#game of thrones? you mean my broken with gold series. i did do it better.

[bluebellhairpin]

I need to get back into my royal medieval au fics. Those plots were fucking cinematic.

[une-nuit-pour-se-souvenir]

random thoughts on jon connington’s chapters

This is part 2, part 1 can be found here.

The Griffin Reborn

Aegon and Danerys

The first part of this chapter details Jon Connington taking over his former castle Griffin's Roost as well as remembering how he lost the Battle of Stony Sept.

Some Daniella stans have cried about how the show made her bad (ahah she's already bad), by giving her Jon Connington's supposed endgame. I believe they're partially right. Jon Connington's thoughts on Stoney Sept are foreshadowing of the burning of King's Landing, but of Danerys doing it.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

He had lost it all at Stoney Sept, in his arrogance. (...)

And so he swept down on Stoney Sept, closed off the town, and began a search. (...) The townsfolk were hiding him. They moved him from one secret bolt-hole to the next, always one step ahead of the king's men. The whole town was a nest of traitors. At the end they had the usurper hidden in a brothel. What sort of king was that, who would hide behind the skirts of women? Yet whilst the search dragged on, Eddard Stark and Hoster Tully came down upon the town with a rebel army. Bells and battle followed, and Robert emerged from his brothel with a blade in hand, and almost slew Jon on the steps of the old sept that gave the town its name.

For years afterward, Jon Connington told himself that he was not to blame, that he had done all that any man could do. His soldiers searched every hole and hovel, he offered pardons and rewards, he took hostages and hung them in crow cages and swore that they would have neither food nor drink until Robert was delivered to him. All to no avail.

Bobby B was very much loved by the people in general, in fact that's the whole thing with Stoney Sept. The townsfolk hid him because they loved him, despite the violence inflicted towards them. As Connington says, they endured everything for Bobby B's sake, they rebuffed bribes and they endured executions, even a hunger strike. Not one turned traitor, not one turned over Bobby B. Such we have a town hiding a "ruler" they love.

As a side-note, in the books the bells tolled to warn the citizens of the battle and to persuade them to stay inside their houses. It was a statement, marking a rebellion against the invading force and not a surrender signal. I believe it's in the show that is said, bells ring for dead kings, weddings (bride of fire, meaning biurning shit), and the beginning of war (this was waaay before they came up with the accident that is season 8).

Daenerys IV ~ ACOK

(second stanza) A tall lord with copper skin and silver-gold hair stood beneath the banner of a fiery stallion, a burning city behind him. (...) A cloth dragon swayed on poles amidst a cheering crowd. (...) A corpse stood at the prow of a ship, eyes bright in his dead face, grey lips smiling sadly.

Epilogue ~ AFFC

Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. (...) He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them."

Aegon (who's associated with boats, the Shy Maid) will be loved, he's the cloth dragon the people are cheering for (it doesn't mean he's fake, LMAO) and Danerys will burn King's Landing in retalliation. Like Cersei Lannister ended up "loved" in the penultime episode of the show, when she took the townsfolk inside the Red Keep. Forced, I know, but that's what they depicted and what Daniella thought just before she burned them all, the townsfolk preferred Cersei to Daniella. And we highly suspect show!Cersei took book!Aegon's role, such it will be him that will be sitting in King's Landing in the books.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

"Tywin Lannister himself could have done no more," he had insisted one night to Blackheart, during his first year of exile.

"There is where you're wrong," Myles Toyne had replied. "Lord Tywin would not have bothered with a search. He would have burned that town and every living creature in it. Men and boys, babes at the breast, noble knights and holy septons, pigs and whores, rats and rebels, he would have burned them all.

he would have burned them all.

This is Bran's prophetic visions in sequence, linking Drogon, flying over King's Landing, then an "equivalence" between Aerys saying "burn them all" and Danerys with Drogon.

It's also worth mentionioning for the milionth of time, that "Daenerys" is is an anagram for "Aerys End", you know the guy who wanted to burn King's Landing to the ground instead of letting beloved by the people Bobby B take the throne.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

He was not wrong, Jon Connington reflected, leaning on the battlements of his forebears. I wanted the glory of slaying Robert in single combat, and I did not want the name of butcher.

Daenerys IV ~ ADWD

Dany was appalled. He is a monster. A gallant monster, but a monster still. "Do you take me for the Butcher King?"

"Better the butcher than the meat. All kings are butchers. Are queens so different?" (...)

What have I done? she thought, huddled in her empty bed. I have waited so long for him to come back, and I send him away. "He would make a monster of me," she whispered, "a butcher queen." But then she thought of Drogon far away, and the dragons in the pit. There is blood on my hands too, and on my heart. We are not so different, Daario and I. We are both monsters.

Danerys accepting her dragon side, which haappens at the end of ADWD and this is why she manages to ride Drogon, is directly connected to being a monster, a butcher. This is word play that translated to the show as well.

GoT 7x02 - Stormborn

DAENERYS picks up a dragon figurine from the table.

DAENERYS: If Viserys had three dragons and an army at his back, he'd have invaded King's Landing already.~

TYRION: Conquering Westeros would be easy for you. But you're not here to be queen of the ashes.

DAENERYS: No.

DAENERYS puts down the dragon figurine.

TYRION: We can take the Seven Kingdoms without turning it into a slaughterhouse. If the great houses support your claim against Cersei, the game is won.

Danerys clothes when she burned King's Landing have red staining the skirt, like a butcher's apron stained with blood as he works.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

"Wait, I say. Gather our power, win some small lords to our cause, let Lysono Maar dispatch his spies to learn what we can learn of our foes."

Connington gave the plump captain-general a cool look. This man is no Blackheart, no Bittersteel, no Maelys. He would wait until all seven hells were frozen if he could rather than risk another bout of blisters. "We did not cross half the world to wait. Our best chance is to strike hard and fast, before King's Landing knows who we are.

In the show, Danerys is impatient to attack King's Landing, she doesn't want to wait, and has to be convinced REPEATEDLY to not "strike hard and fast". And in one of them, Daenerys and butchering linked together makes yet another appearance (the script above).

Aegon the Conqueror

Maegor the Cruel

Danerys the Butcher. Bitch deserves it.

Aegon and Jon Connington

In the second part of the chapter, Aegon arrives at the Griffin's Roost and Connington and Aegon discuss the attack on Storm's End.

Sansa VII ~ ASOS

The Broken Tower was easier still. They made a tall tower together, kneeling side by side to roll it smooth, and when they'd raised it Sansa stuck her fingers through the top, grabbed a handful of snow, and flung it full in his face. Petyr yelped, as the snow slid down under his collar. "That was unchivalrously done, my lady."

"As was bringing me here, when you swore to take me home."

She wondered where this courage had come from, to speak to him so frankly. From Winterfell, she thought. I am stronger within the walls of Winterfell.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

A solid man, and true, Connington thought as he watched Duck dismount, but not worthy of the Kingsguard. He had tried his best to dissuade the prince from giving Duckfield that cloak, pointing out that the honor might best be held in reserve for warriors of greater renown whose fealty would add luster to their cause, and the younger sons of great lords whose support they would need in the coming struggle, but the boy would not be moved. "Duck will die for me if need be," he had said, "and that's all I require in my Kingsguard. The Kingslayer was a warrior of great renown, and the son of a great lord as well."

At least I convinced him to leave the other six slots open, else Duck might have six ducklings trailing after him, each more blindingly adequate than the last. "Escort His Grace to my solar," he commanded. "At once."

Prince Aegon Targaryen was not near as biddable as the boy Young Griff had been, however. The better part of an hour had passed before he finally turned up in the solar, with Duck at his side. "Lord Connington," he said, "I like your castle."

"Your father's lands are beautiful," he said. His silvery hair was blowing in the wind, and his eyes were a deep purple, darker than this boy's. "As do I, Your Grace. Please, be seated. Ser Rolly, we'll have no further need of you for now."

"No, I want Duck to stay." The prince sat. "We've been talking with Strickland and Flowers. They told us about this attack on Storm's End that you're planning."

Jon Connington did not let his fury show. "And did Homeless Harry try to persuade you to delay it?"

"He did, actually," the prince said, "but I won't. Harry's an old maid, isn't he? You have the right of it, my lord. I want the attack to go ahead … with one change. I mean to lead it."

As I said in the part 1 of this series, there are many parallels between Aegon's story and Sansa's story. One is a future event, where Sansa and Aegonwill escape the toxic mentors that pose as their fake parent (even if Connington isn't 1/10 as bad as Littlefinger).

In Sansa's case, this most likely will happen when she flees north if "Sansa is Grey Girl" theory holds true (and it happened in the show, moreover this is a parallel she has with Arya and Bran as well, both will also have to flee their toxic mentors soon) and she'll grow more independent from Pedofinger as she regains her identity as Sansa Stark and with her cousin (and the North) by her side.

In Aegon's case, we can see that he's already more indepedent than he used to be (it all started when he stepped up at the Golden Company higher-ups and convinced them to fight for him and his cause). Connington suggests this is because the boy is now Aegon Targaryen and no longer Young Griff, in other words Aegon is growing more confident the more he regains his identity.I suspect that like Sansa, Aegon will grow even more confident with his cousin Arianne (and Dorne) by his side.

Sansa II ~ AGOT

When Sansa finally looked up, a man was standing over her, staring. He was short, with a pointed beard and a silver streak in his hair, almost as old as her father. "You must be one of her daughters," he said to her. He had grey-green eyes that did not smile when his mouth did. "You have the Tully look."

Sansa VII ~ AGOT

"I won't." He sounded almost like Marillion, the night he'd gotten so drunk at the wedding. Only this time Lothor Brune would not appear to save her; Ser Lothor was Petyr's man. "You shouldn't kiss me. I might have been your own daughter . . ."

"Might have been," he admitted, with a rueful smile. "But you're not, are you? You are Eddard Stark's daughter, and Cat's. But I think you might be even more beautiful than your mother was, when she was your age."

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

But when Jon Connington stepped out onto the high battlements, the view was just as intoxicating as he remembered: the crag with its wind-carved rocks and jagged spires, the sea below growling and worrying at the foot of the castle like some restless beast, endless leagues of sky and cloud, the wood with its autumnal colors. "Your father's lands are beautiful," Prince Rhaegar had said, standing right where Jon was standing now. And the boy he'd been had replied, "One day they will all be mine." As if that could impress a prince who was heir to the entire realm, from the Arbor to the Wall. (...)

"Lord Connington," he said, "I like your castle."

"Your father's lands are beautiful," he said. His silvery hair was blowing in the wind, and his eyes were a deep purple, darker than this boy's. "As do I, Your Grace. Please, be seated. Ser Rolly, we'll have no further need of you for now."

Pedofinger and Ebonington. Leave the children alone! *screams*

[aerialflight]

Fic Recs

I haven’t done this in a while, recommending fics. But there were some fics these past couple of months that put a smile on my face, so I want to spread that joy to others. Seriously, they’re so good and I want to shove all these recs at people and have them appreciate them as much as I do. Everyone stay safe and I hope these recs make staying home easier for everyone!

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[Fullmetal Alchemist]

maestoso by novalotypo

Edward Elric is about eleven when he stands up, makes an extended effort to knock as many books off the old bastard’s shelves as he can, and says, “Fuck the military. Al, you interested in music at all?”

Everybody's got their own ideas of retirement.

The Elrics don't even do retirement, what with the world trying to blow itself up every other month, but this shit has got to take the fucking cake.

(You want a fic that’ll make you cry tears of uncontrollable laughter? I point you to this fic. The shenanigans, the fact this is a time travel fic, the fucking headaches the Elrics cause, the I-Have-No-Fucks-To-Give attitude. Legend.)

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[The Magnus Archives]

we raise it up by savrenim

Jonathan Sims reads a book and saves the world; although maybe the real salvation is the friends he makes along the way.

OR: in which Jon is not the only Archival monster for very long, Sasha James is competent, Tim Stoker finds some catharsis, Helen Richardson is sexy, Melanie makes a very successful youtube channel revamp, and Martin Blackwood gets to brew a lot of new friends tea.

(This is literally the most creative, fucking inspired tma fic I’ve ever read. You literally will never be able to guess what happens next and it’s just so much fun.)(Kinda Time Travel, you’ll understand what I mean if you read it, it’s so well done and amazing.)(The characterization for Sasha makes me want to weep, I’ve never seen her characterized this way before and it makes SO MUCH SENSE.)(@savrenim you are a QUEEN and you inspire me to be a better writer.)

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[Marvel]

Crash Landing by Nyxelestia

"You could've left me there," Adrian murmured, jerking his head back towards the burning beach in the distance. "For Stark and his DODC people to find me. Liz and Doris' lives would've actually fallen apart with my arrest, and all my work to take care of them would've gone to waste. You could've just left me there...but you didn't. So I'll make you another deal."

Peter clenched his hands, fists shaking hard. "I'm giving you a second chance - but if you go back to what you were doing...I can't make any promises."

"It would be stupid of me to expect you to, after all this," Adrian said. He looked at Peter, at the hints of bruises and all the blood. He had trouble reconciling this fragile-looking kid with the superhuman who's been destroying his business, his daughter's homecoming date with the boy he'd nearly killed. "That's not my deal. My deal is, we both walk away, and neither of us say a word about any of this to Liz. Anything else - we'll cross those bridges as we come to them."

Swallowing, the boy nodded.

Instead of gift-wrapping the Vulture for Happy to find, Peter lets Mr. Toomes go.

(Honestly, I’m disappointed in the fact there’s not many Vulture-centric fics out there. This was so great and Peter was wonderfully characterized here along with Ned.)(I have a deep craving now for more Adrian Toomes fics and I blame this fic for that. I don’t regret it one bit.)

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[The Witcher]

all some children do is work by some_stars

It's two children, he realizes as they slowly sit up. They look about eight or nine, not that he's much judge of children's ages. One is a girl, dark-haired, in a shabby dress. The other is a boy. His clothes aren't much better, and his hair isn't much lighter than the girl's, but his eyes—

His eyes, Jaskier realizes with a distant sense of horror, are gold like a cat's. His mind makes one more valiant effort to keep from connecting the obvious dots and recognizing them, and then it finally does.

"How in the unholy fuck," Jaskier says to no one, "did this shit happen?"

(So sweet it’ll give you cavities. Break your own heart reading this, I dare you.)

of music and motion and love by WriteThroughTheNight

When Jaskier was four, he slipped his mother’s watch and went to the field to gather a bouquet of dandelions. He climbed back into the yard, as stealthy as a child really cared to be, and crept over to the barn. In the barn, lived a secret. (The man he thought his father said the secret was a monster, a plague. His mother said the secret was his sister.)

OR

Jaskier comes from a far humbler background, and would really like to know why Yennefer never came back for her youngest brother.

(YENNEFER AND JASKIER AS SIBLINGS ENOUGH SAID. FIENOWPAFE)

to render it transparent by theundiagnosable

Geralt wakes up warm, peaceful, and utterly content, which is how he knows that something is severely wrong.

(Where Geralt wakes up in the future and Jaskier and Geralt live at the Coast.)(They are Disasters. What else is new.)(Everything’s lovely and emotionally repressed.)

-

[Game of Thrones]

if I give you my heart, will you promise not to break it? by janie_tangerine

Ship: Brienne/Jaime

“It’s not broken,” she protests.

“Please,” Ronnet goes on, “it’s all red. Red hearts like that are broken and their owners are either useless or more effort than they’re worth. ‘Course you would get a broken one, who else would want you?”

“It’s not,” Brienne hisses, and at that he stops talking. She realizes her voice had turned cold. Very cold. A coldness that doesn’t belong to her, she’s never sounded like that, but it seems to come from the pulsing warmth in her hands, again - “and the day I find him you’ll see he’s not broken or damaged or unworthy. And I sure as the seven hells hope no one got saddled with yours.

in which soulmates find each other through one of them having the other's heart.

or, in which Brienne gets a mostly broken one the day Jaime Lannister kills Aerys Targaryen.

(So this is a series, just want to put that out there. And I read through all of them cause I just couldn’t do otherwise. Brienne is obviously the bravest, most noble, most amazing of course. And Jaime makes me want to punch a wall because feels.)(This soulmate idea is so creatively and well done, has become one of my favorite soulmate tropes.)(There are a lot of interesting pairings in this series and the way the author went about the relationships and this expanding world has me giving all the yeses.)(Please read!!!)

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[Gilmore Girls]

Weather Me by missgoalie75

Ship: Paris Geller/Jess Mariano

A year in the life of Paris and Jess.

(PARIS GELLER AND JESS MARIANO AT THEIR VERY BEST HOLY SHIT!!! I can hear their voices in every line, every thought, every damn interaction and I am so in love it's ridiculous. Paris in particular won me over, I have become incredibly fond of her and it's honestly brilliant! And Jess has a beautiful mind and I love him, I do. God, do I.)(missgoalie75 did it again.)

Living With It by thesaltyavocado

Ship: Lindsay Lister/Jess Mariano

#Future Fic, #Post-Season/Series Finale, #So Your Ex is Now Your Step-Cousin, #And You're Dating Her Ex's Ex!, #A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Over It

(There’s no summary, it’s a series, and I’m in LOVE. I am a sucker for really, really well done rare pairs, and this is the rarest of them all. Go for it. It’s beautiful.)(Also, the author is literally the BEST, the VERY BEST at making me want to ship people I never even thought of. They’re awesome.)(check out all their fics, I went on a spree and you should too.)

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[The Hunger Games]

Speechless by thesaltyavocado

Ship: Haymitch Abernathy/Effie Trinket

Effie was kind, she was warm, she offered comfort to anyone who needed it, microphones be damned. She had a reputation for generosity amongst the Victors that Haymitch hadn't paid any attention to, because he was so paranoid about showing his hand that he barely even said her name around other people, barely even acknowledged her existence. Everyone thought he hated her, Beetee had explained. Everyone knew the stories about how he'd made her cry in the sponsor's lounge at the opening of the 61st Games, how he'd blown up at Cecelia that time when she'd asked him to pass a message onto Effie for her. Is that why none of you assholes ever liked me? Haymitch had asked. No, we didn't like you because you were a prick, Beetee told him, which was fair enough.

(The best, and I mean the best fic I’ve ever read regarding this pairing. Nothing is ever going to top this. Nothing.)(The WORLDBUILDING. FUCK.)(Literally everyone is perfectly characterized in new, heartbreaking ways and I just, fuck. Fuck.)(I don’t care if you’re not into the fandom, this will make you fall in love and see the characters with new eyes and it’s absolutely stellar.)(I want to cry.)(You don’t even have to be here for the ship, just be here for the writing, characterization, the WORLDBUILDING, fucking everything.)(Please.)(This fic NEEDS more love.)(I have fallen in love with Effie Trinket.)(This is my life now.)

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[Harry Potter]

Walkabout by thesaltyavocado for teethandstars

Ship: Hermione Granger/Sirius Black

"You are always far too handsome for your own good," Hermione says, "in any timeline."

(The author strikes again when it comes to shipping people I don’t expect to love, yet here it is. Such an interesting fic where the time travel already happened and it’s the aftermath that the fic covers.)(Again, characterization off the fucking charts and I just want to wrap myself up in their words and live there.)(A story about broken people trying to find peace within themselves.)

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[Stranger Things]

and you hunger for the time by missgoalie75

Ship: Steve Harrington/Kali Prasad

after the battle of starcourt, steve figured the rest of the summer would involve not working, waiting for his busted ribs and face to heal, hanging out with robin and the party, and trying to ignore the panic he feels whenever he thinks about his future. All that does happen, but other unexpected things happen too.

(Bet you didn’t see this ship coming, did you? Neither did I, yet here we are.)(missgoalie75 is the gift that keeps on giving.)(But in all seriousness this is my favorite characterization of Steve, hands down.)(This fic needs more kudos and comments and basically all the love it deserves.)(God tier characterization and relationship development.)

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[Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas]

nfwmb by perennial

Ship: Eris/Proteus

The goddess of discord isn't careless enough to fall in love with a do-gooder mortal prince—unless, of course, she doesn't know it's happening.

(Okay, hear me out. I know it’s weird, I can feel the judgement coming from my screen. But I am weak in the face of rare pairings that actually work and the fact I fucking loved this movie ever since I was a kid, okay? So if anybody else loves this fandom as much as I do, stand up and take notice of this. I am here to tell you there are worthwhile fics to be read in this very, very small fandom.)

I'll keep turning down the hands that beckon me to come by deavors

Ship: Marina/Proteus/Sinbad

“Jealous?” Sinbad says, voice easily and casually mocking, but there’s something else under there, an undertone that speaks of so many things Marina isn’t even close to understanding.

“Extremely,” says Proteus, cracking a half-smile, but Marina feels like he’s not joking.

They stare at each other for a few moments. Marina’s gaze flickers between them. Sun and moon. She wishes—she doesn’t know what she wishes. Her heart is twisting again, but in a different way from before: as though it’s half-empty and longs to be full.

(You have no idea how in love I am with the idea of these three being in a poly relationship. No idea.)(I’ve been shipping all of them the moment I was introduced to the idea of polyamory relationships.)(This is THE poly ship for me.)(Nothing’s ever gonna come close. Nothing.)

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[Crossovers]

Trust Me, I'm an Alchemist by metisket

Fandoms: Yuri!!! on Ice, Fullmetal Alchemist

In which Yuri Plisetsky began life with the name Edward Elric, and this has made the world of figure skating a significantly stranger and more alarming place.

“Are you saying you lived a life of crime before you began skating?” “I’m gonna have to check the statute of limitations on a couple things and get back to you on that.”

(Meme Alien Edward, Ninja Alphonse who’ll smile at you as you Perish, Disaster Gay Victor, Disaster Gay Maniac Yuuri.)(If this isn’t incentive enough, the Elrics traumatizing and delighting social media with their Life Stories and their Life of Crime.)(Feral Elrics being Feral Elrics.)(It’s the kind of fic that gets better with every chapter, cause the shenanigans just keep ESCALATING.)

[broadway-book-badger]

Let’s talk about books

Back in the day, about three years ago, I went through a phase of posting monthly write-ups of what I’d been reading on here. In these trying times there seems to be a little bit more time for reading, plus escapism and procrastination are always fun, so I though I’d share a few recommendations. There’s a few different genres (amazingly, hardly any YA fantasy), and I’ve mostly read these in the last year or so. I’ve kept my thoughts as spoiler free as I can. Read them under the cut.

1. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Everyone and their mother has read The Hunger Games. I have read The Hunger Games before. But, a couple of weeks ago, I reread the trilogy for the first time since my first reading, which was around Christmas 2011. And to be perfectly honest, these books hold up! I think maybe it’s because I read so many not so good dystopian YA novels after I first read the Hunger Games that I thought less of this trilogy, but I don’t know. This is a solid series. If you’ve never revisited it (or if you’ve never read it at all), now could be the time! I love the fast paced writing - once things kick off, they do not stop and I burned through the whole trilogy in about three days. The world building is decent, and it doesn’t back away from some pretty heavy stuff. I remember certain scenes being much more gory, but that’s probably just because I’ve read much worse in the past 9 years. Also being older, I appreciate Katniss as a character a lot more. I remember 13-year old me getting annoyed, but now I kind of like that she is allowed to be confused about her feelings and struggle with what she’s been through and generally be a pawn rather than a flawless 16-year old rebel commander as seen elsewhere. The love triangle also isn’t as bad as I remember, although I was reminded of my own love for Peeta. Some people complain that he’s boring, but I think he’s a lovely boy.

2. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

I’ve been wanting to read this since I saw someone on the internet pitch this as something along the lines of “The queer dragon fantasy epic you’ve been waiting for.” I did a lot of waiting for it to come out in paperback, because it is an absolute behemoth over 800 pages, and while incredibly pretty, the hardback was just too big. It was, however, well worth the wait. I haven’t read a ton of adult fantasy, because a lot of it is so big, but this was a good place to start, because the writing style is pretty easy to read and also its a standalone, so the story is told by the end, it’s not the first of like 6 800 page bricks. While the plot and the characters and the love story between a queen and her handmaiden who’s a badass sorceress in disguise are all enjoyable, the thing I loved the most was the worldbuilding. I love the time and effort that was spent developing the religions and mythologies of all the different kingdoms and how they clash in ways such as different takes on the legend of St George and the dragon, and the contrast Western dragons as monsters to be slain by knights vs benevolent Eastern dragons that kind of echoes real world mythology. I saw one review of this describing ‘Priory’ as ‘a feminist successor to Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.’ While I think you could definitely say that that is the case, I would say that equally being more feminist than either of those titles is not a particularly high bar, given that there are only about 5 named women in the whole of Middle Earth, and most of the women in Game of Thrones are assaulted and brutalized for no good reason. 

3. Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

This book made me so happy, you have no idea. An enemies to friends to lovers story about the son of the first female American president and the Prince of England, that reads kind of like fanfiction but in the best possible way is exactly what the world needs right now. Everything about this book is delightful, from the characters to their relationships to the pseudo-alternate history that its set in. I think the thing that increased my enjoyment of this is the fact that the main characters are in their early twenties. It seems to me that most protagonists, regardless of genre are either 16 or pushing 30, and while I still enjoy their stories, there was just something infinitely more relatable about a character the same age as me. If anyone knows of any more books with characters in this age range, please let me know, because they seem few and far between. Back to this, however, I think I was grinning like an idiot through most of this book. I laughed, I may have shed a little happy tear, I fully recommend.

4. The Broken Earth Trilogy by N K Jemisin

Another foray into adult fantasy, this is such a good series. The books aren’t too long and the writing style is easy to digest, but it is DARK. It’s set in a world which experiences apocalyptic natural disasters every couple of centuries. There are people with powers that can help control this, but they’re super oppressed and treated as evil, rather than potential saviours. The story follows a woman searching for her missing daughter in the wake of an apocalypse, a young girl coming into her powers and others, and it is so well done. It’s such a unique and diverse world, and there are some great reveals as to why the story is being told the way that it is, as well as interesting takes on things like living vs surviving and systems of oppression.

5. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

An aging and reclusive Hollywood star decides that the time has come to share her life story to an unknown journalist and it’s amazing. This is so well done that its easy to forget while reading that Evelyn Hugo is not a real person and you cannot go and watch her films. I first heard about this book and thought it sounded interesting, as I have a love of Old Hollywood musicals. I then promptly forgot all about it, until I heard other people on the internet talking about how it had a bisexual protagonist, which both reminded me about it and made me want to read it more and here we are. Evelyn Hugo had a hell of a life, with seven husbands and another great love story, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about it. This book does a great job at showcasing both the glamour and less glamorous underside of the era, as well as the lengths people are willing to go. It also had me sobbing at 1am because I couldn’t put it down, and if that isn’t the mark of a quality book, I don’t know what is!

6. Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy

A coming-of-age story following two childhood friends as they move from their small town to Dublin for University in the 1950s. Quite a chunky book, but a lovely story and I found it read pretty quickly. As I was saying about Red, White and Royal Blue, it’s rare to find books about characters of this sort of age range. Equally rare I think are books with a university setting - the only others I can think of are Fangirl, the Magicians and the Secret History - any recommendations, let me know! I enjoyed the characters growing and finding their confidence and independence, as well as the period setting. I also greatly appreciated the ending, in terms of the main character’s love interest, as it’s something that you don’t often see in this type of book. I may have to read more by this author.

7. Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

This is one of those books that I just happened to read at the perfect time in my life, and for that reason it means a lot to me. I read it at the very end of 2018, when I was feeling really down and not myself, and something in there just spoke to me and maybe gave a little perspective. I don’t read much non-fiction and this is just the memoirs of someone as she navigates her teens and twenties. I can see why someone might not like it, but I really did. There’s some relatable content in here. As the book went on and I read all these parts about bad dates and third-wheeling friends, I kept waiting for the part where she said, ‘but then I met so-and-so and it all changed’ but that NEVER happened. By the end of this book, this woman is still single and praising all the types of non-romantic love in her life, and that I think is a bit of a revelation. It is so rare for a woman to stay single at the end of a book (see every YA love triangle ever, even when both boys are terrible), and so this resonated deeply with me. I laughed, I cried, I go back and reread bits every so often, and I wholeheartedly recommend.

8. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

There are those who say that Cassandra Clare needs to stop, but I wholeheartedly disagree. As long as she wants to keep writing Shadowhunter books, I will keep reading them, because they are a hell of a lot of fun. I’ll admit, bits of the OG Mortal Instruments series aren’t the best thing I’ve ever read, but the historical series are in another league altogether. I adore the Infernal Devices trilogy, which features one of the few good love triangles in YA, and Chain of Gold is a promising start to a new series about the children of the Infernal Devices characters. I think there’s something about the historical setting that just works so much better than the modern series, it could be the angst that comes from things like marriages of convenience and ruined reputations, but I digress. I really enjoyed getting to know this new cast of characters, while also getting some appearances from old favourites. The plot was solid too, and I liked the new expansions to the mythology, while wondering what they mean for what’s coming in the rest of this trilogy. I think the fact that I read this in less than 48 hours, mostly sitting in the same spot tells you everything you need to know.

[thesimonkshow]

The Master & The Prince; How Survivor Series should have been (Original Fic)

Summary: Seth Rollins has been the lightning rod of anger from the WWE Universe and it’s starting to affect him. After Kevin Owens insults him by bringing up The Shield, Seth is at his breaking point. However the arrival of a friend from another brand throws everything up in the air.

Notes: This will contain violence (obviously, this is a wrestling themed fanfic), course language & smut towards the end.

Author’s Note: This is a fanfic that I just threw together this morning, this is actually the first one I have written & published online, so please take that into consideration.

AND REMEMBER; these individuals are not my property, all use of WWE & NXT individuals in fanfic form applied to fair use. So with that being said, let’s begin.

Seth Rollins was in a bad mood. He had just confronted Kevin Owens about his defection to NXT at War Games & he retaliated by bringing up Seth betraying The Shield, which had happened once, incomparable to the opposing RAW team members consistent level of betrayal, which seemed to happen every other day.

So now Seth was in the corner, trying to keep his anger under control, it seemed to flare up more these days, but he found solitude often ebbed it away. He didn’t notice the pacing of feet as someone sat down besides him “Well hey there Seth. Someone got you hot and bothered?” Seth turned to see Finn Bálor, his friend & also a member of the NXT team this evening, and as much as he wanted to confide in him, he knew Raw had to come first. “And why would I tell you?, you’d only use it to further your team.” “Now why would I do something like that? I may be on their team, but you & I run deeper than this match.” Finn responded. Seth sighed, maybe it wouldn’t be an issue to drop his guard around Finn. “Fucking Kevin Owens, I brought up War Games, cause I was worried about our team that I have pit my grieviances aside for, and that bitch brings up me betraying The Shield, when he’s on Betrayal number who fucking knows?” Finn chuckled “That little cunt wouldn’t know loyalty even if it decked him in the face.” Seth let out a gutteral laugh, somehow things felt better when he was with Finn. They had grown close when they first feuded, the connection deepening when they would face The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship, Seth even considered making him a Shield member, maybe something even more, but anytime he thought about it, his mind returned to Dean & he pushed the thought away.

“It seems like your putting your reputation on the line for people who couldn’t give a shit about you. They just throw you away like you’re nothing. I remember when I faced The Fiend at SummerSlam, everyone wanted me to lose, I was so alone, so unhappy. And when I lost I heard the audience cheer & I felt so full of rage, like darkness just filled me. I waited for my moment to strike, and when it came, I ripped Johnny Gargano from limb to limb.” Anyone listening would have run away at Finn’s brutal delivery of words, yet Seth listened to Finn entranced. He felt the same way, he’d tried to stand for the lockerroom, for Vince, for WWE, but found himself hated and despised. Legends had tried to stand up for him like Bret Hart, but their appreciation did the exact opposite of what was intended. Hell In A Cell was both a release of that tension but also rock bottom, the hatred became like acid, attacks on him became more frequent. After emerging from that damn hole after being attacked by The Fiend at the draft, he had felt humiliated, but that quickly turned to rage, he had felt that same anger Finn felt.

“Yeah, I know what you mean, after everything that has happened, when I beat Bray up & set fire to his house, I felt so good, like at WrestleMania where I won the Universal Championship. I felt like Seth Rollins again.” “When Hunter pulled me from the roster & got me back to NXT, I felt like I had just won the Intercontinental title again. So on top of the world, even though I should have known I was all along, I just needed that push.” Seth paid attention to every word Finn said, it felt as if his friend knew his struggle & was giving his hand to help, the only person he cared about was giving him a way out. “Listen, I have to get back to my team, but I heard you weren’t gonna be wearing your RAW shirt, so if you choose, I got you something more your style. See you out there.” He pushed a package into Seth’s hand, grinned and set off. Seth opened the package, making sure no one was looking & grinned, he knew what he had to do.

The match was fury and fire as expected, Drew scored a big opening by knocking Dominik Dijakovic out in a few moments and to Seth’s delight, Kevin was quickly chucked by Tomasso Ciampa. After a lengthy match, he, Roman & Finn were the only surviviors. He knew Roman would form an alliance with him & sure enough “We take Finn, then you & me” he heard Roman whisper in his ear “Always man” Seth said back, Roman advanced forwards. Seth knew, now was the time.

He raced up behind Roman, low blowing him, putting Roman into a Pedigree & let Finn take him out. The crowd, already hostile enough on it’s own right, began booing at an alarming rate. Seth caught Finn’s eye & Finn knew what Seth wanted to do, he slipped out of the ring, marched to the announcer & tore the mic out of their hands. Returning to the ring he passed Seth the mic, the crowds now preceding to chant CM Punk as loud as they possibly could. “SILENCE!” Seth screamed with so much malice and venom exuding from his booming voice, that everyone actually listened and fell silent, even the commentary team. “For years I have been the one paving the way for WWE, creating The Shield, becoming the beacon for every division when I joined The Authority, setting a precedent for Money In The Bank when I cashed in the Main Event of WrestleMania, a precedent yet to be topped! I became a Grand Slam Champion & even came to your aid when Brock Lesnar had this division by it’s balls and wouldn’t let go, TWICE!” Seth sucked in an angry breath & continued “And how did you repay me? You spat on my reputation, you cursed my name when I disagreed with AEW, when I tried to stand up for everyone in the back, you hoped for The Fiend’s success, though he’ll soon take down everyone in his way, with no chance of anyone else succeeding. You wished for my death just for your own pettiness to be sated. You ran from me, just like your precious Roman Reigns ran.” He kicked Roman’s unconscious body emphasising his point. “He ran, all the way to SmackDown & never once bothered to check up on me. Use me to achieve his selfishdesire of getting his ‘Band of Brothers’ back together, and what did he do? Threw me away like I was disposable. Dean left because Vince used him, got the crowd to hate him through his turn that night, through those orders of saying he wanted Roman dead. Dean saw through it, much earlier than this time last year, he was right to leave.”

Seth looked at Finn, every word he said about the universe turning on him, he meant, not just for himself but for Finn as well “There was one man who truly cared, and that” he gestured over to Finn, watching on with his trademark smile, not filled with love, but with pure evilness, joyful at how Seth was brutalising everyone “was Finn Bálor. He was the only one who knew exactly what I was going through, cause he was there in my spot just months ago. He even knew I wasn’t myself, so he got me something that showed he knew me, what I’m all about, what I should have been about from Day One.” Seth ripped off his Red Chicago cover & the entire arena gasped. Below it, Seth wore Finn’s package, a half shirt, one side with Seth Freakin’ Rollins, another a side decorated in gold and black, the NXT logo emblazoned on the front.

“The Prince saw me when I was feeling the strain & gave me a way out. So no more Monday Night Rollins! I am no longer here to please you or anyone else. I’m in it for myself like Finn, doing things because I want to. I’m The Master of NXT, and if anyone gets in my way I will BURN. THEM. DOWN.” Seth let out his familar heel cackle & threw the mic away, hitting Corey Graves in the face with it. As the crowds boos sounded, he no longer cared, he was liberated, himself again. He grabbed Finn’s hand, the two survivors, the two that would always survive & strode to the back of the arena, they turned & in unison, raised Finn’s trademark guns, and shot right at the centre of the ring, where Roman still laid broken.

NXT would go on to win the evening, and a party at the bar was where everyone went, even the Undisputed Era, still sore but exctatic that their brand won the night. Triple H was the only one whom noticed Seth & Finn were not there, he rang them both, letting them know where their victory party was. Unbeknownst to Triple H, Seth & Finn were partaking in their own victory party. In Finn’s apartment, the two had thrown off each others clothes, both men on the bed, Seth’s head thrown back in ecstasy as Finn’s mouth worked his cock. “Fuck Finn, I’ve wanted you for such a long time.” Seth moaned, Finn proceeded to suck Seth’s balls, Seth letting out a sharp groan “Fuck, I should have told you earlier, I put it to the side, scared of hurting Dean, no more, I do what I want from now on.” Finn moved up to Seth’s face, kissing him. “And what does The Master want?” Seth gripped Finn’s back tight “You, Finn Bálor.” He threw Finn onto the bed, sinking into his tight ass. Both men moaned as Seth set a solid pace “Fuck, you feel so good around me Prince Bálor. So good for your master.” Finn gave Seth a sharp kiss “We’re each others prince and master, we work with each other, on our own side because we want to work together, the NXT division will tremble before both of us, together on our rightful thrones, the way we knew it was from day one, the way it should have been.” Motivated by Finn’s powerful words, the two began to thrust faster and faster, the clock on the wall, the pouring of the rain, the buzzing of their phones, all lost to their pleasure. “Seth, I’m about to cum.” Finn moaned out loud as Seth grabbed his dick and began to jerk it, desperate to get Finn off, to get his Prince to orgasm. “Seth yes, keep going. SETH FUCK!” Finn screamed at the top of his lungs as he came, landing atop of Seth’s hairy chest. He leant down and licked it off, causing Finn to moan. God Finn, your ass is so tight, I’m going to cum too” Seth made to pull out but Finn pushed him back down, causing him to fall on top of Finn’s chest, Seth felt every single one of Finn’s amazing abs. “No Seth, I want you to cum in me.” Seth’s face, eyes and whole body lit up with pleasure, he thrusted with more strength than he’d ever had, leaning down to kiss Finn as he came, shot after shot filling Finn’s ass. Pulling out slowly, Seth collapsed next to Finn. Pulling him in for a kiss. “Wow babe, why didn’t you say anything earlier? We could have been together all this time.” Seth finally caught his breath and answered “Dean, I always thought of him, how angry he would be if I moved on. I would have Shield bumped with you, had you as a fourth member if it wasn’t for him.” “Fair enough” Finn sighed into Seth’s chest “We’ve got each other now though, as we truly are: The Master & The Prince.” Finn moved up to Seth’s face, Seth leaning down, catching his soulmate’s lips in an Earth shattering kiss.

Author’s Ending Note: So yeah, a lot to take in, but I wondered how a heel Ballins would work. So I threw this together, remember to like, leave a comment and/or reblog if you enjoyed it. And remember to support fanfic writers.

[pasteljeon]

Chapter 1: Peach Blossoms

Peach Blossom - Prunus persica is a plant garnering most of its fame for its association with the peaches of immortality in Chinese mythos that only arrived once every three thousand years. It harkens in the wedding season of spring with its sweet scent and hues likened to the soft color of a girl’s cheeks. Peach trees are grown throughout China and many parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine. It has always been associated with the sweetness of life and the journey that one must go on to find it. It seems that for the boys, this journey has ended.

➟ Based off this request: I’d like to request a multi-part fic with the reader being a solo!idol and the bts boys perhaps being big fanboy of hers? I’d love to see your take on this. I’d love some down and dirty smut too please! from @/stxrlxghtsora

➟ Summary: He was just a fanboy, they got dragged into it, and so blooms your love story.

➟ Pairing: OT7/Reader, non-idol!BTS, idol!Reader

➟ Warnings: *takes a deep breath* dom!reader, sub!jungkook, sub!jimin, blindfolds, edging, multiple orgasms, overstimulation, oral (male receiving), light bondage, unprotected sex (please use condoms), basically a jikook sandwich & you’re the meat

➟ Length: 5.4k

➟ In collab with @/sugarcookiesandsins - please give her some love! ♡♡

➟ Notes: welcome back to the first instalment of the smut portion of this series haha, we truly hope you all enjoy and we’d love to take any feedback/thoughts you guys have on this chapter! Another reminder that this is a collab, meaning it is a dual effort. Next part will be posted next Wednesday!

Prev. Next (links are still broken, please refer to my masterlist)

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Since that first day of recording, the boys had successfully managed to infiltrate your life. It seemed like they were no longer contest winners, but artists themselves with the way they passed through the front doors of the company on a daily basis. It also didn’t helped that they had become very good friends with your staff. Both Namjoon and Yoongi had brainwashed the producers into a minor collab and you found yourself staring at their faces behind the glass window in the recording studio. It still felt surreal to them that they were contributing to your music like this. Every word that they came up with flowed out your lips like art they would never get tired of hearing.

On the other side of the spectrum, Jungkook was turning into a familiar face in the studio, always being called in to practice the choreography so that both the shooting and the live performances would go smoothly. In the end, seeing how well the raw footage of the first shoot turned out, the CEO had decided to put Kyungin on hold for the promotions of the mini-album. You had just smiled in response at the announcement, not letting more emotion show than was necessary. Turning to the boys who were also present, you grinned at the light in their eyes.

“I guess we’re gonna be spending a lot more time together.”

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“Jungkookie!” He froze, one foot in his Nike sneakers, the other halfway tugged on. Jimin came bounding over, eyeing him and the duffle bag slung over his shoulder suspiciously. “Are you going back to the studio?”

“Ah, yeah,” Jungkook scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “Manager-nim called me in for one final run before tomorrow’s performance.”

“You’re ditching movie night again?” Taehyung called, padding over with one arm cradling a large tub of vanilla ice cream. Jungkook smiled apologetically but could only shrug. “It wasn’t much of a movie night anyway. Namjoon-hyung and Yoongi-hyung are both at Slow Rabbit’s studio working on that new song for Tiger.”

“Wait - in that case, I want to come too!” Jimin exclaimed. Jungkook watched helplessly as the boy pitter pattered around the room, pulling on a black sweatshirt - likely Tae’s, given how it hung over the older’s slimmer frame - and pocketing his phone before trotting to meet him at the door happily.

“I’ll pass today,” Taehyung waved off the youngest’s wordless inquiry. “I’m not feeling that great, to be honest. I think I’ll just binge some Game of Thrones and sleep.”

“Aw, Taehyungie,” Jimin said sympathetically. “Drink lots of warm water and rest up. Get better soon.” The said boy nodded, still spooning dessert into his mouth as he stood at the entrance, waiting until they were out of sight before closing the door behind them.

He draped a thick blanket over himself as he wandered by the living room, setting the tub down and rubbing his eyes wearily.

“Well fuck,” Taehyung sighed as he climbed into bed. “That was my chance to see ___, too.”

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Jungkook entered through the front doors of your company with Jimin beside him. He only sent a nod towards the secretary who smiled back, all too familiar with his presence. He walked past the lobby promptly ignoring those that he did not know as he made his way towards the elevator. Jimin hadn’t said a word either, still partially lost in a daze as the reality still hadn’t quite hit him yet. Excitement and trepidation swelled in his chest. Yes he had been here before, both with the boys and alone. Yes, he no longer needed any verification to pass through the doors. Still, this was the place he had been dreaming about. It would take more than a couple days for it to sink in.

“Hey Jungkook. Think she’ll let me practice some moves too?” It was not a secret to anyone that Jimin still felt off about the fact that he didn’t get the opportunity to dance with ___ on stage, but it had subdued, slightly.

“I don’t know, hyung. If we have a little time, then yeah.” Jungkook really didn’t think so, but he did not want to ruin his hyung’s mood. He had been at his mercy once before and would to anything to avoid being in that situation again.

The elevator door dinged, indicating they had arrived in the basement where the studios were. Your laughter was already discernible among the chatter as noise floated out of the open door of your dance studio. They took a deep breath and walked in fully prepared for -

You turned over your shoulder to greet the boys as they walked in, seeing their reflections in the studio mirrors.

“Hello boys.”

- everything but this. They were prepared for everything but this.

As customary before strenuous exercise, stretching was the first order of business whenever you entered the dance studio. Still, you were not an innocent as you thought and decided to take  advantage of the fact that the boys would be walking in from the door soon. With your back to the entrance,  you were stretching with another one of the female dancers. Legs in a split as she pulled you forward. You weren’t lying flat on the floor, but it was just enough for your t-shirt to ride up and expose your backside, clad in some illegally tight leggings.

Jimin and Jungkook shared a nervous glance and swallowed, as they attempted to drag their gaze away from your figure. One went to the locker rooms to drop his bag off and the other to find a sport with the perfect view of both the floor and the reflection in the mirror.

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“You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing?” Jungkook felt himself flush under your gaze, still hot and sweaty from the intense session as he laid sprawled on his back, chest heaving. You were similarly collapsed, lying close to his side. His heart thrummed in his ribcage. He swore your tone was edged with something sweet.

“Looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” His lips barely moved, voice hoarse. Your eyes softened, amber irises glowing lightly under the setting rays of the afternoon sun piercing through the windows.

“Like … that.” God, it was a dream. It must’ve been, with the way you stretched your arms out to touch his face. He knew his skin probably felt gross under the grime and layers of sweat coating his bronzed complexion, but you thumbed his cheekbone, peering into him searchingly.

“I …,” his mouth felt dry. He jerked away from you abruptly, sitting up as he turned to stare at the ground. “Ah, I’m not sure … not sure what you mean.”

“Does it make you uncomfortable?” Jungkook felt your heat move away, hurt faintly lacing your tone. “I’m sorry.”

“Ah - noona, no!” His fingers circled your wrist loosely before you could stand. He tugged you back gently, rubbing his neck shyly. “That’s … that’s not it.” He gulped, his grip trembling and cold. “I - I like it. A lot. I like you, noona.” He closed his eyes, hardly daring to breathe at his whispered confession. It seemed to echo in the empty studio, though he knew they had no witnesses, he dimly wondered how pissed Jimin would be once he heard what the youngest had done.

“Jungkook …,” He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, slowly shaking his head as he let go of you. “Um - sorry. Sorry. I’m sorry. That was highly inappropriate of me,” he said hastily, rising to his feet as he bowed to you stiffly, already two feet to the door. “I can - I can ask Jimin to replace me tomorrow. I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.” You whirled him around and he dropped his gaze instantly, unable to withstand looking into those penetrative orbs that housed your goddamn soul.

“Hey, look at me.” You coaxed him softly, tipping his chin up, though he refused to comply. You rested your forehead against his.

“I like you very much, Jungkook,” you said honestly. He made a strangled sound, shoving you away. “You’re - you’re lying right? There’s no way,” he stammered. This was too cruel. He slipped from your hold, ducking and scrambling toward the exit once more, grabbing his bag as he passed it.

“Jungkook.” Your tone was firm, unwavering. He dropped his bag the moment you slammed him against the mirrors. “N - noona.” His body reacted instantly, your smoldering gold eyes, your unyielding grip on his arms as you pressed them above his head. He tensed as you smiled down at him.

He made no move to resist as you leaned in, your eyelashes tickling his skin. The first dip of your head was light, tentative and testing, lips barely grazing his. You pulled back to see Jungkook melting into your touch, cheeks pink as he murmured shyly, “Please, noona.”

You kissed him tenderly, releasing him so he could wrap a hesitant arm around your waist and pull you closer. His heart was fluttering in his throat and he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries - where was the line drawn, anyway? - but you quickly dismissed any of his reservations as the kiss grew heated, his tongue tracing the seam of your lower lip.

“W-what about Jimin?” He tore his lips from yours, already panting heavily as his head spun. God, he could barely think.

“What about him?” You tilted your head curiously.

“He - he likes you too.” Oh fuck, Jungkook was going to get his ass beat for admitting this. But he had a feeling you -

A startled squeak had the two of you whipping your heads to the door, where a horrified Jimin was holding an armful of water bottles.

“Oh, haha,” he laughed awkwardly, already beginning to back away as his eyes darted to the side. Jungkook cursed inwardly when he saw the tears pooling though the older boy tried in vain to blink them away.

“Hyung, wait!” Jimin dropped the bottles, desperately searching for an exit as he clasped a hand over his mouth. He skidded through the empty hallways, picking turns at random. His head throbbed, heart twisting. Nothing registered but his laboured breathing and hiccups.

But Jungkook was always faster.

“Let - go!” Jimin struggled as Jungkook dragged him back. Tears that had welled at the corners of his eyes fell freely now and he busied himself by using his free arm to swipe at them angrily.

“Jimin. Shh, it’s okay.” He relaxed slightly when he heard your voice, cooing sweetly into his ear. He felt your hands cup his cheeks delicately and he sniffled.

“Noona,” he blubbered. “I like you - I love you, p-please don’t leave me alone!”

“Jimin, baby, never.” He kissed you back hard, pulling you flush to his body as you tangled your fingers in his thick locks. You smiled affectionately at him as you parted, lifting the hem of your shirt to dry the remainder of his tears.

“I want you,” Jimin gasped, half delirious already, completely forgetting that moments ago he had been trying to escape the image of you and Jungkook. He felt unbelievably hot where your skin met his, and would be willing to do anything to get rid of it. He even seemed to forget that Jungkook was watching all this go down from his end of the hallway as you were shoved against the wall, mouths meeting in a clash of lip and teeth that would one day go down in history.

You allowed him this small mercy, before every cell in your body screamed at you to take control. So you did. Smirking at the odd sense of deja vu, you grabbed his hip and spun your bodies around before locking his wrists against the roughness of the wall and slipping a thigh between his, already feeling the heat from his core touch yours. Against the fabric of your leggings, you could feel the bulge at the front of his jeans.

The dark-haired man looked on from afar as he remembered being held by you in the same position and the way your eyes looked down into his before you stole his voice from his throat. Then the red hot crept up from behind him as his wide eyes began to glare at the image before him. It should be him in that position, not Jimin hyung. Deciding that it was time to bring your attention back to him, he crept up behind you and nibbled on the shell of your ear, causing your own moans to mix with that of Jimin’s.

“Noona hasn’t forgotten about me right?” His voice was a low whisper, the perfect image of a dejected, lonely pet. Freeing up a hand, you reached behind your head to tug gently at Jungkook's hair while pulling away from Jimin. Immediately, his empty mouth latched onto your neck, fulfilling that promise he made to himself the first day he saw you. You gasped out a sweet assurance.

“I’ll never forget you, baby boy.” Your eyes closed in ecstasy as the feeling of two mouths tasting your skin. Even without knowing who was in front or in behind, you could tell from their actions. Jungkook came at you hard and fast, with more teeth pulling at your flesh. On the other hand, there was something softer about Jimin, more reverent as he worshiped you with his plump lips, caressing sweet spots you didn’t even know you had.

In a flash, you remembered where you were: not in the privacy of your dance studio. Using your remaining strength to push them away, you ignored their faces of shock before grabbing both of them and dragging them back to the studio. Once you were inside, you turned quickly and locked the door behind you, extra precaution against any nosy workers.

The boys were still lost in the high that you gave them, much to distracted by the blossoming marks on your neck to care about their reputations. They shared small glance, a silent agreement that this was ok. All of it would be ok, as long as they got you.

They came at you again, this time taking their shirts off in the five strides it took to reach your position. Their blood was rushing through their veins and pounding in their ears, rationality far too gone to care at this point.

You ran a hand down their chests, marvelling at the hard planes of muscle that contracted beneath your touch. Their bodies were chiselled to perfection, lithe and toned from years of strenuous training. They were both trembling, senses heightened and anticipation twisting in their stomachs as they arched into your palm.

“Behave, boys,” you murmured, nails digging into their soft flesh. They gasped aloud, almost in unison. You trailed your hand up to palm their erections, tugging at their balls gently.

“Fuck,” Jimin whined, canting his hips against you as he struggled to obey. Next to him, Jungkook looked like he was barely breathing at all, skin flushed as he tossed his head back and forth. Ah. He was a sensitive one. You licked your lips. So many possibilities.

You tweaked his nipple playfully, Jungkook crying out deliciously. He squirmed, voice breaking as he pleaded, “Noona, d-don’t tease me!”

“But it’s so fun, baby,” you crooned, squeezing his length through his sweats. Jungkook moaned, unable to resist from grinding into your hand.

“I’ll be good, noona, please!” He was at his wits end. This was a side of you he had only dreamed about existing, let alone experiencing. He had seen that attitude you gave off on set and in the dance practice, but he thought that it was a persona you followed for the theme. Seeing you with your silken words and evil smile, playing his body with well-practiced fingers, he could do nothing but submit.

Jimin on the other hand, was too obsessed with the collar of your t-shirt. Your face had been flushed a soft pink when he had taken advantage of you in the hallway. The pastel color had dipped under the neckline of the thin material, and he was wondering silently if you let him follow the color as far as it took him. Impatient to see you, he made grabby hands at the edge of your top. You wasted no time in shutting him down.

“Tsk. Tsk. Does Jiminie want to get punished?” The look in your eyes promised many things as you continued to tease Jungkook over the fabric of his pants with one hand and grabbing at Jimin with the other, staring dead into his brown irises. This made Jimin stop. He didn’t want to risk angering you, so he just avoided your gaze. “No noona. Please don’t punish Jiminie. He only wanted to see you.”

On the other hand, Jungkook saw what you were promising and decided that if he died under you, then he would die a happy man, so why hesitate? Avoiding your hands that were still caressing his bulge, he too proceeded to tug on your shirt. In surprise, you turned to him, eyebrow raised.

Still, the look he gave you in return, a shy half smile, that said more than words ever could told you exactly what he wanted and you were all too happy to oblige.

“Noona doesn’t like it when her boys don’t listen.” You gently raked your nails down their abs one last time before getting up and making your way towards the costume stand. You could feel their stares on your back as your fingers riffled through ironed jackets to find what you were looking for. Turning quickly, you hid the object behind your back before they could take a peek at what you were bringing out. You returned to kneeling before the two of them, Jungkook on your right and Jimin on your left.

You wanted to continue, but there were rules to be established first. Though you were quite assured they would be up for anything with the trusting gleam in their eyes, it was still better to be safe than sorry.

“Rule 1. If, at anytime, you want me to stop, for any reason, say ‘microwave’. Are we clear?” You were firm in your tone. You wanted to make this just as pleasurable for them, but you were not so acquainted with them - not enough to have a thorough understanding of their likes and dislikes, particularly in the bedroom. All you knew was that they would look oh so pretty tied to the headboard of your bed.

Jimin and Jungkook nodded, unable to say anything as the tips of their cocks rubbed against the fabric of their boxers causing some precum to leak out and soak the cotton. Their bodies were tense when your soft hand caressed their cheeks lovingly, eyes showing quelled lust as you established the law of the jungle.

“Rule 2 and Rule 3. You call me noona and you don’t cum till I say you can.” Now you were getting into the territory that caused their hearts to pump blood faster through their system.

“Yes noona.” They barely moaned out an answer as they felt your slim fingers leave their cheeks to trail teasingly down their chests, painted nails not forgetting to graze their pebbled nipples.

Pushing them down, you felt yourself dampen at the sight of them sprawled on the ground, peering up at you though half-lidded eyes. Their silky locks were mussed and they looked fucked out, chests rising and a sheen of sweat glistening on golden, bare skin.

“Tell me if you’re not okay with this,” you whispered, crawling to them until you hovered over Jungkook, a black scarf dangling from one hand. You pinched his inner thigh when you felt his member twitch at the sight. His eyes fluttered closed in anticipation, a soft noise escaping his throat as he propped his head up slightly to allow you to wrap it around him firmly.

Jimin inhaled sharply when you smoothed back the hair at his temple. “Are you going to be good for me, baby?” You swallowed his ghost of a yes as it touched your lips. You checked both boys, ensuring both blindfolds were secure, before sitting back on your heels.

Tugging at the waistband of their sweatpants, you quickly shimmied them off. Swinging a leg over Jungkook’s leg, you settled yourself lightly over thighs. Smirking, you blew gently at his length, relishing in the choked moan that resulted. A wet patch had already pooled at his tip, though you took pity on the poor boy who had begun squirming under your grasp. You freed his erection from the confines of his boxers, and bit your lower lip as it slapped lewdly against his stomach, leaking profusely. It was surprisingly longer than you’d expected, curved at an angle you knew would later prove to be your undoing.  

Jimin, on the other hand, was slightly shorter, though quite girthy. “So pretty,” you cooed. He flushed scarlet, precum beading at his reddened tip at your words. You filed that information away for later, though you should have picked up on it from the start - praise is the way to go. Then again, that wouldn’t be hard. Compliments came easy when you looked upon his form, flushed, needy, and completely under your control.

Taking it to the next step, you wrapped your hand around the base, squeezing to test his reaction. “Noona,” he nearly screamed out from the sensation. It was too much between feeling your soft thighs against his legs and your hand encompassing his member. You released your hold on him as you got up to go get something else you had seen among the fabric of your stage outfits. As you walked, you quickly ditched your own top and pants, the sudden cold near your core indicating just how excited you were.

The next object to be retrieved from the costume area was a white feather, salvaged from a stage costume of a past album. It was smooth and silky to the touch, individual strands thinner than you ever thought possible slipping in between your fingers as you tested the item. Once the blindfolds were in position, the boys felt their other senses heighten, yet they were unable to make out anything other than the shuffling of your body against the floor.

The boys were alone in the silence, unable to prepare for what came next as their ears could only hear shallow breaths echoing off the walls of the studio. Jungkook was the first to writhe as he felt something soft trace the edge of one nipple, sending shockwaves up to his brain. “Please don’t tease Kookie, noona. He’ll be a good boy. He’ll be your good -.” His words were swallowed in a moan as you switched out the feather for your hands, rubbing his swollen nipple between the pads of your fingers.

“I know you’ll be good baby. You want to make noona happy, don’t you?” You allowed him one more caress before you transferred the feather to your other hand, intent on hearing the same beautiful music from the older boy.

Jimin could tell from the way Jungkook sounded that you were playing with the younger boy. This made Jimin a little annoyed as he felt his member twitch with excitement at the prospects of what you were doing. He wanted to feel that. Now.

“Jiminie will make you happy noona,“ he mewled out - a feeble attempt to bring your focus back on him.  

You smiled at his obvious desire to please and decided to reward him for it. You forgoed playing with Jimin’s chest and focused on his member standing to attention. A strangled mewl came from Jimin as you circled the base of his cock with the feather, enjoying as the owner squirmed at the sensation. You circled lower, just catching his balls with the soft sensation before circling back up.

Jimin let out a low curse, “fuck me.” You giggled, a soft sound that contradicted the ruthlessness with which you were playing their bodies. “That’s the idea sweetie,” you crooned out.

Alternating between the soft silk of the feather and the roughness of your nails, you played with boys, basking in the noises of pleasure that they made. You stretched their self control to the limits as you brought them to the edge of euphoria and back multiple times, causing their cheeks to be slick with tears as the sensations were too much.

Deciding that the wait had been long enough, you stripped out of your undergarments, setting them to the side before hitching a leg over Jimin’s waist. His body was wracked in tremors as he waited for you to please fucking sit on me.

Both of you moaned in tandem as you sank down on his length. You littered purple flowers over the expanse of his exposed neck as you adjusted to the slight stretch. “You look so beautiful like this,” you mused breathlessly. Jimin whimpered, already close from all your previous teasing.

“You’re not allowed to come, do you understand?” You rasped. “No, please, I c-can’t hold it!” He whined, and you stopped immediately. Large hands snaked up your torso to cup at your breasts, fondling them gently as a pair of lips suckled at your shoulder. Jungkook pressed his stiff length against your back, arms wound tightly around as he pressed himself closer. “Noona,” he murmured.

You reached back and ran your finger through his sweat-soaked locks. “Yes baby,” you questioned, as you slowly sank back down on Jimin, simultaneously rubbing your ass against Jungkook.

“Can I -?” You rose back on your knees, keeping only Jimin’s tip lodged in you as you used the other hand to reach behind you and rub down Jungkook’s length. His words were lost to the sensation and his sentence remained floating in the air between you.

“Did you say something baby?” His only response was to thrust helplessly in your hand as his fingers played with your breasts, gently pulling and tugging as the soft mounds.

Below you, you felt Jimin get closer and closer to his climax as you rode him faster and faster, lust beginning to cloud your senses as well. His words were incoherent at this point, saliva leaking out the sides of his mouth as he begged for release. “Please. Can I come? Please let me come.”

“So then come baby,” you hummed, clenching on him as Jimin choked, gasping as ropes of hot cum filled your pussy.

“No, Jungkook.” You could feel him panting heavily against you, length twitching. Jungkook whimpered softly; he was so close, the feeling of your ass and hands against his cock.

“Fuck, I’m sorry - !” You felt it drip down the sweaty expanse of your skin, trailing warmth in its path.

You sighed. Jungkook lowered his head, pressing his forehead against your spine. “Punish me … please.”

.

.

.

You lost count of the number of orgasms you’d pulled from the boys. The studio was engulfed in the dying rays of the sun and any sense of time had disappeared in this bubble you’d created for the three of you.

“Noona - please, please!” Jungkook wailed loudly, head tossing side to side as he arched his back, fingers scrabbling for some kind of purchase from where they scratched at the air. His wrists were pinned above his head, bouncing on his cock as he cried.

“I-it’s too much, please,” Jimin’s hoarse voice pleaded from above you, his own hands tied to his back as your teeth scraped the delicate flesh of his length. His thighs trembled as he struggled to keep himself upright, barely registering the bruising of his knees, head spinning in delicious delirium. It was borderline painful, the way you sucked his balls, forcing his cherub cock into a state of half-hardness. “Noona,” Jimin sobbed, throwing his head back as you ran your tongue over his slit. Fuck, fuck! He moaned brokenly as he came. You licked your lips, swallowing the sad dribble of cum that he’d managed to produce.

His knees caved instantly, sending Jimin slumping onto the ground, skin on fire and cheeks coated in dried tears.

Jungkook, on the other hand, was fucking losing his mind. “Please, noona, Kookie’s b-been a g-good boy, please, noona, can I come?” He babbled senselessly, eyes rolling to the back of his head as his hips rose to meet your vicious thrusts.

“Come for me,” you breathed, digging your nails into his chest. Jungkook keened, writhing as he came, the feeling of your walls squeezing his deprived cock sending him careening over the edge as you fucked him through the height of his pleasure.

.

.

.

After both boys hit their high, your name like a prayer on their lips, the three of you took a moment to come back down, not willing to let the memory of what just happened fade away too soon. They were both a verified mess, cum glistening on their skin, mixing with the sweat that resulted from your overstimulation. Both their eyes were half shut under the blindfolds, delirious from fatigue.

They looked absolutely divine.

Seeing as you were the one in most control of your faculties, you got up from the floor, looking down again at the two of them,both very close to falling asleep on the ground. Whispering softly, you promised them that you would be back soon. Walking to the door, you made sure it was locked before grabbing a towel and a water bottle from your backpack, as well as a large hoodie to cover your body.

Wetting the towel and taking off the eye cloth, you proceeded to wipe their bodies down, cleaning them off as you whispered praise. Jimin was first.

“You did so well, baby boy.” The towel passed down his chest around his pelvis, and down to his thighs. “Was that okay?” He could only hmm in response, much too tired to produce words.

Jungkook was next, and to your surprise, looking directly at you with his large eyes, soft demeanor contradicting the mess on his body. You smile softly and ran your fingers through his locks, slightly damp from sweat. “And what about you baby?”

He leaned his head into your touch and turned to kiss your palm, blushing as he spoke, “I-I liked it a lot __-noona.” You cooed in response as his face got redder before focusing all your attention on caring for their bodies. You shifted to grab the towel and exposing a clean section, traced his body again with the damp cloth. You then proceeded to toss the towel in the direction of your backpack so you didn’t accidentally leave it behind for an unsuspecting staff member to pick up. That would be cruel.

The water bottle was used next, as you lifted their heads up slightly to allow the water to wet their dry throats. Being vocal had its downsides too. Then you got them semi clothed, working with what little strength they had left to put on boxers and their t-shirt. Ensuring that the door was locked, you placed yourself between them. They would obviously have to go back to their home, but there was nothing stopping them from pretending that they did not have lives outside of the studio. That there was nothing stopping them spending eternity together.

You lost yourself in the warmth of the boys, half in desperation at the thoughts that clouded your mind. You had no idea how they would be able to interact with you after this. You had no idea what ‘this’ was, even.

As if sensing your panic, Jimin was the first to turn and wrap his arms around you, pulling up close and looking into the eyes that had captivated him for years. He could see the apprehension in your eyes, and it would be pretty idiotic for him to not understand the root cause. Still, for now he would enjoy this bliss with you. Jungkook turned as well, slipping an arm under your neck and slinging the other over your waist as he spooned you from behind.

Then until the sun set, three bodies lay in silence allowing time to slow in this immortal garden you had created.

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Winner’s Curse Ch. 19

Well this came as surprise to me. Literally, the whole idea came to me before I was going to bed so I wrote it the next morning, and here we are. Features some Aladdin quotes, see if you can spot them. Enjoy! 

“And then Icarus, what a guy, he is so convincing as Hades, Pain and Panic start following him!” Calix hooted.

“No way, man that didn’t actually happen.” Jay challenged Calix’s story.

“No, no I’ve heard Icarus’ Hades impression, he’s good.” Aziz confirmed, “Hey, remember Icarus’ Hades impression after three drinks at Dionysus’ bacchanal?”

Calix gulped back the drink Circe had left in their shared room and where he, Aziz, and Jay were passing the time sharing stories while waiting around for Uma and Jordan’s arrival.

It had been a pretty placid three days since Jordan reversed Jay’s hypnosis for Malik’s last wish. At first there was a panic when they realized how suspicious it would be if Jay was no longer under Jafar’s thrall but they fixed that with Jordan giving him glowing red contacts. Allowing them to have another infiltrator at the Coven meetings besides Jade, Calix and Uma.

The door opened and Jordan slipped into the room, gingerly cradling her lamp in her hands. But no Uma behind her.

These three placid days had driven Uma to distraction since they were laying around on their asses and not doing anything so she arranged for this new meeting so they’d find something else to do besides eavesdrop for news of what was happening at next week’s Summer Solstice.

But even though this meeting was so important that she felt the need to threaten them with slow, graphic strangulation with her tentacles while Harry used his hook to disembowel him, apparently their leader was late.

“Where’s Jade?” Calix asked, throwing back another shot. It was a fair question since Jordan’s lamp was still technically under Jade’s possession. Or so the Coven thought.

“Showing makeup techniques to Lala and Malik.” Jordan answered.

“Oh right, Lala mentioned that to me this morning.” Aziz warily eyed the fifth shot Calix gulped down.

“Oh, she did? You talk about things other than the plan?” Jordan smoothly slid between him and Calix, her voice was suspiciously too nonchalant.

“Yeah, conversations spawn into different topics. That’s what happens when two people hang out with each other.” Aziz said a little testily with how Jordan was scanning his face like she was searching for some secret that he’d be careless enough to slip.

“Oh you and Lala hanging out together.” Jordan pursed her lips lightly, sounding way too similar to a disapproving aunt, “Can we have a private conversation in my lamp.”

Before Aziz could suss out whatever she was trying to pull and where this was coming from, Jordan had transported them into her lamp.

“Do you have a crush on Lala?” She blurted out accusingly.

Aziz decided to go for a joke, “I-I don’t know about me crushing her, bu-but I can’t blame her if the reverse is true. I mean, look at me.”

Jordan stared with an unamused raised eyebrow.

“Aziz, I know you.” She started, as if that explained why she was so sure she found the romance of the century after two innocent sentences, “I've seen you go through this before. You’re just hanging out with a girl but then you start talking about every topic under the sun. And then you get a crush and you’re all like “She's smart and fun, she’s got these eyes that just...and her hair wow! And her smile!”

“Then you go on a date that doesn’t really go anywhere for whatever reason and get pushed aside. Remember, Lonnie, and Ruby, and Alexandria and Alfonsa, and Arabella, and her twin sisters, woah! Now that I list them out, you date a lot of Triton’s granddaughters.”

“What is your point? What does that have to do with me and Lala? Not that there is anything happening.” Aziz felt himself gulping back the nervousness that he knew exactly what she was talking about even as he denied it.

“Oh please, you’re half smiling while you say her name!”

“I’m not!” Aziz unmanly squawked and cleared his throat into a deeper contralto, “I do not.”

“My point is it’s one thing to date an Ak. You get your heart broken. But a Vk? She’ll try to steal your throne and break your heart.” Jordan said.

“Steals your throne and breaks your heart. Sounds the title of a sex tape. Do you want dibs or can I have it?” Aziz took a shot in the dark to try joking his way out of this again.  “Now is not the time to joke about the title of our sex tapes. This is serious!”  “You’re still hung up on, “Can your friend do this?” It’s a bit obvious.” Aziz pointed out. 

“Oh, you wanted to call your first sex tape, “A whole new world,” like that’s original.” Jordan shot back.  “And the “Welcome to the Cave of Wonders” piece you did with Calix was a unique one?” Aziz retorted. 

“For your information, I couldn’t choose any title but that because.. wait wait wait? Now is not the time.”

“Aziz Ali iban Aladdin, explain yourself right now.” Jordan crossed her arms.  “Jordan, we’ve been over this. You’re not my mom.” Aziz huffed at the use of his full name.  “You’re right, I’m not. Your mom doesn’t know about what happened in Odiferous during spring break. Now I have a phone and I have video. So tell me about your feelings for Lala.”  

“You’re jumping to conclusions.” Aziz said exasperatedly which was no use since she was ignoring anything that came out of his mouth.

“When did you first feel something more?” Jordan demanded.

“Rarw. Rrrawr. Meow? Are you understanding me at all?” Aziz asked the stony faced leopard man.

Aziz had to admit some of his attempts to talk to the leopard-men was out of boredom. He was starting to get a bit stir crazy being stuck in the castle all day pretending to be Jade or Lala’s slave boy. He could understand why Uncle Genie hated being in the lamp. It was so boring, having to wait for permission to do things and the things you were allowed to do was stuck inside. No running around the corridors and flipping off roofs with wind rushing through your hair or the pit in your stomach when you almost break your neck.

He missed it.

And although Lala was pretty focused in studying the Atlantean texts her mother laid out for her, even she seemed to be getting bored because at random moments, she would angrily shut her book and demand to hear Aziz talk about Agrabah.

He had to admit that if he had a choice, he’d rather be with Jordan and the others trying to make a plan to escape or at least go outside. Talking about Agrabah was getting to be the highlight of his day.

He had started with daring adventure stories about the things his parents used to get into before the Great Uniting like when they had to fight a landshark or the time his dad literally lost his head to the decapitated wizard, Caliph Kapok, and they had to get body and head back together again. He had lots of those stories, Genie often said they could create their own tv series, possibly an animated one for kids to enjoy.

And then, upon Lala’s numerous aside questions, he started describing Agrabah with its alluring spices, chests of gold and diverse and eccentric cast of merchants and travelers that lived in the Seven Deserts. He described the bad like the previous-rampant poverty that seemed similar to the Isle albeit with more head chopping from fellow humans than from a bitter decapitated wizard. It was embarrassing but one time he looked at the ornate diamond-encrusted sand-dial and saw that he had passed over an hour talking about his home. He hadn’t meant to but it just came out. He loved his home so much and describing it felt like he was back there on the dunes for a little while.

He had never talked to anyone about his home before. Jordan already knew what it was like obviously, and no one at Auradon Prep cared beyond the merchandise they could buy at the kazbah. It was so much more than that to him. Living there was an experience, an adventure. You never knew where the smell of spices could lead you or what the secret nooks and crannies would reveal.

The thing was Lala seemed just as enthralled with the place as he was. Usually when he discussed his home, people would shudder in horror at the thought of being accidentally turned into a rat due magic gone wrong and seeing the world from down below or cringed at the thought of getting sand in uncomfortable places after intense competitions of sand surfing.

But Lala looked at him with a sparkle of excitement in her eye and would occasionally point out fun variations to try like horse racing only instead of across the desert, race under the desert, jumping to the few dry spots that were present in the muddy underbelly.

He hoped that if they succeeded in defeating the Coven, Lala would visit Agrabah one day. He had a feeling that the adventures they’d get into together would be amazing. Potentially life threatening. But fun nonetheless. He’d love to watch her go against Fashoom. Or better yet, back to back against the giant scorpions guarding kanz quadim. With his wits and knowledge and her skill and cunning, they’d be an unbeatable team. It’d be fun to go with someone who wanted to be there. 

Normally, he went with Jordan but she said it was only because it was her obligation to keep him from breaking his neck and/or all the bones in his body. Her words.  And his few Agrabah friends who would be game to go, were commoners who had to work during the day and it would be unfair for him to ask them to ditch just because he wanted some fun. 

Yeah, it’d be fun to explore the hidden valleys of the Seven Deserts with her. He looked back to the white-haired girl where she was still bent over a book of indecipherable Atlantean words and figures, so he turned back to Kaj II, Usulan II and Muviro II. Lala’s leopard men she had named after people she knew would annoy her mother.

Aziz growled with two purrs spaced between like he had heard Raj do but the leopard men looked at him like he was an idiot. He wasn’t sure he was even speaking cat-language but it was better than accidentally challenging him to a fight so he’d take it.

“Will you stop with the ridiculous sounds, you’re not speaking leopard. Better stick to monkeys.” Lala cut through his attempts at conversing.

“How would you know? You said you don’t speak leopard.” Aziz shot back, happy that there was some element of human conversation. How the hell she lived in a jungle for days on end without human interaction was beyond his capabilities. “True. However, I know what a leopard sounds like and you don’t sound like a leopard. More like a sick alley cat.”

“Excuse me, priestess” Aziz rolled his eyes, and made another purr-growly sound at the leopards just to be contrary.

When could he go outside? When? When? When?

No, it was stupid. He couldn’t go outside and risk looking like he was escaping and ruin the whole damn mission requiring the others to get his ass out of the dungeon again.

He shuddered, gingerly touching the cheek where Staqauit had struck him numerous times, the malicious laughter of the cat twins taunting him about his impending death.

He needed to do something. Being stuck here with just his thoughts was going to drive him insane.

“Hello?”

“Huh what?”

“I said,'' Lala cleared her throat, “If you want to sound more leopard-like, start with a growl in your throat while meowing and add like you’re going to scream.” She demonstrated her leopard yowl which did get  the leopard men’s attention as they looked around for sign of attack or danger.

Aziz tried to mimic what Lala did with her instructions but failed part way through as a tickle caught in his nose before his attempted scream and he fell into a coughing fit, painfully hacking his throat.

Aziz panted, catching his breath while Lala had the grace to look back at her book and pretend not to be amused, “Okay maybe talking to cats is not my thing. But you got a leg up me with your feline self.”

“Feline self?” Lala cocked her head curiously, bringing once again to Aziz’s mind, “Curiosity killed the cat.”

“You know, your eyes, the leopards, the-” 

“You think I was born with these eyes? You think I’m part cat?” Lala questioned. “Nooo,” Aziz hedged, already seeing he was going to be wrong, “Not anymore. It’s just your mom has the same eyes so I-”

“It’s spell.” Lala explained, “My mom did it when she got her staff. She did it to me when magic got through to the Isle. It helps me understand the leopards and for them to understand my orders, and it helps my reflexes. There is always a way to improve. Not that I needed improving, but I’ll admit some leopard senses are better than human’s. Like smell. Now I can smell everyone’s scent a mile away.”  .

“Scent?” “Yes, your natural scent. You smell like all that baklav Jordan’s been giving you.” She sniffed the air around him again, “Sand. Jasmine. Musk.”

“What does Jordan smell like?” Aziz asked curiously, and a little relieved that he didn’t smell worse like blood and sweat and general stink from not showering for two weeks.

“Hmm I can’t get a clear smell. You know, not objects per say. But she smells like pheromones, sometimes like fire, sand and wind. Mainly reeks of desperation.”

“Well we’re all in desperate straits here.” Aziz chuckled even though it wasn’t really that funny. Well sort of. Jordan absolutely hated not being in control. Or at least looking like she wasn’t in control. She’d freak if she knew that she quote unquote “reeked of desperation.”

“What about Jay?”

“Sweat, oil, grease, brass, musk, dirt. Something else I can’t tell which usually means someone’s hiding something or lying. Not a surprise there. He’s lucky no one else can smell him, the stench of oil and deceit is unbearable on him.”

��Yeah, good thing. I doubt he’d have a lot of admirers around him if he did.” Aziz said, feeling his mind wander off to too familiar but inevitable train of envious thought. 

“Admirers? He has admirers in Auradon? I thought you people didn’t like thieves and bad guys. Why is he popular?”

“He’s good now.” Aziz reminded her, but couldn’t stop the bitterness creeping into his voice as he thought of the crowds praising Jay as he scored yet another goal. All the girls and some guys ooing at him and being utterly charmed as he showed off that he stole their wallets. Or if he executed a pretty decent backflip. The guy looked so cool and attractive no matter what he did. And that bad boy act made him even cooler in everyone’s eyes.

“He’s a good thief like Aladdin,” he remembered hearing someone say and Aziz had burned. Good thief?! Jay wasn’t a good thief! Jay wasn’t stealing things in Auradon because he was hungry or wanted to give to the poor. He stole because he was greedy. Aziz could steal too, Dad taught him the tricks, but when he showed off, he got no applause. They thought he was being inappropriate for a prince of his station.

Or now that Jay was here, it was a second-rate kind of steal. He could steal a watch from someone, but Jay could steal a person’s computer and lunch bag. He got the bigger score.

“People love him and his parkor and stupid tourney goals.” Aziz genuinely growled. He felt his blood pump at how everyone were magnets drawn to his presence while he waited in the wings of the tourney field. They did all the same activities, but Jay was better. People were saying he was equal to Aladdin.

If he was forgettable before Jay came around, now he was just invisible.

And honestly useless compared to Jay. He knew Jordan invited him on this mission because she trusted him and it would be breaking unofficial rule that if one of them went on a life changing save the world adventure, the other had to come too, that was just how things were done. But had he really done anything useful?

No, he had gotten captured. They all had gotten captured but he was the only one who had almost died. Because he was mortal, untrained and weak.

The thoughts came again. Had really been less than a week since he had been in the dungeon? Less than a week but at times he still could feel it as if it had been hours ago.

He could remember it all, some of it was blurred darkness. The only thing registering was that he was in pain. But he remembered the beginning.

Staqauit wasted no time grabbing his throat with one hand and choking him, Chimera and Illusion wrapped their arms around him almost as if they were giving a comforting hug. The thought was quickly diminished as their claws tore through his shirt and dug into his skin, he could feel it, feel the slight curve of their sharpness like a hook that wouldn’t be able to get out. And they didn’t no matter how he fruitlessly thrashed.

But it was only the beginning…

Just as he saw the world fuzz around the edges Staqauit threw him to the ground with Chimera and Illusion still stuck to him.

“Squish” Aziz wanted to scream at the pain that entered his torso and at the sickening sound of his blood squirting out. It felt his insides were dipped into boiling water.  

But he didn’t, he stubbornly refused to cry out. He was supposed to be a hero, he would not admit weakness like this. He would use his wits to get out of it.

But he had barely time to think up a clever escape as he vainly scrambled to stop the blood from gushing out more. He didn’t recall any of the princes or his father ever being stabbed mid-battle.

Chimera and Illusion extricated themselves from him, their low voices purring contentedly at the pain wrought.

Aziz tried to get up but he couldn’t. He felt the stabbing pain even though he wasn’t being hit anymore. He couldn’t concentrate. He just felt the agony. He struggled to his feet but the muscles in his legs gave out as he slipped on the puddle of his own blood that was seeping the floor.

“Ah ah ah, you think I’m done with you?” Staqauit’s accented voice sneered, “That was only a minor surface wound.”

Aziz didn’t look at the man. He was too concerned with trying to stand up straight again, but that was for naught when he felt the scraping cement of what seemed to be a boulder dropped on his back.

“Carry this to the other side of the room. Double time.” Staqauit ordered, his rapier scraping the ground in front of Aziz’s face.

Aziz didn’t know why he thought it was a good idea. Perhaps because he truly couldn’t think of what else to do. He rationalized to himself in some irrational way that if he did this, maybe Staqauit would get bored. Maybe he’d survive.  So he did as Staqauit ordered. He tried to lift the boulder.

He felt his hands bleed as they scraped and tensed to keep the boulder steady on his back. Bent down so low that his knees touched his chest. Pressing hard on the wound.

“At least it’s stopped bleeding,” was the sole hysterical thought in his mind. His lungs felt they were burning and just pounding his chest as if to get out of his body. Blood rushed in his ears and the slow smack of Staqauit’s whip on the floor, keeping time, sounded like gunshots to his ears.

He wasn’t breathing right. He knew that. Aziz felt like he had been running for miles. His throat felt the need for oxygen and his eyes watered. But he managed to get one foot forward, his thoughts running wild.

Where were the others? When was Jordan going to come back? For he knew Jordan would come to him the moment she could as she had since he was 4. What if that ruined the mission? That she failed because he was too weak to save himself?

Then his mind took a turn to what he had been suppressing the moment Staqauit got hold of this throat. What if this was it? What if this was how he was going to die?

His knees buckled at the thought and he fell to the ground, allowing the boulder to drop from his back to feel the sting of the whip. This time he didn’t hold back the scream.

That scream was like a whistle for them as Chimera and Illusion pounced, their punches, scratches and kicks indistinguishable from one another.

And there was more…. he remembered the water boarding vaguely but he was glad he mostly blacked out of that, the boulder and the choking was enough for him.

But when he woke up and saw Lala, all he felt was shame that he had to be rescued. 

Like every fight, he thought of what he should have done after the confrontation was over. When Staqauit was choking him, he should have kicked him back in the stomach. The stomach area was always a quick disable to an opponent. Staqauit would have let him go and then he could have parkored and fought his way out with the weapons that were stationed around the dungeon.

But he hadn’t done that. He had thrashed and took the assault and hadn’t been able to think up anything on the sly like he knew Jay was infamous for.

With that thought, some defeated admittance slithered into his voice. Not that it was much of a defeat. It was barely a competition when Jay was naturally better and Aziz could never match no matter how hard he tried. “People love him, he’s strong and fast.. everyone wants him or to be like him…..I wish I could be like him too.”

He hated how much it was true.

“Why?” Lala scrunched her nose in confusion.

Aziz sighed, wishing his explanation didn’t sound so pathetic, “I’m forgettable in Auradon. I’m the third in line for the throne so I’m not inheriting the kingdom like all the other guys in my class. And I’m not that talkative. Believe me, in Auradon that is not a good thing if you want people to notice you. Or at least not be forgettable, and Jay can...” he trailed off. He didn’t want to get into the time in the dungeon. She had been there, she knew he was weak.

“And how does Jay fit into this?”

“He’s like me, I guess. Only better in everything. Better thief, better at tourney, more witty, better at flirting. I just blend in...I don’t want that anymore it sucks.”

“Blending in is a good thing. It allows you to skulk and learn your enemies’ tactics so you can ambush them.” Lala said.

“Great. But that’s in the wild. I’m not willing to move to the jungle just so my introvertedness can be an asset.”

“Okay maybe the ambush thing isn’t important but it is still applicable. It’s good that you’re not as outgoing like the others. Look at those people bragging and flirting and trying to garner attention onto themselves, they’re annoying. It’s always them, them, flash and boasts. They would never survive in life because they are always thinking of themselves. They don’t observe their surroundings, they miss the details that could help in the future. Like- like? I know-A fool who does not observe will fail. They will fail and try again and fail and try again. But a person who does take in their surroundings will learn the lesson once and remember it.”

“You don’t dominate the conversation but when you do, it is sensible and important. You don’t waste words. Same with your actions. You don’t talk the talk, you let your actions show how you get things done. I wouldn’t trust those extroverted people with my life. They’re too bold and impulsive and think with their fists. I ca-People can respect you. Trust you. You are genuine, and witty because you think so much, you will be successful later on.”

“I guess so.” Aziz smudged the dirt-packed floor with his foot, watching the sight of a small mealworm that had been habitating there, crawl out, “But it sucks. I get being successful later in life but what about now? In Auradon, no one takes a second look at me. You have to be a really sociable or talented person like Jay to get noticed. I can’t do that. I try but I- And, and what about in the dungeon, my observation skills gave me nothing! If I act a little more like Jay maybe I wouldn’t be the weak link needing to be rescued.”  Aziz blurted out.

Lala didn’t speak and Aziz cringed, staring at the ground. But the silence was growing so long he had to look back to gauge her reaction and saw Lala was waiting for him to look at her. 

Then she spoke, “You didn’t escape but you did survive. That takes a special inner strength especially when your enemies wish to demoralize and destroy you. And it is useless to ponder what others would have done when they weren’t been in the situation. You did what you could, and if you are so concerned about your aptitude, I’ll teach you. You have the strength, you need to practice better technique. Stop the self pity it’s a disgusting habit.”

Aziz tried to protest, but felt himself only mouthing the words as a damn nervous blush starting crawling up his neck. He still felt like he should have done better but he appreciated Lala’s words. He knew she held herself and almost everyone else on the standard of their physical skill and made it known when she thought someone was weak. For her to claim that he was strong even after she healed him, rescued him and saw him beaten bloody and battered, it meant something. 

And what she was about to say earlier? That little slip-up. She respected him. He hadn’t thought earning her respect was something he had wanted, but as she said it.. he felt so good that he did.

“As for the others, fuck them.” Lala interrupted, “Isn’t Auradon a place  where you’re not supposed to be shallow? See beyond first impressions and get to know them? If they don’t do that, fuck them. You shouldn’t even be complaining that people don’t notice you because it means to ones who do, actually care. You’re less outgoing than others. It’s not your fault that they don’t try to see beyond.”

Lala was still talking but Aziz stopped listening. What she said, “It’s not your fault” hit him like a sandstorm. The images of his attempts to try to be better. More funny. More entertaining. More talented. More outgoing. Things that people would want to talk to him like they gathered around his father or around Chad and the other royals.

Yet he was outshone by someone better. His constant overthinking working against him as he talked, praying that he didn’t look like he was trying too hard as he was. Praying that he wasn’t going to be forgettable to people. He failed. He wondered what was so wrong with him that made him invisible. He wondered how people like Lonnie and Jordan could insist he was so fun to be around when he couldn’t make his presence known when he was in the room with the likes of Jay.

But it wasn’t entirely his fault. He was born to be more of a listener than a doer. He preferred being one on one with people. He couldn’t change that. But he could accept it. He could accept that he was never going to be the star of the room and that people may not give him a second glance.

If so, then fuck them. Because it was true. If they could write him off as just forgettable, then he didn’t need their attention anyway.

His shoulder moved and he snapped back to realize he had zoned out in front of Lala. He felt a blush crawl up his neck, making him flush more. He hated how obviously red it was against his olive skin. “Sorry I- I was listening. You really.. I realized..I mean. You’re right. You’re absolutely right, Lala. You don’t know how much I needed to hear that. Thank you.” He leaned forward to hug her but held back. Touchy-feely was not the norm on the Isle, but he felt so grateful for her words that it felt wrong just to say thanks. So he settled for leaning close and smiling. He was pretty sure it was the smile of an idiot but he did it anyway. The nice thing was Lala gave a small-closed lip smile in return and roughly booped his nose.

“I know you needed it. Anyone who is considering to act more like Jay needs to be talked off the deep end.”

Feeling a bit more generous now that he was coming around to accepting he didn’t need to be as cool as Jay to be noticed, Aziz snapped back into psychologist mode, trying to see his observances of Jay through a more objective, less jealous lens.

Not that he had much time to observe Jay since he got hypnotized which was surely a traumatic betrayal on its own since it came from his father’s snake staff. Which spoke to how uncaring and domineering Jafar must be as a father if he felt the need to control his son.

“I don’t know. I think Jay is more than the impulsive idiot you take him for. I believe it's just a facade he puts up.” Aziz mused “To annoy people? It works.” Lala rolled her eyes.

“What went down between you that you hate him so much?” Aziz asked.

“I don’t hate him, I dislike him. He’s annoying. He stole my spears for himself, he thinks he’s so great he tries to fight Mabaya on his own and almost gets both of us killed because again, he took my weapons and then broke them! What idiot tries to chuck a spear out a charging elephant? It does nothing. If he had to throw the spear, he should have aimed at a vital joint or his eye at least. I can’t respect such idiocy.” Lala huffed.

“I understand but he was a bit out of his element in the jungle and it is his fall-back to try to boast and impress. Usually people who do that are trying to hide something.” Aziz said. Then he thought of a saying of his mother. It was a bit of what Vks called, sentimental Auradon crap, but he felt it should be said, “Sometimes we only see how people are different from us. But if you look hard enough, you can see how we are all like.”

“Whatever.” Lala yawned.

“What happened to not judging people? Look beyond the surface.” Aziz teased.

“That was for you. I’m a bad person, I don’t need to follow that rule.” Lala sniffed haughtily.

It would have been so easy to take that as another little joke in their back and forth, but his observing skills struck again. She sounded haughty but her eyes were downcast, and considering what she said that she was too like her mother… she felt it was true.

“You’re not exactly like your mother, you know. I don’t think so at least” Aziz said softly in case Lala didn’t want to broach the subject and could pretend to ignore him.

“I know I’m not exactly like her. I’m only as close to her as she allows me to be. She’s always one step ahead.” Lala muttered, not looking at him. “If I was like her she’d have me be the princess of Opar. But I’m not good enough for that. Not like Tarzan’s children.” “I don’t know Tarzan’s children that well but I don’t think Queen La would find them worthy heirs. I never saw Kerchak swing from a tree or pick up a sharp object in my life. And Victoria-”

“No. Not Tarzan and Jane’s children. Tarzan and my mom’s. The ones she’s planning to have in the future. They don’t even exist and I’m not as good as them according to her because I got one stupid scar and I’m claustrophobic.” Lala scowled, smacking the ground in anger of her own weaknesses.

“You seem to be handling your claustrophobia.” Aziz encouraged. 

“As long as I don’t think about it. That’s why I study so hard. It’s because it takes my mind off where I am, not because it requires my intense study. Trust me. But at night…” Lala inhaled deeply and tensed, “I hate this place. I miss the fresh air and space. Every time someone closes the door, I feel like it's going to be lock with this air that-” She inhaled deeply again.

“Let’s go to a window,” Aziz suggested motioning to leave the room. Lala took the offer eagerly and they bounded up the stairs to Lala’s room, the leopard men obediently behind them.

Lala threw open the windows to the balcony and breathed deeply. A blissful smile enveloped her features as her body relaxed. The wind was out today, and unlike Auradon, this wasn’t a refreshing light breeze. On the Isle, when the wind blew, it blew like a gust and Aziz was impressed that Lala stood straight without bending to its battering assult. But it fit her. Lala was the person who could stand strong against natural forces. Her face perfectly serene as the wind whipped her white braid about and ruffled her long sleeves.

Aziz stood next to her, keeping a hand to the side of his face as the gusts constantly pushed his bangs into his eyes and mouth and became a general nuisance. “I don’t think you’re exactly like your mom. Not just because you can’t live to her caliber.  You’re not shallow considering you speak to a guy who hasn’t rung any animal by his neck. Despite your wish for a kingdom, I don’t think, at least I’m guessing, you don’t have a real desire to lord over others like a tyrant.” 

“From what I’ve observed, and I’m a pretty good observer if I say so myself. You’re reserved because you know that’s the way to survive. But I also think it speaks to how genuine you are. You don’t deal with bullshit, if you respect a person you show it, if you don’t, you don’t. A little blunt but honesty is better than fakery. You seem to actually like learning and challenging yourself with the Atlantean magic. You laughed at my jokes which shows you have a brilliant sense of humor... And despite what you say, you did care about your siblings. You can’t live up to her mom and her imaginary children? Then fuck her. You’re pretty formidable by yourself. You’d be successful as a warrior or a priestess or whatever. You’d have awesome adventures no matter what you do because you’re a badass warrior princess.``

Although she wasn’t looking at him, he could tell she was listening. He could see the corner of her mouth twitching up and down, fighting a smile. So he decided to return the favor and nose boop her to get her attention.

She batted his hand away but a small laugh escaped her lips. “Badass warrior princess. Hmm you observed me very well.”

“Eh little observations here and there, some is just gut instinct. Some people may think a person’s reserve is them being stuck up but I get your’s is more than that.” Aziz coughed as a piece of his hair blew into his mouth.

“People may think you’re forgettable, but I understand you’re more of an observer.” Lala pursed her lips, catching her braid as it flew to hit Aziz’s cheek.

Aziz rubbed his cheek, his mother’s saying popping into his head again. He shrugged, feeling oddly self-conscious and nervous about repeating the quote. Which was weird because he said it about Jay just a few minutes before. But saying it, to Lala, seemed more..more meaningful somehow.

No, he was overthinking all of this again so Aziz ignored it, “Sometimes we only see how people are different from us. But if you look hard enough, you can see how we are all like.”

Lala smiled at him and there was something.. a something in the air. Energy, a vibe, he wasn’t sure but it made the fact that even though they were in the blustery air, he felt as if he were enclosed in a small world between the two of them.  Time to change the subject then!  “So speaking of observing, I haven’t really had the chance to do it around here much, but isn’t it fascinating to watch the people here?” Aziz asked. People watching was his go to subject for most conversations. Not that many people had much to contribute. People watching was not a thing most people engaged in which he thought was a shame. It was the most fun ever! People  had such weird idiosyncrasies even when they did a normal thing like walking past whether it was an odd head bop or having feet pointed in first position or the like.  Lala shrugged and Aziz nodded understandingly. He knew the topic wouldn’t probably go anywhere but then...“What's people watching?”  “Oh it’s this thing where you just sit and watch random people. You know observe their habits, stuff that they do.” Aziz sighed. It was a lot more interesting action than in explanation.  “Oooh!” Lala nodded understandingly, “Like observing your prey and enemies. I’ve done that lots of times. It’s entertaining.”  Aziz’s eyes widened, “You think it’s fun too!” 

Lala looked at him as if he was crazy for suggesting otherwise, “Yes. It’s a useful skill and people do such weird stuff.” 

“Such weird stuff!” Aziz said at the same time, and then he tried to dial down the enthusiasm in his voice when Lala made the “calm down” sign, snorting at his excitement.  “Remember when we were at Gaston’s bar and that Hun guy was fighting Stanley? I noticed in other fights that he does this thing with his head.. ugh I can’t describe it. But like he’d almost twist his...”  ———————————————————————————————

That had been three days ago and they almost talked for an hour when Kaj II growled his warning that Queen La was arriving and Aziz had to swing off the balcony and climb against the wall to the correct balcony that would lead to Jade’s room. 

Not that he had realized it but in hindsight, that might have been the moment he developed a crush on the warrior princess. Ever since then, he just… he just wanted to be around her a little more compared to the others. He wanted to hear more about her opinions or stories or anything she had to say.

And whenever she smiled at his jokes even if she rolled her eyes because it was corny, he felt like he won a tourney victory or something. And she was so..so graceful. Not cat-like graceful but beautiful, every move she makes was stunning.

Not that he allowed himself to think about it too much. There were more important things at stake like saving the world, and if he thought about how he had a crush on Lala then he’d get self-conscious and nervous and he didn’t want that. Their friendship was just fine for him. He was even teaching her monkey. 

Not that it was any of Jordan’s business.

“It’s not important.” Aziz said.

“It better not be. You can try to deny it but I can see that “Can you feel the love tonight” nonsense from a mile away. Why don’t you just forget crushing on mermaids and.. and maybe a nice girl from Agrabah. Or a nice boy. You had such a good time with Mena, remember.” 

“Mena was...Honestly Mena was the only guy I.. I can’t. I keep comparing other men to him which is— Can we not talk about him?” Aziz growled, partly from the memory of his sole boyfriend who had used him for the status of dating a prince and had been cheated on him the whole time, and partly because Jordan was bringing him up even though she knew it was a touchy subject. 

“I know he didn’t work out but it’s like you told me, you can’t give up on the whole male population because of one cheating boyfriend. Cheating would be nothing compared to this. This crush is a mistake.” Jordan huffed.

“Why is it a mistake exactly?” Aziz raised an eyebrow at Jordan’s judgemental attitude. Usually she was all for Aziz meeting someone and start planning their dates even though her tastes were a bit extravagant like setting off fireworks when he leaned in for a kiss.  

“I get the appeal, really. She was a mysterious stranger swinging on a vine. But she’s the same stranger who broke Calix’s arm! He’s lucky that he has magic on his side and could heal the arm that she broke. If he was mortal, he’d be doomed. There’s no hospitals here, we’d have to cut it off.”

“That’s not how unattended broken arms work, Jordan.” Aziz rubbed his temples at her wildly dramatic reasons why having a crush on Lala would be bad, “It doesn’t matter, I’m not going to do anything when there are more important things at stake.”

“I know. I’m just saying you shouldn’t even pursue this when we get back to Auradon. Think about, Aziz. Really think about it. Imagine what would happen if you even got together? She’s the daughter of Queen La. Allah knows that if she got jealous, she’d murder the other person and kill you for looking a for wandering eyes.” Jordan said.

“Then I guess you both have something in common.” Aziz said sarcastically, “Like when you sent your ex a box of scorpions when you found him cheating on you.”

“That’s completely different! He deserved it! You don’t deserve to feel pain. I’m telling you it’s not good to act on love at first sight.”

“Love at first sight?” Aziz scoffed. Did she not even know him? They always joked about people who thought they fell in love at first sight. 

Sure, for some it was true. Auradon was practically built on it but more often than not it could lead to a very difficult marriage. That’s why Snow White took that job as a reporter so she wouldn’t be around King Florian so much.

Jordan should know him better, he may get a crush at first glance, but he wouldn’t act on it unless he was sure there was more.

“I’m not in love with her. I’m not doing anything with her.”

“You’re hanging out with her!” Jordan cried.

“I’m also hanging out with Jade. With your logic, I could be crushing on her. She’s clever, she’s daring, we have things in common, we can do parkour together. Plus she’s the daughter of one of our families’ enemies. Star crossed lovers and all that. It’s a perfect fairytale romance.” Aziz breathlessly mocked.

“Jade is not… she wouldn’t use you like Lala.”

“She’s a Vk, who says Jade wouldn’t.” Aziz pointed out.

“Jade’s like you and me.” Jordan defended lamely.

“How? What? Because she’s descended from Agrabahians?” Aziz cried. He knew she could be judgemental and superficial but really? This?

“No. I mean technically yeah but no. She and Jay. She cares about him. They’re like us.” Jordan said meaningfully, grasping his hands and looking lovingly in his eyes in a way that made Aziz feel small and childish.

He hated it when she got like this. Acting like she was so much more worldly and knowing because she was a genie. She had a duty to protect him, the poor sheltered mortal prince who didn’t know any better or understand the morally grey areas of life. He survived torture in the damn dungeon!

Which now that he thought about it, beyond the hug Jordan hadn’t asked him a single thing about the incident. It seemed to have completely slipped her mind. Yeah, she cared about his safety. But for all the wrong reasons.  

“So? If that was true then why don’t you trust Jay if his bond with Jade is so much like our bond.” Aziz asked, pointing out the hole in her little argument.

“Well um I, Jay’s Jay’s complicated and I mean I don’t distrust him, it’s just after he said that thing about me giving..”

The epiphany dawned on Aziz before Jordan finished her sentence. How could he not have realized it before? It was all Jordan ever worried about.

“It’s because Jade hasn’t asked you for wishes and Lala has. That’s it.”

“She probably figured out that I’d back out of my promise so she’s trying to use you so you could convince me to give her wishes!” Jordan cried like a detective solving a case with her convoluted logic.

“And you think she’s going to seduce me to do that? Do you have so little trust in me?” Aziz used the calm steely tone that he knew would annoy her most. Not only did she act like he was a sheltered, naive mortal but a weak willed one too.

“NO no I do trust you! I know you would never intentionally do that to me. But I don’t want you to get hurt just because she’s manipulating you to get to me!” Jordan screamed, stamping her foot childishly that he was not giving into her.

“How self-absorbed can you get? Jordan, the world doesn’t revolve around you and your powers. Is it such a crazy thought that she might actually fall for me?” Aziz matched his volume to hers.

“Why wouldn’t she want me? I have phenomenal cosmic power and convenience for everyone. A lamp that forces me to obey their desires. You can’t offer her that. You’re just..you.”

Aziz stared at her, the sentence hitting him like a gut punch. He couldn’t believe Jordan of all people was saying this to him. She was the one who always helped him out on dates and assured him that anyone would fall in love with him after

….Maybe all that helping out wasn’t just from the goodness of her heart? It was because she secretly thought he couldn't get a girl on his own. Why would he with his so few talents? He wasn’t debenoir or charming enough like Jay. He wasn’t going to inherit the throne like other princes. What did he have to offer that the other boys at Auradon Prep couldn’t offer or even top? All he had was a genie friend who’d make “a whole new world”  dates.

Moreover, it hurt. His best friend in the world also thought that he wasn’t good enough on his own. She thought he needed her to survive through life and love and all those trials.

Now he was glad he told Lala how he felt ignored. Clearly his so-called “best friend/wingwoman/sister” was too oblivious and selfish to comfort him. Not even that. She secretly shared everyone else’s opinion that he was forgettable!

“Me? What does that-“ Aziz snarled.

“I-I just don’t want you to spend so much time with her.” Jordan seemed to sense his anger and began backtracking, “You know I don’t have a lot of people to hang out with. So many people just want me for my wishes. You-you don’t want to use me. You’re my best friend. That’s why I need you. After everything I’ve done for you, all I’m asking is for you to be my friend.” Aziz heard her but didn't listen, her hurtful words still ringing in his ears. Besides that was completely unbelievable. She was afraid of losing him? That was a ridiculous idea and she knew that. If she was going to lie to his face, she could try to make it believable! 

And what? It wasn’t like he owed her for everything she had done for him. That wasn’t how friendship worked! He didn’t ask her to do things and join adventures. She did it herself because she was his friend. 

Or he had thought it was because they were sibling/friends. Apparently it was because she believed he needed her. 

“You need me around forever to sooth your constant paranoid insecurity. I get it.” Aziz rolled his eyes sarcastically. 

“It’s not a paranoid insecurity. It’s a fact.” Jordan claimed.

“Jordan, have you ever thought, maybe the reason people will only look at you for your wishes is because your general personality is unbearable to deal with. That’s why no one wants to be your friend. There’s nothing likable to be friends with but thank Allah, at least if they hang around long enough they’ll get wishes out of you.” Aziz snapped.

Jordan froze, clearly hurt by the sound of the crack in her voice, “Do you feel that way too?”

Aziz didn’t give himself time to think. She didn’t deserve any amount of comfort from him after what she just said. She didn’t need to act like she knew everything about life and treat him like an incapable, forgettable mortal. That was what he was to her, a mortal. And he knew from all their talks together just how little she respected mortals. And apparently he was no exception. 

“Yes, sometimes I do.”

For a brief eerie moment, the wind was sucked out of the room and silence reigned. Oppressive, weighty silence that he could literally feel pressing against his chest and head and the rest of his body. He began to wonder if he should try to escape, that Jordan was about to do something they’d both regret.

“GET OUT!!” Jordan screamed.

“I can’t get out. You control your lamp.” Aziz hissed through his teeth to keep from yelling again. 

“Fuck you.” The sight of Jordan giving him the finger was his last vision before pink smoke and sand fogged up his view and he rudely fell to the floor.

He glared at the lamp, imagining its arrogant, selfish, all knowing, cosmic occupant pacing the floor, creating a mini sand storm in her anger. Fine.

“Fuck you too.”

[oadara]

Child of Three – Breaking the Cycle

“Mother of Dragons…Child of Storm…Mother of Dragons…Child of Three”

I’ve often talked about the recurrence of the number three throughout Daenerys’ story. The number three is an important element in the series but it also plays a significant role in Dany’s arc. The phrase “Child of Three” comes from the House of the Undying when they call her this among other titles. The House of the Undying itself provides us with many references to the number three when they speak their prophecies to Dany. 

First, however, I wanted to look at the symbolism behind the number three.

“Three is the first number to which the meaning "all" was given. It is The Triad, being the number of the whole as it contains the beginning, a middle and an end.

The power of three is universal and is the tripartide nature of the world as heaven, earth, and waters. It is human as body, soul and spirit. Notice the distinction that soul and spirit are not the same. They are not. Three is birth, life, death. It is the beginning, middle and end. Three is a complete cycle unto itself. It is past, present, future… There are 3 phases to the moon.” X

“Three represents the triad of family; male, female, and child; beginning, middle, and end; birth, life, and death.” X

“. . . dragons . . . other voices echoed in the gloom. Some were male and some female. One spoke with the timbre of a child.” – Daenerys IV, A Clash of Kings (House of the Undying)

The number three is tied to wholeness, to a family unit, to a full cycle, but also the breaking of duality. What does the breaking of duality mean? It means finding the third way., In a conflict between white and black, you find the gray. Better yet, if we look at the element of fire which plays a pivotal role in Dany’s arc, we see that it has the ability to both create and destroy. Like a volcano, who’s eruption can bring devastation, yet volcanoes create new landmass and volcanic soil is rich with nutrients. Finding balance within fire is understand and accepting both of its aspect knowing when they should be used and when not.

The number three is also associated with the Triple Goddess. The Triple Goddess is described as:

“The triple moon is a Goddess symbol that represents the Maiden, Mother, and Crone as the waxing, full, and waning moon. It is also associated with feminine energy, mystery and psychic abilities.”

There are two important elements here that connect to Dany, first, the reference to maiden, mother, and crone. Dany herself references this right before stepping into the fire:

“You will be my khalasar,” she told them. “I see the faces of slaves. I free you. Take off your collars. Go if you wish, no one shall harm you. If you stay, it will be as brothers and sisters, husbands and wives.” The black eyes watched her, wary, expressionless. “I see the children, women, the wrinkled faces of the aged. I was a child yesterday. Today I am a woman. Tomorrow I will be old. To each of you I say, give me your hands and your hearts, and there will always be a place for you.” – Daenerys X, AGOT

The second important element is the reference to the moon, which Dany shares a symbolic connection to.  Drogo referred to her as “Moon of my life”, the Qarthien tale of the birth of the dragons claims that they were birth by the moon, etc.

The importance of this symbolism cannot be overstated. The recurrence of the number three throughout Dany’s chapters may give us insight into how her story will eventually unravel. As of the final book published, A Dance with Dragons, we’ve seen a series of events repeat themselves in Dany story. I believe by the time the book series is over, we will see these events repeat one last time. The sequence of how these events unravel will be important because their outcome will either break Dany away from the cycle she finds herself in or possibly doom her if she makes the wrong choice, yet again (please note, however, that Dany doesn’t realize yet that this cycle is taking place).

Before we discuss these recurring events, I wanted to briefly review the use of the rule of three throughout Dany’s story. The rule of three is a writing technique in which events happen in groups of three. The first-time conflict is established, second time the conflict grows, third time is the resolution of the conflict. This pattern isn’t set in stone but it’s within the general broad use of how this technique is used. I’m not going to review all the appearances of the number three throughout Dany’s chapters, I’ll simple review the most important occurrences.

First, of course, Dany is the third living child of Aerys Targaryen and Rhaella Targaryen, and the only girl, so she broke the cycle of two boys.

Second, are the three dragon eggs Dany receives as a wedding gift. Aside from the symbolic importance of the number three, there is also the symbolic importance tied to it as representative of Dany’s House sigil, the three-headed dragon. Next, she’s gifted, three handmaids, three blood riders, three books on Westeros history, and three weapons. Martin very early and heavily lays the importance of the number three to this particular character, in fact, her first chapter is the third chapter in A Game of Thrones.

The next big three is the three times Dany attempts to wake up from her fevered dream when she goes into labor at the end of A Game of Thrones. I’ve already discussed the possible symbolic meaning behind these three awakening in a brief essay The Three Stages of Daenerys’ Journey.

Next, while roaming the Red Waste, she and her small khalasar find refuge in an abandoned city they name Vaes Tolorro. While there, Dany sends her bloodriders to scout in three different directions, eventually, Johogo returns with three strangers from Qarth, Pyat Pree, Xaro Xhoan Daxosm and Quaithe. These three “wise people”, will in turn, bring Dany and her khalasar to Qarth.

While entering the city, Dany notices that Qarth has three outer walls:

“Three thick walls encircled Qarth, elaborately carved. The outer was red sandstone, thirty feet high and decorated with animals: snakes slithering, kites flying, fish swimming, intermingled with wolves of the red waste and striped zorses and monstrous elephants. The middle wall, forty feet high, was grey granite alive with scenes of war: the clash of sword and shield and spear, arrows in flight, heroes at battle and babes being butchered, pyres of the dead. The innermost wall was fifty feet of black marble, with carvings that made Dany blush until she told herself that she was being a fool. She was no maid; if she could look on the grey wall's scenes of slaughter, why should she avert her eyes from the sight of men and women giving pleasure to one another?” – Daenerys II, A Clash of Kings

If we were to attribute any symbolic importance to the wall decorations and tried to connect it to Dany’s story, we could say that the outer wall is metaphorical of Daenerys childhood and her time in the Dothraki sea. The middle wall can be representative of her time in Slaver’s Bay, a time where she’s constantly at war. The innermost wall could be representative of what awaits her after all the fighting is done, in Slaver’s Bay and beyond. These interpretations do correlate with Dany’s three awakening at the end of A Game of Thrones.

Now we come to the House of the Undying which is chockfull of references to the number three. I’m not going to breakdown the symbolic importance or meaning behind all the prophecies Dany receives. I’ve already done a very detail analysis of the House of the Undying chapter which you can find here.

However, I do want to take a brief look at the three fires, three mounts, and three treasons, prophecy:

“. . three heads has the dragon . . . the ghost chorus yammered inside her skull with never a lip moving, never a breath stirring the still blue air. . . . mother of dragons . . . child of storm . . . The whispers became a swirling song. . . . three fires must you light . . . one for life and one for death and one to love . . . Her own heart was beating in unison to the one that floated before her, blue and corrupt . . . three mounts must you ride . . . one to bed and one to dread and one to love . . . The voices were growing louder, she realized, and it seemed her heart was slowing, and even her breath. . . . three treasons will you know . . . once for blood and once for gold and once for love . . .”

As you can see, all three of these prophecies ends with love. This is important not only for Dany’s story, but I believe for the entire story as a whole. I’ll explain this later in the essay.

The theme of the number three continues when Dany receives yet another gift from Illyrio, three ships to bring her to Pentos. Dany takes the three ships, renames them after the dragons of Aegon, Visenya, and Rhaenys (Balerion, Vhagar, Meraxes) and heads over to Slaver’s Bay.

In Slaver’s Bay Dany encounters three slaving cities, Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen. Which she proceeds to liberate in three different ways. There is something important about the way Dany changed her approach each time. To break this cycle she finds herself in, she can’t approach the same problem and apply the same solution and expect a different result each time. She must change her approach in order to achieve whatever it is she must achieve.

If we take a step back, we can see that she’s being given three separate chances to fix whatever has been broken. Three tries to get it right. This is a common theme when it comes to a Hero’s Journey, having multiple tries to resolve the same problem.

There are other occurrences of three throughout Dany’s chapters, but I think the ones noted here are some the most important ones. If I did leave something important out, please note it in the comments.

I want to go back now to the recurring events I mentioned at the beginning of the essay. These events are very similar in nature and they occur in the last two chapters of A Game of Thrones and the last two chapters of A Dance with Dragons. The events are as follows (in no particular order):

Dany is in or goes to the Dothraki sea

Dany comes in direct contact with fire

Dany loses her hair

There is an important milestone surrounding the dragons

Dany has a prophetic/spiritual dream/experience

Dany has a miscarriage caused by either being given or accidentally     ingesting an abortifacient

She chooses the dragons over a child

Quaithe is involved in these dreams

Dany goes from “If I look back I am lost” to “To go forward I must go     back”

Now that we know what the events are, let’s look at their sequence because it’s difference in each book. This is important because as I noted early, you can solve a problem by trying to resolve it the same way twice or three times and while Dany is not consciously aware of the cycle, the story dictates that she has to approach the problem differently.

In A Game of Thrones, the sequence of events is:

1.         Dany’s in the Dothraki sea

5.         Dany has her fevered dream. (you can find a detailed analysis of the dream here)

8.         It is hinted that Quaithe had something to do with this dream

6.         Dany drinks the abortifacient and has a stillbirth

7.         Dany choses dragons over her child

2.         Dany comes in direct contact with fire

4.         There is an important milestone surrounding the dragons (their birth)

3.         Dany loses her hair

9.         Dany declares “If I look back, I am lost”

In A Dance with Dragon, the sequence of events is:

4.         There is an important milestone surrounding the dragons (she confronts, then rides a dragon)

2.         Dany comes in direct contact with fire

3.         Dany loses her hair

1.         Dany arrives in the Dothraki sea

6.         Dany drinks the abortifacient and has a stillbirth

5.         Dany has her vision quest

7.         Dany chooses dragons over a child, Hazzea (unconsciously)

8.         Quaithe appears

9.         Dany declares “To go forward, I must go back.”

I know that some of these are not as obvious or clear as others, so I’ll briefly go through each one of them and point out when and how they happened.

1.  

AGOT: Danny is already in the Dothraki sea with Drogo’s khalasar

ADWD  Dany is taken to the Dothraki sea by Drogon

2.     Dany comes in direct contact with fire.

AGOT: Daenerys X (Drogo’s funeral pyre)

ADWD: Daenerys IX (Daznak’s Pit)

“Drogon roared. The sound filled the pit. A furnace wind engulfed her. The dragon's long scaled neck stretched toward her. When his mouth opened, she could see bits of broken bone and charred flesh between his black teeth. His eyes were molten. I am looking into hell, but I dare not look away. She had never been so certain of anything. If I run from him, he will burn me and devour me. In Westeros the septons spoke of seven hells and seven heavens, but the Seven Kingdoms and their gods were far away. If she died here, Dany wondered, would the horse god of the Dothraki part the grass and claim her for his starry khalasar, so she might ride the nightlands beside her sun-and-stars? Or would the angry gods of Ghis send their harpies to seize her soul and drag her down to torment? Drogon roared full in her face, his breath hot enough to blister skin…

Dany hit . "No," she screamed, swinging the lash with all the strength that she had in her. The dragon jerked his head back. "No," she screamed again. "NO!" The barbs raked along his snout. Drogon rose, his wings covering her in shadow. Dany swung the lash at his scaled belly, back and forth until her arm began to ache. His long serpentine neck bent like an archer's bow. With a hisssssss, he spat black fire down at her. Dany darted underneath the flames, swinging the whip and shouting, "No, no, no. Get DOWN!" His answering roar was full of fear and fury, full of pain. His wings beat once, twice …

… and folded. The dragon gave one last hiss and stretched out flat upon his belly. Black blood was flowing from the wound where the spear had pierced him, smoking where it dripped onto the scorched sands. He is fire made flesh, she thought, and so am I.”

3.     Dany loses her hair

AGOT: Daenerys X (Drogo’s funeral pyre)

“Her hair had burned away in Drogo's pyre” – Daenerys I ACOK

ADWD: Daenerys IX (Daznak’s Pit)

“Only the birth of her dragons amidst the fire and smoke of Khal Drogo's funeral pyre had spared Dany herself from being dragged back to Vaes Dothrak to live out the remainder of her days amongst the crones of the dosh khaleen.

The fire burned away my hair, but elsewise it did not touch me. It had been the same in Daznak's Pit. That much she could recall, though much of what followed was a haze.”

4.   There is an important milestone surrounding the dragons

 AGOT: Daenerys X (The birth of the dragons)

 ADWD: Daenerys IX (Dany rides Drogon out of Daznak’s Pit)

5.   Dany has a prophetic/spiritual dream/experience

AGOT: Daenerys IX (her fevered dream)

ADWD: Daenerys X (her vision quest through the Dothraki sea)

6.   Dany has a miscarriage caused by either being given or accidentally ingesting an abortifacient

 AGOT Dany IX 

“Mirri Maz Duur was there, the maegi, tipping a cup against her lips. She tasted sour milk, and something else, something thick and bitter.”

ADWD Dany X 

“Its flesh was tart and chewy, with a bitter aftertaste that seemed familiar to her.”

The similarities in language and familiarity Dany feels at eating the berries signify that more likely than not Mirri gave her an abortifacient in order to produce the stillbirth of her son. In ADWD Dany unknowingly ingested the same abortifacient which produced her miscarriage.

7.   She chooses the dragons over a child

AGOT Dany IX (after waking up from her fevered dream):

Flying, she thought. I had wings, I was flying. But it was only a dream. “Help me,” she whispered, struggling to rise. “Bring me …” Her voice was raw as a wound, and she could not think what she wanted. Why did she hurt so much? It was as if her body had been torn to pieces and remade from the scraps. “I want …”

***

Dany needed … something … someone … what? It was important, she knew. It was the only thing in the world that mattered.

***

They found her on the carpet, crawling toward her dragon eggs.

***

Jhiqui would have run as well, but Dany caught her by the wrist and held her captive. “What is it? I must know. Drogo … and my child.” Why had she not remembered the child until now? “My son … Rhaego … where is he? I want him.”

***

She should weep, she knew, yet her eyes were dry as ash. She had wept in her dream, and the tears had turned to steam on her cheeks. All the grief has been burned out of me, she told herself. She felt sad, and yet … she could feel Rhaego receding from her, as if he had never been.

 ADWD Dany X

Drogon killed a little girl. Her name was… her name… Dany could not recall the child’s name.

That made her so sad that she would have cried if all her tears had not been burned away. I will never have a little girl. I was the Mother of Dragons.

In both these chapter Dany wakes from a dream/hallucination after having a miscarriage, unable to remember the name of a child. A child that is important to her (her son, Rhaego, and the child for which she chained her dragons, Hazzea) and in both cases she’s unable to cry, the grief burnt right out of her.

In AGOT Dany makes an unconscious decision to become the Mother of Dragons (she chooses to become the dragon during her fevered dream) but by ADWD she makes the conscious decision to be the Mother of Dragons. At this moment in time this is who she believes she needs to be in order to save herself and her people. The mother couldn’t fight her enemies, but the dragons can.

8.   Quaithe is involved in these dreams

 AGOT Dany IX 

“The last dragon, Ser Jorahs voice whispered faintly. The last, the last. Dany lifted his polished black visor. The face within was her own. After that, for a long time, there was only the pain, the fire within her, and the whisperings of stars. She woke to the taste of ashes.”

ADWD Dany X 

She dreamed. All her cares fell away from her, and all her pains as well, and she seemed to float upward into the sky. She was flying once again, spinning, laughing, dancing, as the stars wheeled around her and whispered secrets in her ear. To go north, you must journey south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward, you must go back. To touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow.”

Remember who you are, Daenerys, the stars whispered in a womans voice. The dragons know. Do you?”

In both instances we hear the whispering of the stars which Dany associates with Quiathe in ADWD. The similarity in language is too clear for it to be a mere coincidence. More likely than not, Quaithe has played a role in Dany’s arc from the beginning.

9.   Dany goes from “If I look back I am lost” to “To go forward I must go back”

 AGOT Daenerys IX (the first time Dany says this phrase)

"No," Mirri Maz Duur said. "That was a lie you told yourself. You knew the price."

Had she? Had she? If I look back I am lost. "The price was paid," Dany said. "The horse, my child, Quaro and Qotho, Haggo and Cohollo. The price was paid and paid and paid." She rose from her cushions. "Where is Khal Drogo? Show him to me, godswife, maegi, bloodmage, whatever you are. Show me Khal Drogo. Show me what I bought with my son's life."

ADWD Daenerys X

“Dany watched him go. When the sound of his hooves had faded away to silence, she began to shout. She called until her voice was hoarse … and Drogon came, snorting plumes of smoke. The grass bowed down before him. Dany leapt onto his back. She stank of blood and sweat and fear, but none of that mattered. "To go forward I must go back," she said. Her bare legs tightened around the dragon's neck. She kicked him, and Drogon threw himself into the sky. Her whip was gone, so she used her hands and feet and turned him north by east, the way the scout had gone. Drogon went willingly enough; perhaps he smelled the rider's fear.”

To me the cyclical nature of Dany’s story indicates that she’s working towards breaking a cycle. There are multiple cycles within her story but there is an overriding cycle that must be broken, they cycle that is preventing her from become a mother. In the pyre Dany was able to supplant her role as mother and became the mother to dragons, however, it seems to me that her role as an actual mother is just as important as destiny continues to try and achieve that goal. If Dany is able to figure out how to break the cycle than some of the elements above will never occur, such as the stillbirth/ miscarriage.

Her journey throughout the story is allowing her to learn what lessons she needed to learn in order to break free of the cycle she finder herself in. I believe that the Undying gave Dany and important clue when the concluded her triple prophecy with love. For Dany the love is multifaceted. Not only is it love of her people, it’s romantic love (the Qarthian wall and the Undying), and most importantly, in this instance, maternal love (her final awakening after her fevered dream).

It’s no coincidence that while Dany’s story is tied to love, Jon’s has been tied to duty.  Their coming together is the resolution of the conflict brought up by Maester Aemon, all the way back in book 1, of love vs. duty. Maester Aemon believe that love was the death of duty, but if this is true than the opposite might be true as well, that duty is the death of love. Finding balance between these two opposing forces will help resolve the conflict that we have seen played out throughout the series.

ETA: I wanted to say thank you to @winelover1989 and  @BookDanyQuotes (at twitter) for being my beta readers and for their suggestions. Thank you so much!!!

[my-arya-underfoot]

Starklings post-war speculation (book based)

You’ve talked before about Westeros after the Long Night and war and also a bit about the Starks roles (Bran being King in the North rather than Arya or Sansa). How do you think the Starks will fit into whatever happens ‘after’?

Finally answering your question anon, sorry for the long wait :/ 

Going off the theory of the post-Long Night Westeros undergoing social reform and breaking up into separate kingdoms again (maybe held together by a central council or alliance of some sort) - how do the Starklings fit into it all? 

Not to get too emotional, but our bb’s are going to change the world. GRRM has put Bran, Arya, Sansa and Jon on specific development arcs, each honing particular skills, and I think those skills will be instrumental in the roles they’ll take on in rebuilding Westeros.

Arya

Based on the books so far, I’d bet a lot of money on Arya ultimately taking on a leadership role championing the smallfolk.  (Linking back to Westeros’ probable social upheaval). 

Her arc is saturated with witnessing the abuse of commoners and the warping of justice; from Mycah to Harrenhal to the Brotherhood to opposing the Faceless Men’s philosophy.

They'd let the queen kill Lady, that was horrible enough, but then the Hound found Mycah....And no one had raised a voice or drawn a blade or anything, not Harwin who always talked so bold, or Alyn who was going to be a knight, or Jory who was captain of the guard. Not even her father. 

Arya watched them die and did nothing. What good did it do you to be brave? There were no brave people on that march, only scared and hungry ones. Most were women and children.

She took a deep breath, then lifted the broomstick in both hands and brought it down across her knee. It broke with a loud crack, and she threw the pieces aside. I am a direwolf, and done with wooden teeth.

Arya drew back from him. "He killed the slave?" That did not sound right. 

GRRM seems to be setting her up a a representative of the smallfolk, pushing for a more just, egalitarian society and reforming oppressive laws. If a united council/leadership of sorts exists, then it’s entirely viable that Arya will be the one voicing the needs of the common people.  

Imo, the role brings together all of Arya’s many strengths: a) being able to connect with and befriend anyone b) caring fiercely about justice and trying to take it into her own hands c) protecting the underdogs d) being a go-between/liaison between the highborn world she was born in and the commoners she became part of, e) travelling over a lot of Westeros and beyond.

(Maybe she’ll even take over the Brotherhood without Banners from her mother?? A group that was about helping the helpless but got warped by vengeance along the way – exactly what Arya is grappling with right now). 

Also, worth mentioning Arya has lived outside of Westeros in Braavos, which has a different type of governing structure, giving her a broader perspective on ruling and society than most characters.

While she may be based in the North, given how much time Arya spent in the Riverlands – where the worst abuses of smallfolk and injustice took place – she may end up becoming a key figure there.  

(…+ Gendry)

Moving more from speculation to wishful thinking – though not so wishful nowadays – it’s entirely conceivable Gendry would be involved in Arya’s endgame.

Gendry is one of the most prominent smallfolk characters, is vocal about his disdain of highborns and attracted to the early Brotherhood without Banners. Him being someone who helps Arya with her work and reforms would fit.  

"Gendry, do you swear before the eyes of gods and men to defend those who cannot defend themselves, to protect all women and children.” - Arya, ASoS 

(Plus, with a side of forge sex and gowns of golden leaves).  

Book-wise, I don’t think Arya will become Lady of Storms End: Ruler of one kingdom and lady of a castle seems very limiting for Arya, she’s had no connections to the Stormlands thus far and it would be weird for her resolution to suddenly become subservient to Gendry’s inheritance. I still think it’s more likely that Edric Storm will get Storms End. 

(The show is a different matter and D&D have devalued Arya so much it’s anyone’s guess where she’ll end up).

So that’s my call for Arya.

Sansa

With Sansa, as a recurring foil to Arya it would make sense if her role in Westeros as the flipside of her sisters’ – while Arya is reforming the underbelly of Westeros, Sansa has been built to work amongst high lords.

Over the series, we’ve seen her hone her skills in court, among nobles and in politics; and apprentice to Littlefinger’s in the art of manipulation:

Sansa felt that she ought to say something. What was it that Septa Mordane used to tell her? A lady's armor is courtesy, that was it. She donned her armor and said, "I'm sorry my lady mother took you captive, my lord."  - ACoK 

Tyrion led Sansa around the yard, to perform the necessary courtesies.She is good at this, he thought, as he watched her tell Lord Gyles that his cough was sounding better, compliment Elinor Tyrell on her gown, and question Jalabhar Xho about wedding customs in the Summer Isles. - Tyrion, ASoS

Sansa was asleep on her feet by then, wanting only to crawl off to her bed, but Petyr caught her by the wrist. "You see the wonders that can be worked with lies and Arbor gold?" - Sansa, AFFC

". . . Lord Nestor's claim to the Gates will suddenly be called into question. I promise you, that is not lost on him. It was clever of you to see it. Though no more than I'd expect of mine own daughter.""Thank you." She felt absurdly proud for puzzling it out...” - Sansa, AFFC

GRRM has indicated that Sansa is ideally suited for post-Long-Night politics, particularly in whatever network or council that’s put in place between kingdoms: Managing relationships between nations, negotiating treaties and agreements, smoothing over conflicts, brokering peace between parties; winning leaders over; image-management; the nitty-gritting politicking.

It would be satisfying if Sansa – who the world originally saw as nothing more than a pretty, airheaded wife-to-be – ends up doing the hard, complex, political brainwork.

In connection to all that, I honestly love the idea of Sansa as a Northern ambassador: She loves Winterfell but knows how to play the game in the South – so let her represent her kingdom and Northern interests to the rest of Westeros.

(Sansa seems to be heading towards becoming a politician akin to Tyrion or Littlefinger; while Bran, Dany and Jon have trained more for leadership and that is an important distinction and separate skillset).

(Again, this is book not show based, as the show is hammering us over the head with Sansa becoming ruler in the North/Lady of Winterfell, which…ok. I’ve talked before how unfortunately the writers have trampled over the other Starks siblings’ connections to their home to justify Sansa’s position).

Bran

All hail, King in the North, Lord of Winterfell, Bran the Rebuilder.  

There are a lot of reasons why it makes sense for Bran to be the Stark rebuilding Winterfell and doing the day-to-day governing of its people:

He’s the one who’s spent the most time in the North; he’s the one we’ve actually seen being taught to rule as Lord of Winterfell; he’s the heir and first in-line; he’s connected to the deep, mystical heart of the North of the weirwood networks and greenseers, he has the Starkiest-of-Stark names of the former Stark Kings and legends.

Unlike Arya and Sansa, he hasn’t been to other parts of Westeros (apart from further North) and built as many relationships and learned about politics or dynamics in other places. He’s fully rooted in the North, Winterfell and its people. 

There’s a much more detailed examination of why exactly Bran should be King in the North and Lord of Winterfell here, which says it much better than I can, but I don’t see how you can read these quotes, and think it will be anyone but Bran:

Bran could see all of Winterfell in a glance. He liked the way it looked spread out beneath him… It made him feel like he was lord of the castle, in a way even Robb would never know.” – AGoT

"Your notion about the bastard may have merit, Bran," Maester Luwin said after. "One day you will be a good lord for Winterfell, I think." – ACoK

“The stone is strong, Bran told himself, the roots of the trees go deep, and under the ground the Kings of Winter sit their thrones. So long as those remained, Winterfell remained. It was not dead, just broken. Like me, he thought. I'm not dead either.” ­– AcoK

“You are only a boy, I know, but you are our prince as well, our lord's son and our king's true heir. We have sworn you our faith by earth and water, bronze and iron, ice and fire….we are your servants to command.” - ASoS

(I’m not expecting robot!Bran to get king/lordship in the show – D&D massacring his character and turning him into an emotionless, Google search bar is still imo one of the worst things they’ve done imo).

As for all the theories for Sansa (and more rarely Arya) becoming Queen in the North, I actually think that role is too limiting for both of them – they’ve travelled over Westeros and seem suited to having much wider role than just Northerners. That’s not to say the two of them– and Jon if he lives – couldn’t have a place in their home, be based at Winterfell and travel further afield; it doesn’t mean they couldn’t advice Bran or work for the good of the North; it doesn’t mean they would be Princesses of Winterfell. It’s just there’s a hell lot more foreshadowing for King Bran.

(…+ Meera)

So, if we’re going to have any Queen in the North, it’s gotta be Meera. The gods only know how much the Reeds deserve it and Bran is literally hearteyes already.

Jon (...+ Dany)

Much as it physically pains me to admit it, chances are Jon and Dany will die saving the world: As many have said, they’ve got ‘messiah’ written all over them. As GRRM has always said – in the end the throne doesn’t matter, the ultimate fight is about the living. So, for Jon and Dany, it makes sense their ultimate fate wouldn’t be getting the throne but ensuring there’s a Westeros left to rebuild at all.

The only thing that makes me doubt them kicking it, is the sheer amount of time GRRM has spent giving the pair leadership training (see above point with Bran) as Lord Commander and Queen of Meereen respectively. GRRM’s issue with wanting to justify having a ‘good ruler’ in the end and not just ‘they ruled wisely’ gives me a smidge of hope the two of them might make it. 

So, playing a fun game of if they survive; they’d logically be the ones getting the different kingdoms to cooperate, managing a central council/alliance, leading change, and acting as symbols of peace and the future. With the upheaval and massive change Westeros would be facing, they’re both leaders who would be equipped to forge a new way.

Both of them have experience in upending old systems, ushering in new eras and struggling to make different groups cooperate – Jon with the Nights Watch making peace with the Free Folk, the Nights Watch and the North; and Dany in Meeren with the slaves and former slave-owners.

Of course, it didn’t go perfectly, but they were learning and sure as hell have more experience than anyone else in taking on the role of rebuilding Westeros and forcing newly-independent kingdoms to cooperate.

Again, it may be Daenerys’ “I want to break the wheel” is a clumsy way of the writers trying to set that up. 

Bonus: Tyrion and Davos

I’d put Tyrion’s chances of survival above Jon and Dany’s, but way below Bran, Arya and Sansa’s. In the books it does seem likely he’ll be the third head of the dragon and will be joining Jon and Dany on their mission to martyrdom. 

That said, if he does survive, like Sansa he’d be ideal to play a role on a centralized council. 

Out of the main characters he’s the one who spent the most time doing actual politicking in Kings Landing; he’s recognised for his brain; the main character who’s been up-close with the inner workings of government and was excellent acting as Hand. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility he’d be able to flex all those muscles in forcing post-Westeros leaders to work with each other and manage the logistics of rebuilding the kingdom.  

Preferably Davos will get to retire, raise his remaining kids and live a quiet life. But in adding to the social upheaval and how he’s played the role of bringing in a different perspective to Stannis’ court and moved from commoner to lord, I’d put him in the running of being one of the main voices and architects of post-war Westeros.

[silkygoldmilkweed]

I am yours and you are mine

OK. So. The episode of Game of Thrones that follows the fabulous weird intimate-as-fuck emo melodrama of “Blackwater” is “Valar Morghulis.” And in this episode, which follows the epic SanSan intimacy of “I’ll keep you safe. Do you want to go home? etc etc” there are not one, not two, but three couples basically making commitments and pledging to each other.

I THINK THE SHOW IS TELLING US SOMETHING ABOUT SANSAN AND MARRIAGE GENERALLY THROUGH THESE COUPLES ALL OF WHOM ARE DOOOOOOOOOMED in different ways. (Five of the six people involved have since been murdered.)

I’ll circle back to the couples in a minute, but first I must quote problematic Cat Stark from this ep, because I think if there is a message here, rather than some broken models of what not to do, she’s the one delivering it.

Cat to Robb about his feelings for Talisa and their agreement with the Freys: 

“Your father didn’t love me when we married. He hardly knew me. Or I him. Love didn’t just happen to us. We built it slowly. Stone by stone, over the years. For you, your brothers and sisters, for all of us. It’s not as exciting as secret passion in the woods, but it is stronger. It lasts longer... You agreed to it. Treat your oaths recklessly and your people will do the same. If your father lived his life for one thing...”

(1) I gotta appreciate the “over the years” in this because god knows that SanSan has been years in the making. 

They’ve been completely apart for many of those years, but dear god the personal growth! She’s a wolf now; he’s no longer an emotionally crippled thug with a serious drinking problem.

If they are cosmically linked soulmates who have been bound by some inexplicable tie for a long time, they have used the intervening years relatively well. Sansa learned how to survive and make her own justice, and Sandor built a very strong relationship with the only other surviving true-born Stark (by my account Bran is dead) and went to rehab and therapy, etc.

Mistakes were made, to be sure, but they are both better, healthier and stronger people after the fact.

Source: http://devilsbastion.tumblr.com/image/168855312743

(2) “It’s not as exciting as secret passion in the woods, but it is stronger. It lasts longer.” 

This line makes me feel like the writers have read all the Blackwater AUs where Sansa and Sandor run off together and despite best-laid plans end up fucking inside a month. In fanfic they usually end up happily ever after (usually), but in George’s world, Sansa probably ends up married to a Frey, Sandor ends up dying at the hand of god knows who, and without the Hound, Arya ends up raped and dead in a ditch and certainly not the killer she is today.

(Of course, Robb and Talisa do go the forbidden love route and we all know how that turns out.)

(3) “You agreed to it. Treat your oaths recklessly and your people will do the same. If your father lived his life for one thing...” 

I will say this: Sansa tried valiantly to keep her promises and the promises her family made. She agreed to marry Joffrey, arranged thought it was, and she keeps to that agreement.

In the same episode, Theon is whining: “Yes my captors were so very kind to me...Do you know what it’s like to be told how lucky you are to be someone’s prisoner?” but at this point in the story, Sansa is being held prisoner by awful people and being beaten and stripped and threatened with rape at every turn.  So Theon can just shut up. 

And in re Robb, Sansa was bound to marry a much worse prospective spouse than a Frey girl, and yet she stuck with it, even if out of sheer cluelessness. She was offered a “get out of jail free” card by Sandor Clegane, and she refused it. 

As horrible as it is, and as patriarchal and un-woke, Westeros custom says that Sansa was Joffrey’s—to torment or treat any way he saw fit. And, for better or worse, Sansa and Sandor have both internalized the patriarchy in a way that Arya never does.

In season four, Arya asks the Hound, “Didn’t you steal anything from Joffrey before you left?” He says no, he’s not a thief, and then says “a man’s got to have a code.” 

Arya’s talking about gold or other treasure but in the same conversation he calls Arya “the only thing of value I’ve got in the world,” which tells us as clear as day what really matters to him—even though he wants us and Arya to believe the issue is her exchange value in gold.

Sansa is the only thing Sandor wanted to steal, but she belonged to the king and if she didn’t want to go of her own volition—if she didn’t think she needed to be rescued—he wasn’t going to abduct her. 

He probably should have, for her sake, but I suspect he was too hurt when she turned him down to face her fighting him and being disappointed and teary. Sansa’s recrimination and distress was not something he was equipped to cope with at that point. Now Arya he could manhandle, but Sansa, for reasons (SEX REASONS PEOPLE), he could not, would not and did not.

ANYWAY MARRIAGE

He cloaked her in the throne room. She accepted the cloak. 

Did it mean something to them? Did it mean something to the gods? 

We have no idea. It has never been addressed.

But...the line in the Westerosi marriage vows is “You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection.” And within weeks he’s saving her from being gang raped (and he’s secretly pretty fucking pleased with himself), and he risks beheading (or much much worse) by attempting to smuggle away Tywin’s prize hostage and get her through the entire war-torn country to Winterfell. 

If that’s not protection, I don’t know what is.

Tyrion’s speech at the Blackwater (after the Hound has already deserted) about defending Your City rings false for the Hound because he literally cares only about one thing in the whole place (maybe two if you count Stranger). Hound figures why not take the girl out of the city rather than trying to save the whole shit city to protect her?

But it doesn’t work, and Sansa and Sandor break up.

Next episode. Sandor does not appear. Sansa does. And three separate couples—all doomed in different ways—make promises.

MARRIAGE PLEDGE #1: JOFFREY BARATHEON TO MARGERY TYRELL

Joffrey: “It would be an honor to return your love. But I am promised to another. A king must keep his word...I took a holy vow.”

Pycelle: “The gods do indeed hold betrothal solemn.”

Joff: “The gods are good. I am free to heed my heart...you will be my queen, and I will love you from this day until my last day.”

OK so mostly this is foreshadowing for Robb getting whacked and Joffrey getting poisoned at his wedding. But it’s also amazing extra-level bullshit. Every single person in the scene is lying through his or her teeth and putting on a show for the court, except for Sansa who is genuinely delighted to be relieved of Joffrey. 

Well, the situation also thrills Littlefinger who pounces on her literally moments after Joff sets her aside. If the Hound had waited maybe one more day he and Sansa would have been so much freer to figure themselves out together--but then it wouldn’t be a heartbreaking romantic separation would it?

But there are a couple of lines I want to highlight as possibly important for SanSan.

“The gods do indeed hold betrothal solemn.”

What if this is true on some level and the gods have considered SanSan to be pledged to one another in some spiritual way? Could the gods actually have been intervening in their favor in some way? Probably not but...maybe.

“I am free to heed my heart.”

So so so few people in Westeros are free to heed their hearts. That’s why the freefolk call themselves that—they aren’t bound by the feudal system and the arranged marriages and the taxes and high-maintenance castles and all that. 

But come season eight, guess who is free as hell to heed her heart? Sansa Stark. She’s even finally rid of Littlefinger. Nobody except maybe Jon Snow can tell her what to do, and I feel strongly that he DGAF who she marries so long as he’s a good man. 

MARRIAGE PLEDGE #2: SHAE DA FUNNY HOAR TO TYRION LANNISTER

Tyrion: “I’m a monster, as well as a dwarf. You should charge me double.”

Shae: “You think I’m here for money?”

Tyrion: “That was the arrangement we made. I pay you and you lie to me.”

Shae: “You have a shit memory. I am yours and you are mine.”

I don’t understand these two. I think Tyrion did love her, but “I pay you and you lie to me” was the truth of it. Their relationship was built on a shaky foundation of business and lies.

In the end she testified at his trial for capital crimes and he strangled her to death. So...as the Hound said to Tyrion in the series premiere, “It’s not hunting if you pay for it.”

You can buy a wife with an army or gold, or you can buy the girlfriend experience from a prostitute, but you can’t buy a healthy, happy and loving marriage, not for any price.

I am a crazy person, admittedly, but I think George’s endgame is two well-deserved happy marriages: Jon & Dany, and Sansa & Sandor. (I wouldn’t mind Brienne & Jaime, Missandei & Grey Worm, and Sam & Gilly also living happily ever after but WE WILL SEE.)

MARRIAGE PLEDGE #3: ROBB STARK AND TALISA MAEGYR

Secret love in the woods!

The theme to this scene is “I Am Yours and You Are Mine,” a lushly romantic love theme by Ramin Djawdi. These are good people, and they are madly in love, and they are doomed as fuck.

As a wise man once said, “What is honor compared to a woman's love? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms...or the memory of a brother’s smile?”

I wish I could tell you that the series is consistent about punishing oathbreakers, but I can’t. The best I can offer is that the story does seem to treat marriage (and the children of marriage, i.e. trueborns versus bastards) as a special and very important kind of oath. 

The camera focuses on Lady Oleanna Tyrell at Joffrey and Marge’s wedding just as the High Septon says, “...one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder.” And of course, House Tyrell is eventually exterminated. 

George, if not the gods, does seem to value fidelity in marriage and not running around “stabbing” girls you don’t plan to marry. Ned Stark is a saint who never cheated. Cersei and Bobby are both unfaithful, but Cersei went a step further and aborted all of her trueborns and cuckholded Bobby with Jaime’s bastards. Stannis is a cheater. Renly is a cheater--he’s married to Marge but sexes up Loras. Rhaegar was a bigamist maybe--timeline unclear but undoubtably problematic. Ramsay Snow was fucking Myranda while married to Sansa. Theon is a jackass for whoring and banging captain’s daughters whereas Jon Snow doesn’t want to make bastards on Ros. Daario wants to come to Westeros as Dany’s fuckboi even if she’s going to marry someone else but Dany is all “hard pass” because Dany ain’t like that. Brandon Stark (Ned’s murdered brother) was a bit of a fuckboi. Littlefinger gets married and murders his wife within the space of a...day? No bueno!

Tyrion gives Shae a heartbreaking speech when he’s breaking up with her for her own safety about “you are not fit to bear my children, and Sansa is.” Bastards! So much talk about legitimacy or not and what that equips you for, or not, in Westeros. Blah blah thousand-year dynasty.

These are not always our contemporary morals, at least in popular media, but they do seem pretty solidly founded in Westeros: 

Marriage matters. Fidelity matters. 

I do think it is important that we never ever see Sandor interact with other women on the show besides Sansa and Arya (and the farmer’s daughter Sally). 

Not Cersei. Not Myrcella. Not Melisandre. Not whores. He isn’t even shown talking to Dany after she saves him on Drogon. Sansa is his woman. Period. 

Sansa takes marriage very seriously, but she is never in a position to choose her husband or control the circumstances of her marriage. Marriage to Sansa is suggested or arranged, canonically, to Joffrey Baratheon, Tyrion Lannister, Littlefinger, Robin Arryn and Ramsay Snow, and that’s not even including all the fan-made pairings like Sansa-Marge, Sansa-Tywin, Sansa-Stannis, Sansa-Edd, Sansa-Jon, Sansa-Pod, Sansa-Bronn, etc. 

Tyrion is by far the best of the lot of Sansa’s canonical consorts, a list that includes two psychopaths, one sociopath and one disabled child. 

By Ned Stark’s standard of “brave, gentle and strong,” again, Tyrion might qualify as brave and gentle, but the other four fail to have even one of those qualities. Ugh. Sandor is all three, to my mind, although the show de-emphasizes “gentle” in favor of sassy, but we all know that he’s a very different kind of brute from Joffrey or Ramsay.

Three more tidbits and then shutting up. 

** The episode ends with Dany’s vision in the House of the Undying. Drogo says: “Or maybe it is a dream. My dream, your dream. I do not know. These are questions for wise men with skinny arms. You are the moon of my life and if this is a dream, I will kill the man who tries to wake me.”

If Sansa’s dreams are as important as I think they will turn out to be, this line may feel more evocative of SanSan in the future. I mean, LOL, “These are questions for wise men with skinny arms” is a total Sandor POV thing to say, although Sandor does have a rough-hewn wisdom of his own.

** The next episode is the season three premiere, “Valar Dohaeris (All Men Must Serve)” and in that we get:

Littlefinger telling Sansa that “stealing you is treason”

Sansa telling Shae that it’s better to use your imagination and dream than think about the truth, because “the truth is always terrible or boring.”

Ros telling Shae that Sansa is a very important person and reminding us of her connection to Winterfell

And Marge telling little kids that knights “protect the weak and uphold the good”

** And then finally, in the second episode of season three, Sandor reappears and it’s clear that he’s been drunk non-stop since he left Sansa behind. He gets captured while unconscious and when he comes to, the first thing he sees is Arya (he recognizes her instantly) and the first words of out his mouth are “What in seven hells are you doing with the Stark bitch?” It’s clear to me that he determines on the spot to watch over her. He has not been granted the status of protector of Sansa, but Arya is fair game.

Was it divine justice or the hand of the gods, putting Sandor together with his wife’s little sister who needs to be protected? We shall see. We shall see.

“In winter, we must protect ourselves.” “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.” “I miss him.” “Me too.”

[snemballmma]

UFC 238 & What’s Next for the Winners

UFC 238 took place this past Saturday (June 9) in Chicago, IL and man did it ever deliver. From the prelims to the PPV bouts on ESPN+, the highly anticipated card gave fight fans the thrill they were looking for on Saturday night. In my opinion, it was the best card this year, thus far. We witnessed the latest fighter to join the decorated “Champ-Champ” club, the Flyweight Queen showcase her greatness with a devastating KO, “El Cucuy” cement himself as the greatest fighter to never hold an official belt (yet) in what was one of the most thrilling 10 minutes of action in recent memory, as well as several top prospects making their case as why their next fights should be title fights.

To end this historic card, Olympic Gold medalist and Flyweight Champion, Henry Cejudo (15-2), conquered his second belt in a Bantamweight title fight in which “The Messenger’s” championship spirit was shown as he made a spectacular comeback in route to stopping Marlon Moraes (22-6-1) in the 3rd round via TKO. It was an action packed bout fought at a frantic pace that remined fight fans why the lower weight divisions are loads of fun to watch. The third man in the Octagon, veteran referee, Marc Goddard, even proclaimed the first round exchanges between these two world class martial artists as “the fastest that I’ve ever encountered in 15 years as a ref”. After an early onslaught from Moraes in round 1, Cejudo came out in round 2 a different fighter and made the appropriate adjustments that swung the fight in his favor by closing the distance to avoid kicks and implement his clinch game. The adjustments proved to be quite effective as “Triple C” got the job done in round 3 with just 9 seconds remaining to win his second belt.

The UFC now has a new rising star on their hands with strong marketability to make Cejudo a star a top draw for the UFC. With that being said, matchmaking for Cejudo’s next title defense is key to keep him on track to stardom. I think the fight that should be next is a Flyweight Title defense against the winner of Joseph Benevidez (27-5) vs Jussier Formiga (23-5) which takes place June 29. I’m in favor of Cejudo defending the Flyweight Title for a couple reasons: 1. To save the Flyweight division (for now) and defend against deserving contenders. Cejudo has said he’s the flyweight savior before, so now it is time to prove it. 2. If Benavidez were to win, this is one of the most marketable and fun fights out there right now for Cejudo. Remember, his last loss was to Benavidez in a hard-fought split decision in 2016 and I would think that is one he would like to get back.

In the Co-Main Event of the evening the Women’s Flyweight Champion, Valentina Schevchenko (17-3) made a huge statement knockout in the 2nd round to defend her belt against Jessica Eye. Leading into the matchup, Schevchenko was a massive -1400 favorite and it’s safe to say the fight played out as expected. “Bullet” masterfully landed a series of body kicks throughout the 1st round to ultimately have Eye thinking low, where she then switched it up in the 2nd round and threw a left head kick that would viciously end the championship bout. The Women’s Flyweight division has their queen and it looks as if she’ll be upon the throne for some time.

What’s next for Valentina? Perhaps a Flyweight defense against Katlyn Chookagian (12-2) whom had a strong showing unanimous decision victory in the curtain jerker bout of the night against a very game Joanne Calderwood (13-4). Valentina is truly one of the best martial artists on the planet so it’ll be tough to find the right opponents to challenge her when there is such a gap of talent, but Chookagian is a worthy opponent and as we’ve seen with this sport many times, anything can happen.

Now to Tony Ferguson vs Donald Cerrone, or the “People’s Main Event”- and it sure got the main event treatment in the lead up to it. It is hard to think of another non-title fight that has ever had this much hype and promotion built into it prior to the bout and I couldn’t think of a matchup or two fighters that deserved such limelight. It gave you the goosebumps of a highly anticipated main event title fight and then it gave you 10 minutes of absolute fireworks. In the first, we witnessed Cowboy (36-12) have an unusual strong start where he got the better part of “El Cucuy” (25-3) in some crazy exchanges of a close round. Round 2 was a different story where Ferguson found his rhythm and began to heat up and land almost at will. As with every other Ferguson fight, he left his opponent battered and bloody due to his trademark slicing elbows, brick hands, and relentless pace. With it very well being 1-1 headed into the last round, the damage done to Cerrone became too much, with a possible broken nose and beat up orbital, he tried to clear his nose to prepare for the daunting pressure the cardio freak “El Cucuy” was going to bring but that resulted in his eye swelling up like a balloon and lead to a doctor’s stoppage. Ferguson’s second doctor’s stoppage TKO in a row to extend his win streak to an astonishing 12 fights.

Next up for the fighter with the longest active winning streak? It MUST be a shot at the highly coveted 155 pound Lightweight Title against the winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov (27-0) and Dustin Poirier (25-5). Ferguson’s tremendous run is only surpassed by consecutive wins from Anderson Silva (16), Jon Jones (15), George St. Pierre (13), Max Holloway (13), and Demetrious Johnson (13) in the history of the UFC. What do those all-time greats have in common? They’re all champions and several of their victories that contribute to their win streak have come from them defending their belt. It’s hard to fathom how Ferguson has yet to challenge for the undisputed title or think of someone more deserving of a title shot in the history of the UFC. Not to mention Ferguson has made this historic run in the promotions most stacked division. The time is now, UFC.

In a battle of some top bantamweights, Petr Yan ousted Jimmie Rivera in a unanimous decision by scoring several knockdowns over 3 entertaining rounds of action. Yan (13-1), displayed his top tier boxing skills to pick a part Rivera (22-4) to score his 5th UFC win (5-0 in UFC) in just UNDER a year. The “Syberian Gangster” is the real deal and a serious contender for the bantamweight strap.

What’s next for “No Mercy”? I like Yan against recent title challenger Marlon Moraes in what would make for a fantastic bout. I do think Yan is ready and worthy of a title shot, but I think based on who’s beat who, that the “Funk Master” Aljamain Sterling (18-3), who had a big performance earlier Saturday night, has the better case for the next title shot. So in the mean time, let’s have some fun and book Yan vs Moraes for a fall-time headliner in Russia!

 To open up the PPV we got a heavyweight slugfest between Blagoy Ivanov (18-2) and Tai Tuivasa (8-2) that somehow made it to the judges scorecards, whom favored Blagoy for the unanimous decision win. Blagoy dropped Tuivasa with a shot just behind the ear in the 1st round which would go on to be the most significant blow of a haymaker filled bout. The granite chins and toughness of these two were on full display for what would go on to set the tone for the most exciting card of the year, so far.

Up next for Blagoy? How about “The Demolition Man” Allistar Overeem who’s coming off an impressive win against Aleksei Oleinik in April. Looking at the rankings and what other heavyweights are not booked, this one makes a whole lot of sense for the former WSOF Heavyweight Champion who’s shown world class talent and could prove to be a serious contender for the heavyweight strap

[waitinginthedarke]

BIGBANG - MAFIA!AU - ONESHOT

Summary: Life as a mafia Queen

A/N: In celebration of this blog reaching 5K followers, here is a little mafia one-shot, running on from the previous two series...O.o 

What happened after

‘You’re going to greatly regret kidnapping me.’

You watch the guy snort, from where you were bound to the ornate gold framed chair in the main hall, the visuals of your father’s mansion that you and the rest of the boys had moved into a few months back, making the situation seem as though you were resting on a throne— although the ropes tied slightly too tight as they crisscrossed over your chest and around the chair marred the image slightly.

‘I assume you think we don’t know who we’re dealing with; you think we’re underestimating the mighty Kwon Jiyong, yes?’ the guy questions in a gravelly, yet strangely smooth, dark, tone of voice, the smirk twisting his face making you want to loosen your restraints early with the rage that it makes you feel, but you figure you’ll tease him just a little longer.

‘Hmm, that wasn’t the main reason I was thinking of…but it is definitely NOT something you should joke about.’ You respond, fingering the knots around your wrists absent-mindedly as you regard the man before you, flickering your gaze to the group of 4 men behind him and seeing them sharing similarly big-headed smirks.

‘Well then…Princess…what were you thinking of?’ he sneers, walking close to you and leaning down temptingly in your face, his proximity meaning you smell the dirt and body odor rolling off of him, scrunching your nose up in response before smiling pleasantly at him.

‘Why have you decided to kidnap me? …Money, Assets, Power? Whatever it is…you shouldn’t have bothered…you wont get any of them. If you leave now, and leave me tied up here, You’re likely to get out alive…Jiyong may not even find out— although you should assume, the minute you stepped foot onto our land, that he was aware of you being here.’ You threaten, letting your eyes roam around the room and taking in all of the potential weapons that could be used as an attack mechanism.

‘And what if we don’t leave before the mighty Mr Kwon returns? What happens then, hm? You’ll have to watch us destroy your house before your eyes. Princess, Jiyong poses no threat for us…-‘

He trails off as he registers your dark chuckle, his eyes narrowing and lip curling as he watches your reaction, and you feel the rush of adrenaline run through you as you pluck the ropes from your wrists, bringing your hands out from behind your back as you get to your feet and feeling an innocent smirk curve your lips at the way the men behind him all raise their guns immediately, your threat factor obviously increasing dramatically.

But you weren’t done yet.

‘Who said Jiyong was the main threat?’

‘Jagi!’

You smile happily from where you were reclined in your chair in your office when you hear Jiyong’s singsong call reach your ears, sighing contentedly as you move your gaze from the window that overlooked all the gardens to watch the door as you wait for him to come in, knowing he must have seen the present you’d left him in the main entryway and feeling smug about yourself.

‘Jagi!’ he calls again, an edge of concealed annoyance in his tone, and you force yourself not to chuckle at the sound, knowing you were probably going to get lectured once again on not calling him should any trouble arise, but being too caught up in your own pride to really care.

‘Ah, there’s my beautiful girl! The Love of my life. The Star in my eye.’ He sings as he opens your office door and sees you sat back in your chair, coffee cup in hand, smiling serenely at him as you watch him come into the room.

He was still dressed in his work gear; pristine white shirt and perfectly ironed black slacks, his blazer hanging from his fingertips over his shoulder, and you knew you’d never get used to how majestic he looked in the get up, the recently dyed platinum blonde hair making heat curl in your loins as it had every time you’d seen it since he’d got it done the other week. But at that moment you couldn’t help but be distracted by the plastic smile covering his face in his attempt at concealing his frustration.

‘You seem happy.’ You comment, slightly ironically, feeling your eyes tighten slightly at the sides as you wait for him to begin his lecture on your safety, wondering if maybe you should get up and distract him with a kiss to spare you both the nuisance of arguing over your actions, but knowing that would only post-pone the inevitable.

‘That’s because I’m home, with my beautiful love, and she is safe and happy.’ He responds, putting heavy emphasis on the word ‘safe’, causing you to sigh quietly in response as you watch him walk around your desk to you and perch on the side of it as he looks down at you with an almost too joyful smile. The breath he draws in through his teeth as he fingers the glass paperweight on your desk immediately indicating his oncoming tirade.

‘Speaking of safe-‘

‘Ji-‘

‘I just wanted to ask about the pile of bound, mostly unconscious, men in our front entry way-‘

‘Well-‘

‘Or, actually, I’d like to ask about when, and how, they got there…and you know-‘

‘Jiyong, I-‘

‘Why I wasn’t notified about it?’

Even though you’d been talking a big game in your head, you still couldn’t feel slightly like a dog with its tail between its legs as you looked up into Jiyong’s piercing gaze, offering him a timid smile in an attempt to act cute and avoid arguing with him, but ending up huffing and standing up in your aggravation when he simply continues to sit scowling at you.

‘What would be the point in me calling you to tell you some people attempted to kidnap me, when, as you quite clearly saw, I was able to take care of the situation myself-‘

‘The point is that there was still a degree of danger, Y/N. You may have ‘taken care’ of the situation as you so say, but whose to say they weren’t going to have back up? Or that one of them wasn’t the most skilled martial artist in the country-‘

‘Isn’t that technically Seungri-‘

‘Y/N! You could have been seriously hurt! Something could have gone really wrong and I could have come home to find you on the floor, but in a much worse state than the men downstairs! I’ve asked you nicely, so many times; even if you’ve taken care of an issue: you have to call me. Promise me you’ll call me next time! Okay?! Please!?’ he begs you, and as much as you could still feel your blood boiling beneath your skin at his inability to just let you take care of things without having to call and check in with him afterwards, you knew that it was only because he was scared of losing you, and that thought always had you breaking under the loving, desperate gaze of his warm brown eyes.

‘Could you at least say that I did a good job?’ you ask, having shuffled timidly closer to him as he’d ranted, and trailing your fingertips over the tops of his thigh that was hitched up on the edge of the desk as you look up at him under your eyelashes, pursing your lips when you see him frowning softly down at you.

‘Would have been better if you’d called me afterwards. At least then I could have ordered Daesung and Seungri to dispose of them so that the house didn’t seem so cluttered when I got home.’ He grumbles, laying his hands over yours to flatten your palms to his thigh, and breathing in deeply before curling his fingers around yours.

‘It probably didn’t help that some of the marble busts you ordered the other week got a little damaged as I was tying those guys up-‘ 

‘I distinctly remember one of them being completely shattered beside the kitchen corridor. I’d call that a little bit more than ‘damaged’. He butts in on your innocent comment, raising his eyebrows at you when you glance up at him, and in your sheepishness you quickly raise your arms to wrap tightly around his shoulders, hearing him muffle an ‘umph’ at the sudden impact as you snuffle your face into his neck.

‘Mmm, I missed you whilst you were at work.’ You murmur in an attempt to change the topic away from his broken statue, and it proved you knew him too well that it worked within seconds.

‘Yeah, yeah, sure you did…’ he sighs, his arms coming up to wind around your waist tiredly as his fight seeps out of him, but you can feel the love in the actions, the way he presses a kiss into your neck only affirming what you knew. But you still smile when you hear the words you always expect to leave his lips when he got home escape him only half a minute later.

‘I missed you too, My Y/N.’

‘So, did you find out what they wanted before you tied them up?’ Jiyong asks a little while later as the two of you languidly walk down the grand spiral staircase in the main entryway of your house, approaching the decreasing pile of mostly unconscious, but slowly awakening bodies that lay tied up at the bottom.

‘No. …the main guy was too full of himself. He bored me. I also figured you like the interrogation bit more than I do anyway.’ You explain absent-mindedly as you see said guy beginning to stir from the bottom of the pile of leftover bodies, the rest of them in the process of being moved by the gang’s two youngest who were grumbling about the state of the tacky uniform outfits that the bodies were wearing; or rather, Seungri was loudly exclaiming at the ridiculousness of a uniform, and how ‘utterly unfashionable’ the ones the other gang was clothed in was, whilst Daesung continued with the job at hand, offering a mild hum of agreement every now and again.

‘I don’t like interrogation, at all.’ Jiyong tries to counteract, but you simple send him a disbelieving glance, eye-brow quirked for effect, and the expression quickly has him smirking, making you roll your eyes at him, squeezing his hand as you sigh.

‘There’s just a certain high you get when you have complete control over someone else. …its almost erotic, really.’ He comments, attempting blase, but you cant help but snort at what he’d said, feeling your own smirk form on your face, and being about to say something sarcastic in response, but someone else had quickly beaten you to it.

‘No need to share all of your kinks with us, Jiyong. I’m sure Y/N would much rather you kept that for the bedroom.’

The way you feel the heat flood to your face at the mention of ‘kinks’ has your head spinning slightly, and all you can do to try to cover your reaction was laugh uncomfortably at Seunghyun’s joke as the man appears beside you, smiling tightly at him as you look up, and wanting to jab him in the stomach for the wink he sends you, but of course, you weren’t stupid enough to get into a combat fight with him- you’d just beat him at shots later and force him to do something much more embarrassing by himself.

‘From what I’ve gathered of looking over the others, this remaining fellow is the man in charge. Am I right, Y/N?’ he asks, quickly moving on from the topic of you and Jiyong, and you cant help but be thankful for his work orientated mindset always being in play. Although when you nod and glance up at Jiyong beside you to see how he’d responded to his older friend’s comment, you find him smiling happily- and slightly smugly- to himself, the expression urging you to narrow your eyes at where you knew his mind was at.

‘He didn’t really say anything before he tied me up, it was only after I’d been sat waiting for him to do something for an hour that I tried to probe some answers out of him. But even then, he was just bluffing about not being scared of Jiyong, saying stuff like ‘you think we’re not prepared for what we came for?’ …which clearly he wasn’t.’

It was your turn to smirk at that, wanting to initially say the line with a cool expression, but being unable to stop yourself from admiring your handy work as you look at the perfectly indestructible knot binding the man’s limbs together behind his back, smiling happily until Jiyong had suddenly let go of your hand and taken a step toward the man.

‘AAAAISH SHIT!’

You cant help the slight jolt of surprise that shakes your body when Jiyong suddenly stands on the back of the guys shoulder, a distinct crunch sounding when he lifts his foot once and slams his heel pointedly onto the edge of his rear collar bone. When you glance at his face, you see Jiyong having slipped into business mode, his lack of direct eye-contact with you as he speaks and refers to you, only adding proof to that fact.

‘Time to wake up, Bastard. You have some explaining to do about why you think you have the right to touch my woman without her consent.’ He says, tone of voice changing to hold the usual deadly edge and rather subconsciously you end up edging closer to Seunghyun for comfort.

‘Get the fuck off of me.’ The guy sneers against the marble floor, his face contorted in pain, and his heavy laboured breaths marring his words. But clearly the sound only works to urge Jiyong on, as you see him smirk evilly down at the man, grabbing the back of his hair before dragging him onto his back and pulling him, the man shouting and swearing as he goes, until he’s propped up against a wall. You catch the way Seungri snorts in enjoyment at the sight as he comes to stand a few feet away from Jiyong, and you cant help but frown at the the mans sadistic nature. 

But you don’t get caught up in that thought too long before your attention is pulled back to Jiyong and the pure artistry that he was as he stood facing the guy. He was framed by the light streaming in from the front doors, running his fingers through his hair to push it back, and having a few shirt buttons undone allowed you a glimpse at the light bronze flesh that glistened from beneath his black shirt and blazer, the sight having your mouth watering in seconds, completely distracting you from the matter at hand until he’d started speaking again.

‘Apologize to Y/N. Tell me why you came here. Swear to me that you wont bother me or my woman again, then I will get the fuck off of you.’ Jiyong demands, ending on a sneer, and just when you think the guy would actually conform to Jiyong’s direction, you see the beginnings of a smirk taint his lips and you manage to redirect your gaze to Youngbae roaming in through the door before you can see Jiyong deliver a blow to the guy’s jaw.

‘If you’re here to play games, you should know, im the champion of them all. So don’t piss me around.’ Jiyong sneers, his words having you looking back at him and gritting your teeth when you see his fingers constricting around the guy’s throat— but at this point, there wasn’t an ounce of sympathy in you for the guy; he shouldn’t be actively trying to piss off the head of the most prestigious mafia in the country.

‘His name is Song Kyungil. He’s 29. From Seoul. Is 183cm and weighs in at 72kg…or at least he did when this ID was created.’ Youngbae smirks, holding out a thin plastic card for Jiyong to take from him as he sidles up beside him, before beginning to leaf through a black leather wallet that he held in his hands, presumably belonging to the bound guy on the floor.

‘Ooooh, he’s a black belt in karate, and taekwondo…he’s blood type A-‘

‘This is beginning to sound like a dating profile.’ Seunghyun mutters under his breath beside you, and something in his tone has you glancing up at him, being surprised to see him watching the captive with interest, a small smile playing at the edge of his lips and a glint flashing in his eyes as he watches him struggle in Jiyong’s hold.

‘But who sent you….’ You hear Jiyong muse, shifting your attention back to him and seeing the way he harshly pulls the guys bangs back to emit a dull thud where his head had hit the wall behind him, smirking at the move, before sighing and standing up once more, continuing to watch the guy as he begins to pace in front of him.

‘They’re waking up.’ Comes the crackly sound of Daesung through the walkie talkie that Seungri had strapped to his waist. The device had come as a new discovery to the group when you’d moved into the mansion and they’d grown tired of darting back and forth across the 60+ acres of land to communicate— although you couldn’t help but notice the child-like enjoyment that the youngest 3 men got out of the new toys.

‘Seunghyun?’ Jiyong mutters absent-mindedly as he continues to stare and pace in front of the bound man before him, requesting for the older man to go and assess the situation with Daesung.

‘Seungri can go.’

The response has you all pausing in what you were doing, Jiyong too lost in his thoughts to really pay attention to the unfamiliar dismissal of direction, but you widen your eyes slightly as you share a look with Youngbae, before looking over at Seungri, seeing him frowning at the unusually blank expression that Seunghyun was fixing him with that told him there was no negotiation in his demand.

‘O-kay…’ he says, watching Seunghyun with a confused, suspicious look before he slowly begins to make his way to the door that would take him to the converted barn out the back of the building, pausing momentarily at the door to shoot Seunghyun another look of confusion, before simply sighing in minor aggravation and disappearing.

‘Y/N, how did you say these guys got in?’

Jiyong’s sudden question has you snapping your attention back to him, quickly throwing your mind back to the irritating disruption to your day and describing the events as you pictured them in your mind.

‘It was just after I’d walked out of the kitchen after dinner, I’d barely made it to the stairs before I heard a commotion coming from back in the kitchen and when I heard Anna scream I went to run back to her, but before I could even move someone had jammed a needle into my neck and I fell to the floor. I didn’t see anything until I woke up and found myself bound to a chair, with a flimsy knot tied around my wrists.’ You explain, sighing in inner annoyance as you wonder when people would stop underestimating your ability to look after yourself, but being quickly brought back to the present when a loud thud, followed by a muffled scream pierces the quiet of the room and you realise Jiyong had gifted Kyungil with a brutal stomp to the ribs.

‘Consider that payment for having the thought that you, or any of your men, had the right to touch her in that way.’ Jiyong murmurs nonchalantly, scowling darkly down at the man before walking over to you momentarily and gently caressing your hair, following the motion up with a soft kiss to your forehead, and the action immediately has you feeling happier, the bloodied, beaten guy on the floor being forgotten under such loving touches, and you realise it was Jiyong’s way of re-affirming with himself- if not anyone else- that you were fine.

‘It caught your attention though, Jiyong.’ Seunghyun mutters from beside you both, and you’re forced out of your moment to look up at him, frowning in confusion when he steps forward and slowly approaches the guy on the floor, Jiyong coming to stand beside you as he watches the older man, sliding his arm comfortably around your waist and pulling you into him as he does so.

It almost looks like the old man is trying to circle Kyungil as he paces back and forth around the small semi-circle of space that encompassed him against the wall, the intruder slowly lifting his weary head as the unique, shiny black Louboutin’s enter his vision, and you see him rake his gaze up Seunghyun’s figure as the man comes to stop directly in front of him, eyes fixed on his face.

‘He wants something from you, Jiyong.  …but I don’t think whoever sent him meant for him to cause harm…if anything, he seems simply reckless in his pursuit of whatever it is he’s been sent to retrieve.’ Seunghyun murmurs almost amusedly, and when you hear the note of lightness enter his tone, you see the way Kyungil’s lips quirk upwards the most minuscule amount at the corners, almost as though he was enjoying Seunghyun’s amusement, and the image has you instantly on guard against what might happen.

‘Well the sooner we find out what he wants, the sooner he and the rest of his friends can be disposed of. So, if you’d like to take charge in that matter, hyung-‘

‘Most certainly.’ Seunghyun murmurs before Jiyong could even finish, and you hear the man beside you trail off momentarily as Kyungil suddenly lunges threateningly toward Seunghyun as much as he could from his position, but he’s quickly caught by the other man’s hand at his throat, Seunghyun’s bared teeth looking more ‘adrenaline-filled’ challenging, than threatening, and if you weren’t mistaken you’d think the two were silently communicating through their actions, both of their mouths twisting to hide what looked like smiles.

‘…right. Okay then. I’m going to go and interrogate the others with Daesung and Seungri, I’ll leave Youngbae with you.’ Jiyong continues, a newer hint of suspicion finally entering his tone, and you’re almost thankful when he slides his hand from your waist and into your own, pulling you with him away from the scene and toward the door that Seungri had left through, but sparing a moment to murmur something to Youngbae on his way past.

‘Was it just me, or was something going on with Seunghyun just now?’ you ask Jiyong as the two of you walk over to the barn, smiling at the way he sways your hands gently between the two of you, and giggling when he suddenly spins you around and pulls you into him, smiling a gummy smile down at you when you come to be pressed tightly against his chest, the sunlight bearing down on you both as you stand in the middle of the barren square of the mansion’s car park.

‘In the simplest way of describing it, I think Seunghyun might be eyeing up our guest as his new play thing.’ Jiyong murmurs in explanation, the words coming through a smile of distaste, before he quickly presses his lips to yours, trapping any response from you between your tongues.

‘What do you mean by-‘

‘Are you sure Anna took care of the needle wound okay?’ he cuts you off as the two of you set back off toward the barn, his arm once again cradling your waist, and his question distracts you from his comment about Seunghyun enough for you to forget about it.

‘Um, yeah. I had to console her for a little while once I’d dealt with the men; she seemed a bit shook up from being locked in the pantry. But after I’d given her some tea and drank some myself, she made sure to check me all over – she seemed really upset about not taking care of me properly when I asked her to look at the wound, but I reassured her that it was okay.’ You explain, having reached the barn door whilst you’d spoken, but stopping short when Jiyong suddenly turns to you, blocking your way, and reaches up to lift your hair away from your neck to inspect the wound. You’re expecting him to simply assess the damage, but you cant help but feel giddy when he leans in close, pulling you into him once again as he touches his lips to the tiny patch of bruising, his lips gentle at first, before you suddenly feel him bite at your neck and you groan in surprise, about to complain at the pain, before the sensation transforms into pleasure and you find yourself gripping onto his sides with the feeling.

‘Mm, Jiyong-‘ you moan quietly, sighing harshly when his hand comes to hold your backside, but not being able to make your own grasp move before you feel him pull back once more, trailing his tongue languidly over the spot of your neck that he’d been sucking lewdly at, before bringing his lips back to yours and touching them lightly with a kiss.

‘What was that about?’ you demand playfully, yet slightly breathlessly, biting your lip when you see him smirk proudly down at you, lifting his hand to tuck some of your hair behind your ear.

‘I was marking you. Now, instead of looking in the mirror and being reminded of being attacked by some intruders…you’ll be reminded of-‘

‘Being attacked by you?’ you joke, smirking back at him and yelping when he suddenly slaps your ass in payment of your quick wit, not being given the chance to recover from the pounding of your heart that he’d started in your chest, before he’s pulling you into the barn and you get sobered up by the sight of the 4 other guys, bound in twos, to a couple of the pillars that held up the metal/wood mix building.

‘What have we got?’ Jiyong asks the other two, immediately slipping into business mode as he walks over to where they were stood before the attackers, but refusing to let go of your hand despite his stern tone, the knowledge that you were a priority making you preen despite the frown you wore as you looked over the four bound men.

‘All they’ve said is that Kyungil is the only one that knows anything. Apparently they’re just following his orders.’ Seungri explains, looking at Jiyong as he shrugs, and winking at you when he catches your eye where you stood next to him, sandwiched between the two of them.

‘You did a good job on these guys, Y/N. They didn’t seem very willing to talk about what you did, but when I threatened to bring you back they couldn’t help but shout your praises.’ He chuckles, nudging your shoulder with his, and you fight to keep a proud smirk off of your face as you imagine the scenario.

‘Hopefully next time, Y/N will call me when something like this happens so that we can appreciate her efforts too.’ Jiyong murmurs in an almost growl beside you, and you squeeze his hand tightly as a reprimand, not happy with him for wiping the smile off of your face with the reminder of your spat earlier.

‘But since they’re not providing any useful information, and they seem to know nothing of credit, you might as well lock them up for the night. We’ll focus on Mr Song for now.’ Jiyong states, gesturing for Daesung to deal with the arrangements, and you watch as the conscious men that had been watching you in silence seem to all swallow nervously as Dae immediately begins to approach them, neither of the two he unbinds attempting to attack him or escape as he leads them to one of the ‘cells’ that had been constructed in the back corner of the barn. Before you can watch him repeat the process with the other two men, Jiyong pulls you back to the door, murmuring away to Seungri about arrangements for watching the men, the 3 of you making it half way back to the mansion when Youngbae’s voice appears on Seungri’s walkie talkie.

‘Uh, guys? …you might want to come back over…things have gotten a bit…weird…I- Hyung! Stop! I don’t think you should-…just get back over here before Seunghyun-hyung defaces this man for life!’ Youngbae hisses, before the device is silent once more, but just as you go to frown at Jiyong in questioning confusion, he’s pulling you along faster toward the house, his expression stoic and focused as he elegantly bee-lines for the door.

The sight that meets your eyes when you get there being something none of you had ever expected.

‘Jagi?’

You were mid-way through applying your nightly facial cream when you hear Jiyong call to you from your ensuite bathroom, the tone of his voice having you pausing in smoothing the moisturizer into your cheek, and peering over at the doorway in the mirror.

‘Yeah?’ you ask nervously, not sure what you were expecting but growing even more wary when he asks you to join him in the bathroom and you make your way over.

‘Jiyong, whats-‘

You gasp when he’s suddenly pulled on your arm, trapping you with your back to his chest, his chin hooked over your shoulder as he hums, the sound of the bathroom door closing softly being a distant acknowledgement as you stare at the full steaming tub before you, candles decorating the sides.

‘Take a bath with me, Jagi.’

You instantly smile at his request, chuckling quietly when you realise there was no danger of any sort, and letting yourself relax back into him as the scent of lavender and camomile fills your nose, the feel of him pressing his lips tantalizingly against your neck only helping to persuade you more- not that you needed persuading in the first place.

‘Is this what you’ve been doing for the past 15 minutes?’ you ask, grinning as he begins to sway you gently, swinging his weight from foot to foot and humming in answer, and you lean your head back on his shoulder to look at him, pouting when you see a small smear of blood above his eyebrow, the sight reminding you of what had happened earlier with Seunghyun.

‘Whats with the frown?’ he asks, dropping a kiss to your pouted lips and continuing to do so numerous times until you were grinning once more.

‘You have blood on your eyebrow.’ You point out, sighing as you reach up to rub your thumb over the red smudge, smiling absent-mindedly as his face scrunches when you begin to use your nail to lightly scrape at it.

‘Yah! Stop! Get in the bath and then you can clean me.’ He groans playfully, his hand slipping back from your waist to slide between your bodies and pinch your butt, and you let out a giggle in response, lunging quickly away from him with a grin, before shooting him a knowing look as you pull your tshirt over your head.

After a lot of touching, kissing, giggling, and more touching, the two of you finally make it into the bath, Jiyong positioning you between his legs so that you could lean back against him, and you feel completely consumed by bliss as his fingertips trail over your arms laid over your stomach, his lips languidly ghosting over the skin of your shoulder, forming kisses along your neck every now and again as the two of you sit quietly together, enjoying the moment.

‘Why do you think Seunghyun did that earlier?’ you ask into the quiet room, your voice coming out as nearer to a whisper as your mind runs back over the events that had unfolded when you’d returned to the entrance to the mansion earlier, the sudden question making Jiyong drag in a breath heavily before blowing it out over your shoulder, the sound being tired.

‘I still cant decide. We haven’t been that busy lately so the only thing I can think of is that Hyung was bored. As sadistic as it sounds.’ he muses, his comment making you grimace as you remember the state that you’d found Kyungil in when you’d returned to the others.

Somehow, during the brief amount of time that you and Jiyong had gone over to the barn, Seunghyun had managed to strip Kyungil down to his bare ass-cheeks, and had tied ropes to the banister of the second floor where it over-looked the foyer so that he could hang him by his wrists in a ‘Jesus-on-the-crucifix’ like fashion. If that wasn’t enough, he’d then begun his interrogation of the man; a game being constructed from the act, in which Seunghyun lacerated the other man’s body with each unsatisfying answer— of which, according to Youngbae, there were many, since Kyungil didn’t respond to his questions at all.

Thankfully, you hadn’t seen the full spectacle since Jiyong had shielded your eyes as soon as the three of you had spotted the bare back of Kyungil as it was presented to the rear corridor of the mansion, but Youngbae had been all too compliant in his detailing of what had been going on, something which Jiyong was not too pleased about him telling you to say the least.

‘Well, as much as im not sure that that was all it was, remind me never to hang out with Seunghyun when he’s bored.’ You respond, shivering as you shove your own imagined thoughts of the state of Kyungil from your mind, threading your fingers with Jiyong’s to get rid of the lingering image of Seunghyun’s smug, excited smirk after you’d interrupted his fun.

‘Don’t think about it, Jagi. Hyung will be fine in the morning. And he’s been given orders not to kill the man, so no-one will be dying tonight, I promise.’ Jiyong murmurs in what you’re sure was meant to be reassurance, but the words only help to unsettle you more, and you end up shifting so you could lie on your front facing him, humming contently as you lie chest to chest with the warm water heating both of your bodies, and the feeling of Jiyong’s hands smoothing over your back.

‘I enjoy being able to spend time with you like this.’ You say quietly, pressing a kiss to his chest and smiling as he hums in enjoyment, lying quietly for a little while, before you find yourself blinking sleepily as his chest shifts slightly beneath your cheek and you realise you’d almost fallen asleep.

But its when you look up at him with a tired smile and see him staring at the ceiling with a thoughtful gaze, that you realise something was on his mind.

‘What are you thinking about?’ you ask quietly, feeling like the two of you were wrapped in your own little bubble with the way the room was lit, the darkness cradling you in its arms.

‘Just thinking.’ He murmurs back, snorting softly with a smile, but the expression barely stays on his face, slipping away almost immediately.

‘Just thinking what?’ you push, knowing he’d be distracted from everything for days if he didn’t talk about whatever was bugging him, but despite your curiosity, what he does end up saying surprises you entirely.

‘Do you ever think about the future?’ he murmurs, the words signalling that he was skirting around what he wanted to say, but with the phrase evoking multiple conversations that you’d heard in romantic films and books, you feel your heart beginning to beat double time in your chest as you catch onto his meaning- and what question came next- before he even had to say the words.

‘As in saving money, and the state of the nation?’ you ask quizzically, trying to steer him with humor away from the conversation you could feel rearing its head, but its in the quiet, nervous breath that you hear him drag in that you know he’d set his mind to the question that had your breath catching in your throat.

‘No…as in……Do you ever think about us…maybe…

… having a baby?’

SEUNGHYUN

He could feel his blood sprinting through his veins, almost being able to see the motion through the thin skin of his arms that revealed the thick veins that had grown from moving and fighting everyday since he was young. It was almost like it sang to him, humming along with him as he twirled his knife between his fingertips, the feeling of the tip of the blade attempting to split his skin despite his light grasp making him smirk at the feeble touch of the object, so utterly harmless when it didn’t have anything to control it-

-just like the man hanging before him.

He sighs as he lets his gaze rake over the magnificently muscular form for the 1000th time that night, lingering on the contour of the man’s abdominal muscles, the way his breaths emphasized the toning of his caramel-bronze skin, the sight making Seunghyun’s throat dry just the slightest bit before he moves his attention back to the man’s angel face which had caught his attention the minute he’d seen it.

Seunghyun hadn’t said a word to the other man since Youngbae had left for his shift looking after the other captives half an hour ago, simply observing Kyungil as he’d hung on the ropes he’d bound him to in the centre of the back wall of the basement training room he’d moved him to, after Jiyong had reprimanded him for the mosaic he’d carved into the other man’s skin.

He’d cut him a few more times since then however, too caught up in his excitement not to, but when he’d established that there was simply no way to really damage the beautiful skin that encased the man before him, he’d simply paced back and forth, cutting off his interrogation in turn for taking in every detail of the man that he could...

All in silence...

But that was until now.

‘Whats wrong? Bored of the knife games already?’

The sound of his voice is like music to Seunghyun’s ears as it finally leaks from the man’s throat, the patience that he’d been using in wait of the mystery sound all being worth it when the words travel to his ears, delivered in the darkest, smoothest tone that he’d ever heard.

He smirks as he looks over his shoulder on his 3542th turn in his pacing, fixing his eyes on those of Kyungil and feeling adrenaline fill him as the dark chocolate orbs that stare back at him begin to rake over him just like they had the first time Seunghyun had looked at him.

‘Not boredom as such. More frustrated.’ He answers honestly, slowly turning back to face the other man, and taking his time in wondering back to stand in front of him.

‘I tend to have that effect on people.’ The other man quips, smirking down at Seunghyun as he watches him stop before him, and Seunghyun cant resist the urge to press his blade against the mermaid line of Kyungil’s hip, revelling in the slip of self-control he lets show as the other man hisses quietly, before sealing his lips and scowling down at Seunghyun.

‘Mmm, I wouldn’t categorize me as just ‘people’, if I were you.’ He murmurs casually, letting the wounded man know exactly what he’d said wrong, and feeling his sense of control build as Kyungil purses his lips and stares back at him, eyes glinting with thoughts before he speaks again.

‘He warned me about you…I should have listened.’ He muses, breathing slightly laboured as he adjusts to the pain of the new cut, but Seunghyun was too busy contemplating the new bit of information the other man had given up, trying not to get distracted by the sweat that was dripping like fine wine from the other man’s brow, falling to decorate the floor like melted diamonds.

‘Well call me intrigued.’ Seunghyun murmurs, chuckling darkly as he turns away from Kyungil and mosies over to the chair that was placed a few feet back from him, Youngbae having been relaxing on it before he’d left.

‘Do I dare ask, who this anonymous ‘he’ is?’ he continues as he reclines in the chair, smoothing out the creases of his shirt before looking back up at the other man with a knowing smile, subtly preening when he sees him watching with a small smile pulling at him lips.

‘It would definitely be beneficial for you to know who he is…’ Kyungil murmurs, a short chuckle escaping him as he hangs his head, shifting his body a little in what appeared to be him trying to loosen his muscles, pausing to sigh before lifting his gaze back to Seunghyun, and there’s something in the tightening of his eyes that tells the other man that the information Kyungil was hiding, was going to change the game for everyone.

‘And why would it be beneficial to me? Am I special?’ Seunghyun quips with faux confidence, crossing his legs languidly despite the tension pulling at his muscles and flashing a smirk quickly before feeling the expression fall from his face as he looks back up at the bloody man hanging before him, the devilish smile that greets him causing the blood that had been running like fire through his veins, to freeze over in seconds.

And then the angel spoke the words Seunghyun never expected to hear.

‘Of course you’re special…you’re the one he wants.’

....................

[fictionforstydia]

Seven Mistakes

Request: The Sadie Hawkins dance is coming up and of course Lydia wants to ask Stiles, but she holds off asking him so that he can sweat a little. She's enjoying watching squirm a lot until she sees another girl asking Stiles to the dance.

Rating: T

Timeline: 6A

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Jealousy, Canon Divergence, Missing Scene

There was only one person she’d even consider asking to the dance. That -- and that solely -- was the reason why she’s been putting it off since the dance was announced. 

Everyone knew she was going to ask him out. After shit they’ve been through and the way they’ve been acting ever since Stiles came back to the existing, it wasn’t even a question. 

That was, at least, what Lydia thought. 

“Are you going to the dance?” 

It was Friday and Lydia was helping Malia with school homework. The girl didn’t exactly excel in biology, whereas it was the redhead’s main strength. Besides being a banshee, of course.

Lydia looked up at the brunette, with a tiny smile forming in the corners of her lips. 

“Of course,” she said. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know.” It came out as a blubbering mess as Malia had a highlighter between her teeth. “You still don’t have a date.”

“I do. I just haven’t asked him yet.”

“Who?”

“Stiles,” deadpanned Lydia. “I thought you knew.”

Malia shrugged. Her fingers ran across the page and a frown across her face, but she didn’t say anything. 

It was a tricky subject, for both of them. Lydia’s feelings were new to everyone and with Malia being Stiles’s only real ex, it was something they didn’t talk about. Lydia still felt guilty because of what happened between the two, even though it wasn’t her fault.

Sometimes she needed to remind herself that none of it was her fault. 

Lydia’s eyes flickered towards the werecoyote with caution, but Malia wasn’t paying attention to her. Her face was emotionless as she highlighted sentences in her book, but her shoulders were tense and her breathing was painfully even.

“Malia, I’m--”

“Don’t say you’re sorry.” Her gaze found Lydia’s and she smiled, warmly. “It’s okay. My only problem is with you not asking him out.”

A breath of relief passed Lydia’s lips. 

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I want to, but I don’t want it to seem eager and desperate.”

Malia huffed, rolling her eyes. “I never understood human flirting games.”

“That’s because you spent half your life as an animal.”

“Yeah, well, we didn’t have flirting games. We’d just mate. You should try that.”

Disgusted expression passed Lydia’s face, bringing a laugh from the other girl. Both of them placed away the books, binders and flash cards, deciding they wouldn’t do much work anyway.

Besides, now that the Stiles-related-tension was out of the way, Lydia was desperate for telling someone. There was no way she was telling Scott because he was a boy, and telling Hayden would be like . . . telling a five-year-old. 

They shuffled around Lydia’s bed until both of them lied on the pillows, ready for a sleepover. 

“When he came back, we just hugged. And that was all,” she said quietly.

It was the first time she said it out loud. 

Malia snorted. “Yeah, but it’s not like everything’s the same between you two.”

“I know.”

“He doesn’t.”

“What do you mean?” 

“He doesn’t know you like him back, Lydia. You better ask him out before someone else does.”

“Who’d ask him out?” Lydia chuckled; even the thought of it was irrational. “He’s going with me.”

Turns out, Lydia made several mistakes.

No. 1: Waiting to ask him out.

No. 2: Not actually letting anyone except Malia know she was going to ask him to the dance (turns out, it wasn’t as obvious as she’d thought.)

No. 3: Kind-of avoiding him. (That one was a complete miss; she thought he’d be all over her like a puppy, but turns out a ten-year-period of her ignoring him made him resistant to that.)

No. 4: Deciding to ask him out two days before the dance.

She was a scientist; she knew about chain of events. She knew that one thing led to another, but she thought she was better at this game than she thought. 

Four days before the dance and almost a month since it’s been announced it was a Sadie Hawkins, she passed him in the hall. His cologne was mixed with an earthly scent (he’d probably ventured off into the woods to try and find the Nemeton again) and her heart raced. 

He looked at her, but she only nodded. Their exchange was brief and for the first time since she started playing the game, there was something different in the way he talked to her.

No. 5: She didn’t realize what was going on. 

By the time she got to her locker, Stiles wasn’t alone anymore. 

“Hi, Stiles?”

“Hey?”

Lydia watched them from the corner of her eye. The girl was a senior, too -- her name was Harper something. Her brown hair cascading her back reminded Lydia of autumn, for some reason, and the big smile she wore resembled the way Stiles used to look at her.

And was now how he looked at Harper, too.

“Would you like to go to Sadie’s with me?” asked Harper quietly, but Lydia heard it anyway.

Bang. 

Bang.

You’re dead.

Lydia gritted her teeth; the pencil in her hand broke into two, stabbing her in the palm. Her glare would’ve created a hole in the back of her locker if that was her ability as a banshee. 

Speaking of which, she felt the need to unleash the anger.

She waited. Time moved painfully slowly.

“I was going to do something special to ask you,” Harper continued, “but I didn’t know how. I’m sorry. I thought you were going with someone already and I found out you didn’t, I just wanted to ask you before someone else.”

Oh, I’m so going to kill somebody.

Then, she heard it.

“Yes.”

Bang.

This time, it was the sound of her locker door slamming shut. 

When Lydia’s heels clicked against the linoleum, she could’ve sworn everything else stopped. No one dared breathe and everyone’s eyes were glued to the Queen Bee coming to reclaim her throne. It was a side of her no one’s seen in over a year.

Most importantly, both Stiles and Harper stared at her. 

It took an eternity to finally reach him. Once she grabbed his upper arm and flashed Harper a sinister smile, she said “Excuse us. We need to have an urgent conversation.”

The poor girl stammered in agreement and Lydia would’ve felt bad for her if she hadn’t messed this all up. 

No. 6: She blamed everyone but herself.

Had Lydia been thinking rationally, she would’ve been less abrupt about the whole situation. She would’ve come up to the two and asked if she could borrow Stiles for a minute without lashing out on Harper or grabbing Stiles and dragging him away. 

But she wasn’t thinking rationally. 

The two ended up in the janitor’s office -- a series of memories flashed before her eyes, receiving nothing but ignorance. 

He was waiting on her to ask him, she’d later come to find out. A dozen girls asked him already and he’d always say no, but when it came four days before the dance, he gave up the hope. He thought she was going with someone else or not at all.

That was what Scott told her when she asked, later. But she should’ve known it from the moment she saw him in the hallway. 

“You can’t go with Harper.”

He took in a sharp breath; but there was no surprise. “Why?”

“Because I want you to come with me.”

There, she said it. After weeks of debating when and how to do it, with a dozen plans on making the best proposal in the history of Beacon Hills High dances, she was degraded to a simple declaration of her wishes. 

Because she’d made seven mistakes.

No. 7: She should’ve told him as soon as he came back. She should’ve invited him immediately. This wasn’t the time for playing stupid, stupid teen games of love and hate. She was stupid.

“I already told her I’m going with her.”

“Change your mind,” she was quick to suggest. “It won’t hurt.”

His hazel eyes -- there was so much blue and brown and gold in them -- softened, and she could tell he knew it wasn’t the truth. They both did. 

But Lydia was selfish and she didn’t want to care about Harper, not right now.

“Lydia.” 

His lips enchanted her as they formed her name; vibrating in her chest like a spell. The way he said it, phrased it, felt it made her think he was the reason her name came to be. 

“If you asked any other day, I would’ve said yes,” he whispered. “But I thought you weren’t going to ask.”

“I was. I just--”

“Wasn’t sure?”

“No,” she whispered back. Her eyes were glued to his lips because if she looked him in the eye, all self-control would’ve vanished in an instant. “I’ve always been sure.”

His fingers found hers and warmth ran its way to her chest; he traced her palm, softly and gently, as if she were glass and he was embracing the masterpiece. 

“I don’t want to do this if you aren’t sure.”

You know, there was a time when Lydia wouldn’t think twice about words like these. When she would take them and go, not caring about the sincerity they were spoken with or the hidden layers of hurts that went beyond any words. 

When she wouldn’t be taken aback by the genuine care and concern and worry and fear. When she wouldn’t feel her heart shatter because of his disbelief in her feelings when lately, they’ve been one of the few things she’s been certain of. 

When she wouldn’t care he didn’t want to be broken. 

But this was a time where a different Lydia was here, and this Lydia fell in love with the boy before her. She’s been falling in love with him for over two years and it finalized at once. 

Right here. 

So she kissed him; violently, passionately. With every word she never said, every emotion words couldn’t convey. Where she tried to show him the intensity of her feelings toward him, knowing his feelings were as strong if not even stronger. 

“Is this sure enough?”

And when he kissed her back, she knew it was.

[jacobsflashreaction]

Here is my review for Game of Thrones season 7, episode 5 ‘Eastwatch’. This will be done in order of Location, just because there so much to talk about.

If you have not seen the episode yet, then I highly recommend that you venture no futher.

After last week’s intense episode ‘Spoils of War’, this highly anticipated episode was expected to be a true masterpiece, and that it was. After the final scene of that episode placed many fans into an explosive and fiery cardiac arrest, we started this episode immediately after. The ground was ash, bodies laid to rest burned to a crisp, and the remaining Lannister soldiers were filled with defeat.

The shot of all the soldiers walking towards Dany, was such an iconic picture in my mind. Drogon showing himself as a true powerhouse, although he was injured in the battle, he came out the other side with absolutely no injuries. This is just one of her dragons, imagine what will happen when she uses all three.

When Dany gives them her offer, “bend the knee” or be killed, she truly depicted herself in the image of the Mad King. Although there are times when she is truly pictured to look like her father, he would never have given his enemies the choice, she is attempting to give her enemies an option although for two people that option was never the correct choice. Lord Tarly and his son showed true courage, he stood tall to tell Khaleesi exactly what he thought of her, Tyrion and her Dothraki army, without the slightest spark of fear. While his son scampered, as if almost regretting the decision he has just made.

Tyrion’s attempt to twist her leg and get her to change her mind was unsuccessful, and he is showing signs of a man losing faith in himself. He is a wise man, but unfortunately for him, his plans have not done their cause a shred of justice. This is a character that always knew he was the smartest man in the room, “I drink and I know things”, yet nothing he seems to be doing now really seems to be working.

The death of Randell Tarly and Dickon Tarly, leaves a gapping emotional wound on both Tyrion and Varys, forcing Varys to think deep into his memories of times when he was the master of whispers for Aegon. It suggests that although Dany isn’t turning into her father, people are right to fear her and if word gets out about this cruel choice that she gave the soldiers, could people slowly start to see Cersei as a better option. All they knew about her was that she was The Mad Kings daughter and they have been told that she will burn all the seven kingdoms. We all see The Mother of Dragons free the slaves, as well as grow into an intelligent leader, but these soldiers only see her as the women who murdered their commander, a man who was known all over Westeros.

There was some relief in the eyes of fans today, when we saw that Jaime and Bronn were lucky enough to survive and not enter Dany’s judgmental custody. Bronn’s character this season has truly become the voice of reason for Jaime, always there questioning every controversial move he makes, and today was no different. “Dragons is where our partnership ends”.

When Jaime heads to Cersei to tell her of the defeat, she repeats “We have the Tyrells gold, we can buy mercenaries”. Which is all well and good, but what are the Golden Company (Mercenary group) going to do against three dragons and an army of Dothraki, better yet Dany still has her own set of mercenaries, she could quite easily bring Daario and the Second Sons over to join the war. Jaime shows that unlike his character in season 1, he has grown a conscience and he knows that they are done for, when talking of the Dothraki alone, he says “It’s a sport for them”, suggesting an agreement with what Robert Baratheon had said in season 1.

The relationship between the characters is wearing thin, which is something that we had all hope to happen sooner. Unfortunately, shade was thrown over the set of fans who want him to hill her, when she announces she is pregnant. The question “Whose is it?” potentially foreshadows a reason to tip him completely off the edge, if the baby isn’t truly his. Surely if she had lied to him, then that would be the catalyst for him to kill her, but us fans can only hope. The woman is truly a manipulative bitch.

In the north, we finallys see the shot of the ravens flying over the Nights King, which was in the trailer for the season. In this scene we see the over arching connection between Bran and the Nights King, as he is actually able to stop Brans vision entirely. This scene shows that they are both bound together in some way and there are some fans that believe both of the characters need to die, to end the magic that is in play in the war for the dawn. Also, the Nights king knows that Bran is the only one who understands how to defeat them, so does this mean that Bran being south of the wall, could possibly be the reason for the White Walkers to be heading down uicker than usual.

In Winterfell, there is growing hostility between the northernmen, as Jon has still not returned. The support for Sansa to be Lady of the North, is growing although she just shrugs it off. However, their is hostility growing in their house as well, between Arya and Sansa. Arya doesn’t believe that her sister is truly backing up Jon, as sees her alligience with Little Finger as a way to over throw him and take his place, especially as she is a legitimate Stark, whereas Jon, is not.

Because of this, Arya follows Lord Baelish, watching him from the shadows. She sees him reecieve a letter of the Maester, which she finds suspicious, I mean of course its suspicious, Little Finger is involved. When she reads the letter, its understood that it is the letter that Sansa wrote to Robb in season 1, asking him to bend the knee to Joffrey and calling Ned a traitor. Arya doesnt know that Cersei forced her to write this.

For the first time this season, Little Finger is actually one step ahead, knowing exactly what Arya would do, especially as the sisters were not getting along anyway. How much chaos will he cause between the Stark sisters, before Bran gets involved and tells them of his plans. His death can not come any sooner.

Onto Dragonstone and when Dany returns to her home, we finally get to see Jon face to face with a dragon. The horror on his face, was amazing acting by Kit Harrington, who I thought did an amazing job in this episode. The look on Daenerys’ face when she sees him touching Drogon, shows her immense shock and confusion, as her dragons rarely let anyone come close to them. Is this the first step in Jon realising his Targaryen heritage?

She then asks about the time Davos said about his “Taking a dagger to the heart?” but Jon just waves it off as a figure of speech. I’m beginning to wonder why he is holding back on her finding that piece of information out.

Seeing Jorah return to Khaleesi was an amazing reunion, one that beats the reunions we’ve gotten from the Stark family so far, this season. Jorah is obviously in love with the women, which is shown in the ever so slight awkwardness when they hug. However, I want to see the reunion between Jorah and Longclaw, a sword that would have been his, if he wasn’t exiled. I don’t believe he will take Longclaw off Jon, but I do honestly think that he will be offered it. I was also expecting Jorah to speak of Sam, the man who cured him. That would have made Dany look like a dick, knowing that she killed the father and brother of the man who had cured her closest friend.

Even after receiving the letter from Winterfell, it is obvious to see that Dany now fully believes the threat of the White Walkers, however she knows that if she was to take her soldiers to the north to fight them, Cersei will reclaim the throne fully and take the seven kingdoms, it’s really like a baby throwing its dummy out of the pram. She can’t fight two wars at once, so she truly needs Cersei to call of the war, at least until further notice.

You can also start to see the connection between Dany and Jon, as her reaction to Jon offering to go north of the wall, is more emotional than the reaction she gives to Jorah. This does suggest that a marriage between the characters could be likely, especially knowing that Targaryans are well known for keeping it in the family. “I’ve become fond of him.”

We will quickly run back over to King’s Landing where we were gifted with two rather unusual reunions. Tyrion and Jaime’s reunion has been expected for a long time and it was guaranteed to be interesting. The brothers who were loyal to each other before these events, were not the same as they once was. Jaime hates Tyrion for what he did to their father, he knows his brother is fighting on the other side of the war, but he won’t hurt him, no matter how much he wants too. Jaime also blames himself for Tywin’s death, as it was him that had set Tyrion free. Whereas Tyrion still loves his brother, he knows that Jaime has made many mistakes and is still being manipulated by Cersei, yet he is cautious around him, and when they talk it looks as if they are treading on broken glass.

When Jaime returns to Cersei, she already knows that the two brothers had met, she even let it happen. She surprisingly accepts Daenerys’s terms. But Cersei sees this as an opportunity to get one over her rival, if this is the case, could this be where we see The Mountain vs The Hound.

Another reunion, that has been long awaited is Davos and Gendry. “I thought you might still be rowing.” To some fans this may have been unexpected, or though it was always believed that Gendry would be part of the small group Jon takes north of the wall. Gendry’s character has been sorely missed in the series, and it was never truly payed off when he left. But when he is asked to join Davos, he is very quick to say yes, not even allowing him to finish what he was saying.

Most importantly, Gendrys war hammer. Fans were hoping that he would end up wielding his father’s Warhammer, or at least a rebuilt version, as it was smashed by Rhaegar I the battle of the Trident. However, this is quite close, and I can’t wait to see him throttling some Whites with it.

Gendry and Jon meeting for the first time is an interesting one, as they believe that their fathers had a long history together, (I say believe as they both think Ned was Jon’s father. Ironically their actual fathers hated each other), and Gendry believed that together, they could truly make history and defeat anything in their way.

We will now go to Eastwatch, and I have missed Tormund, “What about the big lady?” Tormund knows that going beyond the wall is almost suicidal, and yet it is the only way to truly prove to the queens that the threat of the White Walkers is real, “The queen that fucks her brother, or the queen with the Dragons?”

Before they go, they enter the cells to see that the Brotherhood of Banners got their first, and are aiming to go in the same path as Jon, Jorah, Tormund and Gendry. As Gendry is truly the only character that had dealing with the brotherhood, he says not to trust them, but unfortunately what choice do they really have. Remember that they are some of the names on Arya’s list for selling Gendry to the Red women, and The Hound may or may not still be on the list himself.

As they are North of the wall in the remaining episodes, if no both then just the one. It is obvious to see that not all of these characters will survive on this heroic quest. It is expected that Jon may even lose his life, but Beric will put his life force into Jon, like he did with Catlyn Stark in the books. This will bring Jon back from death a second time, and hopefully this time will be his last visit to the afterlife. My other death prediction for these characters is Tormund, I really hope I am wrong in this one as I love his character, But the TV show is awful for these sorts of things.

I know that I’m being awkward and not going with the correct sequence of events, but I saved Oldtown for last deliberately, because in my eyes, one of, if not the most important things came out of these scenes.

The Maesters of the Citadel have slowly proven themselves to be rather useless in the affairs of the country. They disbelieve in what Bran has seen and even though they are in the presence of someone who has witness the White Walkers, they still decide to put it to one side. They desire proof, like Dany and Cersei, however they have showed no interest in even attempting to find out more. Sam stands up for the cause, however they still disbelieve of what is to come. Its rather ironic that the people who are supposed to know everything, really don’t know an awful lot.

Also, Jim Broadbent’s character knows of the demise of Samuels family, yet he does nothing. He could have told him by now, as all of the maesters in that council seem to know, so it means that he probably had plenty of time to tell him.

Now here is the most important part of the episode in my eyes. When Gilly is reading through the journal that was written by an old Maester, she almost reveals something huge, but doesn’t quite get to finish. She reveals that Prince Rhaegar has his marriage annulled (he was originally married to Elia Martell), and then had a secret wedding. Unfortunately, before Gilly could finish, she was abruptly stopped by Sam. However, we all are now able to accurately guess (they could always throw a spanner in the works, but I doubt it), that Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark were married, before Jon was born. This would mean that Jon isn’t a bastard after all and that he is in fact a true Targaryan, the rightful heir to the iron throne due to primogeniture succession. This would mean that his claim to the throne would be stronger than Daenerys’.

Think Dany may be a tad pissed off about this.

However, will Jon welcome his heritage with open arms, because he was brought up a Stark and he has always seen himself as the bastard of that house. I truly believe that Jon Snow will keep try to keep himself a Snow, but whether he will be allowed to do that is a different thing entirely. Now all we need is for Bran to tell him that he is a Targaryan and for Gilly to blurt out that he isn’t a bastard.

That’s my review for this week, thank you so much for reading.

Remember you can always contact me, whether you have advice or even a simple question.

Thank you all!!!

Game of Thrones S7E6 ‘Eastwatch’ Review Here is my review for Game of Thrones season 7, episode 5 ‘Eastwatch’. This will be done in order of Location, just because there so much to talk about.