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junietuesday · 2 years

Note

who are thseterius and bareleifdrjas?

anon you have zero idea what youve just unleashed. (this little parenthetical was writtten after everything else in this post but this is focusing on thesterius bc it just got SO LONG. barreleifdrias will have to wait </3)

ok so. hades video game 2018. you play as a dude named zagreus fighting to escape the ancient greek underworld but the point is that when you get to elysium, the two guys blocking your exit are theseus, the theseus of minotaur and ship and labors fame, only hes an annoying pro wrestling vibes egotistical blond (/derogatory /JOKE) dude, and the minotaur, the cannibalistic half man half bull monster in the labyrinth, only hes a chill honorable (hot) dude named asterius. and theyre best bros!!!! despite their meeting and the myth theyre most famous for being theseus killing the minotaur, asterius and theseus are now super best friends. theyre so unlikely but the respect for each other is clearly so deep. reason one why theyre compelling.

here they are btw. (via hades wiki)

and its like, theseus is so annoying that general fandom opinion is that hes the worst character in hades, in a “you love to hate him” playful way sometimes, or real hatred depending on which circles of the hades fandom you trawl, but hes Written to be disliked. even tho hes the hero of the original story, a hero among the ranks of like, heracles and that ilk. and meanwhile, everyone loves asterius bc hes such a bro, hes so chill and respectful and honorable, so many people think hes hot, people are like “dump theseus you could do so much better”, hes such a fan fave. even tho hes the monster of the original story, the villain!!! that role reversal is so so compelling!!!!!! hades didnt even change anything abt their backstories on paper but their personalities are what makes it a sort of roleswap. like theseus’ only redeeming quality is that he loves asterius so much, and asterius’ only real flaw is that hes so dedicated to theseus lmao

(all these dialogue images via @/hadesgamedialogue here on tumblr)

and its especially cool in hades bc its like, asterius, the minotaur, the one that everyone in the hades fandom loves way more, is an actual person. the minotaur is half man of course. theres so much thats added to the story of theseus and the minotaur overall by making asterius a person. but so very few stories take advantage of it. hades game first opened my eyes to the potential of asterius being an awesome character and i love it so much for it.

and THEN through menu stuff you eventually find out how the minotaur got such a high standing in elysium despite being a monster, fighting side by side w his killer-turned-bestie, adored by a crowd of cheering fans that watches your every fight, and especially constantly talked up by theseus himself. and as it turns out!!!!! after asterius died, he actually ended up in erebus. no surprise there, why shouldnt a half-animal monster end up in tartarus 2 electric boogaloo. but then when theseus died, he thought of asterius, and decided that since "their fame and glory were intertwined" (according to the in-game codex), if theseus deserved elysium for being part of the legendary theseus and the minotaur myth, surely asterius did too.

can you fucking imagine??? youre famous for killing a monster, you had an epic one-on-one fight to the death, but then when you get eternal paradise for it can you imagine thinking "hey what happened to the monster. hey what if he was a person. hey what if he was a person i could have join me in literal ancient greek heaven." and the codex says theseus almost certainly risked his own spot in elysium for it — the guy writing the codex would know, he tried to get his own boyfriend into elysium but ended up having to stay in hell in his boyfriend's place. but no theseus literally just got asterius into elysium, kept his own place there, and now theyre basically gladiator celebrities living(ish) their best lives(ish). THE SHEER ROMANTICISM OF IT.

like i was saying before asterius has always been a monster, but now the man who killed him is also the man who first saw him as a person...... a person worthy of paradise, a person worth saving, a person who gave him a glorious fight for the ages, a person. circling back around the roleswap thing, like a comment on one thesterius fic i read puts it, the player hates theseus bc of his in-game annoyingness, but learns to see him as a person through asterius' eyes, through asterius' high esteem of theseus and theseus' decent treatment of asterius. and at the same time, asterius has always been seen as a beast, but it was only through theseus' eyes and esteem and asterius was able to see himself as anything more.

AND THATS NOT EVEN ALL. this is all the backstory stuff, everything that takes place off-screen before the player even shows up. but zagreus (the player character) shows up and hes a polite guy so hes very nice to asterius bc asterius has been nothing but nice to him, even if they do have to fight often (bc asterius is both a miniboss on his own and the regional boss alongside theseus), its more like friendly and respectful sport than anything by the time they get to know each other. but theseus is constantly insulting zagreus bc of his own skewed sense of honor and dedication to the gods bc of theseus' own willful misunderstanding abt who zagreus is. that isnt super important but the point is, when theseus sees asterius, his bestie, being friends w zagreus, the guy he despises, guess what happens.

thats right. the "asterius is cheating on me 😭😭😭😭" arc. bc theseus is so sad and pathetic that he cant conceive of his bestie having any other friends. asterius Must be abandoning him to marry some other guy who is just so much nicer and cooler than him. and so theseus has a temper tantrum abt it. im bullying theseus rn bc hes a loser but also i dont like how relatable his feelings are during this arc.

if theseus sees asterius as a person worthy of love, then its also the same vice versa: asterius is the first person to see theseus as a real person Also Worth Love. hes not a monster, in fact hes a hero. he should be adored by all. and he does have his supporters in the arena! but do they like the real him? hes deeply annoying. he talks too much. hes desperately clingy to what friends he does have bc he just has so few of them. all of his relationships have ended Awfully, and it was his own fault for reacting so strongly and passionately to the things around him.

he and zagreus are actually kinda similar: theyre endlessly kind to people they deem worthy of it but also scathing to people they hate, theyre both accomplished warriors, theyre extremely stubborn (zag keeps trying to escape the underworld no matter how many times it takes, and theseus keeps meeting him and trying to stop him every time no matter how many times he loses), etc etc. but unlike theseus, zagreus is so charming and friendly. theseus tries so hard to be charismatic, but everyone flocks to be friends w zagreus after like a single conversation, and theseus only has asterius. so its very easy for this deeply insecure guy — no matter how he tries to cover it up by a massive ego and a constant barrage of insults toward zagreus — to believe that asterius might see zagreus as a way better version of him, and break up w theseus and go date zagreus instead. and zagreus does nothing to discourage this notion lmao. (honestly most hades players wouldnt have done anything to discourage this lmao. ive seen so many memes, such as this post, abt wanting asterius to just divorce theseus and "get himself a better man" and date zagreus already.)

and honestly its like, as zagreus himself says in a different dialogue, theseus took asterius up to elysium yes, but like, theseus also killed asterius in the first place, so they should be even. but its not just abt that for asterius. its abt how during their fight in the labyrinth, asterius got to at least experience once during his life what it meant to meet someone as an equal. its abt how theseus was the first person who saw him as a real person, not a mindless bloodthirsty beast. its abt how theseus took asterius to elysium, yes, giving asterius the chance to spread his wings and figure himself out and truly live, in a way he never would have been able to in erebus. its how theseus gave asterius the chance to experience friendship and love. so asterius, of course, doesnt gay divorce. he says this.

“he doesnt even understand it” and its literally so true. zag doesnt understand any of the things abt theseus and asterius being the only people to really understand each other and stay, despite everything repulsive abt the other, and be friends. i would bet the average player doesnt understand it either (see all the common hades fandom opinion “asterius dump theseus already”). but asterius understands it. he reminds theseus of this shared understanding. no matter what, no matter everything that should have come between them long ago, no matter anything that theseus fears might come between them now, asterius and theseus are a pair. its always theseus and the minotaur, their names together have gone down in legend. their theme song in hades is even called the king and the bull!!! bc theyre a matched set, theyre hero and villain, theyre inseparable, theyre gay.

also since theyre really just the regional bosses of zone 3 of hades (almost all of the contents of this essay are entirely missable), they get a cool new best friend battle move called the “counterstrike”, where asterius charges into theseus’ shield to create a shockwave, after they reconcile. to go along with their previously established bestie attack “bullhorn”, in which asterius picks theseus up and literally throws him at zagreus. theseus is such a dork he literally shouts “counterstrike!” and “bullhorn!” when they perform those moves like this is some kind of anime. gay wrath moments <3

tl;dr: thesterius is the ultimate ship of all time. thankyou

#asks #@mx. super rad sunglasses #june speaks #<- im putting this in my talk tag bc its just SO SO SO SO fucking long #i wasnt kidding when i said i was crazyinsane over this ship this is over a thousand words long #hades #thesterius

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the-actor-himself · 2 years

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Mark is Asterius' first victim, so it stands to reason that it's not the best attempt. The Minotaur sneaks up on his sunlight in the garden, grinning widely.

A colorful balloon full of water sails past the Actor's head, followed by a curse in a long dead language. A second one hits him in the shoulder and bursts, wetting him, and Asterius whoops in delight.

Mark is waiting for him out in the sunshine, looking off into another part of the garden and lost in thought.

His head tips back to watch a balloon go streaming by to splash harmlessly against the grass. He starts to turn, to chase the sound of ancient swearing, only to get smacked with a second, better-aimed balloon. His back and some of his front immediately become soaked with water, and he gasps from the chill of it as well as the impact.

“ Who gave you those? ” he asks, but it’s hard to be annoyed when Asterius looks so very pleased.

#always nice to meet a fan;#asterius of crete

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asterius-of-crete · 2 years

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It’s the moment Yancy is knocked unconscious that the Actor sits bolt upright from where he’d been dozing at his desk. His sleep had been restless the last couple of nights, even with those most beloved to him near in the dark.

He tosses himself out of his chair and there upon the shelf he spots one of the many colorful universes, spiraling gently within their baubles, is pulsing, it’s light fluttering and it’s rotation disrupted.

“ Fuck— ” He didn’t have to look that closely to know whose it was. He didn’t need to feel the tug of the threads from his heart to that story to know which of his creations was now in trouble.

He’s already calling out to Asterius as he descends the stairs and heads out the back door. “ Asterius. Yancy’s in trouble. ”

The manor gives him chills. He never feels like he's alone anymore, which would be a good thing, if not for the fact that even when he's physically alone, he feels watched. He bears it for his beloveds, but Asterius still spends much of his time in the garden, aided by the fact that he does not need nearly as much sleep as they do.

He's trying to figure out how to stop tracking dirt inside when Mark's voice reaches his ears. And he does not like what he hears.

"What's happened?" He asks, trying to stifle the worry in his stomach, as he meets the Actor at the door. Yancy had only been gone for less than a day. Asterius is never letting him out of his sight again. He needs to be calm; if he were to lose his temper, his sunrise would not be able to reign him in.

#fourteen sacrifices (ask);;#the actor himself #freebirdyance #sacrificed (the actor himself);;#event (jailbird);;

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muchymozzarella · 4 years

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Re: Asterius and Thesus from the Hades Game

People ship them, which is great, because in this dynamic Theseus is the himbo and Asterius (the Minotaur) is an absolute morosexual

and at first I was like "haha funny ship" with these two because Theseus is one full himbo that’s also way too full of himself and Asterius is like, super chill, and you have to wonder why a cool dude like Asterius the Minotaur would hang out with such a braggart

and then I found out Asterius is in Elysium because Theseus wanted him there and he dragged him out of the saddest bits of Hades so he could have a rival slash BFF and is the reason he’s so beloved as a warrior of Elysium and got him dressed in fine armour and probably even did the matching laurels in his hair and I

This is a quote about them from the codex:

[...] they say Theseus again discovered the Minotaur, whose soul had lingered restlessly at the edge of the Underworld, and Theseus took pity on him. Though, I think there is more to it than that.I think Theseus saw in the bull-man Asterius his greatest rival. Thus he offered Asterius a seat of honor in Elysium alongside him; a just result, for their fame and glory are intertwined.'

#asterius #theseus #hades game #minotaur #asterius the minotaur #king theseus

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reinstarnation · 11 months

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Ah yes, the 5 horsemen of the apocalypse

capitalism

hungry but unclear if it's for food, touch, or hubris

narcissism but with jazz hands

voyeurism

nostalgia traps >:) and paradoxes

also known as

oldest sibling syndrome

fem-presenting he/him supremacy

theatre kid

stalker

OOOOH BOY A SPANKOFFSKI (bastard)

#starkid #nerdy prudes must die #the lords in black #asterius chill out

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agrumina · 4 years

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Some more Aeneid AU :) I admit these days I don’t have much energy to write so have some unorganized ideas

tl;dr: Asterius and Theseus are more sad a bit different than they are in game, Zagreus expands his collection of “People to reconcile”.

Theseus insults Zagreus less since they’re not enemies here. But if Zagreus makes him angry a “Deamon” or “Monster” gets thrown. He’s still very loud and overdramatic.

Pirithous is a forbidden topic. Theseus has very conflicting feelings and the majority of them are negative. Just don't mention him.

No “Bouldy” affair there. Theseus hates the chair, hates the snakes and is costantly salty.

Asterius is less chill and is more “minotaury” than he is in game, but he learned to “calm down” a bit (after all in Erebus he’s not hungry and hurt anymore) and considers Zagreus an okay person to talk to if not the only one.

Since Theseus’ arms are blocked, he has to be helped for basic things. It’s a bit awkard when Zagreus gifts him nectar or ambrosia because the prince has help him drink it.

Zagreus learns to NOT ASK about the maze fight unless he wants to stay STUCK for HOURS to listen to the tale. Both in Theseus and Asterius’ case.

The idea of freeing Theseus is… from Asterius (Zagreus actually considered it but Asterius just “pushed it” more). He doesn’t even expect the Athenian to join him, he just thinks it’s cruel his rival is stuck in darkness and pain like he once was, no matter the sins the Athenian committed. Useless to say both Zagreus and Theseus reaction is “WHAT????”.

Asterius is even more surprised when he finds out Theseus actually remembers him as one (if not THE) greatest rival he ever fought and he even wants to meet him again. He just thought that, for him, he was just a monster to slay.

At first Theseus insists to not be freed but asks to find a way for Asterius to visit him. To Zagreus he tells him he just “Respects the Gods’ will” and that “He got used to this afterlife”. The truth? In part Theseus doesn’t think he deserves freedom… but also the last time he actually got up it ended really badly, to put it in a way Zagreus won’t laugh at him lightly.

Not sure if Zagreus finds out exactly why Theseus is stuck there or, like with Sisyphus in the original game, he just has vague informations (“Ah ah you made father mad what a madlad!” “Ah ah ah yeah!! Don’t ask HOW :D”)

In the end Theseus gets freed. At first he thinks Zagreus just found a way to make the snakes and the Furies go away (and Theseus is like “YESS I can move my arms!! *flexes*”) but then Zag is like “You can actually get up :)”. After much hesitation because he doesn’t want to get his ass ripped again because there’s still a part of him that thinks he doesn’t deserve it because what if the prince is pranking him he gets up. The minute Zagreus leaves the chamber Theseus, as fast as someone who sat still for years can, goes to Erebus.

Asterius sees a man suddenly appearing in Erebus, holding himself on the wall (turns out that, even if he’s long dead and a shade, he still have to get used to walk again) and shouting about “Finally meeting him again” and asking him if he wants a rematch

Theseus and Asterius end up becoming friends, something they started while using Zagreus a messanger between them. They’re not as close as they are in the original game, but they’re working on it.

Theseus insists that one day he'll find a way to get them both to Elysium.

Theseus sometimes comes back to his former “prison cell” to talk to Zag just because “I know you can’t escape without a bit of help no it’s not because I have some sort of respect or GASP affection towards you”.

#Idk if I’ll write more about this AU but just in case I made a tag….#Aeneid AU #zagreus #theseus #asterius #hades game #hades au #hades spoilers #just mentioned but they're here #theseus (hades)

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shinishinigummy · 3 years

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Whumptober 2021: Day 2

Talking is Overrated

Hades Fanfiction | Choking

Summary: Zagreus has had enough of Theseus, and decides to try something new in their next encounter. In their battle in Elysium, someone goes a little too far.

Until we meet again, mother.

Eager to reach the summit and the snows of Greece, Zagreus takes up his bow and pierces through countless undead denizens, much like every other day before him.

After receiving the great goddess Demeter's blessing, he opens the double doors to the colosseum. This would lead him to the final trial in his journey through Elysium, which he had loathed since the first time he set foot there, not for the challenge, mind you, but for the man he would be facing.

Zagreus is greeted with the cheers of a thousand spectating souls of the Elysian arena. All around him are watchtowers and seats filled to the brim with the shades and shadows of champions and spectators long past. Grand gold banners featuring the visage of a handsome, bronze-skinned man, and a proud, red-horned bull-man, are hung around the arches. They were Theseus and Asterius, and they represented the cream of the crop, the pride and glory of Elysium.

He's rolling his eyes and sighing in exasperation before he even looks up at the duo.

"And here he comes, the foul beast! Come to get pummeled by me and my trusted friend, have you? Well, look no further!" Theseus, the oh-so-mighty champion of Elysium, friend of the gods and of the people. If looks could kill, they could, because his personality radiated look at me - his incredibly toned body, shield and spear in one hand. His friend and fellow fighter, the mighty bull of Minos, sneers at Zagreus.

The heart-seeking bow thrums with pure, unbridled energy in Zagreus’ hand, eager for a fight. Bows are not supposed to have feelings, but somehow, he could feel it radiating annoyance from hearing the notorious speaker.

Zagreus pipes up. "I should say the same thing to you, mate. Why don't you let poor Asterius here talk sometime? He must be bored to death with how much boasting you spew."

The man-bull, Asterius, swings his towering axe, its glint dangerous and shiny. “We’ve talked about this before, short one. I’m indebted to him, and there is nothing more to say about this.”

He was not one for words, as experience puts it. So Theseus speaks for him. “Silence,you wretch! I'll have you know that he has no time to talk with knaves like you. You’ll never achieve anything, and if it takes the will of the gods to come and teach you a lesson, then I happily oblige.”

Theseus raises his spear, and the audience cheers in anticipation.

“Now die!”

Asterius huffs and charges down the arena as Zagreus dashes away to prepare a frosted arrow. With not a word, Zagreus’ frozen arrows fire true at the bull. At the same time, he dodges the attacks coming at him from Theseus’ spear. His moves are fluid and efficient - one charged arrow after another, and he smirks as he sees the already-weaking Asterius, the spring in his charge getting slower by the moment. Theseus, on the other hand, seems not to be bothered at all by this, and remains sneering at him, not a scratch on his toned body. Still, that damned champion keeps talking.

“Back, foul daemon, or be vanquished even faster than you've come to expect!"

It has been many attempts before he’s come to familiarize himself with the duo’s moves. Theseus always proves to be a difficult one as he's always kept his distance, and when Zagreus comes close enough to strike, he holds out his shield, laughing all the while. Setting himself between one of the podiums, he easily dodges Asterius’ axe bearing down upon him, but somehow he was grazed by a shockwave of purple energy, scoring him across his right leg.

“Argh! You..” Zagreus winces in pain. He stands up - there was no room for error here - and situates himself in another podium as he takes a bloodstone to cast a fog of thunder and poison. As soon as Asterius charges towards him, he throws the bloodstone in the air and it explodes in a haze of purple and yellow, temporarily stunning the bull-man.

Zagreus then calls upon Artemis to finish the job. In a flash of green, the hunter's seeking arrow bears down on Asterius and he screams as he drops to the ground, lifeless. In the underworld, no one truly dies - so the blood of the river Styx comes to claim his body, to be resurrected once more.

“Asterius, no!”

Theseus growls. Across the colosseum, Zagreus can feel the anger and sadness in his opponent’s voice as he prepares to cast another festive fog in his direction. The crowd roars with anticipation as Theseus throws his spear in Zagreus' direction, and he successfully pierces his shoulder, eliciting a surprised yelp.

“What, blackguard, had enough? We're just getting started!” Theseus stops for a moment, and calls upon a favor from Olympus.

“Lord Ares, give me your power!”

The arena suddenly darkens, and there is a chill that makes Zagreus’ stomach drop. All around Zagreus, deathly, bloodstained blades materialize out of nowhere and threaten to drop at his head anytime. Zagreus prepares to fire an arrow, but suddenly feels a pierce at his lower right side. It hurt, but he had to keep pressing forward, finding an opening where he could rest and nock a frosted arrow once more. All the while, Theseus comes nearer to him, taking his spear while avoiding the frenzy of Ares’ blades.

“I could destroy you, right here, right now. But not yet. I want to see you suffer and bleed out across the arena, just like what you’ve done with my Asterius!”

Zagreus was not at his peak performance. His carelessness led him to be struck by another blade as the wind got knocked out of his chest. Theseus closes the distance between them. His spear presses onto his bleeding side, and Zagreus can feel the pain blossom and explode. He screams as he feels life leave him, and Theseus smirks in smug satisfaction.

“There we go--" and the spear presses ever deeper. "--The gods are in my favor, and I will do everything I can to prove that I am qualified for that. Without their blessings, you are nothing. This help from Lord Ares is nothing, as even without it..” The spear in Zagreus’ side connects with the wall behind him, and Zagreus cries out in pain. “I can crush you, like the little vermin you are. I’m here to stop you from accomplishing whatever it is you want to do beyond here, Zagreus, because you’re not worthy--”

Theseus chokes on his words as Zagreus’ screams, darkness enveloping his body as he defies death. He feels life come back to him and his newfound strength gives him the energy to take an arrow and slash at Theseus’ face. In a flurry, Zagreus turns the tables. He takes out the spear on his side and takes Theseus by the neck, slamming him onto the wall of the colosseum. He takes his spear and with much force, stabs Theseus on the heart with it, and into the void Theseus screams.

“Khh.. what--”

“Shut up, Theseus. You’re the vermin. Not me.”

A blade comes down to deal damage to Zagreus but he endures the pain as it slices his right arm. Theseus is on the ground, nearly lifeless, a gaping hole in the middle of his proud chest. In his fury he tries to reach for his spear but Zagreus merely stabs it onto the hole he’s already made, blood quickly pouring out of it. At the same time he raises his foot, stepping on Theseus’ mouth to prevent him from speaking again.

In the same fashion that Asterius had exited, so too did Theseus. There was fear in his blue eyes as Theseus looked up to see Zagreus and his mismatched eyes with a crazed look. There was a fury that was not there before. Perhaps, he thought, he had said something wrong. Perhaps, he thought, he had gone too far. His body gives in as the floor becomes liquid, the river Styx claiming his body.

The crowd in Elysium cheers as only Zagreus is left alone in the colosseum, the indication that he was the victor. But Zagreus does not look up. He remembers Theseus’ words, as he recalls that that was the first time he has ever addressed him by his name. Somehow, that scared him. Perhaps, he had gone too far.

He takes his strides as he collects the bounty of ambrosia in the middle of the arena. He raises a hand towards the singular shade that has a banner with his visage on it, and he wondered what they thought about their actions in the battle. But he cannot talk, as he has much to think about.

As silently as he had entered, Zagreus headed toward the double doors that lead to the Temple of Styx open up to him, leaving behind the audience of Elysium.

#whumptober2021 #no.2 #choking #hades game #hades supergiant #fic #violence #greek mythology

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kingsbride-moved · 2 years

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Theseus loooovveees little knick knack and oddity shops but there's an issue where he's a bit clumsy and tends to accidentally knock things over 💔 he's good at catching stuff tho! But that often just leads to further issues considering how small the spaces inside antique shops are. He may be banished from some small shops in Elysium for this exact reasons 💘

Asterius meanwhile. Dear Asterius is just Too Big. "Bull in a china shop" he's just too big his horns would be all up on the ceiling 💔 he doesn't like cramped spaces, though, so maybe it's fine that he can't fit anyways. He doesn't mind waiting outside for however long, either (though I certainly wouldn't want him to have to wait!)

And because Theseus is so clumsy, it's easy to imagine him and Asterius just chilling outside a shop while Dia is going ham inside 😭 sometimes rushing out to show them things (before rushing back in because she hasn't paid for it yet 💔💔💔)

#💬 | sing clear voiced muse #👑🌺🐂 | love in idleness #i have a second post to make hold on 💔

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ao3feed-mythology · 4 years

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Lips Like Wine and Daydreams

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/30Sw0fr

by Astr

Zagreus meets Ariadne, the wife of Dionysus and former lover of Theseus (and sister to Asterius the Minotaur). He decides some more reunions are in order.

Words: 434, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Hades (Video Game 2018), Ancient Greek Religion & Lore

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, M/M, Multi

Characters: Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Dionysus (Hades Video Game), Thanatos (Hades Video Game), Ariadne (Hades Video Game), Theseus (Hades Video Game), Asterius | The Minotaur (Hades Video Game)

Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Dionysus/Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Asterius | The Minotaur/Theseus (Hades Video Game), Ariadne/Dionysus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Dionysus/Zagreus/Thanatos (Hades Video Game)

Additional Tags: Romance, Fluff, Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, crack ship?, There's a lot of fluff but also a lot of serious stuff, there's a fight in the arena, Theseus has luckily chilled out a little after a century of self-reflection, mild mutual pining

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/30Sw0fr

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thegirlwiththedorkydad · 7 years

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War of Hearts - Pt. 8

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

Summary: When the Pevensies are recalled to Narnia, nothing is as they expected it to be, particularly the mysterious girl that has become Caspian’s left hand. Her mysterious arrival and strange tendencies confuse the siblings, and the interactions between the strange girl and Edmund give them even more reason to be curious. Together, can they help give the Narnians back their kingdom?

I just realized that I never updated this on Tumblr, so i have this chapter and I think 1 or 2 more fully completed. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Embry Black

There’s always that one moment in life when you realize the enormity of a situation that you put yourself in, the moment when your heart starts to pound a little harder, your mind starts racing a little faster, and you reach that understanding of just how important something is. It’s the moment when you conclude that you might not be the same afterward, or in Embry Black’s case, you might not be alive.

The odds of the night raid’s success were slim to none, and although none wished to acknowledge the fact that their chances for survival were dwindling with each step they took toward the Telmarine castle, the thought was stuck in the front of their minds. As each movement brought the Narnian forces closer to the stoic stone walls, Embry’s heart grew heavier, her resolve stronger, and her anger fiercer. From astride her horse, the dark haired girl removed her hand from its tense grip on the hilt of one of the knives at her side and reached up, rubbing at her eyes. Why had she decided to smear charcoal on her face again? The only purpose it was serving at the moment was to irritate her, the ashy substance rubbing off on her fingers and making the girl glare at her hand before wiping it on her jeans.

The cloudless sky gave way to a field of stars, each varying in their brightness and each with a history that remained a secret to all those who viewed it. The temperature had dropped as night had fallen, the wind nipping bitterly at the army of creatures as they trudged on with determination. The Narnian army spoke little, the occasional murmuring, muttering and whispering as well as their footfalls being the only breaks in the stifling silence. They walked in complete darkness; torches would alert the enemy, and the element of surprise was crucial to the plan. The damp forest air clouded the dark haired girl’s senses and her eyes strained to see more than 5 feet in front of her, their path illuminated only by the light of the moon – something that seemed far too cliché for the young girl. The conditions around them – an army willing to fight for their home, a perfect night, the element of surprise against a terrible enemy, and seemingly fearless leaders – gave the girl an impression of surrealism. It all seemed like a scene from a movie or a book, too perfect to possibly be reality. At least it was perfect at the moment.

Pulling the sleeves of her tunic a bit farther over her wrists, clutching the hems in her palms as a chill ran down her spine, Embry rolled her neck and shoulders in an attempt to eliminate the tension that had built up. Biting her lip, she glanced over at the centaur that was walking next to her. Glenstorm had been assigned the role of one of the lead generals of the Narnian force for the raid, along with Asterius. Reepicheep and Trumpkin were presumably already within the walls of the Telmarine castle and were beginning the first steps of their infiltration plan. On her other side, Rainstone, whom had been named second in command by his father, walked in silence, his face stoic and his posture straight. With a glance at the two centaurs beside her, Embry inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she did so, and letting out a slightly audible exhale.

“What if I can’t do it?” She asked softly, half to herself, her voice barely rising above a whisper. Rainstone looked at the young girl beside him, the two being almost level with each other from her position atop of Brego, masking his own anxiety with a look of seriousness. He felt a pang of sympathy for her, she was not even from this world yet was going to war to save it. Prompted by the centaurs’ lack of a response, Embry continued, “Take a life?” Her eyes never moving from their gaze, locked onto the castle that was growing closer with every passing movement. There was silence for a moment following her words, the Narnian army falling silent and craning their necks forward to catch any response that might be given.

“Then they take yours,” Glenstorm replied, sparing the dark haired girl a brief glance, barely taking his eyes off of the castle in front of them, his voice hardly wavering from its deep, grave, and monotonous tone. Embry bit her lip harder, tasting the salty tang of blood on her lips resulting from her actions, her fists unconsciously clenching tighter onto her sleeves. Any hope that the girl had for an inspiring pep talk was wiped away by those four words, her mind balking at the thought of killing.

The Narnians slowly came to a halt at the edge of the forest, the dark trees fading into grass, the Telmarine castle looming before them, and the waiting game began. All eyes scanned the towers, searching and waiting for Edmund’s signal. Within moments, the signal is given, several clear flashes from the flashlight Ed had brought with him to Narnia. Glenstorm and Asterius looked at each other before Glenstorm raised his sword in front of him, indicating for the army to move to its next position at the entrance to the drawbridge. Embry leaned down across Brego’s neck, the bay stallion pawing anxiously at the dirt. The dark haired girl smiled slightly, people did always say that animals could sense their owner’s emotions or when a storm was coming. Whether her horse was sensing her anxiety and fear or the fact that a storm was indeed coming in the form of a battle, Embry patted his neck reassuringly.

“Shhh,” She murmured in his ear, the horse slowly steadying his gait as the pair began to move forward, “It’s okay.” Embry said, reassuring herself just as much as her horse. Looking around her at the gathered Narnians, she felt a tug at her heart as she realized that many of those around her would not be returning home. You might not either. She told herself, the morbid thought lodging itself deep in her mind. Shaking her head, Embry urged Brego forward as she caught back up to Glenstorm, Asterius, and Nikabrik – the latter sending her a nasty look of disapproval, the black haired dwarf had never liked her very much.

Upon reaching the stone fortress, Embry slipped off of Brego’s back, rubbing his nose affectionately. “This is as far as you go my friend,” She whispered to him, unstrapping his bridle and sliding it into the saddle bag to keep him from getting tangled on the way back to the How. She looked at her horse, a sad smile gracing her face, “now go home and I’ll see you when this is over.” She told him using her body weight to push him back toward the woods, shoving him with her shoulder. The bay stallion went a few steps before looking back at his friend over his shoulder. “Go!” Embry hissed at him, motioning for her horse to leave with her hands. Sparing one final glance at the dark haired girl, Brego galloped into the woods back towards the How, Embry watching him disappear into the woods before turning and moving to resume her place at the front of the line.

The girl nervously tightened the straps of her quiver, the leather straps crossing between her breasts in the center of her chest. Rainstone glanced down at the girl as he came up beside her, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. Embry smiled at him in thanks, dropping her hands to her side, her left finding itself grasping onto one of the knives on her belt, and her right arm wrapping itself around her midsection.

Quietly, the Narnians slunk through the corridors as they advanced on the Telmarine stronghold, each step leading them to the point of no return. Slowly, Embry reached behind her head, drawing her two daggers from their place on her back. Each knife was about the length of her forearm from the tip of the blade to the base of the hilt. The moonlight caught on the clean blades, having never been used outside of training the blades, and their wielder, clearly showed their lack of experience. Gripping the leather hilts tightly in her hands, Embry twirled them each in an effort to comfort herself, although the idea that daggers could provide her comfort was rather troubling. Up ahead, a movement caught the girl’s eye, her focus narrowing on a Telmarine guard pacing throughout the corridor.

The dark haired girl soundlessly moved next to Asterius, gaining the older Minotaur’s attention with a tap on the arm, and gesturing to the Telmarine with a jerk of her head. The Minotaur looked at the soldier and then back down at the girl beside him, nodding almost imperceptibly. Embry adjusted her grip on the daggers in her hand as she made a wide arc around the guard, ducking through an archway to get on the other side of the wall behind him. She pressed herself against the stone, careful to keep her blades from scraping against the wall and making a sound, and edged her way to the large arch that went across the main pathway. Peering her head around the corner, Embry watched as the Telmarine caught sight of Asterius, a look of shock and fear taking over his features. The girl had to bite back a chuckle when the Minotaur raised one leather-clad finger to his lips,

“Shhh,” she barely heard him whisper. Taking that as her cue, Embry rounded the corner and swung the hilts of her blades with as much force as she could muster against the Telmarine’s head, effectively knocking him out. She smirked at Asterius who nodded his head in approval. Glenstorm came up beside her and the army of Narnians continued toward the bridge. Waiting a distance away so as to remain out of sight, they waited in tense silence.

Embry’s head jerked up, looking around at the loud clang of bells, her eyes stopping on the flashlight’s beam being waved frantically through the air. Nikabrik looked up at Glenstorm and the girl beside him, a look of distaste on his face,

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The dwarf scoffed and Embry shrugged. Glenstorm looked at the dark haired girl again, her uncharacteristic silence causing him to furrow his eyebrows momentarily. As quickly as the flashlight had turned on, the beam was gone, leaving the Narnians standing in a confused state, the alarm bells of the castle ringing with intensity.

“I believe this means we have lost the element of surprise,” Embry muttered to no one in particular, earning herself a disproving look from Rainstone. Embry looked at him in indignation, “what else could those bells mean?” She huffed, readjusting her daggers in hand once more. The Narnians behind her began to shuffle anxiously, all ready for a fight. Their movement only increased as they could see the drawbridge begin to lower, only waiting for the Just King’s signal to begin the attack. As the drawbridge continued to lower, a dark feeling stirred in Embry’s stomach as she fully realized their situation.

They were walking into a massacre.

Her attention was drawn back to the task at hand when Glenstorm reared onto his back legs, thrusting his sword in the air at the signal they had been waiting for. Upon returning his forelegs to the ground, the centaur began to charge, the rest of the Narnian army close behind. Embry ran with them, a satyr on one side and a tiger streaking past her on the other, careful not to slice herself or others with her still drawn blades as the force charged toward the stone courtyard. Asterius ran ahead, the Minotaur using his horns and large frame to easily crash through a flimsy wrought iron gate and continued his rampage toward two terrified Telmarine guards at the foot of the drawbridge. The Narnians ran across the bridge and into the courtyard screaming and shouting, and as she ran through the gate herself, Embry faintly heard a battle cry,

“For Narnia!” a voice shouted. Embry glanced to her right and saw Caspian, Susan and Peter. The sound of clashing weapons soon rang throughout the courtyard, overwhelming the dark haired girl. With hardly any time to react, Embry ducked out of the path of a Telmarine sword, readying her blades as she got a good look at her attacker.

The Telmarine soldier looked to be no more than 25, his dark eyes and tanned face drawn into a snarl as he lunged at her again, sword swiping at her barely missing her abdomen. Embry jumped out of the way of the sword, pushing it away forcefully with her knives and causing the Telmarine to stumble. She swallowed in fear as the Telmarine spun around to face her, looking angrier than before. Positioning herself into her ready stance, she held one dagger in front of her, perpendicular to her body and the other at her side, tip pointing toward her attacker.

He lunged again, but this time she was ready, spinning to the side and using her knives to trap the sword between her blades and pull it from his hands. The Telmarine, now disarmed, pulled a knife from his belt and lunged at the girl, who using one knife blocked the blade. A look of horror crossed the man’s face, and Embry froze as her blade met resistance. Looking down, she realized that she had thrust her blade forward as the man lunged, and without realizing it, impaled him through the chest. Blood trickled from the corner of the man’s mouth, and the dark haired girl realized she must have punctured his lung. Breathing shallowly, Embry yanked her dagger from the man’s body as he fell to the floor. She had killed someone. She had actually taken someone’s life. Staring at the man’s body in shock, Embry yelped in surprise when the body of a faun fell down next to her. Seeing the dead faun’s body, Embry felt her blood heat up. Ardnus. Embry stared at the faun in horror, his unmoving corpse a far cry from the youthful enthusiasm he had possessed when the two had sparred earlier that day.

“Ardnus,” Embry whispered kneeling down next to the body of the fallen faun. She placed her hands on his shoulders, moving her right hand to feel for a carotid pulse, placing her ear above his mouth so check for any breathing. Nothing. No pulse, no breathing. Embry began to panic, looking over her friend’s body and noting the crossbow bolt that protruded from his chest, directly over where his heart would be; her stomach flipped as she noticed several of his limbs were splayed around him at unnatural angles. Her breath coming in short pants, Embry felt the churning in her stomach before it came, and she leaned over to her side to heave up the contents of her stomach. Wiping her mouth in disgust, she stood up, averting her eyes from the body of her dead friend.

Looking around the courtyard Embry could see many of the bodies of fallen Narnians, and her eyes looked back at the man she had just killed, narrowing in rage, her emotions beginning to take over. His people were responsible for Ardnus’s death, and the death of the other Narnians that were sprawled across the courtyard. The Telmarine people were to blame for driving the Narnians near extinction and into hiding, they were going to be held responsible, they were going to pay. They needed to pay.

Twirling her blades in hand, the girl narrowed her grey eyes, and ran at the nearest Telmarine, only hesitating slightly when she spun out of the reach of his sword and slit his throat in the process. Adrenaline and anger had taken over, her body wired and ready for a fight, the two weeks of nonstop training causing her body to run on autopilot. By no means was she the best fighter, but she could hold her own, and she had anger on her side.

The battle around her raged on as she sliced at a Telmarine soldier, his sword barely missing the girl’s head, his movements heavy and stiff. The Telmarine may be stronger, but Embry was faster. Ducking underneath his outstretched blade, she sliced at his stomach making the man double over in pain, clutching his wound. Moving behind him, Embry thrust her blades up and in between the soldier’s shoulder blades, crossing her arms at the wrist as she did so. The man’s body tensed before falling limp, the girl behind him removing her blades and spinning around to block the next advancing enemy’s attack.

The moonlight caught on the dark haired girl’s blades once more, the weapons slick with the crimson blood of the enemy, no longer the fresh, unblemished silver they had been going into the fight. These blades would never be the same as they once were, having been used to take a life, the evidence of such actions dripping off the tips of the daggers and onto the stone floor of the courtyard.

From his position above the battle on one of the towers, Edmund watched the battle below him, his eyes landing on Embry as she fought looking almost like a demon with her war paint, grey eyes and dark clothes. Below him, a row of crossbow wielding Telmarine soldiers filed out onto the balcony-esque space, taking their aim at the Narnians below. Edmund’s eyes narrowed as he saw the Telmarine almost directly below him take aim at his brother. Without much thought, Edmund jumped onto the roof, sliding down and kicking the Telmarine over the side and into the courtyard. The Telmarine directly next to Ed looked over and noticed that his comrade was no longer standing there, the Just King looking at his older brother in concern. Peter, noticing the commotion, looked up at Edmund, his eyes betraying the fear the sight evoked from him.

“Ed!” Peter shouted frantically. The Just King looked beside him to see the Telmarine’s noticing his position and beginning to shift their aim to him. Edmund’s eyes widened as he ran toward the door to his right, diving through the doorway and closing the door with his feet as he barely escaped a barrage of crossbow bolts.

Miraz watched the scene unfold before him from his balcony that overlooked the courtyard, scanning the carnage below him. He watched the High King, the Gentle Queen, and his nephew, however his eye was caught by someone else entirely. A dark haired girl, her grey eyes clear and shocking through the band of ashy black that had been painted across her eyes. She fought with intensity, spinning and dodging with her twin blades in her hand, her face in a permanent snarl as she took down soldier after unsuspecting soldier. Unlike the Gentle Queen, the only other female on the battle field was dressed in pants, improper if you asked Miraz. As he watched her fight, he couldn’t help but feel some sense of familiarity toward the girl. He was so engrossed in watching her fight, he failed to notice a satyr clutching to the side of his balcony, his blade raised to strike or be thrown. Miraz looked at the satyr startled as he gave a battle cry, only to be cut off with a twang of a crossbow. Looking to his right he saw Gomez, the head of his guards with a crossbow aimed at the beast. Miraz grinned at the satyr sadistically, the Narnian in excruciating pain yet still holding on to the side of the balcony. With a final grin Miraz reached out and shoved the satyr from the balcony, sending him falling two stories down and landing on the floor of the stone courtyard with a crunch.

Embry spun around at the loud metal clang behind her, eyes widening in terror at the sight of the weight that was to keep the gate open lying on the courtyard floor. Apparently, she had not been the only one to notice, and Asterius ran to the thick metal gate, holding it open on his shoulders. Embry stared at the Minotaur. If the gate were to close, the courtyard would become a tomb for any Narnian in it.

“Fall back!” Embry heard Peter shout from somewhere behind her, the dark haired girl turning around to see the High King descending a set of steps near Miraz’s balcony. Embry looked up at Miraz, tensing and narrowing her eyes when she noticed he was watching her, the girl shifting uncomfortably. Shaking off the eerie sensation of having a sadistic bastard stare at you, Embry ran toward the nearest Narnian,

“Fall back!” She shouted, “Get out of here!” Embry swung her blades in an arc, swiftly disarming the Telmarine, the satyr beside her thrusting his sword through their enemy’s chest.

“Get her out of here!” Peter shouted to Glenstorm, indicating to his sister. Susan looked at the centaur, who galloped up and grasped her outstretched hand, pulling the queen onto his back. As the pair galloped toward the gate, Susan looked over her shoulder at her brother,

“Caspian! Embry!” She shouted to him. Peter nodded, his jaw tightening,

“I’ll find them!” He called back, raising his sword to block a Telmarine soldier’s blow. At her name, Embry turned to see Glenstorm galloping toward the gate with Susan on his back, and began to make her way toward the gate, a rather difficult task when you are in the midst of fighting to stay alive. She was almost to the center of the courtyard when a particularly large soldier moved in front of her. Embry raised her blades, dodging the Telmarine’s blow by making her knives into an X and using her strength to push him back. Knowing that her time was limited, Embry ducked from another blow, sticking out her right leg and sweeping it toward the Telmarine, knocking his feet out from under him and sending his sword skittering across the stone. Embry sliced at the man, who could only partially block the girl, and delivered a deep gash to the chest.

“Embry!” At her name, said girl looked over her shoulder to see Caspian astride a horse, the reigns of another in hand, and an older man on a third horse close behind him. In her distracted state, the dark haired girl failed to notice the Telmarine at her feet slice at her calf with a small dagger. “Look out!” Caspian shouted to the girl, but it was too late. Embry attempted to move out of the way, but the Telmarine still landed his blow, although it could have been much worse had she not evaded in some way. The Telmarine’s knife sliced across her calf, leaving a diagonal gash on the side of her thigh. The dark haired girl cried out in pain, reaching down to grab her wound with one hand, and bringing her knife down with the other. Biting her lip, Embry stood up, pulling her blade from where it had found itself in the man’s throat and sheathing both of her daggers as Caspian and his horse approached. Adrenaline still coursing through her system, the cut on her leg felt nonexistent as she jogged toward Caspian who reached out as he trotted by, helping the girl swing up behind him onto the horse as she pushed off of an outcropping stone to help her up. Embry wrapped her arms around Caspian’s torso as he handed the reins of the trailing horse to Peter, who used a piece of stone to push himself into the air and onto his horse behind them as the two galloped through the gate.

Embry looked over her shoulder in horror as she watched the scene unfold. Just as Peter made it through the gate, Asterius was hit with yet another crossbow bolt, several already protruding from his body. This seemed to have been the final blow, and the great Minotaur fell to the floor, the heavy iron gate falling onto his back and trapping the rest of the Narnian army in the stone tomb. Fauns, Satyrs, Minotaurs, and numerous animals were stuck behind the iron coffin that had sealed their fate. As they reached the archway where Ironhoof, Suncloud, Glenstorm and Susan were waiting, Embry looked again as the cries and pleads of the trapped creatures reaching her ears, several attempting to climb the gate as they were assaulted with barrage after barrage of crossbow bolts.

“Help us!”

“Run for your lives!”

“Save yourselves!”

The trapped Narnians cried to their escaped comrades, pressing up against the gate, clawing at the metal in a futile attempt at freedom. Embry let out a choked noise, watching as one of the cheetahs that had been trapped was pierced with a bolt from a crossbow, its cry of pain ringing in her ears, its body going limp and falling to the stone floor. A faun jumped up onto the gate, struggling to pull himself higher, hoping to find a way out, only to be shot with several crossbow bolts.

Peter sat astride his horse right in front of the gate, looking at the trapped creatures in horror, and then looking at Glenstorm. Glenstorm lowered his head for a moment before looking at the gate. Embry followed the older centaurs gaze and froze.

“No,” she whimpered. Rainstone stood at the gate, looking out at them with sorrowful eyes. He glanced at Embry before sharing a look with his father. Rainstone nodded at his father before turning and returning to the massacre that was to be his fate. “No, no, no,” Embry said, her cries getting louder each time. Letting go of Caspian’s torso, the dark haired girl slid off the horse, her body shaking as she felt the adrenaline dissipating. “We have to help him!” She cried, not realizing that she had begun to sob as she attempted to move back toward the gate. She only got a few steps before strong arms wrapped themselves around her chest, pulling her back.

“Peter, the bridge!” Caspian called as he fought to restrain the girl he had come to think of as a little sister. Peter cast one last devastated look at the Narnians trapped in the courtyard before urging his horse onward, jumping the bridge before it closed completely. Caspian was attempting to calm a hysterical Embry.

“No we can’t leave him!” She all but screamed, falling to her knees with Caspian’s arms around her, her body shaking, tears coating her cheeks as the screams and cries of the Narnians they had to leave behind made their way to her ears. “Please,” she whimpered, her eyes never leaving the closing drawbridge.

“Em, we need to go.” Caspian murmured in the girl’s ear, helping her to her feet. The shaking girl nodded, not fully comprehending the situation at hand, and allowed Caspian to help her onto his horse, pulling himself on behind her. Sparing one last glance at the now closed draw bridge, Caspian urged Destrier into a gallop, Glenstorm, Susan, and Peter close behind him as they rode away from the massacre.

The walk back to the How was silent, the Narnian force half the size it was upon their departure. The sun rose as they neared the grassy clearing that preceded the How, the caravan of injured and despairing creatures slowly moving ahead without much purpose or fervor. Embry remained on the back of Caspian’s horse, her arms wrapped securely around her midsection as Caspian led the horse forward. Her injured leg was not so bad that she could not walk, however her mental state was what worried the man. She had not spoken at all on the ride home, opting instead to cry silently and finally stare into space. Following her breakdown outside the gate, Caspian had managed to calm her down slightly, but the girl had retreated so far into herself that Caspian feared it would be difficult to draw her out again.

As she stared at the approaching stone stronghold, Embry’s mind was still lost inside the stone courtyard of the Telmarine castle, her heart with her dead comrades that lay still on the cold, unforgiving floor. The dull ache of her calf muscle where the Telmarine soldier had cut her lingered in the back of her mind, the shallow cut covered in a layer of dried blood, visible through her jeans. She could still hear the haunting cries of the trapped Narnians resonating in the back of her skull, bouncing off the bone, echoing. The girl’s mind then flashed to the first Telmarine soldier she had encountered, the first time that she had taken a life.

She still couldn’t fathom how she had been able to do it, slowly coming to the realization that she had taken a man’s life – she had killed. She had stopped the man’s heart and spilled his blood. Embry stared ahead, replaying all of the moments that she killed someone in her mind, her heart becoming heavier with each slash of the knife. Horror seeped into her heart, a chill running down her spine as she fully understood what had just happened, the adrenaline and residual emotion finally exiting her system completely.

What was left of the Narnian army passed through the stone archways and over the stone patch as they made their way to the entrance of the How. Lucy and Windmane appeared from inside as they exited the How, and the Narnians who had stayed behind during the battle scanned the crowd anxiously for their friends and family. Lucy looked at the approaching group in sadness.

“What happened?” She asked with a hint of desperation, directing her question at her eldest brother as they met each other’s gaze. Peter clenched his jaw before responding.

“Ask him,” Peter sneered, looking at Caspian. Caspian slowed his pace and looked at the young man beside him in disbelief, dropping the reins of his horse.

“Peter,” Susan chastised, sensing the volatility of the situation that was about to occur.

“Me?” Caspian scoffed coming to a stop, “You could have called it off, there was still time.” Peter walked another step before spinning on his heel to look at the Telmarine prince.

“No there wasn’t thanks to you. If you’d kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now.” Peter stated, a lump forming in his throat.

“And,” Caspian all but growled, “if you’d just stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!” Caspian stepped toward Peter, glaring at the blonde king. Peter took a step toward the dark haired prince, raising an arm in the air slightly.

“You called us, remember?” Peter retorted, blue eyes blazing. Caspian curled his lip slightly.

“My first mistake.”

“No. Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people.” Peter scoffed turning to walk into the How.

“Hey!” Caspian shouted, ignoring all of the eyes that were trained on the altercation between the High King and the Telmarine Prince. “I am not the one who abandoned Narnia.” Caspian said in a low and dangerous voice. Peter stared at the dark haired man in disbelief.

“You invaded Narnia.” The High King stated, pointing his finger accusingly at Caspian as he moved toward him. “You have no more right to it than Miraz does!” Caspian pushed past the eldest Pevensie, the two hitting shoulders as he went, and had barely gotten a few feet before Peter continued, “You, him, your father…” Caspian froze, anger beginning to radiate off of the man. “Narnia’s better off without the lot of you!” Caspian’s face warped into a look of pure anger as he let out an animalistic cry and drew his sword. Peter did the same as the two leaders held their blades at each other’s throats.

“Enough!” A voice shouted loudly, drawing the attention of all but the two young men, both refusing to lower their blades. Susan turned to see that Embry had dismounted the black steed she had remained on the entire ride, and although the Gentle Queen could see flickers of the sadness and guilt in her eyes, the other dark haired girl’s gaze quickly turned hard and cold. At that particular moment, Embry looked terrifying. Her hair, while still pulled up, was ruffled and unkempt, her ashy war paint dried in streaks down her cheeks from her tears. Her grey eyes were burning with fury and disappointment as she stalked over to the two swordsmen, her clenched fists covered in dried blood of her enemies. At her approach, the two men diverted their attention to the girl, but their swords did not move.

“You call yourselves leaders,” Embry snarled, taking them both by surprise at the unabashed animosity and anger in her voice, “yet all I see are two little boys playing pretend, and fighting to show who has the bigger ego. Keep acting like that and you’ll get us all killed.” Peter glared at her, and she met his gaze levelly. “Caspian I expected better from you,” She said disappointment evident in her words as the dark haired prince met her eyes before looking at the ground in shame, yet never dropping his sword from its place at Peter’s throat. The dark haired prince had grown to be like an older brother to the girl during her time in Narnia and to see him act so rashly due to another male, both too overwhelmed by testosterone and egos to see the harm they were doing to others, was disappointing. Moving her gaze to the blonde teenager she met his gaze, never wavering despite the animosity in his gaze, “And you…” she trailed off. Peter narrowed his eyes at her, adjusting his grip on the sword in his hand, still holding it at Caspian’s throat.

“You know nothing about me,” Peter stated and Embry chuckled darkly, earning herself a startled look from those watching the scene in front of them.

“You want to be treated like the king you once were,” Embry stated her voice laced with venom as she stared at the boy in front of her. Peter clenched his jaw at her words.

“I am still the king and you will treat me as such.” Peter demanded his voice steady, no longer yelling. Embry scoffed.

“If you want people to stop treating you like a child, then stop acting like one.” She told him, stepping closer to the High King, stopping when the two were less than 2 feet away. “And when you start acting like a king, then I’ll start treating you like one.” The dark haired girl growled, her grey eyes meeting Peter’s blue ones in an unflinching gaze.

“Guys!” Edmund shouted, and the three turned to look as Glenstorm made his way to the front of the group, holding Trumpkin the red dwarf in his arms, the small man barely clinging to life. Lucy let out a gasp as she ran toward the group with Trufflehunter hot on her heels, Edmund helping to lower their friend to the ground gently. Caspian watched as the young queen removed a vial from her belt and poured a single drop into the mouth of the dwarf. He met Embry’s disappointed Gaze, and felt his heart drop. The fact that he had disappointed the girl he had come to think of as family made his heart heavy with guilt. Turning toward the How, the Telmarine prince walked into the stronghold, returning his sword to its place at his side as he walked. Embry watched him go, not failing to notice Nikabrik abandoning his place at Trufflehunter’s side and following the dark haired prince into the How.

Embry turned her head back to Lucy and Trumpkin, letting out a sigh of relief as the dwarf began spluttering. Catching Edmund and Susan looking at her in concern, she chose not to meet their eyes, instead looking at Glenstorm. Following the gaze of her friend, she watched as Windmane lowered her head and began to cry, Glenstorm reaching up to grasp Suncloud’s hand that had found its way to the older centaur’s shoulder. Embry’s stomach lurched as she was reminded of Rainstorm’s fate, the image of her friend behind the iron gate flashing through her mind.

“What are you all standing around for?” Trumpkin asked gruffly. A few around him let out chuckles; despite having been near death moments before, the dwarf did not lose his spirit. “The Telmarines will be here soon enough.” Lucy smiled at her friend, despite his words holding true. From where she stood, Embry could faintly hear what Trumpkin said next. “Thank you, my dear little friend.” The red dwarf whispered to the young Queen. The corner of Embry’s lip quirked up at his words, but only slightly. Turning away from the group, she began to walk toward the How. Taking a deep breath as she passed Windmane, Embry paused.

“I’m so sorry,” The dark haired girl whispered to the grieving mother, reaching out and squeezing her hand reassuringly. Windmane gave the girl a grateful look and Embry released the centauress’s hand, walking the rest of the way into the How. Immediately, Embry made a beeline toward her room, ignoring any looks she received from the Narnians in the How. Entering her room, the dark haired girl removed her quiver and bow, setting them on the floor near the foot of her bed and sliding down the wall to sit on the floor.

Her arms curled around her legs, Embry pulled her body into a ball as she finally let herself go. The sobs came in waves, wracking her body and making her shoulders heave and tremble, her breaths shallow and frantic. The faces of all the dead Narnians she had seen played through her mind like a movie on repeat, her head buried in her knees, her eyes screwed shut. In her state, she failed to hear the knock on the door, or the squeak of the rusty hinges as the old wooden door was pushed open. Embry felt the person slide down the wall next to her, not saying anything.

The person placed a hand on her back and rubbed circles in between her shoulder blades as she cried, helping to sooth the girl next to them. They sat like this for a few minutes as Embry sobbed, the dark haired girl slowly calming down. Looking up at the person through her watery eyes, Embry was surprised to see the dark brown eyes of the Just King as he watched the girl next to him with guarded interest and concern.

“Why are you here Edmund?” Embry croaked, her voice hoarse from sobbing. She reached up and wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her tunic, slightly embarrassed at her actions. Edmund shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. Embry looked at him curiously, becoming painfully aware of his hand still residing between her shoulder blades.

“Well thanks,” She said softly, refusing to look at the Just King. Edmund pursed his lips and nodded, an action that the girl saw out of her peripheral vision. The two teenagers sat in silence a moment longer, neither saying a word, just enjoying the silence and the presence of another. Without a word, Edmund pushed himself off of the floor.

“I should probably go find my brother,” Edmund told the dark haired girl, who sighed and moved to get up as well. Edmund held out his hand to the girl, who hesitated before grabbing it and allowing the boy to help her to her feet.

"Yeah," She cleared her throat slightly, "I need to go find Caspian before he does something stupid." Wiping her hands on her thighs, Embry opened her mouth to say something else, but her words were stopped by Trumpkin swinging open the door, the red dwarf looking frantic and breathless.

"Come quickly," the dwarf said looking between the two of them, "Nikabrik is trying to use Caspian to bring back Jadis."

So that’s Chapter 8 of War of Hearts! I know I haven’t been on/updating much lately and I apologize, summer has actually been super busy for me and I only have like 2 weeks left so that sucks. But I want to try to finish the book before school starts and things get even crazier, but my main goal is going to be to finish the book in general. So I hope you like this chapter, its 13 pages of my blood sweat and tears (A/N: now that I’m a BTS fan this just makes me laugh), and it took like 5 or 6 hours to write because I wanted to make sure that I showed the characters emotions the way that I wanted to. Embry is by no means a warrior, she is just a girl who was taught to fight and is expected to use her training, so I attempted to show how she didn’t want to take a life, but after seeing what the Telmarines were doing to her friends – the people she had grown to think of as family – being slaughtered, she kind of snapped and I wanted to make sure that I showed that. I also wanted to show her realizing what she had done, and how many lives she had taken so I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It is the longest one in the book so far by like 5+ pages. So hopefully I can start working on the next chapter soon and I hope you enjoy! Please Read and Review! Also, any constructive criticism/ mistakes you notice (plot or grammatical) are much appreciated! Happy Reading Everyone!

-TheGirlWithTheDorkyDad

#The Chronicles of Narnia #the chronicles of narnia prince caspian #narnia #the chronicles of narnia fanfiction #narnia fanfiction #peter pevensie #edmund pevensie #susan pevensie #lucy pevensie #caspian x #price caspian #im really sorry this is late #ill que the others if i can figure out how to do that

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