#happy moon landing day to those who celebrate

[lunaris1013]

[daycourtofficial]

All’s well that ends well to end up with you

Pairing: Eris x Rhysand’s sister!reader | WC: 1.5k | warnings: none

Summary: fears and doubts cause you and Eris to do your first irrational act together: a secret mating bond ceremony

Author’s note: happy Eris Week to all who celebrate and to @erisweekofficial for all their work!! I gotta start with my roots and my first post has to be gingerfucker!! I have to give the people what they know me for!! This can be read as a stand alone tho 🫶🏻

You breathed deeply, the chimes of the clock tower drowning out any other noise. Eris stood before you, an immaculate jacket of deep red adorning his chest. He wore a black dress shirt beneath, embroidered with the phases of the moon around the collar. His jacket was a rich velvet, gold thread woven throughout.

It was the perfect way to symbolize your unity. You were not sure who made such a garment, unsure if black fabric was even allowed in the Autumn Court.

You couldn’t find it in yourself to care when his soft amber eyes look down at you as he held out his arm for you.

The two of you were in the Day Court under the cover of darkness, a secret mating ceremony. It was truly quite romantic, a tale you hoped to share whenever it’s safe for you to do so.

You had come to visit Helion a month prior for negotiations on behalf of Rhysand. You had asked to come in Rhys’s stead because 1) you also had wanted to peruse the libraries and 2) you were hoping to negotiate a pegasus from Helion.

At least, those were the reasons you gave your brother.

The end of Amarantha’s reign had allowed you to finally see your mate for the first time in five decades, having slipped away to a spot in the woods after Rhys’s return to wait in hopes of just a glimpse of him.

You had waited impatiently, certain that the nerves and anxiety were rolling off you in waves for any nearby wildlife to intercept. It felt incredible to see him again, your face tucked beneath his chin as he held you close to him, his scent burning itself into your memory once more.

His first words to you following your separation were a desperate plea for a ceremony, his pleas soft as he clutched you tightly to his chest.

You knew it was too risky to do it in either of your home courts. Spring was an obvious no, Winter and Dawn were quite risky, leaving Summer and Day as your only real options.

You were quite fond of Helion, and you were sure you could convince him to allow the two of you passage into his court for a few hours.

After he listened to your pleas, he agreed to allow the two of you access to one of his temples for a few hours.

“Not all of us can see so well in the moonlight,” he had told you, letting you know the location of the most beautiful temple in his court. “Only one priestess roams the halls on Tuesday nights. She is quite fond of performing such ceremonies.”

His words were no embellishment. The temple before you was massive and stunningly beautiful. The high arched ceilings with suns painted everywhere almost glowed against the blue backdrop behind them.

You wondered how it looked during the day.

Eris looked down as you hooked your arm into his. You had accepted the bond decades ago, but the two of you wanted to go through with the ceremony. To ensure that no matter what happened to two of you moving forward, whatever happened to your courts, your people, your homes, there was some record with this date and your names on it. Some written record for future generations to find eons later, when the lands look nothing like they do now and the people live lives that resemble nothing like your own.

When the common tongue is gone, replaced with some newer language you couldn’t begin to understand. Your names would live forever within the pages of this temple, tucked away in their recorded archives: the prince of the Autumn Court and the princess of the Night Court, bound together by fate and by their own wishes.

The flickering light from the candles made Eris’s freckles dance across his face.

The lord led you down the long aisle, your arm nestled into his elbow. The two of you moved in tandem, your long skirts kissing the ground as you went, the black fabric turning red as it moved down your body until it looked as if you walked in the flames.

The priestess nodded at the two of you as you approached the altar, your dress’s slight train cascading down the steps behind you. You turned to Eris, his hands outstretched in invitation, pleading for yours to rest atop them. His hands were warm against yours, the familiar heat calming your nerves.

The priestess before you wore all white, a long flowing gown cinched at the waist. It looked nothing like what Helion wore - instead of long, flowing fabrics, the priestess wore a long, tight-fitted dress, long bell shaped sleeves adorning her arms. A white hood covered her dark black hair, and dark hands adorned with gold rings peaked out from her sleeves.

The priestess lit the candles around the altar as you two looked into each other’s eyes, every emotion strumming through the bond between you two, a song you swore you could hear humming through the air and your chest.

She approached the two of you, a golden silk ribbon in her hands. You moved your right hand into his right hand, and he gently scraped his index finger against his palm. She began chanting, wrapping the soft silk around your forearms. She connected the two joined hands, and you squeezed Eris’s palm, offering a soft smile that he returned.

He was captivating in the night, a fire that kept you warm long through a treacherous night.

Her chanting paused as she looked at you, her low voice telling you, “if you wish to exchange any personal vows, now is the time.”

You took a deep breath, turning back to Eris.

Your mate looked back at you, and any nerves you had dissipated as you started speaking, the words coming from your lips as you gazed into his amber eyes.

“I’m not sure if we were ever two separate things, but if we were, if we are, the edges of you and I have been blurring since I met you, our definitions becoming hazier. I am officially laying claim that there is no longer any part of me that hasn’t been invaded by you.

“I have prayed for you in bonfires, in the dying hearths of my childhood. I always viewed fire as a sacred thing, always offering it something so it can continue to burn before me. Perhaps I was just learning how to stoke the flames, or maybe I knew that worshiping the flame would lead me to you.”

His hand squeezed your own, the ribbon not feeling tight enough to truly blend the two of you together.

His eyes shone in the candlelight, his beauty intensified in the flame as if it knew he was kin.

“I have gone by many names. Eris Vanserra, heir to the Autumn throne, prick, eldest, …. All of those names pale in comparison to the first time you called me ‘mate’.

“That awful playwright who you adore so much put into one of his plays, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” And yet, he never knew what it felt like to be called ‘yours’, what it feels like when you gaze at me so softly, to see the words ‘mine, mine, mine’ swimming in your irises.

“I do not know where my promises can lie, what I am truly capable of. I do not wish to commit to false promises. Our foundation has always been on feeble ground, and I do not wish to build a mateship on such poor foundations.

“I promise to do my very best for you, every day, every minute, for the rest of my life. I promise that every decision I will make will include you as a factor. As the factor. My life is complicated, as you are aware, but you are not complicated. You never have been. My chest yearns for you, at all times. You have always offered me the peace of familiarity.“

You surged forward, capturing his lips in a kiss before pulling back quickly.

“Er, I don’t care about my name, or my title. None of it compares to being called your mate.”

The priestess looked at you two, probably waiting to see if you would pounce on him right here. Maybe that was how they held these ceremonies in Day. You were sure Helion wouldn’t mind.

“You are bound together, from here for eternity, in perfect union. May the Mother bless you both with endless love and patience for each other.”

The air had a certain crispness to it at her words, the bond humming in your chest with satisfaction, satisfying a yearning that hadn’t let up for centuries.

Nobody could deny either of you the sanctity of your bond anymore.

Permanent taglist: @vanilla-seabass @cyrygher @lees-chaotic-brain @topaz125 @chessebookgirl @fides25 @lady-of-tearshed @ashbatz @fxckmiup @lilah-asteria @justvibbinghere @daughterofthemoons-stuff @mybestfriendmademe @heartless-tate @tsunami-of-tears @idrkwhatthisisimsorry @olive-main @azrielsmate3 @pit-and-the-pen @durgenyx @dee-writes-smut @chairofchaos @thelov3lybookworm @berryzxx @throneofsmut @kennedy-brooke @prythianpages @itsswritten @acotarxreader @milswrites @the-golden-jhope @hannzoaks @secretlyhers @tothestarsandwhateverend @sarawritestories @chxosangxl

Eris taglist: @magicstrengthandcourage @panther-girl-124

Thanks for reading ❣️

[budbuddnbuddy]

Little obey me headcanons (Pt 1)

(Pt2)

A/n:Just things I think the obey me characters would do/ think/like along with worldbuilding stuff. Nothing too major, but there’s also some suggestive stuff so look out for that. Sorry for not posting in a while school sucks. :(

After seeing all the happy endings in fairytale books and stories or just anything in general, Satan commonly thinks of having a “Happily ever after.” with MC.

While Belphegor, has no ass or tits he does have some cute thighs, when it’s warm in the devildom the chances of you seeing him lounging about the house in booty shorts and thigh highs are up by 70%

The celestial realm and the Devildom are super behind when it comes to technology, while the Devildom is catching up it’s still all over the place, so when MC brings up the moon landings or anything about humans going into space they’re gonna think that you’re joking…..until you show them proof.

“Wow, you really weren’t lying when you said that humans actually made it to the moon.”

“I told you! I’m sure if we get some people who work in NASA down here, we’ll probably be able to go to the moon in the Devildom too.”

“…the fuck is a NASA?”

I’m a firm believer that there is someone out in the human world, wether it be a family member or friend or coworker, SOMEONE was looking for MC when they were first summoned. Argue with me all you want but you will not be able to convince me that one day their boss wasn’t like: “MC hasn’t come into work in like a week.” other people can care about them too >:(

Asmodeus has definitely given some Devildom skincare products to MC. Whether they make you look inhumanly glamorous or burn off half your face is up to you.

There’s BARELY any public transportation in the devildom, no buses, cabs, airplanes or anything like that. You want to get somewhere without driving? Put on some comfortable shoes cause you’re gonna have to WALK.

However Diavolo does send chauffeurs (or carriages if it’s a royal/political event) to nobles and the brothers to get to the castle or if they’re just going somewhere with him. Which is how you guys got to the castle for the 3 day retreat.

You know those pics from hidden paparazzi or fans of celebrity couples out together on a date or walking around holding hands? There’s like a bunch of them with you and the characters in the Devildom. Most common ones to see with you are: Mammon, Beel ,Belphie, Asmo. The ones on the rarer side are: Lucifer, Satan, Diavolo, Simeon, and Solomon. The ultra rare ones are: Barbatos and Leviathan (but both for very separate different reasons)

There’s been a major skyrocket in human attraction, not just in the Devildom but a bit in the Celestial realm too, I guess Simeon was eyeing and twirling his hair at you a little too much for the angels to contain their curiosity. Hehe.

[breelandwalker]

Harvest Moon - September 28, 2023

The summer heat might be hanging on, but it's time to get excited for autumn shenanigans all the same. Grab your canning supplies and your favorite cider mug - it's time for the Harvest Moon!

Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon is the name given to the full moon which occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. It does not matter whether the moon occurs before or after the equinox or in which month it falls. In some years, this means the Harvest Moon may occur in October, in which cause the September moon might go by the name of Corn Moon or Rice Moon, depending on where you are.

In 2023, the Harvest Moon falls once more in the month of September. The same will happen in 2024, when the Harvest Moon will also be a supermoon! However, in 2025, the September moon will come early in the month, making it a Corn Moon. The Harvest Moon that year will be in early October.

The September moon is particularly beloved by farmers in the Northern Hemisphere, as it rises earlier and shines brighter than other full moons due to the relative angle of the Earth in relation to the moon during the equinox, which is helpful for lighting up the tail end of those long work days. In addition, the Harvest Moon may also appear full for multiple nights, providing additional illumination for labor or evening strolls. As such, while the peak of the Harvest Moon will occur in the wee hours of September 29th, it will appear to be full on both the 28th and 29th.

Other North American Indigenous names for the September moon include a number of variations of the aforementioned Corn Moon (used by numerous nations), such as Corn Maker Moon (Abenaki), Corn Harvest Moon (Dakota), and Corn Is Harvested Moon (Zuni). Other names refer to seasonal changes or animal behavior, such as Autumn Moon (Cree), Falling Leaves Moon (Ojibwe), Leaves Turning Moon (Anishinaabe), and Rutting Moon (Cree). Some European and modern pagan names for the September moon include Barley Moon (Old English), Singing Moon (Celtic), and Fruit Moon (general).

It's also worth noting that our Jewish friends and neighbors will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah this month, so remember to share your apples and honey and wish them Shanah Tovah (Happy New Year)!

What Does It Mean For Witches?

As autumn begins, we continue to reap what we've sown over the course of the year. It's a time to pause and reflect on what we've accomplished, let go of any unnecessary burdens we're still carrying, and focus on taking care of hearth and home for the cold months ahead. Now is a good time to do one last clutter purge or finish those repairs you've been putting off all summer!

Change is in the air as well, and transformations begun earlier in the year will burst into vibrant life. Just as the flowers bloom in spring, the leaves turn in the fall, and those of us who come alive in the autumn will start to fell that zing coming back.

Community also comes back into focus during harvest time, both because of the sharing of resources and the accompanying start of the school year. Take a moment to reinforce positive and supportive connections with friends and neighbors, or reach out to your local or online circle to strengthen existing bonds.

This a time of great abundance, so if you've been meaning to draw any kind of increase into your life, take steps to do so now. Harness that Harvest Moon energy to help carry you through the lean times in comfort and plenty.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

This is the time for feasting, bonfires, and outdoor gatherings. September and October will give us a few more warm weeks before the weather turns cold and rainy, so make the most of it! Have a potluck supper with a menu made of everyone's favorite seasonal recipes. Visit a local farmer's market and bring home that fresh seasonal produce. Thank the earth for the bounty it provides and renew your promise to be a good steward of the land where you live.

Technically, this is the second "harvest" moon of the year, since the harvest of most seasonal crops began back in August with wheat and corn and late summer fruits. The harvest of corn and grain continues into September and is joined by additional late-season fruits and vegetables, the most iconic of which is the annual apple crop.

Apple-picking is easily my favorite autumn activity and it's fantastic way to get outdoors, get some fresh air, and come home with tasty produce for uses both mundane and magical. From cider to applesauce to pies, apples are delightfully versatile. They also feature in a number of folk traditions and party games which double as divination rituals.

Continue your preparations for winter by canning or preserving fresh foods, hanging harvested herbs and flowers to dry, or refreshing your stocks of moon water and magical oils. Make your own magical brews using a stock pot as a cauldron and soups, stews, punch, cider, and mulled wine as your potions. Kitchen witches, your time is NOW!

Wear the colors of the season boldly and revel in all the gifts you've received and joys you've experienced so far this year. If you've been particularly blessed, pay it forward to share the bounty with others. Reflect on everything you've accomplished, celebrate your progress, and maybe set one or two small goals for the end of the year.

And since the decorations are already appearing in stores, start stocking up for Halloween!

Happy Harvest Moon, witches! 😊🍎

Further Reading:

Additional Lunar Calendar posts

Secular Celebrations - Autumn Equinox

Harvest Moon, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

What Is The Harvest Moon?, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Harvest Moon 2023: The Spiritual Meaning of September's Full Moon, The Peculiar Brunette.

Full Moon 2025 Calendar, Full Moonology.

Rosh Hashanah, Wikipedia.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[bichachonacho]

Night Changes

The final chapter and alternate ending to ‘The Other Woman’ series.

Warnings: Angst, mild smut.

A/N: I’m sorry this has taken almost a month but thank you for those who have been patient and are still interested in reading my work. I appreciate you all <3

To set the scene:

On the night of Aegon’s Name Day celebration you choose to leave with Brandon.

He hears your laughter before he sees you, a sound that makes his chest tighten yet warm at the same time. It was a rare sound he’d hear when you had been married, one that barely emanated from your mouth because of how miserable he had made you. His bitter treatment is a mistake that he’s reminded of daily, you no longer reside in the Red Keep— you’re hundreds of miles away in Winterfell, you are no longer his.

“Brandon— stop it” You hum, nudging him away from you as he plants kisses onto your cheek— the scruff of his beard causing your skin to itch.

“Why must I, you’re my wife. Is a man not permitted to show affection to his wife?” He argues, a playful smirk on his lips. You sigh heavily, allowing him to kiss you one last time before you pull away.

“When we’re at home— yes. You may smother me as you please, just try to hold back while you’re here” You chastise him before you link your arm with his.

Home.

The word is painful to hear for Aemond. You refer to that dreaded cold wasteland as home, even more of a sore reminder to Aemond of how far you’ve drifted from him. He wishes the halls of the Red Keep didn’t allow voices to travel so easily, maybe then his heart wouldn’t ache this much.

“Mother! I didn’t realise you had arrived already” A smile clear on your face as you approach Rhaenyra who greets you both with open arms.

You couldn’t say you were surprised that your mother instantly took a liking to Brandon, he treated you beautifully and he was a man of honour— traits that reminded her of Ser Harwin Strong. You watch in admiration as the two of them converse, allowing you to bask in the silence and observe what you had once called home.

You remember running down these halls barely a handful of years ago, picking up your skirts as you raced to meet Brandon at the gates. You had left a vulnerable Aemond in your bed chambers, heart on his sleeve that you would further wound by choosing to leave him and the ruins of your marriage behind. Your wounded heart had been through enough turmoil at the hands of Aemond— you deserved far better. He knew this. Which is why he let you go.

You haven’t returned to Kings Landing since you had practically begged your grandsire to annul the marriage between you and Aemond. You remember that day well, a memory that haunts you from time to time— even when you’re in your chamber at Winterfell.

“I know I ran away— from my duties and responsibilities, but I stand before you to plead for an annulment” You tried to dull the sounds of gasps in the throne room, the murmuring and whispers of judgement causing you to shift in discomfort.

“Annulment?” King Viserys, your grandsire doesn’t look pleased— but less disappointed than you had expected. A good sign, you think. He hums before a chesty cough erupts from him, the first time you’ve seen his illness in person since you had gotten the letters of his well-being.

“Your reasonings for this annulment being?” Viserys questions you, your hands grow clammy as you choose your words carefully— reciting the sentences you had practiced continuously over the last few moons.

“The marriage between Prince Aemond and I caused me nothing but grief. I cannot commit to my marital duties to him, I am not happy. I fear I will be miserable for the rest of my days if this marriage continues” Your words cause Aemond to almost flinch— they were harsher than he had expected but it’s what he deserves. He knows this. Yet if you were to even glance his way you would see the pained expression on his face, tears welling in his eyes almost.

“Most marriages are not for love— one would be fortunate enough to marry who they love but we do it for political purposes and for the sake of this family. To keep our bloodline pure. Your reasonings aren’t enough child” Viserys begins to dismiss you.

“We never consummated the marriage” You state, the judgemental whispers only growing louder at the sound of your announcement. They grow too unruly to the point where your grandsire has to demand them to quiet.

“We falsified the evidence of the consummation” You say truthfully, biting the inside of your cheek as you prepare for an earful. Viserys just tuts before directing his attention on Aemond who stands a mere few steps away from you.

“Is what she says true, my son?” Aemond nods gently, shame clear on his face as he briefly turns to his father. Viserys just exhales heavily before nodding and announcing that he approves of the annulment.

You didn’t linger in the throne room any longer than you needed, you avoided Aemond’s gaze— afraid that if you saw his hurt expression, guilt would consume you. So you didn’t, you left for Winterfell before nightfall and didn’t bother to turn back.

Almost two years have passed since you stood in Kings Landing, and now you had returned a new woman. You no longer wore the Targaryen name— you were a Stark who wore heavy coats and fur, you had grown accustomed to the icy weather in Winterfell and you found it fascinating. The heat here makes your cheeks flush and feel uncomfortable from the warmth. You wished you were back in Winterfell with Brandon— but you mustn’t neglect your family, even if that means facing Aemond again.

“Is grandsire attending the feast?” You question your mother, hopeful that he would be present tonight. You already know the answer when you see the look on her face, she shakes her head and informs you of his illness causing him to be bedridden. You make a mental note to visit him in his chamber after dinner.

You were given time to rest from your long travels before the family dinner. You were grateful for the brief time that allowed you and Brandon to stay hidden in the guest chambers, but now you had to prepare to face your family. This would be the first time since you fled Kings Landing they would see you and you didn’t know what to expect. The worst is all you expect, knowing your family and how dysfunctional they are— you already have your doubts.

“I’m assuming we cannot hide in here for the rest of the stay?” You hum as you adjust your dress, over examining the way you look in the mirror. Despite your insecurities, you admire the way your husband looks in his black attire. He stands behind you, arms wrapping around your waist to pull you into his body.

“Unfortunately, no” Brandon chuckles, lips finding their way onto the skin of your neck as he plants gentle kisses.

“You will be fine, my love. You are their blood” Brandon reassures you, his presence alone comforting you enough for your ragged breathing to calm. You nod, exhaling heavily while accepting his words. You will be fine.

You should’ve known what to expect. Everyone, minus your own brothers and Helaena, greeted you stiffly. The judgemental expressions clear on their faces as they watched you and your husband enter the room. You knew what thoughts grew behind their eyes, you didn’t need to guess how they felt— they made it abundantly clear from their expressions alone.

Aemond sat where he always did, you cursed at yourself internally for allowing your eyes to travel to him almost immediately the moment you stepped closer to the table. You silently noted the slight change in his appearance, he’s aged slightly— his hair is shorter, cheeks more hollow and jaw sharper than ever— yet his eye patch and scar remained the same.

“How is Winterfell?” Alicent breaks the silence, momentarily stopping her movements of cutting into her food as her eyes gaze into yours from across the long table. No one besides your husband and brothers had spoken a word to you— not even Helaena had uttered anything else besides hello. You were feeling the consequences of your absence now greater than ever.

“It’s as it always is. Cold and draped in snow” Brandon answers on your behalf, his hand caressing yours beneath the table in reassurance— a gesture you’re most grateful for. It saved you from having to scramble together sentences to speak to the woman who had once been your mother by law.

She had taken a liking to you before but the love she has for her children is far greater than anything in this world— you already sensed she had a distaste for you after you had left Aemond behind.

“Glad to see you’re thriving in Winterfell, dear niece. Meanwhile, my brother withers away and becomes less of a man as each day passes” Aegon snickers from across the table, a goblet in his hand and a sly smirk on his face as he eyes you out. His words cause Aemond to finally lift his gaze from his plate— his eye shifting between the two of you.

“In true Aegon fashion— you must always make a fuss at every table we feast on” You tut, a false polite smile on your face as you try to keep this conversation civil. Despite his tone, you didn’t want this to turn sour— you were already frowned upon by everyone in the room— giving in to his shenanigans would only make it worse.

“Is it really a fuss if I speak the truth? Besides, I’m just being a concerned older brother— is there any harm in that?” Aegon hums, chugging back the last of the wine in his cup before he slams his hand down on the table— demanding for more wine.

Your eyes narrow as you watch him closely whilst his wine is being poured. You think he’ll finally shut his mouth and be quiet— that he’ll realise it’s not worth the hassle or effort to stir the pot any more than he has already.

“I would like to make a toast” Aegon announces before he pushes out of his chair to stand— the chair making an obnoxious screech as he moves.

“We should be grateful to finally be sat in the same room again. Our family finally whole…” Aegon continues with his speech, his words growing numb in your ears as you begin to disassociate. Aegon speaks drunken words, you all know what he says doesn’t matter but you allow him to speak them all the same.

“And to my whore of a niece who has finally crawled out from the hole they call Winterfell— I would like to commemorate you for being the first Targaryen to actually let a Stark charm their way into their bed” His words gain your attention immediately, your mouth opens to say something but your words fail you. Your gaze shifts to Aemond’s who is already staring at you, the shared contact causes him to blink at you before he pulls his attention away.

“Mind your tongue when speaking to my wife. Royalty or not, I assure you you will lose it if you continue speaking to her in this manner” Brandon stands, speaking in a defensive tone as he partially shields you with his body. Aegon just snorts, the smirk still gracing his features as his eyes shift onto you.

“You have a perculiar taste in men. Why do they both have a fascination with severing tongues?” Aegon’s snarky comment is a direct jab at the marriage you once shared with Aemond— the threat he made about severing your tongue still makes your heart somewhat ache. Not in the way it used to, it’s just a sore reminder of how miserable the marriage you were once trapped in made you.

“Perhaps because people like you prove some deserve to be severed” You seethe, trying your hardest not to let his words anger you more than they already have.

“You will stop this childish banter at once. Aegon you will sit down and remain silent for the rest of the evening— your Queen and Mother demands it” Alicent breaks the feud between you, her statement causing Aegon to scoff before he slumps back into his seat— only then does Brandon retreat into his own.

“Are you alright, my love?” Brandon questions you, his voice low and face close to yours. You give him a tight lipped smile before nodding, squeezing his hand as a sign of reassurance.

“His words mean nothing, my sweet husband” You hum before pressing a gentle kiss on his lips, a small smile forming on his own at the gesture.

Aemond is sure he feels his heart practically pull apart from the sight before him. Your eyes boring lovingly into your husband’s as you whisper sweet words to each other— he wishes it were him who had protected you from his brother’s insults. He wishes it were him who is comforting you, holding your hand and pressing kisses onto your cheek.

He wants you to look at him just once more at this dinner. He pleads silently for you to notice how his gaze hasn’t left yours since you had locked eyes with him for a mere moment. He convinces himself that you will spare him one last glance. You don’t, instead you and Brandon leave quietly once the dinner has concluded, talking amongst yourselves hand in hand as you make your way back to your chambers.

“Gods, you feel so good” Brandon moans out, the obnoxious sounds of the bed colliding with the wall causing your cheeks to warm at the thought of someone hearing you. If you weren’t in complete euphoria you would bother to tell Brandon to quiet, but you don’t— you allow him to rut his hips into yours noisily as he fucks you.

“My sweet wife. Tell me you’re mine” Brandon’s thrusts quicken as his hand fondles your breast, desperate to feel your walls tighten around him. Only then would he release.

“I am yours. Only yours” You moan out before you press your lips against his— swallowing his grunts and moans as he releases inside of you, the feeling of you cumming around him causing him to reach his high.

Aemond wishes he were deaf or that he had at least bothered to move into another chamber during your absence but he is graced by neither of those options. He wanted to reside in the same chamber so that he would be reminded of you, he didn’t want to forget the memories you shared in these walls— even the ones that made tears fall from your eyes. Unfortunately for Aemond, you and Brandon had been housed in your old chamber which meant he would have to endure listening to the two of you make love.

I am yours. Only yours.

He knows he shouldn’t dwell on what could have been but he can’t help it nor does he stop himself from blissfully imagining it had been him you said those words to. That he was the one who had you a moaning and withering mess beneath him. He’s brutally reminded of reality when he prys his eyes open and questions his sanity as he realises he’s hardened at the mere thought of you. He forces himself to turn over and sleep, despite tossing and turning he would endure the restlessness to fight the strong urges he feels for you.

The following morning, Aemond tries yet again to gain your attention. He hopes you will visit the Keep’s library— so he spends all morning pacing around and aimlessly looking for books you might be interested in. It’s been some years but he still remembers the ones you would read to him, mainly fairytales and children’s books. When that attempt proves to be a waste of time, he tries the gardens— a place you would visit daily. He spends almost an hour there before he leaves in a huff— wondering where else you could be on a day like this.

He doesn’t expect to see you in the training grounds of the Keep, yet there you are sat upon a barrel as you watch Brandon spar with some of the Kights in the City watch. Aemond has to fight a smile that almost breaks onto his face at the sight of you, clad in the attire of your true house— you looked as though you had never left. Never left Kings Landing. Never left him.

“Prince Aemond. Spar with me, I wish to show my mentor how much his work has paid off” Brandon calls him over after spotting him from across the court, Aemond curses under his breath as he feels your eyes trail toward him. Despite his urge to leave, Aemond just nods before moving forward and joining the Stark.

“I have not kept up with my swordsmanship— excuse me for my lack of skill” Aemond apologises as he accepts a sword used for training. Brandon just shrugs and laughs it off.

“This will not be a serious fight, I won’t be much of a challenge” Brandon’s words are a lie, which is proven when Aemond is knocked to the ground for what seems like the tenth time since the sparring started. A part of Aemond hopes that you still cared about him enough to end this match.

“Tell me Prince Aemond, when was the last time you swung a sword? Seems to have been quite some time” Brandon questions, the smirk on his face a clear indication he’s toying with the Prince. Aemond isn’t blind to this but he answers truthfully anyway, hoping you were watching this unfold.

“Two years” Aemond grunts as he pushes back up off the dirt, the sound of their swords clashing rings in your ears and cause you to shudder as you remember the last time these two fought.

“The last time my wife stood in Kings Landing— seems like a coincidence” Brandon tuts, his tone causing you to sigh heavily— tired of his antics that are causing Aemond grief. You had watched enough of your former husband being pushed in the dirt and have his reputation slandered in one sparring match.

“Brandon, my mother has called for our presence. Please end this match” You call for him, the sound of your voice immediately making both men lower their swords. You ignore the way Aemond’s gaze burns on your face, desperation clear in his shameless stare that he wants you to look at him.

Just once. Please just once.

He silently pleads as he watches you talk to your husband as you wait for him to hand back his sword. He holds onto his hope until he watches you turn your back to him and begin to walk away with Brandon by your side. He wondered if he would ever get you alone during your stay, it seems as though it wouldn’t be likely.

“Your Grandsire wishes to host a ball to commemorate our family being united once again. You will attend, it may be the last we will share with the King” Your mother had informed you before calling in the handmaidens to pull together some dresses you may like to wear.

You insist on wearing the dresses you had brought from Winterfell but they seemed too dark to fit the occasion, you would stick out like a sore thumb and you didn’t want any more attention than you had already gained. It wasn’t news to you that word spread quickly that you had returned. The princess who ran away from her family and abandoned her marriage to marry another man. That’s all they care to believe, no one questions why you chose to leave in the first place. No one questioned Aemond for being the reason you left your home and everything you knew.

“Prepare for a tiresome evening” You murmur to your husband before you enter the hall, arms linked together as you pass everyone by and greet those who approach you first. Aemond thinks you look angelic, your deep red dress fits you perfectly as you enter the room— the man beside you is invisible to him. You look ethereal to him, a beautiful sight he should’ve appreciated greater when he had you.

The traditional ceremonies bore Aemond to death, he much rather enjoys the sight of you at the other end of the long table your whole family sits on. You feel his gaze but yet again you do not give in to his presence that demands to be known. You interlace your fingers with Brandon’s as you endure the rest of the speeches, your head almost lulling back as you fight the urge to sleep.

You sprung at the chance to get up and move even if that meant forcing Brandon to follow you onto the floor to dance with you. He was lousy, as you expected— he could handle a sword far more gracefully than he could dancing, but it was entertaining for you to watch him try.

“You should stop staring holes into her, brother. You’ve already suffered enough by letting her haunt you these past two years, no need to make yourself suffer worse by hoping she’ll run back into your arms” Aegon claps his hand on Aemond’s shoulder, causing him to break his gaze away from you and Brandon dancing. He didn’t realise he had been staring so intensely at you, if a sober Aegon could notice then surely others did too.

“I do not wish that. I’m no fool” Aemond mutters, shoving Aegon’s grasp from his shoulder. Aegon replies with a chuckle in disbelief at his brother’s statement.

“Right and I am not a free man who can drink and whore his way through Kings Landing unscathed” Aegon snickers, Aemond just tuts at how hypocritical his statement is.

“You are a free man who can drink and whore his way through Kings Landing unscathed, you fool” Aemond scoffs, averting his eyes back to the sights of you. A small smile graces his features at the sight of you smiling widely, despite it being caused by Brandon— he was grateful to see it.

“You are the fool. This woman not only abandoned your marriage but berated you in front of our father and lords alike when she begged for an annulment, yet you still wish to have her back” Aegon’s words are true, which is most concerning to Aemond. His brother is right, maybe for the first time in his life he believes this.

You broke his heart just as he had broken yours the moment you stepped back into the throne room to ask to annul the marriage. At that point you had been gone for just over three moons, no one in Kings Landing had heard word from you— yet everyone knew where you had fled. When Aemond heard of your return, his heart swelled at the thought that you may have returned to him. That you had realised a life with a Stark was not what you wanted and that Aemond was the one you chose in the end. His hopes were shattered the moment he saw you standing before his father, a slight frown on your face as you confess the very words that still haunt him to this day.

Aemond doesn’t bother continuing the conversation with his brother, he just pushes back into his seat and settles with the fact that he’ll just endure the rest of the evening and hope time passes quickly. You on the other hand are getting flustered by the overwhelming amount of moving bodies around you. You want nothing more than fresh air so you stop your movements before pushing up to talk in your husband’s ear.

“I’m going outside for air” You inform him, declining his offer to join you before you leave him to continue dancing with the others. You wanted a moment alone to catch your breath— to regain your thoughts as you savour some moments alone.

You do just that, inhaling the slightly cold air and enjoying a moment of peace away from everyone in that hall. You attention is captured by the view in the far distance, the vast city you once called home fascinating you with its sights. Kings Landing wasn’t the most majestic place to be, especially given it’s foul reputation but you learned to admire it.

“A princess should not wander alone” A voice of a man you recognise instantly causes your attention to pull away from the view. You feel a lump grow in your throat as you reluctantly turn to face him.

Aemond stands behind you, posture straight and hands clasped behind his back as he stares down at you. You can observe him more closely in this proximity, the closest you have gotten to him since you had arrived in Kings Landing.

“A princess knows how to defend herself. Besides, there’s guards for a reason” You shrug, sounding more nonchalant than you had intended. Aemond flashes you a small smile before stepping forward to stand beside you.

He hesitates speaking, his mouth opening and shutting as he tries to form the right words. A sight that was new to you, when you were married to him it seemed as though he always knew what to say. His sentences were always well articulated and he barely stuttered. You didn’t recognise the man before you.

“Your hair is shorter” You fill in the silence, your comment causes Aemond’s chest to warm at the mere fact you noticed such a detail. It only grows warmer when he feels your fingers brush through some of the silver strands.

“Thought I’d try something new” Aemond hums, savouring the brief feeling of your touch before it’s torn away from him and you pull back— he can’t deny the fact he’s disappointed.

“You haven’t spoken a word to me since you’ve arrived” Aemond changes the subject to a more sore topic, one that causes you to stiffen in discomfort.

“Exchange in words go both ways Aemond. You’ve had ample opportunities to speak to me” You argue back, your point causing him to nod in agreement. He could have easily spoken to you, despite your own personal direwolf being glued to your side— he would’ve risked conversation just to hear your voice.

“I was scared. Scared that you would reject me again” Aemond hums, a serious look in his eye when you gaze into his.

“Is it still considered rejection if you allowed me to leave you in the first place?” You question, satisfied when you watch him fall silent at the fact that you’re right.

“Where is your lover Alys? I haven’t seen her once since I have returned” You watch as he looks off into the distance before he responds.

“I sent Alys away the moment you fled Kings Landing. She returned to her home the morning after you left. I could not bear to have her be a reminder of the marriage I lost— the marriage I let slip through my fingers” Aemond’s words cause the lump in your throat to grow even bigger. This is what you were afraid of, that your presence in Kings Landing would give Aemond some kind of false hope.

“If you had stayed with me I would’ve changed my ways. I would not let you be miserable for the rest of your days” Aemond hums, hurt clear in his tone as he recites the words you spoke the day you asked for an annulment. You should’ve known those words scarred him— the moment they left your mouth you should’ve known it would plague his mind.

“Aemond, you and I both know the words I spoke that day remain true” Your hands fondle with each other, your finger nails digging into the skin of your hands.

“I know. But that doesn’t stop me from wishing we were fated, that our story would have a different outcome” Aemond sighs, turning back to face you as he continues.

“I spend every night in torment, wishing you had chosen me on Aegon’s Name day. I let you go for your own happiness but my own selfishness hoped, prayed that you would return to me” His confession leaves you speechless.

“I am not a godly man but I prayed to the gods that night that you’d have a change of heart. I stayed in your bedchambers well past dawn in hopes you’d come back. That is selfish of me, I’m aware”

“Aemond stop this. Please… save your words” You exhale, growing tired of his attempts at opening an old wound— one that you deemed sealed for the rest of your days.

“I don’t have enough time with you— please let me speak” Aemond’s tone is desperate but he remains calm, barely showing any signs of desperation on his face.

“The more you speak, the more you will hurt yourself. There is no point bringing up the past when I have already moved on” You’re being harsh, you know that but it’s the only way— you didn’t intend on giving him false hope. You knew where this conversation was leading so you figured you’d cut it short while you still could.

“I am going back inside…” You state before you turn to leave him, hoping he would let the conversation die and allow you to return to the hall.

“I have not seen your face nor heard your voice in two years. I beg of you to let me have a few more moments alone with you” Aemond pleads, his hand moving to grasp ahold of yours to hold you in place gently. You sigh heavily before allowing him to turn you around to face him, your bodies are closer in proximity than you intended— than you wished for, but you allow him to hold you there.

“In your absence, I have devoted myself only to you. I have not touched another nor let anyone else plague my thoughts. Only you. I miss you— I need you” Aemond’s grip on your hands tightens slightly, a feeling that causes you to almost pull away.

“You confuse me, Aemond. You let me leave. You told me you wished to see me happy— now you have a change of heart” Confusion is clear on your face as you stare up at him.

“I will admit again that I was a fool for mistreating you. I am a fool again for letting you leave me. I should have fought for you— begged you on my hands and knees for you to stay”

“There’s no amount of begging you could do that would make me change my mind. I love my husband, Winterfell is my home— and the decision I made to leave that night has been one of the best I’ve made” You’re being honest, your words sound bitter but you aren’t saying them out of spite. It’s the truth.

Aemond feels his chest tighten at your words, he should expect it— you’ve made it clear you no longer want him and that you’ve moved on, yet your tone still catches him off guard. He wishes for the woman who used to speak softly to him, who yearned for even a few loving sentences from him.

“You’re being selfish Aemond” You state before you pull away from him to create space between the two of you. A lump grows in his throat at the sound of your words— this is it, he thinks as he watches you turn your back to him to face the view again.

“I am being selfish, I will continue to be selfish as I ask you this” Aemond hums before he continues.

“Will you leave with me? We can run from here. Vhagar will take us anywhere you please— we can start anew, new lives, new names. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we go” Aemond says, his hand finding the curve of your back as he watches your face to catch your expression.

Your mouth feels dry as you process his words. You didn’t know how to respond, you were certain of your decision already but still, you didn’t know how to voice it. Despite Aemond’s faults and his wrongdoings, it still somewhat hurt you to see him this desperate for you. Your absence clearly took a toll on him and you felt responsible for how much he’s declined. If you had been the girl you were two years ago, you would’ve fell to your knees and accepted his offer. You would ride on dragonback away with him to where-ever he wanted, he would be enough for you. But you aren’t the same girl you were two years ago, you were stronger than you ever were and Aemond’s grovelling wasn’t enough for you.

“I appreciate that you are trying, Aemond. I have not been blind to your efforts but this isn’t enough” You turn to him, watching as the hope drains from his face the moment the words leave your mouth.

“I will not torment you any longer. I ask that you forget about your fantasies of us running away— they will not come true” You state bluntly.

“I am loyal to Brandon Stark— and him only. He has shown me what true love means and I am happiest when I am with him. Your promises will not change that” You continue, his gaze dropping from yours as he finds interest in the ground beneath your feet.

“I am unapologetic about this but I do wish you will find love. Do not let me plague your thoughts any longer, you should be free to love another” You grasp ahold of his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. His skin feels warm against yours— the feeling of your hand against his causes goosebumps to rise on his skin.

“Forget about me, Aemond. I will do the same in return” You say in finalisation before you pull away from him, sparing him one last glance before you return inside. He stands in silence as he remains staring at the ground, wishing he had said nothing at all. Perhaps that would’ve been better.

You would forget about him and he would forget about you— of your marriage that once bound the two of you together. Now you were nothing, you had no reason to be tied to each other besides the fact you shared the same blood. He would have to settle with that and learn to be content. Aemond questions if he ever will find happiness as you leave him yet again with a broken heart.

—

A/N: Sorry if this ending isn’t as great as I said it would be 😭 Idk about the angst but thank you for reading this series regardless :)

(forgive me for any typos, this was roughly edited)

Taglist <3

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[ducktoonsfanart]

Ducktales Crew in spacesuits in space on the Moon - Ducktales kids, teenagers and adults on the Moon - Happy Moon Landing and Happy Independence Day of the USA - Gift for my friend - Ducktales in Space (Ducktales AU) - Tribute to Ducktales 2017

Although I already drew Ducktales characters in spacesuits on the moon last year, still because of Landing Moon Day which is held on July 20th every year and this year is the 55th anniversary of human walking on the moon, I drew somehow a similar drawing, in my own way, in my own style where the Ducktales characters are on the moon in spacesuits.

Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins who led the Apollo 11 crew in the Saturn V rocket from July 16 to July 24, 1969, with July 20 and 21 being Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon and were the first people to walk on the moon and brought great pride to the USA and to all mankind. July 20 and 21, 1969 were the significant dates when people were on the moon for the first time. And those are the days of Moon Landing. After the crew of Apollo 11, the crew members of Apollo 12-17 will go and walk on the moon, until 1972, except for Apollo 13. Unfortunately, after more than 50 years, people reportedly did not go to the moon due to numerous problems with the construction of further rockets, but lately there is a race to the moon again, so maybe in the near future people will go to the moon again, unless they are faking it. Space travel is back in fashion. And 55 years have passed since the first walk on the moon.

You can see a similar previous drawing here: https://ducktoonsfanart.tumblr.com/post/732385519766487040/ducktales-crew-in-spacesuits-on-the-moon-in-space

I didn't manage to draw Ducktales characters from head to toe in spacesuits, but certainly the special way I imagine Ducktales 2017 is that they wear spacesuits like Sandy Cheeks from Sponge Bob, I just reshaped it in my own way and these suits can be used and for traveling under water, in volcanic regions and protection against pandemics. Yes, they wear bubble helmets, which are actually glass-proof. Della Duck is driving a lunar rover, like the first astronauts who walked on the moon, and Dewey is holding a banner of the USA flag from where he came from (although it has passed, I certainly dedicate this drawing to Independence Day for my American friends, which is celebrated every 4th July), Huey and Gosalyn hold a banner that reads: "We are the first ducklings on The Moon. One small step for ducklings, one big step for ducks!" If you understand this sentence. ;) And Louie Duck is filming this momentous event with his friends and family on his cell phone. Yes, these boys are wearing backwards baseball caps, since that's kind of how I prefer it in my version of Ducktales 2017 and the Quack Pack Reboot. And Donald and Daisy are here together as they love each other.

This drawing features Della Duck, Donald and Daisy Duck, Huey, Dewey and Louie Duck, Phooey Duck, Gosalyn Mallard, Webby Vanderquack, Lena De Spell (Sabrewing), May and June Duck. Yes, all together on the moon, and behind them you can see the planet Earth and the stars.

I hope you like this drawing and this idea and feel free to like and reblog this, just don't use these same ideas of mine without mentioning me. Thank you! Also this is dedicated to my friend @ducksinspaceadventure, who organized Moon Landing Day. Happy Independence Day everyone and Happy Moon Landing Day! And the 55th anniversary of walking on the Moon!

[hypnautic-cereal]

I’ve shared about my Welcome Home au on Discord and TikTok, but not here yet

So, I introduce to you: the Wish Maker au!💫

A Welcome Home au of mine that spawned from a meme I thought of one time while I was in the shower. Essentially the WH crew in this au are able to grant different kinds of wishes, and strive to make any and all wishes come true for a more better earth

(Please note that I did each of these art pieces separately, so all the canon sizes are the ones up on this first one⬆️)

First of all, we have our Wally variant: Wally Starling💫

Wally is the newest neighbor to land on Planet Home, as he was recently born from the stardust of a recently died supernova. Wally is gifted the power to grant star wishes as well as a high/moon jump, and aspires to be Judy’s as great of a wish maker as his friends

Up next: Our spectacular star, Sally Starlet⭐️

Glowing wherever she goes, Sally Starlet is the leader and protector of Planet Home. Legends as true as wishes have told that a portion of Sally’s power was distributed among each of her friends. Who knows what power she could behold at full capacity?

Next on our list: Our lovable dog Barnaby B. Beagle🎤

It might not seem like it at first, but Barnaby B. Beagle is a dog of many cultures. Barnaby grew a swift and tight friendship with Wally Starling, even being the one who gave Wally his name when he first arrived on Planet Home! Inspired by 90s family game shows as a sign of his love for fun and friendship, Barnaby grants the wishes from different cultures (such as tanabata tags, and grapes from under the table on the new years countdown)

Next up, our dynamic duo: 🎂Julie Joyful and Frank Frankly📚

Always excited to celebrate any occasion, Julie is your girl to call for a party. Her partying expertise is always to serve for others happiness. With help from Poppy Partridge and Sally Starlet, there’s no party on Planet Home that won’t be ready on time. Once the birthday candles are blown, a dash of confetti from Julie’s hand will have the wish granted in no time

Although they’re always in a rush, Frank Frankly is the brightest/smartest neighbor on the wishful Planet Home. Any questions the neighbors have about anything, Frank is able to answer in various ways. His specialty lies in granted wishes found in nature (such as dandelion puffs or the first winter snow), as well as proofreading wishes to the wisher’s intent. With provided help from Julie Joyful and Eddie Dear, there’s no task to tough for our beloved brainiac

And last up: 🌙Poppy Partridge, Eddie Dear💌, and Howdy Pillar🐛

Looking over the dreams of those down on Earth, Poppy Partridge acts as a guide to those who don’t know what their hearts desire. A scent of lavender and lilac follow wherever she goes, as a sea of stars speckle her pillowy soft tail feathers. Her and Sally Starlet happily work side by side, making sure all goes right from day to night

Folk tales from the old west tell the tale of a person who retrieves the wishes that haven’t been granted so that they can be granted as soon as they can. That there is our confident yet clumsy and forgetful dreamer, Eddie Dear. With his Lasso of Limitless Length and Star of Time, there’s no limit to when and where ungranted wishes will be granted. He takes his job with pride, especially if Frank Frankly is by his side

Ever need that little bit of push when playing the lottery? Or need a wish from that coin you tossed into the well? Well, our terribly generous Howdy Pillar’s got your back. He’d be more than happy to grant you luck and fortune for whatever you might need for the day. He does seem to fall asleep quite often, even with all the energy he needs for the day, so he carries his pillow Benjamin in case he’s ever tuckered out (get it? Cause money…$100…Benjamin Franklin-). So, what Howdy’s Place deal are you looking for today?

JESUS OK FINALLY FINISHED WRITING ALL THIS😭

But yeah, I have a lot to share with you guys about this au, and I hope you all enjoy and stick around for all the stuff I wanna share for it! I even have a whole playlist for this au (as well as a discord server but that was made for the fun of it and doesn’t have any actual functionality lol)

[madarasgirl]

A Night for Hunting Ch 12 -The Feeling of Safety

T/W: Alucard (Ultimate) x F!Reader, Vladcard (that’s right, daddy makes his appearance), predator/prey, hunting, ruthless vampire king, romance, Romanian translations Words: 4855 On AO3

I am so excited to finally present this chapter! The premise was planned from the beginning and living rent-free in my head (happy to evict it at last) since I decided to extend this series months ago. I hope you like it! I am no history buff, but I did some light reading on Vlad and the contents of this chapter are also based on how Alucard behaves in Ultimate. A bit nervous, but I hope I got the feels right.

Happy belated Mid-Autumn Festival, fellow Chinese and (other nationalities) who celebrate this occasion! The full moon was beautiful.

Many thanks to @michi-tala for helping me with fine-tuning the Romanian phrases!  @alastorhazbin

“You really are a king?" You asked, incredulous. 

How could this be? A king should be the inspirational leader who guides his nation through strife and peace to glory, the shining star who navigates the tumultuous waters of diplomacy and the horrors of battlefields. A ruler with the intellect to create and uphold the laws, social institutions, and infrastructure to bring about prosperity. He should be someone well-versed in the art of war, yet mannered and cultured to mingle with others in his high society of privilege. 

In other words, someone not quite like Alucard The Boor, who was inflexible about negotiations, poorly socialized, and a stalker to boot. What kind of king had the time to stalk some peasant woman for two years just for fun?

You however had to reconsider your conclusions. The longer you stared at that cocky profile, the more obvious it became that if you squinted, there perhaps was something a little regal about him. He was certainly not lacking in intelligence. And sometimes he demonstrated highly sophisticated mannerisms when he felt like playing the gentleman. He even spoke like a snobby British aristocrat.

Alucard chuckled to himself quietly at your racing thoughts. His eyes closed at the distant recollection of his past. At nearly six centuries of age, he found himself often ruminating about the past, whether as a human or vampire, but when pondering his first life, it was like reliving someone else’s. He remembered the anger, pain, and humiliation vividly. There was regret about his upbringing and later decisions as voivode, even if there were those actions during his reign that were necessary for the survival of his country and Christianity, and parts of Europe continued to view him as a hero to this day. But it all happened so long ago, he barely felt anything anymore, except a faraway, numb regret. 

He was silent when recalling the fresh woodsy scent of the fir trees in his mountains. How he loved to ride through their forests with the wind in his face when he went hunting. His city Târgoviște possessed beauty beyond imagination, before he burnt it down and turned it into a desolate forest of corpses. Perhaps there was some melancholy when reminiscing about his homeland.

Warm fingers landed lightly on the sigils adorning the back of his gloves. Feline eyes opened to narrow slits to watch you looking at him with a questioning stare. It seemed you were finished with mocking his ways in your head.

Flattering child. Innocent little human. You know not of the monster you have involved yourself with, he thought.

“Cetatea (Citadel) Poenari sat atop the mountains. In its prime, it was an impregnable fortress with steep walls that offered a spectacular view of the forested canyon on the Argeș River. You would have appreciated its beauty.”

“Was that your home?” You asked.

“One of them. Its ruins are in what is now known as Romania.”

Wide eyes stayed on him before curving with merriment. “I think I would love to visit your old home one day.” Your wrist flicked in his direction to gesture at his dress clothes. “Did you look like this back then too? There’s no way you dressed this loudly then, right, Your Majesty?” You snickered while putting emphasis on his royal title.

He turned his hand over to grasp your fingers in his. “You wish to see me? All of me?" His brow rose as he evaluated you.

The room chilled suddenly and you hesitated. His shadow was facing toward the light, reaching for you, and the silhouette was wrong. You’ve already seen his flowing shadows, extra eyes, and bats, as well as when he assumed the face of another man. Was there more? Something forbidding was in the air.

“Umm…not the bugs. Please never the bugs again,” you whispered, trying to keep the mood easy tonight.

The orangey-yellow in his eyes spun like molten gold as he petted your fingers before lacing your hands together. Alucard leaned towards you, and as he did, he changed. This was important. Somehow you knew what Alucard was about to show you was intimate, a secret he did not carelessly share with others. You stopped breathing as you watched his transformation happen before your eyes.

Raven locks lengthened until his hair was past his thighs, phantom wind making the ends billow in the air like they were alive. Gangly arms filled out, his chest growing broad and putting on hard muscle in seconds. His red duster turned liquid and flowed over the heavy armour that materialized, settling into a black cape that was as intangible as his tresses at the frayed, surging ends.  

His angular features grew wider at the cheeks, jawline becoming chiselled and covered with coarse stubble. The fiery gaze burned with wisdom and life experience. You had no words as you got a better look at this imposing man who now stood towering over you with his arms at his side.

"This was how I appeared as a human when I perished."

You stared at him from the couch, sitting with your legs in front of you in a “W.” Your mouth was parted as your eyes slid sluggishly over this dark warrior with disbelief. Power rolled off of him. It was in his bearing, the deadly grace with which he conducted himself, and the way the air was not quite right around him.

"You really are breathtakingly beautiful," you told him. 

Alucard purred at your praise and your skin tingled. His rumblings were deeper than normal and it was so unexpected despite his now stockier build. 

“...May I… touch you?” 

Golden-orange glinted with warmth as this stranger stooped down for you to inspect his new body. You tentatively brought your hand up to his face and stroked his cheek. Cold. This Alucard’s skin was still cool to touch. The texture though, that beard was so scratchy. You ran your fingers through his hair, which was as soft as you remembered, but now so long you didn’t even reach the ends with your arm fully extended. 

His name was an anagram. Alucard was a Romanian vampire. Your idiot brain finally made the connection that was in front of you this whole time.

“...You actually are Dracula?” The Son of the Dragon, a king and warlord from the Middle Ages. Probably one of the oldest –and strongest– of vampires.

“You are speaking to Count Dracula of Wallachia.”

You shivered at his voice. Even his accent was different, so foreign and exotic. It did things to you, but your mind had always been stronger.

If memory served you correctly, history did not have favourable things to say about the real Dracula. The Sir Impaler staked people, including women and children, for all sorts of reasons and no reason as well –as a gruesomely effective warfare tactic, for sport, and petty offences alike. He was the king who invited the sick and homeless to his keep for a feast and burnt them alive as a way to empty the streets.

“Yes, I commanded all of those acts in my past life.”

Fright blemished your features and you jerked away until Dracula’s gauntlet shot out to catch you and bring your palm back to his face. He took in the thin line your lips formed and the furrowed brows around your spooked gaze. 

“But that will not be a fate reserved for you,” he promised with a sombre expression. Your eyes searched his face to judge his sincerity, wanting more than anything to continue trusting him after learning his identity, even when forced to confront the reality of the nature of your relationship. 

It was wrong.

The king before you stood tall, his dignified comportment unwavering after the passage of centuries of grim tales told about him. He did not lie to you, nor did he offer excuses for himself. His noble features, proud and uncompromising, were solemn as you contemplated him. 

Alucard never lifted a finger against you.

The warlord’s wicked piety preceded him, his prestige vicious and calculated. Any means to achieve his ends, which left ruination in his wake. Everywhere he went, he sowed destruction and instilled fear, even amongst his own people. 

He was not mentally well.

If Alucard did not care for you, you would be worse off than dead. 

Yes, by showing how he was a murderous vampire, an undead hellspawn who didn't die when he was supposed to.

He was violent and dangerous. What in the world were you doing with him?

You had your wellbeing and that of your family to worry about. What if entwining your fate with his ended in trouble that somehow found its way to them? Even as Alucard, he could be sadistic, harassing and nearly driving you to madness long ago. He continued to enjoy aggravating you and at times made you angry beyond belief.

You should not be with him. Tears came to your eyes.

But time and time again, Alucard came to protect you and went out of his way to take steps ensuring your safety and comfort. He looked after you when you were incapable and let you in on secrets about himself.

You fought with yourself. Alucard and this stranger before you were in fact one and the same. For all his nefarious ways, he did have honour, in his own twisted way. 

You were past the point of right or wrong.

The heart was never rational. You wanted to remain with him. So with an uncertain quivering heart, you chose him too. You got on your knees and went up to this infamous veteran to huddle against his chest, needing to see if the sense of security you felt whenever Alucard was near was present with this form of his too. You couldn’t even look at him.

Vermilion flames smouldered gently without your notice.

A hand went delicately across your back to hold you close for several moments before tracing along your shoulder blades. An arm went around you and settled at your waist. Then multiple shadow tendrils wrapped you loosely around the ankles, thighs, and biceps. You shuddered at the electric contact with his darkness. Prickly stubble dug into your chin as this king claimed your lips for his own. He was as gentle as Alucard. It was comforting and eased your unsettled thoughts.

You finally pulled apart.

“You are timid with me,” he announced, breastplate vibrating with the bass of his voice. 

“Everything we do is new,” you said as you put your arms around an icy plated torso and watched the end of his cape twirl. His lips chased yours as you looked away again. Relaxing into his embrace, you whispered, ”I can’t believe you are real,” as if speaking louder would make him disappear like a mirage.

“The legends have a basis.”

He ran the backside of an armoured finger across your cheek. His expression was soft as you met his gaze again, nothing as severe as his rugged appearance suggested. The shadows enveloping your limbs flared.

“What say you? Would you like to be one of my kind?"

Huh? He meant…he meant turning you into a vampire? And offering you eternity?

Again you tensed. He was serious. The weight of his question hung in the air between you until you gulped and averted your eyes, nervousness tainting the air thickly.

"I suppose it is too soon to ask you this." The hand came to rest on your head where he ruffled your hair. You glanced up at him in surprise.

Dracula smiled at you. "My Darling."

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

The gleaming silver orb above loomed large, illuminating the navy skies with an ethereal haze. The moon was full, just like that first night, so clear you could see every crater on her surface. Your anxiety around Dracula gradually dissipated. He had a much quieter disposition than the normal him, but honestly, a break from his usual provocative ways was appreciated. He was still the same person, you reminded yourself. You began to close the distance between you incrementally and walk closer until you brushed his side with every stride.

It was not yet Halloween. Actually, it was nowhere near that month of haunting. Anyone who happened upon the pair of you would find his full body armour odd. It was mildly ironic for you to comment about Alucard’s unconventional clothing, only for his ‘true’ appearance to be just as outlandish for these modern times. What did you expect? It seemed the king captured people’s attention no matter what he did in whichever era.

The relaxing stroll was picturesque. For once, the streetlights functioned as they should and lit up the quaint storefronts without Alucard’s interference. The boulevards were clean and the summer air fresh, but clamorous with singing crickets. The engines of the occasional car rumbled in the distance and punctured the tranquility. The first vampire let you lead the walk, wordlessly following you through every turn as he sensed your worries ebb with each passing minute, enjoying the way you eventually bumped against him with each step. 

A warm breeze brought the perfume of the faint sweat trailing behind you into his sinuses. His vampiric senses were hyper-aware of your presence, such as how your little heart pumped hot blood through your veins with each thud while you continued to wander.

How he missed roaming the nights together.

Vampires were natural hunters. It couldn’t be helped. Orange gold deepened into a lustrous crimson as his pupils narrowed into predatory slits.

Alucard was no longer beside you. There was only empty space and silence when even the insects fell quiet. Spinning around to seek him, you heard heavy purring in your head as fallen leaves rustled about in a swirling circle around you. 

"What are you waiting for Dear? RUN." A pointy nose poked your ear.

Jumping at the familiar voice, you felt the solid presence of him sighing into your ear from behind as he purred and nudged you.

Oh? He wanted to play? You unfroze with a smile, not needing to be instructed again. You took off, but it was different this time. You were able to see your path well enough to not trip over yourself, rapidly finding a way from the streets where the stray vehicle still roved and into pedestrian side roads.

Unlike past chases, there was no panic or fear. Despite your earlier misgivings, you could barely even remember why you were terrified of Alucard stalking you after all this time together. As you zipped through the desolate night streets, your heart pounded with exhilaration the longer you ran. It felt good to set aside your worries for now and just enjoy your time together. 

Alucard, you are here?

The shadows followed you with ease in the corners of your eyes. The rich, sanguine glow to their edges was a dead giveaway. You laughed as you took a turn leading you someplace you've never been before in the dead of night. With the knowledge that Alucard was with you, the night became a game full of mystery and adventure. 

He caught you by the waist, hauling you back to his chest while the arm that held you slowly slipped up your torso until he seized your breasts. The wandering hands were metallic and frigid against your skin. 

“If this was a real hunt, it would have concluded. It'd be sensible to surrender yourself to me now.” 

You squirmed in his hold with a breathless titter, earning a hiss in your ear and a lick to your cheek before he let you go. You giggled and used the opportunity to slither away and scamper off.

You ran and ran from his harrying; repeatedly he would catch and wrestle with you before you were released. The most brazen event was when he suddenly appeared and let you run face first into him, then stroked languidly down your rear until you found your bearings and escaped. How he taunted you.

Eventually you came to a stop when your breath escaped in soft pants, shirt clinging with your exertion. You looked around for somewhere else to go and perhaps hide so your vampire had to search before bolting again when you didn’t find a spot to your satisfaction. You didn't know where you were going at all, just making turn after turn wherever you could –through unlit alleys and parks and crossing under bridges, until you arrived at a ravine to recover. 

The vampire was nowhere to be seen. You snickered upon hearing something drop and a crackle in the dark. "Y–you don't scare me anymore. Just come out," you gasped out. 

Words that were spoken too soon. Trouble slid out of the shadows as several ruffians leered at you. Forcibly exhaling, you inched back at their appearances, ready to dash away in the direction you came from. Needles, used condoms, and other garbage littered the ground and the air was dank with the stench of old urine and vomit. So you stumbled into the derelict quarters of society’s undesirables, but you did not want their acquaintance.

"Leaving so soon, pretty bird?" One of the skinnier blokes sneered. He was covered in ugly tattoos.

“Why don’t you stay awhile and keep us company?” Another said. He was just as ratty as the first, but smiled as he approached. Their sinister intentions were clear as day, despite the false nicety.

“Yeah, we don’t often have the pleasure of such lovely companionship.” The third stood back where it was too dark to distinguish his features.

I do not appreciate others interrupting my hunt. Leave. 

The muted voice simultaneously thundered and the brutes shouted at the vacant surroundings.

“Who’s there?” 

“Piss off, wanker!” Tough words from the men, but you were already apprehensive not for yourself, but them.

The shadows at your feet bubbled up. 

“What the fuck?!” One of the hooligans hollered in shock at the mass of darkness that grew from the ground in front of you. He glanced back at his friends before squaring his shoulders.

The man crashed into an ancient conifer and was held there several feet off the ground, gasping for breath as he was slowly flattened –his face gave in first, the nose and lips crumbling inwards. It was as if he was submitted to the work of a hydraulic press. He heaved with effort to break free as his eyes bulged and his chest squeezed tight, unable to even scream under the crushing compression.

As you watched in shock, the death happened too quickly to process, yet like time slowed for you as well. His head popped like a gusher with blood jetting from both ears. You saw every detail as the ruffian's body was squashed by an invisible force until even his bones gave out and he became a splatter of viscera decorating the bark. Only a hand remained intact, but even that snapped at the wrist without a surface behind it to counteract the pressure.

You screamed at the crunching horror when it finally ended with a wet splat. 

Alucard rescued you yet again. He appeared nonchalant about his victim's barbaric demise, his stance at complete ease.

“!!!” Your would-be assailants were initially speechless as they jittered back at the supernatural display of violence.

One of the remaining men sniffled, swiping his nose as he howled,  “Arsehole!”

There was white powder dusting the ground and around their nostrils. They were high, which explained the ongoing aggression and bravado as knives came out. Your gaze flickered up to Alucard’s face.

You knew that maniacal grin, the one that reminded you of when you first saw him at work. No. All your fears about him resurfaced. You forgot how to breathe as you darted in front of him to cling to his arm. 

"You can't kill them!" You yelled.

Being with him was wrong.

He paused, the king's gaze sliding to yours with a bored expression. "Why?" He drawled callously.

He was violent and dangerous.

“Because you can't just go around killing people!"

"Why?"

Omfg did Alucard think he was the Terminator? As ridiculous as the exchange was, this was no movie. Alucard’s eyes narrowed as a savage aura flared and pulsed with danger when the remaining two men floundered backwards in jerky movements. Perhaps their sense of self-preservation was still existent.

Dracula’s baleful glare did not conceal his wrath. These worthless lowlives dared not only threaten you, but if it weren't for his presence, they would have violated you in the most disgusting of ways in this dirty scum hole. He knew it, because he could sense their base desires and the opportunistic evil that lay dormant within them. He too was a creature of the abyss who knew darkness when he encountered it. 

Unspeakable rage tainted his thoughts with promised violence. Their perverted longings were the ultimate transgression against you. It was unforgivable. You may be soft and kind, but he was not known for mercy. Rapists should be staked and displayed for others as a warning. 

There were millions of other ways he could end them and The Impaler started listing them. He could telepathically wipe their memories and order them gone, which was always the simplest solution when it came to nosy humans, but he wanted these ones dead.

He lifted his hand before you desperately caught it between both of yours and pushed it down, hoping to hold him back. Your stomach churned from his glower as you imagined what he was going to do to them. How many times was he going to shoot them? Or was he going to rip them apart with his bare hands instead? Would there even be anything left of them when he was satisfied with the mutilation?

“They didn’t do anything to me, I’m okay! Let’s just go home!” You pleaded.

“You do not get to decide who must die, draga mea."

"ALUCARD!"

"Alucard is not here right now." 

Wha-

The crimson gaze flicked back up at the interlopers and blazed with fury as the pair of imbeciles decided it was prudent to use your interference with his punishment as a means to flee. Their human movements were sluggish to his vision and reflexes anyways. He knew their intentions the moment they thought it, caught the twitching of muscles as they began to turn and run in slow motion. Cowards who could not even face their well-deserved execution.

So they should lose their legs first. 

They froze after mistakenly meeting Death’s gaze and receiving the order to remain motionless. The shadows licked at his feet and twisted, rising to whip about in the air. 

Shit. But –this was your vampire. At the same time, this was evidently someone else, a warrior. A king. How were you supposed to address him? Your Majesty? Dracula? That was his title and name. But what was his name? You were frantic. Think! What was it again?! 

"...Vlad…Please don't do this, I beg you…" Hauling all your weight, you threw yourself at him, the tears now falling freely as his tendrils stretched and lashed towards his latest quarries. How did it go from a beautiful moonlit walk together to this bloodbath?!

Through the fog of his ire drifted another scent beyond the putrid fear of his prey. Your fear. He saw the dread in your eyes. Countless others have made the same face while grovelling at his feet for mercy. You however, were not begging for yourself, but the remaining rotten swine behind you. He growled with displeasure at what you asked of him, the mind running feral with imagery of what he wanted to do, waiting impatiently for the miscreants to give him another reason to end them.

The Nosferatu glanced back at you. Your face was the same as that time, when he vanquished the undead that hunted you. He really was a monster. You were afraid of him. 

Upon realizing you had your vampire’s attention, you tried to reach him further. “Just…just take the blood of the one who's already dead. And then…" your voice cracked and dropped to a whisper. "Let's go home. Please."

He focused on everything that was you, on the salt of your tears and sweat overlying body lotion. Your desperation. In the background were the pungent stench of gore and the unwashed bodies of men. The king growled as he stared at you again. It was your second thoughts about what you were getting yourself into by being with him that did it. He snuffed out his need to kill as he came back to himself.

You were petrified about what was next, but Dracula won’t let you regret your decision to stay. He did not wish to prove your trust in him was misplaced or that your reservations about him were well-founded. 

“Since this is one of the only requests my darling little human has ever made of me, I shall grant clemency this time,” he snarled through razor teeth. The paralyzed men cowered at the demon in front of them, at last recognizing how close to Death’s door they came. 

"Vermin such as yourselves aren't worth the effort anyways." The unholy king’s eyes glowed with a hellish light. "Leave," he commanded. 

Under hypnotism, a ring of scarlet surrounded their irises and the thugs slunk away with a dazed expression. They were at last permitted to go through with their flight and disappear back into the bowels of London as his gaze bore holes through the backs of their skulls.

The danger passed. You were hiding behind the vampire, who felt your anxiety when his attention turned back to you. He could not fault your distaste for brutality and death. Despite his blinding fury moments ago, he was unable to maintain his anger with you. His expression lightened.

Silence. 

You licked your lips, trembling with a bone-deep fear you hadn't felt in a long time. “Are you not going to drink his blood?" Staring everywhere except at your saviour, you eyed the corpse of squished organs, bones, and flesh painting the vegetation.

"Do you seek your meals from the gutter?" He snorted, eying the pile with disdain. "Besides… you are more than enough." The vampire grinned, a single fang glinting in the gloom like he just told you the best inside joke.

Your eyes widened at the unexpected change in atmosphere from the offhand comment. Alucard and his mood swings. 

Taking a deep breath to soothe yourself, the tension was slow to leave you. You looked at him again. "Thank you for stopping," you told him with honest relief.

"Little one, you are safe when you walk the night with me. Nothing will harm you," he said as he faced you fully and brushed your cheeks gently.

You held his hand to your face, opening it up and leaning your cheek into the icy steel. He took a step to his right to block the view when you tried to examine the remains of the body turned into slush. A layer of clouds blocked the meager light of the moon so you couldn’t see it anyways. All you saw was the sunset in your vampire’s eyes.

You gulped. The eldritch power surrounding the vampire wrapped around you, and instinctively you knew it was cold, but you felt warm and safe on the inside. It felt like you were home. 

"I believe you." You took the single step to close the distance between you and pressed up flush against the vampire.

Affection kindled in those stunning eyes. There it was, behind the face of another man, this ruthless king, was the Alucard you knew and fell for. Your expression broke as you buried your face in his chest, needing reassurance as the mess that came to pass tonight caught up with you.

He was caressing your head again, tousling it to the beat of your heart when you peeked up at him with dewy-eyed innocence. Resplendent little human, he will shelter you from the horrors of the world.

"Luna vieții mele."

"Pardon?"

"Tu ești luna vieții mele."

You blinked in confusion, straining to try catching the gist of his words, but it was hopeless. Fortunately many Latin languages share some similarities. You were reasonably sure he mentioned the moon.

"Și fără tine, nu există lumină."

How infuriating. If there was something Vlad wanted to say to you, he could just do so directly instead of using a foreign language you didn’t understand for dramatic effect.

"What does that mean?"

He gave you a cryptic smile and offered his arm. “It is time to return." 

Yeah right, like hell it did. He said a lot more words than if he was just talking about going home. You stared at the outstretched arm of a gallant Medieval man, brows crinkling when he did not elaborate. It seemed you would have to figure out the meaning yourself.

You curled in to stay close to him, placing your hand on his arm and weaving your fingers around the crook of Dracula’s elbow so he could lead you home through the dark of night.

~To be Continued~

Ch. 13- TBD? "Stargazers in Romania"

Notes: Alucard really doesn’t like rapists.

Even knowing Alucard shapeshifts, it’ll take getting used to his other forms. It’d be weird if someone just accepts another body/face/voice/personality as their SO upon the first time meeting them, right? At least I think so. The Count is ‘her’ Alucard, for now at least.

This chapter isn't meant to be a character analysis of the historical person's actions, but more the reservations a rational person should have when deciding whether to stay as freaking Vlad III Dracula's SO.

It is admittedly a bit cliche that Alucard is always just in time to save the Reader from her demise, but in my other Hellsing work, she names him her “guide and guardian (angel).” The title is well-deserved.

*The next chapter will be delayed because I will be going on my honeymoon for several weeks. I’ll likely be able to fit in some writing time as we travel between countries. I’ll probably also be using that time to continue planning Part 2 of this story (we aren’t there yet). Yes that’s right, Millennium will feature in this fic, although I will only loosely follow the canon Ultimate events and be taking some liberties with how vampire things work.*

Buckle up, we’re only about half-way. I estimate there to be around 23-26 or so chapters in total to complete this fic, although later chapters will likely be shorter.

[purereflectionsworld]

Here’s a snippet from an Aleida fic I’m working on, which I hope to post on AO3 once I’ve completed a few chapters. The goal is to fill in the gaps in her relationship with Margo, and Margo’s importance to her family, in that space between Seasons 2 to 3. This excerpt’s likely to be in Chapter 3, and is set in 1984. In which Aleida finds herself on a special first date, reminisces about Apollo-Soyuz, and realizes that Margo and Sergei’s relationship *might* not be as strictly professional as she’s assumed.

___

“So you’re one of the good Mexicans,” she says after he tells her about moving to Texas with his parents and brother when he was five - a perfectly uneventful journey in broad daylight - and her words come out about five shades more sarcastic than she’d intended.

He doesn’t smile. In fact, he’s looking at her very seriously. “The only bad Mexicans in my book are the ones who celebrate Cinco de Mayo, unless they’re actually from Puebla.”

She raises her eyebrows at him. She knows what a lot of the white collar Mexicans in Texas think of her kind. There’s a reason she’s never dated one of them before.

He sighs. “I will acknowledge that I’ve met a lot of Mexicans in my family’s circle here who don’t think like I do. Lot of them speak progressively, then treat my undocumented friends like shit. I’ve had to cut those people out of my life.” He meets her gaze, and her stomach flips over a little bit. “My ex-girlfriend, for one.” 

She doesn’t say anything for a little while. Then, quietly, she tells him about Mama’s grave in Parras de la Fuente, and the night that Americans landed on the moon. About Papa, and homework sessions in the viewing gallery, and tutoring sessions with the first woman in Mission Control, and the worst phone call of her life.

She doesn’t tell him that she used to be homeless, and was once shot at, and struggled to hold down a job, and dumped her ex unceremoniously the day he helped her get this one. That she’s still living in a trailer park and likely won’t be able to move out until she gets the double promotion Margo has been heavily hinting at. But as he reaches across the table to squeeze her hand, briefly, before clearing his throat awkwardly and turning his attention back to opening his beer, she thinks that maybe she could tell him, someday. 

He opens the bottle, takes a swig, and looks back at her. “Wow.”

“Yeah,” she says, giving him a little smile, so he knows it’s okay for him to talk again.

“So did you make it to the Kennedy School?”

“Yes, I did both tracks.”

“You know,” he says, smiling back at her, “I was waitlisted for one of the math tracks myself. Must have been ten years ago, too. If I’d spent a little more time studying, and a little less time DJing in my parents’ basement, we might have met. Which one did you do?”

It turns out that he currently teaches a lot of the advanced math she learned at the Kennedy School, so the conversation flows effortlessly back and forth between them for several minutes. He’s genuinely fascinated by all the ways she applies the concepts to design space shuttles, and satisfyingly incredulous that she works with idiots 10 years her senior who can’t keep up with her work.

“And your father?” he finally asks, gently, after the math banter reaches a comfortable lull. 

“Still in Parras. I’m working on it,” she adds defiantly, because his gaze is shifting to something like tenderness, and she doesn’t want his sympathy. “Now that I’m a U.S. citizen, I’m hoping to sponsor him officially. My boss is trying to help, and she’s well-connected, so we’ll see.”

“You’re a citizen already?” he says, eyes widening. “Aleida, that’s amazing! I’ve heard it’s an uphill climb out of the amnesty program. Sounds like you’re working on some high profile stuff so I figured you might be an LPR by now, but…”

“I got fast tracked as a one-off,” she says, and suddenly as she looks back at him and sees the spark of wonder in his eyes, she feels a twinge of happiness about it that she didn’t feel in Margo’s office when Ellen broke the news, or even on the phone with Papa afterward. “The NASA administrator’s in Reagan’s cabinet, and she got him to approve it personally. For ‘important contributions to national security.’”

“What mission?” he says almost in a whisper, enthralled. “You able to tell me?”

She smiles, takes a breath. It’s not a secret, but somehow she’s never talked about it outside of NASA and her calls to Papa. “Apollo-Soyuz.”

“Holy shit,” he breathes, and she feels a warm rush at his recognition. She’s sure he remembers exactly where he was when the sirens went off. “What did you do?”

“I came up with an important part of the docking mechanism. Stayed on the Mission Control floor with the team when most of the country went to the bomb shelters. And -“ She closes her eyes involuntarily, recalls that soaring feeling. “They let me give the order to the astronauts on the CAPCOM. I’ll never forget it. Apollo, Houston. You are go for docking.”

She opens her eyes, and swallows hard, because he’s exhaling, sitting all the way back in his chair, just staring at her with an intense mix of shock and admiration and pride. Pride that she realizes she only ever hears these days in Papa’s voice on the staticky phone line, and sees in Margo’s eyes, sometimes, framed by dark red strands of hair, in that brief flash after Aleida solves a particularly complex problem. 

*

“Okay,” he says twenty minutes later, taking another swig of beer, “so what I’m hearing is, you crashed your boss’ date with her Soviet counterpart the day you came up with the docking mechanism fix.”

“What? No, it wasn’t a date,” she laughs. “No way. You haven’t met Margo. If you had, you wouldn’t be saying that.”

“You said they were both dressed up kind of fancy, and that he was drunk when he complimented your work ethic. Oh, and that your friend Bill said the first Apollo-Soyuz meeting went so badly that your boss made an awkward sex joke by mistake and that the Soviet guy responded with a purposeful one. Did I hear all that right?”

She pauses, cocks her head. “Okay, I can see how you got that impression.”

“I rest my case,” Victor says, setting his empty bottle down with a grin.

[thinkingredwizard]

Happy Day of The Moon (landing) to all those who celebrate. I hope you remembered to put out your moon boots so that Neil, Buzz, and Michael will have where to put the moon rocks they brought back for you

[black-queen-rising]

I love my sister more than anything in this life, I would choose her happiness over mine every time

14 Years Ago...

There was a fine line between anger and rage for Rhaenyra Targaryen, she was infamous in her ability to slip from one into the other in the span of a single heartbeat, but that day she had already crossed it halfway through the flight over the Blackwater Bay that separated Dragonstone from King’s Landing. The Crown Princess had been invited to a betrothal ball, a formality laced with the sentiment that she need not come, and was now returning to her childhood home for the first time in several moons—forced to leave all three of her young sons and her husband of only half a year, Prince Daemon, behind on their home—with the singular purpose of ensuring the union this ball was being held to celebrate did not occur for another three years at minimum.

Rhaenyra entered the castle in a whirlwind of jewels and finery, as her every attendance of court during her family’s remandment to Dragonstone was to be nothing less than unforgettable in those years; lest anyone try to fool themselves as to who steadfastly remained the King’s heir. Her presence greeted with the half adoration and half ire it always elicited from her father’s court for as long as she could recall. The weight of the matter even tied Rhaenyra through biding both her tongue and time during court proceedings, a small council meeting, and a performatively polite family dinner. Once it was late, however, when night had fully come, and her father finally summoned her to discuss her arrival privately, she wasted no time in initiating her plan of attack while his guard was low. After their expected pleasantries and updates were exchanged, the twenty-three-year old, newly widowed, even more newly wed, Crown Princess decided bluntly.

"You know, I cannot decide if I am more disappointed in you for such an insult to my mother's memory or ashamed of myself for believing in the fantasy you still considered it at all." "You dare to accuse me of such--" "Five dead babes. Wedded and bedded at three and ten, to give you five dead babes, and me, that is Queen Aemma's memory; made to produce your heirs so young, and for so long, that it killed her. I truly believed you mourned that, regretted it, even, only to come to learn by raven that you wish the same fate on my sweet sister, on your own daughter."

Viserys was quiet for so long that Rhaenyra began to fear this time she had finally, truly overstepped. She knew, however, that if this was the line, Helaena was entirely worth it, her youth, her fertility, her life was worth even more. "I have found...few reasons to deny the Queen anything as of late," Her father sighed, it was equal parts a confession and an accusation; this is my position, this is the position you have put me in.

She scoffed, why am I not surprised? and nearly responded with the thought on instinct, but instead rebuked, "You may punish me, reduce my position in your court, jeopardize my sons' futures, all to appease your wife, to provide recompense for a four year old's accident. Perhaps I even deserve it, and even if not, a quieter kind of peace within your court is worth whatever damage it does to the future you still claim to wish will come where I am Queen. But you will not punish your daughter, my sister, a maid, a child, by acquiescing to such an inane request as to wed a Princess of the Realm, while our family is far from wanting in spares, at the age of three and ten."

The King put his head in his hands for another long moment before looking back at Rhaenyra in genuine surprise, "You fear for her life?"

All she could do was sneer at him, "You look at me as if I ordered your son's eye cut out myself."

"Your concern is admirable, and understandable, especially after all that has happened over the last year," His tone has all at once turned gentle, but with a condescending edge better suited to calm a wailing toddler, "But all the same, the idea that what happened to your mother was anything more than a tragedy of circumstance, that her age had the least bit to do with it...you're allowing your fears to be dictated by nothing more than pure speculation by those whose very job it is to speculate on what we do not, and cannot, know."

Her father's attempts at comfort had only angered her further, however, causing her to spit back, "So you wish to bet Helaena's life against my mother's mother, and your mother, and my mother, and all of them succumbing to the birthing bed before they even had a chance to watch their babes grow up?"

"But look at yourself, Rhaenyra, and your boys, you have--"

"I have been lucky!" She finally shouts, her rage pushing her back to her feet to glower over Viserys, "I have nothing to thank except luck and time! And you cannot give Helaena my luck anymore than myself or your Queen, but you can give her time. Allow her to wait until she comes of age, as you did me, as is the least any girl whose family is secure deserves. Allow Aegon the same, allow him at minimum what our "Good Queen" allowed your brother before selling him off out of spite. And perhaps luck will hold, and my sister will find a better fate than my mother, and your son won't be put through all the same pain as your brother."

"Your husband," The King shot back.

Rhaenyra simply smiled, "Yes."

The silence that followed was the longest yet, but this time she did not allow herself to indulge in fear nor anxiety, standing with her hands leaned on her father's desk, daring him to provide a reason why her sister's life was not worth three short years. "I ought to make you my Hand for this."

"Is that so?" She laughed wryly, "I heard you've still refused to name one, tell me, does your indecision extend to everyone except your children, or only to matters that you anticipate will anger others when you finally have to make a choice."

Viserys laughed too then, though his seemed genuinely amused, "And that, my dear, is precisely why. Few else in The Realm could criticize me as you have since you could speak, and unlike the rest, you come to me with solutions. The Lords would never accept you in the role so young, with this marriage so fresh in everyone's minds, so," His voice turned to the business-like formality it always had when he was finally forced to make a decision, "In three years Aegon and Helaena will wed, and once they have, you may become my Hand, Grandmaester Munkun can shoulder the role until then. A deal to benefit our whole family, a remedy to the sacrifices you and Queen Alicent have had to bear."

The King left the room only a few minutes later, satisfied, and set in his decision after Rhaenyra's gracious conclusion and masterful ego stroking. As she stood to leave as well, she knelt sharply by a grate in the wall, behind which was a secret passage the Crown Princess and her Consort both knew of, but the King did not. A pair of large, purple eyes framed by messy silver hair blinked back at her in astonishment, and she simply smiled once more, "Never let there be any doubt that even when it seems I do not like you all, I will always love you, we're blood, remember that this is what that means. Now get back to bed, protecting you from our father is work enough, I don't need you setting off your mother's temper anymore than I already have."

There was a sound that could easily be mistaken for rats scurrying in the walls as the passage behind the grate was vacated. Then Rhaenyra walked off to bed herself, pleased with her accomplishments and ecstatic in her power.

[kittenpinkamations]

Happy July 20th aka Moon Landing day aka Turnabout Reclaimed to those who celebrate

(okay TECHNICALLY the actual trial started on July 21st but he did start the investigation on july 20th)

[plantpirating]

Happy Moon Landing Day to those who celebrate!

[echoesofwisdomcountup]

26 Days until Tears of the Kingdom Release. I believe today is Orthodox Easter so happy Easter to those who celebrate. Also I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and that we can continue the hype for TOTK for the next 26 days.

Spoilers under the cut because I'm still not done with the trailer.

Pokemon Sword and Shield? Nah. Zelda Sword and Shield. I already love fuse so much. Sticking a royal claymore and royal shield together and then using that to parry an attack is insane.

At first I thought this thing was a Goron but upon a closer look it's got a symbol on it. I'm guessing this ball that moves so fast and leaves flames in it's wake is some sort of game/challenge that the Goron's cooked up. Probably minigame related, like the Challenge at Gut Check Rock or that one challenge where Link has to stand the heat.

The trampoline thing is so sick and seeing the other flying boats makes me think of how fun it would be to travel by bouncing from one to the other. Also Tulin is more grown up in this shot, proving that a few years have passed between BOTW and TOTK (at least Link and Zelda got some time to themselves before everything went to hell.) It's also my belief that just cause Link is flying with Teba and not Tulin does not mean something bad happened to Teba. I think Teba took over as Chief of the Rito so he's a bit too busy to pull stunts with Link.

Glowy hand. Also this sequence was so satisfying, even more so than a parry or a bomb. Octoroks always hit you at the most inconvenient of times so it's nice to uno reverse their attacks back at them. Also I wonder if reversing time on one object slows/stops time for everything around it as well but leaves Link free to move. I think that's how it works and if so then I'm looking forward to seeing how it can be used in combat against groups.

This looks like a neat side quest but also at the same time it reminds me of the escort mission in Twilight Princess. Hopefully this one is far nicer to me then than the TP quest.

Looks like Link really fused a rocket to his shield. Also he's on Eventide island with all his stuff so we probably won't see a repeat of that shrine quest, at least not on this island. I keep thinking about how funny it would have been for Majora's Mask Link to travel to the moon via rocket in order to fight Majora. Link technically already has experience with space travel of a sort so guess it's not surprising they finally gave him a rocket.

Speaking of space travel, MOON JUMPS. Yup, these steps absolutely have to deal with funky gravity and I'm sticking to that point (too many reactors keep saying time.) These steps also look like they lead to a giant platform, a perfect place for a boss fight, and with the weird goo in the background I'm guessing the boss fight is with the black and purple ink like alligator we see later in the trailer. If we are getting dungeons again, I wonder if this is part of one of the sky dungeons.

Nintendo saw that we loved mine carts in BOTW and decided to use them more. Thank you Nintendo. While I think this race with a construct is hilarious, I'm even more excited by the glimpse at an underground area and once with some sick lava falls. Also this reminds me of a roller coaster at an amusement park where there are duel tracks. Maybe they should make one of these in Super Nintendo land.

The amount of reactors I've seen start laughing once the trailer gets here is numerous. This mech battle, some may say the slowest and shittiest mech battle in history, truly showcases Aonuma's comment about how much room TOTK leaves for the player's imagination. I can't wait to craft my own shitty jousting robot and then see people on youtube make them cooler than I could ever dream. Also the new outfit that Link is wearing reminds me of a Roman Centurion.

This shot has an even cooler looking outfit. The horns and earrings are absolutely a reference to the unknown character already shown in the trailer. In general, I really like the look of this one and can't wait to acquire it. Then there is the ruby arrow. I hope that it doesn't do the same thing as fire chu chu jelly because I want Nintendo to give us a reason to use an expensive ruby for something other than outfit upgrades and rupees. Huh I wonder if some outfits are going to boost the effects of fusing materials to weapons/arrows. That would be interesting to see. Maybe an outfit boosts the magical effects of gems/minerals and in that case you would want to use rubies instead of chu chu jelly.

Speaking of fire chu chu jelly, I'm pretty sure that bokoblin is carrying some in a pack on his back. I assuming that some of the enemies will be throwing elemental jelly at us. Also what is that contraption Link and how did you get it up there? I wonder if he just levitated it into the camp using ultra hand and if he did then that bodes well for long range combat. Also pretty funny to drop a giant laser machine from the sky into the middle of a boko camp.

Giant ice leviathan and 100% a boss fight. I've heard some interesting arguments about this thing being related to the Great Hebra skeleton but part of me hopes not. It'd be tragic if Ganon corrupted a creature like Levias the flying whale from Skyward Sword. Levias was nice. Still, I can't wait to fight this thing. Also Link is wearing a new outfit with some very bright blue stuff (that Tulin also seems to have on him) that I'm assuming works like extreme antifreeze. However, I think the headpiece reminds me of the Statue of Liberty so I will not be able to take this outfit seriously.

Ok, thank you for reading today's piece of trailer analysis. Probably only two-ish more days to go before I finish the trailer in its entirety.

[grumpy-liebgott]

Miscellaneous Tag Game (pt. ii)

Made by the lovely @onehelluvamarine and thank you for the tag @panzershrike-pretz <333

A band you don’t like that many others do:

BTS. Idk why but I'm just not the biggest fan of them

A childhood memory that you remember vividly:

When I was younger, my sisters and I would put aside time every night to play blind man's bluff with my dad in my parents' room. Every night, we would choose a different person to be the blind man, and the rest of us would have either 3, 5, or 10 lives (depends on how tired my dad was that day). It didn't matter what our mood was before, after we played blind man's bluff, we were all happy and giggling. I loved those moments and I still smile at the memories.

Least favorite animal and why:

Flies and mosquitoes. THEY'RE SO ANNOYING. THE WAY THEY BUZZ BESIDE YOUR EARS AND LAND ON YOUR FOOD AND BITE YOU. Ugh I hate them so much.

Hot fandom take:

I don't knowwwww

Do you wear any jewelry, if so, what’s your favorite piece:

I rarely ever wear jewellery except for a necklace my mum had made when I was a baby. It's in the shape of a heart and has my name engraved on it. My mum and my sisters all have one of their own.

Besides that, I used to have two pairs of clip on earrings that I absolutely adored. My grandpa banned my sisters and I from ever having piercings, but I've always wanted earrings, so my mum got me those clip on ones. Sadly, I lost both of them a few months ago.

A movie others liked but you didn’t:

I don't know, maybe the new animated Super Mario Brothers movie? I fell asleep half way through it. Though, that could probably be because I was just too tired.

Three things you love about yourself:

- my hair. It has a few different shades of brown with some copper and gold strands mixed in. I have my mum's genetics to thank for that

- my ability to memorise things (very handy in exams)

- my eyes

A place you hope to visit in the future and why:

Italy. It's always been on my bucket list to visit Italy. It just looks like such a beautiful country

An actor that gets on your nerves and why:

There isn't any, really. I don't know much about celebrities lives because I don't actually care, and I think they should have their own privacy.

Things you’re excited for in the nearby future?

Celebrating Chinese new year with my family!

Least favorite ship in a fandom you’re in:

Thor/Loki from the Marvel fandom. Like, come on, they're siblings. Adopted siblings, but still!

What’s the most toxic fandom you’ve been in?

All the fandoms I've been in haven't been very toxic. But then again, the HBOWar fandom is the only one I've really interacted much with.

List three things you find beautiful about life:

- being able to watch the sky. The clouds, the stars, the moon. They're all so nice to look at.

- spending time with the people I love. Whether it's my family or my friends, I appreciate all the little things we do together

- playing with my pet dogs. I love seeing them so happy and excited when I play fetch with them

Any dreams for the future?

I hope to one day become a sucessful veterinarian who ensures long happy lives of pets, with enough income to support my family.

How are you really feeling today?

Honestly, not too good. I was tired the whole day and I'm down with a cold. Oh well, at least tomorrow is a holiday for me so I can rest up.

Tagging (no pressure) : @ronald-speirs @malarkgirlypop @a-n-t-h-e-a @l13bg0tt @1waveshortofashipwreck @blueberry-ovaries

[ducktoonsfanart]

Ducktales Crew in spacesuits in space on the Moon - Ducktales kids, teenagers and adults on the Moon - Happy Moon Landing and Happy Independence Day of the USA - Gift for my friend - Ducktales in Space (Ducktales AU) - Tribute to Ducktales 2017 - Second part

Although I already drew Ducktales characters in spacesuits on the moon last year, still because of Landing Moon Day which is held on July 20th every year and this year is the 55th anniversary of human walking on the moon, I drew somehow a similar drawing, in my own way, in my own style where the Ducktales characters are on the moon in spacesuits.

Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins who led the Apollo 11 crew in the Saturn V rocket from July 16 to July 24, 1969, with July 20 and 21 being Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon and were the first people to walk on the moon and brought great pride to the USA and to all mankind. July 20 and 21, 1969 were the significant dates when people were on the moon for the first time. And those are the days of Moon Landing. After the crew of Apollo 11, the crew members of Apollo 12-17 will go and walk on the moon, until 1972, except for Apollo 13. Unfortunately, after more than 50 years, people reportedly did not go to the moon due to numerous problems with the construction of further rockets, but lately there is a race to the moon again, so maybe in the near future people will go to the moon again, unless they are faking it. Space travel is back in fashion. And 55 years have passed since the first walk on the moon.

You can see a similar previous drawing here: https://ducktoonsfanart.tumblr.com/post/732385519766487040/ducktales-crew-in-spacesuits-on-the-moon-in-space

I didn’t manage to draw Ducktales characters from head to toe in spacesuits, but certainly the special way I imagine Ducktales 2017 is that they wear spacesuits like Sandy Cheeks from Sponge Bob, I just reshaped it in my own way and these suits can be used and for traveling under water, in volcanic regions and protection against pandemics. Yes, they wear bubble helmets, which are actually glass-proof. This time is the second part of Ducktales 2017 characters with family members and their friends, since not everyone could fit in the previous drawing. Anyway, check out the previous drawing from Ducktales 2017 crew in spacesuits on the Moon part one: https://ducktoonsfanart.tumblr.com/post/756620890157056000/ducktales-crew-in-spacesuits-in-space-on-the-moon

Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera and Gandra Dee drive the moon rover (I love how Fenton and Gandra are together so I drew them sticking together), Scrooge McDuck in his vintage spacesuit holds moon ore filled with diamonds and gold found on the moon, and Violet holds a banner along with Daisy's nieces April, May and June Duck and mostly writes this: "We are the first ducklings on The Moon. One small step for ducklings, one big step for ducks!" If you understand this sentence. ;) What Neil Armstrong said when he walked on the moon on July 20, 1969. And that Louie Duck took photos with his android mobile phone (see previous drawing) of these characters to mark the new event and the big anniversary of 55 years ago. And Gyro keeps an Oxy-Chew just in case he runs out of oxygen in his space suit. As for Daisy's nieces as I imagine them in Ducktales 2017, see here: https://ducktoonsfanart.tumblr.com/post/743089775258615808/april-may-and-june-duck-as-teenagers-quack-pack

And that's how I imagine these characters in my version of Ducktales 2017 (Ducktales AU) and in my version of the Quack Pack reboot if it was a sequel to Ducktales 2017. Yes, Boyd is holding the US flag since it's also Independence Day which is celebrated in the US every 4th of July. , and the Americans were the first on the moon, allegedly. While the others wear symbols of the USA, Gladstone wears the flag of Ireland on his space suit, because after all Ireland represents the country of lucky. ;) This drawing features Violet Sabrewing, April, May and June Duck, Boyd Gearloose (Boyd Beaks), Kabooie Duck (5th Donald's nephew wearing a brown space suit and how I imagine him in DT17), Scrooge McDuck, Gladstone Gander, Fethry Duck, Drake Mallard, Launchpad McQuack, Bentina Beakley and Gyro Gearloose.

I hope you like this drawing and this idea and feel free to like and reblog this, just don’t use these same ideas of mine without mentioning me. Thank you! Also this is dedicated to my friend @ducksinspaceadventure, who organized Moon Landing Day. Happy Independence Day everyone and Happy Moon Landing Day! And the 55th anniversary of walking on the Moon!