#but does that change the engaging storylines and characters?

[mae-i-scribble]

i’ve been rereading wings of fire because a friend was kind enough to gift me with physical copies of the first series and yeah, i do still love these books with all my heart. They have such genuine and compelling characterization, the way that the main five are a family first and foremost, each of them getting their own book to explore their perspective while not diminishing their presence in the other books. The ways that Sutherland quietly and not so quietly showcases the effects of war and trauma and being forced to fight for your life when our protagonists are children. There’s almost too much to gush about, almost everything about these books is something I love to pieces. Though I really do wish that not every book had a vaguely or not so vaguely romance subplot/possibility in them. The only one free of that is Sunny’s, and while some I like such as Glory and Deathbringer(their banter is cute i’ll excuse a 2 day romance based on that alone plus its not exactly a romance just crushing)/ Clay and Peril (less for romantic inclinations and more so how interesting their friendship is with peril’s one sided obssession/love bc it makes total sense from both their perspectives), the others are...eh. I probably wouldn’t mind them as much if they were like, the only romantic subplots but again, when nearly every book has a new one to throw at you I have to start comparing them.

More than that though, I’ve actually never read past the first series before. I’ve read Moon Rises about 4/5 times at least, I adore Moon and that book to pieces. But I’ve never actually read past it bc I could see what was happening with the love triangle setup, and after 5 books mainly focusing on found family with relatively little of the romance bs, I was dreading reading a main storyline romance with one of my least favorite cliches. But I’ve decided to start reading the rest of the series for the first time and I have to say this really does feel like the perfect follow up to the first series based on its plot and focus characters alone. Being so intertwined with dragons and plot threads from the first series is really working in its favor by picking up questions and plot threads and addressing/resolving them. The first 5 books are about ending the war and bringing the tribes together, these books look like they’re going to be about preserving it. Loosely speaking of course, bc these books are also about a number of things that the first and second series are mirroring each other in and I think that’s really neat. Now here’s to hoping that love triangle goes nowhere.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Narrative Arc

Narrative arc - also called a “story arc,” a “dramatic arc,” or just an “arc”.

It is a literary term for the path a story follows.

It provides a backbone by providing a clear beginning, middle, and end of the story.

Freytag's Pyramid

The concept of narrative arc as we know it today was created by Gustav Freytag, a German novelist and playwright who closely analyzed ancient Greek writing, along with William Shakespeare’s five-act plays.

As the term suggests, when plotted on paper, a typical narrative arc forms the shape of a hill or pyramid.

5 Classic Elements of a Narrative Arc

A traditional narrative arc has five elements, in the following order:

Exposition. This is the reader’s introduction to the story. The exposition offers background information to prime the audience for the rest of the story, including introducing the main character(s) (the “who”), setting (the “where”), and circumstances or time period (the “when”).

Rising action. This is when conflict begins to ramp up. The rising action usually begins with what’s called an “inciting incident”—the triggering event that puts the main events of the story in motion. This is when the audience starts to see what your story is really about.

Climax. This is the highest point of tension in your storyline, and often the point at which all the different subplots and characters converge. Typically, the climax requires the main character to face the truth or make an important choice.

Falling action. This is what happens as a result of the protagonist’s decision. During the falling action, the conflict gives way to resolution. Loose ends are tied up, and tension begins to dissipate.

Resolution. Also known as a denouement, this is how your story ends. The resolution of a narrative arc isn’t always happy, but it does close the loop and show how the events of the story have changed the characters and the world around them.

Narrative Arc vs. Plot

Plot - the individual events that make up your story. In other words, the plot is what happens.

Narrative arc - the path or sequence of your plot, and how that series of events creates a flow and progression that keeps the reader engaged at each stage in the story.

Narrative Arc vs. Character Arc

If a narrative arc is the path of the overall story,

a character arc is the path a specific character takes during that story.

The story arc is external, and happens to all of the characters,

while a character arc is internal, and happens to one person.

A character arc usually involves a character overcoming an obstacle and changing the way they see the world.

When the narrative arc begins its descent down the pyramid into the falling action and resolution, the character arc has its moment to shine.

This is when a character experiences a turning point by asking for help, learning a new skill, making a critical choice, and/or becoming more self-aware.

Typically, only major characters have character arcs, though minor characters can undergo this type of character development as well.

Create a Narrative Arc in 4 Easy Steps

Here are some writing tips for building a narrative arc in your own writing:

Choose an archetypal narrative arc. Think about the story you want to tell. Is the main character overcoming an obstacle? Going on a quest? Experiencing a rebirth? You don’t have to follow any one example to the letter, but writing with an archetypal narrative arc in mind can be a huge help.

Identify your beginning, middle, and end. Who are the main characters? What are they doing? When are they doing it? Where are they doing it? Why are they doing it? And, most importantly: What is all of that building toward?

Plug your events into a narrative arc. Creating a visual diagram of your chosen narrative arc, then add the events of your story along that arc. Seeing a quick overview of your story on a page makes it easier to identify problems and fill any gaps. For instance, if you have a lot of events clustered in your “exposition” stage, you may want to cut some of them out or reimagine them as new developments in the rising action.

Adjust as needed. Of course, there’s no hard and fast rule that you have to stick to Freytag’s traditional narrative arc. Every story is different: some are heavier on exposition, while others draw out the rising action. Give yourself the freedom to be flexible and see where your unique story goes.

The next time you sit down to write, consider drawing up a quick narrative arc. It’s a useful tool that can help you stay on track if you’re ever unsure of what comes next in your story.

Source ⚜ More: References ⚜ Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding ⚜ Exposition

[bookuce]

Change My Mind

SUMMARY: Josh and Alina are great friends most days. Other days, they want to tear each other apart. Some days, they’re in love with each other, but neither of them will admit it. 

*DISCLAIMER: This is a multi-part series. I do not own any of the characters in the writing except for the OC. The book uses actual names of wrestlers. Josh is Jey, Jon is Jimmy, Trinity is Naomi, and Alina is Alina. The book is not realistic and does not take place during real events, but some actual events (matches, storylines) could pop up in the story eventually. I DO NOT GIVE ANYONE PERMISSION TO TRANSLATE OR REPOST MY WRITINGS ANYWHERE. THAAAAAANKS. *

PAIRING: Jey Uso x Black OC

TROPE: Friends to Lovers

WARNINGS: Language

WORD COUNT: 4,185

PART SEVEN

(2/2) — (1/2)

The sound of heels could be heard angrily clicking against the winery floors. Alina’s eyes were burning with tears that wanted to be free, but she wouldn’t blink. She didn’t dare blink. She pushed the double doors open, moving down the brick steps. Once in the soft grass, she kicks her heels off and lifts her dress from the Earth. She glided—no, stomped across the field to that white house the groomsmen were in. She was a woman on a mission. 

Alina scaled the four steps, taking two at a time as she climbed onto the porch. The screened door would swing open, hitting the wall as she entered the house. The men all stopped talking, smiles vanishing at the sight of her. “Now, Lina—.” Mike starts. She and Theo locked eyes, and he immediately knew what she was there for. She pushes through everyone, lunging for him. The men all shout in response to her, Mike being the one who catches her. He pushes her back into the group of men, now pointing for the door. “Get her outta here, bruh, we not doing this shit today!” He says, as Shawn dragged her out of the house. Theo watched as Alina vanished through the door, bringing his glass to his lips. Mike turns to look at him, lifting his hands in disbelief. “You need to fix this before the wedding.” He says. “I don’t need Tasha finding out about this.” He says, walking to the kitchen.

“Get off of me!” Alina says, shoving Shawn back. “Tell him to bring his ass outside.” She demands. 

“Lina, you can’t do this right now. It’s your best friend’s wedding day.” Shawn says. Alina points at the window of the house.

“Did y’all tell him that too, or is this isolated to me?” Theo steps out from behind Shawn, his eyes on the enraged woman standing before him. He steps off the porch, his hand wrapping around Alina’s arm. He pulls the woman off towards an old garage to the side of the house. They said nothing to each other as they approached the withered door of the garage. He pushes it open, gesturing for her to go in. She yanks her arm from him, stepping into the dusty space.

Theo steps into the garage, closing the door behind them. “So I take it your little boyfriend told you what happened?” He asks.

“My little boyfriend? Theo, I need you to play somewhere safe when it comes to that man.” She warns him. Theo laughs softly at the threat, shaking his head. “I’m serious!” She exclaims.

“Why, because I gotta deal with you? I’ve dealt with that temper before, girl, that ain’t nothing.” He says, dismissing her threats. “I simply mentioned that we were engaged. That wasn’t a lie. Hell, I didn’t know it was a secret until today. That’s your fuck-up, not mine.” It was true. Theo was just moving accordingly. How Josh reacted to the news had nothing to do with him. Anything that happened after that, though? “Be honest. What did you think would happen when you brought him in there? Were you even thinking about that?” She wasn’t. All she was thinking about was the fact that she wanted Josh to make friends with the guys. 

Alina peers down at the floor, her arms crossing over her chest. “I didn’t tell him we were engaged because I erased that entire chapter of my life. The moment you did what you did, you meant nothing to me. You weren’t my fiancé, you weren’t my friend, you were just a man I unfortunately knew.” She finishes, looking up at him. “The word fiancé should have never left your goddamn mouth.”

“Lina, that’s not how that works!” He shouts.

“Says who? Were you the one hurt by this?” She asks. “You didn’t love me like I loved you. I was ready to commit to you, and you made me look stupid!”

“And I apologized, damnit!” He exclaims. Alina becomes quiet at the booming of his voice. “I will spend my entire life apologizing to you! I had a moment of weakness twelve years ago and had a child on you. It happened, and I apologized. I don’t regret my daughter, but I do regret what I did to you.” He finishes. Alina turns away from him, her eyes shifting to the ceiling. She was fighting tears again. “Was I hoping when I saw you today that I would be able to make things right with us? Yes, but you showed up, and I got to see you with someone else who isn’t me for the first time ever. I got jealous.”

Alina lifts her hand, shaking it. “You don’t get to be jealous, Theo.” She says, turning to face him again. “That man loves me, has loved me for two years, and patiently waited for me. He’s not going anywhere, and I don’t want him to. So, whatever you got going on, it needs to stop the moment we leave this garage.” She says. It was now his turn to be silent. He stares at Alina, his shoulder slumped in defeat. She takes a few steps to the side, moving around him for the door.

“My greatest achievement was having you love me.” She pauses at the door at his words. She slowly turns around to face him, her eyes finding his dark ones. “You telling me that’s all gone? Every bit of it?” She sighs softly.

“Theo, a part of me will always love you.”

“Then why can’t we…try again?” He asks, taking her hand into his. “What’s those few weeks compared to our four years?” He continues.

“Everything, Theo. They’re everything.” She says, pulling her hand from his grasp. “I don’t want to know you how I did anymore.” Before he could even say anything else, she slipped out the door. The sun forces her to squint, her hands carefully wiping at any tears that might’ve fallen. 

Josh paced the gravel of the winery parking lot. He was trying his hardest to remain calm but was failing miserably. “She told me to leave, Uce. She don’t want me here.” He says into the phone.

“Man, take your ass back inside that wedding. Lina don’t mean that shit.” Jon says, trying to assure his brother that the things the couple said to each other had no meaning. “As for her ex, he’s lucky I’m not there, we’d jump his ass.”

“Jon—!” Trin exclaims. “You aren’t helping!”

Jon smacks his lips at her. “Yes, the hell I am! I’ll get on a plane right now! Say I won’t.” He shouts back. There was a scuffle in the background and sounds of protest from his twin brother. “Move!” He exclaims. Josh stops pacing, his eyes shifting up to the trees above him. He was now shaking his head at the couple on the other side of the phone. There was a serious matter at hand, and they were playing around.

“Josh—Will you back up!” Trinity shouts into the phone at her husband. “Go find that girl and talk to her.”

“Can’t.” He says, glancing over at a few people who were passing him. “Wedding is about to start.” He says.

“Then you should stay and talk to her. Don’t leave that place mad at each other.” She tells him. He begins to nod his head. Trinity was right.

“Yeah,” He nods. “Yeah, you’re right.” 

“I know I am! Now go make things right with my sister.” She says, making Josh smile. There was movement on the other side of the phone before Jon spoke again. 

“Say the words, and I’m on a plane, lil bro! Say the words—!” The call ends with three beeps. Josh slips his phone back into his jacket pocket with a sigh. Let’s get this shit over with, he thought, marching towards the back where the ceremony will be. 

Alina and the rest of the wedding party lined up in the main hall of the winery. Each bridesmaid had a groomsman. She, unfortunately, had Theo—Together, they were the maid of honor and the best man. The lost lovers stared ahead, a noticeable space between the pair. She didn’t want to have to touch him until she had to. “Alright, everyone,” The wedding planner spoke, walking to the front of the wedding line. “We got five minutes till the wedding starts. Remember, count to five before you step out to walk. Do not power walk down the aisle. The photographer needs to be able to get clear photos. Tasha and Mike are spending too much money to receive blurry images of you beautiful people.” 

Her eyes land on Alina and Theo, now noticing the gap between the two. She takes Alina’s arm, linking it with his. She then smiles proudly at the pair. “You two look great together.” She winks, moving down the line to check everyone else. Alina smiles at her to be polite before letting her smile drop when she leaves. 

“Lina, can we—.”

“Leave me alone, please, Theo. Thank you.” She snaps quietly. No one around them knew what had transpired that day, and she wanted to keep it that way. She could hear him suck in a deep breath and sigh. Music began to play from outside the building, a sign the ceremony was about to start. Mike and the Reverand are spotted making their way down the aisle from the windows of the doors. The sound of cheers and applause is heard over the music now. 

The wedding planner quickly walks back to the front of the line, peeking out the window. She squeals at the sight of Michael. “Tasha, Mike has made it to the end of the aisle!” She exclaims. Tasha was at the back of the line, a large bouquet in her hand. Her head was down as she swayed from side to side. She needed to say a quick prayer before she stepped out there. “Y’all ready?” She asks Alina and Theo. Ready to get this over, she answers in her head. Alina nods slightly, now taking a deep breath of her own. The coordinator pushes the door open, signaling for the pair to go. A smile will spread along Alina’s face as she and Theo stepped out into the opening. 

The pair walked at the desired pace of the wedding coordinator, their eyes darting around the crowd. There was only one person she was hoping she would spot among the attendees. When she caught sight of red curls, her smile softened to one of genuine happiness. He stayed. Josh turns just in time to see her walking down the aisle. They hold each other’s gaze until she passes him. Once at the end of the aisle, Theo and Alina break apart. Theo goes to stand behind his best friend while Alina stands alone for a few moments more. 

Instead of paying attention to the ceremony, Alina was too busy watching Josh. He hadn’t let up on his staring either. It was evident they both regretted everything that transpired between them today. 

As a couple, it was the first time they’d really argued, and quite frankly, they didn’t want to do it again. Josh didn’t like it when she was mad at him; he also didn’t like to be the cause of her tears. The break of her voice and the pain in her eyes at what he said was enough for him. He’d never do it again—that was his vow. “Do you, Michael, take Tasha to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you honor and cherish her; love, trust, and commit to her, through joy and pain, sickness, and health, until death do you part?” The reverend asks Mike.

“I do.” He says, nodding. 

“And Tasha, do you take Michael to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you honor and cherish him; love, trust, and commit, through joy and pain, sickness, and health, until death do you part?” Tasha smiles brightly up at her husband, nodding slowly at him.

“I do.” She whispers. The reverend calls for the rings, prompting Alina to look away from Josh and pass off Mike’s ring to Tasha. She’d give her best friend an assuring smile before glancing at her feet. The couple begins the exchange of their vows, putting their rings on each other’s fingers. Alina peers up at Josh again, finding his eyes still on her. He didn’t care about anything that was happening right now. He should probably pay attention, but he just couldn’t. 

“I love you.” She mouths to him, earning a wink in return. That prompts her to smile and return her attention to her two friends. 

“Tasha, Michael, it is with great honor that I stand before you, by the power vested in me by the Almighty God up above and the beautiful state of Georgia, I proudly pronounce you Husband and Wife! Michael, you may now kiss your bride.” The crowd erupts into cheers as Mike pulls Tasha in for a loving kiss. “I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Vasser, everyone!” The newlyweds turn to face the crowd before walking down the aisle hand in hand. The wedding party would follow after. The most stressful part of the day was now over. 

The reception went as planned, with introductions, first dances, and speeches. Everyone laughed, and a few people cried, but everyone was happy—well, not everyone. Josh had yet to talk to Alina. She was too busy socializing and catching up with old friends. He didn’t want to take her from that, considering she’s barely home these days. So Josh went and grabbed a drink from the bar and stepped outside. She’ll find him when she’s ready. 

Josh stood in silence, taking in the night sky. The Moon was full and dimly lit the area around him. He brings his beer bottle to his lips, taking a few swigs. Footsteps approached him, causing the twin to look over his left shoulder. He had hoped it was Alina but was greatly disappointed when it was Theo. He looks away, his top lip curling slightly in disgust. They stood side by side, their eyes fixated on the open. Josh wasn’t going to say anything. He had nothing to say to that man.

“I asked Alina to leave you.” He confesses. Josh’s hand around the bottle he held tightened. This man just doesn’t let up, he thought.

“What she say?” Josh asks, looking down at his shoes. 

“No.” He answers.

Josh scoffs, shaking his head slightly. “Checks out.” 

Theo looks over at him. “I asked her if she still loved me. She said she did.” He turns to face Josh. “I love her too—.”

“Man, you don’t love that woman,” Josh says, pivoting to face Theo. “If you did, you’d let her be happy. Instead, you out here pressing me.” Josh looks him up and down. “You already had your chance, and you blew it. Now it’s my turn, and I ain’t ever coming off that one.” He says, pointing inside the reception hall. “You out of your damn mind if you think I’mma let some fuck up from her past force his way back into her life.” Theo’s head drops at his words. He would bring his hand to his face and pull it down the front, sighing softly. 

“You thought she’d want to play house with your ass again? Hell no!” Josh was through being cordial with this man. He had received nothing but disrespect from him since he was made aware that he was her ex-fiancé. For Alina, he tried to be on his best behavior, but it was nearing the end of the night, and he wasn’t going to leave this venue without speaking his mind to Theo. He’s been asking for it. “Ay, and on the real, Uce, if she wants to be a Mother, all she gotta do is ask me.” 

And that was the final straw for Theo. He’d swing, his fist connecting with Josh’s left brow bone. The punch would cause Josh to stumble to the right, but he quickly regained balance, lunging for the man who threw the first punch. He slams him into the railing of the steps they stood on before wrapping his arms around him and tossing him down the steps.

Alina had just finished talking to Tasha’s grandma when she started looking for Josh. She’d move through the dancefloor, passing by chatty guests and dancers. “Hey, have you seen Josh?” She asks Cassie. Cassie shakes her head, but Shawn, her husband, looks around the room to see if he spotted him. His eyes would pause on the outside just as he saw Theo throw a punch. 

“Shit,” He says, getting up from the table. Alina and Cassie wore expressions of confusion until they saw the other groomsmen running for the door.

“Where are they going?” Cassie asked.

“I don’t know…” Alina responds. Cassie stands to her feet, now walking with Alina to find out.

Outside, the scuffle had gone out into the grass. Theo recovered from being thrown and knocked Josh to the ground. Currently, they were rolling around. Punches were thrown while Josh had him in a tight headlock. Thick legs wrapped tightly around his waist, the hold resembling Joe’s Guillotine. 

“Ay, Ay, Ay, Josh! Josh! Let him go!” The groomsmen approach the fight, prompting Josh to let go of Theo. They begin to separate the two, pulling them both up to their feet. Alina had just stepped outside when she saw them trying to pull Josh off of Theo. 

“Are you fucking—?” She mutters, now rushing down the steps to the fight. Four men restrained Josh, while Theo was by two. Shawn stood in the middle, his arms extended to keep them separated. Josh sported a bloody gash on his brow where Theo first hit him, painting the left side of his face red. Any bit of anger she had went out the window the moment she saw him. 

“The hell’s gotten into you today, man?” Shawn shouts at Theo. It seems to be the question of the day. “I’ve never seen someone be so determined to get his ass whooped by a professional fighter—Samoan at that!” 

Alina approached Josh, turning his head to assess the gash. “Lina—,” Theo calls for her.

“Theo, I will slap the shit out of you.” She threatens, turning to look at him.

“And if she breaks a nail, I’m beating your ass,” Josh shouts from behind her. 

“Joshua.” She snaps, looking at him. Dark eyes find hers when she calls his name to silence him. She looks at the men still holding her battered man. “Let him go, he ain’t gonna do anything.” She tells them. Hesitantly, they release him, and she snatches his arm up. She pushes through the crowd, dragging Josh around to the front of the winery. She was off to find a bathroom away from the party. 

Josh struggled to keep up, his hand going to the gash on his face. He hisses in pain. “Can you slow down?” He asks. She doesn’t say anything. He peers down at his hand, seeing the blood for the first time. That causes him to stop, halting her in her tracks as well. Alina turns in time to watch his face shift between anger and disbelief. He laughs softly, shaking his head. “I’ma kill him.” He says, nodding to himself.

“Pull your arm away from me and see what happens.” She warns him. They’d stare at each other in silence before Josh huffs, allowing her to resume dragging him inside the building. She pulls him up the stairs and into the bridal room, leading him into the bathroom. “I saw a first aid kit up here.” She says. She closes the door behind them, moving to the closet to grab the medkit. 

Josh jumps onto the counter, patiently waiting for her to tend to him. “I promise I wasn’t looking for a fight.” He says. Alina doesn’t respond to him right away, forcing the room into silence. “I was waiting for you so we could talk, and he came out there bothering me.” 

When she finds the box, she opens it, retrieving a band-aid, alcohol, and ointment. “I believe you.” She says, walking over to him. She examines his appearance, taking in the bloody sight he was. She’d sigh before unbuttoning his white shirt. “This is ruined.” She says.

“I’m sorry.” He apologizes, shrugging out of the shirt. She shakes her head in response, reaching over to grab one of the clean face towels on the counter. She’d turn on the sink, allowing the water to run over her hand until warm. “Can you say something?” He asks, watching as she chooses to remain silent. The water became warm quickly, prompting her to wet the white washcloth. “Baby.” He calls.

“Will you let me take care of you?” She asks, turning off the sink. She squeezes any excess water out of the cloth before bringing it up to clean his face. 

“I am,” He starts. “I just want to hear your voice.” And make sure you’re not mad at me, he thought. She glances down at his pleading gaze before leaning in to give him an assuring kiss. That kiss was all he needed to know that everything was alright with them. He smiles softly at her, his hands moving to her hips. “I love you too.” He whispers to her. “That’s from earlier.” He adds, making her grin. 

“Stop touching me before you ruin my dress.” She says, removing his hands. She reaches down to grab the alcohol wipe packet, ripping it open in the process.

“That means you’ll have to take it off, right?” He bites his lower lip as his hands return to her hips. She steps back.

“I am not fucking you at this wedding.” She says. 

“The car is in the parking lot, honey.” He offers, making her laugh. That was a new term of endearment for her. It was always Baby or Lina. Now it was honey. She licks her lips at him before stepping back between his legs. “Hell, You got me out here fighting exes and shit, I’m getting something.” Alina rolls her eyes.

“Shut up.” She tells him. She lifts the alcohol wipe to the cut, lightly dabbing it. He’d hissed slightly, flinching away from her. “I’m sorry.” She whispers. “I’m almost done.” She promises, reaching to grab the ointment packet. She was happy she didn’t have to drive him to a hospital for stitches. Josh’s hands start wandering again, moving around to her backside this time. She sucks in a shaky breath, pulling his hands from her body. She’d give him a warning glare. 

“It’s mine!” He exclaims at her.

“How much did you have to drink?” She asks. 

“I had a beer.” He answers.

“Just one?” Josh stares at her for a moment.

“Maybe two.” 

Alina grins, reaching down to grab the small bandaid from the counter. She opens it, pulls off the paper on the back, and carefully places it over the cut on his brow. “I should have told you about Theo.” She says.

Josh began shaking his head, not wanting to talk about it. “You had your reasons. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.” He says, trying to take accountability for what happened between them.

“Yeah, but it was warranted. I shouldn’t have sent you in how I did, though. That wasn’t fair to you,” Alina drapes her arms over his shoulders and leans into him. Their foreheads would touch. “and I’m sorry.” She whispers, pecking his lips twice. 

“As long as I can go home and love on my lady tonight, I’m okay.” Alina would nod slowly, leaning in for another kiss. Their lips would meet for a lengthier kiss filled with every bit of emotion they felt today. Her manicured fingers would travel along his bare skin, traveling up his neck to cup his jaw. Her thumbs gently caress his cheekbones; her fingers gently scratch his beard. It earns her a hum of satisfaction. They would stay like this for several moments before they were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Lina pulls away from Josh, her attention now on the door. On the other hand, Josh was fixated on kissing and nibbling on her neck.

“J-Just a moment!” She exclaims, her eyes closing when he finds that sensitive spot below her jawline. Alina giggles, finding herself quickly falling into his trap. She pulled his head back, halting him from going any further. Her boyfriend’s eyes glazed over with lust as he watched her, his bottom lip tucked between his teeth. That was a gaze that would send her knees immediately. God, he looked good. “We should go.” She says finally, moving to let him get off the counter. 

“I was waiting for you.” He says, taking her hand. He’d lead the pair out of the bathroom, earning looks of confusion from the wedding guests who were waiting for them to come out.

PART EIGHT

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A/N: This could've been a 3 part tbh LMAO. SO MUCH HAPPENED 😭😭😭😭 I just wanted to thank y'all for interacting with the first part of Part 7. That made me really happy to read y'alls comments. Do it again!!

🏷️ list: @thesamoanqueen @whatdoeseveryonewant @headoftheetable @mzv11 @southerngirl41 @yana3sworld @wanderingreigns @wrestlingprincess80 @siriuslycee @vebner37 @astridxxxxxx @alichesmi @tshepisho @scarlettnoir01 @brokenglassslippers @reignsboy19 @sayyestoheav3nn @cyberdejos2 @empressdede @sisinever @truefant4sy @paigereeder @tbmotw @fearlesschimera @venusesworld @usoholic @sageispunk @bebesobrielo @jstarr86 @vibessonvibes @issahyland 

[pascaloverx]

CARELESS

Summary: You are the eldest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon. Recently, you’ve found yourself tempted by someone you never considered before—your cousin, Aegon Targaryen II. After a glass or two of wine, he seems like an enticing distraction. How could you resist the temptation to indulge in something no one would approve of?

Author's Note: This is the second House of the Dragon universe fanfic I’m writing, but I’m not sure if it will continue. This work is set in the world created by George R.R. Martin, as depicted in his book Fire & Blood, and none of the characters belong to me. The story will follow some events from the series House of the Dragon (2022), but with changes to fit the fanfiction narrative. Therefore, it will not adhere strictly to the series' storyline. The fanfic may include inappropriate language, adult content, and violence. Please engage with the story if you’d like it to continue!

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A most tedious dinner. You were seated alongside your brothers, your father, and your stepmother, accompanied by her children. All gathered at this meal, not for comfort, but to maintain appearances. Your younger sisters, Baela and Rhaena, sat closely beside their betrothed, Jacaerys and Lucerys. Your father would never explain why you had not been promised to anyone. The most he had ever mentioned was that King Viserys I had requested you remain unbetrothed, with the intent that, when the time was right, you would wed one of his sons.

It would not be such a bad idea, were the son of Viserys whom you desire available for marriage. After all, Prince Aegon II is wed to Princess Helaena, leaving you to wait for a union with one of the remaining sons: Prince Aemond or Prince Daeron. Aemond always appears so stern and determined. Surely, he is a man of courage. Yet, you cannot say whether he is the type to offer you devotion, passion, and amusement. As for Daeron, he seems almost nonexistent.

"If you are thinking of using that knife for some wicked deed, I would suggest pointing the sharp end towards your intended target, not towards yourself." You remark, your gaze fixed on Aegon II as he idly plays with the knife in his hands. Your voice is not raised, for you do not wish for anyone to notice you speaking with Aegon just yet.

"Are you so bored that gazing at me is your only amusement, cousin?" Aegon speaks, as though in desperate need of someone to alleviate his ennui. Not long ago, he had attempted to engage Jace in conversation, broaching inappropriate topics of a sexual nature. Clearly, he sought nothing more than to provoke Rhaenyra's son.

"It must be customary here to have nothing to do. Despite the abundant quantity of wine served, it seems there is no amount of wine that could make it pleasant to spend hours gazing at you," you reply, your words seemingly sparking something in Prince Aegon II. He gives a half-smile, his blue eyes almost gleaming, despite his melancholic expression.

He moves his chair closer to you. "I can't imagine there is anything more interesting happening in Dragonstone than here. Especially for someone like you—unbetrothed, not a rider of any dragon. Tell me, how does it feel to be the only defective daughter of Daemon Targaryen?" Aegon truly seeks to provoke you. Yet, you harden your expression, meeting his gaze with narrowed eyes.

"A bold remark from the man who can't speak High Valyrian well enough to properly command his dragon, or do you think I haven’t noticed that your skin is so pale it seems you haven’t stepped outside in months?" you retort, trying to wound him as deeply as he has wounded you. "And for your information, I recently claimed Seasmoke, so I am no longer a dragonless rider." As you speak the last words, it almost seems as though you are seeking his approval in some way.

"I dare you to say that closer to my face," Aegon II Targaryen retorts provocatively, as though, despite your barbs striking a nerve, he finds satisfaction in the exchange. "And you only speak of my skills in High Valyrian out of envy. I highly doubt that Seasmoke compares in any way to Sunfyre, who, might I add, understands me completely."

You rise from your seat, stepping closer to Aegon, who now sits far nearer than he had before, having crossed the table’s divide with unsettling ease. "I shall say it plainly, Your Highness, face to face," you declare, your tone calm yet laced with venom. "You reek of wine and failure." Each word leaves your lips slowly, deliberate and cutting, as you lean perilously close to him. Most at the table remain absorbed in their own affairs, indifferent to the charged exchange between you and Aegon. Helaena’s gaze lingers briefly, yet her inscrutable expression betrays neither concern nor objection. Then, with calculated precision, Aemond rises. His sudden movement is commanding, his imposing presence drawing all attention to him and breaking the taut tension between you and his elder brother.

"Final tribute. To the health of my nephews: Jace, Luke, and Joffrey. Each of them handsome, wise... strong. Let us drain our cups to these three strong boys," Aemond declares with biting sarcasm. It is clear he seeks to unsettle Rhaenyra’s sons, who are the subject of whispered rumors—that they are not Velaryons by blood, but bastards sired by Harwin Strong. The outcome is predictable. Within moments, Jacaerys’s fist connects with Aemond’s face, the clash erupting without pause. Aegon quickly moves to block Lucerys from joining the fray between his elder brother and Aemond. Boys, men, masculine creatures—all so easily bored, all with tempers as short as their patience.

Your father, Daemon Targaryen, rises, his presence commanding enough to silence the room after both Alicent and Rhaenyra have already stood. With his intervention, the conflict swiftly dissipates—a pity, for you would have relished watching them tear into one another. It would have been the most entertainment you’d had since arriving at the Red Keep.

"Sister, we should retire to our chambers," Baela says, pulling you from your thoughts as you watch your relatives begin to file out from the table, the tension lingering like a ghost in their wake.

"Go on ahead, sister. I shall check on Viserys II and Aegon III to ensure they are sleeping peacefully—if it pleases you, Princess Rhaenyra," you reply to your sister, turning your attention to your stepmother, who still bears an air of frustration over the earlier chaos.

"Of course, Y/N. If you could give them a goodnight kiss on my behalf, I would be grateful. I will see to the boys’ return to their chambers before retiring to my own. Should you or Baela need anything…" Rhaenyra speaks, her weariness evident as though the mere act of quelling her sons' quarrel has drained her.

Your father, Daemon, approaches from behind, wrapping his arms around her in a gesture of unspoken solidarity. "If you need anything, do try to manage on your own—you are my daughters, after all," he says with a sly smile, pressing a kiss to Rhaenyra’s cheek before casting a confident glance toward you and Baela. With that, farewells are exchanged, and you each retreat to your respective quarters.

You make your way toward the quarters of your younger brothers—well, half-brothers, children of Rhaenyra and Daemon. You recall the day the maids brought them in, and so you attempt to follow the path that you remember. Yet, for some reason, it feels as though you’ve lost your way.

"Are you looking for me?" Aegon’s voice comes softly from behind you, and you jump, nearly crying out in surprise.

"Damn you, Aegon! Do you want me to wake the entire keep with my screams?" you exclaim, spinning around to face him. He stands there, a goblet of wine in hand, taking a slow sip as his gaze sweeps over you, appraising you from head to toe with a certain unsettling amusement.

"Never would I dream of allowing others to interrupt our little exchange, my dear Y/N," Aegon murmurs, closing the distance between you both.

You smile slyly, taking a step closer to him in return. "As for your question," you reply with a teasing edge, "I’m looking for an Aegon, but not you. My younger brother, to be precise. Do you happen to know where I can find the quarters of my younger siblings?"

You snatch the goblet of wine from his hand, taking a sip, and he watches you with a mixture of surprise and amusement. After a moment, he gestures toward the far end of the corridor, where a door stands slightly ajar. "That way," he says simply.

"Thank you for your assistance, Aegon," you say, returning the goblet to his hands, his eyes fixed on you with an intensity that makes the air between you feel charged. You begin to turn, heading toward the direction of your younger brothers' quarters, but then you feel Aegon’s hands grasp you, clumsily yet with undeniable strength. He likely still holds the effects of the wine, but his grip is firm, almost possessive.

"There is certainly a more fitting way for you to show your gratitude," Aegon murmurs, drawing closer to your face, the sharp scent of wine swirling around you both as he leans in, his breath warm against your skin.

"I don't think it would be appropriate for the gratitude you have in mind to take place so near to your quarters, Your Highness. Surely your wife would not approve," you say, your words rejecting him, though your body betrays your true feelings as you move closer to his lips.

Aegon’s response comes with a quiet, almost amused tone, "Helaena is more understanding than you might think. She prefers to stay in her chambers most of the time." His hands, with the subtle grace of someone accustomed to both charm and conquest, roam over your waist, as if testing the boundaries of your composure, seeking to draw you in further.

"Very well, then, close your eyes," you respond quickly. Aegon, likely expecting a kiss, closes his eyes gently, waiting. You draw your mouth near his, feeling the intoxicating scent of wine almost envelop you. It’s so close that any movement forward would result in a deep kiss. But where is the thrill in giving in so easily?

"Let us save that gratitude for another time, dear cousin," you finish with a soft kiss to his cheek. You pull away from him, gently removing his arms from around your waist. The frustration in Aegon's gaze is evident as he watches you retreat, and for a moment, you savor the power you hold over the situation. Turning, you walk away, heading toward the quarters of your younger brothers.

The following morning, you are abruptly awakened by the sound of your father entering your room. Daemon’s expression is anything but calm—he looks tense, almost impatient. "Get up, Y/N! King Viserys demands your presence in the throne room," he commands, his voice sharp and authoritarian. For a moment, you wonder if you’re caught in a nightmare. Your head throbs painfully from the effects of the wine you drank the night before, and it takes a few seconds for your mind to catch up with his words.

"What happened, Father?" you ask, still trying to compose yourself, too confused to fully understand. Daemon turns, his agitation palpable, running a hand through his hair as though processing what he’s about to say.

"After last night’s altercation, my beloved brother has decided to betroth you to his son. He believes it will help mend the relationships among the younger members of the family," Daemon says, his words laced with frustration. "Prepare yourself, Y/N. You are soon to be promised to the remaining son—the one-eyed prince." Daemon’s tone is nearly explosive as he paces around your room. After he speaks, he storms out, leaving you to grapple with the shocking news.

[olderthannetfic]

I have a fandom friend who isn't shy about sending me her fics in the DMs and asking me to read them (not as in beta reading but as in link to AO3).

The thing is, they're really not up my alley because I'm really finnicky about style and story construction and the like: her fics have a lot of telling and not a lot of showing, there's rarely significant tension or change (which might not bother some but it does bother ME personally as a reader), so there's nothing pushing me to read on, and she usually writes detached scenes from the AUs she has in her head, which feels a bit like someone grabbing me by the pussy with no foreplay. I'm not that familiar with the version of the characters/story from the AU so I'm not attached to those storylines the way she is (again, no buildup of tension that makes the emotional scene hit right).

Basically, I really enjoy talking about The Blorbos with her but every time I have to read something of hers it feels like a chore and I either get bored in two paragraphs or my hand starts itching for a red pen. Sometimes I just put it off and hope she forgets but I feel awful and guilty about it because she clearly cares about her fic (it's just too self-indulgent for me to enjoy it from the outside).

She never asks for feedback, so I think it would be incredibly rude to give unsolicited critique or, like, suggest that I could be a beta reader (with how forward she is she'd have asked already if she wanted it).

How do I address this? I want to keep being on friendly terms with her and I'd be open to reading more from her if she fixed some of the consistent issues with her writing (I think the CONCEPTS she entertains are interesting and cool), but also for me the joy of having a hobby is being able to engage with it on my own terms without having "required reading" and what's going on right now ain't it.

(I'm aware that this will make so many people feel really insecure and paranoid about their own writing/readership and I'm sorry for that :/ I'm sure there are people who do enjoy my friend's fic as is, but I can't help my own preferences or attention span)

--

Does she press you for a reaction? If a friend sends me a link, I often thank them for it but don't actually read. Or maybe I skim it or something but don't actually say much to them about it.

I think it's fine to go "I posted a thing!" with the link and expect a "Wow, you finished that so fast!" or "Congrats on finally finishing that longfic!" or whatever. I think it's unwise to expect one's friends to read all of one's work, to like one's work, and to give praise. That way lies disappointment and awkward feelings on both sides.

[theresattrpgforthat]

As someone who designs games, are there any specific games you've read that do interesting things with the Forged in the Dark or Powered By The Apocalypse systems that get you excited to write your own stuff?

(Asking those two since Protect the Child is FitD, also excited to hear if another system is excited rant worthy)

My friend, thank you so much for giving me space to ramble lovingly about games and mechanics. I don’t know if anything suggested here will be new exactly, but I am relishing the chance to talk about how the games I’ve read and played have impacted my design journey.

This is going to be a walk-through of various games that have given me a lot of tools to work with. Right now my head is full of Protect the Child, so I'm not really thinking about any other design projects, but I hope you enjoy this nonetheless!

Brinkwood, by Far Horizons Co-Op, Slugblaster, by Wilkie’s Candy Lab, and Moth-Light, by Dissonance.

I knew of a few Forged in the Dark hacks before I heard about Brinkwood, but when I realized that the Masks were basically communal playbooks, my mind was blown. Both Slugblaster and Moth-Light appealed to me because of their setting, but when I read the rule-books I was also impressed by how they were able to take the base Forged in the Dark and change it to make the rules work for the proper genre and tone.

Brinkwood takes the playbooks with special powers and makes them communal. You can pick up a new set of powers every time but still play the same character, so you can have variety while still pursuing the same character’s storyline. Because the Masks are shared, the “crew playbook” doesn’t look the same as it does in a lot of other Blades hacks, as no matter what Masks you take, you’re still engaging in a rebellion against vampires. Brinkwood also gives the GM a lot of guidance on how to flavour the antagonists in a way that is challenging, interesting and dangerous, while also giving the players a way to veto any subject matter that bleeds too much into real-life boundaries. Honestly, I think Brinkwood probably directly influenced my game A Terrible Fate more than Protect the Child, but the initial moment of realizing how much you can play with the game was a really important step in my development.

Slugblaster re-organizes your dice resources as Boost & Kick, and shifts Stress into a currency (Trouble) that you have to spend, rather than a time bomb. This gives your characters more longevity and takes away a lot of the gritty trauma that works for Blades, but doesn’t make sense for hover-boarding teens. Additionally, Slugblaster gives agency of faction creation over to the players in a way that’s way more personalized than it is in Blades. Specific questions are meant to be answered by specific playbooks, which I think is a great way to speed up crew relationships, as well as ensuring that each player at the table has a piece of the world that they contribute to. When setting decisions are left up to the group as a nebulous whole, one player may have more say over setting creation just because they have the loudest voice or the most ideas. By giving specific choices to specific playbooks, you’re ensuring that each player has a piece of the world they can point to and claim as theirs.

Moth-Light takes the CATS safety tool and embeds it into Pact creation, allowing the genre and tone to shift the way the game is played slightly to reflect the kind of story the group wants to tell. The core setting is the same - a planet with gigantic bugs - but the ways the characters interact with the setting changes depending on the Pact that you choose. I think this is a genius way to give a group a way to use Safety Tools without them necessarily realizing it, and it ensure that the group enters the story on the same page. This mindset fuelled my choice to present the world-building as a series of questions for the players to answer, establishing some truths about the technology levels and the use of magic before players make their characters, setting some basic limitations to make sure folks are on the same page. Currently however, I don’t think I’ve achieved the seamless translation of CATS into a game-appropriate setting exercise - I’ve just ported CATS into the game.

External Containment Bureau, by Mythic Gazetteer.

External Containment Bureau minimizes a lot of their character options and does away with playbook options in order to make character creation customizable while still quick, and one of the primary ways they did this was by changing the way gear rules work in the game. In standard Blades, you can only use equipment to improve your Effect, but in ECB, you can use your equipment to add +1d or improve Effect. This is primarily because ECB doesn’t use stats in the way Blades does, but I liked the way that little tweak gave the player an additional resource.

Additionally, ECB doesn’t care about load. Instead, the character comes with some gear associated with their department, and a few gear slots that they can fill themselves. You can always have everything in your Gear section on you - the limitation is in what’s available. I really liked how the game provided a balance between gear that made sense for your department and gear that reflects the way the player wants to portray their character, so I did the same thing in Protect the Child.

Antiquarian Adventures, by acegiak

I heard about the way Stress works in Antiquarian Adventures when I was listening to the Dice Exploder podcast, and it sparked a lot of thoughts about what Stress can be used for, especially since I knew that I didn’t want to give the characters Trauma in Protect the Child. Thematically, it doesn’t make sense to imply that parenting is inherently traumatic, and I don’t want to cast the Child as a source of trauma for the parents.

Antiquarian Adventures solves this problem by allowing Stress to re-set every time you fill it, as long as the player is able to dictate how the character suffers some kind of setback or brings about some form of trouble as a result of getting too stressed out. The exact trouble is attached to the playbook, adding to the distinct flavour of each trope. In Protect the Child, I made sure to add one Reaction that was unique to the playbook, to reflect the same kind of thing.

Last Fleet, by Black Armada Games.

Last Fleet blew me away with the Pressure mechanic. It’s a physical manifestation of stress that exists in the setting, that doubles as both a player resource and a ticking clock. You can spend Pressure to give yourself a better chance at success, but once it hits its cap, your character is forced into a situation that that they cause themselves.

In many ways, Last Fleet is doing something similar to Antiquarian Adventures, but the one thing it adds is that it gives the player options in terms of how they’ll cause trouble. Some options overlap across playbooks, but each playbook has a unique collection that helps keep it somewhat distinct from the others. One of the best moments I had in play was when one of my players realized that he had the option to actually turn on the group - the reaction was like a little present he’d just unwrapped for the entire group, and it made for an extremely memorable moment for the table.

Last Fleet also inspired me to shorten the Stress Clock in Protect the Child. Base Blades has a 8-mark Stress track, but in early play-tests, I felt like it was difficult for anyone to fill up their clock in a single session. The Last Fleet Pressure track can only hold 5 marks of Pressure, and re-setting it doesn’t empty the track, but rather puts it at 2. I think that constant Stress provides a bit of a friction point for players, which is needed since it’s easier for players to achieve bigger dice pools in Protect the Child.

Beam Saber, by Austin Ramsey

When I was agonizing about how to encourage more roleplay between players, someone recommended that I read through Girl By Moonlight. Unfortunately, I don’t own a copy of Girl by Moonlight. I do, however, own a copy of Beam Saber, so when I decided to comb through other Blades games for relationship mechanics, I stumbled on the relationship clocks of Beam Saber.

In Beam Saber, you write down beliefs you have of each other character in the party, and attach each belief to a slice on a Connection clock. During downtime, you have the option to Cut Loose, which helps two Pilots relieve stress with each-other at the same time as filling the Connection clock. Filling the clock awards XP as well as provides the characters an opportunity to confront each-other about the way they see each-other.

I liked the idea of using time together as a chance to relieve stress. As far as I understand, this moment of connection is also seen in Girl by Moonlight, but I decided to limit the amount of stress you could relieve in Protect the Child because I’m still operating under the ethos I was introduced to in Last Fleet - I want to keep the characters under a lot of pressure, making room for them to make terrible decisions, and therefore giving them room to grow.

Lady Blackbird, by John Harper.

I returned to Lady Blackbird when I realized that the way I’ve set up runs in PtC means that it may be hard for players to do things like engage in long-term projects, or train for XP in a regular Downtime session. I also noticed that it was hard to get the players to roleplay with each-other with the way that Downtime is written in base Blades - it’s often navigated through in a very procedural way. Finally, I wanted to make the game a bit more one-shot friendly, with a way to present a Downtime-like section partway through the game without bogging down play too much.

Lady Blackbird has moments in between Action scenes where it explicitly encourages players to engage in flashbacks or character interactions in ways that allow them to clear conditions and provide a bit of exposition into their backstory. This, coupled with the Impressions in Beam Saber, gave me the tools to both encourage the players to role-play while also giving them the tools to foster relationships with each-other.

Right now, Rest Stops only have two moves: Bond with the Child and Bond with Each-Other. By reducing both of your options to moments where your character interacts with other characters, and encouraging both of these options to reflect your character’s ideals and history, I’m hoping to provide some of the maintenance of Downtime while encouraging the role-play that happens in Lady Blackbird. Longer downtime actions are relegated to Time Passes, which will only come up in campaign play.

I still haven’t perfected this stage though. For example, I haven’t figured out what to do about wounds.

Apocalypse Keys, by Rae Nedjadi / @temporalhiccup.

It’s kind of hard to quantify or describe the influence Apocalypse Keys had on my design, but I’ll give it a shot.

In Apocalypse Keys, your character never has to fail. There’s always options to give yourself a success, it’s just a question of how much you want to sacrifice parts of who your character is in order to get what you want. Apocalypse Keys is itself an amalgamation of a number of different mechanics from various places, such as the way you use tokens to improve your rolls, as originally found in Libretè, or the Theorize roll, popularized in Brindlewood Bay but originating in Codex: Moonlight.

The character playbooks are also centred on different struggles that the player has decided to wrestle with. The Summoned has a lot of moments centred on fighting destiny, while the Last wrestles with grief and loss. Some of the themes in these playbooks give you a lot of freedom to explore struggles and traumas that affect people in real life, but are flavoured in a way to give your monsters great power and extremely interesting backstories.

Finally, the way your character looks is completely up to you, and is irrelevant to the things your character can do. If you want a thousand glowing eyes, it doesn’t matter which playbook you choose. If you want to be the spirit of all werewolves that came before you, it doesn’t matter which playbook you choose. If you want to carry a golden spear that can listen to the regrets of the restless dead, I don’t think it matters what playbook you choose. I think that there’s a bit of a carryover from what I love about Changeling: the Lost to be found in Apocalypse Keys, in that your character’s origin and presentation can be as varied as whatever you can imagine, and can fit into the themes of whatever playbook you decide to wrestle with.

Protect the Child doesn’t directly borrow any mechanics from Apocalypse Keys, but I think the ethos behind the design is there. I want the players to experience the same creative freedom, while tying down specific themes to specific playbooks. I want to enable conversations about real issues that affect real people, while allowing the table to situate those issues in whatever setting makes the most sense for the group. I want the players to feel powerful, and at the same time recognize that the biggest obstacles to being good parent are generally incredibly personal.

I also admire the way that Nedjadi designs, from the rigorous play testing, to the purposeful openness about his inspirations, to his careful documentation of who has inspired him and where his ideas came from. I think being able to provide a clear through-line to the ways your were influenced by other design works is good for the historians of our hobby, and it also reinforces a culture in which game designers influence and allow themselves to be influenced by each-other.

[kamisatomay018]

Okay I’ve been seeing a lot of posts across social media platforms about MC’s recent behaviour with Sylus and how it’s caused quite the debate, so here’s my unbiased opinion as a Zayne girlie.

I think the main problem here that happened was that in the last few cards like grassland romance, lost oasis and the boxing one (sorry I forgot the name), MC and Sylus had been pretty soft with each other when compared to the recent two cards that came out. This sudden shift of dynamic I feel threw some people off because one moment MC and Sylus are hugging and getting engaged (kind of), and the other moment she is okay with setting him up as bait to another woman and refusing to treat his wounds (searing touch).

Now personally, enemies to lovers is not my favoured choice of romance tropes (evidently cuz I’m a Zayne girlie) but I feel like the extreme change of situations is slightly off putting. Even I was surprised by just how dismissive MC was of Sylus in searing touch.

HOWEVER

This does not mean that players start overreacting and sending mails to infold asking a change in MC’s character! That is absolutely wrong and will horribly impact the storyline they’ve set. Even if I think that MC was a little too distant in searing touch, she by no means owes shit to anyone! Sylus was RUDE AF in the beginning and if I were to put myself in her shoes, I’d seriously get the man arrested. She’s keeping his identity and life a secret, and being cooperative. I think that’s progress enough.

We’re all allowed to have our own opinions on the matter and each person’s views matter! But guys let’s have some patience and trust infold, because they would never fuck up a character as popular as Sylus, nor his storyline. We barely know anything about the dude. Just because he’s hot doesn’t mean he’s gonna be completely right.

So let’s not fight and promote love and patience🫶 Sylus and MC have a long way to go, so in my unbiased opinion I’d request all the sylus girlies to just wait a little until his myth pair cards come out! Sending everyone love🩷

[notebooks-and-laptops]

Fixing Lucanis's Storyline; how I'd rewrite Lucanis to bring out the horrors of the crows

While Illario would still be a key part of any rewrite to Lucanis's storyline, I think we need to shift focus. Away from Illario and onto Catarina.

Catarina is an excellent first talon; and as such, she was a rather terrible grandmother. She raised both her grandchildren to be killers, and to withstand torture, and all the other horrid crow stuff this game refuses to engage in. Lucanis never suffered in the same way Zevran did, but the politics and upbringing of crows in the upper higharchy should be different, but no less unnerving. We get hints of this in certain dialogue with Lucanis, but he brushes it all under the rug and seems to really love his grandmother in a very uncomplicated way.

Change that. Have Lucanis's storyline thus revolve around does he forgive his upbringing or not. Make him uncertain after his year in prison if being a crow and all he went through was worth it. Have him truly question what the burden of being a first talon would mean. for him.

Make him grapple with his upbringing, make him see the Oussuary and the masion where he grew up as different prisons but prisons none the less and contrast them against each other. Maybe make Catarina religious; Lucanis was raised to fear all demons and possesion and his own status as an abomination disgusts Catarina and to some extent, himself.

This also creates tension with Teia, who rose up through the ranks of the crows and did so as an elf who came from very little. But Teia as an almost character foil to Zevran, an almost-Zevran if you will, a what Zevran would have been if he'd set his sites on rising to the tops of the crows. Have Teia be constantly on Catarina's side because Catarina got her to the position she is today, and have Teia be completely ruthless about that.

I think if you make Lucanis first talon it should automatically harden him, and I think that - not whether Illario is locked up - should be the big question in his quest.

Like, I think this would be a way to really bring out some darker aspects of crow life AND still have your crow sidekick AND be way more interesting than whether or not you should lock up this guy who betrayed you and your entire family.

[coimbrabertone]

Offtopic Offseason #2 - The Incoherent Musings of a Star Wars Fan in Big 2024.

So, being a Star Wars fan is hard.

I don't mean that for some stupid "STAR WERZ IS WOKE NOW! CHILDHOOD RUINED!" bullshit, I mean being an actual fan of Star Wars.

I want to watch Star Wars shows, I want to play Star Wars games, and I deeply disagree with the idea that Disney is making too much Star Wars stuff. No, in fact, my stance here is quite similar to my stance on superhero fatigue from the last Offtopic Offseason - and that's that people aren't sick of Star Wars, they're sick of bad Star Wars content.

Let me put it this way - the only buzz I've heard about Skeleton Crew is that they referenced something from the Holiday Special and that there's a kid from that Max Rebo species - the Ortolans, the blue elephant guys. That doesn't fill me with an urge to watch it.

Just like I haven't had the urge to finish The Bad Batch.

Just like how I haven't picked up Star Wars: Outlaws yet.

There is, however, one Star Wars project that I did engage with in 2024: the Acolyte. Yup, the show that the internet was shitting on before it even came out and the one that they managed to get cancelled despite the first season ending on a blatant cliffhanger. I want to talk about that show.

Why? Because the thing is...I don't think the show is that bad.

I certainly don't think it's any worse than Book of Boba Fett or some of the later episode of the Mandalorian.

In fact, I'd say the concept of the Acolyte is more interesting than either Mando or Boba Fett, and here's why: the idea of a woman, who had the only home she ever knew taken away from her by the Jedi, training under a Sith to get revenge is an interesting premise.

That same Sith disguising himself as her bumbling accomplice to monitor and influence her had potential as well.

The Jedi Order being this corrupt, detached organization trying to maneuver the political intrigues of Coruscant is interesting, as is the fact that the plot is ultimately set into motion by Master Sol making a series of impulsive and violent decisions - thinking they he knew better - that ended in him killing the girls' mother, Aniseya.

All of that I'm good with.

There are a few things I'm not so good with. The vergence stuff and how that relates to the twins (and them being two sides of the same person) didn't quite work with me. I also felt that some of the stuff they did with Aniseya in the final two episodes undercuts the Sol storyline, because one: she really does demonstrate she's dangerous, and two: if you're still planning on letting Osha go with them, why are you using a Dark Side ritual to turn yourself into an dark smoke monster and absorbing your other daughter while doing so?

Like if the point you're going for is that Sol broke the Jedi teachings because of his selfish attachment to Osha - later leading to Osha killing him as her fall to the Dark Side - then why are you giving him a justifiable reason for stopping Aniseya?

And I guess on some level, I question how much purpose there was to having both Osha and Mae as characters. I know this is probably approaching a sort of Ship of Theseus point where I change so much about the Acolyte that it's not the Acolyte anymore, but I feel like there was a way to tell this story with just one character rather than this split person/twin thing.

You know what, I'll commit to it - here's how I would've done the Acolyte show.

Indara, Sol, Kelnacca, and Torbin go to investigate Brendok, just like they do in the show, however, when they find the convent of Dark Side witches, they decide they need to stop them. So rather than a series of potentially sympathetic misunderstandings, it's that the Jedi saw a Dark Side threat, they got spooked, and they decided to crush it.

This is to mirror some of the other darker Jedi moments in Star Wars, such as Mace Windu saying that the "oppression of the Sith will never return" before attempting to finish off Palpatine, or the Legends lore of the Jedi bombardment of Korriban after the Great Hyperspace War, aiming to destroy it.

Neither of these things worked, sure, but it demonstrates a rare Jedi ruthlessness that could suit this story nicely.

Anyway, having lost the only family she had, Osha (who, remember, we're treating as a single person at this point) wanders the galaxy and eventually winds up at the ruined Sith Academy on Korriban - and here she finds Qimir.

Qimir plays it cool and doesn't quite reveal who he is but starts telling Osha about the Sith and feeling her out, trying to figure out if she'd make a worthy pupil or not. Qimir sends Osha through the tombs like in KOTOR or like the Sith Warrior/Inquisitor storylines in SWTOR and starts revealing more about the Sith to her as she goes on. By the end, she believes in it, is willing to become a Sith, and makes a red lightsaber.

Then Qimir sends her out to hunt down the Brendok Jedi. At this point you could probably split the show into a season one and two, where the first season, "The Acolyte" is the story of Osha being an acolyte on Korriban, and the season two would be like "The Apprentice" or something a bit less trademarked, probably, and be about Osha actually hunting down the Jedi.

And hey, maybe it's a shitty idea, but I think it would place the show better in the lore and give us an interesting perspective where we follow a Sith character who fully believes she's in the right, and because of how this version of the Brendok events played out, we can't really say she's wrong either.

Maybe all of that is a product of the kind of Star Wars fan I grew up as though. I was born in the prequel era, meaning that for me, Phantom menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith were always part of Star Wars. I grew up playing KOTOR on my dad's computer and then later watching Clone Wars and then after that getting really into SWTOR for awhile in the early-to-mid 2010s.

Star Wars to me is lightsabers and deep lore and the Jedi versus the Sith.

I guess that's why Acolyte, for all its flaws and mistakes and strange writing choices, got my attention in a way that a lot of Star Wars stories haven't.

I mean, I watched Acolyte all the way through while I still haven't felt motivated enough to watch Andor - I'm sure that for a lot of nerds, that's downright sacrilege - but that's where I'm at with this franchise.

Do you have any idea how long it's gonna take for someone to be willing to make a female-led Sith show after how the Acolyte bombed? I'll be waiting decades at this rate. I'll be waiting even longer when I ask for those characters to one: be aliens because goddamn all these species in the galaxy but the only ones that ever seem to do anything are humans, and two: be lesbian because...I dunno man, representation makes me feel good.

I guess Mother Koril checks a lot of those boxes but...she's got like fifteen minutes of screentime max and then kinda turns into a cloud of smoke and we don't see her anymore. Is she dead? Is she alive? Is she some other third thing?

Nobody knows.

And we're probably never gonna know because the show's been cancelled.

Fun times.

So yeah, these are some incoherent musings from a long-suffering Star Wars fan in 2024.

Like the meme says...

Star Wars would be so good if it was good.

[zeroducks-2]

Do you have an essential Dick Grayson comics reading list?? Especially sladick related 👉👈 I feel like I’m always hearing about fun interactions between them, but no one ever lists from what comics 😭🥺

Of course!

You can find lots of good stuff in Devin Grayson's Nightwing 1996. I suggest taking a look at #80 to #83, Dick and Slade have iconic interactions in those issues. Like this one!

(from #82 specifically)

There's also the whole "renegade arc" which spans from #110 to #115, and it has stuff like the Message Received in Dick's bathroom, and "Nightstroke". I feel we don't talk enough about Nightstroke lol.

I really recommend Nightwing 1996 in general anyway. Not all of it is good (we could really do without the racism), but it does have some of the most Iconic Dick Grayson Moments, and it's really fun and engaging. The whole Tarantula thing happens in that one btw.

For some of the more Old School flavor of both characters, I suggest reading some New Teen Titans issues from the 80s, especially The Judas Contract (yep the one with Tara), since it has Slade's first apparition and some really badass moments.

I personally am a big fan of that brief but memorable time where Dick was Batman and Damian Robin - I feel Dick's storyline really peaked with that arc and we never got even close to that ever again (it would be Batman & Robin by Grant Morrison, and I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND Black Mirror by Scott Snyder). Slade and Dick have a couple of memorable interactions during that run but nothing too significant.

For something with a more modern flavor, unfortunately there isn't much except Dark Crisis. You know, from where the whole "You were always the trophy, Grayson. Why would I waste my time with anyone else?" gayass speech comes from.

(this one, from Dark Crisis #2 specifically)

And then there's also that whole part with Dick and Slade fighting as their selves from pre-N52 and all that. I mean I'm not a fan of Dark Crisis, but at least Joshua made it gay and I love him for it.

I wouldn't be able to tell you with absolute certainty what are the "essential" Dick Grayson comics to read though, because unlike characters such as Barry or Clark, Dick has changed SO MUCH post reboot, especially when it comes to Tom Taylor's run. And as much as I tend to shit on Taylor's run and many more modern comics, I can't in good conscience call out of character the past 15 years of Nightwing/Dick Grayson. I recognize that Dick is sadly not the same character he used to be preboot, so most of what you read from before the N52 is essentially obsolete when it comes to Dick's personality (also his competence and the respect the superheroes community had for him tend to be spotty at best).

But yeah my point is that my "Dick Grayson essentials" are oldies, but they're still some of my favorite stories and I would highly recommend reading those over the modern slop that has been the Nightwing comics for a while now.

So to make a quick recap, for any Dick Grayson fan I would suggest reading Devin Grayson's 1996 run, The New Teen Titans by Wolfman and Perez, and Batman & Robin by Grant Morrison. Black Mirror by Scott Snyder is my all time favorite Dick Grayson comic.

[bairdthereader]

It's Imogen's turn now.

[I'll preface this by saying that I usually hate when tv or film adaptations of books add new characters, and I'm immediately biased against them when they show up on screen (hi, I'm the problem, it's me). I'll admit I felt that way about Imogen at first. But Alice is such a genius, and they wrote Imogen into the storyline in such a way that she feels not just essential to the plot, but also to some of the other characters' development. And to top it off, this girl gets one heck of a character arc. For this post, I'll focus on just one aspect of her journey: her gradual movement from loneliness to connection.]

At the beginning of season 1, Imogen is one of the few girls who hangs out regularly in front of the boys' school. On the surface this could look like a typical way to attract a boyfriend within a known and relatively safe group. But, unusually, she's never seen interacting with anyone else in any meaningful way, the first clue that this group might be all she has. The other boys in the group seem to engage her minimally, and only mention her in terms of her attractiveness and as a potential match for Nick. Compared with their indifference, Imogen can clearly see that Nick is a good choice--attractiveness and rugby king status aside, he's a kind and attentive part of their friend group, and she's known him a long time, even if only superficially. Cue an awkwardly aggressive pursuit that includes:

A lack of respect for Nick's privacy;

Nonconsensual touch;

Inviting herself into his life in public where it's hard for him to say no, then broadcasting an inaccurate relationship status to their friends;

And petty, self-protecting revenge for perceived rejection.

None of these behaviors are particularly pleasing to watch happen, especially when we know everything Nick is struggling with internally, but they are very typical of someone who desperately wants connection but doesn't know how to achieve it in a non-superficial way. Imogen is genuinely fond of Nick, and even amid all of the obnoxious but socially acceptable ways she tries to hold his attention you can see glimpses of that fondness and care (letting him off the hook when he clearly doesn't want to say he likes her back at the dance comes to mind). The fact that she still pursues him the way she does doesn't make Imogen a bad person; it shows us she’s a lonely person, particularly vulnerable to the currents of peer pressure and expected societal norms, long before she admits in season 2 that she doesn’t actually have that many friends.

And then, we get the hugely important conversation in the park with Nick (and Nellie, the emotional support dog we all need). It must be said that Nick is choosing to share a really complex part of himself with Imogen here; he could easily have left it at “I don’t like you like that.” But instead, he takes this moment when Imogen isn’t distracted by posturing or fitting in or flirting to tell her what’s really going on in his mind. On some level, he trusts her with this truth—not the whole truth, obviously, but a big part of it—which tells us he recognizes that beneath her façade Imogen is a caring, trustworthy, and kind person. Naturally most of the focus in this scene is on Nick, but this talk also marks the beginning of Imogen's journey toward authenticity. It starts with the realization that she feels at least some of the same things Nick is feeling about being afraid to change and not fitting in, followed by a shift in her perspective on Nick himself.

Once Nick is no longer a romantic prospect, there's room for her to consider him as a whole person and a true friend, not just someone she "hangs out with every morning." She can begin to see and value the things about him that are intrinsic parts of his nature, rather than the outward trappings of just a datable boy. Imogen can let down her guard with him because he let his down with her first. She can give more of her true self to this friendship because Nick has no expectations of her beyond that she be kind and be herself. There are no popularity points to earn, no hoops to jump through, no fear of rejection. So now, she protects him from the scorn he might have received from their friend group by saying the decision not to date was hers. She begins respecting his personal space. She cares for and observes him on a deep enough level to understand at least a bit of what is happening when Nick takes Charlie off the field at sports day. She’s learning what it is to both be and have a real, authentic friend, maybe for the first time. This helps her to view other people in her life through this more discerning and nuanced lens as well.

Clearly Nick has grown to appreciate Imogen's friendship on a deeper level too, since she's the first person from his old friend group he really wants to come out to and tell about Charlie, so much so that he and Charlie make a fairly elaborate plan to create a safe space for him to do so. The sleepover at Charlie's house is another quiet watershed moment for Imogen, because Charlie's friend group welcomes her so unreservedly. They might be a little surprised to see Imogen there, Tara and Darcy may have not had the most positive feelings toward her before, and the rest of them might have some lingering reserve based on her attachment to the Harry cadre, but... They put all of that aside and draw her in with warmth and enthusiasm, partly because that is just the kind of lovely people they are, partly because Charlie and Nick are implicitly vouching for Imogen, and partly because when Imogen lets her guard down, when she's not trying to impress or flirt or maintain a certain image, she's quite lovely and fun herself.

Nick has been making a parallel journey toward connection and true friendship, but in a slightly different way. While Nick actively seeks points of connection by using his emotional intelligence and intuition, Imogen journeys into deeper friendships by enjoying the genuine kindness of the people in Charlie's friend group enough to be herself around them. She realizes that there are people who do like her just the way she is--a novel experience for her.

Of course, this is a gradual evolution for Imogen, so it doesn't all change overnight. She still spends the bulk of her time with her old friend group, who often leave her alone, and her ever-present desire to be liked and loved draws her into a relationship with Ben, who uses her in the worst way.

When she begins to suspect that Ben cares less for her than he should, that perhaps he’s even using her to get at Nick and Charlie, she starts to pull away. She recognizes that her true wants and needs are speaking more loudly than the old desire to have a boyfriend or to be part of the more popular group. She’s listening to herself, finally.

She starts spending more time with Charlie’s friend group, with people who appreciate her sunshine personality, her quirks, her big smile, who listen to her problems and give her honest advice. People whose company she enjoys on a complex level.

Once she has people in her life who accept her the way she is, Imogen can finally begin to accept herself, see herself, and value herself. Which leads us to this truly phenomenal moment, Imogen’s catharsis, her break for freedom from not only Ben's manipulations and toxicity, but the suffocating pressure of being someone she's not.

This must have been simultaneously liberating and terrifying for Imogen, but now, when she has to be brave, she has true friends to bolster and support her. She's not alone anymore.

And then, then, we get Imogen's final layer peeled away, the moment when she looks deeply enough into her true self to see this:

Imogen's self-realization is so powerful and, I think, just beginning. We are ready for season 3 Imogen.

[saras-almanac]

So I know that this is technically the first season of this show where we know going in to season 8 what the storylines will be--at least in general broad strokes and I am so excited! There's literally so many different ways things can play out and I can't wait!

Bobby and Athena -- I actually feel like as a relationship we didn't see this develop much because they literally went from like a date in season 1 to making out in between fire trucks in season 2 and engaged a few episodes later so I absolutely loved the idea of Athena's fear in season 7 of "What do we have when we're not running around?" I hope that they explore that a little more in the idea of "What does our life look like if/when we're not working?" Plus Bobby not being Captain anymore is such an interesting personal story because he literally only came back to being a Captain because he felt like he had a debt to pay. But now it's up to him to really choose whether he still wants to be an active captain or not... (Obviously he won't be Captain forever and I have Thoughts on where I want these characters to go lol) But the comedy gold of him being a tech advisor on a show is hilarious and I genuinely wouldn't be upset if it lasts a long time and then the actor keeps showing up at the fire house after the fact.

I am not a huge fan of Athena's storylines because it's really hard to root for cops in general but also she has abused her power so many times with no thoughts, but maybe MAYBE this idea with reuniting with that man from her past could be a change of, hey things are not as black and white. (I still understand why they framed Athena begins the way they did, but I think it would have been a much bigger impact to have let the man go because he turned his life around and became such a positive influence. But that's just me.)

Also give them more comedy storylines! The cruise ship stuff is one of my favorite things ever with Athena trying to solve a murder but also not wanting to be left alone with Bobby while Bobby is like "I think my wife is avoiding me." Comedy gold and I loved it. Give me them moving in to a neighborhood with HOAs and ridiculous neighborly gossip that they're always investigating and spying but like the lowest stakes possible. (Like the garbage spying Bobby and Michael did that one episode, just not always leading to a secret underground plastic surgeon.) Just give them fun stuff to do. Please.

Hen and Chimney -- I absolutely that this season is set up to sort of test that relationship in a way. Because Chimney and Maddie took in Mara as the sweetest thing to do, but how do they manage this now that Mara is putting down roots. I feel like this is something that is going to lead to a lot of emotions on both sides because Chimney's not trying trying to take Mara away but I also feel like that's going to play on the fears / feelings of Hen and Karen not having security with their children. (But it will be a happy conclusion with Mara back at Henren's as a family because I will be sad if it becomes this idea of "maybe Mara is better off with Madney" just because Henren have gone through that so many times!)

Maddie and Chimney--would love to see them talking about the future of their family, are they having more kids, do they even want more kids? They've never talked about it and I think taking Mara in is the perfect excuse for them to bring it up, have those discussions that I feel like they've never been that great at having. And give them the wedding reception they deserve! Just let them be happy and in love.

Eddie... what can't the do with Eddie this season? Of all the characters, he has had the least amount of growth / development in the show. He's stagnant, unchanged, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's that he's been put in situations where there should have been some growth or change but it's never actually happened. I still think of Lena calling Eddie out on being a terrible friend (which is why I actually don't think he hangs out much with the rest of the firefam because he is incredibly self-centered so much and completely unaware of it.) I really want this separation with Chris to force him to deal with Shannon's death and everything that led up to that--he ran away from his responsibilities as a parent and a partner, he just moves passed anything that's difficult for him until it seemingly works out again, or just acts like nothing's wrong. I just want to see some development for him--I'd take anything at this point lol. I want him to acknowledge his flaws and failings and then work through them, because that's where the story lies--whether that's through reconnecting with his religious roots or deconstructing, or intensive grief counselling and therapy. And no romantic relationships for him this year. Part of his growth NEEDS to be that having a romantic partner is not going to "fix him" or "cure him" and apart from having sex with the women, he never seems to be happy in those relationships. Now that could be him being aromantic or just putting way too much pressure on every relationship to immediately be lived in and like his rose-colored view of his marriage to Shannon--which shockily doesn't happen because the women are not Shannon?

Buck, my boy, I am so excited for this season for him! I feel like they might be leaning into the potential of an ADHD diagnosis for him--just purely based on the slow-mo, overstimulated shot of the camera slowly zooming in on his face. And the idea of that on top of him just realizing and discovering his bisexuality could be a really interesting storyline to explore. Sort of a parallel to Buck Begins of him "not knowing what being Buck means" again but different. It's less he doesn't know who he is but he's just gotten so much new information about himself and he's struggling to place the pieces and how much that changes his perception of himself--if it does.

Add that to his new relationship with Tommy, the story that could come of that! Or literally any potential hurdle a new relationship deals with. They were both so open and vulnerable when they had that conversation but it's not a stretch to think that Buck might pull back a bit from sharing that stuff with Tommy because he's so terrified of being too much and/or being abandoned. And even if Tommy tells Buck he's not, there's a very good chance that Buck just won't be able to believe him. Or their hurdles could just be general communication issues or realizing they have different communication styles or moving in together. Or it could be the giddy excitement of being in this new, fun relationship might mean they've moved away from some of those more heavier topics. So many options!

The absolute only thing I don't want is any form of jealousy on Tommy's part that's because he's dating a bisexual. I don't see them going that route and how regressive and bi-phobic it is, but that's my least favorite thing ever in the limited bisexual representation we have and that would genuinely upset me. Totally fine if Tommy has jealousy based on his insecurities--like why would Buck be serious about him, maybe it's too soon to settle down, maybe it's just Buck is so effortlessly charming that it's sometimes hard for Tommy. All totally fine, even if I would prefer that to not be the case.

All this to say, I'm so excited and literally want to both see how this season plays out and also write every version of this!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Plot Holes & Other Structural Issues

Create chapter maps to find the main issues within your manuscript.

This method is faster than reading through your entire manuscript without knowing what you’re looking for.

Examine your chapter maps for the following…

Plot Issues

Would these events really happen?

Does the inciting incident happen early enough to grab the reader?

Are there errors in the chronology of events?

Are you able to trace the plot arcs throughout the whole manuscript? For example, is there a storyline that just drops off mid-way through?

Can you follow all your subplots to the end?

Are the events well-linked? Are there any holes in the plot that need to be filled?

How is the manuscript structured? Chapters, parts, various different sections? Is it working in this format?

Can something be done to strengthen how it’s presented to the reader?

Is there enough conflict?

Have you made the stakes high enough?

Why are these events happening?

Have you adequately described what set them in motion?

Does each individual event progress the story?

Is the plot complicated enough to sustain the story until the last page?

Is the plot too complex?

Character Issues

Whose story is this? Who is telling it? Is it engaging enough?

Do you believe the characters’ motivations? Are these clear enough?

Are the support/minor characters sufficiently developed? Is there a character you’d like to see become more prominent? Is there room for a new subplot or point of view? How would this affect the current structure of your novel?

Is the development of your characters limited by the point of view you have chosen for your novel? For example, if you’ve used a child’s point of view but need to explain something complicated, how can you resolve this?

What are the reasons behind your protagonist’s decisions? Do these link back to their original motivations?

Do the characters talk in a believable way? Does this reflect their background?

Is the reader given enough reason early on to care about your characters and what happens to them later?

Do your characters change and develop in conjunction with their experiences?

Does the reader see your protagonist at their best and their worst?

Have you made your characters as in-depth as possible? Where could you add in more backstory?

Do the backstories of your characters affect the plot? How? Make sure this is worked in throughout the novel.

Do the relationships in the narrative progress realistically?

What else can you do to make things difficult for your protagonist?

Does the reader experience a range of authentic emotions due to the characters and their interactions?

Would the character really react in this way to an event?

Is each character the appropriate choice for the role they play in the narrative?

Do you have both likeable and unlikable characters?

Is your protagonist active enough?

Are the traits of your characters distinctive and consistent throughout the novel?

Are the descriptions of the characters consistent throughout? For example, you don’t want a character’s hair to be red in Chapter 1, but blonde in Chapter 11 without any reason.

Setting Issues

Is there a strong sense of place? Are there elements of history and culture? How can these factors be developed further?

Does the setting suit the events that are occurring?

Does the setting create a sense of intrigue? Enough that the reader wants to spend time here?

Are the settings described using multiple senses?

Do you favour one sense in particular? Make sure you even this out.

Are the settings logical in terms of their relation to one another?

Are the details of the setting such as climate and conditions realistic? Does more research need to be done?

Does the setting require fact-checking?

Would a different setting be more effective?

Are the settings consistent throughout the novel? Such as the number of rooms in a house, or the position of a window?

Pacing Issues

Consistency of pacing: do the subplots, climaxes, and tension work in the current order?

Is the speed at which events unfold suitable to your genre and target reader?

Are the major events in the novel given the weight they need and deserve?

Is there enough description in the manuscript that the reader feels grounded within your world?

Is there so much description that the story lags?

What are the turning points of the narrative?

How can the tension be built further in these sections?

Examine the beginning and end of the manuscript by themselves: are they gripping enough? Do they convey enough information without giving everything away? Are they effective in terms of the author’s intentions?

Are there too many action scenes in a row?

Are there passages bogged down by too much detail?

Other Issues

Is the story accessible to the reader? Can the reader relate?

Does each chapter start and end with a hook?

Are the tone, content and language appropriate for the target reader?

Is the point of view maintained throughout the various scenes? Is it consistent?

Is there one element of the story that overwhelms the rest? Try to even things out.

Are character thoughts, actions, and dialogue balanced out with setting and description?

Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References More: On Editing

[bookuce]

Change My Mind

Songs that inspired:

*DISCLAIMER: This is a multi-part series. I do not own any of the characters in the writing except for the OC. The book uses actual names of wrestlers. Josh is Jey, Jon is Jimmy, Trinity is Naomi, and Alina is Alina. The book is not realistic and does not take place during real events, but some actual events (matches, storylines) could pop up in the story eventually. I DO NOT GIVE ANYONE PERMISSION TO TRANSLATE OR REPOST MY WRITINGS ANYWHERE. THAAAAAANKS. *

PAIRING: Jey Uso x Black OC

TROPE: Friends to Lovers

WARNINGS: 👀 Language, Smut, 18+, NSFW

WORD COUNT: 2,604

PART THREE

PART FOUR

Maybe Alina was overreacting about Josh. This kiss they were sharing felt like she was wrong about every assumption she’s made about him, about them ever. One thing she knew for sure was that he was a great kisser—one of the best. Their tongues were engaged in a fierce battle for dominance before he broke the kiss. His lips would find her throat, leaving wet kisses in their wake. “Josh,” she breathes. He’d nip her skin, causing her to moan. “Nope, nope, nope.” She steps out of his embrace. “Don’t do that.” She warns, pointing her finger at him.

Josh didn’t say anything. He was too busy trying to catch his breath. That was intense, yet everything he expected it to be. She looks past him at the counter. All the drinks they needed were sitting there, ready to be brought back to their group. How long were they standing there? It couldn’t have been too long—but it felt like forever. Time ceased to exist, and they were the only two that remained. She reaches past him, grabbing her and Trinity’s drinks. Before she could step back, Josh gently wrapped his hand around her throat. He pushes his hand up into her chin, forcing her head back.

“One more.” He whispers at her. She involuntarily lets out a whimper at the action. Her body was responding in a way that disgusted her. It should not be this easy to make her submit to him. He’d press his lips to hers again, this time for a slower, more sensual kiss. She would kiss him back, a hum leaving her lips into it. If she could burst into flames right now, she would. Her entire body was hot, and Josh was the cause of it. He pulls back slightly before pressing three quick kisses to seal it. “Go on, with your fine ass.”

With the two drinks in each hand, Alina turns to make her way back to the group. She made slow strides, her balance failing her somewhat. Was it the alcohol or the fact that she was just kissed senseless by her best friend? Both? Definitely both. She neared their section, a goofy grin on her face. Everyone looked up as she arrived. “I...I have drinks.” She stutters. “Trin?” She hands the drink off to her friend, her hand shaking slightly. Jon watched, his brows furrowed.

“The hell is wrong with you?” He asks.

“Nothing,” She answers, avoiding his suspicious stare. Without further explanation, she turns away. As she was nearing her seat, Josh had turned the corner. Their eyes briefly met before he moved past her with the rest of the drinks. She moves to sit down, this time next to Austin.

Josh passed out the last of the drinks before turning to sit down. He pauses at the sight of Alina sitting next to Austin. “Girl, if you don’t get your ass over.” He snaps. Without any fuss, she moves for once. Alina would peer out to the open, taking baby sips of her drink. Jon was still observing the pair, his eyes now in squints.

“Y’all do a round of shots at the bar back there or what?” He asks. Josh drops onto the couch, his two beer bottles in hand. “Why y’all acting like that?”

“I-I’m fine.” Alina lies.

“As hell.” Josh says. Alina stifles a laugh. Josh is smiling at his lap. He brings the half-empty beer bottle up to his lips. The pair was intoxicated, and it was apparent.

“Okay?” Jon says, drawing his head back at the exchange. He was still confused.

“Y’all want to hit Waffle House after this?” Trinity asks. Josh’s eyes light up at the sound of Waffle House. “We’re all going.”

“Hell yeah, I want Waffle House,” Josh says excitedly.

“I’m going to bed after this,” Alina answers. The Samoan, seated by her, glances in her direction before looking at his twin and sister-in-law. He begins to shake his head.

“Maybe some other time, Uce.” He says, changing his mind. Alina represses yet another laugh, her hand coming up to her mouth. She shakes her head, bringing her glass to her lips. Josh was going wherever Alina was going after this, it seems. He’s already decided, and she wasn’t going to stop him. Gionna lowers her eyes at the drunken couple before looking at Jon. His eyes were wide open again but shifting back and forth between Alina and Josh. Josh leans into Alina, a toothy grin on his face. “Can I go home with you?” He whispers at her. She nods but never meets his gaze.

“Oh, y’all are fucked up.” He finally realizes.

“I’m fine!” Lina shouts.

“The finest!” Josh exclaims, making Alina laugh again. She turns to him, playfully swatting his bicep. “How bout in the AM, Uce?” He asks his brother.

“It is the AM, fool,” Jon says.

“I meant when the sun is up.” He corrects himself with a nod.

“We hungry like right now, though,” Jon says.

“Me too.” Josh agrees, winking at his brother.

Trin looks up, her lips pursed and brows furrowed. “See, you being nasty.”

Josh bites his tongue, a large smile spreading across his face. He was definitely being nasty. As soon as Alina says she’s ready to leave this place, he’s running out of there with her thrown over his shoulder. Alina peers over her glass at Trinity before tilting her head back to finish her drink.

“Well, we finna head out.” Jon says, standing up. Everyone except for the two drunk ones would follow suit, lining up behind Trin and Jon.

“I ordered you an Uber,” Gionna says to Alina. “It’ll be here in five.” Always a considerate friend, that one is. Alina would give her a friendly smile before mouthing the words thank you. Gigi leans down, hugging her friend. Josh would stand to his feet to hug his brother and sister before turning to hold his hand out for Alina. She’d take it, allowing herself to be pulled from the couch. The party would exit the club to their next destination in a single file line, leaving Josh and Alina in their section alone.

“Let’s get out of here.” He says. She gladly agreed.

—------------------------------------------------------------

The ride back to Alina’s hotel was everything but peaceful. Before they left, they had a few more drinks for the road. In the car, Josh’s hands and mouth were all over her, grabbing and pulling at her in ways he couldn’t at the club. She felt terrible for their driver, who could hear every giggle, gasp, and moan this man pulled out of her. They’d stop in front of the building, rushing out of the backseat. Alina would lead Josh out of the car before he’d toss her over his shoulder. She let out a squeal, clinging onto his back. “Josh!” She shouts as they enter the hotel lobby. Laughter from the inebriated woman would fill the space. The front desk clerk would watch them with confusion for a moment before returning to their duties. It wasn’t an unusual sight while working here.

Josh approaches the elevators that lead to the rooms above. The doors open, and he steps in. “Where we going?” He asks her.

“Eighth floor,” She says, lifting up on his back. “Put me down.” She requests, wiggling in his arms until he has no choice but to put her on her feet. She stumbles back against the elevator doors, laughing softly at the impact. Josh would laugh with her, now leaning against the right wall of the elevator.

“You good?” He asks.

She nods. “Yeah—!” Just as she spoke, the elevator doors opened, and she fell through. She’d let out a squeal as she hit the floor. The laughter from the pair would only get louder. He steps through.

“Come on, girl.” He says, leaning down to grab her. He’d get her nestled in his arms before stumbling back against the wall behind him. They needed to make it to her room quickly before the noise complaints ensued.

“Room 828,” She informs him. He’d begin to walk, his eyes scanning each door label. They’d make it to the end of the hall by the time they found her room. He’d put her down on her feet again, allowing her to search her wallet for her keycard. Once she located it, she’d unlock the door. Josh wasted no time rushing her into the dimly lit room.

Their lips were on each other’s again in a heated exchange. Alina would walk them backward toward the bed, her fingers tangled in red curls at the nape. One after another, she’d kick off her heels. His fingers would find the zipper on the back of her dress, making quick work of her outfit. The strapless black midi dress she wore would pool at her ankles. She’d step out of it, and he would kick it to the side. Her fingers find the edge of his shirt and pull it over his head. Once the shirt was off, she tossed it to the side to join her dress.

There was a look on Alina’s face, one that resembled the same stare she had when she gave Josh a taste of her drink. She’d climb onto the bed backward, all while holding his gaze. She reaches behind her back, unhooking the black, strapless bra she wore. Her full breasts would drop from the wired undergarment, the cool air causing her nipples to harden quickly. Josh would watch in awe of the woman. “Come here.” She commands. Like a sailor to the sea at the song of Sirens, he was moving towards her. He’d stop at the edge of the bed, his eyes fixated on her. Alina leans in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Her hands wrap around his traps and come forward, trailing lightly over his chest. “How bad do you want me, Joshua?” She presses another kiss to his lips. “Hm?” She asks.

His body responded to her touch just as it was supposed to, with goosebumps and twitches. Her hands would graze his abdomen, stopping at the top of his pants. His hands would come up to grab at her ass, but she would reach around to remove them. She shakes her head at him. “You don’t get to touch me yet.” She purrs. Her hands find his belt, quickly unfastening it. “Use your words in the meantime.” She whispers against his lips. She presses another soft kiss to them, this time while unbuttoning his pants. She’d flatten her hand against his lower abdomen before slipping it into his boxer briefs. Her hand would wrap around the growing bulge, causing the man in her hands to shudder slightly.

“Fuck…” He breathes.

“Mhm?” She hums. “Go on.”

Josh chuckles softly. “You playing with fire.” He warns her, his voice heavy.

“What are you going to do about it?” She asks, curious. She leans into his left ear. “Lose your temper with me like you do with the men that try to talk to me.” She whispers. “I can take it.” She’d capture his earlobe with her teeth, tugging at it. She begins stroking his cock at a slow, agonizing pace.

“I’m sure you can.” He responds, his eyes fluttering behind thick lashes. Her lips would find his throat, latching onto the side of his neck. She’d nip at his skin, sucking on it hard enough to create a mark. It would be the first of many tonight.

Alina’s left hand would continue to stroke the length of Josh. She could feel it throb beneath her fingertips. “I got a question.” She asks, pulling him out of the lusty haze he was starting to get lost in.

“Hm?” He moans.

“Are you my man?” She asks. His hips slightly jerk at the question, causing her to smile. “Are you?” She asks again.

“Shit, I better be.” He husked, opening his eyes. They’d watch each other through half-open eyes. “You been mine.” He breathes. Her hand would pause in the middle of his shaft, her hand still wrapped firmly around it. Alina would lean in, teasing him with the thought of her kissing him. Her lips would brush his, and he’d catch it between his teeth. She pulls back, forcing him to tug and release her lower lip. She’d giggle at him. “You don’t believe me?” He asks. She shakes her head, now briefly biting her own lip.

“Change my mind.” She whispers.

The moment the words left her lips, Josh sprang into action. His lips would find hers with a ravenous hunger she’d yet to experience tonight. She moaned into the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck. His arms would wrap around her voluptuous frame as he’d lift her. She’d quickly wrap her legs around his waist, pulling her hips in tight to his. His arms would drop from her body, but she would remain clinging to him. His hands were now pushing his pants past his hips. He’d shift on his feet, removing his shoes. Lastly, his pants would drop to his ankles. Josh was now wholly bare in front of her. The only thing between them now was the nearly ruined underwear Alina wore.

He’d lean over the bed, pressing Alina’s body into the mattress beneath them. His arms would move to unwrap her legs. When they came undone, he’d reach up to remove her arms. He places those above her head. Their lips would remain attached for a few moments before breaking this kiss. “I’ma change your mind and then some.” He promises, standing from her body.

Josh has waited a year and three months for this night—four hundred and fifty-four days, give or take a few. He’s thought one too many times about how it would go down and where they’d be. What would they be after this? Lovers? Friends? Friends that just happen to be lovers? The only thing he didn’t want to imagine was them being nothing. Not friends. Not lovers. Nothing. The last thing he could ever want is for her is to not be in his life.

He would take in the sight in front of him. A beautiful woman was sprawled across a bed, ready for him to do any and everything imaginable to her. If he could, he would take a picture and have it framed in his home. His eyes would finally land on the black, lacy underwear that obscured Alina’s lower body. He’d reach forward, wrapping his fingers around the elastic waistline. Eagerly, he begins to tug them down her body. She’d lift her hips for him to get them over her ass, but in the end, he would lift her legs to pull them off completely.

To be funny, he’d draw the panties back, slingshotting them across the room. Alina would let out a cackle, her hand covering her mouth. “You better hope I can find those in the morning.” She tells him.

“You ain’t gonna need them.” He tells her. Josh would spare her one last glance before burying his head between her legs. Alina would push her hips into the mattress at the feel of his tongue lapping at her folds. Her breath hitches at the sensation, her hands finding their home in his dark curls. Fingers curl around thick locks, tugging gently at them. Her hips would begin to wind against his face, which would earn her a core-rumbling hum from the man between her legs.

Though the night was nearing its end, and daylight only a couple of hours away, their night had just begun.

PART FIVE

———————————————————————————

A/N: I ain’t wrote smut before so i’m sorry if that was mid 😭 I was trying to focus on them as individuals sharing a first than the actual nitty gritty, you know?

Y’all know what to do, bro 😭 If you need me i’ll be in the corner crying LMAO

🏷️ list: @siriuslycee @thesamoanqueen @empressdede @reci1996 @paigereeder @pytbgeezy @whatdoeseverybodywant @southerngirl41 @sayyestoheav3nn @wrestlingprincess80 @venusesworld @fearlesschimera @tbmotw @yana3sworld @truefant4sy @sisinever @alichesmi @cyberdejos2 @trashbin-nie @meannaim

[pascaloverx]

BORN TO DIE

Summary: In a tense political setting, a Targaryen bastard working as a prostitute is summoned by Prince Aemond to the Red Keep. Aemond wants her to approach his dragon, Vhagar, as a test of her worth. Although he plans for her to claim another dragon in the future, her immediate challenge is to survive Prince Aemond demands while trying to stay alive.

Author’s Note: This work is set in the world created by George R.R. Martin, as depicted in his book Fire & Blood, and none of the characters belong to me. The story will follow some events from the series House of the Dragon (2022), but with changes to fit the fanfiction narrative. Therefore, it will not adhere strictly to the series' storyline. This fanfiction is a work of fiction and may contain inappropriate language, adult content, and violence. Readers be warned. I hope you enjoy the story and interact with it. I apologize if there are any errors in the High Valyrian sections; I used a translator and am unsure of its accuracy. Thank you and happy reading.

Warning: This chapter will contain violence, as well as inappropriate language and adult sexual content. Minors should not read or interact with this chapter or this fanfic.

TWO FOUR (+18)

THREE (+18)

The horse continues its steady trot, the rhythmic sound of hooves filling the silence between you and Prince Aemond. Since you had declared that only he or a dragon could take your life, neither of you had spoken. The images of the ragged commoners still haunt your mind, the blood of one of them staining your skin. The scent lingers, almost as though it corrodes your very soul—if there is any soul left to corrode. Aemond, in contrast, remains unnervingly calm, as if such violence is second nature to him.

"When I was younger, my mother taught me to always adapt. Kings and princes like you were not born to be contradicted by people like me. My mother was a woman who adapted well, and that is how I was conceived. The man who fathered me sought a replacement for his dead wife, and my mother shaped herself to meet his desires." You can sense that your words mean little to Aemond Targaryen, yet for a fleeting moment, you feel compelled to share them. Perhaps it is the honesty, or perhaps the looming realization that this might be your final journey—the last stretch before the war claims you. It has never been clearer that your end is near, whether by the hand of a one-eyed prince or the flames of a dragon. The manner of death is inconsequential now; it is merely a matter of time.

"My silence must have been misunderstood by you, gundjabo. I have no need to hear your lamentations." The prince’s low voice carries a hint of irritation as he lets out a frustrated grunt. You exhale sharply, frustration building within you. There is something dreadful about being condemned to a war that is not your own, dragged along by a man indifferent to your very existence—one who does not even deign to bed you.

"Unless you plan to kill me for speaking, I shall continue. These may very well be my final words, for all I know," you say, your tone steady but defiant. "As I was saying, I always knew my fate would lead me to the brothel, as a whore. But when the man who fathered me came to weep over his legitimate children, I discovered I was a bastard of someone of importance. And that I had a sibling who bore a resemblance to me. That is why I speak High Valyrian, for I was meant to be the perfect replacement for someone’s trueborn daughter. Tell me, Your Highness, how did you know I was a bastard?"

Your boldness stems from a desire to have your story heard, to have someone in this world know the truth of your existence. And you are certain Aemond will not kill you—not before delivering you to the dragon.

"What gave you the notion that I would be inclined to engage in conversation with you? Know your place, Y/N," Aemond snaps, turning toward you with a sudden, fierce movement, as if poised to strike. His single eye fixes on you, sharp and unwavering, and there’s a dark satisfaction in the way he watches your reaction. He seems to revel in the way his abruptness unsettles you, savoring the fear or hesitation he provokes.

"What led you to believe that I would be disposed to engage in conversation with you? Understand your position, Y/N." Príncipe Aemond pivots abruptly to face you, his single eye piercingly fixed upon your countenance. His demeanor is one of restrained menace, and he appears to take a grim satisfaction in the disquiet he has stirred within you.

The horse comes to an abrupt halt, causing your body to jostle against Prince Aemond Targaryen, who seems increasingly agitated. He dismounts with a brisk movement, signaling the end of your journey by horse. Before you lies a solitary figure, stationed by a boat, standing guard with an air of grim duty.

"My esteemed Prince Aemond, I present to you what you have requested. Should you follow the prescribed route, you shall arrive at the location where it has been reported that your future dragon was sighted. I wish you a successful and prosperous journey." The peculiar man, clearly seeking to flatter the Prince, elicits a noticeable expression of disdain from him.

"Then your presence here is no longer required. I suggest you keep your lips sealed regarding my business here. Additionally, worm, should I fail to find the 'safe' path to the dragon, be aware that you will face a most unfavorable encounter with Vhagar." You are unable to observe their exchange directly, as you are preoccupied with dismounting the horse, given that Aemond appears to be indifferent to your presence at the moment.

"My prince, I would never lead you into an ambush. I wish you a successful journey and hope you acquire the dragon," you finally manage to dismount from the horse, nearly falling onto the ground. The peculiar man watches you with a smile, seemingly amused by your misfortune, while Aemond, though visibly irritated, remains unyielding. His irritation persists even in moments when you are not actively provoking him.

"Rise from the ground at once, gundjabo. If this is your feeble attempt to gain my pity, you are failing. And as for you, Larys, you should have already removed yourself from my sight. Of course, if you hold no regard for your life, you are welcome to remain." Prince Aemond's voice was laced with irritation, the impatience in his tone unmistakable. The peculiar man, now silent, awkwardly retrieves the horse you both arrived on and departs clumsily, leaving you and the prince alone once more.

Yet you remain on the ground, lost in contemplation of your wretched circumstances, bound to the will of Prince Aemond. Your gaze drifts away from him, drawn instead to the waters that flank the path to Dragonstone. The sight of the water, so free and fluid, captivates you. It seems to beckon, offering a silent sanctuary, a world away from your current plight. It had been so long since you had been near the water, and now it appeared almost sacred, a reminder of peace in a life devoid of it. Though you hear Prince Aemond’s voice, it feels distant, as if muffled by the pull of the serene waters. In this brief moment, it is as though you and the water are the only things that exist. You rise, however; not to obey any command but to delight in the water. Slowly, you begin to strip away your clothing, letting the fabric fall carelessly to the ground as the cool wind brushes against your bare skin. A deep sense of freedom, unfamiliar and intoxicating, washes over you. For the first time in what feels like an eternity, you taste the sweetness of liberation, a brief escape from the chains of your fate.

It does not matter that Prince Aemond will see you in such a vulnerable state, nor does it concern you that his inevitable anger will rise once more. His threats of death hold no sway over you in this moment. As the last of your garments slips from your body, you stand, unburdened and untamed, indifferent to the consequences. For now, you are part of the wind, the water, the air—untouchable by any prince or king.

"What do you think you are doing? I did not bring you here to gaze upon your nakedness, nor for any such entanglements," Prince Aemond snaps, his voice sharp as steel, while his hand grips your arm, halting your movement toward the water. His touch, firm yet restrained, feels different for the first time—no longer cold or harsh, but strangely… grounding. Though his grasp is strong, it does not hurt you. You turn your gaze to him, your lips curling into a relaxed, almost defiant smile. The tension between you, once a barrier, now seems to shift subtly, as though something unspoken lingers between the two of you.

"It seems, Your Highness, that you are under the mistaken impression that I have any interest in such entanglements with you," you say, your voice soft yet pointed, as you step closer to him. "If it appears otherwise, you are gravely mistaken. You have made it abundantly clear that you are here as my possessor, not my lover. But the blood on my skin reeks of decay, and if I am to face a fatal destiny by your hand or another, at the very least, grant me the decency of being cleansed for it. I do not believe I am asking for much." Though your tone is measured, almost submissive, your gaze remains sharp, as if daring him to challenge your words. Yet beneath that facade of defiance, there is a clear falsehood—you wouldn't mind if he took you here, on the cold, unforgiving ground. The threatening look in your eyes, too, is a lie; in truth, at this moment, you pose as much danger to the prince as a child would. You know this, and so does he.

"Ao kostagon jikagon, gundjabo," Prince Aemond finally responds, his voice carrying an edge of authority. As he speaks, you offer him a faint, resigned smile. Without another word, you run toward the water. The cold is biting, eliciting a drawn-out gasp as you immerse yourself, but as you cleanse your body with the water, you feel the burdens you have been carrying begin to lift. When you look at Prince Aemond, he is naked; coming towards you. For a moment you can't believe what you're about to witness. Or rather do.

"Your excitement at my presence here is a disgrace to yourself. I have no intention of expanding the bonds of our relationship, gundjabo." Prince Aemond speaks as he steps closer and closer. He certainly wants to dispel any lust that is taking hold of you.

"Tell me, Your Highness, are you so afraid of fucking me?" In moments of the prince's presence, the cold that was taking over your body turned into heat; burning deep within your soul. The prince smiles mischievously as if he liked her question; even if in a diaceous way. Your gaze then shifts to Prince Aemond's member, which appears to be quite erect for a cock that isn't considering entering you.

"If you must know, there has been no fear under me for some time. What I have, is caution. You think I don't notice that your desire for me lies in the need to manipulate me," Aemond approaches you quickly, his hand then roaming over your face, almost as if he was scrutinizing you. "A whore like you must be as thirsty as any other to have the privilege of being taken by me," Prince Aemond stands directly behind you, his cock lightly touching your ass. As his hand moves from a light, affectionate touch to your face and moves downwards, touching your neck with a certain dexterity, in a firm way.

"Dear prince, my intentions towards you are the most pleasurable possible. What risk can a mere prostitute bring you?" What you say comes out of your mouth like a whisper, as half of your concentration has already been lost. Instinctively you turn around, still feeling Aemond's hand on your neck. A drawn-out moan is released by Prince Aemond, who holds your breasts tightly with both hands.

"Say, gundjabo, would you like me to take you here, in the middle of the water? That I would use these hands to fuck you? To satisfy you?" As Prince Aemond aggressively touches your breasts, you let out somewhat scandalous moans. It looks like Aemond's hands are massaging your breasts in a teasing way.

"By your hands, Ñuha Dārilaros; I would accept any fate. Death or pleasure, whatever you decide; it will be to my advantage." You drawl, trying to seduce Aemond. Between your legs, if there was already water before; now everything was wet. Your pussy is ready to receive Prince Aemond's cock. And then abruptly, he grabs your ass firmly, pulling you towards him. Almost like climbing a mountain, you climb up Aemond, wrapping your legs around his waist. Once you secure yourself around Aemond, It's like your pussy is throbbing just from feeling his cock pressed lightly beneath it. In a desperate act, you pull Prince Aemond's face to yours, kissing him. A thirsty kiss, as if there was an uncontrollable thirst within you and only Aemond Targaryen's lips could quench it. At first he seems apprehensive, controlling his tongue so as not to lose his rational side even in a simple kiss, but as soon as you press a little on his cock, which is already hard, he gives himself over to the kiss; body and soul. The prince's long fingers firmly gripping the top of your ass, creating a pleasant friction between your body and his. And just as it seems like he's finally going to give himself to you, he pulls away from your lips and drops you into the water.

“Certain privileges must be earned before they are received so impulsively, gundjabo. Tame the dragon we are about to seek, prove yourself indispensable to your King, and you will gain some worth in my eyes. Until then, savor this moment. There may not be another opportunity for you to experience such freedom again in the future.” Prince Aemond speaks as he holds your face up after you finally manage to catch your breath from being thrown into the water. You are seething with anger inside—frustrated by the way the one-eyed prince has treated you, by the inability to grasp the full magnitude of his presence, and by your own intense yearning for him that has made you lose all sense of absurdity.

In silence, the prince exits the water, gathering his garments from the ground and donning them once more. You watch him attentively, struggling to suppress the anger that is consuming you. Fortunately, as the desire ebbs away, your good sense returns. With a sense of urgency, you leave the water and dress yourself. No words are exchanged between you and Prince Aemond during the journey to the boat, nor during the voyage to Dragonstone.

Certainly, you had to be discreet, feigning the role of commoners while you followed Prince Aemond to the location where he hoped to find his potential dragon. The journey took hours, leading you to a nearly forgotten place amidst a quiet fishing village. Against the prince's will but driven by strategy, you had to repeatedly obstruct the view of curious onlookers who tried to recognize Aemond. Through a bit of your own charm, you managed to divert their attention, effectively becoming his shield. In the tempestuous atmosphere, you finally come upon the dragon. It is enormous, with black scales that blend into the shadows. Its eyes are closed, indicating it is resting.

“Your Highness, I cannot... Find another bastard,” you say upon seeing the dragon so close. The fear of death outweighs any sense of duty at that moment. You step back, trying to distance yourself, but Prince Aemond grips your arm with a harshness. This time, he pulls you close with aggression.

"Swallow your cowardice, go over there, and claim that dragon. And if this seems like a request to you, know that it is an order, and should you disobey, you will die by my sword, gundjabo." Prince Aemond threatens, looking at you with impatience. His menacing tone frightens you somewhat, but as a final act of bravery, you grab the dagger from the Prince’s waist and point it at him.

"Your Highness, regrettably, I must clarify that I have no intention of obeying you. Let me go, and I assure you, you shall never hear of me again," you say, your voice trembling somewhat, though not from cowardice. The thought of death, at this moment, feels unsatisfactory to you.

"Go to that damned dragon and claim it for yourself, or you will die here. There is no other option, gundjabo. My patience is wearing thin, so drop this dagger and go now!" Prince Aemond bellows with all his might, his demeanor fierce and ready to strangle you if necessary. As you remain indecisive, contemplating your options, Prince Aemond suddenly throws himself at you, causing both of you to tumble to the ground. He grips your neck tightly, while you still hold the dagger against him, the weapon trembling in your hand.

"Your Highness, you are squeezing my neck...with a certain unnecessary firmness." You speak between attempts to catch your breath as the air escapes you. Aemond's blank stare tells you he might kill you. So while you still have strength, you hold the sharp dagger against the neck of Aemond Targaryen, who is lying on top of yours. He only seems to notice that he is hurting you more than necessary when you cut him, more specifically cut a small but significant part of his neck. And then his hands lose their grip on your neck and his attention seems to be elsewhere. It could be that the pain from the cut is bothering him, or the fact that he is bleeding and the blood is dripping down your face. The taste of Aemond's blood is surprisingly sweet, but you worry that you've seriously injured him.Then you drop the dagger you were holding and look worriedly at Prince Aemond. He removes his hands from your neck and slowly holds both of your hands at the height of your head.

“Do you feel powerful for having managed to make me bleed, gundjabo?” Prince Aemond’s words are laced with a cruel edge, as if your injury to him has only heightened his thrill. The dangerous proximity of your faces is palpable. However, before you can respond, the dragon stirs and awakens. You both quickly disentangle as you hear the dragon's roar, followed by a burst of fire that sends a shiver down your spine. It may seem like madness, but you could swear the fire that it spewed was green, an unusual color for dragon flames. The dragon's eyes are also green. It appears to be the most magnificent dragon you have ever seen.

"What should I do, Your Highness?" you ask desperately as you feel the hot breath of the dragon's nostrils blowing over you and Aemond. You recall the commands for summoning dragons that your father taught you, but without knowing the dragon's name, it will be impossible to call it.

"Command him, tell him to calm down; if he obeys you, he will be your dragon. His name is Cannibal. I suggest you act quickly before he kills us, gundjabo," Prince Aemond commands authoritatively as he gives you instructions. After a moment of effort, you take a few steps forward, under the watchful gaze of the dragon.

“Naejot Māzīs, Canibal,” you say, approaching the dragon as you notice your hands stained with Prince Aemond’s blood. Despite the bloodied state, you persist in your attempt to claim the dragon. “Lykiri, Canibal. Nyke daor dangerous. Sȳz taoba.” You raise your blood-stained hand towards the dragon, which responds with another roar. Despite the force of the roar nearly causing you to fall, you stand firm, determined to show the dragon that it will have a fearless—if not reckless—rider. The dragon spreads its wings and positions itself in front of you, undecided on whether to accept or attack. It then unleashes a powerful flame into the sky.

You close your eyes tightly, resigned to your fate, but also emboldened by the attempt to claim a dragon, an unprecedented advance from your life as a bastard prostitute. As you brace for the dragon’s attack, it approaches, waiting. You glance back at Prince Aemond, who stands behind you, observing. He gestures for you to place your hand on the dragon. With a deep breath, you gently and slowly reach out to touch the dragon’s face.

As soon as your hand makes contact, a powerful surge of energy envelops you. Your eyes shut again to fully experience the bond forming between you and Cannibal. Though it feels like mere seconds, you sense that more time has passed. Prince Aemond’s voice reaches you through the haze, calling you several times. When you finally open your eyes, both yours and the dragon’s meet in unison. Turning slowly, you face Prince Aemond, who appears astonished. You and Cannibal now stand united, as one.

"Congratulations, gundjabo. You have just bestowed a significant advantage upon your King in this war," Prince Aemond declares, his expression betraying genuine satisfaction. Yet, there is no joy within you. The gravity of your new reality is apparent: you are now irrevocably entangled in a conflict that, though not of your own making, could very well claim your life. Moreover, your evident lack of experience with dragons only compounds the danger you face. Officially, your existence has been altered beyond recognition.

TO BE CONTINUED

GLOSSARY

Ao kostagon jikagon - You can go

Gundjabo - Prostitute

Ñuha Dārilaros - My Prince

Naejot Māzīs - Come Forward

Lyriri - Calm down

Nyke - I

Daor - Not

Sȳz - Good

Taoba - Boy

[mywitchyblog]

Hi there! i just wanted to say thank you so much for writing so many in depth essays that really delve deep into the concepts of shifting. I'm planning on going through all of them today lol they are very interesting. I have a question in regards to age changing, and before I ask, I have nothing against age changing, I am simply curious : could you maybe expand on the age changing for exploitative reasons and what would those reasons include? Does experiencing young love only stop at love without carrying into intimacy? what if someone ages themselves down, and shifts to have both romantic and sexual experiences with minors? questions like that. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Part 1: Fetishistic and Exploitative Reasons for Aging Down

When discussing the reasons for aging down in a Desired Reality (DR), it’s essential to acknowledge that not all intentions are ethical. Some individuals might engage in age changing with motivations that are exploitative or fetishistic. Here are specific examples:

1. Fetishizing Youthful Sexuality:

Example: A person might age themselves down specifically to engage in sexual experiences that revolve around the idea of being "young and inexperienced." Their focus is on scenarios that highlight the novelty or innocence of youth, driven by an attraction to these aspects. This is a clear example of fetishizing youth, where the motivation for shifting is to indulge in sexual fantasies centered around being younger.

2. Manipulating the Age Transition:

Example: Some individuals might script themselves to be a minor in their DR and plan to shift back to their Original Reality (OR) or change the DR as soon as they or others in that DR reach 18 or 20 years of age. The motivation here is rooted in fetishizing youth. As soon as the characters are no longer minors (18) or no longer teenagers (20), they lose interest and shift back because it no longer fulfills their fetishistic desires. This indicates an unhealthy fixation on the age transition itself rather than on a genuine experience.

Important Distinction: It’s essential to note that this is different from those who shift to a teenage-centric DR and return to their OR once the "main plot" or storyline has ended. In the latter case, the shift back is about completing a narrative or experience. Correlation does not equal causation; simply shifting back after a storyline ends is not inherently fetishistic.

3. Scripting Power Imbalances:

Example: Normally, when you shift, your awareness and maturity align with the age you have scripted in your DR. However, some individuals might script themselves to retain the awareness and mindset of an adult while being in the body of a minor. This allows them to manipulate or dominate younger characters in their DR by exploiting the power imbalance. The intention here is deeply unethical, as it involves using shifting to control or exploit others who are genuinely experiencing life as younger individuals.

4. Regressive Fetishism:

Example: A person might shift to a much younger age, such as a child or pre-teen, to engage in scenarios that involve being taken care of or infantilized in a way that aligns with regressive or age-play fetishes. Here, the focus is not on healing or reliving childhood in a meaningful way but on indulging in fetishistic fantasies that involve exaggerated age differences and power dynamics.

Part 2: Valid and Acceptable Reasons for Aging Down

In contrast, there are many legitimate, valid, and even therapeutic reasons for aging down in a DR, including for romantic or sexual reasons, provided the intent is healthy and respectful. Here are some examples:

1. Healing Past Trauma:

Example: A person might age themselves down to relive a stage of life where they experienced trauma in their Original Reality (OR). By shifting to a DR where they have a loving and supportive environment, they can heal from past wounds and experience a fulfilling, nurturing childhood or adolescence that they missed out on. This process can be deeply therapeutic, helping the shifter process and overcome their past.

2. Reliving Missed Opportunities:

Example: A shifter might choose to become a teenager in their DR to experience aspects of life they missed in their OR, such as participating in high school sports, attending prom, or forming close friendships. This intention is about exploring personal growth and enjoying life experiences that they couldn’t have in their OR, rather than focusing on relationships with minors or sexualizing the experience.

3. Exploring Innocent Young Love:

Example: Some people might age themselves down to experience the innocence of young love, which can include romantic relationships that are not centered around sexuality but rather on emotional connection and affection. The intent here is to experience or relive the purity and excitement of first loves and youthful romances, which can be a wholesome and fulfilling experience without any exploitative motives.

Extended Scenario: Some people age themselves down and script a romantic and sexual relationship that begins when they are minors or teens and continues well into adulthood. In this sense, they are not "shifting for a minor" but for a romantic relationship where they grow up with the person they love. This approach focuses on long-term connection and growth, not on fetishizing youth.

4. Nostalgia and Exploration:

Example: A shifter might age themselves down to explore a time in their life with a sense of nostalgia or curiosity. For example, they might want to experience what it would be like to go back to middle school or high school with the knowledge they have now, not to exploit others but to understand and appreciate that stage of life from a new perspective. This can include forming friendships, engaging in school activities, or simply enjoying the simplicity of youth. The intent here is reflective and exploratory, focusing on the richness of life experiences rather than on any fetishistic or exploitative motivations.

5. Long-Term Romantic Relationships:

Example: Some individuals may script a romantic and sexual relationship in their DR that begins during their teenage years and continues as both individuals grow into adulthood. The intention here is to experience a deep, enduring connection with someone as they both navigate different stages of life together. This kind of age-down scenario is focused on the development of a long-term relationship, emphasizing the journey of growing up with a loved one, rather than on any fetishistic attraction to youth.

6. Persisting Shifters with Original Intentions:

Example: Some shifters may have started scripting their DR when they were much younger, with a love interest who matched their Original Reality (OR) age at the time. Over time, even as they grew older in their OR, they continued trying to shift into this DR without giving up. Their original intention may have been to experience romance or even sexual experiences as a minor, but now, it’s more about fulfilling a long-term goal they’ve been committed to for years. Their persistence is not about fetishizing minors but about finally achieving the reality they envisioned when they were younger. It's more about fulfilling a long-standing personal desire rather than an inappropriate attraction.

Conclusion:

The distinction between valid and exploitative reasons for aging down in reality shifting is crucial and lies primarily in the intention behind the shift. Ethical reasons for age changing revolve around personal growth, healing from past trauma, exploring missed opportunities, and experiencing life stages in a meaningful, respectful manner. These motivations focus on genuine emotional connections, nostalgia, and the pursuit of long-term relationships that evolve naturally within the Desired Reality (DR).

Conversely, exploitative or fetishistic reasons involve a problematic focus on manipulating age dynamics for personal gratification, often centered around unhealthy fixations on youth, power imbalances, or regressive fantasies. Such motivations are unethical and misalign with the respectful, introspective practices that should guide reality shifting.

Ultimately, shifters must engage in deep self-reflection to ensure their actions are driven by healthy, positive intentions. By doing so, they can maintain the integrity of their shifting practice, fostering experiences that are enriching, respectful, and aligned with their personal growth and well-being.

P.S : Ultimately, this is why I don't judge people who choose to age themselves down in their desired reality (DR). If people can age themselves up for romantic or sexual reasons, why is the opposite—aging down—considered "prohibited"? This double standard shouldn't exist because, in both cases, individuals are simply shifting to a reality where they have always been a certain age.

Some are quick to "call out" shifters who age themselves down, labeling them as creeps or worse, without acknowledging that teenagers often shift to a DR where they are married with kids and then immediately shift to a DR where they have a 16-year-old high school sweetheart.

Both sides of this issue should be subject to the same level of scrutiny. In the end, every reason for shifting can be boiled down to the desire for experience. As humans, our desires for different experiences vary widely.

As I've said before, I don't care if someone who is 50, 20, or 16 decides to age themselves up or down, as long as the relationships they form in their DR are based on love, appreciation, and mutual respect. Who am I to judge? Are they harming their significant other or treating them like an object? No. Then I don't care—do what you want to do. Plus those realities are alwaredy existing those event you scripted ? they already happened are happening and will happen regardless if you shift there or not.