#fated: caden

[welcometomeloxia]

[the-bi-library]

Bisexual books coming out in 2024!

Let me know of the books I didn't include!

Here is the goodreads list link. You can add books to this too!

Books listed:

Dear Bi Men: A Black Man's Perspective on Power, Consent, Breaking Down Binaries, and Combating Erasure by J.R. Yussuf

Breaker of Fates by Vaela Denarr, Micah Iannandrea

Fake Dating a Witch: A Magical Summer Solstice Romance by Brigid Hunt

The End Crowns All by Bea Fitzgerald

Rupture in Total Eclipse by Sem Thornwood

The 7-10 Split by Karmen Lee

Every Time You Hear That Song by Jenna Voris

Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher

Better Left Buried by Mary E. Roach

Rani Choudhury Must Die by Adiba Jaigirdar

The Afterdark by E. Latimer

Truthfully, Yours by Caden Armstrong

The Only Light Left Burning by Erik J. Brown Don't Be a Drag by Skye Quinlan

Digging for Destiny by Jenna Jarvis

Exes & Foes by Amanda Woody

Under All the Lights by Maya Ameyaw

Off With Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta

An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Lavash at First Sight by Taleen Voskuni

Court of Wanderers by Rin Chupeco

The Loudest Silence by Sydney Langford

Practical Rules for Cursed Witches by Kayla Cottingham

The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin

Mewing by Chloe Spencer

London On My Mind by Clara Alves, Nina Perrotta

What Is Love? by Jen Comfort

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings

Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer

The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean

Road to Ruin by Hana Lee

Rise by Freya Finch

The Dark We Know by Wen-yi Lee

Truly, Madly, Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur

Honeybloods by I.S. Belle

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

Saints of Storm and Sorrow by Gabriella Buba

The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist by Sophie Gonzales

One Killer Problem by Justine Pucella Winans

Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao

Lulu Sinagtala and the City of Noble Warriors by Gail D. Villanueva

Redsight by Meredith Mooring

Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter

The Last Love Song by Kalie Holford

Trouble by Lex Croucher

Playing For Keeps by Jennifer Dugan

Something To Be Proud Of by Anna Zoe Quirke

[midnightsun-if]

okay another classic -- how would the ros react if an mc who usually smooched them bye, rushed out in the morning and forgot to kiss them!

Koda: “Wait!” The sharp cry causes you to almost slam into the door, but a strong arm around your abdomen halts that unsightly fate. Instead, you’re gently turned around and a soft kiss is placed to your brow. Koda’s bright eyes, paired with a beaming smile, reminiscent of the sun. “You forgot to give me a kiss goodbye. So, I thought, that I’d give you one instead. Smart, right?”

Scarlett: “I think you’re forgetting something, beloved.” It’s said in a manner that’s almost flippant, you’ve known her long enough to not it’s anything but. Scarlett, still in her elegantly reclined position on the chaise lounge, stares at your over the brim of her wine, dark nails standing out against crystalline glass. Her head tilts, a cascade of dark auburn locks falling over her shoulder. “Something I’ve grown quite accustomed to receiving. Whatever could that be I wonder?”

Cyrus/Cyra: They try to compartmentalize it, focus on the basic facts of the morning: you had woken up late, meaning you got a late start to the day, which made you rush through your normally laidback routine. Everything was rational, ticked off every imaginary box that they could think of, but that didn’t stop the ache in their chest at the absence of one of the few things that made them excited about the morning, about facing the long day ahead of them. They’d just have to try harder at looking at the facts… Maybe that would help.

Quinn: Almost crashing into you, a charming grin lopsidedly tugs their lips upward, sapphire eyes sparkling with warmth. “I got you the snacks you like.” Their nose wrinkles playfully, arm lifted up to show the haul they had acquire from the recent vendors in the Plaza. However, their mood shifts downward when you can only offer them a smile in return, along with a quick apology, before disappearing into Aurelian. “Hey?!” They call, even though they know you couldn’t hear them. “What about my kiss?”

Caden: They fidget in their seat, not knowing if they should stop you, but at the sight of your frazzled form, mind clearly a thousand miles away, they halt their tongue, even as you disappear out the door. The absence of your presence, of the kiss that you always bestowed onto them, more stifling than they’d ever believed it could be.

Sloane: Getting upset over something like this is stupid, you dumbass, their mind hisses. Anger tightens their features, fist balled against their thighs, as they try the breathing exercises Scarlett had shown them, but nothing would work; something they were all to aware of. It wasn’t your fault, they know that, but it still didn’t stop the sharp ache within their chest. This is why you don’t get attached. You start expecting things, start believing, and this is where hope gets you. Disappointed and all alone.

Blake: Before you’re able to get too far, gentle hands cup your cheeks and kiss is placed to your lips. Violet eyes, that seem to shimmer so much more close up, filled with adoration, are the first thing you see when you open your eyes, Blake’s smile completely infectious. “Are you trying to kill me, angel? You know I can’t survive my day without my good morning kiss.”

Reginald/Regina: It’s not until the door slams shut that their head pops up from the book propped in their lap, various papers scattered across the tabletop before them. A frown tugs at their brow, a niggling feeling at the back of their mind that something wasn’t quite right this morning, that they were missing something important. “What am I forgetting?”

[blackjackkent]

OK, time for a very small nice thing for Rakha to counteract all the Horrors.

"*sniff*"

Narrator: The dog seems wary, sniffing you intently.

Offer your hand to the dog to sniff, being careful not to spook it.

Narrator: The dog sniffs your hand and seems more at ease.

"*Bark!*"

-----

Wyll watches Rakha with the dog, a slight smile touching his lips. And Jaheira watches Wyll, and frowns sympathetically.

"I can only imagine it is a trying time to love her," she says gently, in a voice low enough to reach only his ears.

Wyll stiffens. His eyes don't move from Rakha, but Jaheira can see the way he turns his body. It's an unconscious motion, protective, ready to step between Jaheira and Rakha if the need should arise. "Are you suggesting I ought not to?" he says carefully.

Jaheira smiles a little to herself. She could have expected this response. He's a good man, the Ravengard boy - the sort of stout support Rakha will need in the times to come. Caden had Aerie, and it made all the difference in some of his lowest moments.

And Wyll is not so far out of the way from Aerie, really. Both of them torn from their homes by terrible circumstance, mutilated by the cruelty of uncaring masters, and yet full of warmth in spite of it all. Both of them tossed into the way of a Bhaalspawn in whom they found light and love and hope in spite of the darkness. It's a comforting parallel.

And yet... Jaheira has to admit Wyll's path is strewn with far more rocks than Aerie's was. Caden carried Bhaal's taint, but he never slipped so far into the dark as Rakha has. There is an animal ferocity in Rakha that Caden never had, a beast that strains far more strongly at its leash.

"Hardly," she says. "Indeed, I am very glad you do. I only mean that it is not easy to love one so marked by fate."

Wyll hesitates. She can see his loyalty warring with his honesty.

She smiles faintly. "You need not confide in me unless you wish," she says. "Certainly this is only an old woman's meddling."

"No, it's--" He frowns, looks away for a moment - checks to see that Lae'zel and Minthara are not listening, that Rakha is still distracted by the pup. "I hate it," he admits, so low that even Jaheira can barely hear him. "I hate what it does to her. I look at her now... that little smile she gets on her face, that moment of gentleness. All the questions, the moments when she wants to learn, to do the right thing, to understand everything. The music. The magic - the beauty she sees in it, the things she tells me about..." He swallows. "That's the woman I love, and I'd do anything for her. But there's something else there that's not her at all, and it frightens me so terribly."

He trails off, looking down at his boots. "It isn't fair."

"No," she agrees quietly. "No, it most certainly is not. And it is a cruel truth, in my experience, that such unfair business lands all too often on the shoulders of those who deserve it least."

He fidgets uneasily with the hilt of the rapier on his hip. "If what she says is true... she did terrible things, back before she lost her memory. Am I simply a fool, to think that isn't her? That I can love her in spite of that, that she's someone different now?"

"Only you can answer that for yourself." Jaheira studies his expression thoughtfully for a moment. "But if you want my opinion - no. It does not make you foolish, but brave." A pause. "I have cared for many, in the past, who knew their share of darkness. And I am no fool. The foolishness would be in believing she has no choice to change."

He relaxes visibly and his eyes brighten at the reassurance. "Yes," he says. A slight pause. "Your friend... Gorion's Ward..."

"Caden," she says. Her lips twitch. "The legends speak of him always with such grandiose titles..."

He laughs softly. "Caden, then. Did he... frighten you, ever?"

She is quiet a long moment before answering. "At times. There were moments when I knew he struggled with things I could not see. And it frightened me to know that in the end it was his journey, and I could do nothing but stand at his side and see him through."

Wyll nods. "I would take the burden from her, if I could," he says.

"I know you would." She claps him gently on the shoulder. "And it is for that reason that I am glad you cannot. Do not tear yourself apart trying to lay an easy path that does not exist. She will need you, whole-minded and strong, for what is to come."

He draws a slow breath, and she can hear a slight tremble in the exhale. Ye gods, boy, you are so terribly young to face such trials, she thinks bitterly. I never knew love that did not have its touch of pain, but you have earned something bearing a less sharp edge.

But I am familiar with the sense, by now, of standing on history's cusp. Had she not had your guidance, I think Rakha would have a great deal more blood on her hands. And I think, perhaps, one day the strength of your heart will be seen to have saved the world.

"Thank you," he says softly.

She nods. "I am here when you need me," she answers. "And you will - of that I am certain. We have, all of us, a very long road ahead."

[brisksunrise]

Dahlia and Caden/Dreaming Princess Sweet P, through a chance encounter, have managed to meet each other, and it seems that Dahlia is quite excited to have met someone else sharing in the fate of being turned into 'magical babies'.

Caden, meanwhile, is a bit unsure in how to handle the angel boy's excitement and joy, and she finds that being around him is weirdly infectious in regards to her own childishness.

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in July 2024 🌈

🌈 Good morning, my bookish bats, and happy July! Pride Month may be over, but remember: Read Queer ALL Year. Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Happy reading!

[ Release dates may have changed. ]

❤️ Earth to Alis - Lex Carlow 🧡 Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts - Adam Sass 💛 The Sky on Fire - Jenn Lyons 💚 The Meaning of Liberty - Sage Donnell 💙 Making It - Laura Kay 💜 The Black Bird of Chernobyl - Ann McMan ❤️ A Map of My Want - Faylita Hicks 🧡 The Devil You Know - Ali Vali 💛 The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power - Various 💙 The Second Son - Adrienne Tooley 💜 Cursed Under London - Gabby Hutchinson Crouch 🌈 Forbidden Girl - Kristen Zimmer

❤️ Rise - Freya Finch 🧡 Undercurrent - Patricia Evans 💛 Online Rebellion - Blue Matt Jeff 💚 Wolf Gift - T.J. Nichols 💙 Cash Delgado Is Living the Dream - Tehlor Kay Mejia 💜 Miller: Origin - Starr Z. Davies ❤️ The Shadows Beyond - T.J. Rose 🧡 The Ones Who Come Back Hungry - Amelinda Bérubé 💛 Their Viscountess - Jess Michaels 💙 Fast Holiday - Kerry Lockhart 💜 The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky - Josh Galarza 🌈 The West Passage - Jared Pechaček

❤️ The Hades Calculus - Maria Ying 🧡 Misrecognition - Madison Newbound 💛 One Last Summer - Kristin Keppler 💚 Waypoint Seven - Xan van Rooyen 💙 Hiding Him - Adam Hattan 💜 Thousand Autumns - Meng Xi Shi, Me.Mimo ❤️ The Adventure Zone, Vol. 6: The Suffering Game - Various 🧡 Rowan & Aldred - Lucie Fleury 💛 Yoke of Stars - R.B. Lemberg 💙 Casting Vows - Ariella Talix 💜 Count Felford's Vessel - S. Rodman

❤️ The Actor and His Secret - Ben Alderson, Laura R. Samotin 🧡 How To Die Famous - Benjamin Dean 💛 So Witches We Became - Jill Baguchinsky 💚 The Amazing Alpha Tau Romeo and Juliet Project - Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey 💙 The Noble’s Merman - S.S. Genesee 💜 The Loudest Silence - Sydney Langford ❤️ Life is Strange - Brittney Morris 🧡 Bury Your Gays - Chuck Tingle 💛 I Will Never Leave You - Kara A. Kennedy 💙 The Blonde Dies First - Joelle Wellington 💜 Under the Lupine Moon - A. Knightley

❤️ Benji Zeb is a Ravenous Werewolf - Deke Moulton 🧡 Charlotte Illes Is Not a Teacher - Katie Siegel 💛 The Ghostkeeper - Johanna Taylor 💚 Trespass Against Us - Leon Kemp 💙 Exes & Foes - Amanda Woody 💜 The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl - Bart Yates ❤️ Unbound - J.A. Vodvarka 🧡 StreamLine - Lauren Melissa Ellzey 💛 Time and Time Again - Chatham Greenfield 💙 No Road Home - John Fram 💜 Queen B - Juno Dawson 🌈 A Darker Mischief - Derek Milman

❤️ Beautiful & Terrible Things - S.M. Stevens 🧡 Benvolio & Mercutio Turn Back Time - Elle Beaumont, Lou Wilham 💛 About Last Night - Laura Henry 💚 You Had Me at Happy Hour - Timothy Janovsky 💙 Moonbane - Jamie Jennings 💜 Between Fate & Failure - Amber D. Lewis ❤️ Blessed by the Cupid Distribution System - Robin Jo Margaret 🧡 Between Dragons and Their Wrath - Devin Madson 💛 Twisted Magic - Barbara J. Webb 💙 Rare Birds - L.B. Hazelthorn 💜 At the End of the River Styx - Michelle Kulwicki 🌈 Origin Story - Jendi Reiter

❤️ Eras of Us - Shannon O'Connor 🧡 Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema - Willow Maclay, Caden Gardner 💛 A Wolf in Stone - Jane Fletcher 💚 Toward Eternity - Anton Hur 💙 Portrait of a Shadow - Meriam Metoui 💜 Anyone's Ghost - August Thompson ❤️ Home Ice Advantage - Ari Baran 🧡 Unbelievable You - Chelsea M. Cameron 💛 Incorrect Eyes - Andromeda Ruins

[gaydragontournament]

List of battles, as chosen by wheel spin. Each round will last about a week, Starting next Monday.

Round 1, Part 1:

King Valerius (Dragon's Reign by Raythe Reign/X. Aratare) vs Nel (Fire Emblem)

Yang Xiao Long (RWBY) vs Falin Touden/Red Dragon (Dungeon Meshi)

Qibli (Wings of Fire) vs Dan Heng/Dan Feng (Honkai Star Rail)

Evaristo (The Las Leyendas movie franchise) vs Paarthurnax (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

Prismatic dragon (Dungeons & Dragons (Epic Level Handbook, Dragons of Dragons of Faerûn) vs Imperialdramon (Digimon)

Whiptail lizard (Real Life) vs Shi An (After The Abyss Dragon Woke Up (深渊巨龙苏醒以后))

Sundew (Wings of Fire) vs Rex Igneous (The Dragon Prince)

Uncle Iroh (Avatar: The Last Airbender) vs Azhdaha/Retuo Longwang (Genshin Impact)

Round 1, Part 2:

Rei (Vainglorious Webcomic) vs Remy (Angels with Scaly Wings)

Soren (Fire Emblem:Path of Radiance + Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn) vs Wrathion (Warcraft Series)

Valax (Blades of Light and Shadow) vs Fiona (Flight Rising)

Kaido (One Piece) vs Velverosa (Mage & Demon Queen)

Lord Arum (The Penumbra Podcast: Second Citadel) vs Midgardsormr (Dragalia Lost)

Nimona (Nimona) vs Mateo (Poised in Either Eye by B. Pigeon and Fell A. Marsh)

Corrin (Fire Emblem: Fates) vs The Void Dragon (Aurora)

Anemone (Wings of Fire) vs Tillius the Paladin/Tilly Evans (She Kills Monsters)

Round 1, Part 3:

Unnamed Young Dragon (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles) vs Caden Bryce (Dragon's Reign by Raythe Reign/X. Aratare)

Veldora Tempest (That time I got reincarnated as a slime) vs Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Draco quinquefasciatus (Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia) vs Umber (Wings of Fire)

Rhea (Fire Emblem) vs Xue Xian (Copper Coins (Tong Qian Kan Shi) (铜钱龛世))

Tamarin (Wings of Fire) vs Samol (Friends at the Table: Seasons of Hieron)

Robin (Fire Emblem: Awakening) vs Ansur (Baldur's Gate 3)

Moondragon/Heather Douglas (Marvel Comics: Guardians of the Galaxy) vs Chromie/Chronormu (Warcraft Series)

Smaug (Lord of The Rings/The Hobbit) vs Burnet (Wings of Fire)

Round 1, Part 4:

Rong Minh Thanh Thuan/Thuan (Dominion of the Fallen series by Aliette de Bodard) vs Ventuswill (Rune Factory 4)

J'mon Sa Ord/Devo'ssa (Critical Role) vs Zinnia (Super Lesbian Animal RPG)

Tohru (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid) vs Alear ( Fire Emblem: Engage)

Alduin (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim) vs Jae-ha (Yona of the Dawn)

Dragona Joestar (Jojo's Bizzare Adventure: The Jojolands) vs Zhongli (Genshin Impact)

Ayame (Fruits Basket) vs Alba-Lenatus the Abyss Dragon (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Zephyr (Poised in Either Eye by B. Pigeon and Fell A. Marsh) vs Terezi Pyrope (Homestuck)

Kazuma Kiryu (Yakuza Series) vs Malleus Draconia (Twisted Wonderland)

[gyrovagi]

hello and welcome to my gamer's den. here's a quick and dirty guide to the ocs i talk about constantly

CANON PROTAGS/NORMAL MEN. INNOCENT MEN:

eloy "el" surana (blood mage/arcane warrior) - i'm like if a control freak could control things ❤️ with blood magic ❤️. generally well-intentioned but hypervigilant, always playing 5d chess about the worst scenario. world's first moral (not necessarily ethical) male bigender manipulator. wields a wholly inappropriate degree of political influence in denerim

seongmin hawke (primarily diplomatic, sword + shield berserker) - afraid that his abandonment issues will leave him. pathologically conflict avoidant, fawn response to the max - up until someone he loves gets threatened, at which point good luck leaving alive lol. 'i don't think i need to talk about my feelings,' says man who just broke the arm of a templar asking around too much about the darktown clinic and then continued making casual conversation with varric as if nothing happened

ciuying "arav'assan" lavellan (archer, assassin) - king of compartmentalization. would really prefer to be one guy helping people on the ground rather than the unwilling inquisitor chained by power he never wanted, fighting for his life to be as politically uninvolved as possible. guy who is duty-bound never to return home

dak-wai (wi)thorne(s) (spellblade) - prospective rook, direct port of my bg3 durge. vashoth grey warden mage seeking a righteous purpose after a complicated and bloody past, but who has yet to find a better general approach to problems than killing things with hammers.

TGIRLS SAVE THE WORLD(STATE):

sang tabris (champion) - next shem bastard who pisses me off i'm just going to fucking kill you. alistair did you eat yet ^_^. struggling to reconcile an irrepressible hope for a better world with the abject horrors he's been subjected to by the world he lives in at present. morrigan's lesbian husband.

so-min hawke (blood mage) - girl could you at least pretend not to be a chantry-hating apostate in the middle of the gallows. carver just got suddenly pissed off in a darkspawn tunnel and he knows it's not because of the genlocks

r trevelyan (rift mage) - tranquil since 18, and at age 33, honestly dealing pretty well with accidentally getting a magical lobotomy reversed. yeah ok so maybe the random prolonged neutral-expression weeping is a little off-putting. it's hard when you're the white girl who needs to save yourself

yazmin de riva (duelist) - embittered bastard child of the young lord owain trevelyan. frighteningly competent and driven, but has difficulty taking orders and working with others due to the huge chip on her shoulder. thinks lucanis dellamorte is a nepo baby

INSANE WOMEN AND MALE MANIPULATORS:

ngayu brosca (reaver) - what do you MEAN the fate of the country is dependent on two twenty-year-olds one of whom gets scared looking at the sun. has never once in her life believed she would live past twenty and that's looking increasingly likely as a prediction

rina hawke (assassin) - when you are endlessly bitter and refuse to deal with it in any healthy way because that would require you to acknowledge your resentment towards the family members you perceive as a burden. chronically insincere, subservient but seething the whole time, wouldn't be able to name a solid belief if you asked her, incapable of self-reflection. crack baby you don't know what you want...

caden trevelyan (templar) - gay transgender homophobic misogynist. has weird ideas about being a man. constantly develops obsessive fixations on authoritative older men. believes he has the divine right to mete out violence. white boy who sucks 🔥

ha-neul aldwir (slayer) - prospective rook, veil jumper. fascinated by magic and magical artifacts. something of an oddity by both dwarven and non-dwarven standards, a guy with an endless thirst for life and little interest in denying himself pleasure or dwelling in guilt, for better or worse. can be surprisingly callous and self-interested, despite his generally upbeat, affable vibe.

PRONOUNS USERS GOING THROUGH IT/TRAGEDY WORLDSTATE;

enasa mahariel (ranger) - deadalive nothing girl who isn't. didn't anticipate that taking the vallaslin of dirthamen, twin brother to death, would be quite so prophetic. very clearly crumbling under mounting pressure while refusing to stop dragging the rotting corpse

bryn hawke (force mage) - half-avvar on malcolm's side, raised with what avvar beliefs and practices their father could half-remember from childhood. never quite at home in ferelden and struggling to come to terms with the idea they'll never be quite at home in their mother's city either. quietly shouldering other's burdens until it chokes them.

meiying lavellan (knight-enchanter) - turns out when you take an anxiety-ridden elf burdened with excess responsibility since youth out of their familiar environment and support system she'll have a bad time. solas' ex-spouse still misses him… but their aim's getting better!

orpheus ingellvar (death caller) - < he doesn't know (that he's the child of the last theirin king and the missing presumed dead hero of ferelden). surprisingly cheerful for a guy collectively raised by a bunch of necromancers, seems like a polite young man, but then he says something weird and offputting that makes you realize he's spent a lot of his life interacting with skeletons

ASSORTED GUYS:

dea surana - reserved but observant, knows it's best not to attract attention, tries to look after herself and her own in the ways she can. surprisingly worldly/cynical after her brother was taken by the templars at a young age and her life afterwards was spent largely on the road. then her situationship was like 'you know the hero of ferelden is named surana? circle mage, relative of yours?' and now she regularly talks to the king of ferelden

owain trevelyan - never really stopped hoping his older brother would come back from the circle and everything would be fine again. he's socially well-connected and charismatic, and could make for an influential heir to the house with motivation and an advantageous marriage - but he's a lot more interested in dragon hunting and boy bestiesisms with the prince of starkhaven.

valerie trevelyan - black sheep of the family, annoyed that this is more about lesbianism than being a fantasy communist. managed to pull off a 'buy my silence - for $8000 a month i will stop' ploy on her parents at 20, before she knew that this would end with her as the warden-commander's sister-in-law

ga-ying lavellan - middle sibling b/w meiying and ciuying, closer to both of them than they are with each other. tends to take things a little too lightly, an optimist unconcerned with anything outside of the clan and the present. the siblings' dads (and meiying, and his wife) are hoping the birth of his daughter will make him more serious. ciuying likes him as he is.

everybody's parents tend to be less developed than their kids are but they exist. In my mind . there's also a couple other extremely incidental fellas but they'll come up when they come up. i might also ramble about my non-da guys here but (closes my eyes and passes away silently)

[theink-stainedfolk]

Whispers of Shadow & Love

Chapter 3 Tangled Thread of Fate

Cleo and I met in school, an unlikely pairing at first glance. She was the vivacious dancer, always the center of attention in our junior school's dance club, while I joined just for the sake of keeping my body fit. Our paths crossed when she accidentally fell into the river on our field trip to the local nature reserve. I knew basic swimming.

As the water rushed around her, I instinctively pulled her to safety, our hands clasping tightly as we stumbled back onto the riverbank. In that moment of chaos, amidst the splashing water and frantic shouts, something clicked between us.

From that day forward, our friendship blossomed, fueled by shared laughter and the thrill of unexpected adventures. Despite our initial differences, we found common ground in our love for exploration and discovery. Whether we were navigating the twists and turns of our school's hallways or embarking on daring escapades outside its walls, Cleo and I were an unstoppable duo, bound together by an unbreakable bond forged in the waters of that river. Together, we navigated the ups and downs of high school life, supporting each other through heartbreaks, triumphs, and everything in between. Cleo became more than just a friend; she became my confidante, my partner-in-crime, and my rock in times of need.

But now is not the time for me to reminisce about my history with her. I need to help her…. I apparently have to play a matchmaker for her and her long long term crush, Caden Reynolds from Archeological faculty. And that's why I arranged this date- I mean- this study session so that they could get to know each other. 

“I hope my presence isn't hindering your plans or such.” Caden spoke as soon as he entered the home. He is such a sweet guy, knowing that I am quite satisfied with her pick—for once.

“Oh no, not at all. I would have said no if it had. Please come in and make yourself comfortable.” I said, leading him to my room where Cleo was already there. She waved at him. 

“Hey~. Good to see you here. How are you?” He said to her. “Good to see you too, Caden. I'm good, how are you?” She spoke softly. This soft side of hers was a rare thing to see. He sat next to her. This plan is already working. 

I cleared my throat and went into teaching mode. “Hello, my dear students. I am your Historical Linguistic teacher, Miss Vesperine Chevalier, and you shall refer to me as Ms. Chevalier. Are we clear?” 

Cleo and Caden exchanged a quick glance, trying to suppress their amusement. "Yes, Ms. Chevalier.” They chimed in unison, their voices laced with playful sarcasm.

"Good," I replied, maintaining my stern facade despite the twinkle in my eye. "Now, let's get started. Today, we will learn about The Eldarthian Civilization that existed from around 3000 BCE to 500 CE, spanning approximately 3500 years.” I said, referring to the pages I found deep in my drawer. These were my fathers papers which he used to teach me from. I still remember the excitement and astonishment in his eyes as he spoke about them. But as the survey  stopped due to lack of finds, these papers were discarded. But I picked them up. I don't know what was going through my mind at that moment but I thank myself for this. I may or may not find my answer through this.

“The Eldarthian Civilisation stretches along the western shores of the vast city of Mythoria, present day Aurorium,  bordered by the Sapphire Sea to the west. During its peak, the Eldarthian Civilization boasted a population of approximately 1.5 million inhabitants spread across its coastal cities, port towns, and inland settlements. The main livelihoods of the Eldarthian Civilization included fishing, agriculture, craftsmanship, and possibly even magical practices,  as some people say.” Magical practices? Why would they think so? “As for trade items, they exported exotic sea creatures, unique artifacts, enchanted items, rare herbs or plants with magical properties, and perhaps even specialized knowledge or skills in areas such as alchemy or mysticism.” I continued, still confused by the beliefs of people in the modern age. “Eh? This is weird.” I said. “You know what's more weird, Ves~?” Cleo asked. I looked at her in question. She smiled but her smile was very sharp, it was not a smile at all. “I am hungry and you haven't even given us a snack.” 

Ah, it seems I got too engrossed in teaching that I forgot that my students felt hungry too. Moreover,  this was the best time to give them space. I smirked at them. “I'll be right back, my dear guests.” 

I took my sweet time bringing two plates of Jalapeno chips and two Hummus and Veggie sticks. I didn't really like Hummus, but this was what Cleo and Caden bonded on and so I had prepared it in advance. As I set them down I sent Cleo a wink, which embarrassed her. She was truly someone else when near Caden.

“I'll continue as you eat, is that fine?” I asked. “Totally.” He said and pondered while munching.“What cultural or religious beliefs did the Eldarthians hold, and how did these influence their society?” Caden asked.

“Good question Mr. Reynolds.” I replied  “Apparently it is said that Eldarthians believed in magic and certain gods which have not been listed. But they did hold a very strong belief in their ‘Aldarath’ or ‘messiah’ named ‘Arkanyn’. He was apparently a man of virtue, vigor, courage and trust. People of that civilization relied heavily on Arkanyn. His large statue was discovered underwater by my father and his team in 2014. Initially we believed that he was their God. But after we found more scripts and texts, we came to know he was a normal human being but with the blessing of God and amazing strength that helped them against their enemies and wild animals that they hunted once a month. It is said that many people gave him offerings on his birthday. And every year they held a festival and he performed the main rituals for coming of age children. He was loved by all.” Suddenly my heart ached. As I said those words, it felt like a heavy weight had settled in the pit of my stomach. The love and reverence bestowed upon Arkanyn by the people of Eldarthia stirred a profound sadness within me, a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of greatness and the passage of time. Was it just that or is there more to this?

In that moment, I couldn't help but feel a sense of longing, a yearning to uncover the truth behind Arkanyn's story. With a heavy heart, I turned away from the pages, my mind consumed by a myriad of questions and emotions. What secrets lay hidden within the depths of Eldarthia's past? What trials and tribulations had Arkanyn faced on his journey to becoming a revered figure in the eyes of his people? And how did it come to an end?

“Umm, if you don't mind.” Caden spoke, bringing me back to the present. “I might have to go now. I have taken much of your time.” I looked at my watch. “Only an hour and a half has passed, that's not much at all.” I replied quickly. I wanted him to stay for a while longer so that my plan for him and Cleo could work. I hadn't given them personal space either. I can't let him go so early. I panicked as I looked at Cleo, who was busy worrying about Caden. “Is everything okay?” She asked. “Everything is fine Cleo, thanks for asking. And thank you too, for giving me a mini study session Vesperine, truly. But the thing is I had promised my best friend that I'd help him move. But the thing is I took this Wednesday to the next one and now he is cursing me. I'm really sorry, I really have to go, he might kill me.” He said, lookingat his phone while getting up, typing really fast and packing his notebook in his bag. “I-I can send you off to your taxi. I have to leave as well.” Cleo spoke. I internally cheered for her, she was finally taking the first step. Caden smiled at her, charming her. I could feel her swooning. “That is really sweet of you Cleo but, sorry. He is here. He is here to take me.” As soon as he said this, I heard a whirring of the gears and a roar of a bike engine, then a horn. He smiled again, guilty and thankful at the same time. He waved us goodbye and left. Curious of his best friend, I peeked through my curtains. 

That was the biggest mistake I made that day. 

His best friend arrived on a sleek, black motorcycle, adorned with chrome accents. He wore a simple white t-shirt and faded blue jeans, completing a stylish ensemble. A pair of wire frame aviator specs hanging on the neckline of his t-shirt. Overall, he exuded an air of effortless coolness that seemed to complement the sleek lines of his motorcycle. They both chatted and it seems that Caden was apologizing while his friend had folded his arms defensively. He then proceeded to remove his helmet. And I regretted looking out of the window at him.

“Isn't that Arkyn?” Cleo, who was behind me all the time, spoke. His tousled brown hair fluttered in the breeze as he spoke to Caden. As they finished talking, Arkyn passed Caden his helmet and motioned him to sit. He started the bike and was about to leave when, suddenly he looked straight at me through my window. I flinched, he saw me standing and looking at them, him specifically but he wouldn't know that. I subconsciously clenched my curtains. 

His piercing green eyes locked onto mine, holding me in their gaze with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. In that moment, it felt as though he could see right through me, peering into the depths of my soul with a knowing look that left me feeling exposed and vulnerable. Despite the unease that his gaze stirred within me, I found myself unable to look away, captivated by the magnetic pull of his eyes. He smirked at me and rode off.

I clenched my teeth. Arkyn Fontaine. I hate him with the intensity of a thousand suns. Every fiber of my being recoils at the mere thought of him, his name a bitter taste on my tongue. Arkyn Fontaine, with his arrogant smirk and haughty demeanor, embodies everything I despise. From the way he struts around like he owns the place to the condescending glint in his eyes, he exudes an air of superiority that grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. And yet, despite my best efforts to avoid him, our paths always seem to cross, igniting a fierce flame of animosity within me that refuses to be extinguished. I huffed angrily and yanked the curtains shut, as if by doing so, I could banish the memory of his existence from my mind. But even as the fabric fell into place, I knew that Arkyn Fontaine's presence lingered like a stubborn stain, impossible to scrub away. With a frustrated sigh, I turned away from the window, determined to focus on anything other than him. As I busied myself with tidying up my room, I couldn't shake the feeling that our encounter was far from over, and that Arkyn Fontaine would continue to be a thorn in my side for the foreseeable future.

[becrystalamazed]

🎵We come together, state of the art, we’ll never surrender, the kids in the dark 🎶

Video ID under Read More

ID: A fanvid of the 2022 Disney gameshow The Quest, set to the song The Kids in the Dark by All Time Low. It consists of clips of the show's eight teenage contestants - known as Paladins - completing challenges, as well as clips of the characters and monsters they face.

'The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark': The clip used for the initial Paladin introductions. A pan-shot to David facing the royals, Serean aiming and drawing back a bowstring, Toshani surprised in Dravus' study, Holden in the Paladin's courtyard, Caden peering around a corner, Ava turning to face the Serpent, Myra in the Paladin's courtyard and Shaan firing a crossbow.

'The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark' - David, then Myra emerges from a portal onto a bridge separately. Serean looks curiously at her surroundings. Toshani also appears through the portal. Shaan looks around him in confusion

'Here we are at the end of a road, a road that's quietly caving in (caving in)': The Paladins, all together, stare in wonder as they walk towards a castle.

'Come to far to pretend that we don't, we don't miss': The Paladins enter the throne room, where King Silas, the Heirs and Dravus are sat. They kneel.

'where we started': The sorceress Tavora throws a ball of magic, which consumes King Magnus.

'Looking back, I see a setting sun, and watch my shadow fade into the floor': King Silas leads the Heirs, the Paladins, Dravus and Mila out of the castle as night falls, carrying lanterns to light their way.

'I am left, standing on the edge': Mila crashes into a palace wall but keeps running as a guard chases her.

'wondering how we got this far, how we got this far': Mila receives the Oracle's Orb from the Fates. She turns to face the Paladins with an expression of awe and disbelief.

'They left us alone, the kids in the dark': Serean runs through a dark courtyard. Myra jumps off a ladder and starts running. Ava turns around.

'To burn out forever or light up a spark': The Paladins run around a corner. David, Ava and Serean run through the marketplace, holding glowing Whispits.

'We come together, state of the art': David, Holden and Myra place their hands on golden handprints on a treasure chest. It unlocks and the Paladins gather around as they open it.

'We'll never surrender': Ava, in a cage, works on untying a knot as the Serpent looms threateningly over her shoulder.

'The kids in the dark, so let the world sing': Myra pulls on a rope to retrieve a glowing vial from the Lake of Lights.

'What a shame': Ava reaches toward one of the magic books in Dravus' study.

'(hey!)': The Paladins jump as the mage Dravus finds them snooping in his study.

'What a shame (hey!)': Prince Emmett ushers the Paladins away from a cauldron that erupts with foaming potion.

'Beautiful scars on critical veins': Mila removes her armour to reveal a bruised battle wound on her lower arm. The Paladins peer at it, concerned.

'Come together, state of the art, we'll never surrender, the kids in the dark': The Paladins jump and duck over the many sweeping arms of the Troll Maiden's heart machine.

'the kids in the dark. (The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark)': The Paladins practise sword drills against each other, moving back and forward. The clanging of their blades occasionally matches the music.

'Here we are at the top of the hill': Mila stares down the Dragior, a humanoid monster with antlers, covered in runes.

'A hill that's quietly crumbling (crumbling)' A sweeping shot of the Paladins holding cages containing rocks above their heads. Holden's arms give way, causing a jug to drop and shatter.

'Been a while since you dressed for the kill, the kill that sent me': David uses a hook to remove the Gem of Courage from the eye of the Witch. David removes the Gem of Strength from the hand of the Dragior. Ava removes the Gem of Wisdom from the forehead of the Serpent. Serean removes the Gem of Resilience from the chest of the Troll Maiden.

'tumbling': David is knocked over by one of the arms of the Troll Maiden's machine. Serean hits a glass jug with a morning star, sending it flying at Holden and Shaan, where it shatters at their feet. They flinch.

'Looking up': A pan-shot up to Prince Emmett and Mila looking out from the battlements of a tower.

'I see a falling star': Mila and Prince Emmett look up at the night sky, glowing with the magic of the Celestial Dome. They make eye contact, smiling.

'And watch its fire burn into the floor': Princess Adaline and Prince Emmett burst into Dravus' study, only to watch him escape through a magic mirror that clatters to the floor.

'And I am left, standing on the edge, wondering why we fall so hard': The Paladins use mirrored shields to direct a glowing green light through the battlements at night.

'Why we fall so hard': A glowing Whispit moves squid-like through the air towards Tavora.

'They left us alone, the kids in the dark': The Paladins run into a wooden labyrinth, the camera following Ava as she dodges through the twists and turns.

'to burn out forever': Serean, then David and Holden, run through the woods.

'or light up a spark': Serean uses a fire crystal to ignite the Torch.

'We come together, state of the art': Myra, Toshani and Holden give food to a beggar outside the palace gates.

'We'll never surrender': Princess Adaline consoles Myra and Toshani.

'The kids in the dark, so let the world sing': David cranks a handle to wind up a crossbow.

'What a shame (hey!)': Ava swings a morning star, smoothly knocking a jug from it's pedestal.

'What a shame (hey!)': David fires the crossbow. The quarrel hits the bullseye.

'Beautiful scars on critical veins': The armour of an injured messenger is removed to reveal the words NAGOTH NOCTUME scrawled in black paint on his inner arm.

'Come together, state of the art, we'll never surrender': Mila and Prince Cederic regroup, back to back in the middle of a battle, before attacking again.

'The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark': Ava holds the Sceptre as it glows. David removes the Sword from a stone. Serean lifts up the Torch.

'Woahhhhh': Toshani, David and Holden use a rope to move a boat across the water.

'Woahhhhh (the kids in the dark, the kids in the dark)': Toshani places a stone on top of a tower. David tries to count the stones as his tower topples.

'Woahhhhh': Holden climbs up the side of a tower, silhouetted against the sky.

'Woahhhhh': Holden uses a fire crystal to extinguish a wall of flame and takes a step forward.

'They left us alone, the kids in the dark, to burn out forever': Tavora steps into a courtyard, the Paladins surrounding her. They have their hands hidden behind their backs and the camera cuts to their faces as they stare her down.

'Or light up a spark, we come together state of the art, we'll never surrender, the kids in the dark, so let the world sing': Holden uses the magic of the Divine Crown to fight Tavora as the other Paladins encourage him. He forces her back and she is engulfed in flames.

'What a shame (hey!)': Holden, Ava and David use shields to push back some soldiers of the Dark Legion.

'What a shame (hey!)': Serean shoots an arrow into a potion bottle, shattering it.

'Beautiful scars on critical veins': Holden uses an axe to cut down Tavora's banner. It flutters to the floor.

'Come together, state of the art': The Paladins and Mila gather in a huddle. They put their hands in the middle and cheer.

'We'll never surrender, the kids in the dark, the kids in the dark': Prince Emmett, Prince Cederic and Princess Adaline hug each other.

'The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark': Prince Emmett, Prince Cederic and Princess Adaline place the Divine Crowns on their heads, before turning to face the Paladins. They kneel.

'We'll never surrender, the kids in the dark, the kids in the dark': The Paladins return home through the portal together. It closes behind them.

End ID

[thebookplatypus]

🐺 Review 🐺

A new to me author and I loved this! Such a cute story.

Rejected mate

Outcast vs alpha

Low angst

Knotting and spice

HEA

Second chance

Who hurt you?

“I won’t do that again. I’ll protect you. I revoke my rejection and I swear to you I won’t rest until I’m worthy of your claim. If you’ll have me. I’ll be the safe space you can rely on. The guardian of your heart as I always should’ve been.”

Avery’s father once challenged the alpha, Caden’s father which led to death and it destroyed Avery and Cadens friendship. For years, her and her sisters were outcasted to a shack at the edge of the packs border.

Until now, they realize they are fated mates. Caden rejects the bond but quickly realizes the error to his ways.

He’ll do anything for her forgiveness.

Super low angst and a sweet romance between two shifters. Low drama. A little suspense.

“Run for me, little wolf. Run so I can always catch you and remind you that you’re mine, mate.”

I read this in one day. I really enjoyed the authors writing style. HEA but with an opening for more characters stories and we need to figure out what happens with the suspense and mystery part of the storyline!

4/5⭐️ #lunalark #veronicaeden #thebookplatypusreview #pnr #paranormalromance #wolfshifterromance #secondchanceromance #ku #kindleunlimited #bookreview

Releases July 29th!

Alpha’s Burden (Rejecting Fates Book 1)

https://a.co/d/2Wo6zFH

[welcometomeloxia]

[andromeda3116]

idk, upon rereading truthwitch, i wonder if safi and merik actually aren't going to be endgame like i'd originally assumed. like, when iseult is thinking about the heart-threads, it's always in a potentiality -- like they are forming, but not formed. they could be heart-threads. but they were parted, and life goes on. there was a possibility there, but it fizzled out with time and distance.

idk if safi is going to end up with anyone at all, tbh, and at this point, i don't think i really want her to. maybe it ends with her and merik re-introducing themselves to each other, to see if there could be something there, after the events of the story? or maybe it ends with her and caden reaching out to each other now that the hell-bards are free? (i do believe that caden is either in love with safi or on his way to it, and i'm on the fence as to whether or not he'll survive the finale.) or just with safi finally free to choose her own fate, no longer someone else's pawn or ace up their sleeve.

i'm not of the opinion that safi and/or iseult will die -- i don't feel like this is the kind of story where one of them die, and i don't feel like aeduan will, either. i definitely think aeduan and iseult have suffered enough and it would be a betrayal of the narrative to kill either of them when they're finally starting to come to peace and find love. if one of the main four is going to die, i think it will be merik, in killing the fury -- he and kullen, thread-brothers to the end.

idk, truthwitch set up safi/merik but the rest of the series kinda dropped it, and i'm not sure that wasn't intentional. like, it's one of those almosts, you know? the guy you met over the summer, felt a connection to, had a few deep conversations with over a case of beer in front of a fire pit, imagined that he might be the one for you... but then the semester started up and you went back to college and lost contact with him, and... that was that.

i just don't see it actually happening anymore, at least before the end of the story. it's an almost. a could-have-been. at best, the ending may give them a chance to start again, but i just don't think they're the same people anymore. what they had was ended by circumstance and they've spent three books (well. two, for merik) changing and growing totally apart from one another. i don't think they're incompatible now, i still think they could connect with each other, but the connection that they had formed was between two people that they aren't anymore. they'd have to start over.

idk, i just really like safi/merik as a whirlwind could-have-been romance that got torn apart before it could become something that would have survived the distance.

[midnightsun-if]

R being like why does this smell and taste like copper??

All the other Ros 👀🤢

The food container: MC's property, touch and you'll die!

Koda would be in the camp that doesn’t know why and would instantly get worried thinking someone tried to poison someone. Scarlett, if she was there in the first place, would just be chuckling behind her book or glass of wine (depending on what her relationship with them is she may feel sympathetic and just tell them straight up). Cyrus/Cyra would definitely have a queasy look on their face and try to subtly sway R from eating any more of it. Quinn would just calmly ask for the food and instantly throw it away once R shared it with them— not offering any explanation. Caden would do an “about face” and just leave the room— wondering why fate has tested them so.

Sloane would just appear, look at R, at the food, at the rest of the room, and then they’d go to the fridge, grab a drink, and walk out— tossing over their shoulder that they didn’t realize R decided to go on a leech diet.

Blake would be completely oblivious to the entire thing as they steal your food all the time and wouldn’t think much of it— would be happily munching on it beside R.

As for R? Poor baby would definitely get green around the gills before apologizing to the MC for taking their food (even if it wasn’t intentional). “I suppose that’s what I get for touching what wasn’t mine, huh?”

[blackjackkent]

Narrator: Tonight's troubled rest is, as ever, overwhelmed by your killing fate. You dangle above a dark precipice, one move away from falling.

Narrator: Another watches your body while it is possessed by the night. You do not dream alone.

The blinding pain and fear of the dream fades, and as Rakha slowly comes to consciousness, trembling with the revelation of who and what she is, she finds that she is not alone. This is not precisely a surprise; Wyll sometimes sits up with her as she sits tied up in her bedroll, shivering with restless nightmares. Lae'zel, too, often prowls at her bedside, watchful for any loss of control.

Tonight, though, it is Jaheira. The older woman sits calmly nearby. Both of her scimitars are out in her hands, rested across her lap, and she watches Rakha stir with calm attentiveness. Her pose is relaxed, but there is a tension in it like the coiled spring of the panther she can become, in the moment before it pounces.

"Dark dreams?" she asks neutrally as Rakha lifts her head.

(A/N: I'm so goddamn proud that I called out in this post that Jaheira had absolutely clocked Rakha's whole situation, because it set this up perfectly entirely by accident. XD )

Slowly and awkwardly, Rakha wrestles herself into a sitting position, watching the Harper guardedly. But Jaheira makes no move to attack, just continues to watch her intently.

"I think I can guess," she goes on, one eyebrow quirking up. "Visions of blood on your hands. The blood in your veins, perhaps."

Rakha goes utterly still. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, utter surprise replaces all the fear and agitation. You know what I am?

Jaheira's lips twitch in a slight, rueful smile. "For all the gifts Bhaal's children inherit," she murmurs, "a peaceful night's sleep is not among them."

(She remembers so many nights on the road. She remembers Caden's torment as he learned who he was, as it threatened to overwhelm him. She remembers many things Caden does not even know she saw.

The last days before their battle against Sarevok; Khalid's low murmur to her as they heard Caden weeping in his bunk. "S-s-should we go to him?" And her slight shake of the head, because what comfort could she possibly offer to that good, kind boy who had just learned there was murder in his soul?

The nights on the road to Dragonspear after Boarskyr Bridge, nights when Caden would wake with a low cry in fear of some monster that had found him in his dreams. She could sense shame in him in those moments, and never spoke to him of them until it was far too late to matter - but she and Khalid watched over him in the night, a comforting presence just out of view.

And the nights in Amn after Spellhold... the worst nights of all. Nights when her bed was cold with Khalid's absence and her thoughts in turmoil, and Caden's soul had been ripped out of him, leaving an empty shell behind in the form of her friend. Nights when he became a monster and had to be beaten into submission. Nights when her deep-set reserve at last failed her, overwhelmed by grief and exhaustion, and she would have welcomed her friend's comfort and to offer it in turn. But there was little left of him to hear her, almost swallowed up by the beast that haunted his mind, and Aerie haunted the bedside of his empty not-quite-corpse like a ghost.

She watches Rakha and sees traces of that same haunted darkness in her new companion's eyes. Caden eventually managed to slip the noose of his heritage and find peace in the forests of Faenya-Dail. She does not know if Rakha will have the strength to do the same - but she is older now, and she will not make the mistake this time of being silent.)

Rakha swallows. Her throat still feels dry and tight and resists speech, but she manages to croak out the question anyway. "How... could you possibly know?"

Her emotions are so tangled it is hard to put names to them. Relief, perhaps - for Jaheira is one of those she trusts most in the camp, and if Jaheira knows, perhaps she will know what to do. But there is also shame, guilt, terror; she feels exposed and frightened and lost. And angry, too.

How long have you known? Why didn't you tell me?

But Jaheira just shrugs. "I don't. Not yet."(*) She climbs slowly to her feet, her eyes never leaving Rakha's. The scimitars hang loosely in both her hands, their blades just skimming the hay-strewn ground. "The dreams alone do not concern me," she goes on after a slight pause. "It is what waking deeds they might inspire."

She peers at Rakha searchingly, her lips drawn into a tight line. "Are you truly your own master?" she asks - and her tone is a strange melding of gentle warmth and cold steel. "What is it you feel, when Father's dreams come calling?"

Rakha flinches. Father. She has never before had that word to put to the urges that drive her. She has not yet accustomed herself to it.

She wondered once - after learning of Shadowheart's past - if she herself had a father that she would drop everything to save. Now she knows the answer, and it makes her skin crawl. Her father is the source of everything that is wrong and broken about her. His influence sits in her head and drives her to kill.

"Helpless..." she mutters. The sense of shame deepens. Her head ducks, but she can feel Jaheira's eyes on her. "Like I can deny him nothing."

She can see the flicker out of the corner of her eye as Jaheira's blades twitch - but do not lift. "Then would you call it mercy," Jaheira says softly, "if the next night I never let you wake?"

Rakha says nothing - but they both know the answer. Yes.

Jaheira sighs, studying her for a long time - and then the blades move again. With a sharp movement, she steps to Rakha's side, flicks out one wrist... and severs the bindings on Rakha's hands.(**) "This is your father's true legacy," she says bitterly. "Not his children, but the fear they plant in us. The savagery it blossoms into."

Rakha draws her hands in front of her, rubs at the sore place on her wrists where the ropes chafed. Then she stands slowly and looks down at Jaheira; for a moment the two of them stare at each other, a long moment of unspoken understanding.

The half-elf is so much smaller than she is, but in this moment Rakha feels much the smaller, for she is acutely aware of the trust Jaheira is giving her... and the fact that Jaheira would end her in an instant if that trust proved misplaced.

"In another time," Jaheira says slowly, "with another of your kind, we found a better way. I would dearly like to find it again."

(Rakha is not Caden, no. She never will be. She did not have the benefit of Gorion's training; there is more of the animal darkness in her than Caden ever had, even in his worst moments. But Jaheira has seen her fight it, has seen the moments of softness in her with Wyll, has seen the strange sincerity with which she asks questions and searches for the right path. In spite of all her caution, Jaheira likes her. If there is a way that does not lead to her death, Jaheira will find it.)

"Tell me what I must do," Rakha whispers. Her voice sounds small in her own ears.

Perhaps Jaheira can hear how lost Rakha feels, because her expression softens a little with a slight, reassuring smile. "You would not be the first to turn the taint in your blood to your advantage," she says quietly. "But there are barriers a Bhaalspawn must overcome, first."

She hisses out a heavy breath between her teeth, her gaze going distant, looking past Rakha and through the wall behind her. "Those of your kind. Orin... I am sure you already know that so long as she lives, she will never stop hunting you."

(She remembers the Five. The Bhaalspawn under Amelyssan's direction who sought to obliterate all those who shared their tainted blood. They nearly succeeded; indeed, she thought they had. How do any remain? How does Rakha live, and Orin? How did Bhaal, dead god that he is, create yet more spawn to do his bloody work?)

She shakes her head sharply with a tight frown. "It might be that you have to turn and face her. You cannot change that. All you can choose is how you meet her - as another bloodied child of Bhaal, or as yourself."

She lifts her head and again meets Rakha's eyes, and the steady certainty in her expression meets Rakha's agitation and calms it like water over fire. "All *I* can offer is the promise that, should you choose to do so, you will not meet her alone."

She waits until Rakha nods. Then, in a single smooth motion, she sheathes both scimitars and sits down on a nearby haybale. "For now, take what rest you can," she says - and now there's an unmistakable gentleness in her tone that Rakha has never heard before. "I will watch over you this night."

Rakha tilts her head to one side, and something like black humor flickers through her eyes for a moment. "To watch over me?" she asks. "Or to protect against me?"

Jaheira's lips twitch with muted amusement. "I suppose you'll have your answer when you wake in the morning."

It's not much reassurance. But it's something. The dreams of blood still wait for her... but it's a comfort different even from Wyll's support to know that Jaheira's eyes are on her, that the Harper knows what she is and hasn't turned away.

She curls back into her bedroll, her hands free, her eyes twitching restlessly under their lids. And Jaheira, true to her word, waits and watches in the darkness, like a wolf on guard before its den.

----

(*) I looked at the dialogue files for this scene. This line appears to be bugged, bc in-game it got skipped, but I like it so I'm including it. XD

(**) Artistic license, obviously. All the references to Rakha being bound up at night are my particular headcanon.

[z-hobo-underworld]

Boutta write a story with all vent characters, these boys are gonna have so much trauma in them- anyway here's a personality and name concept thingy...

(Villain?) :

Personality traits: is narcissistic, rude, aggressive, protective, possessive, and obsessive, he's hypocritical and delusional. He has good traits buried deep down like, nervous, scared, lonely, hurt, and he's very passionate.

(for names I'm thinking maybe Kallidan/Kali, Jean-Dominique/JD, Xavier. Alias would be The Hyena)

Lore: Was badly abused and raised very poor. He had a heroic personality at first always standing up for what's right. He was beaten so badly daily he became a shell of his former self as a teen. He killed and ate his parents then later ran off with much older men and got emotionally manipulated and abused worse. He grew to be hateful. Believes that the boy he used to protect was the only good thing left in the world. (Also fuck you villain is trans, these are vent characters remember)

Appearance: Short black wolfecut super curly hair, dark green eyes filled with violence. Light caramel skin tone covered in tattoos. He has snake bite piercings and 5 piercings on each ear. He stands at about 5'10 up straight at all times. He has a slim yet muscular figure. He dresses in only black and red, tight clothes that show off his body. First appearance: muscular little "girl" with extremely long hair that would be put up into a high ponytail.

(Hero?)

Personality traits: is cold, distant, quiet, shy, is actually very polite, has a strong sense of justice, protective, selfless, he tries to "fix" broken people. Deep down he's terrified, sad, and wants to be appreciated/understood

Lore: Mother died during birth, he blames himself deep down. He had a loving father that had to go away to war and was killed. He met (villain) and fell in love with his heroic ways always standing up for him when he got bullied for being effeminate and shy. He goes to join in the war like his father later in life. He comes home alive, depressed and traumatized, with no family or anything. He spend his time looking for the "girl" that used to protect him needing the hope and guidance he brought him.

(For names I'm thinking Matthew/Matt, Lukas/Luke, Caden. Alias would be The Eagle)

Appearance ideas: Has shoulder length wavy blonde hair, is muscular, and likes to dress like a lesbian in flannels and Carhartts. He's about 6'1 although he slouches a lot. He has icy green eyes and very pale white skin. First appearance: short, skinny, sickly pale child with fear in his eyes. Has long hair put into a low ponytail.

How they met: Villain was taken away from family for abuse reasons for a year until they "got better" and put in the same care shelter as Hero who's family happened to die. Hero and villain are bound by fate to each other. Hero doesn't know who villain is when he's kidnapped by him, not being able to recognize for a long time that the one he loves has changed genders. Villain searches for him for years across the globe, also having trouble recognizing him because he's not a small weak boy anymore at all.