#empress vaness

[starlightfireflies]

heart-threads

written for @flashfictionfridayofficial prompt: FFF255; in the heart fandom: witchlands–first time writing for it! warnings: none word count: 613

The moon rises above a shimmering Origin Well, glowing with the tone of dying embers, the remnants of the element it represents.

The wind brushes past Aeduan’s hair. It pulses against his clothes, free to buffet his back by the lack of his salamander cloak to protect him against its bite.

He stares at the waters of the Well and thinks about before. Before the Truthwitch, before the hunt, before her. He wonders what the Aeduan entrenched in Veñaza City would think of the Aeduan who stands in the reflection.

Something snaps behind him. Leaves stir.

The footsteps of Iseult det Midenzi are as light as they were months ago. There is something whisper-soft about the way she wanders over to him, as if merely noticing him alone.

“I thought I’d find you out here,” she says lightly. She moves to stand beside Aeduan. Solid. Unyielding. 

He turns away from her. “Not many people will tolerate a Bloodwitch.”

And for good reason. He is the monster lurking in their nightmares, the one who stands in dark corners with outstretched fingers and the power of the Void. It does not matter to the revelers he is a man. It does not matter to them he knows, intimately, truly, what it is like to be one.

Iseult hums, low in her throat. “Just because they do not speak to you does not mean they do not want you there.” Slender fingers meet Aeduan’s. “All the others want you returned.”

Aedaun turns his head to her. “All of them?” he asks, because he is certain the prince of Nubrevna does not think so highly of him. Empress Vaness probably doesn’t either, for that matter, and he’d rather not take a guess at the Cartorrans and how they feel. “I feel there are many among them—your Threadsister included—who prefer the company of others.”

As always, the mention of Safi sends a glint spiraling through Iseult’s eyes. “Maybe it was just me who wanted you back.”

Aeduan tries not to think too much about her words.

But there is a Heart-Thread looming above them, wrapping delicate tendrils around the Loom of their lives. It does not matter, not anymore, that Iseult cannot see either of their Threads. 

“I wouldn’t want to be inside either,” Iseult says, suddenly. Her fingers send pricks of lightning up Aeduan’s arm as she curls her hand around his. He will never tire of her touch, he thinks, yet he cannot bring himself to meet her hold.

Iseult’s gaze is fixed upon the Origin Well’s shimmer. Her fingers press in, ever so slightly.

“What—what are you thinking about?” Bringing the words to the surface takes less energy than Aeduan thought it would.

Her eyes flash, momentarily, with surprise. “Only about the Aether Well. Where I first saw…first saw our Heart-Thread.” She gives him a lightning-quick glance. “I wonder if going into the Fire Well would allow me to see it again.”

Once again, the Heart-Thread hovers. It is a reminder. But it is also a choice.

So Aeduan squeezes Iseult’s hand back. “I have no doubt the empress would not be pleased with you if you returned to her party sopping wet.”

“Safi would cover for me.”

“Safiya is a fool.”

“Safi is a competent fool.” 

They lapse into silence, but it is comfortable. Which is odd to think about, because every one of Iseult’s quiet moments are comfortable. Safe.

“We can stay out here, if you want,” says Iseult.

“That would be nice.”

And thought Aeduan cannot see their Heart-Thread, it is glowing, twining, letting Aeduan know, for the first time, he is not alone under a darkening sky.

[witchlcnds]

during windwitch, appreciation for vaness goes 📈📈📈📈📈

[little-sea-fox]

I know that this ship is not official, but do we have a name for Lev and Vaness and if not, then why 🤔🤷‍♀️

[padmerrie]

“Who the hell-waters does she think she is?” Vivia demanded.

“Well,” Stix said, “she probably thinks she’s the Empress of the Flame Children, Chosen Daughter of the Fire Well, the Most Worshipped of the Marstocks, Destroyer of the Kendura Pass-”

“And?”

“And she’s used to people doing her bidding.”   

Vivia scoffed. “I could have just as many titles too, if I wanted them.”

                                                       *    *    *                                                          

I never thought I’d be drawing Her Holiest of Holies, but after 3 books I finally got her.  Or she got me.  I love how @stdennard can turn your perception of a character on its head in a matter of pages.  The quality of this is unfortunately abysmal as it originally started off as practice with my brushes on a tiny canvas.  I liked it too much to scrap it and I know myself well enough to know that trying to replicate it from scratch on a bigger canvas would have ended in misery. 

[aetherbitch]

Idea, that if it’s not cannon, would be a good ship fic: Vivia taking Empress Vaness to the void well to heal her wounds

[eilonwiiy]

The Witchlands series | Female Character Appreciation  Empress Vaness    

    “Who the hell-waters does she think she is?” Vivia demanded. “Well,” Stix said, “she probably thinks she’s the Empress of the Flame Children, Chosen Daughter of the Fire Well, the Most Worshipped of the Marstocks, Destroyer of the     Kendura Pass-”     “And?” “And she’s used to people doing her bidding.”     Vivia scoffed. “I could have just as many titles too, if I wanted them.”

[likely-radiant]

‘‘white strips of cloth draped a thousand ways over the woman’s bronze skin, and her dark hair tumbled over the bold exposure of her right shoulder...[Safi] appreciated the bored dip in the young woman’s shoulder. the flat expression of a person who had better places to be and more meaningful things to do”

- First description of Empress Vaness, from  Truthwitch by Susan Dennard.

Do you come across those moments when someone’s description is so vivid you have to draw them, then promptly fall in love?

[kissingagrumpygiant]

I literally just ordered the witchland series because you were liking it and said it was gay lmao

Oh I am. So sorry it has like one main lesbian couple, a trans side character and two gay dads IM SO SORRY BSVXHXJ

[cahrawen]

ladies of the witchlands›› vivia + iseult + safi + vaness

[im-not-corrupted]

Vaness: Hey, you know Stix?

Vivia: Oh, Stix? Yeah, I love her.

Vaness: ..

Vivia: As a friend of course. Lmao. *sweats and looks around as if to make sure no one heard*

[lseultdetmidenzi]

am i the only one that thinks Vivia and Vaness have some chemistry?

[safifonhasstrel]

"You stand before Empress Vaness of Marstok. Empress of the Flame Children, Chosen Daughter of the Fire Well, Most Worshipped of the Marstoks, Destroyer of the Kendura Pass."

"This is Vivia Nihar.... princess of Nubrevna."

[gilded-moon]

The witchlands ships and how awkward it was to tell the parents

Safi x Merik- The least awkward one. Mathew and Habim actually Merik while Serafin was threatened into silence. Eron doesn’t get opinions.

Aeduan x Iseult- “We thought you were the sane child!” - Iseult’s dads. Ragnor doesn’t get to be told in person since he tried to kill Iseult. He finds out via a letter. Gretchya finds out when Aeduan shows up asking for threadstone for his heart thread. Not even Alma could break the awkwardness after he told them who it was for.

Vivia x Stix- vizer Sotar is the biggest vix shipper so no awkwardness there. Serafin on the other hand was very uncomfortable about the whole thing but was threatened by Stix so he’s too afraid to do anything about it.

Ryber x Kullen- Mrs Ikray didn’t allow awkwardness to exist. She adores Ryber and was so happy to meet her. It was very wholesome.

Safi x Caden- It was awkward because of the whole Habim torturing the hell bards situation. It did not go very well. Eron still doesn’t get an opinion.

Vivia x Vaness- Serafin just quietly accepted it because it’s not every day the Marstoki empress herself shows up announcing that she’s dating your daughter. He was too scared to be awkward.

Leopold x Caden- not awkward since dom fon Grieg doesn’t care about his kids and could care less what they do. It was a little awkward when telling Henrik but he isn’t allowed to offer his opinions on the matter.

[little-sea-fox]

What scenes do you want to see in witchshadow that are not likely to happen?

And you know what? I still don't have an answer to that.

It's just that this world is so complicated and I feel like I can never predict what is going to happen next and with one more book after Witchshadow, it becomes even harder.

I just want so many things to happen in this book, because it physically hurts, to wait from one part to the next, you know? It's like part of me wants the story to continue forever, while the other wants everything to end in this book, because it will mean I'll finally get all the answers.

I want to see a Baeseult reunion mostly, but considering it took two books for Safik and Safi and Iz to see each other again, I guess the chances are not big (let me be wrong, let me be wrong, let me be wrong 🤞). It ain't much, but that's all I have.

Also, I would love to read what you think of that. All of you, who are in the fandom 😊❤

[aetherbitch]

Vivia and Vaness would be such a power couple though like damn 😍😍😍

[thebitchlands]

Terrible Ships I Support

These are ordered by how tolerable they are

Vaness/Lev: Blame @un-empressed and @thevoidwell for this one. It's their fault.

Evrane/Jana: I really struggled with if this should be second or third but Jana deserves someone better than Serafin so it's #2. You can all blame un-empressed for this one too

Alma/Iseult: When I read Truthwitch I was like "That sure was a weird encounter with that blood dude Iz, and I really did not like that weird tension you two had" and then Alma appeared, shining like a beacon and I knew in my heart she was the perfect one for Iseult. I was wrong.

Aeduan/Leopold: Okay just listen. I thought it would be really funny when I read Truthwitch and then I got attached.

Serafin/Henrick/Ragnor: This is the worst one but they would be a killer power throuple.