#he DOES wear glasses solely to look at me. hee hee hee

[brown-little-robin]

Re: spaceship story, What is one of Merx and Hestia's inside jokes?

ohhhhhh man. oh man you have unlocked A Lore

so, background: Merx wears glasses! he doesn't have hands or legs and he has very limited mobility, and he doesn't want contacts (YIKES, uncomfortable,) so glasses it is. But of course he can't put glasses on himself either, so he relies on his wife, Hestia, to put his glasses on and take them off.

And Merx generally keeps his eyes closed (to rest them and/or to concentrate on navigating) when Hestia isn't in his Helmsman's Cabin, where he's permanently installed into the spaceship hardware. There's not much to look at in his room that doesn't get old, other than Hestia, who he never gets tired of looking at. So he just has her put his glasses on every time she comes into the room and take them off when she leaves.

But, as you can imagine, people observing this sometimes get a little uncomfortable with seeing Hestia just casually sticking glasses on Merx and then taking them off when she leaves. People sometimes assume she's treating him like a dress-up doll and ask what's up with that. Which is when Merx smirks and delivers his favorite line:

"Well, duh, I only need glasses to see my hot wife better."

[hwanchaesong]

Of glasses and performances

a/n: writing this realquick for my pookie @yzzyhee really just a drabble buT IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS. kind of inspired by this post lmao ✌🏼💀 also hee looks so fucking good in specs tffff literally writing this before i sleep so yeah, pls ignore any mistakes

warnings & genre: idolbf!hee, afab!reader, smut smut smut, public sex, p in v raw etc etc lmao minors dni!!! not proofread ‼️(hee fucking u into oblivion backstage after seeing u in the crowd at his group's concert)

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

You saw it. You fucking saw it.

Fighting for the front stage section of their concert is one thing. Obtaining the sexiest outfit to wear is the second thing. But seeing your oh so charming boyfriend up on the platform, performing his heart out and suddenly making eye-contact with him is just... doing things to you.

The blinding lights are not a hindrance for you to truly witness how majestic Lee Heeseung is.

Him in that black outfit, styled hair and that glasses is so fucking flawless. Then you watch him squat near the edge of the stage, his hazel orbs scanning the crowd and he makes eye-contact with you.

Time seemed to have stopped when you noticed a certain glint in his eyes, dark irises scanning your figure and you saw how he tried to hide his smirk, masking it as an expression befitting of their performance.

But you know that once you're hidden from the public, chaos will ensue.

And your instincts are always right.

Once the concert was over, you headed backstage but you were blocked by Heeseung, no words were needed as he dragged you near an empty hallway, making sure that no one is around before he does what he wants.

Pinning your wrists above your head with only one hand, he leans down and lets his breath fan all over your face as his other free hand settles itself on your hips, dangerously creeping inside your scanty dress, "Didn't think you'd wear an outfit that exposes too much skin, baby."

You examine his poorly wiped face, still sweaty probably because he hurried his way out to meet you in the middle instead of making himself more presentable, keen on keeping you alone for himself.

No worries though, he's attractive and gorgeous just the same. The messiness of his appearance just adds to the tingling that you're currently feeling.

"Well," you inclined your head to match the level of his lips, "can't blame me for wanting to look pretty for my very hardworking boyfriend."

That was the end of your short conversation with him, which you believe is the foreplay as you have now found yourself in a rather mind and body bending situation in public.

Hoisted and back flattened against the cemented, cold wall and your lovely dress is bunched up your waist. Panties ripped off and is now currently stashed in your boyfriend's pocket, which you assume he'll use in the future to relieve some frustrations when he's not with you.

Your moans reverberate across the abandoned hallway, music in Heeseung's ears as it triggers him to do more.

Faster, harder, and harsher.

The loud squelching of where the two of you are connected should have been embarrassing for you, but no fucks are given since Heeseung is already giving you all the fucking that you desire.

His thrusts are wild, relentless and undoubtedly, heavenly. The sole reason for each plunge is to send you into utopia.

You can feel his thick cock dragging on your insides, striking your cervix every time he goes in deep, the pulsating vein on the side of his length scratches your drench walls quite wonderfully, causing you to get wetter, probably creating a huge disarray down there.

One particular languid stroke had your back arching on the wall, legs wrapping securely around Heeseung's hips as he hit a delicate, spongy spot inside you.

Jackpot, he thinks, as your insides cling tighter to him like you do at the moment.

A string of curses left him when your nails rake at his nape, gently playing with his hair, eliciting a groan from him as the sensation is feathery yet sensual, a weakness of him that only you can bring out.

"Fuck baby," he rasps, concentrating at the sounds that you're making while he continuously rams into you, "you feel so fucking good. All for me yeah?"

You mewled his name desperately, the knot in your lower belly is getting ready to be snapped, "Yes Hee. I'm yours, all yours f-fuck, you own all of me."

Ah, the things you do to him. If you tried sitting in his brain then you'd be shocked by the images and thoughts that are filled with you, you, and you.

Some are fluffy but most are nasty though you are sure to love it. Of course you will, you're down bad for him just as he is for you.

He wasn't giving you any time to catch your breath as he wasted no time in kissing you, searing and hot, shoving his tongue down your throat that you couldn't help but to submit to him without much of a fight.

His tongue clashes with yours before exploring your mouth, the rhythm of the make-out session matches his pace perfectly, only detaching from you when the need for oxygen arises, leaving you gasping and flushed when a string of saliva

His bruising grip on your thighs loosened a bit as he used his left hand to slide the top of your dress, revealing your tits to him. He watches it bounce along with his thrusts for a solid minute before leaning down to capture a nipple.

Tongue flatting and hardening around your bud, circling and sucking while teasing a bit of nibbles, further adding onto the pleasure that you're receiving.

"A-ah! Heeseung, I-I'm-!" closing your eyes in rapture, tilting your head to the side to give access to your lover when he scoots his face in the crook of your neck, embellishing you with purple and blue spots.

"Close?" he whispers, licking the newly painted marks in his canvas called your skin. His peppery smooches snakes up, reaching your ears as he delicately bites your lobe, "Come for me then, baby. Don't hold back."

You moan loudly, one more. One more push and you're gone.

His palm traces the goosebumps on your thigh, and there it is, his deft fingers playing with your clit is all it took for you to gush all over him. A satisfied smirk on his kissable lips shows itself, then it turns into a sly one when he didn't slow down despite your pleading.

Begging him to take it easier since your high took a toll on your sensitivity, thus the overwhelming rapture that had you shaking in his arms.

He laughs menacingly at your futile requests, giving you a sham apology sealed with a kiss. He then murmurs against your lips, "Didn't you tell me that you're mine?"

You nod your head weakly, and that might be a mistake but at the end of this night, you'll realize that mistakes are options that you just haven't chosen. And not all mistakes are bad.

"Then take what I give you, baby. I haven't cum yet, square up until I'm done with you."

[hydemercats]

awkward looking animatic i kind of speedran

ill put the cws in the tags but ill also put them here just in case ^_^

//blood, corpse, also possible mild flash warning, i left one flame blank at is way more jarring than i intended anyway i made this in like 5 hours it is not the best quality b nice to me/lh

my script under cut, as well as AWESOME FACTS FIRE EMOJI

(the script is like, annoyingly tall)

Run from their pity - matthias finds the house of usher after WITNISSING the house of usher and he's like. um! what the fuck! (im not entirely sure how he finds the gw books, but he does) from responsibility - something something. he figures out portals and loses his humanity or whatever Run from the country - he goes and looks 4 adam and run from the city - adam finds him can run from the law - matthias climbs into jekylls laboratory through the window I can run from myself - oops! hydes already drinking arsenic I can run from my life - carmilla is fucking bleeding out! I can run into debt - hi dracula. he's just talking. matthias is exploring the library I can run from it all - jim shoots a man! I can run 'til I'm gone - jim tells matthias about how he shot a man! I can run for the office and run for my cause - matthias finds winston and is like 'hey man lets get the fuck out' I can run using every last ounce of energy - matthias crisis cuz he still feels some crushing guilt I cannot, I cannot -matthias is like. oh yeah that guilt is probably how im the sole survivor of the usher thing! tee hee! /j I cannot run from my family - transition 2 the end of house of usher when matthias finishes reading the tale and oh shit madeline is here They're hiding inside of me - madeline starts fucking killing roderick but also not really? its. its complicated corpses on ice - they die Come in if you like but just don't tell my family - even FURTHER flashback, roderick and matthias r talking a few nights before, roderick tells matthias about how he's probably going to die and why They'd never forgive me - matthias doesnt fucking believe him but he's trying to be nice about it because he's also pretty sure roderick is gonna kick it soon they'd say that I'm crazy - self explanatory

the book matthias reads at the start is the first book fall of the house of usher was published in, in 1840 i believe?

hyde has a green shadow behind him because of the line 'run from myself' and.. yknow,

matthias has a glass of blood 4 carmilla, he hadn't expected her to be literally dying when he got there

jim, when he's killing a man, has a dagger in his shoulder and is holding that pistol wrong. realistically he would probably be losing his arm here - or at least, being more seriously injured than he already is. or dead. i reread ti recently, he SHOULD be dead by now.

matthias is wearing a top hat when he meets winston, since they are slightly thematic in 1984

fun fact: im very proud of that hair animation

after that transition is where it gets really late at night when im drawing this and i start to go. LET ME GO TO BED PLEASE. so the quality rapidly decreases

if for some reason u read all of this, heres some roderick and matthias art i did for goretober a few nights ago ^_^

the roderick design is not at all accurate to my hc i just used it for simplicities sake. this mostly on one layer, including the lineart, btw :3

[sonicringbond]

Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey - Scene 37

Time for a little action to spice things up a bit. Maybe it’s because last scene had a gentle let down. Maybe it’s because of the last Survey having so many ties. Whatever the reasoning, enjoy a little action to start...

    ~I had expected my next meeting with Ix to be troublesome, but I figured with Sonic with me that things would have gone smoother than this. Or at least that he would talk. Ooh~ why does he have to be such a bad person!~

    “I had considered our next encounter would have occurred much sooner medium, alas, I have grown far stronger than you could have imagined.”

    Ix’s mocking of Rosy came from high above where she was held under Sonic’s arm like a duffle bag while he ran far more successfully across the desert sand than she could. Rosy’s cheeks were puffed up with frustration, but there was little she could do. Though Sonic teasing her didn’t help matters any.

    “Some trouble you’ve found, rascal,” Sonic commenting as he risked a glance back at what he fled from.

    It was not the first worm like golem Sonic had encountered, but the size of this one was like a small mountain had taken to the sands.

    “Ooh~! Ix didn’t make anything this large when I met him! I don’t know what happened!”

    “Well, whatever did, let’s just hope Draw can get the help we need.”

    Growing more serious, Sonic tried to pick up the pace as even he had traction problems on the sand dunes he skipped across. And fortune did not favor him or Rosy however as a particularly high dune with a view of the ruins of skyscrapers rising from the sand brought them well above the giant stone worm golem.

    “This doesn’t look good,” Sonic remarked as a bead of sweat ran down the side of his face.

    “At least it looks like fun,” Rosy laughed as a bead of sweat also streaked down her cheek.

    A moment later the two of them were tossed high into the air as the golem plowed straight through the sand dune. Sonic couldn’t keep his grip on Rosy, but luck was on their side to a degree as she landed on top of him as he crashed into the side of the golem.

    “Tee-hee~♥ Miss me Sonic?”

    “Well, you kept me from bouncing off of this thing, but it’s still kind of looking like we’re in a bit of trouble.”

    As Rosy sat in Sonic’s lap, she managed to allow him to slide along the wall of sand that rolled off the golem while effectively sitting. He would likely be sore later, but there was little he could do without any real traction. Ix planned on remedying that and had the golem change course under the midday sun.

    “WAHH~!” Sonic and Rosy cried out together as the worm turned sharply and coiled around the two hedgehogs. Neither of them saw what happened after that as thew were caught in a massive vortex of sand and promptly buried.

    As she was yanked out of the sand by her ankle, Rosy hoped it was Sonic to her rescue, however…

    “Ix!” Rosy gasped before coughing on inhaled sand.

    “So helpless you seem now, medium,” Ix spoke in a condescending tone. “Is this perhaps the consequence of you being in the company of your lover? No matter, I shall take from you your connection to the gods and return to my search.”

    Defenseless as she continued to choke and cough, Rosy could barely squint open her left eye as Ix struck the sand with his staff. Rising between where Rosy dangled and Ix stood, a single Ring formed a window between them, and they locked eyes through it. Ix’s glowing blue eyes, and the broken Red Star Ring held together by an internal gear that Rosy’s left iris became.

    “What! Impossible,” exclaimed Ix as Rosy started coughing harder and squeezed her eye shut again. Her coughs after a brief and dizzying moment could not escape her body at all however as Ix’s stone fist closed around her throat.

    “Kh…!” Rosy whimpered weakly as her lungs burned and her chest heaved violently. Forcing open her eyes as she grabbed feebly at Ix’s arm, she again graced him with the sight of the unusual sight in her left eye.

    “How!” Ix demanded as he tightened his grip and Rosy kicked her legs feebly. “How did you come into possession of a Yoluku Device! Answer–!”

    A sudden blow sent the golem flying and Rosy fell into Sonic’s arms as he uncurled from his Spin Dash. “The lady can’t say a word if you’re about to break her neck!

    “You alright kid?” Sonic asked as he looked down at Rosy who was clutching at her throat. Not wanting to worry Sonic, she offered him a wordless smile and nodded her head, several tears falling from her eyes. The sight did not please Sonic at all and she could feel the tension that rose from him.

    Gently placing Rosy on the ground, Sonic stood up and faced down Ix across the sand. A moment later and he surely would have reduced the golem to a pile of rubble, but that fate was left for the golem that trapped him and Rosy.

    ~Draw can be pretty imaginative sometimes. I would have never thought of it, but he did. He really is a cute little golem hunter. At least when he isn’t teasing me!

    ~Anyway, out in the desert we were running along in when Ix suddenly attacked us was more than just a bunch of old skyscrapers sticking up out of the dunes. Though seeing them covered in vines and moss made for a striking sight against the golden sand. But they were nothing compared to the bizarre sight of the castle that plowed through the giant worm golem Ix had used. It was like a thing from a fairytale all covered in buttresses and spires. The white stonework and blue tiled tower roofs were a sight to behold glistening in the afternoon sun. But the really amazing thing was the steam works underneath the town sized castle that propelled it across the surface of the sand.

    ~I mean Sonic and I couldn’t see them when we tried to run up alongside the castle as we chased it out of Ix’s trap. There was too much sand. But after Sonic picked me up again – honestly, I could have at least tried – we followed flares that Draw shot from within the steam works into the sandstorm the traveling castle stirred up. Once we actually could see them, there were so many pipes and gears it made me dizzy trying to follow them all.

    ~Soon enough we were whisked through the steam works by people wearing uniforms and a badge with a symbol of a wrench laid across a gear. I think that might be the symbol of the Engineers, but I can’t say for sure. Still, the castle was every bit as beautiful from within as it was from afar.

    ~I could have wandered the halls covered in the polished floors so reflective it was like I was walking on the soles of my own feet for hours. Whole wings of the massive castle were like towns within themselves, with farms built into some of the larger towers. I’m sure if Tails were here, he’d have spent forever in the bowels of the castle’s machinery, but it was almost a paradise within fit for a city of princesses. And the people were so nice too, without a sign of any of those mean priests in most towns around at all. But our wandering around was not without purpose and Sonic had been doing a lot of talking.

    ~What Ix had said about my eye had been bothering Sonic. I couldn’t blame him. It looked like a Red Star Ring that was simply crumbling at two of the points revealing a gear that was hidden in it, but Ix called it a device. If it was a machine… Ugh! It’s creepy thinking there’s a machine in my eye. But as this city seemed to belong to the Engineers, there was no one better to ask about it.

    ~There was just one tiny problem.~

    “Not even a hint of red left,” Sonic stated flatly as he looked into Rosy’s eye. She was fidgeting and trying her best just to look ahead so Sonic could get a good look, however…

    “Ee~k!” Rosy squealed and covered her face. “I’m sorry Sonic, but having you look so intently into my eyes…! AAH~! ~♥”

    Falling over and kicking at the air as she loosely curled up, Rosy earned an eye roll from Sonic and a sigh from Draw. “There really is something wrong with you, you weirdo girl.”

    “Rosy!” the pink hedgehog corrected her koala friend while peeking through her fingers. Again, both of her eyes were normal and there was no sign of the unique Red Star Ring within.

    “So now what? Draw asked turning to look at Sonic who took to resting his crossed arms on a nearby railing. His ear twitched in response to Draw’s question, but he offered no answer. “What I’d do to get the silent treatment this time! Didn’t I find the town those salvagers out in the desert told us about!”

    “It’s okay Draw, “Rosy comforted the young golem hunter by embracing him from behind. Her action frightened free Mote, the fairy companion of Draw’s, who Rosy tilted her head at and smiled. “Maybe you have an idea, Mote!”

    Good cheer and enthusiasm were far from enough to convince the fairy that claimed to not be allowed to communicate with a medium to stay and talk. Only Draw could speak with the fairy as it was due to a Ring Bond it had made with it, but he still did not speak up in time to prevent Rosy from vocalizing her disappointment. “Aww~!”

    “Give it up weirdo girl,” Draw advised her as he slipped out of her comforting hug. “Besides, Mote says it noticed something here while we’ve been wandering around aimlessly.

    “You’re welcome to join us,” Draw invited Sonic reluctantly, and not without making his dislike of that made clear, “though I wouldn’t care if you didn’t.”

    “Whatever you say, tyke,” Sonic waved a dismissive hand, but still pulled away from the railing.

    With his hands on the back of his head, Sonic followed Draw and Rosy, who in turn followed Mote deep into the heart of the castle.

    ~The castle kept surprising me with how amazing it was, but some surprises are really too much. I’m sure I covered my mouth when we reached that inner plaza under a big glass dome. The plaza itself was amazing, even if it was just another room inside the castle that served as one. But really, what else could it do. Right in the middle of it was a giant crystal rose the size of a mansion that was encased within a swirling clockwork device. It was just like the one the being in my dream from before my eye started getting weird had. Except the one in my dream actually moved. This one… well once in a while it moved slightly, like a minute hand on a clock, but that was all. Even the rose barely turned where it floated in the air.

    ~As amazing as it is though, it seemed a normal sight to the people who called the tower home. In a way, travelers like us were the weird ones.~

    “Now isn’t this a sight,” a high pitched but friendly voice spoke up behind Rosy and the others. “Don’t see travelers here too often who don’t know about the Rose."

Scene 37 · CLEARED Castle Rose, to be continued

-----

New character time! By the time this posts they would have already been designed and introduced during the regular writing streams, but I hope everyone enjoys them. there won’t be too much of them yet, but if your familiar with Sierokarte from GranBlue Fantasy you might have an idea of what to expect next week. I hope you enjoy it!

-----

Special Thanks to Cutegirlmayra Story by @JoshTarwater/SonicFanJ Inspiring Song – The Path of Duty – Yasunori Nishiki – GRANBLUE FANTASY: Versus ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Fair Use Disclaimer

Sonic the Hedgehog and all affiliated characters and logos are the express property and Copyright© of SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS used without permission under Title 17 U.S.C Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 in which allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. “Fair use” is use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be considered copyright infringement. The Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey alternate universe (AU) consumer written work of fiction is a non-profit transformative work primarily for personal use and can and will be taken down without warning or prior notice at the request of the copyright holder(s) should it not be recognized under “fair use”.

*Sonic Ring Bond logo created by DEE Art – twitter.com/daryliscute.

Sonic Ring Bond AU and Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey are the creation of Joshua David Tarwater/ynymbus/sonicfanj/@Joshtarwater and is to be, including all contents herein considered for all legal purposes the property of the Sonic the Hedgehog intellectual property (IP) and copyright owners, SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS. All story contributors via prompt, suggestion, written scene, art, and all and every other contribution acknowledge that all contributed material is forfeit for legal purposes to SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS upon official request from SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS.

[cherryblossomcheesecake]

God & His Priests & His Kings V2: Chapter 7 - A FFXV OC Fanfic

I’m rewriting this fic almost 3 years after I finished it since new ideas and plot bunnies have hit so here’s hoping I can stick with the series and see it through this time around. Sequel to How Rare & Beautiful.

Master list Word Count: 2,329 Upload: 05/23/21

Previous Chapter

I'm Alone – Joon Sung Oh

The stained glass shattered from the impact of gunfire and magitek units smashing through the windows, landing on the outskirts of the throne room in unison. The court erupted into chaotic screaming as the units opened fire on the crowd, blindly gunning down anyone in their path.

I scanned to crowd frantically, looking for Myung-Hee on the steps to the throne. I caught a glimpse of her face between panicking nobles, taking a step towards her only to be yanked back against a hard chest.

I fought wildly to free myself from the strong grip, my eyes losing sight of my mother as I was forcibly turned away from the scene. Ravus holds me tight against his chest, keeping us tight against the wall as I fought against his vice-like grip.

The screaming didn't stop for a long time, slowly dwindling in strength as more and more people fell to the onslaught of gunfire.

By the time the last of the screaming had stopped, I had ceased my struggling, crying into the front of the blonde's coat as silence fell over the throne room.

Ravus' grip slackened at the sound of heavy footfalls to our right. I pulled my head away, my blurry vision focusing on the dead littering the throne room floor in horror.

The footsteps stopped just short of a foot away, the chancellor's voice the only sound in the room aside from the whirring mechanics of the magitek.

"Phenomenal job at protecting your bride, high commander. The guards will take it from here." Ardyn's voice called out mockingly as he picked his way through the corpses towards the throne.

"Was any of this truly necessary, Izunia?" Ravus ground out, curling himself around me in defense. I only watched as the older man crouched down to examine a body, tilting his head slightly.

"But of course. His excellency wanted control of Goryeo, which is why the council and nobility had to be taken care of. We only needed one princess as hostage to ensure the behaviour of the people, and your bride fits the bill." he answered, turning his golden gaze onto me.

My eyes locked onto his in fear, body trembling from shock as the chancellor slowly approached us.

The older man stopped inches away from me, grasping my chin between his fingers so our gazes would remain locked, the chains of my headpiece brushing delicately against my face.

"The well-being of the sole remaining princess guaranteed by the good behaviour of the people, and vice-versa; a much more convenient arrangement than the pitiful treaty, if I do say so myself."

My heart skipped a beat as Ardyn sneered out the words, my body automatically removing itself from his grasp as if it had been burned.

The chancellor's eyes narrowed, glaring down at me before gesturing to the few human soldiers off to the side.

"Gentlemen, please escort the princess to her chambers. It's been such a long day for her." he commanded, flippant tone contrasting with his dark expression.

The soldiers pulled me from Ravus' grasp, neither of us fighting it after the massacre that had occurred out of greed and ill-will.

"Oh," Ardyn called out just before I had exited the throne room, "And congratulations on your marriage, I'm sure all of Eos will speak of the Red Wedding for years to come." he said mockingly as the thick oak doors closed behind me.

*BREAK*

I sat silently in the dining area of the princess' apartments, wearing a simple white ruqun with my long black hair free from any sort of style. My hand tightly clasped the hairpin Orion had given me, the last reminder of what my world had been before everything had fallen apart.

The guards had been bringing me minimal food, rationing the supplies that remained in the palace as they established control throughout the island nation. I was truly alone for the first time in years; no court ladies moved between the rooms, and there were no eunuchs walking through the halls. Just the foreign accents of the Nifelheim soldiers and the whirring sounds of Magitek filled the palace's silence.

I remained sitting as the door to the apartments opened and closed, heralding either food or a visitor. My heart sank at the sight of the chancellor, the man accompanied by both soldiers and the high commander.

"Well my dear, shall we discuss your fate now that the finer details have been dealt with?" Ardyn questioned as he took a seat at the table.

"We've been apprehending small rebel groups that believed they could defy the will of the empire, including that little court lady your counsel sent to Lucis. We wouldn't want her to call on the Lucian armies to mount a rescue attempt, now would we?"

That statement jolted a reaction out of me, my head whipping up to stare at the chancellor in horror.

"You will continue to reside in your apartments until the region has been brought under control. Then you will travel to Tenebrae with the high commander while the brigadier general governs the region. I'm sure you'll find Tenebrae to your liking, your highness. It is very beautiful this time of year." The vile man explained, taking pleasure in the pain he was inflicting upon me with his words.

"I do suggest beginning to pack your belongings as your departure may be sooner than you think." The chancellor announced in leu of a proper goodbye, sweeping into a mocking bow before departing from the room.

I twitched at the sound of the door as it closed, eyes locking onto the remaining figure of my husband. Ravus refused to meet my gaze as he slowly made his way into my rooms.

"I'm sure I'm one of the last people you want to see right now but I swear to you, I meant every word of my vows and I did not know Izunia was planning this." he whispered from across the room, his pale gaze firmly locked on the floor.

I offered silence as my only response, remaining impassive in his presence.

The man who was only my husband by name, sighed heavily before moving to sit in the chair opposite of mine.

"The common folk are fleeing the island as fast they can, fighting for space on fishing and trade vessels to take them out of Goryeo. The violence was mostly contained to the palace, but a few noble families who were absent from the wedding were hunted down." Ravus informed me, his words causing my heart to ache even more so than before as I mourned the innocents killed in the conflict.

I was pleased that the people were fleeing the island rather than face the iron hand of the imperial regime. They hadn't chosen to entrust their fate to a foreign power as I had.

"Both the first and second princesses were among the dead, as well as all their court ladies, yours included." These next words shocked me.

Mother. Grandmother. Se-Hyeon. Chae-Ryung. All of them dead. And I couldn't shed a single tear in mourning for them. I couldn't even perform their burial rights so they could find their way to the ancestors.

I closed my eyes, signaling my continued indifference to the blonde's presence, willing him to leave me to mourn privately.

Fabric rustled as Ravus shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

Both the noise and his continued presence irritated me. My eyes opened and met his own for the first time since the massacre. I willed that every ounce of my hatred and anger be conveyed through my eyes.

A fleeting look of shame passed over his face before Ravus schooled his expression into a mask of indifference.

Standing from his chair, he settled into a military parade rest.

"We will be leaving for Tenebrae in two days. Pack what belongings you wish to bring with you. I doubt you will see Goreyo again for many years." He informed me, taking my continued silence as his cue to leave.

As the door slid shut behind him, all my anger rushed forward. I hurled a tea pot at the wall in rage, storming from one room to the next.

I stopped in front of my open wardrobe, pulling random clothes out and tossing them towards the bed. They were all meaningless to me, every piece belonging to the now dead Third Princess. I would not have packed any of it if not for the fact that such an act would raise the suspicions of the Empire.

The only thing I wished to take with me was the small box of jewellery that I had inherited from my mother and the First Princess; my letters from Noctis hidden away among the gold and jewels.

It would be a risk to bring them with me, but I could not find it in myself to part with the only remaining piece of my identity.

Noctis POV

The prince was bored to say the least, stuck reading reports after completing homework. Soo's last letter lay on the coffee table, the portrait of his childhood companion staring up at Noctis with serene features captured in ink. He caught himself daydreaming as he stared at it, only snapping out of it when he heard Ignis exiting the kitchen to check on his progress.

The dark-haired teen was startled out of his zoning at the knocking at the door, Ignis hesitantly stepping out of the kitchen to answer it.

Noctis rose from his place on the couch, making his way down the hall just as a royal courier handed a blank envelope to his friend and retainer. As the door closed, the older boy merely looked at the envelope before handing it to the prince.

Opening it curiously, he pulled out a sheet of parchment that only one person ever used.

"Another letter from the Lady Soo? She usually waits for a response before writing, does she not?" Ignis questioned, adjusting his glasses while gauging his charge's reaction.

"Yeah.." Noctis replied, sapphire eyes focusing on the cursive letters on the page.

My Dearest Noctis,

I know my last letter may have only just reached you, but here I am writing another.

Goryeo has fallen on hard times, and each and every one of us are making sacrifices to keep our country thriving. We have been able to reach a formal peace with Nifelheim, however it deeply impacts our friendship.

Please know I'm completely heartbroken when I say that from this point on, I can no longer receive or send letters to and from you. My duty to my country has grown exponentially in the past few weeks and I can't jeopardize the progress made by continuing our correspondence. I'm so deeply sorry, if I could avoid this, I would. But this peace is too new and fragile to risk it.

Do know that I love you and I'm so proud of who you're becoming. Keep your friends close and treasure them. You need someone to watch your back since I am no longer able.

Goodbye.

Yours,

Soo

The hand holding the parchment clenched hard, crumpling the paper as he trembled. Tears welled in Noctis' eyes as his arm dropped to his side, gritting his teeth to choke back his cries.

"What did she say?" his friend inquired, not expecting the page to be shoved in his face as the prince stormed off to his room, slamming the door closed.

*BREAK*

Noctis laid curled up in the center of his bed, staring at the photo on his night table.

Among the various photos taken by Prompto over the past two years, there was one that dated back eight years. It was a picture taken by a palace official many years ago that depicted two dark haired children running across the beach in Galdin.

It was his only photo of Soo aside from the drawing she had sent. They had been so carefree then, but now he could never speak to his friend again.

The prince shed silent tears in his solitude, closing his eyes in hopes of escaping through sleep.

It was not meant to be as Ignis entered the bedroom quietly.

"My apologies, Noct, but the citadel has called with information pertaining to Goryeo. Niflheim entered a delicate peace treaty with the kingdom, and has slaughtered nearly all of the aristocracy and ruling class and their households. Their envoy was on standby in Galdin to alert the Crown if the empire planned on breaking the treaty."

Ignis paused for a moment, taking in the tense, trembling form of his prince.

"She was found murdered in her hotel room after she had received information on the invasion and massacre. All that remains apart from the working and lower-class citizens is the Third Princess. The empire is keeping her as a political hostage in her marriage to Ravus nox Fleuret." He continued, avoiding any mention of the one person Noctis cared about in this situation.

"And what of Soo? Any news on her? Is she okay?" The Prince questioned his retainer, his breath hitching as he tried to keep his emotions under control.

"No, your highness. It is likely that she perished during the initial invasion, as the entirety of the palace household was wiped out."

It was then, that the last but of control slipped. Tears slipped freely down his cheeks, sobs wracking his body as he folded into himself.

Ignis was at a loss of what to do. How did one comfort their friend after delivering news of the death of a close friend?

Soo's POV

The smoke was still rising from the island as my personal items were being prepared for transport to Tenebrae. It was hard to tell if it was from mass funeral pyres or the burning of villages and estates.

In the end, it was pointless to wonder as I was being led into the awful airship and removed from my home for the last time.

Next Chapter