#corsair iv

[usafphantom-3]

Painting l did in 2021.

Vought F4U Corsair of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm off the coast of Japan in July 1945.

Acrylic on paper 40 x 29cm

@PeteHill854 via X

[whohasfourthumbsand]

Question

I have blown a kinetic rod via an IPS-N Kinetic rod driver through my arm....

With my Kinetic rod driver that's attached to my arm...

The rod went through the driver arm...

Any tips?

[CMC I.D IDENTIFIED]

//MADWORLD\\

+ I'm assuming the damaged arm is mechanical?- You'd be way more freaked out if it wasn't, right? You didn't put a kinetic rod through your organic arm, right?

+ How did. How did you even do that? Is there footage?.. Can I see it?

+ My best tip; Print a new arm, and be smarter with it. I am so confused right now. How did you even attach a rod driver to your arm, they're the size of sledgehammers—

[shrike-nest]

POV: Alistair introduces you to the Inner Circle

[parichutes]

New computer 😏

She is so beautiful

[sawvidae]

can i sue razer or smth already

an update in synapse apparently broke all their headsets, i install the synapse beta in hopes itll help, it doesnt so i uninstall it so it doesnt conflict with normal synapse, the uninstall process restarts my computer without asking or warning, and now the thing no longer recognizes that it has a wifi card

[roachfurby]

finally overcome my gamer sickness i no longer need rgb lights on every item i own

[bamsywrites]

And Comes Dawn pt iv

Pairing: sauron/halbrand x reader

Summary: truths are revealed.

Warings: talk of mass murder, mentions of death, family loss, angst, reader gets angry a little bit, flashbacks, I'm sure yall will have more questions

Notes: this part is kinda short. I'm not super fond of it. I don't think I got galadriel down. Idk Idk I just think it doesn't read all that great. Feedback is appreciated. I love yall honestly.

Series Masterlist

He could feel the beast approaching before he saw the masts in the fog. The impending doom of everyone on board this raft was minutes away and the elf set his plans aflame with 4 words.

“I know your face.”

Her words and the look on your face as she spoke them played over and over on an endless loop. He could not figure out what you could possibly have done to gain the elves' attention. You stood there still, looking as if you wanted the sea to swallow you whole.

“Look! There's a ship.” Someone called. Everyone looked toward the horizon, but he slowly made his way towards you. He couldn't let you die, even though it was the sole reason he'd called the beast here. Perhaps he'd never be able to do it either way, but he knew now that your death wasn't an option.

There was a small back and forth, was it a corsair ship or was it help? It didn't take long before he hear your voice whisper the truth.

“That's our ship.”

No sooner had the words left your mouth, did screaming and panic set in amongst the ship inhabitants, one even pushing the elf overboard. He could see the fear on face, feel it emanating off of you. Your arms wrapped around your body and eyes clamped closed. His attempts to block you from his mind had made you feel alone. He could see that much. He knew in that instance he'd never be able to leave you to die.

“Sweet one,” He reaches for you, gently holding your face in his hands and making you look at him. Those eyes. What was happening to him? “Look at me.sweet one, I will die before I allow any harm to come to you. Do you understand? Stay by side.” He searched your eyes to make sure you understood. The way you fear disappeared under his gaze, and the little nod to your head was stirring something, a warmth, deep within him. If he reached back to distant memories within his mind, the feeling wasn't unfamiliar, and he'd once been filled with it.

It was unwelcome now, though, and he wouldn't allow himself to name the feeling. He banished it from his thoughts as his thumbs caressed your cheeks. This was nothing more than a deception to sate his growing curiosity and nothing more. He removed his hands from your face, and you instantly held on to his wrist, keeping him anchored to your side. He could feel your pulse quicken as the beast swam under the raft and again when it pushed its body into it.

“This way, sweet one.” He called over the sound of wood breaking and screams, the waves crashing. His fingers tangled with yours as he was all but dragged along with him. Quickly, he had untied a small portion of the raft, pushing it so you were out to safety.

“We can't leave her out there,” you motioned towards the elf, swimming away from the calamity.

He had no intentions of leaving her for a multitude of reasons, but it was interesting that you wanted to save her. She obviously knew something about you that you didn't want known, and it would all go away if you let the elf drown.

But you didn't want that to happen.

Of course you didn't.

He wouldn't be in this mess if you were that easy to read.

~

You sat back against one of the spikes, the raft causing your body to rock to and fro. You didn't look at Halbrand, nor at the elf - whose name you'd learned was Galadriel. You simply looked out at the waves, memories that you struggled to forget playing over and over in your mind.

“Up, up little one,” a deep voice laughed, picking you up and standing you on the table. Your father rested his forehead against yours, and you giggled. The music from the festival was loud outside the doors to your small home but Mama had said you couldn't go due to your fever. You needed rest, she had told you and your father repeatedly, but your Papa ignored her.

His hands clasped your face, “Perhaps we cannot dance out there, but we will in here.” A kiss pressed to your nose as he lifted you in his arms and danced throughout the living area as your body shook with laughter.

You were pulled from your memory by Halbrands voice, “You needn't keep your distance.”

“I am not keeping my distance. I am simply wondering what manner of man would leave his companions to die,” the elf replied back, eyes not looking at him nor attention away from her task.

“One who knows how to survive.”

Those words tore you back into your memories.

“If you do not do this, you will never know how to survive.” Your brother towered over you with his arms crossed, looking at you expectantly. He was 11 years older than you, and he tried to parent you often.

“Papa says I'm only 6, and I needn't worry about that yet.” You responded by pushing your plate away and crossing your arms, staring up at him with a firey defiance.

“You must always be ready for….”

“For what, boy?,” your uncle interjected, “ I heard no marching of armies? No horns blaring. I simply see a young girl who wishes not to eat the radishes your mother made for dinner. It is hardly a matter of life and death.”

Your brother sighed, sitting back and crossing his arms. He had the best intentions, he truly did. He simply wants what was best for you, wants you to be healthy and strong and not have a hunger in your belly.

Halbrand and the elf continued their bickering as your mind swarmed with the happy memories you had of your family. Your mama helping you make your first pie, which your father ate in its entirety though you suspect it was hornedesly inedible. Your father's deep voice as he'd sing, sometimes rocking you to sleep or dancing with you through the house, it was your favorite song. Sitting atop your uncle's shoulders as he walked along the path to the village. Your brother's jokes and how he'd always sneak you an extra serving of cake.

Your family had been happy, your home full of laughter and light. Your parents had adored each other, and the love they had was the envy of all young girls searching for true love. He brought her flowers and danced with her even when there was no music. You loved your life, and you had taken that happiness for granted. It all came crashing down when your mother caught a fever and nothing could break it. Those were memories you refused to wallow in or entertain. They were locked away so far in the back of your mind that it would break your very being to bring them out now.

“I have pursued this foe since before the first sunrise bloodied the sky,” you were pulled from your thoughts to the heated conversation between Galadriel and Halbrand. “It would take more than your lifetime to even speak the names of those they've taken from me.”

You scoffed. Your body filled with irritation as you shook your head, their heads snapped to your direction. You felt anger fill your veins as you remembered everything you had lost. Not just your family, but your village and all those who lived in it. “Our loss isn't less significant than yours simply because our lifetime is shorter.”

Galadriel appraised you for a moment, her anger written on her face. “You have grown into the spitting image of your brother. It is a coincidence, is it not, that orcs burned your village and a wyrm destroyed your ship and yet you live.”

Halbrand chuckled in disbelief, “What are you saying? That she, of all people, commands an orc army and controls a wyrm. What do you think she is?”

Galadriel never took her eyes off you, she spoke two words in elvish that had been haunting you for 15 years. Whispered behind your back anywhere you roamed.

“What does that mean?”

“Elf slayer,” you said quietly. “Your king himself said I am not the sins of my father. That I was a child. That I was to be unpunished.”

“It is still his blood that flows through your veins,” Galadriel spoke coldly, “Does your companion know that your father was an insane cultist? He has a right to know of whom he travels with.”

Halbrand looked at you, his brows furrowed in confusion, “What is she talking about?”

Your lip trembled, and you caught it in between your teeth. You took a deep breath to calm your nerves, but your breath was still shaky. “My father, uncle, and brother butchered a small village of elves as they slept. They were caught and executed for their crimes.”

Halbrand looked speechless. He turned his attention back to Galadriel as if looking for more answers.

“It was a blood ritual with the hopes of bringing back the enemy,” Galadriel looked to him. “To use elvish blood to resurrect Sauron,” her eyes turned to look at you, her accusation clear in them.

“ I do not wish to bring evil upon this world. I do not wish to subjugate my people's under the will of a tyrant. I have done nothing with my life besides try and repent for the atrocities committed by my family. For you to stand in accusation of me when your people, when your king, absolved me of any guilt. If you recall correctly, I was merely 8 and asleep in my bed when it happened.”

Galadriel opened her mouth in retort but closed it quickly as thunder cracked and storm clouds formed in the sky. This conversation wasn't over, but there were more pressing matters at hand now.

previous next

[rainhadaenerys]

People in this fandom will constantly complain that Dany "never shuts up about her long list of names and titles". So I decided to actually count the times Dany does this. I searched for "Stormborn" in a Search of Ice and Fire, so it's possible that there's one or two instances missing if that word isn't included, but probably not a lot. In this post, I'm not including instances of a herald saying Dany's titles before a former introduction like an audience or a party (because that isn't an instance of Dany "not shutting up about her titles", that's Dany following the etiquette rules of her world). I'm also not including when other people say Dany's titles spontaneously, without Dany's command. So here are the instances of Dany herself talking about her titles to other people:

The Dothraki exchanged uncertain glances. "Khaleesi," the handmaid Irri explained, as if to a child, "Jhaqo is a khal now, with twenty thousand riders at his back." She lifted her head. "And I am Daenerys Stormborn, Daenerys of House Targaryen, of the blood of Aegon the Conqueror and Maegor the Cruel and old Valyria before them. I am the dragon's daughter, and I swear to you, these men will die screaming. Now bring me to Khal Drogo." - Daenerys IX AGOT

~

ons . . . dragons . . . other voices echoed in the gloom. Some were male and some female. One spoke with the timbre of a child. The floating heart pulsed from dimness to darkness. It was hard to summon the will to speak, to recall the words she had practiced so assiduously. "I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros." Do they hear me? Why don't they move? She sat, folding her hands in her lap. "Grant me your counsel, and speak to me with the wisdom of those who have conquered death." - Daenerys IV ACOK

~

"You require passage for a hundred Dothraki, all their horses, yourself and this knight, and three dragons?" said the captain of the great cog Ardent Friend before he walked away laughing. When she told a Lyseni on the Trumpeteer that she was Daenerys Stormborn, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, he gave her a deadface look and said, "Aye, and I'm Lord Tywin Lannister and shit gold every night." - Daenerys V ACOK

~

"The corsair wanted only a hundred, your worship," Dany heard the slave girl say. He poked her with the end of the whip. "Consairs are all liars. He'll buy them all. Tell her that, girl." Dany knew she would take more than a hundred, if she took any at all. "Remind your Good Master of who I am. Remind him that I am Daenerys Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, the Unburnt, trueborn queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. My blood is the blood of Aegon the Conqueror, and of old Valyria before him." - Daenerys II ASOS

~

"Woman, you bray like an ass, and make no more sense." "Woman?" She chuckled. "Is that meant to insult me? I would return the slap, if I took you for a man." Dany met his stare. "I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the Unburnt, Mother of Dragons, khaleesi to Drogo's riders, and queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros." - Daenerys IV ASOS

And that's it. In the four books Dany appears, she says her titles to other people five times. In two of these times (Dany IX AGOT and Dany IV ASOS), Dany uses her titles to sound more intimidating against her opponents (Khal Jhaqo and the slaver envoy). Twice, she uses her titles as a way to try and convince people to let her buy something (the Unsullied in Astapor and the passage to Westeros), which makes sense, given that she is trying to convince others that she has power/money/influence, so it makes sense to try using her titles. And then there's the one time in the House of the Undying in which she uses her titles as a proper introduction that she was instructed to practice and say when she met the Undying. None of these moments are about Dany being overly prideful or arrogant. For a fandom that keeps complaining about Dany "never shutting up" about her titles, she doesn't say them all that much.

[flmboyz]

1959 Fords Ad: Lincoln Mark IV Continental Limousine, Edsel Corsair 4-door Sedan, Mercury Park Lane 2-Door Hardtop.

[tigersharko]

ok i do have a question

how down bad is lancer tumblr (lumblr?) for ol' four thumbs?

not terribly, not like poor @corsair-mc-official 's Morse, just the occasional person being very very awkward about having a crush or something on the lil' dude! i don't mind it, ive only gotten a handful (3-5) that were anything beyond "c,c,an i hold h,hishands,, ////" yk?

that being said he is canonically aroace, he just doesn't know it in-universe (yet) haha

[c-130jsuperhercules]

In order:

[usafphantom-3]

British pilot J. Gosling in the cockpit of an F4U Corsair Mk.I carrier-based fighter at Quonset Point Air Force Base.Rhode Island, USA. September 1943

@ron_eisele via X

[crow-posting]

Destiny NPCs according to: RZ-3

*note: this is not indicative of the author's personal opinions so if you feel like jumping to the comments / tags to defend [insert character here], save your energy.

- - -

"This is my favoritest person in the whooolee world":

Ada-1

Crow

"I'd kill for you":

Caiatl

Colonel 🐓

Devrim

Eva Levante

Fynch

"Ghost" = Ori

Glint

Jolyon

Misraaks

Nimbus

Quinn Laghari

Saint-14 ("Uncle Saint")

Shin Malphur

Shiro-4

Shuro Chi

Sjur Eido

the Starcats 🐱✨

Taranis

Viragni "Sid" D'Sydney

"I call you [familial title] bc it's funny and also I secretly believe it":

Zavala ("Dad")

Ikora ("Mom")

Lord Saladin ("Uncle Sal")

Rasputin (старик)

"You're weird but I like you":

Asher

Banshee-44

Benedict 99-40

Cayde-6

Drifter

Eris

Failsafe

Lord Shaxx ("Uncle Shaxx")

Sagira

Starhorse

Xivu Arath

Xûr

"You're okay":

Ahsa

Alis [Alice] Li

Amanda

Ana Bray

Arcite 99-40

the Corsairs

Eido

The Emissary

Fenchurch

Kadi 55-30

Kalli

Lady Efrideet

Petra

Rohan

Sedia

Shaw Han

Sloane

Suraya

Tyra Karn

"Customer service voice activated":

Amrita Vae

Lakshmi-2

Master Ives

Master Rahool

Tess Everis

"I tolerate you at a distance. Come any closer and I'll bite your fingers off.":

also Drifter :)

Arach Jalaal

Aunor

Eramis

Sam Moleyn

Savathûn

The Speaker

The Traveler

Variks

"F**k off":

also Xivu Arath

Brakion

Calus

Dominus Ghaul

Dûl Incaru

Elsie Bray

Executor Hideo

The Fanatic

Jisu Calerondo

The Nine

Oryx

Riven

Taniks

Toland

see also: dungeon/raid bosses

"You're lucky you have diplomatic immunity":

Mara

Osiris

"Murder is illegal. I might kill you anyway.":

Clovis Bray

Immaru

Spider

Uldren [RIP]

"Whomst?":

Brother Vance

The Witness

[ariesgamesandminis]

Restocks are up for BattleTech!

20-206 Huitzilopochtli Assault Tank "Huey" (Standard) 20-217 Crusader CDR-5K 20-236 Marauder IIC 2 20-298 Archer ARC-6W 20-324 Tundra Wolf 20-347 Galahad "Glass Spider" 3 20-350 Ghost GST-10 20-361 Thorn THE-N 20-367 Spider SDR-7K / SDR-7K2 20-385 Scarabus SCB-9A 20-398 Shrike SHK-VP-A 20-410 Malak C-MK-O Invictus 20-431 Ocelot 20-481 Maultier Hover Vehicle (2) 20-485 Balius Prime / B / C 20-5001 Eagle Fighter EGL-R6 20-5008 Flamberge Prime 20-5019 Kestrel VTOL 20-5040 Mad Cat MKII (Enhanced) 20-5049 Carnivore Assault Tank (Standard) (2) 20-5059 Septicemia E 20-5080 Vulture MK IV Prime 20-5088 Hollander III BZK-D1 20-5102 Eyrie (Standard) 20-5105 Cardinal Transport VTOL 20-5110 Carronade CRN-7M 20-5117 Kodiak II (Standard) 20-5122 Tenshi TN-10-O Prime 20-5126 Gun GN-2O Prime 20-5133 Gotterdammerung GTD-20S 20-5134 Juliano JLN-5A 20-5139 Roadrunner RD-1R 20-5140 Ostscout OTT-7J 20-5148 Flea FLE-14 20-5151 Avalanche AVL-1O 20-5153 Uziel UZL-2S 20-5183 Locust LCT-1V 20-5187 Dominator 20-5193 Hierofalcon Prime / A 20-5197 Wolverine WVR-6R / 6D 20-5204 Stormwolf Prime 20-623 SRM Carrier (2) 20-627 LRM Carrier (2) 20-634 Epona Pursuit Tank Prime (2) 20-638 Rakshasa MDG-1A 20-642 Berserker BRZ-A3 20-645 Ha Otoko (Standard) 20-702 Corsair Fighter CSR-V12 20-712 Shilone Fighter SL-17 20-722 Anhur Transport 20-725 Cavalry Attack Helicopter 20-727 Karnov UR Transport 20-741 J-27 Tow Vehicle, Thumper towed gun, trailer, and boxes 20-766 Lynx LNX-9Q 20-779 Manticore Heavy Tank (2) 20-780 Hussar HSR-200-D 20-786 Hachiman Fire Support (Standard) (2) 20-790 Salamander PPR-5S 20-800 Hex Bases (4) 20-822 Demolisher Tank 20-825 Bulldog Medium Tank (2) 20-912 Kingfisher 20-956 Tessen TSN-1C 20-990 Lightray LGH-4W 99-201 Large Flat Top Hex Base #1 99-202 Large Flat Top Hex Base #2 BT-004 Afreet Battle Armor BT-006 Phalanx Battle Armor BT-028 Cavalier Battle Armor BT-128 Tornado Battle Armor BT-129 Infiltrator Mk I Battle Armor BT-133 Corona Battle Armor BT-134 Gray Death Legion Battle Armor BT-178 Jade Hawk JHK-03 BT-187 Djinn Battle Armor BT-188 Nighthawk Battle Armor BT-189 Kobold Battle Armor BT-198 Tengu Battle Armor BT-199 Asura Md. Battle Armor BT-200 Shedu Assault Battle Armor BT-201 Nephilim Assault Battle Armor BT-208 Triton ProtoMech BT-209 Se'irim Medium Battle Armor BT-214 Deva Dominus BT-222 Tau Wraith BT-226 Fast Recon BT-230 Kopis Battle Armor BT-236 Ravager Battle Armor BT-244 Heavy Infantry - Standing BT-245 Heavy Infantry - Firing BT-250 Ignis Infantry Support Tank BT-269 Sling SL-1G BT-293 Hitotsume Kozo HKZ-1P BT-319 Wheeled APC BT-321 Hover APC BT-335 PWWKA S-PW-1LAM (Air Mech) BT-364 Gabriel Hovercraft BT-370 Kurita Infantry (3) BT-371 Davion Infantry (3) BT-372 Savannah Master Hovercraft BT-374 Roc Protomech BT-381 Basic Inner Sphere Battle Armor (3) BT-383 Longinus Battle Armor (3) BT-385 Grey Death Legion Battle Armor (3) BT-387 Gnome Battle Armor (3) BT-388 Salamander Battle Armor (3) BT-390 Fa-Shih Battle Armor (3) BT-391 Fenrir Battle Armor (1) BT-413 Marauder Battle Armor BT-414 Niso Attack WiGE (Standard & Support) BT-433 Warwolf H BT-476 Ares ARS-V1E Apollo FT-027 Gotha Mech Scale Fighter OP-080 Mad Cat E Left Arm OP-115 Heavy Lasers 20-203D Solitaire Main Gun 20-410F Malak Hatch Cover 20-917ARM Nova Cat (Omni) Arm Sprue BT-292G Shiro SH-2P Banner BT-294F Hatamoto-Suna HTM-30S Banner Sprue

[samieree]

Silver Princess || House of the Dragon

Daemon Targaryen | Aemond Targaryen | Gwayne Hightower

-> Chapter IV

Chapter V "Celebration"

Valaerya returned to King's Landing about a day before Rhaenyra left on her tour of the Seven Kingdoms in search of a suitable husband. So she had plenty of time to herself and hardly any worries.

She didn't tell her father about what happened on the Stepstones - that her uncle didn't accept help. The news came to King's Landing by itself, and it said one thing: The Triarchy had been defeated.

So she had an easy life for the next many weeks. She grew closer to her father, who was now her only family at court (not counting Alicent and her children, of course).

Besides, you could say that Rhaenyra didn't outshine her brilliance after all.

However, her peace of mind was soon to come to an end. Sitting on her balcony, she glanced up from her book at the view before her and was surprised to see a ship that shouldn't be returning to the capital until two months from now.

In addition, the ship was dangerously passed by familiar dragon, Caraxes.

"Evylin?" She called her maid, rising from the armchair on the balcony.

"Yes, princess?"

"Bring me my favorite dress." She ordered, returning from the balcony to the center of her chamber

* * *

She had barely had time to change into the dress Daemon had once given her  before the castle began to boil. Were it not for her guard, she would have had a hard time pushing her way through the throng of people who were all heading for the throne room.

Fortunately, she managed to get to the front of this whole group of people and stand quite close to the throne. She saw her father with his crown on his head, and at the bottom of the throne stood Otto Hightower and the kingsguards, ready in case of attack by an approaching attacker. But... what exactly were they defending against? Surely they knew as well as she did that Daemon was coming back to court, but why did they assume he might attack and so much precaution was needed?

Soon, as the throne room fell silent, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from the corridor. Valaerya stood on her tiptoes, though it did little to help her look over the people's heads to see Daemon, who entered the hall with his usual sure-footed stride and headed for the throne.

However, when he stopped at the end of one of the knights' swords, she had no trouble seeing him anymore, all she had to do was look to the side.

"Add it to the chair." He said, dropping something he was carrying in his hand. Then he took a small step back and clasped his hands in front of him.

She could see now that his hair was noticeably shorter than the last time she had seen him. Besides, he also wore a crown...

"You wear a crown." Just like her father noticed. "Do you also call yourself king?"

"When we defeated the Triarchy, they named me King of the Narrow Sea." Daemon explained, and then there was a long moment of unbearable silence. “But I know there is only one true king, Your Grace." He added finally, then got down on one knee, taking off his crown as he did so. "My crown and Stepstones belong to you." He said.

"Where's Lord Corlys?" Asked the king, after looking at his younger brother with a small smile.

"He sailed back to Driftmark."

"So who holds the Stepstones?"

"Tides, crabs... And two thousand dead Triarchy corsairs, staked to the sand to warn those who might follow." With these words, Viserys descended the few steps leading to the throne, aiding himself a little with his sword. He stopped right in front of Daemon and took the crown from him.

At the same time, Otto also changed his position, now standing on the side of the hall, not far from Valaerya. But he didn't even say a word to her.

While the king was examining the crown from Daemon, he looked sideways at Hightower, but his gaze lingered much longer on Valaerya.

He recognized the dress given years ago.

The silence lasted for quite some time again, but this time it wasn't so unbearable. The king turned to hand the crown to one of his kingsguard, then turned back to his brother, visibly in a better mood than before all this conversation.

"Raise." He said finally, and then he hugged his brother lightly, which was a beautiful symbol of reconciliation between the brothers. "The realm owes you a great debt, brother." He added as they pulled apart. "Come." With these words, he placed a hand on his shoulder, and the two began to leave the room with the general contentment of the crowd.

Valaerya also started to head for the exit, but on the way she came across her sister. So I recognized the ship well...

"You came back sooner." She said, walking over to Rhaenyra and taking her arm. "So either you've already taken a liking to someone or..." She didn't have to finish her sentence, her expression spoke for itself.

"It's a shame to even talk about it, it was pathetic..." Rhae sighed as they headed out of the throne room together, ahead of the crowd. "You'd better tell me what was going on at the court while I was gone."

"Lady Redwyne got sick from too many strawberries. Wish you had seen her then, her face was all red and swollen, and supposedly she had a terrible rash all over her body."

“In the end, this overeating took its toll on her." They both giggled to themselves at the story and the image of Lady Redwyne in the condition described above.

Admittedly, since their father married Alicent, they had grown closer. Despite an unpleasant incident during the king's hunt, they still remained very close.

It looked like the Targaryen family was finally starting to get close.

* * *

For the party held in the courtyard, Valaerya wore the same dress as for her uncle's arrival. But she didn't care too much about the conversations of her family, standing at the table with sweet snacks she heard everything perfectly.

She didn't feel the need to listen to stories of their youth, gods forbidif she went there, they'd start recalling some embarrassing situations from her childhood, and then all she'd want was to sink into the ground.

That's why it was safer and more pleasant to stay here, with sweets. She ate chocolate decorations arranged on pieces of cake, drinking it from time to time with a sip of wine. She had spent quite a long time there, enough that the conversation had died down a bit, and she hadn't even noticed her uncle beside her.

"Is this a dress from me, princess?" He asked, standing next to her. "It looks different."

"But in a positive sense?" She replied with a question, smiling.

The smile faded slightly from her face as she suddenly felt Daemon's hand on her waist. He pulled her slightly to him so that she was almost pressed against his chest.

She couldn't help but feel her heart speed up slightly at the unexpected touch. She wasn't used to such contact, but... She liked it. She didn't even care that her father was still somewhere in the courtyard, and he certainly wouldn't support such closeness between his daughter and brother.

Although they were lucky enough that the king had his back turned to them and was busy talking to his courtiers.

"Definitely." He replied softly, tilting his head and looking into her eyes intensely. "I didn't expect to see you in the sky then." He said, with his free hand he lifted her hand in which she held a goblet of wine and drank some of the alcohol.

"Nobody expected it." She replied, immediately guessing that he was referring to that battle with the Triarchy. She couldn't concentrate and come up with a more complex answer when he was so close to her.

"You've grown, princess. Also - in a positive sense." Saying this, he let go of her hand. Immediately after, he also removed his hand from her waist, walking away, running it gently over Val's body.

It cost her a lot not to turn after him and watch him walk away. She finished the rest of her wine and headed out of the courtyard.

The rest of the day passed her rather lazily, although it is worth noting that she didn't go to the Dragonpit at all that day. In the evening she was about to change into a nightgown, but the thought occurred to her to visit her sister and gossip a little more. After all, it wasn't that late, she surely wasn't sleeping yet.

So she headed for Rhaenyra's chamber, which wasn't that far away. She easily passed Ser Criston and entered her sister's room.

"Rhae?" She asked, but received no response. She looked around the chamber, but Rhaenyra was nowhere to be found. Has she gone somewhere? Or maybe she hasn't gone to bed yet? But then Ser Criston wouldn't let her in, would he?

After a more thorough examination of the room, she noticed that there was a piece of paper on the bed, on which a secret exit from this chamber was shown. So it looked like someone shown her how to get out of here secretly and took her for a walk...

Ugh, okay, that's fine, but how is she going to get out of this room now without Ser Criston getting suspicious? It can already be quite strange that he can't hear any conversation or laughter from the inside.

She lay on her back on her sister's bed, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. Well, she'll have to hang out here for a while so it won't be too suspicious that she's barely came and is already leaving. That she had decided to visit her sister tonight, ugh...

She was laying there alone, she doesn't even know how long, until she finally decided it was time to leave. She opened the door, intending to pass Criston Cole as if nothing had happened...

"Is everything alright, princess?"

Damn.

"Yes, why do you ask, ser?" She replied, stopping and turning to him.

"You were exceptionally... Hush." He said with a hint of suspicion in his voice, which Valaerya didn't like.

She could just tell the truth that Rhaenyra wasn't inside, but first: she wasn't going to turn her sister in and cause her trouble, and second: she didn't want to worry Ser Criston. Of course, deep down she was worried that something bad might happen to Rhae, but without exaggeration, she certainly wasn't out alone and someone was watching over her.

Someone who knew the truth, would probably accuse her now of not caring about her sister at all, and it's certainly because she is next in line to the throne. But the reality was that she didn't want to cause unnecessary panic and create conflict between herself and Rhaenyra. If she still wasn't at the castle tomorrow morning, then she'd start to worry.

"Walls have ears, better not to talk too loud." She smiled. "I wish you a peaceful night, Ser Criston."

"Mutually, princess. Have a good night." He replied, without asking any more unnecessary questions.

Valaerya nodded once more before turning and walking away towards her chamber. What really puzzled her was this...

...Who took Rhaenyra for a night walk?

~

-> Chapter VI -> general masterlist -> Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon masterlist

[esther-dot]

"The sound rumbled across the city like thunder, warning of the storm to come."- Sansa(AGOT IV). It's after Robert's death and crowning of Joffery. "Now the storm is coming, a storm such as these isles have never known."- AFFC. It's about Euron. Both Joffery and Euron are associated with storms. And then there is Dany who was born in storm known as Stormborn.

Storms are used in a couple different ways, I think. Often, writers insert them to have the weather mimic a character’s emotional state, or as your quotes are used, to give the reader a sense of foreboding. GoT ultimately decided to contrast Dany’s birth which was welcomed with a horrible storm to Sansa’s which was celebrated with the ringing of bells to indicate to the audience the devastation one would bring to Westeros and the endgame for the other. Martin also uses the threat of storms, particularly in the North, as a practical concern that impacts the plot.

But, you’re right, it’s a negative thing about certain characters too, and there definitely is a building momentum with the Dany / Euron storm quotes. It’s foreboding for Westeros, also seems to indicate a struggle between the two of them:

She had been born on Dragonstone nine moons after their flight, while a raging summer storm threatened to rip the island fastness apart. They said that storm was terrible. The Targaryen fleet was smashed while it lay at anchor, and huge stone blocks were ripped from the parapets and sent hurtling into the wild waters of the narrow sea. Her mother had died birthing her, and for that her brother Viserys had never forgiven her. (AGOT, Daenerys I)

No squall could frighten Dany, though. Daenerys Stormborn, she was called, for she had come howling into the world on distant Dragonstone as the greatest storm in the memory of Westeros howled outside, a storm so fierce that it ripped gargoyles from the castle walls and smashed her father's fleet to kindling. (ASOS, Daenerys I)

Initially, the storms are about her birth but then we have the kraken thrown in there:

"We are the ones who are lost, ser. Drogon has no taste for this wet creeping, no more than I do." Bolder than the other two, her black dragon had been the first to try his wings above the water, the first to flutter from ship to ship, the first to lose himself in a passing cloud . . . and the first to kill. The flying fish no sooner broke the surface of the water than they were enveloped in a lance of flame, snatched up, and swallowed. "How big will he grow?" Dany asked curiously. "Do you know?"

"In the Seven Kingdoms, there are tales of dragons who grew so huge that they could pluck giant krakens from the seas."

Dany laughed. "That would be a wondrous sight to see."

----

"There are dangers at sea as well. Corsairs and pirates hunt the southern route, and north of Valyria the Smoking Sea is demon-haunted. The next storm could sink or scatter us, a kraken could pull us under . . . or we might find ourselves becalmed again, and die of thirst as we wait for the wind to rise. A march will have different dangers, my queen, but none greater." (ASOS, Daenerys I)

and then of course, these more specifically about the danger of Euron and his ambition:

He was born a lord's son and died a king, murdered by a jealous god, Aeron thought, and now the storm is coming, a storm such as these isles have never known. (AFFC, The Prophey)

"So are the contents of my chamber pot. None is fit to sit the Seastone Chair, much less the Iron Throne. No, to make an heir that's worthy of him, I need a different woman. When the kraken weds the dragon, brother, let all the world beware." (AFFC, The Reaver)

"No. Hear me, Daenerys Targaryen. The glass candles are burning. Soon comes the pale mare, and after her the others. Kraken and dark flame, lion and griffin, the sun's son and the mummer's dragon. Trust none of them. Remember the Undying. Beware the perfumed seneschal."     (ADWD, Daenerys II)

Here’s a great meta about “Storm x Storm” by ladyofasoiaf, and some additional foreshadowing here by istumpy.