#his parents died when he was very young and the riders were his family for a long time

[witchthewriter]

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐟: 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐉𝐚𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐬 & 𝐀𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧?

The King and Queen of Westeros had 13 children altogether. Not all lived, well in the end ... none of them did except Vaegon and Saera. Jaehaerys ended up being the last person in his family to die. But what would have happened if everyone were given a dragon egg at birth or got the chance to bond with one? . ˚˖𓍢ִ໋₊˚ 🪷 ₊˚⋆.˚ 𖣂🌷⋆.˚

I'm only going to do this for those who lived into childhood. I'm also not using dragons from the future. I will create new dragons or use existing ones from this time. Also, I'm not going to mention those who already have a dragon... ⋆.°🦋༘⋆

We all know Jaehaerys had Vermithor, Alyssane with Silverwing, Aemon was bonded with Caraxes, Balerion with Vhagar and Alyssa with Meleys. This will not be changed.

𝑫𝒂𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒔

Second born child, their first girl. Named "the Darling of the Realm," she was curious, fearless, high-spirited and very adventurous. She was often covered in mud and grass-stained. She died young due to a fever. It killed many, many people; both young and old.

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲:

Daenerys would have a cradle egg. Placed in there by her Aunt Rhaena. Her parents weren't too happy about it, but Rhaena reminded them that she did it for them both when they were babies.

The little princess named her 'Goldwing,' after ... well the dragons' golden colouring. The first time Dany hopped on her dragon's back was when she was ten. The two didn't go far, but they both loved it.

She's a she-dragon because she's laid a few clutches but only one hatched. One out of ten.

I think that there's a possibility that bonding with a dragon could have made her stronger. And the sickness might have caused other problems, but she wouldn't have died.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈:

⋆ INFP ⋆ Gryffindor ⋆ Aquarius Sun, Pisces Moon, Leo Rising

You can tell when Goldwing likes something; she makes these chirping noises and flaps her wings like a lil biridie

As soon as Goldwing hatched, she never left little Dany's side. At night she curled around her head, falling asleep with ease

Through the day the Gold dragon wraps itself around the princesses shoulders. Almost like a necklace when the dragon was younger

As they grew together, Dany preferred to be in the air rather than anywhere else.

It was almost like the pair could read each other's minds

Sneezes on people she doesn't like

art credit: @lowrifaberart on insta

𝑴𝒂𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆

Sixth born child, third daughter. In my opinion, I think she was given to the Septas to keep the peace. But it took away her ... life. Maegelle had a compassionate heart; she was gentle, caring, quiet and highly intelligent. She had a real gift for healing.

Whenever her parents fought, it was most likely Maegelle who would be the peace-maker. The one to help them see reason.

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲:

Maegelle bonded with Balerion.

It was a shock to everyone. Someone so kind-hearted bonded with a giant called 'the Black Dread.' A conquorer's dragon.

But people tend to forget that his first rider was Daenys the Dreamer. She wasn't violent - she could dragon dream and ended up saving House Targaryen.

With this new power, Maegelle realised she wasn't under anyone's foot. She could make her own decisions, and they would be backed up by Balerion...who breathed fire. And so, Maegelle did not want to become a Septa. She didn't want it. Even though she was promised to them by her parents.

But Balerion put a stop to it. Maegelle did not run away, she only brought Balerion to the Red Keep and reminded her parents that she was her own person now.

Balerion isn't what people normally think. He isn't a raging beast. Balerion doesn't thirst for blood. He does as his rider says. And with Maegelle, he has peace.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒏:

⋆ ENTJ ⋆ Slytherin ⋆ Aries Sun, Capricorn Moon, Scorpio Rising

Loves sleeping in the sun

Way too big for the dragon pit, but Maegelle wouldn't force him in there anywhere

Maegelle's confidence grew exceptionally when she bonded with Balerion. She no longer felt meek nor mild.

The princess didn't hide her opinions anymore either. As she had the most legendary dragon; she would never say it out loud, but she felt invincible.

𝑽𝒂𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒏

Seventh born child, fourth son. Named, "Vaegon the Dragonless," he preferred the library and to read above anything else. Some say he's sour, though he never meant to be rude. He performed his duties but no more than he had to. He became an Archmaester and as such he held the ring, rod, and mask of yellow gold.

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲:

Vaegon would be given countless chances to bond with a dragon. No interest in it. Eventually, one of the other dragons would lay a clutch of eggs and while studying, there'd be a pull. He went to see the lone dragon of Goldwing, his older sister's dragon.

He never got to see his dragon's egg. But looking at the youngling, Vaegon knew it was gorgeous. The look it gave him was unlike any other.

Vaegon decided on the name Tembyra (high valyrian for 'book'). He was about 17 when he first mounted his dragon. Green Tembrya was about 22 at the time, large enough to go far distances.

The joy Vaegon felt...

He understood.

Vaegon finally understood his Valyrian blood. So, his favourite things were reading, writing, studying, learning and flying.

Tembyra has a unique flame. Almost looks like a rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green. There hasn't been reports of dragons having a continuous colouring that blumes in the same succession as Tembyra.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑻𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒚𝒓𝒂:

⋆ ISFP ⋆ Slytherin ⋆ Cancer Sun, Aquarius Moon, Pisces Rising

Has a temper, and doesn't like many people.

Favourite being besides Vaegon is Goldwing and Gael.

Likes to swim; well likes water overall. Whenever there's an open body of water, it takes everything in Tem not to nose-dive when Vaegon is on his back.

Likes to listen to Vaegon read

Doesn't like the dragonpit; feels too lonely. Just because someone likes to be alone, doesn't mean they don't get lonely.

His roar is a mix of Caraxes and Syrax's. It's unique and off-putting.

His mate is Gael's Sonessa. They coil their tails around one another when sleeping.

art credit: Volvokun

𝑫𝒂𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂

Eighth born child, fourth daughter. There was a childish aspect about Daella; her physical appearance aided to that as well as she was only 5'2 as an adult. Timid, sweet, kind, and gentle, with a tender heart. Yet, she was also a delicate and shy, tongue-tied girl, who was easily frightened and quick to cry. Known "to be terrified of dragons," she went and married Lord Rodrik Arryn, had one daughter: Aemma (Rhaenyra's mother) and died in childbirth.

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲:

Daella would have a cradle egg (if she had to go up and bond with a dragon then she would be terrified.) But when she was born, Alyssa put an egg in her crib. The colours: white and blue. When it hatched, Daella was 3 months old.

She named her dragon 'Adema' (high valyrian for fulfilment). A resplendent dragon with light blue scales, white accents and light purple eyes. Adema is a she-dragon as she has laid a few clutches of eggs.

The first time Daella mounted her dragon, she was 12. Adema was a more kinder dragon than the rest. But no less protective of her rider. Possible even moreso since they share energy with one another.

With her dragon, Daella became more courageous. Still kind and gentle, Daella grew into a woman with a large shadow; one she knew would have her back.

She would still marry Rodrik Arryn, but not so early in her life. And maybe she wouldn't have died after giving birth.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑨𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒂:

⋆ ESFJ ⋆ Ravenclaw ⋆ Taurus Sun, Libra Moon, Aquiarius Rising

Daella takes Aemma up on Adema when she's old enough to walk. The little girl squeaks and giggles as they gently fly around their home.

Adema knows how to be gentle, she's been like that with Aemma ever since she was born. When Daella was pregnant with little Aemma, Adema was overprotective of Daella - even more than she usually is.

What was so special about this three-way bond, was that Aemma would also get a cradle egg (my headcanon) from Adema's clutch.

art credit: @ironlily on Tumblr

𝑺𝒂𝒆𝒓𝒂

Ninth born child, fifth daughter. Saera was a courageous and clever, girl, in her own way as clever as her brother Vaegon. She was just as strong, quick and spirited as her sister Alyssa. The Princess was tempestuous, demanding, and disobedient. Her first word was "no." A mischief-maker, when her father found out about her lovers, Saera declared she would be married, but that she could not decide which one of the three would be the best choice. When she suggested marrying all three of them, she compared herself to Aegon the Conqueror and Maegor the Cruel. 

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲:

Her actions and decisions with men would be wiped clean when she had a dragon. Jaehaerys would definitely think Saera would get her dragon involved if she didn't get her way. And if she was to be sent away, her dragon is coming with her!

Saera would bond with a dragon easily. With her courageous spirit, she'd actually be a good ... candidate. Given a cradle egg that never hatched, she was completely torn to bits.

But a clutch that her Aunt Rhaena had hidden on Dragonstone, had hatched years ago and four adult dragons were living in the caverns of the castle.

When Saera had visited Dragonstone in her early teens, she went to the caverns and found something glorious.

Not letting the chance go by, she stalked straight to the one she wanted. And she mounted the she-dragon that very night.

Valoris (means "to be brave"). She's a stunning dragon with magenta flames, intense pink eyes, black accents; her body is half pink/magenta and black.

Her body type is quite birdlike, which hasn't been seen since the days of Valyria. With two large protruding horns and almost like smaller wings around her neck, she is quite the opponent in a battle.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒔:

⋆ ENFJ ⋆ Slytherin ⋆ Aries Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Taurus Rising

Valoris, is just like her owner. In everyway.

Very fertile... she has laid many clutches but only 50% end up with hatchlings

Saera absolutely SPOILS Valoris; food, cute decor for the saddle, and absolutely NO WAY is she staying in the dragonpit. Special quarters would be made for the beautiful yet intimidating dragon.

Likes to be brushed and washed every day. Not very dragonlike.

Would rather be flying than sleeping. But is easily pissed off and will react. Not like Saera cares...

𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒂

Tenth born child, sixth daughter. Viserra was the most beautiful out of the daughters and she knew it.  Viserra was a wild, high-spirited girl. It was said she wanted to become THE queen, so she tried to seduce Baelon who was 14 years older than her. One night, she slipped past Baelon's guards and climbed naked into his bed, but Baelon sent the drunk girl away when he arrived. After the incident, she was to be sent away to White Harbour to be married to an old man who had four wives; one after the other. And many say the death of his wives were mysterious... So Viserra slipped passed the guards, met up with her friends and had one last night of freedom. At the foot of Aegon's High Hill, Viserra's horse collided with the mare of one of her companions. Viserra was thrown from her saddle into a wall, and she died of a broken neck at the age of fifteen.

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲:

A cradle egg, placed there by Saera, who adored her new little sister. It wasn't one of her dragon's eggs though. It was Daella's. Her dragon was highly fertile.

Viserra named her dragon: Demalys (high valyrian for throne) aka whenever she mounts her dragon, she's sitting on her throne. The closest she will ever get to a real one.

As he grew, Demalys became more and more colourful; his violet scales shimmered in the sunlight. His fire was a rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink. Beautiful. Deadly but still stunning to behold.

Viserra was 14 when she mounted her dragon. He was twice her height, and ready to fly with his bonded. The two of them were highly adventurous; they sought out places that were never seen before. Found treasures and the like.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑫𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒔:

⋆ ENTP ⋆ Slytherin ⋆ Leo Sun, Gemini Moon, Virgo Rising

Loves to be shown off. Knows he is stunning.

Viserra got a blacksmith to create a pure golden star to be settled just below Demalys' neck.

He does sleep in the dragonpit. Doesn't mind it. But he has to be taken out everyday for many hours.

...Flirts with the other dragons.

Has golden eyes with green rims around the middle.

His roar is very similar to Meleys'.

Doesn't like being told what to do ... will ignore most people and has his favourites

𝑮𝒂𝒆𝒍

The thirteenth and last child, shy and sweet; she was a comfort to her mother who had lost practically all of her children. Dubbed, "The Winter Child," she was coddled -  Gael became Alysanne's constant shadow, and even slept with her in her bed. When Gael was around ninteen, she disappeared from court. It was announced that she had died from a summer fever. After the deaths of Jaehaerys and Alysanne, it was revealed that Gael had been seduced and impregnated by a travelling singer. She gave birth to a stillborn son, and her grief was so overwhelming that she walked into Blackwater Bay and drowned.

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲:

Even though she's the youngest, she would still have a dragon. She didn't receive one in the cradle as a baby - there weren't any eggs. But when Daella's Adema had a clutch of living dragons, she wanted her little sister to have one.

Gael received the egg when she was 10, and slept with it every night. Daella had chosen a specific one that reflected Gael's persona - a perfect one. Like pure Winter. That's why Daella gave it to Gael in the first place. Even though it was against what both Jaeherys and Alysanne wanted - their last child to become a dragonrider. Completely dangerous and yet, Gael; frail and timid, decided that she wanted a dragon. The rest of her siblings were dragonriders; it was in her blood.

Gael named her dragon, Sonessa, (high valyrian for snow). Her personality is similar to Gael but has more passion about life. Socialising may not be her thing, but she'll endure it to help Gael. Everything she does is for Gael.

Sonessa somehow feels like this is her hatchling and she has to protect Gael at all costs.

You could say she's a motherly dragon. More like a mother hen.

Sonessa's flame is a very light/pale blue with swirls of white. It makes her seem an enigma. A dragon, who is suppose to be hot, with red flame, a beast quick to anger and to retaliate...is a thing that Sonessa is not. She is white, with almost frost looking flame, yes she is still a beast who will retaliate if needs be. But for the most part - she is a protector, a guardian.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂:

⋆ ISFJ ⋆ Hufflepuff/Gryffindor ⋆ Libra Sun, Aries Moon,  Cancer Rising

Very good around others. She and Silverwing are good friends.

Loves going on royal processions, but she knows Gael is fragile, and most times a little frail.

Sonessa loves showing Gael different parts of Westeros - the water, high in the air, across deserts and the like.

But Sonessa is like a responsible older sister. Not just to Gael, but to the dragons in the dragonpit. She'll intervene when there's a fight, or curl up beside a sad dragon.

She's had many clutches of eggs with Vaegon's Tembyra

art credit: @paparinka on deviantart

(Daella's dragon is so fertile because her granddaughter, Rhaenyra would usher in a great deal of new dragons. Aemma wouldn't have been so infertile if she hadn't had intercourse so young.)

[professional-yapper]

Proximity

Neteyam x Olangi! Reader

Warnings: angst, arranged marriage, reader's sheltered asf and is low-key very awkward and blunt as a result, reader's direhorse dies, Neteyam gets insulted within five seconds of meeting them, slowburn I think, neteyam getting misnamed repeatedly

(nobody ask me about the accuracy of anything)

Neteyam was to be mated to you, the child of the olo’eyktan of the Olangi clan—the nomadic clan of the plains, direhorse riders.

To put it simply, he was nervous. His hands were gripping the edge of his loincloth so tightly he worried vaguely that it might tear. His mother kept sending him worried looks, and his father—Toruk Makto—had his hand on Neteyam’s shoulder, keeping him walking towards the Olangi camp like Neteyam would try to run away.

Since the Olangi were a nomadic people, his father had to plan everything out perfectly so that they would not come when the Olangi had already moved on. It had caused his father a lot of stress, Neteyam knew, but as they approached the camp, his father’s tight grip relaxed.

They'd taken their ikrans most of the way, but his father had made them the last little bit, saying the last time he'd sought out the Olangi his winged mount had startled their direhorses quite a bit, and he didn't intend to repeat the accident.

The camp was made up of simple cloth tents- animal skins, maybe, stretched over wooden poles whittled down to gleaming off-white.

The area was alive with children of all ages running around outside and playing, little squeals and shrieks snatched away by the warm evening breeze.

Cooking fires dotted the ground like red stars, adults and older children tending bubbling pots, haunches of meat skewered and turning slowly.

And, of course, direhorses tied up to the tents themselves, cropping grass peacefully, whickering to one another every so often.

It was nice. Calm. The grass, golden with summer dryness, rasped against Neteyam's calves as he walked. The air was heady with the smell of herbs and animals- not entirely unpleasant, he noted.

As they reached the outskirts of the camp, a small group approached them, the olo’eyktan at the head. He was tall, taller than Neteyam's father, with a bone piercing through his nose. The rest of the group was composed of a shorter woman with long, dangling bone earrings who Neteyam guessed was the tsahik; three near-identical young men, probably your brothers, all the same height as the olo’eyktan and therefore they towered over Neteyam, even from a distance; and a young person painted in rich, earthy colours, decorated with bone jewelry. The olo’eyktan’s youngest. You.

Neteyam’s future mate.

His father and the olo’eyktan both performed the usual greeting, and Neteyam was prodded forward to do the same. Tuk, Kiri, Lo’ak and their mother remain behind Neteyam and their father, but he can feel their support wholeheartedly, warm and constant.

At least, the support of Tuk and his mother. Kiri is less than pleased with the union, but then again, she is rarely pleased with anything. She says it's barbaric, the arrangement of a mating between two people who have never met.

Lo'ak just despises that Neteyam's new mate will take up his time, time that Lo'ak thinks should be spent on more entertaining things. Like disobeying their parents and whatnot.

You returned the gesture, and Neteyam realised with a little spark of sick fear that this was it. You would return home with him and his family, and you would be his mate. You would be together forever, in the eyes of Eywa.

He couldn't even begin to imagine how that would go. Your expression was blank, devoid of any emotion that could possibly clue him in to how you were feeling.

Your eyes, outlined boldly in red, flicked over him, and he felt oddly naked beneath them.

Then you made a face that was somehow both confused and disbelieving. “How do you climb with those legs, or even keep your balance with that tail?” you asked him, voice cutting through the serene silence.

One of your brothers muffled a snort, earning a sharp elbow from one of the other two.

“Parultsyìp!” the tsahik, your mother said, scandalised. Lo’ak stiffens beside Neteyam, and Neteyam knows his brother well enough to know that a rude retort is on the tip of Lo’ak’s tongue.

You wince at your mother's cry, ears flattening against your head in childish irritation.

Of course, you hadn't intended to be rude. Why would you? You weren't stupid, you knew you had to make this work or you would be miserable for the rest of your life.

But you had never seen Omaticaya before. You'd grown up on tales of Toruk Makto, of course, the sky demon with the skin of any average Omatikayan man, who'd come from a star and saved the Omaticaya- sort of, your older brother Kalzi had whispered to you afterwards, just giving you one of his annoying, knowing smiles when you had asked him what he meant.

You hadn't even been born when Toruk Makto came to your tribe, seeking their help.

But Toruk Makto was your childhood hero. Big and strong and smart and... Oh, everything in between.

You had imagined the Omaticaya to look something like you, of course. Strong limbs, hard with muscle from an early age. Though, of course, their muscle would be born from climbing trees and whatnot, rather than wrangling and spending days on the back of a direhorse.

Thick tails, for balance- though, again, theirs would be needed for balance when high up as opposed to when riding.

Not that you had spent much time thinking on the appearance of a tribe you had never seen in your life. It, stupid though it seemed now, had just been something you'd pondered once and accepted ever since.

Yes, now it seemed incredibly stupid, as you stood there staring at your future mate, whose name you didn't even know. Neteyam, you think your mother has told you.

And, of course, your mouth had gotten ahead of you and voiced your confusion and disbelief before you could stop yourself.

Your future mate (Neteyam?) stared back, expression carefully calm.

His little brother didn't seem so inclined, however, and was giving you a glare strong enough to burst your head like an overripe fruit.

"Apologise," your father said firmly, his hand coming down on the back of your neck. Hard.

"Oh, there's no need-" Toruk Makto began awkwardly, waving a hand in dismissal. "They didn't mean it badly."

Your father made you apologise anyway.

You weren't a kid anymore, but you sure as hell felt like one as you forced out the most sincere apology you could muster, still staring at Neteyam in disbelief, eyes roving over every inch of his abnormal body.

To his credit, Neteyam accepted your apology graciously, carefully avoiding meeting your eyes again.

"Well," your older brother Zütxu said cheerfully, clapping his hands. "This has been sufficiently awkward. Join us for dinner? It's the least we can do, since you've come all this way. My idea was to put them on their direhorse and send them on their way and be done with them, but-"

"Zütxu!" your mother said, clutching at her nonexistent pearls for a second time. "Must all my children make disgraces of themselves?! Great Mother."

"We'd love to join you for dinner," Toruk Makto cut in smoothly, ushering his family forward.

Lo’ak is still annoyed with your earlier insult. Neteyam can feel his younger brother bristling at his side, but he simply nudges Lo’ak. “You cannot blame them for being confused. They have never seen Omaticaya before,” he murmurs.

“You don't know that!” Lo’ak hissed in response. “They were being a jerk!”

“Ao’nung was the same way, remember?” Neteyam reminds his brother. “But he is a good friend now. They will not be like that always.”

“You have too much faith,” Lo’ak grumbled, before squinting up at his brother. “It’s because they're attractive, isn’t it?”

Neteyam just scoffs and smacks Lo’ak upside the head.

A few minutes later, they are seated around a bonfire with the rest of the Olangi clan, everyone eating and talking happily. Neteyam finds himself seated next to you, as he expected.

You are silent, the fire reflecting in your eyes, in your glistening body paint, in a way Neteyam cannot help but stare at.

Then your eyes flick to him, glancing over his face momentarily, before they drop back down to the food before you. "I am sorry, even if I don't seem it," you say after a moment. "It was stupid of me to make assumptions. And... even more stupid of me to act like you should've fulfilled expectations you weren't even aware of."

"It's fine," Neteyam shrugged. "I'm not upset or anything. I guess it's justified. I didn't know what you were going to look like either."

You nod. A few moments pass as you pick at your food before you speak again. "I thought you would look more like me." You take a minute to explain your theory to him, flushing as you do.

Neteyam laughs, the beads in his braids clicking against one another as he moves, his eyes glittering in the firelight also. He tilts his head, shifting a little closer to you. "May I?" he asked, reaching for your arm.

You nodded, holding it out for him to take, confusion written in your face.

Neteyam grips your arm gently, feeling the corded muscles within. "Omaticaya are not so bulky," he said carefully. He didn't want to upset you in some way. Of course, you'd already insulted him, but you'd apologised and he could see you hadn't meant it in such a harsh way. "In the forest, we have no need for it."

You nod, touching his own arm with your free hand, noting how you can wrap your hand around it entirely. "We ride before we can walk," you say, taking his hand and pressing his fingers into the top of your thigh so he can feel for himself. "Our leg muscles develop first. From riding and also hunting on foot. Then our arms, from handling direhorses and whatnot. Our core muscles too. Mama says we developed thicker bodies to accommodate the strength we need for our lifestyle."

Neteyam nods, feeling the hard muscle beneath your dusty blue skin, though he's careful not to let his curiosity cross any boundaries. He can feel his ears angling forwards to catch your words as you speak quietly, the rattle of the off-white beads in your own hair, his skin tingling with warmth as you wrap your hand around his arm.

He has hopes for this union after all.

This is deffo going to have a part two lol. Reader is also pretty much an Aonung variant I realise now. Idk if any of what I said about the Olangi is canonical it's all what makes sense to me. Please please tell me your thoughts!!! 🫶

Part two >

[backjustforberena]

Question: Laena as daddy’s girl and laenor as Mummy’s boy. Do you think they had this family structure? Why/why not?

Scenarios: Rhaenys teaching them how to fly like a badass. Eg. the importance of a strong bond, modifications to the saddle, not flying too high.

Swimming with them as young children in the bay on a hot day.

THIS GOT LONG, I'M SORRY.

META: Oh, boy, thank you for sending this in! And the answer to the first one, about dynamics is: certainly yes. Although, ironically and perhaps obviously given the world they inhabit, they spend more time with the other parent. Laenor spends years with his father in the Stepstones and on the flip side, Laena has a lot of time alone with her mother whilst the men are away.

I remember listening to interviews where Eve would say that Corlys was harder on Laenor than Rhaenys perhaps was, and Steve called Laena "the apple of his eye", and how family and legacy were everything to these two.

Rhaenys's connection to her children is a lot more emotional and typically maternal: it's worrying over their happiness, it's making sure that parameters will be in place if Laena weds Viserys (i.e what Laena says about being bedded), it's wishing Laena home from Pentos, watching her son dance at his betrothal with a smile on her face, hugging him before giving him away, having her heart torn by their misery.

Corlys's relationship is more typically masculine. He wants to provide for them; safety and security and power. Making them good marriages, wanting them to conform to society's expectations because that is what will get them ahead, that will be less painful. He wants his children to be the best of the best. He's got high standards, but never anything that suggests it's crushing or detrimental.

Laena, in particular, sounds a lot like her father when she grows up - talking about Valyrian blood and being more than the existence Daemon binds her to in Pentos. She wants to go home and give birth and have her children raised as Velaryon children are raised. She yearns for her family. She still sent letters to her mother, after all. Letters where she hid nothing - how else did Rhaenys know Laena wanted to return home? But Laena is also a dragon-rider, like her mother. Claimed a dragon, like her mother. Married a man for love, like her mother. Yet she travelled like her father did, and wore her father's house colours after marriage, (except when riding - like her mother).

Laenor is everything a lord would wish for in a son. Most characters note on his goodness. How he is a fine knight. He's battle-tested, with a strong bond with his dragon. He's kind and loves war as his father does. He yearns for the sea and for battle, like his father. He's got armour, like his father, participates in the strategy of the Stepstones and is trusted enough that Corlys goes with his plan. Between young and teen Laenor, he even starts doing his locs like his father. His saddle has a seahorse on it. Yet he's incredibly sensitive, and loves with his whole heart. When his loved one is murdered, he screams - like his mother. When his sister is dead, he dies a little bit with her. He chafes at court because it hurts him, like Rhaenys does. And he goes through great tragedy that was not of his own making.

But as much as I think the parents have "favourites", you don't get the feeling that it's overtly biased, in the way they parent or the way they relate to one another - they don't favour one child over the other. Although, we have very little to base that conclusion on, given that horrifically, we have very few scenes of them as a family unit and they barely speak a word to one another. Except, perhaps in deleted scenes. Overall, to me, the Velaryons came across as a very harmonious family. Neither parent is distant - they're both involved in the decisions that surround their children and always think (albeit perhaps not enough or even correctly) about their well-being and their futures. To the point that it's really the only thing that severs their marriage. Both of the siblings, after marriage, look back to their parents and to things that signify their house - there's no resentment from Laenor for making him marry Rhaenyra. There's no distance created from Laena, knowing they had proposed her match to Viserys. No effect at all. They take comfort in one another. They can't have a family outing without matching either.

SCENARIOS: Rhaenys teaching them how to fly would be amazing. Even in the one scene we have of Laenor and Rhaenys flying together, Meleys gives out instructions to Seasmoke and takes the lead over the fleet. It's very cute. And I can imagine Driftmark has it's own dragonkeepers, but Rhaenys would still take a proactive role in this. I can only imagine how empty the skies felt when her children had flown the nest. And I imagine this sort of lesson is something she now recreates with Baela.

And those kids must swim like fishes. Wild swimming as well. I bet Laenor would do a cannonball and Laena learnt to do an impressively graceful dive into the water.

[cherryheairt]

Cregan trying to discreetly see if she's single and wanting a husband: 🧍‍♂️

It was so sweet to me that Cregan subtly asked Daenys about finding a husband and getting married. It's so sweet how Cregan is so in love with her and how he wants her to love him.

It was also very funny that Daenys hid from Cregan the fact that he is the only Lord she had been sent to visit to offer her hand in marriage. Daenys's mind was something like "I would rather die than tell the man I like, that no other man is interested in me".

It makes sense that Daenys wouldn't like to see her brothers train, considering that they are not the only ones in training

Here I meant that it makes sense that Daenys would not like to see her brothers training in the yard, considering that she has seen them die in very violent ways in her dreams.

I don't know why I wrote it so weird, it doesn't make sense. I thought I wrote it right.

of course, she'd be the best artist. her main muse in Morningstar, of course. and occasionally her family. I think it would shift to Cregan, as he is quite comely in her eyes and loves studying his features.

I think Daenys' sketchbooks must be very personal, more personal than her diaries. Surely Daeny doesn't leave her sketchbooks where anyone can access them because of the level of graphic violence that would be in some of her drawings, which would shock and disturb anyone.

I love how you mentioned Rhae lying about Laenor's death and subsequently making Daenys distrust her own mind. I have big plans for that, actually, and have drafted a few different things for that. you may not like that part 🫣

I believe that Laenor's false death led Daenys to distrust herself and accept that people think she is mad because it was the one event she "couldn't" predict. Of course Laenor did end up dying as Daenys originally predicted because after all Seasmoke will have Addam as a rider and dragons only accept another rider when their previous rider dies.

I also think it would lead Daenys to think that she is not destined to marry Cregan or at least not to have children with him because if Daenys gets to see her future children with Cregan in her dreams, she would never think of them as hers as well, no matter how much she longed for them with all her heart.

Daenys would think that all are fantasies and inventions of her head that she is trying to externalize the greatest longing of her soul, to be the mother of Cregan's children.

she's so real for that tbh, who wouldn't want the man you're interested in to think you have many suitors?

You're right, watching them get hurt while knowing or suspecting that they will die so young is something she can't force herself to see.

Mmhm, I agree. While her journals were on shelves next to her desk and found by both her parents so easily, the sketchbooks might be in places that go unnoticed or uncleaned by maids.

Daenys grows more assured every day, though she hardly knows it, but that will be noticed by others around her. Even as strong as she builds her confidence, I feel like she would start to spiral after something like finding out her dream for Laenor was in fact true. Then adding on top of that her baby dream (has anyone else had that baby dream where you literally give birth and raise a whole kid just to wake up years later? its so surreal) might take a lot of convincing for her to believe herself.

[little-box-of-autism]

Facts about the Spellman Siblings

Another gift for @dirtytransmasc because, yes, I do enjoy spoiling them rotten.

Most would assume Rävi is the 'leader' of the siblings, and they are almost right. Rävi will make the final decision, but he always gets Reyzì's agreement/approval first.

Reyzì, like her paternal grandmother, is tiretu and thus has a strong natural connection to Eywa.

The Clan, for the most part, is unaware that Reyzì is tiretu.

The siblings as a general rule of thumb don't trust adults.

They have a complicated relationship with Norm, but they do genuinely care about him in their own way.

All the Siblings are Neurodivergent (even Spider).

Ro'eyk doesn't really remember his parents when they were alive, he only knows them from visiting the Tree of Souls.

Rävi is older than Reyzì.

The Twins are 6 years older than Spider, and Ro'eyk is 2 years older.*

Rävi and Ro'eyk's full name is - Rävi/Ro'eyk te Le'ey Tìhun'itan

Reyzì's full name is Reyzì te Le'ey Rohoza'ite

They secretly gave Spider a na'vi name; Ri'tsyìl te Le'ey Tìhun'itan.

No one outside the siblings, the sully kids, and Norm know about the name.

The recoms are told about it once it's clear they are sticking with the Siblings.

The Tìhun'itan in Spider's name is eventually changed to Miles' na'vi name.

The Siblings give the recoms na'vi names, along with their family name of Le'ey.

The siblings don't fully identify as Omatikaya anymore.

Ro'eyk is actually good friends with Lo'ak and Neteyam.

Ro'eyk has a small sorta crush on Neteyam. He is just very relaxing for Ro'eyk to be around.

They actively encourage Lyle to get with Norm.

When the war with the RDA is over (for good) the Siblings and the recoms return to live at the Avatar Compound for a bit before they move into the old village nearby, with a shack for Spider until his Avatar is ready.

Yes, the siblings do manage to get (steal) the tech needed to grow Spider an Avatar.

Reyzì kills Ardmore.

The Siblings (and later Spider as an Avatar) all share a unique shade of amber eyes they inherited from their Mother.

Each of the siblings Ikrans have been trained to accept Spider as a rider, and if needed Spider could ride on each without his siblings.

When the kids were young, Rävi found four orphaned viperwolf pups and brought them home to the Avatar Compound. The siblings did actually manage to train and raise them without being caught for a full four months before Norm walked in on them.

Norm had never ratted any of the siblings out and has covered for them multiple times, including when an experiment went wrong, and he temporarily died.

Spider got the nickname Spider because of the siblings joking he climbed like Spider-Man.

[hellofeanor]

Hi there! I really enjoyed your fic ‘Brittle Stars’ and was wondering if you could tells me more about what Oren’s parents and sister have been up to Valinor. It must be so horrifying to find out that your young teenage son who you thought must be dead was in fact kept alive tortured, abused, forced to have children and mind wiped into thinking he was chased from his home instead of stolen from it. At what point do you think they found out what Oren was taken for? What will it be like for Lirje (whose name i may be spelling wrong) and her descendants in Valinor to find this out?

Aw, thank you so much! This is a great question, and a topic I really need to explore in more detail, because to be honest I've only thought this through on a surface level so far.

I do think his family would have thought him dead at first, since he was taken early on in Morgoth's attempts at corrupting elves and would have been among the very first to survive the transformation. They would have known he was taken by whatever evil power lurked in the north, but assumed he had been killed. So at that point... they would have mourned the loss of their son and the others who were taken with him. But after a while, their understanding of what happened to those who disappeared would have shifted. Going by what we have in the show, Galadriel mentions stories of elves that were taken by Morgoth and twisted into orcs. And she mentions hearing these stories as a child, which means the stories existed in Valinor, which means they must have been brought over by those who undertook the great journey from Cuiviénen rather than rumours acquired later in Middle-earth.

In the story I have Óren going back to Cuiviénen a few times to capture elves, and I think that during some of these journeys, he and others like him would have been seen. One of the other moriondor could have been killed by elves, and then recognized as someone who had gone missing years earlier. And Óren recalls one of them trying to run back to the elves and then being rejected as a monster. Which may or may not have actually happened, and could be at least a partial false memory, but in this general timeframe there would have been some type of contact between the moriondor and the elves: enough contact for the elves to gain a fairly decent understanding of what actually happened to those who disappeared.

At this point, Óren's family would have started to think that it might have been better if he had died, as they originally assumed. The wounds of their grief would have opened up all over again.

I think at first, Lirjë (you did spell her name correctly!) and Óren's parents would have tried to shield her from this revelation. I imagine she would have still been fairly young when this new knowledge started to circulate, maybe close to the age Óren had been when he was taken. Her parents wouldn't want to subject her to the horror of knowing what really happened to the older brother she never knew, but of course, other people talk. She would have found out. Her family would have been well known in the village, and not in a good way, for their connection to somebody who disappeared. I don't think Óren was ever specifically seen and recognized, and Lirjë never knew with 100% certainty that her brother was one of those dark riders that came down from the north, but still she would have wondered.

I think this would have led her to not being so keen on having children of her own, if there was an ongoing danger of them being taken as Óren had been. She only married much later, and her children were born not long before setting out on the migration to Valinor.

One thing I DID think about while writing the story was whether or not all of his family would have gone to Valinor, or if some would have stayed behind out of hope that they might find him or he'd one day return. I knew for plot purposes I wanted Lirjë to have gone, but I wavered back and forth over the parents. Would they become Noldor, or Tatyarin Avari? Ultimately I decided they would want to stick close by their one remaining child. Cuiviénen no longer felt safe for any of them, and when they had the opportunity to move on to a protected land, urged on by Finwë, they would have been among the first to decide to go. Their Cuiviénen life held too many painful memories to want to stay there.

So they went to Valinor, and given that Lirjë's descendant down the line is a laundress and not a powerful noblewoman, they would have settled into quiet, unremarkable lives there. I see them living as farmers in a small settlement of elves who preferred to continue on in a lifestyle similar to what they knew in Cuiviénen.

Now... in the event that Óren decides to try to find them, what would he find? I think his family would be still living their simple life. They'd have long since given up all hope of ever seeing him again, and wouldn't even think that could ever be a possibility. Not after moving so far away, and absolutely not after the stories of Morgoth's evil in Middle-earth that would have come back with those who returned following the War of Wrath. Ayánë, being related to the royal family of Alqualondë, would have her existence and condition kept largely under wraps. Óren's family of unassuming commoners living somewhere near Tirion wouldn't be aware that any moriondor survived and had been allowed passage to Valinor. His sudden reappearance in their lives would be... a shock.

But at this point, I don't think Óren is quite ready to try to find his family. He still has centuries of negative interactions with elves to work through, and absolutely still believes that most elves would not be accepting of him and would not want to welcome him back among them. Even as recently as his interaction with Galadriel in the Southlands, those beliefs would have been reinforced. He knows elves hate the moriondor as much as he was taught to hate elves. Irrenneth's familial acceptance of him is, in his mind, a complete anomaly. He doesn't believe his parents or sister would want to see him again, knowing what he's become. And he's not really sure he would want them to see him, either.

If/when I get around to writing a sequel, this will for sure be a significant plot arc: Óren working through his trauma over interactions with elves, and deciding whether or not he's in a good enough mental place to want to seek out his family. But it's going to take a lot of work on his part. Definitely something Irenneth can help with and influence, and Pengolodh to a smaller extent, but ultimately, he'll need to make the choice on his own.

Thank you for the ask!

[ofrecklcss]

( max irons , 31 , he/him , cismale , Romanov 5 - have you seen DMITRI ROMANOV II?  we’ve heard through the grapevine that they’re CHARMING but also HOT TEMPERED. when you think of them , you think of THUNDERSTORMS, CLASHING SWORDS AND CRUMPLED SHEETS. * barbara’s betrothed wc

parallels: anakin skywalker (star wars) , harvey specter (suits), damon salvatore (vampire diaries), flynn rider (disney - tangled), chuck bass (gossip girl)

BASIC  INFO

FULL  NAME:  dmitri romanov ii

PRONUNCIATION:  deh-mee-tree

NICKNAMES:  dem (only by his family)

AGE:  thirty one

GENDER & PRONOUNS:  cis man, he/him

ORIENTATION:  heterosexual, heteroromantic

LANGUAGE(S)  SPOKEN:  primary  —  russian, english ;  conversational  —  german, italian, spanish, french

ACCENT:  russian

ALIGNMENT:  phlegmatic

ZODIAC:  capricorn

LABEL:  the regicide/ rebel

alternatively: the dark horse

HEADCANONS

The youngest Romanov son, Dmitri never had as much pressure put on him as his older siblings and was given a lot of freedom which formed the base of his personality. He is definitely the black horse and rebels often for the hell of it.

He was trained with the Russian military from an early age and is an excellent swordsman/soldier, sometimes acting more like a soldier often forgetting diplomacy and court protecol much preferring to speak his mind. He is hot tempered and can be very reckless to the chagrin of his advisors and the Russian courtiers.

He's never really given much thought to marriage but now that his brother is the Tsar and it is expected for him to marry for the sake of beneficial alliances, he's not too pleased but as a soldier he does have a great understanding of following orders.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

BETROTHED: Barbara of Lorraine

CONFIDANTS/CHOSEN FAMILY ; those he's fought with and spent a lot of his time growing up with during his time in the military - he trusts them and trust is not easy to come by with

BROKEN BETROTHAL: Someone his father was in talks with to arrange a marriage before he died - when the previous Tsar died and Aleksander took over, the discussions and negotiations were halted and cancelled.

CURRENT + PREVIOUS FLINGS: Dmitri was never one to believe in marriage, and he thought he would never have to think about it so he's lived a life of a Grand Duke who cared little for propriety and has had several flings over the years.

CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART; Someone who grew up visiting/spending time with the Romanovs (could be from a close country/their parents could have had some kind of alliance) where they had the chance to meet and connect to the point where everyone who saw them thought they would become sweethearts (maybe they were? open to interpretation of character taking the wc)

PEN PAL; (female - royal or high ranking) Someone that Dmitri has written to honestly and openly from a young age after meeting at some kind of state visit/event. this person will know him well even if they haven't seen each other since.

[mochalottie]

New characters for FTNADOL

Because I need to get my own head on straight, and I thought you guys would appreciate an information post for reference.

Ninat

clan singer, handles the chants and songs for all sorts of ceremonies. she has a good relationship with the great mother, which usually manifests in the tingling of her lips.

she was good friends with both sylwanin and tsu'tey, often following two steps behind when they were children.

she is kind, but can be very shy. to the point that she will stay silent during an entire conversation, happy to let others come forward and speak for her. however, get her singing and she will not shut up.

she has had a thing for moe, a healer, and hopes to mate with him when they are both ready and comfortable.

Peyral

a fearsome hunter, she doesn't take any shit from anyone. which can make her seem very blunt and crass, when really she is very caring and kind.

she doesn't particularly like children, but she does tolerate them as it is the role of the village to raise them in the eyes of eywa.

she was good friends with tsu'tey, and at one point had envisioned her mating him. that was before he was promised to sylwanin.

she distanced herself from neytiri when her best friend died, hating how much she reminded her of what she lost. but she is willing to mend the relationship that has begun to crumble.

Tarsem

a warrior and loyal member of the Omaticayan clan, tarsem is often seen at the edge of the activities within hometree. he's cautious of his strength, but fierce in the protection of his family.

the eldest of three brothers, he had to handle rowdy children from a young age. it is why most of the village children listen to him and not the other elders.

he is one of the main hunters in the clan (alongside Peyral) and often has a trail of admirers (children) following along behind him.

still attempting to heal from the loss of one of his brothers, he can take a long time to trust someone. however, a select few have his utmost loyalty, and one day he will become a person fit for taking the mantle of olo'eyktan.

Ikeyni

olo'eyktan of the tayrangi clan (ikran riders of the eastern sea) she is a fearsome fighter and a strict leader. she has to be, as the environment they reside in is as dangerous as its inhabitants.

her mate tsentey is the calm to her storm, steady and sure in himself so that his partner can lead as she needs. due to the structure of their clan, she is olo'eyktan and tsahik in one, tending to every need that arises. it makes for a high strung woman who finds humour in poking fun at others.

they had no children, nor do they have want for them as ikeyni supposes (and knows) she would be a terrible parent. not due to the fact that her sister's children managed to escape her care when she'd been tasked with watching over them.

Akwey

olo'eyktan of the orangi clan (horse clan of the plains) he is a steadfast and wise leader. when his clan was decimated by the great battle, he saw to it to amalgamate his people with those of the smaller clans of the jungle, offering them supplies in return for people.

beside his mate, Raka, they lead together with a steadfast grip, alongside their seven toddlers. all orphans of the great battle. jake has yet to find out their secret to raising so many children.

wise and stately, he doesn't take any shit from the other clan leaders, and is considered the wisest out of ikeyni and jake. he is able to temper her attitude and crassness, and give advice when he becomes too overwhelmed by the role shoved onto them.

I will add more as the story continues and grows, but that is the gist of these characters.

(and yes, this was an excuse to get my many headcanons down on 'paper')

[pagingharu]

Name: Rune Vilulf

Age: 22

Height: 6’2”

MBTI: ESTP-A

Main Theme Song: True Blue by Boygenius

Occupation: Seafaring Trader and Dragon Rider (formerly a criminal)

Bio: Growing up, Rune was trained to be a warrior by his father who was never satisfied with his accomplishments and progress. Eventually, the man abandoned his own son, leaving the boy to fend for himself on the streets but, fortunately for him, he was quick to adapt.

He then meets Gitta, and pitied her when no one wanted to take her in. He taught her how to survive as they traveled around, but parted ways after a dragon clawed his back and he was left to heal while Gitta ran away. The two then began bumping into each other in their travels.

While still young, Rune was notorious for being cold blooded, using any means to get his way. Though this didn’t stop him from taking others under his wing, reminding him of Gitta who he sees as a younger sister. He became a leader of sorts, and having realized this, he decided to steer them to the right path starting with changing himself. Though he’d sometimes slip into old habits from time to time.

A summary of his relationship with his father: 

"I needed a soldier. You wanted a father."

"Well I guess we're both disappointed then."

After his mother died in an attack, his father became obsessed with training a young Rune so he wouldn’t meet the same tragic fate. Although the longer this went on, the more his father lost his way of being a good father to him. Stripped of family love from losing both parents (mother, dead; father, a changed man), Rune had no one to turn to while the harsh training and beatings (when he failed to meet expectations) happened. 

During those times, he was told again and again that his wants don’t matter (he kinda passed it down to Gitta but in a kinder and gentler way. "Gitta, this want of searching for any clues of your family won’t help us. it wont feed our hungry tummies. You have to know this is for the better."). After years of anger and depression eating at his father, the man eventually abandoned Rune, saying he’ll never be good enough to be his son.

Personality: passionate yet tired, confident, loyal to a fault, hopeful romantic, daring but this makes him prone to crossing people’s boundaries, shares the same spontaneity as Gitta but is more grounded, sociable like an extrovert adopting introverts, goes by the saying “Do it scared anyway”

A.K.A. Rune is a driven, action-oriented person who thinks life should be an adventure or not at all

Scars: He has 4 scars in total: 3 on his back, and 1 on his face. He got his back scars when he was young after shielding Gitta from being picked up by a dragon when the town they were at got raided. His back got clawed in the process, and he was left traumatized. As for his face scar, he got it from his father when they unexpectedly reunited in his travels— causing a fight to break out in the tavern.

Dragons: He’s terrified of them at first, remembering the time a dragon clawed his back. But upon realizing that dragons are all around in his world, he’d try and find ways to work with his fear rather than overcome it (something his father would surely be disappointed with). After befriending a Shockjaw, he’d grow a bias on it saying it’s not like other dragons

Shockjaw: While on the search for Gitta after her Triple Stryke appeared before him without its rider, Rune found a Shockjaw being captured by dragon trappers. He didn’t hesitate to attack them and interfere with the activity, saving the dragon in the process and releasing it back to the wild. While scared of dragons, he didn’t want to stand by and watch it all happen just like that.

Eventually, Rune realized that the very same Shockjaw he and his crew saved followed after them in their travels. It kept its distance from the ship at first, usually lurking from afar, and upon realizing it meant no harm, some of the crew tried feeding it, though the Shockjaw never went close enough for it.

The crew then tried to get Rune himself to feed it, thinking maybe something would happen if its hero did it. While skeptical and scared at first, the Shockjaw actually answered and went closer this time when it saw Rune about to feed it. The dragon becomes his companion in his seafaring trades and the two have stuck with each other since. He eventually names his Shockjaw as Boltsnap, though Gitta prefers calling him Seaweed for his color.

Fun Facts:

>He hates being called a pretty boy, thinking it reduces him to being just that

>While he’s learning to put his criminal life behind him, he would still be game to murder someone— and do other criminal acts— if need be, what more if it meant to help a friend

>He grew up too fast, too soon given his circumstances, and never got the chance to experience a proper childhood

>Has never made peace with his father, and knows that he might never get to. Maybe this is why he takes in underdogs; to give them another chance? Something his father never gave him

>Refuses to settle down in one place, feeling like he might miss something if he does. When he decided to turn things around, in his eyes, being a seafaring trader still gave him the excuse to go around, while keeping himself and his crew afloat

>He still has old wanted posters up in some tribes/villages

[minty-mumbles]

Foundlings

Summary: What if the Links weren't born? What if they just... appeared one day?

Author's Note: This was inspired by some asks on @tortilla-of-courage's blog

(Read it on Ao3 Here)

~~~

Everyone on Skyloft had a profound bond with their loftwing. Everyone. They would trust their birds with their life, and more significantly, the lives of their children, if they had any. It wasn’t a rare sight to see your neighbor’s loftwing watching after their child, or to see a loftwing carrying a wayward child back home.

And, although Skyloft is a small island, not everyone knows each other.

So they can’t be blamed, really, that they didn't notice right away that all the loftwings on the island were playing hot potato with a small child.

They only really started to notice when the headmaster of the Knight’s academy found his loftwing looking after not just his own daughter, but a young boy as well.

Before he could question it, or pick up the boy, another loftwing swooped in, snatching the boy up by the back of his tunic. The toddler didn’t seem to mind, squealing in excitement as the bird took him up to the roof.

Gaepora still might not have thought anything about it, except that he knew for a fact that that loftwing’s rider had died a year ago. That’s why the bird was here. It was still mourning its partner, and it was better for it to be around other loftwings. The communal nests for the loftwings at the academy were perfect for that.

And, as far as he knew, the loftwing hadn’t picked a new rider. So whose child was that?

~

After a good two or three weeks of searching for the child’s parents and simultaneously trying to get the boy away from the loftwings, they were still empty-handed.

The search for the parents was futile. Nearly everyone on the island knew about the boy now, and most had even seen their own loftwings carrying the boy around. No parent had stepped forward.

On the other hand, no one could actually manage to get the kid away from the loftwings. It was rare for the birds to completely disobey their riders, but in this, they seemed resolute. The boy would be staying with the loftwings, at least for now.

Gaepora pinched the bridge of his nose, looking at his daughter, who was currently giggling with the yet unmanned boy on his own loftwings back. This boy was going to be nothing but trouble, he could already feel it.

~~~

The master smith of Castle town wasn’t a slouch at hand-to-hand combat. He had never been formally trained in the subject. But he was a smith. Being a smithy was very physically taxing. He may be getting on a bit in years, but he could still swing a hammer and withstand the blazing heat of the forge.

So when he entered his shop in the morning and heard rustling behind the counter he kept his lockbox behind, he did not run to call the town guards. They wouldn’t even get here in time, and Smith could deal with the thief by himself.

When he rounded the corner of the counter with a shout, what he found was not what he expected. Instead, he found a little kid. Really, he couldn't be more than two or three. Instead of the lock box, he had been rooting around in a jar of cookies that Smith kept in the shop for the rather common occasion he got the munchies in the middle of the day.

The child was watching him with wide eyes, his gaze not wavering. He had far too much of an intelligent gaze for a two year old who had literally gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Smith looked around, foolishly hoping that the child’s mother would pop out from behind one of the shelves to claim the him.

No such luck, of course. Cursing his bleeding heart, Smith picked up the child and, hanging a sign on the door to tell his customers he was closed for the day, made his way home.

~~~

The Great Deku Tree was very old. He liked to take naps, which sometimes ended up lasting months. And he forgot things sometimes.

But he was pretty sure he wasn't actually asleep for more than a few hours this time. And he was sure he would have remembered this.

There was a child laying between his roots. An infant, wrapped in swaddling clothes, nestled in a bed of fallen leaves.

The Tree didn’t recognize him.

He would know if this was a Kokiri child. It was not. This child was as Hylian as they came. And yet, somehow, he had ended up here. Deep in the lost woods, where no adult could reach. At the very least, the fairies or the Kokiris would have woken him if there had been an intruder.

The Tree took his time examining the child, looking for any clues to his origins. He found none.

After a while, the baby started to fuss. The Deku Tree hummed, calling for a fairy to go fetch Saria. She was a responsible young lass. She would make sure the boy was well looked after.

He stayed contemplating the child long after he had been taken away by the Kokiri. That child would be one to make note of.

~~~

They were calling him the Hero of the Wind, now. She had smiled when she heard that, but to her, he would always be Link. She gave him that name, after all. She had named him after the previous hero when she found him. There had been no mother in sight to give her a different name, after all.

She hadn’t known where the baby had come from. When she had gone on an early morning walk one day, it had led to her finding a woven basket with a wailing infant inside it, washed up on the shore.

No one on Outset Island had a child this young, or was even pregnant. But Hylia would be damned if she left the babe there. Besides, she was lonely. Her husband had died a few years back, and her daughter had left Outset, rarely visiting. She wouldn’t mind someone to share her house with.

There were rumors. Of course there were. Outset island was a calm and peaceful place, but that didn’t mean all the people there were kind. Suddenly acquiring a child out of nowhere was suspicious. People called her a witch behind her back, not so subtly accusing her of stealing the child.

She had claimed that her daughter had come back from sailing to give Link to his grandmother, but no one had actually seen the young woman do so, so there were always skeptics.

And there was indeed a good reason that no one had seen her come back. It was because the woman hadn’t. No one but Granny would ever know the truth of it, she had vowed to herself.

But, eventually, the excitement died down. Link was a sweet boy. And, well, he had his Granny’s nose, after all, and his mother’s bright golden hair.

(And a few years after that, when she found Aryll on her front porch, surrounded by seagulls, people said much the same about the little girl.)

~~~

The Hero of Legend had humble beginnings, just like most of his brethren. Before he had started his journeys, he had grown up on a farm, looked after by his uncle. In truth, though, said uncle had no relation to him at all.

The nearby village thought he was just an orphan.

It wasn’t unusual. Families were torn apart often these days, sometimes literally, meeting brutal ends at the hands of monsters. Many times, this left children to wander, with no one to care for them. Sometimes, families would take them in and care for them like they were their own.

It was a bit odd that Link's Uncle would do so, as he had no wife to help him in raising a child. But after all, he had no wife, and never showed any signs of looking for one. Perhaps he wanted someone to look after him as he grew older, or just someone to share his house with. It must get lonely, all by himself in that huge farm, so far from town.

In truth, he couldn’t have done anything else, except take the kid in. He had been sucked in by the big eyes set into the sweet face the first time he set eyes on the boy.

The boy never made any mention of his previous family. But, thought his uncle, that was probably normal. Whatever happened to him before he found his way here couldn’t have been pleasant.

It was probably normal not to want to speak of it. And besides, there were apples that needed to be picked, animals to be fed, grain to be cut. There would be time for talking later. For now, he would focus on teaching Link the proper way to hold a cucco without being mauled.

~~~

Legend had it that the Hero of Hyrule started his adventure in a cave. What the Legends don’t tell is that he also started his life in that cave.

In his era, monsters roamed nearly everywhere. There were a few exceptions. One of these was a small cave. It was hidden deep in a forest, and generally ignored by all who passed it. Most who saw it assumed it was too small to be a proper shelter for anyone.

It was this assumption that made it the perfect spot for its inhabitants to hide. A group of fairies had stumbled across the cave, and claimed it for their own. It was undisturbed by the bigger creatures of the world, and it was the perfect size for them.

It was deep in this cave, soaked in fae magic, that this group of fairies found a tiny child. Or more accurately, he found them. When he wiggled through the crack of the cave opening and saw them, he giggled, clapping his hands.

They were uncertain at first. What was a young hylian doing out here? It shouldn't be possible. Where had he even come from? He couldn’t have made it all the way out here by himself.

Being naturally helpful creatures, they tried to search for the small one’s parents, but came up empty-handed. All the while, the child played with the strands of magic they conjured to entertain him.

Fairies have a poor sense of time. They just kept searching for the child’s parents. They fed him when he was hungry, and sang him to sleep when he was tired. They didn’t even notice that the child was growing up.

~~~

Wolves are not a common animal to see in Ordon. Generally, they preferred to stay away from the village.

There were exceptions. If there was a harsh winter, wolf packs might approach the village, looking for the easy meals the goats presented. If a wolf was sick, they might wander closer in confusion as well.

So when Uli looked out the window, and saw a large golden wolf in the middle of the goat pen, she was understandably shocked. The wolf looked healthy. Its fur coat was glossy, and even from this distance, Uli could see muscles rippled under its coat when it moved. There was no sickness in this creature. It was the height of summer. The game in the forest should be plentiful. There was no real reason for it to go after her goats.

Looking closer, she could see that the wolf was standing over something, likely one of her goats. She cursed, gripping the bow from the mantle that they kept for situations just like this, and exited the house.

When the wolf saw that he was being approached, he calmly turned away. Moving at a quick pace, he left behind the prize he was guarding, and returned to the edge of the forest. When he reached the forest, he turned to look back at her. With what looked disturbingly like a nod, he disappeared into the woods.

After watching for a few moments to make sure the wolf wouldn’t return, Uli turned to inspect the damage to the herd.

Instead of finding a dead goat, she found a small bundle of blankets. Filled with curiosity, she knelt, moving the blankets aside cautiously. What she found was the last thing she thought she would.

A toddler, curled up and sleeping peacefully, as if they hadn’t just been two feet away from a wolf.

Well. What was she to do with this, then?

~~~

There is no record of the Hero of Warriors from before the War. Most people from his era assume that it’s because he came from a little town in the middle of nowhere. A farm boy, a nobody who crawled up the ranks to become a war hero, a captain.

In reality, the Hero of Warriors was a rather special case. He was made for war. He was a savior of his people, just like his brethren, but a child does not a warrior make. And a warrior is what was needed.

He strode into Hyrule castle, among the swarm of other young men who were reporting to the recruiters in the front hall. In the chaos, the one who greeted him neglected to ask where the young man was from, and Link did not offer the information.

From that point on, he was only called Link, with no surname on his record. Eventually, that became Commander Link, and then Captain Link.

No one ever questioned where he had come from. It was usually best not to think about those things too hard.

~~~

There was no one alive who remembered the Hero of the Wild’s origins. That was to be expected. It had been well over a century since he was born, after all.

The hero himself could not remember, and all those who had known him from before barely knew about his family.

The story of his birth was lost, or so it seemed.

The truth was that there was no story to be told. The hero’s family had been a small one. A knight who served in Hyrule’s military, his wife, and a little daughter. When the daughter had been born, the wife had nearly died. The doctor had warned them that another child would likely kill her.

So, though they dearly wanted a son to carry on their family’s name, and for his father to train him the way of the sword, they were content with their little girl.

Fate had other plans for them, though. One morning when the daughter was about a year old, they had just sat down for breakfast when there was a knock on the door.

The knight stood to answer the door. When he opened it, he did not find one of their neighbors, or a messenger from the castle, as he had expected, but a young boy, maybe five or six years old.

When asked what he needed, he simply said that he was their son.

He waltzed right in and plopped himself down at the table, pleased as punch with himself.

The knight and his wife looked at each other in amusement. This might as well happen. They could afford to feed an extra mouth for a meal or two. They could go look for the little one’s parents after they ate.

[imagineyouandharry]

Gypsophila (H.S)

Summary: Prince Harry has been under great pressure to find a wife, and he finds his Queen in a way far more unconventional than he could’ve imagined. 

Words: 5,730

Warnings: It’s a bit strange I guess? Idk lol.

A/N: Someone requested a Prince!Harry au forever ago, and then I didn’t really have an opportunity to write for a while, and then this idea sprung up on me and I’ve been lost in this little au for the past few days. It’s like a little twisted fairytale, taking inspiration from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty mostly. Part two is already a work in progress. If people are interested I’ll even put out a little sort of world building lore post with a map of the kingdom etc (I’ve been in DEEP). This part is a bit choppy and barely edited because I was just so eager to write it and get something out, but I would really appreciate any constructive criticism and editing notes! TYSM!! Long story short, enjoy!!!

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Harry Edward Styles did not believe in true love, in fact, he thought it was the most ridiculous idea ever. Harry’s certain he’s laid eyes upon every eligible young lady, from his kingdom and the ones surrounding, and he hadn’t felt a single thing when looking at any of them. He prayed every night that he would find his love the next day, and finally be able to put his parents out of their misery and ascend to the throne. At the age of 27, Harry’s the oldest person in his family to not be married, no one every waited this long in the royal family. He would’ve had an arranged marriage at 21, though when his parents suggested that he ran away on a sailing ship for two months. One thing was clear to him: though he may not have experienced love yet, he wasn’t going to ruin his chances at true by being forced into a loveless marriage. It wasn’t only Harry’s parents, but the entire kingdom that woke each day hoping to hear that their Prince had found his Queen. They referred to Harry as the Good Prince, his subjects adored him, and lived for his acts of charity and selflessness, and they only hoped he would find a Queen that would treat them the same.

Harry’s outlook on love changed however, after his most recent hunting trip. Sundays are for family and hunting, that’s what Harry was always told. No day was for Harry, he’d come to learn that. Living under a microscope meant for very little alone time, and almost no guilt-free alone time. He and his hunting party rode across the fields and out to the dense forest surrounding the kingdom, and over the two hour journey Harry found himself agitated with the topics of conversation going on around him. He wanted a break, tired of everyone only ever speaking about royal duties or politics. Harry had discovered a fresh water lake if he went off the trail, and when he realised they were edging closer to his favourite place he decided to excuse himself with the excuse of needing to fill his canteen.

The natural spring was a hidden treasure indeed. Harry’s entire kingdom was cut off from the rest of the world due to the thick forestland surrounding it. There was only one trail in, and one trail out, and even then only experienced riders were able to make the journey. The end of the trail, in the deep of the forest, was also often lined with thieves and outcasts making it not the safest journey. This spring wasn’t necessarily hard to find, however thick trees that lined the main trail hid the spring, the gorgeous wild flowers, and clearing of soft grass either side. Harry tied his horse to his usual tree, softly parting the bushes careful to not cause any permanent damage, and stepped his way through. His kingdom was full of hidden treasures like this, tucked away in places only to be found by those adventurous enough.

The sound of the running water was most prominent, however the closer he walked to the spring, the more he could hear a faint, delicate singing voice. Harry couldn’t recognise the song, but it was one he’d never forget now. It felt as though his heart dropped in his stomach, and he had to lightly scratch his arm on a branch to double check he hasn’t died and was hearing an angel of heaven sing to him. He walked closer, with quiet footsteps so not to disturb the singing. He knelt down to the edge of the spring and began to fill his canteen, looking around his eyes eventually focused on the source of his siren, standing in the clearing over the other side of the spring as she picked a bouquet of dainty flowers. Lavender, daisies, bellflowers, poppies. Her body was dressed in sage green, the simple dress showed she definitely was not from a wealthy family, but it was simple and beautiful in its own way. Perhaps she sewed it herself, it did look as if it were made for her. He could see her hair shine from here, and the features of her side profile were striking him even from a distance. She didn’t look real. The strange girl across the spring looked ethereal, like her beauty was too surreal for this planet. Had he hit his head? Was he seeing a forest fairy? He hadn’t even realised the staggering increase in his heart rate as he watched the girl, and listened.

He lost track of how long he had been watching her for, snapped out of his daydream when he heard a “Your Royal Highness! We must be getting on!” Harry heard shouting at him from a distance, most likely back where he had tied his horse. The girl had heard the faint noise and her eyes shot in Harry’s direction. His cheeks flushed with heat as their eyes met only for a brief second, before she ran away. The eye contact brought a slight curve to his lips, although she was leaving, at least he got another good look at her.

“Wait!” He called as he stood up, his hand and canteen dripping wet. His eyes softened as she simply left, looking back briefly in her stride, but he’d blown it. “God fucking damn it.” He cursed under his breath as he began to trudge back to his horse, his feet weighing heavy on the ground.

That was the most he’d ever felt, looking at the stranger across the lake singing as if it were for him, and he couldn’t help but feel like he’d just lost his future Queen. Half of him wanted to wade through the water and run after her, but Harry wasn’t a often disobedient Prince, when one of his parents or advisors told him to jump, his usual response would be “how high?” It’s ironic how for someone who’s whole life depends on finding his future Queen is given so little time to actually explore a social life, or love life himself. He was always set up with suitors who his parents found best. In the rare times he’s able to sneak away he’d gotten around, and most definitely wasn’t a virgin, but he’d never found a girl who had made him feel the way he wanted to feel about his future queen. He only wanted to please his family, and his realm, but this was the one thing where he refused to compromise.

Y/N was as far away from a future queen as it could come, or at least that’s what her step-mother wanted everyone to think. The entire town hoped to marry their daughters off to the elusive Good Prince Harry, however her step-mother only wanted her biological daughters to have that chance. When Y/N’s father passed away her step-mother sent her out to live as a recluse in a tiny cottage in the woods, she had always feared that her beauty would distract future husbands away from her actual daughters, and didn’t want to ruin their chance of being married. Each Sunday she drops Y/N off the supplies she needs, but that was the only human contact she was given. It wasn’t too bad, she managed to keep herself busy with sewing, baking, or whatever other art or craft she could think of and had the materials for. It was lonely though, and she was ultimately alone.

Well, if you don’t count forest fairies. Y/N hated being outcast into the forest, and spent most of her early months in the cottage crying to whatever wild animal she could find that day that would stick around long enough. Eventually, these wild animals started bringing their fairy friends along with them. They would spend their days with Y/N tending to fruit and vegetable gardens, watering plants, having picnics, and making daisy chains. Her life was simple, and although not one she asked, it was one she was growing fond of. Male company was something she could only imagine and long for, or read about in story books. There were dozens of fairies living in the forest, but she’d become particularly close to a group of some of the female fairies.

Each Sunday before her step mother visits, Y/N will pick her step mother a bouquet of flowers in attempt to win her over, in hopes maybe one day her sweetness will earn her way back into town. Y/N had total obliviousness towards her step mother’s plan, and towards what was going on in the city. This year, any woman over the age of 21 was to present herself to the Prince. Y/N’s 21st birthday fell on the day she was scheduled to be presented to the Prince. The letter had been delivered shortly before she was sent away to the forest, Y/N never laid her eyes upon it though. The letter outlined the royal guard would be coming to collect anyone who failed to present themselves on the day, and to Y/N’s step mother that meant the only option was to make it so Y/N never turned 21, or made it to her birthday for that matter.

Seeing the Prince most definitely did spook Y/N during that day in the field, if her step mother ever found out she’d had contact with a male there was no chance she’d ever be allowed to move back home. She did all she could think to do. She ran. She ran so fast that the petals of the flowers she had picked were ruined in her haste, quickly shutting herself inside the cottage to gather herself before her routine afternoon visit from her step mother. Sure she knew of men to be dangerous and terrible, but she feared her step-mother’s wrath more than anything any man could put her through.

Like any other Sunday, she scrubbed the house and dressed herself in whatever new garment she had stitched herself this week. The fairies had been busy this week and she’d had a great deal of time to herself, embroidering colourful flowers into the soft white linen of the new dress she had made. Her step-mother would bring her fabric and thread to sew dresses for her step sisters. It was something to be proud of, but most likely would be over looked. Little was said upon her step-mother’s arrival, but her character seemed off. Her step-mother’s eyes darted around, checking windows as she insisted on making the two of them tea. Y/N sat down at the small dining table, recounting tales of her week, ensuring to leave out anything about fairies or a boy. She watched a small bunny outside the window, forgetting to speak as awe overwhelmed her whilst she watched its tiny nose twitch. Her daydream came to an end when the sound of the ceramic mug hit the hard wood of the coffee table. “Drink while it’s warm, my love.” Her step-mother told her, sitting down in the seat at the head of the table beside Y/N. It wasn’t long after that that Y/N hit the floor, and her step-mother was shrouding herself in a hooded coat and sneaking out of the tiny cabin.

Elsie, a fairy most close to Y/N, who specialises in healing, came to the conclusion that she was only out for about six hours before the fairies found her. They did all they could over the following weeks to bring her back to life, trying as many possible rituals, potions, and spells to give life to her body once more. Nothing was of use though, and instead they decided to preserve her in a glass case in the clearing amongst the wildflowers. She had professed to them that the clearing by the spring had been her favourite place, so they saw this fit. Preserving her in the glass case was simply because the idea of her beauty decaying away made any of the fairies shriek. Fairies never communicated with humans, however Y/N was different. Elsie had always theorised that Y/N had magic in her blood. Amongst the many spells and rituals they tried to bring Y/N back, they threw in a spell that would hopefully bring her back with true love’s kiss. It was like a safety net, or a ‘what if?’ But they eventually tired and wore out, preserving her was well enough for now. They kept her dressed in the new dress she had crafted for herself, it was so beautiful after all. They had placed tiny baby’s breath flowers throughout her hair, and made sure everything was perfect. They even went as far to adorn her in delicate gold jewellery, with beautiful crystals of all colours. Her body rested upon a large rectangular slab of rose quartz.

****

Harry was dreading sitting in the throne room, while all the eligible females from the town were presented to him like livestock. It made him sick, and left a terrible taste in his mouth. All he could think of was the girl from the clearing. Is she a sign? Is he his ticket out of here? Was seeing her fate? Questions like that simmered over his mind and kept him awake at night, he had been sleeping little and finding it hard to focus on his duties. His best friend Niall was he closest confidant, the only one he had told about the beautiful girl in the clearing that day. Niall cared more for Harry than anyone, really. He didn’t just care about his fame or power or wealth, Harry was his best friend and he hated seeing his best mate so down about his love life and the pressure to marry a woman he doesn’t love. He made it his mission to find the woman, and his detective work lead him down a path he didn’t expect at all. First he went to the clearing where Harry filled his water in the spring, that was where he first noticed something over the other side of the spring that he couldn’t quite make out. He followed the spring and found an area narrow enough to cross, making his way to the structure he’d seen earlier. He didn’t know what to make of this discover, a dead girl in a glass coffin. ‘Forever at rest, only to be woken by true love’s kiss’ read an inscription on a gold plaque. He really didn’t know what to make of this. He didn’t know what to tell Harry.

Sweat lingered Niall’s brow as he made his way back to the castle to find Harry, to tell him of his discovery. “Look… I just need you to come with me and tell me what you think when we’re there.” Niall tells him, his voice somewhat breathless. Niall himself was still in disbelief, shock, his eyes wide as he shook his head. “I just- I don’t know what to tell you. You need to see it for yourself.” He adds.

Harry nods. “I’ll come immediately.” Harry tells him, his trust for Niall outweighing anything else going on in his head. Together they rode to the forest, crossed the narrow part of the spring, and towards where Niall had discovered Y/N.

“Is this the girl you were talking about?” Niall asks, however when he looks from the girl to Harry, he knows the answer. Harry couldn’t help but fall to his knees, pressing his palms against the glass as he looked inside. He noticed how long her eyelashes looked, and the freckles on her nose. His nose was almost touching the glass as he leant here on his knees at the side of her, taking her in up close.

“What happened to you?” He whispers, his eyebrows knitting together. Niall gives him a moment before he decides to mention the plaque at the foot of the structure.

“It uh, says something weird about being awoken by true love’s kiss. I don’t know if it’s true, and it’s revolting to think you would kiss a dead body for nothing, but someone has put her here. Someone made this. My grandmother in her old age would mutter stories about forest fairies and their magic… It just makes you wonder, you know?” He ponders, his eyes wandering away. It felt silly to bring up magic, it was something very commonly dismissed.

“Help me get this off.” Harry said as he brought himself from the ground, the soft grass had left green stains on his tan riding pants. He pushed the sleeves of his white linen button down up past his elbows, and the two men carefully lift the heavy glass case up off of the rose quartz Y/N had been resting on. It wasn’t easy, and the glass at the bottom dug into Harry’s fingers before they set the glass piece of the structure down on to the grass. “Alright. Here we go.” Harry said, in attempt to psych himself up for kissing a dead girl. She didn’t look dead though, just sleeping, you could only tell she was dead due to the missing rising and fall in her chest with her breath. “I might start walking back to the horses, give you some privacy.” Niall said, giving him a slight smile. He also didn’t really want to witness someone kiss a dead person, if she didn’t end up waking up.

“Good luck. Take your time.” He adds, part of him had no doubt it was going to work though. The stories his grandmother would tell him of the forest fairies were something he’d always held on to, those stories were amongst his most treasured memories. He’d always had some hope.

Harry waited until he could no longer hear Niall’s footsteps before he leant down close to Y/N, brushing a strand of hair back behind her ear. He took a moment, if this never worked it was going to be the last time he’d ever see her. He couldn’t fathom coming back to this spot if this didn’t work. His heart began to ache at the thought, it made his chest feel tight, and gave him the urge to rub at the spot.

“I really hope you’re who I think you are.” He whispers as he looks down at her. “This might seem like absolute madness. I don’t even know your name, but if you wake up for me, I swear to you I will be yours forever.” He began, to Harry this almost did feel like a ritual, it felt special, and the words he was speaking were amongst the most genuine he’d ever given life to. “I promise, I will protect you. I will provide for you. I will love you. I will never, ever harm you. I will love you until my very last breath, I just need you to do this one thing for me.” His voice was barely a whisper now, and breaking as hot tears welled in his eyes. He very carefully leant down, pressing his warm, puffy lips against her cold, smooth ones. He didn’t know how long to wait, but it didn’t feel wrong. It was a sweet, tender kiss. His eyes closed, and he felt at peace. It felt more than at peace. The long grass, wildflowers, and tree branches that surrounded them began to stir with wind, petals floating up into the gusts that took them. This girl had a tendency to make him feel like he’s dead and in heaven. Her lips slowly began to warm, and skin began to glow with heat. It felt like they were floating, as if the universe was made up of just the two of them. The flowers beneath him began to grow taller and more dense, and it began to feel like his heart was pulling towards hers. It felt like a tether had been formed, connecting their energy, he could feel as her heart began to pump blood again, and her energy radiate from her skin. It felt too surreal.

Slowly, Harry removed his lips to allow Y/N to breathe. He let a hand lay gently resting on her cheek as he watched her gasp for her first new breath, eyes shooting open as she looked up at him. It wasn’t shock she was met with when her eyes met Harry’s, but peace. The luminous green eyes that were gazing down upon her were like lighthouses, guiding her towards safety. So many questions began to race her mind as she came to reality, unable to decide which one to ask first. As if based on intuition, Harry decided to speak. “I uh- I’m not too sure what happened to you but my friend found you here today and brought me to you. I believe I saw you a few weeks ago, in the same spot. I’m not sure how long you’ve been out here, but there was this little plaque at the end of this thing here, that said something about a kiss to wake you up… I’m sorry for kissing you without your consent, but I couldn’t risk not taking this chance.” He didn’t mean to ramble or to overwhelm her with his spiel, but he was overwhelmed himself with everything that had just gone on. True love’s kiss. His queen. His true love. The other half of his soul, in human form. Y/N’s lips parted as if to speak, but nothing came out. She closed them once more as she sat up and looked around, swinging her legs off the side of the marble before looking back up to Harry. Her movement had disconnected his hand from her face, and they both longed for each other’s touch once more already. Her eyes began to well with tears as she began to think about how she got here, her last memories.

“I can only assume how overwhelming this must all be for you… We can stay here as long as you need, it’s just us. When you feel ready for it, I can take you back to my home and we can get you showered and fed. I don’t mean you any harm.” Harry doesn’t even need to add that last sentence though, because she can feel it. She can feel his love for her, she could almost hear it if she listened closely enough, as if his heart was now beating a song for her.

Harry stood back, as if to give the doe eyed girl some space. She looked at him as if he was the most precious treasure on Earth, he’d never felt so overwhelmed with love. This was followed by her delicate hands reaching out, taking ahold of his as she brought herself to stand in front of him. “Is it alright if you hold me for a second?” She asked softly, needing time to process things.

It had been so long since she had been touched affectionately, she couldn’t really remember it. Her father was never affectionate, nor her step mother or step sisters or anyone else she’d met. She felt comfortable with the stranger in front of her though, and didn’t have the energy to resist the magnet like force pulling her towards him.

“Of course.” He responds, his voice soft as he wraps his arms gently around her frame, pulling her into his warm figure. Harry was like the perfect, giant teddy bear… but he wasn’t really that soft. Pressed against him she could feel how chiseled his features are. Her arms wrapped around his waist as she relaxed into him, cheek against the skin of his chest kindly revealed by the first few buttons of his shirt being undone. “What’s your name?” He asks, tangling his fingers in her hair to lightly rub his fingertips against the tender skin at the back of her neck.

“Y/N Y/L/N. Yours?” She asks, looking up to the tall, broad man.

“Harry.” He decides on leaving out his royal title or last name.

“Just Harry?” She asks, her eyebrows raising.

“For now. We have plenty of time to talk about me later.” He notes, removing the same rogue strand of hair as before from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. It was almost as if her hair had a life of its own, breathing, like the other flora growing in the forest. He had noticed the baby’s breath in her hair, though her hair moved, they remained in the same places, as if growing out of their place on the strand of hair. “What do you last remember?” He asks, needing to know if whatever put her in eternal sleep had been by accident, or as an act of malice. She looks back away from his face, resting her cheek once more against his chest.

“My step-mother, Styephania came over, she made me tea. That’s all I can really remember.” She said, unable to stop the disappointed sigh from escaping her lips. Maybe she’d had a freak health accident, like a stroke. Just because she’d been mistreated by her step mother her whole life, didn’t mean she was capable of murder. She knew her step mother didn’t put her out here though, this was the work of fairies. They were looking on, hiding in the bushes as they stood witness to young love blossom in front of them, not wanting to disturb the two of them. “I look crazy, and it sounds crazier saying this, but I’m certain the forest fairies are responsible for looking after me and putting me here. The day she came over was the day I think you saw me here, and I’m not sure how I’m meant to feel but I don’t feel like I’ve been a dead body since then. I feel like no time has passed at all.” Harry avidly listened to her speak, her voice like caramel, seeping in his ears and warming his whole body. Harry wasn’t phased by her mentioning fairies, Niall had suspecting this being their work earlier. It was the only explanation Harry could think of. He couldn’t understand why her step mother would leave her here, why she wouldn’t find her help.

He didn’t want to worry his sweet girl now, he wanted to make sure she felt alright, safe, and cared for. His grip on her wasn’t too tight, but firm in a comforting way. “The plaque… It mentioned how you’d only be woken by true love’s kiss.” He figured the longer he waited to tell her the stranger it would be. His cheeks were red, as if embarrassed or ashamed to tell her about the plaque, how strange it all was. Her eyes met his, and the connection gave him whiplash. He couldn’t peel his eyes away, getting lost in the little pools. He wanted to know everything about her, what she liked, disliked, what she ate for breakfast, her favourite songs, flowers, secrets. Everything.

“I don’t know if I know what love feels like. The only men I’ve spoken to are all twice my age. I wasn’t really allowed to see boys. You’re definitely much, much more beautiful than I would’ve imagined a man to be, and I’m certain that my heart is literally beating for you now, since you woke me.” She tells him, the descriptions of heroes in stories she would read, or how she would imagine the older men to look when they were younger, were incomparable to Harry. The compliment made his cheeks flush. With each beat of her heart, it was as if it was pulling her closer to Harry, calling out for him, begging for him to love on her and soothe the ache in her chest.

“How has God made something so sweet?” He mumbles, he hadn’t even realised he’d said it out loud at first. “You’re breath taking. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes upon, and trust me when I say I’ve seen a lot of them. Even from far away, the first time I saw you… You make me nervous. You make my heart race, and my palms sweat, and I get butterflies in my stomach and nervous when I think about saying the wrong thing or not having you like me. It’s as if you’ve been carved by God himself, like he was showing off when he made you so beautiful. I wish I’d met you sooner.” Those last words burn his throat, how easier the last few years would have been if he had just been able to find her sooner.

*****

Harry sent Niall back to the castle first, having him instruct everyone to clear out the path that the Prince and his soon to be queen would take to his suite, he didn’t want to spook her with people around. The guards had to stay though, non-negotiable. He also had Niall ensure the doctor was on standby, just to check on Y/N and stay in the castle over the upcoming weeks in case anything else happened. Security was going to be increased, and tightened, and a warrant put out for her step mother.

The two hour horseback ride to the castle would give them well enough time to get to know each other, Harry and Niall had also switched horses, Niall’s being the slower of the two. “I don’t want to startle you when we get there. I also don’t know how to really tell you this. I’m in the royal family, so the guards and whatnot are something to just be ignored. They’re for your protection. I don’t know if you heard much of what I was telling Niall earlier, but you’re going to be very safe here, and we’ll find out what happened. I’ll look after you, I promise.” His eyes are ahead as he speaks, looking over the vast green fields ahead of them once they eventually emerged from the forest.

“Still just Harry, to me.” She reassured, sensing his nerves about revealing this information to her. His shoulders relaxed at her reaction, and a smile formed on his lips when his mind began to wander into what their future may be like. His queen.

“Hey, one day that’ll be King Harry to you.” He joked, thankful that it was received with a laugh. Her laughter was almost as sweet as her songs, and for the rest of the journey he made it his mission to mine as many possible laughs out of her as he could, like little nuggets of treasure. After making their way through the fields that lined the forest, they went down a long road that served as a divide between two of the castle’s towns, and at the end of that road just past a small valley of mountains was a sight far more glorious than Y/N had imagined. Her village was a small village that contained mostly candlemakers and dressmakers, and it sat further to the east, people only ever going out there to purchase fine candles and clothing. It was niche though, and not many could afford the fineries the master crafters in her village would create. Y/N hadn’t even really seen a home larger than a cottage, Harry’s castle looked large enough as if it could contain its own little world, a complete wilderness of towers surrounded by fine gardens, protected by a large moat with a standalone drawbridge. Harry didn’t even need to announce himself, the drawbridge was already in the process of being lowered for him.

“I had Niall clear our path, I don’t want to overwhelm you. I’ll introduce you to everyone when you’re ready.” Harry reassures her, she hadn’t even thought of anyone else though, too in awe of the sights around her. Flowers she’d never seen before laced these gardens, with fine marble sculptures and fountains protruding from them.

“I can’t believe this is your home.” Y/N whispers, unable to think of anything else to say.

“Your home too, if you’d like.” Harry replies, though his words immediately shrouded him with nerves about rushing Y/N into anything. It was stupid, they were each other’s true love’s, but it felt wrong being strangers, so Harry tried his best to conceal things. He’d never been in a conventional relationship before, never mind whatever this arrangement is or was going to be. He just knew he wasn’t meant to rush things, so he tried to refrain from expressing his feelings as best as he could. Her arms around his waist tightened, Y/N needing to feel as close to Harry as possible. He held the reins in one hand, the other arm resting over hers around his stomach, holding on to her arm to make sure she couldn’t let go.

“I’d like that.” Y/N reassures, gently rubbing his side to soothe him. Harry was too caught up in his own feelings to pay attention to how calm Y/N was. She could feel his anxiety though, and continued to try to soothe him as best she could. Y/N knew very little about Harry so far, but what she did know was that he was kind, caring, and had a lot of worries. She’d never been a worrisome person, and if anything would even refer to herself as naive, it was something she’d always been almost ashamed of but in this moment felt like maybe she’d been made to be by Harry’s side. Y/N liked the idea of spending her days being Harry’s rock, a voice of reason. She’d rather a man like this than one who had no emotions, that was for sure. It could’ve been whatever was now eternally bonding them, but she swears she was feeling his emotions, able to see his aura if she really studied hard enough. She sunk into him some more, her arms around his waist, cheek resting against his back. Harry made sure to take it extra slow, giving his love enough time to appreciate the flowers. She seemed to like flowers, and his mother took pride in this being the most beautiful garden amongst all of the kingdoms. He couldn’t wait to show her all the fineries that came with his life.

[asknarashikari]

Chiaki: Guys, check out what Gai sent to me.

Chiaki:

Genta: I personally don't have a problem with Decade. I have more beef with DiEnd.

Takeru: His first visit wasn't bad.

Takeru: Still, couldn't they have sent us the plan before mercilessly attacking us?

Kaoru: Is this the "Kamen Rider" that has attacked us as a means to an end?

Mako: He is.

Kaoru: And you have met with him before?

Takeru: Our paths had crossed paths once or twice.

Ryuunosuke: Hime-sama, Decade is someone touted to destroy multiple worlds. Or at least that's what Tono-sama has been told about Decade.

Kotoha: They were very friendly.

Kotoha: Didn't Natsumi-san's grandfather helped Jii-san make cookies?

Mako: And Kuuga - by which I mean Onodera-san - was also helpful.

Kaoru: There are two Kuugas?

Takeru: Onodera-san hails from a different world than ours.

Takeru: Our world already has a Kamen Rider Kuuga.

Takeru: Not that we know anything about him.

Takeru: All the other Riders are secretive about him.

Mako: THat or none of them also know of this world's Kuuga.

Genta: Take-chan, why did that Narutaki person said that our world has been infected with Riders when that Ayakashi transformed into DiEnd.

Mako: From what I heard from various Rider allies.

Mako: Before Decade traveled to our world, they haven't heard of any Super Sentai teams.

Kaoru: Hmm

Kaoru: It is possible that your first contact with Decade has fused the world of Super Sentai to that of those Riders.

Ryuunosuke: Tha'ts impressive Hime-sama!

Takeru: That could very well be the case.

Takeru: However, I very much agree with what Gai sent Chiaki.

Ryuunosuke: Tono-sama is right.

Ryuunosuke: Marvelous and Decade could have told us the plan BEFORE attacking us.

Kotoha: Somehow, I'm thankful that this happened before the ToqGers were called.

Mako: Who in their right mind calls children to battle?!

Chiaki: We should get in line.

Chiaki: From what Gai said.

Chiaki: A lot of Riders are also upset by the situation the ToQgers found themselves in.

Kaoru: Oh, Magimother was horribly upset upon learning of the real ages of the ToQgers.

Kaoru: Her husband had to calm her down before she'd call a blizzard in the middle of summer.

Takeru: Actually, Yamato of the Zyuohgers has confronted the Rainbow Line about that,

Takeru: Let's just say, there's a reason why he's being called the Mama Sentai recently.

Let's be real if Tsukasa met Kaoru she can and will throw him on his ass within twenty seconds of his appearance

Also, he wasn't entirely at fault with the whole Sentai-attacking thing from Super Hero Taisen. Marvelous was in on the plan too, and he didn't even tell his own teammates. I bet Kaoru would also kick his ass for it, especially since she gave the Gokaigers the Shinkenger Grand Power on account of the Gokaiger's camaraderie.

As for the ToQgers.... ehh I'm not really sure the Shinkengers are in any place to speak. They grew up being trained to eventually fight as Shinkengers, and considering what happened to the previous generation, they would've had to fight regardless of how young they were when the Gedoshu started being active again.

Kaoru herself was only seventeen when she assumed the headship of the Shiba family, and all that time she was raised and trained in seclusion, all to master the Sealing Symbol. She never even met her dad because he died when she was still in her mother's womb.

Mako didn't see her mom much because Mako couldn't migrate with her parents when they left for her recuperation. And she couldn't leave with them because Mako's grandmother wanted her to train as the next Shinken Pink.

Takeru spent the better part of childhood living a lie, pretending he was head of the Shiba clan when in reality he was just a body double for Kaoru. Even when Genta first met him he was already doing that.

Which... ya know, in hindsight is kinda worse than what the ToQgers had? Being a Shinkenger isn't an easy gig already, but growing up like that, knowing you can end up like Kaoru's dad (dead on the battlefield) or Mako's mom (permanently injured) and knowing you might have to raise your kids like that too? Geez louise.

[words-writ-in-starlight]

ok but ever since ur post about harry and corlath's children where u said smth like "corlath is too thrilled with his life to deny his children, esp when it's so unimportant" all i can think about is one of them when they are Small braiding his hair with flowers and getting sad when he tries to take it down and then he ends up going to some Very Important Kingly Meeting with a flower crown and keeping a straight face while harry's dying of laughter. (i hope your day is going well!)

Let’s be clear, Corlath is nailing the fuck out of fatherhood.  He’s acing that shit.  (He remarks very dryly, with tiny baby Aerin Amelia reaching up to clutch in fascination at his hair, that corralling armies is good training for corralling children.)  Now, Tor takes very much after his father once he’s older, trending toward seriousness with a deadpan sense of humor, but as a baby he’s talkative.  Not, like, coherent, but he’ll sit there and just kind of babble at you for as long as you seem to be paying attention.  He is also very attached to his parents and something of a hit at court--of course he is, the child of their hero-king and their damalur-sol, of Corlath, direct down the centuries from the Dragon Slayer, and Harimad, Hurler of Mountains.

(”Oh, gods, they’re really going to call me that,” Harry murmurs in horror to Corlath at a feast not long after their wedding, and Corlath laughs at her, and the fire in the hearth snaps and crackles and a grinning pale face flashes for a moment before vanishing.)

So when Tor just can’t bear to be left with his nurse, a very patient woman who puts up with A Lot from the royal family, Corlath and Harry look at each other and shrug and just take him with them.  He sits on one of their laps, as they hold court from their twin stone thrones, and sometimes when he starts burbling away his parents--more often Corlath, much to the surprise of everyone--will pause and listen attentively, and tell the petitioner in a grave tone “Well, you see, the young lord believes that you should bring your neighbor next week and he’ll see what can be done to resolve your dispute.”  It makes open court about a hundred and fifty times more entertaining for everyone.  Tor’s first birthday present from Innath is a tiny version of his father’s crown, carved out of wood, and Tor immediately attempts to put it in his mouth.

Aerin is much quieter as an infant, and only too glad to toddle behind her older brother, so she attends court less than Tor did.  However, she does enjoy flowers very much, so the court is disappointed to not have a small child in attendance, but they’re enjoying the periodical appearance of their sovereigns with crowns of whatever Aerin could get her hands on.  She decides very young that Corlath looks best in daisies, and she likes to find the reddest pimchies to weave into Harry’s golden hair.

When Jack is a baby, things are pretty quiet.  Aerin carries on with draping her parents in local flora (Jack and Aerin are very close in age), and Jack mostly smiles and blinks and coos quietly.  He’s a very compliant sort of infant.

Then Jack’s kelar comes in when he’s seven and the court gets a lot more lively.  Corlath and Harry can’t in good conscience leave Jack with his nurse--can’t really leave him with anyone but themselves or Luthe or his siblings, for fear that his strength might get the best of him.  So he starts coming to court, and banquets, and whatever else Tor and/or Aerin is attending with their parents, and he’s still a kid, so sometimes his magic sort of...leaks.

They got the chandelier back on the ceiling eventually, with Harry’s help, and honestly he and Tor didn’t mean to animate the fine china and, well, Corlath got it under control anyway, didn’t he?

Hari, of course, attends court pretty much from day one, because by then Tor is old enough to be there in a slightly more formal capacity as the not-yet-formalized-but-still-recognized Crown Prince who could do with seeing how a country works.  Between the draw of her beloved eldest brother and her parents, Hari can’t be pried away.

Then she turns three and she’s walking reliably and she can talk and it’s very hard to keep her under control, so she starts causing trouble at court.  And banquets.  And every other place she’s allowed to roam free.

“Honestly, Jackie,” Harry sighs, surveying the damage to the banquet hall that needs to actually host a banquet in three hours.  The walls are scorched and the chandelier is down again, among other, more solveable problems.  “What happened?”

“I just turned my back for a minute,” Jack says helplessly.  “Tor’s off with Papa and Aerin’s fixing her gown and she told me to keep an eye on Hari and--”  He gestures to his little sister, who has soot smudged across every visible inch of skin and a seraphic smile on her face.  “I only looked away for a couple minutes, I swear.”

“I believe you, Jackie,” Harry says, and drops a kiss on his hair.  It’s difficult to manage this while also trying to look forbidding in her youngest’s direction.  “Hari,” she calls.

“Yes, Mama?” Hari says brightly.

“How did this happen?”

“I found a recipe in an old book, Mama.  Only I don’t think I did it right, because instead of just making smoke it exploded.”

“You don’t say?”

Needless to say, the banquet is held outside in the setting sun, and Corlath and Harry try not to look too visibly amused and/or dismayed when Hari pops out from under her sister’s skirts to steal a fistful of grapes.

[pixiedoodlein]

10 days until school and I’m no more decided than I was a week ago. I flip flop ten times day about what might be best. A is sick of hearing me talk about it. He doesn’t disagree with my risk assessment but he is sick of talking about it.

It caused an issue with his friend, a friend who is his best friend and is unvaccinated and works in a jail. Months ago we told friend he could only visit (this place is their boyhood dream) once he’s vaccinated. Friend typically believes in science and is very health conscious but his gf is a moron Trump lover and her family the same and that’s who he’s been spending all his time with since this all started. When I asked friend why he’s not vaccinated he said he’s young & healthy, didn’t trust the vaccines, would do it when they got full fda approval. Plenty of young healthy people are dead of this. Anyway then I asked ok so what if you give it to someone who isn’t and dies, people incarcerated in the jail he works in and don’t have the luxury of social distancing, and he was like eh whatever. So yes friend is an asshole, but his best friend for decades, friend has always been kind of an asshole but has many redeeming qualities too. So we said no visit. But then in July when there was no covid here and no covid where he lives and we were blissfully living our covid free lives we loosened up and said he could visit with two negative tests. But then covid got bad again and when asshole friend contacted A the other day to say he took time off in late Sept to visit, A said sorry, it’s fully fda approved now you have no excuses not to vaccinate, we’re worried about our unvaccinated kids, and as of now you can’t visit but hey maybe if you get vaccinated and the numbers look better we can reassess in a month and you can come. Friend was a total dick about it, didn’t understand our point of view at all, stressed A about it, who was in a bad mood about it for days afterward.

Then there’s the neighbors. I had a chat with the kids and a chat with the mom. I framed it as we love them so much and I know they’re careful but I think we should all be more careful while the numbers are so rising (aka only outdoor hangouts) and we are careful but I’ve heard terrifying stories from doctor friends about kids and babies getting very sick, and they have a baby who I don’t want us to make sick, and she said she agreed. The kids have been pretty good about making the adjustment from constant sleepovers to playing outside but M keeps asking me “the kids need to pee are they allowed to use the bathroom, the kids are hungry are they allowed to come inside even for one minute for a snack,” and I feel like the villain (I’ve been saying yes to pee, snacks I’ll bring out). Everyone’s been understanding but nobody is getting what I mean when I say only outdoor socializing. All the kids keep asking me when I’ll take them to town again for ice cream, “but it’s outside” (um yeah but the car’s not), asking their mom to ask me for sleepovers even though they know what the answer will be. The other day they were playing in our yard then it started raining and they were like “we can’t walk home in the rain”- I don’t want them to walk home in the rain, but again the car is indoors!- so I drove them home (but made M stay at our house). They’re not my kids so I can’t make them wear masks and it feels like now I am in the position of being the mean parent who’s psycho about covid, which in a way I am, but it would help me to stick to my guns and feel okay about sticking to them if the government policies matched the severity of the situation, ie mask mandates in public places (instead of stores posting polite recommendations), vaccine mandates, virtual learning options, etc.

Which brings me to school. After selling M hard on real school, then I sold her hard on home school. She already “did” 3rd grade last year (as much as me teaching her in my pajamas counts as doing), but this district has an earlier cut off than the city, so she’s in 3rd grade again here. Which is fine by me- her birthday is the same day as the very late nyc cut off (12/31) and I hated that she was the absolute youngest. I used to beg the school to hold her back and they’d say “but why she’s doing so well!” not understanding that I was thinking ahead to the teen years. But anyway, despite her haphazard pj’d professor, she seemed to learn a lot last year so homeschool this year could basically be unschool. She’d traipse around the forest identifying birds and trees with A and her brother, reading for pleasure, and I’d spend an hour here and there reviewing some worksheets with her so she’d be on track when she starts real school after she gets vaccinated. She was into the idea, until she found out she and one of the neighbor kids are in the same class. Now she absolutely wants to go to real school, AND ride the school bus. The school bus part makes me very nervous. While there is now a school mask mandate (but will it be enforced? what are their lunch procedures, what % of teachers are vaccinated, what % of the older kids in the same building as the little kids are vaccinated, did they actually really update their ventilation system?) and a bus mask rule, it’s a long rural route (15 min drive or 45 min bus) and I have no faith that bus windows will be open and all riders will be masked the whole time.

So just tell her she can go to school but has to be driven by a parent, right? Not so simple. I was offered a job at a (somewhat, commuting distance) nearby nonprofit- an easy low stress job in a bastion of liberalism with very very nice smart coworkers, excellent work life balance, a writing job that sounds made for me, like the job description is exactly what I would put together if I were putting together my dream job (except the pay, which is half what I was making at a fancy DC nonprofit, but high for this area, and our housing cost is half so it should be fine if A can get away from little guy long enough to bring in some money too). It’s mostly remote but approx one day a week in the office and some days there will be things I need to attend out in the community (not necessarily our community, they serve the whole region). It won’t always be the same day in the office and the office is an hour away- so on those days A would have no car to get her to and from school, since I’d need to leave before school starts and get home after it’s done. So I guess we need to buy a new car? Aside from this issue we really don’t need a second car now, were planning to get one eventually, but not until A’s business has enough projects to justify the cost.

Despite its many demands/challenges/ stressors, home school is sounding easier to me at this point (especially because she already did this grade), except she WANTS to go to school. Someone talk me out of putting some lipstick and a pantsuit on her and taking her to get vaccinated. I know, I know: the 5-11 dosage is 1/3 of the 12-adult dosage. The doctors I’ve spoken to are split on this hypothetical kamikaze mission. The doctors I’ve spoken to are also split on me and A going to a pharmacy now for booster. It’s been almost 6 months since our 2nd dose. We do not have compromised immune systems. This county has way more doses than demand and I would feel better sending M to school (bus or not) if we had our boosters and she had a first dose- moral and scientific quandaries aside- because there is A LOT of covid here now, a lot of covid everywhere now, and I feel like we are returning to regular life at the time when we should be most hunkered down.

Which brings me to the data. Per capita there are as many known cases here as in nyc, except nyc has a 50% higher vax rate, much more mask usage, better medical system. People are not getting enough tests here, there is a higher positivity rate, and so I think the actual number of cases is much higher than the reported number of cases. It seems like, friends here and in the city and in the suburbs (I just broke up with a friend in the suburbs because she professes to be a good democrat but is hosting a bonafide super spreader event and vacationing in a place with 39% positivity and a collapsed health care system), are thinking of covid as something you catch from strangers- they wear masks in stores- but aren’t careful at all around close friends and family (so many extended family gatherings, so many, cousins and grandparents and half-siblings and aunts and uncles and whoever), when this is a disease that kills via the people you love most, the ones who’d never intentionally hurt you.

[mmikmmik2]

WormWatch 2022

Little bit of a variant this time. So, we're past episode 24. We know Sasword is a worm. It seems very clearly signposted that Hiyori is a worm. (Though hilariously I think the last few episodes actually imply a slight possibility she isn't? Like, if the magic space rock fixed up Tendou's belt because she happened to be carrying it? I don't think that's it, but the idea of her being a human after all this time is pretty funny.) Who knows, in-universe?

I... could see Sasword's butler knowing. They're such a pathetic duo, honestly - the old man sabotaging both of them by trying to enable Sasword in living a complete fantasy world, desperately trying to cobble together a functional value system based on shitty rich boy traditions, like trying to build a statue out of mashed potatoes. I could see the butler knowing Sasword as a worm and trying to carry on like normal as like, the greatest extreme of this behavior. I could also see realizing Sasword is a worm as like a dark mirror to their whole thing of trying to keep up the pretense of the family having retained its ancient wealth and traditions - a shocking, horrible mockery. I think I'm leaning more towards the latter right now - the butler doesn't know, and it's going to be rough when he finds out.

(One of my pet theories is that Sasword is a scorpion-themed Rider because of the scorpion and the frog. Watch your back, old man.) (For real, though - I am kind of fond of Sasword. He's gone beyond moe through helplessness and straight into moe through pathetic. Rooting for things to work out for this shitty little rich broke boy somehow.)

I feel pretty sure Tendou has to know, or at least strongly suspect, that Hiyori is a worm. If it were just like "your parents are bad people" or something... idk, I'm not sure that would be something Tendou would be so desperate to hide. He's not really one to keep difficult truths from people. On the other hand, since it seems like he was there when they died, and was pretty young at the time... he could have his own trauma around the situation that's clouding his judgment.

[yurtletheturtlehenderson]

COSMIC - S3:E3; Chapter Three, The Case Of The Missing Lifeguard - [Pt. 6 - FINAL]

A Will Byers x Reader Series

𝘌𝘭 𝘨𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘋&𝘋. 𝘋𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦.

⚠️: anxiety [but no attacks], drugged food/drink, chloroform

||𝟑𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

Through the heavy mist of rain, two beams of light emerge up the rain-soaked road. Behind it, two pairs of bikes; their riders — and one passenger — hidden under brightly colored rain slickers of red, yellow, and blue.

A flash of lightning erupts over their hunched figures, revealing the grim faces of El, Max, and Y/n.

With a wet screech, their tires skid against the pavement as they come to a sudden halt beside a very familiar mailbox.

"Is this it?" Max asks.

El steps off the back of Max's bike, her trepid features looking out over the front lawn and her gut sinks.

1438. Same red door? This had to be it.

El nods.

But what were they about to find?

That question had been rattling around Y/n's head all day, tangling her stomach into knots. Those knots only tightened when her friends began up the driveway.

She steals another anxious glance out from under her azure hood before joining them. Wincing against the mud trailing under her shoes as they sink into the grass, her stomach plummets when she spots the car taking up the rest of the driveway space: Billy's car.

Y/n sighed.

"Remember when this a regular sleepover?" She wonders aloud. "That was fun."

"Y/n, I'm sure it's fine. Come on," Max eases, genuinely trying to be helpful.

Y/n nearly argued with her. That there had to be something going on cause she had been feeling wrong about things since the night Dustin got home — since Will had started acting up. She wanted to argue that if El felt this strongly too, then it would be unmistakable. That something was going on.

But she didn't and she couldn't say why.

So here she and her friends now stood, hair clinging to their face in the humid summer rain, ready to investigate the newest mystery.

El's focus zeroed in on the door, and the muted click of the deadbolt unlocking itself reached their ears. And slowly, the red door crept open to reveal their figures.

Despite her fears, El stepped inside first with a newfound determination. Max lingered by Y/n, still adjusting to the reality of it all. Y/n's eyes catch her in a weak, knowing smile.

"Takes some getting used to, I know," said Y/n, reminded all too well of her last impromptu investigative adventure with El.

Max smiled a little after Y/n as she stepped inside before following in her footsteps, closing the door behind them.

The front entrance was short, and spit the girls out in a narrow, olive-green hallway lined with family portraits. Each of them featured a familiar face, the same face they had seen from the lifeguard info board: Heather Holloway.

As they trailed the halls, their soaked faces reflected in the glass of an all too happy family photo.

"This is her house," Max realizes.

"What?" El asks. That couldn't be right, could it? But Billy...

"Heather's house," Max confirmed.

"Billy's car was out front," Y/n mumbles. "Do you think he—"

The sound of a woman's laughter echoed out, pulling their attention down the hall. It was then they realized, they could hear the distant sound of music playing mingled in.

It didn't take them long to find the front living room. Coasters holding empty glasses were left forgotten on the coffee table, and from around the corner in the connecting dining room, they found a most unlikely sight.

Billy at the dining room table with the older couple from the photo; Heather's parents. They were all laughing and smiling. With Billy. It was as if they had somehow stepped into a creepy, picture-perfect, alternate reality.

"Isn't that cute, huh?" Billy had been saying, his face lit up in a friendly smile that didn't seem right to them.

The woman's laughter died out in an amused giggle, wine glass hung from her hand after a lazy sip. "He's so funny!"

Her voice trialed when all three pairs of eyes land on the three girls, gawking more or less in the living room.

Billy's smile never faltered when his eyes landed on his sister and her friends.

"Max!"

The couple at the dinner table bore vastly different reactions, despite the common shock.

"We didn't mean to... barge in," Max explains, still a little stunned with her brother's sudden unusual behavior. "We tried to knock, but... maybe you didn't hear us over the storm."

Billy didn't answer, he only stared blankly ahead as he chewed on his mouthful of steak. Mr. Holloway didn't let them off so easily.

"I'm sorry," he snarks, speaking to Billy as if they weren't really there. "who is this dripping all over my living room right now?"

Y/n bites her tongue. Her eyes were unable to pry themselves from the complete stranger calling himself Billy, wracking her brain as to how this could be the same person who had attacked Lucas. The one she heard horror stories about from Max, the one who shot her annoyed, rotten looks her way whenever she visited. Y/n could only imagine how Max must be feeling.

"I'm sorry," Billy let out a charming laugh, gesturing between his dinner hosts. "Janet, Tom, this... is my sister Maxine."

"Oh!" Chirped the woman, Janet, with a smile, further annoying her husband.

Billy rose from the dinner table and made his way towards the three utterly baffled teenagers in a tone so unsettlingly casual and upbeat.

"What on earth are you doing here?" He asks. "Is something wrong?"

"We just... wanted to make sure everything was okay," Max stammered, just as confused as her friends.

A look of concern flashed over Billy's face as he inched closer. "Okay? Why wouldn't it be okay?"

El had never officially met Billy, but she knew in her core how wrong everything felt. This was not the same man who she had heard so many awful things about, and this certainly was not the man who she had found in the void. Like her friends, El didn't know what to do. All she could do was watch, rooted to the spot right of Max as Billy seems to loom over them, his eyes drilled into Max's.

El couldn't take it anymore. This had to be an act. After all, El knew all too well how to spot when someone was playing nice. When someone was hiding their real intentions. She had learned how to it long ago in the lab.

"Where is she?" El all but growls.

His eyes snap to El, and she could have sworn she almost saw that mask break.

"I'm sorry," he said slowly. "Where is who?"

"Well, they're a little burnt, I'm sorry,"

All eyes turn to the chipper young girl striding in with a tray of cookies in her hands and a lingering smile on her face.

Heather.

The only troubled thing about her was the crisp cinnamon cookies in her hands. She had trailed off upon noticing the three young visitors.

"Heather!" Billy smiles, welcoming her as if she was an old friend.

El looked like she was seeing a ghost.

"This is my sister, Maxine," Billy chirps, turning back to the three confused girls. "And I'm sorry," he says to El, with an almost edge to his voice. "I did not quite catch your name."

El finally tore her eyes away from Heather, her mind racing. She might not have understood how she could be standing here, with Billy, as if nothing had happened, but she knew it had. Billy was hiding something, even if Max couldn't see it.

With a determined look in her eyes, she matches his steely gaze.

"El."

His smile, so fake it reminded her of plastic, never wavered. The unnamed look in his eyes flaring up.

"El." He hums. "What a pleasure it is to meet you El. And of course, who could possibly forget..."

El's stomach turns when Billy looks to her right. His movements were stiff and smooth, like a marionette puppet on strings, his eyes unblinking landed on her for the first time since they arrived.

"Y/n."

The sound of her name on his tongue made her skin crawl, his voice all the way in the back of his throat.

She was soaked to the bone, but the only chill Y/n felt came from Billy's unwavering stare on her. It was then she realized what was off about him, other than his unusual behavior. It was his eyes. Everything about him and his actions were warm and inviting, completely unbothered.

But his eyes... They were cold. Far away, and detached. And as he looked at her now, that crack in his mask was undeniable. And it widened to reveal something else entirely.

An untamed, hidden rage.

Billy inched closer to her in a single, nearly unnoticeable step.

And so did El. Wedging herself in between her friend and Billy.

Y/n hadn't said a word since seeing him, and she was glad she hadn't. But she didn't need to. The look in her eyes spoke volumes, challenging the look in his.

Hardly any time had passed, she realized, when Billy shakes his head with a laugh.

"Why, it's only my little sister's best friend." Her glare remains, and he glances at the Holloways. "Now please," he chirped, his gaze hardening as it zeroes in on El. "What is it you ladies were saying?"

There was a newer edge to his voice, a smug one. Almost as if he knew he had them cornered.

"You were..." They flicker back over Y/n, before resting back on El. "looking for somebody?"

El looked between him and Heather, her brain scrambling to make things connect. None of it added up. The void never lied to her. It had been misleading, and troublesome more often than not but everything she saw was real.

"I-I..."

So why wasn't this?

"I saw you—"

"Your manager." Max cuts in, quickly grabbing Heather's attention away from El. "At the pool. He said you guys didn't come into work today, so we got worried."

"Heather wasn't feeling so hot today," eases Billy. "so we thought we'd take the day off and nurse her back to health."

With that same, haunting smile, he looks back at Heather with a pointed look in his eye.

"But you're feeling just fine right now. Aren't ya Heather?"

"I'm feeling so much better," she assured.

Billy returns to the girls, calculated but smiling.

"Do you girls want a cookie?" Heather asks, finally managing to tear Y/n's challenging glare off of Billy. "They're fresh out of the oven,"

Thunder rumbled as Y/n looked her over, the booming in the sky matching what she felt thudding in her chest. Y/n couldn't help but feel like Hansel and Grettle as she looked upon the delicious tray of cookies, held out before her with a sickly sweet smile she couldn't at all bring herself to trust.

If she wasn't hurt... just what was going on?

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Disparaged and thoroughly disturbed, the girls pick up their bikes where they had stashed them at the bottom of the porch steps.

Out of habit, Y/n swipes away the rain on her seat as if it would make a difference. The only thing she succeeds in doing is spreading the water all over the leather, and she sighed, accepting her mind was elsewhere.

Billy was up to something. She just wished she knew what.

As she watches El join Max down the lawn, Y/n stands rooted to the spot, rain pouring down her back as she lingers.

She could feel him watching her.

And when she looked over her shoulder to see him leaning in the doorway, he was.

Her worried gaze hardened in spite as she stared back. His lips spring into a forced smile, his eyes still a dark nothing. Finally, she turns, hidden under the deep blue of her raincoat before retreating into the night with El and Max.

The smile fell away from his face as quick as she looked away, and a poisonous scowl quickly took its place. In those same stiff movements, he stepped behind the door as he closed it, lingering behind the windowpane as his eyes locked on their retreating forms.

His heart pounds dangerously loud in his chest as he watches her.

He feels his brow furrow, revolted.

He knew he had recognized her since she first stepped inside — he could feel the heat lingering from down the hall just as he remembered it.

The pain wasn't just fresh, it was still there.

He could still feel it, as searing and unforgiving as it had been that night.

《•••》

The world bent at her will; everything not screwed to the walls or floors broke loose as the cabin moved around all inside it. It was a movement so forceful and demanding, it moved all of Hawkins. A guttural battle cry pierced the air as her powers exploded into an unstoppable force that had awakened her full potential.

《•••》

He watched in a mixture of fear and hatred as she joined her friends in mounting their bikes. And for a moment, the small, dying part of Billy tries to understand why until he loses himself in another unfamiliar memory.

He had been having them all day — seeing her — all day.

《•••》

Her s/c skin began to glow like a star, the cosmic force at work pumping hard through her veins. The three figures watched in awe as she comes alive, all the while his small and trembling frame twisting and kicking as he is engulfed in searing pain.

《•••》

Fury pumped fast through his veins like ice, desperate to cool his already freezing body. He was filled with a powerful cocktail of anger, frustration, and terror. A feeling Billy was used to. But this...

Somehow, this was also something else entirely. And it was all Billy felt now and all he remembers before the world goes black again.

His pupils dilate and closing in around them are several black veins that cloud the whites of his eyes as he remembers.

《•••》

His screams vibrate with his body before his small frame shrinks in on itself like a dead spider. He straightens in seconds, his head, hands, and feet now glued to the bed as he bends in one final arc, his chest rising to the heavens. His mouth opens in another scream and a billowing cloud of inky black smoke escapes. It twists and unravels out from between his lips like a pitch-black tornado.

《•••》

There was no more denying it.

It was her.

He couldn't have forgotten her or her poisonous touch if he had tried.

It was bad enough that pesky, foolish child to have awakened him — to have shut him out — was here and had been watching him.

But she would have her uses. A means to an end.

All in good time.

But the other? The one to have made him feel a pain worse than death?

Well, the Mind Flayer was determined to return the favor.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

As Will mingled with the dirt beneath him, the storm pounding against his back soaking him to the bone, he feels it again.

The same feeling he had felt the night before Dustin's return, the day of, and now...

Well, there was no denying it. No more running. This was real, and it wasn't something so easily shaken.

A great change was upon him and his friends, a change none of them were prepared for.

Shakily, he pulls himself to his feet, not entirely sure if the voice calling his name was real.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

With a faraway look in his eyes, Will turns to his awaiting friends as his stomach plummets beneath the earth.

"He's back."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"He was singin' Bye bye Miss American Pie..."

Billy returns to the dinner table where Heather and her family awaits, the record player blasting an upbeat, melancholy tune to fill the silence.

"Is everything alright?" Heather asks, as he returns to his seat.

"Yes. Everything's fine," he assures.

"Your sister really didn't want to stay?" Janet asks with a frown.

"No, she's just not... you know, really a people person."

"Well," she says, fingers twitching numbly with the napkin in her lap. "I just don't like the idea of them out there in the storm like that."

"Oh, they'll be fine,"

Nervously, she reaches for her glass, not expecting her movements to be so sluggish. She yelps softly when her knuckles collide with the glass, knocking the wine out onto the table cloth.

"I told you to slow down on that wine, Janet," Tom grumbles from across the table.

"Yes, darling," she mumbles, embarrassed, as she dabs at the spill.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Asks Heather.

"Yes, I'm— I'm just..." she stutters, doing her best to shake away the dizziness swarming her brain. "feeling a little lightheaded is all."

Billy boredly takes a bite of his food, sharing a discreet, fleeting look with Heather.

"Hm," Tom hums knowingly. "It's all that wine."

"I'm sorry," she says, fighting hard to keep her eyes open. "Um, if you'll excuse me, I'm just gonna go upstairs and lie down for a bit."

It takes all her effort to pull herself out of the chair, and she has to use the arms to hoist herself up but she eventually does the job. But she never reaches the end of the living room before she collapsed with a thud.

"Janet?" Tom asks, jumping to his feet.

"...half-time air was sweet perfume..."

Billy pulls a small glass vile from the floor with little interest. All the while, Tom threw himself to floor by his wife's side in a panic.

"Janet? Janet? Janet!"

With as little enthusiasm as Billy, Heather rose from her seat taking the wine bottle in hand. The record player continued its song louder than ever as Billy tipped the bottle of chloroform into the tablecloth napkin.

"Janet!" He turns to his approaching daughter. "Call 911! Call 91—"

Heather had struck him in the head with the wine bottle before he could finish.

"...never got the chance..."

Billy rose from his seat, leaning himself against the wall of the dining room as he hands Heather the napkin. She was advancing on her father, painstakingly slow as he tried so hard to crawl away to safety. But like his wife, moments before, the world had become a blur.

And it remained so even when he felt the sharp heel of his daughters shoe piecing his skin. Her fingers yanked at his hair, pulling his bloodied face out of the carpet. Before he could make sense of anything, he heard her detached voice in his ear.

"I'm really sorry about this, Daddy, but it'll all be over soon, I promise."

"We started singin' Bye bye Miss America Pie"

He tried to scream, but his voice died out in the chloroform soaked rag and the world went black.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Emergency Release Fund:

The Marsha P. Johnson Institute:

"Your contribution will be used to post bail for people held in NYC jails, prioritizing BIPOC trans people, medically high-risk or otherwise marginalized populations, and anyone within the broader LGBTQ+ spectrum. Additionally, we assist with ICE detention immigration bonds for LGBTQ+ detainees."

Black Visions Collective:

"Inspired by activist and self-identified drag queen Marsha P. Johnson, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute is dedicated to championing solutions for Black people in the US by employing black trans people, building more strategic campaigns, launching winning initiatives, etc."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"Based in Minnesota, the Black Visions Collective centers their work in healing and transformative justice principles, aiming to develop Minnesota's Black leadership and create conditions for long term success and transformation."

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