#fairytal au

[whiterosesforher]

dark moon pantheon series ; ii

warnings: mentions of war/rebellion, pregnancy (hera's pregnancy)

genre: (dark) fantasy, au, romance, drama, action, fanfiction, historical, royalty

word count: 1,912 words

chapter synopsis: venus' questions remained unanswered as her and her sisters are kept in the dark about this raging issue around the ethereal realm, and she's determined to know everything for once.

a/n: this is an oc (named reader) x enhypen fanfiction based off of enhypen's current lore, there are some parts of the story where it's accurate to the greek lore but there are also some that are just purely fiction. i am so sorry it took me 3 days before posting the second backstory chapter. again, english is not my first language so please be nice. :3

masterlist.

Months passed in the ethereal realm after the first time of ever hearing the rebellion plan among the whispers of the gods around, the tension still palpable in the air. Yet amidst all of this, a booming announcement reverberated through the heavens, and that is Queen Hera is pregnant again, now carrying their fifth child. The news brought hope to those loyal to the throne that still sides with Zeus, that this joyous event might be what they need to calm the brewing storm.

The palace that was once filled with laughter and light, was replaced with hushed conversations and wary glances. The realm itself seemed to hold its breath, teetering at the edge of chaos. Venus, Thana, and Artaemia felt the change acutely, their once carefree days now shadowed by the weight of their father’s impending fate. The three girls are worried for their baby sister Halimede's safety, and for their incoming sibling that is still in their mother's womb.

Despite their queen's pregnancy, that should have been a time for celebration, the ethereal realm was divided instead. The gods and demigods found themselves split into two factions: those who still sided with Zeus, holding on to the hope that his rule could be redeemed, and those who supported the rebellion, tired of his tyrannical leadership.

The rebellion was led by formidable gods like Athena, Apollo, and most shockingly, Zeus’ own brothers, Poseidon and Hades. But the children, have no knowledge about the most influential and powerful gods that are leading this rebellion.

They're not even aware as to why this rebellion is the right thing to happen, how their father is so unjust and evil on the inside. Countless of lives have already suffered under his hands, and Poseidon is just putting an end to it.

Especially Venus, the poor girl still thinks that Poseidon is on her father's side.

The cause of this rebellion is just and powerful, fueled by the desire for fairness and balance. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, had long opposed Zeus’ harsh methods. Apollo, the god of light and prophecy, had foreseen the unrest and knew that change is clearly necessary. Poseidon and Hades, once a close ally that respected their brother so much, had turned, convinced that Zeus’ time on the throne should end for the greater good.

Venus watched as the glory of the palace now seemed overshadowed by the looming threat. She felt the weight of her father’s legacy and her family’s future pressing down on her young shoulders. She saw the worry etched into her mother’s face, the tension in her siblings’ eyes. The garden, their sanctuary, now felt like a distant memory to her.

The population of the gods overwhelmingly sided with the rebellion. They were tired of living under the king's heavy hand, longing for a leader who would rule with justice and compassion. That would once again bring balance in this world. Even among the demigods, their support for Zeus dwindled, loyalty shaken by years of oppressive ruling.

Even Thana knew that the odds were against them. The numbers alone made it clear that the rebellion had the upper hand. She could sense the unease among the palace staff as she passed by them on her way to the garden, the way their eyes darted with worry, their voices hushed in fearful anticipation. The demigods who serves the palace couldn't even look her in the eye when she walk passed.

As Hera’s pregnancy progressed over the months, the palace prepared for the arrival of the new child at any time now. It was a time of great expectation and everyone is anxious about this.

The loyalists prayed that the birth of a new god in the family would be a sign of renewal, a chance to restore balance in the realm. The rebels, however, saw it as a potential pawn in their fight, another reason to push harder for change. If only this rebellion isn't led by Hades and Poseidon, then all the other rebels would've already included and inflicted harm on Hera and the children.

Venus sat at the chair behind her desk, her eyes scanning the pages of a thick book. The words blurred together in her vision, her mind too distracted to even focus. With a heavy sigh, she closed the book and leaned back in her chair, staring at the detailed ornate ceiling of her study room. The tension inside the place that she once called home was now suffocating, and she needed a reprieve.

Quietly, she slipped out of her study, ensuring that not one soul noticed her departure. She moved swiftly through the corridors, her footsteps echoing faintly in the halls.

Venus made her way to the entrance, slipping out into the open without drawing any attention. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden glow over the horizon. The ocean, just half a mile away from the palace, had always been her sanctuary, so it was the first choice in her mind to run to in these times. It was where she felt closest to her uncle Poseidon, the god of the sea, who had always been a source of comfort and wisdom for her, the one she sees as a father instead of Zeus.

As she walks closer to the ocean, the soft white sand gently enveloped her feet, each step bringing her closer to the sound of the waves. The ocean stretched out before her, it is vast and glowing under the sunset. The gentle breeze caressed her face and played with her hair, giving a momentary sense of peace.

"Uncle Poseidon," she called out, her voice carrying over the sound of the waves. She looked around, hoping to see his familiar form rising from the water. "Uncle Poseidon, it's Venus. I need you."

Her voice echoed back to her, the only response she got was the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore. She called out several more times, but the ocean remained silent. Disappointed by this, she sat down on the soft sand, pulling her knees to her chest. The breeze continued to play with her hair and flowy dress, but it did not soothe her troubled mind.

"I really need the comfort of my father right now," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper and her expression sour. "Your comfort, Uncle Poseidon. Since my own father has never been actually a father to me."

The admission hung in the air, carried away by the wind. Venus stared out at the horizon, the endless blue meeting the sky. The ocean had always been a place where she felt understood and safe. Without Poseidon's comforting presence, the weight of her worries only seemed even heavier.

She drew patterns in the sand with her fingers, her thoughts going on a whirlwind. The news of her mother’s pregnancy should've lifted her spirits up but no, that did not happen. The rebellion, that are led by those she had once considered allies, threatened to tear her family apart. The palace has turned into a battleground of ruined loyalties.

Venus closed her eyes, allowing the sounds of the ocean to wash over her. She imagined Poseidon’s deep and kind voice, guiding her through all of this. She missed the times they had spent together, learning, laughing, and bonding in each other’s company.

He was her best father figure, and she wonders where he is now that she needs him the most.

For a moment, she let herself believe that everything would be alright, that her family would find a way. The ocean, with its timeless beauty and power, reminded her of the strength within her, a strength she would need to draw upon in the days to come.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Venus took a deep breath and stood up. The sand clung to her legs, a gentle reminder of the place she had come to for peace. She took one last look at the ocean, hoping that her uncle would sense her need and come to her soon before she takes the path back to the palace.

Poseidon on the other hand, stood at the center of their gathering. The meeting was held in a secluded grotto beneath the ocean, where the gentle lapping of waves against the rocky walls created a calming backdrop. The rebels, gods and demigods alike, were seated in a semicircle around him, their faces a mixture of determination and anxiety.

Poseidon, his blue eyes intense, raised a hand to signal for silence. The murmur of conversations died down immediately, and all attention are on him.

He took a deep breath, before speaking, "We are gathered here today because we share a common goal, we seek to end the tyranny of Zeus. He has brought suffering not only to the gods but to the mortal realm as well. But let me make one thing clear: we will not harm the innocent. Our actions must be just and honorable. The children, especially, are to be kept out of this conflict."

The gathered gods nodded in agreement, their expressions serious. Poseidon’s gaze softened momentarily as he thought of his nieces, especially Venus. She had grown up under his care, and he felt a deep, paternal affection for her. The idea of her being caught in the crossfire of this rebellion was unbearable for him.

Athena, seated to Poseidon’s right, leaned forward. "We all agree, Poseidon. The children must be protected. But we cannot ignore the fact that Zeus' actions have affected everyone, even his queen, Hera, that has been tolerating and shielding his actions over the years. The mortal realm is in chaos because of his interference. He breaks his own rules and favors his chosen few, disrupting the balance."

Apollo, his golden hair gleaming in the dim light, spoke next. "Humans dominate the earth, treating other life forms—vampires, werewolves, mermaids, sirens, and everyone else—with disdain. These beings are forced to hide, to blend in as humans, fearing persecution. Zeus' favoritism has only made things worse. He abuses his power, meddling in mortal affairs, and Hades is not receiving the souls that rightfully belong to him."

Poseidon nodded, his expression grim. "Zeus’ actions have caused untold suffering. He has favored certain mortals, granting them powers and protection, while others languish in misery. He disrupts the natural order, and the balance of the world is at stake. We must act, but we must act with honor."

As the discussion continued, the gods shared stories of Zeus' cruelty and the injustices faced by those under his rule. Poseidon listened intently, his mind racing. The situation was dire, but he is determined to protect his nieces and all innocent beings from the fallout of this rebellion.

After hours of deliberation, the meeting concluded. The gods dispersed, each with their own tasks and plans. Poseidon remained behind, staring out at the ocean through the grotto’s entrance.

Poseidon’s thoughts turned to Zeus, his brother, who had once been a leader of immense power and wisdom, an older brother that he once looked up to. The transformation into a tyrant was a tragedy, one thing he never expected, but it cannot be ignored. The balance of the world depended on their actions, and Poseidon must restore it.

Deep in his thoughts, that he failed to notice the call of his niece that has been going on for several times now. Calls of Venus remained unanswered.

[lavender-rosa]

Kny Characters + What stories would they write?

Ok last one for now I just had a lot of ideas

(Also kind of a modern au)

This is also really long, it contains the majority of the characters

Tanjirou: Pens a very lovely and whimsical tale about a boy who goes exploring in a sunny wood and comes across various talking animals who often say funny, charming and sometimes deeply profound things about the nature of the world. Think Le Petít Prince meets Winnie the Pooh. Half of the people who read the story thought that it was a delightful read while the other half thought it needed more conflict (lameasses)

Nezuko: When she was a human she was too busy taking care of her younger siblings and doing laundry to write down her little tween girl self-insert fantasies of joining Robin Hood's band of merry men and becoming the new leader who steals Robin Hood's heart <3 and other similar characters who fight sexily against injustice.

Zenitsu: Writes cringy self-insert fanfic both in modern au and in the taishou era. He writes selfcest fanfic (but don't you get it? It's actually a metaphor about the duality of the self, and he's working out his inner demons UGH don't make fun of him!!!!!) and is that guy who writes really dark, fucked up fanfic about cartoons (he has watched a lot of anime). He's really into theaters, plays, operas, musicals you name it. He went through a big Tennessee Williams phase and tried to write exactly like him to.....middling success. He tried to write a musical once only to realize one song in, that an advanced sense of hearing and proficiency in multiple musical instruments doesn't actually equate to having any compositional talent. He'll stick to critiquing and leave the creative writing to people with more style and imagination.

Inosuke: He narrates a story about a boy who escapes an opressive society and goes to start an anarchist commune in the woods with other refugees. The fact that there are no rules and everyone does what they want is epic and he doesn't miss his old life at all even a little bit and then they all live happily ever after, the end. Shinobu claims that while his narration style is direct and incisive, the story ultimately lacks nuance.

Genya: He had a really big crush on Mulan and Li Shang when he was a kid and when he saw the garbage straight to DVD sequel it dissapointed him so badly he vowed to rewrite it so that it was good now, actually. He got three pages in before it occured to him that this was a waste of his time because no one but him would ever actually read it, and he abandoned it. Little did he know that little Nezuko would have loved to read it, but he didn't know Nezuko yet. Alas.

Kanao: She writes a series of diary entries from the perspective of a teenage girl. At first she's just talking about stereotypical teenage girl stuff, like the boy she likes and the mean thing her friend said at the mall, but then at some point the narrator realises that she's in a story, and her diary entries get introspective and frantic and meta as she is ultimately crushed under the weight of her own narrative. Her teacher deems it "brilliant" and suggests submitting it to literary magazines for publication to which Kanao replies "no thanks Λ_Λ 🫧"

Aoi: She once wrote a story inspired by "Over the Garden Wall" about two characters who are clearly her and Kanao navigating a sinister, mysterious forest together. It really helped her work through some stuff.

Senjurou: He makes an artbook of his crafts, paintings and photography. It has a very special place on Rengoku's shelf.

Rest of characters under read more

Shinobu: She writes a story about a lesbian pirate who has an affair with a bisexual tavernkeeper who is cheating on her shitty husband right under his nose. One day the husband finds out and gets violent so they kill him and serve chunks of his flesh to stray alley cats. Her friends and family really enjoy the story but others don't understand "why everything Shinobu writes needs to have such an agenda"

Sanemi: He pens a tragic fairytale about an empress who loses all of her children to various causes and ultimately kills herself. The style is very poetic and beautiful but the story is so unbelievably sad that anyone who reads it is prompted to ask "what was the point of this" and "if you need help i have a pretty good therapist i can recommend"

Giyuu: He once wrote a novella about a miserable, traumatised young man who causes problems for himself for no reason. Shinobu reads it and says "Wow Giyuu, this is an amazing piece of satire I never knew you had such a great sense of humour!" And Giyuu is just like "it wasn't meant to be comedic" and Shinobu's like "Oh......." Many years down the line Sanemi reads it too and argues that the protagonist needs to be punished more by the narrative and Giyuu responds "thanks...I'll keep that in mind....."

Gyomei: While not a man of many words, the novel he has been dictating reveals a very beautiful, sensitive, poetic soul and may move you to tears.

Muichirou: Doesn't read books and now you want him to write one???

Uzui: He wrote touching and hilarious letters to his wives whenever they were apart, which they keep stored in a small wooden chest and pull out to read whenever they are feeling wistful. Besides that he has no desire to write anything. The most he ever writes is when he is writing letters to other Pillars, which always say the same thing "Hey come over here so I can talk to you in person. Fuck you. Tengen"

Mitsuri: In the Kimetsu Gakuen comic series she along with Shinobu brainstormed a manga called "Sishinta and Friends" where all the characters are pieces of sushi and the romantic rival is a piece of shrimp called Ebi that looks like Rengoku and gets into conflict with a fried piece of salmon called Yakishake that looks like Akaza, who wants Ebi to get fried because if he doesn't he will spoil and die, but Ebi argues that getting spoiled quickly defines sushi and that he would never become fried and thus the two engage in a vicious crustacean vs aquatic vertebrate battle. Not kidding, it's chapter 11

Iguro: He writes a story from the perspective of an electron that doesn't know that it's entangled but can sometimes still feel that it is connected to something across the universe when it spins. It is a brilliant poignant story about starcrossed love and the significance of relationality across the cosmos that almost none of his peers understand "because it all sounds too sciencey"

Rengoku: Had a diary detailing his childhood, his mother and her passing, his father's descent into alcoholism, his little brother, his training exercises, his missions and his unsuccessful attempts at making his father proud. As the years passed the diary entries became shorter and shorter until one day they completely stopped...

Kagaya: Writes a dark comedy about a horrible, pathetic man who makes everyone around him miserable including himself because he refuses to adjust his insane principles even when presented with tangible evidence that contradicts his beliefs, at one point he commits multiple murders and gets away with them until the end of the story where he is killed by his own myopic greed. Muzan claims that the hero of the story "is greatly sympathetic" and that "he deserved a better fate" Kagaya is just like "yeah...I kinda knew you would say that... :)"

Tamayo: She pens a lot of theory that is highly abstract, very dense, overly cerebral, sprawling and bordeline illegible. Her works are sort of like if Feynman and Derrida had a baby and also that baby was in highly need of an editor that could whittle down every four pages into one sentence. She writes theory on every scientific field imaginable, including fields she all but invented. People who can actually figure out what the hell she is saying insist that she is a genius and that her ideas changed their life, but most people don't even bother or just pretend to have read her stuff.

Yushiro: He writes academic criticism/theory/research, which is ever so slightly more lucid and succinct than Tamayo's.

Kyogai: Writes a story about ghosts throughout time occupying a single house together, haunting each other, ever temporarily overlapping in a cacophony of grief. While coherent it is very dense, and most of his publishers don't bother actually unpacking it, so they mostly just complain about the non-linear timeline being "too confusing" (lameasses)Tanjirou loves it though.

Rui: When he was still a human he had diary entries, which served as a treasured outlet through to vent his supressed and overwhelming feelings regarding his illness. He didn't write every day, and sometimes his entries were longer than others. In the weeks between him meeting Muzan and him murdering his parents, Rui's diary entries took a turn for the messy, rambling, dramatic and graphic. His diaries were well-hid under a rug in his room and thus never found.

Muzan: He writes about an ubermensch who is able to valiantly resist the liberal indoctrination of the pathetic sjws who are triggered by his inner strength and sharp intelligence. It reads almost identically to Kagaya's story (except with a vastly different prose style), but unlike Kagaya, it is completely sincere and not remotely a satire. Unfortunate.

Kaigaku: Writes a story about a "really cool" alpha male whose girlfriend unfairly dumps him after their wannabe sigma male acquaintance who was jealous of him because he loved his girlfriend gets him cancelled on Twitter for saying a slur 10 years ago. But it turns out said guy who steals his girlfriend is actually a terrible person who treats women like shit despite posturing as a feminist for clout. Zenitsu reads it and is like "wow, this could actually be a very well thought out critique on performative allyship and how any kind of man can be equally abusive to the women in their lives....if not for the fact that THE SIGMA MALE IN THIS STORY IS CLEARLY A STAND IN FOR ME ???????"

Daki: She def has a "went through a phase of writing hardcore slash fic" vibes, I can't explain it but she does. She's also incredible at writing roasts. She gives a speech at every birthday party she has been invited to and it fucking kills.

Gyutaro: The first and only time he ever attempted constructing his own story was when he was very young, where he devised a truly gruesome story about woodland creatures that accidentally made Ume cry. Whoops!

Gyokko: He wrote the japanese equivalent of Donatien Alphonse Francois Marquis de Sade's "120 Days of Sodom" the book that inspired the well-known 1975 film Saló (on a sidenote: I have read the book and it's much worse than the movie, just read the wiki summary to get the idea) Anyways if you are familiar with the book or the film you should know that whatever the hell Gyokko wrote is not suitable for human or demon consumption alike.

Hantengu: Spent a couple decades or so publishing a series of action-adventure-erotica novels under a pseydonym. Once you've been around for long enough, you just start doing shit.

Akaza: When he was young he wrote about a brave and valiant samurai who goes off to slay an oni and bring it's head back as a trophy for the shogun, only to learn that the oni was really just minding her own business, leading him to question everything he thought he knew about the Japanese feudal government, and ultimately beheading the shogun instead. His teacher deemed it "intriguing, but slightly concerning" (Lame!!!) Also probably had a Magneto and a Robin Hood phase.

Douma: Publishes a book that is one part self-help, one part gloating memoir, one part spiritual guide, one part personality quiz and 100% barf. Hakuji cannot believe that Koyuki has read it cover to cover multiple times, as if it contains wisdom deserving to be gleaned even once. He'd burn it if he didn't know that Koyuki would just immediately go out and buy another copy, giving even more money to that bastardly scammer.

Kokushibou: He finds most novels insipid, poetry either boring at best or nauseating at worst, and fanfiction a hobby practiced only by the most simple minded buffoons so he doesn't think he's missing out. He once sent a letter to Douma but never received an answer from him, so when he asked him about it when they met face-to-face Douma simply told him that attempting to read through and trying to comprehend Kokushibou's highly antiquated and dense writing was sheer torture for him so he just gave up ❤ he advised him to modernize his writing, even just a tiny bit. Kokushibou could do that....but he refuses to ❤️

[misskittyhart]

⫘⫘Miss Kitty Hart xoxo⫘⫘⫘⫘

Inbox is open 💌

for questions

Master Post

❣Character Profile ❣

https://www.tumblr.com/misskittyhart/746070360393482240/kitty-hart-character-profile?source=share

❣Visage ❣

https://www.tumblr.com/misskittyhart/746070624833880064?source=share

❣Rules ❣

https://www.tumblr.com/misskittyhart/746071376978460672/rules?source=share

❣Contract To Alastor Comic❣

https://www.tumblr.com/misskittyhart/743346865968414720/cage-my-soul?source=share

❣Her Past with Alastor: Who We Were ❣

https://www.tumblr.com/misskittyhart/746073109997797376/who-we-were?source=share

❣Hellverse Fics/comics ❣

https://www.tumblr.com/misskittyhart/746121202198872064/hellverse-stories?source=share

❣Romance The Fox❣

I’m also down for AU verse roleplay.

Currently I’m very interested in the dynamic of kitty working as a singer for Vox Tek tv network, and working as one of his assistants between filming.

[theart2rock]

Illumishade veröffentlichen am 16. Februar ihr neues Album

Die Schweizer Modern-Metal-Urgesteine ILLUMISHADE stellen ihr magisches zweites Album und Napalm Records Debüt Another Side of You vor, das am 16. Februar 2024 erscheint! Angeführt von Sängerin Fabienne Erni und Gitarrist Jonas Wolf (beide von Eluveitie) und ergänzt durch Orchestrierung und Synthesizer von Filmkomponistin Mirjam Skal, Bass von Yannick Urbanczik und Schlagzeug von Marc Friedrich, schaffen ILLUMISHADE auf "Another Side of You" gekonnt die Balance zwischen Licht und Dunkelheit. Auf der neuen Singleauskopplung "Here We Are" leuchtet Ernis strahlende Ausstrahlung mit ihrer kristallklaren Stimme heller denn je. Wolfs Gitarrenarbeit ist feurig und gefühlvoll wie immer, während eine frische Dosis modernen Progs dem ausgefeilten Songwriting der Band eine schneidende Note verleiht. Der Song beeindruckt mit einem stampfenden Refrain und einer aufregenden Abwechslung im Mittelteil und wird von einem atemberaubenden Musikvideo begleitet. ILLUMISHADE über "Here We Are": "'Here We Are' ist eine Hymne auf die Essenz des Seins im Hier und Jetzt. Es handelt davon, das Erbe der Geschichte zu akzeptieren und unseren aktuellen Stand als Fundament anzuerkennen, von dem aus wir vorwärts gehen können." Another Side of You ist der Nachfolger von ILLUMISHADEs hochgelobtem Debütalbum ECLYPTIC: Wake Of Shadows. Der zweite Streich zeigt sowohl textlich als auch musikalisch eine modernere Herangehensweise, entführt den Hörer aber dennoch in eine eindringliche Welt voller hypnotischer Klanglandschaften (die an einigen Stellen sogar durch das Budapest Art Orchestra verstärkt werden) und massiver, traumhafter Gesangslinien und markiert den perfekten Beginn eines neuen Kapitels für diese vielversprechende Band. ILLUMISHADE fügen hinzu: "Unser Album Another Side Of You markiert den Beginn einer neuen Ära und schlägt eine Brücke zwischen dem Greifbaren und dem Ätherischen. Es ist eine Odyssee zu den vielen Facetten menschlicher Emotionen, aber auch zu den Herausforderungen, denen wir alle in dieser sich ständig verändernden Welt gegenüberstehen. Auf Another Side Of You geht es darum, in der Realität zu verankern, sich aber auch von der Musik an unbekannte Orte tragen zu lassen." Another Side of You ist der Nachfolger von ILLUMISHADEs hochgelobtem Debütalbum ECLYPTIC: Wake Of Shadows. Der zweite Streich zeigt sowohl textlich als auch musikalisch eine modernere Herangehensweise, entführt den Hörer aber dennoch in eine eindringliche Welt voller hypnotischer Klanglandschaften (die an einigen Stellen sogar durch das Budapest Art Orchestra verstärkt werden) und massiver, traumhafter Gesangslinien und markiert den perfekten Beginn eines neuen Kapitels für diese vielversprechende Band. ILLUMISHADE fügen hinzu: "Unser Album Another Side Of You markiert den Beginn einer neuen Ära und schlägt eine Brücke zwischen dem Greifbaren und dem Ätherischen. Es ist eine Odyssee zu den vielen Facetten menschlicher Emotionen, aber auch zu den Herausforderungen, denen wir alle in dieser sich ständig verändernden Welt gegenüberstehen. Auf Another Side Of You geht es darum, in der Realität zu verankern, sich aber auch von der Musik an unbekannte Orte tragen zu lassen." Auf der anderen Seite gibt es "Cloudreader", eine sehr zugängliche, erhebende Hymne, die sich wie eine warme Herbstsonne auf das Herz des Zuhörers legt. Die hochdynamische und komplexe Schlagzeugarbeit gibt dem Song eine willkommene Wendung, während das moderne Metal-Kraftpaket "Here We Are" mit einem stampfenden Refrain und einer spannenden Abwechslung im Mittelteil beeindruckt. Balladen sind ILLUMISHADE nicht fremd, denn "Fairytale" strotzt nur so vor Emotionen und beweist, dass Fabienne Erni zweifelsohne eine der talentiertesten Sängerinnen der aktuellen Metalszene ist, was an ihre grandiose Leistung auf ECLYPTICs "Rise" erinnert. Jonas Wolfs Gitarrenspiel glänzt auf "Another Side of You" mit gewaltigen Riffs und brennenden Leads wie bei "Fairytale" und der Power-Metal-Hommage "In The Darkness". Er kombiniert kunstvoll Griffbrett-Pyrotechnik, gefühlvolle Melodien, die oft Ernis Gesang begleiten, und eine gesunde Dosis Blues, was ihn zu einem wirklich aufregenden Spieler in der Szene macht. Während die Rhythmusgruppe bei dem Modern-Metal-Kracher "Riptide" eine ihrer stärksten Leistungen zeigt, nimmt die sehnsuchtsvolle Atmosphäre von "TWILY" den Hörer mit auf eine ganz andere Reise mit prickelnden Melodien und dem wohl eingängigsten Riff des Albums, das wieder modernere Einflüsse auf die Platte bringt. Eine faustdicke Überraschung erwartet den Hörer in Form des Albumabschlusses "Verliebt". Untermalt von wunderschönen Klaviermelodien, die Coen Jannsen von Epica beisteuert, ist der Schlusssong in Ernis Schweizerdeutsch gesungen und wie bei allen Songs mit gefühlvollen Texten aus der Feder von Bassist Yannick Urbanczik versehen. Another Side of You Tracklisting: 1    Enter the Void 2    ELEGY 3    ENEMY 4    In the Darkness 5    Cloudreader 6    Here We Are 7    CYCLONE 8    Fairytale 9    The Horizon Awaits 10   HYMN 11   TWILY 12   Riptide 13   Hummingbird 14   Verliebt (feat. Coen Janssen) ILLUMISHADE Live 2024 Joining DELAIN on the Dark Waters Over Europe Act II tour 19.01.24 NL – Uden / De Pul 20.01.24 NL – Amstelveen / P60 24.01.24 DE – Nuremberg / Hirsch 25.01.24 DE – Leipzig / Hellraiser 26.01.24 PL – Warsaw / Proxima 27.01.24 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra Blue Stage 28.01.24 AT – Vienna / Szene 30.01.24 IT – Milan / Santeria Toscana 31 31.01.24 CH – Pratteln / Z7 01.02.24 DE – Aschaffenburg / Colos Saal 02.02.24 NL – Heerlen / De Nieuwe Nor 03.02.24 DE – Bochum / Matrix Festivals 31.05.24 CZ – Pilsen / Metalfest Open Air 2024 13.06.24 ES – Zamora / Z! Live Rock Fest 2024 ILLUMISHADE are: Fabienne Erni – Voice, Piano Jonas Wolf – Guitars Mirjam Skal – Orchestration / Synths Yannick Urbanczik – Bass Marc Friedrich – Drums ILLUMISHADE online: Instagram Facebook TikTok Website Napalm Records Lesen Sie den ganzen Artikel

[klm-zoflorr]

2022 art recap!

And here's the past years, ever since i started my digital art journey in 2020:

I love seeing these, they turn out so pretty! I especially love comparing them to the past year's

Notes on this year: I loved this year, so much that I wasn't able to fit everything I wanted with only 12 slots available (so I allowed myself five extras!). I feel like I've kinda reached a point where my art looks good and pretty and I'm satisfied with it. So now we're kinda reached what looks like a "plateau" but is actually a great opportunity to explore different things and diversify stuff! I've drawn a lot of front facing portraits this year, yeah, but that's what's makes me happy so is there anything wrong with it really?

Big things I've done this year: There's the whole Fairytaled AU, that went on for like 4 months, try to find the small Niki hidden in the image! That whole series about drawing ATLA characters but completely by myself this time and in a way I find comfortable. It was great! Lots of AMAZING collabs, lots of redraws of past artwork (eheh yes, you can do that with two years under your belt!), briefly got back into AOT and finally did some fanart for it, the expressions challenge (still open to suggestions btw! Just search "ask game" on my page). A lot of traditional sketches, expressions practice and just letting my imagination go wild. A lot of mcyt too, a bunch of OC stuff and a bit of a slowing down towards the end of the year. It's fine, I still love art, I'm just not as obsessed as I could have been!

I can't believe 2021 was already so long ago!

[marshmallow-phd]

Heart of Thorns

Genre: Beauty and the Beast!AU, Romace, Angst

Paring: Tao x Reader

Inspired by: These moodboards created by @xui-n-soowillbethedeathofme (x) (x) and my absolute obsession with Beauty and the Beast

Summary: Lost in a forest during a storm, you find shelter in a crumbling castle that had been hidden away for years. The master of the house shut himself away, refusing to engage with the world. Too intrigued and running away from your own fears, you refuse to leave no matter how much he tells you to, wanting to try and find the heart within the beast.

Part One I Part Two I Part Three

**

Everyone knew the story of the man in the forest mansion. He’d once been the son of a prominent and just lord. The people of the land praised the lord’s name as he was always fair and practiced justice amongst all his subjects. It was a month of mourning when he passed away from sickness, but there were high hopes for his son to carry on his legacy. And at first, all was well.

But something happened that changed his heart.

A woman appeared; beautiful, alluring, and sweet. She captured his heart and they say he adored her, showering her in gifts of gold, jewels, and fine cloth. No one knows what happened for sure, only that the lord’s son went mad. There was a fire and the woman died. Most say that he started it with the intent of killing her.  

Soon after, the son turned out all the servants and secluded himself from the rest of the world. Whispers popped up that the woman he killed was a fairy or a nymph and for killing her he was cursed. Some say that he was now a beast, sporting fangs and claws where his human teeth and fingers once were. Others say he was now a creature of the night and stalked the forest when the moon is high for wandering prey.

No had seen the son or the castle where he supposedly lived in years. The excuse that the grandmothers gave was that the forest had grown too thick from the trees and vines for the castle to be found. Since the son had turned out all the servants and land workers after the fire and there was no one to keep the paths clear.

You didn’t believe a word of it. A man with fangs and claws hiding up in a castle to terrorize anyone who came too close was utter nonsense; a fairytale to scare the children and keep them within the town walls. Even if there were such a man, you hardly considered the possibility that he was cursed.

“It's only because you moved here a few months ago,” Mrs. Mooney crooned. As the wife of the town butcher, she was privy to all the gossip that passed by the family shop. She often stood outside, keeping the stall for the smaller scraps or animals they hadn’t managed to sell to the more prestigious customers. “But we older folk remember the little boy who used to run around here while his father conducted business. Spoiled little thing. Always had a pretty pony and the finest clothes. Stuck his nose up at playing with the other children just because they had dirt on their sleeves. Serves him right, what he got.”

“You don’t know what he deserved and what he didn’t,” another graying woman chimed in haughtily. Her dress, though still rough like a peasant’s, was much nicer than the other villagers. Silver curls spilled out from under a white bonnet. Her hands looked coarse from hard labor and her skin kissed for years under the sun. Crinkles stayed permanently in the corners of her eyes, letting you know that she did smile on occasion. You’d never seen her before when you came to the market, but Mrs. Mooney seemed to know her well.

“You would know better than anyone, Feifei,” Mrs. Mooney sneered.

Though now you were intrigued, Mrs. Mooney did not elaborate how the other woman would know anything about this make-believe man.

“That tongue will get you into trouble someday, Johanna.” Adjusting the basket hanging from the crook of her arm, the old woman spared no glance at the meat as she walked away.

Mrs. Mooney clicked her tongue. With a shake of her head, she turned back to you. “So, milady, do plan on any wares today?”

“No, my father already sent Claudette earlier this week,” you said. The smell of the meat was starting to get to you, but you tried your best to keep it off your face. “I simply came down to escape the confinements of home.”

A huff pushed past her lips. “Oh, yes. I’m sure that large stone house must be suffocating.”

Though lashing out would have been easy, you bit your tongue. This butcher’s wife didn’t know your history. She didn’t know that compared to your previous home in the city, this new place was a shack.

It was your mother’s inheritance that kept you, your siblings, and your father afloat. The home, bought long ago by your grandfather who was now passed, was a honeymoon paradise for your parents. After your mother died giving birth to you, the house was locked up to be a refuge only to spiders and rodents since your father couldn’t bear visiting the place alone. He’d poured himself into his work, curating business as he brought investors and merchants together. When a major client lost his ships at sea, one of his managers took off with most of the assets and funds, leaving debts and loans in their place. To pay off the leeches, most of your possessions had to be auctioned off and the home that had sheltered you since childhood was sold to a new family.

Life away from the bustling city wasn’t too awful. You didn’t have to worry about being run over by a carriage since most of the residents here couldn’t afford one. Everyone seemed to know everyone, which was both intriguing to you while also a little bothersome. At first your family, being new, was the center of all the gossip. Rumors of your father or brother gambling the fortune away or you and your sister having scandalized the family and caused you all to hide away ran rampant. Eventually, the mill settled down and you were left in peace. Some of the villagers still gave side eyed glances, but you’d learned to brush them off.

Thinking it was time to head back home, you said goodbye to the butcher’s wife and followed the brown dirt street beyond the wall that surrounded the town until the scenery turned to fields of wildflowers and small farms. You took a right at the fork, already seeing the two-story country home come into view. The tan brick was a bit faded from the sun and thick vines grew up the sides and around the windows. A small garden grew out in front. There was a fairytale essence to the home that made you love it more. In the back, Claudette would be hanging the laundry to dry in the subtle breeze. Father was most likely in his study, shuffling through papers and letters to find a way out of this place. Cosette was probably lying on the old couch in the front parlor, constantly fanning herself as she whined of the woes she was forced to live through. Your brother, Lu, would be sitting on a log, writing in his journal when he was supposed to be chopping wood.

Cosette was right where you had guessed she was. As soon as you walked through the door, she jumped up and hurried to you with her skirt crumbled in her hand.

“Where have you been?” she screeched, her dark hair pulled back into an intricately braided bun. You tried not to be annoyed. She must have had Claudette do her hair when both of them were supposed to be helping with the washing. “Father has news that he’s been dying to share with us, but he refused to divulge what it is until you were here.”

You rolled your eyes at your sister’s impatience. “Surely, you must have known I would have been home eventually.”

She “hmphed” at you before whirling dramatically and stomping off towards your father’s study. You followed her slowly, your stomach swishing with nerves.

Truth be told, you didn’t mind it out here. The country was a great deal quieter than the city, the air cleaner too. The greatest unexpected gift, however, was how often you saw your dear father. As a child, you had to savor every dinner, every private concert in your living room, and the short moments you were able to spend with him in between his travels or meetings. Claudette never carried as she was more invested in the connections she was making with the other well-to-do families and Lu was often tagging along with your father as the eldest and heir apparent. Now the four of you felt more like a family. If you were, by some miracle or fashion, to go back to the city, routine would fall back into its previous structure and you would be alone again.

Lu surprised you by already being in the room when you entered, seated in a corner with a hardened look on his face. It was strangely out of place given his boyish looks often kept his expression soft. Your father looked up from the papers that were neatly piled up on the desk. “Aw, (y/n)! You’re back from town. Did you have a nice walk?”

“Yes, I did,” you aswered cautiously. “The market was full today.” Your eyes flicked towards Cosette, who had taken the only other chair, continuing to fan herself even though the temperature wasn’t anywhere near that drastic. “I heard you wanted to see us all together?”

“Yes! Yes! Um.” Your father looked around, perhaps to see if there was another place for you to sit. As there was none, he went on. “I received a letter from Lu’s old friend, Lin Gao.” Lu perked up at the mention of Gao. None of you had seen him since you came here, thinking that he, like the others, had abandoned you all when the money was lost. Now, that didn’t seem to be the case. “He has worked with several connections and can bring us back into good standing with society. He’s even convinced a few merchants and investors to allow me to broker deals again.” Your father cleared his throat. “There is, however, one condition.”

“What is that, Father?” Lu asked.

“He asked for (y/n)’s hand in marriage.”

The quietest gasp escaped your lips. Gao wanted… to marry you?

As the baby sister, you tended to follow your brother and his friends around, begging for attention and often they obliged you, as long as the setting was appropriate for a child. All of his friends had treated you as their own sister, equally protecting and caring. You’d never suspected them to have thoughts that led into the contrary as you’d grown up.

Lu’s eyes landed on you for a split second, studying your face enough. “Did he say (y/n) specifically?”

“Yes, why (y/n)?” Cosette scoffed. “I would be more than willing.”

“He specifically asked for (y/n)’s hand.”

Cosette closed her fan with a snap. “Well, then. Arrange the wedding so we can get out of this dumpy town.”

But wait. Did you not get a say in this?

Your father leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “The help from Gao would be tremendous. But I will not force anything on to any of you. (Y/n),” he looked at you with conflict in his eyes, “if you do not wish to marry Gao, I will send him a letter politely declining the offer. I can find other means on my own.”

He was giving you a way out, if you so wished. But you couldn’t deny the help this would bring for all of you.

“Can I think about it?” you asked in a quiet voice.

“Yes, of course.”

“What do you mean, think about it?” Cosette nearly flew out of her seat. “What is there to think about? If we are to get our fortune back, then (y/n) must marry him. I would in a heartbeat if he had asked for me.”

“But he didn’t ask for you,” Lu said.

Your father insisted. “Let your sister think about it. To force this upon her would break my heart. I will not have her live unhappily.”

“And what about me! Why should I live unhappily?”

���Enough!” Your father stood to his feet and he slammed his fist down on the desk. You flinched at the noise the collision created. Rare was it for your father to get upset like this. He was usually very levelheaded. “I am still head of this household and you will accept my decision. Now, go!”

With a stomp of her foot, Cosette stormed out of the room like a spoiled child told that she couldn't have a piece of candy. Eyes trained down on the floor, you quietly excused yourself and went upstairs to your room.

Your favorite place in the house was your room, the smallest besides Claudine’s on the first floor. But the trade for it was the reading crook by the window, overlooking the garden. You liked the isolation you could feel when you sat on the bench, knees pulled up close to your chest as your skirts fell over the side. The window was cold as you laid your forehead against the glass. A breeze was moving through, swaying the leaves in the trees and rattling the vines against the stone walls of the house.

What would living with Gao be like? You had never thought of your brother’s friend in a romantic light. Would there be any romance between the two of you? Or would you be condemned to a loveless marriage like so many other girls? Could you live like that?

You had no answers at the moment. You weren’t sure if you would ever have an answer. But a compromise was coming to the forefront of your mind. You didn’t have to say yes right away. Maybe you could meet with Gao, get to know him more, in a different way that how you knew him before. And, if you decided that he was not the kind of man you wanted to spend your life with, if there was no possibility of love between the two of you, perhaps you could convince him to help your father anyway, for sake of his friendship with Lu.

You pictured Gao’s face in your mind, willing yourself to love it. But all that did was churn your stomach.

**

Your father had sent the letter asking if a visit to the city would be possible for you. Gao’s reply came back quicker than expected: yes. He made all the arrangements; he hired the carriage, sent money so you could rest in an inn for a night before arriving in town the next day. Barely a week had gone by since you were first told of this offer and now you were traveling by yourself for the first time in your life.

Cloak wrapped tightly over your shoulders, you kissed your father goodbye on the cheek. Tears were swelling behind your eyes, but you refused to let him see them.

“Be on your best behavior,” he teased. You were the last out of the three to get into trouble. “Write to me as soon as you arrive. Alright?”

“Of course,” you smiled.

Lu patted your shoulder. When you were a child, he showed you affection freely, but now that you were grown, he’d become a bit awkward when other people were watching. Cosette didn’t say a word. She simply fanned herself at a quick rate as smirk rested on her lips. All she carried about was getting back to high society, to the parties and the searching for a husband who possessed a fortune large enough to keep her satisfied.

Your father glanced up at the sky. “Better go now, my dear. The clouds are growing darker. I want you at that inn before the storm comes through.”

“The only way to do that is to go through the forest,” the driver commented from atop the carriage.

Your father seemed unnerved by that observation but gave no protest. “I will wait to hear from you.”

You gave one last kiss to his stubbled cheek. “Goodbye, father. Take care of him, Lu. Will you?”

“Naturally,” Lu said with a chuckle.

You merely nodded to Cosette before stepping into the carriage. The cabby lurched forward and you allowed the small smile that had been straining on your lips to fall away. Anxiety settled in your stomach. You wanted to have a positive outlook on this whole thing. It was better to possibly marry a friend of the family rather than a complete stranger twenty years your senior.

Unclasping the hook that held your cloak together, you let the soft fabric fall behind you on the seat. The literal weight off your shoulders helped you to breathe easier. You closed your eyes and leaned back. There was still a long journey until you would arrive back in a city that you hadn’t seen in months, although it felt more like years. That was another life to you, a past self. One you had been okay with letting go. And now you were uneasily walking back into its arms.

The ground shook, rattling the walls of the carriage. You pushed the curtain out of the way and peaked out the window. Flashes of lightning so bright that not even the thick trees of the forest could keep them back splintered across the sky. The storm had come quicker than anticipated. Raindrops splattered against the dirt floor, starting out slow then growing in pace. Soon it was impossible to see more than five steps in front of you.

The wind grew untamable. The carriage rocked from side to side, the thin wheels ricketing against the strain. A bolt of lightning screamed too close for comfort. The horse reared back in fright as the carriage passed by a ravine. It was all too much. The carriage toppled over, falling down the side of the ravine. You were tossed around the cabby like a rock between a group of children. When the falling finally stopped, you let out a cry of relief. A second cry left your lips, this time for the driver. But no reply came.

The carriage had landed on its side, but thankfully, it had another door to escape through. You clasped the cloak around your shoulders once more and pulled up the hood before pushing the door open and climbing out.

You were soaked as soon as you stepped out of the carriage. The driver was gone. You didn’t know if he was dead or if he had ran away. The horse, the poor thing, didn’t move or whine. Water was slowly rising in the creek from the rushing rain. You had to get out of here. With what little strength you had, you managed to climb back up the side of the hill. A chill froze your fingers and chattered your teeth. You walked in the opposite way that you thought the carriage was heading. Getting back to your home was your only hope. You had never been in these woods and the sky was too dark to tell directions from the sun. The rain was pouring down harder. Each step you took grew weaker. An unseen tree root stuck out of the ground, catching your foot. Shock ran up your arms as you tried to catch yourself when you fell. You couldn’t go anymore. You were too cold, too tired. So you lied there in the mud, wishing for a miracle. The rain soon came to a stop, but you were still too exhausted to push yourself up. Your eyes grew tired. Finally, the lids closed. The sound of horse hooves against the mud grew near, but you couldn't be sure if it was real or simply your imagination clinging to hope.

“We can’t just leave her here, Xao.”

“But what would the master think if we showed up with her?”

“So, you would leave her to die?”

“No, of course not!”

“Then we take her with us! The castle is big enough that he would never even have to know.”

“I guess you’re right.”

Someone lifted you up from the ground, but before you could discover who it was, you lost consciousness completely.

**

You weren’t sure what woke you up. It could have been the splitting headache that pounded at your skull. Or it could have been the shouting coming from the other side of the door.

“Get her OUT of here!”

“My lord, please, see reason. The poor child was dying in that storm.”

“I don’t care. She’s alive now, so get her out!”

“But she’s still sick. The poor thing has a fever. She’s been sweating all night.”

“I do not want her here. No one is to come here, you know that!”

“Let me take care of her. Once she’s on her feet again, I’ll take her back into town.”

“Fine!”

Heavy foot stomps echoed off the floor. One side of the double doors opened and inside stepped the old woman from the market.

You?

“You’re awake,” she sighed. “I can only imagine what had woken you up.” In her hands was a silver tray of different morsels and a tea kettle slowly letting out a flow of steam. Seeing you struggle to sit up, she hurried to set the tray down on the nightstand and help you. “Don’t overexert yourself, miss. You’re not fully recovered from that awful storm yet. You’ve been asleep for two days now.”

Two days! Your father must have been losing his mind when he never received word that you had arrived in town. A coughing fit of your own started up. The old woman gave you a glass of water to calm your throat before adjusting the pillows behind your head. You took in the bedroom that you were housed in. The light gray drapes that hung from the bedposts were old and a little faded but still made from an expensive velvet fabric. The blanket that covered you was soft and warm and smelled of lavender. Cosette would squeal at the size of this place. It was even bigger than her room at the old house in the city.

“Where am I?”

The old woman’s hands stopped before she could pull out the warming pan from the foot of the bed. “You're at the lord’s estate.”

You frowned. “What lord?” As far as you were aware, the closet lord was at least several days ride from town. And you doubted he would have allowed a room to go untouched like this one obviously was.

Sadness fell upon the old woman’s face. “He’s a good man. A good man with a tragic past.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, the old woman folded her hands and laid them in her lap. “Do you remember the story Mrs. Mooney was telling you at the market?” You nodded. “This is his home.”

“He… exists?”

“Yes. Though the awful rumors….” She shook her head. “Anyway, yes. But his lordship isn’t accustomed to visitors. I apologize for what you might have heard.”

Perhaps it was the fever, but your curiosity was now out of your control. “Why doesn’t he want anyone here?”

The old woman stood up. “Never you mind. We’ll get you back on your feet and then Mr. Chan will take you back into town.” She poured a fresh cup of tea, handing it to you carefully.

“Do I have to go back to town?”

“We don’t really have a choice, dear. You heard the master.” She eyed you as you sipped on the warm, caramel colored tea. “What is it? Why don’t you want to go back to town?”

You finished off the tea before explaining. “My family wants me to get married, to help the financial situation. At first, I thought I was willing to at least try, to see that man again and find out if I could love him. But… now I’m grateful for the storm.”

“If you don’t wish to marry him, why not say so?”

“Because if my father never restores his reputation and our family falls further into ruin, it will be all my fault.”

The old woman shook her head. “You poor thing. That’s too much weight to bear.” She let out a long sigh. “Try to eat and then get more rest. Your eyes look heavy. We’ll see if we can’t delay your being cured by a few more days.” She headed for the door. After opening on side, she halfway turned back around. “I’m Mrs. Chan, by the way. If you need anything, pull on the cord by the bed. I’ll hear the bell and come to you. Now, rest.”

As soon as the door closed and you were alone again, you felt the weight of your lids growing. Reaching over to the tray, you tore off a piece of the bun and chewed on it slowly. Eventually, you nodded off into a dreamless sleep.

**

Over the next several days, you passed between peaceful sleeps and uncomfortable awareness. Your fever broke on day two, but you still felt weak. Mrs. Chan checked up on you often, keeping you well fed and making sure there was a fresh pitcher of water or tea for you to drink. When you stopped sleeping as much, she brought you a book to occupy your time. But you read through the comedic romance quickly. A tingling was coursing up and down your legs. They needed to move, to be used. You’d been lying in bed for so long you weren’t sure if they even worked properly anymore.

Earlier, Mrs. Chan had stopped by to say she was going into town to pick a few things up at the market. Mr. Chan was to be out on the grounds so if you needed anything it would have to wait for her return.

Curiosity was a dangerous thing. On one hand, you could find nothing of interest in this ancient castle. On the other hand, you could find yourself in the absolute wrong place and have yourself thrown out into the cold before Mrs. Chan could come back and rescue you.

Silly. All of it was. A little walk wouldn’t do any harm. You would make sure to stay near your room and if you heard footsteps, you would run back here in an instant.

With your feet bare and the nightgown Mrs. Chan had given you made of a thinner material, you were a bit cold as you left the comfort of the blankets. But you pushed forth with your curiosity. This grand room was all you had seen of your haven. You wanted to know more about the home of the lord whose memory haunted the village. You stuck your head out first, looking down the hall from either side. It was empty save for the polished suits of armor that lined the sides, sitting between old portraits previous tenants. As quietly as you could, you closed the bedroom door behind you and softly stepped further into the hall. Through the long space you made your way, glancing at every painting as you passed. Some had chipped paint while others’ frames had dulled over the years, but each one was still magnificent, the subject stunningly beautiful in their own unique ways. You weren’t sure if it was the magic of the artist or if the family was truly blessed in that manner.

Every so often you would peer into a room when the door was unlocked. Most of them were bedrooms or small studies. By the collection of dust gathered on most of the furniture, they hadn’t been used in quiet a while. Soon, the hall took a turn, spilling out into the Grand Hall where the other hallways met. You started to go right when a set of double doors down a shorter hallway in the other direction caught your eye. They were bigger than any of the other doors you had seen so far. You hurried to that one instead, intrigued by what might be behind it. Barely able to get it open with your weak arms, you squeezed through the space and stumbled inside. Then you gasped.

When Mrs. Chan had described the library to you, she had said that the family had a fair collection of books. You might have to clarify with her what a “fair amount” really meant.

The library was housed in the back most tower, the shelves built into the walls and going higher than your eyes could see. Ladders made of wood and metal were attached to the spaces between the shelves. They moved freely from side to side to put any book within reach. As a child, you thought your father had the biggest collection of books by any one person in the world. How silly you were. This place could hold twenty of your father’s old library. You whirled around and around, taking in every detail. It was like a fairy tale.

You stepped closer to the wall and ran your hand over the leather bindings. It had been so long since you’d been able to take in the smell of old books. You had only been able to save two of your favorite novels from the auction. They were currently hidden under your bed. If Cosette ever got a whiff of them, she’d sell them to pay for a new dress. As you made your way around the library, you spotted another door, one that nearly blended in with the shelves. Feeling brave from your latest discovery, you tried the handle. It turned with ease. You pulled the door towards you. Sunlight spilled into the library. The secondary room was mostly empty – save for one object. A piano.

Bang!

The door shut in your face, startling you backwards. You stumbled into something hard. Turning to see what it was, you gasped in fright

A tall, dark hair man with the left half of his face covered in a white mask glared at you.

“What are you doing in here!” he shouted, face glowing red with fury.

“I-I-I’m sor-sorry,” you stutter as you scurried back. The door to the room stopped you from going any further. You were trapped with no way to escape. “I didn’t mean to-”

“You were supposed to say in your room,” he continued to bellow, not concerned at all with your fear. “Stay away from this room! Go!”

That last command was enough to send you running, passing the man and leaving the library. You hurried to the Great Hall, to get back to your room as quickly as possible. Looking back over your shoulder, you checked to see if he was coming after you. The hallway was empty behind you. Once safely back in your room, you scurried under your covers as if they would protect you from the masked man.

**

Mrs. Chan gave no indication that she was aware of your little adventure. If the masked man – the lord of this castle, you presumed – had told her, surely you would have been thrown out by now. She did, however, seem upset about something.

“Is everything alright?” you asked before she could leave the room with your empty food tray.

“Oh, it’s nothing I want to trouble you with, dear,” Mrs. Chan said.

You smiled at her. “I’ve been told I’m a very good listener.”

A second went by and then Mrs. Chan sighed. “It’s just the master. He wasn’t been sleeping well. He’s been wondering through the west wing lately and I’m worried about him.”

The west wing? That was where you were headed before the library stole your attention. “What’s in the west wing?”

“Nothing of importance,” Mrs. Chan snapped. It was a harsher tone that you were used to. You lowered your gaze remorsefully. “Oh, dear. I’ve upset you. Don’t worry about and try to get more rest. You need color back in your cheeks.” She left the room, blowing out the lamp before shutting the door and leaving you in darkness.

You woke a few hours later to a loud bang. At first you thought of ignoring it. Then the thought of something happening to Mrs. Chan came into your mind.

Throwing a blanket around your shoulders, you carefully relit the lamp and stepped out into the hallway.

“Hello?” you called out softly. Another bang answered you. It was faint, not coming from this hallway. You followed it, occasionally calling out again. No human ever replied.

You passed through the Great Hall and into the west wing. You should learned, really, from your earlier excursion. But the thought of someone being trouble refused to let you turn back. Now that you were closer to the source, a soft moaning could be heard among the silence. You pressed your ear from door to door, trying to see if it was coming from behind one of them. It was the door on the very end that held back the sound. With enough moonlight coming from the wide window at the end of the hall to see by, you put the oil lamp down on the floor out of the way and went inside.

Even in the darkness, you could see the smoke and soot stained walls. The remnants of a bed stood in the middle of the wood. Hanging behind it was a portrait of a beautiful woman with golden hair and rich brown eyes that stuck out even with half of the painting burned and curled.  

“What are you doing in here!”

You gasped as the lord of the castle stepped out of the shadows. His mask was gone, but he kept the left side of his face covered with his hand. In his other hand was a small torch. With its light you could see the scars on the back of his hand, the tight and lifted skin usually caused by fire. You said nothing, too stunned to find words.

Dropping his left hand, he reached out and grabbed you by the wrist. The scars on his face were now partially visible, but still mostly hidden in shadow and by the locks of hair that had fallen. From what you could see, they matched the scars visible on his hand. “I asked you why you are here!”

“I’m sorry!” Your voice came out in squeaks, fear running you cold despite the proximity of the flame. “I heard noises. I thought someone might be in trouble.”

He sneered at your answer. “If you’re well enough to walk around then GET. OUT!” He practically threw you out of the room.

You landed on your knees but didn’t stay there for long. You scrambled up to your feet and took off down the hall, leaving the oil lamp behind. The nightgown caught on your foot in your haste as you passed the staircase. You went tumbling down the marble stairs, a scream piercing your throat. You couldn’t stop no matter how you tried. When the bottom of the staircase finally came, you were out cold.

[hollyethecurious]

Okay, so for the ship prompt ask, I'm honestly struggling to narrow it down. There are so many that would be great for Captain Swan and/or Ouat. I'm going to just ask the ones that grab me most, and let you decide which one (if any, no pressure) strike your fancy.... #5 Birthday (preferably Killian's), #15 Fairytale AU (Tangled/Rapunzel), #20 Friend Wingmanning (Jones Brothers or Captain Charming, or Captain Cobra if you wanted to go S7), or #33 Sight-loss

These were all fabulous, and please don’t hate me for this, but it leaped into my head and wouldn’t leave, so... yeah. 

15. Fairytale AU (Tangled/Rapunzel)

Emma broke through the underbrush, out of breath with a stitch in her side and scratches littering her face and arms. Eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight streaming into the clearing, she was in awe of the towering structure before her. 

Hooves thundered closer, as did the cry of her pursuers, forcing her to make haste to the tower. Circling it, she found no door; only a strange series of ropes hanging from the open window high above the nearby canopy. It was dark brown and tightly braided, almost silky to the touch but strong enough to support her weight as she climbed towards the top.

Emerging through the open window, it took her a moment to assess the room before her eyes landed on the figure lounging seductively in an arm chair.

“Hello, love,” the man purred. “Welcome to my tower.”

Emma’s eyes widened comically and a laugh erupted from deep within her, sending her doubling over at the waist.

“What?” the man clipped dramatically. “Waxed mustaches and perms not your thing?”

Send me a number + a ship and I’ll write a drabble or post a snippet!

[dags-sz]

He was a punk She did ballet.

Hey!!! I know that the concept of "the princess and the bad boy" is very used in these two. But I’ve some sketches that I would like to share with u about it. Hope u like it heheh.

Instagram: dags_sz

[moved-to-void-kissed]

"Swap" for Aqua and Aria? (candyforthebrain)

Sure thing, @candyforthebrain​! Thank you very much for this!!~

(question source: “Okay Hear Me Out, Ask Game” by dragonsmooch)

Swap: Your S/I and your F/O(s) exchange roles for a day, willingly or begrudgingly, casually or through supernatural circumstances. How well (or terribly) does it go? Alternatively, how would things be different if the roles had always been swapped? - well, after KH3 is over, their roles are somewhat similar in that they’re linked together - Aqua becomes the successor to the Land of Departure and starts to search for apprentice Keyblade wielders to train, while Aria supports Aqua’s teaching by allowing her apprentices to experience darkness in a completely controlled manner, yet also retains her own aspirations of reaching the world where her counterpart yet lies.

So, I suppose, in a scenario where Aria has to be the teacher.. yeah, that’s not going to go too well. Actually, that’s a lie - if Aqua’s apprentices were a long way into their training, perhaps on the older side and nearing their Mark of Mastery exams, then Aria would be fine because she could actually train on more equal footing with them and there wouldn’t be much for them to actually learn, just practise. But, when it comes to having to dumb things down for a beginner? Yeah, she can’t do that or deal with their lack of knowledge. Aqua is most likely hovering in the background desperately wanting to sort her out but she’s not supposed to.

And then, if we had always swapped places.. Mmm, this post is getting long, let’s put that under a readmore so I can ramble.

(Edit after finishing the post: I rambled a lot.)

Aqua would have been an exemplary Lux collector for her Union, a perfect model of a diligent and kind Keyblade wielder. This makes it even more unfortunate that she of all wielders would be cast into the realm of darkness, which is about the only thing that could have worn away at one with such a strong light as her, and so she begins the process of turning into a Darkling like so many others. (In other words, she’s already Anti-Aqua when Aria meets her, which will be interesting to explore.)

As for Aria.. If all that’s different to start with is that she replaces Aqua as a Wayfinder and apprentice to Eraqus, then she could still retain her true nature in terms of what she actually is - a Heartless in possession of a dormant human vessel. But Eraqus would never have taken her as an apprentice if she held so much evident darkness, Keyblade or otherwise. Unless, perhaps, that was the point - maybe she and Terra came to him together, and were already very close friends (as close as Aria and Liviana are in the normal way of events?), to the point that they refused to be separated. So Eraqus, unwilling to lose as worthy a potential apprentice as Terra, decides he must take up the challenge of purifying such a lost soul, proving that any darkness can be overcome by light. (It wouldn’t have been his first time trying; maybe this time he himself can make it work.)

Aria grows up unaware of her true capabilities, with false light purging her memories - always trying to wield a power that does not suit her, since she never learned that she had other options open to her. Maybe she is still made the Master of the pair, but it’s her own darkness that leaks out to disrupt the exam, and clouds Eraqus’ judgment. Xehanort would have been watching intently, likely aware of her true potential, but maybe he sees this as an opportunity to start targeting Terra instead, and that’s how the story gets to where it is.

Maybe, to make it even more of a swap AU, I could make this an AU for my selfship with Anti-Aqua - since when Aria gives up her armour and her glider to save Terra, who didn’t deserve to be taken over, she doesn’t quite fall as fly into the realm of darkness, and is finally made aware of her own dark potential. So then, when she comes across an ancient vestige of light from the age of fairytales, already in the process of becoming corrupted - well, it’s only the natural course of events that they both embrace darkness together, right?

I hope all this was alright - I kind of want to make this a thing now, haha ^-^

Thank you so much again for sending this in!!

[chibisquirt]

Non-comprehensive Burial Mounds Reclist!

Hello again internets! @cybermanolo asked me for Burial Mounds fic, which is not a category of fic I read too much of???  But I can like the ones I know!  

PLEASE REBLOG WITH YOUR ADDITIONS!  THE MORE THE MERRIER!!!

WangXian or Gen, ONLY Burial Mounds fic:

the shadow of a name in skin by iliacquer:  *yells into the sky until her voice is gone*  amnesiac WWX, captive LWJ, SO FUCKIN GOOD AND HOT AND--!!!

rare the man whol’ll hold to faith by @fahye :  GREEN KNIGHT AU HOLY SHIT IT’S SO GOOD Y’ALL!!! I found it and tagged @flange5 IMMEDIATELY and you know what, neither of us even remotely regretted that decision!

a sweet ruination, also by iliacquer:  lesbian yiling laozu, holy shit

the necromancer’s fairytale, by-- you know what?  just go read all of iliacquer’s stuff.  Go ahead, I’ll wait.  GoT-inspired, LWJ-POV, hot and dark and delicious

Also, here is the link to all fics tagged with the Yiling Laozu WWX tag, which should be largely BM-set.  I’ve neglected any other filters so that you may sort it to your own preferences :)

WangXian or Gen, fic including other periods but also including a significant portion in the Burial Mounds:

seldom all they seem by @fahye:  arranged marriage fic, but the actual marriage part is not the beginning of the story--the betrothal is.  VERY romantic (as befitting w/ WangXian)

not to be sobered by anything (like regret) by astrobandit : This one is a bit odd, because it’s a time-travel fic where LWJ goes back to the period where WWX is in the Burial Mounds?  But the whole “back in time” part of it is during that period, so I figure it counts.

i don’t love you (but I always will) by SixStepsAway:  Soulmate AU with *mismatched* soulmates!  OooOOOOH!

Wen Qing/WWX Burial Mounds Fic:  all these fics are basically the same idea: that WWX and WQ have a complex, loving, possibly (but not necessarily) sexual relationship, and care very much about each other.  It’s obviously an idea I’m a big fan of...

hid that love up with my bones by heyitsathrowaway

Grass Butterfly by @glittercracker, MDZS

the news as consolation by @aetataureate-ao3  (Side note, this author also has a Leverage fic which made me and several other people cry.)

[ao3feed-destiel]

Little bird.

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2FFznKq

by xyChaoticFox

A young hunter shoots down a bird only to find out it's not a bird.

Words: 1120, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Supernatural, Supernatural Novels - Various, Supernatural: The Animation, Supernatural RPF, Maleficent (2014)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Castiel (Supernatural), Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, John Winchester

Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Castiel & Dean Winchester

Additional Tags: fantasy!au, Fairytal!AU, Forests, Hunting, Dean shoots a bird down, It's not bird, Fluff and Smut, Angst, Pining, Slow Build, battles, Kisses, Cuddles, lame jokes, idk - Freeform, Don't Like Don't Read, Maleficent!Cas

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2FFznKq

[ao3feed-castiel]

Little bird.

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2FFznKq

by xyChaoticFox

A young hunter shoots down a bird only to find out it's not a bird.

Words: 1120, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Supernatural, Supernatural Novels - Various, Supernatural: The Animation, Supernatural RPF, Maleficent (2014)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Castiel (Supernatural), Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, John Winchester

Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Castiel & Dean Winchester

Additional Tags: fantasy!au, Fairytal!AU, Forests, Hunting, Dean shoots a bird down, It's not bird, Fluff and Smut, Angst, Pining, Slow Build, battles, Kisses, Cuddles, lame jokes, idk - Freeform, Don't Like Don't Read, Maleficent!Cas

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2FFznKq

[love-mikel-blog]

Im Rahmen der deutschlandweiten Alpha-Autogrammstundentour begeisterte die Violinistin des deutschen Schlagers - Franziska Wiese - am 5.11.2017, einem verkaufsoffenen Sonntag, im "Halle-Center Peißen" mit einer stimmungsvollen Show. Das Interview mit Jens Seidler, der diese rundum gelungene Veranstaltung moderierte, nutzte Franzi um ihre CD Märchen (Fairytal) vorzustellen, die bereits seit dem 22. Oktober 2017 offiziell im Handel erhältlich ist. Die ausschließlich in deutscher Sprache produzierte Version des ESC-Siegersongs von Alexander Rybak aus dem Jahr 2009 von Oslo,sang auch Franziska Wiese an diesem Nachmittag. Drei der vier Songs, die diese CD umfasst sind von Alexander Rybak und Franzi in Englisch und in Deutsch gesungen. Den russischen Volkssong "Kotka" singen die beiden Künstler hingegen gemeinsam in russischer und deutscher Sprache. Verschiedene Sprachen in ein- und demselben Song vereint, bilden in der Schlagerbranche hingegen die Ausnahme. Und diesen frisch aufpolierten Song hat das sehr gut aufeinander abgestimmte Duo nach meinem Geschmack perfekt in die Herzen der Schlagerfans getragen!

[klm-zoflorr]

Did I tell you guys about my new au? Because it's great and also I plan to include all dsmp characters in there, very exciting stuff! It's the Fairytaled Dsmp AU, it's based on disney fairytales and takes place in a fantastic world. Each character has a fairytale counterpart, but often i'll kind of reverse the original story to keep things interesting.

I developped each character individually on my instagram (check it out!), but i'll give you a quick rundown of all the characters on here!

Dream is Peter Pan, he's also the classic "damsel in distress" archetype, except he was put in a tower for necromancy and also he befriends the dragon

Puffy is Captain Hook! Since it's reversed, she saves kids from the evil island of Neverland

Foolish is Tinkerbell!

Niki is bad ending Merida (from Brave). Her mom permanently turned into a bear!

Phil is Maleficient! An ancient sorcerer who likes crows, in short.

Techno is Prince Charming, except he isn't charming or good at all and he's also Maleficient's protegee

Next Part

[klm-zoflorr]

Part 4 of the Fairytaled Dsmp AU, it's an AU based on disney fairytales and takes place in a fantasy world. Each character has a fairytale counterpart, but often i'll kind of reverse the original story to keep things interesting. More info on my instagram! Today we're doing the Frozen Gang!

Sapnap is Elsa. He has fire powers! First we got his prince outfit, then the outfit he gets when he self-exiles to Las Nevadas!

Bad is Anna, the twist is that he's Sapnap's older brother and also the King of Arendelle :p He will turn into a demon at some point in the story

Skeppy is Kristoff! He is a merchant, sells pretty much anything to anyone, he'll meet Bad while he's searching for Sapnap (like Anna does in the original story)

Last member in the Searching-for-sapnap-trio, vurb is Olaf! He's one of the stone people from the movie

First - Previous Part - Next Part

[klm-zoflorr]

Part 2 of the Fairytaled Dsmp AU, it's an AU based on disney fairytales and takes place in a fantasy world. Each character has a fairytale counterpart, but often i'll kind of reverse the original story to keep things interesting. More info on my instagram!

Eret is the Evil Queen from Snow White. They're Snow White's uncle

Tommyinnit is Snow White! He stole the Enchanted Golden Apple from his aunt because he's a little shit

George is the Hunter, he was tasked with tracking down the prince

Hannah is your typical run of the mill swamp witch! She's based on Baba Yaga :D

Boomer is the prince from Princess and the Frog, except he never turned back and is stuck as a frog, lives with Hannah now. This is his human form when she manages to turn him back temporarily with magic. You can also peep him on Hannah's shoulder

First - Next Part