#he says 'this sword saved me and my kingdom long ago

[druidonity2]

If Shalamayne were a Legion artifact weapon...

[cinnbar-bun]

Heartless Giant- Chapter 1

(Excuse the banner)

Pairing: Crocodile x GN!Royal!Reader

Rating: SFW

First part of a collaboration with @fanaticsnail 's Storyteller collection! I chose to do the "Heartless Giant" with Crocodile. Thank you for having me as a part of this, dear <3!

Summary: Your older brothers claim that the man who tried to overthrow your kingdom is still in the dungeons below. Such a monster shouldn't possibly exist, right? After a bet and a promise, you and your brothers travel down the dungeons to find the proclaimed "giant". Those rumors should be nothing more than gossip... right?

Notes: GN!Reader, Prisoner!Crocodile (for my Impel Down Croc lovers), implied age gap, Reader is an adult but age is not specified, violence, bad siblings, protective Crocodile, "falling for my father's enemy" teehee

You can read this on my AO3 here!

Word Count: ~2.7k

It happened years ago, they said. A man- more akin to a beast, if anything- tried to take over and kill the king. Your father, ever the gallant ruler, fought the giant beast and sentenced him to eternal imprisonment in the lowest cell of the castle dungeons. 

A part of you was thankful you were not there to witness such a sight. To see your beloved father have to fight what was perhaps the scariest enemy in a long time would’ve frightened you. Yet, another part of you was admittedly… curious. Your elder brothers always warned you against going to the dungeon. They always joked that the giant would eat you and your heart. 

“He towers over everyone… his shadow looms over everything,” the eldest would say. Your second brother chuckled along with him before hunching his back and cupping his left hand. 

“He’s got a big hook, too. If his ugly face sees ya, he sinks it into ya!” He swung his arm around like it was a hook and your third brother pretended to be scared. He grinned after his performance and slunk to you. 

“And, father says, with only his right hand, the giant takes away your life. He just,” your brother covered your face with his right hand and shook you while growling loudly. “Drains you until you’re a husk!” 

You shove your brother off of you and roll your eyes. 

“There’s no way anyone like that exists,” you huff and adjust your appearance. Your three older brothers laugh wildly, as if you had told the funniest joke in history. 

“Oh come on, you didn’t see him!” The third one says. “You were on a different island!” 

“I doubt you saw him, either,” you cross your arms. “You guys would be terrified if a man like that really existed.” 

“Are ya callin’ us liars?” The second one frowns and raises a brow. “Don’t make us throw you into the dungeon with ‘im!” 

“Maybe I am! Why would you go and try to make a joke out of a man that father had to battle like that?” 

“Ugh, there you go, again,” the first rolls his eyes. “Can’t even take a joke!” 

“I think all those books ruined yer brain, (Y/n),” the second chortles as he points at the book in your hand. 

“I think all the seawater melted yours,” you shoot back and hold your book tighter. 

“Well, I just hope you can fight if that beast breaks out one day!” The third one laughs. He takes his sword out of his holster and swings it with calculated precision. He sheaths his sword and you sigh. 

“We can hope he never does,” you reply. “Maybe you three will be courageous enough to actually look him in the eye.” 

“Those are fighting words! Ya think we can’t look him in the eye?” The second yells. 

“I don’t think so,” you taunt. “He probably doesn’t even look anything like what you just said.” 

“Fine. We’ll take ya down to see him and prove to you how dangerous he is. And when you cry, we won’t save you.” 

Seeing your brothers so adamant to prove themselves made your arrogance rise as well. Not to mention, that little voice in your head that was always, always wanting to see the man your father had cursed under his breath over and over since that day. In a sick, twisted way, you wanted to see the man that nearly brought your kingdom to ruin when you were away. 

“Fine. We can all go together and we’ll see just how tough you are from the ‘giant’.” 

Your brothers smirked and nodded. The eldest stepped forward and whispered. “At midnight. Be quiet. The guards and father are having a meeting tonight. Use the back staircase and we’ll all meet by the doors.” 

All four of you shook upon it and continued with your day. Your heart raced, your thoughts drifting to that beast locked away in the dungeons. 

A man who towered over everyone. A man with a hook. A scarred face. The power to take life away with only his right hand. 

You tried to imagine how this monster would look, but all images your mind conjured were hideous and unsightly. You shivered, yet the way your feet bounced with nearly every step gave away the excitement you secretly held inside. 

After pretending to fall asleep on your bed, you waited till the moon was at its highest and opened the door. You peered out the hallways, checking if the coast was clear before scurrying along to the rendezvous point with your brothers. Just as they had promised, the three of them were waiting for you with eager grins and smiles. 

“So you really did come?” The first chuckled. “Thought you would’ve hid away.” 

“I wasn’t going to,” you clicked your tongue. “I’m ready to see how you three will react to him, though.” 

“Please, that man’s got nothing on us,” the second dismissed. “Four against one, he’s done for.” 

“More like three against one,” the third snorted, nudging his head to you. 

“I don’t need to fight. None of us should need to, actually. We’re just taking a look, and then we’re leaving.” 

They glanced around before your second brother picked the lock to the cellar with a pin he had taken from your mother. They urged you inside and checked that none of you would be discovered. 

The dungeons were dark, mildewy, and worst of all, freezing. You shivered as you realized your nightclothes were a bit too light for this cold place. 

“Come on, hurry up,” your brothers whispered as they practically ran down the steps to the lowest dungeon level. You made an effort to catch up with them before you noticed how low the temperature was down here. Every time you and your brothers let out a breath, you could see the small amounts of steam cloud around you four. 

They lived in such conditions…? 

Your brothers quickly made their way to the farthest cell in the dungeon and laughed loudly. 

“There he is!” 

“Ahaha! My god, he’s hideous!” 

“Come on, give us a glance!” 

You gasped at what your brothers were saying. “Don’t say things like that! You know better than that.” 

As foolish as you were to come down here, you were not foolish enough to insult the beast. 

The third rolled his eyes. “Oh, quiet down will you?” 

“What are you, our mother?” The first glared. He began to bang on the bars. “Wake up, will you?” 

You made your way to the cell and noticed the looming shadow in the corner. His back was towards you and your brothers, barely clothed in the rags he wore. There were two large chains wrapped around his arms, preventing him from using them to escape and use the ferocious powers your brothers discussed. He was sitting, hunched over, yet, even in this position, you could tell how large and massive he was. He hardly moved or flinched at the noise your brothers made, making them more upset. 

“Come on! Give us something! Look us in the eye!” They hit the bars again, but the man stayed as still as a statue. 

This was the man who nearly ended your kingdom… 

You didn’t need to see his face, but through his behavior alone, you knew that despite him being in the cell, you and your brothers were his prey. 

“Cut it out, now,” you warned, the anxiety creeping in your voice. 

“What? Scared? Scared the ugly beast will eat ya?” The second brother called out. The third brother continued to make loud noise. 

“Come on, we got our little sibling here! Don’t you want to impress them, giant?” He yelled before he grabbed you and pushed you against the bars. You yelped in pain and from the cold metal pressing into your face and body. 

“Stop it! Let me go!” You screamed. 

“What happened to the beast who tried to end us? Huh? I thought you gave my father a good fight! So look at us!” The first glowered at the giant before he smirked at the ground.

“What are you doing? Stop that!” 

“Would you just shut your mouth?” The first leaned down to pick up a large rock and tossed it in his hand. Your other brothers chuckled darkly while you shook your head. 

“No… this wasn’t what we said we’d do! It was just to look!” 

“He can’t do anything to us. Look at him. He’s wasted away. Just watch,” the first says as he pulls his arm back before launching the rock at the giant. It hits him square in the back of his head and echoes as it patters to the ground. 

All is silent as you and your brothers stare. Yet, still, the giant does not move. 

“What a waste! He’s a dumb ogre! Can’t even look at us properly,” the second sighs. 

“Why would you do that?!” You shout at your brother. “Why would you throw that?” 

“You challenged us to see if we were scared. I think that beast is scared of us! He doesn’t even move!” 

Your brothers roared in laughter while you heard the rattling of the chains. Your eyes widened in horror as you noticed the man’s arms were beginning to move slowly. 

“G-guys. Let go. We need to go,” you beg. “Let me go.” 

You try and remove yourself from your brother’s grasp while they all laugh harder. 

“What? Scared? You’re even stupider than him!” They tease you. The third shoves your face harder into the bars. 

“Oh go on, you’re both stupid cowards! Go on! Why don’t you give him a little kiss? He might like that!” 

You struggle against your brother as you hear the chains clink. Your brothers laughter echoes in the dungeon until the third screams loudly in pain. 

You hardly have time to notice what is going on as you’re flipped around and see the third is on the floor, gripping his bleeding hand in pain while your other brothers are wide-eyed and trembling. Your back is now against the bars and you feel a cold metal against your throat. 

You’re shaking, afraid for your life as you glance down to see a gold hook pressed against your skin. 

Your other two brothers quickly unsheathe their swords and point it to the assailant, but their fear is evident by the way they can’t even hold their weapons properly. 

“The g-giant…” the first whispers, quaking in his boots. You know it’s a bad idea. Every part of you is screaming to not do so. Your mind races with warnings and against your better judgment… 

You lean back and try to glance up. You freeze as you look up to the giant’s sharp features. You can’t see much from this angle, but you can make out how tall he is. Your brothers’ descriptions of him didn’t do him justice, and you recognize how much more imposing his figure is. 

He presses his hook harder, pulling you further to him. He was careful not to use the pointed end of it to hurt you, but in your current state, you couldn’t care. 

A low grumble catches your attention as you realize it is the giant attempting to speak. 

“Do not touch them ever again,” his low voice threatens. Your brothers are even more shaken by the giant’s voice as they squeak and stumble backwards. 

“W-wait, don’t-” you cry, not wanting to be alone. Your brothers put away their weapons as they force themselves back up and run away, screaming bloody murder. Your heart sinks as you watch your brothers run off without you as their voices get quieter in this dark dungeon. The giant removes his hook from you, dropping you unceremoniously to the ground as you struggle to breathe. 

“Go,” is all he says, his shackles shaking as walks back to his corner. You don’t know what to think. 

“You’re not…?” You begin, unsure of what to say at all. Do you thank him? Apologize? Cry? Leave? You’re too stunned to know what to do next. 

“No. Just go. You shouldn’t be down here, anyways.” 

“Wait,” you call to him. “Why did you save me?” 

“Would you prefer I kill you?” He sharply replies. 

“No. I just… I didn’t expect that from you…” you mumble. He sighs. 

“You were foolish for coming down here. And you were even more foolish for allowing them to use you like bait.” 

“I didn’t think they would,” you admit pathetically. 

“Of course you didn’t. Life’s pretty easy up there, isn’t it, your highness?” He bitterly laughs. 

“Don’t patronize me. I just wanted to know why you would do such a thing.” 

“Telling you wouldn’t make a difference. Just let me rest and rot away the rest of my life in peace, would you?” 

You stop and nod, the adrenaline wearing off as you’re back to feeling the bitter cold on your skin. “Are you not freezing down here? You’re hardly wearing anything that could keep you warm.” 

He chuckles and shakes his head. “Prisoners aren’t afforded that luxury, your highness. We stay in the cold and in this silence to pay for our crimes.” 

The logic was understandable, but you felt a pang of guilt in your heart. 

“I haven’t thanked you for saving me and stopping my brothers, yet,” you start, fumbling through the ideas in your head. “Thank you. As a show of my appreciation, I’ll bring you something to keep you warm.” 

He stood still, as if considering your words. “You would do something like that for me?” 

“Yes. I will do so. I’ll bring it down for you as soon as I can,” you assure him, feeling resolute in your decision. Criminal he may be, but royalty you were. Even the worst subjects required kindness and repayment for their actions. 

He turned his body around, and you managed to see his face fully under the dim light of the lantern. His face was sharp, chiseled, and scarred. The scar ran across his face over his nose, and the stitches on it looked brutal. The dark circles and bags under his eyes were prominent, like the strands of hair that were falling and framing his face. It was clear he tried to slick it back, but given his situation, he couldn’t do much with it in this grimy cell. 

You gasped at his appearance, taken aback by how strangely beautiful you found him. He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. 

“Don’t worry, I get that a lot,” he smoothly teased. “Do I look like the monster you thought I was?” 

“No,” you earnestly respond, surprising him, somewhat. 

“Oh? Why is that?” Unlike your brothers, who cowered away in fear, you looked directly into his dark eyes with a firm resolve. 

“You look just like a man…” you reply. His eyes flicker with light for a brief moment, before they return to the dull color they were a moment ago. 

“Monsters can look like men, your highness. You should know better than that.” 

“Yet you did not kill me when you had a chance. Would a monster spare me?” 

“I guess not,” Crocodile sighed. “Perhaps I’ve gotten soft while being locked away for so long.” 

“I can only hope. But I promise, I will bring you the gift soon.” 

“Hm, don’t take too long, your highness. It gets terribly cold down here,” he replied in a drab voice. He turned himself around and faced the stone walls. “I don’t have anything else to say to you tonight.” 

You were taken aback by his abrupt statement but chose not argue further. He had done you a massive favor, and you too would probably feel the same way if locked away here for so long. 

“Thank you again,” you said to him before you pulled yourself up and dusted the dirt off your nightclothes. You glanced back at him, but the man was back to staying silent and not moving. 

What a dreary life that must be…

[timetravellibrarian]

Zoro x reader

Summary: A man seeks to follow his dreams, following only the path his swords carve for him and wherever his crew goes. Little does he know that the missing piece in his life, his soulmate whom he doesn't admit that he tries to seek would end up in a love-hate relationship

_________________________________________

Chapter Five

You sat in your room, not moving, hair uncared for, body aching. It has been a while since your wedding, but it felt fresh in your heart like it was yesterday. Mother, father, Kyro, Amav. Ophelia and Rhen were yet to be found and you hoped that they left the island. You doubted they'd be left alive if they were. Lyra must have taken them seeing as she wasn't around either thankfully. All your family's loyal servants had been executed days after the wedding, the remaining were pledged to Cassius and his family.

You scratched your wrist, the mark stinging. Not too long ago pain unimaginable to anyone in the kingdom had seered through it, leaving you screaming in absolute pain. It was so bad that you were taken to the doctor.

Everyday you were forced to play the role of the dutiful wife to your murderous husband. Disregarding the vengeful hate inside, you stood up, did the necessary tasks for hygiene and wore a black dress to honour your family's deaths.

"Ah, my darling wife!" Cassius said as he sat on the throne, dismissing advisors. Your eyes scanned every one of them as they passed you, bowing their heads to not look you in the eye. Ser Randall, Lord Alexander, Maester Caius and Lady Genevieve. All of them.

Traitors.

You could guess that the kingdom didn't know of his heinous actions. Or maybe they did know, the executioners block has been used more times lately than in the past twenty years so you figured people wanted to keep their lives and not question the sudden trajedy.

"Your grace," You curtsied, wiping off the look of disgust you had given to the royal advisors.

"Lovely day isn't it? The second month that marks our marriage." He stood up, taking your hand and walking you outside the throne room into the open hallways of the castle. There was a brilliant view of the citadel from up there. The both of you leaned against the railing.

He looked at you, sparkling eyes like a lovesick puppy. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you look?"

"You always tell me that." You internally rolled your eyes, picking at you dress.

"Then I'll say it even more. You look beautiful."

The both of you looked at the view in front from the high balcony you had traveled to. Guards stood on both of your sides a distance away. You looked down, over the bannister. It would be an alarming drop, leaving no room for life. Your eyes went to Cassius who was enjoying the view , his arms crossed and a smile on his face.

Just on push, a strong one. Enough to end this nightmare. To save yourself from any more harm that would come to you.

"I bet our children will love this kingdom. Or maybe the other ones my family has ruled over. Did you know that our families have history?"

"No ,your grace." At the mention of children you nearly choked on your own disgust. It was a wonder how he hadn't bedded you already and you were grateful for that. Apparently their customs were different. They could be as cruel as they wanted to their subjects and enemies but never went to the level of sexual assault.

"Your grandfather had taken over our kingdom fify years ago. His men took all our women as wives. Our men were brutally murdered. The children were forced to become strangers in their own country, serving under his rule. Now here we are. I'm not as cruel as your grandfather. I've spoken with my advisors. I have been merciful."

"You call what you did merciful?" The anger within had flared up, forgetful of how calm you were supposed to act.

" It would have been worse, darling. I would have had every man and son slaughtered and give the women and girls over to cruel men. Maybe sell you to slavery or force you to work in my home country's pleasure houses."

Your eyes widened at the extent he was willing to go. Now the drop seemed more of an option for a willing princess. No, a willing queen. But you wanted to live long enough to kill the man who held your hand with deceptive love.

"You absolute psy–

–cho.

"Your majesty!" A soldier ran in, "There's protests taking place all over the citadel. Near the monuments." Cassius rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh.

"Just kill them and get over with it."

The soldier shook on the spot at Cassius' words."But mi'lord, they're you're people ."

Cassius raised an eyebrow,"And?"

Your eyes widened. "Those are lives, Cassius. people with families. Have mercy, please."

"They should have thought of their families before deciding to go against my rule." He grabbed a drink from the jugs placed near where the two of you stood." Infact, if you care so much you should go through the same thing they have to."

"What?" You furrowed your eyes in confusion, a hint of fear in your tone. He turned to you, the spark in his eyes dulled a tiny bit. There was a hint of something crazy in them there.

"Round up the protesters and have them whipped. Thirty lashes, or until they beg for death. I don't care., make it entertaining"

The soldier nodded , getting ready to walk away before being stopped by Cassius' hand. "After you're done with them, give the queen ten lashes. Since she loves her people so much."

Before you could respond, the guards who stood beside the both of you grabbed you roughly by the arms,dragging you somewhere you didn't know.

"NO! PLEASE, CASSIUS!"

Cassius waved at you as you were dragged away, taking a sip of his drink once more before throwing it over the balcony.

"I have a little surprise for you, my love!" He yelled in the distance

As you were lead down the halls towards the large doors of the place you once called home your ears heard the sound of screaming a bit far off. The castle wasn't too far from the markets and it was clear that they were either beimg caught like cattle there.

Another soldier appeared, placing a sack over your head.

_________________________________________

The Thousand Sunny sailed toward the next island on the logpose, a bright smile on Nami's face. "Looks like we're in luck, the kingdom of Rhysa. Known for its beautiful views, spas and lovely people."

"They're also known for the benevolent royal family that they have. Independent from pirate territories since they have a strong military." Robin added as she got ready to explore the island. A buzz of energy floated around the Strawhats. After having fought with the government, a few warlords and a few marine ships they needed a place to rest and recuperate.

"We could get alot of food too." Luffy said, mouth watering at the thought. His trademark hat atop his head.

Franky put on his sunglasses,"Some more cola for the ship too."

"All in all, we need to restock on a lot of things." Sanji got out of the kitchen, looking around for someone. His eyes went over his crewmates on deck; Robin, Nami, Luffy, Franky, Brook, Chopper and Ussop.

"Where's Mosshead?"

Everyone went quiet for a moment, looking to the side to find Zoro sitting cross-legged on the railing, looking at the distant island they were about to drop anchor at.

There was a small silence, filled with understanding at what might have their swordsman in such a mood.

"STOP BROODING, YOU IDIOT!" Sanji aimed to kick Zoro to get his attention. Zoro blocked Sanji's kick with one of his swords , not moving an inch from his spot.

"Something doesn't feel right."

_________________________________________

@urbisexualfriend

@bi-narystars

@mythicallystupid

@mars-mizuko

@chillerkiller

[unapprovedtrash]

Wild Tears of The Kingdom theory but it’s been floating around in my head all day.

This is long and probably all over the place but please bare with me.

So I’m sure by now most of you have already seen the official artwork for Ganondorf and noticed that he had one of the tear shaped Gems on his forehead.

Except this one is red, you might even say it looks corrupted.

But we’ll get back to that, because I wanna talk about the hero on the tapestry in botw for a hot second.

So I know we’ve all already talked about how the hero in the tapestry isn’t Link, doesn’t even look remotely like Link, with the red hair and beard, but you know who does have red hair and a beard, oh yeah, Ganondorf.

Also, in the opening of the tapestry he isn’t called “The Hero” which is what we always call Link, he’s called “a warrior wielding the soul of a hero”

So here’s where it gets crazy, well, crazier. What if for some reason Link wasn’t around for Calamity Ganon 10,000 years ago and Hylia, (or I guess it would technically be Fi?) was forced to chose someone else to battle The Calamity. A strong warrior, like someone from the Gerudo, like maybe….Ganondorf? And perhaps the “soul of a hero” refers to the master sword.

So let’s say I’m right and Ganondorf somehow ended up being the hero from 10,000 years ago, then what happened, why does he want to destroy us now?

Well, here’s where we pick up where I left off on the tear gem because I have a second theory inside of this one. Maybe, because he wasn’t the true hero, because he wasn’t LINK, he somehow got corrupted by malace during the battle, and they ended up having to seal him away somewhere deep underground. And the reason he’s so angry now isn’t just because of his malace corrupted soul, but because they betrayed him, they forced this role upon him, this destiny he never asked for and then when he needed help instead of trying to save him they locked him away, abandoned him after everything he had sacrificed for them.

I saw a post on tumble where someone mentioned they wanted to be able to save Ganondorf, which got me wondering if we can purify his little gem thing, but yeah that’s pretty much it.

Also, in not related to this theory, but I noticed the Zelda on the tapestry seems to have a dark skin tone, which makes me wonder if this is the Zelda from 10,000 years ago.

[maddrumsticks2]

Just finished Skyward Sword! And I finished A Link Between Worlds a few days ago.

So, double post time! I'll start with ALBW because I had a few days to sit on that one.

Also just realized that with the completion of Skyward Sword, I have officially played and completed every 3D Zelda game! YIPPEEE!

(Long post below the cut!! Along with major spoilers for both aforementioned games!)

Ravio is SO SILLY. Though, he's already talked about a lot. Anything I could say about him has probably already been said.

But hey, I can't help but really like this silly guy who stole my house and all my rupees, okay? He's a little rascal.

So instead, I love Hilda having a clear motivation behind her actions. She is just trying to restore her kingdom. She wants her people to thrive. But she turned to the triforce instead of trying to find better meds to maybe help her people. Though the place was literally breaking apart, so maybe there really wasn't anything else that would've worked.

The story of this game is really heavy in the last 30 minutes, and that's really it. Before that it's just dungeons. Oh, and helping Ravio retire. I absolutely LOVED that XD

So, the distribution of the story could've been done better. But really, this game is so underrated for a Zelda game. Also, the whole moving through walls thing is super fun. LOVED that mechanic. Altogether, great game.

Okay, on to Skyward Sword!

SO good. This game does NOT deserve all of the negativity the surrounded it for some reason. Sure, I used button controls (I couldn't figure out motion controls for the life of me pff) but STILL! I think the Switch version definitely made it easier on me. Though idk what the Wii version is like so I shouldn't be trying to compare them lol.

On to non-gameplay stuff, the dungeons were so cleverly designed. As someone who is not particularly smart, I never found myself super stuck in the dungeons. Instead, I had a lot of fun with them! That's always a plus with me, but I don't find too much shame in looking up a walkthrough here or there.

Story! So fun! I loved Groose's character arc especially. I totally despised him at first but he reached silly status pretty quickly. His character was handled really well, too. He didn't just flip personalities. He showed his flip through his actions, not his words. Which for Groose is a perfect choice.

Also, Ghirahim is SUCH a theatre kid. Nothing can change my mind on that. (And before anyone gets mad, I'M a theatre kid. I know what we act like.)

I find it interesting that the whole game only takes place in three regions that you visit over and over again. Other Zelda games have done this before, but I think Skyward Sword does it the most. I loved all the regions, but tbh I think the forest was the most boring to me. The Ancient Cistern was cool though. I won't deny that. Also, Eldin was probably the most traumatizing for Sky. SO many bad things happened there lol. Like being burned because of how hot it is, then finding chains Zelda has definitely been bound in, being told he was too late. Then he comes back later and not much traumatizing stuff that time. Maybe getting chased by lava, probably not lasting trauma, just scary for a minute lol. But when he comes back a final time, the volcano erupts, covering the sky in ash and leaving him with no return to the sky. To make matters worse, he gets beaten up and captured by monsters and all his stuff was stolen. Wow I just wrote a lot about Eldin pfff

Sadly, I already knew about the whole Zelda is Hylia thing. I kinda wish I hadn't known that. That cutscene probably would've been cooler if I played this game in the complete dark.

Also, Link is so subtly expressive in this game. He actually has facial expressions! I love how at the end of the game, you can SEE Link's determination. You can see his desire to cut Demise down and save his world. I LOVE his expressiveness!

One thing I didn't know was that Demise was the Imprisoned. That actually surprised me.

Then there's Impa. I already figured out that the Old Lady was Impa before the reveal. So that was just "I called it." But here's the silly part about that cutscene: I read fanfic saying she died once. But of course I let my guard down. I believed that the author had Impa die from Ghirahim hitting her. And so, literally one text box away from the scene, I sent my sister in law a text like "lol, idk why I thought Impa dies. She's literally been here the whole time."

I had to send a text probably two seconds late saying "nvm, she died."

Whoopsies, silly me XD

Last thing I wanna say! (I think.) The whole lightning in the end battle is SICK! And now all the lighting scars people give Sky make sense. That's probably one of my favorite scar headcanons, honestly. That and Wild's blast scar. Also love giving Twilight a nasty arm scar, but I'm getting off track.

So yeah! Those are my silly disjointed thoughts on both the games I finished recently! Now I only have 2D games left to play. My list became so much smaller! It went from having ten games to just five.

Just have the Oracles games, Link's Awakening, the original and Adventure of Link to play! (I'm debating which one to start with. Probably the Oracles games to I can get Legend's character down better.)

Yay! Wall of text!

[iambutmortal]

Watch Me Burn

Chapter 3

Summary: Lucien Vanserra, Godkiller and disgraced prince, is more than content on his own. He doesn't need his family, or his wife, or his former friend. Hasn't needed them in years. But when villages start being attacked by a force he thought he'd destroyed years ago, he's forced back into their company to retrieve the mysterious firebird and save his kingdom from ruin.

Pairing: Elucien

Word Count: 2.1k

Read on AO3 | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

Authors Note: Remember when I said daily ish updates and then didn't update for four days. Well clearly I shouldn't be trusted with deadlines. And as always, for the amazing @labellefleur-sauvage for the @acotargiftexchange

Present

“Hello, wife.”

“Look who finally decided to show up,” Elain said, rising slowly to her feet. Her dress was cut low, showing off the swell of her breasts. In spite of himself, Lucien felt his gaze drawn there, before he tore it away to focus on Elain’s smirking face.

Oh she definitely knew where he was looking.

“So town reeve,” Lucien said, clearing his throat. He shifted slightly to hide the evidence of the blood flowing to his cock. “That’s new.”

Elain tossed a silky, golden curl over her shoulder. “You took so long I had some time to persuade Kouemos of my leadership skills.”

“With your tongue or your magic?” Lucien taunted.

Elain stalked towards him, placed one hand on his chest and shoved. “I don’t need magic to get people to love me.”

Lucien’s chest burned where she touched him, and he caught her hand up in his, holding it safely away from him. “No, only to keep them around.”

Elain looked like she wanted to spit on him. She wrenched her hand out of his grasp. “I didn’t summon you here so you could insult me.”

“What happened to the old Lord, Elain?” Lucien asked, not one to be distracted. “What was his name, Nolan?”

“Nolan’s been dead for years,” Elain said. “A unicorn rode through town and his heart gave out from shock.” She snorted. “Spent fifty years building walls to keep magic away, and it was his fear that took him out.”

“Lord Graysen then, what of him?”

Elain stiffened. “Joined his father in the ground a few months ago. Not long after I showed up.” She tilted her chin up, daring him to challenge her.

“Attagirl,” Lucien said, leaning closer until his mouth was practically pressed against her neck. He loosened his grip on his sword, letting it drop to the ground.  “The knife work I showed you pay off?”

“No,” Elain growled. “I don’t need your help.”

“Except now,” Lucien smirked, sliding past her and plopping on the bed. He propped his boots up onto the white bedspread, just to watch her nostrils flair in irritation as he smeared mud on it. “Finally come across a problem you can’t solve by growing plants?”

Elain walked towards the bed and slapped him. Lucien laughed, his cheek stinging. Elain looked ready to hit him again, but before she could, Lucien wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap.

Elain’s long legs bracketed his thighs, and she surged forward to kiss him, biting down hard on his lower lip. The taste of blood hit Lucien’s tongue and he groaned, reaching down to drag Elain’s pink dress up around her hips.

At the same time, Elain grabbed his belt buckle, working it open and pulling out his now fully hard cock. Elain ran her fingers over it, and Lucien bucked his hips up into her hand.

Elain pulled away from the kiss long enough to give him a smug smile, before sinking down onto his length.

“Fuck,” Lucien groaned. 

Elain ground her hips against his and Lucien gasped.

“Something wrong, your highness?” she asked, eyes wide with mock ignorance. Like she wasn’t deliberately driving him out of his rutting mind.

“You know I hate that term,” Lucien growled, gripping her hips tight enough to bruise.

Elain gave him another rough kiss, a clash of tongues and teeth. “Not when I say it.”

Lucien grunted in response. 

In the five years since he’d left Auden, they’d run into each other on occasion. An occupational hazard. And every time, they ended up in each other’s beds, coupling for a few rough bouts of love making. They were both under no illusion their marriage meant they had some special claim on the other, but it did confer some benefits when they ended up in the same spot.

Or, at least, Lucien assumed they had on such claim of loyalty. He may have no interest in women outside of Elain, no matter how often opportunity presented itself, but he’d long decided he was happier not knowing if she felt the same way. And he’d resolved not to tell Elain about his own duty to his marriage vows. Better to keep some things private.

Above him, Elain’s full lips parted as she sucked in air. Her breasts swayed with each rock of her hips, and Lucien reached a hand up to grab the neckline of her dress, yanking it down. It tore easily under his touch, and Lucien half wondered if that wasn’t intentional. Some quirk of the fabric Elain had chosen to exploit.

Lucien took one erect nipple between his teeth, nipping at it lightly, and Elain practically screamed. 

“Something the matter, your highness?” Lucien asked, releasing her breast with one final, hard tug.

Elain scowled and reached a hand between them to finger her clit. “Only that I have to do everything myself.”

Lucien grabbed her wrist, and pulled her arm away from where their bodies joined. “How quickly you forget, princess.”

“Forget what?” Elain asked, batting her brown eyes. In response, Lucien thrust his hips up, making sure to hit that spot deep inside her he knew had her falling apart in seconds. Sure enough, Elain’s eyes rolled back as she groaned, her core clenching around him.

“Do I need to remind you again?”

Elain hesitated and Lucien tugged up on her wrist, pulling her body taunt.

“Do I?”

“Please,” Elain whined, and Lucien slowly dragged his hips down before slamming them back up. Elain’s breath hitched, they way it always did before she fell apart completely, and Lucien winked as he found that spot a third time. Elain broke apart around him, her cunt squeezing his length, sending release barreling down his own spine.

A few quick, short strokes worked them both through their climaxes. Lucien dropped Elain’s hand, checking her wrist for any signs of bruising. 

“I’m fine,” she said, pulling it away.

Lucien sighed, letting her go. He wrapped an arm gently around her waist, pleased when she didn’t immediately remove it. “Why did you call me here, Elain?”

“The Wild Hunt is back.”

Lucien sat upright so fast Elain had to brace herself against his chest to keep from falling off his lap. “Fuck.”

Elain grinned ruefully, fingering the fabric of his shirt. “Turns out we didn’t take care of it as well as we thought last time.”

“Fuck,” Lucien repeated. “Are you sure?”

“The signs are all there–people going missing, livestock slaughtered, churches burned. And it’s all happening along the borders.”

“Fuck.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t heard about it,” Elain said, rising off him and brushing down her skirt. “I thought it would be something talked about in your network.

Lucien reached down to close his pants back up. “I’ve been avoiding the border.”

“I figured,” Elain said, pulling one of countless leather clad tomes off her bookshelf. “But the attacks have been spreading out over the past couple months, going deeper and deeper into Auden.” She opened the book, letting it fall open to a specific page, and turned around to show it to him.

Lucien looked at the rough sketch of a bird engulfed in flame and quirked his brow. “The firebird? That’s a myth.”

“I thought so too,” Elain said. “Until one of Eris’ soldiers went up Mount Vasilisa and came down raving about the whole mountain top being on fire.

“So Eris thinks this firebird can stop the Hunt?” Lucien chose not to ask why Elain knew so much about what his brother’s troops were up to.

Elain pointed to a line in the book. “The firebird can break any bonds that tie. Including the ones that tie the Wild Hunt to the earth.”

“And Eris decided to send us to go get it,” Lucien supplied.

“Preferably before the meeting of the King.” The meeting once every ten years where the monarchs of the continent’s kingdoms got together and pretended they didn’t want to kill each other. This time Eris had been chosen to host, and Lucien had been planning to be far, far away from Auben by then.

“That’s in a fortnight,” Lucien protested. “It takes half that time just to get to the mountain.”

“Then it’s a good thing Eris picked the town below it to host the meeting,” Elain chirped.

“Eris just thought of everything, didn't he.” Lucien bent down to retrieve his sword from where he’d dropped it. “Next time you see my brother, tell him to ask me in person if he wants me to do his dirty work.”

Elain crossed her arms, pushing up her still exposed chest. “So you’re not coming then? You’re just going to leave?”

“What do you care?”

Elain took a step between him and the door, blocking him in. “Is Auden not my country now? Am I not its princess?”

“If you consider yourself that,” Lucien conceded. “Although how far you’d get being married to the cast out seventh son Godkiller…”

“Who’s still the brother of a King. And the son of another. And both their land is being destroyed right now.” Elain raised her chin, somehow managing to look down at him despite being nearly a head shorter.

Lucien glared at her for a long moment before sagging in defeat. “Tell Eris there’d better be a large sack of gold waiting for me when we get to the bottom of this mountain.”

Elain’s triumphant grin was practically fox-like. “I’ll make sure to tell him his brother’s sense of familial duty remains just as profit motivated as ever. Now give me your shirt, since you ruined my dress.”

Lucien tugged off the sweat soaked linen and offered it to her. She pulled it on, and opened the door.

Jurian, his ear pressed against the wood, nearly fell on the floor.

“It’s you,” Lucien said, voice utterly impassive. 

“I told you to stay away,” Elain hissed.

Jurian scrambled to right himself, squaring his broad shoulders and pasting a broad grin on his face. “Good to see you again too, Lucien. It’s been, what, five years?”

Lucien nodded once in recognition. “Been keeping yourself busy?” He asked more out of politeness than any genuine interest. He couldn’t find it in him to care, not about Jurian.

“Oh I’ve been around,” Jurian said, waving his hand. “Playing in taverns, working my way through all the finest cities.”

“Bursting the eardrums of everyone in this castle with your music,” Elain muttered, and Lucien chuckled in spite of himself.

“What was that?” Jurian asked, pretending not to hear.

“Elain gave him a pretty smile, one that made Lucien’s heart pull a bit. Why did Jurian get to see them but not him. “Oh, nothing.”

“Good,” Jurian said, giving Elain an equally simpering look. “Because I’ve so been enjoying your hospitality for these past weeks, and I’d hate for anything to taint that.”

Lucien’s brow shot up. Weeks?

“Turns out me and Jurian can get along when we have certain common interests to motivate us,” Elain said sweetly, reading Lucien’s expression.

“Great,” Lucien mumbled. He eyed Jurian, looking for any indication those common interests included something of the more carnal nature. Jurian winked at him, but knowing Jurian that could mean any number of things. “And do those common interests extend to Mount Vasilisa?”

“Yes,” Jurian said, at the same time Elain said, “no.”

“For the last time, you’re not coming,” Elain snapped.

“I think you’ll find my particular talents very helpful,” Jurian said, gesturing to the lute strapped across his back.

“Sure, if we need to scare someone off,” Elain shot back. “They’ll run away with their ears bleeding.”

“Useful when we need to take care of the firebird’s guards,” Jurian said.

Elain turned to Lucien. “Tell him no.”

Lucien eyed the bard, taking in the fine tunic, and hands with a few more calluses than one would expect from a musician.

“He can come,” Lucien said.

Elain huffed and stormed past Jurian, down towards where Lucien knew the castle stalls were. Jurian made to follow her, but Lucien grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close.

“If you do anything during this to put us in danger, if you breathe a word of this, I’ll flay you alive and string your guts from the nearest church steeple.”

“What about your wife,” Jurian protested. “Not worried she’ll stab us all in the back again?”

Lucien tightened his grip. “I’ll worry about her. You worry about yourself. Got it?”

He could see Jurian swallow. “Got it.”

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for “Rushing head-long into the world-endling calamity with no preparation whatsoever because I was curious”?

Long story’s very long, I (???M) woke up a few years ago from what was essentially a 100 year power nap. It turned out that I was a Knight who was supposed to save the world from a calamity that went on a rampage through the kingdom 100 years ago, but I had no knowledge of this at the time ss I had lost all my memories

Shortly after I woke up, I met this guy I can’t remember the name of who I think was supposed to explain that to me, but I didn’t really pay much attention to because he made me run around the area I woke up in entering four shrines and collecting cool powers from them in exchange for a Paraglider that could help me access the rest of the world, and I just kinda zoned out while waiting for him to shut up and give it to me already. It was stupid, I know

But after I got it I did this sick kickflip off the side that of the area that led to me accidentally bouncing off of a dude’s head and gliding all the way to the castle where the big bad guy lived, and then I saw a light coming from the throne room and heard voices and I just had to investigate

But on the way there I noticed this investigation was gonna be more dangerous than I first thought, so I grabbed some weapons and armor and fought my way up to the throne room, where I had to beat up four weird monsters and then entered a fight with the calamity I was meant to save the kingdom from, still not really having any idea what was going on

So I beat him up and this beautiful princess who sounds just like the voice I heard, who we’ll call “Cass”, appears in front of me and thanks me for saving the kingdom, and then asks if I remember her. To which I say no, because I just woke up like 30 minutes ago. She then says that I should’ve reclaimed memories of her on my quest to come save her, and I tell her I didn’t go on a quest. I just saw a weird light coming from the castle and went to investigate. She then begins to freak out about me not doing anything I was supposed to do and asks me why I would do that, and I said I was curious and that got her REALLY mad. And she began going on this rant about how I risked the fate of the entire kingdom, and I was starting to get kinda stressed out so I just blurted out that the day was still saved in spite of everything and that seemed to calm her down. But THEN she mentions this “Master Sword” I was supposed to use to beat up the weird beast thing and freaks out again upon realizing that I don’t have it, but she basically nuked the guy so I highly doubted he was coming back and reassured her of such

Ever since then we’ve been all over the place restoring the kingdom to it’s former glory, and I’ve learned a lot about who I was thanks to a close friend of mine (???F) who we’ll call “P” taking me to a bunch of places captured in my camera roll, as well as Cass giving me some history lessons. Turns out I was really something back in my glory days. I try my best to be more like that for Cass’s sake, but it’s kinda hard with how emotional she gets whenever I get any details of our history wrong. It’s really hard to understand her when she gets like that, but I think I manage well enough

And that brings us to now. Laely we've gotten reports of people falling ill from this mysterious Gloom that’s leaking out of the castle, and when we went to investigate we found the corpse of the guy she nuked a few years back. Except it turns out he wasn’t really dead, and would’ve been if I used the Master Sword

And now everything is messed up. My arm had to be cut off due to a really severe Gloom infection (and was replaced with some other guy’s), and I’ve woken up on this “Great Sky Island”, Cass is nowhere to be found with the only trace of her I have being the device she left for me, and the kingdom is probably in great danger without me there to protect it

I took up an attitude with Cass when she said this was all my fault before she disappeared, but in hindsight she was right. Even if I couldn’t have known what would happen I can’t shake the guilt of knowing how none of this would’ve happened if I just listened to that old man instead of focusing so hard on getting that stupid paraglider. I mean, why else did I think he was forcing me to go around collecting superpowers?

AITA?

[ask-missparker]

Runaway Bride / OUAT Series Au

Pairing: Charming!Nikolai x Snow!Amelia

Flashback: The enchanted forest

Note: Inspired a bit by the song ‘Burn’ from Hamilton

Extra characters: Captain Hook!Jeremy, King Midas, The Dark Prince Alexander and etc

Sequel to this fic

———

Wedding belles in 24 hours.

She will be hitched and staying here in the castle walls in due time. Was she ready? No. Was she making the right decision? Most definitely—not! It was for the good of the kingdom, but not for her heart. She played with her engagement ring as she stood in front of the mirror, swearing a long white dress and plain white heels to purely match.

“What am I doing?” She muttered to herself, looking down at the dress that almost drowned her, “I can’t do this..”

The last few days have felt like a bitter cold joke.

A few days ago, Charming barges into her room just to tell her that he doesn’t love her. The royals were behind this and the man she loved went along with their plan for whatever reason. She almost went to find a cure to numb her pain, searching the land for witch to give her a vial to do so, but she didn’t have the heart to drink in it. Fitzsimmons were sneaking off behind Midas’s back on a romantic night and here she was in a damn dress?! She was gonna get married without her friends and family there!

She spent days trying to figure out what happened, but couldn’t figure out what it is that turned her world upside down.

Snow looked over at the letters and muttered, “Do you know what my lady in waiting said when she saw your first letter arrived? She said ‘Be careful with that one, love. He’ll do what what it takes to survive.’ Your words flooded my senses, your sentences left me defenseless.

She reread the letters he wrote her, searching and scanning for answers in every line for some kind of sign. The pastels that were marked with his little doodles. From the moment she read them, he said he was her. She was his. She muttered, “You were mine..still are.”

Tears welcomed themselves into her eyes as she glared at the sky outside her window, picking up a torch and grabbing a letter waiting for it slowly burn and thrown out window itself. She burns two more but stopped at a certain point, a small stack of letters searching for another way to redeem herself. Redeem him in her heart.

She wanted him to burn, but her heart crumbled at the moment scanning across a letter. She didn’t need to burn him exactly, but find him. Tell him how she felt, how she deserves an apology, an explanation for his actions and know if he meant it all.

———

Charming was standing and stabbed the tree before himself, as poems and letters played in his head. He spent the last couple of days drinking, eating and drowning himself in sorrow, his pirate hat was tightly wrapped around his head with every bite he made.

The cold weather came a breeze underneath his long coat, glaring at the skies. He and Jeremy were practicing a sword fight, as shouting and groans could be heard among the loudest of the woods. The suggestion of combat and nights on the town were a way to occupy his mind from the lush he left. No—the pain and embarrassment he left for leaving a love behind in sorrow, knowing he did what had to be done to survive.

To save both of this asses from death. But he couldn’t let her know that.

Jeremy swung his sword and yelled, “You have to go back for her soon.”

“I would love to but I can’t.” He replied, changing his stance.

“So what? The king is selfish and cruel, all he wants is the gold. Let’s say you do get her back, what would you do?”

“Save her from that castle, but she’ll be on the run for years.”

“I think that’s a risk we’re all willing to take, my friend. But I’m thinking she’ll be the one to save you.”

Nikolai raised an eyebrow, “How so?”

“You’ve been on your own for years.” Hook response, “Running for shelter, a way out of this land if possible. And this princess of yours, she gave you a gift.”

“Yes, I know the chain. In a way I feel content and connected with her due to its worth.”

“And her heart. She saved you from feeling this poor way. I should know, I fell for the mischievous Prince of Wonderland.”

“What do I do now? The king will have my head—my brother will catch me and chain me up in the dungeons to rot away.”

“Risk it! It’s better that she knows the truth about what happened, find her now or you’ll lose her forever. Don’t walk away from it.”

————

——————-

The next day came, the sun was shining in between the clouds beneath them. It reminded the prince of his heart. It was being clouded by his judgement and fear, being let down for years now. Thinking it was better to not let his hopes alive again. In his small room of the ship, he sat staring out the decently size window.

It was the day of the wedding.

But not his.

He had two options. Wait it out or save his girl? It didn’t want want to talk about it. He pulled out a piece of paper, a simple drawing of his mother he kept close, hoping to find the strength to get her back, but at the end of the day he just wanted to protect her.

His brother was right about him being weak spirted but as he looked at photo of his mother, he reminded himself that he was still stronger than he bargained for. On his bedside stood a small stack of letters written directly to her, as he flopped back onto the bed reading every single one over and over again chuckling every once in a while.

Yes, he still loved her and will not give up on her.

Nikolai got out of bed and want out of the woods to practice his sword fighting and target practice using the same tree from the night behind, if he was gonna fight for her he needed to keep his strength up.

Just as a arrow was released from the bow and drawn back, it went flying past the tree to land nearby. He raced over to see where it landed, finding it on the side of a tree trunk. But what surprised him what was the figure next to the very tree, a hand written over the arrow locking her eyes with him wearing a flowing white, almost gray dress. Her hair was pinned down and curled in different directions but she looked like a Angel in his eyes.

Well, more like an angry angel.

“What in heavens are you doing here?” He shouted, pacing up to her.

She glared, “You got some nerve coming to me with that attitude.”

“You’re gets getting married this afternoon. Your not supposed to be here.”

“Oh yes I am. You deserve to give me an explanation for what you did. You said you didn’t love me!”

“Because I’m trying to protect you here! I’m not the right one for you, I only ever wanted something for myself..and I can’t imagine hurting you more than I already have.”

“Then fix it! Look me in the eye and tell me you love me instead of running away from your problems!”

Nikolai looked down and groaned, “I can’t! I don’t love you. And as for your information, princess, running away has me some good.”

Amelia scoffed sighing, “Has it done us some good? Has it done you any good as far?”

He was about to turn around and walk away then he stopped with a glare, “Excuse me?”

“Has it done us any good?” She barked back, “Cause from where I’m standing it has been nothing but shit. You’re letters you sent me, our first weeks sneaking off together and even our dances at every single ball in secret..you ran away after promising to see me again. And yet you come back to tell me that you never loved me in the first place..none of it felt right, you did you mean it?”

“Amelia please..I never meant to hurt you here! You think i want to feel this way huh?! Your letter left me defenseless and you will build palaces out of paragraphs to make me smile whenever I felt like drowning. Every week we spent made me only feel more comfortable around you and from the day we met I knew I was doomed! Because you walked into my life and I had no idea but to cover up theses feelings. Is that what you want to hear? I covered up my feelings for you by saying I hate you, that I don’t love you?! The night I found you I was tempted to say the complete opposite of those words.”

“What changed? Did I say anything wrong? Did I mistaken my actions for lies? You’re the one who said that you come from a family of lies and you were just playing with me!”

“Yes, I come from a family of screw ups and downplaying those memories are how I survived out here. But I was willing to let you in, but to save our heartache and I fear that I might lose you..I said those things..”

“I am getting married today..I ran away from the castle to find you..what changed, Nik? What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing. You never said or anything wrong that made me love you any less..I love you Snow..I do. But Shaw, he told me to tell you I don’t just to save our skins or else we would be killed! I can’t lose another person I love!”

“You won’t lose me. You..you did the noble thing to save our skins? I guess I was right here..he told you to take the hit or he will have our heads! Shaw is having me do all of this and hurt you in the process. You know what, I won’t marry Fitz, I’ll tell Midas the truth about us and then we can—”

“God, your as stubborn as it gets.”

He rolled his eyes and groaned, swiftly turning around pacing himself to place both hands on both side of her face. Without a split second to spear, crashed his lips onto her own shutting her up quicker than expected. It took her a moment to realize what he did and her body to click into what happened as she melt into into touch.

Every inch of pain, delay embarrassment and love was wrapped in that one kiss. Nikolai’s hands felt from her face to above her neck, as the other pulled her closed apologizing in between every single word, letting whatever tears start ringing in. Amelia hummed as a hand hover around his cheek and the other was place gently on his chest, feeling the salty tears that released from his grasp.

The kiss was passionate, tender and comforting. It was anything grand but it was meaningful. A long waited moment that was supposed to happen a few nights ago in that room, instead it took place in the middle of woods in between a messy argument.

He pulled away, pushing away the pin curls from her face and smiled sheepishly, “I am so deeply sorry for hurting you. I never met for this to happen, love. Your my sunshine in all of this and I will find a way to fix this even if it takes me forever to make it up to you.”

She smiled softly with fresh tears in her eyes and nodded, “You can take however long you need. I am here for however long you’ll have me, I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I should have never yelled at you, I’ll make it up to you some way.”

“I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“Not possible.”

Before either one of them any add any other cheesy line, ruffling and shouting was head. He gasped and shook his head, she pulled his hood over his head letting out a shaky bread. Royal knights found them, pushing the other away the other as the pair fought against them trying to make a run for it. Nikolai was fighting a couple of knights, pushing them away from his ready when he heard as a fragile scream that came from the women he calmed to love deeply.

He was fighting and being thrown to the ground as he looked over his shoulder to see Amelia being tossed in a cage as she screamed. One knight was about to cut him until another yelled, “Enough! We came for the girl.” The horse that wheeled the cage moved away with the knights who followed behind.

“Charming!” She screamed in fear, “Nicholas..”

He stood up with a piercing deep glare stabbing two knights in the chest and screamed back, “I will found you! I will always find you.”

~~~~

~~~~~~~

Amelia was tossed in front of the royal King Shaw and Midas as her wedding dress was now dirty. Two knights holding her equally on both sides as she struggled to be set free, begging for them to let her go. Fitzs and Jemma run in gasping in shock at what happened.

Shaw glared, “So daughter you are. You disobey me, run away on your wedding day and embarrassed the Kingdom over some foolish love. Your supposed to marry him today!”

“I don’t love him.” She yelled back.

“Quiet!”

“You don’t know anything about connections.”

Fitz spoke up and stood in front of his father in defense of Snow and said, “She’s right father, she doesn’t love me. Nor do I love her. I love Princess Jemma Forest Red, Amara Snow White’s sister, and she loves me.”

Midas looked between the love birds and the young princess yelling at Shaw. He sighed, “Leo, son, I choose Snow because she took charge! She helped save us that day.”

“And so did Jemma! She was the one who signaled to her to take the bow and arrow, keeping a protective hand over me the whole time and thought the same thing as all of us. She is meant to be my way, she is smart, kind and patient. Everything you could ever me to marry. King Shaw just wants our money forcing this marriage onto us.”

“Son the wedding preparations..”

Jemma followed up, “We can have it changed. I can help plan an even more timely wedding and focus on the good for the kingdom..I love your son, Midas. I didn’t speak up before because I was scared what you might say, I was trying to be respectful of the whole situation but I can’t stand by my friend being hurt and the man I love marrying someone else.”

Midas gaze fell onto the trio of young royals, realizing the huge mistake was made here and he should’ve seen past it all in the first place. He apologizes to his son and the girls for the hardships they must’ve been doing to keep this a secret. Jemma took one look at her newfound sister and nodded saying that Shaw has made us into what he became, inflected hurt and tiredness towards the two of them that he should be locked up for his crimes. Amelia smiled at the two of them taking a stand and helping her out. Midas listened well and good, as his knights ripped Shaw away from the room as his groans and shouts could be heard from down the halls.

Jemma and Fitz rushed helping up from the ground as the trio hugged tightly.

———

—————

Once the long and hard work overdue in the castle, Snow excused herself from the round table by dinner and entered her bedroom in deep silence. She had tried to make an effort to convince Midas to let her leave the castle walls by morning to find her own true love and the man agreed to let her go, ordering his men to have a horse in the stables waiting for her by dawn.

Snow looked out the window as she clinging onto her chest hoping Nicholas will find her in time and not have her be trapped in this place forever. Some of Shaw’s men stayed behind keeping a watch on the princess threatening her if she left, there will be no more room in the world for her to hide.

She sighed looking over her shoulder to notice a plate of fruit resting on her nightstand, she half smiled assuming that it was one of the lady in waiting who set her up a late night snack for late, walking over she saw a small gathering ranging from blueberries to cherries.

But the one of caught her eye was the juicy red apple that was waiting for someone to come and take to their pleased mouth. Snow picked it up and took one thick crunchy bite of the apple humming at how delicate yet delicious it was.

Suddenly her eyes rolled back to the back of her head as her body hit the floor in a deep breath. Without a second doubt her unconscious body was gulped down in a huge black cloud dissolving from the room and reappearing in a dungeon.

A pair of brown eyes dressed in black leather and dark boots within that castle watched her with a smirk from his mirror.

———

—————

Will Charming save the princess from her slumber, recognizing he’s been that same place before? 

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Remember to like, share and reblog for me

Tags: @missstrawbs2001 @purpleprincessonfyre @meiramel @gcthvile @rickb-chaos @gaminggirlsstuff @wizzzardofoz @thechoooooosenone @luna-d-marsh @rooster-84 @thecavalrywife @cherrysft and etc

[legofanguy]

ToTK: A princess left behind

This is my entry for @zelinkcommunity Zelink week 2023 day 2 forbidden. The forbidden comes from this being a AU ending of Tears of the Kingdom in which Link kill Ganondorf before he turn into the Demon Dragon and swallow his secret stone. Spoliers for Tears of the Kingdom. Also, Link and Zelda's daughter Charlotte is named after her grandmother.

It has been months since both Charlotte's mother Princess Zelda and her father Link has disappeared and the Demon King has been defeated by the team work of Link and the new Sages. Right now, the four years old princess is on a sky island with her parents' close friends the Sages and Purah the Shiekah scientist. The Sages has last saw Link take a Secret Stone, a Zonai artifact that amplify the powers of the one whose wear it, from the Demon King dead body and strangely request that the Sages guide Charlotte in her duties as heir to the Kingdom of Hyrule and he is sorry for not saving Zelda from a fate. Weeks later, there begins sighting of a green dragon that sudden appear above Hyrule Castle before flying off to the clouds, where the mysterious Light Dragon was waiting for it, and there is no secrets that begin rumors of how the dragons are somehow connected to Princess Zelda and Link disappeared. Among the Sages is the spirit of Mineru, the Sage of Spirit and Charlotte's ancient aunt.

Mineru explains to Charlotte, "Long ago, when your mother end up in my time, in the begining era of Hyrule, I hold Princess Zelda about stories of a forbidden act called draconification. The story goes that 'to swallow a Secret Stone is to be become an immortal dragon... one blessed with eternal life. To become a immortal dragon is to lose oneself.' That is why it is forbidden. After my brother Rauru seal the Demon King at the cost of his life, the broken Master Sword appear in our time and your mother, Charlotte, decided..." and Mineru become sadly, "so that Link could get the sword in time for the final battle..."

Everyone realized what Mineru is hinting at with Purah saying in disbelief, "T-That's nonsense... Zelda would never turn herself into a dragon!" which the Zonai call out, "Maybe that why Link didn't tell any of you when he found out about Zelda's fate! You would have call him mad with grief, when Link was losing his will except to destroy the Demon King as Zelda wanted, just like my brother when his wife Sonia was murdered in cold blood by the Demon King for her Secret Stone! Beside, both he and Zelda suffered a crushing defeat by the Demon King's evil you called Calamity Ganon 100 years ago and it affected their minds!" Purah and the Sages understand that Mineru was right about their possible doubts as Charlotte ask, "What about daddy?" and the Zonia close her eyes and said to the little girl as she open them, "I am... I am sorry, little one... I told you about your mother's fate, because I tragically have a theory about what happen to Link, as he has saw Zelda's memories of me telling her about draconification and her transformation. I see in his face that Link was desperate to defeat the Demon King for something only than protecting Hyrule..."

Sidon made a horrible conclusion and ask, "Please... Don't tell us... Did you believe Link truely swallow the Secret Stone of..." Just then, two roars full the skies and everyone look up to see the Light Dragon and the Green Dragon, both has mane of blonde fur, which are proof of their identities. Riju speak out, "That Light Dragon... she must be Zelda. That mean that other dragon is truly..." and Charlotte speak this terrible realization as well, "Daddy..."

The two dragon sit down to the platform before the gathered group and lower their heads so that their Hylian daughter would touch their fur, just like she would feel their hands. As she does, a glowing light came from Charlotte's hands and spiritual avatars of Link and Zelda appear. Zelda's avatar happily, "Charlotte... oh, my Charlotte..." before she notice Link and realized, "Link... you are here.... but, did you..." and Link reply, "Yes, my love. I defeat the Demon King, with the Master Sword you keep safe for me, and swallow his Secret Stone to be with you."

A few weeks back, Link hold the Secret Stone he took from the beheaded body of the Demon King, seeing that it does amplify the recall ability as he hope, so he is left with his other option to be with Zelda, even if it means forshaking what make Link himself and leaving his daughter and his friends. Link has saw that he has become like Rhoam and Rauru when he learn Zelda fate 10,000 years ago of become a father and king of Hyrule whose lost his wife.

Just like the memoires of Zelda, Link put the Secret Stone and swallow it, which he feel everything fading away as a glow comes from his body before his blue eyes become the eyes of dragon and his Hylian body become a long green dragon with a mindset of finding his mate, the Light Dragon, roaring as it fly from above Hyrule Castle and into the skies of clouds where she waited him.

Link said to his friends with one last look, "Please... protect Charlotte... make her happy... ensure that the Hyrule she will lead will never face another evil like Ganon again." and both Zelda and him said to their daughter as their avatars fade away, "We love you, Charlotte... with all of our hearts." Soon, the two dragons fly out to explore and protect this land, together in eternal union. Mineru sigh and said, "It's a bettersweet ending. My brother and the wife he loved... their Secret Stones has made two lover forshake their mortal lives to be immortal dragons that wouldn't remember their past lives."

In a attempt to cheer Charlotte up, the Sages speak, trying to do so together, "Those of us... gathered here... swear on our lives... to support Princess Charlotte and...." They stop for a brief moment which cause Charlotte to giggle before the Sages try what Link told them before his transformation again, "to support Princess Charlotte Zelda Hannah Hyrule and safeguard the land of Hyrule."

After Mineru's spirit fade away, and Charlotte see that the Secret Stone that is now hers has become the mix of white and yellow to symbol her light and time powers, which her powers and her ancestors has.

[sinvulkt]

oh, are you at all like me? by acaciapines ( @acaciapines )

Once upon a time there was a girl and a demon.

The girl’s hair was the color of Dust, a gleaming gold, and with it shining in the wind she lifted her sword, and drove it straight into the heart of the demon that had tried to call her little village its own. The people loved her. They say her soul was a brilliant white dog, a guardian, large as an ox. He grappled with the monster. With his fur a light to drive it back.

And so time turned on. Technology improved. The people lived. A thousand years passed. A kingdom grew, the loyal mutt-souls of the common people protected by the noble lines of knights, bloodhounds and shepherds and retrievers. Happily ever after, right?

Tsht. Yeah. You know, they say only dogs get happy endings.

(A Nimona daemon AU: in which Ballister's daemon changes shape, impossibly, the night of the Queen's murder, and this is of some interest to Nimona.) Completed, 49k words.

*** ** * ** ***

Chap 4:

Her mother said, her voice hushed, Gloreth? Her father said, you told us you were Settled. The girl at her side stared at her parents, at her village, and finally last to her daemon, who was stomping a hoof on the ground, her tail flicking. Maybe there were many thoughts that ran through the girl’s head, maybe there was just one. The daemon wouldn’t know. But what the daemon did know was this: That the girl she had shared a life with closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she said, I am Settled. This is not my daemon. The daemon started. What are you— But the girl continued to speak. I have suspected for some time. I didn’t know how to say it. I was—worried. For what happened to my true daemon, my true soul. For this one has only convinced me to lie to you, my family, my neighbors. But it is not my daemon. And the girl walked right past the pitchforks, and was not stopped. [...] She knew very little, but she did know two things: She was a monster. And monsters were alone.

Chap 5:

You know, they say a dog saved this kingdom, centuries ago. It’s—dumb, really. That such a small, stupid thing could shape the course of history all the way until now. I really did try, you know. To be good. It’s just the harder I tried the more I realized that good and Nimona weren’t ever going to coexist, and I guess back then I just—didn’t want to die. So I chose Nimona, and figured I wouldn’t bother trying being good. Not if I would never fit it. I bet I know what’s right up there with the definition for good. A dog. It’s tiring. I guess that’s the word. That I could go for so long like this. And—I mean, for a bit, there? I really did want it all to…to end. To just. Give up. I could’ve given up a long time ago. I mean, I know that would’ve been the quote unquote good choice. You get to see the family trees of language, when you live like I do. You get to see how words start to mean other things. How soul becomes daemon becomes dog. It’s the only form I’ve ever taken that’s hurt me. Everything else, sure, maybe it gets a bit itchy, if I stick to it for too long, fits oversized, or too-small, but those are all problems I can solve. I roll into something new. But dog, well. I mean, that’s how it goes, isn’t it? When dog means good means you get to exist, and then there’s me. And that won’t ever be true for me. I don’t know. Maybe I’m still tired. It’s—kind of stupid, isn’t it? I mean, everyone else, they looked at a big shadowy beast of rage and despair and pain, and they called it a monster. But even that was better than… You can only cram yourself into a tiny box for so long before you have to burst out of it. Or you’re going to die there, and when you die, they’re only ever going to see what they wanted. I could’ve died, so long ago, like I was supposed to. Can you imagine it? What would that epithet even say? Not Nimona, that’s for sure. Maybe loyal daemon. Like loyal dog. Like never-changing. I guess some part of me figured—well, this way I’m going out on my own terms. I’ll die a monster, but…it’s not like I was ever going to be anything else. So I might as well be a monster. It’s closer to me than daemon or human could ever be, that’s for sure. It’s… I really thought I’d never see you again. I’m not sure I really believed it, when I first saw you on TV. I guess I wanted to, but you were—well, not what I was hoping for, that’s certain. You didn’t get it. I just wanted to be Nimona. It should be simple for everyone to be okay with that. Why should there only be two choices? Why only human, or daemon? Well, I say fuck those roles. I get to make my own choice.

[epicwalrus]

Walrus Loses her Mind cont.

OK, so theories...oh boy, the theories.

Some are new, others have evolved...and all of them are driving me slowly to distraction. Current theory count...3? I think?

You know the drill, spoilers for all Mysterious Lotus Caserbook episodes up to 28.

1. Shan Gudao is not dead and is, in fact, the big bad.

I am still convinced of this and only growing more so.

Despite what Lianhua says (unreliable narrator, much?), the flashbacks have shown Gudao in adulthood to be bad-tempered, aggressive, and manipulative, and Madam Feng said all he cared about was becoming famous and the strongest. He abandoned his PREGNANT girlfriend because he wanted to be stronger.

On top of that, he seems to have lied to Lianhua about the Cloud Iron and may have kept the He kid as the leader of The Four Tigers (He Zhang), although please correct me if I'm wrong there; my ability to hear the tones in Mandarin is still abysmally lacking, I'm trying to learn, I promise.

Even the argument with Xiangyi before Gudao quit the Sigu Sect felt slimy and manipulative, very much "I'm the good one. I care about you. I gave you the best sword I ever made. You are being too willful. You are the bad one." Poor Xiangyi might have been having his head fucked with for who knows how long. He was clearly suspicious of Gudao after the Cloud Iron incident but is now convinced he was the bad one.

Turning the two strongest sects against each other via his "death" opened up the way for the Wansheng Sect (which shares a symbol with Gudao), who are supported by the very royal court who offered Gudao an army to fight the Jinyuan Alliance. Who could fight back against him with the two strongest warriors dead and their sects in pieces?

I'm not convinced he's doing it for personal power anymore, though (or maybe not entirely). I think he may be a descendant of the Nanyin survivors and is picking up their plan where they left off (see theory 3).

2. Lianhua will be healed via his poison to fight poison technique.

Still being stubborn about this one, too XD The setup is almost perfect. They already have 4/5 things for healing our delicate lotus man.

A previously discussed and dangerous theory for detoxification (which requires great inner power, a counter-poison and acupuncture)

A-Su's golden acupuncture needles that can heal anything

Physician Guan, who is an acupuncture specialist

And either that wine to increase one's inner power (if they can find a legit recipe) or someone equally as powerful to feed Lianhua power (Feisheng).

We just need that poison that can counter the Bicha poison.

There was a shot of Duobing carrying an unconscious Lianhua in the trailer. Maybe that's when he's carrying him to safety after the poison becomes too much to suppress.

And then it's all hands on deck.

Everyone coming together to save our Lotus man.

Duobing suppresses the poison with Yangzhouman (I think that's how you spell it?).

A-Su asks her grandfather about the counter-poison and goes in search of it (maybe with Wanmian's help?).

And if the wine is legit, someone brews the wine as fast as they can. OR Feisheng constantly feeds his own power into Lianhua.

Physician Guan prepares the golden needles.

3. The Nanyin descendants are carrying on a plan created as a last-ditch effort in the war a hundred years ago.

These latest reveals seem to show us a conspiracy from the end of the war:

Nanyin merchants moved in to hide among the population while guarding the Heavenly Ice keys.

The princess married into the royal family with the Rama Vessel (now known to contain Karmic Insects) as her dowry.

Suiyan village's founding.

I think, as the war grew close to an end, Nanyin planned to release the Karmic Insects into their enemy's kingdom as a last-ditch effort to turn the tide. However, the Princess was found out (maybe she was mind-controlling the prince she married with said insects to force the Emperor's abdication), and she died as a result.

Her tomb, and the Rama Vessel, vanished as soon as she was buried, and so the plan failed. But maybe the inscription in her tomb (put there by the Nanyin workers who built it) was their last hope for their descendants to pick up where they left off.

Now we have many instances of Nanyin descendants appearing again and following our mysterious hooded man (glares in Gudao). I think someone had rediscovered the plan from the war and now plans to use it for revenge and to restart the Nanyin kingdom, just like in the legend of the kingdom's founding.

"But, Walrus," you cry, "the insects in the Rama Vessel need a Mother Insect to control them. Where is she?"

Well, dear reader, I lied. I actually have four theories!

4. The Mother Karmic Insect/s is/are hidden INSIDE THE NANYIN PRINCESS.

We learned in today's episodes that the Mother Karmic Insects can survive in a host for hundreds of years. And who else would have been in the position to smuggle these insects into the country?

The princess' body was preserved far better than the prince's when we saw them in the Yipin Tomb. Perhaps, this was again the Nanyin survivors giving their descendants the best chance for revenge. They preserved her body with Asura grass in order to allow the Mother Karmic Insect/s to survive until the plan was picked up once more.

What was once a last-ditch effort for survival has become a plan for revenge.

[pof203]

A Summoner Birthday

Previous post: https://pof203.tumblr.com/post/726799241790570496/a-summoner-birthday

Story (Chapter 12 Part 1)

All I want... is to protect him. He is my master and I will show him my love.

All I want... is to be with my soul brother. He is the only one who can match my strength.

All I want... is to be free. Free to be whoever I want to be, wherever I want to be, be with whoever I want to be... Especially the one who freed me.

All I want... is to conduct music that will make him smile. Because he's right about what he said.

All I want... is for him to love me as much as I love him. Out of all the others, I gave him most, if not, all my love.

All I want... is to make new memories with him. Memories that do not bring pain wherever I go.

All I want is... All we need is...

WE NEED TO SAVE OUR LUPIN!

They're headed for the tower. That's also where the terminal is. Lupin doesn't know how to use it, so we have to get to him.

How do we get there? Is there a short cut?

Boogeyman: There should be on in the library next door. If we hurry, we might be able to get there before who knows what.

Then we have no time to lose. He needs us. Soul Brother needs us!

Hold on! We can't just burst in without a plan.

Yeah. Bursting in without a plan is my job.

We need to think... Ryota, you know Fisher King better than anyone since you have his Sacred Artifact. What can you tell us that might be helpful?

Well, we could try...

Master... Master, wake up!

You open your eyes to find yourself in a different place.

Master, you're awake! I thought you were a goner!

(weakly) Lil' Solomon... I'm alright. Where are we?

Lil' Solomon: The Fisher King brought us up to the tower.

Lupin: The tower? That's where the terminal is... Wait, I'm not sure how to use it. Kurogane? ... Kurogane?

No answer.

Lil' Solomon: The Fisher King is blocking all communications with outside the tower. I can't even call Cait Sith.

As you get back on your feet, you notice something...

Lupin: Where's my sword?

Lil' Solomon: It's over there.

You look to where Lil' Solomon was pointing. Your sword was now stuck in a stone alter. You go up to it and try to pull it out... But you can't.

Lupin: Why can't I get it out?

Lil' Solomon: I don't know. Maybe we're in another story. But I can't say which one this time.

You think hard about a story in which the Fisher King was in that involved a sword in a stone... Then, it hits you.

Lupin: I know which story the glitch is acting out now. Ryota told me about it.

Lil' Solomon: What did he say?

Lupin: Long ago, a kingdom was left without a ruler after the king died. However, before he died, he struck his magic sword into a stone. He said that no one but the rightful king can lift the sword from the stone. Many have tried to pull the sword from the stone, but they all failed. But one day, a young boy came up. He came from a humble background with no family to take care of him. When he tugged on the sword, it came out. With that, everyone knew that the boy was their true king. I think that's why the sword is in the stone.

Lil' Solomon: But the sword is yours. How come it won't come out.

Lupin: (worried) Maybe... It doesn't want to work for me anymore.

Lil' Solomon: (crying) That can't be. That's your Sacred Artifact. How can it suddenly not want to work with you anymore?

Lupin: ... I wish I knew... If only...

Then, a voice speak in your mind.

Do no give up. You can do this. Trust in yourself. Trust in others.

Lupin: ...

Lil' Solomon: You heard Papa's voice, didn't you? What did he say?

Lupin: He said I shouldn't give up. I need to trust in myself and others.

Lil' Solomon: (crying again) That's Papa, for you. Always looking out for us no matter where he is.

Lupin: (smiling) Yes, he always is.

Lil' Solomon: But I wonder how the Fisher King fits into all of this.

Lupin: Ryota said that the young king fell victim to an illness that even his wizard couldn't cure. However, they learned of the Holy Grail and how it can heal others who drink from it.

Lil' Solomon: The Holy Grail? You mean Ryota's Sacred Artifact. I guess that makes sense since the Exception is its previous owner.

Lupin: But what does the Fisher King want with me?

Then, something comes down upon you and Lil' Solomon.

Lupin: What do you want?

Fisher King: ...

Lupin: Please, tell us.

Fisher King: ... Peace...

Lupin: Huh?

Suddenly, the sound of s door bursting open catches your attention...

To be continued...

[mediaevalmusereads]

Bisclavret. By K. L. Noone. JmS Books, 2019.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: fabtasy, novella, lgbtqia

Part of a Series? No

Summary: A very long time ago, in the very old forests of Brittany, a werewolf loved a king ...

The Lord Bisclavret has a secret. A family enchantment. A wolf’s curse, transforming him when the moon is full. He hopes to be a good lord for his people, and he’s always been a loyal king’s man, even if the new king is inexperienced and scholarly. But one betrayal might leave him trapped in wolf-shape forever ... unless his king can save him.

Andreas would rather be a University scholar than a king, and has no interest in a royal marriage -- desire’s always come slowly, if at all. But he loves his kingdom, so he’ll try to protect it, even when rumors of a man-killing wolf spread across his land. He’ll pick up a sword and go out on a hunt, and hope to keep his people safe.

But the wolf has the eyes of a man, and the scholar-king’s knowledge of folklore and fairy-stories might break a werewolf’s curse ... with the help of love.

Very loosely based on the twelfth-century story by Marie de France, Bisclavret features a bisexual werewolf lord, a demisexual king who’d rather be a scholar, some exasperated men-at-arms, and very important stolen clothing.

***Full review below.***

Overview: What should I say? I see a retelling of a beloved medieval poem, I read it. It's even better if the lgbt+ subtext becomes actual text! But lest I get carried away, I should explain my rating. While there were some aspects of this novella that I liked (the queerness, the lyricism, etc.), I couldn't help but feel like I wanted a little more out of it. While I liked the focus on Bisclavret's relationship with the king, I ultimately wanted Noone to build up the love and intimacy more. Thus, this book only gets 3 stars from me.

I do think, however, that Noone could have taken the opportunity to show a little more than tell. As it stands, it seems like we are told a lot of things - that Bisclavret feels free while hunting, that he feels hurt by his wife, that he fell in love with the king. I personally would have liked to have been told less and let the narrative speak for itself.

Writing: Noone's prose is very lyrical with a lot of descriptions that border on the sensuality of poetry. It's not so lush that it bogs down the narrative, but rather, it evokes such emotion and passion that it's easy to feel sympathetic towards the narrator, our titular Bisclavret.

I also wasn't the biggest fan of the present day interrupting the story. This book is written from the perspective of Bisclavret, who is sitting down to write out his story. Every once in a while, the king will interrupt, and Bisclavret will write something like "he's looking over my shoulder" or "he said X, and I said Y." I think these interruptions could have worked better if they were in deliberate conversation with what they were interrupting or if there was a stronger focus on the craft of storytelling, but the interruptions don't feel purposeful than for any other reason than to make sure we're aware that the two are in a relationship. Maybe that will be ok for some readers, though.

Plot: This book loosely follows the plot of the original Marie de France lay, which describes a werewolf whose wife betrays him. Bisclavret must turn into a wolf three nights per month and can only turn back if he has his human clothes. When his wife finds out about his lycanthropy, however, she enlists the help of a greedy baronet to steal Bisclavret's clothes and trap him in his wolf form.

After spending some time as a wolf, Bisclavret is hunted by the king. Sensing that something is different about this wolf, the king spares Bisclavret's life, and the two work together to change Bisclavret back into his human form.

While I liked that Noone made the homosocial subtext of the lay and made it homoerotic text, I do wish more time had been spent on exploring how the king and Bisclavret fell in love. As it stands, it seems to just happen, in part because the king is beautiful and soft. While the two spend a lot of time together, their intimacy never seems to build; it just exists from the get-go. As a result, I didn't really have a pressing desire to see Bisclavret "cured" and I didn't think the story was all that suspenseful. I would have rather liked to see exactly how the two develop an emotional intimacy, especially when Bisclavret spends so much time as a non-human. What things does Bisclavret do that make the king trust him more and more? What makes Bisclavret realize there's more to the king than his title? There's a little of that from time to time, but I never got the sense that the relationship was building. A little more suspense would have gone a long way.

Even so, I did appreciate that Noone managed to communicate Bisclavret's feelings of hurt and betrayal without replicating the misogyny of the original lay. It would have been too easy to paint Bisclavret's wife as a schemer or a villain, but that doesn't happen. Rather, the wife is presented as having done wrong, but humanized so she is not completely to blame.

TL;DR: Bisclavret is a charming little novella that is sure to resonate with fans of the original lay. Although the characters don't develop in a way I'd like and there wasn't enough suspense and growth for my tastes, I appreciate the queer representation and the lyrical prose style that makes the story feel like a fairy tale.

Characters: Bisclavret, our narrator, is very sympathetic and compassionate. I liked the way Noone presented him as both someone who could see the best in people (his wife included), but also, someone who could feel very deeply (including betrayal and hurt). I also liked that he was not too angsty about his enchantment; while he did enjoy some aspects of being a wolf, he also wanted to be human, and not having to choose which form was "better" was refreshing. I do wish more had been done to develop Bisclavret, though; after his wife's betrayal, I was rather hoping his character arc would involve learning to trust again, but Noone seems more interested in using Bisclavret to create a certain fairy tale-like atmosphere.

The king, Andreas, is also fairly likeable in that he's also compassionate and feels deeply. I liked that he was demisexual, which meant most of his attention was focused on developing and emotional connection with Bisclavret, not a physical one. However, like Bisclavret, he doesn't really evolve much, and I think it was a real missed opportunity.

Elaine, Bisclavret's wife, is surprisingly sympathetic. Although she's not as fleshed out as Bisclavret and Andreas, she does have motivations and manages to be guilty of betrayal without being held unreasonably responsible. I liked that her character was rooted in fear rather than vanity, and I liked that a lot of the sexism from the lay was eliminated without completely tossing out Elaine's agency.

[misassumed]

@mythvoiced sent in: " all of my wildest dreams, they just end up with you and me " - from Ambrosius >:3 (aLSO YOUR URL how!!!!! YOU'RE!!! SO GOOD AT URLS--!!!!!!!!!!!!) || lyric starters meme

Hasn’t that always been the case?

Ballister is no stranger to living life on the edge. Even before their death, all it took was one accident, one mistake to tank the savings his parents spent months building up. Their community was not much better either. Funds saved up to improve infrastructure, the community center, the mosque could disappear without any warning. 

And then one accident, one accident was all it took to take his parents and then his home.

And still, he dreamed, dreamed of standing at the side of the Kingdom as a hero of the realm.

Even when the queen inducted him as a squire, he could never find better footing. He knew; one mistake, that’s all he needed if he wanted to be put back in the streets. And yet that dream, his dream never strayed far. Stayed so close to him every time he reached for it, he could feel it, like silk, between his fingers before it to slipped away.

He thought being with Ambrosius would have been like that too. At first, it was a pipe dream- being friends with the descendent of Gloreth, herself? Impossible. Ambrosius falling in love with him? Gloreth’s descendent wouldn't do that. Dating and building a life with Ambrosius? A life that both Ambrosius and the Kingdom would approve of?

Only a fool would dream to do so.

And yet.

And yet, it had all been in Ballister’s hand, once upon a time. So close, sometimes Ballister’s phantom arm twitches at the thought of it. Silk, golden white like Ambrosius’ hair resting between his fingers. Sometimes Ballister doesn’t dare to move his arm in those moments because what if it still was all possible? Maybe if he’s careful enough, this time, it won’t slip away-

He’s only deluding himself. The world isn’t meant to be draped in sheets of white silk and Ballister doesn’t believe it’s all gray or varying shades of black either. It doesn’t have to be- Nimona taught him that- that splash of PINK on an otherwise pristine canvas.

Why should he have to keep chasing a future, a dream that keeps running away when he catches up?

He won’t do it anymore. He can’t, even if it’s Ambrosius who beckons him to come back. He won't trade a clad of black armor sprinkled with specks of pink for the pristine white and gold banner one he longed to wave once upon a time.

The day Ballister left the Kingdom, three years ago, he set aside that dream. Broke it in two alongside the life he once shared with Ambrosius. No more. No more.

( Even if he cried, staring at the remains of them. What they were. What they would have been. )

Now there’s only them, surrounded by the ruckus. And Nimona, in the back, picking off Ambrosius’ backup with generous strokes of her claws.

“Don’t say that, Ambrosius. You- you of all people don’t get to say that to me,” Ballister says, finally. The sword held by his mechanical arm feels heavy as he points it at his beloved enemy. “Don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”

[aspenmissing]

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚒𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 (𝙿𝚝 𝟸)

The Holy Knight walks closer to the group.

"This power," Diane says.

"Yeah, there's no doubt about it," Y/N says.

"Holy Knight, aren't you?" Meliodas adds.

"Gilthunder..." Elizabeth says "Gilthunder, is that you?!" He looks her dead in the eye "What are you up to? Why are you doing this?" Meliodas and Y/N look to Elizabeth.

"You know this guy?" Meliodas asks.

"Yes. Since I was a little girl. When he was my father's attendant. And aid to the king and the son of the Holy Knights grandmaster, he was always at the palace" Elizabeth explains "So I kinda grew up with him"

"The son of the grandmaster, huh?" Y/N says, sharing a look with Meliodas. He smiles before looking at Gilthunder.

"Hey, wait a minute, are you, Little Gil?!" He says.

"That's where I remember you!"

"What you two know him too?"

"Sure, we even gave him lessons occasionally when we find ourselves at the royal palace," Meliodas says.

"Wow, you've grown up," Y/N says "Then again it has been 10 years since we've seen ya"

"If you two have the time to prattle along in this matter, it might be better spent trying to escape those bonds"

"Hey, this lightning is familiar," Hawk says.

"I know what you mean," Meliodas says "When a certain someone blocked up Vanya's water supply and then tried to blow the village away..."

"That was you, wasn't it" Y/N finishes.

"Sir Meliodas! Lady Y/N! That can't be" Elizabeth says, looking at the two "You're wrong! Gilthunder wouldn't-" Elizabeth stops after seeing Gilthunders eyes. She steps back "No"

"These can't hold me," Diane says, pulling her hands apart but doing nothing.

"That's useless," Gil says, tightening the lightning around Diane.

"Diane, just save it. Don't bother" Y/N says.

"Y/N..." A sword is placed between Meliodas and Y/N.

"Do you know why the Holy Knights are after the heads of the Eight Deadly Sins?" Gil asks.

"Not really"

"Nope"

"Half of them are seeking revenge and total eradication of the rebel order that plotted to overthrow the kingdom" Gil answers "The other half want to do glorious battle, and vanquish the legendary warrior to prove their strength" Meliodas and Y/N turn their heads to look at Gil.

"And which half are you in?" Meliodas asks.

"Both of them. Now, I want more"

"Is that so?" Y/N asks. Gil furrows his eyebrows.

"Yes. To avenge the death of my father, Zaratras, Holy Knights grandmaster" Gil says "And to show that I am even greater than he, the most powerful Holy Knight ever known. Killing you two will prove that"

"So you under the impression that we're the ones who murdered your father," Y/N asks, gesturing her head to Meliodas "Is that it?"

"Are you saying your not?"

"No idea" Meliodas answers "See, the thing is we don't remember stuff from back then"

"Captain? Lieutenant?" Diane mutters.

"Sir Meliodas? Lady Y/N?"

"The last thing we remember is all of us being summoned to the old castle on the edge of town," Y/N says.

--10 Years Ago--(Italics=Flashbacks)(Normal=Present)

The Deadly Sins are walking down a long hallway, wearing their Holy Knight armour. Y/N and Meliodas lead the way, the rest walking behind them. Meliodas, Y/N and Diane have their helmets off.

"We were hoping to get in a few drinks to celebrate the founding of the Kingdom" Meliodas explains.

"You've never needed an excuse to knock them back and forth?" King? (I think) says.

"Guess your right," Meliodas says.

"Sounded like the grandmaster has something important to discuss," Merlin says.

"Maybe he's gonna give us a special reward for excellent handling that business that troll queen"

"Well, it's all the same to me. Let's get scolded then go celebrate" Meliodas says.

"With some ale" Y/N adds.

"You expecting a dressing down?" Ban says. They reach the end, Meliodas and Y/N open the big doors.

"Hey, we're here" Meliodas and Y/N gasp at the sight "Grandmaster" The grandmaster is suspended into the air, swords and weapons sticking out of him.

"That's brutal" Gowther? (I think) says.

"He's a pincushion" Diane.

"Who would do this?" King asks.

"A sick and vile creature," Y/N says.

"More importantly, why did they target the leader of the Holy Knights?" Merlin asks.

"Your right" Ban agrees "The grandmaster is the linchpin of the kingdom's defence, he's practically a war god"

"Whoever killed him is a traitor and must be plotting to overthrow Liones," Y/N says.

"And they knew precisely what his loss would mean," Diane says. King turns around, followed by Y/N and Meliodas.

"I sense something," He says. Y/N and Meliodas run to the window to see a bunch of Holy Knights and soldiers waiting.

"What the-," Y/N says "We're surrounded by every knight in the kingdom!" The rest come over to look.

"There's too many of them out there to count," Diane says "What are they planning to" She's cut off by the room shaking.

"Damn, they've started their attack," Ban says.

"We'll figure it out!" Meliodas says "But for now, let's split up" Y/N nods.

"We'll meet up later" Y/N adds.

"Understood," Ban says and they all scatter, leaving Meliodas and Y/N.

"Captain...Y/N... I'm sorry"

"Those words were the last thing we remember. The rest is blank" Y/N says.

"Then the next thing we know we were lying down in a cellar somewhere. That's when we met Hawk" Meliodas finishes.

"I knew it! You weren't the ones who killed the grandmaster were you" Elizabeth says.

"That makes no difference to me," Gil says, his sword still between the Captain and Second in Command.

"What are you saying?"

"Rebels and traitors who plotted to overthrow the kingdom," Gil says, looking at the two sins with hatred "That's all you are"

"Enough! You must stop this!" Elizabeth shouts "Didn't you hear what they just told you! They aren't the ones who murdered him! Don't you understand!?" Gil turns to face Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth," He says "The kingdom wants you taken into protective custody. But...I haven't the slightest interest in that" Gil moves the sword away and points it to Elizabeth "Alive or dead is all the same" Elizabeth steps back "To me, you are no more than a grain of sand on the road that is being travelled" Elizabeth's bonds break "Go away. The Sins and I have unfinished business" Elizabeth doesn't move before running to stand in front of the three sins.

"I won't let you hurt these people," She says. Hawk wines, crawling next to Gil's feet.

"It's over for me. I feel numb like I've been electrocuted" Suddenly, Gil kicks Hawk and he flies into the forest.

"Hawk no!" Elizabeth shouts, running after him, leaving Gil with the Sins.

"Now that we have dispensed that interruption" Gil walks towards them.

"Are you sure about this?" Y/N asks. "In the old days, you were never able to beat us. Remember"

"But that was a long time ago" Gil bends down to their height "I am now more powerful than any of the Eight Deadly Sins"

"I don't know, maybe your right," Meliodas says "But you could be wrong" Gil stands up straight.

"Then we should find out," Gil says "First I will release your bonds"

"Well, I appreciate that but I got it," Y/N says, extending her arms to break the bonds, Meliodas and Diane following.

"Couldn've escaped whenever we felt like it," Meliodas says.

"Just know if I felt like it, I could annihilate you instantly"

"Hmm, kinda doubt that"

"I shall use my sword to kill you two," Gil says. Meliodas and Y/N just smile at him.

"Then right back at ya big guy, only she doesn't have a sword." Meliodas and Y/N look up at Diane.

"I've been needing some training," Y/N says, taking off her jacket and placing it beside Diane.

"Don't interfere, all right Diane?" Meliodas says. Diane puts her hands on her hips.

"Aw, you two get all the fun," Diane says.

"Don't want to risk my defeating you three at once?" Gil says, getting into a fighting position. Meliodas steps forward, placing his foot next to Gil's.

"Can't you tell when your elders trying to be nice?" Meliodas asks. Both Gil and Meliodas get their swords, clashing them together. Meliodas pushes Gil back "Like I said, right back at ya. Remember that"

"And I told you," Gil says to Meliodas "You'll be dead" Gil slices his sword at Meliodas, who flips over, missing it barely "Come on!" Gilthunder keeps swiping his sword at Meliodas, only for him to keep flipping. They go back until Meliodas lands on a big rock. Y/N appears behind him.

"Gotta admit, you've improved over the years," She says.

"Yet you two still believe you're superior to me," Gil says, he pushes off towards the two sins but his sword is caught by Y/N's arms, the sleeves of her shirt rips to reveal two steel protectors on her arms, which are positioned in an X shape (Sorta like Wonder Woman). Meliodas's sword is also pushing against Gilthunder's sword. They struggle "I can sense it, you two are beginning to feel a little fear creeping in"

"Are we?" Meliodas says, smiling? The rock beneath then suddenly breaks and they are suspended in the air. They continue to fight in the air. Meliodas and Y/N are pushing to the ground.

"Well, your persistent" Y/N says. Gilthunder comes at them and pushes them into a rock, causing smoke to appear. They see a lightning strike coming their way and get's ready to hit it back until Gil appears beside them. He hits them into the air.

"To slow," Gilthunder says. Y/N sees his plan and quickly pushes herself in front of Meliodas, poofing into her wolf form to catch the blade in her jaw. A loud explosion is heard.

Elizabeth is running through the forest until she hears a loud bang. She stops and turns.

"Sir Meliodas, Lady Y/N"

The smoke clears as both Meliodas and Y/N are on the ground, Y/N in her human form, laying on her stomach with her head on its side, eyes closed, unmoving. Blood trails down her chin. One of her metal arm protectors have been destroyed and said arm has a ragged wound down it. Meliodas looks over to his second in command before he begins laughing, sitting up.

"I can't believe that you've gotten this powerful," He says, as he stands up.

"Seems like Y/N is the first to go. Don't worry, I'll bring the others down with you two soon enough" Gil says, appearing behind Meliodas and slashing him down his shoulder. Blood pours out as he lands face-first on the ground. Sword crashing against the ground.

"Captain? Lieutenant?" Diane says, surprised across her face, looking down at her fallen friends. Both unmoving. Gilthunder nudges Y/N's leg with his foot, only for it to limply fall back to its original position.

"Y/N, the Eight Deadly Sins', Wolf Sin Death. Dead" He announces, with a slight smirk "How ironic" He looks over to Meliodas, who's laying face down not far from the girl. Gil turns Meliodas over, his eyes closed "Meliodas, the Eight Deadly Sins', Dragon Sin of Wrath. Do you have any last words?" He asks. Meliodas opens his eyes, looking up at his executor.

"The sins, what happened to them?" Meliodas asks, his voice hoarse "You must have heard something right. Where have the other ones gone" Gilthunder puts his sword back in his sheath?

"Very well, I'll tell you. For the remaining five, three are still unaccounted for. But two of them have already been dealt with" Gilthunder gives Y/N a side glance "Three, if counting the Wolf Sin" He looks back to Meliodas "The Fox Sin of Greed is being kept under tight guard at Baste Prison. The Grizzly Sin of Sloth is already dead and is interred in the Necropolis. But you needn't worry. I'll make certain they all join you and Y/N shortly"

"Thank you..." Meliodas breaths out, closing his eyes. Before both, his and Y/N's eyes shoot open.

"Awesome!" They say in unison. They kick their legs up and push themselves up, landing side by side. They turn their heads to look at Gilthunder.

"Little Gil," Y/N says, smile upon her face. Gilthunder stares at the two, his face emotionless.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Eragon (2008)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

My craving for new Star Wars stories has reduced me to looking up knock-offs of the popular franchise. I’ve seen all kinds of stories, but most ended up being simply generic sci-fi/fantasy tales or movies that had a last-minute coating of laser swords, robots and blasters added onto them. What I was looking for was Eragon; a Star Wars rip-off so blatant you could write the script yourself - just remember to substitute “lightsaber” for “dragon” and there you go!

It’s all set in Middle-earth... I mean a world named Alagaësia, home to humans, elves, dragons, and dwarves. Actually, there aren’t many dragons. Years ago, all the wizard/knight dragon riders were betrayed by the evil Galbatorix (John Malkovich), who killed them all and now rules unopposed. Our hero is Luke SkyPotter... I mean Dragon... I mean Eragon (Ed Speleers), a 17-year-old boy who finds a dragon's egg stolen from Galbatorix by Princess Leia, I mean Arya (Sienna Guillory). Eragon and the newly-hatched Saphira (voiced by Rachel Weisz) meet with Obi-Wan Kenobi... I mean Brom (Jeremy Irons), who sets them on a path to save the kingdom.

The comparisons to other franchises are obvious. A Star Wars-like story structure, set in the world of Lord of the Rings, complete with Uruk-hai chasing our hero, ringwraiths, elves, etc., there’s a dash of Harry Potter thrown in with the scar on Eragon’s hand and his spellcasting abilities. I already started poking fun at the movie in my synopsis, but you would too if you'd seen the film. “Alagaësia” is no "Middle-earth", Galbatorix sounds like the name of an anti-depressant, and other wild titles like Durza, Murtagh, Nasuada are all lost upon audience members who have not read the books.

Eragon sounds silly and looks ridiculous. Granted, the dragons and flying monsters are convincing but everywhere else, the word of the day was “cheap”. I feel terrible for Djimon Hounsou as Ajihad, forced to wear a bad wig or a ridiculous hat in every scene. All the costumes look like they’ve been dug out of every generic fantasy setting, or are so wild they make you wince. The armies of Urgals (the orc-like creatures) are just a bunch of dirty barbarians with war paint. If they had horns, yellow-ish gray skin, or their own language or something, then this movie would begin to stand out.

This movie is a mess. Events that should take years take days, none of the characters are interesting, and the world isn't the least bit immersive. Even if you forgive the unoriginal plotline or get past the inherent silliness, the story’s just not well told. Eragon's bad decisions don’t make him look like an overeager youth, they brand him as a colossal fool. The magic is easily recognized as a plot device whose “rules” only apply when the plot demands. It feels like a bad fan-fiction.

Scenes are so badly assembled they become confusing. At one point, Eragon and his mentor see a group of villagers being attacked by Urgals. Eragon exclaims that they need to help them and instead of doing anything, they go off to train. I understand you can't jump into a fight without being prepared, but those people are being killed right now! After the training montage… the people they were training to help are never seen again! I guess Brom or Eragon took too long to get through those lessons? If you're writing a story like this, have the heroes arrive right as the massacre is ending so Eragon can lament that he could have done something and then have Brom tell him that after this training, that statement will be true!

I will give Eragon this. It’s so derivative, so poorly directed/written and so easy to ridicule I’m upset we didn’t get a sequel. I’d love to see another one of these movies! Doesn’t the idea of dragon riders make you excited? Even badly done, it gets your adrenaline flowing. If you want a movie that’s easy to make fun of, and I mean REALLY easy, watch Star Wars to see what a good movie is, and then see Eragon. It’s a trainwreck but one I watch with affection. (Fullscreen version on Dvd, January 1, 2016)