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novaursa · 2 months ago

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Valyrian Bride (Final Chapter)

- Summary: When your older brother, Jacaerys, promised you to Cregan to be his bride, the Lord Stark did not expect what he got - a trueborn dragon.

- Paring: velaryon!reader/Cregan Stark

- Rating: Mature 16+ (just to be safe)

- Previous part: continuation

- Next part: dragon eggs

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff @alyssa-dayne @daeryna @melsunshine @21-princess @ferakillia

The dawn of their wedding day broke with a rare warmth for the North, the sky a deep, endless blue above Winterfell. Snow clung to the castle’s ancient stones, but the air was still, as though even the wind itself held its breath in anticipation. The entire stronghold seemed to hum with energy, its people gathered from every corner of the Stark lands to witness a union that had already become the subject of countless whispered tales.

Cregan Stark stood in the courtyard, the grey furs of his cloak draped across his broad shoulders, his usual starkness softened by the weight of the day. His heart, so often steeled against emotion, was lighter today, a sense of anticipation thrumming in his veins. He had faced battle, the harsh winters of the North, and the endless responsibilities of leading his house, but nothing felt quite like this. Today, he was not just Lord of Winterfell—he was a man about to be wed.

The courtyard was bustling with activity. Banners of House Stark and House Targaryen fluttered side by side, their sigils sharp contrasts—wolf and dragon, winter and fire. His bannermen, all garbed in their finest, stood near the towering trees of the godswood, while the castle’s women prepared the space for the ceremony that was to take place beneath the Heart Tree.

The great Weirwood loomed tall, its ancient face carved into the pale bark, its red leaves fluttering like the blood of old gods. This was where Cregan had wanted to wed her, beneath the watchful eyes of the gods of the North, and though she had been born to the faith of the Seven, the princess had agreed without hesitation. She was to become a Stark, after all, and she would take her place among their traditions.

The quiet murmur of the crowd hushed suddenly, as a figure appeared at the edge of the courtyard. Cregan’s breath caught in his throat as he saw her.

She stood at the threshold, wrapped in rich silver and deep crimson. Her gown was a marvel of southern craftsmanship, its fabric shimmering in the morning light like molten fire. The silver thread that wound through the delicate embroidery reflected her Valyrian heritage, its designs reminiscent of the ancient sigils of her forebears. Her hair, like strands of spun moonlight, was woven into intricate braids, entwined with tiny pearls and rubies that caught the light, making her appear as though a crown of stars rested upon her head.

And yet, for all the beauty of her attire, it was her bearing that stole Cregan’s breath. She moved with the quiet confidence he had come to admire, her violet eyes focused on him as though there was no one else in the world. There was no trace of nervousness, no hesitation—she was every inch the dragon’s daughter, proud and regal, yet today, she walked toward him as his bride.

The crowd parted for her, whispers trailing in her wake, but no one dared to speak aloud. Even Cregan’s bannermen, hardened men of the North, stood silently, as if afraid to disturb the moment. He heard the faint murmur of the word Valyria pass between them, a reminder of the ancient blood she carried, blood older than any in Westeros.

As she reached him beneath the Heart Tree, Cregan felt the weight of the moment settle over them both. She lifted her head, her eyes locking onto his, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away. The godswood, the crowd, the banners—all of it was distant, insignificant. There was only her, and the promise they were about to make.

Maester Kennet, chosen to officiate the ceremony, stepped forward, his voice strong but reverent. “We gather here beneath the eyes of the Old Gods, to witness the union of House Stark and House Targaryen. Winter and fire, bound together.”

Cregan turned toward her, taking her hands in his. They were warm despite the cold air, her skin soft against his roughened palms. As they stood there, so close, he could see the faintest flicker of emotion in her eyes—a softness that she seldom let others see.

“I, Cregan Stark, take you, Y/N Velaryon, to be my wife,” he said, his voice firm but laden with meaning. “From this day until my last. I will stand with you, through fire and snow, through war and peace. I swear it before the gods, before my people, and before you.”

Her lips curved ever so slightly, her voice steady and clear when she spoke her vows in turn. “I, Y/N Velaryon, take you, Cregan Stark, to be my husband. I pledge my fire to your winter, my strength to your cause, my loyalty to your heart. From this day until my last breath, I will stand with you. This I swear before the gods, before your people, and before you.”

The words hung in the air, tangible and full of weight. Cregan felt them settle into his soul, binding him to her in a way that was more profound than he had anticipated. There was a finality to it, but it was not a burden—it was a promise he wanted to keep.

Maester Kennet raised his hands. “By the old gods and the new, I declare you husband and wife.”

Cregan didn’t wait for the maester to finish. He pulled her to him, his hands still wrapped around hers, and kissed her. It was not a show for the crowd, nor was it born out of any sense of duty—it was a moment just for them, filled with the raw certainty of the vows they had exchanged.

The crowd erupted into cheers, the sound filling the courtyard and echoing off the ancient walls of Winterfell. Cregan, for once, did not care who was watching. When he pulled away, the smile on his face was genuine, and for a moment, he saw a glimmer of the same emotion reflected in her eyes.

They turned to face the crowd, and as they walked through the throng, hand in hand, Cregan caught the glances exchanged between his bannermen and the ladies of Winterfell. His bannermen, who had known him since boyhood, seemed almost astonished by the expression on his face. They had rarely, if ever, seen him smile like this.

Later, the maesters would record that no one had seen Cregan Stark smile more than on this day, save for the birth of his first child with the princess. But in that moment, as they walked through the people of Winterfell, his heart felt as though it might burst with the weight of the joy he carried.

As the newlyweds entered the great hall, the feast that awaited them was grander than any Winterfell had seen in years. Tables were laden with food, goblets filled with wine and ale, and laughter already filled the room. But even amidst the celebration, Cregan’s focus remained on her—his wife.

He leaned in close, his voice low enough for only her to hear. “You make Winterfell warmer, princess.”

She tilted her head to him, her smile soft but knowing. “Perhaps it’s not just the fire in me, but the wolf in you.”

He chuckled, a deep, content sound. “A wolf and a dragon. We’ll see what kind of legends they make of us.”

“They will make legends of us, Cregan Stark,” she whispered. “That I promise.”

And as the night wore on, with the fire roaring in the hearth and the joy of the wedding spreading throughout Winterfell, Cregan knew she was right. This day, this union, would be remembered long after both of them were gone. And the legends would speak of the dragon that brought fire to the North, and the Stark who stood beside her, unflinching and steadfast.

The cold air of Winterfell’s courtyard bit at Cregan’s cheeks, the chill seeping through even his thick furs as he stood with his arms crossed, eyeing the great dragon Vaetrix. Her crimson scales glinted in the pale northern light, each one like a shard of polished ruby set against the stark white backdrop of snow. Even at rest, her massive wings were tucked tight against her sides, a vast stretch of membrane that flickered like flame when she shifted, the tips of her talons sinking into the frozen earth.

To say Cregan Stark was a man comfortable on solid ground would have been an understatement. He was born of stone and ice, a wolf bound to the earth, as much a part of the North as the walls of Winterfell itself. But today, as he stood beside his wife, watching the dragon’s great form settle before them, he felt that comfort slip away, like snow melting beneath an unexpected spring sun.

She had offered—no, insisted—that he take to the skies with her, on the back of Vaetrix. Cregan had held his ground through worse. He had fought battles, endured the harshest winters, but none of that prepared him for this. He could handle swords and shields, but flying? That was a different beast entirely. Quite literally.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, casting a skeptical glance at his wife, who stood beside him looking perfectly at ease, even amused.

Her silver-gold hair, tied back to keep it from whipping in the wind, gleamed in the cold sunlight. There was a mischievous glint in her violet eyes, and a faint smile played at her lips as she regarded him. “You’re not afraid of a little flight, are you, my lord?” she teased, her tone light but carrying just enough of a challenge to make Cregan’s jaw tighten.

He looked back at Vaetrix, the dragon’s head lowering to the ground with a snort that sent a puff of steam curling into the air. The dragon’s golden eyes—deep, intelligent, and unsettlingly aware—fixed on him with what he could only describe as amusement. As if the beast knew exactly what he was thinking.

“Afraid? No,” Cregan grumbled. “But I’d be a fool to not be cautious of flying on the back of a creature who could swallow me whole.”

She laughed then, a bright, musical sound that carried over the stillness of the courtyard. “Vaetrix isn’t interested in eating you. She’d much prefer a herd of sheep over a Northman. Too much wool, not enough meat.”

Cregan raised a brow. “Comforting.”

She placed a hand on his arm, her touch warm despite the cold. “Come, Cregan. You’ve fought in battles, faced down far worse than this. Flying will be nothing. Trust me.”

It wasn’t the flight that unnerved him, but the idea of relinquishing control. He was used to being on solid ground, where he could command his surroundings. The sky was unknown territory, one he had no desire to claim. But as he met her gaze, the playful challenge there mixed with something deeper—her faith in him, and perhaps a desire for him to share in her world. He couldn't refuse that.

With a deep breath, Cregan nodded. “Very well. I’ll fly with you. But if we fall, I’ll haunt you from the afterlife.”

Her smile broadened, and before he knew it, she was pulling him toward Vaetrix. The dragon lowered her massive form even further, folding her legs beneath her to allow them to mount. Up close, Cregan could truly appreciate just how enormous the beast was—her scales, tough and unyielding, were the size of his hand, and her wings, even at rest, stretched out like the sails of a great ship. Each breath she took seemed to rumble through the earth, and the heat radiating from her was enough to melt the snow in a wide circle around her.

He watched as his wife climbed effortlessly onto Vaetrix’s back, her movements fluid and graceful, as though this was second nature to her. It probably was. When she looked back at him, the challenge was still in her eyes. Cregan sighed, grumbled something under his breath about never being able to say no to her, and climbed up after her, though with significantly less grace.

Once he was seated behind her, his hands gripping the edge of the saddle far tighter than he’d ever admit, she glanced back over her shoulder, her smile still firmly in place. “Hold on, my lord.”

“I already am.”

“Good. You’ll want to hold on tighter.”

Cregan opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but before he could form the words, Vaetrix gave a mighty heave and pushed off the ground. Cregan’s stomach lurched as the world dropped away beneath them, the courtyard and the walls of Winterfell shrinking rapidly as the dragon’s powerful wings unfurled and beat against the sky.

He swore, loudly and without shame, as the icy wind whipped against his face, stinging his skin and making his eyes water. The ground, which he had spent his entire life firmly planted on, was suddenly nothing more than a distant blur of white and grey far below them. The sensation was like nothing he had ever experienced—wild, untethered, and completely out of his control.

His wife laughed, the sound carried back to him on the wind. “Are you alright back there, my wolf?”

Cregan, still clinging to the saddle for dear life, managed to mutter something that sounded vaguely like, “I’ll kill you for this.”

She only laughed harder.

As Vaetrix rose higher into the sky, her wings beating with a steady rhythm that shook the air around them, Cregan forced himself to breathe. Slowly, the initial shock gave way to something else—a sense of awe. The land stretched out beneath them in all directions, a vast expanse of snow-covered wilderness that seemed to go on forever. Winterfell looked impossibly small from up here, just a cluster of grey stones nestled against the white of the North.

The sky itself was a wonder—endless, clear, and so achingly blue that it made him forget, for a moment, the biting cold of the wind. Up here, the world was different, quieter, as though they had left the cares of the earth behind.

“This is what it’s like,” she said over her shoulder, her voice softer now, no longer teasing. “To be free in the sky.”

Cregan didn’t respond immediately, still adjusting to the sensation of being so far above everything he had ever known. But as he watched the vastness of the North unfold beneath them, he began to understand. Up here, there were no boundaries, no limits. It was just them, the wind, and the dragon’s wings.

“It’s…” he started, struggling to find the right word. “Incredible.”

She glanced back at him, her expression softening. “I knew you’d like it.”

“I didn’t say I liked it,” he shot back, though the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.

She smirked. “You’re smiling.”

“I’m cold,” he retorted, though he was no longer holding on to the saddle quite so tightly. In fact, as they soared above the snow-covered forests, he realized that his fear was ebbing, replaced by something closer to exhilaration. The wind roared in his ears, but instead of dreading it, he felt alive—more alive than he had in years.

Vaetrix let out a low rumble as if sensing her riders’ mood. The dragon's massive wings tilted slightly, adjusting their course, and Cregan felt the shift as they glided smoothly over the treetops. The ground below seemed distant now, almost irrelevant.

Cregan glanced down again, marveling at how small everything appeared. "I’m still not sure how you trust her to do this."

His wife’s voice was warm as she replied, “Vaetrix is my partner, not just a mount. She flies because I trust her, and because she trusts me. It’s not about control—it’s about the bond.”

He nodded slowly, her words sinking in. Perhaps that’s what made the Targaryens so different from anyone else—their bond with these creatures was deeper than a rider and a horse, deeper than any earthly connection. It was fire, blood, and something more.

Vaetrix’s wings beat steadily as they soared toward the horizon, and for the first time, Cregan let himself relax, loosening his grip just a little. He even allowed himself a small chuckle.

"Alright," he said, leaning in slightly toward her. "Maybe I don’t hate this as much as I thought."

She smiled, her laughter carried on the wind, and as they flew together—wolf and dragon—Cregan knew that he had just crossed a threshold. This, too, was part of the life he had chosen with her, part of the legend they were creating together.

And despite himself, he was beginning to enjoy it.

The chill of winter had wrapped itself around Winterfell like an old, familiar cloak, but inside the thick stone walls of the castle, the air was thick with heat and anticipation. The hearthfires burned fiercely, their flames casting flickering shadows on the ancient stones, but it wasn’t just the fire that made the air feel so stifling. It was the weight of the moment, the hush that had fallen over the great hall, the tense waiting, and the murmured prayers to both the Old Gods and the new.

Cregan Stark paced the floor just outside the chambers where his wife labored. His usually composed demeanor was gone, replaced by a restless energy that he couldn't shake. His boots scuffed against the flagstones with each turn, and though the men around him—his bannermen, his household retainers—watched him with a mixture of concern and amusement, no one dared to speak.

It wasn’t that Cregan feared what was happening behind the door. He had seen battles, endured the harshest winters, and ruled his people with a steady hand. But this—waiting for the birth of his first child—this was different. This was something far beyond his control, something that stirred a deep, primal worry in him.

He had been kept from the birthing chamber, of course, as was custom, but the muffled sounds of his wife’s labored breathing reached him even through the thick door. It was agonizing—knowing she was enduring such pain, and yet there was nothing he could do but wait.

One of his bannermen, Arnolf, an older man with a long, weathered face, stood beside him, watching the young lord with a hint of a smile. “My lord, pacing a trench in the stone won’t bring the babe any faster,” Arnolf said, his tone light despite the gravity of the situation.

Cregan stopped mid-step, shooting a half-hearted glare at his bannerman. “If I don’t keep moving, I’ll go mad.”

Arnolf chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Ah, the first child is always the hardest. You feel as though the world is on the edge of changing forever—and you’re right, it is. But trust me, my lord, it will all be worth it.”

Cregan nodded, though his jaw was still tight with worry. He knew the risks of childbirth, even for a woman as strong as his wife. She was no fragile southern lady—she was a dragon rider, fierce and unyielding—but still, childbirth had claimed queens and common women alike. He had never feared for her before, not when she flew on Vaetrix, not when she faced down the dangers of the North, but now...

Another sound, a sharp intake of breath from behind the door, sent Cregan’s heart racing again. He clenched his fists, resisting the urge to burst through and be by her side. He hated this helplessness. Hated that he could do nothing but listen.

“Cregan,” came a voice from the shadows. It was his half-sister, Sara, stepping forward, her dark hair pulled back from her face, her expression soft but commanding. “She’s strong. She’ll make it through this. You know she will.”

He looked at her, his eyes searching hers for reassurance. “I know. But it doesn’t stop the worry.”

Sara placed a hand on his arm, squeezing it gently. “It never does. But trust in her strength. She’s born of dragons, after all. And you’ll see your child soon enough.”

Before Cregan could respond, a cry pierced the air from beyond the door—a new, sharp cry that did not belong to his wife. It was the cry of an infant, high-pitched and insistent, as though the child had already inherited the fire of its mother’s blood.

Cregan froze, his heart thudding in his chest as the door creaked open, and the midwife stepped out, her apron bloodied but her face bright with a smile. “A son, my lord,” she said, her voice warm. “A strong, healthy boy.”

For a moment, Cregan couldn’t move. The words washed over him, sinking in slowly. A son. His son. He felt as though the ground beneath him shifted, like his world had just expanded in ways he hadn’t thought possible.

“A son,” he repeated, his voice almost reverent. He had dreamed of this moment—had imagined it a hundred times—but nothing had prepared him for the reality of it.

The midwife nodded. “Your wife wishes to see you. She’s tired, but well.”

Cregan didn’t wait for more. He strode through the door into the chamber, his heart still hammering in his chest. The room smelled of blood and sweat, but it was warm, almost stifling, and lit by the soft glow of candles. His eyes immediately found her—his wife—reclining in the bed, her silver-gold hair damp with sweat, but her face flushed with triumph. In her arms, bundled in soft furs, was their child.

She looked up as he entered, and the faintest smile touched her lips, though exhaustion lined her face. “Cregan,” she breathed, her voice soft but steady. “Come meet your son.”

He moved toward her slowly, as if in a dream, his eyes fixed on the small bundle in her arms. As he reached the bedside, she shifted slightly, lifting the child toward him.

Cregan gazed down at the infant—his son. The child’s skin was soft and pale, his tiny fists clenched tightly as he wailed, his little face scrunched in displeasure at being so new to the world. But what struck Cregan most was the shock of silver-gold hair atop the boy’s head, unmistakable, just like his mother’s.

“He’s perfect,” Cregan whispered, his voice thick with awe. He reached down, hesitantly at first, then more surely as he took his son in his arms. The weight of the child felt impossibly light, yet it was as though Cregan’s heart had just doubled in size.

His wife watched him, her violet eyes gleaming with warmth. “He has your hands,” she said softly, her voice touched with amusement. “Strong, like a Stark.”

Cregan chuckled, though his throat was tight. “And his mother’s hair. He’ll stand out here in the North.”

She smiled faintly. “Let them stare. He is both wolf and dragon. They’ll come to respect him for it.”

Cregan looked down at the boy again, his son, his heir. The child’s cries had quieted now, and he blinked up at his father with curious, unfocused eyes. Cregan could see it already—the strength, the fire that would burn within this boy. He was a Stark, but he was also more than that. He was part of a legacy that would shape the future of the North and beyond.

“He’s beautiful,” Cregan murmured, the weight of everything hitting him at once. The responsibility, the joy, the pride—it was overwhelming, but in the best possible way.

“He will be great,” his wife said quietly, her voice soft but filled with certainty. “I can feel it.”

Cregan nodded, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead, his gratitude for her—for everything—too deep for words. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice rough.

She smiled, though her eyelids were drooping with exhaustion. “We did this together.”

He stayed by her side as she drifted off to sleep, their son still cradled in his arms. As the night deepened outside Winterfell’s thick walls, Cregan knew that the world had indeed changed forever. The child in his arms was not just his son—he was the future of House Stark and House Targaryen, the bridge between ice and fire.

And as Cregan looked down at the tiny face peeking from the furs, he smiled—a smile that his bannermen had not seen since the wedding, a smile that would be remembered in the histories of the North, alongside this day, as the day the first dragon-blooded Stark was born.

The sun hung low in the sky, its orange glow turning the snow into a strange mix of fire and ice. Cregan Stark, now a bit grayer around the edges but still every bit the Lord of Winterfell, stood near the training yard watching his men practice their swordplay. His face, as usual, was etched in concentration, though every so often, his gaze flickered toward the godswood where his daughter had spent most of the afternoon.

He knew her well enough to sense when mischief was brewing, and today, there was something in the air that told him she was up to something. He just hadn’t quite put his finger on what.

It wasn’t long before his suspicions were confirmed. His daughter, all of ten years old but with the same silver-gold hair and fiery spirit as her mother, came bursting through the courtyard gates with something bundled in her arms. Cregan immediately recognized the familiar look of determination in her eyes—he’d seen that look before, mostly when his wife had her mind set on something impossible, like teaching him how to fly on a dragon without looking like he was going to throw up.

“Papa!” she called, her voice a mix of excitement and urgency as she half-skipped, half-ran toward him. “Papa, look what I found!”

Cregan raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued, though a part of him braced for whatever his daughter had gotten herself into this time. He folded his arms over his chest, his deep voice calm as he spoke. “What have you brought me this time, little one? A dragon egg, perhaps? Another wild idea about climbing the walls of Winterfell?”

She shook her head, a wide grin spreading across her face. “Better,” she declared, and with that, she opened her cloak to reveal a small, squirming ball of fur.

It took Cregan a moment to register what he was seeing. A direwolf pup—tiny, scruffy, and with impossibly large paws for its body—peered up at him from the folds of her cloak. Its wide, blue eyes blinked curiously, and its little tail wagged as though it had already made up its mind that this was where it belonged.

Cregan let out a deep sigh, the kind that comes from years of parenting and knowing exactly what was coming next. “Where did you find that?”

“In the woods by the godswood,” she answered cheerfully, holding the pup up as if presenting him with the greatest treasure the North had ever seen. “Isn’t he wonderful?”

The pup let out a small yip, clearly eager to be part of the conversation. Cregan eyed the creature with a mix of fondness and exasperation. The wolf looked like it had been born to cause chaos, and somehow, his daughter had already taken a shine to it. He could almost hear the arguments forming in her head.

“And what exactly do you expect to do with this… wolf?” he asked, trying to sound stern, though his resolve was already weakening at the sight of her beaming face.

“I want to keep him,” she said, her tone so matter-of-fact it was as if she had already made the decision for him. “He’s too little to survive on his own. And I’ve always wanted a wolf, Papa. You have one! Why can’t I?”

Cregan rubbed the back of his neck, fighting the smile that was threatening to break through. “I have a wolf because I’m the Lord of Winterfell, not because I found one wandering around the woods and decided to bring it home like a stray dog.”

His daughter’s eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head, giving him that look—one that made him feel as though he were about to be outwitted by a ten-year-old. “But you are the Lord of Winterfell, and that means you get to decide things like this, doesn’t it? You could say yes, right now.”

He sighed again. “That’s not exactly how—”

“Please, Papa?” she interrupted, stepping closer and cradling the pup against her chest, her eyes wide and pleading. “He won’t be any trouble. I’ll take care of him, I promise. I’ll feed him, and train him, and everything.”

Cregan glanced down at the pup, who seemed entirely unfazed by the conversation, content to nestle into his daughter’s arms. The little wolf let out another soft yip, as if to back up her case.

“Do you even know how to train a wolf?” Cregan asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’ll learn!” she insisted, her excitement growing. “He’s smart, I can tell. And I’m smart too. We’ll figure it out together.”

Cregan stared at her, knowing full well that he had lost this battle before it even began. She had that same stubborn streak as her mother, that fire that wouldn’t be extinguished no matter how hard he tried to reason with her. And truth be told, he wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea of her having a wolf. A direwolf was part of the Stark legacy, after all. And though it was a bit earlier than he had planned, this felt… right.

He took a deep breath, looking from his daughter’s hopeful face to the pup in her arms. “Fine,” he said at last, his tone resigned but soft. “You can keep him.”

Her face lit up, and before he knew what was happening, she had thrown herself at him, wrapping her free arm around his waist in a tight hug. “Thank you, Papa! Thank you, thank you!”

Cregan chuckled, placing a hand on her head. “But you’ll be responsible for him, understand? That means feeding him, training him, and making sure he doesn’t tear through Winterfell like a wild beast.”

“I will, I promise!” she said, pulling back to beam at him, her eyes bright with joy.

The pup let out a soft whine and squirmed in her arms, wiggling until his head poked out from her cloak again. He gave Cregan a long, inquisitive look, his tiny tail wagging with uncontainable energy.

“I suppose we need to give him a name,” Cregan said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “What will you call him?”

His daughter thought for a moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. Then, with a grin, she said, “How about… Storm? Because I found him after that big storm last night.”

Cregan nodded, glancing down at the pup who was now chewing on the edge of his daughter’s cloak. “Storm it is, then. A fitting name for a troublemaker.”

As they turned to head back inside, the newly named Storm trotting happily at their heels, Cregan couldn’t help but smile. His daughter had her wolf, just as he had his. The pack was growing, and despite his earlier reluctance, he felt a deep sense of pride swell in his chest.

He leaned down to ruffle his daughter’s hair, his voice warm with affection. “You’ll do well with him, little one. Just don’t let him eat all my boots.”

She giggled, glancing down at Storm, who was already sniffing the ground with intense curiosity. “I’ll try, Papa. But no promises.”

Cregan chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s what I thought.”

The years had settled quietly over Winterfell, and though the seasons had come and gone, bringing with them both harsh winters and gentle springs, the castle remained the sturdy heart of the North. Cregan Stark, now older, with silver threading through his once dark hair and lines etched into his strong features, stood at the window of their chambers, looking out over the snow-covered courtyard. The sky was a soft grey, typical for this time of year, but the wind had stilled, leaving the world in a peaceful, almost serene silence.

Behind him, the familiar crackle of the hearthfire filled the room, its warmth seeping into the stone walls, casting a golden glow that softened the edges of everything. He could hear the gentle rustle of fabric as his wife moved about, though they no longer rushed through life the way they once had. These days, time was kinder, moving slower, allowing them to savor the quiet moments.

Cregan turned from the window, his gaze settling on her. She was seated in the large, cushioned chair by the fire, her silver-gold hair, now streaked with strands of white, falling loosely over her shoulders. Her beauty, undiminished by age, was not the fiery, untamed force it had been in their youth, but rather something more enduring, more graceful—a calm, steady flame that had warmed him for decades.

She looked up as she felt his eyes on her, her violet gaze meeting his, and a soft smile touched her lips. “What are you staring at, my wolf?” she asked, her voice still carrying that playful lilt, though it was quieter now, softened by the years they had shared.

Cregan smiled, crossing the room to her side. “Just thinking,” he replied, lowering himself into the chair beside her with a soft grunt. His joints weren’t quite what they used to be, but he still moved with the strength of a man who had led Winterfell for decades.

She raised an eyebrow, setting aside the book she had been reading. “You’ve always been a man of few words, but thinking? That’s dangerous.”

He chuckled, the sound deep and warm. “Dangerous for some, maybe. For me, it’s just remembering.”

Her smile deepened, and she leaned back in her chair, the firelight flickering in her eyes. “And what are you remembering, Cregan Stark?”

He reached over, taking her hand in his. Her fingers, though not as nimble as they once were, still fit perfectly in his. He traced the lines of her palm, thinking of all the years they had spent together—of the battles fought, the children raised, the moments of laughter and sorrow that had woven their lives into something greater than either of them could have imagined.

“I was thinking of the first time I saw you,” he said, his voice quiet. “When you rode into Winterfell on Vaetrix. I had never seen anything like you, and I was certain, in that moment, that my life was about to change.”

Her laugh was soft, more of a breath than a sound, but it filled the room. “I remember that day. You looked like you were trying very hard not to run for the hills.”

Cregan shook his head, grinning. “I wasn’t about to run. I was too busy trying to keep my mouth from falling open. You were this fiery, untouchable force, and I was just a man standing in your shadow.”

She squeezed his hand gently, her thumb brushing over the back of his knuckles. “You were never just a man, Cregan. Not to me.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the crackling of the fire filling the space between them. Cregan let his gaze wander around the room, settling on the small tokens of their life together—the furs draped over the bed, the carvings of direwolves that adorned the wooden posts, a tapestry that depicted both the wolf and the dragon entwined, a gift from one of their children.

“I never thought we’d come this far,” he said quietly, his voice almost wistful. “Through everything. Wars, winters… raising our children.”

She laughed again, this time with more warmth. “Oh, the children. They were more of a challenge than any war we faced, weren’t they?”

Cregan smiled, thinking of their brood—strong, stubborn, each with their own fire. Their son had grown into a man of great strength, a natural leader who now stood as Lord of Winterfell. Their daughter, with her direwolf by her side, had become a force in her own right, a woman who carried both the blood of wolves and dragons with equal pride.

“They were. But we managed.” He looked at her, his gaze softening. “We did well, didn’t we?”

She tilted her head, studying him with that knowing look she had always given him, the one that told him she saw right through him—through his walls, his defenses, straight to the heart of him. “We did better than well, my love,” she said softly. “We built something that will last long after we’re gone.”

He nodded, feeling a deep sense of contentment settle over him. She was right. The legacy they had created together, the family they had raised, would endure. House Stark and the blood of dragons would continue to thrive, long after their bones had returned to the cold ground of the North.

Cregan lifted her hand to his lips, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. “I’m glad it was with you,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else by my side.”

Her eyes shimmered with emotion, and she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. “I know, Cregan,” she whispered back, her breath warm against his skin. “It’s always been us.”

They sat like that for a long while, the fire crackling softly beside them, the weight of the years they had shared resting lightly on their shoulders. They didn’t need to speak—everything that mattered had already been said.

Outside, the night deepened, the stars beginning to peek through the grey skies, but inside Winterfell, there was warmth, and love, and the quiet peace that only came with a life well-lived.

And in that moment, as they sat together, hand in hand, Cregan Stark knew that he had found everything he had ever needed—here, in the heart of Winterfell, with the woman who had brought fire to his life and warmth to his winter.

#house of the dragon #hotd x reader #hotd #hotd x y/n #hotd x you #cregan x you #cregan x y/n #cregan stark x reader #cregan x reader #cregan x #cregan stark #hotd cregan

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weasleyreidstyles · 7 months ago

Text

Serendipity; Invisible String

series masterlist

i was going to include this in chapter seventeen to break up the angst a bit...but then i thought i'd just do it as its own separate piece so that they have a chance to explore their love without there being as much (because i couldn't help myself) angst overshadowing this pivotal moment for meadow and matty....there is also an important (not very subtle) easter egg regarding the storyline that will be delved into in a later chapter....anyway this takes place between chapter 16 & 17 xxx

warning: 18+ content, fingering, piv, soft smut, declarations of loooove!!

~∞~

After the Order members had left, with plans of meeting privately to discuss Professor Dumbledore's funeral and what they were supposed to do in the wake of the harrowing battle, Madam Pomfrey had made her way over to you to check on the wounds that littered your abdomen, and with a flick of her wand, they became faint lines of jagged silver as they scarred over. Shortly after that, she'd declared you okay and insisted that you get some rest in a proper bed. It was probably also to make space for the students, part of Dumbledore's Army, who had also been injured in the battle.

You and Mattheo left shortly after that, but not before Ron came up to you and wrapped you in a hug, tears leaking from his dull blue eyes. No words were needed, you knew what his actions meant. You held him tighter, even as his parents beckoned him to his brother's bed.

The castle halls are eerily silent as you walk hand in hand with Mattheo. Even the portraits don't stir at the harsh glow of his lit wand, as if they were grieving for the loss of Dumbledore in their own way. The two of you are the only disturbance in the still atmosphere, your soft breathes and light footsteps echoing loudly on the stone floor.

Neither of you had wanted to venture near the Astronomy tower again, afraid that the sight of the now spotless hallways would spark harsh reminders of the bloodshed and carnage that had swept through them like a petulant disease only hours before. So wordlessly, Mattheo had begun leading you towards the dungeons, his body heat sheltering you from the chilly bite in the air.

The Slytherin common room was mysteriously desolate when you entered behind him. Not a soul to be found under the dim glow of the Black Lake's murky waters; only the sound of the crackling fire in the hearth and the gentle ripple of the current against the windows could be heard over your mingling breathes.

"Where is everyone?" You ask, cringing instantly as your voice becomes agonisingly loud in the silence, despite your words being spoken with quiet cadence.

"In bed I assume, or gone." Mattheo responded with a low rasp. "It wouldn't surprise me if news has already spread and parents are collecting their children to return home."

You respond with a soft "oh", as you follow him up the stairs to his dorm.

"Draco's gone." He continued as he unlocked the dark oak door leading to his dorm. "So are Blaise and Pansy. Enzo and Theo are still here, but they'll leave soon too."

"Why didn't you tell me anything before? I deserved to know that my friendships started out as a means to an end." You ask him as you enter his room. He's silent as he observes you from the threshold, brows creased in thought.

"I would've told you eventually. There was never a good enough time though. And it wasn't a means to an end, love." Your about to retort but he continues as if you hadn't opened your mouth to speak. "It felt like the right thing to do, to tell you when I did."

"To gain The Order's trust?" You ask, running a hand through your hair.

"Exactly. Though I doubt it's done much to sway them."

"What happens now?" You ask hesitantly, reaching and squeezing his hand.

Mattheo gently guides you to where his bed sits in the corner of his room, allowing you to find a comfortable position before he finds his own one behind you. He pulls your back to rest snugly against his chest, cradling your body to his own with strong, protecting arms as your heartbeats synced as one.

"I don't know, darling. But we'll face it together." He says as he presses a soft kiss to the crown of your head. The two of you rest in stagnant silence, unsure of what tonight's happenings meant for the world as you knew it.

~∞~

A little while later, you turn to face him, restless anxiety clawing at your insides. Mattheo's curly, deep brunette hair has fallen haphazardly across his forehead and his onyx eyes, framed by glorious lashes, shine bright, despite all that they had witnessed in the past few hours. He has a soft smile painting his face as he admires you in tandem, although you can see his poorly hidden concern for you reflecting behind the tenderness. Each breath you take, he mirrors and your racing heart slows to a relaxing lull in your ears. Unhurriedly, you bring a hand up to his face and brush the loose curls away from his eyes, a tender look overtaking your fatigue.

"I meant what I said in the ward." He mumbles, voice betraying how exhausted he was, too.

"Yeah?" You ask, your smile widening imperceptibly. You fingers caress his face with featherlight strokes as you trace the freckles and scars that are scattered across his cheeks. Your eyes are now alight with teasing mischief as if daring him to say the words aloud, all sense of tiredness having left your face in the wake of it.

"Yes, Meadow." He responds with a quiet snicker as he pokes your side. His eyes glow with serene happiness as he watches you squirm and giggle, watches the despondency leave your pretty face. "Did you ever take me for a liar, sweetheart?"

"No." You say breathlessly as he continues to stroke at your trouser covered hips. "Never."

I want to hear you say it. You implore wordlessly. Please.

He kisses you then. It's not hard and rough and passionate like his caresses always are. Instead, it's soft and slow and entirely all consuming, like the very first time, but infinitely better. Every emotion he's ever felt for you coarses through your veins as his tongue clashes against your's.

"I love you." He says breathless and low against your lips. You kiss him with a newfound fervour, pouring your every thought and every emotion, intertwining your soul with his. Your magic practically explodes around you, casting a warm indigo glow about the dorm room, illuminating his features; guiding shadows in a dance across his face.

He looks at you in awe as you both admire the way his own magic seems to tangle seemlessly with it. Whorls of indigo and silver flicker in pretty patterns that seem to pour out around you like a smattering of a million tiny stars.

My incredible, smart girl. He tells you with a wide smile on his face as he looks at you, admiringly. You flush under his intense stare.

You undress each other with practiced fluidity until you are both blissfully nude; no barriers separating you from the other, all vulnerabilities splayed out in the open. He rolls on top of you and presses your hands above your head with one of his as his other trails lightly down your stomach, tracing the new lines of scars which seem to twinkle under the faux starlight. He presses soft kisses to the marred skin, words of love and adoration melting into you as he presses away the new insecurities without even trying.

He eventually works one finger, and then two inside you as his thumb strokes idle patterns against your clit. You mewl at his practiced ministrations as he fingers you, slow and rough, in the way he knows you love, despite never having said it out loud before.

The noises you make bring a delighted smirk to his pretty lips and he speeds up his movements almost unnoticeably to bring you close to release; teasing you through one orgasm before letting a second rush through you, all while drinking in every sound; every expression that you let overcome your flushed face.

It feels like an eternity later that he finally sheathes himself inside you, every ridge of his cock brushing sensually against your most sensitive spots as he sets a leisurely pace – starting slowly before he finds a particular rhythm that has the both of you moaning in unison. His arms are braced at either side of your head, careful not to snag on your hair which is haphazardly fanning out on the pillow beneath your head. The muscles in his biceps flex with every push and pull of his body, his core tense with the exertion of making you feel like you're walking on clouds.

Your own hands are on a journey of their own, travelling along the defined muscles of his abdomen and across his strong hips, until a particularly deep thrust from Mattheo causes you to claw at the soft skin of his back, willing him to come closer to you. The scars that litter his skin are blissfully joined by marks of your making, marks that he wishes could stay there forever in place of the others.

Where he's left love bites on your skin, you eagerly return the favour as best as you're able. Leaving deep purple marks across his chest and clavicle with your kiss-swollen lips that happily migrate from his body to his own lips as much as possible.

"I love you." You whisper against him and he lets out a barely restrained groan as he thrusts even harder into you at your admission. Satisfaction thrummed through his veins at the whiny sound you let out in response.

"Say that again." He says, pressing hard kisses to your chest, leaving more delicious marks in his wake.

"I love you, Mattheo Riddle." You repeat, a moan catching in your throat as you begin to reach your peak for a third time. "You have my whole heart. Break it. Crush it. Decimate it. Do what you must, but please know that it's yours. It will always be yours. I love you."

The both of you are pushed over the edge at that, clinging to eachother's bodies, which are slick with sweat. The euphoria causes your intertwining magic to surge around you again, and you both feel how it sparks at your very souls, the feeling never ceasing, only growing as you allow your love to manifest and flourish like its very own entity.

Neither of you want the intoxicating feeling to end, content in basking in the sensation, if only to prolong the immense amount of love that radiates from your magical cores.

"I love you, darling." He mumbles into the skin of your shoulder, exhausted and spent, breathing in the scent of you; the soft floral hint of your perfume that seems to linger despite the raging battle you'd been in and the musky scent of the sweat that clings to your skin.

You press a kiss to his own shoulder as his body flops to land beside your's on top of ruffled emerald sheets. Your interwoven magic still permeates the air, seemingly in no hurry to dissipate any time soon and you can feel it, along with Mattheo's deep in your chest. By the look on his face, he's feeling its affects too.

"That was–" You mumble with a breathless giggle, fingers trailing patterns across his marked skin.

"All consuming." He agrees with a lethargic chuckle of his own before he's pulling your body into his again, magically rearranging the sheets so that the two of you are modestly covered.

"Can you feel something-" You start, but are unable to put this new sensation into words as he gazes down at you with soft eyes. "I don't know how to explain it."

"Different? Like my magic isn't entirely my own anymore?" He wonders aloud and you find that he's voiced your exact feelings.

"Yeah. Precisely like that, actually." You say. "It's like I've unconsciously absorbed your magic again. I'm sorry-"

His lips against your's prevent your apology from fully forming and he's looking at you with such a tender expression that makes you melt.

"I'm not sure it is your siphoning, love. It's different. I can feel your's too." He says with lightly furrowed brows.

"How strange." You mumble, a yawn escaping your lips. Mattheo manoeuvres you so that you're practically chest to chest as he lies on his back, letting your aching nipples brush against his strong pecks as he wraps his arms around you.

You breathe out a content sigh that causes a shudder to rush through him as it ghosts over the sensitive skin of his neck. The impact of your shared love and intertwining cores feels like a supernova swirling inside you.

The fate of the wizarding world, and your own fate, is a haze of unknown territory, but you were entirely certain of one thing; Mattheo held your heart in his hands, and he had no intention of ever letting it go.

~∞~

taglist:

(striked out users are ones that i couldn't tag)

@camille-1019 @lovelyygirl8 @xluansstuff

@babeylover @thejadeazalea @undercover-smutlover @adhxmoony

@dreamingofonceuponatime @thepassionatereader @urmomsgayforme5 @aphroditeisamilf

@devotedlycrookeddonut @purplegirls-posts @nofacenonamelikekira @foxboyapologist @lafrone @lovely-maryj

@nromanovaswife @leeknows-wife @dracygf @wildlyobserving @ravenclawprincess33 @melllinaa @vellicora @lantsovheiress @emiliahoward @stunkbiggu @vcosette

@prongsprincessworld @mattiesgirl

@rachmmb @x-kermit-x @sun-fiower-seed @cas-planet @certaindreampost

@weirdowithnobeardo @mikalovesicecream @benwadsworthsgf

@rainy-darling @faeriepigeons

@lovely-blackinnon @hiireadstuff

@gimalo135 @elsafromcabinsix @moonlightreader649 @blueshome

@nopedefe @spencerreidsthings

@navs-bhat @agent-tempest

@magimtz23 @y0urm0m12

@sbrn0905 @leona-hawthorne

@whatsupb18

#serendipity series #mattheo riddle x you #mattheo riddle x reader #mattheo riddle smut #mattheo riddle #fluff #smut

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annymation · 9 months ago

Text

The Kingdom of Wishes- A “Wish” Rewrite

Chapter 16- This Wish

Chapter 15

We see the people of Rosas all gathered in front of the castle. They're looking up to the giant green bubble on top of the palace, trapping MANY wish bubbles.

Mumblings and questions such as "What's going on?" "Why was a gathering summoned this late?" "What's King Magnifico doing?" can be heard floating around.

We focus on a few adults talking among each other until suddenly... One of them points out that the other's chest is glowing green, and then their own chest starts glowing green too.

The same starts to happen with many younger and older adults, parents with their children, older brothers and grandparents all feel like something is being taken from them... And there is indeed.

Their wishes are being taken back. Every single citizens older than 18 watches in horror and confusion as their wish starts floating out of their chest.

The bubbles are a mixed in shades of blues and greens, but the majority of them are green. They begin to swiftly fly upwards, making twists and turns around the palace like a snake climbing a tree, going around and around until all of them reach the top.

And once reach their destination, we turn our focus to the king who's taking all of their wishes in the first place.

We hear his voice with the enthusiasm of a shows man, echoing through the whole kingdom as he uses his magic staff as a "microphone":

"GOOD EVENING ROSAS!!!"

As his voice echos, every glass window magically turns into a mirror, showcasing his face, surprising the already frightened citizens.

(Yeah in the movie Mag could only do that with the star's magic but uuuuh I thought it was cool and it fits my Mag’s vibes, so here that's something he simply can do normally, trust me, him with Aster's powers is even worse.)

Magnifico and Amable both stand side by side looking down on the people bellow, their smiles are vicious. But Magnifico speaks like this is all just any normal gathering with his usual charismatic energy "Sooo good to see you! So good to be seen! And OOH BOY do we have some exciting announcements for you all tonight! Hahhaha"

Asha and her friends are all gathered together around Simon's now catatonic self, trying their hardest to wake him up, but nothing works, he's unreachable.

Asha turns to look at the monarchs a few feet away from them... She has her pencil and a piece of paper she got from one of the king's books inside her sleeve, they're both on the edge of the tower, if she can just draw something that mayb-

"But first! Please, give it up for your "fearless rebellion"! -oh you all are gonna love this heheehe" The king says that last sentence like he's sharing with the audience a very hilarious joke, while he turns his staff around to get Asha and all her friends, plus Valentino. Holding each one in individual tendrils of greens magic, he pulls them quickly and makes so they're hanging just out of the edge of the tower... If he lets go, they all fall down.

Asha and the teens look down horrified. Their faces now are being showcased on the glass windows bellow. Some of the adults looking at them we can recognize as the seven teens parents, all of them absolutely distraught and terrified.

"Surprise surprise! It's our faaavorite little agitator, Asha! Accompanied by- *gaaasp* A bunch of juveniles??? And a goat??? Oh dear, someone call the cavalry! HA- HAH AHAH!" The king places a hand over his head dramatically while laughing.

He just continues to laugh like a madman, so the queen proceeds to speak instead, her voice also echoing through the kingdom thanks to his magic "Children nowadays, really, just can't take your eyes off them for a second, next thing you know they're falling down a cliff." She jokes with her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Magnifico takes some deep breaths and goes back to his little show "Right you are, dear! And THAT, ladies and gentleman, is why we'll never be having any kids!" He jokes to the horrified and confused people bellow, he looks down on them with a smile, but then turns his attention to the star trapped above him "Heheh well, not like we'll ever need a heir anyway, thanks to our dear guest of honor-"

Aster has his hands touching the walls of the bubble while he looks down on what's happening, and immediately after the king finishes his sentence, Aster's wrists are enveloped in magic, he's trapped on the bubble. But that's just for a second, the king makes the bubble disappear, and as soon as it does Aster is pulled down to the floor and chained down (Exactly how everyone was trapped in the movie's climax btw) Aster looks up in anger trying to free himself to no avail.

"The wishing star that can't even grant a single wish! Come on Rosas! Show him your joy!" The mirrors bellow now show Aster's face. The king is getting no applause obviously, but it's not like he expects them to actually cheer or anything, he's just having fun at this point "With his magic in our hands, our reign will be ETERNAL! So rejoice people! You'll get to see these pretty faces for a looooong while! Hahahhaah!" The king speaks with a sadistic enthusiasm.

Asha looks over behind her shoulder,and sees Aster chained down to the floor, the star also looks at her. They're both worriedly gazing at each other, with the king and queen standing between them.

"But you see, everyone- tsk well umm how can I put this?- Before doing that I'll need some extra power, ya know? For safety reasons- My safety of course- And to get that power, I'll need a tiny itty bitty little favor from the lot of you." His voice is clearly mocking them, as he says like he's not asking for much "I'm sure you won't mind, right? I mean, it's only fair that after EVERYTHING we've done for you we get something in return-"

"YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING FOR US!" Asha shouts in anger "All you've ever done was TAKE! And now you want MORE power besides just Aster's?! You'll NEVER be satisfi- AAaAAAaaAGH!" She feels pain coursing through her body as the king uses his magic on her.

The teens look scared. The people of Rosas gasp in shock.

"STOP!" Aster yells angrily trying to pull himself away from the restraints.

The king and queen just look amusedly at the girl squirming in pain, but Magnifico does finally stop. He brings Asha closer to them and says "Still with this dreadful habit of raising your voice at us, huh Asha?"

Asha is breathing heavily, her head is low while she tries to recover from the pain.

"However, you have a point. We DO want more. SOOO much more than you can even imagine!" He turns to his wife hugging her close "After all, I did make a vow I would give you the world and more, did I not, my love?" He looks at her in the eyes lovingly, almost like the world around them doesn't matter anymore.

"Awwwn darling~" Amaya coos passionately while gazing upon his eyes, and goes in for a kiss on the lips.

(Guys, I hate them too, okay? But like, I can't have the villain couple be close to winning and NOT make them smooch, ya feel me? Would be a crime, and it's such a power move.)

Once they separate from the kiss, Magnifico lets out a dreamy sigh, before going back to his deranged self "As I was saying before being oh so rudely interrupted: The time has come for you all to show some gratitude to your king." He looks down on them like little ants ready to be crushed.

He raises his hand open.

While we see the people looking up scared, lost and angry. Among them we see Simon's dad, taking off his helmet and commanding his soldiers to head to the castle so they can put an end to whatever is going on... But it's too late.

The king smiles as he warns them cheerfully "Oh and just a heads up... This might sting a little."

Asha looks up in shock with tears in her eyes, for she recognizes that phrase. "No..."

He quickly closes his hand, tightly and-

C R A C K

Like fireworks, all the wishes above them start exploding and being reduced to green and blue dust.

And as they pop like balloons, the sound of screams comes from below. We see all the adults and elders of Rosas being hit by a sudden pain in their hearts, but as soon as they yell in agony they stop, and bow down on their knees, unwilling to do anything, for they have no more will.

All the citizens younger than 18 are not affected, children are mostly sleeping at this time of night, but a few teenagers are there, desperately trying to wake up their guardians, but there's nothing they can do but cower in fear.

Aster is staring up at all the wishes being destroyed with tears streaming down his face.

Asha hears her people screaming and she can feel her own heart breaking.

Meanwhile, the king only laughs maniacally, as he absorbs the green energy from the crushed wishes into his staff, and in turn he feels the magic coursing through his veins "OOOOOH NOW THAT'S WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT HAHAHA" he breathes in all that energy like he just had the most delicious meal. He turns to his queen with a big smile "Can't BELIEVE I limited myself to only breaking wishes from the riff-raff for SO LONG!" He notices his cape is glowing "Darling, am I glowing? I feel as if I am, yes?" He twirls to his wife gleefully.

(Yeah I'm keeping that scene, that was adorable and I loved Chris Pine's delivery. Also this man just made a whole population go catatonic, so many children and babies are now unattended... Then he just casually mentions he has been doing this to homeless people the whole time. Only to then spin all happy and goofy to show his wife how his cape is shinny, like, I can't with this dude.)

The queen giggles at her husband's delight "You are indeed, mi rey. But how about we get to our little star of the show, hmmm?" She asks anxiously, turning her attention to Aster chained up to the floor behind them.

"Oh but of course, my sweet! Let me just see our un-welcomed guests out first." Magnifico turns to Asha and her friends, still using his magic to keep them hanging over the edge of the tower.

Asha has her head lowered, but as he approaches she raises it to glare at him, her eyes are filled with tears but she refuses to sob in front of him.

He just smiles at her smugly "Wondering why you still have your wish in one piece?" he asks, and she actually didn't realize before but... Yeah, she did give him her wish before, he could take it back, so why didn't he? She get's her answer "Consider it as thanks for providing the star for us. You get to keep the wish you wanted sooo badly to work hard and achieve on your own… By the way, how has that been working out for you?" He laughs while making her spin around in the air, turning her to look at the people kneeled down hopeless, with a few children and preteens lost and scared bellow, he holds her chin so she doesn't look away from them and whispers "Can't say I didn't try warning you, Asha. This world can be so cruel to those who choose to work hard for their wishes... And fail." He quotes what he said during her wish ceremony, with his fake caring tone.

Asha doesn't respond, and he doesn't really care as he makes her float closer to her friends.

Aster notices what the king is doing and pleads "NO- NO NO NONONO! PLEASE! DON'T!" His animation is almost fully sketch lines while he panics.

Asha looks at Aster full of sorrow in her eyes... But with a hopeful smile... She really wishes she could reassure him right now, and let him know that...

She does have a plan.

The king ignores the star's begging as he continues, a sinister grin on his face "And you know what they say about working hard! The higher you climb- THE HARDER IS THE FALL!" And with one swift move of his staff...

He lets go of them.

All the 8 teens and Valentino fall down from the tower.

Most are flailing their arms and screaming in panic, except for Simon who's still practically unconscious...

And Asha who looks focused on her task at hand.

For as soon as her arms are free from the king's magic, she reaches inside her sleeve and takes her pencil and the piece of paper she took from Magnifico's book.

Once she has both in hand, the wind is pushing the paper upwards but she manages to hold it tightly, and she quickly draws the most simple thing that can save all of them...

Circles.

She draws 9 circles on the paper, and once she's done, the wind blowing on the paper makes the drawings magically fly out of it, and once they do, her drawn circles become bubbles.

Big bubbles, big enough for a person to fit inside.

And fit inside they do, as each bubble does as Asha commands in her mind, and saves each one of her friends, Valentino and herself.

Before they know it, they're all inside hand drawn bubbles, floating slowly to the ground.

Her friends firstly get surprised, but once they understand what's happening they all sigh in relief.

Asha looks just as surprised as the others "*breathes in* *breathes out* *breathes in* I can't believe that actually worked! *breathes out*" She sighs in relief.

They're relatively close to the ground now. A few teens and preteens who were previously trying to wake up their catatonic parents approach where the bubbles are about to land.

Asha is so relieved she managed to save them all, she just lays down on the bubble... But fails to notice she was holding her pencil when she does.

POP!

The point of her pencil bursts her bubble.

"Wh-AAAAAAAH!" She's once again falling.

"WE GOTCHU!" The teens who were bellow them caught her. She wasn't too far from the ground so no one get's hurt.

"*phew* That was close, thanks." She thanks the strangers. They put her downs they’re all nervous for the situation, but still relieved that she's alright.

Asha's friends all land safely in their bubbles, that pop once they hit the ground.

Asha looks up to the top of the tower, she can see a green glow... They're starting...

"Okay, now I gotta get up there befo-" she reaches for the piece of paper she had... It's gone.

It flew away when her bubble bursted.

All she has is her pencil.

"... Oh no- nonono!" She turns around to the teens behind her "D-do any of you have a piece of paper? Maybe a book?" She asks around desperately, but only get's them shaking their heads "no"

Asha feels her heart racing. She looks up with her eyes wide, her breath is uneven.

"I- I have to save him!" Asha exclaims with tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes

"The castle is locked down!" Gabo points out to the closed gates "There's no way you're getting to the top in time!”

"Asha, I'm sorry but... It's over." Dahlia's voice filled with sadness as she places a hand on Asha's shoulder "We gotta get out of here! Who knows what might happen when they have Aster's pow-"

"NO!" Asha yells, her eyes closed as she shakes her arm in frustration, tears now falling while she holds her pencil tightly "I'M NOT LEAVING HIM BEHIND! NEVER! I AM NOT LETTING THEM TAKE AWAY ANOTHER PERSON I LOVE!" We see something that Asha isn't seeing since her eyes are closed...

She is drawing on air.

When she moves her pencil around, it creates floating glowing scribbling lines... Think of it like her pencil is now the glowing wand from the "Hi, I'm (insert Disney channel celebrity name here) and you're watching Disney Channel" adds.

Her friends look at this happening in shock, Dahlia points out what's happening.

"A- Asha LOOK!"

Asha slowly opens her tearful eyes, and she gasps upon seeing what she just did, the lines she accidentally drew are still floating in front of her.

"I... I didn't know I could do that..." she looks at her pencil and notices it's now glowing, almost like a magic wand... But how?... She thinks for a moment, and she recalls the time Aster explained how his magic works when they first met... "... "The stronger is the want in the wish maker's heart... The more I can do"...That's it!" She quotes what he told her back in chapter 7. She looks up to the top of the castle, drying her tears with her sleeve. Her eyes now have a burning a determination "I'm coming Aster, just hang in there."

Her pencil, now turned into a magic wand, can only draw glowing lines for now, but she tests something by drawing a line close to the ground, and she steps on it...

Yes, just like she thought, she can stand on the floating line.

She then draws another line above the one she's standing on, she jumps on it, and now she higher than before, then she draws and jumps on another line, then again and again, repeating the process, as if she's drawing the steps of her own stair case to the top of the palace.

She's practically running on air now, full speed ahead, wind blowing on her hair, her eyes fixated on her objective. The music rises along with her rising.

...

So we cut to Aster at the top of the tower, and what I will narrate now was happening at the same time as Asha and her friends were landing on the ground below.

We see Aster crying thick dark blue tears that resemble a night sky. He's sobbing while kneeling down with his head down. For all he knows, the love of his life and his friends are all dead, and he couldn't do anything but watch.

The star keeps sobbing until he hears someone softly shushing him, and feels a cold hand on his cheek. Aster opens his eyes to see Queen Amable right in front of him, with a smile that coming from anyone else would seem caring, but Aster knows it's just a mockery.

"Shhhh shhh hush now little starlight." She dries the tears from one of his eyes with her thumb, digging her sharp nail on the boy's cheek, making a cut that shows some star dust beneath his skin, but the cut instantly heals itself. Aster stares at her shaking in fear "There there, no more tears. You should be happy... Your power shall at last serve a purpose." She speaks serenely but with clear malice dripping from her words.

(Can I just mention this is the second time these two interacted in the whole story, and in the first time she tried to caress Aster’s face too but he dodged her hand like it was a bullet. So like, this is her way of saying that nope, he can’t run away, she’s in control, and that’s the creepiest thing for me, okay bye)

Those words hit deeper into Aster more that they'll ever admit, because it implies his magic served no purpose up to this point... And deep down they feel that's true, that he didn't make a difference... If anything maybe them coming down here just made things worse, he thinks.

We turn our focus on Magnifico looking down on his people.

And so...

We get a song.

This Wish (Reprise)

But not the "This Wish (Reprise)" You're expecting... At least not yet.

Oh no no no.

This is a "This Wish (Villain Reprise)"

For you see, initially I was gonna just narrate "And then they drained Aster's power and Asha got to the top of the tower" yada yada yada but that just felt WAY TOO LAME. Like, we've been building up to this for so long and all I give you guys is words? Nah man, we need a song.

Based on the AMAZING song by Lydia The Bard "Asha's Villain Song", I tweaked some of the lyrics to fit with the context of my rewrite. So of course, go give the original song a listen if you haven't yet!

And without further ado... Here's what happens next.

Isn't truth supposed to set you free? Why do you all seem so weighted down by it? So long having to play pretend Deceiving you had us entertained Yes, but now’s time for the main event

(Magnifico begins to sing, looking down on the people all knelling down, with no dreams, no hope, and no escape. He sarcastically asks them why are they so sad, if all he did was show them the truth. He smiles wickedly, admitting that the years of lying were fun, but now it's time for them to move on to a new chapter. As he sings the last line he turns around and starts walking towards Aster while swinging his staff around.)

See, when I speak they all bow down But what we want Is our ha-ppi-ly EVER after

(He now sings to Aster, who still has their face being held by the evil queen. To emphasize his point, when he sings "Bow down" he hits his staff on the floor, making Aster's restraints pull him even more to the ground, thus bowing down to him. The star looks up angrily. The king just smiles menacingly as he explains what he and his queen are after... To spend eternity together.)

You say they're made of stars But we know I’m so much more than that And we’re done shinning now, so our new vow, no matter how We're gonna burn

(He snaps his fingers and summons his magic book that has information about wishing stars, he sings as the pages flip, looking more and more deranged with every verse. Until he reaches the page he was looking for, his voice is more calm and his grin grows at the line "We're gonna burn". And we see in the book the illustration of a wizard stealing the power of a star, with symbols and words in a mysterious language written all over the pages.)

So the girl trusted a wish upon thee? Hoping you could be her little guide? If this light you shine is what will free us finally Let us be the ones to cross that line

(Amaya now sings to Aster, walking around him, her voice is melodic, and she's drawing out the word "Guide" while pulling the star's flowing hair to make them look at her. Aster does so, with a face of both fear and anger mixed together, but mostly fear. She sings the third line looking at him with a vicious smile. And once she sings the last line, she let's go of Aster's hair, and walks to be next to her husband, who has been mumbling some words in latin while she was singing, preparing the spell to absorb the star's power. The words he mumbled while she sang were "Stella lux, stella clara. Ultima stella hac nocte video. Dolere te licet. Clama ut. Sed lux tua mea hac nocte est."... And the spell is ready, his staff glows brighter. The spell is ready.)

So I make this wish To have so much more for us than So I make this wish To have so much more for us Than this!

(Magnifico points his staff towards Aster, grinning ear to ear. But before he casts the spell he waits for his queen to also hold the staff with him, so they can share the star's power together. And so she does, also holding the king's hand, she sings the same lyrics he just sang, as if to follow his lead. Now they're both side by side pointing the magic staff to Aster. They sing the last line in unison.

It begins.)

(ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS MASTERPIECE made by @gracebethartacc of what’s happening in this scene! With the designs created by @uva124 ! Thank you so much for you both for helping bring these characters to life!)

So much more than this So much more than this So much more than this

(A hand made of green light, similar from the ones Ursula created in "Poor Unfortunate Souls" comes out of the green gem, and makes its way to Aster quickly as the music ascends. The hand hits its target, Aster's heart, or at least where it would be if he had one. The king and queen sing together, while Aster screams in pain, as he feels not only his magic but his very being being drained away. With each line Magnifico and Amable sing, we see that their transformation starting to take hold, as swirly glowing lines begin to form on their skin, like Aster's magic is coursing through their veins. The couple couldn't be smiling wider.)

My bloodline brought expectations Tried to follow all their rules, did what I had to do And now I feel that it's quite overdue For me to have this power to use and abuse

(Magnifico looks at his own hand that isn't holding the staff, seeing it change, his fingertips start to glow, and this glow slowly spreads to the rest of his hand. He recollects in the first 2 verses how in his younger days he tried so hard to conform to what was expected of him, to be part of this long lineage of Rosas kings, but nothing he did was good enough, he wasn't worthy... So he took matters into his own hands, "Doing what he had to do" to become the king he deserved to be. As he sings the third line, he uses his glowing hand to slick his hair back narcissistically, his eyes are closed while he does so, and once his hand lets go of his hair, we see that now his hair is also glowing yellow, and it begins to move, flowing like a flame, just like Aster's. Once the king sings the line "And Abuse" he opens his eyes smiling maniacally, and his eyes have no pupils, just two empty orbs shining brightly like two suns.)

Shouldn't have dared to fight royalty No point begging, no point wishing Now we’re the stars in the sky that you are pleading The very night sky sanctified, blazing inferno sat on high Two super novas here to burn and smite

(Amaya is singing with more intensity and sounding even more deranged than her husband, as this is the first time the witch has magic flowing into her system all at once, while Magnifico is fairly used to it. We see that her eyes are already glowing completely like Magnifico's, and her hair starts to glow, and as it does, her braid undoes itself, and the withered roses in her hair burn down into nothing (Amaya's hair has roses on it in this rewrite btw, check @uva124 design for Amaya here!). Once her loooooooong hair is loose, it starts flowing up and down, just like Eris from Sinbad (Dreamworks movie reference for once lmao) And the glow keeps spreading to her whole body, and to Magnifico's too. As she sings the third line, the couple look at each other and begin to dance their own waltz together, floating in the air just like how Asha and Aster did when they sang "At All Cost". Aster's powers are still being drained, and he looks weaker and weaker by the second, we focus on the star looking like he's about to pass out as his glow is fading more and more... Then we fade to black, and cut to someone else.)

So I made this wish… To have something more for us than this… So I made this wish

(We see Asha making her way to the top of the castle, her face is worried, she sees a light coming from the top of the tower. She sings, her heart filled with so many conflicting emotions: Fear but also determination, anger but also hope, Hate but also love. All she can do is run on the stairs she's drawing for herself, and sing her heart out, hoping that maybe Aster can hear her just as he did when she sang this song for the first time... And he does hear her."

This wish This wish THIS WISH

(We focus back on Aster, we hear both him and Asha singing together, but as the star opens his eyes, he knows Asha is alive, so there's still hope, as long as she lives she can make her wish come true, Aster has no doubt about that. The star raises his head to look at the royals laughing in front of him, and he uses his last remaining strength to sing, because he's not going out without a fight... Though Aster can't fight... But he can make them listen.)—--------------------------------------------------- So I make this wish! We make this wish! For you to face your destiny! So I make this wish! To have so much more than this!

Is this really what you believe? That my power will set you free? You wish to be powerful But what you want is not what you need You see, I've been weak before I won't be that anymore I'd give anything to stop History repeating —---------------------------------------------------

(Aster and the royal couple sing all at the same time. The couple still dances and sings on the air, with their bodies becoming more and more bright, ignoring what Aster is telling them. While Aster looks weak with strands of hair falling on his face, tears running down from his eyes, and most importantly... His body is vanishing, leaving behind just the outline of his 2D body, as if he's becoming transparent. But Aster doesn't care about what's happening with his body, all he wants is to reach out to their senses, asking them if they really think they'll be satisfied, the star tries desperately to make them see they're making a mistake. He tells them how he was once been as a weak star, the smallest one in the sky, but he "won't be that anymore". When he sings the line "everything to stop history repeating" we get a glimpse of Magnifico's book on the floor, we see a page showing a human with bright yellow skin, causing havoc in a village.)

---------------------------------------------------------------- ALL WE WANTED! ALL WE NEEDED! WAS FOR HER SIT AND PLAY NICE! YOU TO COMPLY! YOU TWO CROSSED THE LINE! STARS SHOULD NEVER LEAVE THEIR OWN GALAXY! NOW SUFFER FOR YOUR CRIMES!

Magnus, understand You are just a man! Amaya, mortality Cannot be defied! Yes! My magic’s bright... But it'll be your demise... You'll suffer for your crimes... *GASP*

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

(Magnus and Amaya aren't singing anymore, just screaming at the star angrily. They're now completely made of light, except for their chests, that have dark circles that swirl like a whirlpools... Black holes.

They yell about how Asha should've just followed their rules, and how Aster should've just accepted his fate, but they didn't, and we focus on Magnifico's still visible scar and Amaya's also still visible white hair streak as they sing "YOU TWO CROSSED THE LINE"

Aster calls them by their names, trying to reach out for some glimpse humanity still left inside, make them see that trying to defy fate will only destroy them. Yes, Aster hates them, and he's trying to make them see this much more because he worries for everyone else's safety, but even then, the star is also compassionate enough to want to save them from themselves. But trying to reach out to them proves to be like talking to a wall.

They're singing the last lines, Aster looks weaker than ever, now he's just a sketch with no color, transparent, with a faint light flickering on his chest, he feels they're about to absorb him completely, there'll be nothing of him left... He'll die. But he still keeps on singing, even though he lacks the strength hold his head high to look at them floating above, the star lowers their head and sees-)

Asha.

She reached the top.

She's pointing her wand at the couple floating above her, and when they're on the last note of the song-

She attacks.

With her wand, she quickly scribbled what looks like a fireball, and with her face burning with rage she launched it at them.

That caught them off guard, making Magnifico stop the spell.

However... it gave them no damage.

Aster gasps, both in surprise for seeing Asha and also in relief that the spell finally stopped draining him, one second before he was fully taken away...

"ASTER!" Asha screams while running to him, ignoring the two floating and glowing figures above her, she can deal with them later, all she needs is to know if Aster is alright. She kneels down and holds them, or at least what's left of them. The star is laying on the floor, he's no longer chained down, Magnifico knows there's no need for that anymore "I'M HERE! I made it! Come on, please! Can you hear me?!" She asks desperately with tears running down her face, worried beyond words.

She sees the fading light on his chest, like a flame about to burn out.

It's like they took 99% of Aster's magic, and now what Asha sees in front of her is just an 1% of himself, just fighting to keep his human shape.

And his shape is just a sketch that keeps appearing and disappearing, like an unfinished storyboard.

Like this, note how Mickey ears disappear and his face too, yeah, it’s like Aster’s details are fading in and out, disappearing and reappearing like he’s fighting to keep existing:

But even then, even with him feeling weaker than he could ever imagine... Aster smiles at her "I- I heard y-yo-o-u..." Aster stutters quietly as he keeps flickering away, the star can barely move, but he still manages to raise a hand to hold her face, she hold his hand back "Th-thank y-ou fo-or savi-ng m-e" He says weakly, his voice barely a whisper.

"OH-HohOHhoH I WoUlDN't CaLl tHaT "SaVInG", LiTtlE oNe! HahHAhahHaAAHA"

Magnifico's voice comes from behind Asha, it echoes through the air, sounding distorted and unhinged.

"HihIhAAHAhaAhAha! iN FaCt! iT SeEMs thAt THeRe'S NoTHiNg lEfT oF hiM FoR yOu tO SaVE aT aLL, mY DeAr! YoU'rE tOo LaTE!"

Now it's the queen's voice, sounding just as maniacal as her husband.

(Ya know, I was gonna use ThiS eFFeCT on their voices the whole time, buuuut I think I'll leave it just for these two first lines since they're getting used to the power of a star inside them. If I used it too much I might give myself and ya'll a migraine.

Also, best way I can describe their look right now is like that girl from Paranorman, but instead of lighting coming from them it’s star dust, plus Eris flowing hair in Amaya’s case, plus they have dark black holes on their chests, the black holes idea actually came to me recently thanks to a comment from @gracebeth3604 soo thanks moot ;))

Asha hasn't turned to look around, but she can see their light coming from behind her, she’s casting a huge shadow, They're so bright and so close to her it's almost like the night just turned into day.

She holds what remains of Aster close to her, she doesn't know what to do but no matter what she's not letting go of him. Aster is too weak to do anything.

The two royals just laugh at her. Magnifico floats to be in front and face to face with the girl, his cape floating in the air with star dust flowing out of it, exactly like Aster's cape did before.

"Sooooo glad you could join us though! After all, what better way to start using your precious wishing star's power than-"

He raises his hand to use his power on her. Knowing that unlike Aster, he can do a lot more damage than some tickles.

Asha just holds Aster closer and braces herself for it.

"Putting you out of your misery haHAAHahah"

He says sinisterly as he goes for the kill-

The queen holds his arm.

"Now now my sun, why on earth would you do that?"

Both Asha and Magnifico are surprised by Amaya's intervention. The king looks at his wife and just goes

"Huh?"

Amaya floats gracefully pulling her husband away, her cape and dress also have star dust flowing from under it, and her hair floats as if it's under water.

"You said it yourself silly! You wanted to give them a fate worse than death. Is there a fate worse than watching as your loved one slowly perish?"

She says referring to a line Magnifico said in chapter 12. Magnifico understands what his wife means now, and he couldn't agree more.

" Wise as always, my moonlight” He praises her passionately before turning back to the two teens “We'll leave you two love birds to it, got a whole kingdom to remodel and a few new powers to play with, ya know how it is. So ENJOY the show, Asha! None of it would be possible without you!"

They give Asha an almost cheshire cat like smile before leaving them to grieve.

Asha looks to them, with horror and sorrow in her eyes, she has no idea on what to do. The two royals fly away laughing, leaving the girl and the half dead star alone on the top of the tower, and begin to play around with their powers.

(I'mma describe how they're playing around in a sec but now I NEED to focus on Asha and Aster or I'll explode.)

Asha looks at the star in her arms, with every second it looks like he's about to disappear completely. Now that the two villains aren't there anymore... She stops holding it in, she begins to weep.

"*sob* I... I'm sorry Aster, I did everything I could but... We lost." Her tears fall and go right through Aster, now that he's transparent, but the star can feel himself go ever weaker as Asha starts losing hope "... No matter what I did, or how much I tried... I couldn't give Rosas more than... This." She looks behind her shoulder, seeing the two now power crazed monarchs using their magic to change their kingdom to their liking.

Aster holds her face and makes her look back to him "... don-don't sa-y tha-t... y-you're still here... as long a-as y-you're here then there's still a chance" Aster smiles at her with exhausted eyes, caressing her face "And I-I'll be with y-you... I promise."

"But what am I supposed to do? My magic is useless against them- Everyone in Rosas had their wishes broken I- THIS is impossible!" She shouts, now with more tears rolling down her face

Aster lets out a weak chuckle "heh ehhehe yeah... but you showed me it's kind of fun to do the impossible..."

(Aster, you're dying, this is no time to quote Walt Disney)

Asha is still crying but she can't help but smile a little at how the star still manages to be hopeful in this situation "You really think there's still something we can do?"

"not we... you" The star responds weakly, his light becoming even dimmer

"M-me?" Asha tries holding Aster's hand and notices it has completely disappeared... He's fading away. She looks desperate at him "No nononono please! There's gotta be a way I can save you!"

"I'm not going anywhere, not until your wish's granted" he explains "Like I said... I promise I'll be with you... Even if you can't see me..." Aster still smiles serenely at her while their hand drawn body is slowly fading away, leaving behind just a flickering light on his chest.

"I- I don't understand... How can I grant that wish now?" She asks her wishing star.

And the star answered:

"Inspire them."

Asha's eyes widen "What?... Aster, this isn't like before, and even if it was... They can't listen to me, they lost their wishes."

"Then give them a new one." The fading star puts it simply

Asha doesn't understand what Aster means, she just gets more and more distressed as he keeps fading away.

Aster realizes he doesn't have much time left, so he better be quick.

"I know this doesn't make much sense now... But you'll know what to do... *sigh* See ya after you win, okay?... I love you." Aster's face starts to fade away and-

Asha's heart sank like a stone falling on water.

Aster's body was gone... All that was left was a flickering light on her hands.

She looked at that light, more tears fell on her hands...

"... I love you too." She holds the light close to her heart, as more of her tears fall on the floor.

... And suddenly...

The light began to move on its own.

Flying away from Asha's hands, it begins to spin around her.

Asha is surprised by that, she get's up to see what the tiny star is doing.

Once she's standing up, the light flies from the bottom or her dress, to the top in circles, leaving a trail of star dust that transforms her dress.

(Cinderella transformation reference of course)

The music swel ls as Asha's dress magically morphs into a gorgeous princess gown:

(THANK YOU SO MUCH @salmonpiffy FOR LETTING ME USE YOUR GODLIKE ART PIECE IN THIS REWRITE! I had this plot point of Asha getting a princess dress planned for a WHILE, and this drawing it was simply exactly what I envisioned! If you haven't yet, go like and share the original post here!)

Asha is stunned by the transformation, she looks at the flickering star, about to ask it what this is all about, but before she can ask anything-

The small star flies into her heart, making a big glowing star show on her chest.

Asha closed her eyes... And once she opens them, we see her pupils are now swirling like a galaxy.

... Asha understands what Aster meant now.

"... I get it now, you're with me, even if I can't see you." She places a hand on her heart... She can feel that little bit of Aster is inside her... A few tears still roll from her eyes, she knows what to do, but there's no way of knowing if it'll actually work.

"... I'll try..." She tells that both to herself and for her star, as that's all she can do.

She get's her magic wand, and walks to the edge of the tower.

She looks to the kingdom bellow.

The king and queen are making giant thorny vines, grow all over the kingdom, terraforming it to their delight.

Buildings collapse, being crushed by the rose like vines. It's like they're destroying everything only for the fun of it, or so they turn it all into a blank slate only to start it over again.

But thankfully, they're flying far away from where everyone's gathered... So at least they won't see her like this just yet.

She jumps from the tower, even though her magic isn't a lot, she can still float down slowly.

And once she lands down, the first people she sees in the middle of the crowd are her 7 friends and Valentino. Simon kneeling down, not responding to the other six teens trying to wake him up, most of them crying, hopeless and defeated.

“Maaaa!” Valentino bleats out once he sees her.

They all stop what they were doing once they see Asha approach them, wearing a princess dress and shinning like a star. They stare at her in disbelief.

"Asha?" Dahlia says quietly

Asha looks to them, and all the other people down on their knees... She sees something else...

Now that she has a little bit of Aster's magic, she has his eyes, she has the power to see people's stars... Her friends and the other people younger than 18 still have their stars shinning, while all the people who had their wishes broken have their stars so dim that it's almost like they're not even there... But they are still there, weak, but she can still re-candle them

So... Asha follows what Aster suggested, and tries to inspire them.

She begins to sing.

And NOW we get the song This Wish (Reprise) you were expecting. Tho, in this rewrite we'll call it "This Wish (Kingdom Reprise)" for reasons you'll know in the final chapter... Which is the next one, not this one :)

So without further ado:

This Wish (Kingdom Reprise)

So I look out at the stars just like me And I’m begging you to see this as a sign ’Cause I know that if you choose to stand beside me

(Asha begins to sing to everyone around her, her voice shaking with sorrow and tears still falling from her eyes. She hears the sound of buildings nearby crumbling, it's the king and queen using their powers to destroy just for the fun of it. The sound makes her stop singing for a moment... But also makes her more determined to keep going. She dries her tears while singing the last line... She looks around, and the stars of the people around her still look weak... But Dahlia's star is as bright as ever when she sings)

We’ll be greater than all their magic combined So I make this wish So I make this wish So I make this wish So I make this wish To have something more for us than THIS

(Dahlia is looking up to the royals above them when she begins to sing, trusting her best friend wholeheartedly, she looks at her with a smile and makes a wish. Asha sees Dahlia's star shining brighter... And she also feels something changing, she feels herself growing stronger. A smile begins to form on the corner of Asha's lips. Then, Hal and Bazeema join in, they both stand up and sing along with Dahlia. Gabo and Safi join in, with Dario signing the lyrics with his hands. All six of them are singing together, Asha smiles brightly seeing them still hold on to hope with her, their stars all shinning brighter and brighter... But then, she realizes someone else's star is beginning to shine shining brighter... Simon was on his knees with his head down, and he began to sing the last line along with them, the others look back when they hear him, and once they get to sing "THIS" Simon raises his head, smiling at Asha with his hope fully restored, and Asha can see that in his star shinning brighter than ever. The music swells, and so does Asha's heart, she knows now that YES, they can save everyone else. Her friends hug Simon, happy to see he's back to normal, but just like Asha, they know what to do now, and they all waste no time.)

We’ve had generations of expectations Wondering why, wondering when We’re past dipping our toes in We know it’s do or die, it’s sink or swim

(We see the 7 teens walk around the people, encouraging the younger people who are still awake to sing along, combining their hopes in this wish. And as more people with broken wishes hear them, the more of them start to rise up, as if they had nothing to fight for before, but now they do, and with their heads raised up high, they look to the king and queen flying above them... And said king and queen finally notice the "noise" coming from bellow them. They weren't looking at the people until now, to them the people are nothing but little ants. They look down confused but also amused at how those insects still think they have a chance.)

We were all confusing your promises for protection But we know what we’ve gotta do Hope unchanging, with our wish held high The way you’ve always taught us to

(The people keep singing, more and more stars are lighting up on their hearts, just like Asha, the king and queen can also see the people's stars, for they too have Aster's eyes now. But the king has had enough of this little "final stand" of theirs, and he points his staff to them.

The people stop singing, their eyes widen in shock, for they see the king charging a huge blast of magic at them, ready to wipe them all out like they're nothing.

The blast shots out of his staff.

We hear it hit, and all of Rosas is engulfed in green smoke upon the impact. The king and queen just smirk at that, after all, who needs a kingdom when they can have the whole world?

...

But then the smoke begins to clear.

The villain's smiles fade into faces of shock.

“What…?” Magnifico mouths, not believing what he hears)

So I look out at the stars just like me And I know that just like them I shine

(The couple is baffled not only by what they hear, but mostly by what they see...

A shield.

A gigantic, circular, glowing, purple, hand drawn shield. It protects all the people bellow. The shield has the Rosas emblem drawn on it, that’s Asha’s way of showing that the symbol doesn’t represent the royals, it represents Rosas, and they’re taking their symbol and their kingdom back.)

What we do in this moment is defining And we can take it on if we ally

(We see Asha raising her wand to the sky, the shield she manifested begins to disappear, but she remains with a daring smile, for they don't need to defend anymore, she's ready to attack and finish this once and for all. She begins to soar, wind blowing on her hair as she flies towards Magnifico and Amaya. She feels even more of Aster's magic flow through her, and even though it's only a little bit of his magic, she feels she might be as powerful as an actual star, because, unlike the royals, she has ALL of Rosas believing in her, and that gives her more strength than they could even fathom.)

So I make this wish

(When she sings "Soooo" Asha begins to fly as fast as a shooting star, darting and spinning through the air, leaving trails of star dust around the two very angry and lost glowing figures. Once she sings the word "Wish" she stops, now flying upside down right in front of the royals, she looks in the king's angry eyes with a huge confident smile, much like Aster did with her on the night they met.)

To give us freedom, hope and bliss

(We get a shot of the people bellow, everyone is awake with their stars shinning brightly, they cheer for Asha, all of them placing their hopes on her, and in turn making her magic even stronger.)

So I make this wish To have something more for us than THIS

(Asha flies to be just above the two royals, Magnifico points his staff at her to attack, but it's no use, for Asha is already drawing something with her wand.

A sword.

She grabs it in the air, looking down at them fiercely as she raises her sword to give the final blow.

Amaya is hugging her husband tightly, she's horrified. Magnus can't get his magic to work... Because star's magic rely on people's hopes and belief, and right now, no one believes in them.

As Asha sings the last line with all her heart, hopes and magic flowing through her-

She STRIKES DOWN.

Hitting Magnifico's staff, the moment she sings "THIS".

"NO- NOOOOO!!!" Magnifico yells in despair.

The gem CRACKS.

And once it finally BREAKS, all the magic that Magnifico absorbed is freed, both from the wishes of Rosas... And from Aster.)

A HUGE explosion like a firework fills the night sky.

And slowly... All the wishes begin to rain down on the people of Rosas, each one floating to their individual owners.

None of the bubbles are green, they're all blue. With the source of Magnifico's magic destroyed, all the curses he created have been lifted.

We see the citizens of Rosas holding their wishes and admiring them before placing them inside their chests, joy and relief washing over them.

We see a few citizens say "My wish!" "I'm going to make it happen." "I just can't wait to get started!" As they hold their wishes, they're all excited to make their dreams come true.

But among the citizens we also see Asha's friends, all of them looking up, worried for Asha, that was a pretty big explosion after all.

"Look!" Hal points upward.

They see Asha floating around. Still wearing her princess gown and holding her wand.

As she flies down along with the wishes, she smiles and admires a few of them close to her, seeing how beautiful and alive they are. She giggles unable to contain how happy she feels.

And when she starts giggling, she hears a familiar laugh from behind her.

She turns around, and she sees specks of star dust that were floating in the air start to join together, forming a clump of star dust trying to take shape.

Asha smiles brightly, already knowing who that is.

The star dust begins to take the teenaged prince shape she knows so well. But there's still one piece missing for them to fully reform.

Asha knows that, and she gladly gives the final piece.

She places a hand on her chest and takes out the little spark of light that was left of Aster, the little spark that gave her all the magic she needed to win.

Once she takes out the spark, her magic dress and sparkles on her hair all go into it, her magic is now gone.

And so, Asha begins to fall.

She’s free falling for a moment, but she knows there's nothing to fear, after all-

Aster, now fully back to his original form and laughing gleefully, catches her.

"HAHA YOU DID IT!!! I KNEW YOU WOULD! HHAHAHA YEEAH" The star spins and flies around with her in his arms.

Asha laughs as well, holding the star tightly with tears in her eyes "WE did it! Hahaaha aah" Aster stops spinning and they look at each other while still floating down together "You really were with me the whole time." She says with her eyes gleaming.

Aster smiles warmly "Well yeah, wouldn't wanna break rule number 1 again heheh" He jokes referring to the rules Asha established when they went to the kingdom together for the first time "Stay close to her at all times". The two of them are floating down, looking into eachothers eyes as Aster says with certainty "But really... I barely did anything, that was all YOU." He says with admiration.

Asha smiles but corrects him with a cheekily tone "Heh heh I guess, but I only knew what to do because I had the guidance of an amazing wishing star" she boops his nose, and Aster's starry freckles sparkle and his smile widens "So I'd say WE did it hihihi" she giggles, knowing she won the "argument"

Aster sighs as they reach the ground "Yeah, I really did get a lot better at this whole guiding thing... Thanks to YOU." Aster winks playfully.

Asha just laughs at that and hugs him"... I thought I'd never see you again." She sighs in relief while feeling his warmth.

Aster's smile falters a little and his eyes show a hint of sadness, knowing that she indeed won't see him again.

"... About that... Asha, I need to tell y-"

"GROUP HUG!!!" Dahlia screams

Asha and Aster feel themselves being embraced by Asha's friends. All of them laughing in relief.

"That was AMAZING!" Hal exclaims jumping up and down while they hug.

"You really did it! They're gone for good!" Dahlia exclaims hugging her best friend.

They all celebrate and cheer while they hug, but they hear a strangers voice:

"Umm excuse me..." A random citizen of Rosas, a bit younger than Asha chimes in, they stop the hug to look at him and he proceeds "I wouldn't say that yet. You might wanna take a look at this, miss" He speaks directly to Asha while pointing to the other side of the plaza.

Asha's eyebrows raise in confusion.

We cut to the king and queen laying on the floor...

Magnus groans in pain.

(NOW I know ya'll just read that and thought:

“WHAT?! “Groans in pain”?!? He’s supposed to be dead!!!” And yes, I hear you, I agree, BUT HEAR ME OUT! LET ME COOK! YOU'VE WAITED 16 CHAPTERS YOU CAN WAIT A FEW MORE LINES!!! IM GETTING THERE!! IN A MINUTE!!... Anyway back to the story.)

The man places a hand on his forehead as he sits up and looks around in confusion... The confusion turns into shock once he realizes his skin no longer glows...

And there are MANY angry eyes staring down at him, from the crowd of Rosas citizens.

The night sky is turning orange as the sun rises.

Magnus breathes heavily while looking at the crowd, his eyes darting at every direction like he's processing what should be his next move.

But his thoughts all but vanish when he hears his wife yelp in pain a few steps away from him

"AMAYA!" He get's up and rushes to her aid.

She looks at him in despair, not understanding how could this happen, and as the king help her get up he has the same distress in his eyes.

They had won, they had everything they wanted, so how did they lose it all so quickly?... How did she do it?

They find there's no time to ponder on this, as some guards begin approaching from the crowd.

Magnifico almost instinctively spouts out the first lie that comes in his head to get them out of this "W- wait WAIT ha-hah my people, please thi-this is nothing but a terrible misunderstanding! Tha-that wasn't US! Y-you see, we we're- uuh- POSSESSED! Yes- by dark magic from my book of spells!" He clumsily comes up with the very obvious lie.

(hihihihehheehehahaheahhaeahHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH AAAH- we do have fun here, don't we?)

The people are all still staring angrily at them, the king knows he's not fooling anyone, but without magic, deception is his only way to protect the wife he's holding in his arms, so he continues "Bu-but it's all good now!- heh he- So no need to get-"

"No one believes your lies anymore." Asha's voice comes from behind them. The couple turns around and sees Asha and Aster are holding hands.

Aster glares at them angrily, as one would after being killed and then used to cause so much destruction to a whole kingdom.

Asha meanwhile doesn't looks angry, nor sad, nor happy, she's just calmly stating a fact as she proceeds "It's over, you hold no power over anyone here."

The villains scared faces slowly morph into rage when they see the two teens, Amaya let's go of her beloved's arms and asks with her voice almost a screech "HOW DID YOU DO IT?! HUH?! What kind of sorcery was that?! We had all of the star's power and you had nothing but a smidge!"

Asha almost ignores the woman, as she turns her attention to look around at all the people surrounding them, they all also seem kinda curious to know how she did it.

Asha begins smiling while looking at them, and she explains "True, I only had a little bit of magic, but it was more than enough, cause' I had the whoooole kingdom believing in me." Asha looks at Aster now with a warm smile, and the star looks back to her smiling too "And a wishing star's magic can only go as far as how much they're believed in."

Magnus rolls his eyes at that and groans in annoyance. He hates to admit it, but the girl is right, he shouldn't have left a single fraction of the boy left, that's what he get's for showing mercy... He lost.

But the man always believed the winner is the one who laughs last. He holds his forehead as he begins to chuckle "Hehehahahaah aaah I gotta hand it to you, Asha, you really never cease to surprise. So! What happens now, hm?" He asks with a sarcastic smile, trying to look like the one in control of the situation even though everyone is against him "Will it be the classic beheading ooooor burn us at the stake like witches? Please, do get creative, I wouldn't want my death to be something generic."

"OH I assure you it won't, your "highness"" Aster chimes in with a smile that looks like his usual innocent self but his tone shows he's actually planning something very much not innocent at all "Cause' you see, I just had the BEST idea of what to do with the two of you" The star tilts his head to the side... Magnus looks like he instantly regrets saying anything "Though, let me just sort it out with my wish maker first, excuse us for a sec." Asha is looking at Aster very confused as he starts whispering something in her ear.

Asha hears what he has to say curiously and she quickly gasps in surprise "Wait- You can do that??" She asks him shocked

... The evil couple doesn’t see that as a good sign...

"Hehehe usually? Nope!" He admits to Asha gleefully, then he turns to the villains in front of them "But right now, I can feel AAAAAALL the people of Rosas wishing for one thing... For you both to face consequences. With so many people wanting the same thing with all their hearts, hehehe well, let's just say my magic becomes strong enough for me to get pretty creative with what I can do." Aster crosses his arms and walks closer to the taller man, he could float to be taller than him but he sees no need "We wishing starts do believe anyone deserves to have their wish come true though, no matter who they are. So guess what Mag, I'm granting your wish too!" The star says with a smug.

That got a few questioning glances from the crowd

"... W-what?" That caught the man off guard.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amaya asks worriedly, now walking closer to her husband again.

"Oh you'll see... That is, if you agree." Aster turns to Asha, after all, this is all her wish, so she should get to decide how it comes true.

Asha ponders for a moment with a hand on her chin, she looks around her people all waiting for her to make a choice... She smiles at Aster as she makes her decision "Yeah, I think that sounds fitting for them, do it."

"What sound fitting?! What are you two brats blabbering about???" Magnus just holds his wife closely to him like he wants to protect her from whatever these two are planning.

Aster turns to them with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, preparing to “grant their wish”. The star moves his arms in circles, creating a mass of magic glowing dust.

The two royals brace themselves for the worst, hugging each other tightly.

Aster throws the dust at them and...

Nothing happens.

The couple looks at one another to see if anything changed, then pass their hands over their own faces and bodies to see if anything's different... Nothing

Aster is still smiling at them confidently though, with his arms crossed.

Magnus just assumes whatever the star tried to do didn't work, he throws his head back as he laughs "HA! I don't know why I was worried! You can't even hurt anyone!" The king says with a grin, Aster just raises one eyebrow while smiling, he's looking down at the man's feet as he starts to walk towards the star "Just a pathetic little star who can't grant a single wi-"

He only took two steps, but he stops walking suddenly once he realizes... His feet are REALLY heavy right now.

Magnifico looks down and...

His shoes are now made of stone... And it's spreading to his legs.

"Sorry, sometimes magic just takes a bit of time to take effect, I can try to speed up the process if you'd like" Aster comments casually while holding hands with Asha again

"Wh-what is th-"

"My- My love" Amaya says from behind him, her voice shaking in fear.

He turns to her and sees that the skirt of Amaya's dress is now half made of stone, she cannot move.

The people of Rosas look surprised, but not sympathizing with the ex royals one bit, some smile, agreeing with what Asha said, this really is fitting.

"You two did always like statues made in your image, right? It's only fair you two get turned into one of them" Asha comments. Smiling like she's watching something very satisfying.

The magic keeps spreading up and the man looks not just terrified but mostly furious at the star "Th-THIS IS A TRICK! You CAN'T use your magic to take away humans lives!" He yells at Aster, knowing this from his book about wishing stars.

"And who said you two will die? You just won't be able to move anymore." Aster corrects him.

That made a chill run down their spines.

And the star continues:

"You two wished you could live together FOREVER, didn't you? Welp, there you have it!"

The queen looks in the verge of tears as she exclaims "T-this isn't what we wished for at all!"

"A taste of your own medicine, that’s how it feels like to have your wish twisted into a curse." Asha says, her eyes following the curse spread, as now their lower halves are completely frozen, Magnus is two feet away from Amaya, he's in front of her because he tried walking to talk to Aster, but the woman is holding his hand. Asha thinks to herself that's definitely a good pose for them, showing Magnifico turned away from his love just to show some sense of superiority. She keeps that to herself though, and just adds "This way, you'll be frozen but still able to see Rosas thrive, and the people prosper... Without you." Her voice is determined.

The villains eyes are wide. Amaya is holding onto her beloved's arm, but he's not facing her... If this really is how it ends she wants to at least be looking at him as they go, she urges him to turn to her, holding his arm tightly.

But Magnifico can't bring himself to notice... Taken by his own delusion, all he says is this:

"... HeheheHAHAHAHA! PROSPER??? Who? These people?!" He shouts pointing at the people around them "These WORTHLESS little peasants don't know how to LIVE without me!!" He's looking at the people around, the pupils in his eyes are small like he's consumed by rage "NONE OF YOU EVER ACHIEVED ANYTHING ON YOUR OWN! I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING! I MADE YOU WHO YOU ARE! YOU NEED ME!"

Those words echo for a moment... But someone from the crowd breaks the silence:

"But we can achieve a lot on our own, especially without you pushing us down." Says an elderly citizen with a serious face.

The man turns to him, ready to spout out something else but he's interrupted by another voice

"And you never gave us anything, you only took away from us years of memories we could've builded together." Said a woman holding a baby in her arms and a child is next to her, most likely a mother whose cursed wish made her spend more time away from her kids.

Magnifico looks less angry and more in despair as his lower torso is fully turned into stone.

"And you didn't make us who we are... You made us into what YOU wanted us to be." Who says that is a familiar face, Dahlia's mom, standing next to her daughter, Dahlia smiles at her proudly.

Amaya is still quietly urging him to look her way with tears running down her face. Her chest begins to be turned into stone. She's almost fully frozen Magnifico doesn't look back to her... She's sobbing and he doesn't listen.

(Man, if you think this hits hard now, just you wait till I share Amaya's backstory later, you're in for a ride.)

"And no one needs you. We never did." Asha states looking at the fallen king in the eyes. And the whole kingdom agrees with her.

Magnifico feels his chest turn into stone, and a sharp pain course through him, not from the star's magic... But a pain from his own past.

He still hides it well as he says "Th-that's where you're wrong, right, mi vida-" He finally does look back to his wife and-

She's fully turned into stone now.

Magnus feels his neck now turning into stone, and for the first time... He has nothing to say. He simply looks to his now petrified wife and accepts as his head is fully turned into stone.

... They're now nothing but statues...

(YIPPPIEEEEEEEE!!!! WE DID IT FELLAS!!! THEY'RE GONE!!! DANCE PARTY!!! 🕺💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺)

The sun rises in Rosas as the people celebrate and cheer that their evil rulers are gone.

"ALRIGHT! Who's up for destroying them for good with a big hammer?!" Gabo screams at the cheering crowd with his hand raised.

Simon smiles as he raises his hand too, for the first time showing some support for his friend's rebellious ideas.

Asha feels her heart beating faster, she can't contain her happiness as she looks at Aster ready to give him a hug " Aster! I- I can't believe it! We did it! We're finally free-" She goes in to hug him but-

Her arms go right through him.

The people around them are still celebrating but Asha feels the world around them slow down and become blurry once she realizes...

Aster is disappearing again. His star dust begins floating to the sky.

But the star just keeps smiling, happy for her and for everyone else "Yeah, you did it. They're free, and they have hope, and bliss... Just like you wished for."

"A- Aster-Wha- What's happening to you?" She tries to hold his hand but it's like they're just a ghost.

"... I gotta go now."

Chapter 17

Final Thoughts

NEXT CHAPTER IS THE END!!! AAAAAAH-

Oh my gosh I'm still tearing up and I don't know if it's because of Asha and Aster, or Magnifico and Amaya, or because this journey that honestly changed me is coming to an end??? Or all of the above??? Maybe ya'll read all this and don't cry, but I'm literally losing it, I was building up to this moment for so long! And now it's here like... WOW!

THE ANSWER WAS "INSPIRE THEM"!!! The theme ties everything together is Sabino's wish! It's what Asha was doing the whole time! And Aster knew it, and guided her to do it! Proving he's a good wishing star! I'm so proud of them!!! My babies!!!

And it's so fitting to because this whole project is about how I was inspired by the concept arts, by Disney itself, to create this story, and it warms my heart everyday when people tell me they got inspired by this too. This is so special for me guys, I'm crying, damn.

Also I went back and forth on how I wanted Magnifico and Amaya's "Final pose" to be, first when I started developing the story I thought about having them argue and blame each other while their bodies are turned into stone, but like... That doesn't feel like them, then for the longest time I thought about having them both screaming at Asha, but I was like "... I can put them through more pain than that" so I thought about having Magnifico screaming at the crowd while he hugs Amaya crying... But that still wasn't quite right. So finally I settled for them not even hugging, and she's urging him to look at her, as a way to symbolize how their love was all that they needed, but they were so blinded by ambition that drove them apart, and in the end, they couldn't even say goodbye or comfort one another, because Magnifico was too busy trying to come out on top. To me, that's the most painful demise I could give them.

And I know what you're thinking "Damn Anny, but keeping them frozen and alive for eternity isn't a bit harsh? Like, too heavy for a kids movie?" I say NOPE! They deserve it, and besides, My Little Pony did this, they did this TO A CHILD CHARACTER even! If MLP can do it so can Disney, and from my memory we never had a villain turn into stone (There might be and I just don't remember, you tell me) so this would be a first, and I think that's more interesting than making their deaths a reference to the classic "Fall off a cliff" cliche.

Though heheehe Asha was totally considering pushing them off the tower, which would be hilarious cause Magnifico can fly with his staff, so he'd just come back like "Ummm rude! I was monologuing!"

So yeah... I think that's all I got to say... Oh and is two songs one after the other two much? Maybe it is, but eh, I had fun adapting "Asha's Villain Song". Do me a favor and look up "Jordan Fisher Hadestown If It's True" on youtube, that's how Aster sounds like in this song.

See you guys at THE END!

BUH-BYE!

Thank You For Reading!

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daenysthedreamer101 · 5 months ago

Text

Daughter of Steel and Bronze ~ HOTD

Ch 11 - The comforts of home

HOTD x Targaryen!OC, Targaryen!OC x Harwin Strong

Warnings: This chapter includes physical violence, attempted SA, sl*t shaming, threats of SA, cursing, and descriptions of the inflicted wounds; but I swear the first half is cute 😭

HOTD masterlist

"In 114 AC, Princess Rhaenyra started her royal tour with the goal of finding a potential husband. She first toured the Crownlands and the Reach. She then visited the Westerlands and the Riverlands. Her next stop would be the Stormlands and after that, the Vale.

During that time, her cousin, Princess Daena, returned to her birthplace of Runestone. She was joined by Ser Harwin Strong, her new personal guard, and his sisters, Hanna and Joy who were the Princess's maids.

In the Princess's entourage was also her grandmother, Lady Rowena Redfort, a famed beauty throughout the Vale, during her youth. But beauty was not the only asset she possessed - a sharp tongue and a quick mind is also something she passed on to her daughter and granddaughter."

(Fire & Blood, Being a History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros, by Archmaester Gyldayn)

On a peninsula east of the Eyrie, north of the Bay of Crabs and Gulltown, lies the castle of Runestone - the seat of House Royce. They were a proud and noble house and one of the oldest and most powerful families in the Vale of Arryn.

The current ruler of Runestone was Lady Rhea Royce, daughter of the late Lord Yorbert Royce and Lady Rowena Redfort, wife of Prince Daemon Targaryen, and mother to Princess Daena.

In her entourage were her ladies-in-waiting, Joy and Hanna, her grandmother, Lady Rowena, and her sworn protector, Ser Harwin. She was very excited to show the Vale to the Strong siblings, seeing they were from the Riverlands.

114 AC, Runestone

Harwin watched in amazement as they neared the castle of Runestone. It was situated on the western shore of the Narrow Sea, was seated on the cliffside, and hills surrounded it. It was nowhere near as big as Harenhall but it was still a large, well-made keep.

It was a bright, sunny day, though it was also pretty windy. The castle gates were open and he could see the Royce banners flapping in the wind. The guards at the entrance let them in and they entered the outer courtyard.

He was on his horse while the Princess, her grandmother, and his sisters were in the carriage. He saw someone who could only be Lady Rhea standing in the middle of the yard - she was a comely woman with dark, curly hair that was cut short. She was wearing the famous bronze armor of House Royce and riding breeches. Her brown eyes bore into his blue ones, almost like she was sizing him up. She moved toward him once he got off his horse.

"You must be Ser Harwin. Be welcome." She greeted politely.

"I am. Thank you for your hospitality and for hosting me and my sisters."

"Of course. I have heard so much about you and your sisters. I know how fond my daughter is of your family."

Harwin couldn't help but smirk at her words. His sisters have indeed bonded with the Princess and quickly became good friends. As for him, he cannot deny that he too quickly became fond of the Princess. They became even closer once she named him as her protector.

"Mother!" The Princess exclaimed once she exited the carriage and sprinted toward her lady mother. She hugged her mother tightly and placed her head on her mother's shoulders. It reminded Harwin of his late lady mother and how she held his little sisters when they were young.

"Oh, my sweet girl. Look at you! You're a woman grown!" Lady Rhea said, cupping her daughter's face. The last time Rhea saw her, Daena was 12. Now she was 16.

"You cut your hair! You didn't tell me!" Daena exclaimed surprised. Lady Rhea laughed. She looked Daena up and down, clearly very proud and happy that her only child was back home.

Then, Lady Rowena stepped out of the carriage. Lady Rhea hugged her mother and kissed her hand. "Mother."

Lady Rowena was happy to be back in the Vale as well. Harwin watched as grandmother, mother, and daughter held hands and happily talked with each other. It was beautiful, seeing the three women together. He knew how much the Princess missed her mother and how much she wanted to leave King's Landing.

It was strange, the Princess at first glance shared no physical similarities with her mother or grandmother. But on further inspection, Harwin could see she had the same nose as her grandmother and the same curly hair her mother did, except hers were silver. She was also the tallest one out of the three and had the fairest skin.

"Ser Harwin. Come. Let's go inside." The voice of his Princess brought him back to reality. He looked at her and she chuckled at his dazed expression. He loved the sound of her voice, especially her laughter.

"Come on." She repeated softly and he followed her inside.

115 AC

For the past eight months, Daena has been staying at Runestone, her birthplace. With Rhaenyra going on tour, she had no real reason to stay in King's Landing. So, quickly after Rhaenyra went on her royal tour, Daena too left the Red Keep.

Today was a special day - it was Daena's 17th name day. And luckily for her, she would be able to celebrate with her family and friends. She was disappointed Nyra wasn't here, but she already received a letter from her. Last she heard of her cousin, Nyra was in the Riverlands where she made a stop at Riverrun and was heading for the Stormlands.

She also received a letter from her father. She hasn't seen him since the egg incident on Dragonstone years ago. Then he went on to participate in a war in the Stepstones. She didn't know where he was, but he wished her a happy name day and that she shouldn't worry about him. He wrote he would soon visit. She wanted to believe it was true.

"Don't move!" Amanda scolded Daena as she braided her hair. Daena chuckled but stopped moving. She couldn't help herself, she was excited to go out and celebrate. She played with her heart-shaped pendant; she decided to wear it to feel closer to her father.

"You should rest. Not stand for hours braiding my hair." Daena said as she looked at Amanda's swollen belly. Amanda fell pregnant a couple of weeks before Daena's arrival. She was now over 8 months pregnant and the maester predicted she would give birth in the next couple of weeks.

Amanda just waved her hand. "Nonsense. I am braiding your hair because I want to. You are a woman grown and today is a special day. I want you to look perfect. Maybe you catch the eye of a handsome lord." She said suggestively.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Daena replied, rolling her eyes and Amanda chuckled.

"Oh? Let me be more specific then. A tall, handsome lord with dark curls who happens to come from the Riverlands and is currently our guest."

"No. No idea who you're talking about." Daena said, looking at her nails.

Amanda clicked her tongue and chuckled. "He fancies you, you know." This made Daena stiffen her back and turn her head.

"He does. It's obvious as day." Amanda added as she tied the last braid.

Daena looked at herself in the mirror - she wore a stunning gown made of velvet and silk; the top was made of red velvet with long cape sleeves and a square neckline while the skirt was made of black silk. A big, chunky belt made of silver and decorated with rubies hung on her hips. Amanda masterfully braided her silver hair. Multiple braids connected at the back into a bun while the rest flowed down her shoulders.

Daena smirked, pleased with her appearance. She then added golden ruby earrings.

"One more thing," Amanda said, handing her a mermaid-shaped perfume bottle. It was a gift she received from her grandmother. Lady Rowena imported it from Lys. Daena smelled it - it was a sweet, heady scent. She could smell lemon and spice-flower and cinnamon.

Amanda took it from her and applied it to Daena's neck, behind her ears, and her wrists. "There. When he bends down to talk to you, he'll be hit with this lovely fragrance. You'll have him wrapped around your little finger by the end of the night."

"Amanda!" Daena exclaimed, embarrassed. She sighed and shook her head. Why did everyone have to tease her about Harwin? Giving herself one final look, she exited her room and walked toward the Central Hall, ready to sweep the strongest knight in the Seven Kingdoms off his feet.

Harwin was in the Central Hall of Runestone where the feast in honor of the Princess's name day was being held. He was standing and talking with his sisters when the door opened.

Princess Daena walked in and Harwin's heart skipped a beat. She wore a beautiful red and black gown that fit her body perfectly and her silver hair flowed down her back. She was a goddess in a mortal body, he thought as she greeted her mother.

She then locked eyes with him and he felt his breath being taken away. She then proceeded to walk up to him. "Ser Harwin." She greeted him in her usual melodic voice.

"Princess." He greeted back and before he could say more he was hit with a sweet, heady smell. It was heavy and it made his head spin, but he didn't pull back. No. He leaned in, wanting to be closer to her.

He looked into her lilac eyes and could see a spark of mischief in them. She tilted her head and smirked at him. "I hope you enjoy yourself tonight, Ser." And with that, she left, her hips swaying from side to side. Harwin was mesmerized.

"Brother." The voice of his sister brought him back. Joy looked at him with a raised brow. He cleared his throat, embarrassed that he was caught off guard.

But when he looked back, the Princess was still looking at him.

This was going to be an interesting night indeed.

The moon was now high in the sky, but the castle of Runestone was still brimming with life. Daena was having the time of her life - talking with her friends, dancing, and feasting. She even danced with Harwin. It was exhilarating; being so close to him, feeling his breath on her skin, his eyes never leaving her face, hands barely touching. She was a blushing mess by the end of it.

She was also drunk for the first time in her life. Or maybe she was just really tipsy. She wasn't sure. She decided to get some fresh air and walked to the outer courtyard. The cool night air felt wonderful against her hot skin as she stumbled to a small garden in the back of the castle.

In the middle of the garden was a heart tree; it wasn't a weirwood but a great oak. Nonetheless, it commanded respect and the carved face was not any less creepy. It always unnerved Daena, especially when she was a child. Though, in her drunken state, she paid it no mind. She sat on a small wooden bench next to the tree.

"Princess? What are you doing here?" An unfamiliar male voice asked. Daena turned around to see a young man. She couldn't remember his name or his house but she recognized his face; He was one of many lords who tried wooing her tonight. She politely rejected all of them - her heart was already set on someone.

"Oh, I just wanted some fresh air. That's all." Daena replied politely but kept her distance.

Unfortunately for her, he didn't keep his distance. He came closer and sat next to her. She was immediately hit with the stench of alcohol. She moved away discreetly. "Ser, please. Leave me alone."

"You looked so beautiful tonight, Princess. A true...V-Valyrian beauty." He slurred. She gave him no reaction and just sighed.

He then proceeded to grab her hand and pull it toward his breeches. Disgusted, Daena tried pulling away but he was stronger and harshly twisted her hand. She gasped in pain.

"A silver-haired beauty and a silver-haired whore." He hissed. Daena angrily pulled her hand away and pushed him. She quickly stood up and distanced herself.

"How dare you talk to me that way!? My uncle, the King, will have your head for these words!" She exclaimed, offended. Who was he to talk to her that way? What was he even talking about?

"You don't think I noticed? You rejected every lord who approached you save for that brute from the Riverlands. What would your uncle say when he learned his niece was throwing herself to men like a common whore? You're nothing but-" He insulted further but was cut off by a fierce slap across his face.

"HOW DARE YOU!? I'LL FEED YOUR BODY TO VERMITHOR MYSELF AND I'LL BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN! YOU DARE QUESTION MY VIRTUE!?"

He looked at her stunned, surprised that she would slap him. He moved closer to her and under the moonlight she could see that the rings on her hand caused him to bleed. He grabbed her long hair and harshly pulled it. He pushed her toward the heart tree and blocked her with his arms.

"LET ME GO! NOW! LET ME GO!" She yelled but he covered her mouth with his hand. She did the obvious thing and bit his fingers harshly. He cursed and grabbed her neck, choking her in the process. Fear began to set into her heart. Gods, spare me, she thought as her eyes began to water.

She usually carried a small dagger on her person, but she didn't think she would need it tonight. Oh, how wrong was she. She kicked him between his legs and this allowed her to run away from him. She didn't get far.

He grabbed one of her long sleeves and pulled her back. He held her tightly and ripped the upper part of her gown, exposing the chemise she wore underneath.

"GUARDS! GUARDS!" She remembered to yell again. He covered her mouth again and continued ripping her gown. She was desperately thrashing, trying to push him off her body.

"You little slut! You dare hit me! I'll show you-" Before he could finish his threat, he was harshly pulled from Daena. In the darkness of the night, she could barely see who came to her rescue.

Before she could say anything, the man was getting beaten to the ground. The horrible sound of bones breaking made her realize who it was - Harwin.

"HARWIN! STOP! STOP IT, PLEASE! YOU'LL KILL HIM!" She yelled but the knight made no effort to stop. He continued beating the man's face.

"What is the meaning of this?" Her grandmother's voice rang through the night air and made everyone stop.

Her mother, Joy, Hanna, Amanda, and the castle guards also came. Her mother was quickly by her side, covering her with a shawl. The women led Daena back into the castle while the guards dealt with Harwin and the assailant.

She didn't even realize when she started crying.

That night, no one slept. Daena was in too much shock to do anything besides crying. She felt horrible. She felt disgust, anger, and guilt. She felt...sullied. Why? Why did she leave the feast by herself? The only thing on her mind was Harwin. He was the one who saved her, the one who protected her virtue and defended her honor. She wanted to see him, to talk to him.

Rhea and Rowena, with the help of Joy, Hanna, and Amanda, managed to get Daena to open up and tell them what transpired; all the vile insults that were hurled at her and how she tried defending herself. Rhea was infuriated that someone dared attack her daughter in her home.

"I shall write to Lady Jeyne Arryn and His Grace. This miscreant will be dealt with. Either he loses his head or I'll have him sent to the Wall! I shall not settle for anything less." Rhea announced, determined to get justice for her only child and heir.

Daena refused to let the castle's maester inspect her body. She wanted no man near her or her body. After some persuading, she let the castle's septa, Arabella, look at her wounds. Her neck was red and bruises started appearing alongside her jaw and arms, her left wrist was sprained and she had scratch marks on her shoulders.

Lady Rowena was pained to see her granddaughter in such a hysterical state; she ordered the measter to make some tea and put milk of the poppy in it. The twins were sad their Princess was so viciously assaulted and they did everything they could to help Daena.

"You should rest now, my lord," Maester Cerion said to Harwin as he finished bandaging Harwin's hand. The measter left and Harwin was finally alone. He sighed and looked at his bandaged hand; he beat the idiot's face so hard it caused his knuckles to start bleeding. But he would do it all over again if it meant his dear Princess was safe.

A couple of minutes after the Princess left, Harwin had a weird feeling in his gut telling him something was wrong. To his horror, once he walked outside he heard screaming and shouting from afar. He barely made it to the godswood, just as the miscreant was about to tear the Princess's gown completely.

Rest was the last thing on Harwin's mind; the only thing he could think about was Daena. From what he's been told, the measter has given her milk of the poppy to calm her down. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her terrified face, her lilac eyes wide with horror and shock.

He felt awful and extremely guilty he wasn't there to protect her. That was his job, to be her protector and he couldn't even do that. Would she dismiss him from her service? Would she banish him to Harenhall? Would she yell at him and curse him out?

A knock on the door banished such thought from his mind. It was Hanna. She gently closed the door and sat next to him. Her eyes appeared to be red and glossy, which was unusual for her since Hanna was the more aloof one of the sisters.

"How is she?" He asked desperate to know. Hanna shook her head and sighed.

"She...there are bruises all over her body and her wrist appears to be sprained. But the measter said it would heal and she's not in any danger. She just needs rest."

Harwin could feel his heart breaking; his darling Princess, his sweet angel bruised and battered. All because of him. How could he ever look into her eyes? How could he ever come back from this? He felt a great sense of shame wash over him.

"Harwin...It's not your fault." His sister said softly. "She doesn't blame you."

This made Harwin look up. "She doesn't?"

Hanna chuckled. "Of course not. The only thing she talked about while she was awake was whether you were alright. You were the only thing on her mind."

His sister picked up his bandaged hand. "Are you alright? You almost beat him to a pulp."

"I would've if I wasn't interrupted."

Hanna clicked her tongue, obviously not pleased with his words. "Look. It's been a very eventful night. Rest and try to get some sleep. You know she would want that."

And with that, she left and Harwin was once again left alone with his thoughts. The last thing on his mind before he fell asleep was Daena.

***

This was a very sad, angsty chapter. Our poor Daena was attacked and on her birthday no less 😔 Next chapter we'll see how people in KL react to this horrifying news.

Thank you for reading! 💕💕💕

If you have any opinions/questions feel free to ask.

#asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #house of the dragon #hotd #house targaryen #daena targaryen #my original characters #hotd oc #asoiaf oc #ser harwin strong #harwin strong #daewin #daena x harwin #hotd masterlist #my fanfiction #my writing #westeros #runestone

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onyourowndaisymae · 1 year ago

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when belphegor falls in love

content + warnings: belphie x reader, some angst (and chapter 16 spoilers) with a fluffy end, probably some improper astronomy things going on but i'm trying my best // [masterlist]

word count: ~1.3k

the planetarium is cast in a blueish glow from the stars above-- something about the devildom skies made them twinkle in a barely-there powder blue, now recreated on the ceiling in sparkling, vivid specks of wonder.

the stage was set beautifully before you arrived. layered blankets covered a larger-than-necessary section of the floor, nested around the makeshift bed that he had already warmed up for you with a quick snooze of his own. there was a small mountain of pillows waiting for you

but that was then, and this is now. all preparations were played off as simple and easy, disregarded as insignificant now that you were wrapped up in his arms. belphie smirks as your lips press soft, sweet kisses across his cheeks and temples-- as much as he doesn't want to admit that he put in effort to make this date special, he loves basking selfishly in your praise. it's smug, he knows, but considering how much work something like this is for the avatar of sloth, shouldn't he get a little recognition?

your body is soft against his, warm and comforting like a blanket fresh from the dryer. he pulls you in a little tighter and nuzzles against the side of your hair, peppering little kisses against you just to hear that giggle he adores spill from your lips. his eyes are on you, but yours are glued to the twinkling lights on the ceiling-- lucky, seeing as he doesn't have to hide the sappy look on his face from you when your attention is divided.

"are these the same stars we have in the human realm?" you ask quietly. he nodded and finally tears his gaze away to join yours on the recreation of the starry sky above you.

"mhmm," he murmurs quietly. "that's one of the things we've always had in common-- the devildom and the human realm share the same stars."

if this had been a better night, he would have taken you out to see the stars in real life, not just come phony imitations. but the light pollution in the devildom was a bitch. the only place within a reasonable distance with a clear enough view was the demon lord's castle, but frankly, belphie had no interest in sharing your attention with lord diavolo of all demons tonight. so, albeit a bit reluctantly, he settled on the planetarium instead.

"that makes sense."

your arm lifts towards the sky and points to a constellation above. your eyes glimmer with pride in the low light, and he wonders what's going to come out of your mouth.

"that's the big dipper," you say proudly.

he laughs-- it's a little mean, judging by how confident you looked during your announcement. but you just look so cute pointing out one of the most recognizable constellations like it's a diamond in the rough. you pout a little and look at him funny.

"what? that's the big dipper."

"yeah, obviously," he retorts, that smug grin making him look mean and sweet all at once. "i'm sure even levi could point that out."

"oh yeah? then you point out a constellation, genius."

a chuckle leaves his lips. his fingers trail up your arm, teasing you, feeling the way goosebumps gather on your skin as he moves. he takes your wrist and points your finger at another cluster of stars.

"you see that w-shape over here?" his hand guides you into connecting dots across the projection. "that's cassiopeia."

his eyes flicker over to you. your gaze is no longer scorned but wide-eyed and enraptured. a swell of satisfaction warms his chest.

you've always had an interest in stargazing. it was one of the first things the two of you connected over once he left the attic. life had never been so awkward as it was then. not only did his brothers tiptoe around him, like they were waiting for him to explode into a tantrum of sorts. but now he had you to wrap his mind around: a human descendant of the sister he lost so long ago, now here and friendly with demons that should have killed you in one fell swoop.

well, it seemed like he had done enough damage for the rest of them.

he didn't deserve you. not really. he was reminded of his sins in quiet moments like this. you're babbling on about something related, some story you've been meaning to share. he thinks he hears beel's name somewhere in the story, so he nods like he's paying attention.

how he managed to win you over is something that still baffles him to this day. you should hate him. you should have spat in his face on that day, made him pay for the lies and deceit at your expense. but you didn't. you accepted him on your own terms, bridging the gap between you through his brothers. you single-handedly fixed what was broken when lilith died-- he still feels indebted to you in some way. maybe that's why he still feels some lingering guilt snuggling close to you like this. he doesn't deserve your kindness.

"you okay?"

your voice is soft, each word threaded with concern. he blinks. has he really been out of it that long?

"i'm fine," he answers, but he won't meet your gaze. he knows that you know he's lying. "really."

you intertwine your fingers with his and press a soft kiss to the back of his hand. it's quiet. no words are exchanged as you stare at each other for a moment. it's nice.

you look beautiful under these stars. belphegor is in love with you.

the realization makes his cheeks burn, and he unconsciously moves to snuggle closer to you. his fingers quiver a little against your hand, but you don't seem to mind. you give him a small smile and graciously accept his snuggles without question.

he loves you so much.

it feels a little hard to breathe right now-- feeling your warmth against him makes him hotter, and suddenly he feels like retreating from your kindness and sleeping the next century away under beel's bed.

"regardless," you say, in a way that shows him you know he's acting off but won't push him any further. "whatever it is, you can always talk to me. you mean the world to me."

the heat of shame and embarrassment melt away as you embrace him. your eyes focus back up on the ceiling.

"there's the little dipper, too," you murmur. he laughs again. "what? why do you keep laughing, you big bully?"

"you look really cute when you do that. y'know, when you get excited about finding really easy constellations," he huffs quietly, nuzzling into your neck with red cheeks and a surly pout at such a cruel nickname. he feels you laugh, buzzing pleasantly against his nose, and can't help but smile a little himself.

"gross," you tease. you both laugh this time. then, quieter, you ask, "will you tell me about the constellations?"

he nods and shifts to look at the ceiling again. when belphie tells you about the stars, he doesn't just explain their names-- he brings them to life. their conception and birth are discussed in hushed voices, with him telling you stories only a fallen angel would know. they begin to feel less like twinkling objects millions of miles away but, instead, like family. these stars you've gazed up at all your life have their own stories. one day, you'll make sure belphie tells you all of them.

he decides, as he's talking, to save his confession for another time. part of him wants to lay it all out for you immediately. then again, confessing under fake stars feels sort of like a jinx, doesn't it? so he'll wait-- for real stars, for the right time, for the best way to tell you he can't live another day without you.

taglist for this series: @deepseafragments // @darkflowerav // @annoying-and-upset // @katerinaval // @lurkingsnails // @chirikoheina // @all-mights-wife // @notareum

#if you saw me forget tags no you didn't #obey me #obey me swd #obey me shall we date #obey me nightbringer #obey me nb #obey me belphie #obey me belphie x reader #obey me belphegor #obey me belphegor x reader #obey me fluff #otome

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cheesycatz · 5 months ago

Text

Worm in the Apple (the Wormton AU fic) is at 120k words! Obviously the worm guy loves apples, fruit, and sugary stuff in general, though it holds no nutritional value for him. It's fitting, since most of the "worms" found in apples are actually just some form of insect, just like how Wormton himself isn't an actual worm. Being as contradicting as possible is his whole thing, I suppose.

May blithering helminth codswallop posthaste be upon thee if thoust must ruminate over thine virulent and insiduous merchant Sir Spammington G. Spammington The Deceitful:

Anyways, I've been struggling to write the depressing crap, so I often like to imagine the ending where they can all be happy together in Castle Town. I interpret Castle Town as a place where darkners are less bound to fate, since it doesn't seem to manifest from the real world, and is made of pure darkness, whatever that means. Wormton wouldn't have to hide anymore, but he would very much be, uh, neutralized if he tries to infect anything. He wouldn't get to have sixteen identical feral worm children that look like slightly smaller mirror images of him crawling all around the place, unfortunately; Castle Town could do without a highly invasive species that eats and destroys everything. I imagine that he'd keep the suit jacket so that he actually has some pockets, as well as to hide himself a little bit. Malworms naturally like to stay outside of the spotlight, so he's not very comfortable without his disguise. Not that being crammed inside his disguise was much more comfortable, but, hey, what other option did he have?

I like to imagine the addisons getting stuck with Wormton in Castle Town due to it having greater population density. I'm considering making it so that they don't even know he's there at first, like those criminal cases where some guy is living in a family's attic for months unnoticed. He'll have the opportunity to harass Swatch, interact with other characters like Lancer, and send "mild" death threats to Rouxls. I think he'd avoid Kris and the other lightners. He tries to kill Kris and absorb the SOUL from the get-go, and the two of them lack that puppet connection, since Wormton never picked up the phone. Still, he does pick up on their stilted movements that mimic his own when he's puppeteering his disguise, and does realize that the SOUL is a little more controlling than he would want, so they eventually reach a peaceful conclusion (This AU follows the pacifist normal route. This cold-blooded mf would probably just go into hibernation and do absolutely nothing if the player did a Weird Route). He's still pissed about them taking his shadow crystal, even if the starry night sky it once let him witness will never shine through its surface again. Kris is such a gremlin from what we know that I think it would he sweet if he valued the fact that, while they find his puppet-like disguise creepy, they're unfazed by his real appearance. Kris can go on his "people I don't fantasize about murdering and eating regularly" list, which might just be his "nestmates :^]" list if he'd actually admit it

Back to writing about him hating himself so much that he can't fathom someone healing him unless it was a transactional favor, hiding in a locked closet with no stimulation because he thinks he's trying to kill Blue whenever he's in an instict-driven half-asleep state (emphasis on thinks), believing the only reason that Blue is worried about him hiding so much is because they want him to leave faster, understanding so little of his actual species that he becomes stressed when he does anything that "isn't normal," Having fits of anger and mental breakdowns and feeling bad about it afterwards, using the worst coping mechanisms known to man, and devouring an entire 16 inch regular crust meat lover's pizza in one sitting

Cover art concept as a lil treat. Probably won't actually draw it until I'm ready to start releasing chapters, but it's fun to think about for now. I'll do my best to live up to expectations as someone with zero experience writing fiction and long-form content in general o7

#spamton #deltarune #spamton fanart #wormton au #cheesycatz art posts #cheesycatz text posts #I want to throttle him until he learns how to cope with emotion #can't have spamton fanfiction without 100k+ words of suffering before the first fluff scene

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missbubblesoda · 8 months ago

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early in the morning, especially when it rains, and a little before noon. (26)

erwin x fem!reader

chapters: (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | (10) | (11) | (12) | (13) | (14) | (15) | (16) | (17) | (18) | (19) | (20) | (21) | (22) | (23) | (24) | (25) | (27)

summary: I basically took Isayama’s work, forced it into a romance story, and made Erwin the love interest. Commander meets cadet and they fall in love (not instantly though)

notes: very berry canonverse (but some events were modified to fit my narrative), wasn’t intended to be this long, but it all is in the details right?

content warnings: smut where it fits (or where I make it fit. Also, reader is NOT underage, so likewise, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, please.) slow burn (I really mean it. I’m not olympic diving into any form of smut for the first chapters.) no angst. I dislike angst. I would never. I could never. (Although angst can be somewhat subjective so take it with a grain of salt?)

wc: 3k

Perfumed breeze tickled your bare shoulders and sweet wine swayed inside clinking glasses, soft music lured twosomes to the dance floor, and the golden midday sun shone brighter than ever, as if making some sort of grand entrance, stepping into the courtyard like a guest of honor, blinding your eyes until they could no longer see anything around. Only the shadows and the shapes, and the bluest sky painted behind him.

And speaking about the sky, it had evidently dressed to match him that morning, from the cobalt pocket square peeking out of his morning coat to the corresponding silk tie obediently waiting on his chest; without forgetting, of course, about the crystalline sapphires embedded in his face, because in all honesty, who could forget? How could anyone overlook that heavenly blue of his eyes, iridescent at times, dreamily reflecting back all your favorite colors whenever they stared into yours. Just like they were right now, opportunely reminding you of secret moments spent inside some mountain castle down south; and the pleasant warmth that radiated from your chest at the thought made your lips curve into the same kind of smile his were wearing: knowing and conspiratorial. And you wondered if he found it overpowering too, the need to melt into each other’s arms.

His fleshy lips, appetizing as ever, parted slightly at the sight before him, his eyes methodically exploring first your features and then the colorful flowers on your dress, as if counting them, as if you were a coveted treasure seized from an enemy beyond the walls; his chest expanding as he took the type of deep, steadying breath that usually precedes life-altering statements. And then, when a labored ‘wow’ was all that left his lips, an amused chuckle escaped yours. You found it funny, to think those were the same lips that always knew what to say, the authors of the compelling speeches he used to motivate his men out there on the field or secure funds from closefisted aristocrats. And now, those same lips that not too many seasons back, had convinced a bunch of frightened kids to dedicate their hearts to a suicidal cause, had stopped working with nothing but a smile frozen on them. But that wasn’t a problem, given how eloquently his eyes were, instead, delivering the biggest compliments a lady could ever receive.

“Commander Smith.” You smiled teasingly, sending a courteous nod his way as you extended a hand for him to take.

“My lady.” He greeted back, his unusual wording eliciting another chuckle from you, because suddenly, it felt as if you were meeting for the first time again, as if you were the center characters in one of those romance novels your mother kept hidden under her mattress, as if some sort of magical encounter was taking place in the middle of Lord Koch’s garden.

He took the hand you were offering and brought it to his lips, where it remained for what, some would say, way longer than tradition stipulated. And all the while, you could feel him smiling against your fingers, his soothing breath keeping them warm, and the gentle stroke of his thumb against your skin sending a playful shiver straight to your core.

Some would say, probably the same people whose eyes were currently glued to the two of you, that ten thirty in the morning was too early for one’s mind to drift to the kind of inappropriate places yours was; but the thing is, they didn’t know about the wonderful things those lips could do nor the incredible delight those thighs could provide: muscular, well-developed, gift-wrapped in grey silk…or was it wool? If you could touch them, you’d be able to tell. But then again, that would be highly inappropriate for a garden party, wouldn’t it?

When his lips reluctantly let go of your hand, his fingers decided not to, choosing to stay wrapped around yours instead, gentlemanly accompanying them as if to see their safe arrival to your lap.

“Forgive my lips.” He smiled dazedly, eyes still lost in yours. “But it’s in familiar tastes where they find the greatest pleasure.”

That kind of apology suggested that he’d also noticed the inquisitive stares emerging all around you, stares that, at the moment, you didn’t have the mental disposition to concern yourself with, not when his words, as well as the evocative tone used to deliver them, were making your insides bubble in a dangerous cocktail of excitement and pleasure; a pleasure that quickly began to drip from deep within, like champagne spilling from the glass, drowning any other thought until all you could think about was how bad you wanted to pull him to a secret corner, sit on his lap and glide your fingers through that perfectly smooth hair of his, slicked back and neatly combed, desperately asking to be messed up.

“My lady?” He smirked playfully, a gesture that suggested he was probably very aware of the mess he was causing between your legs, a mess you hoped he would be so kind as to take care of later.

“There’s nothing to forgive, Commander Smith.” You replied calmly, your lips curving up in mischief. “At the moment, I feel like overindulging in familiar tastes myself.” You held his gaze boldly, unashamed to acknowledge all the things he could do to your body with his words only.

“Is that so?” He asked enticingly, taking a step closer and then another, his eyes locked so intently on their target as his face came just mere inches away from yours. “My princess shall never have to wait.” His lips whispered softly, only for the two of you to hear. “To indulge in whatever pleasure she craves.” He concluded, his husky voice more animalistic than human, the tantalizing woods and musks of his cologne intoxicating your senses, numbing them, clouding your mind until you could no longer think about anything, at least not anything that wasn’t his lips or the forbidden nights you spent together with them in his office, under the covers of secrecy. Was he about to pull those covers down with a kiss?

The logical part of you was certain he wouldn’t, but logic and rationality were not enough to stop the rest of your body from wishing he would. Especially your lips, they didn’t care that your parents were around somewhere, they didn’t care if they fainted the moment they saw their darling daughter kissing a man she had not been promised to; they didn’t care if, for the following weeks, you became the topic of the conversations all those fine ladies, who were now attentively staring at the two of you, would be enjoying with their afternoon tea. You and your lips cared about none of that.

But you knew he did.

And you knew him too well.

That’s why you weren’t really surprised when his fingers ignored the blushing cheeks he liked to hold when he kissed you, and reached for the back of your head instead, gently hooking the butterfly pin like a crown on a princess’ head. What surprised you, however, was that he knew the exact same spot where your mother had placed it that morning. Almost as if this wasn’t the first time he’d seen you today. And you wondered if that could be the case.

But before your mind could start speculating, he took a step back, a disarming smile painted on his handsome features as he offered you his arm to hold.

“May I?”

You smiled with delight, not hesitating a second to wrap both hands around the hard, unyielding muscles of his arm, letting them guide you to the other end of the courtyard. As you made it past grey-haired gentlemen who nodded back at him and blue-blooded ladies who were trying to exchange discreet glances with each other, you stroked his biceps subtly, eager for everyone to know that you were with him today, and that no, he wasn’t available for discussing work-related matters at the moment, much less dancing with anybody else. The gentlemen would have to wait until he was back at the office on Monday; and the ladies, well…their business would have to wait even longer. Because today, you looked up and smiled back at the man beside you, today he was with you.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite contrarian!” Lord Koch’s exclaimed overjoyed once you reached the north pavilion, his tall frame approaching his friend with open arms. “Erwin! Glad you could make it.”

“Hansel.” The Commander patted his back congratulatory. “Wouldn’t miss an opportunity to celebrate a good friend.”

“My lady.” Lord Koch nodded politely at you once he was done greeting his friend.

“I came to greet you earlier, but Lord Angert told me that you and Madam Augusta were yet to arrive.” The Commander turned to the plush, jovial-looking lady beside his friend, who you assumed to be Mrs. Koch. “Madam Augusta.”

“Erwin! I’m so glad you could join us!” She exclaimed, also overjoyed and using the exact same tone Lord Koch had, albeit a few scales higher. According to your mother, the Kochs had been married since their academy days, and engaged since even before that. No wonder they sounded exactly like each other. “I asked Hansel if you’d be joining us this morning.” She smiled beamingly, taking the Commander’s hand in hers. “I warned him that if he didn’t go deliver the invitation in person, you wouldn’t come. He didn’t want to go at first, but I ma-”

“Augusta.” Lord Koch cleared his throat, flashing an uncomfortable smile at the Commander, who looked at you amusedly, gifting you with one of those light-hearted chuckles that always sounded like honey in your ears, and you giggled back.

“You’re never too busy to visit a friend.” Mrs. Koch said, smiling beamingly and naively, her expressive eyes making you realize she looked exactly like the fairy godmothers they drew on picture books. “Your father knows that very well, dear.” You blinked in confusion, thinking about the Commander’s late father before noticing she was looking at you instead. “He never misses a Wednesday, that conspiracy theory club is going to cause the demise of so many I know.” She squinted her eyes at her husband.

“Augusta.” Lord Koch cleared his throat again.

So the club was still a thing, only they moved it to Wednesdays instead.

“Oh Hansel, please. You don’t believe there is someone, even a single soul, at this party who doesn’t know about that little society of yours. Do you?” She chortled giddily when she saw you nodding in agreement. “Anyhow, it both pleases me and surprises me that someone has at long last managed to conquer this man’s heroically large yet forebodingly rebellious heart.” She said contentedly, smiling at the Commander and then at you.

“Augusta, the lady is his assistant.”

“Oh, my bad!” She feigned embarrassment, her eyes darting from the Commander to you, and then back to him, a knowing smile blossoming on her lips as soon as she caught glance of the comfortable way in which your hands were wrapped around his arm, almost as if they were more than fairly acquainted with his body. “What a shame, her angelic smile and Erwin’s dreamy blues would make for beautiful offspring.” She said with mirth, giggling enthusiastically as her expressive eyes awaited a reaction from you.

But you had nothing for her, at least not anything you could show her without incriminating yourself, so you just lowered your head, looking down at the glossy marble tiles in an attempt to hide both your burning cheeks as well as the little smile that started to take over your lips at the thought of their chubby fingers tugging at your skirt; their angelic blue eyes gleaming with happiness whenever their cute button noses caught a whiff of the little somethings you loved baking for them; their excited little feet making the cabin’s floorboards creak on their way to the front door, your way of knowing that he was back.

No, Mrs. Koch wasn’t the only one. You had thought about it too. Goodness, your pen knew just how much; she remembered about every single time you had forced her to stop right before she could tell your journal about it, because your mother always said that telling your dreams to someone else was the most effective way to curse them into never happening.

“The infamous Nile Dok in the flesh!” Lord Koch’s jovial greeting startled you out of your thoughts, making you raise your head just in time to see Hitch’s boss striding towards you. “Today is really one for the books, isn’t it? It’s not every day you get to see both your favorite commanders together in one place.” He said delightedly, giving the lean, black-whiskered man a welcoming hug, a gesture that showed you just how close they were.

“I just hope Commander Pixis doesn’t find this statement too aggravating.” The Military Police commander said in a monotone voice before turning to Mrs. Koch. “Madam Augusta.”

The feeble smile he had managed to put on for her quickly expired on his lips as soon as he was done shaking her hand, and you couldn’t help but smile when you remembered Hitch’s words: ‘he permanently has the face of someone who hasn’t been able to poop in years.’

“Good to see you, Nile.” Mrs. Koch smiled heartily, her eyes turning into the same crescent moons Leon’s did whenever he smiled, confirming your suspicions that it was indeed a family thing. “Hansel still resents Dot for outsmarting him at the regionals last summer.” She explained amusedly. “A sore ego and a thin skin make it difficult for anyone to forget, never mind forgive.”

“Oh I’m sure he’s around here somewhere. Saw him near the brandy earlier.” Lord Koch motioned with a lazy flick of his hand, the indifference in his otherwise enthused demeanor proving that the hurt ego his wife had mentioned was pretty much there. “Dot did win but I wouldn’t say I was outsmarted. Calling his performance ‘brilliant’, like the press did, would be a stretch.”

“Oh I’m sure this year’s regionals will grant you the rematch that you and your ego so desperately crave. I believe in you, darling.” Madam Augusta rolled her eyes, silently contradicting her words. “Hansel will only accept defeat to this man right here.” She explained, pointing at the Commander, who was now shaking Commander Nile’s hand. “Erwin is truly in a league of his own. Hansel is lucky he doesn’t have the time to compete at the regionals.”

“It is my desire to keep a solid friendship with Hansel what keeps me from playing at the regionals, and not lack of time, Madam.” The Commander said, eliciting joyous laughter from everyone, including Lord Koch himself. “How are Marie and the kids?”

Marie and the-

‘I don’t understand how someone like her ended up marrying my boss.’

Hitch’s voice started ringing somewhere deep inside your head, reminding you of the one thing you’d hoped you could forget.

‘She could have married anyone she wanted.’

She said, the warm spring breeze turning unpleasantly bitter all of a sudden, bringing back memories of that snowy winter afternoon spent with your best friend, not too long ago.

‘Eyes bluer than the summer sky, porcelain skin. A goddess.’

She continued, as if listing the participation requirements for a very prestigious competition, one you really wanted to win, but felt you’d already lost.

‘Gorgeous doesn’t even begin to describe her-’

‘…beautiful falls short-’

‘…stunning doesn’t do her justice.”

Her words grew louder the more she spoke, eventually turning into a sharp hissing that threatened to break your skull into a million pieces.

‘Apparently, they used to be close friends back in the day, all three of them…’

No.

‘Both, your boss and mine..’

No. You didn’t want to remember.

‘…were completely smitten with her.’

The last sentence painfully reverberated in your ears, each word feeling like shards piercing through your eardrums, like an unpleasantly loud and very discordant crowd of cicadas making your ears bleed, as they announced the end of the most beautiful sunset you would ever get to see.

‘Did you know…’

No. You were just fine living in ignorance.

‘…she was this close to…’

No. Please don’t say it.

‘…marrying your boss?’

You held his arm tighter, something similar to a heartbeat violently jolting your entire body, the aftershock sending painful shivers throughout your skin, all the way to the deepest, darkest part of you, where your chest stung and ached in a type of pain you were already growing quite familiar with.

And you wondered if Commander Nile was acquainted with it himself because, although his inexpressive eyes were difficult to read, you could have sworn that you saw them narrow, the mild bags beneath them darkening even more at the mention of his wife’s name.

His wife’s name…

You looked to his right abruptly, your heart racing as if to match the crazed speed of your thoughts.

If Commander Nile was here, then probably his wife…

You looked to his left, and then around; your eyes embarking on a journey of anticipation and uncertainty as they navigated the sea of faces surrounding you, each little glance holding the potential of familiarity for any wistful eyes wishing to spot her, or the dread of recognition, in your very particular case. The dread to discover, among the countless expressions, the telltale features Hitch had so poetically described, the golden hair, the porcelain skin, and the blue eyes that had stolen his heart all those years back.

next chapter

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hyukassubi · 1 month ago

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🪡 16 | Booty So Big That Bed Broke But That Letter Got His Heart Broke-n

♡𓂃 Pairing -> (Former) Knight! Huening Kai x Seamstress! Reader

♡𓂃 Synopsis -> Growing up, you never believed in purpose, nor destiny. Simply following the path of life, becoming a royal seamstress didn't at all seem like a bad idea. Only thing is, it wasn't your idea.

Your best friend who just so happens to be the crowned prince knows what it's like to grow up having limited choices, and Prince Kang Taehyun doesn't want the same happening to you. The commander knight, in turn, has other plans for the future. After Huening Kai closes a profound chapter of his life, he seeks refuge from the chaos of his past, opting for a cozier lifestyle instead.

... And it just so seems that those plans wouldn't be fulfilled without you.

♡𓂃 Wc -> 1,312

Forget your tasks.

Forget your pending assignments.

Forget your fashion projects and orders from the Queen.

That night, no needle nor thread came between the tines of your fingers.

Instead, on your bedside, drenched in a milk-white nightgown and blue fleeced cardigan, exuding the highest forms of hot girl behaviour you possibly could that cold winter night… you put your feather pen to work, a trail of words falling right behind it…

Huening Kai was toast. Not literally.

He spent a tiring eighteen hours of capturing their first dragon, only to realize it was the offspring of a much larger, much more sinister mommy dragon…

“You know, I didn’t expect the mother to look so…” Yeonjun tossed half a bag of hot cocoa over a jug of warm milk. “… actually, I shouldn’t say anything. If there’s a mother, there should be a father too, right? I may be a flirt but I do not condone to homewrecking because homewrecking is not hot, not cool, at all.” Yeonjun filled a rusty mug up with hot chocolate. “Here, help yourself.”

Huening Kai slumped over his air-mattress-sleeping-bag contraption.

It popped at the weight of his cheeks.

Huening Kai’s left eye twitched.

He grabbed the hot cocoa from Yeonjun’s hand. “Thank you.”

Yeonjun was fighting between feeling sorrowful for his commander or bursting into tears (not from sadness). “You can sleep on my bed tonight. I’ll buy you a hammock first thing in the morning.”

Huening Kai slurped a good chunk of that not-so-well-mixed hot cocoa. “Saving me from that ‘only one bed’ trope, I see.”

Yeonjun felt genuine concern for his commander.

Before saying anything, there was a thump at the front of their tent.

Every single knight within the vicinity audibly flung their swords out.

Yeonjun blinked twice.

He set his own hot cocoa down, zipping open the tent. “Hello?”

A blue robin pecked at the tent. In its feet, an envelope.

Yeonjun took the letter from the kind bird, wishing it a good night and a better tomorrow, winking at it, or at least trying his best to.

The blue robin flew away.

And all the other knights were back to sleeping in their little yellow tents. Maybe. Maybe not.

Yeonjun hummed upon staring at the envelope, pacing around the tent mindlessly. “Hmm… It’s from the castle.” He passed the sheet of paper to his Commander Knight. “Says its for the eyes of Kai Kamal Huening and Kai Kamal Huening only. I think it's important.”

“If it’s from the castle, it should be important.” Huening Kai ripped open the envelope and…

Stained paper, raunchy cursive scrawled upon every line like a boat on the surface of calm waters.

A letter.

A letter with your handwriting.

… Hello Hyuka,

It’s Y/n, and, I’m sure I’m not the first person that came to mind when you received this letter but hey, it’s me. I know last time things didn’t go too well, and we were clouded by emotion to really think straight about what we were saying anyway but that moment in your bungalow was real, and what we felt was real, guttural, even.

I honestly don’t know what I’m saying right now either, hehe. Point is, I wanted to write to you, because I want us to be okay again. I know we won’t be able to see each other for some time. For a long time. But I don’t want to keep things stiff and awkward for too long now, and… yeah. How’s… everything? I mean, I hope everything’s going well. I hope you’re doing okay. Tired, for sure. Drained, even.

But I know there’s nothing you can’t handle, after all, I’ve seen the way you fought so so many times. I’ve been feeling a little out of it too, honestly, but that’s okay! Because I know I will be okay, and you will too.

Is there anything I can help you with, though? Is it cold there? Do you need earmuffs or a sweater? I’ll sew a puffy hoodie if you’d like, or… is there anything on your mind that you want to talk about? I’m here for it, I’m here for you. I could send over my mom’s cookies, I know you’d love them. My dad’s currently restocking some flowers, business hasn’t been doing too well since it’s snowing. Is it too much? I can send them one at a time so it feels like you get a gift everyday :) As much as I want you to stay strong throughout the whole journey, I want you to stay happy, too, above all else.

And if you’re ever feeling low, just know that you have me, that you get to talk to me and I get to talk to you and, yeah, ink and paper isn’t the same but it’s what we’ve got and I really don’t want to lose touch with you, not completely. I apologize for writing such a cluttered letter :’))) I know it seems all over the place, because I am all over the place, but, yeah, stay safe out there, slay a dragon, get some rest, stay strong, you got this, um. Love you lots <3333333333

Kindest regards, your biggest fan and one and only true friend who coincidentally knows how to knit a Christmas stocking or two.

…

“…”

“… Kai? Commander? I don’t mean to rush you but it’s been half an hour and your eyes are looking kinda red.”

Huening Kai had to re-read that letter at least a good thirty-eight times.

“It must be serious, is it?” Yeonjun poked up from his air mattress, because, yes, he’s used up the time for skincare, changing into his pajamas, a good tune on his kalimba, a self-portrait session, a stretch routine, a vacation to the Bahamas— “Do we have more intell on the dragon? Did the King disband the mission? Kai Kamal Huening you’re actually killing me right now. Do we have to—”

“No… no. It’s not from… him.”

Yeonjun didn’t take any more time to connect the dots, puzzle the pieces, light the bulbs. “Oh my God oF COURSE IT’S GOTTA BE THAT SEAMSTRESS CHIC!”

Huening Kai physically jumped off his deflated air-mattress. “STOP SCREAMING!” Huening Kai screamed.

“I’M NOT SCREAMING.” Yeonjun jumped over to his side and tugged at his shoulders.

“WHY ARE WE—” A huff. A breath. A twelve second meditation session. “Okay. okayokayokayokayokay. Alright.”

“Commander be spitting bars.”

Huening Kai shrugged his shoulders, getting his fellow knight off of him, looking to where his pillow was at, lying down. “I’m hyperventilating, okay? Wait no actuallyI’mnothyperventilating I’m okay just… give me some time alone.” He turned to the side fetal position and draped a blanket over his body all in one go, eyes screwed to the sheet of paper.

At times like these, Yeonjun could not believe he’s a Commander Knight.

But it was cute.

He was cute.

Yeonjun smirked, going back to his own bed, thankful Huening Kai had forgotten about their previous trade offer. “Alright sweet cheeks, good night.” He did not mean that literally.

And at some point, in the middle of the night, like, ten minutes after they’ve talked, Yeonjun looked up at the window of their tent, closed, but not blackout shut. “You know, it’s nice knowing our Commander Knight has a safe person he can smile and giggle about.”

Huening Kai blinked away, disrupted after his forty-fifth re-read. “Is that a bad thing?”

Yeonjun did not answer, not directly. “There are so many people out there who care about you, Kai. I don’t wanna list them all down right now but even if you don’t think a whole lot of people care about you, you got your seamstress buddy on your side and that’s… absolutely a good thing.”

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♡𓂃A/n:

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asykriel · 1 year ago

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Love is the Death of Duty - 12.

® do not repost or translate !

☆ Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Male! Targaryen OC

☆ Status: Ongoing

☆ Summary:

“He is half of my heart.”

War made monsters of them all, but it also brought the two second sons together in a flurry of death, love, deceit and delusion. The story of Aemond Targaryen and the eldest son of Daemon and Rhaenyra, Maegor Targaryen, second of his name.

☆ Warnings: Sexual content, explicit violence, dark themes, targcest etc.

☆ AO3 ☆ || ☆ Wattpad ☆

☆ CHAPTERS: (Prologue) / ( 1 ) / ( 2 ) / ( 3 ) / ( 4 ) / ( 5 ) / ( 6 ) / ( 7 ) / ( 8 ) / ( 9 ) / ( 10 ) / ( 11 ) / ( 12 ) / ( 13 ) / ( 14 ) / ( 15 ) / (16 from now on upcoming chaps only on- AO3 || Wattpad )

☆ Masterlist ☆ || ☆ Spotify Playlist ☆

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CHAPTER 12

Noon comes alive with the sound of laughter and the rhythmic clash of wooden swords upon the grassy clifftop next to Dragonstone castle. The sky stretches endlessly above them, its vibrant blue a striking contrast to the dark grey of the castle's stone walls. The sun's warm embrace bathes the landscape in golden light.

Jacaerys and Lucerys engage in a spirited sparring match, their wooden swords dancing through the air with a swift elegance. Despite the weight of the wooden brace that encases Jacaerys' injured arm, he moves easily. His torso is bandaged, a reminder of the injury he sustained during the incident on the beach. He reluctantly arrived on a Driftmark ship the day before, after being forced to leave Vermax behind with the Seasnake's fleet until he gets well enough to fly again.

On a higher vantage point, Daemon watches them nearby, his arms folded across his chest and eyes sharp.

Now, Jace acts like a training dummy for his younger brother to practice his moves on. He doesn't mind it though, he missed home like crazy and there was a point in the Stepstones when he was certain he'll never see Dragonstone again.

"Lucerys, watch your guard." Daemon's voice occasionally cuts through the sounds of their training, offering advice.

But he seems distracted, almost completely disinterested on babysitting them. Despite his usual vigilant presence, there is a distant gloominess to his expression, a hint of preoccupation that lingers in his thoughts. Jace knows exactly why. When he returned to Dragonstone, Daemon did not ask him anything about Maegor or whatever else went down in the Stepstones, but Jace had a feeling he already knows a lot. The Rogue Prince has spies in a lot of places that act like his ears and eyes.

Lucerys, his swordplay nimble and determined, tries to find an opening, jumping from one foot to another, but everytime, Jace parries one handed.

"How are you ever gonna win if you keep dancing like that, Luke?" His older brother teases him, playfully smacking his shoulder lightly, with the practice sword.

Luke scowls and lunges after him again. The wooden swords clash harder this time as the younger Velaryon tries to put all his strength into the blow. Unfortunately, once again Jacaerys parries even with one good arm and trips his brother, causing him to fall on his back in the grass.

"This isn't about strength, use your head more." Jace drops his wooden sword and extends his hand to his brother to pull him back up on his feet.

"Ugh I think Maegor rubbed off on you. You're starting to sound just like him."

"If it makes you improve, I'll take it as a compliment." Jace ruffles his brother's dark locks as they catch their breath.

The usual comments and observations about their posture and strikes that they expect to hear from Daemon never come.

Instead, when they both turn their heads towards the high ground where he's standing, the Rogue Prince isn't even looking at them. Too lost in thought, fixing his gaze on the horizon with a stern expression on his face. Something changes in the atmosphere, a shift in the air that draws their attention skyward.

With his seasoned perception, Daemon sees it before his step sons do. The dark form becoming larger, flying at a lower altitude and high speed towards them.

"Maegor is returning already?" Jace questions. But Daemon remains silent, his gaze narrows and his features hardening as he assesses the approaching dragon, while making his way next to his step sons instead.

Soon enough, it becomes clearer that it's not the Cannibal, but Vhagar instead. The thunderous sound of wings grows louder until Vhagar touches down on the clifftop, the force of her landing causing the ground to shake and the air to stir. Lucerys loses color from his cheeks as he watches the giant beast land close to where they are standing, knowing well enough who her rider is.

The dragon's deep rumble quiets down as she lays flat upon the ground, her presence commanding respect. Yet, there is an unexpected urgency in her posture, a sense of agitation that speaks of something amiss.

"Help! We need help!" A voice cries out, the desperation cutting through the air like a blade.

When the dust settles, the three finally spots Prince Aemond climbing down the dragon while he's cradling a limp body, his face etched with panic, as his one eye fixes the unconscious figure he holds in his arms.

It takes a moment for Jacaerys and Lucerys to register who it is. The shock sends a wave of dread crashing over them.

Their brother's body.

Jacaerys wastes no time rushing over to them, with Daemon on his tail, leaving Luke to stare at the image in shock, still trying to process everything.

"What happened?!" The eldest Velaryon questions in disbelief.

Jace can't comprehend that the same person lying unconscious in the grass is his brother with how sickly he looks. Maegor's complexion was always fair, but now his skin looks deathly pale, breaking in a fever alternating with a cold sweat, his lips are cracked, colored in a shade of blue. He looks like a corpse.

"He's been poisoned! I tried to help him, but he's getting worse by the minute. I don't know what else to do, he looks like he's going to die any moment now!" Aemond pants, blabbering on, his voice full of anxiety. His hands shake as they clutch onto his nephew's clothes, refusing to let go.

"Jacaerys. Fetch the maesters, hurry." Daemon steps forward and Jace barely waits for him to finish his command before running off. Daemon reaches out to touch his son's burning forehead, then going down to his chest to feel his weak breathing and process his condition. However rattled the Rogue Prince may be, he does not let it crack through his stoic persona in front of his nephew.

"We need to get him inside. Now." He tells Aemond and they both carefully lift Maegor's body, carrying him on their arms inside the castle. There's no malice this time in Daemon's voice when he speaks or looks at his nephew. He cannot afford wasting any second showing his disdain towards the Green pup when his son is taking his last breaths before his eyes.

For Aemond too, nothing else matters right now. He forgets the grudge he holds for Lucerys even when his nephew follows them inside the castle, keeping his distance before disappearing, probably to get his mother. He pays no attention to the thoughts that he is not wanted here, not even when the courtiers and servants gather to witness the scene in shock. Not even when he can hear the whispers and gasps behind him when they carry Maegor through the halls to his bedroom. The thoughts that his sister surely despises him like she despises his mother. Or that Daemon probably wants to take his head and send it off in a bag as a gift to his family in King's Landing.

All he cares about is Maegor. Seeing him healthy and on his feet again, on the back of his dragon so that they could fly together, side by side once more. If he loses his beloved nephew, Aemond will never forgive himself, might as well drink poison willingly, than let him die because he didn't pay enough attention, because he wasn't close enough to stop the Martell bitch.

"Who did this?" Daemon turns his attention to Aemond as they both step aside from the bed to give space to the maesters to work on Maegor.

"Alliandra Martell." Aemond grits his teeth seething in anger as he, recalls the events in his mind.

Daemon lets out a bitter laugh. If he knew this would happen, he would've had Qoren's whole family murdered years ago.

"And?"

"She's been dealt with, along with whoever was left in Old Palace."

"Good."

That's all Daemon needs to know. That whoever laid his hands on his family is dead and he only hopes they suffered greatly before the end.

When Aemond immediately set flight to Dragonstone, the Cannibal strayed behind, instead of tailing Vhagar. He was just as thirsty for vengeance as the Prince and left the Old Palace a pile of smoldering ruins. Trapping everyone left inside to burn alive or be crushed by toppling ruble, blinded by the rage for what they did to his rider. The beast's fury spared the older Prince from another trip to Dorne, like he initially planned. Aemond wanted to fly back himself and destroy the seat of House Martell once he brought Maegor to Dragonstone.

There's no need for this however. He can stay here, next to his bedside and wait until his nephew wakes up or until Daemon decides to kick him out or throw him in the dungeons, but not even that will deter him.

"Daemon! What happened, what's the meaning of this!?"

Rhaenyra bursts onto the scene, her pregnant belly prominent as she rushes through the hallway to Maegor's quarters. Her steps are hurried and her expression a mix of confusion and fear.

Aemond makes eye contact with her briefly, the surprise on her face tells him no one updated her on what happened until now. He says nothing, stepping out of the way to let Daemon intercept her and take her aside, a hand on the small of her back, preventing her from entering Maegor's bedroom. The younger Prince can't quite hear the hushed exchange between his uncle and sister, but he can guess he's trying soften the blow, to deliver the news in a way that will spare Rhaenyra the full weight of the situation. But, as expected, his sister's emotions are too raw to be assuaged by mere words. It doesn't work the way Daemon intends.

"I told you not to send them to war Daemon! I told you!" Rhaenyra exclaims in her husband's face, her expression full of anger and worry.

Aemond's eye flickeres between the tense exchange. It's evident that Rhaenyra's nerves are running high, and the gravity of the situation is not lost on her.

As the tirade continues the Rogue Prince grabs her hand, an attempt to offer solace and reassurance. But Rhaenyra's response is anything but compliant. She yanks her hand away, her gaze unwavering as she barges inside the bedroom, passing by Aemond like he's not even there. Inside she finds the maesters fussing over her son, giving him all sorts of concoctions and treatments in an attempt to break down the fever that gripped him.

Aemond watches how Rhaenyra approaches the bed, understanding the shared pain of helplessly watching a loved one suffer. For a moment there's a tinge of jealousy gnawing the Prince as he wonders if Alicent would react the same if he was the one lying in that bed instead.

Rhaenyra's hand hovers uncertainly, her fingers mere inches from her son's forehead. But she withdraws it. Her emotions are laid bare along with her vulnerability. She decides against caressing her son, fiddling with her fingers, over her belly instead. , Her hesitation is driven by a worry that touching him might reveal the cold embrace of death. She's afraid, she'll touch him and it'll feel like touching corpse. Stiff and breathless.

"Come, you need rest. Let the maesters do their job." Daemon comes from behind her, putting his comforting hands on her shoulders to herd her away from the bed. This time Rhaenyra relents and allows herself to be guided away, keeping her shoulders tense and the turmoil in her eyes.

"You should return to King's Landing at once, brother. I'm sure your mother is worried about you." Rhaenyra stops in front of Aemond, this time his presence is no longer ignored.

"I will have to refuse, sister. I'm not leaving Prince Maegor's side." Aemond says firmly and honestly, trying to keep a polite tone. Daemon raises a curious eyebrow.

"I am not asking, Prince Aemond." Rhaenyra does not scowl or glare at him, but the tone in her voice makes up for the lack of harshness in her expressions.

The younger Prince bites his inner cheek, but keeps his cool. There's no need for snarky remarks if he wants to have any chance on changing his sister's mind.

Before he can answer, Daemon steps in instead. Surprising both his wife and nephew.

"Let the boy stay, it's the least you can do for saving our son's life."

Aemond's violet eye widens in surprise, his mind struggling to process Daemon's words. He wonders if exhaustion and anxiety are playing tricks on him, distorting reality.

But it was clear and real enough.

His sister's glance shifts between him and her husband, half surprised half cautious of the statement. Rhaenyra takes Daemon aside to whisper something silently in his hear before she leaves eventually.

Watch him, Daemon.

Aemond stays out of his uncle's way, he gave him the permission to stay, but it was clear that this is not a gesture of complete acceptance. He decides to slip back into Maegor's bedroom, choosing to sit next to the window overlooking the clifftop where Vhagar is resting. He watches over the maesters, carefully following everything they are doing with his eye.

It's not like his own maesters would harm him but after what happened in Dorne, Aemond finds it very hard to trust letting people around Maegor.

The sound of Vhagar's deep growl resonates through the window and Aemond moves his attention to her restlessness. A sigh of relief escapes his lips as he watches Saagael appearing out of nowhere to land next to the larger dragon. Aemond was so focused on getting Maegor as quickly as possible to Dragonstone, that he left him behind when the beast started destroying the Old Palace. Altough, he has a feeling that the Cannibal caught up with them not long after, thanks to the strong bond he has with Maegor. Staying out of sight, lurking high above the clouds. Even if he now has a rider he's still just as wild, maybe even more vicious now that he has someone to defend.

"I was wondering whether or not he survived. A fine beast." Daemon mumbles, joining Aemond next to the window. His nephew, stays silent, only humming in approval.

His love for dragons is not news for Aemond, and he admires him for it. Aegon often joked around that he probably loves Caraxes more than his wife, but Aegon is a spoiled fool and a drunk that never understood or at least never seemed to care enough for Targaryen customs and pride. Aemond admires Daemon for a lot of things, even if he will never step on his pride to tell him that.

The beasts bear their teeth and rumble in acknowledgement for each other's presence. Ever since their first meeting, they've started to accept and tolerate one another more, snapping and snarling less when either Vhagar or the Cannibal got too close to each other. Mutual respect.

A glint of hope shines in Aemond's eye as he moves his gaze to the bed and sees how Maegor barely stirs. He's been limp and unresponsive ever since they arrived, until now when the maesters start putting moist towels wrapped in who knows what herbs all over his upper body, their faces etched with a mix of concern and concentration for their Prince.

Outside, a roar erupts and Maegor shifts again, this time more noticeable and Aemond's focus is drawn back to the clifftop. The Cannibal fixes his cold stare on the window to the bedroom high up in one of the towers, making eye contact with both Daemon and Aemond.

Whether it was the strong bond between them or all the medicine starting to work no one knows.

The black dragon cries out with a roar again. Seeking, calling for his rider. A cry that seems to resonate with something deep within Maegor's unconscious. And then, as if in response to the call, a faint change occurs, a raspy groan escaping Maegor's lips as he moves, a small sign that life still flickered within him. Just barely.

Aemond's heart races with hope and he rushes to his nephew's bedside, the maesters stepping out of his way in surprise.

"Maegor...Can you hear me?" The Prince asks, gently brushing a finger across his nephew's eyebrow in a tender gesture.

No expected response comes. No other sign of life.

Just Daemon coming from behind and placing a firm hand on his shoulder, gripping it almost painfully.

"Come nephew. A servant will show you to your quarters." He tells Aemond calmly, his voice carrying an underlying warning.

"I will not leave his side." Aemond replies firmly and he almost regrets it.

The Rogue Prince's demeanor shifts in an instant, his expression hardening as he harshly pulls his nephew aside, away from the wary and curious looks of the maesters.

"Don't mistake my tolerance for kindness boy. I've only allowed you to stay for Maegor's sake." Daemon's voice was a hushed whisper, but the intensity behind his words is as undeniable as the glare in his violet eyes.

"And for that I am grateful, uncle. But I-"

"Good, then while you are in my home and under my roof, you will do as I say. Unless you want to return to your mother, be it still standing or in a coffin that depends on you. Don't think I forgot about the little stunt you pulled at the feast." Daemon's tone brooks no argument.

The tension in the air becomes palpable, the fragile peace shatters in an instant. Aemond clenches his fists, struggling to maintain his composure in the face of his uncle's authority.

He bites his tongue, swallowing his retort, realizing that he needs to tread carefully if he wants to remain in Dragonstone. For the sake of his lover, he decides to endure whatever his uncle throws his way.

Thankfully, the guest quarters he's given are not that far away from Maegor's, close enough to offer him some relief and comfort. Despite his exhaustion, sleep evades Aemond, and he paces the room in restless agitation. He attempts to distract himself with a book he picks from the available bookshelf, but his mind is too preoccupied to focus on the words. Back and forth, pacing turns into idle reading, which turns into staring at the rock ceiling. The passage of time feels torturous, each moment stretching into eternity as he waits in solitude, hoping for a miracle to descend on his nephew.

Finally surrendering to the strain of the day, Aemond lets himself fall onto the bed. Sleep claims him, but it was a fitful slumber plagued by nightmares he cannot recall. A gasp tears through his lips as he awakes, his body drenched in cold sweat. His fingers instinctively touch his eyepatch that he forgot to remove before falling asleep, a constant reminder of what was stolen from him.

The room is now shrouded in darkness, a weighty silence pressing in from all sides. Midnight has fallen, and Aemond is trapped in a realm between wakefulness and dreams, his thoughts consumed by worry for Maegor.

The moonlight filters through the window, casting eerie shadows across the room that add to his restlesness in his bones. Aemond's heartbeat quickens as he forces himself to his feet, his body tense with a mixture of exhaustion and anticipation.

The candlelight from the torches in the hallway slip under the door to his chamber as he moves towards it with cautious steps.

A soft sigh escapes Aemond's lips, a whisper of concern and longing. He raises his hand, his fingers hovering over the doorknob, before he hesitates once more. Aemond's resolve wavers, his emotions in turmoil. He wants to be there for Maegor, to watch over him, but he also fears the consequences of defying his uncle's authority, of testing his 'generosity'. He knows that defying Daemon's demands could strain their already fragile relationship even further.

Aemond's internal struggle plays out until he eventually gives in to his own stubbornness and worry for his lover.

Luckily, the dimlit corridor is silent, no servants or guards in sight at an hour so late. Akin to feline stealth, Aemond makes his way back to Maegor's quarters, and slips just as silently inside his nephew's chambers, carefully closing the door behind as if nothing but the a draft made it creak.

Herbs and incense burns, the pleasant and soothing aroma filling the bedroom as Aemond steps inside. He can only hope that the combined efforts of the maesters, who have been tirelessly tending to Maegor, will finally offer him some relief and bring him back from the clutch of that poison that will not let him escape.

Besides a steadier breathing rhythm, Aemond doesn't note any other change. But a small one is welcomed anyway.

Aemond sighs and drags an armchair next to the bedside. He sits in it, taking Maegor's feverish hand in his own and placing a kiss on his forehead as he starts his watch.

There's no telling how much Maegor can actually comprehend in his weakened state, but his uncle hopes that his presence, his touch, can offer some sort of comfort.

As the hours stretch on, Aemond's exhaustion catches up with him. The weight of his emotions and the constant vigilance he maintains all take their toll. Slowly, his eyes grow heavy, and he finds himself sinking into the armchair and back into slumber.

In the dim light of the chamber, the light sounds of Maegor's steady breathing serve as a lullaby of sorts. Aemond's breathing gradually match the rhythm, and his tight grip on Maegor's hand relaxes. Despite the turmoil that has surrounded them, the silence of the room provides a momentary respite.

As the night gives way to the first rays of dawn, a soft glow begins to filter through the window, bathing the room in a gentle, pale light.

In that serene morning hush, the door to the chamber creaks open.

Daemon steps inside, his footsteps quiet as he approaches Maegor's bedside. His gaze instinctively go first to his son. An expression a mixture of concern and relief on his face as he sees the subtle signs of improvement. Then his attention shifts to Aemond, who sleeps soundly in the armchair, unaware of his uncle's presence.

The sight is certainly unexpected, and Daemon's brows furrow at the defiance as he studies his nephew's vulnerable form. Aemond's very existence has been a source of tension in their family ever since his foolish son started pinning like a madman after him. But now, as his nephew slumbers so caressly. His defenses are lowered, his expression peaceful. It could be so easily for Daemon to just put a quick end to all of it. He could. He would if he had less wisdom. Firstly not because it would lead to war, but because of his son's reaction. Grief can turn people to insanity, he has seen it happen to others, the last thing he wants, is to put his son to go through it with his own hands.

Daemon's internal struggle is evident in his gaze as he regards Aemond. He prepares to awaken him, to address the situation and remind him of his place. Yet, a moment of hesitation stays his hand. Perhaps it is the sight of his son, the fragility of the moment, or a lingering memory of how Maegor was declaring his love for Aemond, shouting in Daemon's face, that makes him pause.

Instead of waking his nephew, the Rogue Prince steps takes him closer to the other side of his son's bed. He watches Maegor for a moment and his eyes fall to his hand held by his nephew's.

A bond that runs deeper than Daemon initially thought, blaming youthful lust and the natural curiosity of desires in the beginning. Now it was slowly becoming clearer to him that it's more than that, whether he likes it or not. Lust does not make people go to war and be ready to sacrifice their own lives for the other. Lust doesn't bond like this.

The faintest of smiles touches Daemon's lips as he lets out a silent snort of defeat.

With a final, lingering glance at the two, the Rogue Prince quietly turns and leaves the chamber. closing the door behind him and instructing the servants and maesters to not disturb his son until later in the day.

In this quiet morning, a temporary truce is granted, a reprieve from the conflicts that have plagued them, at least for a little while.

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(Fanart of Maegor and Saagael committing war crimes in Dorne drawn by rice.watermelon)

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