#civil war II choosing sides

[adragonprinceswhore]

Romancer

Aemond Targaryen x Wife

Summary: During King Aegon II tumultuous coronation, Aemond’s wife becomes the first casualty of the Targaryen civil war. The young prince’s grief drives him to Flea Bottom, where he meets a mysterious Qartheen necromancer, who promises to bring his love back. But as with any sorcery, there is a price to pay; with each of Aemond’s touches, she slowly rots away.

Warnings: 18+, she/her pronouns, death, violence, sorcery, necromancy, angst, longing, smut

A/N: Happy Halloween! 🖤

Word count: 4200

‘Twas but a fleeting instance. 

A dragon, the Red Queen, and her traitorous rider burst through the floors of King Aegon II’s coronation. 

Chaos followed. Shrill voices begging for mercy, children weeping, sobbed ramblings closer to nonsense than prayers.  

Prince Aemond, whose seeing eye had been fixed on his wife before the tumultuous entrance of Rhaenys Targaryen, steps to the side to protect his sister from Meleys’ wrath. 

When their cowardice wins, and the dragon and her rider leaves, his seeing eye falls back to where he had last seen his beloved. 

Only now, he cannot find her. 

As members of the King’s guard swarm around the royal family to protect them, a futile gesture far overdue, Aemond pushes between them to rush down the steps of the elevated platform made for the Targaryens to bask in the admiring gazes of their people. 

She couldn't have left, she was here just moments ago. 

His eye is frantic as it searches the soot-covered ruins around him. His silvery hair whips to the side as he desperately jerks his head from one side to another. Then, he catches sight of her hair. 

She lies on the ground, pushed down by large stones crushing her body. 

Aemond hauls them off with a strength bestowed upon him by his despair. A sob leaves his throat as he pulls her into his arms, gently stroking her hair, burying his face there and inhaling the dust decorating it. 

He holds her until the heat of her body leaves her. Until she’s cold as ice in his grip. Stiff and strange. 

Only once does he glance down at her, and to his horror, she’s changed. It’s not her anymore. 

The soft cheeks he used to trace his fingers down are now hollow. Her skin is discoloured, and her eyes lifeless. Almost white, like the soul has left them and in its wake, a mist settles over the grave that once was a loving gaze. 

Prince Aemond sits like that, with her lifeless, rigid body in his arms, for too long. 

He cannot tell how many hours have passed, but he knows that he has lost a day when the sun appears, and disappears. It feels like an eternity trapped in the blink of an eye. 

No one dares approach him. They know that the fiery prince will show no mercy to whoever chooses to disturb his mourning. 

So he’s left alone in his devastation, until he cannot bear it any longer. 

His fingers are blue from the cold air enveloping him in an embrace so chilling, it rattles his bones. 

His love has also turned impossibly cold in his hold. Colder than the freezing, blue burn of a dragon’s flame. 

When he can no longer withstand the chill, he finally stands. His legs almost give in and every inch of his body hurts. Still, he persists, never letting his love fall to the ground as he keeps a secure hold around her. 

She is heavier than anything he’s ever carried before. He knows her, and this is not her. How many times had he not lifted her onto their bed? Pulled her in his lap? This sack of flesh weighs far more than she ever did, and yet he cannot let go. So he persits, and carries her to their chambers, sacrificing his own aching limbs in the process. 

When he thinks he might pass out from the effort, he reaches their marital bed, and lays her on top of it. 

Tenderly, he places her arms on her stomach, brushes her hair from her face, and closes her eyes. 

She’s merely sleeping, nothing more. Nothing permanent, nothing everlasting. 

Soon, she’ll open her eyes, look up at him, and give him a smile that melts his heart. Until then, he carefully places a quilt over her, and lies down next to her to find sleep, as husband and wife, just like so many nights before. 

He finds slumber next to her, if only for a few hours. By the hour of the wolf, he’s once again awake, laying on his back, staring at the intricate carvings in the wooden canopy above him. In a moment of weakness, he reaches for her hand to hold, but when his touch is met by freezing cold fingers, he winches and quickly lets go, instead placing his hand on her stomach, covered by the quilt he’d placed over her. 

His mind is too restless to let him find slumber. One hundred ideas, possible scenarios, flash in his mind. Thoughts of how to fix this; how to undo this, won’t let him rest. 

The Seven say that death is final, but is that truly the case? Surely, in Old Valyria, where dragons roamed free and the practitioners of the dark arts ruled, warlocks would not be content with leaving death to the Gods? 

Another day passes by as Aemond is deeply submerged in his own contemplation. 

This cannot be the end of her; of their life together. His dear wife. His one true ally. The sweet mother of their future heirs. She is not gone. She cannot be.

By next daybreak, an idea from his latent mind floats into his consciousness, and causes the troubled prince to finally see clearly. 

Necromancy. The art of bringing back the dead. 

Fuelled by the fire of determination set ablaze within his chest, Aemond reluctantly leaves his lover's side, throws on a cloak, and orders a member of the King’s Guard to guard the door to his chambers with his life. 

Before he leaves, Aemond throws one last glance at his wife’s lifeless form, and kneels by their bed, pressing a chaste kiss against her cheek. ‘Tis cold and stiff, as he should have expected. Still, his heart breaks when his lips are not met by the warmth he so wishes would still flow within her.

“I will bring you a cure”, he promises next to her ear, and ventures out into the dark, bustling streets of King’s Landing.

Flea Bottom is as he remembers. 

Filthy and depraved. 

The mere smell of the streets corrodes the insides of his nostrils, air so thick with stench from pigsties and tanneries the prince buries his nose inside his hood and breathes through his mouth. 

Around each corner of the dilapidated buildings lurks another distraction; whores beckoning him into their lairs, conmen trying to trick him into buying false treasures. 

‘Tis not a place for the educated. Nor is it for the devoted. Flea Bottom is reserved for the lowest of men; the ones who revel in debauchery and make a living of their falsehood. 

With the help of a few silver stags, Aemond manages to navigate the dirt-filled cobblestones of King’s Landing’s foulest corner. By the hour of the eel, he’s directed towards a short, stocky man with small eyes obscured by thick, bushy eyebrows. 

At last, he has found what he’s looking for;

A foreign man familiar with the dark arts.

He smiles when the prince tells him of the task, cold yet amused, resembling a serpent, 

“There is always a price to pay, my prince. What are you willing to sacrifice?”

“Anything”

“What if the sacrifice is your own selfishness?”

Aemond does not need convincing. He has already made up his mind. Without her, warm and comforting and breathing in his arms, he is willing to offer the sorcerer anything. The strange man inspects him with beady eyes that shine in the fire dancing against the stoney walls,

“10 gold dragons. And I will restore your lady once more”

In the shadows of the night, Prince Aemond brings the warlock into his chambers. 

The mysterious man does not ask for much in order to perform his sorcery.

He orders a servant to bring him boiling water, sage, dirt from the courtyard, and a small vessel. 

The staff of the Red Keep work quickly, and when he has all he requires, he pulls out a short, thin dagger from the inside of his pocket, and hands it to his prince, 

“A drop of your blood, your grace”

Aemond complies, and slashes the tip of his ring finger with the small blade. The warlock catches his blood with the vessel and proceeds to the bed, cutting the skin of the prince’s wife as well, mixing her blood with his. He adds the soil of their land, smoke of burnt sage, and water to his concoction before working his fingers into her mouth to force it open, and pours the brew down her throat. 

Nothing happens. 

Quietly, he leaves her bed to wash his hands in the basin by the hearth. He does not seem displeased by the fact that his magic did not work, or frightened by the dragon prince observing him closely. 

Aemond inhales, ready to have the deceitful bastard executed, flames of anger dancing within his blood from the humiliating disappointment of trusting a common conman. 

But just as he’s about to unleash his fury, he hears it. 

A sigh, quiet as a whisper in the room, yet loud as thunder in the young prince’s ears, floats from their bed to where he stands. He whips his head so quickly to the side his neck hurts, and hurriedly walks towards where she lies, still with her eyes closed and in the same position he had left her in. 

He carefully brings his hand out, shaking like the leaves of a tree caught in a storm. His eyes cannot see her clearly, unshed tears becoming a veil of relief over his eye. His hand gently grabs hers, and despite her still cold skin, he feels it, the drum of her heart, dancing in her chest and sending waves of thuds through her body. He leans in closer, wanting to whisper a greeting against her soft skin, yet is disturbed by the presence behind him he had nearly forgotten,

“We have not yet discussed the price, your grace”

Aemond leans back and turns to face the sorcerer. He wears the same wicked smirk as before, as if the prince’s despair amuses him. 

Disgusting creature.

“You have your gold. You are dismissed”

“Oh, but that is not the price the Gods wish to see, my prince”, he says with a sickly sweet gleefulness that chills Aemond’s bones,

“Witchcraft angers the Gods. It mocks them. I told you your selfishness will be the price you pay, and They have agreed”

“What do you speak of? Spit it out”

His smirk widens, “Release her hand”

Aemond gently lets go of her, and watches as a bruise blossoms forth from underneath the delicate skin of her wrist. 

“With each touch, she moves closer to the Stranger once more. You may have her by your side, but you cannot indulge in her” 

Frozen in place, the prince does not answer. What will become of his life if he is not allowed to touch his beloved? Being beside her, yet so far away. 

The man forces Aemond out of his thoughts,

“Will you settle for that, my prince? Being tempted by her every day, until you draw your last breath?” 

“If that is the price the Gods wish to be paid” 

“Hm. And you are content with a life without heirs? Without a bedmate? Or will you look for that elsewhere? Have another bed your wife, claim the offspring as your own?” 

The question turns Aemond’s stomach. 

“Watch your tongue, warlock. Or I will take it” 

His icy voice does nothing but amuse the man further, whose lips draw even taunter as he feigns regret with a courteous nod,

“Forgive me, your grace. I did not mean offence. Surely, you must have considered all implications carefully to reach this conclusion”

In truth, he had not. But the thought of another touching what belongs to him, his most dear possession, is so repulsive to Aemond he swallows the bile pushing up his throat. 

No one else may ever touch her. 

By next morning light, she awakens.

Still in a delirious state, she asks her husband to come closer and embrace her, frightened by the visions she had seen in her resting state. 

The contentment Prince Aemond feels from once again speaking to her; seeing her draw breath, seeing colour reappear on her cheeks, is dulled the separation between them, and the realisation that this is how they will remain from now onwards. 

He tells her of it all; Rhaenys bursting through the boards, the necromancer and the price he paid to bring her back. 

A tear falls from her lashes when he tells her that they may never touch again, for she will once more decay if they do. 

With a forceful swallow, she pushes down her own sadness and nods, grateful that he loves her too much to live without her. 

And so, their new normality begins. 

They enjoy the same things they did before; taking their meals together, reading together, speaking of their duties together. 

He had told court that her life was saved thanks to a skilled maester visiting from Oldtown, aware of the dangers enlisting a man of the dark arts carries.  

Should the truth about her resurrection come to light, she might be sanctioned not only by the court, but by the Citadel as well, and thus forced back into the arms of the stranger. 

In their endurance, their days grow tense, each moment tainted by the unspoken heartbreak of separation. 

The most prominent change to their lives together is the longing squeezing the prince’s heart. 

Never before has he ached so much for something as he does for her touch. 

The pain inside his heart doubles when he catches her eyes observing him from across the table whenever they sit together. 

She looks so devastated by their separation, so overcome with yearning. 

He knows the feeling, ‘tis the same sorrow that reflects in his heart. And yet, there is nothing they can do. 

Aemond would rather spend an eternity with her, and never once more feel the warmth of her fingers on his flesh, than to watch her get pulled away by the stranger yet again. 

So he endures. 

An unforgiving storm whips the Red Keep with vexed, rainy lashes when he returns from Storm’s End. 

He is drenched, dripping from head to toe. His face looks haunted; as if he has met the eye of death himself. 

She sits by the hearth, embroidering a small, green dragon onto one of his tunics. Her needle clumsily pierces the tip of her finger as she sees her husband’s distressed state, 

“What is the matter, my love?” 

“Lucerys, he-, he’s dead” 

Aemond shakes from the cold of the rain soaking his clothes. With shaky fingers he peels off his leathers, until he is only in his underclothes, standing right before her by the fire to seek some warmth, 

“I did not mean to-, Vhagar-, she-”

The explanations die on his tongue. 

She meets his gaze, bewildered and pitiful, and nods in silent understanding, unsure of how to comfort him. Aemond sinks down to his knees, feeling the heat of the fire lick against his cold skin. ‘Tis little comfort; his bones still feel freezing. As does his heart, when he looks at her. So close, yet never close enough. 

Torture, that is what it is. A cruel jest from the Gods. 

“How can I ease your distress, my love?”, she asks, and he nearly whimpers at her sweet concern. If he cannot confess his suffering to her, then who? 

“I fear I am a selfish man, after all”, he says defeatedly, 

“Even now I miss you, when you sit before me. I crave your touch - to feel you near. To be inside you. I am not whole unless I am with you - part of you, my love”

The smile on her face is filled with sorrow, piteous eyes glimmering against the warm glow of the hearth. She shuffles in her seat, pulls her hand out, and opens it in an inviting gesture, 

“I can spare a few years in my elderly days if I may feel your touch for one more night, my love”

And who is he to deny his love? 

To dismiss her sweet pleas? 

He would never deny her anything. 

He moves forward, crawling towards where she sits like the depraved hound he is. When he reaches her, he pulls the skirts of her small clothes up to reveal the soft meat of her things, and lays his head there, only for a moment. 

A sigh escapes him, so content to feel her softness against his cheek once more. ‘Tis like finding salvation after a life in sin; an otherworldly experience. 

He nuzzles into her skin, and she brings one hand to the side of his face, gently tracing his cheekbone and threading the silk of his hair between her fingers. After a moment of still devotion, he pushes the fabric further up to kiss her cunny, the only drink his parched lips crave. 

A startled gasp echoes above him, and the hand she carefully stroked his hair with turns into a painful grip. He adores the sting against his scalp. Hurriedly, he steals a peak from her, wasting no time to finally feel whole again. 

Kissing his way up her panting body, he finally tastes the reward he had coveted so. Her lips are even sweeter than he remembered them; soft, warm and most comforting. 

He stands and pulls her up to do the same, leading her to their bed with quick, long strides. He removes her small clothes as if he despises them, tearing the fabric and grunting at the layers separating him from the light of his life. When she is finally bare before him, he strips himself and joins her on their bed, finding his home between her thighs. She is so slick he slides in as if he were the missing piece of her incomplete body, and they both cry out at the all-consuming bliss of finally being together, being one, once more. 

His arms snake underneath her back, pulling her so close to him each inch of her skin touches his. Their lips stay locked together, moans and pleasurable sighs bouncing between their mouths. 

He cannot tell if the wetness on her cheek is proof of her own relief, or his. 

Nevertheless, he kisses it away, closes his eyes, and disappears into the bliss of having her again. 

They stay intertwined through the night, and by first light, Aemond reluctantly lets go of his love. 

The light that illuminates their chambers is scarce in the early hours of the morning, yet he can see the discolouration travelling up the limbs of his wife; painting her legs and arms in odd, painful colours. 

Their indulgence had cost her greatly. 

Regret stabs his heart; potent and aching. 

What have I done? 

‘Tis as if the small dagger the warlock carried were lodged inside his chest, reminding him of the devious man he had become. 

A kinslayer. 

His bloodthirsty quest for selfish pursuits; justice, comfort, love, is naught but foolishness. 

And now those around him pay the price. 

Aemond makes sure to keep distance from her, and he suffers immensely from it. 

On the night he came back from Storm’s End, he had found peaceful slumber in the arms of his beloved. Each night since, he is tormented by nightmares; visions of his worst fears playing in his mind. 

Cold skin, blood, bruises.

He fears Rhaenyra’s wrath. The retribution he will have to atone for Lucerys’ life. 

Will he be the one to pay it this time? 

Or will the burden of his crimes once more fall on the shoulders of his loved ones? 

Aemond does not need to wait long for retaliation.  

Rhaenyra’s revenge go by the names of Blood and Cheese, a ratcatcher and a disgraced butcher. The pair snook into the chambers of his young nephew, heir to the Iron Throne Jaehaerys, and slew the boy in front of Aemond’s sweet sister, Helaena. 

His hands are no longer merely tainted by the crimson of Lucerys’ blood. His pursuit for vengeance cost him the life of his nephew, and his sister, so lost in grief she can no longer leave her chambers. He only visits her once, horrified by the ghost of a person the queen has become. 

‘Tis my fault.

And it echoes in the prince’s mind anywhere he goes. 

When he trains with Ser Criston. When he flies on Vhagar. When he breaks his fast with his wife.

‘Tis my fault. 

When his mother can’t meet his eye. When his brother sinks deeper into his cups. When his grandfather no longer confides in him.

‘Tis my fault. 

The only light remaining is his dear lady wife. 

She still regards him with love. 

Her eyes still sparkle as he enters their chambers after a long day. Her mouth still forms a smile whenever he greets her.

“Her sweetness is wicked”, Prince Aemond thinks, “So inviting, beckoning me in, yet I must remain at a distance”

They still sleep next to one another, separated by an arm’s length. A small distance that feels infinite as he longingly steals glances of her sleeping form. 

A siren calling to him, taunting him with her soft, warm flesh. 

He knows that a night with her in his arms would ease his distress; allow him to find slumber and wake up as a better man. 

I would be a better man, for her. 

And that is the last thing he thinks before he shuffles closer, gently pulls her into his arms, and buries his nose in her hair. 

If he were a better man, he would have stopped after one night. But by now, Aemond knows that he is not. 

He is a self-serving, weak craven. 

The first night of having her in his arms while she slept did not soothe the longing aching in his chest as he thought it would. It doubled it. And by next nightfall, he waited for her to drift to sleep before greedily pulling her into his arms once more. 

He sees the toll his nightly indulgence has on her body rapidly. The bruises that had decorated her limbs grow darker, like those of an apple decaying. They now travel from her hands and feet, up her arms and legs, and bloom out over her stomach, chest, and neck. 

Aemond finds himself looking at her less and less. 

‘Tis my fault. 

“Mayhaps we need to seek out the sorcerer again for council?”, she questions one day as she carefully observes the bruises colouring her body. She presses on one and winces, lips pulled down into a displeased frown. 

She is withering. Rotting away. 

“I will”, Aemond says, and the lie is so bitter on his tongue, he wonders if his foul ways have caused poison to grow from within him. 

He had stolen Lucerys’ life above Storm’s End. A quick affair, an instance that he regretted as soon as he saw Vhagar’s jaw close around the small dragon. He did not mean to do it; to take his life. He only meant to seek justice for his eye; for the pain his nephew had caused him. For disfiguring him. 

‘Tis what he has become known for; kinslaying. The merciless murder of the young boy who wronged him. If the court only knew of how vile he truly is.

With each night that passes, he steals another flicker of the flame keeping the light of his life alive. He sees her grow paler, the bruises now covering nearly every inch of her being, slowly working their way towards her heart, drumming weaker and weaker in her chest. 

And yet, he cannot stop. He needs solace; the only good thing in his life. Holding her near, feeling the heat of her melt the icy bolts of remorse and guilt shooting within him. 

Tonight, he knows it is their last time. She can hardly open her eyes anymore. Her lips are purple, skin a sick melody of various shades, and her heart beats slowly, as if it is fighting with each thud. 

Just like the nights before, he lies down next to her, pulls her into his arms, inhales her scent, and closes his eyes. 

“This time, she perishes by my hand”, he thinks, “She gave me everything, and yet I took more”

But what is love, if not to take? 

Take and take and take, until there is nothing left. 

No one savours love. 

No one would ever feel satisfied with only a taste. 

It is meant to be devoured. And that’s what Prince Aemond tells himself, as his love finally draws her last breath in his arms. 

“Forgive me”, his whisper begs, 

“I have devoured you. I have let my selfishness slaughter you. Now I await my own demise, one that will come to me soon”

His fingers gently dance over her cheek, 

“I welcome it. I welcome a chance to meet you once more”

He holds her closer, feeling the warmth of her body leave for the second time in their lives,

“Until then, sleep well, my love, and I will return to you soon”

A/N; I hope you enjoyed this little Halloween fic of mine! I tried to go with a bit more classic, haunting and tragic theme, and it was so fun to write.

If you enjoyed this, please check out my fic Colour My Mind, Bring Me Back. It has very similar vibes and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Kisses!

[veneritia]

When Comes The Dawn | The Agonia

When Kaelstansa the Great felt the gaze of the Lantern Bearer turn to him, he looked upon his children and wondered which of them would have the means to continue his legacy. That night, when he laid his weary head to rest, the Fortune Weaver appeared in his dreams in the guise of a golden bird. “Set before them three challenges, beloved-of-mine,” commanded the goddess. “One for strength, one for guile, and the last to test their character. The one who passes all three will have my blessing, and your kingdom shall reign forever in glory.” — The Aetieriana

The Agonia: a colloquial term in the Aetierian Empire, referencing the endless battle between imperial heirs for the right to ascend to the imperial throne. Though having evolved from the King’s Game, this term is neither used nor referenced in any codified works of law.

THE KING'S GAME

Unlike the majority of kingdoms in Raia, the Empire of Aetier had no official rules that dictated the succession of the crown. Its founding ruler, King Kaelstansa the Great, set the precedent of the monarch choosing their heir regardless of birth order, forgoing the standards of male primogeniture and decreeing that only the most capable of his children would succeed him on the throne. He determined this by devising a game: a set of three challenges designed to test his children’s mettle, known by historians today as The King’s Game. While the exact nature of these challenges have been lost to history, the concept of testing each vi Aetier scion carried throughout the generations until—

THE DECADE OF BLOOD

The reign of Vasilier Belisarius II saw a great upheaval in the imperial court, owing in part to the increasing political power of the Serarium—the members of the imperial harem. As the primary parental figures of imperial heirs, members of the Serarium had a vested interest in the line of succession, often using their own families to advance their child’s position in the Vasilier’s eyes. However, the latter half of Belisarius II’s reign saw this struggle for power turn deadly. For years the imperial court was plagued with a string of murders, stillbirths, and conspiracies as consorts and heirs sabotaged one another to increase their chances of winning The Agonia before an official challenge was even designed.

In an attempt to end the tensions at court and the bloodbath in the Harem, Belisarius II made plans to hold an official Game to finally pick his heir. But before he could issue the challenge, tragedy struck when Belisarius II perished during a hunting a trip. With the Vasilier dead and no official heir appointed, the fight for the throne became a free-for-all.

Belisarius II’s consort-prima managed to quickly seize the imperial throne and the military surrounding Reanopoli— the old capital of Aetier—eliminated rival heirs within the capital, and crowned her twelve-year-old son, Atreus, the new Vasilier. She, along with her family, the House of Thysestes, formed a regency council and attempted to wrest control of the empire from the House of Aetier.

However, the House of Thyestes’ rule would not remain unchallenged as one of Belisarius II’s surviving children, Imperessor Leo vi Aetier, quickly returned in the middle of his Venusian Campaign upon hearing of his father’s death. The ten year civil war—the first since Aetier’s founding—saw immeasurable casualties on both sides, and eventually culminated into Imperessor Leo’s victory. After he was coronated as Vasilier Leo III on the summer solstice, he ordered for all mentions of Atreus and the House of Thysestes to be eradicated from history. Atreus was stripped of all his titles and his family name, and was executed along with the remaining members of House Thysestes at the age of twenty-one, a few days shy of his birthday.

THE ERA OF THREE CROWNS

Since the Decade of Blood, Aetierian history has been plagued by numerous civil wars, but none have had greater impact on the wider geopolitical landscape and the rules of the Agonia than the Era of Three Crowns.

Among Vasilier Arsenios I’s vast brood of children, three stood above the rest: Reilma-Imperessor Justinian, Kaisarim of Paros; Reilma-Imperessa Athanasia, Kaisarim of Iorousia; and Reilma-Imperessor Valens, Kaisarim of Kelainai. Equally talented, equally powerful, and equally backed by strong supporters, the Empire held its breath as the question of which among the three scions would inherit the imperial throne. Despite knowing that each of his three children were poised for another civil war, Arsenios I was reluctant to formally declare an heir, insistent on keeping the delicate balance of powers at the Imperial Court for as long as possible.

Only after his death did Arsenios I declare his chosen successor in his will— Justinian. But Justinian’s appointment was quickly contested by his half-siblings, accusing him and his family of conspiracy and forging an imperial edict as Aresnios I’s will was “found” by Justinian’s supporters.

The empire was quickly plunged into another civil war as each imperial heir declared themselves the true Vasilier and accused the others of being usurpers. From there, they split the empire into three territories: Justinian ruling from the Aetierian capital of Kaelstanopoli, Athanasia ruling to the east from Iorousia, and Valens governing the western territories from Kelainai. Eventually, Valens will move his seat of power to the province of Isidore, where the old capital of Reanopoli resides.

The repeated deadlocks and stalemates between all three sides had Aetier cracking at the seams. It was only when a fourth party—the kingdom of Leohthal—attempted to invade Valens’ territories to the West did the balance of power shift. With Valens distracted by the threat to his borders, Athanasia took this opportunity to push straight into the heart of Justinian’s territory, surprising his forces, capturing him, and then shaking his supporters by publishing the Artensian Papers. These papers were a confession, allegedly handwritten by Justinian’s mother before her death where she states that Justinian was sired by a knight errant. For Justinian—who already did not possess the trademark vi Aetier silver eyes—the Artensian Papers marred his reputation in a way that it could never recover from.

After being through the streets of Kaelstanopoli as a bastard pretender and usurper, Justinian was sentenced to death by beheading. Athanasia hung his severed head outside the walls of the city as a warning to Valens of the fate that would await him.

THE GREAT SCHISM

However the aftermath of Athanasia’s victory against Justinian and Valens’ successful repelling of the Leohthalian invasion left both sides severely weakened and unable to continue their conflict with each other. After a series of intense negotiations, Valens reluctantly agreed to relinquish his claim over the Aetierian throne and acknowledge Athanasia as the rightful Vasilier. In exchange, Valens was allowed to secede with his current territories in the west, creating the kingdom of Hesperia and establishing the House of Deominos as the ruling line with himself at the head.

Though Valens did not succeed in gaining the Aetierian throne for himself, he did manage to claim Kaelstansa’s ancestral lands in Reanopoli, as well as Kaelstansa’s burial grounds, which was a great blow to Aetierian pride.

THE SCION'S CODE

Seeing the devastation their civil war caused, Vasilier Athanasia I wanted to find a way to prevent competing claimants for the throne once an heir had been chosen. Her grand solution was instituting the Scion’s Code, an imperial edict that makes it lawful for the ascending heir to execute their siblings under the pretext of maintaining stability for the empire and the benefit of its citizens. Though kinslaying had thus been an age-old tradition at this point of the House of Aetier, this Scion’s code now made it legal and acceptable without having to find a more justifiable cause.

“The Agonia” as a term saw a resurgence after the Scion’s Code was passed. Instead of referring to the original King’s Game, or even the many great civil wars of the past, the Agonia now referred to the deadly games of succession played between imperial heirs, the harem, and the imperial court. No longer are the games of succession done for the sake of ambition, now it was one of survival. An empire or an execution. A crown or an axe. Victory or Death.

The Agonia is bloody. The players are ruthless. And for most imperial children, the game begins at birth.

TAGLIST (ask to be +/-)

@bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @forever-and-almost-always @halcionic @caninemotiff @socialmediasocrates @zorya-km @smolandweirdwriter @floweryprosegarden

[katebishopeveryday]

Civil War II: Choosing Sides (2016) #3 "Kate Bishop" Ming Doyle & Stephen Byrne

[agentrouka-blog]

tbh in regards to dance of the dragons, he had set it up the moment Viserys named his firstborn son Aegon. Aegon II for gods sake. Idiot man

Really, he could have named him Gilfoyle-Rompius and it would have been set up. It's the son that's the problem, in a world where all traditions (Andal and Targaryen!) favor male primogeniture and Targaryen precedent even favors uncle before niece.

But really some form of Dance was always going to happen because Targaryen male-favoring was so intense it even surpassed Andal law. Jaehaerys's ascension supplanted Rhaena's and Aegon's daughters, and his Great Council robbed Rhaenys of what should have been her inheritance from day one and gave it to Viserys (and Daemon), leaving Rhaenys's ambitious husband and crucial ally Corlys Velaryon furious.

That's always been a volatile situation already. Aegon or no Aegon.

Scheming royal brother, slighted indispensible ally with a dormant claim - that's already two sincere challenges to Rhaenyra's inheritance that would have encouraged to civil war to make her queen (Daemon and Corlys allying against her). Viserys choosing to have sons that are essentially forced to fight for their claim or be murdered as potential rivals anyway.... really just an explosive cherry on top, which temporarily forced everyone else to unite against them and keep their own conflict more low-key. But it was always there. If Laenor had been able to father a trueborn son with Rhaenyra, Daemon would have been out for his blood too, unless a marriage for one of his daughters was guaranteed. The guy didn't murder Laena's betrothed for love of her but because he wanted Corlys on his side through marrying her (and for her Valyrian blood), and he groomed Rhaenyra to have the option of marrying her or having her trust to take advantage. When Laena died without giving him a son, Laenor became the next target to remove, so Rhaenyra became available, and he betrothed his daughters to Rhaenyra's bastards to keep Corlys on his side by placing his grandchild on the throne regardless. Still he had trueborn sons with Rhaenyra so those bastards were never going to live very long.

All of this happens even without considering Alicent's sons! Aegon is a wholly separate factor in the Dance that is the main obstacle to the throne for this whole faction combined. Simply by being Viserys's trueborn son and (theoretically) unquestionable heir. Viserys clinging to Rhaenyra as heir makes her the key tool for everyone else's ambition. And Viserys did absolutely nothing to protect her from that. Fathering sons to rival her was just one aspect of that.

[imfromthemiddlekingdom]

why are you crying about blood and cheese if every targaryen deserves to die according to you? own your words lmaooo

I’m assuming you’re on my ass due to this post

And you seemingly missed my inclusion of “Daemons descendants”. Note how I said due to Daemons actions and Rhaenyra’s inaction, everything bad that happened to house Targaryen after they ‘won’, is cosmic karma for putting a hit on a baby (Maelor) and sending two murdering rapist to threaten a baby girl with rape if her mother didn’t choose which of her sons she should watch die.

Plus, aren’t you on the side of people who say the targtowers aren’t real Targaryen? Because *checks notes* they are half andal??? So in that line of thought, I’m actually not a hypocrite for wishing death on house Targaryen because they aren’t Targaryen. At least according to team black anyways.

My hatred for house Targaryen is of the line of Rhaenyra and Daemon. As team black said, they won with their son sitting on the throne, but also all the suffering the people of Westeros went through can be traced back to their second son Viserys. With his son Aegon the unworthy single-handedly plunging Westeros into civil war SEVEN times. By giving blackfye to Daemon Waters, he most blatantly, told the nobility of Westeros that he favored his bastard over his true born son. Echoing his grandmother Rhaenyra in more ways than one lol.

How many people died due to Rhaenyra grandson legitimizing all his bastards on his deathbed? How many people died due to Aerys Targaryen’s fondness for wildfyre? How many people died because Rhaegar was so enamored with the idea of a prophecy, going so far as to steal and rape a 15 year old? Notice how in the subsequent years after the dance of dragons, there were only two monarchs that were ‘good’. Viserys II and Daeron II. Others were either lunatics that would’ve been better off smothered in the cradle due to how many deaths they caused, or lackluster kings who’s poor management of their offsprings caused the realm to bleed; Aegon the Unlikely with his lack of spine when it comes to putting his foot down in regards to his children spurning their betrothed causing the Baratheons to rise up in rebellion when Duncan the Small decided to think with his dick than do his duties to the realm (sounds familiar doesn’t it? Rhaenyra’s tendencies to flaunt her disregard of her duties truly is inherited by her decedents!), and Jaehaerys II choosing to believe a woodwitch Jenny bought to court and forcibly making his children marry when both of them hated or at least strongly disliked each other.

These Targaryens didn’t come from Alicent’s line. They came from Rhaenyras. Which is why I said the downfall of house Targaryen in the current ASOIAF timeline is cosmic karma for the depravity of Rhaenyra and Daemon. I can only hope Winds of Winter would further explore Jon leaning into his Stark heritage and completely disregarding his Targ heritage, and that if Aegon Targaryen is real, he’d connect with his Martell family more so than his targ one.

[sonics-atelier]

If Lucissa was a song what do you think they’d be?

Haiii, so I got very carried away with this and made an entire playlist on spotify, I've made it public, here's the link! ( I have wayyy too much free time on my hands )

I've added more of the songs under the cut.

Ivory & Iron: The Love of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy

Contains: Aristocratic elegance, fierce devotion, forbidden tenderness, and survival through love. Elegance, loyalty, forbidden softness, and unwavering devotion beneath aristocratic coldness.

1. “Like Real People Do” – Hozier

“I will not ask you where you came from…”

– The way they love each other quietly, without needing to explain. Just existing together.

2. “From Eden” – Hozier

– Their young, golden courtship—dangerous, beautiful, and too perfect.

3. “Work Song” – Hozier

“When my time comes around, lay me gently in the cold dark earth...”

– A love that endures even in ruin, in war, in silence. Lucius would burn the world for her.

4. “Talk” – Hozier

– All the things unsaid between them. The way they know each other without speaking.

5. “Shrike” – Hozier

“I couldn’t utter my love when it counted…”

– Lucius, in the aftermath, full of regret and quiet longing, still watching her with reverence.

6. “Movement” – Hozier

– The grace and beauty of Narcissa. The way Lucius sees her—ethereal, commanding.

7. “Cherry Wine” – Hozier (Live)

– The complexity of their relationship: sometimes cold, sometimes sharp, but full of history and longing.

8. “Through Me (The Flood)” – Hozier

– Surviving the war, the grief, the flood—and still holding onto each other.

9. “To Be Alone” – Hozier

– The magnetic pull between them. Something dark, something irresistible.

10. “In a Week” – Hozier ft. Karen Cowley

– A love that speaks even in death. A haunting bond.

11. "Young and Beautiful" – Lana Del Rey

“Will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful?”

– The tragedy and glamour of devotion in an uncertain world.

12. "Love Me Like You Do" – Ellie Goulding

– All-consuming love cloaked in restraint.

13. "The Archer" – Taylor Swift

– Narcissa, quietly carrying the weight of a family and love that never falters.

14. "Never Let Me Go" – Florence + The Machine

– A haunting melody of surrender and salvation.

15. "Exile" – Taylor Swift ft. Bon Iver

– Their quiet fights, miscommunications, and always—returning to each other.

16. "Poison & Wine" – The Civil Wars

“I don't love you, but I always will.”

– The ache of knowing each other’s worst and still staying.

17. "Tennis Court" – Lorde

– A young Narcissa at court: bored, sharp, and waiting for someone worthy.

18. "The Night We Met" – Lord Huron

– Lucius, in moments of regret and longing.

19. "Silk" – Giselle

– Slow, sensual, private. Love that whispers instead of shouts.

20. "Wolf" – First Aid Kit

– Narcissa as fierce protector, wrapped in fur and teeth for her family.

21. "Elegy" – Bear’s Den

– Quiet sorrow. Lucius after the war, trying to hold on to what remains.

22. "I Found" – Amber Run

– The calm and clarity of choosing each other again and again.

23. "A Million Dreams (Reprise)" – The Greatest Showman Soundtrack

– For the dreams they had as young pureblood royalty, and what became of them.

24. "Turning Page" – Sleeping at Last

– A gentle, exquisite piano love letter.

25. "No Choir" – Florence + The Machine

– No grand song, no applause—just a love that endured it all.

26. “Overture II” – Sleeping at Last

– Instrumental heartbreak and hope—perfect for them standing silently in the ruins, still side by side.

27. “Big God” – Florence + The Machine

“You need a big god…”

– The hunger, the ache, the divinity Narcissa demands just by existing.

28. “Bones” – MS MR

– Their world is built on fragility and beauty. The skeletons of what they once were echo in every room.

29. “Control” – Halsey

– Narcissa, cold, composed, terrifying when she chooses to be.

30. “Castle” – Halsey

– Power, perception, and the polished throne she walks toward with elegance and steel.

31. “My Love” – Sia

– A whisper-soft surrender to a love that has endured years, wars, and expectations.

32. “Frail Love” – Cloves

– A quiet devastation. Lucius, when Narcissa won’t meet his eyes but still reaches for his hand.

33. “Run to You” – Lea Michele

– A haunting ballad of devotion—always returning to the one you love.

34. “The Love Club” – Lorde

– Young Narcissa among the bored, cruel elite, waiting for something real.

35. “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” – Paloma Faith

– Painful love—sharp and cinematic. The cost of loving so deeply.

36. “You Are My Sunshine (Cover)” – Jasmine Thompson

– Sung like a lament, not a lullaby. Love that clings, even in shadow.

37. “My Mind” – YEBBA

– Raw, breathtaking vocal intensity—what Narcissa sounds like inside when she loses everything.

38. “Unsteady” – X Ambassadors

– For the moments when they fall apart in private, behind locked doors and drawn curtains.

39. “Wicked Game” – Ursine Vulpine ft. Annaca

– A slow, haunting version of desire that was never safe.

40. “Take Me to Church” – Hozier

– Their love as religion, as rebellion, as sacrifice.

41. “Better” – Daughter

– Lucius wishing he could have been better. Narcissa, knowing she never asked him to be.

42. “Back to Black” – Amy Winehouse

– The aftermath of every betrayal, every silence. A return to the only place that ever felt real.

43. “As It Was” – Harry Styles

– The world changed. Their love did too—but it survived.

44. “Love in the Dark” – Adele

– If they ever tried to walk away and found they couldn’t.

45. “If I Had a Heart” – Fever Ray

– Cold, dark legacy. The House of Malfoy in the war’s aftermath. Still breathing.

46. “Heavy in Your Arms” – Florence + The Machine

– The burden of being someone’s everything—and loving it.

47. “Hunger” – Florence + The Machine

– Wanting to be seen. Wanting to be known. Still, they choose each other.

48. “Sorrow” – The National

– A soft repetition of grief, of aging, of staying.

49. “All This and Heaven Too” – Florence + The Machine

– The cost of love that tries to explain itself in words, and always fails.

50. “Saturn” – Sleeping at Last

– A final love letter to the stars. The ache of growing old and still choosing one another.

[enriquecarrion]

Civil War II: Choosing Sides (Trade Paperback)

Artist: Annapaola Martello

Writer: Enrique Carrión

[valaenatargaryensdragon]

hello! i hope your day is gong well.

i'm not team green or team black, but both sides seem to be crumbling with rulers who aren't ready to rule and who weren't trained to rule. like jaehaerys left descendants who were never taught how to rule. when he choose viserys, i'm almost 99.99999% sure he didn't know how to rule and for obvious reasons was never taught. when viserys had both hraenyra and aegon, neither was taught the politics of ruling they just witnessed it which is like only 25% of what needed to be done.

i'd like to know your thoughts on the current problems amongst both sides because i'm worried that with all these filler episodes, both sides are truly being shown to have incompetent leaders that don't know how to play the game without losing after a winning round.

SPOILERS!!!

The leadership problems on both sides of the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons, highlight serious flaws in their rulers’ preparedness and training. Here’s a closer look at the issues:

Lack of Preparedness:

1. Viserys I Targaryen: When Jaehaerys I chose Viserys as his successor, he didn’t ensure that Viserys was well-trained for the complexities of ruling. Viserys’s reign showed signs of indecision and a reluctance to address crucial issues like succession and political alliances. His focus was more on maintaining peace rather than preparing for future conflicts.

2. Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon II Targaryen: Neither Rhaenyra nor Aegon received the thorough training needed to rule effectively. They grew up witnessing the politics of the court, but mere observation isn’t enough. Ruling requires deep understanding and practical experience in governance, diplomacy, and strategy, which they lacked.

And both sides are facing problems with loyalty whether it was Daemon or Aemond. Feels like the show is desperate to show that they are basically the same and one of the problems in the show are also them removing characters like Nettles who was important in the book. Or that fact that they made Aemond burn Aegon instead which is untrue in the books. It really is getting on my nerves how they’re ruining the books.

To be honest I do believe both sides suck at leading but there isn’t a perfect leader after all. I think that if Viserys had taken another route things would have been better. Like maybe listening to Otto and marrying Rhaenyra to Aegon, I think she would have been able to straighten him up. The mere fact that he could have given them a little attention would have changed their ideals and personalities. I think the real villain here is Viserys.

Again it is Viserys’ fault for their lack of knowledge in politics. He should have made sure they were educated about it and as well in the action for small council meetings and such. But Viserys himself was a very poor leader, yes he was peaceful but he sucked himself as well. Is it obvious that I hate Viserys? 😂

I hope this was what you wanted and asked about.

Author V ❤️

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

THE KOBAYASHI MARU TEST

TCINLA FEB 1, 2024 “Kobayashi Maru” is a Star Trek term that people who are not Star Trek fans know the meaning of. The phrase "Kobayashi Maru" has entered the popular lexicon as a reference to a no-win scenario. The term is also sometimes used to invoke Kirk's decision to "change the conditions of the test."

In Star Trek stories, “Kobayashi Maru” is a test designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets, by placing them in a no-win scenario. The Kobayashi Maru test was first depicted in the 1982 film “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

In the stories, the “goal” of the exercise is to rescue the civilian ship “Kobayashi Maru,” which has been damaged and is now stranded in disputed territory between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The cadet being evaluated must decide whether to attempt to rescue the Kobayashi Maru - which means putting their ship and crew in danger - or to leave the Kobayashi Maru to certain destruction. If the cadet chooses to attempt a rescue, an insurmountable enemy force attacks their ship, and they must deal with that.

Metaphorically, that test certainly applies to where we are today.

The term has been applied to real-world scenarios with no perceived positive outcome or that requires outside-the-box thinking, such as constitutional law, where the scenario is an event that may only be dealt with successfully by extra-constitutional, or unconstitutional, methods with the goal of protecting the constitution.

Commentators have used Kirk's unorthodox answer ("I don't believe in the no-win scenario”) to the test as an example of the need to redefine the premises upon which an organization operates - changing the rules rather than playing within them, that by stepping outside the rules of the game one can redefine the game.

While current indications show a shift in the national tide as we have hoped would happen, and with it the increasing likelihood that the enemies of out constitutional republic will fail in their assault, one possible outcome of the election of 2024 is that we may face the Kobayashi Maru Test.

Right now we face a “Crisis of Democracy” in the case of removing Donald Trump from the ballot under the rule in Article 3 of the 14th Amendment, which states that an individual who has taken part in an insurrection against the United States, or has given support to those who have, cannot occupy a political office under the United States and must not appear on the ballot.

“Democracy,” is on both sides of this case.

There are those who see excluding an immensely popular political figure from the ballot as being profoundly undemocratic.

Others see clearly that what is truly undemocratic is to empower a uniquely dangerous demagogue who has already disobeyed his solemn Oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic, and is thus a genuine threat who would end the constitutional republic that now exists, were he returned to office.

The tension between these two clashing visions can be resolved only by attending to the Constitution’s own specific implementation of “democracy,” which was the product of a great democratic process after a series of insurrectionary and democracy-imperiling events 160 years ago in the aftermath of the Civil War

Following President Andrew Johnson’s actions allowing the former Confederate traitors who had waged war against the United States to reorganize their states and rejoin the Union with a simple oath of allegiance easily taken with their fingers crossed behind their back while so doing, men who had played leading roles in the rebellion and war against the United States were elected by political means that involved suppressing the votes of those opposed to the former Confederate traitors retaking office - black and white.

Under President Johnson’s new rules, former Vice President of the Confederate States of America Alexander Stevens was elected a Senator from South Carolina, the state that had led the rebellion. When asked what he intended to do as a Senator, Stevens said openly he planned to prevent the government taking action to protect the freed slaves, and that he expected to act with the other Southern Senators and congressional representatives to rebuild the power the South had held in Congress before the war, in which they were able to prevent the enactment of any law or adoption of any policy to which they were opposed.

Had that happened, much more than the treatment of the former slaves would have been at stake. While the Southern reactionaries were out of the government during the war, many progressive acts, such as the Homestead Act opening the West to small farmers, or the Morrill Act, establishing publicly-funded institutions of higher learning in each state - both of which had been opposed by the Southern representatives before the war - would be in danger of repeal by the coming Southern majority. With the South effectively a one-party state, in which anyone elected to office could hold that office for so long as they wished, the South would retake control of the congressional committees, which were based on seniority.

It was decided that those who were proven by their actions to be dedicated to the destruction of the democratic constitutional republic, would be allowed no place, no power, in the government of that republic.

And thus Article 3 of the 14th Amendment was written and became law when the Amendment passed and became part of the Constitution.

Alexander Stevens and the other traitors were “immensely popular political figures” among their fellow insurrectionary traitors who were retaking political control of the newly reorganized states that were being returned to the Union under the policies of Andrew Johnson. Those who say today that excluding such “immensely popular political figures” from the ballot - regardless of their known political beliefs and actions - is “anti-democratic” would have been among the Copperheads (a term for northern Democrats who supported the South) who argued against the adoption not only of Article 3 but the entire 14th Amendment.

Today, Donald Trump and his supporters expressly state their intention to demolish the provisions of that amendment as regards the definition of who is a citizen, among their other planned attacks on the Constitutional rule of law, should they return to office. They are no different from the former Confederate traitors who also wished to continue waging war on the United States.

It has been “interesting” to watch the progression of authoritarianism in the United States over the past 60 years since the “Goldwater Revolution” failed.

We’ve always been told “it can’t happen here,” that there are rules and traditions preventing such a change, that authoritarianism was not even possible in the United States, without some wider cataclysm.

However, the past eight years have shown that if the would-be authoritarian takes on those traditions and guardrails one at a time, his partisans will say that this particular guardrail, this rule, this tradition, must be ignored, because it would be too inconvenient, too “divisive” to enforce it. But of course we need not worry, since the next guardrail can already be seen, and that will stop him.

Don’t worry about his nomination in the primary; he’ll lose the general election.

Don’t worry about his successful election; the party will keep him in check when he takes office.

Don’t worry about the party falling to his dominance; he can always be impeached.

Don’t worry about impeaching him; he can always be beaten in the next election.

Don’t worry about his coup attempt; he can be impeached again.

Don’t worry about the second impeachment; the criminal courts can bring him to justice.

Don’t worry about the criminal cases; there’s always the 14th Amendment.

Don’t worry about him winning; he’ll be blocked from staying in office past this term by the 22nd Amendment.

Unfortunately, it turns out that Trump’s genius was realizing this truth before the rest of us. His lifelong legal strategy of delay and bamboozle is perfect for gumming up the operation of all the defenses the system has built in to constrain him.

The Italians could say of Mussolini, “No one could have really known what he’d do, not for sure.” The Germans could say of Hitler, “No one could have really known what he’d do, not for sure.”

We in the United States cannot say that. Because we know what he’ll do. For sure.

We know what he has done in his first time in office. We have experienced it. When he tells us what he will do now, how he will destroy the Constitution, and the rule of law and destroy the democratic republic that is founded on that Constitution and the rule of law; we know he will do it because we know he has already tried to do it. His supporters promise they will do it.

Maya Angelou once said if someone tells you who they are, you should believe them.

What we are looking at in this year of 2024 here in the United States is the struggle between the idea of democracy and the rule of law, against authoritarianism and totalitarianism.

That struggle is also going on elsewhere. But if it is lost here, it will be lost everywhere.

We’re supposed to let him run on a platform of destroying what we have? We’re supposed to hand over power to him to do that, if he pulls off another Electoral College scam? We’re supposed to just give him the power he needs to do what he has told us he will do? What we know he will do?

We’re supposed to nod our heads and say “Here, you win, we lost, have a good day”?

We’re supposed to just let the fucking New Confederacy walk in and take over????!!

Democracy isn’t a suicide pact.

It’s been said many times, by conservative legal scholars, that “The Constitution isn’t a suicide pact.”

It’s a well-known rule of law that you cannot use the law to destroy the law.

Democracy matters. Freedom of expression matters. The rule of law matters. Values matter. That’s what’s at stake.

Our ancestors already made the decision for us. The rule is NOT that we surrender all because a “rule” says so. That rule has been superseded in this case. The rules of the game have already been changed. We can save the Kobayashi Maru, and damn any six traitors on a compromised, discredited, corrupt court who say otherwise.

For me, I can take Senator Angus King’s words, spoken on January 31, 2024 in debate over supporting the Ukrainian battle for survival, as a lodestar, a guide for action:

“I want to stand on the side of resisting authoritarianism, on the side of democracy, on the side of the values that the country has stood for and that people have been fighting for, for 250 years.”

WE are the ultimate defenders of the Republic.

Donald Trump cannot be allowed back into power, regardless. Ever.

TCinLA

[ahaan10723014]

Russian strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine.

What is the Russian Federation trying to achieve?

Russia continues to bring the "Russian world" to Ukraine, terrorizing the civilian population of Ukraine. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many Ukrainian civilian objects have come under fire from Russian troops. Andeach blow is accompanied by a stream of lies, propaganda and manipulation on the part of Russia.

Russian strikes on the Ukrainian energy system began in September 2022 after the retreat of the Russian army from the Kharkiv region. In response to the defeat of their army, no longer hiding behind lies about "military bases", the Russians purposefully attacked civilian critical infrastructure in Ukraine, trying to leave millions of civilians without electricity and heating, thereby once again confirming their status as a terrorist organization with a fascist ideology that brings death to innocent people.

The aggressor is returning to the tactics that he already used in the previous heating season. Having failed to achieve any significant success on the battlefield, Russia again resorted to outright terror of the civilian population, continuing the strategy of intimidation and provoking panic among Ukrainians. On the night of September 21, 2023, Ukraine experienced another attack by Russian barbarians, as a result of which a number of energy facilities were damaged. Russian troops attacked Ukraine with Kh-101/Kh-555/Kh-55 air-launched cruise missiles. They entered the airspace of Ukraine from different directions, constantly changing course along the route.

This is yet another act of barbaric terrorism. Russian troops will likely continue to attack facilities in the fuel and energy sector on the eve of the heating season. This is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. By attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Russia is blurring the line between civilian and military targets. The deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure on the eve of winter deprives civilians of access to essential resources - electricity, heat and clean water, puts lives at risk, which makes it possible to qualify them as war crimes.

Thecampaign to destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure was designed by Russia to inflict a level of suffering on civilians that would force the Ukrainian government to negotiate. Moscow's goal is the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, the collapse of Ukrainian society, the destruction of statehood. Attacks on non-military targets to demoralize civilians were also used by Nazi Germany during World War II. The Kremlin's use of these tactics is only an indication of its own growing despair.

Russia is attacking the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine in order to break the morale of the population, dreaming of mythical protest moods of Ukrainians, but in fact causing only increased hatred of the aggressor and more stubborn resistance.

Last winter, Russia failed to freeze Ukrainians, and it will not be able to do so now. The Ukrainian stateand society are only getting stronger.

Ukraine is ready to protect its energy facilities from Putin's terrorist attacks and respond to missile terror by destroying the aggressor's military infrastructure on its own territory.

Today, the entire civilized world unequivocally chooses the side of Ukraine. Western assistance in rebuilding damaged infrastructure is an invaluable service for millions of Ukrainians in winter conditions. Ukraine is grateful for the support provided, for the provision of assistance, both military and financial. Military assistance to Ukraine and increased sanctions against war criminals are investments in global security.

[katebishopeveryday]

Civil War II: Choosing Sides (2016) #3 "Kate Bishop" Ming Doyle & Stephen Byrne

[phasesofhermoon]

After many pregnant months, I finally updated my HotD fanfic. Check it out if you love Aemond as much as I do ;)

Dance of the Dragonlings (84978 words) by CherrryBombbb Chapters: 22/? Fandom: Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, House of the Dragon (TV) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Aemond Targaryen/Original Character(s), Aemond "One-Eye" Targaryen/You Characters: Aemond "One-Eye" Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Baela Targaryen, Rhaena Targaryen, Lucerys Velaryon (Son of Rhaenyra), Jacaerys Velaryon, Viserys I Targaryen, Alicent Hightower, Aegon II Targaryen, Helaena Targaryen, Prince Regent Aemond Targaryen - Character, House Celtigar Characters (A Song of Ice and Fire) Additional Tags: Eventual Smut, Romance, Drama, Political Alliances, Fantasy, Action/Adventure, The Dance of the Dragons | Aegon II Targaryen v. Rhaenyra Targaryen Era, Possessive Aemond "One-Eye" Targaryen, Soft Aemond "One-Eye" Targaryen, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Unplanned Pregnancy

Summary: As the bastard daughter of Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhaelyse Waters must navigate the political scheming and deceit within her family. In the midst of a civil war set to tear House Targaryen apart, Rhaelyse finds her heart torn in three places - between the freedom of muddled blood, her allegiance and admiration for her father, and her love for a prince. Will she choose to side with the Blacks or the Greens?

Aemond Targaryen's green leather tunic in House of the Dragon Season 2

[tokensbossh]

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Captain America (Steve Rogers) and Peggy Carter’s relationship has been both timeless and tragic, sparking endless fan discussions about love, loyalty, and destiny. Steve, a super-soldier out of time, and Peggy, a war hero, embody a story that transcends decades. Their journey, from World War II allies to lovers separated by time, reflects the very essence of heroism in the face of sacrifice. Fans often wonder if love like theirs could survive a 70-year gap, especially given that Captain America sacrificed his chance at a normal life to save the world.

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (1) With the culmination of their story in Avengers: Endgame, Steve finally takes a leap of faith by returning to the past to be with Peggy, creating a whirlwind of theories and alternate timelines. Marvel Studios, with cryptic hints and subtle confirmations, has left many threads for fans to unravel. The writers even suggested that Steve and Peggy had children, stirring debates about potential super-powered offspring in the MCU. This article dives into their love story, its implications, and the subtle details fans might have missed.

Steve and Peggy

Steve Rogers, a soldier with a heart as strong as his shield, met Peggy during WWII. The two connected over shared struggles: Steve faced doubts due to his initial frailty, and Peggy had to prove herself in a male-dominated field. As they fought side by side, a bond bloomed between them. Captain America: The First Avenger gives us a glimpse into the sacrifices made by each, but the tragedy lies in the fact that Steve, presumed lost in action, could never fulfill their plans for a life together. A Reunion Across Time in Endgame Avengers: Endgame brings one of the most surprising twists in the MCU: after restoring balance to the universe, Steve chooses to return to Peggy in the past, effectively rewriting his story. In doing so, he quietly exits his role as Captain America in the present, leaving his shield to his friend Sam Wilson. This decision has fueled fan speculation: Did Steve live a hidden life in the past without ever interfering in major events? According to the Endgame writers, Steve remained with Peggy while leading a low-profile existence, honoring his promise to her.

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (6)

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (5) The Family Mystery: Did Steve and Peggy Have Children? One of the most intriguing theories involves Steve and Peggy’s children, hinted at by the Endgame writers, who implied their descendants may carry a part of Steve’s super-soldier DNA. Although the MCU has yet to introduce these characters, alternate Marvel universes show a glimpse of Steve’s children, James Rogers and Sarah Rogers, each inheriting unique powers from their parents. This notion teases potential new superheroes while keeping fans wondering if the MCU will expand on Steve’s family in future films.

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (3) The Controversy of the Sharon Carter Kiss In Captain America: Civil War, Steve shares an unexpected kiss with Sharon Carter, Peggy’s great-niece, causing a stir among fans. Was Steve projecting his love for Peggy onto Sharon, or was this a way of honoring his memories? While some fans feel the scene added emotional depth, others argue it was awkward, especially given his eventual reunion with Peggy in Endgame. The debate underscores the complexity of Steve’s feelings for Peggy and the painful circumstances of time separating them.

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (2) Peggy Carter’s Legacy in the MCU Peggy Carter, a standout character with her own Agent Carter series, shaped the foundations of S.H.I.E.L.D., proving instrumental in establishing the heroic world Captain America would one day protect. Her strength, intelligence, and resilience set a high standard within the MCU, paving the way for other female heroes. Fans often argue that Peggy’s impact on the MCU should be revisited, and many hope that if Captain America’s story ever returns to the screen, Peggy’s legacy will be honored.

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (1)

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (4) A Love that Defies Time and Space The Captain America and Peggy Carter story isn’t just about romance; it’s about loyalty, sacrifice, and the lives altered by heroic duties. Their reunion in Endgame provided closure for fans, yet it sparked new questions about alternate timelines and potential descendants. Their relationship serves as an emotional anchor in the MCU, reminding viewers of the costs of heroism. For more on Captain America’s complex love story, check out Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki or Game Rant’s article on Steve and Peggy’s children.

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (3)

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (2)

Captain America and Peggy Carter’s Story (1) Read the full article

[outlawqueen2016]

The United States of America Civil War II

In the year 2024, the free peoples of the world have woken to find that insidious evil, passionately tended, over eons, manifests as an unbridgeable cultural chasm. On the left, we have progressive minded democrats hyper focused on social equity and inclusivity. On the right, we have revolution rooted far deeper than any insurgency, in history.

As freedom is at stake, neither side is willing to back down. As it stands, the progressive minded democrats are adamant that freedom means everyone has equally nice things provided for them for minimal effort. The revolutionary Republican truly believes freedom is opportunity to prove oneself and to earn the quality of life you desire.

Since the inception of the United States of America, the Transatlantic Alliance has held hostage the liberties of the general population; in favor of rewarding eugenics programs geared towards low class population demographics. The objective of this despicable strategy is to corrupt the upper class bloodlines through eugenics: subsequent generations are low class and incapable of functioning at the business level the family name expects.

As populations descend in genetic quality, the citizens of a nation become easier to control via manipulation. This manipulation manifests most frequently as propaganda. The most damaging propaganda is the propaganda with the single grain of truth.

For the International Legion for the Freedom of Free Peoples continues to clear ground around the world; continues to ensure the safety and security of displaced civilian populations; and continues to invest in a comprehensive, challenging educational system. With us every step of the way has been the Trump family; with Republican nominee for President of the United States of America Donald Trump, recently, dodging a bullet during his informational speech to concerned citizens of the United States of America.

Yet, the democrats blame Donald Trump for Project 2025. The facts of the matter are as such: every bullet point blamed on Donald Trump is a line Donald Trump has stood against, in his long history, as a civil servant for the United States of America.

In the 1990’s, Ivanika Trump and I, Nikia O’Niele, General of the International Legion for the Freedom of Free Peoples; Queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii Nei; Empress of the Galactic Republic, were trafficked together on the pedophile circuits by democrats of the United States whose loyalties were to the Calvanists of the Transatlantic Alliance.

Republican Donald Trump moved heaven and earth to ensure all of the children on the circuit returned to their biological families; the adult hostages were given medical attention, and given safe passage while they recovered from the physical trauma; all victims made a full recovery, thanks to Republican Donald Trump.

When it comes to business, executive Donald Trump hires on competence, not color, and is the first to invest when the opportunity arises, in the interest of the greater good. The prudent businessman sees the reserves of oil, here, on the North American continent and says, this is an opportunity for American jobs.

Ivanika Trump has taken a leading role in driving Operation: Food Forest, so that, in the event of global catastrophe, if our cities are isolated, our citizens will not go hungry. The introduction of fruit bearing trees to our streets; the introduction of nut bearing trees to our parks; the development of squab coops; the zoning for crops, etc. is happening as we speak.

These examples are evidence that the revolutionary Republican understands the progressive democratic game plan and rejects it. That the revolutionary Republican chooses, instead, to rise against the tide, and to be the change they wish to see in this world.

Freedom is never free. I, Nikia O’Niele, General of the International Legion for the Freedom of Free Peoples; Queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii Nei; Empress of the Galactic Republic, for one, am willing to pay that price in advance, as an investment, to ensure that freedom never dies; not even in the face of anarchy following geographical isolation. Republican Donald Trump has been with me every step of the way, on this warpath, to make America great again.

[sunnysideaeggs]

oh i definitely think this was jaehaerys’ reasoning in universe. but i can’t help but feel that he was wrong in that line of thinking because he doesn’t recognize how in westeros a second son equals an ambitious son.

most conflicts in targaryen history were made after a spare child was left without a living, as close as aenys naming aegon prince of dragonstone, leaving maegor without a seat (since visenya was residing in dragonstone, it’s reasonable he expected it to be his seat). rhaena was trouble because she had no income nor security after she was passed over. similar situations would occur in the future with daemon and aegon ii.

that translates in lordships too. a half targaryen lord paramount ‘could’ rebel, but the risk/reward ratio of the order, especially when dealing with dragons that would only multiply in the next generation is too low for most people to actually go for it. later generations are less likely to rebel too, unless pushed (like robert), because the targaryen-ness will only dilute itself and the new generations will naturally have stronger roots in the house that raised them.

why would aemon arryn, lord of the eyrie, go fight a war claiming his mother’s targaryen side? she was an 8th child, rumored to be ‘simple’ (yes that matters), and the targaryens in king’s landing have dragons. would the other kingdoms join him or gang up on him? if he loses, he will lose his properties or even his life. no chance, lord aemon will stay comfy up in the eyrie because that’s his father’s seat and that’s an inheritance he doesn’t need to fight for. completely unnecessary.

you know when it’s necessary? when aemon is a 5th son, his older siblings hold no love for him, he has a horse and two pebbles to his name and has a good sword hand. his father’s side has given him nothing, then he will look at his mother’s ancestry. he might sneak into the dragonpit, rise in the ranks of his brother’s army to seize support, or wait until an in-handy civil war happens to strike.

giving power to the ‘lose ends’ of the targaryen family isn’t a way to incite rebellions, is a way to placate them. the stupid centralization of targaryen power ensures conflicts with very high stakes, because the first son gets everything while the spares get nothing. ensuring every targaryen child gets at least a reliable way of subsistence by a marriage or a seat prevents rogue princes or blackfyre rebellions.

(now that i think so, it was so stupid of aenys to make dragonstone the heir’s seat. why on earth would you send off the heir to the throne away from court? whyyy leave maegor homeless of all people? dragonstone should be for second sons, like summerhall. i think if daemon got dragonstone he would chill at least a little. giving the targtowers dragonstone would’ve been a great way to give them a stable seat with means to live decently but little vassals to command as well).

all of this to say: it was all useless. the targaryens fell shamefully close to jaehaerys’ reign and all the suffering his daughters went through was for nothing. all of it, all in vain. if he were a better father he would’ve been a better king, if he gave a choice to his daughters to live freely and choose their lives they wouldn’t have met such an awful and early end.

Much has already been said about the various ways that Jaehaerys has neglected, demeaned, and abused his daughters, so I'm going to talk about their marriages (particularly for the younger girls).

Daella and Viserra are both matched off to much older men who already have heirs of their own from a first wife - any children of theirs would inherit nothing. Then there's Saera - Jaehaerys considered all of her teenage companions to be promising matches, except they're really not. They are heirs, but Houses Mooton, Connington, and Beesbury aren't particularly impressive. They're not Lords Paramount (Rodrik Arryn - Daella) and they're not even prominent vassals (Theomore Manderly - Viserra).

So, what gives? Why is Jaehaerys organizing such terrible marriages for his daughters?

My theory: he's intentionally organizing bad matches as a means of limiting the number of half-Targaryens who could one day challenge for the Iron Throne.

The formative experience of his childhood was Maegor usurping the Throne, and one of the challenges of his early reign was Rogar Baratheon attempting a coup to crown his niece Rhaella (who may or may not have been Aerea). Queen Rhaena could have pushed her own claim after Maegor died, and Jaehaerys is lucky that she didn't. Then there's Aerea, an angry teenage girl who was upset about losing her position as heir and upset about being stuck on Dragonstone with her mother, who went and claimed Balerion when left unsupervised. Imagine if she'd successfully commanded Balerion to fly to King's Landing to push her claim - that's not a fight Jaehaerys and Alysanne could have won.

Branches of House Targaryen are a threat. Nieces and nephews and cousins with Targaryen blood are a threat. If preventing that threat means marrying all of his girls off to old men and letting their children inherit nothing, then so be it. Aemon and Baelon are the only ones who really matter.

Jaehaerys wanted to give Alyssa to his heir Aemon, but Alysanne insisted she was "for Baelon," so he accepts this one branch while keeping an eye on them. He ensures his sons are close and sets up Baelon as a future Hand of the King for Aemon. Viserys and Daemon don't receive cradle eggs, and neither one of them claims a dragon (or is allowed to claim, if I were to guess) until after their father Baelon becomes heir apparent. When an eventual succession crisis arrives, Jaehaerys settles the issue clearly and publicly through a Great Council.

As for the other possible branches? Even if all of his younger daughters had married, even if all of them had sons, those sons wouldn't be in any position to challenge the Throne. Maybe a half-Targaryen Lord Arryn would be a threat; a third son of House Arryn wouldn't be, nor would a fourth son of House Manderly. A half-Targaryen Lord Mooton or Connington or Beesbury could never muster an army or gather enough support for his claim. If his daughters have daughters? As evidenced by Aemma, they'll have no better prospects than a Targaryen prince as husband.

His daughters have no value as people who deserve happiness. They're either brides for his sons, tools to be used, or obstacles to be removed.

[tidemoonchild]

Comics I have read:

Amazing Adventures vol. 2 (1970) #11-14

Marvel Team Up 124

Age of X-Man: Alpha/Omega, Prisoner X, The Amazing Nightcrawler

Merry X-Men Holiday Special (2019)

All-New Wolverine (Issues 1-30 & Annual 1)

Ghost Rider (2016) (Issues 1-3)

Hawkeye (2016) (Issue 12)

Astonishing X-Men (2004) 1-42 + Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men (2008)

Secert Invasion (2008) + Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? (2008; only the parts with Abigail + Beast and Wonder Man)

Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter (2009)

Spider-Woman (2009) 1+7

 S.W.O.R.D. (2010) 1-5

Dark Avengers Annual (2010) #1

Heralds (2010) 1-10

 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #535-538

 X-Men: Regenesis (2011)

Uncanny X-Men (2012) #1-10

Wolverine and the X-Men (2011) (complete)

AvX: Consequences (2012) #3-4

Avengers Arena (2013) #3, #18

X-Men: Legacy (2013) #7, #19-24

Cable and X-Force (2013) #8

 Age of Ultron (2013) #10

Avengers Assemble (2012) #16-17

Captain Marvel (2012) #13-14

 Avengers (2013) #15

Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #8-9

Uncanny Avengers (2012) #7, #9

 Avengers Undercover (2014) #10

 X-Men (2013) #18-22

Spider-Man and the X-Men (2015) #5

Captain Marvel (2016) #1-6

Ultimates (2016) #6

Civil War II: Choosing Sides (2016) #6 [B Story]

Guardians of the Galaxy (2015) #11, #17, #19

Star-Lord (2017) #1-2, #4-6

Monsters Unleashed (2017) #2

Old Man Logan (2016) #16, #18

The Mighty Captain Marvel (2016) #0-2, #4-6

Totally Awesome Hulk (2016) #18

Ultimates 2 (2016) #7