#farewell my homeland

[embermarke]

I wanted to draw Tanya in a cute dress from Of Her Own Kind <3

[mariampoetry]

This was one of his last posts before a missile tore him, his wife and daughter to pieces😢

I Don't want to End up in a Bag

By: Ibrahim Algoula

I don't want to end up in a bag!!

I give up everything.. except my death!

I want a complete shroud, 192 centimeters long.

I will not give up my body, I want it whole. I want my arms, my feet, my heart, my head, my twenty toes and fingers, and my eyes too.

I want to return to the womb of the earth, as I was created from it, the same earth here in this land

I do not mind if I am buried in a mass grave... But I want my name on a headstone, my age as well, and that I am from here, from this slaughtered homeland

I would like, with bitter hope, that my grave be in a real cemetery, not a street, no sidewalk, nothing else

Let it be our last wish and our right

farewell!

#لا أريدُ أن أنتهي في كيس !!

أتنازلُ عن كل شيء ..عدا موتي!

أريدُ كفنًا كاملًا ،،طوله192 سنتمترات ..لا أتنازلُ عن جثّتي،بل أريدها كاملة،،

أريدُ ذراعيّ ،وقدميّ وقلبي ورأسي ،وأصابعي العشرين ،وعينيّ أيضًا..

أريدُ أن أعود لِرحمِ الأرض ،كما خلقتُ منها ..نفس الأرض هنا في هذه البلد ..لا أمانعُ إن دفِنتُ في قبرٍ جماعيّ ،،

لكني أريد اسمي على الشاهد ،عمري كذلك ،وأني من هنا ،من هذا الوطن الذ...بيح ..

وأودُّ برجاءٍ حدّ المرارِ ،أن يكون قبري في مقبرةٍ حقيقية ،لا شارع لا رصيف ،لا شيء آخر ..

كأمنية اخيرة لنا💔وحق لنا .. الوداع 🥺

ID: [ A picture of Ibrahim Algoula riding a bicycle in Shajaeyyah (a town in Gaza) and behind him a fallen wall that is sprayed on it the following:

"Shajaeyyah,

Take off your shoes at its gates, for its soil is made up of the remains of its children"]

[aroacenezhaanddainsleif]

when I played Caribert, I was pretty disappointed about the lack of impact Dain seemed to have on Kaeya, honestly. during Kaeya's hangout, he didn't mention the weird cryptic blond dude who just dropped family lore once, which I thought would have been pretty important?

but in truth, I think Dain actually had a HUGE impact on Kaeya.

we can all know that from Kaeya's personal lore and former events that Kaeya had very conflicted feelings over his duty to Khaenri'ah and his love for Mondstadt, even with his estranged relationship with Diluc (which now seems partly fixed?), but in the performance route of Kaeya's hangout, Kaeya makes his choice.

The story of Prince Qubad is a very, very thinly veiled metaphor for Khaenri'ah all throughout, and then we finally get to the end scene of the play:

Kaeya: When I departed my beloved home to fight in a foreign land, I did so to honor his (my father's) wishes and for my duty to our people. Kaeya: alas, is this fate's grand design… that I should spend the rest of my days in a foreign land, till I am laid to rest in a grave far from home? K: Must it be so…? K: my dear audience, I ask you this: do you believe in fate? if fate decreed that your life was to end in tragedy, what would you do? Traveler: I would challenge my fate, and rise above it. / I would bravely face my fate. K: then so must it be! I shall discard this intaglio, and rid myself of the shackles of fate. G: my dear prince, do you intend to betray your father, and abandon your heritage? K: fate means to send the machinations of war to every corner of the land, to fan the flames of conflict til they engulf the entire world…

K: fate would see my sword tainted with the blood of innocents, that the bright banner of my homeland might fly in every nation known to mankind. K: but I shall not bow to the will of fate. I am no pawn in heaven's plan. K: I, Kaeya Qubad, will spend the rest of my days in a foreign land, til I breathe my last in a place far from home. K: but I must walk this path, or freedom dies by my hand. goodbye, my tribe and kin. farewell, sweet land of my birth.

after a lifetime of questioning his role, Kaeya makes his choice for Mondstadt. and I think this happening after meeting Dain isn't a coincidence. (and no, not in a soulmate way or shipping way- this is Kaeya's moment of choice, not infatuation.)

after not only learning the history of his origins, Kaeya meets a Khaenri'ahn who... doesn't want to return Khaenri'ah to its glory days? who is more focused on helping others and minimizing damage than causing more for his own gain? who chose his path and has not budged since, even through loss?

Kaeya gets to see someone who is so Khaenri'ahn, so human at his core, someone who cares not for the fate and tragedy of their nation. Kaeya gets to meet someone from his homeland who tells him to leave it all behind, who tells him he should take the chance he has been given at his own life; who actively discourages the idea of Kaeya being a fated "prince" or being indebted to Khaenri'ah.

even though he never said it, I think meeting Dainsleif helped Kaeya choose his own path, which is all Dain ever truly asked of him, anyway.

good for Kaeya.

(i understand that i used "ship" tags but those are more for visibility and duo name than anything else. idm if you ship them, i just request that your tags do not turn my analysis post into a ship post, pls! :)

[sweetbunpura]

Rollo wasn't always a Gumiho.

He was once a kannushi of a small shrine, responsible for keeping it maintained and clean.

It was a simple, yet tedious life and he was content with it.

Until, one day, a young woman came to the shrine. She was a foreigner, that much was clear, from the style of her dress to the tone of her skin to the strange sharpness of her eyes. She was an enigma. And Rollo was instantly captivated by her.

She told him that she had come from very far away and was visiting some relatives in a nearby village. She had come to the shrine to pray for their health and for her safe passage home.

"Though..I didn't expect a handsome man such as yourself to be the priest here," She giggled, keen smile half-hidden behind her hand.

Rollo flushed faintly.

Her laugh was a pretty sound, like the tinkling bells of a Kagura suzu.

It wasn't everyday the shrine was met with as beautiful a visitor as this.

Rollo cleared his throat.

"If I may be so bold..May I have your name?"

The woman grinned widely.

"Yue."

They talked for a long while after that, so long in fact by the time the woman had turned away to finish her prayers the sun was half-way set upon the horizon.

Had Rollo not had shrine duties to attend to, he would have eagerly offered to walk her back to the village. Thus, with a heavy heart and a lump in his throat, he could only grant a farewell and a wish for safe travels back to her homeland.

He did not expect to see her there at the shrine again the following morning.

"Were you not supposed to begin your journey home today?" He queried with a raised brow.

"I was," Yue answered, her sharp eyes glimmering and her lips quirked, "I changed my mind."

And so it was. Yue would appear at the shrine at dawn and follow and chat with Rollo as he went about his day and duty til nightfall.

Months went by.

Summer fell to Fall which froze to Winter.

The two grew closer.

The New Year came and went.

Winter melted into spring.

And the sharpness gradually seemed to fade from Yue's eyes.

Then, one night, under a full and heavy moon, she kissed him.

"I love you." She murmured, softly, hesitantly, as if the words themselves were as fragile as glass.

Rollo's gaze was tender. He kissed her knuckles, then her palm.

"And I you."

And there, beneath Tsukuyomi's gaze, they fell into each other's warmth, a flurried embrace of intense passion and supreme adoration.

A few weeks after, they were wed.

A few weeks after that, Yue found she was with child.

The eight months that followed were some of the happiest Rollo could remember, watching his love's belly swell with life that they had created together.

I should have lasted forever.

But.

It ended.

Slit apart like a knife across the throat.

Hunters from a far off land came.

They were searching for a creature Rollo had never heard of before.

A Gumiho. A flesh-eating monster that seduced men, ate their hearts, and stole their souls.

Yue paled. Rollo's brows furrowed.

"My love? What's wrong-?"

"We need to leave." Yue said coldly.

But it was too late to try and escape.

Her fate was sealed the moment Rollo had let them inside their home.

The very moment they laid eyes on her-

Arrows were fired. Knives were drawn. Swords unsheathed.

Yelling. Screaming.

Claws unfurled. Fangs bared. A flurry of fur and tails unvieled.

It was over in an instant, in a blink.

Blood and viscera covered the floor and walls of their home.

The Hunters were dead.

And Yue was dying.

A sword pierce her abdomen. Arrows punctured her chest.

"Yue-!"

Rollo collapsed beside her, his white robes stained red.

How does he fix this? He was no healer and the closest doctor was miles away how-

"I was so close..."

Rollo paused.

"What?"

He gently drew her close.

Yue gazed up at him with stuttering, blood-choked breaths.

"I was-" She coughed, "I was almost human...I was almost-"

Tears dripped down her cheeks.

"I haven't eaten anyone for almost two years..Just two more months..Just two more and I would have..."

Her smile was soft.

Her eyes were even softer, but they were fading, fast.

"You deserve to have a human wife, not a monster..."

Rollo cupped her cheek and thumbed away a tear.

A quivering black tail grasped his wrist.

"I love you," he kissed her forehead, "I don't care if you're a monster. I love you. I.. I'm going to save you. I'm going to save our child. I'll-"

Tears slipped and fell down Yue's cheeks.

They were not her own.

"You know it's too late for us, Rollo."

Rollo let out a gutted noise at that.

Shaking hands met his face.

Lips that he was so intimately familiar with met his own.

And something spherical and warm was pushed past his lips.

"Take it." His wife, his love, his world, whispered between breaths.

Tongues met. The sphere was pressed against the opening of his throat. He instinctively swallowed before he could think.

"That way...a part of me....a part of us....will always be with you...."

That night, Gumiho Yue died, along with her unborn child.

And on that same night, Gumiho Rollo was born.

And the world...

...Would burn for it.

(and, not too long after, a tiny black fox spirit opened her eyes. And her name...was Yuu.)

Where one life ends, another begins.

Yuu adjusts the hat on her head, nodding to passerby's as she enters what remains of a town. Normally, she wouldn't try and mettle in the affairs of humans, but this Gumiho had attacked one of their own recently. While Malleus could handle his own, he talked about the pure rage he felt from it and Yuu, who has the uncanny ability to purify most of the anger driven spirits, is tasked with handling it.

She climbs the steps up the shrine and pauses outside of the torii. Yuu doesn't need to step any further to feel the pressure of the anger.

"You in there, Gumiho?"

Silence.

"Alright, don't answer." She passes through and climbs the remainder of the stairs, stopping every so often to pick up a few stones.

Before hitting the main area, she pauses once again and juggles the stones in her hands. The Gumiho's hiding and with a sigh, Yuu, flicks a stone towards the corner of the shrine. The yelp she hears brings a smile on her face.

"Quit ignoring me."

A pair of forest green eyes glare at her form the darkness licking at the edges of the building.

"The dragon fled and now a kitsune takes his place?" The Gumiho's voice is soft as they step out from the shadows. "You hardly look like a threat."

The Gumiho's a man, tall and thin, with deep eyebags. He's still wounded from his fight with Malleus as his clothes are torn and a angry red wound can be seen on his side. His hair is short and gray, matching the ears and his multiple tails. Something in Yuu's heart lurches as she stares at him.

"Have we met before?"

"I've never seen you before in my life."

"Okay jeez." Yuu's own tails flick out behind her. "What's your name?"

"My name is of little importance to you."

"Humor me, jackass."

His eyes move off to the side before returning to her. "Flamme... Rollo Flamme."

"Flamme... Well, my name's Yuu-" She looked at his now frozen form. "Hello?"

"Yue?"

"No, Yuu."

Rollo's fur fluffed up as his eyes narrowed, ears laying flat against his head as he bares his teeth. "Have the gods not taken enough from me!? And now they send a common kitsune to mock me?!"

"Common?" Yuu bares her own teeth and cracks her knuckles. "I'll show you common."

[bones4thecats]

Could I get a Sebek Zigvolt x fem!reader, where he is so adamant about not being in love with a human even though she admits that she loves him. However, when Crowley finds a way for her to get home, and he learns that she is planning to go home. That is what it takes for him to admit that he loves her.

I want angst plz 🙏

Type of Writing: Request Characters: Sebek Zigvolt Name: Sebek Confessing Before MC! Reader Leaves Requester: @blues824

A/N: I really need to start writing for Twisted Wonderland more. After all of these requests empty out, I'm gonna write a few pieces dedicated to my Twisted Wonderland fans! Now, my lil bubbles🫧, have nice days/nights!

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⚡ On everything he was upset

⚡ Sebek knew that hearing the news that you were leaving would shake Diasomnia dorm members up a bit, but he only planned on making sure Malleus got better and ready to lead their homeland

⚡ Everyone knew, including Sebek, that Malleus would be upset, since you were basically his first ever real friend, but, why was Sebek upset?

⚡ Maybe he was feeling guilty about you confessing your romantic interests in him a few days prior, but maybe, just maybe, he didn't want you to leave like everyone else

⚡ Malleus, Lilia, and Silver all went with him to give you their farewells, and Sebek came so he could help console Malleus once you left

⚡ When you looked into Sebek's chartreuse eyes, he felt his heart begin to sink, why was it so heavy?

⚡ Lilia looked at you and pat your head before Silver hugged you with Malleus gripping onto you with all the care he had given you, you were like a little sibling to him after all!

⚡ Sebek stood there as you smiled and bowed, saying the words;

" I hope you all live your dream lives while I go home and live my own. Goodbye everyone... "

⚡ Once your footsteps started hitting the ground of the mirror chamber, Sebek began to allow his mind to race faster than it ever had before

⚡ He was nervous because... you were leaving! He wasn't sad because of Malleus' sobs he'd hear that night... he was sad because you, the one human that made him feel more than platonic love for someone, was leaving him behind!

⚡ The other students' eyes widened as he broke out into a sprint and began to call your name in a broken cry

⚡ But it was too late...

⚡ It closed as he jumped towards you, and he slammed his knees into the hard ground of the floor, tears flowing down his cheeks like a pair of waterfalls

⚡ You were gone, and would never return...

⚡ Lilia sat in front of the half-fae and began to hug him while he cried, Silver and Malleus joined to release their own sobs of inevitable grief

⚡ The cries and sobs of Sebek Zigvolt would haunt the ears of everyone who heard them that night

⚡ And while their ears were straining to hide the sounds of their fellow dorm-member's wails, the only thing he could think of was you...

⚡ You had left him...

⚡ And you would never know that he loved you all the same in return...

[iongwaiyi]

pocahontas: the princess at the bottom of the hierarchy (part 2)

(see disclaimer at bottom of post)

pocahontas - her homeland, her connection with nature, and her tribe, that she could never let go of.

john smith - his loyalty to his crew, his love for his homeland.

and it wasn’t just that, how would they ever get used to living entirely different from what they’ve been doing their entire lives? dressing differently, walking differently, eating differently, living differently. it’s not something that you could just dump away and start brand new.

there are consequences they need to face for their decision to be together and they knew they weren’t up for it.

i love that they didn’t end up together not just for this reason.

the bittersweet feeling that rises up my chest whenever i watch the ending, with farewell by alan menken playing in the back, the wind blowing the leaves to surround pocahontas and flying to john (a cinematic metaphor of the theme of the movie - nature, and the linkage to the song "colors of the wind")

a disney princess movie where the couple didn’t end up together? now that’s new. love doesn’t defeat it all, because there are bigger things in life that one needs to hold onto. not everything is a fairytale, where people end up together and live happily ever after.

i can go on and on about the reasons why i love the movie besides the fictional story: the cinematography, the color aesthetic, the depiction of nature, but I'll stop here since i need to get off the plane.

the message that the movie delivers is beyond any disney princess movies.

sometimes the right path is not the easiest one

Disclaimer:

I acknowledge history and the trauma, the damage, the hurt that indigenous people or anyone in history who has been mistreated, abused, or slaughtered has been through, and my blog is in no way trying to glorify history, change history, or reverse the damage they have been through. My blog is looking at stories solely through the lens of fiction. I am not trying to speak on behalf of anyone who created the stories but myself, who is only here appreciating fictional characters and stories.

however, i will not be replying to anyone who expresses anything regarding my posts. any reblogs with a reply i will ignore, criticism or not.

i am also here as a fellow blogger to encourage you to keep posting your opinions, on your blogs or reply to mine. that’s an important thing about tumblr, our opinions are what keeps this platform going.

thank you for your time and i hope you have a great rest of your day.

[asherthehimbo]

Guardians

previous | Pearl ° | m. list | next

synopsis: when Yeosangs sickness worsens, the Hala-pack are forced to stay in unkown territory, all because their wolves had affections for the towns local doctor. They hope this doctor knows how to treat fish because Yeosang needs help, and his brothers are desperate.

word count: 8.3k (and 4 pictures)

warnings: Cursing, blood, knives(daggers), treating of wounds, treating of sickness, talks of death, screaming, possesive behavior kind of?, blood (obv cause wounds), suggestive thoughts (Mingi needs to FOCUS), mentions of torn snouts, old scars, uhm i think thast it?

notes: to those who don't know what a poet shirt is this is the specific shirt I'm referencing, Also PLEASE read the section named 'Guardians knowledge' for better understanding of refrences in the book itself before reading this chapter thank youuu (Guardians book of knowledge was DEFINITELY inspired by the books in the 'Grimm' series so anybody who watches that HIIIIII), also PLEASE remember to read the Creature lore to understand some things as this IS a fantasy book with my own lore for some creatures thank youuuu

Placing the clear, blue rimmed glass down on the placement cloth in front of you, you throw the drying cloth in your hands on your shoulder. Long white hair tied up lazily at the back of your head, white poet shirt hanging off your shoulders, its strings by your chest having been loosened the moment you bid farewell to your last patron for the night.  Your necklace consisting of a dull orange fire stone remains barely concealed beneath your white shirt, its chain placed comfortingly around your neck. The angle your shirt is sitting may expose more of your chest than you would usually feel comfortable with showing in public, but currently it's only you and the Choi’s at the tavern.

‘Moon Tavern’ - the tavern you own- is open 24/7 on weekends, but closes at 11 pm on weeknights, for you have to ensure those on your side of the land, those in your village are ready the next morning for their duties. Unfortunately for your regulars it's a Thursday night, meaning closing time. Meaning cleaning up duty for you and those on your shift. You turn your head and scan around you, looking down both sides of the bar counter to ensure no glasses or coasters are left laying around before your eyes trail to the middle of the tavern where the Choi’s sit waiting for you. 

Choi Beomgyu, a young man of 22 who you met when he was only 17, being banished to Obsidian, due to his seeing abilities, when the war came to an end, he became your second ever apprentice. Next to him sits Choi Yeonjun at the age of 24, a snake shifter who followed his friend all the way from their homeland and ended up right in your welcoming embrace. 

They both work as waiters at the tavern, sometimes even performing with the band, always insisting on helping you close when you man the bar on night shifts- but never doing the same for your co-owner, you know the reason but pay it no mind. 

Cracking your neck before stretching your hands above your head, your back curls in as your chest pushes out, causing the strings of your shirt to loosen even more. Beomgyu wolf-whistles from where he sits as Yeonjun starts chastising you for your actions. “I've told you so many times that that's not healthy Boss, if you’re having pain problems again you need to let Niki or Gyu look at you.” Yeonjun looks at you with a mock scolding gaze.

You scoff, finishing your stretch before looking at the boy- not man, boy because compared to someone of your age that is what he is, a boy, one of your boys. “And I've told you many times not to call me Boss, guess neither of us listen to the other'' you bite back before removing the cloth from your shoulder, placing it on the drying pole attached to the bottom of the bar counter on your end.

“Touche” Yeonjun replies as both he and Beomgyu stand up while you walk out from behind the bar, picking up your jacket and keys that was on the counter, the three of you start walking to the front door as you turn off all the lanterns you walk by, “well, I, for one, was delighted by the show given- so I humbly thank you” Beomgyu gives an over dramatic bow as he speaks, causing Yeonjun to roll his eyes and your lips to quirk up ever so slightly.

The three of you walk until you're outside the tavern, you make sure to lock it before you continue walking, there's a cold breeze tonight, almost calming as it nips at the parts of your exposed skin, the boys behind you shiver and snuggle more into their own jackets as they walk, one on each side of you, you on the other hand do not falter in your steps. Despite your love of warmth you've grown quite accustomed to the cold nights that seem to accompany the dark sky of Obsidian.

You reach the part in your path where you and the boys should split, while they live more to the center of the town, in a neighborhood along with the rest of your pack, your home is located on the outskirts next to the river that separates your land between its two regions. You turn to say goodbye but catch Beomgyu staring at you in a worried manner, his eyes glowing a faint- barely noticeable purple “The water will shine a luminous blue tonight as nature’s soldier will be hurt, and the singers rock will form” you tilt your head inquisitively but when he doesn't say anything else you leave it be. 

Seers cannot control the amount of information they are given and Beomgyu would've told you if there was something else. You nod your head in understanding before placing your hand on his shoulder, you look down at him and smile in a reassuring way, “I’ll be safe, don’t worry my little videns “ Beomgyu’s head tilts to rest on your hand at your words.

“I don’t know if I’m fine with letting you walk home alone now..” Yeonjun looks like he’s contemplating following you as he bites the inside of his cheek but you quickly shut him down, “Jun, I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself, you two need to get home, you have a shift tomorrow morning”. Yeonjun huffs “Yeah with Tea-moo, I don’t think either of us really mind being late for that one” he rolls his eyes as his arms are crossed over his chest, pouting like a child. “He’s still your leader Jun, you should respect him” you scold the boy, knowing your words won't have any impact now as they hadn't before, not on this topic. 

“You’re our leader Boss, he’s the guy who you let be the leader and we both know it.” Yeonjun’s distaste for Tea-moo was never a secret, it caused a lot of tension in your pack, but neither he nor Tea-moo made an effort to fix the strain. “Jun I’m not having this conversation again.” you reply sternly, “I’m going home, you two need to do the same. Niki is probably waiting for you and I don’t want him staying up too late we have lessons tomorrow”

Niki, your first apprentice, your little shadow dragon, your son. He lives with you most of the time but often spends nights over at the Choi’s, the three of them act like brothers and it comforts your heart to know they have each other. You’re currently busy teaching Niki everything you know as the boy wants to follow in your footsteps, become a healer and not a destroyer as shadow dragons are often depicted.

“Fine, but if anything feels wrong even in the slightest the you scream, alright” Yeonjun needs that reassurance at least. “I doubt something to that extent will happen Jun”, you don’t want to promise him you would, because a banshee’s scream is a deafening one, it’s not something to be used lightly and something you've only used a handful of times. “Promise me” he does not relent.

“If it gets to that extent, I will scream to alert you.” You nod to him and his tense shoulders seem to relax a little. As Beomgyu lifts his head from your hand on his shoulder both of them come closer to hug you as a goodbye. You hate lying, but you know you won't scream, to resort to such measures is simply not something you're capable of doing. You’ve only used your scream once in your life, and you dread something of the like happening again.

You watch as they walk the opposite direction, walking as one, two halves of a whole. A feeling of contentment stirs in you, despite whatever Beomgyu’s vision foretold you know they’ll be safe, and that's all you could ask for.

“No”, Mingi’s voice is firm, almost angry sounding as his jaw clenches in an effort to not yell at the others in the room. “I told you all, he’s mine-'' his words are interrupted with Yunho’s introjection of "ours” ‘-He’s ours, I’m not bringing you guys to him.” Mingi finishes.

He’s standing with his back leaning against the wall, everyone is gathered in the kitchen, most sitting, except for Yunho- who's standing right next to Mingi- and San who's standing behind Wooyoung. “Mingi, Yeosang is sick, he needs help and it’s something nobody here knows how to deal with. We can’t travel with him in this condition so we are stuck on this island- one that isn't our territory. You say this guy is a doctor, he might know how to help. San’s knowledge of herbs can only get us so far.” Hongjoongs voice is calm as he tries to reason with Mingi, but you can hear the sharp edge of authority it holds as he sits at the head of the table. 

“A human doctor, yes, how do we know he’ll be able to help Yeosang?” Yunho’s voice isn’t as strained with anger as Mingi’s, but you can hear his hesitance. ”He lives in a region known for harboring two of the most regal packs, I’m quite sure he’s probably aware of our species, may have even encountered many, he may know at least something that could help us, or point us in the direction of someone who could.” Seonghwa says as he sits beside Hongjoong, his voice flows calm, a sharp contrast to their leaders iciness’ Seonghwas reflects the warmth that’s permanently buried in his chest, but everyone can tell he’s  just as worried about Yeosang. 

Yunho’s stomach churns at the idea of you having met, let alone interacted with other supernatural creatures as Mingi lets out a low grumble in discontempt. “Listen, I know you guys have some weird possession kink or something over this guy, but Yeosang needs help. Do you really want him to die simply because you couldn't control your jealousy for a few hours?” Jongho asks, annoyed and his words cut deep.

Yunho turns to Mingi, while Yunho may be hesitant he doesn't want Yeosang to die. But Mingi has known you longer, there's a sort of seniority there, Yunho knows how much you mean to Mingi. Fuck you mean just as much to him, but he knows how Mingi’s mind works, he knows he’s not the one that gets to make this decision. Mingi in turn is stone faced, but Yunho can tell he’s conflicted. “Just for a check up? Nothing more?” Mingi asks, voice seeking confirmation in the same vulnerable way a child would from a parent, and the whole room takes a breath of relief. 

“Only a check up, we only want to know if he can figure out what’s going on with Yeosang” Hongjoong confirms. After a moment of silence, and another shared look with Yunho, Mingi speaks again “Fine, but you let me and Yunho go in first, explain to him the situation. He doesn't know about us, about this, I want to explain to him first, I need to. Need to have him hear it from me”

The others all nod in agreement as they move to get ready to take Yeosang to your place. Mingi can’t help the anxiety building within him, he doesn't know what he’d do if you hate him after this. Even worse if you’re scared of him after this. He doesnt think he could go on living if you were. He hates the idea, the thought of losing you, loathes it even.

Mingi walks into the room where Yeosang lays on the bed, his skin sickly pale, unnatural and different from the usual light tan the siren has. His lips are chapped and parts of his skin are molting, eye’s closed as he’s barely breathing. San is holding a cold water cloth to his forehead in an effort to try and cool down the sirens fever. Jongho sits at the other side of the bed, he’s taken Yeosang’s sickness the hardest besides Wooyoung and San, solidarity in species and all. Mingi looks at Wooyoung who's standing a bit away, Wooyoung's scared to get too close to his friend, scared his natural heat will only worsen Yeosong’s temperature. It must hurt, not being able to be there for  his best friend, and Mingi feels guilt at his apprehension on letting you treat Yeosang, after all that means he’s the one separating these two.

He stands next to Yunho, sharing a look before starting to walk again as he makes his way to the front door, Yunho following. The breeze of the night hit him as the sky began to dusk. The moon is shining brightly, almost as if illuminating the path to your house and Yunho can’t help but think it might be an omen, whether it’s a good or bad one is still undecided.

You walk to your backdoor as you hear knocking. You know it's Mingi and Yunho, they’re the only ones that would use that entrance, only ones that would knock too. What worries you is the fact that the knocking seems frantic and you could sense multiple other life forces as well, although they’re a little farther from the entrance of your house than the wolves. 

You open the door as you look at the two, it’s unusual that they’re here tonight, they don’t usually come over on weeknights, so the fact that they’re at your front door, looking quite nervous on a Thursday concerns you. “Oh? To what do I owe the visit?” You ask the two as you step aside to let them in, the other life forces don’t move and so you leave them alone. 

Mingi and Yunho both step inside, Yunho looking more nervous as Mingi is more conflicted. “We uhm- we have to talk” Mingi says, fiddling with the bandages on his fingers as he walks into your house a bit more, before leaning on the countertop in the corner. Yunho stays by the door but moves to the side a bit so that he’s not blocking it. “We need your help..” 

His words peak your interest, the two never share a lot about their current private affairs and you respect that. Understanding that not every creature wishes to be known, especially if they’re of the rarer types like you know these two are, so them standing before you now asking this question is quite strange. “Oh? What can I help with?” You walk into your home, decidedly leaving the door open. 

“Okay so uhm- I’m not sure if you know. Wait what do you know- wait no wait oka-” Mingi’s nervous rambling is cut off by Yunho who looks you dead in the eye, unlike Mingi whose eyes are drilling holes in the floor. “Do you believe in the supernatural?” Yunho’s voice is firm and not as soft as you’re used to. “The supernatural? yeah, why?” You say nonchalantly, thinking of all the ways the direction this conversation can go. Would they confess their true nature? Yunho scratches the back of his neck as he takes a deep breath before speaking “So uhm if we were to say, to tell you uhm we-” his words are interrupted by a loud scream from outside, all three of your heads turning the direction of the scream.

The scream was guttural sounding, desperate and dry as you stand closest to the doorway you can see body’s panicking as they rush out of the bushes, laying another body down on the ground, you can’t see much of what's happening because of the distance but you can that Yunho and Mingi are worried, body’s tense. “I'm guessing that’s why you asked? about the supernatural?” You speak and your voice is steady in an effort to give some comfort, you walk a bit more into your kitchen before reaching a door on the side and opening it. “Tell them to bring him in- only you and one other can come with him- I don’t need this many unknown people in my house.”  You say before walking down the stairs of the door you’ve opened. Turning the lights on down the way.

As your back is turned to them you can't see the bafflement on their faces as they freeze at your seeming nonchalant demeanor before rushing out to the rest of their packmates. You walk down into your apothecary room as you turn on the lights and clear your table, you don’t know what you’ll be dealing with, so for now all you do is roll up your sleeves and tie your hair. You hear the footsteps of three males come down the stairs. Mingi and Yunho reach your sight first before you see the two behind them, a shorter blond carrying a platinum blond man.

“[M/n] how-” Mingi’s words are cut off by your own “Put him down on the table” you instruct the blond and he does so with hesitance. “What's your name?” you ask again as you start inspecting the man laying down on your table, “San.” he responds as you remove the man on your table’s shirt, “Okay San, tell me about your friend here- he’s a Siren right?” you ask. “Yeah, wait [M/n] how do you-” Mingi responds instead but you completely ignore him. “Fresh or saltwater?” you ask already knowing the answer, eye’s directed at San. “Fresh water” San responds, “What are you doing- why are you taking off his shirt?” he asks, confusion sounding like anger. “Because I'm gonna need you to smear ointment on his chest- lest you want him to stop breathing” you say as you turn to try and reach for a jar of ointment in the cabinet behind you. Although San is quick to stop you as he grabs the wrist of the hand you had rested on the siren's chest to check his heartbeat.

“Listen I don’t know who you are, but you need to tell me what the fuck-AH!” San’s words are stopped by a sharp wince as he suddenly lets go of your wrist, clutching his arm as he looks at the back of his shoulder. Behind him in the doorway you see your best friend standing with her arm outstretched as she’s just thrown a knife into his shoulder blade.“You wolves couldn't act fast enough to stop your little friend here from grabbing [M/n]?” Lisa asks as she walks over. San tries to pull out the knife but you quickly stop him, “Don’t do that, that knife’s specifically designed to hurt anyone except for Lisa. Mingi go get another one of your friends to help San” you say and Mingi complies, despite the unease in his eyes and the questions you can feel lingering on his lips, he walks back out the room. “San you sit down on that chair over there” you point to a chair in the corner of the room “Lisa help him” she clicks her tongue before looking at you as if asking why “You’re the only one that can touch the knife, you know where the ointment is, Yunho help her I don’t think San would be to keen on letting her touch him” you order and Yunho nods, his mouth closed and it seems even he hasn’t processed whats been happening. 

Mingi comes down with another male behind him, this one with short dark hair, “Fire elemental yeah? What’s your name?” you ask him as you get out jars of paste from your cabinets. “Uhm uh yeah Wooyoung what’s going on with San” his eyes instinctively flicker to his friend and you can see the panic in his eyes, “hey don't focus on him, focus on me I need your help with your friend.” Wooyoung's head snaps between the two of his friends before he sees San nod at him and he walks up to the table as you hand him a jar. “Here, smear this into his chest” you say as you start inspecting the siren on your table. “When was the last time he swam- in fresh water specifically” You ask Wooyoung. “Uhm I'm not sure? A few months ago maybe? He and Jongho- a saltwater siren, swam in the Night sea before we came here but he hasn’t been in the water since and then he got sick so we don’t know what to do” Wooyoung's words flow out a mile a minute as he starts rubbing the clear ointment on Yeosangs chest. 

“Tell me what you’re doing to him” San speaks from the corner of the room between pained hisses. “Okay you see this?” you point to the open gills of the Siren before you, “Usually sirens' gills only form when they’re underwater, his gills being open, basically gasping for air means he cant breath. Freshwater Sirens are much more sensitive than saltwater ones, they need more water intake and too much salt water can also dry out their skin. I've seen it before one or two times in my lifetime, he’s dehydrated, see how he’s molting and his chapped lips?” Wooyoung's nod’s. “So you know how to help him then?” San asks as he’s being wrapped in a bandage by Yunho, Lisa now standing in the other corner of the room as she cleans her dagger. 

“Yeah, yeah I know how, Lisa, would you get me the towels please?” you respond as you wrap your hands around Yeosangs neck, covering his gills as Lisa walks up the stairs of the room into your home. Seeing your actions, San tries to storm up from his chair but is held back by Yunho as Mingi’s voice aggressively tells him to sit.”What are you doing?! You just said his gills are how he breathes?! Wooyoung stop him!” San shouts as he’s struggling against Yunho's hold, Wooyoung tries to reach for your hands but is yanked back by Mingi “I told you not to touch him” his voice is borderline possessive but you can't bring yourself to focus on that now. “The ointment Wooyoung rubbed on his chest helped open up his lungs, I'm closing his gills to ensure he'll breathe out of his mouth.” you say and before they can respond the siren lets out a gasp as his breathing becomes a bit more stable, now from his mouth and nose.

“Alright I have to take him out to the water, you can follow but don’t interrupt okay?” You look at the four men in front of you, three nod as San stays silent. You pick Yeosang up bridal-style and Mingi lets out a noise of protest but stays mostly silent. You walk up the stairs careful not to move the siren in your hold too much. As you walk out of your home and feel the cold breeze hit you for the second time that night, the siren in your hold wines at the temperature drop. You nod your head in acknowledgement at the three other males standing outside, looking worried to all hell, as you continue walking to the stream that flows outside your house only a few miles away.

You feel the seven men following you, some fussing over San as they walk, Mingi and Yunho leading them, Lisa follows with towels in hand. As you reach the edge of the stream you look back at the men, “Don’t interrupt yeah? You might not understand what's happening but interfering will only hurt him” you look back at the water. The men behind you all seem apprehensive but comply to your orders, San only because he’s still being held back by Yunho. The clearing is deathly silent as you start walking into the river, despite the cold of the water you don’t flinch. 

As you work and the others watch you, Hongjoongs turns to Mingi, “I thought you said he was human?” he whispers slightly, “I thought he was” Mingi responds, mouth almost agape in awe at your actions. “Then why does his right eye look like that of a banshee? Don't tell me you didn't realize” Hongjoong whispers again, this time Mingi is silent as he hears his leader's revelation. He’s always been curious about your white eye, the intricate markings almost like shattered glass, sometimes even wondering if you were blind in it, but he’d never had the gall to ask.

You let out a whistle as you stand in the water. It reaches your chest as you hold Yeosang, letting him practically float in the freshwater, his whole body, except for his face covered by the usual clear stream that's now blurred by the night's darkness. “Amphitrite, darling I need your help” you call out softly, in the same voice you’d speak to Mingi in when he fell asleep on your shoulder, the voice you'd speak to Yunho in when he came to you teary eyed and in need of comfort. A moment of confusion passes before the water starts swirling around you. The hair you’ve loosely tied has now fallen, cascading down your shoulders like a waterfall as the ends drift in the river. The water around you and the siren starts turning a bright blue, almost blinding. Once again San tries to lurch forward but is held back by Hongjoong, “He said not to interrupt” the leader states, despite his own confusion he is smart enough to know not to mess with the trails of a Banshee. 

From the side of the river, the side filled with forest trees so dark the others can’t see past the line that separates the land they currently stand on with the territory named Forest night, emerges a  large horse. Not a normal one. The horse seems sickly, almost dark and boney, barely a horse at all as its seaweed-like mane sways lightly in the wind, dripping wet despite the fact that the horse has just come out of the dry forest. The horse- the kelpie’s soulless eyes stare into the 7 men standing on the other side of the river. The way it’s flesh is ripped from the sides of its snout revealing it’s horrific teeth is a picture painted from nightmares of the sickests minds. Its bones crack with every step and the dark shadows around it lash out as whispers follow.

It steps into the water and the liquid seems to be drawn to it. The water crawls up its legs and takes its form, molding with the bloody bones and dark shadows so well, to the point that if you didn’t look too closely the horse would seem normal, beautiful even. No ripped flesh or greasy hair, no teeth are shown from its snout  because its skin has no tear. The kelpie is big and dark, looking like a noble steed fit for a true royal, yet it walks over to you so slow and soft that it's clear where its loyalties lie. The kelpie goes silent, no whisper or lashing of shadows as it bows to you. The animal who is known to bring death to many sends a horrid thought through San’s mind. They had just given Yeosang, to the nightmarish stallion, on a silver platter. Instead of the creature luring Yeosang to death, it was his own pack who handed him to the ominous shadows of death looming above the glowing river of life. 

You reach out a hand to pet its snout, “Amphritre darling, could you help this young siren for me?” you ask softly, stroking the kelpie, it seems to look down for a moment, makes a noise of dismay before you speak again, “Please?” you ask, removing your hand from its snout and gripping your necklace, the kelpie looks at the stone in your hand and relaxes as you reach back up to pet it once more. 

It retracts its snout from your hold before looking down at Yeosang, sniffing his hair slightly before bringing a hoof out of the water, time seems to slow down as the horse slaps its hoof down on Yeosangs chest before it dissolves into the water, as if it was never there. Its former dark hair and pale bones now blending in with the bubbling waters as Yeosang gasps again, his body lurching forward as his eyes fly open. He coughs up water as you gently rub his back, your other arm. still supporting him as he’s basically sitting on it.  “It’s okay, It’s okay” you whisper softly, unaware of how both Mingi and Yunho’s eyes are locked on you. 

The way your hair reflects the moonlight, glowing bright as it drifts on the water behind your back, the way your white shirt- now wet and clear sticks to your skin, the way your voice dips low as you whisper to Yeosang, despite it being barely audible to those standing on the ground, it sends shivers down their spine. Makes Mingi’s stomach churn with heat and Yunho’s chest rumble with jealousy. Everyone else is focusing on the now conscious Yeosang, but they’re focusing on you.

As Yeosang’s coughing fit stops he looks up at you, eyes lidded and foggy and then he gives you a lazy smile, “My pearl, I’ve found you, my pearl, my pearl”  Yeosang chant’s out softly like a mantra, his hand reaches for your cheek and just before he could place it on your skin, you tap his forehead, causing him to drop back down, now in a deep sleep as he practically snuggles into your hold. Your breath hitches at his words and your eyes lock with Hongjoong and Seonghwa, whose own had widened significantly, but you try not to react too much as you look down for a moment to ensure he’s sleeping before you start to step out as the water around you calms down, going back to its original dark state, only light being from the reflection of the moon.

“What- how-” Mingi’s splutters of confusion are ignored as the salt water siren rushes forward, frantically looking Yeosang up and down, trying to take him from your hold. The siren in your arms, despite his sleepy state, refuses as he makes a noise of protest. You nod your head at Lisa as she hands you a towel before handing another to the saltwater siren. “What’s your name, little one?” she asks him gently, her voice not even close to the malicious tone she had held earlier when speaking to San, “Jongho” the saltwater Siren states. “Alright Jongho, you’re gonna need to help me transfer your friend here from [M/n]’s arms. Can you sit down for me? Hold your hands open with the towel, be ready to take him” she instructs gently, Jongho does as told, you follow shortly after, sitting down on your knees, the action causing your wet pants to flex against your thighs, which immediately draw’s Yunho’s attention.

“What’s this one's name?” you ask Jongho softly, referring to the man in your arms, “Yeosang” the shifter that stands beside Mingi speaks. He seems regal in a sense, and you can sense a connection of sorts to him… he must be a creature that inhabits water, you hum in acknowledgment at his answer before looking down at the boy in your arms. “Alright Yeosang can you hear me?” You speak, gently using one of your hands that's not holding him against you to move the wet hair out of his face, the siren makes a noise of acknowledgement but doesn't open his eyes. “I'm going to need you to let go of me okay? We need to dry you off lest you get sick” you utter and your voice flows over the clearing, despite your gentle tone, the low rumble of your words seems to keep everyone around you quiet. The siren makes another noise of disagreement and you can sense the starting agitation of the wolves standing a bit to your right.

“Come on, if you do this for me I’ll be here when you wake up okay? Just go into the arms of your brother." Finally Yeosang complies at your words as he relaxes the arms that were wrapped around your neck, you hand him to Jongho who instantly wraps him in the blanket and gently tries to dry him as Wooyoung and San flock to his side. You stand up and start gently drying yourself, Lisa helping you with your long hair as you look at the others. “You need to get him home for now, the water may have helped him but the measures i've used will ensure he’ll be very cold, I’d suggest keeping Wooyoung close to him to warm him up, I’m not sure how long you guys will be here, so he can come swim in the river if he feels his hydration levels get too low, just let me know first.” You speak to the group, mostly the two reptilian shifters given they seem to hold the most authority among the group.

“Wait- what how did you-” Mingi walks closer as he starts questioning what just happened, despite his confusion and search for answers his eyes are stuck on your chest as your shirt sticks to it and the necklace he’s never seen you without dangles from your neck. “Isn't it obvious? Thought those two would have figured it out already” you nod to the two shifters again before pointing to your eye, the one that's white and void, filled with little gray lines. “The eye’s of a Banshee.” The shorter one states, “Although I haven't heard of one being alive in a while, the last known one was when the war ended.”  the white haired one follows.

“I like keeping quiet, nothing good comes of my kind being known. You must understand that” you say, voice monotone as the two nod. “I’m Kim Hongjoong, this is my right hand Park Seonghwa. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, we have heard quite a lot” Hongjoong says as he nods his head at you. “Thank you for saving Yeosang, truly we didn’t know what to do.” Seonghwa does the same as Hongjoong as he nods his head. 

“Hm, It’s no problem, although I must say not everyday the King of Aurora comes to my home.” You say as you look at Hongjoong, his face is stoic but you see the slight widening of his eyes that shows his shock. “What? You think just because we’re an isolated island that we don’t keep up with what happens in other regions?” you ask half sarcastically, Wooyoung who’s listening into the conversation makes a small shrug of “yeah”. You chuckle slightly and the sound is like music to Mingi and Yunho’s ears in this tense atmosphere. “I think you guys should go home yeah? He needs rest” you nod over to the sleeping Yeosang.

 Seonghwa steps forward for a moment, “He’ll ask about you, you know that right? Not everyday a  fresh water siren finds their pearl” you nod your head in understanding as you cross your arms, the others make faces of confusion but don't interrupt “Yes I understand that, but right now rest is more important to him.” You say and Hongjoong nods, “We do still need to talk” he motions for the others to start gathering around as his eyes are focused on you.

 “Hm, I guess I understand, a King worried about a man of his pack” you hum, not noticing the slight flinch as you refer to him as ‘King’, “There's a tavern a little bit into town, called Moonlight, I’ll meet you there tomorrow to talk, you can come anytime. Although not everyone can come, I'm not sure my pack would appreciate being ambushed by yours” Hongjoong nods at your words as he turns around to signal the rest to leave, but Mingi instantly lurches forward.

“Hey woah no I’m not leaving, since when were you a Banshee? Wait, no that's stupid, why didn’t you tell me? Why didn't you tell us?” There are tears lingering in his eyes as he asks you pleadingly, his pupils wide and glossy. He searches your face for an answer as his hands grip your arms desperately. “Why didn't you tell me you were wolves? Shifters from the Walkam bloodline no less” you don’t mean to seem as cold as you do, but your words send a chill down the wolves spine, one colder than the night sky you’re currently standing under.

“We were scared..” Yunho whispers as he moves closer to both you and Mingi. The others look at the scene unfolding before them and they feel as if they’ve invaded something they shouldn’t have, but they can’t look away. The way the moon is shining on you three is simply mesmerizing, as if she’s capturing the moment in her memory. “And so was I. You must know being a Banshee is not safe, for me nor for you. Some things are better kept unsaid.” You place a hand on each of their cheeks as their faces nuzzle into your skin, warm flushed against your cold hands. “But we weren’t- that's not what we were scared of I- '' Mingi's words are cut off by Lisa, who's standing with the others.

“Loverboy, I don’t think this is the place for your confession okay? Besides [Name] is tired, that ritual takes a lot out of him” she says as she shifts her weight to one hip, she seems a little annoyed to the others but you can see the bit of sympathy in her eyes. The scene seems almost familiar to her but she pushes the feeling away. Mingi turns his head to her and opens his mouth to protest but he’s stopped by you talking instead. “She’s right Mingi, you need to go home, Yeosang needs to rest, I need to rest.” You tell him softly. “But we have to talk” Yunho’s disheartened voice reaches your ears. “Tomorrow is Friday, right? We always meet on friday nights, why would tomorrow be any different? We can talk then, I'll give you all the answers I can then.” your thumb strokes his cheek gently before you retract your hands. Both wolves whine at the loss of your touch but they don't talk back at your words. They listen intently like worshipers would their deity.

“Promise?” they ask in unison, Mingi’s eyes glisten with unshed tears as Yunho’s does with hope. “When have I ever backed out of our Friday night meetings? Why would I skip the chance to see you now meae carissimae lupi” the familiar name rolls off your tongue in a language that makes Hongjoongs eyes widen slightly, but he doesn’t comment on it, not in such a fragile atmosphere. Both Mingi and Yunho’s eyes flash with confusion yet fondness, you’ve never told them what the name meant, but they both hold the familiarity of the way your voice vibrates when you refer to them with it dear. “Now I believe you need to help get your brother home hm?” You nod your head to Yeosang who's still in Jongho’s arms. Yunho is the first to start retreating, but Mingi is hesitant to do the same, instead he sends one final glance to his pack. His eyes lock with Yunho, and then his gaze lingers on Yeosang for just a moment longer than a normal look should, before he hugs you, tightly. Not caring for the wetness of your clothes, or the coldness of your skin, he hugs you like his life depends on it, and were you any weaker it would have hurt.

 He rests his nose in your neck, inhaling your scent as if he’s engraving it in his memory. Your hand automatically rests itself on his head, gently scratching his scalp to try and soothe him from what you believe to be the feelings of his sick brother now crashing down on him. Unbeknownst to you, the action solidifies something, adds oxygen to his lungs, to the fire in his very being that's alight for you. 

“Mingi..” Hongjoong calls in warning as he sees Lisa’s gaze. Hongjoong doesn’t want to intrude longer than he already has, the suspicions he and Seonghwa currently hold make him weary of your company, despite the kind gesture you had just done for them. Mingi growls, it’s low, not like any sound they’ve ever heard from him, seems to reverberate from his chest like a demon roaring in a cave, and not that of a normal wolf. Although he lets go, and so no one pays it any mind, all of them having too much to process tonight already, Mingi’s more primal than usual rumble being the last of their worries. 

Mingi looks at your face as he lets go of you, leans in and kisses your nose as he cups your cheeks before he turns away and starts walking, not looking at any of his pack members. You stand in shock as you watch his retreating figure, feeling the tingle of his lips on your skin linger. Yunho spares you a glance of longing before going after Mingi, and the otters hang around unsure whether they should stay or go.

 “[Name] will meet you at the tavern tomorrow, King. You all should go before I stick another knife in one of you”  Lisa says as she assesses the situation at hand, her eyes travel to San as he grits his teeth, shoulders tensing as he seemingly readies himself to jump at her, but he’s stopped by Wooyoung holding his arm. “Yeah we’ll go Ma’am, no need to dagger any of us” he tugs San to follow, the blond making a confused noise at Wooyoung's sudden honorifics for the female. Jongho whose feet have already begun moving the moment Lisa’s first sentence left her mouth.

Now the only people left in the clearing, it’s you, Lisa, Seonghwa and Hongjoong. “You speak the ancient language?” Seonghwa asks, “I was taught at a young age, just as you probably were, lost dragon of Twilight” Seonghwa’s breath hitches at your response, eyes widening as he immediately opens his mouth to respond, yet Hongjoong interrupts him, “Seonghwa, we will go.” Hongjoong who’s been analyzing both you and Lisa makes his decision final as he starts walking, Seonghwa quickly following his leader but still spluttering in confusion. His regal mask seemingly breaking the moment you showed an inkling of knowledge.

Once the two have passed the treeline and are out of your sight, you let out a breath of relief and Lisa immediately moves to your side to support you as your legs give in for a moment. She gives you a second to stabilize yourself before you both move back into your home, you immediately sit on a stool by your kitchen counter as she locks the door. Your head rests in your hands as you hear Lisa rustle around in your kitchen. “Drink”, she says, before placing a glass of water in front of you as she sits down herself.

 You take the glass and chug it as she starts speaking, “Tea-moo won’t like this you know” she plays with her dagger as she speaks, the tip of the blade chipping a hole into the paint of the counter top as she spins it under her finger. “Tea-moo has a wife to worry about, and stop it with the blade you’re going to ruin another counter top” you swat her hand playfully to stop her, she huffs and drops the dagger. “She won’t like this either” Lisa gives you a knowing look as she stands back up, now looking through your cupboards. “Just for different reasons” you sigh as she turns around, a jar of salve in her hands.

She walks over to you as you turn in your chair to face her, with her help you remove your shirt as she opens the jar, your muscle’s ache with the strain you’ve put on them tonight, clearly not having used your magic for a long time has an effect on you. Looking down you see the lightning-like scars that litter your torso and crawl all the way to your back. You're just lucky the transparency of your white shirt didn’t expose the usually light pink marks that litter your skin tonight, but now they’re glowing a faint blue. It’s not painful by any means, but still the reminder that it can be excruciating when not treated haunts you. You shake your head to distract yourself as Lisa starts lightly applying the balm along the lines of your healed wounds. It’s become a calming ritual for her, applying the salve on the long forgotten wounds that only re appear when you use your magic. It’s as if the light inside you tries to escape, and Lisa tries her hardest to keep it inside. Lest she fail again. Applying the salve to watch the marks almost completely disappear is the only thing that can help her rest easy after you've used magic such as what you used tonight.

“Vampires are territorial creatures, they are most like wolves in that way” she muses as she continues your previous conversation, “Don’t let them hear you say that” you try and lighten the mood, and under any other circumstance it would have worked. “Tea- moo hearing me compare him to a wolf is not my concern. My concern; is him finding out his previous imprinted- and his wife's savior has been claimed by a Siren- a prince of Dune no less” Lisa’s gaze flickers to the orange stone hung around your neck before she  looks at you, you sigh and rub your eyes, already feeling the headache forming, “and why is that your concern?” you voice the question yet already know the answer. 

“That nation abandoned you, who's to say their prince wont do the same?” she slams the lid back on the jar of salve before she moves to put it away while you put on your shirt again. “What happened then had nothing to do with him Lisa, you know that. He does not know who I am and does not know I know who he is. Besides, I do not plan on reciprocating his bond. I've had enough dealing with Dune’s sirens to last me all my lifetimes.” you bring your necklace out from under your shirt as Lisa walks back to you, she takes the stone in her hand gently as it glows in response to her touch, you let her. 

She lets it drop back to your chest with a gentle jingle of the chain, “And the wolves? You’ve been awfully close to them this last year, and while the others may have been fine with it- having seen them tonight? Having heard the rumble in the angry one’s-""Mingi’s” you interrupt her,”Mingi’s chest” she nods her head, “that's something way more than just adoration for you…” she says, and this time you can’t reassure her in your hesitance to pursue anything like you could with the siren.

She nods her head in understanding, “Just be careful hm?” she pats your chest, “dealing with one supernatural bond is hard enough, having the prospect of three? It might not bode well with the others” You nod your head at her words because you know it’s true, but you can’t bring yourself to deny anything.

Because the last few months, this last year spent with Mingi and Yunho have brought back to you what you thought had been extinguished forever, but you’re scared of accepting the reality of what that means. Accepting reality means accepting them, and you fear you'll drown their fire if you do, just like you did before.

“Do you think it’s stupid of me to live in this delusion?” you ask quietly, fiddling with your necklace as it once again glows in response to you, your emotions. Lisa sighs, “I don’t think it’s stupid- I don’t think it's a delusion either, My little prince” she holds your face in her hands, using the tittle you've long since forgone. Lisa has always been with you, ever since you were a teen knowing nothing about life she had been one of the older flames who helped guide you. “If those wolves are what you desire, then you know i'll help you acquire them- I think they would come willingly” she jokes, and you huff out a laugh. “My desire means nothing in the face of their safety. I just, I like to think that If I was different, if I wasn't-” you stop your sentence, “I like to think that sometimes I could love someone the way you love her” you say. Lisa’s eyes fill with pain and she kisses your forehead, “You will, you'll find someone who loves you like that” ‘You already have’ she thinks but doesn't verbalize.

“Why are you always the one able to make me vulnerable?” you ask rhetorically, biting your cheek in an effort not to cry. Lisa’s warmth sometimes reminds you more of your mother than a sister. “I've been your guard since before you knew what love meant [M/N], if you didn't feel safe enough to be vulnerable with me I wouldn't be doing my job right” she bites back and pats your cheek before her hands leave your face. “You know you don't have to protect me right? I can do it myself” you muse, and she responds without a beat, “I don’t have too, I want to. Just because you're able to protect yourself doesn't mean you should. You protect the others, you protect your kids, so I protect you.”

You smile at her, and she’s reminded of another time, a younger you running between an army of soldiers, laughing as the big burly men in all black gaze with fondness at your little figure. The contrast of your soft white hair and clothing to their intimidating nature always drew a laugh from onlookers. Lisa remembers sitting next to her love as you played with the soldiers, she remembers a time your smile was innocent and not burdened with the pain and knowledge you now hold.

She hopes these wolves could bring back that smile.

Ateez masterlist | Navigation

Taglist [12 /30]: @foxilsdenn @zzstar @glitchyaiko @brrrkdslek @scarfac3 @xavi-in-kpopland @conwunder @venn-ie @dahbee8 @idkwhatto-namethis @seongsangssbitch @grapejellysollie

note: RAAHH IM SO EXCITED TO FINALLY RELEASE THIS, you have no idea how much I love this storyline guys :(( im taking a long time with it because i wnat it to be good!! I hope all my moonies enjoy this <3333 Please remember the reader does have specific characteristics visually (hair and eyes), wich WAS stated in the character introductions and are there for reasons so im asking nicely that everyone be respectfull about that <3 ANYWAY on a happier note I'm using a lot of foreshadowing for this series, so I want my moonies to interact with it a lot :) share with me your theories, parts of thd chapters that stand out to you, headcannons or thoughts you have :)) If your theory is correct I'll give you a lil spoiler on what will happen further in the story. I want to see how smart my moonies are and if they can pick up the crumbs I leave for them- remember no piece of information is given if it won't be used😘

copyright | 2024 | @asherthehimbo

[kidrauhlschik]

Let The World Burn. - I.N.

1. The New King and Queen

-

-

In the end, he managed to forget that a king is nothing without his queen.

-

~

Part 2 will be linked in the master list above!

Pairings: Jeongin x Reader (and some love triangles among the way.) enemies to lovers, royalty au!

Warnings: ANGST, implied smut, war, aggression, anxiety, depression, death, please let me know if i miss anything... (this was heavily inspired by the song “Let the world burn” by Chris Grey.

Word Count: 3.5k

~

You had your destiny planned out for you since before you were born. While your mother, the queen of Eldoria, still carried you, your father, alongside the King of Rexerum, forged an alliance between their two kingdoms.

The Queen and King of Rexerum were a powerful pair, ruling their realm with vigor and passion, in slight contrast to your parents, who led their kingdom with kindness and a deep sense of unity. Rexerum was one of the strongest kingdoms of its time, invincible and unwavering. An alliance among the two kingdoms was deemed to be the best strategic decision of the millenium.

When Prince Yang Jeongin was just a year old and you were still in the womb, both kingdoms decided to unite. Once the King of Rexerum passed, it was decreed that the two of you, once of age, would marry and lead both nations to greatness.

You had always known of this, at only six years old, you received the first letter from you betrothed.

"Hello, I am Jeongin. I am looking forward to a happy future with you." Though brief and simple, the letter was deeply meaningful to a six year old's heart. To you, it felt like a fairytale coming to life. What young girl doesn’t dream of her Prince Charming?

At the age of ten, you received a gift from the prince. A locket with a letter. "Hold on to this locket, and one day you will place a petal from your wedding bouquet inside." You wore that necklace every day after you received it.

At the age of sixteen you finally knew what your future husband looked like. You received a painting that took months to arrive to your homeland. He was very attractive, with fox-like features, sharp eyes, and a cheshire smile. He looked full of life and kind, almost like a dream to your sheltered eyes.

When you turned nineteen, you finally received the final letter. It was from Jeongin, announcing that his father passed away due to an unexpected illness. He didn't explain much aside from the fact that his father was bedridden for weeks before he finally succumbed to a sickness that you couldn't quite understand. The last words of the letter being, "See you soon, my love."

Despite the dire circumstances, you couldn't help but feel excitement. A queen of a country and a bride on the same day seemed overwhelming but very exciting to you. The roses that sat in every corner of your room seemed brighter all of the sudden, like it was their own farewell to you.

Being sheltered from the world, due to your parents putting everything on the alliance, you were not allowed to leave the castle unless it was absolutely necessary. Only learning the world through stories and teachings. As much as you mourned you father-in-law-to-be, it meant the start of your new life.

Your mother, in her stunning blue and black dress, bid you farewell in tears, wishing you the best and telling you that if everything goes well, this would be the last time you'd see her, because after your boat sailed, your duties as princess of Eldoria, would be nothing in comparison to your rights as the queen of Rexerum. Her crown shined under the sun, made from pure silver, and decorated by sapphires and diamonds, so intricate and delicate, it made you wonder what the crown you would wear in Rexerum would look like.

Your father told you to be strong, he was never a man of affection, but he held you close and whispered, "Be careful my daughter." Before you left your homeland and parents.

On the sail to Rexerum, you held on to your locket that still sat around your neck. Nervous and anxious, but at least you knew that Jeongin would be waiting for you at the end of the road. You loved him, despite never meeting him, but maybe you were living in a fairytale that you never wanted to reach the end of.

The ship took four days to arrive to Rexerum, the only person that kept you company was your advisor and best friend Lee Felix, who kept your spirits up anytime you felt hopeless or homesick. He was your rock. "You are going to be an amazing queen your highness." Was his go-to phrase, as you rolled your eyes at the term, 'your highness.' He was your best friend, and you've told him that the formalities could be dropped behind closed doors, but at this point, he was saying such things with no purpose but to get under your skin.

When you finally arrived to the foreign kingdom, a crowd awaited you. The citizens of this new country, welcomed you with open arms, all hoping to catch a glimpse of their queen-to-be.

The man that held his arm out to you at the dock was not your future husband, much to your disappointment. You understood why Jeonjin couldn't be there though. His father had just passed, and now he was preoccupied with the arrangements of the wedding and coronations of the both of you. He is a king afterall now, is what you told yourself.

The horses leading your carriege couldn't be any slower. You were practically shaking with anxiety and excitement to finally fulfill what you were born to do.

However, when you finally arrived to the castle, you were caught off guard. You were raised in a palace full of light, flowers surrounded every wall, your followers would come and go as they pleased in order to meet the royal family, the air was happy and free. You couldn't help but notice the stark differences in your new home, surrounded by soldiers and walls. The castle seemed gloomy and even the servants would keep their head down and wouldn't dare to make eye contact with you.

It caught you off guard when you were lead through the back entrance by soldiers who only addressed you as, "My grace."

They led you to a room on the third floor in the place, the room a bit bigger than your old one at home.

"Your belongings will arrive shortly my grace, please make yourself comfortable and enjoy your stay," The guard still wouldn't make eye-contact with you, which made you slightly uncomfortable because you were raised with the belief that every person in your country is your family. You stand for the people and someone not seeing you as such, is very out of your comfort zone.

A day went by, and you still hadn't met your husband-to-be.

"It feels stuffy in here." Felix said, as he opened the windows of your new bedroom.

"I'm sure this is just a spare room, once I move to Jeongin's room, it'll be better." You said as your new ladies prepared your wedding dress. A white, flowy dress with loose sleeves, and beautiful embroidery awaited you. One of your ladies, Rose, if you remembered correctly, was putting your hair up with a flower shaped clip. She didn't say much, aside from agreences.

"I hope so, because this place feels depressing." Felix looked at your reflection on the mirror as you sighed out loud. "I know, but maybe the prince is preparing something special." Rose's movements halted for a second at your words, you only realized because of the eye contact she made with you through the mirror before focusing on you hair again. She seemed worried or maybe hesitant, but then again, this was a huge shift in the kingdom so it was expected.

That night is when you were to walk down the aisle, yet you couldn't help but adore this new sense of freedom you received. No longer under your parents rule, but under your own. The servants wouldn't say much to you aside from telling you about your itinerary. Lunch with the queen, dressing ceremony, walking down the aisle, consummation, and living the rest of your life with the King.

You woke up the morning of your wedding feeling a sense of wonder, your luncheon dress was ready, sky blue, long, and made from silk, was prepared for your meeting with the queen, but since your anxiety wouldn't let you rest prior to the lunch, you decided to wonder the garden.

The garden was the only place that reminded you of home. Roses and daisies surrounded the area. Wisteria flowers decorated the fences and walls. The place felt serene and free in comparison to the gray walls that surrounded the palace.

That morning, you took advantage of your new found freedom and asked Felix to accompany you in search for your wedding bouquet.

You roamed around the pond on the west side of the palace, finding red and white flowers to build your wedding bouquet. Felix made you a flower crown, made from peonies and jasmines, as you hopped around the area boasting about your future filled with excitement.

Felix feigned happiness, although he wished that in another world, another life, his status would be higher, or yours lower, so he could maybe, possibly dream of a world that you would see him as more than a friend or advisor. He was happy for you nevertheless.

You were unaware that through a window on the fourth floor of the palace, your future husband was observing you. "Foolish." He whispered under his breath as the arms of his beloved enveloped him from behind in a warm embrace.

"Let her be." Rose said as she graced her lips against his neck, his body craved her warmth and chased her as she pulled away.

"I don't want to. I don't know her. I have never spoken with her. I do not understand why my parents would tie me down to someone that they didn't even know. What if her intentions are misconstructed?" Jeongin turned to Rose, who was merely covered by his robe.

"Innie, you're a king, your ties are more than trust, they are for the good of our country." Rose was always so good to him, so understanding.

"If I am the king, why can I not choose my queen? I would choose you a million times over in a heartbeat my love." He approached her as she sat on the bed.

"You know it's harder than that my love." She leaned back as Jeongin hovered over her, "Can we at least be together one more time before this afternoon?" He asked as his hands roamed her body, his hands traced her waist, her hips, and until they finally landed on her thighs, pulling one of her legs around him, "I just want to feel you again." He whispered into her ear as he pulled the robe back and felt his lover crumble with his every move.

-

You held you self-made bouquet with pride. You looked beautiful, all in preparation to meet your husband. You stood behind the doors of the coronation room. The ceremony was smaller than you expected, more a formality than anything. In your country, wedding was a celebration, a birth of a new family, a new root in a never ending garden. This was different so far, after being in Rexerum for two days, you began to notice the differences. The lines between royalty and common folk were very clear in your new nation.

Nevertheless, you waited for the priest to announce your arrival.

Once he uttered the words, "And now we welcome the princess of Eldoria and the new queen of Rexerum to our country,-" Guards opened the grand doors, and you began walking down the aisle.

Despite your nervousness, you managed to look in Jeongins direction. He was looking down, almost seeming avoidant.

When you reached the end of the aisle, you tried to offer him a smile, but he was avoiding your gaze with everything he had in him. Once you reached his side, the two of you looked forward as the priest continued the ceremony.

Eventually, he made the two of you turn to each other for the vows, once Jeongin finally made eye contact with you, he couldn’t lie to himself. You were beautiful, your eyes had a light in them that he had only seen once, in the eyes of his lover. A face so innocent, that anything could break the wonder. Your dress was beautifully embroidered to represent your old country, flowers laced the fabric so subtly. A flower crown sat on top of your head so delicately, made for you by the hands of someone that loved you so well.

Yet he couldn’t help himself but to look at you with resentment, no emotion behind his brown eyes, his jaw locked and stiff, he was looking down at you and all of the sudden you felt small beneath his gaze.

You are a princess and a queen-to-be, feeling small was something you weren’t used to. Yet, beneath the king of Rexerum, you felt like nothing but a peasant. The man you built in your delusions was not present in your wedding.

"I stand before you, as the king of the great country of Rexerum, bound by duty. I vow to honor this union. May we find harmony in our shared path. I, King Yang Jeongin, take you, YN LN, to be my wife. I offer you my crown, my kingdom, my protection, my name, and my duty. I promise to fulfill the obligations of this union, as dictated by tradition, and to honor our commitment in the eyes of our realm. May our paths intertwine until…” he takes a deep breath, “until the end of our days." After his vows, he slips a ring so shiny that it could blind you, onto the ring finger on your left hand.

After hearing his vows and reading the room, you felt truly out of place. Nervousness seeps into your bones, a feeling you’d never felt before. With a shaky breath, you let your eyes wonder Jeongin's surroundings. You spot his mother, Queen Dowager, standing off to the side, poised and proper as all queens should be.

You try to calm yourself to keep face, but then you spot your advisor, Felix, he looks somber, almost as if he could read your thoughts. He gives you a small nod of encouragement, so you force yourself to collect your thoughts and turn back to your husband-to-be, and put all of your royal training and preparations to utter the next words.

"I, YN LN, humbly accept the honor of becoming your queen. With reverence for the history and the future of our kingdom, I vow to stand by your side in prosperity and adversity. I promise to carry the mantle of royalty with dignity and grace, to support you in your reign, and to cherish our realm and its people. May our union illuminate the shadows and strengthen our bond as we journey through life together, as partners and sovereigns." The shortened version of your vows is all you could muster. Of course this is an arranged marriage, but you thought that he at least cared about you. He was the one that had been writing you letters for so long, you wondered if the same man that stood before you was remotely the same person you imagined at all.

Once you slipped the ring on his finger, the two of you turn back to the priest and get on your knees.

"May the blessings of the divine rest upon this union of hearts and kingdoms. As you, King Jeongin, and you, Queen YN, embark on this journey together, may your love be steadfast and your commitment unwavering. May wisdom guide your decisions, compassion soften your hearts, and unity strengthen your reign. Let peace reign within your palace and prosperity within your lands. May your union be a beacon of hope and inspiration to all. In the presence of all who witness, I pronounce you King and Queen, bound in sacred matrimony. May your days be filled with joy, and may your love endure for all time." As the priest finished his speech, you felt someone take off the flower crown felix had made you and replace it with a weight on the top of your head. A golden crown embellished with rubies and pearls sits on the top of your head, almost the opposite of the silver crown that decorated your mother’s head on the day of your departure.

The guests stand and clapped for their new rulers. Everyone of them bowing as you and Jeongin made your way out of the room. The second you step through the doors, Jeongin leaves your side, walking down the other side of the hallway.

"Hey!" You call out before your mind catches up with you. He halts in his steps and doesn't even bother to turn around to look at you. You're not even sure why you called out to him. It's foolish.

"What's going on? Have I misunderstood this union? Why are you upset?" With that, he turns around, unmoving from his spot.

"I am upset because my life was dictated for me before I could speak. This union is for convenience. Do not think of it as more than that." With those words he continues to walk down the hallway, indifferent, leaving you confused and distraught.

He leaves you with your thoughts, he was a man that you didn't know. Your husband, a man that had a whole life before you, and apparently wasn't willing to share his story. You begin to wonder if those letters you received were written by him in the first place.

When the time for the consummation ceremony came, you were scared and nervous. Being a virgin and unaware made you feel small among all of the things that were belittling you on the same day. You did not feel like a queen. You felt as if the world was shaking beneath you. Too fast and too big, the world is unforgiving, and you are coming to learn that very quick.

The night, began before you could collect your thoughts. After being led back in to your room, you were rushed into taking off your dress for a much simpler attire, just covered by a robe, delicate and embroidered, you were lead to a room that had sheer curtains surrounding it. You knew that there were numerous people surrounding you. A priest, the court, and the royal family were all observing you, alone.

Your nerves were off the roof. You felt uncomfortable, anxious and scared. How could you feel okay, surrounded by strangers observing you? As you let your your skin rise and your body tense up, you heard a sound, a distant door.

Before long, Jeongin came through the door of the open bedroom. You backed away from where you were standing out of caution.

He held his hands out and kept his face serene. "I am sorry about earlier, but this is our duty as rulers." He said as he approached you. You knew better. He meant well, so you allowed his approaches to continue, unmoving.

As he sat face-to-face with you, you began to really see him. Not in a painting, or in a story. You saw the human being you were intended to marry before you were born.

His sharp features seemed much softer up close. His eyes were soft, admiring, and glowing. When he put his hands around your waist, he was careful, almost as if he could break you.

"You are my queen. Only me and you matter at this moment." He said as he softly held your face with his left hand so you couldn't look at the crowd, forcing you to only focus on him.

With his right hand, he pushed the silk of your robe back, holding your waist. He guided your face towards his own, staring into your eyes. This is the Jeongin you always imagined, and he was finally there for you.

He noticed your hesitation and fear by your shaky form. He pulled your body towards him. His warmth felt strange as you had never been close to someone before then. His sharp gaze softened. His cheshire smile became soft and tame. He felt safe, and even though the safety was only fleeting, you held on to it at the moment.

"It's okay." He whispered as the both of you were inches apart.

You took the initiative and moved forward, grazing his lips. He made the final move and locked his lips with yours. The kiss was soft, as if he was aware to be gentle with you. His touches were gentle and careful. He made you feel safe.

He backed you up to the bed, and hovered over you. His hand reached the strap of your nightgown before he paused, "May I?" You managed to nod despite being flustered. He lowered the gown and once you were exposed, he took you in.

He appreciated every part of you and kissed everywhere he could. He made the consummation feel easy. Although you were uncomfortable at first, Jeongin pulled every stop to make sure you were always comfortable and under pleasure.

The experience made you confused.

After being so gentle with you, he had to care for you. Right?

~

A/N: This was supposed the be larger but I will break it into parts instead. Thank you for reading! I will make a taglist if enough people care lol

[thatdruidgal]

New Year's 2024 Grimoire Challenge!

Let's start off 2024 with a month-long grimoire challenge!

I know that I love to always gather new information for my grimoire, and so I wanted to share this challenge with you.

For the entire month of January, complete one of these activities every day in your grimoire. If you have already completed the question, expand on the information you already have!

There is a beginner level and an advanced level for witches of all stages. If you'd like to, post your responses to the questions here and tag it with #branwens grimoire challenge! I'd love to read all of the wonderful information you find, so tag me too, if you'd like.

Farewell and good tides!

January 2024 Grimoire Challenge

by Branwen (@thatdruidgal)

Plants - Beginner: What are the correspondences of five plants that grow in your local area? Advanced: Come up with a new combination of plants to burn in your next ritual.

Heritage - Beginner: Where do you come from? What types of magick did your ancestors possibly practice in their homeland? Advanced: What were common for your ancestors (eg. food, clothing, daily life)?

Practices - Beginner: What is the difference between closed and open practice? Are you permitted to learn about any closed practices? Advanced: What are 2 open practices that you don't follow? What are some similarities with your practice?

Energy - Beginner: What is energy work? How would you begin this practice? Advanced: What are the four energy types, and how can you connect to each one?

Water - Beginner: What are the uses of moon water? How can you make it? Advanced: How would adding moon water affect your favorite potion recipe?

Altars - Beginner: How could you represent each of the elements on your altar? Advanced: What colors are you not currently using in your altar? Which elements do those colors correspond with?

Salts - Beginner: What benefits do you get from moon salt? How do you make it? Advanced: Research cleansing salts and add the recipes to your grimoire.

Omens - Beginner: What are five ways to bring yourself good luck? Advanced: What are recurring signs you've noticed recently? What sort of message do they bring?

Animals - Beginner: What is an animal(s) that you have always felt a strong emotional bond with? What are their traits? Advanced: How has your spirit animal helped you in the past? How have you communicated with them?

Astrology - Beginner: What are the correspondences of the planets? Advanced: In what ways have you been affected by the planets recently? How can you better their influence in your life?

Crystals - Beginner: What are the correspondences of your 5 favorite crystals? Advanced: What other crystals could have improved your last spell? What are some of the substitutes that could have been used instead?

Cleansing - Beginner: What cleansing methods can you use for your crystals and tools? What methods can you NOT use for certain crystals or tools? Advanced: What crystals require extra cleansing? What crystals cleanse other items?

Recipes - Beginner: Find a recipe that helps you with a problem you've been experiencing recently. Advanced: Find a recipe for you to use during the next moon phase.

Spirits - Beginner: What are the five types of spirit guides? Advanced: How can you better connect to the spirits around you?

Motivation - Beginner: What are some easy witchy tasks that you can do when you have low energy/motivation? Advanced: What are easy-to-perform spells or rituals that help boost your energy? Are there any common ingredients? Create a new spell with these.

Divination - Beginner: What are 5 types of divination that you find interesting? Advanced: What type of divination have you used most often? How can you improve your practices by adding crystals/items?

Healing - Beginner: What plants are used in your favorite medicinal tea? What are their correspondences? Advanced: What is a local plant that has medicinal properties? How would you use these in a spell or potion? What other correspondences does this plant have?

Candles - Beginner: What is your favorite scent of candle? What correspondences does that scent have? Advanced: What colors of candles do you burn most often? How would burning a different color of candle affect your atmosphere or your next ritual?

Sigils - Beginner: What are active ways to activate a sigil? What are passive ways? Advanced: What symbols (eg. celtic knots) work as sigils? What are their uses?

Offerings - Beginner: What are suggested offerings for spirits during the next Sabat holiday? Advanced: What things do you normally offer the spirits as offering? What is their favorite offering?

Sabats - Beginner: What are the eight Sabats? Advanced: What are some of the correspondences of the Sabats? What rituals are best done during these times?

Plants - Beginner: What are the bloom times for your plants? Advanced: What other plants can you grow in your climate? What are their correspondences?

Recipes - Beginner: Find a recipe for a tea/potion you'd like to make. Advanced: Find a recipe for a Sabat-specific item.

Warding - Beginner: What are 3 easy ways to ward an area? Why would you want to do that? Advanced: What are ways to refresh your wards? What are ways of warding that you haven't tried yet?

Enchanting - Beginner: What is enchanting? Advanced: What are the easiest materials to enchant? What are the hardest? (eg. iron doesn't stick to magick)

Fae - Beginner: What are things you need to be wary of when interacting with Fae? Advanced: What are signs that Fae are near? Describe 5 different kinds of Fae.

Zodiac - Beginner: What are your zodiac signs? (sun, moon, ascendant, etc) Advanced: How do each of your zodiac signs affect you? What is another type of zodiac (eg. Chinese, Celtic), and what is your sign there?

Personal Beliefs - Beginner: State 5 things that you believe to be true about the universe. Advanced: What are your beliefs on creation? On karma? On dieties? On planes of existence? Be detailed.

Practices - Beginner: What are 5 different spells or rituals that you've been looking forward to try? What are the ingredients? Advanced: How did your last 5 spells go? Did you get the results that you wanted? How can you improve your practices in the future?

Types of witchcraft - Beginner: What are 10 different types of witchcraft? Which of those appeal the most to you? Advanced: What types of witchcraft do you not follow? Are there any that you haven't researched?

Crafts - Beginner: What is knot magick? What is something you could make with this magick? Advanced: How can you incorporate knot magick into your everyday life? (eg. doing hair, bed routine, fiddling)

[embermarke]

The Kareva sisters.

~I've been putting together an art book of Farewell My Homeland concepts created over the last few years, and currently working on some new additions to the collection~

[theroyalhouseofwindenburg]

A Realm Divided

In the months following Margaery’s passing, the winds of change swept through the realm. A ship from Tartosa arrived, sent to retrieve Empress Mary and Princess Augusta and bring them back to their homeland. As the day of departure drew near, the quay of Windenburg Harbor became a hub of activity, with crowds of people gathering to bid farewell. Servants bustled about, preparing the cargo for the voyage, while the air was thick with a mix of melancholy and anticipation.

Augusta, poised on the brink of departure, offered a soft smile, her eyes reflecting a hint of nostalgia. “Windenburg will always be a part of me. But my path leads elsewhere now,” she said, her voice laced with both resolve and a touch of sadness.

King Edward, his gaze burdened with concern, responded, “I worry about what lies ahead. This kingdom, this land, is ever on the brink of something unexpected.”

Augusta met his eyes, her tone gentle but firm. “You’ve always been cautious, Edward. It’s why you’re a good king. But remember, you can’t control everything. Sometimes, you have to let the tide carry you where it will.”

Edward nodded thoughtfully, the weight of her words sinking in. “I know. It’s just that with you gone, it feels like one more anchor is being lifted. Mary… she will need you in Tartosa. But I’ll miss having you near.”

Augusta reached out, her voice filled with affection. “And I will miss you, brother. But you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. Windenburg is in good hands.”

As the final words hung in the air, King Edward and Augusta embraced, the weight of their shared past and uncertain futures pressing close. Edward felt a pang of longing, but he was comforted by the warmth of his sister’s presence.

“We’ll meet again one day, won’t we?” Edward whispered, his voice tinged with both hope and reluctance.

Augusta smiled against his shoulder, holding him just a bit tighter. “Of course we will,” she replied softly, her words a quiet promise. “Nothing will keep us apart for long.”

In that moment, the world outside their embrace faded away, leaving only the solace they found in each other’s presence. As Augusta held her brother close, her smile lingered, a small yet unwavering beacon of the bond they would always share, no matter the distance.

Edward, Cordelia, and Prince Alvin stood on the beach, watching as the ship bearing Augusta and Mary slipped further from the shore. The vessel’s departure was more than just a farewell; it was a stark reminder of Edward’s pressing need to marry. With Augusta and Mary departing for Tartosa and Margaery now resting under Westsimster Abbey, his household had shrunk dramatically. The emptiness of the beach mirrored the hollow space left in his life, and Edward's thoughts turned grimly to the future. The necessity of finding a new companion to fill the void left by those he had lost weighed heavily on his mind.

As the years moved forward, Windenburg flourished under King Edward’s reign. The kingdom enjoyed a rare period of peace and prosperity, bolstered by strong alliances with Tartosa and Bagley. Edward’s reign saw a golden age of construction and growth. The city's skyline, once sparse, now boasted a profusion of buildings, homes, and churches, thanks to the kingdom’s immense wealth. Taxes were lowered, bringing contentment to the populace, who reveled in the stability and progress of their land.

The alliance with Bagley was fortified by mutual interests, and when Bagley Castle burned down in 1353, Edward generously supported the construction of Bagley Hall. The new royal residence was a marvel of architecture, surpassing its predecessor in grandeur and functionality. Within its walls, King Edward and King Henry of Bagley sealed their alliance with a treaty, their handshake marking the pact with both ceremony and finality.

Yet, as prosperity reigned throughout most of Windenburg, shadows loomed over Britechester Castle. In the spring of 1356, the death of Benedict, Duke of Britechester, cast a pall over the court. Princess Jane, now widowed for the second time, mourned her loss while preparing to face a new chapter. As the Chaplain’s prayers echoed through the halls, Benedict and Jane’s eldest son Richard, at just sixteen, grappled with the daunting responsibilities of his new title. The weight of leadership fell heavily on his young shoulders.

In the wake of Benedict’s death, Princess Jane and her youngest son, Robert, were conveyed to Windenburg Castle. Jane, enveloped in mourning black, felt as if the hand of fate was unrelenting in its cruelty. Her return to court was marked by a deep sense of foreboding Not long after, the court welcomed the Arnold family, returning after years of controversy surrounding Lady Dorthea’s death. Her younger brother, Philip, was bestowed the title of Count of Westfield in a grand public ceremony. Amid the festivities, Edward’s gaze was drawn to Adelaide, Philip’s eighteen year old granddaughter. Her striking beauty and spirited demeanor captivated him instantly.

As summer unfolded, Edward and Adelaide’s connection deepened. Their days were spent exploring the lush gardens of Windenburg Castle and riding horseback along moonlit shores. Their bond grew as they discovered shared passions and a profound emotional connection. For Edward, Adelaide became a beacon of joy and light, a match to his own soul in a world that had seen its share of darkness.

However, tranquility was soon shattered by turmoil in Bagley. In 1358, Lord Roderic Henford, once a trusted advisor to King Henry, ignited a rebellion against his sovereign. The insurrection, swift and brutal, caught Henry’s forces off guard, plunging the realm into chaos. Henford’s army executed surprise attacks on key positions, leaving widespread devastation in their wake.

Bagley's countryside became a relentless battleground, with Henford’s forces encircling the land and laying siege with ferocious determination. The once thriving kingdom was thrown into a state of upheaval, as Henford’s rebellion not only threatened the stability of Bagley but also jeopardized the broader alliances that had ensured peace for Windenburg. The conflict raged on, with heavy casualties on both sides, and the outcome teetered precariously.

At Windenburg Castle, King Edward convened an urgent council to address the crisis. King Henry sat beside him, visibly at a loss and burdened by the weight of his faltering kingdom. Edward, his brow furrowed with concern, offered his counsel, "You must fortify your defenses and seek out potential allies who can shift the balance of power. Strength and unity are your greatest weapons now."

Despite his attempts to provide guidance and support, Edward's words seemed to barely touch the depth of Henry's despair. The rebellion underscored how quickly peace could unravel, casting a long shadow over their hard-won stability. As the council session continued, Henry's silence became a palpable presence in the room, his eyes distant and lost in the weight of the crisis.

As the discussion wound down, Edward glanced at Henry, hoping for some sign of resolution or hope. Instead, he was met with the sight of him staring blankly at the council table, his grief so profound that it seemed to drown out any possibility of immediate action. The weight of their shared predicament pressed heavily on both of them.

[honeybubblebeeeeee]

Since you’re taking requests…

Bakugou x reader in an MCU universe where Bakugou is an avenger and reader who has a very Shuri-esque character and lives in Wakanda??

I can just imagine him falling in love after he gets really injured and is forced to rehabilitate in Wakanda and reader has to heal him and is just like

-_-

Have a great day!!

YAAAY finally a request so hype to do this for my little angry Pomeranian <3 I hope this did the request justice give me some feedback for sure i wasnt sure how long to make it

Bakugou was heaving as he launched himself past falling rubble trying to keep up with the enemy infront of him. He was tired, he was bleeding and he didn't know how much longer he could keep it up. He could see a stream of green above him as Deku joined the chase. His body was on fire from the use of his quirk but it was so close to being over. He was looking forward to laying down and being left alone for a couple days.

His focus was shattered as the screaming of Deku. "KACCHAN STOP!" Katsuki's head hit smacked into the concrete and everything went black before he could even register the attack.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Katsuki blinked slowly as his vision tried to focus on the lights and shapes around him. His limbs felt like they weighed ten times the amount they should as he struggled to register the current world around him.

"Ah! He lives!" A celebratory laugh and the sound of footsteps advanced on him. A soft hand pushed him back down. He struggled against it but his body felt no energy to fight back as his eyes focused on the person above him.

"Ah ah. Stay down. Not done yet." You looked down at him, a smirk on your face. Katsuki wanted nothing more than to tell this woman to go away, to stop bothering him but he was so tired and so weak that he just watched as you moved around him looking at a tablet in your hands.

"Vitals look good, blood pressure seems to be rising but I have heard you got quite the temper dont'cha?" You laughed as the sound of you tapping the screen filled the silence. "You're healing - but slowly which concerns me. It's too slow for someone like you and nothing I did helped. I dunno what you got hit with but boy they did a number on you."

Katsuki's eyes followed you as you walked behind a console and focused on whatever it was in front of you. He was able to finally at last force himself up, swallowing the wince as he went. In front of him a hologram of a skeleton illuminated. Certain bones and areas were highlighted red.

"See here, your ribs got hit hard, a few broken. Clean break luckily. Abrasions, bruising, a few cuts and gashes. Things are just not healing quickly. It's not a poison. It's something else." You looked over at him as he placed his feet on the ground. His face scrunched in pain but he didn't say anything.

You rolled your eyes, a soft chuckle leaving you.

"Eh? What's so funny?" If looks could kill those red eyes of his would throw real daggers at you. You shook your head and held up your hands in defense. "Nothing. You are just as stubborn as they say."

Doors opened and Izuku walked in. "Oh Kacchan! You're up. Shouldn't you be resting?"

'Tch. Shut up." Katsuki started to walk out the doors but Midoriya stopped him. "Where are you going?"

Katsuki just glared. "Home? Where else?"

You laughed. "Home? You are a little far from home my friend."

Large metal shutters started to open on the opposite side of the room revealing a vibrant and lush landscape. "Welcome to Wakanda Katsuki." Your smile was wide as you stared out in awe of your homeland.

Katsuki felt his attitude towards you soften from the way you looked out at the world with awe. Even the bubbly personality you had in light of his rudeness, the sarcastic and teasing tone that went with it.

"Anyway, let me show you to your room.

Izuku had bid his farewells and katsuki followed you just down the hall from the lab to the next set of doors into a tasteful apartment. "You can stay in here, close to the lab so I can keep an eye on you. I'll have you in the lab daily to check on ya and figure out what is the causing of this lack of healing but get some rest for now. You're gonna need it." You smiled and left the room.

Once it was clear you were gone Bakuguo made it to the bedroom before laying down and groaning against the pain he was trying to hold in.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Rise and shine fire boy!" Your voice rang out as you threw open the large curtains in the bedroom.

Katsuki groaned, covering his head with a pillow. "Buzz off."

"We have things to do, c'mon. Meet me in the lab." You tauntingly patted the pillow over his face and walked out. In the moment Katsuki was thankful for the pillow in the moment because it covered the smile that forced it's way on to his face.

He slowly but eventually made his way into lab. You hovered over a table with something half melted on it. The closer he got he realized it was his grenadier bracers. "Hey! Don't touch those!" His temper rose as tried to move towards you threateningly but the pain that spiked from his ribs cut his rampage short.

You looked up at him with a smile. He hated how it smoothed the rage over. "Relax, relax. I cannot break it more than it already is. I simply want to make them better. It's interesting technology but - mine - is better." You strutted back to the console from the previous day. "Lay down. I want to take another scan."

Katsuki glared at you. You huffed putting your hands on your hips. "What's the problem?" He didn't like people bossing him around, telling him what to do but he did like the ay you were matching his attitude. Everyone usually got mad at him, told him he was rude or stubborn and to get over it but so far you had not expressed a single complaint about him. You just shot back whatever he dished out and, he liked it.

He smirked. "Nuthin'." and laid back down on the table. He watched you as you focused. He noticed the way you were biting the inside of your cheek as you focused. It was cute.

"Hm, well. Whatever it was has worn off. Damn. You seem to be healing properly now. The medication I gave you seems to have finally mended the bones. I wanna check something else though." You walked up to the side of the weird platform he laid on. "Lift up your shirt."

His eyes went wide. "What?! No." You rolled your eyes and laughed. "I need to see the bruising and I need to check under the bandages. Relax, Kats."

He felt the tension slip away at the nickname you used. He internally scolded himself but reluctantly lifted his shirt above the bandages. You examined intently, placing a couple fingers along the bruises and pressing. His skin prickled at your touch. "Oh, sorry, hands are probably cold." You pulled away, rubbing your hands together quickly to warm them up. Except that wasn't why his skin got goose bumps. It was just your touch - soft and delicate. You pulled at the bandage revealing what would have been a wound. "Ah. Healed. Nice." You pulled away completely and walked to the console again. He pulled his shirt down and slowly sat up. "Well I'd say you will be healed completely and back to full strength in a matter of days. However, I would like to take a look at your suit maybe make a few adjustments."

"Sure, whatever." He slouched where he sat, looking out the large windows that were now uncovered. "I could show you around if you like? Wakanda has a lot to offer." Katsuki shrugged, pretending to feign disinterest but in reality he wouldn't mind spending more time with you.

He had followed you out of the lab. He responded in grunts and huffs as you led him around but your mood never changed. He liked it when you smiled at him when it came to rooms you really enjoyed such as the large conservatory filled with lush plants.

Eventually you came to a stop. "Well, that's most of it. I can take you back to your room if you want. You should rest some more."

He scoffed, his hands in his pockets and he side eyed you. "I'm fine."

You smirked. "SO does that mean you want to continue?"

He shrugged again, feeling a heat come to his face. "Sure, whatever. I don't care." You hummed at him. "Right."

So, you continued day after day. He followed you around the grounds, through fields and forests. As time went on he slowly spoke more. You teased each other, bantering in a way he was unable to do with anyone up until this point. People took him too serious, took his jokes or insults too serious but you didn't. You kept up with him and sometimes even left him without comebacks.

It was one day that finally got him, he couldn't take the feelings that were bubbling up inside him. It was the way you stood over his bracers, nimble fingers toying with them, the way your eyebrows furrowed as you tested it and it didn't work out as planned. Katsuki didn't even realize he was staring.

"I know you are there Kats. I don't bite.... usually." You sing song voice echoed out as you winked at him over your shoulder. He felt the heat that rushed to his face, but scoffed instead trying to hide the smirk that threatened his stoic face.

"What'cha doin' anyway?" He stepped up beside you, his skin brushing yours. He hated the way he wanted to just get closer. "I just uh-" You stopped short, needing to concentrate. Katsuki smiled down at you but felt the need to cover it. "Well? What is it?"

You glared at him for his impatience, his scowl quickly dissipating into wide eyes as they flicked from your own to your lips and back up. He wet his lips in response. A soft smirk formed your lips. "Don't worry, not gonna break anythin'."

He hummed at you, watching you rewire and rework the bracers. "How's your injuries feeling anyway hm?" You didn't look to him as you spoke but his eyes never left your form. "Oh, uh..." Truthfully he felt fine now but he knew once he was better he would have to leave Wakanda, leave you. "Still sore and uh painful, yeah, hurts." He tried to speak with conviction even going so far as to hold onto his rib as if it ached.

You side eyed him and held back the smile that played at your lips. "Well I guess you'll just have to stay longer then won't you? I can't send you away when you are still in so much pain. Right Kats?" The sarcasm that laced your voice was playful but it went over his head. "Yeah, yeah, painful and sore. Right." He nodded his head long trying to convey seriousness.

You poked him right in the rib where the injury had been but he didn't even react. "Looks painful you're right." You tilted your head as you looked up at him. His brows furrowed in confusion for a moment before his brain fog of just thinking about you touching him cleared and he realized what was actually happening. "That hurt."

You smirked at him. "I'm sure it did. I guess you really will have to stay. Hope that's not a problem."

He licked his lips, staring at your own again. "Hmm, ya i guess I'll have to make it work somehow."

He'd make it work. He didn't care if it took another injury. Getting closer to you was the only thing on his mind right now.

[matau-the-228th]

But nothing happened.

I did my best to limp over to Takua, kneeling down to meet his face.

“It won’t work, Takua. There’s… there’s no such thing as Destiny. But it's okay. I’ll slow them down and you get… somewhere safe. That is my duty- as the Historian.” I said, trying to make sure he heard me- truly heard me- and took what I was saying to heart. So that he didn't blame himself, no matter what happened.

 “...And as your friend.”

He stopped, looking down for a brief moment, then back up, surveying the Rahkshi skulking beyond the barrier with fresh eyes. He rose from his kneeling position, and for the briefest of moments, I thought- I hoped- he would run before they found us.

But he turned to sit down in front of the barrier, flipping the Mask of Light around to face him, and folded his legs like we did at the meeting-fire. And with a soft, gentle voice, he began to tell a story.

“...In the time before time, the Great Spirit Mata Nui descended from the heavens, carrying us, the ones who inhabit this world.” “We were separate, weak, and without purpose. So the Great Spirit gifted us with the virtues he and his brothers embodied; Unity, Duty, Destiny.” “Now Unified, the people of this world became whole, forming communities and friendships.” “With Duty we became strong, growing better in the crafts and skills we needed for the day-to-day.” “With Destiny, we had purpose and potential.” “But even with these gifts, dangers and disasters still befell us.” “And so Mata Nui gave us another gift: The Six Spirit Toa, who guarded us for many years, until a few Matoran rose up to aid them in saving others." "Seeing that despite their small stature, the Matoran could do great things, Mata Nui blessed the Matoran and  instructed the Toa to give a piece of their power to the six that aided them. And then a wondrous thing happened- the Matoran gifted the power of the Spirit Toa became Toa themselves!” “But the new and old Toa did not have a long time to celebrate this miracle. With their duty fulfilled, and a new generation of Toa set to protect the people of this world, the Spirit Toa were called back to Mata Nui, returning to the heavens and bidding farewell to their friends on this world, promising to return if they were needed again.” “In time, these new Toa went their separate ways to protect other lands, and inspired other Matoran, each of whom themselves were given a part of this power and became Toa, and in turn inspired more Matoran, sharing this power with more and more with each passing generation.” “Many Toa died in the line of duty, and others couldn’t pass the spark along, as the power had grown weak, or perhaps spread too thin over the generations.” “Only one Toa yet remained where I came from- a Toa of Fire. He was… brave. Straight-laced, and stern at times, but he was friendly, and he protected all of us in Karda Nui for a long, long time.” “But Mata Nui died, suddenly and violently, and that Toa was one of the only ones able to attempt to try and bring the Great Spirit back to life.”

“I’m… I’m not sure what happened next, but Mata Nui, my friend, and his Toa Team all died- but they saved the rest of the world, they made it so that, even with the Great Spirit dead, the rest of the world could live on.” 

“But Karda Nui would not. My homeland, too, had to die for the rest of the world to survive.”

“I was pushed into an evacuation pod, which forced me into hibernation before I could do… anything. As it put me deeper and deeper into sleep, I wondered… I dreamt… what I could have done to save my friends, if I could have saved the Toa who gave his life for us.”

“Even if it goes against some great plan, or it isn’t some ordained Destiny… all I want is the chance to help others, like my friends, and the Toa before them. Grant me the power to be who I want to be.”

Takua placed the mask once again on his face, gentler this time.

And the Avohkii shattered in a bright flash, like lightning called down from the heavens, engulfing Takua in the blinding aura.

[x]

[apollodarling-writes]

Hiii! I love your Levi writing. Would you consider writing postwar yandere!levi who always wanted to carve his name into y/n collarbone, but was denied and finally they surprise him with a tattoo of his name in that place? After all, he’s been such a good boy

post war! levi with a reader who surprises him with his name tattooed on their collarbone

cws : aot spoilers, yandere themes, sub! levi implied, established relationship, marriage mentions, fluff.

edit: i’m so sorry, i totally forgot to answer the first sentence. i’m so glad you like my writing 😭 i hope this was to your liking.

you'd never been fond of the idea, but levi really did try his best during the war. you loved him despite all his flaws-- even if it was one hell of a task; what with all his possessive traits and all. he'd often brought up the idea of carving his name into your collarbone, but you'd always shot it down. whether it was due to your own muted fear, the time not being opportune, the two of you being in public... regardless, you wanted to do something nice for your husband.

levi was such a good man; always so eager to please, and always attentive to your every need. he dedicated his life to saving humanity time and time again, so you figured you could compromise on this one thing and surprise him with a tattoo of his name. onyankopon had told you about some of the cultures from his homeland in passing shortly after the war ended, and to be completely honest, the idea did seem appealing to you.

you'd asked onyankopon to bring one of the best he knew from his homeland, awhile after the thought crossed your mind, and ever the good person he was, he eagerly brought one of his friends to visit paradis. you explained the tattoo idea to onyankopon beforehand and he played his part in making sure you knew that once you got the tattoo, it was forever. the thought didn't deter you a bit.

his friend came a few weeks later, the three of you meeting up somewhere in secret while levi was handing out candy to the children who'd survived the war. it took about an hour to draft it and complete the outline, then approximately another half-hour to fill it in, but despite the foreign pain, you felt appreciative of the opportunity. you expressed your gratefulness and paid him a bit extra for his travel costs, making sure to take the two of them out to dinner as thanks.

you bid the two farewell afterward, making your way home where levi was waiting for you in the living room. "where were you?" he grumbles.

a smile tugs at your lips. "i have a surprise for you."

he arches a brow and motions for you to show him, his lips set into a pout. you eagerly pull down your collar, showing off the new ink. his eyes soften, a smile of his own forming on his lips. "oh..."

"do you like it?" you ask hopefully.

a blush rises to levi's cheeks as you kneel at his feet, a grunt leaving his lips. "i... i love it."

you squeal and hastily press your lips to his. "shouldn't i be the one who's this excited?" levi breathily chuckles.

"i love you, lee."

the pads of levi's fingers trail along the expanse of your cheeks, lovingly pressing a kiss to your forehead. "i love you too."

[singlecrow]

notes on watching Goodbye Farewell Amen for the first time since 2003, by singlecrow aged whatever. there’s also some stuff here I’ve put elsewhere, sorry you’re having it twice if you are.

Anyway it’s really GOOD, like, I know, other people have observed that in the last 50 years but it IS. Funny, sad, clever, textured, and also a really good episode of MASH? It has the things that one ought to have, like people talking over each other and tanks being driven into things and latrines and shouting. And in places it’s beautiful and eerie: everything about the bus journey is impeccable; and the shots of the bus coming in from the hills with the light coming through the glass were really something.

And then there’s Hawkeye. Oh god. you can’t do this, though, if you’re not this show. Eleven years, telling us right at the start in a funny voice and in the middle in a dead serious voice and then then quite often in a funny voice again, Hawkeye is… not very well. He’s fine. He lives in a war zone and is surprisingly fine. But Hawkeye has that immeasurable fragility, and it’s there, and you know it’s there because we’ve told you so, and it’s the kind of fragility that comes with being often-manic, very depressed, empathetic to the point of unreason. Crucially: it’s a sitcom. Hawkeye has entire episodes of him playing poker, sending telegrams to President Truman, kissing Margaret, and ordering spare ribs from Chicago and winning a tank in a bet. And a bunch of other stuff. It’s very funny.

But still. But still and all, for all it’s very funny. This episode needs less than a minute of set-up - an outdoor shot of somewhere that isn’t the usual place, and then Hawkeye sitting on the floor in a dark room, looking at Sidney, and you know. You always knew. This is it, for Hawkeye; this is where all roads have led.

(In 2003, I don’t think I knew to notice the camera lingering, as it does several times, on the locked door.)

Hawkeye is what I’ve carried with me all my life. Probably bipolar, always sleepless. I was fourteen and it was 2001 the first time I picked out Sidney’s line, elsewhere in the show’s timeline: “Actually, Hawkeye, I think you’re the sanest person I’ve ever known”. Hawkeye believed it and I chose to believe it too.

So does it undercut that, that my talisman of sanity ends up on the floor in the institution? No. Because Hawkeye gets up off the floor again. He is always fragile; he’s always hurt. And I actually really enjoy that, in its way. Hawkeye crying or screaming (or laughing) is always unpretty, because it’s like how real people do those things; and here, Sidney gets Hawkeye out of the institution but he’s still lost. He would be. He’s still manic if not psychotic, and desperately sad. (Sidebar: this - this! - is when he gets his most Exceptionally Bisexual line in the entire series, presumably because this is also his most Exceptional Disaster.) He cheers up a bit at the prospect of the wedding, because he does love a wedding.

So, fragile, yes. But I do believe that Hawkeye went home and picked up the threads of his life, and maybe he began like someone else did, hurt beyond the capacity of homeland to heal. There’s the crucial crack in Hawkeye’s nature; where you find the story. Is Hawkeye like Frodo Baggins, to diminish and go into the West, or not?

And the thing is, I think they’re an apt comparison. They have, remarkably, a similar cultural weight; enough of an exerted pressure on the fabric of the Western twentieth century. The wars that Frodo and Hawkeye came home from were all of eight years apart. And you step within the narrative and they’re both… some guy. Someone who had to do a thing they didn’t want to do, that needed to be done although it wasn’t their fault and nothing to do with them. Frodo goes home, and the Shire has been saved, but not for him. He can’t stay. He never finds himself again.

But I believe that Hawkeye will. He doesn’t end this episode still institutionalised, or even still frighteningly mentally ill; he ends up exhausted and sad and damaged and on his way home. And it’s like this show to leave this as a question that may or may not have an answer: can Hawkeye shatter that archetype, be not broken but more gold than cracks? He goes back to his own job, though it’s hard. He tells people he loves them. He says goodbye to Sidney with a quiet word of thanks. And when the time comes, he says goodbye to the others and goes. It is an open question: but this is MASH, which answers all such questions with love, and affection, and courage and care. Small things matter in dark places. Hawkeye’s great tragedy is that he’s the main character - a remarkable man but an ordinary one, a small-town doctor who doesn’t want to be in this terrible place - and the show necessarily makes an example of him. Here’s what happens to ordinary, good people, who did their best and didn’t deserve it. But then, if ordinary, then ordinary recovery, with love and care and time, and ordinary life.

[guilty-pleasures21]

Chapter 1 - the ... proposition

Part A

Part B

Warnings: none.

----------------------------------------------------------

     Miguel slid off his horse and began leading him the rest of the way to the stables, the both of them panting happily at the exercise they’d just gone through. It had been a fine morning for a ride, the sky cloudless, the sun glowing, and he didn’t think his day could possibly get any better. But then a flash of yellow caught his eye and his lips widened at the sight. “Hola, princesa.” 

     X narrowed her eyes at Miguel before turning back to her horse and feeding her the last slice of apple in her hand. “I’ve told you before, Miguel, you can’t call me that.” 

     “Why not?” Miguel asked, guiding his hulking black stallion into the stall beside her horse’s. “You are a princess: the princess of cotton.”

Her father owned the largest cotton plantation in the British empire back in their homeland of Punjab. His business had become so successful that he’d amassed enough wealth to move his family to the UK when X had been only ten years old, ferrying them away from the rising tensions that had been building between the Indians and the British for the past few years. He’d purchased the estate right beside Miguel’s stepfather’s and the two families had been neighbours ever since. Miguel grinned as X sighed, fully aware that any response she gave would only spur him on further, then he locked the gate on his horse’s stall before moving closer to her.

“How’s Asha?” he asked.

     The pretty palomino mare gave a happy nicker as Miguel ran his hand down her nose, then she trotted over to the end of her stall to greet Miguel’s horse. 

     “She’s fine,” X replied, the corner of her lips curling as she watched the way the two horses nuzzled one another in affection. “And Zeus?” 

     “As virile as always.” Miguel flashed X an impish grin and she returned it with another exasperated glance before she began walking out of the stables. Their horses had already bred a year ago, the two of them producing a beautiful young foal between them, but they just couldn’t seem to get enough of one another. Miguel strode forward, easily making up the distance between the both of them. “You aren’t going riding today?” 

     X shook her head. “We still have a few things left to pack before leaving for the city tomorrow. Are you ready for the Season?”

     The London Season: high society’s own ‘mating season’. The time of the year when mother hens would parade their unmarried daughters around with the single-minded goal of finding them a respectable husband. Miguel gave an exaggerated sigh at the reminder of it. “As ready as I ever am.” 

     X scoffed at his glum tone. “Please. Don’t act like you don’t love all the attention every eligible young woman of the society showers upon you every year.”

     Her dashing and strapping neighbour had never suffered from a shortage of options when it came to his future wife, even despite the tanned skin and dark features he’d inherited from his immigrant mother. In fact, his foreign looks only seemed to draw more admiring glances his way. 

     “Don’t be jealous, princesa,” Miguel teased her, shooting her that roguish smile that would have had any other young lady going weak in the knees. “You know you will always be my number one.” 

     X rolled her eyes as he gave her a cheeky wink and had just opened her mouth to respond when a butler rushed up to them. 

     “My lord!” The man gave Miguel a quick bow before gesturing to the mansion behind him. “Your mother requests that you meet her in the drawing room! Right away!” 

     Miguel exchanged a curious look with X, then tipped his head towards her in farewell. “Until tomorrow, my lady.” 

     “Until then, my lord.” She gave him a small curtsy, then waited until he’d disappeared into his house before starting down the path to her own estate. 

     “Miguel!” The Baroness gasped when she saw her son and shot out of her seat to beckon her towards him. Miguel shot her a quizzical expression, his confusion growing when he noticed the unfamiliar elderly gentleman seated across from her. He nodded at the man in greeting, then took his seat beside his mother. 

     “Yes, mamá?” 

     Carolina settled herself back into her seat, then gestured to the man on the opposite settee. “Miguel, this is Mr Pemberly. Mr Pemberly, this is my son, Miguel. Please, tell him what you told me.” 

     She clutched her son’s arm as she waited for the man - Mr Pemberly - to begin speaking and Miguel felt his insides tighten with nerves. The man sized him up and down, his judgemental gaze running over his and his mother’s foreign looks, and Miguel straightened, drawing himself up to his full, towering height. Mr Pemberley cleared his throat, then studied the papers he held in his hands. 

     “‘In this final will and testament’,” he recited, his voice firm, “‘I, Earl George Fitzroy of Langford, do hereby recognise Miguel, son of the Baroness Carolina of Femroy, as my legitimate son by birth.” He paused to let Miguel digest the news and Miguel found himself relieved for the moment of silence. 

     His father. His birth father. The man he’d asked his mother about so many times before and the man whose identity she had refused to reveal every single time. And now … now he’d never even get the chance to meet him. His mother gave him a light pat on the knee, shaking him out of his reverie, then she turned back to Mr Pemberley. 

     “Please, continue, Mr Pemberley.” 

     “Right.” He pushed his glasses back up his nose, then returned his attention to the will before him. “In his will, your late father has declared you - alongside your half-brother Lord Frederick Fitzroy - as his rightful heirs. Provided, however, you fulfil a few … stipulations.” 

     Miguel furrowed his brows, confused, and Mr Pemberley took that as his cue to press forward. 

     “In the event of my death, my title and all its associated assets shall be passed down to whichever of my two sons successfully manages to secure an engagement by the end of the Season in the year of or following my death,” Mr Pemberely read. “If both or neither manages this task, then my title shall fall to my son Frederick, whilst both he and his half-brother Miguel shall share my assets equally between the two of them.” 

     He carried on after that, going through some of the other legalities associated with Miguel making a claim to his inheritance, but he’d stopped listening by that point, all the surrounding noise drowned out by the rapid pounding of his heart. He was to inherit a title and an estate? From a father he hadn’t even known existed for more than half his life? Would he finally have something to his name; something to call his now and forevermore? But wait. An engagement? Was that what the lawyer had said? 

     “My apologies, Mr Pemberley,” Miguel interrupted him quickly, “but would you mind repeating the part about the engagement?” 

     “Certainly,” Mr Pemberley assured him. “If you are to have any chance of inheriting your father’s estate, you must find a bride by the end of the Season, my lord. If not, you may only lay claim to your inheritance if your brother is unable to find a bride.” He gave Miguel a knowing look, as if suggesting that the task would be no problem for the legitimate firstborn son of the Earl, and Miguel felt his insides twist into a knot. 

     “Oh, I’m sure that will be no problem for my Miguel,” Carolina reassured him, her grip on her son’s arm firm. “You may begin drafting the appropriate documents for the inheritance, Mr Pemberley, my son will have his bride by the end of the Season.”

     She turned to Miguel, a determined look on her face, and gave him a resolute nod. “We will make sure of it.” 

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