#i doubt this is specific enough to be recognizable but if you recognize this avert ur eyes ok. we don’t know each other

[wormsdyke]

Damn u rlly got detention for not wanting ur school to get shot up

we really did it was bonkers. the protest was planned in advance and the school knew about it so teachers would gently remind us we would get in trouble if we walked out but very few actually discouraged it because, you know, they also didn’t like the idea of getting shot up. the whole thing went pretty well, the local news came to cover it, several students gave speeches, the names of some students and teachers who had recently died in school shootings were read off before a moment of silence, plans were made for further protests and walk outs on a larger scale that went successfully over the next few months. eventually our school principal came out and announced his support and also assured that no students would face disciplinary action for protesting. and then a bunch of us received disciplinary action for protesting. importantly though, not all of us did, seemingly an indiscriminately chosen group of attendees were apathetically punished and no further action, positive or negative, was ever taken. despite being a relatively small scale movement it was probably the biggest movement against gun violence (or for that matter anything remotely leftist) the whole region had seen, being in the red south. which isn’t directly related but does make it sting a little more that the only response was a few lunch detentions that didn’t stick on my permanent record.

[witsyo]

Flower Crown 2

Blue was woken by an incessant pounding on the door, worming its way into her dreams and making her groan as she clutched tighter to Razz. He sighed, kissed her softly, then another round of knocking had him swearing under his breath, getting up despite her wordless protests.

Blinking as he lit a lantern, she watched him cross the room. Her eyes hooded, and her chest swelled as she looked at him. His hair was mussed, and as he struggled into a pair of pants, she let her eyes linger on the curves of his shoulders. 

The person knocked again, and he called, “I’m coming, damn it! Give me a moment!” 

Blue laughed, snuggling deeper into the blankets. They really should have expected this. Razz was a captain, after all, and a well-loved one at that. It would have been almost more of a surprise for him to make it through a night without interruption. 

The door opened, and she shivered at the burst of cold that accompanied the guest. Timothy was shaking, saluted Razz quickly as he started to open his mouth, then did a double-take. Blue gave him a little wave, trying to hide her grin. They hadn’t told anyone about this, had actively hidden it during the weeks they were just lovers. She’d never admit it, but she’d been looking forward to this revelation. 

“I...Blue?” 

“Eyes on me,” Razz said bluntly, and Timothy snapped back to him. 

“Uh… the… the queen has summoned all of her captains for a meeting.” 

“Why?” 

Blue sat up, wrapping herself in one of the furs and watching the exchange with interest. 

“I’m… I’m sorry, Lieutenant,” Timothy said to her, blinking awkwardly. “I’m only supposed to tell the captains and their families.”

“Timothy,” she said, fingering lightly at the wedding ribbon they had tied to the bedpost. They were a tradition unique to this kingdom, used in the ceremony of marriage, sure, but also unique in their construction. They could only be woven by one of the blessed seers of the royal court, and were made specifically for each couple that asked for them. The designs within were used for family crests, decorations in houses, the tattoos that spouses would get to fully solidify their marriage. They were easily recognizable, though, for the cloth they were woven from, and Timothy’s face cleared immediately. 

“ Oh .” A huge grin cropped across his face, and he crossed the room quickly, clasping her hand. “Married?! Why did you keep it from--” 

Razz was staring at Timothy incredulously, and Blue laughed, pulling her hand away and nodding down at herself. “It was only last evening, Timothy. We didn’t want any guests.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us that you--” 

“Timothy,” she stage-whispered. “I’m still naked.”

He flushed bright red, glancing at Razz's disbelieving expression and taking a step back but still unable to keep a grin off his face. “Ha! Halle owes me gold. I knew there was something going on between the two of you.” 

“Halle didn’t?” she asked, smiling softly. 

Timothy grinned, turning and gripping Razz’s bare shoulder. “She thought you had higher standards than this lout.” 

Razz shrugged him off, looking a little put out as Blue laughed. “Care to tell me why the queen demands I interrupt my wedding night?”

“The king’s wife of Holrfold,” Timothy said, still half-laughing, and Blue froze. “It’s been discovered that she wasn’t killed, and the king is on the edge of declaring war. Apparently, he believes we’ve taken her.” 

No. No, no, no. The greatest relief of Blue’s life had been the day she’d received that news. The king thought his queen was dead. She had died  years  ago, how could he possibly know--

“Our queen has no need of a wife,” Razz said, disbelievingly. “What reason would Ljosvollr have to take her? It’s been nearly five years, if it was for ransom--”

“I don’t know, but I’m glad she has hope,” Timothy said with passion. 

Ljosvollr and Holrfold had a long history of hate and war, each side committing their own grievous sins over the course of time. Blue had been raised to hate this country and its people. But she’d quickly noticed, upon escaping here, that they and she had one very big thing in common. They truly hated the king of Holrfold. 

Razz looked doubtful. “I had hoped she had found peace,” he said, reaching up to rub his face. Seeming to remember she was there, he looked back at Blue. “Have you heard the stories?” 

Unable to speak, she just shook her head. 

“She was a sad thing, the poor woman. The advisors and diplomats always used to say how small she was, too nervous to speak at times. She had scars and brands the likes of which they’d never seen on a person who was still sane, and they were always under the impression that the king had done it.” 

“Once,” Timothy said, “he apparently slapped her in a room full of our advisors. The queen! And she just took it, didn’t say a word.” 

Nodding slowly, Blue looked down at her lap. She could still feel the humiliation of it, the powerlessness of knowing he wasn’t even afraid to hurt her in front of strangers from another kingdom. The brands under her skin burned, healed away like a map of shame under her skin. “I hope she’s somewhere safe,” she said quietly.

“Did you ever meet her?” Timothy asked. “You worked in a lord’s house in Holrfold, didn’t you?” 

Razz smacked him, but Blue laughed shortly. “Once or twice.” 

“The queen is expecting me, yes? Do you need to deliver your message any further?” Razz went to the dresser, pulled on a shirt. Blue held out a beckoning hand, helping him button the front as he pulled on his shoes. 

“No,” Timothy said, averting his eyes as Blue’s blanket slipped a little. She pulled it back into place, pressed a kiss to Razz’s cheek as he started to stand. 

“Go back to sleep,” he murmured. “I’ll be back soon enough.” 

She knew he was right. The queen held power over time, such as she’d never seen before. When they had been equals, she’d experienced it for herself more than once. Entering a meeting with the sun high in the sky, spending the whole evening in her company and, impossibly, emerging within an hour. Without the limits of distance and number, it could have proved to be something truly terrifying in an enemy. 

Now that she was a lieutenant in the queen’s army, however she carried the same pride they all did in her power. 

Razz and Timothy left, leaving her in darkness as they took the lantern. She waited a few moments, then laid back down, propping her arm up against her pillow and staring at it for a long moment. Then, slowly, she let her magic run up her arm, dancing lights peeking through her skin and making their way like leaves in the wind up to the tips of her fingers. 

The king knew she was alive.

She had been a fool to hope. She’d known she had. It had just been so tiresome, always being worried, always looking over her shoulder with nothing to protect her. Ah, well, she thought, extinguishing the lights. 

Blue was more than prepared to protect herself, now.

~~~

When she woke again, she wasn’t totally sure why. The room was still quiet, and it took her a long moment to realize that something was lighting the room from the corner of her eye. She blinked, looked up to see Razz leaning back against the door with the lantern in his hand. He was watching her softly, the expression on his face inscrutable. 

She was afraid, for a moment, that he knew. 

Then his face cleared, and he smiled. “I’m sorry,” he murmured as he crossed the room, set the lantern on the table as he leaned up to kiss her. “Did I wake you?” 

“I think so, but I don’t mind,” she replied. “Why were you just watching me?” 

“You’re beautiful,” he said, kissed her again and brushed her hair out of her face. “You looked so peaceful, and I must admit to enjoying the sight of you in my bed.” 

She took the kiss, returned it with her own, smiled as she felt his hand lighting under the blanket to spread his fingers over her stomach. They broke apart, and he grinned, asking quietly, “Do you think you should take those herbs?”

“I suppose,” she said, smiling. “I should be blessed to have a child with you, Razz.” 

“Today?” he asked, and she laughed. 

“Perhaps not today.” 

Laughing, he let himself fall heavily forward, trapping her sideways as he reached under the bed. She snorted, trying unsuccessfully to push him off until he sat up. There was a packet of dried herbs and seeds in his hand, one of a few that the priest who had married them had pressed into her hand. “If you aren’t already,” he’d quietly said. “Give it time.” 

Blue took the packet, peering inside and spotting a few plants she recognized. One of them peeked up at her like an old friend, and she smiled sadly. “Queen Anne’s Lace.” 

“You’re familiar?” Razz asked, finger coming up to light under her chin. She smiled at it, the hurt in her soul almost too well-known. 

“All too much.” 

Razz only knew that she came from a place of horrors, and that she didn’t want to tell him more. When he’d found her, on the side of the road wrapped in her dead servant’s coat, she’d claimed to be a maid fleeing her master. He’d never had reason to question it. 

Suddenly, she grinned, setting the packet on the bedside table and cupping his face. “There are still hours left in this night. Is there any reason I may want to wait a few of them before I take these?” 

It took him a moment, but he burst into laughter as he realized what she meant. He sat up, smiling at her. “We leave with the company tomorrow, my love. Perhaps we  should  make use of this time.” 

She took a deep breath, leaning up to unbutton his shirt. “So soon. Has the war started, then?” 

“No,” he murmured. “We’re to patrol the western shore for two weeks. The queen wants us to present a strong front, and to keep watch for the ships of Holrfold.” 

Her hands slipped beneath his open shirt, smoothing along the skin of his waist as she accepted a kiss. “May I come with you as your wife? Spend my time sewing on the back of a horse, demand your soldiers bend to my whims?” 

“Of course not,” he snorted. “Don’t think you’re getting out of your duties just because you’ve found your way into my bed, temptress.” 

“Ah, so you’ve caught me!” she exclaimed dramatically, and he chuckled, kissing her again and following her forward as she lay back. 

“I hope that you won’t cease trying to influence me.”

“You  are  very easy to influence,” she commented, and felt his mouth go to her neck. “Will I still have to sleep in the Lieutenant’s tent?” 

“Mmm…” he hesitated, pursed his lips in thought. “I don’t want to appear biased.” 

“You  are  biased.” 

“I suppose I could allow it, if it pleases my wife.” Blue grinned at him, watched as he moved the furs she was covered in to the side. 

“I’m sure you’ll find a way.”