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coffeewithcutcaffeine · 1 month ago

Note

Glance, face, alternate. For Vlad and Catalina

Cee! Thank you so much for this! Coming up with the answers was so much fun, and I also used the opportunity to dush off Canva for a while, which I appreciate immensely. I also apologise beforehand for endless rambling — I hope the mass of information will not be tedious! Sending you a big, big hug. ❤️️❤️️❤️️

glance: At first glance, what stands out most about your OC’s appearance? What’s their distinguishing feature?

From a greater distance, the first noticeable thing about Vlad’s appearance is his overall build. He is definitely not tall (more of a Short King™; he is the shortest of the Drăculești brothers) and could never really look down upon many men. However, his sturdiness compensates for it — he naturally has the tendency to gain musculature quickly and lean towards the bulkier, stockier side. The fact that he is a soldier, always physically active and on the move, keeps him in great physical shape.

From a closer distance, everyone immediately notices his eyes first. They have a rich green colour, are quite large and expressive. It is impossible to stand in front of him and avoid his gaze.

In Cătălina’s case, people tend to notice her hair first. It is long, reaching her waist, and because she is not married to Vlad, she does not have to veil herself, as she is by law an unwed woman. Even though she is a brunette, her hair tends to catch a reddish hue in sunlight, which makes for an extraordinary colour. She takes pride in it and diligently cares for it, so people immediately notice it. She also likes to play around with hairstyles; sometimes she wears two braids, sometimes one, sometimes she has it pinned up, and she likes to wear it loose in private settings.

face: Describe your OC’s face. What’s their smile like? Are their orbs cerulean? What would someone notice first when looking at them?

Vlad grows up to be the perfect copy of his late father. The most unique and distinctive trait he has inherited is his eyes. I have already described them a little in the previous section, but I have a very specific type of colour in mind whenever I describe his eyes — a very rich, vibrant moss green that makes them impossible not to look at (and his black hair makes them stand out even more). Something like this:

He has an aquiline nose (that sits nicely in his face), nicely shaped full lips that are partly hidden by a thick black moustache (this he wears throughout his adulthood), high cheekbones, strong and prominent square-shaped jawline. Overall, he is definitely a handsome man, but the handsomeness lies in a certain kind of ruggedness. (And besides, it’s his younger brother who is called “Radu the Beautiful” to this day.)

His smile tends to vary depending on the situation or who the smile is directed to. In general, the way he smiles can be very expressive and reveal a lot about how he feels towards the other party — if one is clever enough to read the subtle hints, they know where they stand. With his family or his love, it can be very soft and kind. When he laughs, it is usually wide and open. Sometimes there can be a sharpness to it, especially when he indulges in a bit of sarcasm or banter. It can also turn cruel, and that is the kind of smile no one wishes to see on his face.

Cătălina is, in many ways, the exact opposite. For the general vibes, I would say she is the Soft Dramatic type based on the Kibbe system, so soft and statuesque with a kind of diva essence — lush and curvy, with softer features in her face. This definitely shows in her lips, which are very full and a little heart-shaped. This might be one of her most noticeable features because a lot of people get fixated on her mouth. Although she has high cheekbones, she has rounder cheeks, and they always get a little fuller when she is pregnant (and during postpartum). She has a nice nose, small and narrow. Her eyes are a little smaller and sharper than Vlad’s, and dark brown. She also has a freckled complexion that gets more noticeable during the warmer months, so that is another thing people immediately notice.

As for her smile, it also greatly depends on the environment she is in. In public, it tends to be more reserved and controlled. In a private setting, she does not feel the need to control and compose herself so much, so it can get a little toothier and more unrestrained.

alternate: What would your OC’s alternate universe look be? If they’re a fantasy character, what’s their modern look? If they’re sci-fi, what’s their fantasy look? What AU would you want to see your OC in, and how would they dress themselves? Bonus: Prompt an AU!

My dearest Cee, I am kissing you softly on the forehead! I actually squealed when seeing this one because Voievod Modern-Day AU has been a real brainrot for me since summer. I have not had a chance to finish my very extensive HC post, but I am excited to dip my toes into it at least in this manner.

Before I show the AU “lookbooks”, I want to give a brief outline of the modern-day AU, and what Vlad and Cătălina are up to in the 21st century:

Vlad is an F-16AM/BM Block 15 MLU fighter pilot of the 53rd Fighter Squadron at the 86th Air Base near Fetești (his call sign is “Voievod”). I have decided to keep him in the military as a reflection of Vlad’s historical warrior persona — to this day, he is so well-known for that aspect of himself and his rule, so this is a very significant link. At the same time, Vlad being in the Air Force is quite symbolic of the historical one’s family name. His father was “the Dragon”, after all, this magnificent creature roaming the skies, and the name of the family branch — the House of Drăculești — comes from that moniker. When he retires from his military duties, he has a kind of epiphany after years of being frustrated with the state of national politics and successfully runs for presidency. (This is just a little nod for the “Țepeș pentru președinte!” slogans — and this poll from 2016 shows that Romanians would apparently welcome Vlad’s comeback.)

Cătălina is a very successful and established attorney with specialisation in family law. Her historical counterpart feels quite deeply about injustices of all kinds, but she is particularly vocal — as much as she can be, given the times — about those committed against families, women, and children, all structures and people that cannot defend themselves as well as men do as individuals. This deep sense of justice and willingness to aid spills over into her modern-day version, and now, she can actively do something about it and use her education and profession for that.

And now, onto their looks!

Vlad’s homewear (loungewear?) usually consists of sportswear. This is something he will definitely wear during the warmer months; his homewear winter style is usually a hoodie paired with sweatpants or tracksuit pants (sorry not sorry — the three stripes are a staple and you can pry them from my cold, dead hands). It makes him feel comfortable, and it is practical and suitable both for staying at home and running out for an impromptu task like a supermarket visit.

His day-to-day style is pretty standard. He is a guy who likes to be dressed nicely while feeling comfortable and at ease. His wardrobe consists of well-fitting jeans and slacks, cotton tees, and sweaters. He also tends to put on a classic shirt in case he wants to look a little sleeker. He is very fond of leather jackets, especially nice aviator bombers. He is a bit of a minimalist when it comes to accessories, but he does love good leather belts.

His workwear is pretty specific and varies depending on his duties. Pictured above is the operational wear for flying missions and training. This includes the flight suit, G-suit, and all associated gear (helmet, oxygen mask, gloves, etc.). Air Force pilots also wear standard service uniforms consisting of a dress shirt, tie, trousers, and polished dress shoes — this is usually reserved for when the pilots are on administrative office duty. Another type is the ceremonial dress uniform including a tailored jacket (with all the medals, ribbons, rank insignia, and unit patches), dress trousers, and highly polished shoes. The ceremonial uniform of the Romanian Air Force is navy blue.

Of course, more formal or special occasions call for a nice suit. In this case, he prefers to stick to old and trusty classics.

As for the looks looks, Vlad’s modern-day version has to wear his hair short because of the service protocol. (cue sounds of crying)

Just like Vlad, Cătălina prefers her homewear to be sporty. Her go-to item is a pair of good-quality leggings — she very much prefers the thicker, more opaque workout style. She tends to pair it with a tank top or a tee, and if it's cold outside, she throws on a yoga jacket to keep herself warm. This is ideal for both keeping herself comfortable at home and not having to worry about changing clothes when she needs to run errands quickly.

I imagine Cătălina’s style to be chic and modern while sticking to classics and timelessness — she prefers pieces of great quality and nice fit that will look good on her even when she wears the basics. She is not very fond of wild colour combinations, so she usually sticks to trusted neutrals and tones such as navy or khaki. Because she is a brunette, she also tends to go for splashes of beige, brown, or orange. If she does happen to put on something more colourful, she does not overdo it. Her usual casual outfit consists of a pair of nice jeans, a classic tee or a shirt, perhaps a nice-fitting sweater during the colder months, and a coat. Depending on the level of casualness, she either sports a pair of sneakers or pairs her outfit with heels and more prominent jewellery pieces. (This is also something she might wear for mundane office days or more casual meetings with clients.)

In this case, by “workwear” I mean the days Cătălina has to be at court or has more important meetings. Here, she likes to dress up nicely. She has a part of her wardrobe reserved for work-style clothing — well-cut suits that she can wear together or as two separate pieces that she pairs with different things, or business-casual dresses of various colours. She always, always wears skyscraper heels, either in the form of pumps or boots for the colder months. In this case, she does not like to overdo it with jewellery and prefers wearing several subtle pieces over one prominent piece.

Her formal attire is usually very elegant. She prefers timeless cuts over gowns that are too bold or revealing, as those simply do not align with her style. Instead, she opts for classic designs with one or two unique details that make the outfit stand out and feel special. In these occasions, she likes to go all out with the jewellery, especially with bigger and sparklier pieces — she has a long and graceful neck, so she really likes dangle earrings.

Cătălina’s modern counterpart also enjoys experimenting with her hair and taking pride in it, although differently than her historical version. As a 21st-century woman, she is quite adventurous with styles — she typically prefers a shoulder-length cut, but once shocks her family with a bold pixie cut. She regularly changes her hair colour too, favouring reddish-ginger hues in summer and darker shades in winter.

#ask reply #oc game #( oc: if i cannot move heaven i will raise hell )#( oc: sanctuary )

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smol-sirens-garden · 8 months ago

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Get to know the Mun

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘɪᴄᴋ ᴜᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴜꜱᴇ(ꜱ) ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ?

The main thing that makes me pic of a muse is love for them and sometimes how strongly I get attached. The vibe a character gives off says a lot and you can find you mesh well with a character. There are a few that get added because a close friend/rp partner wants to interact with that character and there a little/none around.

ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ?

Smut mostly. I don't know why but I just get nervous and umcomfortable. I have been told before when I have written it that I am good at writing it but at someone who is mostly Ace I don't find the fun in writing it.

ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ?

Angst and Hurt/Comfort. I don't know why but I love it when a thread makes me almost cry.

ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇᴀᴅᴄᴀɴᴏɴꜱ?

Mostly just come to me or I infer it from hints given. SOmetimes it can be music too.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ɪɴ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏʀ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀʏ ᴍᴜꜱɪᴄ?

I had ADHD so I usually need background noise or multitasking. I will have a show, music or be playing a game so even a game cutscene will be on in the background.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴇᴘʟɪᴇꜱ ᴏʀ ᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ?

Usually I wing them. Very few are plotted.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ꜱʜɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ?

I am a ship WHORE. Even if I have never thought of it before pitch it to me. Half the time all I need is a fanart and I ship it, within reason of course but yea no. Crack ships, rarepairs, canon, oc. I love shipping.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴀʟɪᴀꜱ/ɴᴀᴍᴇ?

I just use my real name. Ashley.

ᴀɢᴇ?

ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ?

March 8th

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴏʀ(ꜱ)?

Blue!! Specifically cerulean. Like the color of Levy McGardens hair.

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴏɴɢ(ꜱ)?

Way too many omg. I am a huge swifite so any Taylor Swift, umm Hypnosis Mic and Paradox live has good songs as does Visual Prison. I love SHINee. Three Days Grace, Citizen Soldier. i listen to a lot of music and will usually give everything a chance.

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ?

I honestly don't remember. Probably the Era's Movie? It was either that or this one called Stop Motion. A vtuber I watch hosts a discord movie night so that's where I would have watched that one (super weird and trippy omg)

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ?

I just finished rewatching The Spanish Princess and at this moment I have chopped on in the background.

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴏɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ?

Espresso- Sabrina Carpenter (I have been addicted since it came out)

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜰᴏᴏᴅ?

Steak and junk food really.

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ?

Spring

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴛᴜᴍʙʟʀ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ?

Oh yes First off @diverse-hearts who is the best damn tumblr wife a girl could ask for. and @theircurse these two are my favorite bitches to bitch about bitches with. Also @crownshattered Kiki was the first peron from BSD I roleplayed with and we need to write and chat more but I love her. @dancinghearts Have to mention my Mina Queena. My favorite Ramuda of all time. Together this group is known as the dumpster fire and I love them all. I also met other honorable mentions who i love: @kitxkatrp, @clown-demon, Ghost, @shouga-nai, @mythunderlegion All amazing people who I have had enjoyable chats with. There's many more both still around and not around. Know that if your a mutual I love you and want to write with you.

Tagged by: Technically @theircurse

Tagging: Whoever would like to steal it

#Long Post TW #OOC #About The Mun

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angelicalchaoticabyss · 2 years ago

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I'm more than mildly curious about the "Masters as warlords" thing, not least because some bats are significantly more warlord-y than others. Details?

Well I can't give details for EVERY master as only a few main ones have made their canonical mark so far. But in short the masters ended up in Fire Emblem (cause that's what caused my friend to dream about it). Apples from my own dreams was made to be very proficient in using a bow and arrow, as well as leading a military funny enough. So Apples is often a figure head during battles, giving out commands to the generals and soldiers, a battle strategist. If he has to he'll fire elemental arrows from a distance, made by Iron and a special magic that these poor souls didn't know how to combat.

Veils and Iron are more front line fighting and come to the call when they're needed. They often take their full size to battle and Iron carries a sword to match. Iron also provides all the weapons and armor, magically enchanted of course.

Wines is often the King in this situation, he doesn't join battle often but I gave him a move that he gained in the FE world. "Cerulean Solar Flare." Where he takes control of the sun and rains down blue fire. He has some of the most powerful magic so that's what he only shows up when needed.

Mirrors works within Parabola and has a move called Dream Mist but so far there's no explanation of what it does. He provided magic to the "Parabolan mirrors" for specific soldiers to use which allows them to use his Dream mist. He also added reflection magic to the special armored soldiers. He'll show invisible enemies through his reflections.

Eaten has a spot too! Eaten actually provided the death magic to Apples' arrows and other things. The Master's armies actually include Seekers but they wear these special collars called Inhibitors, when those are commanded to be removed...hell breaks loose. Eaten also serves as the Boatman in a way, though often he doesn't let people come back to life unless they strike a deal. Your end better be held because if Eaten sees you again you won't like the punishment.

It's currently unknown if Eaten suffered the same fate or not, but the answer is either no or a compromise was somehow reached given his willingness to assist the other masters in their conquering.

It's hinted some form of London exists as the House of Chimes is their home for this AU, but canonically they have abandoned the Bazaar for a reason we have yet to know fully. They also got the Death knight on their side that primarily obeys Veils but the others masters can give orders as well.

To the other FE nations they're well known as "Take no prisoners, kill them all."

Apples' arrows are called "The Arrows of Reckoning".

This is so far from Fallen London that they might as well be remade into FE ocs but this is more fun fsdfsdfds.

#fallen london #fire emblem #crossover au #fallen london au #masters of the bazaar #au lore #by the by Idk shit about FE #I just get the info from my friend XD

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magebunkshelf · 3 months ago

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I don't have a Bug OC. But I do have a Cerulean Soldier OC, and they work every day to not be the cause of a eco disaster horror movie.

Bug Army Halloween Day 3

(Yes, I know this is late, I've had a busy day.)

Could your Bug survive in a horror movie?

I think Amber could because of hunter training, time in the swamp, and being an average wild child.

@rozeliyawashereyall @willowve01 @asmrbrainrot @kaiamtt @iistxrmyskyii @insignificant-anarchy @stxph-artist @aspenm00n @keyaartz @fangsshadow @rustycopper4use @piffany666 @dreamyshape @idontevenknow7878 @lunaritychuwolf @littlesiren79 @castbracelet240 @strayharmony943 @proxdragon @tiefling-chaos @threeweekinsomnia

@recated @wilderrorcard @diamondzoey @fennaboysenberry @lunnats

@lightdragon789 @pinkcocopuff-aqualoid @itsargyle @not-5-rats

@ccstiles @puffin-smoke @fruity0salad @takashishihoin @megapugman

@reefhastoomanyaccs @kaydenskiwi @greaysharkboi @itzscribz @blingzyya

@atonalasmr @headstrashdump @gatorboys22 @drowziestar @howdyimmaia

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artlasllm · 7 years ago

Photo

character designs

#mana's doodles;#peach soldier go!;#psg! cerulean;#dream.exe;#dream akumu;#last light;#light mira;#oc references;

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willowve01 · 3 months ago

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:O!!

#obsidian lantern #Viara #cerulean soldier oc #doodles #my artwork

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tiefling-chaos · 3 months ago

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So here’s some more cerulean soldier oc’s the green haired “whale” mer is Sirius and he is the former captain of the sapphire borealis squadron ( Polaris and mune’s pod ) and their father figure. Well, the yellow haired “octopus” mer is mune the resident tech gremlin of their pod very smart very prone to being found and weird places

And here’s where I also explain a bit more about their biology so space mer’s age somewhat strangely they age at the same rate of human does until they hit 21 then they’re aging slows down a lot but their growth rate still continues 1 foot per year Sirius is in approximately his late 40s early 50s but he is 114 foot tall ( in his big form the small form of space mers is from 6 to 7 foot tall )here is the size comparison of all of the ( that I am aware of ) cerulean soldiers from the bug army here is also one of them in their small form

#obsidian lantern #oc lore #capital m audios #mage bunkshelf #daysprite #cerulean oc #cerulean oc art #cerulean soldier oc

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werewolfbarista · 1 year ago

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@necrowyrm replied:

Tell me of them

im putting this under a readmore bc there's a lot more than i intended here BUT!!!!!!

ok so this . is aelyis my namesake the beloved weed dog just in homestuck form. she's a limeblood disguised as a burgundy and shes a prosthetics engineer (the reason she's making that face at sheepgirl in the second image is because she made her a VERY EXPENSIVE ROBO ARM!!!!! and she has LOST IT). lee is also a werewolf

lee is . everything 2 me fr. i dont super know where to start but my favorite always is her relationship w her horrible kismesis sacha (below, cw eye strain)

sacha's a purpleblood (and!! he's my boyfriend's oc!!). he used chucklevoodoos on lee and gaslit the FUCK out of her to manipulate her into basically being an attack dog . their entire relationship is based on making lee think she hates sacha in a pitch way because lee has a rly bad concept of. relationship stuff. so she gets feelings mixed up rly easy. anyway toxic yuri <333333333 also lee ate one of sacha's legs but it's fine. bc sacha was into it and was quite literally asking 4 it. i honestly have. so much for lee that i don't really know where to start i think she would need her own post..........

there's also . THESE TWO. the phantasm (formerly the sentinel) and the harlekin. they used to be matesprits, with the phantasm also serving as the auspistice between harlekin and their kismesis, a cerulean called the redshift (who i..... cant find the art for???? idk)

at one point the redshift decided he was sick of sentinel's interference and used his mind control powers to make harlekin kill sentinel-- which drove harls to go kill redshift in retaliation and then go on to live in isolation fucking wherever <333 the sentinel meanwhile didn't actually die, instead coming back as a rainbow drinker and changing her title to the phantasm. she haunts narratives nbd. harls can't bring themself to interact with fucking anyone anymore unless it's for bastardry bc they dont want a repeat of what happened with phantasm. they're haunted by what couldve been! what they did!!! etc etc!!!!! meanwhile the phantasm refuses to interact with harlekin bc, well. even though harlekin didnt technically kill her, it was still like. really fucked up. and it's absolutely not something she wants to face at this point!!!! that said she's a husk of her former self, feeling like she's got nothing else to really live for but not wanting to (or even being totally able to) die. all ive got is that, wherever she is, she's dodging work under the empire because she doesnt wanna know what theyre gonna want to do with a virtually immortal soldier. im considering having her be a member of a crew of space pirates one of my friends has CONSTRUCTED because i think itd be neat but im still working on it

oh! also, phantasm was the jade who got aelyis out of the brooding caverns. didn't want to see another lime grub culled off

then there's motlii (new spelling since i made the trollcall card)!!!!! motlii is the harlekin's descendant. im probably gonna rework some stuff but according to my. squints. five-ish year old lore, she was taken in by harlekin and phantasm after her lusus was killed by an orphaner. she used to look up to harlekin a great deal but not so much anymore now that she's grown up (harlekin is not nor were they ever a particularly good person). i don't really remember much else but i do plan to do more with her.........

this is another purpleblood of mine (i have..... so many now that im looking at them . ) lazili lives to entertain but she's also tired all the time. she does lots of gig work for funsies, and she's got a bit of a local following, but she doesnt do......much. probably my least violent troll purely because violence requires work that she's not really willing to put in

this is sukimi! i made him during yakuza brainrot awhile back. at this point in time he's an ex-troll-yakuza member, but he grew up in the troll yakuza and he's got every intention to go back later on.

he was taken in by an as-of-yet undesigned troll named himura, who's the head of her own family. she trained him and was basically a mother to him, but as he got older, she got afraid of the possibility of him succeeding her, so she gave him an impossible hit and, when he inevitably failed, she took off his pinkie and exiled him. suki still doesnt quite grasp that she sabotaged him, so right now the plan is to get stronger, take out the guy he was supposed to kill before, and then win his way back in that way. in all reality he's actually going to end up killing himura herself, usurping her position in the family, and then he's gonna rise up to be the chairman of their clan.

for now, though, he's just a bastard <3

finally, there's zarmik. he's my first real fantroll. ive scrapped most of what i had set up for him back in the day (i made him when i was like...... 12 or 13 so...............) but from what i remember!!! he's insanely casteist. just an absolute cunt. which is strange coming from a lowblood but yknow. alternia. he had a vacillating red/pitch relationship with a purpleblood who he ended up killing. fun stuff. may he one day get the proper rework he deserves

having an autism moment about my fantrolls :/

#musings #necrowyrm #fantrolls #eye strain #i rp most of them. btw.

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marsipanic · 2 years ago

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The Gods' Mark

NO ONE YOUNGER THAN 18 READ

nsfw/violence/ eventual smut

This is my first Court of Darkness fic, with my OC’s, and it will take some time but this is the first part of the story I have today. The princes have not been introduced yet but it is setting it up for their arrival.

@onedayimgonnasnap here it goes!

Part 1

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It was massive and bright, so bright that it made the air around it feel hotter and thicker than everywhere else. It stood tall, as high as the cities wall, and was as wide as ten men. The portal had appeared while Claudia was surveying the cities defenses, and she had immediately summoned the Black Guard to stand at ready. She herself stood at the front of her army, spear in hand, and waited, for she knew, eventually, something would attempt to make its way through.

The first of them stumbled through quite clumsily, in bizarre pink and white garments, and when they saw all of the soldiers’ weapons surrounding them, their golden eyes grew as wide as saucers, and they surrendered immediately.

“Creator! Don’t hurt us,” one of them bleated. “We were only sent as envoys! We—”

“Are trespassing in the city of Tuthen, of the great empire of Zaethis,” Claudia said. “Seize the intruders.”

No sooner had they been lifted by their arms and dragged away, when the portal spurted and out came more men, this time in black and red, with crimson eyes.

They merely blinked in disbelief and put up no fight when ordered to drop their weapons. They looked on her, the soldiers, and the city, as though they were in a wild dream.

She had hoped they were the last of the uninvited guests, but another small troupe fell through, with green and white garment. Then violet. Then cerulean.

“What in the-- The Black Guard will stay behind and keep watch for any more intruders. I am taking this lot back for questioning,” Claudia commanded, and left to inform the empress.

Saligia. Seven kingdoms, each ruled by their own king. The portal had seemingly opened at no accord, on their end as well, and each of the respected kings had sent envoys to gather intel. Every group of envoys had a similar story, so it was likely that it was the truth. But what did they want?

“W-we don’t k-know, Y-your Highness,” the ones in green stammered. “W-we are mere…f-footmen.”

“Liar,” Claudia said, and pointed her blade at their throat. When the man whimpered and closed his eyes, tears forming in the corners, she breathed a sigh of annoyance, sheathed it, and left.

Cordelia waited at the top of the dungeon stairs, her healers kit in hand, and looked exasperated at her sister approaching.

“Well,” she said. “What’s the damage? And please don’t tell me ‘minimal’. Is anyone dying immediately, and need I expect organs?”

“Three broken tibia, among them” Claudia responded. “Mostly broken fingers. The blood is minimal.”

“Impressive. They gave quite readily, then?” Lia mused. Claudia hummed in agreement.

“Grandmother should have a plan, I’m quite sure. If yet another war were to arise,” Claudia paused, but only for a moment. “She is keen to make sure it does not happen, and if they are our enemies, then they are dealt with. Swiftly.”

“Of course,” Lia said. “Mind you, I still want to make it to The Ivory later, so don’t do anything to spoil that for me, would you?”

“Priorities in place, as usual,” Claudia breathed, and continued on her way to the council chambers.

The Empress, Hildegard Augustine Zaethis V, was a staunch woman of 80, and one would only suspect her age through grey hair and the slight appearance of wrinkles, alone. She looked rather daunting, sitting at the head of the council, and she made no effort to supplement her short height with any sort of heel or cushion. Her grey hair was plaited, ornately, as was custom, and fell past her hips. And beyond the slight lines of her face, one could only notice the heterochrome eyes, one a brilliant silver, and the other a vibrant amber. She had ruled the empire through the darkest of its days and brought it to prosperity at no small cost.

When Claudia told her grandmother the news of the portal, and the envoys that had fallen through, the look of fascination and subsequent alarm on her face was one the princess was not familiar with.

“What do you suggest we do with them, Grandmother?” Claudia asked. “I can give order to execute them and make efforts to close the portal as fast as possible.”

Hildegard swirled a glass chalice of wine in her hand and looked at her granddaughter with almost childlike excitement.

“No, my dear,” she said. “I think we shall meet our guests head on, as I suspect even if we killed their envoys, they would return. No. Question them more about their world and where they come from. We shall send them back with a message.” The empress sipped from her glass, and then peered at it thoughtfully. “And then, we shall introduce ourselves. Properly.”

#court of darkness #guy avari #toa qelsum #lynt akedia #rio voleri #roy invidia #guy avari/ claudia zaethis #toa qelsum/cordelia zaethis #marsipanic #the gods' mark

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wil-is-done · 2 years ago

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When You’re A Mystery Kid - Chapter 44: The Conclave

Summary: Obsidian. Emerald. Cerulean. Crimson. (Warning for death)

Word Count: 3.834

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a repost.

Disclaimer: I only own the story and my OCs.

Night had fallen, and it was cold and quiet.

Coraline expected screams. Destruction. Flames that filled the air with thick smoke. People running, panicking, fearing for their lives. She’d readied herself for those in the mad sprint out of the tomb. Hell, she’s even ready to see a few unfortunate souls, lying unmoving in the snow.

What she wasn’t ready for was silence. For an empty street, calm as the grave, as far her eyes could see. For a gentle breeze to glide across her skin, cold but not freezing. For snowflakes to flutter through the air until they came to rest on the slushy ground.

When that was exactly what she got, it threw her for a loop.

A chorus of rapid footsteps approached her from behind. She didn’t need to look to know it was her friends finally catching up to her.

“Coraline, don’t run off like that! You’re still bleeding!” Wybie chided in-between heaving breaths.

“I’m fine.” Coraline ignored him. The cut wasn’t that deep. Or, at least, that’s what she told herself. She’s definitely not going to check if it could prove her wrong.

She expected Wybie to badger her about it more, so she’s honestly a bit relieved when he didn’t. The others had not said a single word since they arrived, actually. Coraline guessed they were just as confused as she was by the scene before them. Or, rather, the lack of a scene before them.

“Did those vampires just… leave?” She heard Dipper wonder.

Coraline almost scoffed. “No way they just left.” That would be too good to be true.

A thud in the snow caught Coraline’s ears, so small and yet so loud in the silence. She whipped her head over her shoulders, towards the sound’s source. Norman had fallen to his knees. His jaw fell slack. His eyes practically bulged out of its sockets, aghast and filled with fear, focused on the empty, darkened sky above the village. She had never seen Norman with such a primal expression of terror before, and that scared her.

“Norman, buddy, you okay?” Neil asked gently. When Norman didn’t respond, Neil shook him by the shoulder and tried again, harder. “Norman? C’mon, say something, man.”

As the others crowded around Norman, Coraline chose to follow his gaze. She searched the sky, but her eyes saw nothing out of the ordinary. She’d hate to admit it, but to her, that only meant one thing.

Norman saw something that normal eyes couldn’t see.

That was more than enough of an incentive for her to soldier ahead and enter the village proper.

Further in, Coraline still saw signs of nothing out of the ordinary. The only sound was her labored breathing. The slushy snow under her marked no major disturbances. Nobody was out, but that seemed to be the norm for a place like this at this hour. A few of the streetlights would flicker off and on, but an isolated village like this probably wouldn’t have reliable electricity. Gentle glows that seeped out of curtained windows from the roadside buildings helped illuminate where the streetlights could not. It was practically picture-perfect.

Eventually, the others caught up to her, sans Norman and Neil. She acknowledged them with a small nod, but otherwise kept her quiet as they trekked deeper into the village. With every step, pain shot up from her lower right abdomen. Coraline pressed a hand against the cut a bit harder and tried to hide the limp in her step. The wound might be getting to her just a bit, but there’s no point letting the others know about that right now. She hoped none of them would notice, especially Wybie.

Coraline’s steady, careful stride came to a halt when she caught sight of a familiar storefront. The others mimicked her, their eyes following her gaze.

It was the store where the group had briefly taken shelter in earlier, where they met the little girl that pointed them to the abandoned mine. From where she stood, the store looked completely dark. She couldn’t see any shadows moving around inside. But, there didn’t seem to be a closed sign or anything equivalent to it hanging from the window or the door. That, in the midst of how normal everything was, was enough to stick out as odd. Her guts guided her feet closer to the window before she quite realized what she was doing.

Coraline peered into the window. The decreased distance didn’t reveal much. The aisles were dark and everything on the racks remained undisturbed. The one it did reveal was a hint of a light source, coming from a doorway behind the cashier counter, partially obscured by a set of beaded curtains. One more oddity that was just enough to intrigue her.

The others approached, she could hear their footsteps closing in, but they stopped at a safe distance. One didn’t, though; a quick glance revealing it to be Wybie. As if it could be anyone else. One shared look between them told Wybie of Coraline’s plan.

The store’s door swung open with a soft creak. The ringing of the bell above it sounded harsh by comparison. Coraline took her first few steps inside, eyes vigilantly scanning the room. Soft footsteps followed her only a feet behind, and she assured herself that Wybie could take care of himself should something happen. Her watchful eyes spotted nothing that she didn’t already see from outside. The only thing of note left was the room beyond the beaded curtain, swaying lightly from the cold breeze that started to seep inside.

“Hello? Anybody here?” she tried. Silence greeted her words. She shrugged, and pressed on.

Coraline circled around the counter. She pulled out her baton and activated it, just in case. In one swift motion, she swept the curtain aside and stepped past the threshold.

Her hand shot up to her mouth. A sick mix of bile and a scream rose to the back of her throat. She stumbled back past the curtain and crashed against the counter. Her baton slipped out her shaking fingers. Her knees gave out under her, and she would’ve fallen if she wasn’t leaning on the counter. Her eyes were wide, horrified, playing the same image over and over again.

Two bodies, lying on the floor, grotesquely drained and desiccated. One was smaller than the other.

Wybie was at her side in an instant. A distant part of Coraline heard him harshly whispering her name, asking her if she’s okay, but her frazzled mind couldn’t collect itself enough to muster a response. Wybie turned his attention to the doorway, and left Coraline’s side. With a start, Coraline moved to warn him, but it was too late.

Wybie stepped back past the doorway, legs shaking, eyes bulging out of their sockets. He heaved heavily in and out, a hand propping him up against the wall. “Fuck,” Coraline heard him softly.

Coraline lost track of how long they spent in the store, but she quickly decided it was too long. Unsteadily, she picked up her baton in one hand and Wybie’s cold, clammy hands in another. Wybie silently followed her guide as she made her way to the exit.

Outside, the others waited in a semi-circle. Anxiety was written clear across their features.

Mabel stepped forward. “What-? Is she-?”

Wybie numbly shook his head.

Mabel gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. Her breaths grew heavier and faster. Tears quickly flowed down her cheeks. Beside her, Dipper clawed his fingers through his hair, eyes wracked with dawning horror. Coraline blinked and shook her head. Mourning and grief would have to wait. They still have a job to do, and people to protect.

“Those vampires are still here. We gotta stop them before they get to anyone else.” Her composure returned with every word, and she’s grateful for it. “Raz, Lili, scan the area.”

Raz and Lili, who had been processing the news mostly silently, were almost startled by the mention of their name. Still, they nodded, ready to act. They pressed a finger to their foreheads, a conduit of their focus, eyes clenched shut. Seconds turned to minutes far too quickly for Coraline’s liking. Hell, however long it took for the two to finish, it was too long.

Finally, their eyes shot open almost at the same time. However, instead of running their mouths immediately, they just stared off into dead air. Their eyes slowly met one another. Precious seconds slipped by without them saying a single word.

Whatever mental talk they’re having, Coraline had no patience for it. “So?”

“Nobody’s here,” Raz answered. Coraline would’ve noticed how unnervingly flat his voice was if this was any other situation.

But, in this situation, Coraline was this close from socking Raz in the jaw. “I know nobody’s in there, I’m asking-!”

“Nobody’s here,” Raz repeated. There was a crack now, a tremble, in his voice. His breathing slowed, growing heavier. That, Coraline noticed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Coraline asked, even when deep down she knew the answer, and that answer scared her.

“Nobody’s here,” Raz said, a third and final time.

The reality of what they’ve done came crashing down upon them.

Coraline wished this was just a terrible, terrible nightmare. She felt pathetic doing that, but she’d never wished for anything harder in her life. Reality still stayed the same. This was all too real, because of course it was. Wishes don’t get granted, because she’s not living in a fucking fairy tale.

Mabel bent over and retched. Disgusting, brown slop spewed out of her mouth and pooled in the snow. Dipper, despite the visible distraught, still came to his sister’s aid, holding and massaging the back of her neck as she continued to empty her stomach. Wybie was reduced to a stammering, blubbering, cursing mess, pacing to the tune of an incoherent ramble. Coraline would’ve been endlessly amused if she had not just realized they were responsible for the death of an entire fucking village, and if her reaction wasn’t eerily similar to his.

“No, no, there’s gotta be others.” Coraline frantically, pathetically, shook her head. A tiny, irrational part of her was convinced that there might be a mistake, and she could almost laugh at how hard she’s clutching onto it. She grabbed Raz by the shoulders and desperately shook him hard. “Raz, you gotta check again, there has to be someone here besides us!”

Raz did not respond. He stared lifelessly down to the snow, his eyes empty and distant. His arms hung limply at his sides, and swung with every shake. Coraline almost wanted to shirk away from him, from a Raz so defeated it was unnerving, but her own desperation was stronger.

“There are,” Lili replied instead, and Coraline had never been happier to hear her voice.

Coraline ignored how that sounded too good to be true, smiled in relief, and asked, “How many?”

“Four,” Lili said, but the look in her eyes all but screamed everything that was left unsaid.

Coraline’s smile fell. Her face darkened.

“Where are they?”

Lili stared down a road heading southward. Coraline followed Lili’s eyes. The road, like any other that she’d seen, was the very picture of normal.

Knowing that’s where the vampires are, from the pit of her stomach came a god-awful mix of horror, grief, and anger.

A twisted sense of clarity came to her. There’s no use feeling horrified. There’s no use to grieve right now. But anger? Anger could be useful right now. Especially dumb, irrational anger; the kind that could, and has, kicked common sense into the fucking curb. The kind that could convince you the worst possible thing you could do was actually the best possible thing you could do.

So, she did the best possible thing she could do. She took off sprinting down the southward road.

She heard Wybie calling out her name. It didn’t stop her at Weirdmageddon, it won’t stop her now.

Coraline rarely ever got so angry that all she saw was red, to get that disorienting, hateful tunnel vision. She could probably count how many times she did with just one hand. Hell, if she tried, she could even name the exact number. Not right now, though. Now, all she knew was that number has increased by one.

Coraline skidded to a halt. Up ahead, at the end of the road, stood a figure hooded in muted cerulean. A figure that had burned herself into Coraline’s mind.

Circe had her back to Coraline, inspecting her rapier, but she must’ve heard Coraline’s footsteps in the snow, as she turned her head towards Coraline. Beneath her hood, Circe blinked.

“Oh. You’re alive,” Circe said, her tone so dull and flat it was insulting.

A rational Coraline would have questioned what Circe was doing by her lonesome, and where the other vampires were. It’s almost a shame that that Coraline wasn’t here. Almost, because if she was here, Coraline wouldn’t have gripped her baton with both hands, belted out a battle cry, and charged full speed towards Circe.

Coraline didn’t heed it then, but the fact that Circe’s response was to sheathe her rapier and chuckle probably should’ve tipped her off that this was a terrible idea.

Circe’s form turned into a blur. Icy fingers suddenly clamped tight around Coraline’s neck. In a literal blink, her feet left the ground and dangled in the air. Coraline had to look down, lifted in the air as she was, following the length of the arm that kept her aloft, to meet the critical, quizzical, glowing eyes of Circe.

Coraline’s baton-wielding hand was free, so she took a swing. Circe’s free hand caught it without her so much as glancing at it, the metal claw-like gauntlet biting like vipers into Coraline’s wrist. Coraline bit back the pain, focusing her attention on sending Circe the angriest glare she could muster. Circe’s eyes lazily drifted down to Coraline’s trapped wrist, before lazily drifting up to meet Coraline’s glare.

“Feisty.”

Circe smiled, and she twisted Coraline’s arm, the clawed fingers digging in deeper, enough that it must have drawn blood. A cry of pain escaped Coraline’s lips, her baton slipping out of her fingers to land with dull thud in the snow.

Coraline desperately craned her head to look at her discarded baton, but Circe’s eyes demanded her attention. Her breaths became shorter, heavier, as those eyes hovered ever closer to hers. Any trace of the anger that drove her were nowhere to be seen, replaced by pure, unadulterated fear, as it dawned upon Coraline how utterly fucked she was.

“You’ve survived much. I can see it in your eyes.”

Circe’s words caught Coraline off guard, if only because she didn’t hear even an ounce of malice behind it. It was a statement of fact, of recognition. Maybe, dare Coraline’s fear-addled mind say, even one of respect?

“But mark my words, girl,” Circe’s eyes narrowed, her tone like a dagger poised to strike, “you will not survive us.”

Far too easily, Circe tossed her away. Coraline landed on the snow flat on her back. The cold slush on her back quickly seeped through her jacket and her shirt, but she’s too amazed that she’s still alive to care. As her mind descended from a fear-induced high, a question formed, of why Circe didn’t simply kill her then and there. That question was enough to push herself off the slush, sloppily, to a sitting position. Ahead, Circe was still there, watching her. At the sight of her rising up, Coraline could’ve sworn a ghost of a smile flashed across Circe’s lips.

A plume of snow suddenly kicked up to the right of Circe, bits of it settling on Circe coat. From the cloud of white, the black cloaked, crooked figure of Nina emerged. She prowled on all fours, wearing a manic grin. Her lips, her chin, her cheeks were slick with red.

“Merde!” Circe shot her a nasty side eye, brushing off the snow on her coat. “You are annoying.”

The front door of one of the buildings on the side of the road suddenly slammed open. Stepping past the threshold, Rodrigo’s sour visage came into view, decked in all his finery and his emerald half-cape. Tailing closely behind him, a deathly pale man in crimson stepped out of the building. He clutched the shrunk Blood Stone tight in one hand, the object now drenched in dark red.

“My lord!” Nina called out, a wiry finger pointed towards Coraline. “Desserts!”

Four pairs of dangerous, deadly eyes fell upon Coraline. She hated herself for not getting the fuck away first chance she got.

“That one survived?” Rodrigo asked, incredulous, but much like how you’d meet a cockroach that just won’t die.

“Not for long.” Nina licked her lips. She whipped around, looking up at the man in red with an open smile. “Can we?”

The crimson-clad man made no motion to indicate that he acknowledged Nina’s words. But, he still walked closer and closer, and Coraline damn near shit her pants because fuck they absolutely could.

The man’s advance was halted when Circe raised a hand in front of him. “A moment, if I may, my lord.”

Rodrigo and Nina stared daggers at Circe, while the man’s gaze remained neutral. A moment’s pause passed before the man gave Circe the smallest of nods. Circe’s lips curled into a conspiratorial smile.

“She could be of use to us,” she began. “We set her loose to spread the news of our return to other human settlements. It’ll sow disorder amongst the sheeple, and strike fear to the hearts of whoever dare to stand in our way.” Circe looked at Coraline from the side of her eyes. “After all, no tale is as terrifying as one told through the mouth of a whimpering babe.”

A throaty hum was the man’s response. The man seemed to be at least considering it. Coraline could scarcely believe what’s happening. Did Circe just convince her companions to let Coraline go?

“That’s twice now you showed mercy to these pests,” Rodrigo spat, eyes narrowed. “What are you up to?”

Circe raised her hands defensively. “I only offer a suggestion. Should the Blood Lord decrees it,” her eyes drifted towards Coraline, hunger suddenly apparent in them, “I wouldn’t be opposed to a bit of dessert.”

Rodrigo’s distrustful glare lingered on Circe, but it didn’t take long for him to back down. “We wait your decision, my lord.”

Seconds stretched into an eternity. To have the man’s unflinching stare be so intensely focused on her was torture enough. When he suddenly stepped forward, Coraline flinched. Every clank of his metal boots against the snow was deafening, louder than the loudest crack of thunder she’d ever heard. Coraline’s mind screamed, begged at her body to move, to run the fuck away and never look back, but her limbs didn’t budge, frozen with fear. She clenched her eyes shut, and braced for the worst.

“Child, know that you live only at the mercy of Marduk, the Blood Lord, and listen well.”

Coraline’s eyes snapped open. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. The man- Marduk’s voice was deep, heavy and commanding. It was a voice of determination, of ambition. A voice you do not say no to.

“We were stopped before. Caught off guard by a cowardly attack. But it was not a defeat. It was merely a setback. A mistake. Mark my words that it was a mistake that will never happen twice.”

Coraline, somehow, gathered enough courage to meet Marduk’s gaze. His red eyes burned.

“Run as fast your fragile legs can carry you, and spread this news far and wide. Let them know of us. Let them know our name. Let them know that nothing can stop us from accomplishing our goal.”

Nina, Rodrigo, and Circe entered Coraline’s field of vision, standing just behind their leader. The four of them looked down at her like she’s an insignificant thing smeared against the heels of their boots.

“Let them know,” Marduk growled, “the Crimson Conclave has returned.”

Marduk walked away, his mantle flaring out behind him. Nina, Rodrigo, and Circe followed his lead. Coraline collapsed on her back against the snow.

She lost track how long she laid there in the snow when an electrifying sizzle and a glow from the edges of her vision caught her attention. She looked up to see that the Conclave had gotten to the edge of the village. Four runic triangles shined under each of them, carrying the same colors as their clothes. Creatures burst out of each of the triangles, the Conclave immediately riding them on their backs. Coraline easily recognized the creatures as horses, but ones that had been perverted by demonic powers.

One, ridden by Nina, was black as midnight, heavy and muscular, with black ashes spewing out of its nostrils and its hooves. One, ridden by Rodrigo, was practically a skeleton of a horse, with only bits of rotting skin sticking to its bones and green ichors leaking from its ribcage, its eyes, and its gaping mouth. One, ridden by Circe, was sleek and lean, its fur an unnatural muted blue, and it seemed to leave a shadow, a double image of itself as it moved. One, ridden by Marduk, was by far the largest of them all, almost twice as large, with a mane and tail of fire, its fur coated deep, dark red.

Marduk reared back his horse, the steed letting out a rumbling whinny, before breaking off into a gallop. The other three urged their horses forward as well, galloping after their leader. Within seconds, they were only specks against the winter wasteland. The sounds of galloping hooves grew increasingly distant, until it was overtaken by the gentle whooshing of the winter winds.

Night had fallen, and it was cold and quiet.

That felt good to get out of my system.

Seriously, it was. This is the scene that got me back to writing this fic again. This is the chapter that I’ve been working towards for the past year. And now, it’s out of my head. And honestly? I’m pretty proud of just that fact. Just the fact that I managed to get this far. That said, I really, really hope this turned out to be good. I wish that for all of stories, sure, but I wish for this one more than anything. Like, I legit prayed for this to be good. I went to the mosque and spent a good fifteen minutes just genuinely praying for this chapter. I guess we’ll see if it paid off.

Welp, pretty sure I already said all that needed to be said. The villains are introduced, the tone is established, and the stakes are set.

Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in-between, welcome to the Crimson Conclave Saga.

#mystery kids #coraline #psychonauts #gravity falls #paranorman #coraline jones #wybie lovat #razputin aquato #lili zanotto #dipper pines #mabel pines #norman babcock #neil downe #When You're A Mystery Kid

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glass-frogs-and-dragons · 3 years ago

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It's a lovely night, is it not?- part 4- Winter

Big and angsty finale ahead! (Erestor's brother is an oc, btw)

Warnings: Death, murder, stabbing, poisoning, depression? (ish)

Pairing: Glorestor

Word count: 1048

Winter had swept through the land, creeping even into the deepest, darkest corners. The river was frozen, as it had been for the past weeks, and the rest of the soldiers were far away; the Counsellor had been left behind under the Lord’s sons’ command, as he “looked like he was at Death’s door” according to them. It’s true that he did not look his best, but his brother had offered to take care of him for the time being; he had not truly recovered since the Captain died, despite it having been over a decade ago, and he was now but a shadow of his former self. His ashen face was hollow and dark bags hung under his lifeless eyes. His hair was thin and wiry, nothing like before, and had lost most of its colour, now being a dark silver instead of ebony.

He thought he had seen the cerulean-eyed captain behind him in his reflection, reading quietly beside his bed, or giving him one of his rare, private smiles, but these encounters were just fleeting glimpses. His headaches had gotten worse, he barely wanted to eat yet he felt hungry constantly and waking up with his face covered in dry blood or having random nosebleeds during the day had become common. He tried his best to stay up to avoid the green-eyed demons that plagued his dreams and the golden-haired ghosts that haunted his waking hours, but even then he lost consciousness from time to time.

His brother was not acting like himself either. He barely talked to him during the day but when he did he spoke to him softly and condescending. He barked orders about him as if he were not there, and he insisted to go on long walks that often left him exhausted, fed him food that often tasted too much like cinnamon but had a slight… bitter taste. Somewhat like…

Tangerine.

The Counsellor grit his teeth and used all his strength to hold himself upwards as memories hit him like an oncoming tempest, then he staggered across the room, leg muscles cramped and body shivering violently. Grabbing onto the small bedside table, he glanced at the mirror beside him and recoiled in horror at what he saw: his hair was dishevelled, but that was expected, as was his ghostly skin, but his forest green eyes were green no longer but they were filling with blood.

He stumbled outside, screaming for his brother in a hoarse, weak voice, swaying from side to side and with blood trickling down his nose and into the white snowed pavement of the ruined city they had camped in. Some light, too light footsteps could be heard behind him and he swivelled to catch a glimpse of golden hair disappearing into the forest; the Counsellor raised his trembling hands to rub his face and was mildly surprised to find tears coursing down his cheeks.

Leaves rustled behind him. He turned around.

Before he could react, he felt a searing pain in his abdomen. The intruding object was taken out, then plunged again into his chest. The dark-haired man let out a pained gasp and looked at his assailant with betrayal flashing in his dark green eyes, searching within his brother's face but finding nothing but stony coldness. He could only clutch his stomach, mouth opening and closing but no words coming out, as his throat had gone dry in an instant.

He did not cry.

He could not cry.

His brother refused to look at him as he struggled to keep his watering eyes open. Despite his dried throat and his numbing body, he managed to croak out three solitary words:

“Brother… Brother why…”

When they were children they had always been alike, so much that everyone except their parents would mistake them and they would often pretend to be each other to confuse people even more; giggles would be heard everywhere they went and they were thick as thieves. Now, with tears streaming down his eyes, the man shook his head and choked out an apology, then turned around and fled.

He clumsily slid down against the wall as the world dimmed around him. His brother must be far away by now, leaving him alone against the decaying wall of a castle long gone. The cold seeped into his veins as the desperate grasp on his wound grew weaker and his limbs grew more numb. His hair, blood-soaked and dirty, fell over his shoulders and his face, getting between his lips he tried to spit it out but ended up coughing instead large drops of blood fell against the snow-covered pavement.

The Counsellor was choking on the dusty remnants of his wasted life as his essence fled from him with every passing minute. It was cold, so deathly cold, but he did not want to give in; he could not give his demons the satisfaction.

But, truly, was there anything left for him there?

Slowly and reluctantly, as a man resigned to his own fate, he let himself go. He let the dark mist envelop him and take him to his destiny.

A stifling second passed, then another, then another.

The air was much warmer now, the snow did not bite into his skin as it had done before. Instead of a cold pavement of stone, he could feel soft blades of grass under his fingers, and the warmth of the sun enveloping him. It was such a foreign sensation to him that he first thought that his death had been merely a dream, that he was back home and had simply fallen asleep during his duties, but then again, he had been nearly five years stuck in an eternal cold. His lungs didn’t burn anymore, his nose was dry and his body had stopped shivering.

Yet, before he could open his eyes and properly assess his surroundings, he heard a jovial voice chuckling: a jovial voice he had not heard in over three decades, a voice that meant sunshine, golden flowers and long, warm summer nights. A voice that meant horseback riding on vast plains under the clear blue sky, nocturnal spring stargazing, the fresh smell of summer storms and golden flowers that stood tall and proud.

"It's a lovely night, is it not?"

#hopeful ending #angst #tw death #tw murder #tw poisoning #tw blood #technically #glorfindel #hallucinations #erestor #glorestor #oh the brother

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