#arsenic-the-fae

[iamunabletothinkofablogname]

💌 send this to the twelve nicest people you know or who seem to have a good heart and if you get five back you must be pretty awesome 💌 /nf

thank you!!! You too :3

[leosgreyfringe]

LEANDRO TROSSARD in New Connections and Deceitful Buzzers

[realllllmew]

 Best Of The Premier League

[idkfitememate]

Deer Bones and Golden Crowns Pt.1

♡︎ « Next Part ⋙

૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა Pairings : GN! “Normal��� Reader x Vil (& others!!)

૮꒰ྀི∩´ ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა W.K. : 5k

໒꒰ྀིᵔ ᵕ ᵔ ꒱ྀི১ Tags/CW&TW : Descriptive Gore, yandere-esk reader, bodily gore

໒꒰ྀི˶˙Ⱉ˙˶꒱ྀིა Author’s note :(My sincerest apologies(/s), but this is a male reader! He/Him pronouns!! Anyone can read of course, but if I find any comments of a fetishized nature, your comment will be deleted and you will be promptly blocked! Thank you!!~)

Wendigo’s are spirits that claim body over the dead and force the risen corpse to eat the flesh of their brethren, turning others into flesh eating creatures such as themselves.

Changlings were many things, but the one thing they all had in common was that they were placed in the cradles of human children who were snatched away in the night by fairies. They had the innate ability to change their forms and appearances to become something they weren’t, to convince others they were that new form.

Now… what if these two creatures were to mate? A creature of infinite flesh and identities and one of never endearing hunger for flesh and a spirit of famine?

You would get the second in command of the young Schoenheit. Vil’s right hand man and assistant since birth.

(y/n).

He was of average height, average build, average hair color, average eye color, average everything.

Nothing about him stood out amongst the gorgeous crowd of those whom he would work with.

Though, he had an innate eye for beauty and details, even in the most of drab places. He had the ability to turn any old lump of coal into diamond. He could spot anyone and turn them into a star.

That’s why his parents worked out a deal with Vil’s.

(y/n) works with Vil to keep appearances and popularity stay shining, and Vil’s family will continue to house and tend to (y/n)’s.

Fair, yes?

Well it was, for some time anyway. Before Vil was whisked off in that Ebony Carriage guided by those horses of bone, off to Night Raven College, leaving (y/n) behind.

Leaving his friend behind.

At least, (y/n) would like to say they were friends, but he knew better. He was nothing more than another tool in Vil’s arsenal to keep him in the spotlight, but honestly? (y/n) couldn’t complain.

After years of being a glorified servant of the other, he grew an attachment to the blond/purple haired man. Seeing him everyday was apart of the fae boy’s daily routine and him being missing from it was already messing with him.

Even though Vil had only been taken shipped off around a day ago. But that wasn’t the biggest issue.

The biggest issue would have to be the fact that an Ebony Carriage had come for him a few nights before, and in a fit of rage he destroyed it.

Though he did more than just throw stones or bricks, he intended to send a message. YOU intended to send a message.

A message asking why the fuck they would dare try to separate you from your *kostbar schimmernder stern.

You broke the coffin in, shattering the glass surrounding it. You did torch the wood of the carriage, and completely destroyed the small mirror that rested on the top of that forsaken coffin.

You sent it on its way as a warning.

Only to come and regret that decision as you watched from the tree line as the carriage that now held the sleeping body of your friend rid off under the moonlight.

After his leaving, you barely left your room, only carrying out your job with… lesser clients via email or a messenger. Though if not in your room, you’d be in the forest, most likely with your parents.

Speaking of, all your life you kept your family heritage a secret. Whenever someone wanted to meet your parents - such as Vil’s parents - they’d speak through a servant or you. Not to say that they looked inhuman, in fact, they were like you in human forms. Both shockingly average.

But rather because neither, no matter how much practice they had, they could never get over their… urges.

Your mother was a very, very old wendigo, older than most fae really. You could hear her cries beyond the gates of the house, the signs of a successful hunt. Never was she not bloody, her hair drenched in the red, sticky substance and her teeth stained crimson. She carried the scent of death with her everywhere, and sometimes you could see her “fixing” her body, otherwise known as sewing her skin back together. She had made an effort to never allow you to see her “true” form, but that was for naught as very early on in your life you had seen her stalking back to the house, two dead bucks trapped in her maw as her bones and joints creaked with every movement.

Her bloodshot eyes meeting yours. Blood dripping off her skull and large, sharp antlers onto your dolls.

You personally could say the dolls looked better dressed in red.

And your father, ever the trickster he was. With a glance of the untrained eye, and he would seem entirely human. Though, by living with him you could both see and feel, deeply that something was wrong. How his joints would twitch and jut in odd ways, how his expressions were always just slightly off the mark. How he wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t drink. How he never slept or even breathed. If you pressed into his skin enough, you could feel a wooden texture beneath the flesh, and his eyes were dull, as if carved from stone.

His teeth twitched as though alive, and his throat would make the oddest noises, such as bark rubbing together or leaves rustling against each other. Sometimes you could find him staring into the forest, his eyes completely blacked out, his body changing and shifting. His arms too long and his legs too short. His hair both shaggy and sleek while long and short. Haunting noises scraping themselves from his throat.

And sometimes you could hear something respond.

After Vil left, you’d go hunting with your mom, seeing the love she put into every kill for you, as you began to eat with her. She forbade you from eating meals with her due to her diet, but seeing how upset you were, she made an exception.

The feeling of raw deer flesh on your tongue as you gnawed on bones to help clean your teeth, feeling blood run down your chin as you shoved your face into the neck of a fresh kill, your mother kneeled over in her true form, chuffing and licking at your back with love. The grime of dried blood and small hairs beneath your nails as you clawed deeper and deeper into the corpse.

You found a beauty in it.

The beauty of life and death; the circle of life, you supposed.

You’d do the same with your dad, him helping you with your magic output. Finding out that you had inherited your mothers instincts with your fathers innate ability to change. Not your signature spell, but a powerful magic nonetheless.

You spent your days inside or with your family as grief at the loss of your friend consumed you.

You regretted not going when you had the chance. You wanted and needed to find a way inside that damned school.

As you cuddled into the warmth of the pile your family had formed on a pile of blankets and pillows under a window that allowed sunlight to stream onto you, you began to form a plan.

Didn’t that designer work there? What was his name…

Divus Crewel?

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍮🍯🍧୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

It hadn’t been hard really, to get in contact with the fashionista, but after a couple emails you finally got one back.

The school year had started by now, so designing for him was more of a pastime right now rather than a job. But that didn’t stop others from making requests. And no matter how punctual he was with his years of experience, there would always be something or someone to throw him off. Having someone to manage a schedule and otherwise would be a large help, and with your rather impressive portfolio, you knew he’d be bound to say yes.

And yes he did say.

You were scheduled to move to NRC in a few days, packing your belongings in a large suitcase. You heard the door open to your room but didn’t move from your packing instead letting your mother walk to you. You closed the suitcase in time the stopthe blood splatter from the large dead bear she dropped to touch your clothes. Finally looking up at her, she had a small smile on her patchwork face.

“Eat.”

That was all she said but you understood. Usually - with you anyway - the hunts were small with deer or bucks, the occasional fox, wolf or small bunny for a snack. But a bear, that was something worth celebrating. Not to say your mother couldn’t catch something larger, but it was the largest thing she caught for you.

It was a parting gift.

You knew that hunting would become a scarce activity and that’d you’d once more need to get acquainted with regular foods, so this was a very welcome gift, as after this it’d be nothing but cooked meats for you, unfortunately.

Your hands easily gripped the flesh through It’s fur, tearing a large chunk off its neck. You ran a hand through the thick coat before tugging, and with a swift pull, nearly all fur came off the chunk.

You brought the bare skin to your mouth, sinking razor sharp teeth into it. You could tell it was fresh, from the mass amounts of blood that spilled down your chin. The disgusting sounds of flesh being chewed could be heard throughout the home as your father walked in, in his hands a box.

You placed your bite down and rubbed your hands on your pants, turning to him. He stepped over, not minding the blood now on his shoes, and crouched dow, placing the box in your lap.

He ran and hand through your hair as you took in the box.

It was white with a large red bow, small black accents patterned across the top.

Gently untying the bow and lifting the top, a butchers set and a makeup set lay before you, in the center a small gemstone mixed with purple and red sat before you. Picking it up you realized what it was.

When practicing your magic, your parents would offer up an old wand or pen, as was customary. You had yet to do anything with your own life, in the sense that you had yet to fly the nest.

And here you were, making your first decision for yourself. One that would lead you away from here.

From them.

A magic gem.

You could feel the power dripping from inside it, pushing into your being and forcibly flowing through your veins. Looking at the knife and makeup brush sets you noted the small indents in parts of their bases. You gently placed the gem in the sharpener - it was the most normal looking compared to the others, looking like a metal wand - and waved it a bit, small sparkles emanating from its tip.

You stared at the duel sets, then gently set the sharpener down, before leaping up and hugging your father. Your mother quickly got up as well, wrapping her much longer arms around you and your father, none of you minding the blood staining your clothes.

Tomorrow was a new day.

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🎂🍭🍡୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

“Glad to see you made it in one piece.”

You stood before Divus Crewel, sciences teacher of Night Raven College and fashion designer. Together in the hall of mirrors, he motioned you forward and began to walk to another mirror, to what you only could assume were the teachers housing.

Dragging behind you were multiple bags, considering the contract you both came up with required you to be on campus the whole time you were employed during the school year, if only to keep you close. The black and white man apparently much more preferred face to face meetings over calls and e-mails.

Divus looked back at you. You had at least five large suitcases and a slew of smaller bags, but were carrying them with ease. By now you had both stepped through the mirror towards his current home and were simply walking the trail to the building, but you were keeping up with his brisk pace with no problem.

He’d be a fool to say he hadn’t heard of you. Just like all the models he worked with, your name was all over the high world of acolytes. You had clients in every circle, and not one of them was dissatisfied. One of the youngest in the business, at only eighteen, Divus would’ve expected you to be a bit ‘shaky on your legs’ so to speak, but you held yourself up high, no signs of stopping or of any fatigue.

Such an interesting boy you are…

“I meant to ask before, but what made you so eager to ask for this role?” Crewl was many things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. He knew Vil had just recently came to NRC, leaving you without your biggest star. So to reach out to Crewl just a few weeks later, he had a feeling he knew why you were here. But he wanted to see if you’d admit it.

“I had recently seen your work. And after… ‘loosing’ Vil, a lot of my work time has dropped. I needed to be busy again, after my few weeks of down time. I hope you understand, fashion is a bit out of my expertise, but I figured it’d be a fun new experience.”

Crewl opened the door to the rather large mansion-like building, guiding you down hall after hall, you immediately making note of every twist and turn as the salt and pepper haired man showed you to what you assumed would be your room for the rest of the school year.

“I see… well, these will be your living quarters till the end of our current contract. I will leave you to get situated for tonight and will show you around the school tomorrow. This weekend will be spent showing you around the rest of this building and fully ironing out your role and duties under me, understood?” You nodded.

“Good pup. Have a good night.” You stared at the back of his head as he walked out of the room and closed the door. You immediately looked around the room taking it in.

It was large, much larger than your own back home. High walls with near ceiling to floor length windows surrounded you, the walls painted in grays and black with hints of purples and golds.

A tribute to the Headmaster of this place, you assumed.

Your new Alaskan king sized canopy bed sat in a corner with sheets that matched to walls, the only other furniture being a desk with a chair, a nightstand, and a dresser. You sighed, knowing your pockets were about to be drained in order to personalize the room.

You walked over to a door, opening it to find the largest walk-in closet - next to Vil’s - you’d ever seen. The damn thing even had a couple levels.

Then you checked the bathroom, which had a glass shower with far too many buttons levers, a quite large and wide clawfoot bathtub, a large vanity with two sinks - why would you ever need two??? - and a towel closet that, again, was much to large for its intended purpose.

Though curiously, in the back of the towel closet, was a magic imbued safe. Quickly figuring out that it responded to a spell of the users choice, you choose a spell of Wendigo nature and unlocked it, walking back to the main room and taking out both sets of “wands” your father gave you. You removed the sharpener from the box and took the others back into the bathroom, quickly pushing them into the safe and locking it back up.

Now, it was time for a room makeover… or the best you could right now, anyway.

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍪🍦🍯୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

The last of your clothes are placed into the closet and sighed. All unpacked, all that was left was actually giving the room a makeover, you were just stuck between actually putting in some elbow grease and doing it yourself, or just magicing - is that a word? - the room and being done with it.

As you pondered, you glanced out the window, noting the moon was starting to rise, sky dark and shining with stars. At that same moment, your stomach growled. You huffed and walked over to the window, staring out at the back of the building, noticing in a forest behind it. In fact, you now recalled that a forest surrounded the damn thing.

How… convenient.

You grabbed your wand and threw on a pair of boots and an over coat that was already painted a deep crimson, as well as a small satchel, and stalked out the door, humming quietly to yourself.

You snuck through halls, hypersensitive to any boards that seemed a little too loose for your liking. You leapt over railing and fell to the first floor, opening the front door silently and closing it behind you. Your nail grew into a point, and you entered it to the lock, locking the door back into place. Then, you took off into the night, rushing through trees.

You dropped to all fours and ran faster, taking in the night air.

You heard your limbs snap as your form changed, long and jagged antlers protruding from your head as the skin melted off your face. Your limbs lengthened and your legs became unguligrade, bones cracking and rebuilding themselves. Your awkward run became a strong gallop, your body thinning until your ribs pushed through your skin and spine protruding from your back.

You sniffed the air, taking in the scents of different animals that desperately ran from you already, your presence already disrupting the peace of the forest simply by being there.

… a little doe was nearby.

Your head snapped in her direction. Skin that was still rotting off you flying off from the sheer force of your head. You leaned low, head nearly touching the floor of the forest, stalking towards her direction.

Your breathing was shallow, antlers lightly scraping the branches above you. Slowly, the doe came into view, lightly munching away on grass and flowers in the moonlight. Tan fur flowed in the wind, ears twitching and nose sniffing.

She was beautiful.

When you came into the clearing, her head perked up immediately, looking at you. You huffed and stayed low, tail wagging behind you in wait. She stared for a moment longer before quietly diving back down into her meal. If you had lips, you would’ve smiled.

You continued to crawl forward, the doe no longer caring about your being there, caring only for the flowers she feasted on. You finally came to a point where she was only a few feet away, her scent searing into your nose, making your already shallow breathing harder.

You stalled, letting the wind brush through your fur, before you strike. And the moment came.

You leapt from the ground, jaw crunching around her neck before she could make a noise. Blood licked your nostrils, splattering across your form as the sickening snap of her neck resounded through the forest.

Without hesitation you marred her pure flesh with your tainted teeth. You tore through her skin to the meat, biting down on her shoulder. You shredded the muscle, chewing till bone then working your way down till nothing but the guts remained, to which you began to shift back.

Your body was still covered in the sticky blood. You made sure all your clothes shifted with you, counting the layers in your head. With a nod you whipped out your wand and whispered a spell, the remaining guts and bone bunching themselves together. With the small satchel in hand, you scooped up the remains and began the trek back to the house, moon hanging in the sky, the only witness to your brutality.

You went the way you came once entering the establishment, steps light and airy. You made it to your room in record time, waltzing into the bathroom and hiding your cloak and boots in the back, near the safe. You removed the pouch from a pocket and set on the sink as you washed up, a quick shower rising you of your sin. You and the pouch made your way into the bedroom and the pouch made its way into a small drawer in your nightstand, a chilling spell placed over it as you snuggled up in the side sheet, satin pajamas hugging your figure.

It was only a few hours you slept, rising when the suns rays had just barely touched the surface of the world. You rose with no hesitation, wide awake almost immediately. You rushed to the bathroom and began your morning ritual, having picked up some tips from Vil as the years went by. Face creams and masks, makeup of all types. You’d gotten so good that you knew you could rush with no restraint.

You had more than enough time before school started, hell, you knew you were most likely one of the only people awake. But it was for a purpose.

You needed to be on the good side of the teachers above all.

You may have only been employed with Crewl, but throughout your day, you mostly only be speaking and seeing the teachers. Rushing to your drawer - without changing. There was no need right now - you took out what was left of the doe. You slipped on some fuzzy slippers and rushed down the halls, again, missing all creaky floorboards and sniffing the air, following the smell of herbs and coffee in the mansion.

You made it to the kitchen without trouble, opening the pouch and feeling around in the pouch, removing the intestines.

Sausage was on the menu this morning. You hoped no one was a vegan.

It was easy to begin cooking. Vil loved your cooking. No one could do it right like you, he constantly said. Once more, you were fast and effective, starting the coffee maker. You also started some eggs and hash browns, biscuits and chopping fruit.

You multitasked, buttering the biscuits and flipping eggs, making both sunny side up - a personal favorite for you - and scrambled. As you took the hash browns out, you heard shuffling behind you, as well as the meowing of a cat.

… Can cats eat sausage?

You turned around and met the gaze of an older man with greying hair and a black cat around his shoulders.

Mozus Trein… and his cat, Lucius.

“I assume you are Crewl’s new assistant?” Short sweet and strait to the point. You simply nodded, taking the fresh made sausage out the pan and letting it cool off to the side. With a step, you took the cup you placed from under the coffee machine, turning back to him.

“Do you like anything in your coffee? Or do you prefer it black? Or, would you prefer anything else?” Lucius jumped off from the older man’s shoulders onto the island counter, him taking a seat and crossing his legs. You noted he was fully dressed for the day, despite it barely being six am.

“Milk and two sugars, thank you.” He hummed. The glanced away before turning back. “And would you mind grabbing the paper? We get it delivered, should be at the door by now.” You nodded and took off, not looking back.

Now that it was light out, you took your time to examine the halls a bit more thoroughly. Paintings lined the walls, each of different landscapes that painted the world of Twisted Wonderland.

The most prominent being - of course - the seven lands in which The Great Seven all hail from.

The Queendom of Roses, Sunset Savana, the Coral Sea, the Scalding Sands, Briar Valley, and others.

Each portrait was lifelike. Each snowflake glinting back at you and each thorn looking as though you’d cut yourself if you poked at it. You could see each individual grain of sand and scale on a fish. It was impressive.

Finally making it to the front once more, you were met with a man who was getting ready to head out. He had dreads and was wearing something akin to a suit, though a waiter’s apron was tired to his waist. You had come from behind, so hearing you he turned, and you also saw he had white paint streaked across his skin.

“Now, who may you be?” He asked, you staring becoming blatant. Your eyes didn’t move from analyzing him, grunting. After another moment of silence and the man seemingly starting to sweat, you hummed, moving to the front door and throwing it open. You quietly picked up the newspaper and turned back to him.

“Crewl’s new assistant, (Y/n).” Was all you said, though you kept staring. After another moment of silence, he seemed to note that you were waiting for him to introduce himself.

“Well then uh… names Sam. I run Mr. S’s Mystery Shop. Pop by if you’re in the need for anything..?” He drew off as he watched you walk away, back in the direction of the kitchen.

“What a weird kid…”

Your steps once more echoed in the halls as you re-entered the kitchen, seeing that Mozus had helped himself and served himself up a plate. Before you could announce yourself, however, a large hand clapped itself on your back, making you stumble forward.

Without a word, you fell face first onto the floor, newspaper still in hand.

Still, quiet silence followed.

“Uh… you okay, kid?” Your grunted, still lying on the floor. A hand, the same one you guessed, grabbed you by the scruff of your sleep shirt and yanked you upward, you still like a kitten. When you were dropped back onto your feet, you turned and found the PE teacher, Ashton Vargas.

You nodded at him before he could speak and wondered over to Mozus, who was watching the whole interaction with little care. You gently placed the newspaper in front of him and he thanked you with a nod, Lucius meowing at you.

You then faced Ashton, holding a hand out. He grasped it and squeezed - though you’re sure it was unintentional - and shook it with vigor.

“Sorry ‘bout that! Ashton Vargas, PE teacher here at Night Raven. You?” You nodded in kind.

“(Y/n), Crewl’s new assistant. Pleasure.” Your face remained blank through the interaction, gaze breaking for a moment only to look at the breakfast you’d prepared, then looking back at the rather built man.

“I’ve prepared a breakfast if you-“ “I’m good, thank you.” Your eyebrow raised in question and the man laughed, making Mozus groan.

“I already ate about… twelve-dozen eggs this morning during my pre-school work out!” Your eye twitched at the thought. Due to your biology, you could ingest raw egg no problem, but to eat twenty-four strait raw eggs just sounds… you couldn’t do it. So instead, you simply nodded and walked over to the food, grabbing a bit of everything before looking back at the two.

“Where is Mr. Crewl’s room?” Ashton blinked before nodding towards the door.

“Just down the hall, he’s closest to the kitchen actually. Shocked he ain’t out here yet honestly.” You nodded and made your way out of the kitchen, walking steadily down the hall, balancing the plate on one hand.

Walking down the hall, you kept an eye out for the correct door. You didn’t want to open a closet or anything. But suddenly, someone crashed into you. Crewel fell from the impact, your form still standing strong with the plate of food unmoving.

“Where were you?!? I’ve been searching for ten minutes now!! Come come, time is waisting and I still have to put you in uniform.” You tilted your head as Crewel stood back up, walked behind you and began to push you to what you could only assume was his room.

“Uniform?” You questioned. Crewel sighed, but smirked as well. “Yes uniform. A little something a threw into our contract at the very end. You don’t mind, do you?” You grunted. Should’ve seen something akin to this coming, you supposed, but you couldn’t loose this. You hadn’t even seen Vil yet.

“Fine.” “Good, now, come along.” And off you both went, to gain your new uniform.

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍩🍮🍨୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

The uniform wasn’t too bad. A fluffy tailcoat - with coat tails, not real ones - that went to the backs of your knees, a vest that was the reverse of his in terms of color, black dress pants and black dress shoes. You looked nice, in your own opinion at least.

As you looked yourself over in the mirror, Crewel sat at his desk, munching away on the breakfast you made.

“This is pretty good...” He mumbled as he watched you twirl in the mirror, taking in every part of your new outfit. He hummed, placing his fork down and grabbing his teacher pointer and standing.

“Come on, let’s not waste anymore time. I’ll give you a quick rundown of some things I’ll need you to do at the school, but as I said, we will fully go over your duties during the weekend. Understood?” You nodded and walked out with him, patting your body and sighing when you felt your ‘wand’ in your picket.

And off you both went. Walking the trail towards the gate that would lead to NRC.

To your new life for the next couple of months, maybe even years.

Something inside you, your heart perhaps, beat rapidly at the thought of seeing Vil again, even if just for a class period. You were… excited?

Yes, excited.

It was time to begin. To get your Vil back.

໒꒰ྀི˶˙Ⱉ˙˶꒱ྀིა Author’s note : Nah I gotta split this motherfucker up because what in the hell-

I’m so fucking tied but I wanna continue this but it’s already so fucking long- eh I’ll finish it later have this-

Love you guys <3

[utterlyotterlyx]

I love your writing. Could you write an Eris x Reader where she's known he's her mate but he didn't? And maybe they had a flirty thing going but nothing more Beron was recently overthrown and she finally felt safe to be more assertive about her feelings.

Oh my gosh, thank you!

A thousand times yes, let's go.

.

.

Dark Paradise

Summary - Eris was the only person who truly saw you, the daughter of a Lord of the Day Court, but when the bond snaps and creates a one sided love, you have no other choice but to distance yourself or else face Beron's wrath.

Warnings - pining, angst, fluff, mentions of torture

It had never been more than what it was, lingering looks of longing and what others would call harmless flirting, but to you, it meant the world.

Autumn wasn't exactly safe for you. Beron wasn't stupid enough to stand against Helion, even for the moment of satisfaction it would bring him to see you cowered and hurt. He'd made it clear he thought of it often.

You had moved to Autumn by the order of your High Lord, there was the potential that you could one day wed one of his sons since you were the daughter of a very powerful lord holed within the Court of Day. It had been two years since you had been moved into the Forest House, two years since you had met the Autumn Court heir and shrugged off attention from anyone else.

It had been a difficult adjustment, your Day Court attire was too revealing, too thin to protect you from the seasonal court you had found yourself within.

You knew Beron had no intention of wedding you to one of his sons, but you were a very lucrative card in his arsenal. Helion was like family, he'd to anything to ensure your safety, and Beron knew that fact well, like he'd thought about it more often that not.

But Eris. Mother above. Eris.

Hair the colour of hot embers, rich amber eyes, the cobalt jacket over a cream shirt with the top two buttons undone, brown leather pants, and the melody of the warm autumn forest as the sun slit its slumberous eye through the tree line mixed with smoked pinewood, enough to make you swoon.

Eris had grown to like you, he didn't speak to you much when you had first arrived, but after finding you with one of his sickly pups in the stables and where you began nursing her back to life did he know that you weren't in his home for any sinister reason.

From then, it had been long glances, insatiable flirting, small smirks that pulled at the edges of his lips when he saw you across the room, late night visits to the kitchens to eat pumpkin pie, and walks up the hills to catch the sunrise.

You were surprised it didn't happen sooner.

The snap that is.

When he had handed the now fully healthy and wriggling pup to you and told you to keep her, that her life continued because of you so she should be yours. It wouldn't be fair on her to be away from the being she had imprinted on.

The way his amber orbs brightened at the sight of her, Maple, wriggling around in your arms to douse your face in those sweet puppy breath kisses, the way he smiled at the sight was enough for your soul to sing. It was like he was the centre of gravity and all you wanted was to fall and allow him to pull you to where you needed to go.

But when the little gasp had left your lips, when he had looked at you with that furrowed brow of concern and asked, "What's wrong?" You knew that it was completely one sided.

Perhaps it wasn't a bad thing that he didn't know. If Beron had found out that the High Fae female he loathed was mated to his heir, he would surely do everything in his power to be rid of you before you could do any real damage. Helion' wrath or not, Beron would peel the skin from your body and relish in your cries.

So, you continued on seemingly unphased, raising Maple to be the most docile and beautiful creature, all whilst distancing yourself from Eris. No more morning walks. No more pumpkin pie after dark. Instead, his looks of longing turned into stares of concern, and the rife flirting had transformed into cornering you and asking if everything was alright to which you simply nodded to before scurrying away.

"Did my father say something to you?" Eris had pinned you to the wall by your rooms one evening, Beron was throwing some pompous dinner for the Lords of Autumn and you had done your duty as dictated by your title, wanting nothing more to leave the room and bury your face into Maple's fur until sleep consumed you.

"No."

"You're lying," Eris' eyes darkened, "You're my friend, Y/N. Tell me what I've done."

Friend.

"I, I just," footsteps approached and you flinched from his grip, trying to stick to the shadows as the steps passed and faded into silence, "I think I forgot my place here," you told him in a hushed tone.

Eris examined you, rolling his eyes down your body before finding your face and waiting expectantly for you to continue. Autumn suited you, the colours complimented you perfectly, the deep hues of earth and the brightness of the day melting into pristine harmony. You stood before him in a velvet stress the colour of ripe plums, hair unbound and falling down your back, with two braids meeting to frame your face.

"You mean everything to me, you're the only person here who actually sees me," his gaze softened and he willed you to continue, he loved your candidness, your will to always be truthful but also be mindful of how you spoke so that you didn't upset others, "I'm afraid that Beron will mistake our friendship for something more. He hates me, he hates everything I stand for, and I'm sure he'd have no problem showing me just as much. I have to distance myself, I don't have a choice if I ever want to go home."

"So that's it?"

"It has to be, Eris. I'm sorry," your bottom lip wobbled, Eris knew how hard you had tried to fit in and make friends with the people in Autumn, but Autumn hated outsiders, and that was what you were. You were so lonely there, and Beron was too stubborn to let you go.

If only he knew how much you loved him, how much you yearned for that tether dancing in the autumn breeze to find something to bind itself to. If only he knew how you dreamt of a life with him and how he consumed your dreams, night and day, his face was there, he was there all of the time and you were suffocating.

It had happened.

Beron was finally gone.

The news had spread around Forest House, the chatter so loud that it had awoken you that morning.

Maple was perched on the edge of your cream coloured comforter, tail wagging and ears pricked upward to the sky as if she was absorbing every bit of information that floated through the closed door.

Beron was gone. You were free.

But Eris. Poor Eris.

You knew that Eris loathed everything his father stood for, that he was already looking for a way to usurp the High Lord and take his place, to make the Autumn Court better for all. But his father had still died, his sire, the man who raised him.

Dressing quickly and calling Maple after you, you hurtled through the Forest House, squeezing through the haze of alarmed bodies that swarmed the foyers and halls, all muttering their shock, and some, delight.

Maple trotted alongside you happily, her ears flopping over her face as you raced toward his rooms, to only be stopped at his doors by two guards telling you that the new High Lord wished to be left alone. At the sound of your desperate voice, the doors behind them opened to reveal him.

Eris stood before you dishevelled, hair messy, bags under his eyes, swollen red cheeks, and clothes askew, he growled at the two guards before grabbing your wrist and pulling you inside, closing the door securely behind you.

Eris immediately fell into you, loud sobs soaring through his body, you supported his weight in your arms and worked your fingers into his hair, shushing him softly and holding him as closely as you could.

"I'm so sorry, Eris," you strained, threatening to join him in his sorrow, you swallowed it down and used the pads of your thumbs to wipe his tears away as his eyes scoured your face, like it was the last time he'd ever see it.

It took him a moment but he finally spoke, "I'm more upset about you leaving, is that bad?"

"What?"

Eris swallowed thickly, water pooling at the corners of his eyes again as he held your forearms in his hands, tracing small circles into your skin and drowning in your scent.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee clung to you, with a hint of honey and lavender, "He's gone, Y/N. You're free, you can go home."

Eris watched your face soften, he watched as you tried to contain your tears, he watched as you took a step closer to him and peered upward so that your eyes pierced through his soul, "I don't want to go, Eris."

Frowning, he asked, "Why? Beron was the only thing keeping you here-"

"Not the only thing," your voice was barely above a whisper, so quiet that he would have missed your words if it weren't for you standing directly under his nose. "You were right that night. I have been lying to you."

Eris said nothing and you continued with a shaky breath, "I'm sorry that I had to distance myself, that I had to stop being me with you. It was either be lonely or risk Beron hurting us, and I couldn't let him do that."

Sun filtered through the windows, cascading its glow over your bodies and spilling onto the floor, curling around you both to avoid interrupting the words flowing from your lips, "Seeing you was the best part of my day, no one looks at me here but not only do you look at me, you understand me, you see me for everything I am and accept it without hesitation. I couldn't be the reason you got hurt, I would sooner die than be the reason of any of your pain."

Eris looked down at you, etching the slope of your nose and curve of your lips to memory, the sun shone on you, making the bright specks of your eyes dance in its light and your skin glimmer softly like fine sand. It was your eyes he loved the most, pools of wonder and sadness, you spoke with your eyes, he had noticed, every single mood of your was clear as day when he looked into them.

Adoration was laced in them, elegant guarded adoration.

The glow felt brighter, and shimmers of gold tugged at his essence, enough to see you in a different world of light that wrapped around you both.

Eris was breathless, panting softly through his nose, "You're my mate," and as he said the word the bond came to life, that lonely tether dancing in the autumn breeze now finding the end it so craved to entwine itself with, "You knew?"

You nodded, "From the day you gave me Maple," you smiled sadly, that had been just over six months ago, and then it all made sense to him.

Eris had almost gone insane trying to figure out why you had suddenly cut him out of your life, but of course you were trying to protect yourself, to protect him from the evil that was Beron. The former High Lord would have brutalised you if he had known of it. You would have rather have been all alone than risk Beron unleashing his anger onto Eris.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have done something, I would have gotten us out of here, I would have taken you away and kept you safe," his fingers brushed against your cheek and you leaned into his touch, fire skittering across your skin.

"I didn't want to put you in that position, I couldn't do that to you," tears fell from your eyes and Eris kissed them away, the salty drops coating his lips.

"You've been alone all this time because you didn't want put me in that position?" Eris' hands fell to your waist and he pulled you in closer, your chests meeting, he pressed his lips to your forehead, mumbling against your skin, "I would turn this court into ash if it meant that you were safe."

"Eris-"

"No, let me talk," he held your face in his hands, willing you to meet his eye as he lowered his gaze, "You are my heaven and my hell, you are the morning sun that illuminates the world after a night of storms and darkness, you are the sandy shore that glistens in the moonlight, you are the first birdsong that cuts through the equinox. You are everything, and you are mine, really mine?"

Eris felt as though he was dreaming, or maybe he was stood in the middle of some cruel nightmare, but as you stood on your tip toes and brushed your lips against his, he knew that no pinch was necessary to wake him, your soft lips were certainly enough to remind him that you were there and real, and his until the moment he took his last breath.

Authors Note

I really hope you like this! Thank you for the request, I love writing for Eris so much x

[the-lonelybarricade]

Queen of Thieves - Chapter 7

Summary: A fulfillment of this kinkmeme prompt. Or; A Canon AU where half fae, con-artist Feyre makes an ill placed bet.

We're back baby 🥰

Read on AO3・QoT Masterlist ・Previous Chapter

-

It was a bold tactic.

Feyre knew that. Long before she'd been subjected to Nesta's listless criticisms at the breakfast table, where the eldest Archeron sister stabbed hole after hole into the fabric of Feyre's ill-conceived plan, leaving her with tatters that she had neither the time nor resources to mend, Feyre had known it was ambitious.

You can't outsmart a High Lord, Feyre.

Of course she couldn't. Rhysand wasn't like the men she normally conned—the rough, uneducated tavern-goers who were usually sloshing the ale in their tankards by the time they found themselves seated across her card table.

Feyre was a cautious huntress, who had only ever scouted easy prey.

Now, she was standing at the yawning den of an apex predator. His door was wide open. Inviting, daring her to come inside, knowing there wasn't a single weapon in her arsenal equipped to bring him down.

None except the interest in Rhysand's eyes as he swept them over her body. Once. Twice.

Feyre was expecting triumph, but his expression was surprisingly measured as he called over his shoulder, "Everybody out."

He was answered by grumbled protests and screeching chairs from somewhere inside the townhouse. Feyre stiffened at the sound of feminine laughter—light and peeling. It hadn't occurred to her, for some reason, that the High Lord would have company.

Female company.

Who were they? And what did it mean that he was kicking them out before he would let her inside?

She arched her brow. "You don't want me to meet your friends? Afraid it will sully their thoughts of you?"

"Their thoughts of me were sullied long before I met you, Feyre." He offered her a roguish grin, like it was something he took pride in. "And I'm a selfish male. I have no interest in sharing what limited time I have with you."

All she could think to say was, "The bargain hasn't started yet."

"No," he agreed, cocking his head to listen for any lingering sign of his guests.

When he was satisfied the house was vacated, he placed a hand at the small of her back, guiding her through the antechamber. The front door snicked shut behind them on a midnight wind, and the moment it was shut, she became acutely aware of the High Lord's presence.

It was like being trapped inside his mental walls again, the way he circled her, his gaze like warm fingers dragging over skin. She held herself still beneath his assessment, coaxing her expression into neutrality, even as his eyes lingered on her collarbone, her stomach, her hips—all of the places she'd deliberately left on display for him.

Rhysand arched an eyebrow. Her clothes weren't immodest, exactly, not for the styles that were popular in Velaris. But they were different from what she usually wore. Enough to be a statement.

Her top was a beautiful, soft blue fabric that wrapped across one shoulder and caped down her back. It bound her breasts tightly and stopped just below, secured by a golden band threaded with strings of beads that tickled the bare skin of her stomach each time she took a deep breath. Her skirt was made of similar fabric, long and layered and pooling all the way down to her ankles—save for the slit up her thigh where she'd tied the layered ends together. It slung low at her hips, revealing the delicate golden chain she wore across her abdomen. A perfect match to the bands circling her biceps.

She thought Rhys must have liked what he saw, the way he couldn't quite drag his focus away from the glinting jewelry. He ought to like it, considering they were bought with his money.

Feyre almost told him as much, but thought better of it when she felt a talon scraping over the adamant shield protecting her mind. He hummed to himself, as if pleased to discover that he couldn't penetrate it.

Evidently finished with his assessment, he gestured towards the open archway into the dining room, where she noticed three chairs had been hastily abandoned. Her mind paged over the possibilities of who had occupied them, sifting through all the information she'd spent the last two days gathering about the High Lord and his Inner Circle. Gambling for it, if necessary.

From the tales peddled on the street, she knew the High Lord had a cousin, the Morrigan. She was often seen flitting around the city after dark, dancing the night away in pleasure halls that catered to a much higher clientele than the taverns near the docks. But anyone with half a copper could get information on the Morrigan. She was the only pure-blooded High Fae in the High Lord's retinue, maintained an active presence in the city, and was a war hero. Those things ensured she was well perceived and, more importantly, very well featured in the city's papers.

The two Illyrians often seen in Rhysand's company, on the other hand… information on them was scarce. She knew they were Carynthian, she knew they fought in the War, and she knew they were not to be fucked with, unless she had a death wish.

But is that who had just been here? Three of deadliest people in Prythian, dismissed like it was nothing?

Feyre eyed Rhysand's clothes. He wore a black jacket, casually unbuttoned so that the white shirt beneath—which was also unbuttoned—showed off a V of bronze skin and hard muscle. Rather informal by his standards, but was that because he was among friends? Or visitors of the more… intimate variety?

She allowed herself the space of a heartbeat to admire the sight, noting the strips of black ink peeking through his neckline. Then she pried her eyes away, trying to swallow back the heat threatening to rise to her face.

"Would you like some tea?" He asked mildly, as if this were an ordinary house visit.

"I want you to agree to the bargain first. I don't intend to spend time with you without being compensated for it."

"You make it sound like such a chore." He tilted his head in a way that sent her every nerve on edge. Though his smile was easy—playful, even—it told her the game was afoot. "Is my company really that insufferable?"

When she leveled him a dry look, he held his hands up in defeat.

"Let's discuss it, then." He ducked under the tall entryway to the dining room, trusting her to follow without direction. "This bargain."

"What's there to discuss?" Feyre asked, treading carefully in his wake. "It's the same terms as before."

With a flick of his hand, one of the abandoned chairs shifted towards her. She slid into it, wary of that casual display of power. His friends weren't the only thing discussed in the streets of Velaris. The most powerful High Lord in History, she'd heard. At the time, she'd dismissed it as a lie he or his cohorts made up.

In Prythian, a leader wasn't selected from political prowess or the favor of the people; it wasn't even dictated by bloodlines, though noble families often coveted powerful matches to keep the scales weighted in their favor. But even the ancient High Fae scions would admit that power, true power, was crowned by the will of the Cauldron alone.

And to be the most powerful was to possess unquestionable authority.

Maybe she denied the truth because it scared her. It made her a fool for coming here, sitting at his dining table as if she had any right to join the playing field of a High Lord.

"I'm amenable to the same terms." Rhysand splayed himself across the seat in front of her and propped one of his polished boots onto an adjacent chair, the picture of arrogance. "But I'll admit, I'm surprised by your change of heart after you told me so firmly that you couldn't be bought."

"Maybe," Feyre said slowly, testing her courage. When her voice didn't tremble, she continued, "I didn't come here seeking coin."

His eyes flickered with interest. "You don't want money?"

"Let's not get hasty; I expect to be paid. But I've been thinking about what you said, about what I should be doing to earn my living."

Rhysand raised a dark brow, encouraging her to go on.

Feyre flicked her tongue along her lower lip. It was only partly deliberate, to court more of that razor-sharp interest. But her mouth was also becoming dry as her next words took shape in her mind.

She forced her voice to stay level. "I'm not educated and I don't like intensive labor. That excludes me from most honest work. But pleasuring males? That's something I think I could do well. And why would I settle for just any male in a pleasure hall when I know I could please a High Lord?"

Rhysand's pupils flared. He leaned forward, bracing his powerful arms on the table. His focus was lethal, flickering from her lips to the bob in her throat as she swallowed, trying to keep her breathing even.

He said, slow and soft, "I'm a notoriously very difficult male to please, Feyre."

She recognized the challenge for what it was, but it was difficult to feel any sense of victory when she was pinned beneath his stare. Now was the time for follow through and she realized that she was walking a very, very dangerous line.

"Then it's a good thing," she said, tilting her chin to stare up at him through her lashes, "that you'll be able to do whatever you want to me through our bargain. Whatever will bring you pleasure."

Rhysand stared at her, long and hard, before sitting up in his chair. One second, he was across from the table, and the next he was standing over her. Feyre blinked past her surprise. Did he really bother to winnow—

Survival instincts took over, seizing the trivial line of thought to direct her attention towards far more pressing concerns, like how the High Lord gripped the back of her chair, caging her between the table and his large, overpowering body.

Trapped, those instincts bleated, and she fought to keep her muscles from locking with panic.

The wood groaned beneath his grip as he leaned in closer, using his other hand to snare her chin between his thumb and forefinger. Silver rings pressed against her skin, their metal a cool contrast to his heated touch.

That's how she would paint him, she decided, if she was ever bold enough to try. With all his contrasts. The smooth and the rough, the light and the dark, the gentle and the vicious.

He wore both sides ever-present. She could see it now, in his blazing eyes and how they were tempered by the cool wisps of shadow creeping over his shoulders. Tendrils of them snaked forward, brushing over her bare arms—a lover's caress, sprouting pimpled skin in their wake.

"You want to know what will bring me pleasure?" He crooned, each breath a promise. "Taking you apart. Slowly. Piece by piece. Until I've known and tasted and fucked every inch. That's what you'll be agreeing to if you make this bargain, Feyre."

He was watching her reaction. Waiting, she realized. For the fear of his threat to set in, for her to start scrambling towards the door and decide she was better off at a pleasure house, afterall.

Feyre tilted her chin into his touch, bearing more of her neck to him. She thought she might have heard a growl rise in his chest. “I want half up front. Not in credit.”

At this, he straightened, rightfully suspicious.“Why not in credit?”

She shrugged. “Maybe I have debts to pay. The kind that shouldn’t be traced back to the High Lord’s name.”

“What kind of debt?” When she said nothing, he pressed, “Are you in danger?”

At that tone, and the rage she sensed simmering beneath his placid expression… An image of the captain’s slit throat flickered through her mind.

“No,” she said quickly. “It’s not like that.”

“Then tell me what it’s like.” 

Feyre was a practiced liar. For so long, the survival of her sisters had depended on her ability to cheat and swindle and hustle. It should have been an easy thing to reach for a lie, but as she stretched her fingers into that overflowing well, she found it dry, uncertain what she could tell him without inciting his wrath.

Uncertain if she truly wanted to go through with this.

“Feyre,” he warned, the grip on her chin tightening.

“This was a mistake." She pushed at his arm, finding that he dropped it away with little resistance. "I can see that now. I’ll just—“

“You’ll stay."

It wasn't a command, not like the way he'd spoken to those sailors in the alleyway. There was no hidden edge, no promise of violence. He didn't so much as raise his voice, and yet her body still responded instinctively, the words pouring over her like silk bindings that ensnared every limb, every muscle.

Before she could take any of it back, Rhysand said, "I accept the terms of your bargain. Half to be paid now, half upon completion.”

A prickling sensation brushed over her forearm, like the invisible stroke of a paintbrush, leaving behind another twisting black whorl to her ever-growing collection.

Just like that, her fate was sealed. Even if she were to miraculously come to her seneses and admit this was a suicidal, hare-brained decision, it was too late. For the next twenty-fours hours, she belonged to him. And he'd already made it perfectly clear how he intended to spend that time.

Rhysand leaned back, rubbing a hand down his face as if to compose himself. Then he vanished without a word, reappearing moments later with two glinting objects in his hand. It was only once he held them up, allowing light to scitter and bounce off their surface in a hundred different directions, that she saw they were cuffs of pure diamond.

“Here,” he said, reaching for her arm. She was completely limp, allowing him to take her wrist into his hands and clasp the diamond cuffs around each of them. “These are worth more than the amount you’re owed. They should be sufficient payment for any of your debts.”

No kidding. Feyre stared at the diamonds, noting how out of place they looked against her plain clothes. The fabrics were new, and expensive by her means, but hardly extravagant. She must have looked like a child playing dress up in his eyes.

"People will think I stole these," she said, holding her arm closer to admire the myriad of colors catching at every angle.

Rhys huffed in amusement. "Will you claim otherwise?"

"It won't matter if I did." She dropped her arm, frowning. "Everyone's already made up their mind about who I am."

He tilted her chin, bringing her face inches from his. "And who are you, Feyre Archeron?"

"The witch of Velaris," she answered, hearing her own bitterness. "A con. A cheat."

"Is that all?"

"Well." Feyre looked up at him, cautiously taking a step closer, raising her hand to his chest. It was like touching a stone wall. A warm, rapidly rising and falling stone wall. "For the duration of our bargain, I'm also yours."

"Mine," he repeated, like it surprised him to hear it. Then he let out a long breath. "Oh, Feyre. You are so much more than that."

For some reason… it stung to hear him say that.

Like it wasn't enough. Like he believed she was degrading herself by being being here, selling her time to him, or anyone.

What does it matter? She thought. Tomorrow none of this will mean anything.

Feyre pressed in closer, feeling the draw of his body heat. This close, she could feel his exhale brush her cheeks, and she blamed its warmth on the heat rising there. She made of a show of pouting her lips, imitating the females who she often saw lurking around the docks, greeting sailors as they debarked.

When she knew she had his full attention, Feyre extended a mental talon towards him, stroking it over his adamant shield in a suggestion of the ways she might pet him elsewhere. A small, amused crack split open for her, the High Lord watching carefully all the while. Like he was uncertain if this was part of an elabrate trap.

Feyre purred into his mind, Where would you like me to start, High Lord?

Rhys only stared at her.

She began lowering herself towards the floor, maintaining contact with those bright, burning eyes.

On my knees?

Before she could touch the ground, that same thumb and forefinger squeezed the bottom of her chin, stilling her. Feyre paused, halfway down his body and feeling like she was on fire from how close she was to his—

Don't look, don't look, don't look.

Oh. She broke eye contact with him just long enough to assess the outline rapidly growing in his trousers. Part of Feyre had always quietly assumed that High Lords couldn't be carrying much. Nature had to have balance, surely?

Not in Rhysand's case. At least, not in what she could gauge through the stiffening fabric.

And the smell—fuck, the smell. She was used to the scent of arousal. It was so saturated in that old tavern, it could become a place of sanctity today and still reek of sex for the next handful of centuries. But in all those years living in the attic, with the sounds and scents of fucking constantly permeating through the walls, she had never come across a scent like this. One that made the back of her mouth water.

Feyre caught herself taking in a deep breath before she could restrain the temptation. Her eyes fluttered shut, yielding to something deep and primal that wanted more.

"Feyre," Rhysand called, his voice a little strained. Those fingers became less patient, yanking her attention back up, forcing her eyes to snap open and meet his. His, which were becoming wide and dilated. "What did I just tell you?"

Casting her mind back was difficult. Like trying to retrace her steps in a fog.

"That I'm yours?"

It was a sincere guess. She didn't mean to make his expression darken. But the growl that rumbled through his chest… it made her gaze drift back between his legs, suddenly intent on a taste.

He yanked her again, this time hard enough to bring her to her feet. Her balance swung out, not prepared for the shift in her weight. Rhysand caught her at the shoulders, maneuvering their bodies with the momentum so that she was trapped against the table as he leaned into her, further and further, until she was resting on her elbows, practically splayed atop it.

"I said I was going to take you apart slowly." Rhys looked delighted by this change in position, perusing her body as if mentally calculating where he'd like to start. "Putting you on your knees doesn't further that goal."

Oh, but it furthered hers.

"How about we flip a coin?"

He laughed. "I imagined it will be weighted."

"It's not weighted!"

It was enchanted, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

Rhys shook his head. "You've been avoiding me, Feyre, which means I've had a long while to think about how we'd be spending our time if you ever came to bargain with me again."

"And your plan involves your dining table?"

"This table, the walls, my desk. Pick anywhere in the house and I'll tell you how I've thought about fucking you against it."

"Romantic," she said dryly.

He arched a brow before leaning down to nip at the gold chain at her stomach. He withdrew at the sound of her yelp, grinning like a fiend.

"Is that what you want then, Feyre? Romance? I can be romantic." He placed his hand on her stomach, tracing his fingers along the golden chain, and then higher. Past her navel, to the string of beads lining the underside of her breasts. "I can fuck you nice and gentle. Would you like that?"

Feyre was trying not to have any reaction to his words. But that was very difficult when she could feel the rough pad of his thumb tease under her breasts.

"This is supposed to be about what you want, High Lord."

Rhysand paused, considering that answer. And then he said, "Let's play a game. I know how much you love them."

Feyre only really loved a game when she knew she could win. But she was quickly learning that no game with a High Lord was ever winnable.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Of course," Rhysand said, feigning insult. "I can either fuck you right here, or we can go into the study to practice your mental shielding."

What kind of choice was that? Feyre wasn't a fool. She knew this was a trap, she just hadn't figured out how. And she contemplated just asking him to carry on with fucking her, because at the very least she knew she would enjoy it.

But she had been practicing her mental shields in the past weeks, and she wagered she was more proficient than he was estimating. Maybe that would give her an edge in whatever he was planning.

Maybe she wanted to say yes simply because she was curious and, somehow, she trusted he wasn't going to do anything to hurt her.

"Let's practice our shields, then, High Lord."

His grin said that was the option he hoped she would choose. She tried not to let that daunt her as he backed away from the table, allowing her to sit up, to breathe for what felt like the first time in hours.

Rhysand led her into the study. Feyre followed at a healthy distance away, swallowing air that no longer smelled like him and for some reason finding it… wrong.

He paused at the entrance to the study. Over his shoulder, she could see the spiral staircase where he'd tormented her in her dreams. She noticed dust particles hovering in the thick shafts of light that streamed in from the windows. There was a thin coating on the table, the shelves, Rhysand's desk, as if no one had come in here or bothered to clean since their last bargain.

"So," Feyre started, eyeing where he stood in the doorway, blocking her path. "Are we going in, or…?"

"No need," Rhysand said. He waved his hand to the top of the doorframe, where a thick black rope uncoiled, hanging high enough above her head that she'd need to stand on her toes to reach it.

"This is part of the game," she guessed.

"Grab hold of it."

Feyre wondered if it was a trait of High Lords, being unable to answer questions directly. Was it something they were taught in their lessons, a habit of the trade? Or was Rhysand uniquely insufferable? She knew which was the more likely answer.

Even so, she rolled her weight into the balls of her feet, stretching her arms above her head to grab hold of the rope.

Rhys made a sound of approval. His eyes, she noticed, were fixed on the bare stomach she was stretching wide in display.

Feeling strangely vulnerable, Feyre snapped, "I don't see how this has anything to do with shielding."

A black talon skimmed her mental wall, a mirror to the backs of Rhysand's fingers as they brushed over her stomach. Feyre gasped, instinctively tightening her grip on the rope to keep from letting go.

"I can tell you've been practicing," he said. "It's a strong passive shield. I could break through it, but it'd take me a while, and it wouldn't be subtle. You'd have plenty of time to react."

"That's a good thing… right?"

"Of course it is. You'll learn in time, Feyre, a good daemati is a stealthy one. You want your target unaware there's someone else pulling strings in their mind. That is," his magic slashed forward, whipping against her shield and pounding shockwaves through her skull, "unless you're aiming to kill them. But with a shield as strong as this, there's much faster ways of accomplishing that."

Feyre bared her teeth. "So, why the rope?"

"Like I said, it's a good passive shield. But I want to test how it holds up when you're distracted. If a daemati needs to break into your mind, they'll resort to other tactics before they try brute force."

"What kind of other tactics?"

Rhys grinned. "The game is very simple, Feyre." He let his fingers drag over her skin as he circled her, murmuring in a voice soft as velvet, "Let go of the rope, and I'll stop what I'm doing. But if you keep hold until the end, you win."

Feyre hated that she already sounded breathless. "What do I win?"

"Anything you want," he said.

The fae were taught to never define the spoils of a bargain so loosely. Anything could literally mean any thing—his life, his throne, his palaces. Feyre could seize control of the Night Court if she was so inclined. No one would propose something so reckless unless they had full confidence in their victory.

Or if they believed the risk was worth the reward.

"And what if I lose?" She demanded. "What do you get?"

"Six more hours added to our bargain."

Was that really all he wanted? Feyre couldn't fathom his reasoning, aside from perhaps an awareness that if he raised the stakes too high, she would never agree. Knowing she was getting the better end of the deal, she held her tongue from probing for answers.

"Fine," she said. "I agree to your terms."

A new bargain mark tingled her upper arm. Another black brush stroke, merging in the sea of other bargains, three of them now his doing. How many more would there be? Would they spread to her other arm, an entire sleeve to illustrate the ways in which the High Lord had ensnared her?

No, she reasoned. This is the last one.

Tomorrow, I'm never going to see him again.

I just need to hold on until tomorrow.

With her mental shields firmly sealed, Rhys had no way of reading her thoughts. It was coincidence, pure coincidence, that he chose that moment to flash his cruelest smile and croon,

"Hold tight, Feyre."

[red-dead-sakharine]

Loopholes

I saw the tags in @changeling-fae 's reblog, so...

"I swear" does not necessarily mean he put it in the contract. He might have, but we don't know. He gives us his word, not a magically bound contract for this. Though I personally think he will not break his word, considering that Korilla says he's always fair and honest, it still is something to be aware of.

"never use the crown..." doesn't mean he can't use his innate powers against mortals. Or his army. Or send other lackeys, like Korilla or Yurgir, against mortals. Or use ordinary weapons against mortals. It only refers to the crown's power specifically. And against puny mortals he hardly even needs the crown to snap them out of existence.

"to dominate a mortal" doesn't mean he can't use the crown to kill, maim, torture, teleport, displace, tickle, explode, humiliate, and-so-on a mortal, or conquer the material plane. Dominate is a very narrow, singular action to exclude.

In short, he literally only gives us his word, that he won't use one of his weapons to do one specific thing with mortals. He can still use the rest of his arsenal, to do whatever else he wishes.

It's such an obviously flimsy promise full of loopholes, I was very disappointed, that Tav wasn't able to point it out to him at least with an insight check.

And considering that he states during his post-credit scene, that he'll "come knocking at your door", I'd say he was very deliberate with his wording here, and doesn't intend to spare the material plane. But we'll probably never know for sure. He could just mean to take us out for dinner, after all. Right? RIGHT?

[nightcourtreader]

I find it interesting how Lucien says this about nesta’s powers in regard to his own:

* Rhys mused, then said to Lucien, “the flame in her eyes was not of your usual sort, I take it.” Lucien shook his head. “No. It spoke to nothing in my own arsenal. That was…Ice so cold it burned. Ice and yet…fluid like flame. Or flame made of ice.” (Page 256, acowar)

But here is nesta with Gwyn, when they first met.

* The priestess drew up to her full height, which was slightly taller than average for Fae females. A crackling sort of energy buzzed around her, and Nesta’s power grumbled in answer. (Pg 113, acosf)

What is in Gwyn’s “arsenal” that had nesta’s death magic/silver flames grumble in answer?

[layraket]

Day 25 – Surgery

Character(s): Hyrule and Wild (LU)

Words: 636

Summary: Hyrule was the medic of the group, or at least he usually was

Whump scale: 2 (see the full scale here)

Warnings: Injury and blood

-

When there’s someone injured the first instinct that Hyrule follows is to aid them and heal their wounds.

When he gets injured, his first instinct to follow is to heal himself.

If his magic isn’t enough, the only thing left is to run. If he can’t, he tries to remember the prayers that he used to say to the goddesses.

An arrow on his abdomen, it wasn’t that bad, he could easily take it out and heal himself, but his magic was low and he didn’t wanted to risk it. Although, the blood coming out without stopping was making him afraid, this wasn’t his era, but if it were, he would prefer to not have any magic left before the resurrection of Ganon.

Another arrow hit his leg, stopping him from getting away to a safer place and making him hit the ground. It burns, these monsters seemed even more intelligent than they usually were, the arrow being made with iron instead of flint or stone.

The little magic left on his body couldn’t be enough to cast any spell, and if he tried his wounds would just get worse.

“Traveler’s down!” It was Wild, already running to his direction.

The champion was visceral in the battlefield, killing all monsters with whatever he had on his hands. It was useful right now, as he already broke his arsenal and only had the half of a broken claymore.

When the champion arrived, his wounds were already spreading, the effect of the iron on his half-fae body slowly worsening. “Oh, this is… We need to get it out, this might have poison.”

They didn’t know his heritage. He hasn’t told them yet.

Hyrule limited himself to explain it, instead he decided to direct Wild to what to do. “Take the arrows out first, then… Clean the wound and a potion should do the work.” Blood was still coming out, and the burning of the iron made thinking straight hard.

Wild did this, he got out the arrow on his leg with a fast tug and poured some red potion on the injury, making the hemorrhage stop there.

When it came to the arrow on his abdomen, things got complicated.

A crack was heard, and he gave himself the permission to panic.

“W-Wild?” He turned to see what was the champion doing, and he saw why the sound.

The arrow broke, apparently already fragile. Not only the wooden part was broken, parts of iron were also now separated from it. It had cracks on purpose, this was to hunt fae.

These arrows with enough strength from the prey the tip of the arrow will crack, leaving pieces and making it even more difficult to take completely out.

“Should I…?” The champion was holding the bottle with the red potion, waiting for instructions.

“Listen,” Hyrule gathered his courage, if these pieces weren’t taken out of his abdomen, the iron will get through his flesh and do serious damage inside “Take these pieces out as soon as you can, you-you cannot let them there. They will make it worse.”

Maybe Wild thought that this was about the poison, he wasn’t far from the truth.

Usually, Hyrule’s hands would be stable and could take every shard out without problem, but Wild’s, oh sweet Wild’s hands were shaky. It wasn’t his fault, he knew it, but it didn’t stop it from hurting the whole time.

Each shard was removed, leaving burned flesh and a pain that was only made less intense by the potion.

“Alright, let’s go” He was better, so he got up and went again to the battle. He was the medic, so now that he was fine he needs to be there if someone is hit.

If Wild watched him almost trip and holding his side, he didn’t comment nothing.

[oristian]

W I P

I expanded a bit more on my Eris x Koschei (a surprise pair at the end) fic that I was teasing a week, or so ago.

Anyways, here is another snippet.

THIS IS UNEDITTED

[…]

“Perhaps the foot solider from your father’s personal arsenal.” His face shifted, skin pulling taut against the bones beneath, morphing into that of the dark-skinned lesser fae that his father had taken pity on. His eyes were mere slits, gold disks lined with charcoal, framed by long lashes. His cheekbones were sharp, jutting from beneath the skin and creating an endless shadow expanse on either side of his profile. A long scar etched from the uppermost cleft of his plump bottom lip, trailing across to the edge of his jaw, tracing downwards to disappear under the collar of his dark robes—the same robes utterly drenched in Autumn Court colors with the Vanserra family crest embroidered on the breast pocket. Eris sucked in a breath.

“He took you so well, little Fireling.”

Deft fingers traced along the flat panes of his stomach, rubbing circles against his hipbones and teasing just under the waistband of his trousers. “He bent you over his workbench, gripped your hips just like this,” for emphasis, sharp nails dug into the flesh of his waist, pinching the skin, and Eris arched his back, his mouth parting and a strangled yelp breaching his throat. “He gagged you with your own garments, then fisted your hair hard enough to hurt. But, you liked it, did you not, Eris?” A knee slotted between his legs, parting his thighs further, grinding slow and dirty against his middle. “You let him treat you like a common whore, using your body as he wanted—let him mark you from the inside out.”

Eris choked on a wet gasp, a whine building in the back of his throat, as a tongue traced a hot path along the column of his neck. “He fucked you in this very bed the next night, during the Equinox,” the voice encasing his ear muttered, taking his pierced lobe between his teeth and tugging it back into his mouth. “When you came, you set the sheets alight with your flames.” The hands gripping his waist trailed down to encapsulate his wrists, bracketing them against the amber sheets. “I want to see that,” the voice murmured before licking into the seam of Eris’ mouth.

“Don’t be shy, little Fireling,” Koschei chuckled darkly, “burn for me.”

The flames roared beneath his skin, thrashing against their bounds and pulsing in rhythm with the low, rasping voice at his ear. They sang to him—a morose symphony of ruthless pleasure and illicit desire.

A subtle shift of weight, and the handsome foot soldier likened into that of a lowly barmaid; seemingly unremarkable, if not for the distinctive teeth marks etched onto the column of her throat—marks that, given the chance, would match his own with unsettling precision. The collar of her blouse was haphazardly untied, the off-white fabric falling away to expose her heavy breasts, dark nipples hardened with her potent arousal.

“You saw her from across the bar.” His trembling hands were placed upon her body, their interlocked fingers splaying against the curve of her waist. “You did not originally plan on fucking her, but something about her made you utterly desperate.”

With deliberate intent, she maneuvered his hands upward, pressing them against her supple breasts and encouraging a firm squeeze.

“What was it about her?” The barmaid bit down against her plump bottom lip, and tugged it back between her teeth, sucking on it thoughtfully.

“You couldn’t get hard,” she continued, leaning forward to run her fingers through his red hair, tugging slightly as she neared his scalp—his eyes rolled back into his head. “You had her face the wall and you gagged her on your fingers.” For emphasis, she pressed three into his pliant mouth, caressing his tongue and rubbing against his inner cheeks. “The lights were too dim to see her womanly figure, which made fucking her all the more easier for you.”

She thrust her fingers in and out of his mouth, his lips red and swollen around the intrusion, and spit dripping along his chin and jawline. His pitiful whines and throaty noises were otherwise muffled.

A rakish grin curved her rogue-red lips, accentuating a single dimple beside her mouth.

“It was the darkness of her skin—she is no Autumn Court fae,” the barmaid purred against the shell of his ear; the pointed-most edge twitching under the caress of her breath. A shiver raked down his spine. “No, she hails from lands much farther away, a realm bathed in relentless sun and heat.” Her manicured nail traced a teasing line down his cheek, grazing his skin—Eris winced. “Her hair stands in stark contrast to the reds and oranges of this place.” Black as the night itself, her hair curled around the expanse of her neck, draping over her bared shoulder and pooling atop his broad chest.

“It was the eyes that truly stole your breath away, however.”

Shadows deepened in the corners of the room, stretching and thickening as they crept up the legs of his trousers, coiling around his torso, and pinning him flat against the mattress. Eris thrashed under their constraints, his movements both frantic and jagged, a snarl poised on his mouth, his lips pulled back to bare his teeth.

It was then that Eris became acutely aware of the leather-wrapped, muscular thighs bracketing his hips, their firm pressure a stark contrast to the encroaching shadows. He tilted his chin, his breath stuttering in his chest as he traced the powerful form upward, his every muscle tense and fraught with utter desperation.

It was no barmaid’s face that loomed above him, but that of a male, his hazel eyes gleaming with a wicked delight.

“The Shadowsinger’s eyes.”

—

If I ever get around to writing the beginning, this is an excerpt from it —

“Your flames won’t be of any use to you here, little Fireling.” Eris gasped, his head repeatedly breaching the rough surface of the lake, only to fall back under into the roiling depths. He flailed desperately, his limbs thrashing in search of something to maintain purchase—any semblance of buoyancy to propel him toward the faraway shore. The lake must have been under some sort of magic retainment, for his fire would not flicker at will, nor did Eris hear the familiar thrum of the heat boiling beneath his fair skin.

“Ask for my help,” the same low voice commanded, its sultry timbre enveloping Eris and rendering him taut and pliant.; he froze, then, as cold hands traced the exposed panes of muscles of his abdomen. Eris shivered, gritting his teeth and kicking his legs back against the form pressed flushed against him. “Beg me,” the voice rasped against the shell of his ear, “beg me to save you.”

[iamunabletothinkofablogname]

What does blorbor mean? You say it a lot but I can't figure out what it means

blorbo=beloved fictional character :D

[nikethestatue]

feyre has actually gotten a lot of hate for her illyrian wings, mainly from eluciens/gwynriels/nesta stans. antis call her a culture appropriator all of the time because of it so it’s not surprising people are mad at the fanart of elain, even though the discourse is so dumb (it’s literally an idea an artist had and beautifully drew it).

Not to say that I even want to get involved in this utterly absurd debate, but here we go:

There is MAGIC in a magical society. Shape shifting is one of Feyre's powers. If she turned into a bear, would she be appropriating bear culture? Was Dorian appropriating rodent culture? When Feyre was glaumored to look like Ianthe, did she appropriate Priestess culture?

Moreover, when Elain was glamoured to look human, did she appropriate human culture?

Now, secondly wings aren't a cultural trait. It's a physical trait. There are winged nations, like the Illyrians and the Peregrine. If some Fae had tails, for example, or horns, that would be physical traits. Feyre could turn into anyone--a Peregrine as well as an Illyrian or anyone else. Again, it's part of her arsenal of magical powers. As I said before, Nesta changing herself and Feyre's and maybe Elain's pelvises is then what? Cultural appropriation? Because they are taking Illyrian pelvises to have Illyrian babies. Or is it changing of one's physicality?

Finally, if we are truly discussing cultural appropriation then the ONLY example of it is of course the....Valkyries. And the Illyrian training that the women received.

The Illyrian Blood Rite Course is very specific to Illyrians only. To MALE Illyrians. The winning titles are also exclusive to the Illyrians. You cannot be a Carynthian, unless you are an Illyrian. Hence, that technically only makes Emerie a Carynthian and the other two aren't actually entitled to their titles.

The fact that Cassian and Azriel chose to teach the women what is specific to the Illyrian culture is the exact 'cultural appropriation' that everyone is screaming about. The BR is a CULTURAL event. ONLY for Illyrians. The training is also reserved ONLY for Illyrians. Therefore, before anyone starts foaming at the mouth over 'Gwyn is a Carynthian!!!!!!!!!' check yourself.

Which brings me to the concept of the Valkyries.

And that, my friends, is what cultural appropriation is. You take a culture, to which you have no connections either racially, ethnically, or, you know, culturally, and you say, okay, this looks good. I am now this person. Valkyries were a militaristic female culture which had very specific training, customs, tests, etc. Gwyn goes and reads about ribbon cutting, and now she deems herself a Valkyrie. Based on what? ONE component of the Valkyrie training?

It's like me saying I am a Viking, because I braided my hair a certain way.

The BR Training Course doesn't make you a Valkyrie. It has nothing to do with being a Valkyrie. It's the antithesis of that. Valkyries were strictly female warriors, while the Illyrians don't even allow women to train, let alone participate in the BR.

"I am not a Carynthian, I am a Valkyrie," you are neither, Gwyn.

So, the next time Gwynriels start screaming about 'cultural appropriation' they should probably stay in their lane. Gwyn's entire arc is about appropriating a dead culture for herself.

And that's the deal.

[beansidhebumbling]

Once again begging for a bit of bitter rhysta bonding over feyssian being a bit too obvious

Liar, Liar

Idk pals. Blame @ae-neon for this. Warning for blood play I guess. Jesus.

They were dancing.

Again.

Familiar tattooed hands moved over her sister's lithe frame. Cassian seemed to forget she knew his tricks, the gentle tracing of the lower back, the hidden kisses to clasped hands. He'd used them on her too. In a time long gone now. Before Nyx, before the dissolution of the Night.

His hands dipped lower, skirting the bare skin of Feyre's lower back. Nesta looked away, focused now on the thin stem of her cocktail glass.

Lovers deserved privacy after all.

Even her husband.

Even her sister.

***

In this nook she liked to pretend he danced for her. That this was merely one of the games they'd played as newleyweds.

Foreplay.

A small part of her, not her heart, maybe her ring finger, the closest to the shackle held out hope he still loved her.

Hope that died with each secret letter she found, with each charged stare she bore witness to, with each dance she observed.

Hope was for heros and children.

***

The seductive beat moved through her pulse as the smooth vodka barely bit at her throat. This was the top shelf stuff. A rarer find after the treaty. He was clearly in a mood tonight. Sat in the corner as usual, the two regular voyeurs to the budding romance and erosion of two marriages.

She glanced at the slumped form of the former Lord of Night and new monarch of the Velarien Territories. The broken lands of a broken male.

'You can sit up, you know. She can't sense you.'

He glared purple-eyed venom at her. She nearly missed the time when that might have scared her. At least things seemed simple then.

'I don't understand what she sees in him. Three months we've been following them to their dancing'

His voice caught on the shards of jealousy that lined his throat.

'And I have to watch her love him. Him. He took everything.'

'You lose what you don't mind, your Highness.'

She relished in hurting him. Something about how his too-perfect face shuttered and stars sparked from his fingertips. Joy was a scarce commodity and his suffering a deep well of it.

'Don't sound too smug, love. It's your mate she's fucking.'

'I cannot lose what I've never had. You fae and your Cauldron. I have never heeded the divine ruling of crockery.'

His laugh, piercing and chilling, cracked her glass splintering it in her grasp. The smell of honey and iron tickled her nose as blood seeped from her clenched fist.

'Liar, liar Lady Death. I still remember you on the battlefields. You've always been quick to save the bastard.'

With agility she thought him too drunk for he moved closer and cradled her stained hand within his own, droplets of scarlet staining his indigo silk shirt.

'Not brother anymore then?'

Nesta smiled sweetly, words coated in honey and arsenic.

'Not sister anymore then?'

He mimicked, raising an eyebrow as she flinched sharply, his eyes glittering, the Ptsym constellation visible in his pupil.

'Don't talk about Feyre like that.'

She muttered.

Rhysand slowly prised open her palm, magicking away the shards until all that remained of his mirth was a deep oozing cut.

His lips, plush and sharp, dipped to kiss her wrist, licking the blood as he went, laving his tongue over pale skin and working slowly towards the wound.

Tingling electricity erupted, shooting from her head to her core. To swap blood was an act reserved for mates not whatever they were.

Enemies.

Less.

More.

Her head flung back hitting hard on the mahogany lined wall as he reached the cut and sucked deeply, silver flames catching on the seams of his mouth.

Rhysand raised his head, hair tossed and eyes wild. He grinned a feral bloody creation, his canines fully elongated before murmuring,

'I'm not very interested in talking at all. Sister."

[acourtofthought]

Lucien lost his mother when he was forced to flee Autumn.

He lost Jesminda forever at the same time.

Elain lost Graysen when turned fae.

She lost her father forever only a few months later.

I think Elain end Lucien know that what they could feel for one another could be the more powerful than anything they've ever felt but when they've both lost a great love and a parent, I think they're scared and that's a big part of why they're keeping their distance.

Lucien longs for Elain, there's no doubt about that, and I do think part of his behavior towards her is giving her the space and freedom to decide what she wants, but he's not using the most effective tool in his arsenal to bridge the gap between them (mind out of the gutter folks 😉), his words.

I think they're both scared. Lucien has now learned twice over that loving a female (romantically and familial) has ended in pain and suffering for them and him.

Elain has now learned that loving the men in her life has ended in despair and death.

It makes complete sense that they'd be scared to open themselves up to more heartache and suffering by moving forward with one another. For Elain, I think that means engaging in a harmless crush that she probably knows doesn't mean anything.

Elain is observant, it's been mentioned a few times by multiple characters.

Does anyone honestly think she hasn't noticed how Azriel looks at Mor? Every single person in the IC is aware of it. How he can't stand the scent of her bond because he wants a bond more than anything (not her more than anything)?

I think she knows she and Az are both lonely but that what they have between them isn't real. Elain had real when she was with Graysen, someone she spent time with, fell in love with, and that ended in a proposal.

Elain knows love and I imagine she knows a few brushes of fingers and glances doesn't equal love.

I think both she and Az realize they were a temporary distraction from their real worries and that we'll come to find Elain and Lucien have both been terrified at the thought of what losing a mate could do to their already broken hearts twice over.

[enlighten3d]

@arsenic-the-fae

[taldigi]

oo oo what miraculous would you give to the phantom thieves? with the faes, would arsene be cat-oriented or some other critter :o?

Prolly none. Arsene is Arsene.

While the idea is tempting, I like to keep me and ML 50ft away UNLESS it's Classic or PV. I already dodge and weave around the ML/P5 crossovers.

anyway I'd think since the otherworld/metaverse is flexable and based on the community mindspace, it's totally possible that while in such an area, it would take a magical-girl/faerie companion angle.