#elora little-king

[pepperdee]

TCoH Excerpts that make me happy (in no particular order): Dragon-Lizard Hijinks

“Look at the lizards,” Clove said to Rose. He pointed to some sunned rocks in the sea, where castelosas feasted on the algae and worms. As the argument between her parents and sister continued, she drowned them out by giving in to her curiosity.

Though they were far away, Rose knew what castelosa lizards looked like: bearded dragons but make them wyverns. Instead of traditional front legs, they had dragon-like wings. Bearded wyverns, Rose mused silently. There was almost a complete rainbow of castelosas: red, orange, green, blue, purple…

Clove waved wildly at the rocks. “Think one’ll ride on my shoulder?” he asked her, his thick eyebrows peaking.

“But why should I be sweaty?” yelled Lily.

Rose forced herself to only think about lizards. “If you ask nicely,” she said to Clove.

Clove cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hey! You!” he called. To Rose’s surprise, the purple one turned to them, his slender body pointing right at them. Clove perked up. “C’mere! Become my buddy!” The lizard tilted its head curiously. Rose elbowed Clove in disbelief. “Please!”

“Quiet yelling at the wildlife, Cadman!” scolded Momma.

The purple castelosa took off into the sky, swooping over Momma. Momma shrieked, Rose stumbled and ducked, Poppa and Lily dove out of the way, the nearby tourists scattered. The castelosa turned in midair, gliding back down at Momma, her hair mussed by the first attack. Momma shrieked again and bustled ahead in line to safety.

Apparently satisfied with its terror, the castelosa landed on the railing Clove and Rose were crouched by. Clove jolted as it climbed onto his arm and slunk around his shoulder, little red tongue sticking out of its lips like a marble. Rose’s jaw fell. It looked at her, perfectly circular pupil ringed by amber. How’d I do? she imagined it saying, probably.

A stillness fell on the surrounding area. The tourists all stared at the family in awe, exchanging mutterings in almost every language. Lily clung to the railing, legs shaking, face pale and green. Poppa had his arm extended in front of her, his other a fist, prepared for fire.

“What…just happened?” Poppa whispered.

Rose stared wide-eyed at Clove and the lizard. Up close, Rose could now see the little gold scales flecked on it. Rose blinked at the lizard. It blinked back. “Um…I…I think…” she mumbled but couldn’t come up with an answer. She didn’t expect asking nicely to work.

A huge grin split across Clove’s face as he stood up, pointing at Lily. “Aha! Gutsy is never wrong!” he declared, only causing more confusion. “Rose said if I asked nicely, it would come sit on my shoulder. Gutsy agreed. Now who’s stupid?” He crossed his arms proudly. Rose’s face fell to her hand.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Poppa said.

[rogueddie]

Steve nearly winces when he steps into the room, following behind Dustin and Mike. He's already wishing he'd tried to shut Lucas up as soon as he'd tried to say that "no, really, I don't mind!"

Because of course he's this unlucky. Of course his date would skip out almost last minute, of course he'd end up with no excuse to avoid helping Dustin with his stupid D&D game and of course the person who probably hates Steve most is crouched on the biggest chair like it's a throne.

Eddie Munson eyes lock on him immediately. He stares for a while, making Dustin and Mike shift awkwardly beside him.

"Absolutely not. No way." He's grinning though. His eyes narrow slightly at Steve, like he's daring him to do something.

"You asked for a sub, we delivered."

Steve simply raises an eyebrow, pointedly shifting the sheets Dustin had helped him make up. It draws Eddies attention off his face, finally. When he looks back up, he's smiling a little more genuinely.

The guys standing at his sides are still glaring, looking almost cruelly excited when Eddie stands up, meandering his way over to them.

He gently plucks the sheet out Steves hand, eyebrows slowly raising as he reads.

Everyone is waiting, eyeing Eddie impatiently. Dustin and Mike are tense, as though waiting for Eddie to blow up. The others seem to expect the same, though Steve imagines they're more excited for it.

"Why did you come?" Eddie eventually asks, still holding onto the character sheet. "What could possibly be so important about this that King Steve would miss the championship game?"

"Dustin said this one was important," Steve shrugs. Fights to keep his calm demeaner. "Something about it being the last one or something. He's been going on about this shit forever. Seemed cruel to leave him high and dry at the last leg."

"Well…" Eddie eyes the character sheet before handing it back. Looks Steve up and down, before finally grinning. His eyes crinkle at the edges. "Welcome to Hellfire, Lady Elora."

He sticks his hand out. Steve shakes it, trying not to grin back.

Even with how often Dustin has talked to him about the game, Steve is clueless. Dustin and Mike both save him from embarressment every time though, quick to argue different options in such a pointed way that he knows the others aren't fooled by.

But Steve doesn't mind, often finds himself rolling his eyes at their antics only to find Eddie eyeing him almost fondly.

He finds that he enjoys it though. He'd make the character Elora as a joke, mostly just throwing whatever seemed to fit at random. An Elf who's a ranger, chaotic neutral, swinging around a bat with nails.

He wonders if it sounds as stupid to everyone else as it does to him.

He's often lost on the story too. But Eddie is brilliant at telling it. Even when he doesn't understand what he means, he flinches when the others yell at a reveal. Anxiety bubbling up when things get tense, slowly getting more and more invested in the game. Even he can tell that they're nearing the end, the final fight.

"You're scared, you're tired, you are injured," Eddie says. "Do you flee Vecna and his cultists? Or do you stand your ground and fight?"

Steve already knows the answer before Dustin speaks up; "I say we fight. To the death!"

"To the death," Mike echoes, nodding.

"To the death." Steve sniffs, doesn't bother fighting the grin.

Eddie grins back at him, the others chanting the sentiment. Steve feels warm with his attention locked on him.

Steve has the first roll. He still doesn't understand the numbers, but the others cheer so he assumes it must be good. But then it goes downhill, so many bad rolls.

Everyone is too hyped up for Steve to keep up so he focuses on Eddie. He's jeering, jumping up out of his seat, encouraging the chaos and seeming to control the energy of the room. When he laughs, he sounds more like a movie villain.

And then, one of them calls time out.

They huddle into a circle, just like they did in basketball. Steve is surprised by how easily two of the older boys pull him in.

"Guys, I hate to say this but we have got to flee."

"I concur."

"Didn't we just agree 'to the death'?" Steve frowns. He's not ready to give up yet. He can feel how close they are.

"That wasn't literal!"

A hand tightens on his shoulder. "Vecna just decimated us. We can't kill him with two players."

"You too?" Dustin sounds just as annoyed as Steve feels. "Vecna only has 15 more hit points left, don't be pussies!"

"Pussies? Really? Cause we're not delusional?"

"No, no, Dustins right," Steve butts in. Barely holds back a warning to Dustin about his language; it's not the time for babysitting. "We're too close now, we can't give up!"

"HEY!" Eddie calls, easily drawing all their attention back to him. "If I may interject, gentleman… whilst I respect the passion, you'd be wise to take Garreth the Greats concern to heart. There is no shame in running. Don't try to be heroes. Not today."

Something about his smirk and stupid head tilt just makes Steve more determined. If he has to continue fighting this stupid game alone, god dammit, he will.

Steve only half pays attention to Mike talking strategy. He's already made up his mind.

"What do you say, Elora?" Dustin turns to him, looking uncertain.

"We can kill him." Steve sounds more sure than he probably has any right to be. But he is. He can feel it in his bones. They can win.

"Fuck yeah we can," he grins at Steve. The others look more uncertain. Dustin turns back to Eddie, shoulders back, chin up and looking almost proud. "Let's kill this son of a bitch!"

Dustin gets first roll and it's bad.

It's all down to Steve.

He can feel how tense everyone is. Dustin and Gareth start yelling when he takes to long. But he can't roll yet, follows his gut; he has to get this right, has to roll at the right time.

It's just like swinging a bat in baseball, he tells himself. Just gotta time it right…

He rolls.

The dice seems to move in slow motion. Steve can almost hear each time it bounces off the board. The tension is so thick that it almost chokes him, for a moment he's sure that he can't breath.

20.

There's a moment where no one reacts. Then Dustin yells, grabbing Steves arm and shaking him in his excitement. Mike, a more similar height, throws his arms around his shoulders. It's a little painful to have him shouting directly in his ear but, he too, is too excited to care.

The others have started yelling too, Eddie dramatically overacting his shock too. Steve can't help but laugh.

It takes a while for everyone to calm down. An even longer moment to stop talking enough so they can start packing their things up. Steve only brought his jacket and character sheet, so he stays stood at the end of the table to wait for the kids.

Eddie keeps glancing up at him as he packs most of the pieces away.

"Harrington," Grant grins at him. "Never thought I'd be saying this but... thanks for coming."

"Oh, uh, yeah, no problem," Steve tries to smile.

"Dude, you missed the championship game to save our asses in DnD," Gareth grins, throwing his arm over his shoulder. "Who woulda thought, though. Steve Harrington, huh?"

The other two laugh. Steve finally feels a little lighter, on safer ground.

"How the mighty have fallen, huh?" Steve tries. And they laugh, Jeff slapping him on the back.

At the doorway, he lingers for a moment, whilst everyone else starts heading down the hall.

"Thanks for letting me play," Steve says, turning to Eddie. "I know I'm not... uh..."

"Don't strain yourself," Eddie waves him off. "It's fine. The kids have raved about you enough for me to figure out that you're a good dude."

"Oh. Thanks."

"You should join their next campaign."

"I don't know. You're graduating, right?"

"Aww, you like me that much, big boy?" He puts a hand to his chest, batting his eyelashes.

But Steve remembers the rumors that went around, remembers exactly how true they were proven to be. And, well...

"What would you say if I am?" He fires back.

Eddie, true to his reputation, is never one to back down from a fight; "then I'd tell you to ask me out like you mean it."

"Alright. If you're free tomorrow, 8pm, would you wanna go on a date? With me?"

"You picking me up in your fancy car?"

"If you want."

"Yeah, I'm free."

"So... that's a yes?"

"Yes, that's a yes."

Steve can't help but fistpump, but it makes Eddie giggle, so he counts it as a win.

[dishonestlies-if]

(Dis)honest Lies

Demo: TBA || About The Archivists Age Rating: 16+ CW: Violence, death, child endangerment, child death/descriptions of child death, classism, manipulation, forced isolation/confinement (technically?), parental neglect, mild homophobia RO-specific CWs (contains spoilers): here

The king is dead, cries the crowd of mourners that line the path towards the Royal Tombs. As you walk down behind your father's coffin, you note that there are no commoners among them. Not surprising, given they are not allowed to entire the palace grounds, though you wonder if anyone beyond these walls are mourning with you. Your father was a much-beloved king, but no one beyond the Court had ever met him - or you, for that matter, or any of your predecessors since the Curse took effect. You wonder briefly what the outside world is like - the Advisors describe it as a beautiful place of wonder and innovation, at least in the capital. Perhaps the people are holding their own ceremony out there, in honour of your father.

You turn your attention back to the procession. There will be time to ponder this later.

You have a speech to give, a coronation to attend, a kingdom to rule.

There is no place for such pointless thoughts. You were born in this palace, and in this palace will you die. You will never see the outside world.

Will you?

Play as the newly crowned monarch of Batrinoa! Bring your kingdom to new heights, or send it plummeting into chaos - the choice is yours, and yours alone. After all, you are the monarch - who would dare defy your authority?

Customize the MC Veridas (27) (name changeable); gender, appearance, personality, etc!

Be swept off your feet by five potential love interests (gender selectable) - or don't! You can be swept off your feet by friends, too. And enemies. But that might be a bad idea.

Ally with your neighbours, or start a war - Batrinoa is powerful, why not utilize your military and expand your territory?

Solve problems that arise in your nation, or make them worse - where there's money to be had, who really cares if a few peasants die?

Face crushing moral dilemmas that make you question your reality!

Find the truth behind the web of lies that surround the Court - there are many hidden secrets, and if you look in the right places, you might find them. Assuming, of course, that they don't kill you first.

And why in the name of the Divine do you keep seeing the Archivist-in-training in your dreams?! You barely even know her!

Love Interests

The Guard Caelum/Celestine/Calytrix Hildebrand (28) is the fourth child of the Hildebrand family, your best friend and confidant, and godparent of your daughter. As children, you were inseparable, and even when C was in the army you kept in touch. Now they serve as your loyal guard - wherever you go, they will follow. It is their duty, after all; what the monarch wants, the monarch will get, nevermind how they feel about it. So long as it makes you happy, there is little they won't do to achieve it.

The Silver-Tongued Minister Elias/Elora/Elwyn Alinac (29) is Head of the House of Alinac, one of the Four Great Families and a member of the Advisors. They are, without a doubt, the Court's most charming noble. Intelligent and quick-witted, Batrinoa's Director of Foreign Affairs is well-versed in the art of communication, especially when it pertains to getting what they want. There are flocks of men and women alike who would kill to hold E's attention for even a fraction of a second. Fortunate, then, that they only seem to have eyes for you.

The Unapproachable Advisor Orpheus/Odette/Odilon Marchand (26) is Head of the House of Marchand, one of the Four Great Families and a member of the Advisors. O is rather unpopular with the nobility and common folk alike; their blunt speech, cold demeanour, and prickly personality make for rather unpleasant company, though none can deny their skill as Batrinoa's newest Minister of Finance. They maintain a professional distance from everyone around them, but perhaps you can close that gap - surely it must be a lonely existence, to hold everyone at arm's length as they do.

The Revolutionary Mervyn/Maira/Maverick (27) is a commoner of Batrinoa, a tailor who lives with their mother and three siblings near the slums of the capital. Passionate and rebellious, they abhor the monarchy and how the nation is run, and everyone knows it; M is an outspoken critic of the throne, and far from the only one. As the new monarch, you are the very pinnacle of everything they despise - can you show them that you are willing to do what your predecessors would not, or will you just add fuel to the fire?

The Flirtatious Informant Legacy (29) is the best informant in your employ (and the best assassin). They once swore loyalty to your father; now, they serve you. They're a shameless flirt, and never serious - about anything, really, not even their own life. You've asked where they came from, but you've received 14 different back stories at this point and you're not sure they're even capable of telling the truth if it doesn't pertain to their job. You wonder how Legacy ended up in this employ; surely this is not a job most would willingly choose to pursue?

Other Characters

Alix Morozov - your late spouse, the other biological parent of your daughter, and a relative of Drelix's King Vsevolod. They died three years ago, leaving you a single parent. Your marriage was for two reasons only - to end the war between your kingdoms, and to produce a precautionary heir for the Batrinoa line. Having succeeded in both, you considered them a good person and a dear friend, though there was never any love in your relationship.

Luminosa 'Lumi' Batrinoa (5) - your daughter from your marriage with Alix. Now that you are monarch, she is heir to the throne; a lofty title that may be, though it paints a massive target on her back. You can only hope you will not need to arrange a political marriage for her.

Beau Marchand (32) - the disgraced son of the Marchand family, his reputation for debauchery and excess is known far and wide throughout the capital. You remember him vaguely, having interacted with him as a child, though you haven't seen him since he was disowned thirteen years ago. O has since restored Beau to the family, but you have yet to see him return.

Dolion (53) - the Archivist, sometimes called the Secret-Keeper. One of the Blessed, his Miracle naturally makes people rather wary of him, and his sour demeanor does nothing to help his case. At the very least, none of the Advisors seem to like him, though you're fairly certain that's more because he was born a commoner rather than a child of the nobility.

Fialova Solanaceae (20) - Dolion's successor, the current Archivist-in-training. Timid and shy, she seems to dodge you at every opportunity, though you often catch her staring as if she has something she'd like to say. There's more to her than meets the eye, but are you brave enough to seek out the skeletons in her closet?

Helianthus Solanaceae (54) - Head of the House of Solanacaea, one of the Four Great Families and a member of the Advisors. She is the supreme judge of Batrinoa's legal system and handles all legal affairs within the kingdom's borders. As your godmother, she cares greatly for your well-being. She would happily spoil Luminosa rotten if you didn't stop her in time.

Volker Hildebrand (61) - Head of the House of Hildebrand, one of the Four Great Families and a member of the Advisors. Arrogant and conceited, he takes great pride in being the Minister of War. Objectively the most powerful member of the Council, he has the nation's military at his beck and call and takes great joy in lording over the other Advisors. The Court has no great love for him, though none can deny that it was thanks to him that the war with Drelix went as well as it did. Though he has little interest in anything besides battle and bloodshed, he has returned to the capital for your coronation and to assist you in acclimating to your new position.

[simlit]

Chosen of the Sun | | dawn // thirty-six

next / previous / beginning

ELION: Rough night? KYRIE: Why are you asking? You already know. ELION: laughs Mm. Power like yours costs a pretty penny. Though, it’s not a rare gift, being able to force someone to do what you want. I can do that trick too. But mine is free. KYRIE: What are you suggesting? I walk in and threaten the Duke’s life? ELION: No, I’m suggesting I walk in and threaten the Duke’s life. KYRIE: No. And why are you so keen to help me, anyways? You didn’t hesitate at all offering to settle things with the King’s healer. What do you get out of it? ELION: What? Can’t I foster your favor without any ulterior motives? KYRIE: Wasn’t it just a few hours ago you were going on about “due respect”? ELION: Fair point. Let’s say I do want something from you. Are you willing to hear me out? KYRIE: I said I don’t want what you’re offering. ELION: Really? Come now. You know you can’t keep that spell up forever. Your mana will weaken, you’ll slip up, etcetera etcetera, and the Duke will go running his mouth about everything he remembers. KYRIE: If he remembers. He was pretty drunk ELION: So you’re banking on luck, then? KYRIE: sighs What more can Elora do to me? If you haven’t noticed, you’re already here. She can’t lock me up so long as the trials are on. ELION: And afterwards? KYRIE: She… wouldn’t do that. ELION: Are you sure? KYRIE: …No. ELION: Hm. I expect my offer is starting to sound more appealing. KYRIE: I don’t condone the use of violence to get what you want. I never wanted to hurt the Duke. ELION: And he won’t be. So long as he complies. And given that he seems particularly proud of himself, I imagine he’ll want to avoid pain as much as possible. A little threat never hurt anyone. KYRIE: And what do you want in return? I gave you my cooperation. ELION: Reluctantly, yes. But no. What I want has nothing to do with you. Not directly, anyways. KYRIE: So, are you going to tell me or just keep beating around the bush? ELION: The Witcher. What do you know of her home? KYRIE: Eira? Why do you want to know? ELION: What difference does it make to you? It’s a simple question. KYRIE: Nothing that outlandish can ever be simple. Besides, it’s no secret. She’s School of the Viper— ELION: Not that home. Where was she born? KYRIE: I don’t understand. Eira was born in a village in the far north. Near Tir Tochair. But she wasn’t raised there. She has no connection to the place, far as I could see. ELION: So it is… How curious. KYRIE: That’s it? That’s all you wanted? ELION: Yes. For now. KYRIE: Why her? ELION: She… reminds me of someone. Someone I once knew, long ago. KYRIE: What? Don’t tell me you have a heart under all that bravado. ELION: A heart? In this profession, hearts are nothing but currency.

[bisexualshakespeare]

Elora, Airk, and Graydon from Willow <3

I can't draw faces but I wanted to make a little effort to doing #polyartober with the OT3 of Andowyne. Who knows if I'll do anymore. I basically traced this from reference I got from @kingcholerarefs here. Thank you for your service king!

[ggardengirl]

thinking about how kit and jade were literally cuddling in front of everyone this last episode, and literally no one gives a shit. everyone knows they are in love and everyone is fine with it and even advocates for their relationship (cough cough elora and boorman)

ive never seen a show set in medieval-ish era with kings and queens and whatnot (fantasy or not) that lets two women be in love without some kind of backlash or homophobia. maybe there is another show that does this, but not to my knowledge.

im truly in awe of willow and it means so much to me, both as a young girl who wanted to be a princess when she was little but didn’t want to marry a prince, and as a lover of the fantasy setting, who hasn’t been able to feel represented in a genre that she loves (outside of watching dimension 20’s campaigns lol).

if you haven’t seen the show yet, i highly encourage you to do so. it’s a really beautiful story in so many ways.

[arabellachant]

hold me like a knife. i.

aegon targaryen x lannister!oc. aemond targaryen x lannister!oc.

warnings: language, underage drinking, targcest, infidelity (from almost everyone), allusions to sex, religious guilt, mysoginy, pregnancy and childbirth, possible grammar mistakes (english is not my first language)

words: 3.4k

Elora always knew why her father didn’t mind that she was a girl. It was always better for a man like her father to have a son for a firstborn, Lord Jason, however, seemed to be very glad to have his daughter. And the girl was very aware of the reason why. A girl would never inherit Casterly Rock or have any power whatsoever, but a girl could give him something he wanted more than anything. Influence. Over the king, over the Seven Kingdoms, over the entire world. So the moment Elora was born, her father bestowed upon her only one duty, to marry well, to whoever paid best, and secure his position in power.

The young lady did not seem to mind the plans her father made for her. From a young age she was taught by everyone that being married was a good thing, a certainty of a good future. And as her father had promised, he would only agree to give her away to the noblest of lords, the ones who can prove they will give her a good and prosperous life. In the meantime, Elora was dotted with every luxury she desired. Being the light of her father’s eye, the girl grew up covered with affection and rich gifts. Her every wish was fulfilled right away. And so, the girl lived the life of a princess, being treated as a princess, dressed as a princess, educated as a princess. And now she should be married as a princess.

When the Lord Jason Lannister first told his daughter they would be making a trip to King’s Landing, the girl could never have imagined that she was the matter of her father’s discussion with the king. In fact, she probably wouldn’t be so excited for this journey had she known the truth. But Elora had no reason to doubt that this was no more than another meeting, since both her father and uncle visited king Viserys frequently, but when her father told her she and her brother would go with him, the young lady rejoiced. Her travels were very rare, and every chance to see outside of the walls of Casterly Rock was a wonderful gift.

Sitting at the back of a carriage, with her younger brother’s head laying on her shoulder, the girl had no idea that her promise of a future was nearing at each passing moment. Through an opening on the carriage's window, Elora watched the landscape changing outside. How her home diminished in the distance as a different world laid in front of her.

“I believe you will quite enjoy King’s Landing.” The girl’s father smiled at her, a genuine smile on his face. “I wish I had brought you sooner, but you were too young. And I also know how you don’t like being parted from Lyonel.”

“I know, father.” Elora reassures the man in front of her, her gaze returning to the landscape outside. “But brother and I are older now, we can accompany you.” Her voice was low, as she grew distracted with the scenery.

“You may be grown, yes.” The man laughed. “But your brother still acts as a child.”

A brief smile appeared on the lady’s face as she caressed the hand of her little brother who was sound asleep against her. She didn’t mind his childish demeanour, he was two years younger than her anyways. Besides, she knew his behaviour was partially her fault, as she tended to spoil the boy every chance she had. Elora was not the kind to get attached to things or to people, but she was always close with her brother, especially after her mother died. In a way, the loss of their mother brought the children even closer to each other. The truth is Elora was also very young herself, even if her maturity did not match her young age. The girl had just turned ten, but almost all the adults in her life saw her as a lady. ‘A perfectly behaved young lady’, as they would say. She wasn’t bothered by the way people tended to forget her youth, and even took some pride in being called mature and wise. Elora herself would dismiss her young age, and engage in conversations that might have been too mature for her. On more than one occasion, she wandered into her father’s office and started participating in his private conversations with his brother, advising the men and giving her own opinion on political matters.

The silence returned to the inside of the carriage, the only sound being the birds chirping outside and the trotting of the horses. The girl took a deep breath, and looked at her father for a second. The man who always had a carefree expression on his face looked as if a sense of dread had taken over him. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes were dark with a look of worry. His hands anxiously fidgeting with each other.

“What troubles you, father?” She asked, moving her legs to lightly kick her father’s boots.

“Nothing, dear. It’s only that this meeting is very important for us.” His voice was a bit shaky, but a faint smile was on the corner of his lips. “And that’s why I need you to be on your best behaviour today.” He leaned in and pinched his daughter’s knee. “Can you do that for me?”

Elora simply nodded. She couldn’t really remember a time when she wasn’t acting like ‘a perfectly behaved young lady’, so her father’s worry didn’t seem to make sense. She laid her head on top of Lyonel’s and closed her eyes. Whatever was the purpose of this meeting, there was no need to attend it tired. 

***

Elora was woken up by the sudden cease of movements from the carriage, and opened her eyes slowly, with thin rays of sunlight burning her eyes through her eyelashes. She raised herself up and shook her brother to wake him, fixing his dishevelled hair amidst his complaints. Lord Jason took one last look at his daughter and nodded. reminding her of his request. The man jumped out of the carriage and lifted a hand to help the girl out. With a deep breath, the lady steps out into the palace’s patio, pausing for a moment to take it all in. The capital itself was very different from what the girl was used to, but the Red Keep was something to marvel about. She had heard stories of it, but standing in front of it was much different. There was this strange aura surrounding the entire castle, something made from legend. A shiver ran through her arms, and her golden hair was standing on the back of her neck. It’s only with the sound of her father’s voice that she is brought back to reality.

“Your Majesty, how kind of you to come and welcome us.” The lord bowed, holding onto his son’s hand. Seeing the movement, the girl mirrored the action, not having enough time to see the man standing in front of her. “I have brought my children to accompany me today. This is Lyonel, my son.” The young boy bows again, shy from his father’s words. “And my eldest child, Lady Elora.” The girl smiles and does a polite curtsy, taking a look at the king. To her, the man didn’t look like anything special. He has a bland face and was of average stature, his silver hair being the only thing to make him stand out, but the strands were already thin and frail, barely covering the skin. That and the adorned crown laying on top of his head.

“Oh yes, Elora.” The man took a step closer to the girl. “I remember when I received the news my cousin had a daughter.” The king bent himself a little, analysing the features on the girl's face. Elora fought the urge to take a step back, the closeness of their faces making her uncomfortable. “If I’m allowed to say it, you look a lot like your mother. Almost a full Targaryen in looks.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” She mutters out a shy response. “I’m very proud of my mother’s ancestry, but I am a Lannister still.” Her expression was serious and her hands closed in a nervous fist. 

A loud laughter came out of the king’s lips, as well as a nervous chuckle came from her father. Both men seemed to find her declaration amusing.

“Yes, yes. You are very Lannister.” Viserys said in between laughs. “Definitely as fierce as a lion.”

“Yes, she is.” The lord puts a hand on his daughter’s shoulder, who relaxes her posture a little with her father’s touch. “She has definitely taken my temperament.”

The girl looked up at her father, annoyed at his comment. She did not have a bad temperament, but she was also very outspoken in her opinions. Had her brother said it, it would be seen as pride for his house. But since she was the one to mutter those words, they were perceived as foolish protests from a girl.

Lord Jason took a step forward, to put himself in front of his children, and started walking beside the king into the palace. Elora then took her brother’s hand and started following the men. The two were whispering about politics, about treaties and accords, which highly interested the girl, but she was too distracted to listen to them. Instead, she focused on admiring the halls they crossed. Analysing every painting, every tapestry. Looking outside the windows to see the great city beneath. The only sound she could hear clearly were her brother’s mumbles. Complaining about how tired he was, and how he wasn’t happy to be paraded around by his father. Elora simply giggled and shushed the boy.

“It’s a privilege to visit the king in his palace.” She whispered to him. “You should be honoured. Besides, aren’t you the one who keeps complaining he is always bored back home?” The girl teased her little brother.

“Better to be bored at home than showed off in a strange place.” Lyonel answered, and said nothing more.

The walk behind the two men seemed to last forever, and the girl started growing anxious with every step. It was indeed weird to be paraded around by her father. Lord Jason was proud of his children, no one could deny it, but he never showed any desire to display them in any way. In fact, the lord was always too protective of his children, especially since the death of his wife, so it was only on very special occasions that they would leave the security of Casterly Rock. The little bit of contact the children had with the outside world happened through gifts brought either by their father or their uncle. The two would travel quite often, either to other parts of the Westerlands or to visit King’s Landing, and each time they would return home with a chest full of presents. From books, to gowns, to exotic objects, anything that would entertain the kids. It was from these small objects they learned about what happened outside the walls of their home.

About the Targaryens, Elora knew very little. Her mother belonged to that house, but she would rarely speak about her cousins and how life was like in the Red Keep. Other than bedtime stories about legendary kings, Elora read. In the vast library of their home there were dozens of books dedicated to that dynasty, some written in an ancient language. Old Valyrian. Her mother’s tongue. The one she had to learn by herself in order to understand her past a little better. But she knew it was not the stories that made the Targaryen powerful, but their dragons. The mighty beasts who roamed the skies, breathing fire onto their enemies. Just like the wild creature that killed her mother. A shiver ran down the girl’s spine when she recalled the winged serpents, and she stopped looking at the walls. She wasn’t looking anywhere in particular, lost in her own thoughts, and she would have stayed like this for hours had she not almost bumped onto her father, who had suddenly stopped walking in front of her. Her father glanced at her quickly with a furrowed brow. The girl quickly adjusted her posture, standing still.

“Dearest Lady Elora,” The king called her. “Allow me to introduce you to the Queen, Alicent Hightower.” From behind the king, a beautiful woman appeared. Her long copper locks flowing in curls on top of her shoulders. She wore an elegant emerald gown that complimented her large dark eyes. The queen took a quick look at Elora and bowed her head. The girl followed the gesture, doing a longer curtsy, she could feel the heat from her flushed cheeks.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elora.” The queen's voice was sweet as a faint smile illuminated her face. “Your father always complimented you when he visited, I see he was right to do so.” 

“I’m very grateful for your words, Your Grace.” The girl smiled back, a newfound pride growing in her chest. “I fear I have heard very little about you, since you are far more beautiful than I had imagined.” Elora could tell that she was staring, but she didn’t feel like she could stop it. A small giggle escaped the queen’s lips, and Lord Jason smiled widely with the reaction.

“Forgive my daughter, Your Grace.” Her father intervened, but not a glimpse of embarrassment was in his eyes. “She always had her way with words.” He squeezed his daughter’s shoulder, an air of contempt on his face.

The queen simply shook her head. King Viserys also looked very pleased with the interaction, sharing a whisper to Lord Jason. The three adults started to move along the corridor now. This time, however, Elora was not at the back of the group. She proudly walked in front of her father as both of his hands laid on top of her shoulders. The monarchs shared a few words with her, asking about her interests and how life was at her home. The girl answered everything with a big smile, happy to receive some attention and more than willing to talk to them for hours. But one thing she did not understand were the glances and nods between the two men. She wasn’t sure if they were only responding to her conversation or having one of their own.

Following their lead, the group arrived at a big hall with a large table and many chairs. The monarchs moved along the sides of the table, taking seats next to each other. The girl tried taking a step forward to claim a chair for herself, but the grip on her shoulders stopped her. 

“Darling, now we have to discuss some things.” Lord Jason glanced at the king and queen. Elora knew that look, it indicated he would speak about grown-up things, and it wasn’t appropriate for her to stay there. “Why don’t you follow this lady here?” He pointed to a servant standing a few steps behind them. “I will call you back in a moment.” He smiled, but there was something about him that gave off his restlessness.

Elora nodded to her father, growing uneasy with the way things were going. She turned to king Viserys and his queen again, bowing deeply before leaving the room holding onto her brother’s arms. The servant did not share any words with the children, leading them quietly away from the meeting. Elora looked back at the corridor a few times, her mind trying to come up with reasons to why her father would want her away. ‘A moment’ he said, she surely hoped so. Even if she tried to act like she was confident in every situation, she knew she had very little control of things in there. She was in a strange place, surrounded by strange people, her only protector far in closed off halls. It wasn’t weird for her to feel a little lost, and even a little scared, but the girl would rather die than admit it, so she kept walking forward following the maid further into the castle. She couldn’t tell if she had walked for seconds or for hours before the maid stopped in front of a heavy wooden door and informed the guests to go in. The Lannister children walked into the room, which looked like a study, to find other children were there. Three of them, all silver haired, and all distracted with their own activities to notice the sudden interruption made. That was until the female servant cleared her throat, making those pairs of lilac eyes stare into the girl and her brother. Elora trembled where she stood, the abrupt amount of attention being extremely distressing.

“The Lannisters are visiting.” The woman announced. “The children will be waiting here with you while your parents are in a meeting. Be nice to them.”

Elora stood near the door frame, unable to move a muscle under the intense gaze of those inhumanly eyes. She tried to turn around to thank the servant, but by the time she looked back at the corridor behind her the woman was long gone. The girl was tense, she tried to act like she wasn’t but there was no denying it. She turned back into the study room with a low sigh, fearing that cold gaze on her again. To her relief, the Targaryen children seemed to have forgotten her presence already. Lyonel on the other hand, was lost in his boredom again, paying more attention to the mud on his boots than to anything happening inside of that room. Elora bowed her head before fully entering the hall, pulling her brother to keep up with her steady pace, and took a seat across the room from the children. Her little companion decided to sit on the floor, tugging at the lace of his shoes and trying to clean off some of the pieces of grass that got stuck to the leather. None of the people in the room said a word to each other, as they were not introduced by anyone and it didn’t feel appropriate to do it themselves. The silence was not as uncomfortable as the girl feared, as she sat quietly in an armchair that was too big for her, she let her mind wander away to distant places.

***

No matter how far Elora’s mind could fly away, she never would have  never correctly guessed the true subject matter of the meeting happening in the near hall.

“Your Majesties, you do know my firstborn is a girl, one I treasure most but a girl still.” Lord Jason spoke anxiously, but his eyes gleamed with anticipation. “And it is every father’s desire to see their daughter well wed.” He paused for a moment to watch the expression on the king and queen’s faces, both very absorbed in his words. “House Lannister has always been loyal to the Targaryen dynasty, since the era of the Conqueror. So I believe we could further strengthen the alliance of our noble houses by marriage. My Elora is growing, she will soon be old enough to be married and I suppose it would make my late wife very pleased to see her marry into house Targaryen.”

“So what do you propose?” King Viserys inquired with a small grin and looked at his wife, who seemed to be deep in thought.

Lord Jason rejoiced with the king’s question, believing the matter was concluded, and he had succeeded. “I would like to offer the hand of my daughter to your eldest son, Aegon.”

Queen Alicent took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. “I fear that it’s not possible, Lord Jason.” There was a genuine frustration in her voice.

“Is that true, my King?” Lord Jason turned to Viserys, disappointed as well.

“I’m afraid it is, my friend.” The king leaned into the table. “It has been arranged for prince Aegon to be married to Helaena. It is the custom for us.” He gave a sad smile to the lord, his wife looking far more sorry than him.

Lord Jason inhaled sharply, defeated. He was ready to get up and leave. To take his daughter home and forget about bigger ambitions, but the queen’s words stopped him.

“A marriage, however, could still happen.” Her tone was low and uncertain. “The younger prince, Aemond, is not committed to anyone yet, and he is closer in age to your daughter than Aegon. I believe an engagement between them would be just as agreeable.” Alicent spoke not once looking back at the king.

The king simply nodded with the agreement, and Lord Jason was satisfied enough. ‘A prince is a prince’, he thought. Having his daughter inside the Red Keep was enough.

[indigenous-character-tournament]

Indigenous Character Tournament

Round 1

The bracket was randomly generated with minor tweaking to balance it out since there are so many characters. Ties are allowed only when there is an exact 50/50 and in that case, the characters will move on as a team. Propaganda is allowed and encouraged! The polls of each bracket will last one week! Below are the match-ups in case it is hard to read the bracket! :)

Voting will start Monday, May 8th at 6:00 P.M. EST! The polls will be released in waves.

Bracket A

Eliza Maza (Gargoyles) vs Willie Jack (Reservation Dogs)

Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender) vs Kamakiri (One Piece)

Joseph (Blood Quantum) vs Fuzzy Mac (Grace Beside Me)

John Redcorn (King of the Hill) vs Clinton Skye (FBI: Most Wanted)

Travis Manawa (Fear the Walking Dead) vs Jessica Keynes (Miraculous Ladybug)

Artemy Burakh (Pathologic) vs Nakamura Kotan (Yuusha Dan)

Delsin Rowe (Infamous: Second Son) vs Moana (Moana)

Pike Dexter (Big Eden) vs Naru (Predator)

Victor Joseph (Smoke Signals) vs Volo (Pokemon Legends: Arceus)

Prince Ashitaka (Princess Mononoke) vs Kurapika Kurta (Hunter x Hunter)

Naranpa (Black Sun) vs Kirikou (Kirikou and the Sorceress)

Fredzilla (Big Hero 6) vs Margaret Kohere (Apex Legends)

Wyper (One Piece) vs Jenna Begay (Echo Project)

Kronk (The Emperor's New Groove) vs Rock (Nanbaka)

Ka'kwet (Anne with an E) vs Akita (Ninjago)

Tanis (Letterkenny) vs Caitlin (Mohawk Girls)

Bracket B

Asirpa (Golden Kamuy) vs Asterix (Asterix the Gaul)

Little Strongheart (My Little Pony) vs Atticus O'Sullivan (The Iron Druid)

Makoa Gibraltar (Apex Legends) vs Joss (Blood Quantum)

Kenai (Brother Bear) vs Ratonhnhaké:ton (Assassin’s Creed III)

Miyax/Julie (Julie of the Wolves) vs Massai (Fortnite)

Anna (Mohawk Girls) vs Princess Maya (Maya and the Three)

Izel (Onyx Equinox) vs Mercy Thompson (Mercy Thompson)

Charles Smith (Red Dead Redemption 2) vs Dr. Joshua "Strongbear" Sweet (Atlantis: The Lost Empire)

Lady Silence/Silna (The Terror) vs Dedue (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

Koen West (Cleverman) vs Hau (Pokémon Sun and Moon)

Elora Danan Postoak (Reservation Dogs) vs Iduna (Frozen)

Zia (Mysterious Cities of Gold) vs Knuckles Thrash/Harley (Sleepless Domain)

Carlos Oliveira (Resident Evil series) vs Nainoa Flores (Sharks in the Time of Saviors)

Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender) vs Little Creek (Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron)

Asta Twelvetrees (Resident Alien) vs Hototo (Appare-Ranman!)

Bracket C

Nate Kinski (Neighbours) vs Usui Horokeu/Horohoro (Shaman King)

Reki Kyan (SK8 the Infinity) vs Waruu West (Cleverman)

Mugen (Samurai Champloo) vs Sitka (Brother Bear)

Samantha Black Crow (American Gods) vs Sasappis (Ghosts CBS)

Nina Aroyo (A Snake Falls to Earth) vs Malakai Mitchell (Heartbreak High)

Echo Reverie (Friends at the Table) vs Nuna (Kisima Inŋitchuŋa)

Margu (Klaus) vs Raúl Cocolotl (Wendell & Wild)

Huā Chéng (Heaven Official's Blessing) vs Leilani (Indivisible)

Elatsoe Bride (Elatsoe) vs Tao (Mysterious Cities of Gold)

Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist) vs Jesse Cosay (Infinity Train)

Kalgara (One Piece) vs Molly Mabray (Molly of Denali)

Miko Kalani (Barbie) vs Tom Evans (Captain Canuck)

Nani Pelekai (Lilo & Stitch) vs Gideon Nav (The Locked Tomb)

Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Smoke Signals) vs Fiza (Daevabad Trilogy)

Tikal the Echidna (Sonic the Hedgehog) vs Greiger (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Maya Lopez/Echo (Marvel comics) vs Bear Smallhill (Reservation Dogs)

Bracket D

Chakotay (Star Trek: Voyager) vs Piper McLean (Heroes of Olympus)

Emperor Kuzco (The Emperor's New Groove) vs Denahi (Brother Bear)

Ricky Baker (Hunt for the Wilderpeople) vs Kristoff (Frozen)

Serapio (Black Sun) vs Boy (Boy - 2010 film)

Inkarmat (Golden Kamuy) vs Geronimo Jr. (Cyborg 009)

Tanigaki Genjirō (Golden Kamuy) vs Betty (Infamous: Second Son)

Pacha (The Emperor's New Groove) vs JJ Jacobs (DImension 20)

Kaya'aton'my (American Girl) vs Danielle Moonstar/Mirage (Marvel comics)

Knuckles the Echidna (Sonic the Hedgehog) vs Sacagawea (Night at the Museum)

Débora (Cidade Invisível) vs Matthew Carver (Kagagi)

Papa-Capim (Turma da Mônica) vs Professor Kukui (Pokémon Sun and Moon)

Tainá (Tainá uma aventura na Amazônia) vs Nuna (Indivisible)

Ken Hotate (Parks and Recreation) vs Nizhoni (Race to the Sun)

Revali (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) vs Daunis Fontaine (Firekeeper's Daughter)

Korra (The Legend of Korra) vs Ch'ah Toh Almehen/Namor the Submariner (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

Tye Longshadow (Young Justice) vs Lilo Pelekai (Lilo & Stitch)

[agatharioscoven]

Kit is so not going to let Airk live down the "I'm your King" line.

Every chance she gets it's going to be "Yes my King, of course my King, anything you ask my King"

She might have grown as a person, but she's still his sister and a little shit.

No way she doesn't tease the hell out of him for it, and Jade and Elora will just be there laughing along.

[bringthekaos]

I don't know if you wanna answer this but I wanna hear your thoughts on this.

We can all agree that Mel Medarda is an amazing character on her own and people shit on her for petty reasons like her getting in the way of a ship and making things up about her. What I wanna know is your thoughts on her.

What I see, I think the relationship between her and Jayce could be tragic on its own cause, to me, it's like Meg and Hercules from Disney. Meg went after Hercules under orders of Hades in exchange for her freedom, only to fall in love with Hercules for real and feels regret for betraying him like so.

While Meg and Mel are different in circumstances, I get the tragedy between them in a way.

Mel probably brought Jayce to a seat at the council and her bed to benefit her in the long run only to slowly care about him over the course of the season.

And that could be what could hurt them. Mel realizes too late she cares about him but can't fully give her love cause of politics (and if s2 goes, war and/or her death) and if Jayce found out that her being intimate with him was just to get him to be her yes man it would shatter Jayce terribly.

From the posts I've seen here, Jayce goes from being a bright and optimistic inventor to a selfish and cold man.

His decaying friendship is already what'd pushing him towards that path. But if he knew Mel's original intentions from say... Swain or herself then it would destroy him.

Sorry for rambling

You can always ramble in my inbox 🥰

I try to be diplomatic in my discussions of Mel, cuz I don’t want anyone to think I don’t like her or that I’m trying to write her off, as a JayVik shipper. I’m critical of Mel, but I’m also critical of Jayce and Viktor. They’re all flawed people, and that’s what makes them great characters. So with that little disclaimer in mind, my thoughts.

The Meg/Hercules comparison is actually so fitting. I think it was all politics for her in the beginning—“we need something to put Piltover on the map. What of today’s trial?”—she was thinking purely as a politician and a businesswoman, and she saw Jayce and his ideas as a good investment. And to cultivate that investment for maximum profit, she also had to play him a little. I don’t think she would see it as manipulation, like the audience tends to, she just read him like an open book; he craved validation and praise, and what’s the harm in stroking his ego?

(And other things)

But just like Meg, I think she started falling for him. His naïveté and softness that started out as a tool for controlling him began to needle at her. She started easing off the gas and trying to protect him as time went on, started taking what was best for him into consideration, for example:

Elora: “I’ve had word from our friends overseas.”

Mel: “It’s too soon. Jayce isn’t ready.”

And I think by the time they slept together, she was falling pretty good. She could see how malleable he was, and how it was turning out to not be such a great thing. Cuz that’s a Pandora’s box—if you can control him, so can others. And then you could lose him, and to someone with far more nefarious motives.

And if Jayce finds out that she was “manipulating” him (or believes that she was) to get him to build weapons that would eventually be shipped out to Noxus so that they might steamroll their enemies? Yeah, I think it would taint their entire relationship. Even if she tried to explain, tried to make him see that maybe it started out that way, but you changed me, you changed my mind. You made me see that the path I was treading was one that lead straight to becoming my mother… I’m not sure he would believe her. It’s the same thing that happened with Daenerys and Jorah Mormont in Game of Thrones—he started out spying on her in a selfish attempt to gain favor in King’s Landing. But he fell for her in the process, ceased his spying, and joined her for good. But when she found out, it soured all the good he did, painted all of it in blood. Cuz you can’t take any of that stuff back, even when you change your ways. You can’t un-betray someone, you can’t un-manipulate them.

And yeah, him losing Viktor and Mel at the same time? It could definitely send him spiraling, send him down a rabbit hole of “I’m the only person I can trust, apparently. Why bother with other people, all they do is betray and leave me.” And while I honestly have a hard time seeing how this sweet cinnamon roll of a Jayce that Arcane has given us could ever go that route… I think we saw it a little bit, in that final scene—the eye roll and “I don’t give a shit what any of you think of me anymore.”

Really I just think Mel is a complex, flawed person who has one of the more weighty instances of character growth in the show. She starts out cold and detached—just playing the game, like she’s been doing for years—and for several reasons, not just her relationship with Jayce, she starts to really think about her actions and their consequences. And I sincerely hope she’s not killed in the explosion, cuz I’d really like to see the conclusion of that arc.

[acre-of-wheat]

Been thinking about what the Wyrm offers with their temptations, and I think that it’s not quite so simple as the Wyrm giving you whatever you desire.

I think the Wyrm appeals to the worst version of yourself.

I’ve talked a bit about how the Wyrm!Sorsha’s temptation to Kit was two fold-- that she released her from the “chain of responsibility around your neck” and that she would give her a version of Jade that was all hers, without the complication of the Shining Legion or the Bone Reavers. This plays on Kit’s worst traits-- her rejection of responsibility, and her selfishness. It pushes on her insecurities as well, offering her a mother that respects her agency, and a girl who won’t abandon her for anything.

Elora is also challenged on her weak points. Airk very pointedly brings up the people that have died for her, for a name that she doesn’t really believe in or even want most of the time. He preys on her fear and her guilt. Her insecurity is that she’s a nobody, but by just being Dove, and marrying Airk, her identity can be subsumed into someone else.

Airk’s was a little trickier to decipher, but then I thought about how Sorsha tore him down the night before Kit’s wedding. How she told him that he shouldn’t even bother trying to help, as he couldn’t possibly understand these matters. The Crone tells him that he has the makings of a king, and that no one is his equal.

Graydon gives away his temptation at Nockmaar, where his possessed self insists that what Elora wants in a man must be strength, and confidence. The Wyrm removes the scars he’s so self-conscious of in the final vision, playing on his vanity and the sort of masculinity that Graydon has tried so hard to reject throughout the quest.

There’s nothing wrong with getting what you want, or pursuing it, but that’s not really what the Wyrm is offering. What the Wyrm offers is to indulge in your fears and your lowest points, to take the things you want without regard to others, and that’s why the Wyrm must be resisted.

[pepperdee]

TCoH Excerpts that make me happy (in no particular order): Uncle Seward

Overseer Seward J. Dean massaged the pale blonde goatee around his mouth, his icy blue eyes scanning every thick chord under with a rug, cataloging every face in the room. He always looked scary on duty, with his piercing Gele gaze and Glyph tattoos rippling in blue on his arms. When his survey reached the Kings, much of that intimidating vibe disappeared.

He grinned in an almost charming way, barking, “Who the hell let you in here?” and scaring the shit out of half of the room. He walked right past Momma’s grimace. Seward smiled at all three of them, squeezing Rose’s shoulder and ruffling Clove’s hair. “Finally caught your big break, eh, bud?”

“That’s Charles Clay-Casey!” Clove blurted, pointing at the photographer.

Seward slapped Clove on the shoulder. “Go on and talk to him—he loves little nerds like you,” he said. Clove sped off. “And you,” he said, turning to Rose. “How’s my favorite Blaze niece?” Rose shrugged, but he could see how happy she was to see him. “Woman of few words, as usual,” Seward said with a terse look at Momma. “Did you make those finals your bitch?” he asked Lily, raising a palm.

“Barely had to try,” bragged Lily, high fiving him. Momma cleared her throat, and the briefest look of guilt flashed over her face.

“That’s my brainiac,” Seward said. Now, finally, he turned to Elora. All the warmth was sucked out of his demeanor. “Elora,” he said flatly.

“Seward,” she said in the same tone.

[ceciliadreamson]

Here are the OCs that I want to join the og cast! Meet Elora (The King in Yellow) and Seymour (Little Shop of Horrors)

Their stories are still a work in progress but I have some ideas for each of them. Elora is a wannabe actress who failed to make it to the big stage, so she made her life the main event instead. As for Seymour, idk if I want her to kill Audrey II at the end of her canto or let it live since that’s the main antagonist in the musical. It’s their weapon though so if they did get rid of him, they’d have to completely change her weapon choice and attack. Giving her gardening shears would be pretty funny though ngl

[another-rogue-trevelyan]

I’m in Lucanis hell so here is Lucanis and Elora’s first meeting

——————————————————————————

All Lucanis wanted was a decent cup of coffee, and Viago de Riva was making that impossible.

After finishing his most recent contract, the First Talon had sent Lucanis to House de Riva with some sensitive information. Instead of being quick and easy, it seemed Viago had a thousand things he wanted brought to Caterina’s attention, not the least of which being his latest batch of recruits.

“They’re coming along in the de Riva tradition - stealth, combat, and poisons. We’re surprising them with their poison trial tonight, and I’m hoping we don’t lose as many as we did last time. You would think I didn’t spend hours instructing them - wasted hours, apparently.”

Lucanis sighed, accepting he was going nowhere any time soon. “You said you have a large cohort this time?”

“Five. Certainly more than usual.”

“And did you give them all ridiculous code names like you do your poisons?”

Viago grinned. “We all need a little levity in this line of work, Lucanis. And yes, they’re chess pieces this time - King, Queen, Chevalier, Priestess, and Rook.”

“Hate to be the King. That’s asking for assassination.”

After what felt like hours, Viago finally dismissed him back to House Dellamorte. It was too late in the evening for Café Pietra, so he’d have to settle for coffee at home.

He passed by the Fifth Talon’s artwork in the halls, largely of plants he could use to kill people, and paused briefly to enter a large sitting room. Plush velvet chairs, a roaring fireplace with intricate carvings, expensive decor - no one could say Viago didn’t have taste. He was just pausing to examine a sculpted bust on a pedestal when he heard a crash behind him.

Lucanis whipped around, knives out, and bounded to the door in two silent steps. He stood back to the wall, weapons at the ready - one gifted to him by Caterina many years ago - and slowly peered around the doorframe. Then he relaxed and lowered his knives.

A young elven girl had stumbled into one of Viago’s porcelain vases, sending it crashing to the floor. The girl was clinging to the pedestal it had been placed upon. Blonde hair stuck to her forehead, which even in the dim firelights Lucanis could see was slick with sweat. She was shivering, sickly and pale, her green eyes bloodshot. She stumbled a few steps toward a large flowerpot and promptly vomited into into it.

“Mierda!” Lucanis sighed. The girl could be no older than sixteen, at most. She finished heaving, tried to stand, and promptly stumbled. Lucanis caught her just before she could smack her head on the corner of another one of Viago’s displays.

“Are you an initiate?” Lucanis asked as he painstakingly lead her into the sitting room.

“R…Rook,” she coughed out. Lucanis guided her onto the sofa, laid on her side in case she vomited again, and started searching through Viago’s cabinets. He knew Viago well enough to know he had a stock of poison antidotes in every room. Despite himself he chuckled when he found what he was looking for - a small vial labeled, “up and adder.”

“You’re lucky Viago uses the same poison in every initiate trial. Here, drink this.”

The elven girl - Rook - shakily took the bottle and drank it. She looked relieved a few minutes later when the shaking began to ease, but she was clearly exhausted.

“I don’t understand,” she slurred through heavy eyelids.

“What don’t you understand?” Lucanis asked.

“You’re supposed to let me die.”

She was asleep before he could answer, a bit of color returning to her cheeks. Lucanis took one of Viago’s expensive blankets and placed it over her.

“Not everyone needs to die,” he murmured, and went home to make himself a cup of coffee.

[ramonag-if]

A Protective Captain is a side story featuring Sir Oren's perspective from the events of Chapter 8. In this story, get a glimpse into the Captain's thoughts about what's been happening so far. This story is only available to Ishari tier Patrons.

Excerpt: There was a time when Oren feared death. It had been when he was still a child, caught in a war he did not understand. But as Oren gazed at the darkness of the sea, it was not his own death that scared him anymore. His eyes drifted to the woman he served and then, the prince who had convinced everyone to follow him. His companions and his new friends needed Oren now more than ever. His thoughts drifted to his family in Vinia. There had been little word of their wellbeing, though Redall had promised to look out for them when he returned. A gnawing worry tugged at his stomach and Oren hunched over the railing, suddenly tasting the bitterness of bile in the back of his throat. Fear, Oren had learnt, took many forms. For him, it was failing the people he pledged to protect. He thought about the night the Blood Guard had entered the palace. There had been no answers to his questions, but he suspected that there were still those in the ranks of the Royal Vinian Guard who would rather see Queen Elora dethroned than follow her orders. “Captain, you are up late.” Oren glanced towards the source of the deep timbre of a voice. Prince Irus stood a few paces away from Oren, his blue eyes bright despite the late hour. Beyond him, the deck was quiet, aside from the rush of the current below.  Bowing to Prince Irus, Oren watched as the young prince moved to stand beside him. For a while, neither of them spoke. “You are not resting?” Oren asked, after a while. “I believe we will be arriving in the Southern Islands soon.” Prince Irus shrugged. “I cannot find sleep, not when my thoughts keep me up.” Oren nodded in understanding. He had never been to war before, but there had been days during his training when he was expected to stop skirmishes at the borders of the smaller towns. After the death of the former king, Oren had been tasked with scouting for the assassins responsible for his death. It had been difficult for Oren to find sleep during those days and he had no doubt that it was as equally as difficult for Prince Irus now.

The full story is only available on my Patreon!

[swashbucklery]

fic preview: flowing here like honey

The "short little solstice one-shot" is too long to be finished for real-life solstice, but I thought tonight would be a good night to post a preview.

coming soon: flowing here like honey (Willow, Kit/Jade/Elora, E. part of the and her light stretches ot3verse)

Solstice has always been so - complicated.

Kit remembers watching it from afar when she was small. The darkest, longest night of the year filled the great hall in the palace with light and warmth and hundreds of plates of food, great casks of ale. She loved the way that her father had delighted in all of the silliness - the royal family giving the gift of a feast to the lower classes, the cakes, the revelry. The way the palace would echo with laughter and shouts that Kit could hear from her chambers long after she'd been whisked off to bed with assurances that there would be plenty of solstices when she was older.

(Kit remembers, naturally, sneaking down the servants' staircase to look. She remembers a lot of red faces, adults play-fighting and drinking and kissing in dimly-lit corners. She remembers her mother's wine-blush, looking at her father with an exasperated kind of fondness Kit rarely saw outside of balls and parties.)

The traditions from when she was small always felt so magical. There were different words for it, but there was always a king - someone with a paper hat, red-faced, directing the festivities. Always one of the stablehands, or the junior guards, a young man blushing at the indulgence of ordering around his seniors and his rulers. She remembers hazy glimpses of her father serving wine by candlelight to the "king" of the night. She remembers cakes with coins and little prizes hidden inside.

(She remembers sneaking extra slices of cake with Airk until they were both nearly sick; each of them hoping for the slice with the coin in it. She remembers the year that Airk had won; finding the coin and earning himself a little pocket-sized paring knife that made Kit burn with jealousy, undeterred by her mother's assurance that knives aren't for ladies, anyway.)

Kit did grow older, and there were plenty of solstices after her father left, but they were different. Much quieter, and much less bright. Always a big party, but less boisterous, fewer red faces, more pinched looks. She was old enough then that she was wrapped into a dress, and she remembers aching to leave, stuffing cakes into her skirts for later. She remembers sneaking hopefully into the stables at night, sharing her heard-won sweets with Jade. Jade laughing when Kit pulled cake after cake out of her gown and Kit muttering that it was the only thing skirts were good for. Solstices as Kit grew were a complicated mix of dread and discomfort, nothing like she'd hoped they'd be.

The celebration tonight is joyful, just the way it seemed when Kit was small. When she descends the stairs to the tavern proper, the air is warm and it smells like food and spiced wine. It sounds like laughter, the sounds of fiddles and stomping and the first few threads of song. Solstice like this, without the complex trappings of court, is lovely.