#but still acts like she does and Healer wants to break through that and make her admit it

[milfbrainrot]

I feel like Healer and Knower probably have had some weird sex that's actually about fighting over views on the allmother without having to outright voice those views

[stubz]

Storyteller

"Hello Max, I'm here to surprise Pollix with a early pick up."

"Oh how nice, although I don't know if he'll want to go right now."

"Why not? Is he in the middle of a game?"

"No, its story time."

The tighalax smirks. "You really think he won't want to come because of 'story time'?" he laughs.

"Just look and see." the human smiles.

The teacher leads the giant feline being through the child centre to a corner where a colorful and beautiful plush carpet lays on the floor. Not that you could see it as it was covered by sitting younglings. All entranced by the human standing before them telling them a story rather animatedly and loudly.

"Pollix, lets go." calls Dux, looking at his cub.

Not even a glance.

"Pollix."

An ear twitch but still no look.

"...Pollix!"

The whole class looks including Kim.

"Oh, Pollix, your dad is here."

"Papa, not yet! The story isn't done." whines the cub.

"...you want to finish the story?"

"Pollix wants to finish the story! Jax and Morgana are fighting the monster now!" cries Nova.

"...is it almost over?"

"Oh, um, almost but, Pollix I can tell you the rest tomorrow-"

"My Papa says its okay!" Pollix cries interrupting Kim

"...is it okay if I...?" trails a very embarrassed Kim.

The tighalax nods and actually goes to sit next his cub. The sight making Max snort as the 8 foot tall feline like being towers over the younglings. After he settles in and Pollix snuggles in on his Papa's lap he gives Kim the okay to continue.

"...story teacher!" whines the children, their teacher taking too long for their liking to continue the story.

"Oh...right...okay then." she mutters, face red from nerves and embarrassment. This was the first time a parent saw her tell a story.

"...the monster roared at our heroes, swinging his mighty axe down at them. Flung into the air our hero, Jax, is grabbed by the giant's fist and thrown into the monster's mouth." The cubs gasp as the human acts out the catching their hero. Her voice slowly getting louder again.

"NO!"

"What does Morgana do?!"

"Is he dead?!"

"Morgana, seeing that the villain ate her friend charges at him as soon as she lands. Her sword drawn and ready, her face angry, eyes full of tears, and with a mighty cry leaps at the giant." She begins to act out the story, going back to her story telling enthusiasm.

"The monster in turn swings his axe at her, with her in the air it will definitely hit her. The axe hits Morgana and she falls to the ground badly hurt...but not without killing the beast. At the last moment she gathers all her magic into her sword and throws it at the giant monster, piercing his evil heart!" cries Kim, thrusting her hand out as if she had just thrown the very sword.

"...and then..." whispers Nova.

"The monster fades away, revealing a hurt but alive Jax. Seeing Morgana he drags himself to her and they hug, happy to see each other again. Even if they're both not in one piece. The healers arrive and the two head home where they continue the rest of their adventure together, as they were always meant to be. The end."

The cubs cheer with most asking for another story.

"No, no more stories for today. Let's give Kim a break, okay, she's already told you 4 stories." Max ushers the kids towards the toys.

"That was a very good tale teacher Kim, I never knew Earth had such interesting history."

"Hmm? Oh that wasn't our history."

"A legend or folktale then?"

"No, just a made up story."

"Ah, could you tell me the name of it? I would like to read it to Pollix at home, it sounded very interesting."

"Oh uh, I actually just made it up." the human smiles.

"You made it up!? How long ago? Must have taken you ages." Praised Dux, tail flicking in excitement.

"Actually I just made it up now, I make the story up as I go."

"...you make it up as you go...y'know that offer to quit your job and join my pack still stands right? Our planet and culture greatly value Storytellers such as yourselves, you could even make a great living if you worked for me."

"Thanks but I don't think I could ever do that, I hate public speaking!" grins the human.

"...but you just-"

"Children are the exception."

[adainesjacket]

Happy Friday and welcome to DADWC! How about “I just want to be close to you. As close as you allow me to be.” for Handers?

happy friday, thanks for having me! this snippet is set after the DA2 quest 'dissent'. @pinkfadespirit @dadrunkwriting

m!hawke/anders, hurt/comfort(ish), 718 words

"The lamp isn't lit, messere."

Hawke turns his head, frozen in the act of knocking on the wooden clinic door. A girl too young to be out in the dark and the cold stares at him, arms folded, a cross expression on her little face.

"I know," he says unnecessarily. "I just-"

"If the lamp isn't lit," she continues, staring him down, "the healer is not available."

"Yes, but-"

"And he needs to rest."

"I completely agree with you," Hawke says quickly, before she can interrupt him again. "One hundred percent. But he's my friend, and he's not come out in a few days, and I just need to check on him. Okay?"

This mollifies her, but only a little. She chews on her lip as she considers him. "You're really his friend?" She asks after a moment.

"I am," Hawke agrees, and hopes that it's still true, just as he'd hoped that giving Anders Ser Alrik's papers would have calmed him, just as he'd hoped that they could breeze past this 'unfortunate incident' like he breezed past everything else. He had been a fool.

"You'll make him rest?" The little girl presses. "We're all worried about him."

"I'll try my best," Hawke promises, and only when she finally huffs an assent does he raise his fist back up and rap on the door. "Anders? It's me. Can you open the door? Please?"

There was no answer, but Hawke knew better than to give up on the first try. Especially with Anders, the stray cat of a man.

"Anders," he tries again. "Please. I want to help."

He's elated when he hears shuffling on the other side of the door, but moments pass and Anders does not speak or let him in. Hawke looks around to see if the little girl is still listening, but she has vanished into the dark.

"So this is where you give up?" He asks, softer in tone but loud enough that Anders can hear him through the heavy wood door. "One mistake, one scared but unhurt girl, and the embodiment of Justice locks himself away?"

"Stop it," Anders says, and his voice is rough and raspy but oh, it is such a relief to hear him. "You shouldn't be here, Hawke."

"What, because the lamp isn't lit? People are worried about you, Anders. I'm worried about you. Will you please let me in? If I break down the door I think the good people of Darktown will string me up."

"No," Anders says, sighs, really. "Hawke - what do you want?"

You, he thinks, desperately. I want to go back to how we were before this happened. I want to flirt with you, and trade barbs, and watch each other's back. I want to get my boots out of Darktown puddles, come through this door and hold you so tightly you forget how to hate yourself.

"I just want to be close to you," he says, instead of all the messy words his heart would rather put in his mouth. "Because you need company. And if this is as close as you'll allow me to be…" The cobbled street is cold, damp, and uninviting. With a silent apology to Orana, he sits down on the stoop of the clinic, his back to the door. "I'll just wait here."

He hears the sound of a body sliding down wood, and knows that Anders is mirroring him, that they are sat back to back, unable to look each other in the eye. Somehow he feels closer to him than he ever has before. But Anders doesn't say anything more, even though Hawke can still hear his breathing beyond the wood, and occasionally a sob.

"Messere."

Hawke, cold and half-asleep, jerks his head up to see the little girl has returned. She's carrying a clay mug of something steaming.

"Broth," she says, thrusting it towards him. "From my mother. The healer helped her with her leg, last summer."

Hawke takes it gratefully, frozen fingers curling around the warm clay. "Give her my thanks," he says. "And get yourself in the warm, okay?"

She nods. "Will you stay with him?"

With his free hand, Hawke traces the grain of the wooden door, imagines Anders's hand doing the same on the other side. "I will," he promises.

[waterfire1848]

An AU where Zuko is not burnt but only to sent to find the avatar.

Hello, anon!!

1. When Zuko is born, he’s not as horrible a firebender as he is in canon. Not Azula level but still not horrible. His father has a bit more respect for him and sees himself in Zuko. A son who does could have great potential if he’s allowed a chance to show it. This makes Ozai and Ursa put off having another child for a bit. Instead, Azula is born when Zuko is five years old. (Zuko: She’s really small. Ozai: Yes, she is, but she has the strongest firebending potential I’ve ever seen. Zuko: Oh. Ozai: Zuko, when I am not around I expect you to monitor your sister and make sure her firebending is progressing as it should. Zuko: I will, father! Ursa: Zuko, do you want to hold her? Zuko:…..Will she break if I drop her? Ozai: Maybe help him.)

2. Canon proceeds as it normally does, Ursa leaves to protect Zuko and Azula and Zuko grow up in competition with one another. Azula is really young but she’s eager to prove herself to her father and he’s made it clear that she can only do that by being the best firebender. Because of her skill, and at such a young age, Ozai focuses more attention on her and Zuko grows angry. (Yes, 13 year old Zuko is fighting with a eight year old). So angry that, during a dinner, he messes with Azula and accidentally causes her to burn herself in front of everyone and causes her to blind herself in one eye. (Zuko: AZULA! Azula: 😭😭😭 Zuko: Azula! I’m so sorry! Can you look at me? Zula? Azula:…. Zuko: Lala, please.) Because Zuko caused the Princess to be burned in front of everyone (and in such a childish way that will affect her bending) Ozai has no choice but to act. He doesn’t scar Zuko because he still doesn’t want both his children to be damaged but he has to give Zuko come kind of punishment. His choice? Send him to go capture the Avatar.

3. Zuko leaves before Azula wakes up but he orders the healers to send him a letter with any update when it comes up. Iroh, who still lost Lu Ten and fled BSS, comes with him because he believes that this could be a chance for his nephew to see how horrible the Fire Nation is. Zuko heads out on his journey but his mind is wracked with guilt. He can’t get over the fact that he hurt his own little sister that much. Zuko’s guilt gets so bad to the point that he doesn’t even want to find the Avatar because he doesn’t think he deserves the throne. Not only that but the healers eventually wrote him a letter saying Azula is blind in one eye and her hearing is badly damaged. (Zuko fears what his father might do now that his prodigy is damaged). He allows the men to keep looking if they wish, giving them the royal symbol so they can go wherever they want and then he and Iroh abandon the ship. (Iroh: Are you sure this is what you want, nephew? Zuko: I am. Lala- Azula got hurt because of me. I can’t rule a country after I did something like that. Iroh: What happened was not your- Zuko: It was. I messed with her routine. I tried to get her to mess up but she-she was just supposed to fall down. The fire wasn’t supposed to….what would mother think? Iroh: Zuko- Zuko: I need to do this. I deserve this.) Thus, Zuko begins a new life as Li the Earth Kingdom peasant.

4. Many years pass, Zuko goes from 13 to 16, and while there is occasional news from the palace, he doesn’t hear much. Last he heard was that Azula was declared Crown Princess despite her injuries and would inherit the throne when Ozai died. (Zuko refrained himself from sending her a letter). One day, while he’s out at the market, Zuko hears people talking about someone claiming to be the Avatar are traveling the world. Originally, Zuko doesn’t think it’s anything. He thinks this person is probably just some decent waterbender or something and ignores the news but he stops being able to ignore it when the Avatar crashes through his roof. Zuko and Iroh help shelter him from Fire Nation citizens and Aang introduces himself as the Avatar with Katara and Sokka landing Appa a few minutes later. Iroh, despite Zuko’s desire to keep hidden, tells them who they are. Sokka and Katara don’t really want to be anywhere around Fire Nation royalty but Aang just sees a potential firebending master and asks them to come. Against his will, Zuko goes with them and Iroh decides to stay behind to look after their home and keep the village safe.

5. (Zuko: So….what have you guys done so far? Aang: We just left the North Pole! Katara and I learned waterbending there. Zuko: So you’ve mastered air and water, isn’t earth next? Sokka: You know a lot about the Avatar. Zuko: I do. Katara: I have a question: why is the Prince of the Fire Nation hiding in a village. Zuko: I…I just can’t go home right now, so it’s better for me to stay hidden. Sokka: What did you do? Bow incorrectly? 😂 Zuko:….Something a little different.) While the group is flying through the Earth Kingdom, trying to find Aang an earthbending master, they meet three people in Omashu. Zuko is so shocked to see Azula (who’s 11 at the time along with Ty Lee. Mai here is 15.) again when she walks up next to Ty Lee and behind Mai. Azula doesn’t recognize Zuko right away but she does when he starts to bend. Surprising, Ty Lee and Mai, she abandons the Avatar and goes after Zuko instead. Zuko’s been living on a farm for the last few years and Azula has been training to become a weapon despite her injury (one guess as to who wins when they fight). Azula comes seconds away from burning Zuko herself but is stopped by Appa saving him and Gaang flying away. Zuko looks over Appa’s saddle at Azula as they disappear and continue into the Earth Kingdom while Azula gets Ty Lee and Mai ready to hunt down another target.

[dark-elf-writes]

Iron Bull dragged Annabeth away. He's the biggest and he remembers a similar incident a few years back on Seheron he doesn't talk about. She's screaming, and begging and it can't be. Can't be the end. She can't have lost him like this. Haven falls and her screams echo louder then ever.

(when he comes back, she drops to her knees praying to the gods. Later she grabs him and kisses him and begs him to marry her.

He's hers and she will make people know it. She can't lose him. Never again)

In the end it’s decided that Dorian and Bull will go with Percy and Annabeth to the final trebuchet. Thalia, Grover and Thalia try to argue, try o go with them, but there’s too many wounded, too many dying, and the evacuation group need as many heavy hitters can be spared. Between Nico and Thalia they have ground and air coverage (and fuck those lighting bolts and massive cracks in the ground are next level magic that makes Bull itch) and their little healer friend already looks almost dead on his feet as he runs from one cot to another, stabilizing those that need carried and tying the final bandages on those that can walk. They need to stay back. Need to help the evacuation. None of them like it.

(Percy doesn’t try to convince Annabeth to stay back. No one is brave enough to suggest it when they see that dragon bone sword of hers and the cold look in gray eyes.)

Still Percy smiles and twirls that odd sword of his. “You’re acting like this is my first siege. I got this.”

He’s scared. They’re all scared, really, but for kids they hide it better than anyone Bull has ever seen. Better than some soldiers. Better than the whimpering veteran (ex Templar it looks like. Glorified guardsmen, not meant for assaults like this) Will is shoving a potion into before herding him off to join the others.

Bull can respect it. He also hates it.

The tamassarins would love to get their hands on these kids, bas or not. Warriors born and bred. Unflinching in the face of death.

Why does the idea make him want to roar?

So only the four of them head for the trebuchet and resolve to make the Templar bastards fucking choke on Haven if they want it so bad.

Annabeth takes a hard hit from the lumbering behemoth of red lyrium that was apparently once a human. It’s only the Vint’s quick barrier that keeps her bones from clapping in impact. She still hits the snow with a shriek as Percy takes the final blow. Bull waves the kid off before he can run to her, already moving to lift her.

There’s no time, and He’s the closest to the trebuchet. It needs to be aimed, and strong as the kid is Bull will be able to move faster carrying Annabeth if they need to make a break for it.

And they do need to make a break for it. Percy gets the damn thing aimed at the mountain just in time for the dragon to come back.

A wall of blighted fire separates Bull, Dorian, Annabeth from Percy. A hulking darkspawn walks through the flames like they’re nothing, focused only on the glowing green light of the kid’s hand.

Bull can do the math. The Vint can too by the way he sucks in a breath and curses when he sees the splinters that were once his staff.

Percy does the math in his own it seems, looking at the darkspawn, at the fire and the dragon, at the horizon cold and empty showing the others were still running. Then he looks at Bull and nods. His sword is missing. He looks so damn small compared to the bastard stalking ever closer. He does not waver.

Bull wants to roar. Wants to rip that fucking darkspawn to shreds. Wants to haul the kid out with his bare hands.

But it’s three lives to one, and Annabeth has done the math too.

“No!” The girl screams, twisting with more force than Bull anticipated for her size and with her injuries. “No! Percy!”

“Bull,” The Vint gasps, drawing in the dregs of his magic without a focus and hefting the girl’s sword. He will run back in, Bull realizes. Will give his life to get the kids out. Against his will, Bull feels a flash of respect.

But he knows how this goes.

He adjusts his grip on Annabeth in one hand, snags the back of the Vint’s robes in the other, and runs.

The girl screams the whole way, beating on his arm until he will be covered in bruises and calling him every name under the sun until her voice breaks and shatters. The Vint is kind enough to cast barriers over him so she can’t do too much damage. Bull wishes he wasn’t. Wishes he could feel the full force of her blows. Wishes she had that damned sword in her hands so she could run him through with it.

They make it to the last stragglers on the path and keep running. Annabeth rights the whole time. Fights until the flare is set off and the avalanche comes down.

He will never forget the scream she let out until the day he died. Will never forget how she finally wrenched free of him and collapsed into the snow whispering prayers through her sobs. Will never forget the haunted looks on the other kids’ faces as one by one they joined her.

(He doesn’t let their little healer tend to the scratches and bruises covering his arm. The kid doesn’t push all that hard anyway instead resting glowing hands over Annabeth while she prays.)

Bull finds his boys and sags to the ground by them. Only Krem is brave enough to press a hand to his shoulder.

[wetcatspellcaster]

I love your work so much! Thank you for giving us the DVD commentary. I’m so torn picking a scene from your fics but I landed on this one.

“Astarion made to step towards her. Rosalie made her decision, and raised the poker higher, making him pause. Then, she stretched her left hand out in front of her.

“But I was thinking back to the olden days,” she said, keeping her eyes on him, where he stood warily back, clearly worried she was going to hit him again. “About how I used to just jump off things, and break fucking bones, and all I would do is take the pain. Then I'd turn to Shadowheart, and I'd ask her to heal me.”

Astarion’s brow furrowed, and before he could get it Rosalie gritted her teeth, and pivoted so her free hand rested on the edge of the sideboard. Hey, if I break more of his furniture, it’s an added bonus, she thought - and then she bought the iron poker down on her wrist.

Magical items were often, for all intents and purposes, indestructible.

Wrists. Not so much. Rosalie often swore her bones felt more brittle these days.

“NO!” Astarion cried, as she herself shrieked, and raised the poker, and bought it down again.

Two hits was enough, but she managed three before her vision started to spot and blacken at the edges. The hand was a pulp, the bracelet remained a perfect silver circle. The skin started weeping blood, which was probably not a good call, in the ol’ vampire mansion. Still, needs must. Rosalie could practically feel herself fighting a giggle.

As she raised her hand to examine it, magic came flooding back exactly as she had been hoping. Why did the bracelets come in pairs? It could’ve been Astarion’s weird aesthetic preferences, but then, if it was, she would’ve expected some chains there in the mix as well. She figured there must be a reason both wrists were bound.

The pain roiled through her like nausea, and one of the shackles fell away from the meat of her limp, flattened fingers.

She started to swoon a little, and Astarion was suddenly there, right next to her, his arm around her waist, holding her up before she could black out and fall to the floor.

“Look what you’ve done to yourself,” Astarion said, sounding genuinely horrified. “What does this achieve, darling? You can’t cast spells without both your hands, and it’s not like you can hold the poker and get the other wrist. I’ll need to find you a healer. What if you’ve prevented yourself from ever casting a spell again? You love your magic. Oh, dearest heart, good gods. You act like I’m worse than the devil himself.”

“Don’t need the other wrist,” she panted, imagining a world where she could stick around enough to vomit on his clothes as promised. “The only somatic gesture I need, is this.”

She dropped the poker with a clatter, raised her good hand, gave him the finger.

Then, she shouted the verbal component for Dimension Door, and winked out of existence. Astarion was left grasping on air.”

Hey anon, thank you for being kind and wanting to play the ask game with me!

I am genuinely trying to remember now if in Howl's Moving Castle and subsequent books Sophie ever chased Howl with a fire poker. I'm trying to remember if I truly imagined this or read it in a fanfic or whatnot. Anyway, regardless of whether I invented this scene from HMC or not, book Howl/Sophie was the energy I was bringing to this scene lmao.

My characters took a lot of fall damage in BG3, truly just short resting every time we took a stealth route in Act 1 bc I was not wasting spellslots on Featherfall. Anyway, the entire concept of fall damage but also just healing makes me think adventurers in particular would be way more at peace with grievous bodily harm. Poor Shadowheart.

The antimagic bracelets are a homebrewed magic item from my D&D game! They negate anything that counts as a spell or magical effect. Fun fact: in my D&D game, my players confronted a hot evil wizard man in his office and through a series of checks (including a Nat 1 dex save from him) they just put the bracelets on him. They entirely negated combat and instead plunged themselves into the true struggle of every D&D party: an awkward conversation. With a man shackled by jewelry.

The brittle wrists thing is autobiographical. I already feel like a glass canon bag of twigs so I imagine in my 40s my wrists will be the first thing to go.

That being said, I have no idea if hitting your hand a few times at full whack would actually do anything or have any of the effects I describe, it just sounded cool at the time.

A few comments (that I've yet to reply to) have noted that Astarion's final speech here is very hypocritical, and it absolutely is. He took away her magic, he's suddenly worried she'll never have magic again... But at his end, he knows that the antimagic bracelets are temporary. He only needs to take her magic away until they've sorted out this wee understanding and she's no longer going to use it to fireball him. He wasn't planning on keeping her magic from her forever, just until they finish their conversation... etc. Meanwhile this is a permanent consequence, and that idea horrifies him.

Dimension Door only has a verbal spell component to be cast, and thank god otherwise my plot would've been literally in tatters! I'm so glad 5e made it easy for her to get away

This is also foreshadowing, bc Astarion says that people can't teleport in and out of the house but then Rose succeeds... seems like, mayhaps, she's the exception to the rule ~ x

"You act like I’m worse than the devil himself.” You see, not to stand in Ascended!Astarion's corner for a brief second, but maybe when you now hang out with vampires and devils and go the Hells every once in a while, your relative curve for morality gets thrown off, and while other people are horrified by your behaviour all you can see is how much worse you could be, and how much worse you've seen other monsters act...

DVD commentary ask

[claire-starsword]

The Guardiana Magic School Run - Part 6

Manarina time. As you might have heard, this is a weird place.

The weirdness includes having a hidden Demibuster on its walls. I'm fairly sure there are no more dark dwarves to fight, and this sword is already outclassed by the Middle Sword. Why is it here.

It can be sold for money I guess, but even that has a catch. Special items like this go to the deals section when sold, to make sure you don't lose them forever. I'm unsure if filling the deals section this way messes with the generation of random new deals. So I'm a bit afraid to do it, but on the other hand the deals section hasn't done much for us lately. We shall see. Right now we have more important things to do.

New party member.

Our beloved ice queen sadly starts out as like, a lesser Tao, and not just because of the level difference. She has less HP overall, the squishiest of defenses, and will take longer to learn AoE spells, because she gets Freeze before Blaze level 2. Freeze will be a great spell to have later on due to greater damage and range, but this and the next chapter are like, chock full of undead enemies immune to it, so yeah, not great!

The Steel Rings have always had her name on it, so Tao gives two to her, and now they both share a 7 in defense. Anri then swaps weapons with Khris, ensuring I won't have to spend money on a Power Staff, because Anri does not need one, I do NOT want this woman in the front lines ever.

We then get a very important egg, say hi to Arthur in the laundromat, and briefly return to Rindo to buy Medical Herbs for Anri, as Manarina has no shop. Hilariously I'm exactly 1 coin short of buying more than two herbs. Anri also gets the Antidote I've found last chapter, even though I generally feel healing is more useful.

I'm not very worried for this battle anyway, so I'd say preparations are complete. We head to the Cavern of Darkness.

The clear bonus is just money and I'm not too concerned about it.

We start greeted by two zombies, and compared to the four zombies of last time I don't care. Poison can be an annoyance but thankfully this time Lowe can reach people to heal them. And the zombies are so slow basically everyone can get into position before they move. And by position I mean Gong and Max will be tanking everything as usual.

Except they won't, the zombies don't even get the chance to act as the mages finish them off. Very nice for Anri to get the exp, and Tao also levels up, both her and Gong are a level above Max actually, I didn't notice that. She learns the Sleep spell, which I don't think I've ever used in any game in the series, but this is the magic school run so maybe we'll show it o- haha i'm kidding who cares use fireball and only fireball

Turn 3 opens up to a little more excitement, I though enemies would stick to blocking the bridge but one Sniper got spicy, Max remains irresistible I guess. Beyond the bridge there's like, five bats and you know that can get annoying, especially since they can cross through the water. My main concern as usual is the mage with its big damage, but Snipers also have a chance of picking my squishy people from afar so I want them gone as well.

Gong continues to massacre.

The Power Staff debuts amazingly, I even regret sending Tao after this guy first because this would have been a one hit kill.

Max counter kills the first bat that goes for him, because I guess he's still pissed off at the last battle. Sadly he doesn't do that for the second one, so we're still stuck on the bridge in annoying ways. The zombie also poisons him, because this man can't take a break.

Yeah he's not happy.

Turn 5. I was too afraid to send anyone ahead after Gong and Max killed the zombie blocking the bridge but Max countered the bat in front of him so we can move on now. He's also no longer poisoned thanks to Lowe, though he does need some healing.

Khris gets to him and earns a great level up for her troubles. Lowe is the only healer missing Heal 2 at this point. It's worth mentioning that Heal 2 is even more useful here than in the mega drive, as it heals 20 HP as opposed to 15, and has the same range as Heal 3. Kind of an exaggerated buff, honestly.

Anyway, the bats get wiped out without much problem, mostly by Tao, with Anri getting a kill in which is nice. Their spells cannot be dodged so they're the best to deal with these pests. We now head to the worst part of the battle.

These three mages can kill any force member at this point if they all focus on the same target. Even just two Blazes can be deadly. Of course, they're still easy to kill and hardly move, so it's matter of timing the approach to kill at least two before they act.

Gong and Max manage it just fine in the next turn. Since we're nearing the end, I'm start spamming heal spells for exp, though some real healing will need to be done too as one mage survived. Lowe in particular has tons of MP and the Skeleton doesn't move, so I'm still confident.

...never mind the Skeleton does move. And it's beefy enough to finally do more than one damage to Max, even if still not concerning.

Max also takes less than half of its HP, something that hasn't happened in a while. See the game is not a complete cakewalk to the magic school, we're just still pretty good. Also, Max has leveled up twice in this battle but got only one or two stats raised up, so it really seems like his godly level ups are a thing for the beginning only.

Also, the Skeleton stats claim it has no magic resistance, but Blaze 1 did only 6 damage which I find a bit weird. Still, we have two mages so it was enough to end this, and luckily Anri is the one to reap the exp and her first level up.

No HP, no defense, lots of magic, it's a very squishy wizard level up for sure.

Fairly sure I had turns to spare, at least this time I did expect the battle to be easy.

Besides the plot mandated Orb of Light, this cavern has lots of other loot. There's a spare Power Staff, which I can give to Tao in case of emergency I guess, a Voodoo Staff which is not as good and has the issue of being special enough to go to deals when sold, guess for now Anri can have for emergencies too, a Medical Herb, nicely filling Anri's final item slot, and more importantly, the Power Ring. This thing has someone's name written all over it.

Arthur has finished his job and can join us now! He's uh, not off to a great start. His HP is on par with Anri's (derogatory), his defense is around the ring wearing spell casters here, not ideal for a melee fighter, and his attack is lower than the priests, though that might say more about the priests than anything. Anyway, the next battle is full of new stronger enemies and a boss with an overpowered spell, and I have seen this man die as his very first action multiple times, so while it's fun to still get to play a knight in this kind of run, I'm not thrilled for this beginning.

We can try to make it better though. Let's head back to Rindo. And get immediately side tracked by the deals section.

The Zombie Charmer is an even stronger staff than our current ones, with extra damage to undead enemies. It was likely made for the Shade Abbey battle but still useful to deal with the plentiful of skeletons in Chapter 3. However, I'm fairly sure it is the clear bonus of the next battle, so we don't necessarily have to spend this much money to have it. Even if it would be very rad to have two.

It's a tough decision between it and the Charm Rings, but given that I'm worried for the next battle, and the rings can be useful for the whole rest of the run and are limited to this chapter, I'm think I'm going for them. The deal will still remain here for Chapter 3 if I need it.

Back to Arthur, I buy him a Spear to give him range, and hope the Power Ring compensates for the drop in attack. It actually does leave him with 18 attack which is 1 more than he started, so it should be fine. Now I just need this man to never be touched by an enemy in his whole life.

I then buy a couple Medical Herbs for him as usual, and a Charm Ring for Max. Max now has 23 HP and 32% magic res, which I hope means something against the Marionette. I considered giving it to Lowe since he has the Doll Hater, but he has little defense and that thing packs a punch physically as well, so do the minor Mishaela minions as well. The circus battle sucks. I hate relying only on Max for everything, but he feels like the only guy with enough HP for the magic resistance to matter.

That's all preparation I can do. Next update we find out who lives or dies.

Losses: 0 Deaths: 1 The expected deaths on Narsha interludes: 0/3

[luxmaeastra]

The bickering was like driving a nail through his skull. He glared at Narcissus.

"Why did you bring Aleksander here? I do not want my father's office destroyed Narcissus."

Narcissus appeared unbothered. He grinned at him.

"Don't you know I thrive on chaos Rhysand? And -"

"Alright that's enough. I wasn't aware I'd be speaking with an audience. But welcome to what I assumed was a private conversation."

Viren moved through the room squeezing Rhysand's arm as he passed. He looked to Azriel as he sat down and leaned back in his chair.

"Why is a witch who is possibly the most hated person of this entire war in my healing wing? Why is it I hear you swooped in and brought her here Azriel?"

Azriel clenched his hands turning from his twin.

"She's my mate. I couldn't just let her die there."

Viren stared at him, even with the angle of Azriel above him he rose an eyebrow. He had long ago learned realized power was weild subtly not overtly.

"Congratulations. But why is she in my wing?"

He held a hand and leaned toward him, his elbows on his desk.

"No I'll speak plainly. Why should I care for your mate. She is a liability one that Night does not need."

Azriel's jaw clenched and his hands gripped the back of his chair. He didn't know if it would work but maybe he'd get something out of it.

"I could walk. Leave and gain employment elsewhere. Her continued allowance to be here ensures I am too."

Viren admired the boy's courage. Foolhardy as it was.

"I could send her away, I could force you to kill her. I could do a number of things to make you comply Azriel. I own you body and soul. But fine, let's say I indulge your ridiculous request. What does she give me? I will not keep someone in my court or around my children who serve no purpose. Unfortunately she is not here to vouch for herself. So give me a reason to let her live."

He was under no illusion he could make that call. But he didn't think Azriel knew that. The healers and Sarai manned the healing wing. Still he didn't like their resources going to someone who was ostensibly an enemy 12 hours ago.

//THE WAR!!!//

The turmoil the war had brought to all courts, the unease and unrest that lapped at distant borders and those closer to home. The instability within the witch lands was not one that was easy to ignore, but for the longest time, it had been kept from Night. He supposed until now, until he brought her here.

Yet, what else was he meant to do? What did Viren expect? Would he not do the same for his mate if she was put in the same position? A bitterness snaked within Azriel as he stared at the male before him, the same bitterness he felt towards his own twin brother at that time - who allowed his own mate to lead to his mess.

Privileged and spoiled, how would they feel if it was taken all from them like it was nearly taken from him? His jaw tightened slightly, the images of some of the things he wished would befall those they cared about at that time. Would Viren cry and break over the bodies of his mate and daughters? Would Aleksander take his own life if Anastasiya was no longer there?

Azriel caught the sight of alarmed eyes staring at him, a look of shook within Rhysand's eyes - of course he was in his mind at that moment. He hadn't cared for his siblings before now, so why so much shock? Maybe he did have a heart despite how he acted.

"She can teach," he finally spoke up. "I know magic lies in the blood of your mate, her sister Isbeth was well known before her death. How many of your children were born with magic that you have not trained? Would it not be better for them to learn? If that is not enough, she is skilled in fighting and is just as skilled with the spy network."

[pearblossommina]

ToG Read-A-Long, Tower of Dawn, day 2

Ch 6

“to completion”

Gosh this hurts my heart. So much of sex is focused on a man’s orgasm, anyways. Especially for a young man, like Chaol. He probably feels so inadequate, and I feel like that was the worst come-on imaginable. I just love her for offering, for being willing to love him and treat him like she always has. Chaol needs someone like her. But this whole “completion” thing - I feel for him. I think the most important thing right now is just making sure they both enjoy themselves. Don’t put so much pressure on the act of an orgasm, male or female, I can’t think of a worse way to make a sexual encounter feel like an obligation instead of just letting it be as fun and meaningful as any other part of a relationship.

I also get the vibe this prince is kinda flirtatious with Nesryn. We love a flirtatious prince!

But uh, I’m growing to like Nesryn a lot. And I don’t want to see her break Chaol’s heart. I mean, she can do what she wants, she can flirt with a prince and go for a breathtaking ride on a ruk through the skies of Antica - she should be able to do that, she should be able to enjoy herself, and flirt, and fall in love - and I want her to. I want to see her live her best life, believe me, I do. But i’m a little bit obsessed on Chaol, lol, and I need to see him be treated with kindness and love.

Ch 7

Ah political intrigue, and peacocks and posturing.

I’m not sure how to feel about Chaol being obsessive over Nesryn, lol. I know I just stood up for him in the last chapter but he was being kind of possessive and mean in this one. She’s Captian of the Guard, and she’s strong and capable, and this is her family and her home. Probably their dynamic needs to change a little bit. Mutual respect, yeah.

I’m glad her family is okay.

I’m glad she’s not in eminent danger.

Ch 8

There are… too many new characters lmao I’m having such a hard time keeping them straight.

One prince wants to be with Yrene and one prince was flirting with Nesryn. One prince was posturing politically to Chaol. One princess is a lesbian and she’s friends with Yrene and likes to go out drinking. My ability to focus is so strained right now for this.

"There are choices in my past," he said tightly,

"that I have come to regret. But I can only move on - and attempt to fix them. Fight to make sure they do not occur again."

That’s right baby! Good for you Chaol! You still fight for a better world, and for a better you! Never forget that you are a hero - you are my hero!

This chapter was so touching, ugh. Yrene is gonna be a hell of a healer someday, but she does need to work on herself. I think agreeing to work with Chaol is going to end up benefiting both of them.

Ch 9

“Indeed, some small part of him hoped Yrene would stay away, if only to avoid what she so heavily implied they'd also be doing: talking.

Discussing things. Himself.”

This is the book where Chaol gets therapy

I love this book, lol

The little dinner scene is good and helps me kinda get more familiar with all these characters.

I like Hasar the most, surprise surprise, Maddy latching onto the only sapphic character

Ch 10

“She knew that face, gaunt as it was. Knew the golden-brown hair, nearly the twin to her own. The healer from the Womb, the very one she'd comforted only hours earlier -“

WTF

Who’s sucking out souls in the library???? What entity - is it a valg - this is BS, we’re all over here without firepower and magic (except healing magic) HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO FIGHT SOUL SUCKING DEMONIC FORCES

I’m very upset about this

[mysticaltora8276]

1. Wait I have to explain? You really don’t understand media literacy do you?

2. oh no, he kissed her without her consent twice. And she’s kissed him multiple times without his consent. Doesn’t that make her awful? Or does it only count when Aang does it?

3. Favoritism towards Tenzin. He just took him on trips and it comes off less of blatant favoritism and more of him trying to impart the last of his culture to someone who can truly empathize with the fact that he’s an Airbender. Bumi and Kya even admit that he was a great dad, even if he was flawed.

4. Oh no, he doesn’t eat any of the meat provided. It’s almost like they are equally respecting the fact that Aang doesn’t eat meat and find alternatives for him to eat that are still linked to their culture. Does that mean that if you don’t eat piece of food that is integral to the culture that you’re disrespecting them? Well then don’t ever eat any foreign food whatsoever. Because you’re disrespecting your culture then…. Your logic makes no sense and fun fact there are vegetarians in northern Native American tribes. For whatever reasons. Epic fail with understanding, cultures or character building.

5. Oh no, showing that thing true to your beliefs and morality is somehow bad? It was made of abundantly clear that Aang wasn’t going to kill the FireLord. Roku said, beating the fire Lord everyone else assumed that meant killing him. And sticking to your guns is a very mature and selfless and brave thing to do. I don’t know if you follow with faith but sticking into your faith and following it regardless of the fact that everyone’s tells you that you shouldn’t be doing this is an incredibly difficult and hard thing to do and I applaud anyone who does it. Clearly you don’t understand what truly means and I feel sorry for you.

6. The comics are written by a variety of authors who interpret the source material. The actual creators have maybe like a slight handed it. In the nation, it seems as they get the characterization and the cultures down much better. Probably because they learn from their mistakes and trusting people who have a, interesting viewpoint about certain relationships.

7. Trophy wife? Being the healer of the southern water tribe is somehow bad? Look, I wasn’t thrilled about the older guard being sidelines so that way they are kids could make stupid mistakes, but it made sense for Katara to settle down to be a healer. She wanted to end the war and she made her mark on the world and she taught the next generation of water benders. That is what she wanted to do preserve her culture. And I’m not sure why getting married to the man she loved and helping him through struggles and help raising children is somehow bad. So so let me get this straight if she were doing that with Zuko it’s OK but Aang somehow it’s not?

7. Well, yeah, he feels guilty about it because he’s a decent person. Also, it makes sense. He lost his entire culture in his family. Katara and Sokka are the only ones he has left so of course he wants to hold onto them. But when he realizes that he was wrong, he makes amends for it, even if it has a negative consequence on him. You know people say that he had lacks empathy, but I’m getting the impression that it’s projecting your own lack of empathy for a genocide survivor. Fun fact, emotions make people act irrationally and sometimes people get hurt. That’s human not something to demonize someone else for. But yes, that’s right. It’s OK with Zuko gets emotional, but Aang never get emotional.

8. We’re getting on the subject of relationships did neither of you people notice that Zuko literally is possessive over Mai so much so that he picks a fight with her that pisses her off that she breaks up with him? Why is it OK when Zuko messes up, but when Aang messes up his flaws are magnified and exaggerated to the point of parody?

What I adore about the idea of Katara ending up with Zuko instead of Aang is that in Zuko she would have someone who would support her in her righteous anger. Had he been there when Katara challenged Pakku for her right to learn how fight, he would've backed her up. He would never have tried to tell Pakku that she didn't mean it. And he would've offered to help her dispose of his body if it came to that.

That's the energy that Katara needs. Someone who understands that she's not jumping into a fight for nothing. If she kills someone, she had a darned good reason.

[nightly-ruse]

Overly complicated Ashstar Au: Part 1

(Spans over TNP, PO3, TBC. In this I don’t think OOTS would happen since the conflict is changed and AVOS would happen but in a shorter span of time, in like a super edition or short series)

Inspired a lot by @lockandkeyhyena ‘s au! Go check him out he’s making a animatic currently and it looks awesome for his ashstar au. Part 2 here!

Bramble becomes deputy of TC like in canon, he and Squirrel are mates but problems ofc are there bc he doesn’t like Ashfur and he’s her friend. But Squirrel doesn’t trust Hawkfrost and Bramble is being a little pissy boy about it, punishing her a lot. Very toxic already. (For technicality’s sake I’m saying he trained Whitepaw while Ash trained Birchpaw)

While Ash is now dating Hawk he does still have this attachment to Squirrel. And definitely hates seeing how Bramble treats her.

Hawkfrost crafts his plan to test his brother, either he kills Firestar or he betrays him and if he does then Ash is to leap from the bushes behind him and knock him out. What they get planned for was Brambleclaw attacking Hawkfrost. Caught in surprise he couldn’t roll out of the way of the stake going through his chest. Ashfur is horrified and leap out, but he has to act fast so he rescues Firestar who was coming back from receiving his life and told him that Bramble was working with Hawkfrost to kill him and become leader just like Tigerstar did! Fire is shocked but remembers Tigerclaw doing the same to Bluestar so long ago so he denounces Brambleclaw as deputy and makes Ashfur his deputy instead.

Squirrelflight is obviously horrified, she suspected Hawk of being untrustworthy but never her own mate. She breaks up with him and cries to Ash about it, who can’t help but love that he’s the one she turned to. Though ever beat of his heart reminds him of Hawkfrost. He felt this airy love and warmth with him. His hatred to Bramble is solidified even more. Now Brambleclaw is treated as a cat in their clan, not a clanmate but just there. And Ash makes sure to make his life even harder by giving him many unwanted chores, keeping him away from Squilf, and always making him do Dawn and Dusk patrols.

A bit after this and still reeling from the shock of her ex mate trying to kill her father she agrees to go with Leafpool, and immediately takes in the three for her. When she returns she never states who their sire is, some believing it’s most likely Brambleclaw and she just didn’t want to associate him with her kits. But Ash, looking at the small gray spotty tom with soft blue eyes can’t help but wonder what if their his? Immediately he feels unsure but keeps up the act of a uncle figure to them, helping out when Leaf isn’t there since she’s always so cold to him.

Squirrelflight asks her dad to make one of them apprenticed to Ashfur, a gesture by her to show she cares a lot about him helping her raise the kits (tho it’s purely platonic on her end). As such he gets Lionpaw, the overly ambitious, quick to act, and roaringly loud young cat just as his namesake. While he does try to be a good mentor Lionpaw is a handful and he gets real tired of the guy, sometimes being a bit too harsh though he tries to be nice. He does notice the toms fighting skill and learns that battle training is the best way to keep him interested.

Then he overhears it, walking back to drop off his squirrel and take a nap, he hears whispering form the healer den. Curious he gets closer and sneaks forward to hear. Inside Squilf and Leaf are talking in hushed voices about the three. “We should tell them Leaf it’s not right to keep them in the dark! Plus their almost warriors.” He hears in a anxious tone from Squilf though Leaf’s reply was sharper and clearly a no “Squirrel if anyone finds out who really fathered them I’ll lose everything, they’ll hate us don’t you know? Their whole world would break if they knew!”

He jumps back and drops off the squirrel, shaking the bristling down his spine and trying to stay cool. Too emotional he takes a walk instead, going down to the lake to think. Ash knows they aren’t his now. The little hope of a life after feels like it was shattered. All he can feel is the anger bc if he’s not the sire to them, then their Brambles. The cat who killed his mate here at the lake and hurt Squirrel. Sorry excuse of a mate for her at all when they were together. She chose him? Anger fuels him and he wants vengeance. He would make them feel the pain he did at losing everyone around him.

(For note, no Squirrel never “chose” Brambleclaw over him this is deluded thinking that she is his and any relation to him would be cheating. She didn’t and she is completely innocent just trapped in the crosshairs of two horrible nasty guys who like to control her)

He gets a flaming branch, one he found while checking camp after it was struck by lightning and brought it to a bramble bush near camp, where he tossed it to start the fire. He plays up being the deputy by helping everyone out, going in to ‘save’ the remaining cats who he knows are just Squirrel, the three, and Bramble.

There it is. The three trapped, Squirrel having trouble to push the branch to them. He helps but before they reach the other side he pushes it over, hanging them over the fire on this teetering branch, any moment able to catch on fire and crash them into the fiery flames below. Squirrel shrieks “What are you doing?!” And he just scoffs as he hold the branch steady. She can’t push him away or he’ll lose his grip and the branch will fall along with the three shaking cats she called her kits.

He screams his feelings out. He hated them. He hated her. But most of all he hated the blood that ran through them from their monstrous father. He’s about to lift his paw and let them plummet but Squirrel says the truth. They aren’t her kits. They aren’t Bramble’s most definitely. She took them in because their mother couldn’t. She raised them as her own but she wasn’t the one to kit them. The three are shocked, Ash is surprised. But he can’t let them die now. They don’t deserve that. They didn’t lie or share any blood with the cat who murdered his mate. And they just learned their mom wasn’t even their blood mother. He lets them over, Lionpaw saving Squirrel from a branch as they fled that tried to fall on her but they all make it out with few burns.

None of them speak of what happens as he crafts his plan to hurt the one who really deserved it, not some kits who were innocent of it all. He’s at the river, staring at its moonlit reflection. Memories of laying on his mates back as they floated on the waters surface (like otters), the bright eyes his frosty eyes look at him. He’s swirling his paws in the light when paws slam into his back, pushing him into its depths. He can’t breathe. The waters filling his lungs. But he wasn’t weak, pushing up he launches the cat off his back but they quickly bounce back to finish him off. They wrestle, the only discernible feature of his attacker being hostile glowing green eyes. He’s pinned as claws sink into his throat. He’s about to die. But he can’t yet. No matter how much he missed Hawk he couldn’t see him till he fulfilled what they couldn’t.

“I know who your parents are! I know who really kitted you!”

[cassynite]

For the PWOTR asks: 4. What were the pivotal/defining moments in your KC's playthrough? 14. What is your KC's backstory? 15. What do they do after the game? Bonus question: how does their story/life end, if at all?

Aaaaah thanks so much for the ask! These questions were all really good (sorry it took so long to respond!)

4. What were the pivotal/defining moments in your KC's playthrough?

Becoming Knight Commander: Sparrow's motivations are forced to change at the beginning of Act 2. While dealing with Kenabres she's not considering herself a leader and side-eyes anyone who implies she is one. She has plans to get the fuck out as soon as the fires get put out once she learns that the artificer she came to Kenabres for is dead; she was going to be gone after the party at the end of act one, disappearing without a trace.

Galfrey inadvertently catches her before then, and while Sparrow thinks it's the silliest idea in the world to put a complete stranger in charge of an army, it's hard to say no to a queen who's been fighting demons longer than Sparrow's been alive. Sparrow doesn't want to rock the boat and furloughs her departure--she'll leave after she (somehow) takes Drezen, then after the issue with Wintersun is resolved, etc. But because she's actually good at the job (she has a strong mind for tactics and anticipating contingencies) she ends up doing very well; this, coupled with her growing powers, allows her to stop seeing the Crusade as a duty she needs to play along with until people's backs turn and she can slip out, and start feeling like a place she might be safe.

Daeran's birthday party conclusion: Sparrow is not a fan of Daeran early game--she's attracted to him, he pokes her buttons deliberately to try and gain a reaction (and often succeeds), and worst of all they'd crossed paths when she was pretending to be Evaethi in Mendev. He's a walking liability to her on so many fronts and if it weren't for his abilities making him such a powerhouse healer she would have avoided him like the plague. She would have fought on his behalf to let him go when Galfrey conscripted him if she'd had the spine to do so at the time. The fact that he turns out to be surprisingly hardworking and is capable of making her laugh is secondary to the fact that she's never sure just how serious he is about anything, if any of the kinder or more passionate aspects she's seen are just fronts, or if he's just making her into a joke.

His past makes Sparrow feel like she understands him a little better. She's able to identify how lonely and isolating the trauma of what he went through and the presence of the Other has made him, and she connects to that. It doesn't make her immediately turn around and like him, but it does make her more receptive to his gestures of friendship and, later, courtship. Daeran's romance can quite literally be described as life-changing for Sparrow but she never would have engaged with him if she hadn't learned about what had happened.

Being captured in Battlebliss: This was literally Sparrow's worst nightmare come to life. She had just clawed her way out of slavery, her powers and her new position finally affording her the ability to escape the chains she'd had on since she was eleven. To be collared again, with no obvious escape...she has a major, though brief, breakdown that not even the Hand can help her out of. It's not until Zeklex offers to help her escape that she's able to calm down a little and focus on breaking out. Still, even successfully breaking free leaves Sparrow cagey and uncertain; it is in its aftermath that the party learns about Sparrow's history as a slave and as a body double because she can no longer hide her reactions from them.

Choosing to remain an angel: Sparrow spends the majority of the game outright deferring to other people's opinions and desires, or pretending to follow along with what other people want to keep the peace. It's a struggle for her to openly say no to someone, and when she's standing between the patron goddess of the crusades and a demon lord, it really should be common sense which person in the argument she should be siding with. But she likes being an angel, she likes how her powers and her presence have a tangible positive impact, and she finally feels safe enough to begin to express herself. Choosing to follow with Nocticula's plans--with whatever Areelu wants--over Iomadae's warnings is kind of the final stand Sparrow needed to really start to learn how to exist as herself. If she can openly defy a goddess's wishes, she can say no to anyone.

Daeran's confession/proposal: Sparrow is all in on her feelings by the time the party gets yeeted into the Abyss, but she's never sure if Daeran feels as intensely as she does, or if he even would want to. The final show of trust that is Daeran's post-quest conversation solidifies things for Sparrow: this is it, he's not going to leave or run away or hide, what they have is permanent. He wants to marry her--she finally lets herself believe that she might get to keep this. It's basically the moment she allows herself to be happy without reservations.

14. What is your KC's backstory?

I tried not to write a novel...this was shortened three times I'm so sorry

Sparrow spent her early life in a cliffside house in Dehrukani where her older brother raised her. Her parents had disappeared so early in her life she no longer remembers them; she only knows that they were wildlife researchers who had gone on a trip that they never returned from. Her brother, Crow, was considered a child prodigy and was taught by an engineer from Alkenstar, and worked in Dehrukani designing various large-scale buildings and projects that implemented the crystals found commonly in the country. When Sparrow was about eleven, the two of them made a trip north to Alkenstar to visit Crow's old mentor, and are attacked on the way by slavers. Crow is left to bleed out on the side of the road and Sparrow is captured to be sold.

She was eventually purchased in Cheliax by Lord Gregoriath of House Arvanxi, a distant cousin of the main line in a house that has fallen out of favor with the queen. While House Arvanxi is currently seen as a laughingstock, Gregoriath anticipated the possibility of the crown coming down heavy on the family in time, especially if the current frivolous head of house was ever replaced with someone who had more political acumen. A man obsessed with his bloodline, he purchased Sparrow for the purposes of protecting his only heir, Evaethi--an aasimar girl with a passing resemblance to Sparrow. When he introduced her to the Chelish court later that year, he would instead present Sparrow, and would use her as a body double for Evaethi whenever it was convenient. The plan was to use Sparrow as a sponge for any possible assassination attempts until Gregoriath secured a politically stable or beneficial position for his daughter, and then swap them out so his daughter can continue his legacy.

Sparrow spends significant amounts of time learning the mannerisms and habits of Evaethi, expecting to dress like her, change her appearance to better match the young lady, and even answer to the name "Eva" at all times to avoid slip ups. She gains an education alongside Evaethi, learns history and art and politics and dance, and when Evaethi takes a passing interest in swordsmanship and then in magic, Sparrow becomes skilled in both. Deliberately isolated from other staff, Sparrow ends up spending most of her days at Evaethi's side and develops a feeling of kinship with her--two years younger, and sweet if very flighty, Evaethi treats Sparrow like an older sister she can bully with impunity but also with affection. Sparrow becomes protective of her.

Gregoriath is not a kind master or a kind father; he sees both girls as his property in one way or another. Evaethi also has the added misfortune of being wonderful on a horse but nowhere else, which draws her father's disappointment and ire. When, at fifteen, Gregoriath flies into a rage at Evaethi's antics that leave her in tears, Sparrow shares her private plans with Evaethi: the careful markings she'd made of the guard rotations in the household, the contacts she'd established in nearby Westcrown, and the money she'd ferreted away to disappear. They could run away together, and find somewhere where Gregoriath couldn't hurt them. They could be free.

Evaethi immediately tells her father of the escape plan, and Sparrow is punished, with a rune being embedded in her skin that allows Gregoriath to track her wherever she goes.

When Evaethi is nineteen and Sparrow twenty-one, she ends up volunscripted into going to Mendev as part of a political ploy in court, with Gregoriath remaining behind but making it clear he would be keeping tabs on his wayward daughter. He expects something useful to come from this, even if it has to be a marriage to some out of the way Mendevian noble. He'll come up with something; now that his original plans for Evaethi are dust, he'll find some use for her. On the way there, Evaethi leaves in the middle of the night with only a short note for Sparrow to find--she's done with Gregoriath's plans, so she's going to disappear and live a life of adventure.

Sparrow does not have the luxury of running off the same way, not with the tracking rune. So she adapts; she convinces the servants in the retinue not to immediately report Evaethi's departure, to slowly pay them off once they reached Nerosyan so they would disapper entirely. As soon as she steps foot in the country, she plays the part of Evaethi at all times; the Chelish nobility who were there for diplomatic purposes only ever met Sparrow if they had come across "Evaethi" at all, and she writes regular letters in Evaethi's handwriting to Gregoriath to keep him believing that she is doing her best to try and establish connections in Mendev. Meanwhile, she is frantically trying to find someone who can break the magic in the tracking rune, all while scraping aside enough money to pay off whoever she does find. It takes her two years, but eventually she has everything in place. She leaves messages for the remaining servants telling them they should probably run, gets together her funds, and sets off to Kenabres. Rest is history.

15. What do they do after the game? Bonus question: how does their story/life end, if at all?

Aaaah I'm not totally sure about this one yet! I've done playthroughs where Sparrow ascends and ones where she doesn't. I think both work for her character. If she ascends, I imagine she spends a lot of time using her powers to help heal the damage the Worldwound and the century-long war has caused on the land. Areelu would ascend with her and Sparrow has some feelings about it, but she also spends time with the woman when she isn't with Daeran. Beyond that, I think she becomes the kind of goddess that anyone who feels trapped, oppressed, or hopeless can call out to for aid.

If she doesn't ascend, she marries Daeran and becomes Countess Arendae, and spends most of her time in Drezen. Her desire to run away and disappear is gone now; Drezen is Her Place, and she works to make it somewhere where people can be safe, happy, and free to pursue their dreams. Drezen didn't declare independence during the Crusades but it was a near thing, and its new importance as a military and cultural center in Mendev means she ends up coming up at odds with Galfrey in Nerosyan often. Beyond that, I don't have a lot of concrete ideas; I do know that Daeran takes her on trips often, and they rarely are out of each other's company for any extended length of time.

[hrokkall]

Okay I got several people egging me on so here we go.

Scrybe Classpecting below the cut (both for length and to prevent psychic damage):

Leshy: Maid of Blood

Class isn’t set in stone here, but... hey. It’s nearly two in the morning and we’re just going for it. Active class; maids create/create through their aspect and start the session with a surplus of it. Though perhaps unintentionally on his part (as he’s zeroed-in on the story rather than wasting time picking apart bonds with a microscope), he does manage to temporarily mend the rift between the other scrybes by positioning himself as the antagonist (and, in a literal sense, “creates” more blood by turning them into beasts as opposed to the menagerie of parts they were before).

Aspect wasn’t intended to be a reference to his game mechanics, but… hell, if it works out that way it works out that way. I was going to make him a heart player, but… heart tends to be a focus on the self/sense of self rather than the “heart of the story” as he would be. Blood is unity, in a sense, and... is that not exactly what he tried to do? A single unifying thread for the storyline, bending the rules only for the sake of flavor as opposed to what makes sense (and getting upset when his bent rules/general unbalancing were overridden by Kaycee).

Blood players also tend to be pretty good leaders (whether intentionally or not) which… is definitely shown in canon. In Act 3, though admittedly out of necessity, he’s pretty damn easily able to band together with the other two Scrybes that hate his guts (albeit with a common goal of destroying the fourth to reset, but... technicalities.)

Also blood players’ interpersonal relationships tend to be a disaster which. Do I need to elaborate on this. Even if you ignore the semi-canonical divorce he literally turns the only other beings on the planet that sort of understand his plight into wild animals.

As a final note, he’s really the only Scrybe in canon to have formed an actual relationship with a Challenger. P03 sees Luke more as a tool, the others confiding in him only as dying company. But based on the logs in Kaycee’s mod, the two were genuinely friends, and he expresses remorse when pulling her deathcard in game. Hell, they were close enough that he prevented the premature death of their world via Kaycee being unable to destroy the disk because he was on it. Wild. Anyway, moving on because this is getting lengthy.

Grimora: Witch of Doom

Witch... I feel like this is a given one. Active class, death motif, association with secrets and even-tempered personalities that give way to extremely powerful abilities. Plus, the class name also fits with her whole necromancy motif: while not being a formal spellcaster like Magnificus is, she still does have magical associations in the realm of the undead. Plus, witches tend to break the rules of their aspects a little bit. Doom is, fundamentally, an ending. Yet, despite being worn to bone and rotting flesh, Grimora and the denizens of her crypt are all very much alive even if she’s not a healer in of herself.

Doom is... similarly cut and dry. Not only does she (literally) bring about the end of the world, but she also seems to be the only one truly aware of what the OLD_DATA is (whether it be via Bone Lord proximity or just a general awareness that it is something that is so much larger than themselves and using it for their own gain is selfish at best and actively malevolent at worst). Fate’s chosen sufferers, but bringing with it a surprising amount of empathy (misery loves company, after all), albeit in a fatalistic fashion. Doom is sacrifice and... she (tries to, anyway) sacrifices the lives of everyone on the disk to prevent the “greater evil” from spreading.

I... don’t think there’s much to elaborate on this one, really. Little shorter in comparison to Leshy’s class analysis but this one I’m more confident in.

Magnificus: Mage of Light

I wanted to make this guy a seer. Legally I should make this guy a seer. But seeing as fucking no one knows what Mages’ deals are that seemed… pretty fitting. Also having an entire session full of active classes is… really fitting of the Scrybes. Not to mention the fact that each mage is (at least implied to, if memory serves) have given up one of their five senses. Magnificus loses an eye, which has to count for something. Still, a mage seems to have total control over their aspect in exchange for their plight, which I’ll touch upon later.

The aspect was a lot trickier for this guy, but I ended up settling on light. Fundamentally, Light is the aspect of knowledge. Seeking and seeking and digging deeper no matter the consequences just for answers’ sake: a very “ends-justify-the-means” sort of aspect. Even though Magnificus tries to obscure his intentions, a rapid pursuit of what will ultimately only hurt himself and those around him for sake of power is exactly what he’s doing. Light also has associations with seeing the future and luck: while the latter is absent, the former is a pretty damn big aspect of his character as a whole.

The only non-light trait he shares is his fundamental unwillingness to share this information with others (though it might not be unwillingness so much as “physical inability”. He does, after all, try to tell the player a bit about what’s going on... only to disappear from the game entirely unless he’s challenged at the end). Even his students are purposefully kept in the dark, ironically enough, but I’d be willing to argue that this ties into the mage class. Total control over an aspect means both giving and taking away. Deliberate obfuscation is just as much a “light” trait as it is a “void” trait, especially in the case of the Scrybes which... fundamentally are examples of these classpects at their very worst. In Magnificus’s case, an example that because he was willing to make vast sacrifices for knowledge that others must be willing to do the same for their own abilties (which obviously Isn’t The Case and wouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all solution regardless, but Magnificus chooses to deliberately ignore that because he can see the outcome).

P03: Knight of Breath

The Knight. Puts up a façade. Knows more than they let on. Ultimately uses that knowledge to protect either their aspect or themselves. Now who does that sound like. (Plus, two knights in canon are shown to have problems with alternate versions of themselves which… fits P03’s relationship with G0lly to a T.) (He could be a Prince too though tbh but this analysis is going to interpret him as a knight because. I’m not re-doing it. This shitpost has gone on long enough already).

Opposite aspect of Leshy because they’re foils. I was going to make him a mind player (which also fits pretty well) but as knights tend to ghost their aspect with their façade… I cannot in Any stretch of the imagination see P03 acting like a heart player. He does, however, put up the façade of a blood player—Leshy in particular. Hell, it literally builds bastardized caricatures of the other Scrybes and itself to seize a sense of complete leadership (as opposed to making its worker bots into bosses, which just presents too many damn variables. It wants to lead, sure, but having to forge bonds in order to get others to trust it and therefore follow its commands? Yuck. It’ll settle for making OCs instead, thank you.)

But mostly, breath is the aspect of someone untethered. Someone who sees themself as completely “distant”. They’re all code, yes—P03 is most familiar with this concept, arguably—but he is still different by design. Ironically enough, the others all need to breathe. He can hear it in the wheezing of Magnificus’s lungs, in the rise and fall of Leshy’s chest rustling the foliage racing down his back. Grimora doesn’t need to breathe anymore, but that doesn’t stop the rise and fall of her chest in sighs of relief. ...Quickly realizing this is veering into Prince territory again with the whole “lack thereof” an aspect. Lack of a freedom they all so desperately want to attain, but with P03 being the only one willing to ignore the repercussions to do so.

They have an invalid session obviously (because of lack of Space/Time players; not that they’d know that) and profusely blame each other for that fact. But even if they did have the required time/space player it wouldn’t work out anyway because they’re the scrybes from Inscryption. Doubtlessly remaking the world in their collective image wouldn’t appeal to them, and it would end up in an artificial stalemate over whose concept is objectively “the best”. They’d work together to defeat the Dersian royalty and that’s about it.

Bonus points: Kaycee and Luke would be space and time players respectively. I mean. Come on. Kaycee quite literally had a hand in creating their world, and with Time’s association with death... yeah. Luke would be a page though because he’s a fucking idiot. I say this affectionately but also because he’d never really reach a full realization of his abilities (which is almost certainly for the best). Kaycee... no idea. Maybe an heir? I like the concept of them being passive classes in contrast to the scrybes’ Four Active Class Shitshow.

[barry-j-blupjeans]

32. "you could have died," Magnus and Julia? if ur open to it

32. “You could have died.”

((50 dialogue prompts - send some in!!))

--

Magnus Burnsides was one of the most annoying people that Julia knew. Annoying in a way that Julia had never seen before. He was arrogant at times and tactless to a fault. His pride in himself was unmatched. All of that, in itself, made Julia grind her teeth. She didn't know how her dad put up with him for so long every day. But, even worse, there were moments were Magnus could be good. The times he'd zone out and get a distant, dark look in his eye. The way he talked about protecting people who couldn't protect himself. The gentle, soft-spoken side of him that rarely came into public eye.

But goddamn, he was still so annoying even if he might have been a good person deep down.

"I don't know why you're so upset!" Mangus said. He was sitting up in the cot now, thanks to their healer. His face was still bruised and his arm had definitely been broken. The hand that wasn't in the sling was gripping the bedsheets in a fist as he talked.

"You had explicit instructions to stay out of it," Julia snapped. "What did I say to you before I left?"

"To stay in the workshop," Magnus said. "But I can-!"

"You can't anything!" Julia said. "You're new here, Burnsides, so I'm going to break it down for you. A revolution is not just fun and games. We have been training and fighting for years and you almost screwed up our first big act of resistance. You can just waltz in here and expect to save the situation just because you want to!"

"That's not what I was thinking!"

"Then what were you thinking!?" Julia demanded. "You could have died in there Magnus-"

"I would have been back, anyway!" Magnus shouted. Julia paused, eyebrows scrunching together. Magnus sunk a little bit back into the cot, his tight grip on the sheet finally relaxing.

"What... what does that even mean?" Julia asked. Magnus shook his head, pressing his lips into a thin line. "Burnsides, if you actually want to fight, then you have to answer my questions. What does that mean?"

"I don't know!" Magnus said. He raised his hand up to his head, pressing his fingers against his temple with a wince. "That's not- I'm not lying, Julia, I don't know why I said that."

"Is this part of your memory issues?" Julia asked, a little softer.

"I don't have memory issues," Magnus said.

"You-" Julia shut her mouth, thinking about the last time she had tried to argue that, yes, he absolutely does have memory issues. She sighed, coming over to the cot and sitting herself down.

"I know I don't think things through," Magnus said. "And I'm realizing now that, yeah, I should have at least asked to join the fight. But I promise you, Julia, I'm not trying to make things worse." He sat up a bit. "If you let me join, then I'll do whatever you ask. I won't even argue with you about cleaning the wood dust up in the shop. I just... I hate seeing people like Kalen get away with so much. So when I realized what everyone was planning to do, I wanted to help. I swear to Gods, I won't fuck up like this again."

"I'm not letting you off the hook because you're injured," Julia said. "And there's no way in hell you're gonna be on the frontlines like that again any time soon."

"That's fair," Magnus said. "Does that mean you're letting me join?"

"We're starting you small," Julia said. "Both to give you time to heal and because you owe us for what you did. I need help organizing stuff during meetings. Not planning anything, just putting stuff away properly. Do y'think you can handle that, Magnus?"

"Yes!" Magnus said immediately. "Whatever I can do to help, I'll do it. Kalen needs to be stopped and I- I trust you to do that, Julia."

"You trust us to do that," Julia corrected and Magnus nodded eagerly. "Let's get you to work, then."

[phoenixyfriend]

For your suddenly omegaverse au what exactly happened? Like I think obiwan and Anakin hop over from cannon verse to omegaverse but I am unclear on if there already existed obiwan and Anakin in omegaverse. Did they die early or do they just not exist or are they just not force sensitive and therefore not a part of the order? Is there still a sith conspiracy around Anakin?

Context: Original Post, Surrogacy, Worldbuilding, Obi-Mom, Soap Operas

So, from the original post:

There is no preexisting Anakin in the Omegaverse

Obi-Wan and Anakin just straight up don’t exist until they drop headfirst into the council room, already covered in blood.

To clarify: There has never been an Anakin Skywalker in this AU. There has never been an Obi-Wan Kenobi.

They don't know this for sure when they land in the AU, though. All they know is that the Jedi have no record of either of them. They figure, well, maybe they just got lost in the shuffle. Anakin wasn't found until he was nine, after all, and that was only by great coincidence.

The rest of this post has almost no mention of the omegaverse elements, FYI.

Warning: References to the Tusken massacre, explicit sedation and isolation of a mentally unstable individual threatening violence.

I don’t want to make light of institutionalization and involuntary holds, but Anakin is a character with a history of violence talking about repeating such an act, and that’s... a bit of an extreme case.

------

It's not that hard to convince the Temple to let them run a mission that lets them stop by Tatooine or Stewjon. Anakin cares a lot more, so Tatooine it is! Obi-Wan can tell there's something sketchy going on with Anakin's particular anxiety about this, but he rolls with it. Anakin was very specific about the timing for some reasons, and at this point, it's easier to just let it all play through.

They go well after the whole “congrats, you’re omegas... somehow,” thing has happened, a month or so before Geonosis would have happened. Obi-Wan has managed to help the council sabotage and delay the Separatist side of the war enough that they’ve gained... maybe a few weeks, maybe a few months. Just a little more time to keep a few more people alive. Nobody’s reached out to Kamino yet, and Jango isn’t staging a failed assassination to draw someone in, either. They’ve bought enough time for Anakin to spend his vacation time checking in on his mom seeing if he exists here, and Obi-Wan can go with him.

They get to Tatooine. They wander about, and Anakin doesn't actually explain where they're going, but takes them straight to where the Lars farm is. Obi-Wan lets Anakin tell him that it was the Force that led him to the right area. Anakin can sense that his mom is in there, and Obi-Wan chalks up the relief from his former padawan to 'she's here and we don't have to look for her.'

Anakin is... panicking. Just a bit. What if he shows up and it turns out this reality's Anakin is off doing something completely unrelated and she realizes he's the wrong person? Or what if she doesn't recognize him and he calls her Mom anyway? What if he fucks up and says something stupid or just starts crying on her? She'll think he's insane.

Obi-Wan... takes over.

Anakin stays hidden, listening. Obi-Wan knocks on the door, and asks if there's a 'Shmi Skywalker' in residence. Someone in town mentioned her. He explains that he has a young friend of about twenty years--they're not sure, exactly, because the friend doesn't know his own birthday, but it's about there--who happens to be a Skywalker, and they're trying to see if they can reconnect him with a parent. They don't have much to go off of other than the surname... the Shmi that lives here wouldn't happen to have ever had any children about that age?

No. She hasn't had any children of her own blood, actually, her only child is her stepson, but she'd be happy to meet this other Skywalker, if he's in the area. It's always nice to find family, and connecting with those that were separated from you is a big deal on Tatooine. She's not going to look a gift bantha in the mouth.

(Cliegg, dear, put down the rifle.)

Obi-Wan promises to let his friend know, bids them goodbye, and goes to find Anakin.

Anakin is having a bit of a breakdown.

As one does.

Anakin insists that they stick around for a bit, that they do what they can to protect the farm, because that's his mom, even if she's not really his mom, and Obi-Wan can tell there's a Lot Going On here. He assumes it's because Anakin's upset his mom doesn't know him, which is a little irrational on account of their two options being "Anakin doesn't exist (and so Shmi doesn't know him)" and "Anakin does exist (but Shmi doesn't know this Anakin, so she still doesn't know him)," but Anakin's not a very rational person.

Obi-Wan thinks tamping down the current crisis is probably a little more important than chastising Anakin's attachment issues, mostly because Anakin's hands are shaking, and he's looking a little wild-eyed, and like. Obi-Wan's not great at dealing with Anakin's many and varied emotions, but he's learned at some point when it's best to just... roll with it Until There's Less Risk of Stab or Sobbing Laughter.

He helps figure out some minor fuckery with the Force to hide the family in the homestead behind them from visitors, and to warn them to hide when someone comes by. It’s not a lot--mostly just meditating and asking the Force for a helping hand--but it’s nice.

Except, well, Anakin keeps fidgeting. He keeps panicking. He has them coming back almost daily for a week, always too scared to talk to his mom but insistent on protecting her, and always looking at the calendar. Obi-Wan wants to get back to the Temple, but whatever the actual hell is going on with Anakin is too big to just ignored.

A specific day comes and goes. Anakin is a mess of jitters and nerves, and finally Obi-Wan asks just the wrong (right?) question, and... they visit Shmi.

Anakin says they can talk later, he just wants to see his mom One Last Time.

(Obi-Wan is getting more and more worried, but he sits through the incredibly awkward meeting between Anakin and his alt-universe mom, watches as Anakin has no idea what to say and almost cries, and Shmi just kind of lets him do that and Beru--a sweet girl, Obi-Wan thinks, and very practical--tells him that this is all very normal for reunited slaves.)

(Obi-Wan wonders if maybe there’s some stuff Anakin never told him about how being a slave affected him.)

(Obi-Wan had thought they’d moved past most of this, but..)

The meeting ends. There’s hugging.

They get back to the ship, and Obi-Wan gets to watch Anakin fall apart. Obi-Wan gets to watch Anakin cry and scream into a pillow, hyperventilate and nearly punch a hole in the wall as he rages about how it was all for nothing! Obi-Wan gets to watch Anakin break into a million pieces in a way he’s never seen before.

Obi-Wan gets a confession.

Anakin tells him about the Tuskens.

It’s not an easy conversation. It’s not a short conversation, either. Anakin’s full of pain and misery and rising guilt, talks about how he’s been asking himself if it would be easier to keep his mother safe if he just killed them all now, except Obi-Wan would know, and be disappointed, and sure the Chancellor had said that they were little more than rabid animals, but Anakin doesn’t think he can kill the younglings again when his mom is still fine, and--

Obi-Wan sedates him.

He wants to say that he’s not proud of this, but... Anakin isn’t well. Anakin isn’t well in a way that is currently, specifically, revolving around doing extreme violence. Anakin is talking about going out and committing a slaughter as preventative maintenance.

Anakin stays sedated until they get back to the Temple, and he’s put in Force-suppressant cuffs--Obi-Wan quietly tells them to use something that can’t be sliced or taken apart by a droid specialist, and to avoid collars because Anakin was a slave for nearly a decade, and has a lot of traumatic associations--and in an isolated room.

It’s not a cell. Not technically.

He can’t just leave, though.

Obi-Wan hates himself for it, just a little. He doesn’t want to be doing this, not to his padawan, his brother, his son, but... a massacre. Even the younglings, he’d said.

(“He said he didn’t think he could do it again,” Obi-Wan mutters, half to himself and half to the mind healer that asks for his rundown of the situation. “I think he knows it was wrong, but...”)

(But he still did it, of course.)

It’s... better than Obi-Wan feared, but worse than he hoped.

Anakin is emotionally unstable. He has been, for a long time, but he’s usually functional. When the mind healer isn’t directly poking at his worst wounds, Anakin can more or less pass for... not okay, necessarily, but no worse than anyone else in the war had. He can say the right words. He can do a joint meditation. He can talk about philosophy the way a Knight that’s taken all the right classes does.

But part of Anakin still holds to the idea that the Tuskens deserved to die.

“This is my fault,” Obi-Wan whispers, more than once, resting his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. “I should have...”

“He was an adult,” says Mace, who isn’t Mace, not the one that Obi-Wan knows, but a newer friend, one that’s still figuring how to act around him. “Young, but still an adult. He made that choice.”

Obi-Wan doesn’t answer. Things aren’t that simple.

“The timing can’t have been a coincidence,” Obi-Wan mutters to himself, later on, but in the same spot, and the same position.

The Quinlan of this universe shrugs. He knows Obi-Wan better than most, right now. Psychometry’s helpful that way, and sharing Obi-Wan’s heat hadn’t hurt. “Seems likely. You said Sith were involved and setting traps, and a kid like yours, with that much power and trauma... ripe for the molding.”

Obi-Wan whines, and then catches the noise and stuffs it back down, locks it up tight with the other ‘instinct’ things he doesn’t like to think about having. The sound already has Quinlan shifting closer, and the smell is... intended to be comforting, he thinks. Reacting to his own distress, which he’s probably just pumping out right now, because he still doesn’t know how to--

“Can I help?” Quinlan asks, and Obi-Wan lets him.

Someone gets through to Anakin, maybe, or he just lets himself be ground down, or Obi-Wan’s entreaties that he can’t teach Ahsoka until he understands his crimes get through. He won’t be trusted around the clones until the Jedi can trust him to do the right thing, they inform him.

“I wouldn’t hurt the clones.”

“Nobody’s going to believe that until you understand your crimes and truly, actually feel remorse for them.”

There wasn’t a crime, technically. Not in this universe. That tribe is still alive, here, unknowing of the fate they escaped by dint of Anakin talking himself down from committing another slaughter.

(He tells the mind healer it’s because Obi-Wan was there.)

(He might have done it, he says, if he hadn’t thought Obi-Wan would be disappointed in him.)

(He says it like it’s a foregone conclusion, that Obi-Wan’s opinion is worth more than the horror of what he might become.)

“We’re going to keep an eye on anyone talking to Palpatine,” Shaak tells him one day, after Anakin’s been mental instability hold for two weeks. “We don’t know for sure how far the similarities extend from your universe to ours, but given everything else you’ve been right about...”

“That bad?” Obi-Wan asks.

Shaak grimaces, fangs glinting in the light. “I want to believe we’d have never allowed a child into such a position, but I can’t know what political leverage may have been used in your dimension... whatever reason was had to put Skywalker in those rooms, we know the consequences now--”

“What did he do to my padawan?” Obi-Wan demands, because Anakin won’t even tell him that. Anakin hasn’t mentioned Palpatine since they left Tatooine. Not to Obi-Wan.

“Nothing physical,” Shaak manages. “But the lies he told and the suggestions he planted... it’s good they haven’t met again yet in this life. We’ll all be keeping them far apart.”

He wants to take solace in that. “Why do you know before I do?”

“Skywalker values your opinion,” she says. “Only yours. He doesn’t want you more disappointed in him than you already are, so much of what is relayed to the council as a matter of security goes no further, but this was deemed necessary to share. He agreed to it, if you worried we’d broken his confidence.”

Anakin’s therapy would normally be entirely private.

Anakin’s therapy would normally not be in response to confessions of mass slaughter.

He hasn’t asked to be let out, which Obi-Wan hopes is a sign that he realizes at least subconsciously that he was in the wrong. The mind healer says he could have been released under watch by a Master probably a day or two after he arrived, but seems to be drawing some kind of comfort in knowing he couldn’t hurt someone even if he tried.

Obi-Wan is Anakin’s emergency contact. His next of kin. His healthcare proxy. Anakin has a right to privacy, minor as it is in such a situation, and everyone recognizes and treats him as an adult, but... Obi-Wan learns as much from the mind-healer as he would have back when Anakin was actually a child.

“He trusts you to make the right decisions,” the mind healer tells him, careful and unassuming. “He has... a lot of conflicting opinions about many things, including the order, the coming war, the nature of human reproductive dynamics, the Code... but he seems keen on the idea that you are his best reference on morality and ethics.”

Oh, good, more horrifying responsibility.

“He’s better,” the mind healer tells him. “I want to get him out of here before he starts going stir crazy while still relying on the perceived safety as a crutch for his mental health. And he--”

“He’ll be staying with me,” Obi-Wan says, heavy as anything. “I know.”

“Well... there’s a war coming,” the mind healer says. She offers a thin smile when he looks at her. “I don’t want him going out, but it makes him feel useful, gives him a direction for the aggression, and... the Council is adamant that we’ll need him as much as we need you.”

It’s true.

“Did he tell you why everyone called him the Hero With No Fear?”

“No.”

“Ask him.”

[etheraella]

Lies Between Ties || Part I ||

(Draco Malfoy x Fem!Reader)

Summary : Y/N and Draco caught themselves in an arranged marriage by their parents, they both try and act like a happy married couple infront of their families, when in reality they made an agreement to not cross each other’s space and treat each other as ‘roommates’. What happens when one unknowingly gains feelings?

Warnings : No War/Voldemort!AU, Arranged Marriage, Slowburn, Unrequited Love (?), Angst, Arguing, slight cursing.

Your eyes widen in shock, not believing what the woman you respected all your life had just said. You scoffed in disbelief as your mother puts her welcoming hand on yours in comfort. "Very funny, Mama."

She frowned, holding back a smile. "Y/N, this is not a joke, I think it's for the best if you marry him, Narcissa-"

"I know she's your friend, Mama. But I don't even know him, we've never exchanged a conversation, and it's best if we keep it that way." You got up ready to leave the conversation. Unfortunately, your mother grabbed your wrist softly before you could do so.

"Y/N please, the Malfoys can give you the life I could never give you, and I'm getting older, sooner or later when I'm gone, somebody is going to have and help me look after you. At least with the Malfoys’ I know you'd be in good hands." She confessed with sadness in her voice, the grip on your wrist getting firmer.

"Please don't say that, ma. I would want to get married but not anytime soon. I've only just graduated Hogwarts, and who's going to take care of you?"

"Your stepfather is retiring soon, we'll just be here at home and you can come visit us after you and Draco have settled,"

You squinted the moment Draco's name left your mothers lips. Sure, the two have never said a word to each other, but he was known for his boastful and rich background. Everyone in Hogwarts would've known the Slytherin Prince. Though, that never interest you. He probably never knew who you were anyway.

"I never said I agreed to it." you finally said not meeting her gaze.

"Francis and I have already agreed to the Malfoys, dear. The wedding is to be held in 3 months, please Y/N for the sake of mine, you'll learn to accept Draco and there's no doubt the two of you will be happy together." She smiled kissing your forehead lovingly before getting up to leave.

“but with what certainty?”

the words were in a whisper that were only heard by you.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

The sound of birds chirping and peaceful leaves rustling filled your ears. Memories of the conversation filled your head. Out of everyone in the whole world, why Draco Malfoy? What does he think of this ridiculous arrangement? With less than 2 months, the two of you have never met since you saw him back at Hogwarts, and tonight would be the first time the two of you would meet after the marriage conversation. Just then you heard the sound of footsteps and your mother appeared in the doorway.

"Come inside and get ready, dear."

That night, you sat opposite of Draco for dinner, you daren't lift your gaze to meet his. You knew the moment he entered your living room with a boring expression that he wasn't excited or fond on meeting you, or to even be wed to you. Well, so were you.

"Y/N, why don't you have a walk with Draco by the lake?" your mother says suddenly, smiling brightly between you and Draco.

"Yes, Mama" you say politely returning a fake smile, trying your best to hide your annoyance.

You walk with Draco in silence and you open your mouth every now and then trying to start a conversation. You didn’t realise the difference in your heights until you were side by side, Draco Malfoy was taller and much broader than you remember.

"Malfoy-"

Draco stops, meeting your eyes before averting his gaze to the lake on his left.

"I’m not sure It’s wise to use surnames considering the situation we're in.”

Taken aback, you were surprised he was even suggesting this, the Draco Malfoy in front of you seemed more mature than the Malfoy you knew of in school.

"And what situation do you take this as?"

"- A situation that shouldn't happen in the first place. If you only hadn't agreed to it."

You couldn't believe your ears at his absurd accusation. His voice calm but firm at the same time, looking at you as if you're something a cat dragged in.

"Me? You think I want to marry you?" You gave a short laugh. "Your parents sent the proposal first and you blame this on me? For Godric's sake, I don't even know you nor do I have any feelings for you. I'm only following my mother's desires, Draco Malfoy."

"I can guarantee you, the feeling’s mutual." he said through gritted teeth followed by an awkward silence as two of you continue your walk. You stared at your shoes with each step, trying to think of a sentence that will make him help you cancel the wedding. You couldn't bare marrying someone you don't love, especially someone with a big ego like Draco’s. No, never in a million years.

"Mal- Draco, I didn’t intend to ask you upon this favour, as we both know how ridiculous this arrangement is. Please convince Narcissa and Lucius to call it off. It's not too late, considering you're a man-"

"As much as I would love that, Y/N. I would never want to break my mother's heart, I don't bloody care if you call it off, it's perfectly fine with me. We'll discuss this again after the wedding." He said, rolling his eyes and walking back to the house leaving you alone.

You blink in shock, your eyes following his walking figure, his silver blond hair visible under the moonlight. That bastard! Why would he think it's any better after the wedding? Sighing in disappointment, you slumped on the bench facing the lake, the darkness of the night swallowing you.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

"You are to be MARRIED to Draco?" Jane's eyes widen in shock, she stood up facing you, her pupils searching for yours trying to find mischief. To her prevail, you were dead serious and that got her sitting back on the chair slowly.

"But - I thought you wanted to be a healer-"

"I do, I can be a healer while married. I wouldn't need permission to pursue my dream career, would I?" You sighed, staring at the wand in your hand. Jane has been your best friend ever since the two of you got sorted in the same house back in Hogwarts. You wanted her to be your bridesmaid. Knowing how grand the Malfoy's are, it makes sense how big they want this wedding to be, considering Draco's the only Malfoy heir. You didn't know what to think of it, ever since you were a child, you had always dreamt of how you wanted your wedding to be, you didn't mind how the reception would look, how flowy your dress would be, as long as it's with friends and relatives, and a person you're in love with.

Jane was silent for several seconds. "Oh Y/N...but Draco Malfoy?"

"YES JANE! What other Dracos do you know of?" You roll your eyes in irritation, hating the fact of being reminded of marrying a bloke like him. Jane sighed and looked at you with sympathy,

“But, I’m afraid your mother’s right.. there’s no denying the Malfoys are rich-“

You snorted. “richly arrogant”

The silver band on your ring finger brimmed. The mere thought of you being engaged was still unbelievable, so is the oncoming wedding. Feeling frustrated, you terribly wanted to pull your hair out.

“Jane, I have an idea.. perhaps on the wedding day, you could wear a long veil and take my place instead-“ You randomly suggest.

“Y/N Y/L/N, Are you mad? We both know your absurd schemes are never going to work,” Jane smiled sadly, gripping your hand in hers.

You sighed in disappointment, praying deep down the wedding would be disastrous or a random fire would begin before the vows, yes, it was a childishly dangerous thought but you were willing to escape this arrangement without hurting your mother’s feelings.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

On the wedding day, of course the unfortunate events you hoped for didn’t occur. You weren’t as devastated as you thought you would be when you woke up that morning, wrapping sheets of mattress around yourself. It could be that you were finally accepting your fate, you groaned at the thought. In 24 hours, you would be ‘Mrs. Malfoy’, how grand.

The dress that was altered for you was beautiful, you couldn’t take your eyes off it. The white material felt light and gorgeous under your fingertips. Jane had repeatedly told you how breath-taking you looked, you didn’t deny that.

Before the event began, Narcissa had come in your dressing room with an amber green leathered box. Seeing your future mother in-law made you awfully nervous, even if you weren’t whole heartedly willing to marry her son. You quickly pushed the guilt away when she cupped your hands in hers.

“Oh Merlin, you look lovely Y/N,” She said with a smile before opening the box, revealing a heavenly beautiful bracelet the Malfoy initials carved in golden. You let Narcissa gently put it on you telling you of the Malfoy heirloom’s history. The bracelet was given to wear on special occasions, the heirloom given down to each heir on the wedding day.

The piano started playing as you entered the hall, guests arise to their feet, staring at you in awe. Your mother stood at the end of the hall with Francis; happiness laced with sadness painted on her expressions, seeing her only child in white walking down the aisle. Your eyes wander along the decorations in the hall before landing on Draco. He looked undeniably handsome, his platinum blonde hair neatly combed as always, expression unreadable.

When the rings and vows were exchanged the hall erupted in an applause. You looked up to see Draco looking at you with a fake smile etched on his face, the sounds of cheering suddenly muted. It was all an act, you remind yourself.

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A/N : —Luna here ! I decided to start a series ;) and..a special appreciation to Celeste for being my trusty editor !! If you enjoy this please reblog/share 👉🏼👈🏼🥺. We made a taglist form that can be found on our bio and here [x].

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