#blackmail young royals

[raincitygirl76]

I would add that it makes August’s reversion to type in 2.06 all that much more meaningful. He had the opportunity to change.

If he’d gone to the police himself and confessed, Sara would’ve absolutely stood by him. Even if it wrecked her relationship with Simon, even if August ended up with a criminal record. Sara believed in her boyfriend’s capacity for meaningful change, and would’ve backed him unconditionally. I also strongly suspect she wouldn’t have been scared away once she found out how precarious his finances really were.

But August, in a crisis, reverted to his same old patterns. He doubled down on his original crime by blackmailing one of his victims, and convinced himself he was doing it to protect the royal family. Even though he was really protecting himself from the consequences of his own selfish, destructive, criminal actions.

And as a result, he lost the one person who’d seen the real August Horn of Arnas, and never flinched before at the ugliness behind the facade. August is truly the architect of his own misfortune. Because he had the chance to become a better person, but when push came to shove, he lost his nerve.

And then he lost his girlfriend, and then his girlfriend called the police to report his crime. So he’s actually much worse off than he was before his relationship with Sara started. His instinct for self-preservation sabotaged his potential moral and ethical development into a decent human being. It lost him the one person who loved him and believed in him. And it will likely get him arrested and publicly vilified in S3, even though he’ll probably manage to avoid prison.

Realistically, the royal family will not want this to go to trial. I suspect Kristina, Jan-Olof etc will call in every favour they need to in order to ensure the case collapses. But August was a legal adult when he committed a sex crime in S1, which means if he gets arrested in S3, the media can report on it.

In 2.06 August acted to protect his image. And it will probably doom his image in S3.

There's so much discourse around Sara and August. Whether they were good together or not. Whether they loved each other or not.

What we tend to overlook is the fact that they talked to each other. Enough that they knew each other.

He wanted someone to talk to and he thought about her. So he went to find her and he knew to find her in the stables. Then he immediately proved to her that he was someone "safe" by petting her horse. She misunderstood his invitation that evening but he didn't make her feel bad about it. We know she talked to him about the Felice Horse Selling Thing™️ because when she comes to say that Felice was officially selling the horse, he just said "I thought you already knew that" because she had already told him.

Sara talked to August. The same why August talked to Sara. He opened up about the drugs and why he used them. He opened up about being Wilhelm's back up. He opened up about his guilt and about feeling like a horrible person.

She talked to him about her horse and about Felice. Two things that she considers the most important in her life. She also opens up to him about wanting to fit in. Wanting to "be like him" meaning that she wanted to be like the Hillerska crowd.

They talked to each other.

So like, yes, they did horrible things. They are bad people. But they aren’t incapable of caring. And they aren't entirely self centered. That's what makes their individual betrayals even more heartbreaking. Because we know they're capable of caring and they made the choices they did anyway.

[sadhappylady]

Can we also talk a little about Kristina this season?

The manipulation and emotional blackmailing of Wille had me so furious!

Calling him to say she cannot handle this anymore! What about Wille? How is he supposed to handle it? He also lost Erik, and in addition he was outed to the world in such a horrenduous way, and then he was pushed into the closet and lost Simon because of that. And even if he won Simon back, he is under constant pressure.

And Kristina has the audacity to put the responsibility of the Crown on his shoulders! To carry alone, with no support.

I know she is grieving and that she is trying her best. But her best is not good enough!

The way I screamed when Wille called her out on her bad parenting!

[marieispink]

You know, in a way I think that August was always going to post the video. Regardless of Wilhelm telling him before of the help from the royal court, even if it looks like he regrets it. Because their conflict is one of power - at least in August pov - and Wille was going to keep choosing Simon. They're in opposite ideologies and August simply could not resist the weapon the had in his phone.

[kimikitti]

In honor of the new Book 7 part I present to you all the right and honorable Lord Calibearn the Pretender. Briar Valley's premier overworked government employee.

Former court jester turned Royal Advisor, he's wrangled almost three generations of Draconia royalty in vastly different ways. He's twisted from the forest animals in sleeping beauty taking over the Prince's coat. Yes, he is made up of a bunch of animals in a fancy stuffed outfit. There's a lore dump below the cut

Unique magic: "Flock Together"- Allows user to control and manipulate groups of small animals. Advanced application allows conscious transfer of the soul

Background:

Calibearn came from a relatively poor background in Briar Valley. He used to sing and play the lute for some extra coin on the streets. When the Royal Court held a competition for a new jester, Calibearn decided to try out. He was successful on account for the unique harmonies he could conjure with forest animals and was appointed as a companion to a young princess Malenoar. It was through this that Calibearn met Raverne and Lilia.

War: (I'm not too set on his lore yet) During the invasion of the Silver Owl, Calibearn was taken hostage trying to evacuate civilians. He was never supposed to be near the front lines, due to his weak nature. While in captivity, Calibearn was forced to give up his original form and escape using his unique magic "Flock Together".

He never found his original body.

Upon his return, Calibearn took on a more ruthless political role under the senate. His sharp tongue and wit led to a meteoric rise in political circles (plus a shit ton of blackmail).

During the seige of Malenoar's castle, Calibearn was faced with a terrible choice. Send more troups to defend Malenoar or move the supplies to secure civilians. He made a choice he'll never forgive himself for.

Relationships:

Malenoar: On account of a shared childhood, they were quite close. Malenoar would frequently tease Cali about his shyness when they were young. Calibearn also entertained the princess with the sordid affairs that happen amongst the nobles in her court. Calibearn was also involved in a lot of the mischief Maleanoar would pull on potential suitors.

Lilia: Calibearn developed a minor crush on Lilia growing up. He holds Lilia in very high regard. After the war, Calibearn and Lilia's relationship deteriorates. Lilia, though still believing in Calibearn as a friend, cannot forgive him for abandoning Maleanoar. Calibearn doesn't believe that Lilia is wrong about that, but also refuses to explain himself. While Lilia is banished, Calibearn constantly petitions the Senate for a repeal of his punishment. He continues to support Lilia indirectly and would often send gifts for Silver through Malleus.

After nearly centuries of healing, Lilia wants to finally have an open conversation of Calibearn about the past. Calibearn runs away from this constantly. Much to the chagrin of literally everyone involved.

Malleus: Due to the fact that the Senate sucks and Lilia was not often allowed to see Malleus, Calibearn self appointed himself to be a tutor and mentor to the young prince. He would often help Malleus sneak out to see Lilia. He wanted the prince to at least have some semblance of a childhood.

Calibearn was not always the best role model at times. He taught Malleus how to curse like a sailor once and got his ass kicked by Lilia. Though he is fond of Malleus, Calibearn felt himself to be a temporary figure in prince's life. The guilt he carried made Calibearn feel that his love for the prince paled in comparison to the love Lilia could give. As such, he kept some amount of distance between him and Malleus.

Malleus on the other hand, grew to respect Calibearn as a mentor. Though that doesn't stop the prince from teasing Calibearn at every opportunity. (Btw the I love DILF mug is from Malleus, Cali has no idea what DILF means no one tell him.) Also, Malleus is constantly trying to get is divorced dads back together. Silver gets enlisted into this fight on account for him being the youngest and cutest.

[raincitygirl76]

THIS! All this!

“He’s got us pinned” (or “he set us up” depending on the subtitles).

This is my favorite throwaway line that actually means a lot. Because no he does not. August has Simon pinned and Simon only. August’s plan has no direct consequences for Wille. Except now it does because he and Simon are finally in this together.

Wille absolutely does not want Simon to go to the police. The thought of it made him physically ill just the day before. But if that’s what Simon wants, Wille is with him 100%. Even before Simon made his decision to be with Wille, they were already together. A united front. If August is stopping Simon from going to the police, he’s stopping both of them.

Honestly, I’m so excited to see more of this in season 3. If something happens to one, it happens to the other. Them against August. Them against the monarchy. Them against the world.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

How to write charisma in different characters? like a royal , a moody teen , a young leader?

Writing Notes: Charismatic Characters

Charisma - a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure (such as a political leader); a special magnetic charm or appeal (Merriam-Webster)

As a Literary Trope:

It determines someone's ability to influence others.

Fairly vague in nature, this influence can take the form of anything from inspiring loyalty to intimidating others, and finds its natural home in checks involving interactions.

While usually not explicitly supernatural, it can nevertheless even work on supernatural entities in some settings. One guide on different levels of charisma:

The character is adept at understanding and manipulating other people, though not outstandingly good.

The character is likely a leader or performer by profession. They have a talent for evoking emotion in others, through speeches, artistic works or possibly just idle taunts.

The character begins to become more influential than almost anyone has a right to be. A paragon of virtue or brutal dictator are both possible paths.

It doesn't matter how good you are. This guy or gal has several hundred devoted followers to match you, possibly even an entire army or country. Negotiation, bribery, blackmail...none of these will have any effect when matched against raw zeal. It's not like you'll be able to resist for long, anyway.

"The Leader" Trope

Every group usually has a leader. When push comes to shove, there's gotta be someone that stands up, takes charge, and makes a decision. Even if it goes unsaid, it's usually obvious to everyone who's calling the shots.

The de facto leader does it out of necessity or their personality type.

The de jure leader is officially agreed upon, and may hold the title or rank.

One type is the "Charismatic" Leader. Defining trait: Likeability. The Face of the team, either because they're the most feared, most skilled, most loved and respected, chosen by destiny, or are the most personally invested in the team's goals. In contrast to Masterminds, their personality is what brings, and keeps, the team together. At an impasse, everyone else is willing to agree to what they want to do and won't argue. The strongest of these are the core of their group, weaker ones are mascots or figureheads. May overlap with or evolve into any of the other three types of leaders (The Mastermind; the Levelheaded; the Headstrong).

The "Universally Beloved Leader" Trope

Everyone loves this ruler.

A simple request — not an order, but an appeal — will get immediate results.

Even their enemies will acknowledge their virtue, viewing them as Worthy Opponents.

The "Magnetic Hero" Trope

Another leader character trope with charisma.

Occasionally, you get a hero with such personal magnetism that he is capable of persuading others, to join him in his quest.

Of course, the new companion has no qualms about killing for, or even dying for, the hero, despite having known him only briefly and facing many people who want him dead.

This is a staple of fiction that may well be Older Than They Think.

Many epics and legends chronicle the process by which a hero gathers a band of motley friends and allies of dubious background but doubtless courage and nobility.

Even if the hero has no special quality compared to his subordinates, this is often his implied "power", their heart.

Charismatic Leadership

A subtype of transformational leadership.

In charismatic leadership, the leader checks all 4 of the boxes outlined below but he or she is also very skilled in communicating with others, especially on a deeper level (Riggio, 2012).

Bass’ transformational leadership style, characterized by:

Idealized influence: the leader is liked and respected by their followers, and serve as a role model.

Inspirational motivation: the leader motivates and inspires their followers.

Intellectual stimulation: the leader promotes creativity and innovation through open-mindedness and non-threatening questioning of ideas.

Individualized consideration: the leader treats each follower as a unique individual with unique strengths, weaknesses, and needs (Bass & Riggio, 2006).

The Greek word charisma means "favor" or "gift."

It comes from the verb charizesthai ("to favor"), which in turn comes from the noun charis, meaning "grace."

In English, charisma was originally used in Christian contexts to refer to a gift or power bestowed upon an individual by the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church—a sense that is now very rare.

These days, we use the word to refer to social, rather than divine, grace. For instance, a leader with charisma may easily gain popular support, and a job applicant with charisma may shine in an interview.

Some researchers suggest charisma isn't enough to make successful leaders. "If leaders are only charismatic, they'd rather keep power for themselves," Stefani Yorges, PhD, a West Chester University psychology professor notes.

Psychologist Robert Hogan, PhD, agrees, suggesting that charisma has a dark side resembling narcissism. 

"People who score high on narcissism are bold, assertive, attractive and powerful - what we would consider charismatic," Hogan says. "But they can fail as leaders because they never admit mistakes. It's a myth that great leaders are simply charismatic. They are also humble."

Charismatic, Moody Teen Character

some related tropes you can combine and borrow ideas from:

A Child Shall Lead Them: A child, often a teenager, leads a group of adults. Youthful rulers are common in literature and history. If children, they are depicted as adorable; if in their teens or twenties, they simply create a sense of awe and protectiveness in their older advisers. Their naive simplicity may in fact make them good (and sometimes ruthless) rulers, as they prefer to cut through the red tape of court etiquette. Because of their youth and inexperience, they are often underestimated by the villains. They usually exhibit great wisdom in the course of the story, thus justifying their enormous power despite their youth.

Grade-School C.E.O.: A minor, often a teenager, holds a high-ranking position in a company. Usually younger than 17 years old, which is just young enough that it seems implausible. Often the age is justified by the fact that their parents owned the controlling interest in the company, so ownership of it fell to them upon their death.

Teens Are Angsty: Teens portrayed as whiny, mopey or self-important. They can be summed up in the sentence "Nobody understands me!". Most works with an angsty teen do it semi-sympathetically, where the character is at worst whiny and judgmental, but fundamentally good. However, it's not considered Age-Appropriate Angst as their complaints feel unjustified for their age.

Charismatic Royal Characters

some related tropes for inspiration:

The Good King: Is honorable, virtuous, wise, and understanding ruling The Good Kingdom. He treats his subjects with respect (no matter how seemingly unimportant they are), governs the land fairly, is a Royal Who Actually Does Something, and feels no need to flaunt his considerable power. The Good King also tends to be soft-spoken, but when he raises his voice, you’d better listen. You might mistake his kindness for weakness, but you would do well to remember that good does not always equal soft.

The High King: A person who even other rulers swear fealty to, but chooses not to hold the rank of Emperor. It is a title derived from historical Britain (with approximate equivalents in several other places), and widely used in fiction. A High King rules a feudal alliance or federation of states; usually he doesn't manifest direct power over all subjects of his vassal kings, which makes him different from a totalitarian emperor who is omnipresent in the daily affairs of his subjects. That's why a High King is likely to be good.

The High Queen: A woman of wealth, power, and near-impossible beauty. She always has a calm demeanor and regal bearing. Her very voice, even if it does not ring with power (and it often does), still lets you know that, in some way, she is probably better than you, even if the lady herself does not look down on you at all. Her beauty and goodness are usually to be admired passionately but from some distance. The High Queen is rarely a love interest, but the few times she is, expect a little warming up due to the charms of the hero.

Reluctant Ruler: Someone who is entrusted with permanent power over others despite desperately trying to avoid it at all costs. It is believed that between a brilliant person who strives for glory and a brilliant person who shuns it, the latter is least likely to abuse the power they are given, automatically making them a passable, if not great, ruler.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

Here are some references and related tropes. Choose which ones best suit your story. And modify as needed/desired. You can find more examples and details in the sources linked above. Hope this helps with your writing!

[kierahn]

yandere prince x butler m reader

TO DEFY HIM. [ y ! prince x m ! butler reader ]

yandere! prince x butler! male reader

[ nsfw, minors dni. ]

warnings:

noncon elements

blackmailing/threatening

exhibitionism

slight gore

general yandere behaviour

DEAD DOVE ELEMENTS (in very big and bold letters. please proceed w/ this warning in mind.)

request here.

i'm not sure if anon wanted nsfw or not, but i decided to include it anyways. sorry if you didn't want any nsfw with your request anon.

× your family had continuously served the royal family for generations which meant that you were fated to do the same someday. you met the young prince back when you were still in training. he was three years younger than you which made you view him as if he was your younger brother.

× he had always been the timid one out of all the other princes which made him the black sheep of the royal family. he was barely given any attention from his own family and the servants. it was a pitiful sight watching everyone neglect him simply because he refused to speak up like the rest of his brothers.

× so you decided to step in. you became a source of light for him; like the light found at the end of a dark tunnel, a breath of fresh air. you made him feel seen for once.

× as you two grew together, so did the young prince's obssession towards you. you were eventually assigned (at his request) to be his personal butler at the age of sixteen. his main rule ? never leave his side.

× at first, you disregarded the obvious hints of his growing obssession, claiming that it would eventually fade once he meets more people. he was only thirteen that time, you figured that he needed time to adjust with other people.

× however, this theory of yours was disproven when he turned 21. his obssession with you only grew with time and more rules were implemented over your head. it had gotten to the point where you started to feel both isolated and suffocated.

× you were restricted from talking to the other servants, restricted from sleeping in a different bedroom other than his own, restricted to say no to his orders, and many more. he was basically molding you into his ideal, obedient puppet.

× but then he drew the last straw when he decided to restrict you from contacting your family. that was when you finally decided to cut ties with him, unconcsiously snapping and raising your voice at the young prince.

× "you dare raise your voice against me ?" caine's dark eyes turned cold. you turned on your heel to storm out of the room after hearing his indifferent reply, frustration clouding your judgement. you seem to have forgotten that this was the prince you were taking out your anger on.

× before you could step out of the room, your path was blocked by two knights entering the room with your parents held captive in their grip. you stared at your parents with wide eyes before snapping your angered gaze towards caine for some sort of explanation. however, your anger subsided as soon as you saw the look on the prince's face, realizing that you were now treading on eggshells.

× it was a clear threat. no words needed.

× "your highness, please–" you frantically pleaded. caine had ordered you to willingly give yourself up and to pledge your loyalty to him in exchange for your parent's safety. as expected, you agreed to his conditions with little to no hesitation, desperate to keep your parents alive and unharmed.

× "they don't need to be here ! send them away– hng.. hah ~" caine ignored your words as he worked his way through your uniform, slipping off your vest and unbuttoning your blouse with haste. he attacked your neck with kisses, his other hand trailing through your bare skin, eliciting soft whimpers from you.

× the guards stood by the door, keeping your parents still and forcing them to watch the scene as ordered by caine. he wanted to make a point; wanted them to watch him take you, their beloved son.

× you continued to beg for caine to send your parents away before continuing, even as he stuck his finger inside your hole, you cried out for him not to do it in front of your parents. you could only look away in shame as you felt their stares on you and the prince, holding your arms over your tear-filled eyes as the pleasure eventually settled in after he was three fingers in.

× you felt guilty, knowing the fact that you got hard at the thought of being watched as you were pounded into roughly by the prince. you couldn't do anything but apologize repeatedly. ".. nhg.. a, am– sorr..y ! hng~ m..om, da..d." you sounded so broken as your moans and sobs mixed together to form a sweet sound.

× caine leaned in to capture your lips into a heated kiss as he thrusts himself deeper into you, not stopping a single second. the sounds of skin slapping against each other, your muffled moans, and your parents' sobs were the only sounds that filled the room.

× out of rage for putting you in such a humiliating situation, you made the mistake of harshly biting down on caine's tongue when he tried to slip it inside your mouth, making the prince stop his movements and pull away from you with a bleeding tongue. he sent you a harsh glare, his hand shooting out to grab a fistful of your hair.

× "are you testing my temper, y/n ?" he hissed angrily, blood dripping down his chin from the bite. "perhaps you want to be punished." he says lowly, a slight growl in his voice before facing the guards that were holding your parents in place. his eyes glowered towards your father's look of terror. "cut off the father's tongue, and do it slowly." he ordered coldly, emphasizing the last word.

× your eyes widened as soon as you hear your father's scream, realizing that you've made the mistake of defying the prince. you tried to push caine off of you, struggling under him as you yelled out towards the guard that carried out the order. "NO !! Stop, dad — PLEASE STOP IT !!"

× you were pushed back down to lay on your back, your wrists pinned above your head. caine resumed to drive his cock into you, with more force this time. your sobs and moans filled the room along with your father's scream and your mother's pleads for the guards to stop.

× you felt a knot form in your lower abdomen, indicating that you were close. after a few more thrusts, you both reached your climax at the same time. your chest rose up and down rapidly, trying to catch your breath. you cast your hazy gaze towards your parents after you felt caine pull himself out from inside of you, his load slowly trickling down your thigh. the last thing you saw was the guards releasing your parents from their hold, your mother rushing over to your father's side as he held onto his bleeding mouth.

× your chin was gently moved to face the prince who hovered above you which snapped you back to your senses, his gaze soft; a contrast to his cold-hearted actions. "remember this moment, or else i'll have to remind you again about what happens when you try to leave me."

[blueberrypancakesworld]

https://www.tumblr.com/blueberrypancakesworld/771479516983984129/hello-dear-i-wanted-to-send-a-request-yandere?source=share

Hello. This post was great. 🤩💕 Could you write a version where the children (Viserys and the reader's children) and Rhaenyra are yandere platonic to the Queen? Maybe they inherited this yandere behavior from their father Viserys. Thanks 🥰😍😘💖

Our love to you

Targaryen family x Queen!reader

warning : yandere behaviour, obsession, manipulation, blackmail,

Summary : The Queen was a woman held together by love, whose love for Viserys balanced on the royal crown and her children were her support. But children, they were the blood of the dragon through and through and a dragon, just like the king, will never leave the treasure alone.

info : I'm glad you liked it so much, Yandere Viserys is just cute, have fun with the ‘successor’ fic, I hope the kids are okay it was a bit difficult to develop the personalities out of nothing and thanks for the requests.

masterlist

The prequel

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

Rhaenyra - The realm's delight : Rhaenyra the eldest child of Viserys and her stepdaughter, the first and eldest princess of the realm whom she had met in her prime and taken in as her own daughter. A Targaryen whose blood was tinged with dragons and fire, but also with goodness through her late mother Aemma who was a great support to her, a place she tried to fill as best she could. But like her father, Rhaenyra was aware of her power, she was the firstborn forever her father's favourite inside...something she didn't take full advantage of but the violet eyes saw behind the façade of her parents. ,,My chamber is always open for you dear," she told the queen, placing a hand on the elder's shoulder, the same gesture Viserys always used, a subliminal message, an insistence that they could both talk about anything. That the dragons of House Targayren were everywhere, that Rhaenyra only wanted the best for everyone and especially for her. She would often find herself with Rhaenyra on her dragon Syrax, not seeing the watchful gaze behind the violet eyes that watched her, telling Viserys everything he wanted to know. After all, it was love and care she would not be able to bear to lose a mother again and she would not allow it.

Baelon - The heir : The first-born son and heir to the crown, Prince Baelon is a few years younger than Rhaenyra but in no way inferior to her. He loved his family, his siblings and above all his parents, he was aware of his heritage, aware of his claim and aware that if the kingdom had to hold together it had to start with the royal couple. Violet eyes, dark but dragon-like, kept looking at his mother, he saw the pain, saw that he would be the only one who could take care of her and had to ,,I thought I would read for you" he kept coming to her in the bedchamber. He read for her, from poems to stories, while his hand kept going to the ring with the family seal. Small gestures that would prove successful, his conversation with her would become even more intense if she ever dared to leave the castle, even if it was only to Dragonstone. He was the heir and showing loyalty to his mother and honouring his father's wishes was what any good future regent did.

Alyssa - The singing Dragon : The image of her mother was reflected in the second princess of the realm, though her inner self was Targaryen, her outer self was the beauty of the queen. A young woman only slightly younger than her brother Baelon, but her manner was different, gentler and brighter, the best of her mother and the worst of Viserys. A voice that entertained the royal court and her parents in Valyrian, a voice that enchanted the whole realm and her mother, and a connection to dragons that came close to the greatest dragon riders. But her care and sweetness almost overwhelmed her mother, ,,I'll sing anything for you mother, take you to heaven I'll always be there for you" her daughter told her, drawing her into a gentle embrace. An embrace that was firm despite the sweet words, she loved her mother and no one would hurt her, she would sing to her forever if she had to but no one harmed the queen of the realm. It was an obsession that always made the king smile as he looked at his beloved wife and daughter. Alyssa's beloved mother seemed to belong only to her.

Aegon - The joyful : A Targaryen who was most like his father, a dragon of pride when he had to be, but rather someone who appreciated the pleasures of life in celebrations, alcohol and friends. A son who was one of the least likely to see her, whom she smiled at and encouraged whenever he slipped out of the castle with his friends and siblings to whom he was loyal. But above all a dragon who knew what his tears and gestures were worth, ,,Please mother...stay with me just a little longer" he often asked her at night to sit by his bed and tell him a story or sing to him. The tears that threatened to flow and the hand that sought hers was a mix of real and genuine, something he had seen in his father that he knew made him proud to follow the dragon's blood. But it was gestures that always worked, whenever she wanted to go to her children or her husband he kept her longer than necessary, he loved her care and concern it was only fair that he always got one.

Helaena - The dreamer : The dreaming Heleana, the image of a Tararyen with a gentleness and dreaminess that was unique. A princess who spent most of her time with her insects and stickers and Dreamfyre, always turning to her father when she had a dream that they would discuss for hours. A gift that could be as dangerous as it was merciful, but above all a gift that she always used to lift her mother out of desperate thoughts, ,,Don't worry about dragons mother, that's why insects are much more soothing" she always came to the queen to keep her company and show her the insects, embroidering and talking together with her. A calm yet possessive relationship, it seemed as if the queen could not conceive a thought without Helaena having seen it. A princess who always came to her mother when she had doubts about anything, something the Targayren could not and would not allow because it was best for her father, herself and the kingdom if the queen stayed in the castle out of pure love and care.

Aemond - The skilful : The penultimate prince, who in his boyhood years almost won over the queen with his devotion and emotion alone. Whose crying and outbursts of discontent could manipulate the queen so much that his siblings and even Viserys had to intervene at some point. A behaviour that only became more obssesive and praising when he realised that he got his mother's approval every time he won a tournament, every time he won a sword fight, ,,For you I will win the whole kingdom mother be sure of it" he swore to her and placed a kiss on the back of her hand whenever he entered a tournament and took up the sword. She had to come to all his fights, to all his trainings, she was there to encourage him, to praise him and again he took over every aspect of her life and would continue to do so, because he had not learnt otherwise from his father and siblings, he was a dragon and dragons took what they wanted.

Daeron - The loyal : Her last child, the youngest and sweetest of the princes Daeron a young prince whose love for his family was indescribable but most of all for his mother. He was especially attached to his second eldest sister Alyssa, clinging to her and doing his best to learn Valyrian in order to be even closer to the dragons, something that pleased everyone and especially Viserys, who kept referring to his last son as a little dragon whose loyalty was similar to that of his second eldest brother Aegon. He did everything to test his worthiness and his siblings loved him through and through, taking motions to their dragon whenever they could. But above all, he was the prince who had the easiest time convincing his mother, ,,Mother! Mother! Come on, I want to play, I've learnt something new, isn't that lovely?" he always came to visit her in her room and made her spend hours with him. His words and looks were so innocent that it could never be the dragon in him, no boy could be like the king, or could he?

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

[kcscribbler]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged as always by @elodiah.

More Storyteller cutscene shenanigans, because nothing else is cooperating with me right now.

Loki looks up when a plastic tray – black, he notes absently, instead of the hideous orange of the primary TVA’s cafeteria – hits the table across from him, and then double-takes. “You’re not Mobius.” “Clearly.” The young agent Loki is unfamiliar with, who seems to be part of Mobius’ inner circle in this new TVA, looks down at him over a pair of dark glasses. She sets a padded electronics sleeve down as well, but doesn’t take the seat yet. “He’s been detained. Special council meeting. I was asked to let you know. Would you prefer to eat alone?” From their brief interactions to date, Loki has found this woman to be refreshingly direct. She also appears to know more than most about the inner workings of this place; and particularly, about Mobius. And Loki is not above pressing a strategic advantage, when the opportunity literally walks up to him. Blackmail material is always worth acquiring for future use. He gestures toward the seat with a dramatic flourish. “Please, be my guest.” As she sits, Loki puts his glass down, frowning as the words belatedly register. “A special council meeting?” “Actually necessary. They’re usually tactical in nature, multiversal war strategy.” She twists the lid from a container of salad – not the boring (“it’s classic, you royal snob”) kind Mobius enjoys, but some elevated version containing what look like nuts and sliced strawberries amid the mixture of green leaves, as well as some kind of crumbling cheese. “But they’re always long. We won’t see him for at least three hours.” Loki’s eyebrow inclines slightly. “Does this special council of yours have a regular habit of holding their meetings with no regard for the work and break times of their satellite branch?” A loud snort. “You could say that.” Octavia spears a chunk of lettuce with her fork and then points it at him. “Which is why I sent someone after him. We actually have a special protocol for these things, Protocol J.” “Indeed?” “Oh, yes. Some asshole in a Santa Monica Jamba Juice is wondering where his smoothie went, right about now.”

No-pressure tags! @lokimobius @dilfmobius @thosegayoldmen @in-my-loki-feels @loki-is-my-kink-awakening

@impulsemuppet @asoeiki @natendo-art @boredintjqueen @wolfpup026

@thewildballyntynesgrow @justabigoldnerd @andthekitchensinkao3 @scifikimmi @insomniaflarrow Whatcha workin' on?

[hypernova-writes]

The Crown Jewel [Masterlist]

☆ Each year, the castle holds a large festival, called the Crystal Lights Festival in order to pick out Jewels to become a part of the royal family. Men and women from all across the kingdom of Teufort come to try and be chosen.

But not all that glitters is gold...and one may realize that becoming a jewel may not be such a luxury...☆

♡Enjoy the little faq page/masterlist on my upcoming fic! First chapter should be out tomorrow! [Hopefully—]

Theme- ☆ Dark Romance, Yandere, Dead Dove (Do not Eat).

Pairing? -☆ OT9 (All mercs, some chapters will be based one or maybe two but mostly this is all mercs x reader.)

Warnings? -☆ Manipulation, Death, Yandere themes, obsession and possessive themes, blackmailing, others to be added as the fic goes along!

FAQ

What is a Jewel?

☆ A jewel is considered a special one, one who can bring out the best in whoever chooses them, similar to a soulmates. However most Jewels 'dull' after a while.

Who is the Ruler?

☆ The Queen (The Administrator in this fic!) I. She has several under her, 9 who help her rule over the kingdom and deal with situations she cannot be bothered to handle. These 9 make up the Crown.

Who are the crown? And what do they do?

☆ The Nine members are Jeremy (Scout), Jane (Soldier), The Pyro, Tavish (Demoman), Mikhail (Heavy), Dell (Engineer), Ludwig (Medic), Jacques (Spy), and Mick (Sniper).

☆ None know truly what they do, but it's rumored that they are assassin's, who take out anyone that the Queen deems a problem.

☆Though Mikhail, Jane and Tavish are seen training the soldiers of the kingdom, Dell often works on the carriages or anything that needs fixing around the castle, and Ludwig is the royal doctors (along with his assistant)

☆Another rumor that swirls is that the Pyro is the executioner, as other say they take pleasure in torturing anyone who threatens the Crown.

Why do they need Jewels?

☆ The Queen sees it as a reward for serving her, and that everyone deserves their special one, after all she has hers, a young woman that they only refer to as Lady Pauling.

☆ though. They have..a problem with keeping their jewels under control. Many of them dull before unlocking their true potential.

What does dulling mean...?

☆...I am not..allowed to say

Chapter Index

☆ Prologue - Welcome to the crystal lights festival, Y/n. -> [Here]

[funficwriter]

A Wolf And A Snake (Wriothesley x Reader)

A little dark fairy tale I want to write~

A/N: GOOD GOLLY I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS! First off, let me warn you that this is a multi-chapter story. Each one gets more and more dark, this is just the light stuff (in comparison to what I have planned). I will do my best to have C2 out ASAP, but as I'm a grad student, it might be a while. But be assured that I am very excited for this story, so I'll do my best to write loads for it!

Synopsis: Being a noble meant that marriage was a chess game, not an affair of love. Unfortunately for the pristine Balthazar family of Fontaine, Y/N has long been enamored with love and sought it out before their priorities. After her grey, boring time of courtesy and fake niceness, she meets Duke Wriothesley, who makes her yearn for the first time in her life, and it's the same for him. Threatened by the idea of losing this first, it seems they'll stop at very little to be together...

Warnings for this chapter: Sexist marriage system, yandere Wriothesley, kinda OOC Wriothesley, yandere fem!reader, mention of sexual blackmailing (1)

Chapter 1: A Breakthrough

As a child, you loved reading. Your parents would worry about it, because while being articulate and cultured were good and necessary, you were still a girl of one of Fontaine's royal families. They didn't want you asking questions you should not, but all they could do was limit your selection by a margin you wouldn't doubt.

You liked fairy tales of all sorts. They were so intriguing through several concepts. The one that got the lion's share of your attention was love. So many of your stories ended the same way that made you warm and fuzzy: The girl is reunited with the boy she loves, he declares the same, and they're together forever. How sweet!

When you asked further about love, you'd get one of two answers. The first was: "Look at your mother and father. That's love.". However, it failed to satisfy you; While they were courteous to each other, and even made contact every now and then, they were so... Cold in comparison to your fairy tales. The dissonance could confuse an adult, never mind a child.

The second was: "Love is essentially your marriage! Once you're a little older, you'll have suitors competing for your hand, and one will be your love!".

Marriage. A funny little word that you so desperately wanted to understand beyond the technical definition. Being the daughter of a baron, you were practically raised with the word more than your parents telling you that they loved you. While a baron was among the lower royal titles, it was still a part of Fontainian royalty. Ergo, you had to take marriage seriously. Of course, marrying above your father's rank (cough, cough- A high-ranked Count or Duke-) was a pinnacle of success.

When you came of age, many predicted that you'd fare well. You were quite pretty, and with the elite tutoring you have received, you were poised, graceful... You were ready to socialize not as the baron's cute daughter, but as the lovely young Lady Balthazar, considering suitors.

Only, they missed one thing. That perfect girl I mentioned would care about love, but being a good girl, she'd prioritize standing, finances, power and the like beyond it. While you liked being taken care of, that wasn't enough. You wanted to marry like the girls in fairy tales. For your world being flipped upside down in the most beautiful way. For love.

------------------

"Oh, remember Baron Balthazar's little daughter? She's now a maiden!".

"I saw her! She had truly inherited her grandmother's legendary beauty! I nearly choked when I first saw her-".

"And her mind is just as gorgeous! Earlier, we got to talk about Fontainian literature. I've never met such a cultured girl her age!".

It's not like you hated the praises. The party as a whole was just that: Okay. You met many unwed nobles, each being more shocked with you. With each one, your father beamed a little brighter, your mother squealed a little higher, to the point where you started questioning if there was a time where they were this happy with you.

"The nobles are enamored. Many are Dukes or Counts! This is going better than I imagined!".

Your mother turned to you: "Well, dear? Aren't you happy? Not many maidens have the opportunity to brag about bagging such important persons as you did.".

Again, nothing wrong with the (potential) suitors in particular. Everyone was nice and well-mannered, some even interesting to talk to. You'd love to have such friends, and that was your issue; Your feelings towards them did not go beyond: "I'd like being his friend.". No spark of attraction, no coup de foudre, nothing that could kickstart the feeling of love you wanted to chase, yet seldom had an idea of. With time, this would get boring. Would you really have to marry someone you found boring?

Alas, you knew the answer deep down. Unless the best suitor was also someone you fell for, you'd be lucky to go with someone you kinda liked. As you grew older, you realized that most marriages within your class were business deals, not affairs of love. Your own mother admitted that she married your father to consolidate the union between the two families.

When you were younger, you often asked her if she loved him. She'd say 'yes' without a second thought. Now, as you were heading into this, she'd tell you: "Yes, but what does it matter next to the benefits you enjoy today?".

"Mother, can I please go grab a cupcake? I didn't eat yet.".

"Alright then! Just remember, be sociable and talk as much as you can, and eat gracefully! Just like we said, and-"

"I will, I promise!".

The last thing you felt like was another etiquette lesson. At least you had some luck with food; There was one more chocolate cupcake left, and no one else seemed interested. Perhaps it would cheer you up a bit.

Celestia works in funny ways, though. Just as you reached out for it, another gloved hand landed on its other side, immediately stopping with yours. Despite your hunger, your attention diverted to the silver glove. All the men here were nobles, so he had to be too. You never saw one wearing chains and a wolf as an insignia, of all animals.

"Oh... Forgive me, I-"

Once you heard that baritone, there was no going back. You looked up to see a man quite unlike the preppy nobles you had to entertain all night. His scarred, rough appearance enthralled you more, for it was unlike anything you ever saw. And perhaps it was out of unfamiliarity, but you thought him quite gorgeous in comparison to the others.

"Oh, erm- Good evening, my Lord! Terribly sorry if I interrupted your break...".

"...No, no. It's fine, young lady, you can have it.".

"But... Um..."

The ensuing awkwardness was unbearable, but an idea emerged into your head. You split the cupcake, making sure it didn't crumb too much, then handed him one half: "Here you go, my Lord.".

He revealed a stunned expression, as if seeing something for the first time. Then he smiled and accepted the half. The grin was the most beautiful you saw on a man. It made your heart beat faster, and despite the fall, you felt stuffy and hot in that moment.

Just what the hell was going on?

"Um... May I inquire as to who you might be?".

"Of course, young Lady Balthazar. I am Wriothesley, from the Fortress of Meropide.".

You almost choked upon hearing his name. That's Duke Wriothesley! Is he? When you heard of him, you imagined a scary, much older man who didn't socialize much. On the rare occasion he did, he'd probably be left alone, with no social opportunity. And yet here you were, sharing a cupcake with him, accepting his leaning into you to listen... Among his tousled hair, the wolf ears perked your interest, too.

"I see! Forgive my surprise. It's just that I only ever heard of you."

"Don't worry, I understand.".

He was so... Appealing. You wanted those icy eyes on you. You wanted the excitement, the joy they cause by being posed on you. The only way to do that was have his attention. So you were done with awkwardness for now, and decided to try to chat.

"So, what brings you out on this fine night, Your Grace?".

"As you see, I spend most of my time in the Fortress. I don't socialize much, but I thought I needed a change of scenery.".

"That's good for the soul, I presume. How do you feel about the festivities?".

That grin was going to be the death of you, but better that than boredom. On one hand, you hoped you wouldn't be diagnosed with palpitations by the end of the night. On the other, you'd happily have a heart attack if it meant he smiled at you more.

"I should be asking you that. You're the star of this party, are you not? As soon as I walked in, all I heard was raving about the Balthazars' youngest daughter.".

"But there are many young, pretty girls walking around. Any of them could be the lady in question. How did you know it was me?".

"Accurate descriptions. I also heard the young Lady Balthazar is of the court's most empathetic. One sharing her favorite pastry sounds like that.".

You were having such a good time with him. You couldn't help laughing: "To be fair, I wouldn't want anyone to be deprived of chocolate when it's there.".

It was his turn to chuckle.

Please never stop laughing, or talking, or breathing. Please keep leaning my way. Please keep liking chocolate so we can share. Actually, stay with me for the rest of the night. Oh Focalors, please please please let him send Father a declaration of courting, and let him approve because I don't see a ring and I don't know why I like him so much-

As you carried on friendly conversation, something in you kept the train of thought going. You liked this man a lot... More than many other men you've met. More than any other man, maybe. He was funny, for one. He had no problem eliciting laughter from you. Like all the other nobles, he liked tea and music and engaged in politics. But he asked you lots of questions and heard you out. You even tried detecting a hint of surprise or disgust that you occasionally received, had you talked too much; None was found.

The real sealer was when he liked literature. But unlike the other nobles, he didn't just read the few titles that trended or made a name. He read, and so did you.

"This is the first time I've told someone I like lycanthrope literature and received a kind response.".

"And it's my first time seeing someone be appreciative of lycanthrope artistic culture, especially the books. Have you read Tale of a Toy-Making Werewolf? What did you think of the ending?".

He was amazing. He was awesome and charming and everything good. You were about to voice out your thoughts, until you heard murmurs behind you that maybe were meant to be heard.

"Not to be judgmental, but young Lady Balthazar has spent quite a bit of time with Lord Wriothesley...".

"Earlier she talked with many other fine gentlemen, like Duke Archandelle or Count Evermore... Why is she sticking onto him, of all people? I mean, he's a fine gentleman, but you know how it looks for a maiden...".

"Hehehe! I wonder what Baron Balthazar will think of this arrangement?".

His ears perked up at the gossip, and for the first time throughout your encounter, he scowled. He couldn't do so at them, lest your name gets dragged in worse mud. He liked you a lot, too much to make you get in trouble for him. But by the stars, how he wanted to. After years of stillness, he found someone who just... Understood him. Liked him off the bat, showed promise of the greater bond he's been looking for, for years. Then here comes those stupid 'good, high class girl' rules to halt your interaction.

Celestia, he looks terrifying and gorgeous.

"Listen, if you wish to take some distance, please don't feel ashamed about it. I understand how... Ruthless the rules for socializing are for a blossoming lady.".

"No.".

Your look towards the gossipers barely lasted a minute, as if they were barely worth your gaze. You looked back up at him: "I want to stay with you, but I'm not sure how. Oh. Wait...".

You took off to your mother's, and made it a point to say hi to Count Evermore again, just for good measure. A part of you couldn't believe you were doing this, screaming at you to abort the plan. You could get in trouble if you were found out, but hey, they wanted you to meet men and marry. You wanted to marry someone you loved. Maybe with time, you could find a middle ground, starting with this action.

"Mom, I talked to Count Evermore again.".

"Wonderful, wonderful, dear! Be sure to give some attention to Duke Arya, and-".

"I will, but I might faint from the stuffy air. I just need a minute in the powder room to fix myself up.

She didn't look too pleased, half expecting this: "But you were gone just now.".

"But I socialized, and I will continue once I'm back.".

"Well, alright then. I guess you should take a minute to look nice. Be back sooner than Duke Arya leaves.".

You took off, desperate to find Wriothesley again. You had to entertain a few nobles, but did so meagerly. You didn't want them. You wanted Duke Wriothesley, Lord of the Fortress of Meropide, Keeper of Justice and (not officially but kinda by existing) Advocate for Hybrid Rights.

Speak of the devil, he appeared in your vision again. He immediately lost interest in the art in front of him. You nodded towards the door and took off before anyone else could huddle you up.

Oh. Oh, he got it. You weaseled a way and some time for you. Truly, there's more to you than what meets the eye. He loved how such an angelic-looking, (supposedly) pure noble girl could lie as such to see him. The smirk at the thought did not leave his face.

"I know the roof is pretty private, Your Grace. Let's head there.".

"Actually, there's a stop I wanted to make first. Follow me.".

You both headed off to the kitchen. You were a little confused at the choice. It was still crowded, so you could get caught. He told you to wait outside for a bit.

"Wriothesley! We could get caught here!".

This was far too amusing. Far too much.

"First, you pay more attention to one man over everyone else in the ballroom, during your own coming of age party. Then, you lie to your parents to spend extra unchaperoned time with that man. After that, you call him by his first name in the same night. You haven't ceased to surprise me, little maiden.".

Your first instinct was to be ashamed. He had a point; Your behavior was not that of the pristine lady you had to be. But when you gathered your courage and looked up, he was smiling. Any other noble would either be fuming, ready to snitch on you, or blackmailing you through... Unsavory means. He smiled like troublemakers do when they carry something out successfully.

In retrospect, that's what you were doing right now.

"We will go to the roof, but just wait for me. For a few minutes. Since you got us out, I promise you won't get caught here. I'll be quick.".

He retreated into the kitchen. Your mind barely had the time to entertain scary thoughts of getting caught, because he came back just as quick, carrying a black package. You both took off for the roof.

As soon as you got there, you both sat down. Wriothesley undid the package in front of you. Right before the contents were revealed, he couldn't help his grinning, thinking of your reaction. Just when was the last night someone made him smile this much?

"What is it?".

"Your parents ought to look into better catering for their next party.".

In the box were cupcakes, truffles, cookies and many other chocolate desserts. Dark, white, mild, you name it.

You burst out into laughter, much to his initial confusion. You laughed so hard, you could barely speak, until you caught your breath: "This is the first time I hear of a prison lord stealing sweets!".

He realized the comic element and joined in on your laughter, unsure what surprised him more: The girl underneath the 'fancy' facade, or how much fun he was having. How he missed it. How he wanted to have it everyday. It was clearer and clearer; He could make that happen, if you were his. Once he courted you, (hopefully) got your father's approval and married you, you two could laugh and have chocolate and talk about whatever the hell you wanted everyday. Until you died. Forever.

After you calmed down, you ate and talked more about books. He offered to loan you some from his own library, and you might have just been book buddies. If it weren't for you remembering your mother's 'imposed' countdown, you would have forgotten the very concept of time. What did it matter when you finally felt your heroines' red cheeks, and excitement burgeoning deep within?

"Y/N...".

"Yes?".

Both of you laid down, even if it meant risking your looks. The tiredness that took over your bodies did not stop the bullet-fire chatting between you two. However, his sudden lower tone made you feel special. All through the night, he was your 'partner in crime', and you felt like he was going to let you in on a conspiratorial secret.

"Do you have a private mailbox? Can I have your code, and you can have mine?".

The question. His rough tone. His hair, swept over his face. Above all, the fact that he wanted to talk to you further.

Your little heart burst on the spot.

YES! YES! YES, HAVE IT ALL!

"Sure. But you know, our correspondence would have to be a bit... Er, hidden. Depending on what happens.".

"I'll be forward. I don't think I can carry on without the contact I had tonight. In this one night, I had so much fun, I found what I was looking for for years. I know you found me stealing sweets rather comical, but believe me, I have long renounced petty crime.".

"I noticed. Wouldn't it have been easier to just buy them? Or ask the chef? I mean, you're a Duke, I doubt they can refuse you.".

"Perhaps. Though I'll be honest, I partly did it because you looked so sad when they ran out of chocolate.".

Once again, you laughed. It was such a trivial matter, but it had you thinking; If he cares this much about it, what would he do for greater ones?

He stood up and held out his hand to help you. One more look at the stars prompted his thoughts.

"I'll be sending Baron Balthazar a declaration of courting. While I may be a little different from the other nobles he may be expecting, I am still a Duke, and an important component of Fontaine's justice. I'm sure that will help me. And then... We can meet more. That's a good start.".

"Wriothesley... Please, please do. Tonight was nothing short of magical. If we can make it happen, I'll be the happiest girl in all of Fontaine. And I promise I'll be a good wife, and-".

He chuckled: "Slipping back into your manners, I see."

Only when you made it back and went your separate ways, so as to not cause suspicion, did your heart fill up with your usual boredom and gloom. He was not by your side anymore. Soon enough, Duke Arya gave you his boring talk of how gorgeous you are and his accomplishments. Like all the other men, nothing like Wriothesley. You only saw him once more, where he barely paid attention to you.

If looks could kill, Duke Arya would have been mutilated on the floor. You thought you saw him angry at the gossipers, that was nothing. No, this was all the rage, all the offense that could only be expressed by something beyond human. His hands clenched until a loud 'CLANG!' could be heard across the roof. Wine, glass and a bit of blood fell onto the floor.

"Lord Wriothesley broke a glass!".

"Well, he's not entirely human, is he? I hear... His kind are prone to these things.".

That barely mattered to Duke Arya, and less him. He couldn't have cared less before he started talking to you. Now that he took your eyes, your words, all of you, he was only a bit worse than the criminals at the Fortress. Much later did he calm down and remind himself that one way or another, no man would be crassly taking you away from him.

[bloodlust-1]

The Consort ₊⁺જ⁀➴

NSWF | Explicit 18+ | Angst | Blood | Ascended Astarion | Spawn Tav | Dark | Smut | Trauma | Stockholm Syndrome | Violence

Ascended Astarion x fem Tav

Chapter: 5 | Worship me

Summary: In a tumultuous tale of love, power, and betrayal, Tav finds herself entangled in a complex relationship with Astarion, a heartless vampire lord who will stop at nothing to maintain control over his newfound spawn. As Tav witnesses Astarion’s transformation and descent into darkness, their love is put to the ultimate test amidst love triangles, drama, and the pursuit of world domination. Redemption seems like an elusive goal while Tav grapples with the realization of who her lover has truly become.

UPDATED EVERY MONDAY.

Notes: Spicy chapter ahead! And new photo :] Ofc taken by @astarionposting, it’s so moody and I love it. That’s all. Enjoy the read :*

AO3 LINK | MASTER LIST

Lovely photo by @astarionposting

The night was young, and Astarion was relishing in the connections he was making with powerful individuals. He knew the importance of these relationships for his reputation.

However, his mood soured as several noblemen showed more interest in Tav. Multiple men were approaching her for dances, marriage proposals, and dates. Astarion’s jealousy grew at an all-time high with the attention Tav was attracting.

Rightfully so, Astarion knew Tav would easily capture people's hearts just as she did his.

Just then, a nobleman with a prim and prissy appearance sauntered over. His eyes gleamed with a lustful gaze as he took Tav’s hand, bringing it to his lips. “My dear, you are absolutely stunning,” he said, his words made Tav squirm uncomfortably, clutching onto the drink in her other hand.

She felt increasingly awkward and nervous while the nobleman continued to hold her hand, his touch unwelcome. Just then, Astarion came at her side, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. He shot a deadly glare at the prissy man, his eyes filled with anger.

Unfazed by Astarion he chuckled, "Is this weasel being a brood on you? I can offer you a helping hand." He winked.

Tch.

How dare this rat-faced man blatantly disrespect her and Astarion like that? Without a thought more, Tav threw her drink at him, splashing it all over his face.

And he must've seen red just by the way his snaggle tooth snarled at her.

“Forgive me, I didn’t realize I was such a damsel in distress,” Tav muttered, rolling her eyes and ripping her hand away from this random man.

Astarion was quick to retaliate with a sharp remark, "Of course, another royal who has little to no brain. She's mine."

He wiped the drink off his face with his sleeve, and his eyes had gone red from the alcohol. The man took a step closer and challenged Astarion with glaring eyes and balled fists. "Are you trying to pick a fight with me, pretty boy?"

Astarion clicked his tongue with a small giggle escaping his lips. How amusing this was. Actually, Astarion knew about this particular nobleman and his sneaky hobbies.

"I'd hurry along and do whatever pathetic thing you were doing. The Amaru family wouldn’t take kindly to learning about their son’s dirty intrusions into their business deals to feed his brothel obsession."

The man fell quiet and blinked a few times. With a soured face, he huffed at Astarion before backing off, not a word more. Astarion then squeezed Tav's waist and smiled.

In a fit of anger, the man stumbled over his own feet, falling over with the loudest thud in the room.

Astarion’s lips cracked into a smirk, satisfied with the embarrassing look on the man’s face, "See, when you talk to the right people, you get the right blackmail."

Tav chuckled at his cockiness, wrapping her arms around his bicep. She squeezed Astarion’s arms and batted those crystal eyes at him. There was a deep sense of protection with Astarion.

To feel important and wanted.

He admired her pearl eyes with a loving stare. His gaze lingered before trailing down to the soft glow cast on her breasts. A sly smirk spread across Astarion's face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Tav's ear, and leaned in close, whispering seductively, “Fancy a bit of excitement?”

Tav’s face flushed at his words, turning her head side to side to scope out any on-lookers. “Here?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Astarion nodded confidently, a stupid grin plastered on his face. “I’ll find us a private spot, shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Tav returned his smirk with a cheeky grin of her own. She was still achey from the other night when he left her untouched. This was exciting, daring, and...sexy.

She bit her bottom lip, her adrenaline pumping. “Well then, what are you waiting for?”

Tav reached out for his hand, clutching it tightly in her shaky hands. Her adrenaline was kicking in and Astarion was already leading her away from the party’s crowd.

A mischievous glint danced in Astarion’s eyes as he guided her through the hallways of the grand estate, his touch sending shivers down her spine.

They passed by several closed doors until Astarion stopped at one and began jiggling the handle. With a soft click, the door swung open. It seemed to be an office with a desk sitting in the corner, papers scattered across its surface.

Astarion flashed Tav a sly grin before swiftly pulling her into the room, their laughter mingling in the air.

In a swift motion, he lifted Tav up by her thighs, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck as she giggled. Their eyes met in a silent understanding between them for a moment as they leaned in for a searing kiss.

The room was soon filled with the sound of their kisses and heavy breathing. Tav slipped her tongue with his in a sloppy dance of desperation.

Astarion leaned over the desk and sat Tav perfectly with her legs spread wide open for him. She threaded her fingers through his white locs with a tug.

Astarion’s piercing gaze met Tav’s, and he leaned in to capture her lips. It was rough and sloppy, their tongues danced and their fangs clashed with each other.

Tav wrapped her hand around the waistband of Astarion's pants, tugging his already-hardened bulge closer.

Astarion pulled away, a seductive glint in his red stare, "Can't help yourself...I'm not surprised."

Tav purred in a sultry voice, "Not with you...not ever."

Astarion pressed kisses down Tav’s neck, causing her to kick her head back as his canines nipped at her skin. He continued to press his lips down to her breasts while his hand trailed up her thigh.

With a swift movement, he moved Tav’s panties aside and dipped his fingers into her wet warmth. Tav arched her back as his touch perfectly rubbed around her clit.

Astarion brought his mouth to Tav's ear, biting her ear lobe in a breathy tone, "Spread your legs, darling, That's it - Wider."

Obeying, her legs widened with a shaky twitched of excitement.

Only Astarion could make me feel this way.

Moans flowed out her mouth in a perfect melody that had Astarion working his best at her clit, rubbing in gentle smooth circles. His lips kissed and bit at her jawline, dampening her skin with his heavy breaths.

Tav's ankles quivered in bliss with moans full of desperation. His fingers coated in her wet slick and it drove him mad.

He lifted her dress, leaning over between Tav's legs, and spitting on her clit. His fingers instantly coated her folds in his saliva before thrusting 2 fingers into her. Astarion caught Tav's gasp into a kiss, fucking his fingers in and out of her roughly.

A loud whimpered muffled between his lips while her hips crashed against his hand.

"Keep moaning, that's it."

His fingers pumped in and out of her and Tav clutched onto Astarion’s arm, her head hanging back with her lips parted. Cries sweetly slipped out of Tav's mouth, "I-I don't want to cum without you inside me."

A demand? Maybe.

But a plea? Certainly.

"Very well, pet. You deserve it." he purred.

Tav felt the warmth of his fingers pull out of her as Astarion unbuckled his pants, sliding down each layer until his length sprung up.

She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. She felt a sudden rush of excitement wash over her. She squirmed beneath him, her body betraying her impatience.

I need him.

I want him.

now.

With a sudden tug, Tav pulled Astarion closer to her, their bodies pressed tightly together. She could feel his warmth radiating off of him, and she reveled in the sensation.

Astarion chuckled at her eagerness, his breath hot against her skin. “Feel this?” His voice was low and hungry.

He grabbed her hand and overlapped it on his length, guiding her movements up and down his skin.

Tav nodded, "You’re already so hard for me?" She smirked, too caught up in the moment, too overwhelmed by the sensation of him against her.

“Always,” Astarion whispered while pressing his lips on the corners of her mouth.

With a hard swallow, her heart raced in her chest. She didn’t want it to stop. She wanted to feel him, to touch him, to be one with him.

Her hand jerked his length softly with his pre-cum before he became a groaning impatient mess. Astarion pressed his hips against Tav's entrance, placing himself perfectly on her wet core.

They gazed into each other's eyes in a knowing silence. His face fell into a seductive stare and it wasn't long until he curled over Tav's body, thrusting his hips into hers.

And inch by inch, feeding himself in the very place that begged for his every touch.

One arm wrapped around his body and the other fell around his neck. Her moans came in short gusts of air, the constant thrusts shook her body in mimic of the ocean's waves.

Tav kneaded her fingers between his white curls, tugging on them with each plunge into her. His scent burned into her lungs, leaving nothing but desire.

Astarion hung his head low and grunted against Tav's forehead, bucking his hips deeper into her. His hold on her was tight and everything around them melted into a sweet bliss.

No amount of power could make Astarion feel amazing the way he did with Tav when their bodies connected. The bitter-sweet truth of their love weakened Astarion of his hunger for power, and he knew this all too well.

She was able to crumble him more than he'd ever admit. Such an inconvenience it was when world domination was on his mind.

Astarion clutched desperately onto Tav's body, bucking his hips skillfully in her. The way she cried his name into his ear sent chills like electricity all through his body. It felt like she worshipped him.

That sweet, sweet, voice of hers.

Their skin like porcelain and licorice intertwined together in a knit embrace. their bodies gleamed in sweat as both their climaxes built up deep in their stomachs.

The force of their bodies clashing caused the papers littered on the desk to fall in all sorts of directions. Mixing with the sound of squeaky wood, crumpling paper, skin slapping, and moans.

Tav clutched onto Astarion with her arms and legs crying out in a whimper, "Mmph - S-stay right there...I-I'm almost there.."

Astarion nodded sloppily, connecting eyes with Tav in a hazy stare, "Yes, cum for me." His lips hung open and his words felt sincere and loving.

His hands gripped against the desk, his muscles starting to tense up in the process of this blissful high. Astarion could feel Tav's warm walls begin to twitch and squeeze around his cock.

Quickly, he stole a kiss from Tav, silencing her moans before they could escape. His gaze bore into hers, a mixture of hunger and love dancing in his eyes. But Tav’s breath caught in her throat, realizing just how loud she was being.

They were only doors away from the party after all.

Her eyes flickered between a hue of a yellow glow and white, her skin practically crawled with her wild shape twisting and bending beneath the surface of her skin.

Astarion wrapped his hand around her neck, and squeezed. He perfectly placed his thumb against the crook of her jaw, tightly forcing her face to meet his.

“Look at me.”

Tav choked against the force and gazed up at him with hazy glossy eyes.

A rush of wetness coated his cock as a yelp muffled between their kiss. Tav's body twitched and melted from the force of her undoing.

But Astarion's wasn’t done just yet.

He flipped her on her stomach, digging his nails into the plush of her hips, and ramming into her like a savage animal. Her eyes cried in the sensitivity and immense pleasure, crying out his name in a hoarse moan.

With one hand, he grabbed a hand full of Tav’s hair, dragging her head up and kissing her exposed neck. Her backside clashed against Astarion’s groin in a precise motion.

“Ahh…Clench.”

Tav purposely clenched her twitching walls around his length, whistle digging her hands onto the desk to keep stable.

His hips locked into Tav's, burying his length deep in her before pulling out, spilling his cum on her lower back, just below her back dimples. With a groan, Astarion slouched over Tav.

In a moment of weakness he whipsered to her, "When the time is right, I want to share something with you." It was something he wasn’t sure he’d regret saying out loud. But she was so…good to him.

Tav peeked at him, unknowingly squinting her eyes with a soft, "Hmm?"

“When the time is right.” Astarion pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead, “I think we should get leaving, love. Tonight’s been — eventful.”

Tav chuckled and turned around, reaching over and grabbing the handkerchief from his jacket pocket, “Here.”

With a satisfied smile Astarion wiped the juices off of her back before cleaning the excess cum off his tip.

She makes me want to be nice.

How...Horrible.

Let's keep this in the bedroom.

Next part here

Any thoughts? Comment 👇🏼 I love to engage!

BOO 👻

A pop in.

Just wanted to say hi! And thanks to the people who’ve been reading/commenting on this series. I appreciate it so much! Tumblr is my safe space to just storytelling and imagine so I’m happy to share it and have it be enjoyed :’) ❤️

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

Your recent post touched upon every issue I have with the Zutara fanbase. When it comes right down to it: Zutarians (the cult-like weirdos, not the ones in the fandom that just enjoy the ship for what it is) antipathy towards Kataang really does seem to be rooted in a hodgepodge of thinly-veiled bigotry, sexism and projection. I mean, their primary argument against Kataang is because "It's weird for a slightly older girl to like a slightly younger boy, but it's perfectly fine for her to be attracted to an older man." Yeah, that certainly doesn't sound hypocritical or based on extremely outdated/idiotic notions on attraction and gender dynamics that don't jive with how it works in reality; It really does make me wonder if they live in a freakin' bubble and were all homeschooled or something. And when they talk about how "empowering" it would be for Katara to be with Zuko (a member of a dynasty of ruthless colonizers and racists that oppressed and killed members of her tribe) and become his royal consort, they paradoxically proceed to constantly ridicule her for not being more sympathetic/nicer to Zuko despite the fact that she had valid reasons for being hostile towards him. Like, y'know: Threatening her home, kidnapping and blackmailing her with a precious keepsake from her deceased mother, consistently trying to capture/attack/kill her and her friends, betrayed her trust when she offered him sympathy, being an accomplice in the murder of her best friend/true love…

Yeah, I think she had plenty of justifiable reasons to tell him to take a flying leap.

Yet, they go "but poor Zuko…"and none-to-subtly imply that she should defer to him and disregard her own trauma and hardships associated with him because his feelings are more important than hers. Yeah, the "pro-feminist" vibes are really on display with those sentiments, Zutarians. Meanwhile, they tell the innocent twelve year old who happens to be the sole survivor of a genocide orchestrated by said-family of colonizers that he should "get over it" and proceed to call him a rapist every chance they get because of an ill-timed kiss (that he immediately reproached himself for), while their entire ship is based on an imagined scenario straight out of a trashy erotica involving their favorite "bad boy" taking advantage of a young girl while she's tied up, defenseless and unwilling.

And when you call them out on it? "It's just fiction, guys. None of it is real." *Snorts* Yeah, okay. So, you can suddenly use common sense to differentiate fiction from reality when it comes to justifying why *your* ship involving *your* favorite male character performing non-consensual acts with the heroine you *allegedly* respect in your fantasies is perfectly acceptable because you acknowledge that the characters and situations aren't real. But when the protagonist innocently mistakes a moment for one of intimacy with his canon kinda-sorta girlfriend (whom he shared mutual kisses with on two separate occasions) and realizes that he messed up? "Shit just got real, fam! He's 100% a sex offender and a horrible influence on our children! So are his creators! And anyone who supports him and Katara as a couple are misogynists, pedophiles and rape apologists."

>_>

Like, do they ever stop to think how terrible this makes them - and by extension, their ship - look when it's being enforced by such putrid rhetoric and double standards? It honestly makes me feel bad for the Zutara fans who just want to see Katara and Zuko together because it appeals to them and think they're compatible. It's a shame that it's become a ship mired by idiotic, pseudo-political garbage and baseless conspiracy theories all because the zealots desperately seek validation that they weren't wrong. Or more honestly, because they just can't admit that they're simply horny over fictional cartoon teenagers getting it on together, regardless of any evidence (or lack thereof) of attraction between them. Which is hilarious because you have the VAs themselves admitting to their own fetishes when it comes to ships like Zutara or Azula x Zuko, but you don't see them spewing this crap to justify why they like what they like.

Anyway, sorry for the long rant. Your post just resonated with me and I felt like I needed to get it out.

Venting is what this blog is for, make yourself at home

[wileycap]

[spoilers for ATLA]

I have this fanfic story idea for Avatar, and I want to write some of it out.

The basic premise is: What if Iroh had gone the other way after his son's death, becoming more warlike instead of more peaceful - but Ozai still executes his power grab, and they essentially end up ruling two opposing kingdoms?

After Lu Ten dies, Iroh subjugates Ba Sing Se in grief. He doesn't go full villain, no massacring the civilians on purpose or anything, but he does lay waste to the city, takes the young King Kuei hostage and, as a treat, kills Long Feng. (I really dislike Long Feng.)

Meanwhile, Ozai goes ahead with his plan. Azulon reacts much the same, but he does the ever-popular fic thing of giving Ozai's heirs to Iroh. "You must know the pain of losing a firstborn son!" And, furthermore, he manages to get a hawk out to Iroh, that both of Ozai's children have been written out of his lineage and into Iroh's.

Ozai conspires to kill Azulon by blackmailing Ursa. For her treason, Ursa is banished, as in canon, and Ozai takes the throne.

But the balance of power has shifted. The Earth Kingdom, bolstered by Iroh's legions, is now a contender for total world domination - and that's not exactly a disagreeable state of affairs for a lot of Earth Kingdom kings and generals, who pledge loyalty to Iroh.

Meanwhile, Ozai's Fire Nation controls the seas, but they are quickly losing ground in the Earth Kingdom. The newly crowned Ozai is facing immense amounts of domestic pressure, and responds by cracking down on the homeland, making the already totalitarian state even more totalitarian. The Fire Nation still holds the advantage in the war, but their edge is shrinking more and more by the moment, as many of their best legions were in the Earth Kingdom and are now loyal to Iroh.

To legitimize his rule, Ozai spreads the story that Ursa had been working with Iroh to murder Azulon, and that rather than being a conqueror and a ruler, Iroh is now a hostage for the Earth Kingdom - a puppet to exert influence over the Fire Nation. And furthermore, as she fled, the traitor Ursa had done the unthinkable - kidnapped a member of the royal family!

Meanwhile, Ursa does make it to the Earth Kingdom and to Iroh. And true to the story being spread in the Fire Nation, she does have one of her children with her...

Azula.

Who, upon seeing the Earth Kingdom subjugated under Iroh, isn't actually very upset about the whole thing. In fact, she's excited: with Zuko stuck in the homeland and her here at the side of the leader whom she now views as the stronger one, with Azulon's letter proving that she is meant to be Iroh's heir... her prospects of becoming the ruler of the entire world, not just the Fire Nation, are beginning to look pretty good. And all she has to do is make sure to kill dear old Dad and Zuzu at some point. And help Iroh win the war. And stay in Iroh's favour, because if Iroh is anything like her father (he isn't, but Azula doesn't know that), he's more than ready to cast her aside if she proves unsatisfactory. So, bring on the tea and Pai Sho: Azula is both patient and an excellent liar.

Iroh, however, is beginning to feel his character development. He would now be content with pushing the Fire Nation back and ruling the Earth Kingdom in the name of his lost son. But Ursa pleads with him: Zuko is still in the Fire Nation. He is in danger. They have to win the war, or at least rescue Zuko.

And what about Zuko? Zuko looks at the situation: his mother and sister disappear, his uncle and father are at war, his dad probably had his grandpa killed, the Fire Nation is slowly going to hell and now his dad is acting suspiciously nice to him. (Well, he is the only heir Ozai has left.) He thinks about it for a while, and decides to get going while the going is good, and just so happens to run into a recently disgraced Lieutenant named Jee, who thinks he might be able to get them a ship and a crew, and hey, the areas near the South Pole are supposed to be pretty far from the war, and what's that huge beam of light on the horizon?

Any thoughts?

[raincitygirl76]

Reblogging yet again for a VERY on point addition by @retrieve-the-kraken I think they’re right, August told Simon he was broke (granted, he wasn’t thinking clearly at the time). Simon used that information to blackmail him into selling drugs to their classmates. Then when August tried to get Simon expelled (in revenge for Simon having once gotten the better of him), Simon gave that information to Wilhelm. Who used it to humiliate August in front of all the Society boys, seize control of the Society, and protect his boyfriend from expulsion.

August really LIKES Sara, probably even loves her. He doesn’t want to reveal that information to her. What if she thinks he’s emasculated because he can’t handle his financial business, and loses interest in him sexually and romantically? Plus, in 1.06 when Sara first cut a deal with August, she said, “I want to be like you.” She didn’t mean she wanted to be broke, she meant she aspired to have his pedigree, his privilege, his ability to move through the world as a superior being compared to ordinary mortals.

Carl Johan committed SUICIDE because he was faced with the prospect of having to sell Arnas after he’d mismanaged his inheritance and become an addict. Those two things are probably related, by the way. I don’t know whether Carl Johan turned to drugs to escape the pressure of his worsening financial situation, or if drug use contributed to him making bad financial decisions. Doesn’t really matter which came first.

The point is financial failure and the public humiliation of potentially losing Arnas was so INTOLERABLE to Carl Johan, he preferred to die. And in 1.03, when Louise urges her son to sell something to pay his tuition, August himself says, “I’d rather die.” I’m not saying August is necessarily suicidal like his father. But he has totally internalized Carl Johan’s inflexible, unrealistic attitude towards their ancestral home. An attitude which most likely contributed to Carl Johan getting to the point where suicide seemed like a valid way out.

Also, August probably interpreted his father’s suicide as a rejection of him personally. He wasn’t good enough for Carl Johan to choose him over death. Please note, nobody who’s suicidal THINKS of themselves as abandoning or rejecting their loved ones by their actions. I have clinical depression and have been suicidal (though a long time ago). When I attempted suicide, I was convinced I was saving my loved ones from the burden of having to deal with toxic me. But the EFFECT of suicide (or attempted suicide) on someone’s loved ones is they often feel rejected/abandoned.

A few months after Carl Johan’s death, Louise packed her only child off to boarding school. Not long after, she quickly remarried, not to another nobleman, but a mere lawyer. She replaced her husband with an inferior substitute, which probably made August even more determined to be a son Carl Johan would’ve been proud of.

So now August is determined to save Arnas, and to be perfect, or at least to maintain an image of perfection and never let that image drop. The only role model he’ll accept is Carl Johan, who wouldn’t compromise on his obsession with Arnas. Also an addict who committed suicide, thus inadvertently abandoning his wife and child.

Once August got to Hillerska, his cousin Erik was a third year when he was a first year. Erik was kind to August, took him under his wing, realized he was traumatized by his father’s recent suicide. But Erik also overlooked August’s bad qualities, or tried to explain them away as a result of trauma. Which they probably were.

August tried to become a carbon copy of his older cousin. He idolized Erik, made him a role model. In his own third year, he was a prefect and captain of the rowing team, just like Erik had been. But he didn’t copy Erik’s behaviour as a loving big brother, just copied his accomplishments at Hillerska.

When Erik dropped his little brother off at Hillerska in 1.01, he wanted August to look out for Wilhelm the same way Erik had looked out for August when August was also 16 and troubled. But Erik failed to realize (or didn’t want to realize) that August and Wilhelm would never get along. The more August asserted his authority, the more Wilhelm rebelled. And to August’s disgust, Wilhelm took up with the wrong kind of people. Who August inconveniently owed money to.

After Erik died, August and Wilhelm fought even more. Wilhelm had moved past befriending the unsuitable non-resident who knew dirt on August, and was now sleeping with him. When August tried to get Wilhelm’s secret boyfriend expelled, Wilhelm retaliated, as I mentioned above. August was so enraged, he didn’t give a shit that Erik had trusted him to look out for his little brother. August had genuinely grieved Erik, but revenge on Wilhelm was much more important.

Erik had assured Wilhelm that August might be annoying, but he should overlook the annoyance because August was intrinsically trustworthy. August was family, and you could always depend on family. When Erik had asked August to look out for Wihelm at Hillerska, I doubt he ever expected August to put Erik’s 16 year old brother’s naked body all over the internet, and out him and his boyfriend to the entire world.

August’s need to show dominance over Wihelm and Simon after the Society debacle took priority over his supposed role model. What Erik would’ve wanted from the younger cousin he’d mentored and supported when August was vulnerable and grieving didn’t matter. Only revenge mattered, even though August surely knew Erik had loved his little brother and trusted August to protect him. Instead August violated Wilhelm. August’s anger issues led to him betraying his own family, and undermining the monarchy his precious Society had all sworn loyalty to.

But enough about Erik, let’s get back to another dead family member August and Wilhelm had in common. Carl Johan might also have had undiagnosed mental health issues which led to his suicide. I’m sure the drugs and the financial stress were a huge factor, but most addicts aren’t suicidal. If the show had wanted Carl Johan to have died because of his addiction, he could’ve overdosed. Instead, he canonically took his own life.

Wihelm is a blood relative (Carl Johan’s first cousin once removed) and has an undiagnosed anxiety disorder. Other mutual relatives we haven’t met yet might also struggle with depression, anxiety, and other issues. Mental health issues often run in families. How much is genetic and how much is the family environment is unclear, but regardless, they run in families. And August (Carl Johan’s only child) not only has an explosive temper, he also very likely has an eating disorder and body dysmorphia. Which are also mental health issues.

And as @retrieve-the-kraken mentioned, August is incapable of backing down. EVER. He incurs a debt to Simon in early S1, Simon isn’t cowed by his position and insists on payment, and it escalates. August MUST retaliate after Simon gains the upper hand. It’s intolerable to be weak, to let someone dominate you and not make them pay for having exposed your weakness. So it continues to escalate.

The ongoing conflict with Simon merges with August’s ongoing conflict with Wilhelm. An attempt at getting rid of Simon backfires, when Wilhelm protects his boyfriend and gets into a power struggle with his cousin as a result. August is exposed to the Society as nearly bankrupt. The same danger that led to his father’s death. August’s precious image of perfection destroyed, at least in front of the Hillerska boys he considers important enough to be his peers. Landed aristocrats like the one August might stop being, if he can’t save Arnas.

August NEEDS revenge on both Wilhelm and Simon for making him look weak. So he leaks the video on the internet, and now he’s a sex offender. If the police ever find out, August risks prison and public disgrace. Not that he realized that at the time, but the thirst to dominate Wilhelm and Simon and make them pay for humiliating him was more important than any rational or family considerations. Like, “maybe I should just delete that video I accidentally took of my 16 year old cousin having sex with another boy, instead of holding onto it for future leverage.”

Wilhelm also has an explosive temper, that also might run in the family. But Wilhelm is capable of backing down. He definitely has major anger issues, but he’s not so consumed by toxic masculinity that he can’t break a destructive cycle when he gets some much-needed perspective. Yeah, he does have toxic masculinity issues, particularly in early S2 when he’s trying to humiliate August and take away the things in life August values. But toxic masculinity doesn’t consume him.

From 2.01 to early 2.04, Wilhelm is consumed by thirst for revenge on August and desperate desire to get Simon back. He never stops holding a grudge against August, but he eventually realizes if he loves Simon, he has to let him go. Simon can’t be happy with him, and it’s better to see Simon happy with someone else than to see Simon miserable. Wilhelm letting him go in 2.04 doesn’t work out at ALL the way he expects, but he makes that decision unselfishly. Wilhelm does plenty of stupid, selfish shit, and he hurts people he cares about. But he has the capacity for self-reflection, and the capacity to prioritize other people’s happiness over his own desires.

Also the capacity to step back and choose not to continue feeding an arms race of tit-for-tat continual escalations. In 2.05, Wilhelm considers giving August his heart’s desire by abdicating his own place in the succession. He doesn’t want to make August happy, but he realizes his life might be better if he could walk away from all the royal bullshit. And he might be able to get Simon back if he weren’t crown Prince.

Kristina only tells Wilhelm August is his backup to try and fuel his anger with August. She expects him to want to hang onto his birthright, to be a more cooperative crown prince so he can ensure August never takes his place. But again, Wilhelm has enough capacity for self-reflection to wonder if staying crown prince and becoming king someday just to spite August is worth it. Will successfully spiting august actually make him happy? Maybe, maybe not. I don’t think that’s what Kristina intended when she told her son! She’s counting on his anger at August prevailing over any other considerations. She underestimates him.

In 2.06, Wilhelm holds August at gunpoint! Their arms race has escalated to the point where it’s potentially fatal. When Sara reveals she’s known it was August who leaked the video all along, Wilhelm is initially even more enraged. His gut reaction when he finds out August has destroyed Simon’s family is to escalate yet again.

But then Simon is distraught by his big sister’s betrayal and runs away. Wilhelm immediately stops dominating August and making him beg for his life. He drops the gun, and chases after Simon to try and comfort him. He fails, but wanting to nurture takes precedence over wanting to punish and destroy. That’s the opposite of toxic masculinity.

August has hurt Simon, but Wille instinctively prioritizes trying to help Simon through this trauma. Getting back at August for hurting Simon would be a nice to have for Wille, but it’s not his top priority. When push comes to shove, Wilhelm chooses supporting someone he loves over getting revenge on someone he hates. He literally walks away from August, who’s on his knees at the shooting range. August just isn’t that important to Wille anymore.

August isn’t capable of that kind of insight. He’s too caught up in toxic masculinity, in maintaining a false image of perfection, in striving for the perfect muscular body via obsessive exercise, in vengeance for past humiliations. The boy Wille loves decides to forgive him his betrayal from 1.06, and agrees to be with him in secret. Simon sees Wilhelm’s capacity for love and is willing to take a leap of faith and trust him again. Also, Simon and Wilhelm both hate August, but they don’t want that hatred to consume them. Finding happiness together is more important.

Wille has plenty of anger issues but he’s capable of self-reflection and prioritizing people he cares about over his own anger. He also has the capacity to back down and change his mind, when he realizes his actions aren’t helping. By contrast, August’s actions result in him losing the girl he loves. Even buying Rousseau for her isn’t enough to win her back. She’s too disgusted with him and with herself. August sold one of Carl Johan’s paintings (something he’d sworn he’d never do) just to make Sara happy. But Sara rejects both August and the expensive gift he sacrificed one of his father’s possessions for.

And she calls the cops to report August’s crime. He’s a legal adult at 18. If he becomes the prime suspect in a case of child pornography, the media can report his name. Even if the case never goes to trial or he has great lawyers and gets acquitted, his reputation would be damaged. Also, even his fellow aristocrats might be appalled by his actions. Not because they necessarily care about child pornography of two queer minors, but because by leaking the video, August damaged the monarchy.

August thought his father’s addiction problems and suicide were bad for the Horn name. August could damage their family name much worse. Because he can’t walk away from a confrontation, it’s intolerable for anyone to dominate him, he MUST retaliate and punish them if they ever got the better of him, even once. His vision of himself as strong, masculine, and capable is incredibly fragile and conditional, so he can never back down. August is soaking in toxic masculinity, and not only is everybody who knows him miserable as a result of his actions, HE’S miserable too. He’s the architect of all his own misfortunes.

Goddamn, this got RIDICULOUSLY long. And rambling. Who would’ve thought there’d be so much stream of consciousness meandering possible over that prick?

I am largely pro-season 2 of Young Royals, and support Lisa’s script decisions. Every once in a while, though, I find myself wishing for a line here or there that could clarify/add to the story. Nothing that would fully take over the plot or extend the length of a scene, but merely something that could function as a clarifier.

Today I’m thinking about how I wish we could have gotten a line in the first half of the second season where August lets slip to Sara that his bank account is empty. I’m assuming this is still the case at the beginning of the season—we see him spending Christmas alone at Hillerska instead of going on a lavish vacation, and when his schoolmates come back from break talking about their trips, Malte’s face acting seems to suggest that August feels shut out by these conversations/is feeling a little disillusioned by them for the first time in his life.

If August mentions to Sara that he’s “broke” (in a casual offhand way that doesn’t get into the footnote about having assets tied up in art, land, etc) that’s another way for Sara to let her guard down and connect with him. She’s been struggling to pay for coffee and feels a little taken aback by the fancy riding pants she received as a gift from her friends; it probably takes pressure away from Sara if she realizes she’s not going to be expected to spend money or have money spent on her. It also makes it a bigger betrayal later on when August buys Sara the horse and mentions offhand that he was able to sell some art his family owns to do it. Like that scene is already devastating, but oof. Imagine the added layers!

A moment like that would be valuable class commentary, too, because while socioeconomic class is certainly about how much money people have, it’s also about where and how that wealth is stored. Rich people can use stocks and luxury items and land to stow their assets away for emergencies and give themselves tax breaks and the laws largely protect them doing so.

I’m not sure whether to end this with a gif of Jenny Joyce from Derry Girls saying she’ll just “dip into her trust fund” or with your standard guillotine meme, so you know, choose whichever one works for you and mentally attach it to the post.

[aquarichor]

TW for semi graphic depictions of cannibalistic behaviors!!

Butcher Vanity - Vane Lily, Jamie Paige, ricedeity

Toki was abandoned and left to fend for himself at a very young age. He has no real memory of his parents, if he was genetically modified, or if he was bred for any purpose. All he remembers is the howling pit in his stomach.

He’s… always hungry. Nothing satisfies his stomach. He’s learned to deal with it as he grew older, even if it got more difficult once he was taken to ANAKT Garden. His current guardian found him hunched over a dead body, gnawing flesh off the bone of the poor human soul who didn’t stand a chance against a starving thirteen-year-old. The alien that found him was put off by the crude sight, to say the least, but it persisted and took the child away.

Toki went down with a fight. He bit, clawed, and scratched at the alien who took him from his meal, only to be drugged and subdued, eventually put in a collar. His guardian made sure to put his cannibalistic tendencies on his file, so that he can be closely monitored around his classmates.

His start at ANAKT Garden was rocky, and he was incredibly rebellious. He would constantly get into fights, leaving the other person with bloody bite marks and deep scratches. This led to him being muzzled 24/7 and treated more like a misbehaving pet than any of the other human-pets. This is around the time he realized that he won’t get what he wants if he doesn’t behave.

It was also around the time he befriended Innamorati, another student in his class. A boy with light blue hair and royal blue eyes. Toki found him pretty, to say the least, but he liked him more because of his blind kindness. If Inna knew what Toki did, or what he does, he clearly doesn’t care and sees past it.

Inna has drawn things for Toki. He keeps all the drawings Inna gives him and puts them all over the walls next to his bed. He’s not allowed to have a roommate, nor is any student allowed to be alone in Toki’s room with him, so there’s no one to complain about him hanging up Inna’s art. (Inna doesn’t know Toki does this btw)

Inna also taught Toki how to dance, which is where he found his love for it. He loves dancing, even more so with Inna.

Issues start to arise once again whenever he becomes aware of Macbeth’s presence. Whenever he becomes aware of… everyone’s presence. He sees other people playing and interacting with Inna and can’t help but feel anger towards these people. Inna should have his eyes on Toki.

But Toki behaves. He decides to go the route of studying people. He studies Inna the most, obviously, but he also studies the people he talks to. He learns what makes them tick, what’s special to them, and their mannerisms. He learns to smile and entertain people to get as much information as possible. It even helps him get on the good side of his guardian and earn his label as a good pet. Once he knows enough about another person, he turns everyone onto them. He frames, backstabs, blackmails, and gaslights. (gaslight gatekeep girlboss yk)

His first victim was Macbeth, and now no one likes Macbeth. He knew a lot of people already didn’t like them very much, but the things Toki did to make Inna hate them was enough to get everyone to hate them. Toki sees the poor thing sit and sulk in a corner, closed off and ignoring anyone and everything. He feels no pity.

All he feels is his love for Inna, and the still, slow growing, pit in his stomach. Maybe Inna can satiate his hunger.

But maybe not… Rabbits aren’t meant to be predators, so he’ll continue playing prey.

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Other fun things to note!!

Toki is toxic as hell with so many red flags... Inna is colorblind /j

Cannibal!! ...willingly

Obsessive and possessive personality

Severe lack of empathy

Semi black and white thinking

Ridiculously manipulative

With his obsession over Inna, he can still have friends and does enjoy others' company, but he ultimately turns on them if they get in the way of him and Inna.

He would only let Inna have friends if they were friends with Toki, too

Toki's name means rabbit in Korean!! "토끼" "Tokki" (hehe there is a specific meaning for this :3)

Naturally pretty flexible, does a lot of stretching before bed and in the mornings. In a modern/actor au, he'd have a background of childhood gymnastics.

Sits in some really strange and compromising positions... (my little pretzel <3)

I make playlists for all my OCs across many fandoms, and Toki is no exception. His playlist is already done and it is here:

At the top of each lore post will be a song from the playlist that I feel fits the post :3

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Innamorati/Inna and Macbeth belong to @alien-til-i-stage !!! hii pookie :3