greeted by two things! One quite a large packaged gift! All wrapped up in what looked like to be the most rustic and fancy gift wrapped there could be.

And another rather big package, though not as big as the other and with an interesting uh...'wrapping'? It seemed like it had been wrapped up in sentient shadows, the texture seemed to move every now and then. And the bow had a face of agony-

Within the first gift, she'd find all sorts of gems, pretty uniquely shaped rocks, and a silky smooth black satchel full of legit gold coins (they seemed to be of another time period entirely...); there was a carefully folded and wonderfully decorated, silky smooth, soft crimson blanket; and finally...there was a book- it turned out to be a cookbook! There were all sorts of recipes inside! Hand-written! Some may have been things Anna already knew, but a lot of them were either from an earlier time period, or from other cultures. There was also a little note inside, and it revealed who the sender was without too much investigating.

It said:

"I do adore our little conversationss, I think of you as a good friend already...sso, thought I'd leave you something nice for the holidays."

~ Cornelius.

The 'C' was actually a simply-doodled snake, with it's tongue sticking out, posing to form the letter.

- - - -

The other gift was much easier to open, as the shadowy-like wrapping simply faded into thin air, emitting an ominous noise, as soon as the woman'd touch the bow that held it together. It revealed a simple box that once opened, revealed some...interesting contents:

The insides were littered in what aopeared to be red petals, a generous amount of gold nuggets; a VERY fluffy vest, made of what seemed to be an extremely thick fur (it looked as if it'd be great for insulation against the cold); and the gift that drew most attention within the box: a white, fluffy, chest that occupied most space, it had two little horns on it's head and appeares to be inanimate- however, the object next to it, which seemed to be a bone, with a closed eye and two simiar horns on top...yeah, as soon as the dragoness would land a finger on it, the eye would open and that chest? That fluffy white chest? Yeah, it would spring to life! On four little blue legs, and revealing that this 'chest's opening was actually it's mouth. It panted like a dog and would quickly hop out of the box and stand beside Anna.

Oh! Forgot to mention there was also a note on top of the little entity's head, between it's horns, which flew right off once it came to life. Said note explained everything:

"Dear Annalise,

I do sincerely hope you like these gifts, I waa never a fan of the holiday but...well. Here we are.

The vest was what took most of my time to make since it's fur...well, let's say it was not exactly easy to obtain.

Lastly, I want you to meet Chester (full name: Otto Von Chesterfield, Esquire.); not my best creation, but he is useful. A portable chest. He does not need feeding, and he will follow you as long as you keep his bone in hand. This one I've sent you is especially useful to store food, consider him a minifridge of sorts.

Best regards, Maxwell."

- @viciouslyfilthy

(( FROM THE WRITER: I AM SO SORRY IF THIS ASK IS TOO LONG I HAD SO MUCH IN MIND ))

Annalise's eyes glittered similarly to the shiny rocks and gold coins in her first gift. She totally didn't put a coin in her mouth to taste it. Mmm yummy

She curled up underneath the soft blanket, already flipping through the cookbook with intrigue. She'd have to make some of these for him...

--

Annalise immediately threw on the fluffy vest in her second gift, cuddling against the warm fur as she looked further into the rather ominous box. Once she grabbed the odd bone and the strange creature sprung to life, Anna gave a surprised little "oh!" (and Smudge scurried off, squealing) and very carefully gave Otto von Chesterfield — er, Chester — a gentle pat on his head (mouth? Head mouth?).

"Oh, how sweet," she cooed. "I'll need to thank him in person soon. Maybe we could have a picnic using you, hm?" Anna smiled at Chester.

[muu-kun]

𝐔𝐍𝐔𝐒𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒.

Spice: Ashwagandha (ssssh we're counting it). Ashwagandha is one of the most highly regarded and commonly used herbs in Ayurveda. As an adaptogen and a rejuvenative, ashwagandha brings its nourishing, revitalizing qualities deep into the body, making it ideal for many uses, from the adrenals to the immune system, muscles, mind, and more.

Weather: Winter days where the sun is at its highest peak.

color: I wouldn't pick one singular color to associate with Muu. Rather, I'd so more so describe him as a Crayola watercolor set. Not the best, most luxurious set of colors to pick from, but the familiarity that comes with the territory of untampered nostalgia and youth keeps you coming back for a taste of your own every time.

Sky: Overcast, but with enough beautiful sunlight to really heighten the fact that silver linings are always around us.

Shoe: A withered pair of faded yellow rainboots that can never quite make their way into the trash due to the immense sentimental value.

House plant: Gaillardia Goblin Flower. Again we are cheating in regards to this not being what one would truly consider a house plant, the meaning and inspiration taken from his conversations with his friend Alex of @dis--parity make it our honorary pick nonetheless. 

Weapon: It is meant to be as unconventional as it sounds-- teeth.

Subject: Sociology

Social media: Tiktok

Makeup product: Concealer. Masking beyond the manner associated with keeping his autism out of the spotlight.

Candy: Organic lollipops. They remind him of old times, yet the drive for health compels him to make better choices. Including even in the case of something admittedly based on fulfilling an unmet need centered on an oral fixation triggered by anxiousness and uncertainty.

Fear: Gerascophobia-- the fear of aging.

 Ice cube shape: Those little jaggedy pieces collected from a bag of ice hitting pavement. Visibly, it holds up unsatisfactory in comparison to its prior state; however, it serves a purpose regardless. And that it can resume wholeness nonetheless by addressing the roots from which he arrived from.

Method of long-distance travel: Party bikes. Can't really get around without a support team. And plus he's always just really loved the idea of being invited to many, many parties growing up.

art style: Work done by his favorite tiktok artist by far as is-- Anna Laura of annalaura_art.

Historical period: I would scratch that and pick time period as is by making my choice pre creation of man, or creature. Simply just the evolution of single cell organisms into well beyond that.

Mythological creature: Jackalope. Not for any real reason beyond the fact that his healing mantra has simply become the song from the animated short Boundin'. He's the sheep of his own story for the time being, but he'd ideally like to become the jackalope in everyone else's.

Piece of stationery: Handpainted wood carved pens. More specifically the tackiest animal or otherwise novelty themed ones of the bunch. Each one made up of personality to go everywhere creativity takes it.

Three emojis: 🥺🤗🙊

Celestial body: No less than the sun itself. The belief he derived from its rays has yet to falter. He was never meant to be more akin to the moon.

stolen from: @tximidity and @nvrcmplt

[ivorydragoness44]

Velkan Valerious x Reader: The Wait

Word Count: 1,028 Warnings/Notes: Gender neutral Reader, established relationship, secret relationship, movie canon action and violence, mentions of weapons and weapons in use, Reader is in danger but not harmed. Dracula’s brides. Summary: Waiting for the arrival of Dracula’s werewolf, the hunting party is prepared, but not when someone else shows up instead.

~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~

  Night, the optimal time to hunt. Optimal—perhaps not, however, it was the most obvious time for Dracula to send out an attack on the Valerious family. Velkan and Anna Valerious, their father, King Boris, had gone missing a few short months ago. Since then, the siblings had been dealing with an upsurge of attacks.   For years, you had known of the Valerious family and shared their friendship and trust. Velkan, more so. The courting remained unknown to all, with a scarce few exceptions. It was your hope that Dracula and his underlings never discovered that knowledge.

  Presently, the sun had set and the clouds had gathered around the moon. The area became gradually quiet as the time passed and the plan’s preparations were made. The volunteers were always more than happy to assist.

  “You are sure you have a silver bullet?” Velkan asked, hands reaching for your belt.   “Velkan,” Anna sighed with a gentle smile, “it’s still in their gun since the last time you asked them.”   He nodded but worry flashed upon his brow.   “I won’t waste a single shot,” you assured, resisting the urge to sooth him with a tender touch.   “I know you won’t. Come, let’s get you up that tree.”

  “I should climb up higher than the last time,” you recalled on your short walk over.   “Yes, it’s best to keep out of range. They can jump remarkably well.”   “All of their special abilities are not fair,” you mumbled, getting a foothold on the tree trunk.   A hand came to assist you with an accompanying look of concern. “Mind your footing.”   You smiled, lightly chiding him. “Velkan.”   “Keep your balance up there. It would be a nasty fall.”   “And yet I’m sure that you would catch me either way.”   “Of course I would, however…ensure that it does not come to that.”   With a last snicker to yourself, you scaled up the tree. Mindful, you tried to keep your sword from catching onto the branches on your way up. Once at a suitable height, you steadied yourself against the trunk and dug the heel of your boot into the bark.

  The wait was usually the most excruciating part. Waiting for their arrival, their first strike, and their departure. An end to the vampires and Dracula’s creations would be a much better outcome. One could only hope, especially with how many years had since passed. But the trap was set, and all that was needed was the werewolf to make their appearance.

  The forest had become deathly still. No nightly bird chirped, nor a single creature stir. It was only a matter of time. Time and nothing short of patience.   A howl of the wind and the shrill of laughter echoed in the air. Your blood ran cold. That was no werewolf.   “The brides!” Someone shouted below.   The men tensed and shifted on their feet. The group was prepared for the wolf, not the three brides of Dracula himself. They reorganized quickly, looking to the sky.

  The three vampires, pale and grey, dived through the trees and swept across the ground. Their voices could charm and chill anyone into submission. Fear, both primal and instinctual would still remain either way. One could not ignore such a thing with those creatures around.

  Up in the tree, you were wary. Eyes darting in every direction, you were on high alert. They might not be able to hear you, but your heartbeat thudded loudly in your chest.   Vampires were more intelligent than werewolves, or so you were let to believe.   Movement caught your attention. Landing midway along the branch in front of you, was one of the aforementioned brides. Her appearance shifted into one of delicate fabrics and expensive jewelry. The sheer sight of her made your eyes become wide.   “Hello there,” she spoke too sweetly. It made your mouth taste sour. “Why are you lurking up here?” She inched closer, tilting her head without so much as breaking eye contact. “Have you been waiting for me?”   Breath ragged, you had to return to your sense. To act, to anything, would be far better than being an easy target. Or worse, a meal.

  “Velkan!” Anna shouted above the chaos on the ground.   In a heartbeat, a hot rang out. The bride whipped around, hissing at the Valerious. The bullet, you could see, lodged into her back. As unsightly as it was, you intended to cause worse.   With her attention elsewhere, you unsheathed your sword. It may have been a whim but your mind was settled. With a firm grip on the pommel, you slashed out at the vampire, butting her. Silver, it would at least hurt.   Crying out again, she turned to you in an instant. Her nailed fingers gripped you with icy malice and flung you into the clearing below.   The weight of the world pulled you downward, but Velkan was by far quicker. Dashing over, he caught you, cushioning your fall. It was by no means comfortable, but you were more than grateful for his actions.   “Nice catch,” you said into his shoulder, his belt gnawing into your hip.   “You’re welcome,” he groaned as you rolled off of him.

  Velkan stood before you could offer him your hand in assistance. Though as your gaze left him, you noticed the state of the situation around you. The screaming of the vampires and the yelling of the men mixed together in your mind amongst the unrelenting gunfire. And as quickly as they had showed up, the brides rose back up into the air and flew away.

  “Is that all?” You asked, gesturing upward with your sword.   “We got lucky,” Anna stated, walking over to the pair of you with confident steps.   “There may still be a werewolf yet, Anna,” Velkan warned.   “We will wait then,” Anna nodded. “Keep your guards up. The night’s not over,” she announced to the others.   Velkan placed such a gentle hand to your back that you nearly did not notice. His face had since softened as he gazed at you. “As long as you’re safe,” he whispered.   “May we all find a safe victory tonight, and keep our blood in our veins.”

~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~

Thank you for reading!

For more fanfiction by me, check out the pinned post on my blog :)