#i just want to put this offer out there but if anyone who writes rogue ever wants to do rival type threads between her and laura

[veillcd]

.

[sanguineterrain]

Kurt wagner and tail stuff!!! I love that boy! I love how you write! I love the tail! Smashing them together we got a a little piece of heaven! So Kurt wagner with s/o and some tail action pretty please!!

(Like if you need some more then that: for example, the times before they were together Kurt’s tail always seemed to gravitate towards reader (I’m an advocate that Kurt’s tail is like a fricking mood ring) wrapping around them, touching them. The times when they were together! And the time reader wraps their hand or something around his tail or something)

Love your writing! You’re awesome and amazing! And I want to say in advance, thank you so so much for doing this ask! I will treasure it dearly! And if you don’t do the ask then thank you so so much to taking the time to read it! Have a lovely day!

ouuu this is a sweet request <3 tail boy! thanks nonnie :) hopefully I did him justice 🫶 changed the request a bit but kept the same idea about the tail. may write a part 2... we'll see!

kurt wagner (nightcrawler) x gn!reader. fluff, cooking, gambit and rogue trying to talk some sense into the reader.

note: I tried to capture kurt and gambit's accents. however, as always, I'm open to feedback on them. It's definitely not my intention to offend or miswrite anyone!

****

The smell of bubbling cheese wafts from your pot as you stir. It's been a while since you were able to cook for yourself and have a nice meal, always running out to do something or another for the good of the planet.

"Smells good," comes a familiar voice. A moment later, a tail curls around your wrist as you shake some paprika into the pot.

You look away from your stirring into golden, irisless eyes. Kurt grins at you.

"Mac 'n cheese," you say by way of greeting. "Want some?"

"Please und thank you."

Anytime you cook, you offer Kurt to share. You frequently have the thought that you spoil the hell out of him, but you can't help it.

He helps you out by putting away the milk and cheese. But he's never far; his tail remains on you. It slackens from your wrist, then explores up your arm and around your elbow.

It's nothing new, of course. The first thing you learned about Kurt Wagner is how physically affectionate he is.

"That tail seems to have a mind of its own, elfie," you say, smiling down at the pot.

"What do you mean?"

"It's always holding onto me." You turn off the burner.

"Ah." Kurt drops his tail. "My apologies. I can ease up, as you say."

You shake your head. "Don't. I don't mind. Never have."

So Kurt gives you one final tail squeeze. The fur on his arm tickles you as he brushes past. You watch him in confusion.

"Where are you going?" you ask, halfway through scooping two servings of the pasta.

"Not far," he says brightly. "Jean wanted me to bring spoons from the kitchen." He holds up three metal spoons with his tail.

"Spoons?"

He shrugs. "An experiment. Who am I to question a scientist's whim? I promise I will be fast."

He teleports away, and you have a mind to cover Kurt's bowl with a plate. You bring both bowls to the table. At last, a proper meal.

You don't mind eating alone, but that hardly ever happens with Kurt around. Even if he's just eaten, he'll nibble on whatever you've made. You don't know where he puts all that food—perhaps in another dimension—but he makes it a point to eat with you, regardless of whether you've cooked or not. Even if you're in the middle of the forest eating a tin of beans, Kurt will plant himself right next to you and keep you company.

He's a good friend. The best friend you've ever had, actually.

"Woo, smells good!"

Gambit comes in first, followed by Rogue, since the two are never seen apart anymore. Gambit, nosy that he is, makes a beeline to Kurt's covered bowl.

"And what's in here?" he asks, lifting the plate.

"That's Kurt's," you say. "You can get some from the pot."

"Mais, it's Kurt's, huh?" He glances at Rogue, who grins. "Hear that, chère? Not sure if I should take from the pot. Might take my head, too."

You squint as they share laughter. "What're you talking about?"

"Oh, nothin'," Rogue says sweetly, taking the seat diagonal to you. Gambit sits next to her.

Your frown deepens. "I didn't say you couldn't have some, G, I just—"

Gambit shakes his head. "Don't go worryin' 'bout that. I'm just teasin'. I think it's cute how you feed the furball."

"Excuse me, I feed myself first," you say, and shovel a forkful of pasta into your mouth.

You hate not being in the know. It happens frequently, being that you're not a mutant. You're here on a personal invitation from Charles due to your "technology skills."

Really, you'd been brought here to fix Cerebro. And after that, you'd sort of just... stayed at the school. Charles had offered you a room, Kurt had won your friendship (or, perhaps, you'd won his), and you'd never left.

"Well, what do you mean, anyway? So what if I feed Kurt," you say, unable to stand not knowing.

"Just seems like where you are, Kurt's never far," Rogue says, watching you eat.

"Yeah, so? He's my friend."

"Oh, un ami. Is that what we're callin' it?" Gambit asks, eyes gleaming with mirth.

"What else would you call it?"

They look at each other in that Siamese cats way. Often, you've had the thought that they can read each other's minds—no powers needed.

"You really don't know?" Rogue asks, voice softening.

"Know what?" you ask impatiently.

Gambit makes a quiet noise in his throat. "Y'all don't know. He's gone on you."

Your brows rise. "Kurt? Don't be silly, Remy."

"Oh, great. You're both in denial," Rogue says, rolling her eyes. "Haven't you noticed how touchy he is around ya? Always huggin' and clingin'."

"Kurt's like that with everybody," you say. "He's like that with Logan!"

"Mais, the tail, it never lies," Gambit says with all the wisdom of someone centuries older. "He don't go wrappin' that tail 'round anybody."

Rogue nods sagely. "True. And he's always puttin' that tail around you."

"But he's..." You put your fork down in frustration. "That's ridiculous. Kurt would've said—I mean, there would've been a sign. He would've told me. Kurt doesn't hide anything from me."

"This is new for him, honey," Rogue says. "He's never been in love for real. He's not gonna act rationally."

"Alors, look at it this way. La Raison parle, mais l'Amour chante. Hm? His body betray his words. It sings to you. Jus' like I sing to ma cherie."

He reaches to take Rogue's hand, eyes practically heart-shaped. Rogue lets him, smiling in that secret, shy way of hers whenever Gambit is sweet on her.

L'Amour...

"Kurt is not in love with me," you say. "End of story."

They both heave sighs.

"Just watch his tail," Rogue says. "Kurt can hide a lot, but he can't control how he—"

BAMF!

You flinch as Kurt teleports into the kitchen. He grins and waves, then bounces around the table to greet the others.

"I'm back!" he says. "I hope my mac did not get cold. Will you be eating with us?"

"No, that's okay," Rogue says, looking at you meaningfully behind Kurt's back. "Rain check. We've gotta go train."

Gambit winks at you. "See y'all."

They disappear quickly. Kurt turns to you, blissfully unaware of your newly formed nerves.

"I am sorry I was gone for so long," Kurt says, sitting down to his bowl. "Jean had some questions about my abilities. Apparently, she's trying to replicate them in a machine."

"That's okay," you say. "Rogue and G kept me company."

Kurt beams. "They are so good for that, yes?"

He shovels a mouthful of mac 'n cheese into his mouth and groans in appreciation. His tail instantly curls around your wrist.

"Amazing!" Kurt says. "Perhaps your special ability is your cooking, hm? I would believe it."

You laugh. "Danke, elfie."

"Bitte schön," he says, eyes lighting up at your German. He frequently informs everyone about how good your German is becoming, even though you hardly know ten phrases.

His tail begins to stroke your arm. You wonder if he's aware of it. If he knows how his tail betrays him.

But no, that's outrageous. And even if it was true, it's not like the feeling's mutual, right?

"Oh, and," Kurt says. "I got us tickets to that show you wanted to see. They're playing it at the theater downtown. We can go on Saturday, ja?"

"You... oh. Wow. I told you about that ages ago, Kurt. You remembered?"

"Why wouldn't I?" he says, tilting his head. Like it hadn't occurred to him to be anything less than thoughtful.

"No, I'm just—thank you. That's really nice of you."

Kurt beams. "I am excited to watch the green witch und her pink friend sing!"

He keeps eating, unaware of the way he's made your world tip on its axis. Because now you know.

You're in love with Kurt Wagner. And the feeling just might be mutual.

[too-much-tma-stuff]

Finally Getting Help (prt. 10)

Mastterpost

A/N: Thank you all for the well wishes about my dog. Unfortunately he didn't make it and pass away Tuesday morning in the vet's office. I was able to get some writing done but I don't have the energy to edit. Let me know if you find any mistakes.

-----

Jason: hey, thanks for the gun and the tech, it's really cool.

Danny: new phone who dis 😝

Jason: I hope you haven't given too many people guns in the last couple days.

Danny: no I haven't, thanks for texting me Jason. Have you got a chance to try the gun?

Jason: not on anything moving, I've been doing some target practice to get a feel for it though. Looking forward to when I can test it on Vlad.

Danny: aww are you going to avenge my honor 🥺

Jason: if you want me too. I'll bring you his head if you want me too.

Danny: 🥰 you're so sweet. I wouldn't say no to seeing him suffer for what he's done but don't get yourself in any trouble okay? And if you do call me right away. I'll come rescue you 😘

Jason: hey I'm the one offering to protect you! 

Danny: we can protect each other. And fight each other, can you come spar again soon?

Jason: I wouldn't call that sparring, more like brawling.

Danny: eh potato potato, do you want to come fight me again?

Jason: if demon brat won't kill me for it, sure. Can I take you out for dinner afterwards? I have some questions

Danny: It's a date! Just tell me when

Jason: Day after tomorrow? I have some work to take care of first.

Danny: Sounds great! And it is a date right? You don't mind that I'm going to have kids?

Jason: the kids aren't a deal breaker I promise but let's not jump the gun okay? We're going to be family through B so we don't want this to blow up in our faces. Let's hang out, take it slow, see how it goes. You need to be careful about who you let into your life now anyway, you can't just let anyone around you and the babies.

Danny: don't tell me what to do 😠 but you're right. I'm bad about rushing into things. I'm still looking forward to it.

Danny: By the way Jazz uploaded the power point she made about Liminals and Ghosts to the bat’s server thing. You have access to that right? You should read that before we meet and I can fill in the gaps.

Jason: Sounds good, I’ll have a look at it and I’m looking forward to it too. I'll be there at 5 so we can spar before dinner. Don't forget to warn B and your guard dog.

Danny: Damian is a good kid. I'll let them know.

Danny stared at his new phone Tim had given him with apprehension. The chat with Jason had gone very well, and Danny was glad he reached out but there were other people he really needed to reach out to and he was… frankly scared. Sam and Tucker were his best friends and had always been there for him but they both had tempers. Would they be mad that he hadn’t told them he was pregnant? Would they be upset he had left Amity and wasn’t planning on coming back?

He needed to reach out though, the longer he waited the harder it would be to talk to them, and things wouldn’t stay calm as they were now. Vlad would be back to cause trouble again and even though the JLD had control of the portal but he was sure his rogues would find their way through eventually. Vlad had his own portal anyway, and Danny wouldn’t put it past him to open it just to annoy Danny. Maybe try and weaken him a little so Vlad could swoop in and pick him off.

Today was quiet, he needed to take this chance. He sighed and got up off the edge of his bed where he was sitting and ducked out of his room. He didn’t want to do this alone, so he wasn’t surprised when he found himself in the library where Jazz was studying. 

He sat down across from her and reached across, laying his hand, palm up on the table. Without looking up from her book she reached over and placed her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. He smiled at her and took a deep breath before putting on his earbuds and sending a message in the group chat.

Danny: When you guys are ready can we call?

Jazz phone went off too and she checked it, smiled at Danny, and then silenced the chat and went back to her book. She didn’t need to be part of this call but at least she knew what he was doing. 

Sam: Yes, let me just grab Tuck. He’s playing Doomed.

Danny took a deep breath and put down his phone while he waited for them to call and tried not to panic.

When the phone buzzed he jumped and reached for it, joining the call quickly. 

“Hey guys,” He said, awkwardly, waving with the hand that wasn’t holding the phone.

“Hey yourself! What the heck happened Danny?! Basically the whole town joined in in chasing Vlad when we found out what he did but why did we have to find out on tv?! Why didn’t you tell us?!” Sam said, but at least she just seemed stressed, not actually angry.

“I’m sorry guys,” Danny said, wincing a little when he heard Tucker sniffling a little. “I hadn’t told anyone yet. I hadn’t even fully accepted it yet honestly.

“I still wasn’t ready to talk about it, bur Cass is really good at reading people's body language and I guess she clocked that I was carrying them by how I kept unconsciously touching my stomach. When she asked me about it it sorta broke through my denial and I broke down which started the ball rolling on… all this,” He said with a vague gesture.”

“All this is right!The justice league really brought the hammer down on Amity. They’re dismantling the GIW and really pissed at the government and basically all the adults in the town for letting this happen. And they arrested your parents!” Sam said sounding almost excited.

“Sam! That was really insensitive! They’re still his parents, what if he didn’t know!?” Tucker broke in furiously. 

“No it’s alright I knew, Jazz told me. She’s here with me,” He said squeezing her hand though she wasn’t paying attention to the call.

“Okaaay so where is Here?” Tucker asked warily. 

“Ya are you safe? We haven’t seen you since all this went down! Are you really with Bruce Wayne?” Sam asked sounding wary.

“Yes I am. He’s got a foster license and since his kids were the one that found out what was going on it just made sense that I’d stay here.”

“And he’s Not another Fruitloop?” Sam asked warily. “You need to be careful with these rich people you know? They’re basically all crazy!”

“Sam you’re rich,” Danny pointed out, amused. 

“Ya, and? My point stands!”

“Fair enough,” Danny laughed. “But no, I did some snooping the first night I was here and it seems okay. And since he’s got close ties to the Justice League he was able to get the help we really needed, and he says he might be able to help me meet Martian Manhunter!”

“Don’t fanboy out too bad,” Tucker teased him.

“Oh ya? And what if I helped you meet Tim Drake? Would you not be just as bad,” Danny accused Tucker.

“Touche,” Tucker said. “Could you though?”

“I mean maybe? He’s my foster brother now and he seems cool. You two are my best friends, if I’m going to stay I’m sure you could come visit me and meet all of them.” 

“Are you really going to stay there though? I mean once the GIW and everything is cleared out you could stay with either of us. I know my parents aren’t your biggest fans but I know they’d let you stay,” Sam said sounding worried. 

“And I know my family doesn't have a ton of money but they adore you, we’d make it work,” Tucker added looking worried.

“No, guys I really appreciate the offer but… I don’t want to come back to Amity. The Justice League said they shut down the portal and I really need a fresh start I think. I think I’d rather stay here. Jazz too, she’s gonna study at Gotham U and intern at Arkham,” He said. She looked up at the mention of her name and gave him a small smile.

“I’m sorry, you guys are my best friends and I’ll miss you, but there are too many… memories in Amity you know?”

“Ya I get that,” Sam said, looking sad and distant.

“We can still call, and play Doomed together, and visit on breaks!” Tucker said, his chipper tone sounding a little forced. “We’re going to say friends!” He insisted and Danny smiled.

“Of course we will Tuck,” He promised. They might grow apart with the distance between them, but he hoped not, they really were his best friends.

“Ya, my parents will probably be thrilled about this development and want me to come over all the time. They love the Waynes,” Sam chuckled though her optimism also seemed a bit forced. Of course she was more of a pessimist, she probably thought they would drift apart, but knew Danny needed them right now. 

“Soo what’s been going on in Amity since I left?” Danny asked, letting them ramble about the drama, the rumours, and the bullshit that was the bullies and everyone in the school sudden;y pretending they cared about Danny soooo much.

After they finished telling him about it there were a few beats of silence and Danny was just about to suggest they hang up when Sam spoke up again. 

“So, what actually happened with Vlad? If you don’t want to talk about it that’s okay but…”

“No, it’s okay. It’s not what- what you’d think. It’s superhero bullshit really. When I wouldn’t be his son he decided to try and clone me, you met Dani with an I right? She was one of the clones. But he didn’t know I was trans, and my DNA got all fucked up in the portal so none of the clones were stable. I have no idea how many he tried to make that died. But when I found out it was because he had lied to Dani and told her he needed me to stabilize her clone brothers. It was a batch of ten.

“But he lied, he didn’t actually care about stabilizing them, he was going to let them all die. I was only able to save the two that were most stable and only by taking their cores into myself. So I’m not normal pregnant, I’m ghost pregnant. 

What is my life huh?” He finished, chuckling awkwardly. 

“Oh fuck,” Sam said her shoulders slumping a little even as her expression went through a range of emotions. “That’s better in a way but still a whole different type of fucked up! I hope they catch him soon.”

“I hope so too but I don’t think they will,” Danny said with a shrug. “Not before he tries something else. I’m not lucky enough to be able to just move past this,” He said with a bitter little laugh.

“Well, we can still hope. And even if he does cause trouble you have more allies now! You’ve been able to handle everything else he’s thrown at you basically on your own, with the Justice League behind you I know there’s nothing you can’t handle. I mean, Vlad is kind of pathetic anyway,” Tucker encouraged making Danny smile. 

“Ya, you’re right, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Thanks guys,” he said fondly. 

“Of course dude! We’re here for you!” Tucker said.

“It’s really good to hear from you too. Don’t be a stranger okay?” Sam said, a bit worried.

“Of course not, I’ll keep you posted I promise.” Danny assured before they said their goodbyes and he hung up. 

He put down his phone and leaned back with a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. Next to him Jazz chuckled and there was a soft snap as she closed her book. 

“You did well little brother,” She told him, getting up from her seat she moved behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders.

“How do you know? You weren’t listening.”

“No, but you reached out to your friends and had an honest conversation which isn’t easy. You did well,” She reiterated, squeezing his shoulders.

“Well thanks Jazz. I hope that they’re right that we won’t lose touch, and I’ll be able to handle whatever Vlad does,” He grumbled. 

“I’m sure we will,” Jazz promised. “And either way there’s no point in worrying about it now. Has Jason texted you yet?” She asked, giving Danny the excuse he needed to change the subject and launch into his more petty worries about the upcoming date as she sat back down to listen.

Next

[emergency-plan]

DPxDC Idea

I had a little idea an have no time to actually write a fic, so I just wrote a sorta-summary and am posting it like this.

This is inspired by the game Home Safety Hotline and may contain hints to spoilers for that game. It's really clever, I really like it. I recommend you play it if slightly spooky without any "real" horror appeals to you.

Alright, Danny's been Ghost King for a few years and has realized more than just his usual rogues make their way to the living world, and a lot of those ghosts don't stay in Amity. By himself, it'd take forever to track down all those spirits and specters that are out causing mischief. Luckily, not many that escaped his notice are all that powerful and could only cause minor disturbances, just enough to get noticed by the living.

Many people outside Amity don't even recognize the activity as ghosts, so they blame other sources. Scratching in the walls is mistaken as mice, whispers and apparitions are mistaken as hallucinations and carbon monoxide hallucinations, attempted overshadowings mistaken as stokes or migraines. In this day and age, where does everyone turn to when looking for advice or how to solve problems? The internet.

Team Phantom devise a method to try and track down ghosts that are stuck or tormenting the living by building a website meant to look like a help hotline, and with some algorithm trickery make it one of the top options when searching for signs similar to ghost presences. Add some bits and bobs to make it appear as a more normal-looking website on any computer affiliated with government organizations, and you’ve got some protection from the GIW.

Calls start slowly, so the three of them can handle it by themselves. Once more people are calling, they decide to start a call center. They hired some trusted people around Amity and even a few ghosts who want to help. To get around worrying about the ghosts messing with the tech while personally taking a call, they decide to automate the system to record caller’s reports for the employees to listen to, and then send a report back, offering their services to bring the spirit back to the Realms.

It’s been surprisingly lucrative, and Danny hasn’t had to dip into his kingly funds much other than at the start. He still keeps prices low, just enough to not garner suspicions at offering a free service while paying his workers fairly (he doesn’t want to know why some of the ghosts want mortal money). What he’s started having more trouble with is not enough employees to take the calls. Sometimes ghosts lose track of time and don’t show up for their shifts (he doesn’t blame them, time gets weird in the Ghost Zone), and he’s run out of people he trusts who want the job.

Eventually he decides to put out an ad, deciding he’ll slowly trust whoever takes the job with a little more information over time, see how they react, and measure to see if they’re trustworthy.

What he doesn’t think about is how posting it on the website will let more people than just those that live in Amity apply.

Meanwhile, in Gotham, one Cassandra Cain is looking for a job. She doesn’t need the money, B gives her access to way too much, but she wants the experience. She’s at the age she’s heard most kids get a job, and she wants to see what it’s like.

And she quickly found out retail and fast food are NOT for her. She doesn’t think those conditions are fit for anyone, honestly. She’d have to see if she could get Bruce to work on that. But that still leaves her out of a job. She got overwhelmed with a lot of people, so virtual options would probably be best, and something that let her interact with people without having to speak. There weren’t a lot of options out there, and she wasn’t skilled enough with a computer yet to take programming ones.

That’s when she found the listing for the hotline call center. Based in a small Illinois town, but had virtual options, listen to recorded customer calls, diagnose their issue, and send an information packet on potential next steps. It was indirect, could also help her practice her reading, and flexible. It was perfect.

It didn’t take long to hear back after she applied (Danny was freaking out, he didn’t think anyone outside Amity would apply. He’d turn this kid down, but she’d mentioned her difficulties with speaking in her application and SWEETY YOU DONT MENTION STUFF LIKE THAT ON AN APPLICATION. But she said the job would be perfect for her and he just couldn’t…) and she got the job!

Her first day rolls around and she’s given access to the database. A lot has been redacted, but she has descriptions for common problems like mice, carbon monoxide, black mold, etc. she gets her first call recording and carefully reads through the entries before selecting the one that sounds right. She sends it off and waits for the next. The calls come a little too regularly, with too similar intervals between them, so she figures her new employer is testing how well she’s doing (Danny’s giving her previous resolved calls that weren’t anything supernatural. She even got the ants right! He had even gotten that wrong!)

Eventually, her shift ends and she tells her family how well her first day went at dinner. They congratulate her and go on patrol as usual. The next day, things ramp up a little.

She logs into the database at the beginning of her shift and noticed some new entries. She now had access to descriptions of shades, blob ghosts, will o’ wisps, and more minor spirits. She gets a recording reminding her all this info is confidential and that she’s not allowed to share it with anyone. She’s a little confused, but she reads through each just as carefully. The calls come less regularly, so she figures she’s actually connected to the system now (Danny gave her access to the most common ghosts they get calls about and is listening in while he’s handling ghosts to make sure she doesn’t get anything she’s not prepared for).

Her shift ends and over dinner, she mentions that she’s had to diagnose some odd things. They assure her there’s more pests and hazards out there than you’d expect. She doesn’t tell her family about the distraught woman haunted by the Ecto-Echo of her husband’s habit of making her coffee every morning after he passed a few weeks ago. Or the person who had a Shade masquerading as their shadow. Just about one of her caller's cockroach problem.

The next day follows a similar pattern; more entries, slightly more powerful ghosts, reminder that the info she's been given access to is confidential and could get people hurt if it got in the wrong hands, congratulated for her good work, read through carefully and learn signs of each, diagnose calls, before calling it a day (Danny was so proud of her, she'd only confused a blob ghost with a ghost animal once, and it hadn't caused him any trouble when he went to collect them).

She'd used the bat-computer to check up on some of the callers she'd diagnosed, and they seemed to be doing fine. Some had posted about their weird experiences on their social media and how her employer had somehow helped them, but often didn't quite know how (Danny liked to hide his powers, so most of what customers saw was him using ghost tech. When it couldn't be solved with just a quick souping, he had to pull a little ghostly trickery while the customer wasn't watching). She didn't know how her boss was somehow across the world multiple times a day to help clients in different countries, but he seemed to at least be helping people. She started not having any stories she could tell her family at dinner.

At some point, she heard reports that one of the speedsters probably messed with time travel again before clocking into her shift. She had almost all the available entries and had gotten very good at recognizing tricky cases. She answered a recorded call, just like at the beginning of each of her shifts, but this one was a little different. Danny had sent out an announcement to be on the lookout for a specific phenomena that often occurred after shifts in reality, as they were highly dangerous and needed to be dealt with swiftly.

She studied each entry and paused on what she was supposed to keep a careful eye out for. Revenants, corpses that came back to life, often seen shambling around the graveyards they were buried in. Something about that sounded familiar. A section in their entry said the person brought back often had a ghost in the Realms (which she still didn't know what that was) that was in terrible pain from shifts in reality trying to pull them back to their body, but the separation of dimensions preventing them.

Expectedly, she did get a call from someone convinced there was a zombie wandering somewhere along the east coast. She double checked it couldn't be anything else before submitting it and notifying her boss.

Curious, and she knew no one would be in the batcave around this time of day, she brought her laptop with her down to the bat-computer. She found cameras in the area the caller reported, and froze at what she saw. Shambling across an abandoned street was a rotting corpse. It really did look like a zombie. It was covered in dirt, wearing an old-fashioned suit, and had skin sloughing off its bones.

But what Cass could only focus on was how much its movements read that it was in pain. It was suffering in such a horrible way its mindless being didn't even deserve. It was horrible.

Then, there was a flash of green and an area of the cameras were covered in static. The glitched portion somehow read with kindness and pity. It slowly approached the corpse, simple reaching out gently (what was presumably a hand), ignoring the way it lashed out. It suddenly fell, caught and slowly lower to the ground by the strange being she couldn't see. It closed the thing's eyes before carrying it off in the direction the map said a graveyard could be found.

After that, she finished her shift and went to dinner. Her family asked if she was alright, and she only replied it'd been a long day.

She clocked in early the next day and messaged her boss for more information on Revenants. Dinner that night was one of the few times Jason agreed to come by, and if he noticed how she kept glancing at him, he didn't say anything.

A week later, she asked her boss what might happen if a Revenant was exposed to, as it was called in its entry, a "Corrupted Ecto-Spring" ("...an ugly hole in the fabric of reality that connects the world of the living to the Realms. The ectoplasm that leaks through the tear stagnates and festers into toxic pools that kills humans and makes ghosts sick."). Danny requested a video call.

[just-some-random-blogger]

Hello gorgeous !

Could you make something with a reader who is a very important fighter and in her plans she somehow married daemon as a second wife and made a deal with rhaenyra and daemon to respect and not threaten her people and kingdoms .

And when rhaenyra gets the throne , the reader asks for a divorce , breaking their hearts?

Stone Cold

Daemon Targaryen x Reader x Rhaenyra Targaryen

Summary: There was nothing more powerful than an alliance of two houses, and that was exactly what you offered the Queen and her consort to win the war. It was out of loyalty, but your heart was not as strong as your resolve.

Word Count: 2k+

Warnings: Mentions of death/suicidal tendencies/war, fem!reader, second wife!reader, angst, typos, etc.

A/N: Heya nonnie (pls read this)! I saw this ask and was like OMG FRESH OMG REAL OMG YAS but then the more i thought about it, the more i was thinking it wouldnt be possible, like divorce wasn't a thing then and i know i could just make something up but i- i- dont play like that. and unless you're ok with a modern au, which idk if u are, i realized i could not write this BUT THEN while i was ranting in my reply of how i think ur req would really play out, i thought fine i'll write it anyway dw its not a modern au, but it's also not exactly your request either. its still pretty angsty tho so i hope you like it <3 ALSO IDK WHO IF I WANNA BE DAEMON OR RHEANYRA IN THE GIF I LOVE THIS GIF SO MUCH T_T Tagging: @pinksirensong @deniixlovezelda would you like to read a tibit of an epilogue for this?

Rhaenyra was my queen; she always has been even as a child. Having grown up with rugged brothers, it was clear to me that power was only gotten through force, through sheer will, and landed only on those born to be heirs.

And yet she was declared to heir the Iron Throne, regardless of her sex.

And yet she rode on dragonback as her long braids and ornate skirts flew with the wind.

She was living proof that my brothers were morons in their belief that women were less, and that if I wanted to, I could do what they did, even better.

So against everyone's wishes, my parents, my brothers, the whole of society, I stood where I wanted and spoke about my thoughts. Though I was not welcomed, I trained to be strong enough go go against my adversaries, not just with my wit, but with my sword.

I made a way for myself in court and in battle, and developed a fortress within myself that could not be felled, not by a man, not by anyone.

So when it came high time for me show my gratitude to my queen, I did not hesitate.

I pledged my allegiance to her, and watched her navigate her plans with poise. I watched her as she caressed her pregnant belly and felt my heart hurt for her. I watched as she turned to her husband, the infamous Rogue Prince, for comfort, and found it in his touches.

Oh, to be like her, to capture the heart of the heartless, and to exude such feminine grace even in a room full of men who doubt her capabilities.

And so I finally spoke my plans to her. I finally told her the loony thought I've had since the start of my stay in Dragonstone. Our families should form an impeachable alliance and strengthen our forces.

"You are suggesting that you become my husband's second wife?" Rhaenyra states plainly. Her hand is atop her belly, and her husband stood steadfast behind her.

"It would be only for show, my queen," I nod, "you are aware of my family's stronghold, and how they insist on remaining neutral through all of this."

Rhaenyra watches me intently as I explain. Daemon tilts his head.

"This would give my brothers no choice but to fight for me-- for you."

"And how would marriage guarantee that?" Daemon asks, "I am well-acquainted with your brothers' insolence."

"You are correct, Prince Daemon. There has not been a moment in our lives where my brothers and I did not go against each other's wishes, but through it all, they have a sense of honor, and they would rather die than allow our family name be put to shame. It is why they were so against the idea of me taking up arms in the first place," I cross my arms, "but since then, they have joined me many times over in my victories. They would surely not give up the chance to bask in our victory."

Rhaenyra and Daemon take in my words.

For a moment, there is only silence. Then they look at each other, examining each other's expression.

That night, I was married to Daemon by the traditions of his house.

After he kissed me, I turned to Rhaenyra and nodded to her. She offered me a small smile and nodded back.

Since then, we exercised our might against the whole of Westeros. Those who did not know of us knew soon enough that the combined power of our houses, along with all our other alliances, was not something to be taken lightly.

And so we were tasked to spearhead the war under Rhaenyra's command. Daemon would take the east, and I would take the west. Where one needed help, the other would arrive with their blade, still slick with the blood of the enemy.

Historically, men had done nothing but strike me and spit on my bones. Though he was now my husband, I thought little of Daemon. I didn't then in the fires of his youth, and I didn't now. I bring myself to care about him out of my respect for Rhaenyra.

Yet as time went by, and battles were won and lost, I grew to respect him as himself, as Daemon Targaryen, the prince commander of the troops, who knew exactly what he was doing.

"I did not think you were capable of doing anything un-serious."

I turned to him as he smirked. His eyes were on the my cup of ale, "might my lady wife spare me a drop?"

Daemon sits next to me, though on the ground, as I was sitting on a stump I found not too far off our camp.

I peer down at him as I hand him my half empty cup.

My lips part when he downs it and places the empty thing beside him. Daemon catches my look and chuckles under his breath, "oh, did you mean to finish that?"

I don't get to respond as he grabs my leg and leans against my thigh.

My stomach rolls at the sentiment. I did not know why he was acting like this towards me so suddenly.

He releases a groan as he closes his eyes, "you are my wife, are you not? Must you stare at me as though you wish to burn me with your eyes?"

That would only be the start of his affection towards me.

It was jarring, disturbing, really, how he would reach for my hair and brush it aside, how we would reach for my cheek and brush it with the back of his hand. He would not do it in front of Rhaenyra, and for that I was at least grateful.

I decided not to make issue of it, because it was not as though it was harmful really.

And yet it dawned to me that that was my mistake; he was an invader of my fortress, and I only realized when it was too late.

I could not calm my beating heart when we were ambushed.

It was not the blade against my neck that made me want to hurl, not even how the man who managed to capture me for a few minutes was gutted on my side and had his entrails gush onto my armor. It was not the violence that made my pulse deafening to my ears, but how Daemon acted out that violence.

"Release her now, and I will be swift about your death," he seethed. When he was not listened to, his face darkened. The moment he had an opening, he stabbed my captor in the gut. When I was pulled away by our men, I watched as Daemon rampaged the man with his bare hands, smothering him until he was deformed, until he was dead.

And then he turned to me, gripping my face with his bloody hands, examining my form, "are you alright?"

That was when everything changed.

Not only did I begin to anticipate, look forward to his touches, I began to lean into them. I began to look forward to his company, seek his company. I would worry if there was not word about him, and I would worry if there was, until I knew it was not grave.

I began to laugh with him, in the privacy of our conversations, in front of the troops, in front of Rhaenyra. I began to bicker with him unabashedly, for it became second nature. I began to dance and make merry with him, for why'd shouldn't I? Why not, when Rhaenyra teased us about it, when she laughed about it with us.

And then at some point, I did the worst thing.

I began to want him.

I began to want him the way Rhaenyra did.

I began to felt entitled of him, for after all, he was my husband too.

I allowed myself believe that it was alright, Rhaenyra wouldn't mind, after all, her husband was my husband.

But then I faced with the truth of how brazen I'd become.

But then Rhaenyra called for Daemon and he did not answer.

But then she gave birth too early and held her lifeless daughter in her arms.

But then he was broken because of it, and yet made no inclination to anyone.

But then I realized I was not apart of their picture, for neither of them even spoke their sorrow to each other, much less anything to me.

I was a fool to think I was deserving of anything. I was a traitor to them and our agreement. I was a traitor to myself.

And so I rebuilt my fortress, I pulled away from Daemon's touches and did not hold Rhaenyra's gaze too long.

I became reckless in battle. I dove head first into everything, not caring what the consequences would be.

It was because of my recklessness and severe injuries that we were at the precipice of victory. Daemon should have been applauding me where he was rebuking me. And Rhaenyra should not have been worried by her husband's news of me at all, not when she would benefit the most from my death.

Yet here I was, gripped harshly in Daemon's hands as I defied his wishes to stay in bed longer.

When that didn't work, he ordered me in the name the Queen to do so, because it was, in fact, her order too.

It dawned onto Daemon that it didn't matter which of them commanded it, I would not be withheld from the cries of war.

"DO YOU WANT TO DIE!?" Daemon demanded finally as I got onto his last nerve.

I did not hesitate to respond.

His expression dropped when he heard me say yes.

It was against myself that I began to bawl in front of him. I had worked so hard to keep my defenses, and yet it was all for naught.

"Why?!" he heaved, hands darting up to my face instead of my arms.

I shake my head. I would have to die first before I admit anything to him.

"I will have you chained like a madwoman before I have you succumb to your darkness," he quips, releasing my face, before dragging me to the tent post, undoing his belt and binding me there with it.

I cry out to him. I tell him to release me, of all of it, so that I wouldn't have to suffer.

"Tell me wife what makes you suffer, who makes you suffer, and I will swiftly end them."

I shake my head at the anger on his face, "Daemon, please."

"TELL ME!" he quips, grabbing my face again.

I choke on my tears finding as I allow my voice to betray me.

Daemon knit his brows, "what was that?"

"It's you, Daemon," I whine, screwing my eyes shut, "it is hell to be around you. I do not want this pain anymore."

He releases me, stepping back twice, "and what mortal err have I done to make you loathe me so?"

I peel my eyes open, chest constricting at the sight of him. I shake my head, "nothing."

Daemon's nostrils flare. He grabs my jaw tightly, face tense with hatred, eyes glassy in betrayal, "then why?"

I whine at the pain of his grip.

He heaves as he releases me, shaking his head as he walks back, "will you drive me mad along with you, selfish bitch?"

I shake my head again, "Daemon-"

"ANSWER ME!"

"Because I want you!" I blurt, "I want you so bad when I should not-- I cannot!" I grip my hands tightly, "we may be married, but you are not mine. You are Rhaenyra's, and I do not wish to ever come in between that. Not after all that has-"

I cut myself off when Daemon began to undo my ties. I myself began to back away from him when he began to rid himself of his clothing.

I threaten him with my words. When that does not deter him, I threaten him with the blade I managed to snag.

He was stoic the entire time. He asked me to kill him, dared me to kill him. Of course I could not. I threw the blade to the side.

He called me a fool as he undressed me. He called me pretty when he began to kiss me. He called me his when he began to fuck me.

I shouldn't have, gods know I shouldn't have, but I did, I let him have his way, because I wanted him to. I wanted him to touch me, to use me, to take his anger out on me. I wanted to for so, so long.

It was everything I ever imagined and more.

And enjoyed it deeply before I hated myself viscerally after.

It was clear at one point that everyone knew of us. Our dynamic had drastically changed from when we were first married to now. They all knew what he and I did in the dark, but why would they care, we were, in fact, married.

I cared though.

And I guess it was the will of the Stanger to allow me that one thing before collecting my soul.

I did not fight against it. I did not try to save myself.

When I decided to take the blow for Daemon in the battle field, it was not out of my selfish desire to find freedom in the shackles I bound myself in, it was because I wanted to save him, I had to save him.

He admonished me as he carried my limp body out of the skirmish. He called my name and threatened to do his worst if I thought of closing my eyes at all.

It was nice to have made it long enough to make it through the transport, to see Rhaenyra, and her and Daemon's children that I myself found to love in my own way.

I felt bad that they all seemed to be sad that I was fading away.

I felt bad that Daemon had to be the one to carry me here.

Where was Daemon?

"He's gone to finish the war," Rhaenyra said, holding my hand firmly in hers.

"You can hear me?" I mutter as I watch her sad face.

"Of course I can, my dear," she caresses my cheek, "why wouldn't I?"

I close my eyes, "I beg your pardon, my queen."

"No!" she calls, shaking my cheek, "you cannot sleep until Daemon has returned. He is but a fortnight nigh."

I hum, "she has been so lonely though."

"Who? Who has been so lonely."

"Visenya."

Rhaenyra pulls her hand away. One of the children gasps.

"I told her that I was not her mother, that you are," I sigh, "but she told me she wanted me to stay with her."

Rhaenyra is bewildered. For a moment she is unable to do nothing. She repeats the name she called. When she is not met with a reply, she takes another moment to collect her thoughts, "you cannot answer my daughter's call. Your duty is with me, not her."

Rhaenyra's face tenses when she does not get a reply yet again.

She calls out, one, twice. She shakes the hand in her grip, and remarks once more about Daemon, knowing that would do the trick, she knows it will, it has to.

A chill runs down her spine when she realizes was for nothing.

It is too late.

[newtthetranswriter]

Hi !! Can I have some hc for Natsu , Gray , Sting & Gajeel planning a fancy date for their s/o and their anniversary ? Like would the date go well & will they ask for help ?

Sorry to request so many time lol ^^

A/n: Thank you so much for requesting. I'm sorry it's taken so long to get this out but I hope these were worth the wait. Anyways enjoy and remember to hydrate or diedrate.

Natsu:

this boy is clueless on what to do for a fancy date

He originally was just going to hang out with you at the guild hall for your anniversary but when Lucy found out she told him that was not how people spend their anniversary

Natsu was understandably confused and asked her what she meant, when she explained what most couples do, he immediately asked her to help plan a great date for the two of you

Lucy would be all for helping out, telling how he needs to dress nice and even making reservations for the two of you at a fancy restaurant

To help keep the surprise Lucy would convince you to go shopping for new clothes with her and convince you to get a nice outfit

When the day of your anniversary with Natsu comes up, He shows up at your place dressed up with a bouquet of flowers, he tells you to put on the new outfit you got and that you are going out to dinner

this boy is nervous the entire time, he is shaking and slightly sweaty hoping not to mess up this fancy dinner that Lucy helped him plan for you.

When you notice he looks nervous you offer to just leave the fancy restaurant and go back to the guild hall he instantly relaxes accepting the offer

Once you get back to the Guild, Natsu can't hide his smile know that his original plan was fine as is.

(Lucy can be seen sulking a few tables away after realizing you guys abandoned a dinner at such a fancy restaurant)

Gray:

Gray is significantly better with relationships then Natsu

He would want to take you out for nice dinner, nothing super over the top, but something different than just sitting at the guild

I don't see Gray asking anyone for help, he believes he can do this on his own, after all who would know what his partner wants more than himself

On the day of he would be a little nervous but he'd play it off well

Gray would show up at your place and give you a couple flowers not wanting to go to over the top

The dinner would go smoothly and he some how managed to make it through the entire dinner with out stripping in the middle of the restaurant

He'd be so proud that he managed to plan such a successful date on his own

Gajeel:

He is not better with relationships than Natsu, but at least Gajeel is able to know when he needs help

He won't be super proud to have to ask how to plan a nice anniversary dinner for his s/o but he would do it for you

The obvious choice for him to ask is Levy, after all she is the most level headed person in the guild that doesn't drive him insane

Unlike Lucy who would plan the date herself and let the guy take credit, Levy would help by pointing him the right direction

She'd help him brainstorm ideas that fit the both of you and then help him plan out what ever choice he made

Gajeel would likely settle for a simple dinner and writing you a song, Levy tired to discourage the song but Gajeel was set on it

It's not a super fancy dinner, but it is definitely a little classier than what Gajeel would normally suggest

He'd be a little anxious during the dinner but he'd make it through without making a complete fool of himself

The anxiety would really show after when he starts to play and sing the song he wrote for you

He would stumble over his words but seeing you smile at him as he sung for you, he would quickly over come the anxiety and finish the song strong

Overall the plan went well and he made sure to thank Levy for her help

Sting:

He's not stupid, he knows he probably wouldn't be able to plan a great date for your anniversary

When he first starts thinking of plans for it he will go to Rogue asking him for advice, only to realize Rogue is just as clueless as him

After asking around the guild for help, eventually Yukino would offer to help him out

She's not the best with these kinds of things, but together they manage to plan something special

The two decided that a nice picnic on the hill just out side of town was a great plan and so they set to work

The day of Yukino enlisted the assistance of Rufus and Rouge to help set up the picnic spot while Sting kept you company all day as to not give away the surprise

Once the picnic was ready Yukino let Sting know and Sting proceeded to usher you out of town towards the hill

He couldn't hide his nerves as he bounced on his feet waiting to see your reaction to what he had planned, but once he saw your awestruck smile the nerves washed away

The evening would go smoothly, eating the lovely foods Sting had picked out knowing they were your favorites, talking about all the time you spent together, even talking about what the future may hold for the two of you

It'd end with the two of you going home, happy to be together and Sting silently reminding himself to thank Yukino for all her help

(dividers by cafekitsune)

[vigilskeep]

also have you ever talked about your quibbles with leliana's writing in dao? got curious, i love reading your thoughts

i have a little, yes. um mostly i just find it deeply confusing what they were going for. her bard backstory just doesn’t tally with her painfully naive dialogue, i don’t really find her compassion convincing so as a “good companion” she just doesn’t land for me, and her faith doesn’t really land either... she never has anything interesting to say about it and it doesn’t feel like the writers really care that much lmao. then there’s the whole baffling thing where they couldn’t decide if morrigan or leliana was the more traditionally feminine one so they commit to neither and both have weird moments jumping between complaining about each other’s gender conformity or lack thereof. there are huge missed opportunities to actually make her relevant to the plot: leliana’s mixed orlesian and ferelden identity could have fixed a massive hole in how dao lands emotionally by making the past conflict with orlais relevant, and yet it’s discussed exclusively in banter with loghain, who most people never recruit. and they cut late game chantry involvement in the landsmeet so that’s nothing

to me frankly it feels like they made up the bard backstory and then decided they had to offer a “nice girl” romance to counter morrigan and just sort of frantically smashed the two together and imo it rarely works. it’s obvious the bard character was something they really wanted to do and they had various thoughts on how to do it, because they put another one in the stolen throne. the lack of real sharpness of characterisation for leliana means that for me when you’re selecting your party she just can’t remotely stand up in dialogue quality to our other available rogue option. leliana needs a really good banter partner to sort of lift her up and i’m always disappointed by her plot comments i’m like... wow... you’re glad we could help some people... again... riveting... could’ve brought Anyone Else... like it’s mesmerising that she has a whole mechanic where you can ask her about locations while you’re walking out and about and she never once has anything really fresh and interesting to say. how are you a bard. as an aside, i really don’t care for the VA work and i’m mesmerised to have just discovered on a google search that the actress is actually french. i was really going to say with my whole chest that maybe she just had to devote all her effort to maintaining the accent but no! wild. it feels deeply unconvincing to have this be the skilled voice of the subtle bard when claudia black is doing her thing thirty feet away

I FEEL LIKE I SOUND RLLY MEAN... whenever i talk abt this... idk i can never decide whether there’s really something wrong with the writing quality or if i simply personally Don’t Get It and am self-consciously trying to justify that. perhaps both. i seek to convince no-one, this is just how i feel. and it’s not character hate i swear i do not mean to attack anyone’s girl and she’s probably the thing i most enjoy in what i’ve played of inquisition

[distort-opia]

I assume you have read half way across, I definitely did and I always kept wondering would this scenario be possible? Would that play along similar way if ever happened in canon?

Definitely read Half Way Across. It's an iconic Batjokes story, incredibly well-written and in-character. And yes, I'd say that at least to me, it's pretty much exactly how I'd imagine this scenario unfolding in canon. A bit of spoilers for HWA incoming, for anyone who hasn't read the fic.

I think I talked about it somewhere else before, about how time and context are a huge factor to me when it comes to Batjokes-- and how The Killing Joke is a massive turning point in their dynamic. At that point in time, Joker hadn't killed Jason. He hadn't killed Sarah Essen-Gordon, he hadn't become so monstrous as to appear entirely irredeemable. Not to mention, Bruce hadn't accrued such an extensive Family by that time, which Joker hurt in different ways and which would make any current rehabilitation attempt led by Bruce personally so difficult. It follows that Bruce offering to help and Joker accepting that help would not have been such an impossibility then as it is today, in more ways than one. Besides, Joker would undoubtedly demand Bruce's involvement in his rehabilitation, if Bruce himself wouldn't take over with barely any prompting; after all, his offer to Joker in TKJ is not just "I could help you", it's also "we could work together". It shows that Bruce has thought about it extensively, has imagined a future with a Joker who's by his side.

But well... then there's the issue of the power imbalance. To be honest, it's been a while since I read HWA, but the reason why I never felt the need to write a story like that myself is because HWA tackled the major issue with any Batjokes rehabilitation story so well-- which is, put simply, Bruce getting to have too much control over Joker. Bruce's need for control is almost all-encompassing, and the reason why Joker is his nemesis is Joker's utter defiance of it. Bruce cannot fully understand Joker, hence he cannot predict or control Joker, and that's... unique. To differing degrees, Bruce controls everyone around him; he has back-up plans for his back-up plans in case someone goes rogue, in case he needs to take down close friends and allies. He knows exactly what emotional buttons to push to get the people around him to do what he thinks is best. But Joker isn't like that, and it's crucial to them being equals that Joker stays like that. However, if Joker is in Bruce's power as Bruce tries to "fix him" the way he thinks is best... the power balance becomes massively skewed. And Bruce's need for control would rear its ugly head in so many ways, while for Joker this would mean constant doubt and resentment about having to be who Bruce wants him to be-- otherwise, Bruce would turn off the flashlight half way across. HWA feels like an accurate way the story could go in canon because it deals with this, precisely. With the trust issues that would arise for both Bruce and Joker, with Bruce's need for control and ideas of normality. No matter how a rehabilitation scenario played out for Batjokes, if Bruce is personally involved in it, I do think this will always happen similarly.

Now, HWA isn't finished, and I don't know what Dracze has in store for it so I won't speculate, but I'm very much looking forward to how this tension between them would break. (And I want to make the point that it doesn't matter that it's a WIP, or if/when it gets updated-- this is an amazing story and we're lucky it's being shared with us.)

[ophelieverse]

Can you write something where reader parents wants her to marry Jace but she doesn’t want to marry to end up miserable like her mother?But in the and she is surprised about how well he treats her?

۵To be his.

Jacaerys Velaryon x fem!reader.

Mommy issues anyone?Reader has my heart and Jace is a total sweetheart.I got a little carried away,sorry.Thanks for requesting and i hope you’ll like it💕💕(sorry for the errors).

•••••••••••••••••••••••

House Celtigar of Claw Isle was a ancient and proud house,with the blood of old Valyria in its veins,they were not dragon lords but men of honor and who kept their word.They had ruled over Claw Isle,an island in the narrow sea off the coast of Crackclaw point,since the Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms.

As a family sworn to Dragon Stone and to the Crownlands,Lord Bartimos Celtigar was a member of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen Black council as her majesty’s Maester of Coin.He was unrelenting,incorruptible,ingenious,and very wealthy,an old man who,like his ancestors,kept all his promises.

«May i speak to Lord Celtigar alone?»the Queen had ordered,shortly after her coronation.

The war room in the Dragon Stone Castle was full with people,allies,knights,the royal family,who were roaming around the wooden carved table,placing down signals,and discussing about the next move.

King Viserys I the peaceful was dead and two of his children,his first daughter,the rightful and named heir,and his first born son,the usurper,were both crowned and declared Queen and King of the Seven Kingdoms.The realm was divided in two and a war was coming closer any day.

«Of course,your grace.»Lord Celtigar answered immediately,bowing his head.

As soon as the room was empty,the Queen spoke again«Your family has served the crown for years»she started with a firm voice,even though her beautiful features seemed worried«And you have served my father for all his reign,doing a wonderful job»she stated.

Lord Celtigar nodded his head«You honor me,your grace.»

The Queen smiled forcefully,fidgeting with the long sleeve of her dark dress«Alicent will ask your alliance,to have at least a possibility to gain control over the narrow sea.»she spoke all her worries without blinking.

Lord Celtigar already suspected it,Rhaenyra had already put her hands to the naval fleet of the sea snake but to have the complete domain of the narrow sea she also had to have the Celtigar one.His House had sworn it loyalty to the royal one,but now that it was divided it wasn’t so obvious anymore.

«The Queen mother had already sent her raven,this morning.»Lord Celtigar explained«She had an interesting offer.»he continued,with a low voice and looking straight in her purple eyes.

Lord Celtigar was no fool,he knew that the Black Queen and the Rogue Prince could had his tongue or his head for treason for this,for just thinking about betraying them in their home.But in a delicate time like that,in a time where history had it’s eyes on them and all the most important names would’ve been remembered,he couldn’t let himself escape an opportunity like that one.Before Aegon I Conquest his family was considered a joke for the Valyrian ancestry,they were not dragon lords,their banners were silver with crabs on it and when they first took Claw Isle their people refused to accept them as their rulers.

Lord Celtigar always kept his word,he had swore his loyalty to King Viserys,but he was also ambitious and a smart men who was graced by the gods with a beautiful and more intelligent daughter,to move on the board like a piece of chess.

The Queen looked uneasy,she could had killed him there,in a blink of an eye,but she didn’t wanted to be the first one to spill blood and she didn’t wanted to bring on herself the chance to loose the complete control by sea«Which it was?»she wasn’t asking,she was demanding it to know.

«She wanted to marry my daughter to her son,the King.»Lord Celtigar said,taking out from his pocket a piece of paper and handing it to her.

Rhaenyra eyes darted to on the small page,reading the black ink that her once best friend wrote personally«Aegon has a wife already.»she reminded him immediately,her pupils were shiny and her heart was beating fast.

Fear and betrayal consuming her,leaving her powerless with an incoming war at her doorstep and allies to find as soon as possible.

«Your ancestors,the first King,had married both of his sisters.»Lord Celtigar started to talk quietly,moving around the table and tracing with his fingers Claw Isle«Maegor the Cruel was known for having a peculiar taste and likeness in different women.»he noticed,remembering the history.

Rhaenyra breathed deeply,crumpling the traitors letter in her fist where it was written that the hand of the king would’ve come to take Lord Celtigar and bring him back to the capital in a few hours«I can make you another offer.»she told him with a firm tone.

Lord Celtigar tiled his head«I’m listening,your grace.»he said.

«Swore your loyalty to me and fight on my side,and i promise you that your daughter will become the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.»Rhaenyra told him.

But Lord Celtigar seemed unsure,pondering out loud«Is this not the same offer that your friend made me?»he asked.

The Queen shook her head forcefully,a shiver running down her body at the thought that her and Alicent were indeed friends once«She made you a promise that she couldn’t keep,Aegon will be dead before your daughter could marry him.»now she was waking towards him,stopping only when they were only few meters apart«If you betrothed your daughter to my eldest son,her name will be remembered in history.»she promised him with a sincere expression on her face.

«What a generous promise»Lord Celtigar hummed to himself«or a very desperate and full of itself.»he murmured,high enough for her to hear.

«Does it really matter?»Rhaenyra asked,running out of patience.

The man in front of her took his time to think about it and he shook his head,she let out a breath of relief«I suppose it do not.»he let her know«I accept your offer,your grace.»he confirmed,bowing his head.

Words flew fast as ravens,a white letter with the royal seal had arrived to the Claw Isle Castle with the last lights of the sun,when the sky was painted with bright pink and warm orange and the salty breeze of the sea lulled in the air.

In the twilight,in those hours were she was suppose to go to her mother,such a grief overwhelmed her.Y/n was in her chambers,sitting on her comfy duvet right by the window with a book in her hands,when her Septa came in her room declaring that Lady Celtigar asked for her presence in the Grand Hall.

For a girl,a daughter of sixteen years of age,she should be pleased and happy to spent time with her mother.But this was not the case,her mother may be the person who gave birth to her but she refused to see her.

Lady Celtigar,one of the most beautiful women that ever walked on Westeros,coming from a rich and noble house,had Y/n and her older brother from their father,a man way older than her and that didn’t knew how to love her correctly.

Her mother was young,maybe too young,so she wasn’t ready to be a mother and Y/n had always missed her because most of the time she disappeared.In those long and empty days she was never there,both physically and mentally:instead she painted blue walls out of nowhere,she spent hours or days closed in her chambers,she danced under the rain,other times she wouldn’t eat or sleep for days.

Other days she transformed herself completely:teaching Y/n how to stitch and how to clean a fresh cut,being present during her lessons and reminding her how to be a proper lady,she wanted her daughter to be ready for anything,she wanted her to be able to survive the hell they'd been forced to live in.

In that everyday life she had created,severity and rules were often overwhelmed by fragility, screams and unspoken words.Her mother disappeared and did not want to be found and Y/n was only six years old when he saw her lost completely and forever.Her mothers steps were so quiet,that she had barely heard her leave.

At least she was there,even if she was a ghost and didn’t speak to her,she was there.

Mothers are humans who sometimes gives birth to their pain,instead of children.From the moment she was born,Y/n knew that her mother was going to be the one to bury her.Like a God,her mother created her in her own likeness and said unto her wet cheeks:

”Darling,i shall make you more miserable than me.”

And so it was,burying her heart deep in her chest,she was a servant to her mother unhappiness.She had sensed the pain that her mother carried.And she was suspicious to some degree that her and her brother,were partially to blame for their mother pain.Therein lies the guilt.

Y/n hadn’t spoken with her mothers in years,they lived under the same roof,walked in the same hallways but her mother always seat in her own table never with her.

All that she wanted at the end of her life was to understand her mother.Has she been victim of an injustice or was it she the responsible of her own unhappiness?Y/n was quiete familiar with her unhappiness,she could even claim it was hers too.

It was both,Lady Celtigar was a young victim of the patriarchal life and her children only made her golden cage tighter around her.

Her mother’s mother,who she also hadn’t spoke with since years,had hands like barded wire.Everywhere she touched,it bleed.Every word she spoke wounded.Her mother,still a open sore by the time Clement and Y/n had arrived,had inherited those hands and that tongue like a bonding knife.It was difficult,loving someone that couldn’t help by hurting you.How much harm is forgivable when she knew it was done to her first?Clement was old enough to understand and lucky enough to be born a son,so that he had an excuse to stay away.Y/n didn’t had this luck,for a small child,a daughter who only ever wished for her mother love,forgiveness was involuntary.Two mothers existed in her memories,the one that she preserved as a child and the one she was living as a grown girl.They bleed and blur together,like snow in the sun.

«She loves us.»Y/n told one day to her older brother,two weeks had passed since they last saw their mother who’s retired herself in her chambers.

«And we are still living with the consequences.»Clement made her notice,with an angry tone and sad eyes.

She had searched for her mother love in all the corners of the house and she didn’t find it anywhere.But,the thing about mothers love is that it’s not that different from a mother hate.Her mother didn’t mean to hate her,she didn’t even knew that she hated her daughter,yet Y/n was hated.And she carried that hate through all her life with more pride than it perhaps deserved.A bruise of honor.

Now years later,she was walking through the empties and cold hallways of her castle.Her head was high,her legs were shaking and every step further was a step back that she wished she could take.

Build the gold.When Y/n was thinking about her mother,she was always wearing gold.When she thinks of her mother,she is the Grand hall,the heart of the house,and hers was always bleeding.When she thinks about her she is alone,free,careless and without her children.It was the happiest she ever seen her.

It made her laugh,to not cry,that she almost couldn’t remember the sound of her mother voice,the little sparkle in her bright eyes or the dimples on her face when she smiled.There was a ghost roaming around the castle,an empty shell that hunted the rooms with her sadness,with broken promises and stolen dreams and Y/n started to believe that when she called her name,when she called her “mama”she just didn’t wanted to hear her anymore.

Taking a deep breath and smothering her sweaty hands down her dress,Y/n knocked softly,afraid to disturb her, at the wooden door«Come in.»the calm voice of her mother made her heart tremble and her eyes shine with warm tears.

«Mother?»she called quietly,the term felt foreign on her tongue but she missed the felling to pronunce it.

Lady Celtigar was sitting on a chair in a corner of the room,a beautiful golden dress wrapped her delicate figure and shined with the light flames of the fireplace.Her hair,the same color that her daughter inherited,were styled up her head,bright gems braided in them like the ones that he swore around her neck and fingers.

She had the appearance,the royal and elegant facade of the most noble woman and the coldness of a bloke of ice.It Y/n ache,having her mother so close to her,so close that she could almost touch her with her fingertips,but with her mind and soul so far way that not even in a million of years she would’ve been able to catch her.

«Ah,Y/n.»she beamed when she noticed her coming in«Come sit,my darling.»she called her,she seemed more a friend that she didn’t see in a while more than a mother that closed her daughter out her life without explaining why.

Y/n swallowed hard,she had to pinch her wrist to prevent herself to not cry or run in her mother arms.Instead she walked slowly,taking a place on the carpet,sitting by her mother feet and keeping her eyes on the ground.

«Oh my,haven’t you grown»her mother said surprised,taking a look at her up and down«How old are you now?»she asked then.

Y/n had indeed grown,she wasn’t the little child that cried and screamed for her mother,who pleaded for her love and attention,something that should’ve been free for her and something that she shouldn’t beg for.Now she was a young woman,she was taller,her breast grew,her waist was more defined and her beauty was talked in all the continent.

«My seventeenth Name Day will be in two weeks,mother.»Y/n murmured out.

She shouldn’t be surprised that her mother didn’t remember how old she was,it was s miracle that she remembered her name.Every year her Septa brought her gifts,for her Name Day,saying that they were from Lady Celtigar.But she wasn’t stupid and knew that her mother didn’t wanted or cared to make her gifts.

Her mother nodded«That’s perfect,you are suitable.»she said with a velvety voice that made her shiver.

«Suitable for what,if i can ask?»Y/n asked confused,sitting more comfortably on the floor and for the first time looking up and close to her mother face.

It was like time never passed in that room,as Clement and Y/n grew up together,alone in big rooms surrounded by the servitude,their mother remained the same.With the beautiful face carved by the gods,being away from her children kept her young and gorgeous proving that they were the problem.

Only now she had noticed the letter that was resting in her lap«For marrige,of course!»she exclaimed.

Everything in her mother seemed an illusion,from the way she was smiling to the way she was waving the letter in the air.Y/n felt her heart rising to her throat,the air in her lungs stuck and ready to explode in her chest.

Marrige had been her mother biggest problem,tragedy and greatest hell.She had witnessed they way her eyes were always empty whenever she looked with pure hatred,the figure of her husband,the repulsive feeling she had towards her own children that came from the man the ruined her life.

«But mother…»Y/n whimpered«i’m still young.Can i dream for few months more?»she pleaded with desperate eyes.

«We were all young»her mother stated,a bittersweet tone in her words«You should be happy and grateful that you were betrothed to the next in line to the throne.»it was clear that what she was saying wasn’t coming from her,but from her own mother who told her the same years ago.

«But i don’t want to be a-»Y/n started,her eyes were watery,her hands shook with the desire to be held by the woman in front of her.

«A wife?A mother?»her mother laughed,making her winch«We don’t have the luxury to chose for ourselves.From the moment that we are born,everything it’s already planned for us.»she spit it out like a snake with its poison.

«I don’t want to be like you..»Y/n finished her sentence with a low whisper.

Y/n was afraid of her mother,of her harness,her coldness,her piercing gaze.But ultimately,she was just afraid to become like her.To just collapse,fade out on herself,never getting up from her bed,shutting all their world outside.She feared the idea that one day she could’ve become,look and act like her,if marrige was a trap and her mother was the result,why would her mother sell her into it?Because they were the same,just like her mother’s mother was with her,her mother never knew anything different beside this.

Mothers and daughters existing as wretched mirrors of each other:”I am all that you could have been and you are all i might be.”Her mother probably couldn’t remember her name,she heard it from the mouths of strangers but when she looked at her daughter she only saw herself and hated what she was witnessing.

Y/n also thought that her mother feared her,she patronized her,she was scared of her daughter.Whenever she looked at her,she could’ve seen everything that she ever wanted to be,young,beautiful and free but then she remembered that she also was like this once and it wasn’t destined to last.If her mother could she would carve a new path,to start a new adventure.Tho change her name,her looks,her personality.To forget.To go somewhere where no one knows her.To start all over again,to never look back and leave everything else behind.

Y/n didn’t wanted to feel like this,she didn’t wanted to make other people to feel like this.She wanted to be happy with her husband and take good care of their children.But she wasn’t use to being loved,she wouldn’t know what to do.

«Do you think i wanted to have this life?To live in this horrible place or to be your mother?»she asked,every word peeled a layer of her heart,bleeding out her chest.

«No.»her daughter answered,shaking her head and drying the tears in the corner of her eyes.

«If i could choose,I’ll serving the realm with a sword as a knight.But they made me a woman»her mother started«Women are born with pain built in.Monthly blood pain,sore breast,childbirth you know.We carry it within ourselves throughout our lives.Men don’t.They have to seek it out.They invented gods,fought wars,so they can feel guilty about things.Which is something we do really well on our own.They kill each other,so they can feel things while we all feel it right here,inside.»she explained placing a hand on her chest,her face was all red for anger but she remained composed like a porcelain doll.

Trying to understand and forgive her mother was starting to get really tiring,but she was all that she really had.Her brother was lucky,he was a man now,the heir of Claw Isle and the future Lorde of the island,he could choose who to marry or could had as many mistresses as he wanted and no one would’ve blinked their eyes or told him something.Her father,as the Maester of the Coin for the Queen,was always away and the mind behind that betrothal.

«Also,he won’t love you.»her mother said again like she was certain of it«And you don’t have to love him.This marrige is only for political purposes,so try to not ruin things again.»her voice was stern and her face annoyed.

«I…i understand.»Y/n was able to say.

Her mother gave an insufficient look«I must think that you are ready then?»she asked.

«I don’t think i’am.»she was being honest,she was silently begging for her to reassure her,to stroke her face with gentle hands and telling her that everything will be alright.

But she didn’t«I wasn’t either,when it was me. You’ll get used to it.»she brushed it off,adjusting a few strands of her hair.

Y/n was exhausted,she wanted to curl up against her mother legs,laying her head on her lap and falling asleep while she stroked her hair gently,lovingly.But what was really exhausting was always having to empathise with her mother.Even when she don't want to. Because she thought it was her fault that she is feeling the way she is,that her daughter should be the one fixing whatever is wrong in her life even when she warned her before she went ahead and screwed it up for herself,having to hear that she feels guilty for all that she puts her daughter through but not actually doing anything to change it,but still thinking she has too many expectations from her mother cause she has been through so much.

Bringing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on it,she looked up once again.Y/n cringed to become smaller,to hide more of herself on floor so that she couldn’t appear threatening to her mother eyes.

«What’s with that look?You will get wrinkles and a queen shouldn’t have them.»her mother scolding her was the closest thing to being a mother that she ever did in that moment.

Y/n sniffled,her eyelashes were wet,her cheeks redder thanks to warmth of the fire next to her«It’s just…i wished that you spoke to me more often,that you held me with tenderness.I wished that you liked me.»she confessed,looking up at her with a quivering voice.

Her mother seemed taken aback,like she didn’t listened the crude and hurtful way she was talking to her daughter after years of silence«Of course i love you,i’m your mother.»she stated offended,like it was obvious.

But it wasn’t«But do you like me?»Y/n asked,her heart already breaking for the answer she was waiting.

«I want you to be the very best version of yourself you can be.»she avoided the question,wearing on her face a sweet smile that her daughter hadn’t seen in years.

«What if this is the best version?»Y/n asked again,a bit unsure.

The smile on her mother face went off with the same velocity she had put in on«Then i hope that you’ll be able to do great things when your grow up and be Queen,to make up to the curse you put on me by being born.»now her eyes were slippery and cold,distant and her words hurtful stabs in her chest.

What a horrible thing is to look into her mother eyes and see her love for her daughter vanish.She felt sorry that her mother had to raise a child that she didn’t wanted.

«Mother»she called then with a thin voice,and when the woman turned toward her«Can you wash my hair and my back tonight?»she asked,her lover lip was trembling just like her shoulders.

«Of course,my darling.»her mother said,faking a tenderness that was more than enough credible for her in that moment.

Jacaerys Velaryon,nominated prince of Dragon Stone,first son of the Black Queen and future heir to the Iron Throne.A name bigger that him,to heavy to carry on his shoulders at such a young age,it was also the name of her betrothed,her future husband and King that would’ve reign by her side.

Y/n didn’t knew anything about him,never saw him in her life before,only heard of his name and read about the proposal in her majesty’s letter.She didn’t know what to expect,he could be a real dragon or a sea snake or something worse.In those two weeks everyone were to busy to answer her questions about the prince,all running around the halls to have everything ready and telling her to worry only about to find the perfect dress and to look happy.

It had been a week since she saw her mother,since they talked to each other,since she had shared an intimate moment with her.After they encounter,her mother prepared her a warm bath that had the room smelling like roses and cinnamon,she washed her hair and back to forgot about everything that happened.

There is was nothing generous and delicate in her mothers hands,iron fingernails,brimstone knuckles,animal grasp.She held an hammer in her hands wielding it in her back,to make her a better girl,telling her with her sharp tongue that she had to look impeccable for when the young prince would’ve arrived next week.

It was a sunny day,the light of the sun warmed everything around the island,little birds were chirping,flying with each other,right outside the windows.Another morning had started and everyone in the castle were moving and running through the halls,preparing and adjusting every small details for the awaited prince arrival.

Y/n was still sleeping in her comfort bed,the covers were on the scattered all around the floor,her right leg was dangling out the soft mattress,her mouth was open and droll was all over her silky pillow when her Septa bursted in her room.

Her Septa,Mirtha,was an old woman,old enough to be considered her grandmother but so loving and caring that Y/n had considered her like a mother.In fact she was the one who had raised the young Lady,from the breast feeding,the lessons,the kind way and the soft voice she always had with her,all the caressing and loving eyes,she felt like a warm blanket that sheltered her from her real mother rage and negligence.

«Sweetheart,are you still in your bed?»her Septa asked,walking into the room and observing all the mess.

On the floor,beside the covers,papers and paint cans were scattered,some of it,the red one spilled on the stones making it look like a murder scene.Different paint brush and books filled with imagines of flowers,stars and the ocean were stacked on the table next to the door.And of course on the bed at the center of the room,young Lady Celtigar was sleeping like an animal,with the sound of a wild bear and a rat nest instead of her hair.

«Mirtha.»Y/n grunted,her eyes were still closed,her face still pressed on the pillow«What time is it?»she asked with a sleepy voice.

Her Septa rolled her eyes«It’s nine.»she answered,picking up the paint and starting to clean up noisily.

«With the sun or with the moon?»she grunted,rolling around the mattress.

The window in her room,the one that went open on the terrace was open,the curtains dancing around with the salty sea breeze that made her legs shiver«For the Mother’s sake»the old woman swore«Are you trying to ruin me?»she asked,immediately closing the window.

«I certainly do not.»Y/n yawned,sitting up on her bed.

The light in the room made her eyes waters,trying to adjust at the sun rays that were warming her.Mirtha was at the feet of her bed,in her old gray attire,her hair under the veil and the little wrinkles around her bright eyes and thin lips,outstretched in a scolding expression«Did you sneak out again?»she already knew the answer by noticing the cloak and the boots hidden under the bed.

«Maybe.»she muttered still sleepy.

Mirtha gave her a knowing look«It’s time to get dressed,you have lunch at noon.»her Septa informed her,walking in the other room of the young Lady chambers.

«Why did you woke me up so early then?»Y/n feet felt cold on the floor,stretching her arms above her head she went to sit in front of the little mirror on her desk.

«Because your mother wants you to wear this monstrous thing.»in her hands,the old woman was holding a golden dress with pink flowers embroidered on it,with too many layers of cloth,it was heavy and required time to tie all the strings on her back and on her arms.

That dress belonged to her mother in her youth years,it special,only dedicated to important events.Y/n didn’t liked that dress,all the laces,the frills,if it was for her she would’ve wear a simple pastel dress like she did everyday.She couldn’t tell her mother that she was into blue and silver,since her mother preferred pink and gold.She would be heart broken if she suddenly announced that she switched her favorite colors into ones that are not hers.It was a honor that her mother cared so much about her,to lend her that dress,that something like her daughter having her own favorite colors would devastated her.

«What’s the special occasion?»Y/n wondered out loud,her fingers tracing down the long sleeve like she could feel her mother touch on her skin.

The expression on the Septa face turned in horror one,her eyes widened«Now you are really trying to ruin me!Today prince Jacaerys will come here to know you.»she exclaimed with red cheeks,swatting away the soft hands of the young Lady.

Y/n felt the ground beneath her bare feet shook,a chasm opening in her chest ready to swallow her entirely as her body froze.She was still but her mind was racing around.

Her dress was itching her skin,suffocating her as she walked fast fast through the corridors,the servitude eyes were all on her as they paced around under her brother orders.Their mother didn’t left her chambers as always,not even the prince presence was enough important for her,so her brother took care of every small detail.Maybe with him it would’ve be easier to convince him to change plans,and annulling all of this.

«My sister,Inara!Where is my sister?»her brother was shouting to one of her handmaiden,in his hands he was holding a porcelain vase with fresh flowers.

Y/n walked fast towards him,carefully looking around to try to not bump into someone«Clement.»she called for him.

Her brother turned around and his stressed expression changed with a relieved one,his sister was finally there,all dressed up«Look at you.»her brother started with a genuine smile«You are stunning,graced with the pure elegance and beauty of a Queen.»he complimented her.

Both her mother and her brother called for a grace that she didn’t have,the word “Queen” coming out from their mouths made her want to rip her ears off.

«Send a raven to our father and the Black Queen and tell them that i can’t do it.»she pleaded to her brother.

Clement,glanced around making sure that no one didn’t heard them«It’s normal to be a little nervous,but i can assure you that everything will be fine.»he breathed out,trying to reassure her.

Y/n shook her head«I’m not nervous,i’m not suited for this union.»

«You said this for all the previous ones.»her brother remembered,with a scolding look.

«And i was right all the time.»she made him notice,walking closer to him.

«What do you want me to tell to the Queen?She could have our heads for treason.»he sounded exasperated,trying to find a perfect place for the flowers and ignoring his sister nonsense.

«Tell her that i have the shivers and i’m about to die.»Y/n knew what it could happen to them and their father,but she was too desperate to escape.

Clement stopped dead in his truck«I absolutely will not do that!»looking at her as she was out her mind.

«Why?»she whimpered out.

«You can’t live in this house forever.»Clement informed her,trying to make her understand as he placed down the vase of roses.

Y/n circled the table,following her older brother that was now walking into another room«Why not?You do.»she observed the way everyone was running around,ignoring their conversation.

Clement let out a sigh of exasperation«We already talked about this,my situation is different.Don’t all the girls dreams to be Queens when they grow up?»he cracked a joke to light up her mood a little.

But it didn’t worked,she wanted to be free.She wanted to to be six years old again,sitting by the window and painting a wall blue with her mother all over again,she wanted to live in a world where nothing bad had happened to her,where she had a normal relationship with her parents not the future Queen.

«I’m still too young!»she protested,stomping her foot,now she really looked like a spoiled child.

Her brother stopped walking,turning around he saw a beautiful young woman that was held down by the deadly grip of a scared little girl«At your age,our mother was already expecting you and i know that what happened to her wasn’t fair.»he had a loving voice,a parenting figure that was forced on his shoulders when he was too young but that his sister needed.

Y/n shook her head«I just…»

Her brother arms engulfed her in a thigh hug,his safe embrace lulling away all her fears while he stroked her hair.«But don’t let yourself become what she did to you.Prince Jacaerys is not our father,I’m sure that he will treat you well.Just try to not scare him away and try to look happy to meet him.»he murmured into her hair,placing a loving kiss on her forehead.

«Do i really have to do this?»she pleaded again,her eyes sparkling wet.

«I’m afraid so.This is our occasion and no one better than you is suitable for this.»her brother,caressed her cheek drying a little tear.

«Do you think i will make a good Queen,one day?»she joked,suppressing the urge to cry with a forced laugh.

Her brother had a sad smile on his face«You already are for me.»

A quietness overcame that early morning in the castle halls and Y/n went out in the gardens to breathe the blossomy air.The air in her lungs feels foreign,as if she finally breathing in whatever the betrothal is composed of and she didn’t wanted any of this.

There was a desire that resides deep in her souls to run away.To escape to a unknown future.To wander around eternally,without destination,without home in sight.It had always been there beneath her skin,humming in her veins,vibrating in her bones,just barely on the back off her mind.

Walking through the gardens had always gave her a sense of calmness,no one was around as she caressed the petals of the flowers in the bushes while her mind raced and her breathe was heavy in her chest.

She stretched her arms out,stare up at the sky wishing for wings.That could teach her to fly,but she’s trapped on earth there.Feet tied on the ground,the force of gravity keep pushing her down.She was just a girl,even though she was a life puppet,she’ll break all the strings one day.For now she’s just a dreamer,of earning her wings.

Turning the corner,the walls of the castle were covered with a beautiful plant of wisteria.The branches writhed into abstract shapes on the maroon bricks,the little lilac flowers covered the atmosphere with a velvety and sweet smell.Her great great grandfather had planted that and Clement and Y/n used to play,using the branches as a ladder,trying to climb it.All the time,Mirtha or one of the servants had to scream at them or to grab them in order to not make them fall.

But in that moment,Y/n was all alone and an idea blossomed in her mind like a little flower.If they wanted to sell her off to the prince,they had to find her first and if her calculations were right,by the end of the day she would’ve been on a ship sailing to the free cities.

Lifting up her dress,she took of her shoes,her socks now on the dump cold ground,as she reached for the plant.It was difficult,different from when she was a small thinner child without all this layers trapping her body.

As she tried to lift herself up,the quiete sound of footsteps startled a bit,a kind and new voice breaking her racing thoughts.It was a masculine and warm one.She didn’t hear it before,maybe it belonged to one of her brother friends that he made in his traveling,or perhaps to one of his guards or a new servant since he spoke so politely.

«Hello my Lady.»it was a male voice,but it wasn’t rough like her brother one or cold like her father,it was firm,somehow gentle and made her hands tremble«Are you in need of any assistance?»the voice asked.

Y/n fought the urge to turn around,her feet remained stuck on the ground and her hand on the tangled branches of the wisteria«I am quite fine,thank you.»she answered shortly,tasting the wood to find a safe place to climb«Go back inside with all the other gawkers.»she ordered then,when she didn’t heard the sound of footsteps.

«I will.»the voice reassured her,it sounded like he was looking around the garden«But first,i’m curios.What are you doing?»whoever he was,he was entertained and confused at the same time.

«Nothing.»she dismissed him quickly,taking off her golden shoes and putting one feet on a branch.

«You are doing something.»he made her notice,flinching when he heard the crack sound of the branch under her weight.

Y/n let out a frustrated grunt,picking up her heavy gown,just now she thought how stupid her idea was.With that dress it would’ve been impossible to climb up the wall without being drag back to the cold floor or without it being stuck in the plant.But in that moment her mind was to clouded with the desperate desire of escaping,that it was the first plan that came into her mind.

«I’m not.»she said,pure irritation growing on her beautiful features and in her voice as she tried to climb a different spot.

«You are.»the voice insisted.

The lilac flowers were tickling her cheeks and her hands,her feet were cold and her socks wet from the light rain that came the night before,that still lingered on the ground«If you must know and if it wasn’t obvious,»she started with a rude tone«i’m trying to ascertain the best way to climb the over garden wall.»she explained,taking a few step back and looking everywhere in front of her.

There was a moment of silence,the sweet rustle of the wind,the burn chirping on the trees and the quick pulse in her ears were the only noise that filled the garden«Climb…?Whatever for?»the voice behind her asked,in her mind she could picture the face of the owner with furrowed brows and confused expression.

Y/n cleaned her hands,taking a deep breathe she closed her eyes for a brief moment«Because i think he may be a real dragon.»she let out.

«A real dragon?»the voice echoed,he sounded closer this time and his tone was velvety,hiding in it the wish to giggle at her confession.

«Or a sea snake.»the young Lady added,clearly not caring about speaking her mind to a stranger.

«Who are we discussing about,my Lady?»he wondered,even though in his mind he had already an idea.

«This is certainly none of your business-»she turned around to take a quick glance,but her voice faded and her eyes remained frozen on him.

In front of her,only few step away,there was a young man with his hands behind his back and an amusing expression on his face.He was handsome,from the depth of his dark brown eyes to the gentle expressions of his voice.His hair were of the same color,short and messy from the wind,his lips,rosy and plump,that seemed to be drawn,carved on his face,were curved in a curios and genuine smile.He looked only a few years older then her,maybe two or three,he was tall,his shoulders well defined and wrapped in a dark cloak.He was indeed the most beautiful man that she had aver the pleasure to see in all her life.

«The Prince.»Y/n admitted,feeling almost ashamed under his gaze«Every one refused to talk to me about him.He’s clearly a dragon or a sea snake.»she thought,turning around again to hide the blush on her cheeks and brushing off the warm sensation irradiating her chest.

«Understood.»the young man said with a chuckle.

Her eyes scrutinized the wisteria plant once again,her orbs darted everywhere,her brain was scheming,her barefoot tapping nervously on the stone floor«You know,if grab there…yes!»she exclaimed,finding the right place«Perhaps you can assist me and lift me up.»she stumbled forward,lifting her dress with one hand.

The boy behind her walked closer«One question though»his voice was serious this time«Do you not like dragons or snakes?Is his look all that really matters?»he asked,like he was talking about a personal topic.

Y/n managed to to lift herself up on the plant,but the laces of cloth immediately got stuck in between the leaves«I do not care what he looks like.»she answered sincerity«Now can you come here and lift me?.»she grunted out annoyed,freeing herself from the flowers grasp.

«You want me lift you over the garden wall so that you can escape?»he stated the obvious.

She nodded«That’s it what i said,so yes.»starting to get impatient.

«People will notice your missing,would they not?»he was trying to make her become reasonable,making her see the real situation.

Y/n held in a dry laugh,maybe her brother would’ve noticed the next day,Mirtha only a few hours later and her mother wouldn’t even notice the difference if the house was empty or if she was still there,not that she cared about her presence in the first place.

«I shall worry about that once i’ll be on the other side.»she murmured out,placing her fit down again,waiting to feel his hands on her waist to help her get out of there.«So,can you please help me?Come,make haste.»she ordered,moving her arms around to show him what to do.

He chuckled again,licking his lips and shaking his head«I have absolutely no intention of helping you.»he informed her politely.

Y/n felt offended,turning around immediately with a scoffed face and pout on her lips«I’m a lady in distress and you don’t want to help me in my home?»she asked,puffing her rosy cheeks.

The boy looked straight into her eyes,he smelled of smoke with a sweet contrast«I refuse to help a lady in distress when she is trying to get over a wall,so that she doesn’t have to marry me.»the little,simple smile on his beautiful face made her heart jump along the words that came out of his mouth.

That was him,prince Jacaerys Velaryon,heir to Iron Throne,the boy she was betrothed to was standing right in front of her and he wasn’t a dragon or a snake but far from them.

He had the kind of face that stopped her in her tracks.Y/n guessed he must get used to that,the sudden pause in a person's natural expression when they looked his way followed by overcompensating with a nonchalant gaze and a weak smile.Of course the blush that accompanied it was a dead give-away.It didn't help that he was so modest with it,it must made the girls fall for him all the more.But,what she didn’t knew was that,despite all the opportunity that came his way he was a one-woman-man who prized genuineness and thoughtful conversation above frilly dresses and pretty faces.He was handsome alright,but inside he was beautiful.

«I…I’m-»before she could form a proper sentence,her tongue tied on itself,not really knowing what she could say to escape that embarrassing situation,her brother came in saving the day.

«Y/n!»she heard him calling out her name,a moment latere she saw him walking fast,troughs the gardens,coming towards them.

Clement hair were messy,his breathe short and on his face a nervous expression that he masked perfectly with a confident one«My prince.»he greeted immediately,bowing politely.

«Lord Celtigar.»Jacaerys answered with the same courtesy,his gaze shifting quickly between the two siblings.

Her brother smiled,taking place next to her«Lord Celtigar is my father,you may call me Clement.»he informed the young prince«I see that you have already met my sister,Lady Y/n.»he said then,placing a hand on her back to reassure her.

«Indeed.»Jacaerys spoke,his eyes never leaving her face,taking in every inch,every detail of her beauty«Such a lovely creature,just like the songs tell.»he ascertained.

Y/n felt her cheeks heat up,her soft skin becoming warm as her heart started to beat furiously in her chest«Thank you for your compliments,my prince.»she remembered to answer when her brother had pinched her side«I find you quiete handsome too.»and it was the truth,he was really beautiful,so much that it made her want to punch him in that pretty face.

She had always had many suitors during the years,as soon as her white mattress was founded painted in red one morning,the burning pain churning her lower belly,she became a woman and for her father that meant only one thing:marrige.In the years,her brother and her Septa had hosted different meetings,lunches,parties to find for her the best options,the perfect suitable husband that would’ve brought to her and her family money and power.Needless to say,the young Lady had made everyone run out of the door in less that an hour.Creepy,old and with touching hands,she was capable to refuse any of those men,but Jacaerys felt already different,difficult to get rid of.

«Even though i’m a dragon and a snake?»he teased her,his smile showing the perfect pearl white teeth.

Y/n clenched her fists,only letting out a little laugh,while her brother looked at them confused«Where are your shoes?»Clement whispered then,noticing her bare feet.

«Oh.»she murmured to herself,she had almost forgot about the cold floor,warming up with just the prince presence.

Turning around and stumbling on the gown of the dress,she tried to kneel down to put them on when«Please,my Lady,allow me.»Jacaerys said.

Taking the golden shoes in his hands,his fingertips brushing against her skin,he kneel in front of her«What are you doing?»she breathed out,caught by surprised.

Looking up at her,with his warm brown eyes«Helping a lady in distress.»he simply explained«Can you lift this up for me?»he asked,pointing at her gown.

Calming herself,with a firm grip,she lifted the heavy cloth of the dress giving him free access to her ankles.Jacaerys hands were rough,but his movements were delicate,kind and soft,as he was afraid to hurt or broke her.His hands were also warm,the tender feeling passing through her socks as his fingers had put the shoes on for her,that made her want to take them off to feel his touch on her again.

«Thank you,my prince.»she thanked him,seeing rising up on his feet.

«My pleasure,Lady Y/n.»he nodded his head.

Clement cleared his throat,sensing the tension in the air«I think it’s best if we move in for lunch,then my sister can show you the gardens later.»he stated,guiding them back in the castle.

The lunch was a noon and it was to be consummated in the dining room,the long wooden table was in front the large window that overlooked the calm sea,very different from Y/n tumultuous head.

The room was decorated with the flowers of the garden,beautiful peonies,daisies,tulips adorning and scenting the place with such a delicate and creamy perfume.It really looked like the inside of a fairy tale,the table set up with the most delicious food and the wedding that everyone were praying for sitting on it.

Y/n was quiet,her eyes looking down on the plate in front of her,playing with her fork.She had a knot in her stomach that made her for her impossible to try to eat something.She had lied to herself,she did it many times before,but none of them weighted like this one.Indeed she did cared about Jacaerys looks,but also,in a certain of way she didn’t at the same time.

He was beautiful,yes,but he what made him different from the other horrible men that tried to court her,was the he was really interested in her.It didn’t bother him that she had a mind,a brain on her own,thoughts and dreams,in fact he wanted to hear about all of them.

«Your father told me that you like to paint.»the prince said,trying to start a polite conversation and wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

She kept her eyes down,a sarcastic smile on her face,of course her father would’ve told him every good aspect about her like he was selling a cow«Yes.»she answered dryly,taking a sip of her wine.

Jacaerys nodded«Maybe one day you can teach me.Your father also told me that you are very good at that.»he smiled sweetly.

She wasn’t used to someone,let alone a prince,to be this interested in her and her hobby.She couldn’t remember a time when someone asked her about her art,why she painted the small details the way she did,why she choose that particular color or subject to paint.

She had to stop him right there,she knew where he was going.It all roses and flowers in the begging,all beautiful and magical,but then came the fights,the screams,the children that no one cared for,the different bedrooms,words left unspoken and hearts to heals.She couldn’t risk it,to be miserable,an empty shell that vomited all the hatred rage of her mother on her new family.She had to save him,herself and what could’ve come out from their union.

«Since my father told you quiete a lot about me,my prince,you must know about Lissy.»she said to him,placing her elbows on the table with a smirk.

Lissy was the names of her imaginary friend,Y/n had made her up in her head when she was just a small child and drawn her on her bedroom wall the same night that her mother disappeared from her life.It wasn’t a coincidence that her imaginary friend looked exactly like her mother did,from the hair color,the shape of her eyes and the clothing,but she was entirely different.She was affectionate,sweet,loving,everything that she needed her mother to be.

Jacaerys raised a brown«Lissy?»he repeated confused,he was pretty sure that he didn’t heard that name never before.

Y/n nodded«Yes,she accompanies me everywhere i go.»she informed him.

The young Lady had put on that little theatrical play years ago,following the same script with the same exact words each time.To scare off the Lords the came from all across Westeros,she had pretended to be a demented girl with hallucinations and it worked every single time.

The prince hummed,not knowing her real intentions,it wasn’t a problem to bright with them on Dragon Stone another person if that meant having her hand«I understand,when can i met this Lissy then?»he asked her naively.

Y/n smile widened,it was time to put on her favorite part of the play«What do you mean “when”?»she acted surprised«She is sitting right there.»pointing at the empty chair next to him.

Jacaerys followed her gaze,his dark eyes positioning themselves on the invisible figure that his betrothed affirmed to be sitting beside him.Lord Bartimos had warned him,the same morning before he had announced his leaving to fly to the Claw Isle,that his daughter was indeed beautiful like people whispered about,but she was also one of a kind.

Her father didn’t used the term “weird” like the Rogue Prince had said,but “rare”.Jacaerys had heard stories,whispers about how she preferred to keep herself lock un in her tower,scaring away all her potential suitors.He wouldn’t let her do that,he had promised to his mother,to the Queen that he would’ve came back in two weeks with his wife-to-be and with the total control of the sea.

«She may look like a tender flower that you can trample upon,but she is a wildfire.Do not let her devour you whole.»he remembered Lord Bartimos wise words.

Jacaerys smiled,a smirk lit up his face.If she wanted to play he could do it too,turning to his side«It’s a pleasure to meet you,Lady Lissy.»he spoke politely,to the empty chair.

He had to contain in the small laugh that was tickling his lungs,when he saw the way Y/n face fell.A surprised expression that soon had transformed in an irritated one,made her eyes twitch«She doesn’t share your same happiness,my prince.She doesn’t like strangers.»the young Lady,spit out taking a bite of bread.

«Good thing that we are here to know each other.»he stated confidentially.

Y/n nodded forcefully,usually other men would’ve run through the door without looking back as soon as she mentioned her imaginary friend.But he didn’t,quite the contrary,he had followed her immediately in her nonsenses without blinking an eye.

«What did you say,my Lady?»Jacaerys cupped his ear,scooting closer to the empty chair,he wasn’t talking with Y/n«I have to agree with you.»he smiled like an idiot,if someone passed through the corridors outside the room they would’ve think that he was crazy.

«What did she said?»Y/n felt stupid,for the way she perched herself up,curiosity all over her face and because she was really interested of what he was agreeing with a person that came out from her mind.

The slight breeze from the window opening softly caressed her hair from where it lay framing her face«That you are so beautiful that my heart could burst.»his voice was so sincere,his words so fair that made her chest ache.

She was used to people telling her similar things,compliments about how radiant she was,there were two lights on the island and Y/n was the sun,so effortlessly herself,glowing even in the darkness.

Rolling her eyes,she huffed«That’s was so original,next thing you are going to tell me is that I’m different from the other ladies?»she sarcastically asked.

That didn’t seemed to put the young prince down«You sure are,my Lady.I’ve never met someone like you before.»he confessed.

«You are just like everyone else.»her face was stoic and her words cold and distant,but her eyes were begging him.

«Have you met other princes before?»he asked,he was really starting to get on her nerves.

Y/n forced a smile on her lips«No,but i guess that you are no different from all the men that came here,complimenting me for my beauty and expecting me to fall on their feet.»she stated,remembering all the afternoons that she had to spend in their presence.

«I didn’t mean to offend you or to make any assumptions,my Lady»he kindly said

«Then why are trying so hard to make me like you?Nothing would change the fact that we are going to be wed for political reasons,you don’t have to pretend.»she bursted out,her words hard as the look on her face.

She knew the rules,she saw them before her eyes for years,the agony and empty game of the arranged marrige.She knew that one day she would’ve bare children for him,princes and princesses,heirs were the only matter between the two of them.Y/n knew nothing about what being a Queen or being a mother meant,and surely she didn’t knew what being loved and love were.so why don’t keep everything as it was supposed to be?

«I know that you don’t want this,you’ve made it very clear.»the young prince started,placing his cup on the table«And please understand that i didn’t had any say in this.Our parents had spoke about marrige,but it’s doesn’t have to be only political.»he sounded so sincere,his voice was so warm that made her hands itch to touch his lips while he spoke to her so tenderly.

«Of course it have be,for people like us»she stated,busying her hands with the strings of her sleeves.

«Maybe.»he hummed«We often don’t have the fortune to spend the rest of our lives with the person that we chose,but it’s only because we refuse to try and make it work.»he explained,tracing his fingers on the golden cup mimicking her actions.

He remembered his parents,Queen Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor,two different people that didn’t wanted to be bound to each other,but that in the end made it work.Creating a beautiful and loving family,a safe place for them and their children,coming to care and protect each other.In his mind they could had it too,working for it together every day.

«Make it work?»Y/n repeated his words«Why?Because my family will give you the money and the fleet and yours will give me a crown?»she asked,raising a brow.

He smiled,but his eyes remained serious as his next words«Because if you give me your heart,i promise that i will take care of it.And if you will give some time,i will love you with everything that i am.In this life and in all those to came.I will be yours and you will be mine,in this moment and forever.»it made her feel things that she didn’t knew she could feel.

Was he really devoting himself to her,promising to love her and to find her afterlife?Could it really be possible for them to love each other so dearly?Her parents promised the same thing,before the Gods,the day of their wedding and they both failed.Love can vanish,all the empty words remain there with a sad solitude.

«You don’t even know me,my prince-»Y/n whispered out,shaking her head.

«Please,call me Jacaerys.»he told her with affection.

«Don’t make such promises,Jacaerys.»she stated,casting her eyes down,her chest was hurting.

«You are right,i do not know you and you do not know me.»Jacaerys said,agreeing with her for the first time«But in time we could and we could have a happy life and a long reign,together.»he continued,outstretching his arm on the table,his hand towards her waiting to feel her skin on his.

She looked at his empty palm,the rough texture of the skin for all the years of training and she wished that she could let herself go.But if it wasn’t true,her mother words still poisoning her head,she couldn’t survived it.

«If anyone could’ve persuaded me into marrige,it would’ve be you.»she said with a dry chuckle«But i can’t be the person you need me to be.»she told him,getting up from her seat and walking away.

Jacaerys hadn’t seen her in two days,after their conversation during lunch,the young Lady had closed herself in her room and didn’t came out till that afternoon.

He was afraid that he had,in some ways,offended her with his words but he meant all of them.His mother had raised him right,like a proper and educated prince,but most importantly like a kind and gentle soul.He knew that he couldn’t force on her and on himself love,that the beautiful feeling required time and both of them had to work on it first,but he was more than willing to commit and devote himself to her.For as much as he loved his mother and understood the situation,without Ser Harwin neither him or his two younger brothers would’ve be there,he didn’t wanted for his future wife to find what he could have to her in someone else and he certainly would’ve wanted it for himself either.

Lady Y/n was an interesting creature,she hides herself behind stolen glances and mean words.Not because she wanted to,but simply because that was what she had learned was the safest thing to do when she doesn’t feel safe.Few people realized the trust and faith that she must feel for her to show herself at all,so shy and fragile are her hopes and dreams,too many times has she be ignored and abandoned.When emotions start to enrolling in her mind and her fears starts to allow the darkness to consume her,the little girl hides away and the stoic,strong woman protects her with reality and logic.Fiercely she would protect that little heart and he wanted to help her with that,taking care of it as it was his own.

The sun was shining lovely,the green bushes of the gardens framed the idyllic scenario with beautiful,colorful flowers.But nothing couldn’t compare to what he had set his dark eyes on.

Y/n was sitting on the edge of the fountain located in the center of the garden.Her hands moved fast,schematically,like a natural thing on the white paper of what looked like to be a sketch book.Her long hair were tied up messily on her head,not perfectly styled like two days before,her body wrapped in a simple peach pastel dress that made her look so ethereal.

He liked her more like this,in her natural state and habits,without being forced to be another version of herself.

«Good evening,my Lady.»he greeted her with a kind smile.

«It was.»Y/n grumbled out,she didn’t lifted her face to look at him,but he saw the way her cheeks turned red and the way she rolled her eyes.

Jacaerys always liked his people a bit damaged.A bit rough around the edges.A bit difficult to stereotype.A bit stranger than a normal crowd.He liked people whose eyes tell stories and whose smiles have fought wars.If someone was perfect,there was a chance,that they weren’t going to get on.What he wanted to see was her purity,the way she was wearing her scars,he wanted to see how brave she was with her vulnerability,how emotionally naked she let the world see her.Her damage may not be beautiful,but it has made her exquisite.It made original,different from all the ladies he had met,and one of his kind of people because people like her are one of the most incredible things in the world.

He took a place next to her,sitting down in his dark vest but also keeping a distance to not frightening her«Oh,come on.You’re starting to make me feel unwelcome.»he teased her with a little laugh,to make her understand that he wasn’t mad at her for this.

Y/n hands were dirty with with colors,pencils and chalks were scattered around the stone floor along her shoes as she climbed the book to her chest«I’m also starting to think you’ll never get the hint.»her words were rude as always.

Jacaerys took a deep breathe,calming his nerves«Your brother told that next week you will be seventeen.»he started the conversation«Perhaps is there anything that you wish for?»he asked,taking a look of how small she seemed all curled up on herself.

«For you to leave.»she let out immediately.

He chuckled,shaking his head as he was expecting to hear a similar answer«I will,my Lady.But i’m afraid that you’ll have to come with me.»he stated with an apologetic expression that mirrored hers.

Y/n looked around,to the small plants,the dark fronds of the trees,the beautiful flowers.She always thought that in the garden she would’ve had died.The roses would’ve killed her,the bushes suffocated her.All her life she had draw boundaries,invisible walls between herself and other people.No matter what she was dealing with.She maintained a set distance.

«Is there something else that you want?»Jacaerys tried again.

«I don’t know.No one ever asked me what i wanted before.»she murmured quietly.

«I’m doing it right now.»he made her notice gently«So feel free to tell me wha you truly desire.»he continued.

She thought about it for a few moments. She wanted to live simply.She wanted to sit by the window when it rains and read books that she’ll never did before.She wanted to paint because she felt like it,not because she had something to prove.She wanted to listen to her body,fell asleep when the moon was high in the sky,wake up slowly with no place to rush off.She just wanted to live boundless and infinite.

«A dress.»she answered timidly,feeling almost stupid.

But Jacaerys didn’t laughed,he was taking her seriously«Any particular dress?»he was curious.

He wanted to know why and which dress had her like that,with a shy smile on her face and a light he never saw before in her eyes.

«When i was little i had this beautiful azure dress,the same color of the spring sky,with little birds embroidered on it.»she had a nostalgic tone in her voice«I wore it everyday till i grew out of it and my mother had to thrown it away.»the glow in her eyes flickered but it was still there as she explained.

Y/n got that dress when she was just a small child.When her mother was at her grandmother house,she was herself.She was free,or so it felt.Y/n thought that for once,she got to see her real self.She saw her as a daughter,as a strong woman,as a real mother,her mother.Y/n was so happy she wanted to have a piece of her mother with her.Her grandmother gave her the dress she sewed herself that was her mother's. She was so happy to have it.She took it and wore it with pride.She went running to her mother to show her how she looked just like her.Y/n looked at her and wanted her to see her as her old self,she thought that maybe then she would love her a little.But she still looked at her with emptiness and a ghost of a smile.Y/n ignored it and continued living in her dream. But her mother once said that life isn't a dream and it doesn’t go like we want it to.She realized then that everything was a delusion.

«I bet that you looked very pretty.»Jacaerys whispered.

«That’s what i want,but i don’t need you to buy it for me.»she ignored his compliments,again with her rudeness.

«Then i won’t.»he stated peacefully,not wanting to cause another fight«Thankfully,i came prepared.»he slipped a hand inside his pocket and took out a little velvety box.

Handing it to her,Y/n opened it with shaky fingers.A beautiful iron colored ring with a red ruby set in the mouth of a dragon«Valyrian steel won’t impress me.»but it did,even though in her home there were plenty of objects made with the same steel,none of them were this perfect.

«Is not to impress you.»Jacaerys immediately said«Is a symbol.»he placed his hand over hers,the one which were still holding the box.

Y/n was right,his hands were warm and held hers with delicacy to not hurt her«A symbol?»she sounded confused.

Jacaerys nodded,he was so close to her that he could smell her sweet scent and the fabric of his clothes never annoyed him more then in that moment,deprived him of her bare touch«My father gave it to my mother the same night they agreed to make their marriage work.»he said,how warm brown eyes were shining under the sunlight«I intend to do the same.With this ring i will give you my promise»he said,his gaze leaving a million words left unsaid.

«Jacaerys-»she started with lump in her throat.

«Don’t push me away.»he interrupted her,with a strained voice.

But she did it,closing the box with the ring still in it,she freed herself from his grasp and got up with trembly legs«Listen»she paused«I need you to understand that when i push you away,is because is the only thing that i know how to do anymore.»she sounded like she was about to cry.

He opened his mouth to say something,but she stopped him holding her palm up like a white flag«You need to understand that everyone else had left.So now i don’t believe people are going to stay.»

A week had passed,Y/n was now laying in her bed,the soft fabric of her pillow and the nightgown wrapping her body made her feel dizzy.

«Sweetheart,is the night of your Name Day.»Mirtha tender voice sounded like a lullaby in her ears«Shouldn’t you spend it with the prince?»she asked sweetly,sitting at the end of the bed and caressing her back.

Y/n shook her head«Everything is just fine like it is right now.»she lied.

Her Septa let out a sigh«And knowing you,that’s a bare minimum at best.So what’s wrong?»she asked again.

Him,Jacaerys was wrong.Y/n was very often full of rage and despair.She was always lonely.In spite of all that she was and in love with life,she made up stories and forgot about the cold and the dark.She knew these are ways of surviving, but maybe a refusal,any refusal,to be broken lets in enough light and air to keep believing in the world – the dream of escape.

She was living inside a tower.Trapped in,she locked herself up and lost the key.The darkness that creeps at night was her only company.No one ever tried to save her there,since they can’t hear her cries.She passed her days in solitude,watching the world move on outside.Jacaerys was different and she knew it by the way she would feel whenever he spoke to her,she felt warm and almost drunk.

She was drawn to him in way she didn’t understand.His eyes ran through her soul,chasing her,wanting to know what she was so scared of and protecting her from it.

«He wants me to love him.»Y/n answered with a quite whisper.«And even worst,he wants to love me.»her throat felt dry,saying that bitter words.

How can come someone make up all the love that she missed as a child?

Her Septa let out a surprised laugh«Is this what had been bothering you?»she said.

Y/n rolled on her back«Letting some love you is so cruel.It’s like giving them you heart,waiting for them to crash it under your eyes.»she explained.

Mirtha nodded«I understand.»she hummed.

«Do you?»Y/n sarcastically said.

«When i was young i had a nice pair of shoes.»she started,getting up from the bed«I was afraid to wreck them,so I kept them in a box.Do you know what happened?I outgrew them.I never wore them outside.Only in my room a few times.»she told her,with a soothing tone,like a mother who was helping her daughter with boys problems.

«A person's heart and feelings are very different than shoes.»Y/n made her notice.

«They're kind of the same thing.If you won't use your heart,who cares if it gets broken?If you just keep it to yourself,maybe it'll be like my shoes»Mirtha objected«When you do decide to try it,it won't be any good.You should take a chance.You are still young and got nothing to lose.»she tried to made her understand.

She was young,beautiful and alive,graced by the gods to have someone like him by her side.Someone who promised to treat her right,to cherish her and to love her.The tower wasn’t so tall and it wasn’t even real,only inside her head like the sick thought that she could be loved.

«You are only saying this to get rid of me.»she joked with a little smile.

«Who says that i’m not coming with you?»Mirtha sounded serious.

«Uh?»she muttered out confused.

«The young prince asked your brother to make me leave with the two of you.»Mirtha said.

So many tender and painful,sweet and bitter emotions,crowded her heart and plunged her mind«Where is him?»Y/n asked getting up from the bed.

«In his room.»Mirtha answered with a knowing smile.

The young Lady ran barefoot through the hallways,her chest was going to explode from the way her heart was beating so fast .She had told him,one evening how important her Septa was for her and how much it pained her to leave her behind.Once again Jacaerys had proved her his devotion to her and his will to make sure that she was happy.

Knocking at his door,her heart sank in her chest when she realized how much she wanted him,all the love he could give her,the peace,the calmness that she desperately needed for all her life was waiting for her behind that door.

Opening up,Jacaerys seemed surprised,with his messy brown hair and tired face,but a smile was present as soon as he saw his beautiful girl standing there fidgeting nervously with her hands.He found her adorable,to the point that he wanted to close his arms around her and never letting her go away from him.

«Good evening-»he tried to say with a sleepy voice but she interrupted him.

She didn’t knew how to call it,what was happening between them,but she liked it.It felt silly and fragile and good,all at the same time.She didn’t thought that was capable of being loved,but the way he was looking at her made her think otherwise.

«Where is my present?»she was so nervous that she was word vomiting all the wrong things.

«You said you didn’t wanted one.»he stated,surprised by her outburst.

Jacaerys had the power to make her lose control and to calm her at the same time«All girls wants a present on their Name Day,even when they say they don’t.»she said,trying to be polite but her first sentence it was too late.

He let her in,opening the door fully to let her enter in his room«On the bed.»he said then,tilting his head to the side.

On the soft mattress there was a rectangular box with a blue flake on it.The dress she had her heart attached to since she was a child,laid in there in all it beauty.

«Is it beautiful as the first one?»he asked with a hopeful tone.

She didn’t answered,words weren’t forming in her head and her mouth felt dry.She just nodded and turned around.It was really this?The feeling that the searched all her life?Jacaerys was the piece that she waited for so long.Her heart was beating so fast,it threatens to pop up from her chest in any moment.She rest her shaky fingers in his hands,his embrace warm and comforting,tears coming out her eyes the more he was holding her.Was that moment even real?

«Are you alright,my love?»he was caressing her hair so lovingly that made her bones hake with it,the name felt so strange but so familiar at the same time.

«I’m tough.»she remainded him,licking her dry lips and calming her shaky hands

He nodded«I know you are.»

«I can take care of myself.»she continued.

«You have.»he said«You still do.You always will.I’ve just joined in,too.Now we will take care of each other.»and it was a promise that he would’ve kept till his last day on this earth,till he would’ve found her in another life.

She wrapped her shaky hands around his waist,keeping him close,breathing in his scent«Stay.»she whispered in his ear.

That was his cue to kiss her.Wrapping his fingers around her hair,enclosing them around her neck.Hard.Just hard enough to feel her pulse,the quiet beating of her heart under his palm.

She won’t always be this vulnerable,this open to him.Right now all her trust was in his hands

This was his cue to pull her closer.

Placing a gentle thumb to her bottom lip,caressing the soft and rosy texture,he breathed close to her,hovering his lips to hers so agonizingly slow«I will.»he said«I will be yours and you will be mine.»then he cut the distance between them,pledging their blooming love with a hungry kiss.

[remidyal]

Bad Ideas of the Day Part 8 - The Ocho

Part 8 of the series of my occasional roundup of my bad ideas of the day from the D20 Fanfic Discord, as always the link back to the prior one is available here and as always anyone who wants to do something with these ideas is moreeeee than welcome to do so, though I'd love to hear about it!

This list contains spoilers for FHJY through current as of writing (episode 10) as many of the ideas on this edition involve events from this season; I've put it below the read more for that reason. Some of the ideas mark where spoilers are contained up through.

Bad Idea of the Day, Trust Issues Edition, FHJY spoilers through episode four: Fabian, wanting to cash out but not wanting to give Chungledown Bim 18 million gold pieces, tries to find a convincing nemesis who the bank will believe and who will use the money they get in a way that won't bother him, such as to further shitting in his mouth. He finds someone who both has a history that often leads to nemesis-dom and is willing to commit major financial crimes for money: His ex-girlfriend, Aelwyn Abernant. Now, they just need to stage a public enough fight to get her on the list before he cashes out…

Bad idea of the day, Total Party Kill edition: The bad kids and Aelwyn cut a little TOO loose during the fight at Ostentatia's, and instead of nobody getting THAT hurt during the timestop they actually collapse the house on top of all the hudol kids inside, landing all of them in a world of trouble BEFORE they can meet up with Biz…

Bad idea of the day, 'fake' dating edition: Kristen decides that she can maybe make her parents okay with her being a lesbian if she starts off with the worst possible partner for her parents and then backs down to just a normal girl like Tracker. So she asks her friendly local tiefling to come with her to a family dinner as her girlfriend…

Bad idea of the day, the beauty of nature edition: On a trip to the far haven woods to spy on the ratgrinders, Adaine is alarmed to discover that as she grows up the Oracle becomes imbibed with full disney princess powers, and it is very difficult to go about one's business sneakily when all the trees and wildlife are constantly singing to her as she goes

Bad Idea of the Day, spoilers through JY episode 5 edition: In the middle of a fight of gods at the mall, one man whose soul truly represents the very worst the mall has to offer appears, immune to the rage from the stars, wielding a comically large sword and looking like a reject from the Armour Zombie and Lich catalogue: One Cody Walsh.

Bad idea of the day part two, I can't believe I forgot about this detail from the Seven edition: The Ministry of Adventure, in a timeline where their shit isn't pushed in by the Seven, send one of their honeytrap agents to try to ensnare one of the brightest up and coming adventurers in all of Solace. Then, when that one fails, they send another, and another. How is eligible bachelor detective Riz Gukgak seeing through all of their schemes, they wonder?

Bad idea of the day, reclassification edition, JY spoilers through six: In a determination to make certain Kristen can stay in school even without a god, the Bad Kids look for another class to fit Kristen into. Can she try out for Rogue or Fighter or anything else without stabbing herself with her -3 dex?

Bad idea of the day, backup escape routes edition, spoilers through episode 5 of Junior Year: Instead of being bailed out by Connor Counterspell, the Bad Kids are forced to take a different exit from the Mall of the Synod of Spyre through the only obvious portal: The one into the strudel dimension in Oodles of Strudels. There, they find themselves in not just a strudel dimension, but in fact an entire plane of pastry, including a giant octopus-esque monster who is very angry with Adaine in particular as the strudel she has been chopping has been one of its tendrils. Can they survive long enough for Adaine to hit level 13 and get Plane Shift, or will they fall to the forces of the Pop-Tart King?

Bad idea of the day, impractical bard forms edition: Encouraged towards something that is 'respectable' and in which her 'lack of wizardly talent' won't be as much of an impediment, Adaine ends up a bard of visual arts. Specifically, oil paintings. Can she be a useful party member with a form of bardic work in which even a simple spell takes an hour, just because it's the sort of thing that's okay in Fallinel's high society?

Bad idea of the day, soulmates edition: Every pirate gets a birthmark that appears within the first few years of their life indicating the highest rank they'll ever hold on a crew. Bill Seacaster's heart is crushed when his darling boy Fabian's birthmark appears and indicates that he'll never be higher than a First Mate.

Bad idea of the day, courtesy of tumblr edition: Adaine, party wizard, has a sister with crazy drug dealing stories and a dad with crazy drug dealing stories and a need for cash. Who could have seen, when she started drug dealing at parties, that it would end in crazy stories and pain?

Bad idea of the day, Fantasy High edition, spoilers through episode 7 JY: The bad kids do, in fact, do drugs at the party, and there's a fight to the death with Grix during the assembly instead of happening later. Can they rally the other students to not be cowards for once?

Bad idea of the day, stop spreading the news edition: Pete and Maddy lead a strike force against the evil wizard who is running the New York Times and using it to spread all sorts of hate and propaganda, especially on a personal level to them the transphobia.

Bad idea of the day, Aguefort didn't know what he was doing REALLY edition: After the murder-suicide in the cafeteria, left with nobody but the corpses of three staff members and some other confused freshmen, Gorgug Thistlespring and Kristen Applebees are brought back from the dead… Shame their souls went into the wrong bodies, isn't it?

Bad idea of the day, wizard tomes editions: Less a plot idea and more just a general notion, we need more cursed items, and in particular here I'm thinking cursed spellbooks. Give Adaine a book that seers knowledge out of her brain, or reverses portent rolls to be the opposite of what she thinks she's doing, maybe (Though actually on that latter note - it would be EXTREMELY on the nose, should Adaine ever become a follower of Cassandra, if her portents stopped working as she became only able to see the worst that was to come but not prevent it.)

Bad idea of the day, keep your friends close and your frenemies closer edition: In the time in between The Unsleeping City 1 and 2, an insurance investigator comes knocking about a very suspicious house fire. Sofia thinks she'll be fine… until she realizes that the investigator is also going to ask Ricky, as the heroic firefighter who first responded to the scene. Can she train Ricky into convincingly lying, or will she be visiting that famous New York prison of Riker's Island?

Bad idea of the day, class swap secret santa edition: Following a decree from Arthur Aguefort that students are too reluctant to try new things and they should dabble more, every student at the Adventuring Academy is required to try out a class they have not previously attended for two weeks that the rest of their party secretly votes on without consulting each other. What will each Bad Kid be stuck doing, and can everyone else figure out a class they're certain Fig has never snuck into?

Bad idea of the day, stunning strike edition: Realizing that they're being exploited by a system that risks their lives and pays them only with grades, not money, for saving the world, the students of Aguefort go on strike. Can they remain united in the face of the Ministry of Adventure and their union-busting assassination squads?

Bad idea of the day, dirty laundry edition, spoilers through jy 10: Taking Adaine's offer to come over and do her laundry while under the invisibility spell so she can avoid people other than Adaine caring for her, Aelwyn unfortunately triggers an investigation from Fig, Kristen, and Sandra Lynn into why their washing machine is suddenly haunted and running on its own. Can she remain unnoticed without causing a problem, or will Kristen banishing her clothing to the Elemental Plane of Detergent?

Bad idea of the day, with grating power comes grating responsibility edition: Adaine never manages to become much of a wizard, but instead manages to tap into something even more core to her personality than the anxiety: Being a petty insulting brat, and finding herself a Lore Bard on the strength of study + cutting words combined. How does her family handle it when the bickering at the table becomes much more deadly?

[mancer-in-the-abbey]

Been putting a bunch of smaller headcanons in a larger post that maybe one day will see the light of day. In the meantime uhh Ghouls as D&D classes GO

Dewdrop: That’s a rogue right there. Although there is a real argument to be made for fighter, I’m going with rogue. He’s got that kind of sass, you know? He’s also INCREDIBLY good at the things he’s proficient in (expertise anyone?) and has a massive chip on his shoulder. I’ve yet to meet a rogue that doesn’t have a chip on their shoulder.

Rain: Hard choice, but ima go with warlock. You think I’m joking, “ooh band about Satan has a warlock, who would have guessed,” but I think it would fit HELLA well with his whole deal. Despite stumbling in the beginning, dude has very good stage presence, although in a bit understated in comparison to the other highly charismatic ghouls, just like how Charisma being a Warlock’s main ability takes on a different form in comparison to other charisma casters. Also… Pact of the Fathomless? Tentacles? Writes itself, really.

Phantom/Aeon: It took some figuring out but I think Sorcerer fits best. Think about it, despite being shaky in his stage dynamic with the rest of the ghouls when he first started, he had such big stage presence right out of the gate with all his cool guitar tricks! That to me reads as someone who has such innate charisma that he’s able to keep up even when out of his depth. That to me reads like someone whose magic has always been a part of them and whose abilities stem from their willingness to fake it till you make it. He for SURE is a Sorcerer.

Aether: Oh come on. Anyone who knows about d&d knows Aether would be a cleric. That’s not even fair at that point. Twilight Cleric too, purely for the vibes of it. The whole point of rhythm guitar is to be the backbone on which the lead guitar’s melody can shine and the bass’s riff can keep pace! Support is what the cleric is all about! Also healing. Just. Cleric. Next question.

Cirrus: Fighter! Fighter! Fighter! Fuck yeah she’s a fighter, and she is having SO much fun! She is a woman that can kick your ass, make it look easy, and make you thank her for it. Her and Lus’s keys are such a key part of what keeps things running smoothly and you ALWAYS need at least one martial class person in your party if you want to make it. You just know she’s the one people go to to open the stuck lids when Aether isn’t around. You love to see it.

Cumulus: Tough call, but something in me says Paladin? She is SUCH a strong presence in the backing vocals, something non-charisma feels like a disservice. Not a bard though, she doesn’t actually show off that much on stage. And yeah, outside of the actual stage performances, she strikes me as the kind of person to have a strong moral code that she adheres to. She could definitely get herself a Paladin Oath through sheer force of will if she wanted.

Aurora: Okay this one was INCREDIBLY hard cause I don’t actually know that much about her. With that in mind, based purely on vibes? I honestly am feeling Wizard. She seems to exude a lot of excitement and eagerness which, to me, translates really well into curiosity. She is so incredibly interested in everything the surface world has to offer and that includes how magic functions differently from how it does in the Pit. It might take her some tries, but once she gets the basics she would be a MENACE of a spell caster. Maybe Bladesinger so she can learn cool spells and swing a sword at people simultaneously?

Sunshine: This might be a bit of a weird call but to me, Sunshine is a monk. Like, in shows she’ll sometimes be super high energy and sometimes go full unflappable, intimidating ghoul. It’s like step of the wind vs patient defense to me. Also, I think just very generally she has some great speed if you let her. That woman has a “can’t stop won’t stop” attitude, and isn’t that just the monk in a nutshell?

Swiss: Bard. I don’t even think I need to explain it but I’m gonna anyways. I mean, the multiple instrument proficiencies, being one of the main back-up singers, fuck man, that dude RULES his tiny stage of shame with an iron fist and every time he’s let off of it all hell breaks loose. Also, the Jack of All Trades feature is very in-line with how we as a fandom interpret his abilities as a multi-ghoul. He is literally good at everything! Bards are just like that! HE is just like that!

Mountain: Could you imagine if I just picked something like Barbarian? Could you imagine if I said Mountain “Forest Cryptid” Ghoul was a Ranger? Druid. Full stop.

[imagoddamnonionmason]

Be kind to yourself creatively

This post is mainly about original characters

So I wrote this sentiment in a collection of tags on a different post, but I wanted to actually write it all down in my own post.

This is the post that triggered my ramble.

On that post I put in my tags something along the lines of sharing your ocs with others helps you grow them because someone might highlight something you hadn't thought about before, which then leads to character growth. I think it then also spiralled me into saying something about making comparisons, and that when I was younger I would often find myself comparing whatever original works/characters/art I had created to other people's and that it stunted my confidence and therefore my creativity.

I suppose the reason I'm rambling about this is because I have been creating original characters for, gosh, years now and I have had a lot of time to make mistakes and I hope that I can offer advice to people who might be starting out or are just feeling a little low about their work!

So, here goes, with the full capacity of my lungs:

BE KIND TO YOURSELF CREATIVELY.

Or you'll catch a rogue Goose coming for your knees-

Seriously, be kind, because everyone has to start out somewhere and I will put money on it that no one starts out with a perfectly developed original character or works.

You're allowed to take baby steps.

You're allowed to be rough around the edges.

Never compare whatever you create to anyone else because we are all walking a different path. You may compare your newly born original character to one that has been worked on for years and therefore the comparison is unfair!

Even then, even if you compared two equally fleshed out characters to each other, the comparisons would still be unfair; you know why? Because they are individuals. No one character is the same and creativity is SUBJECTIVE.

So please, whether you've been making original characters for a long time or have only just started, remember this:

Be kind to yourself

Walk your creative path at your own pace <3

Goose

[gerryrigged]

mmkay I've read the first two issues out of G0tham War and

(CUT FOR BIG SALT, lol)

this is so dumbbbbb oh my god 😭 like we knew it was gonna be dumb, artificial conflict, but LORDT.

everyone is OOC, even more than I expected, and the stupid, ridiculous plot hinges on the stupid, ridiculous idea that Selina's dumbass plan would ever, ever work. (Let's train ALL the henchpeople/goons (yes all of them) to be ethical 😌 non-violent catburglars 😌 like Selina 😌 who donate part of their profits to charity 😌 and only target rich people so they're really #hashtagvictimlesscrimes and then they don't have to work for dangerous Rogues and mobsters, yay, they're bettering their lives!!) (this is ~Sophisticated Social Commentary~!)

And it especially depends on her plan working astronomically better than the hundreds of millions of dollars Bruce has poured into similar outreach for the city over literal decades through the Wayne Foundation and other programs, creating and offering people jobs, support networks, etc. that aren't criminal in nature.

but oh, no one is going to bring that up (has the Martha Wayne Foundation ever even existed? haha, none of these Wayne kids know, apparently! they're just going to sit and twiddle their thumbs while Selina yells at Bruce that he's just "...clearly furious because [he's] wasted [his] fortune and [his] brain on bat-cars and punching people, and it took compassion to solve this problem").

Anyway, Bruce's efforts never meaningfully improved Gotham (cough because Batman stories can't be told without a crime-ridden Gotham cough), while Selina's (gasp) actually have! Somehow!

because the Power of Plot demands it, her cartoonish plan apparently works SO well that violent crime is down almost 75%!! wowiee, Catwoman is actually fixing Gotham, which no one has ever been able to do before!! who needs Batman, haha! that's such egg on your face, Batman, how come you never thought of doing something like this before, haha. Just convince the criminals to be non-violent, Batman, haha, what like it's hard. Ha.

So anyway, gosh, the Batkids (minus Damian, who's siding with Bruce, and Jason, who, harkening back to his "control crime" roots, 100% supports Selina) are conflicted. It feels ~weird~ just blithely letting burglars walk right past them into people's homes, but the ~numbers don't lie~, Batman, it's ~working~, maybe we shouldn't interfere and just see where this goes, like Selina asked! Aren't you being a little unreasonable walking out of this both-sides-might-have-a-point debate, Batman?? Also, ohhh nooo, you shouldn't push back so hard against her people because we don't want to start a ~war~, Batman!

I'M GONNA FACEPLANT INTO MY KEYBOARD IT'S SO ABSURD. How can you write anyone in-character when you're stuck twisting them in knots to accommodate such an absurd premise?

And then, when one of Selina's "graduates" is shot and killed during a break-in by a scared woman who'd unexpectedly stayed home when she was supposed to be out of town, the Batkids (minus Damian) act like it's somehow unexpected/out of control for Batman to bring down the hammer on Selina's operation? Like a man didn't just die because of the path Selina set him on? Like a massive surge in crime targeting the rich isn't going to eventually have more such incidents and ramifications down the line, as backlash and escalations hit? Like rich people are not known for vigorously defending their property?? What is your long-term plan here, Selina??

Batman isn't even shown being excessively violent in rounding up Selina's people (for Batman, lol) - just relentless. But Tim shows up and tries to talk him down as if he's putting petty crooks in the hospital again like after Jason's death (he just lasso'd that crook's legs and growled at him?? what is so over the top about that, in vigilante context?? this is completely normal Bat behavior??), making noises about Bruce's health and taking it easy, and oooo, nothing's black and white...

And Dick goes, "He's on a rampage, he's out of control" (WHERE? LITERALLY WHERE? are you perhaps referring to the murderous police-state robot he built and accidentally unleashed on Gotham a few arcs ago (which was ACTUALLY bad and over the top), because there is nothing in this event so far???). And Tim worries about how Batman was so angry, he's worried about what he's going to do, how far he's willing to go, and Babs is like if Selina asks for help, I'd be inclined to give it.

Like if they'd actually showed Bruce escalating and going out of control, losing it on these non-violent thieves, I wouldn't be so enormously peeved about this aspect of it. Granted, I'd still be hella mad about people like Cass and Dick and Tim thinking about supporting Catwoman's (IDIOTIC) plan, especially after a man just died, but they've all seen Bruce go off the rails before, they're very familiar with having to oppose him on those occasions.

But the way this is set up??? No. Just no. Bruce is pissed about the one thief dying, he's not trying to kill the rest of them??

It doesn't make sense, and they all come across as painfully out of character. Standing aside and letting certain crimes happen as a matter of standing policy, because they're Catwoman's people - like you can count on nobody getting hurt because Selina just trained them so well - are you kidding me, what happened to these kids' principles?? Writers and Editorial I am IN YOUR WALLS, STOP CONTORTING CHARACTERS JUST TO FIT THE DUMBASS STORY YOU WANT TO TELL.

Dick: I'm gonna head into Gotham and see if I can talk Bruce off his "moral ledge."

QUOTE UNQUOTE MORAL LEDGE??? DICK GRAYSON of all people referring to Bruce's adherence to his Mission and his Code with sanctimonious, condescending scare quotes???? Like he doesn't also believe in "no life is an acceptable loss" to a reckless, at times self-destructive degree??? Huh????

And this absolutely DUMBASS fight scene where all of the Batkids (minus Damian) fight against Bruce, but the all-powerful Bat-god doesn't need strategy or contingency plans to handle the most dangerous and highly trained vigilantes on the planet, he just goes ahead and one-shots Cass (lmfao????) and Duke and then Steph and Tim at the same time and only Dick and Jason even land blows on him for ~some reason~.

UUUUGH.

Funnily enough, outside that stupid-ass fight scene, Bruce is one of the ones who seems least out of character, considering everything he's been through recently, his paranoia about becoming old and unnecessary and only feeling at home in his Batman suit (we've certainly seen that before 🙄), his Code, and not to mention Zur-En-Arrh (and also a shadowy something else?) lurking in his psyche whispering to him, clearly not actually constrained by the cage Bruce thought he was locked in.

I'm 100% blaming instability and Zur for the bits where Bruce is more obviously wilding (mainly when fighting Jason), but like - at least he has reasons built into the narrative to be slipping like that? Everyone else is just acting that way because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, I guess.

This would all be much more enjoyable if they'd found a way to make Selina's side less ridiculous/more convincing. Like I would actually be interested in seeing Zur-En-Arrh twist Bruce's mind against his family. It was fun for that brief period in the Failsafe arc because we got to see Bruce fight against and eventually overcome it! But I can't even enjoy it here when the whole thing is so frikkin' stupid and being written terribly.

Like clearly Bruce is going to go way, way more off the rails fairly quickly from here, given how Zur is straight up fucking with him at the end (and Vandal Savage??? okay Jan). So siding against him will rapidly become more obviously reasonable, I assume. I just hope the (small) bits where like, Tim expressed worry about Bruce's wellbeing are expanded on, and shared by other characters (Dick??? Cass???), so they can help him with this mental breakdown rather than it being constantly hostile/adversarial.

...Admittedly a bit intrigued by the big Rogue Gathering, teaming up as they don't have minions to do their bidding anymore. Like, fun, evil backlash resulting from Selina's (STUPID) plan? Good! And also a compelling reason for the good guys to eventually band back together and heal this rift? Well, hopefully. :/

[phoenixkaptain]

If you're taking prompts, could you write something about Tim being the most spiteful, feral teenager ever and the rest of his family wondering why the hell everyone presumes he's the sweet, well behaved one?

This isn’t precisely what you requested, but I did have an idea of something similar a little while ago! Only, it’s Tim being terrifying and everyone in his family realizing it, but Tim not understanding what they’re talking about.

I never finished it entirely, but I’ll share the opener, since I think it has the vibe:

Tim felt like he was perpetually exhausted. He’d felt this way since he was three-years-old and trying to work out the confusing mess of emotions that came with watching two people die the first time he went to the circus. His parents offered no support. In fact, they seemed to believe he would just get over it on his own.

Really, and people wondered why he became Robin. As though he was normal. Ugh.

The exhaustion had only gotten worse over the years. With every problem he solved, more anxieties crept into his mind, poisoning his thoughts. He couldn’t sleep unless he passed out. He could barely breathe when he saw any of his so-called “siblings.” Ra’s Al Ghul was still sending him thinly veiled threats, or maybe they were abnormal declarations of affection? Bruce seemed to think so.

Anyway, Tim was tired. There were times when he wasn’t, of course. There were times when he fought alongside Kon and Bart and Cassie, just like old times, and they all devolved into acting like fifteen-year-olds. Fighting criminals still gave him a sense of living, something he intellectually knew was adrenaline but also didn’t care. There was the thrill of a case solved, a plan gone correctly, his teammates working in harmony with him.

He probably should’ve been worried about it all. The only times he felt alive were when he was in mortal danger, after all. But, he’d come to accept that he might’ve lost a few screws when he let Ra’s Al Ghul kick him out of a building without full-proof backup. Even before then, really. He kinda tuned into it when he realized that he was trying to pull a mad scientist and clone his best friend.

Tim was very aware of himself. He could be suave and charming, but he was mostly a perpetually slouching young man with his hair grown out and his clothes mostly being stolen from his friends. He could keep up his poker face all the way to his death. He could lie to Batman. He faced death every evening and ran towards it.

He still remembered when Kon muttered that he was creepy. Tim still maintained that Kon shouldn’t have gotten distracted to the point that he didn’t notice Tim’s presence until Tim was right in front of him. Kon retorted that he had been eating cereal at the Kents’ farmhouse and that Tim shouldn’t have dramatically appeared from a shadowy corner. Tim told him that if they didn’t want people to dramatically emerge from a shadowy corner, they shouldn’t have any shadowy corners to begin with. Kon asked if Tim thought the Kents could afford lamps to put in all the corners of their house. Bart told them to stop arguing because even he wasn’t capable of following their leaps of logic.

Tim didn’t believe he was scary. Not like Batman or Nightwing (Nightwing was occasionally scary… when Dick felt like being so). Definitely not on Red Hood’s level, because Tim would have to be a criminal to be on Red Hood’s level. He was criminally disadvantaged when it came to comparing himself to Robin because Robin carried around swords. Oracle was a force of pure evil when angered. Black Bat was just scary in general.

Honestly, compared to anyone else in Gotham, Tim believed he was the one rogues worried about the least. He hardly ever went out, honestly, so they probably all forgot about him.

(There were some rumours, spread amongst the criminal underground, that there was a Gotham vigilante who was never caught on camera. Who was impossible to see coming and even more difficult to keep track of. Rumours said this vigilante wasn’t human, was metahuman or worse. They said the vigilante must’ve fallen in battle, because the vigilante suddenly reappeared like a demon, attacking ruthlessly and yet… Still no images of him. The rumours said he was a ghost, a vampire, or maybe even a demon.

Tim figured they were just being dramatic and told Dick to stop telling him about weird things that didn’t relate to anything. He’d asked if Dick knew why Hood kept laughing at him every time Tim saw him recently, not if Dick knew any fairy tales among criminals. Dick had stared at him blankly for a long time, then turned on his heel and left. Tim wondered if it was a bonding tactic. He wondered why Dick thought he needed to use bonding tactics on him. Tim was pretty sure any extra bonding was just overdoing it.)

Tim didn’t think much of himself in general, but in comparison to the other vigilantes in Gotham? There was no way he held even a candle to them.

Or, at least, he assumed.

[mara-xx217]

A Brief Overview of Fear & Hunger

I made an earlier post about it here but I wanted to put it out in a long form just in case it would be easier to view.

I'll touch on the game's over all aspects and what it's about in this post.

If anyone is interested in hearing more about this game (or its sequel) feel free to let me know and I can go into greater depth!

FEAR & HUNGER

I love this game enough that I wanted to talk about it and show it off. As much as I do love it, I know full well that this is definitely not a game for most people. It’s unkind and unforgiving to beginners- even to veteran players- and it has a LOT of themes that center around things of a SENSITIVE and UNCOMFORTABLE nature. The content warnings in the opening screen isn’t simply for show and should be taken very seriously. With this in mind, I’ll be giving a basic look into the game so people that are curious about it, wanting to play it, or uncertain that it’s something they would be interested in will get a better feel for the game. That being said, as someone that has sunk a good amount of time into this game, I’ll say this:

It’s the meanest goddamn game I’ve ever played and I absolutely love the pain.

Warnings

There’s plain warnings for *extreme* violence, gore, sexual violence and drug use. They AREN’T kidding! I write horror erotica for a living. I’ve written some crazy shit in my time, and even I was left taken aback and surprised/shocked at some of the things that happened in the game. It doesn’t sugar coat anything and there’s definitely no room for weakness in the dungeon of Fear & Hunger, so take these warnings to heart. If you need some brief examples so you don’t waste your time:

First enemy in the game has a stinger dick and yes- he WILL use it for its intended purpose. 

Human sacrifice is okay!

Cannibalism is okay!

Blood orgies are a thing and it’s probably exactly what you’re expecting.

Child abuse! 

Pocket Cat (ew)

And one of my favorites (/s)- genital mutilation!

All of these are (pretty much) graphically displayed and not censored, so if anything of this is a major hard ew fuck NO for you, it’s definitely not a game for you. Which is fine, cause damn this game is fucking mean, as I stated before. But if you are still interested (or curious) then we’ll get into the very basics of what the game is, the playable characters, and the general feel for what an average (not Hardmode) run would look like. 

Playable Characters 

There are a total of four playable characters in the game, all of which act as a sort of separate “class” system, if you will. They all have their own abilities but every single teachable skill can be learned by any of the characters… IF the correct requirements are met. There’s lots of small, specific details when dealing with creating the character you want to play as (both as you start the game in the “backgrounds” section and in the game, itself, as you progress) but I just want to give a feel for exactly what they have to offer instead of the little things that will complicate things unnecessarily. For the moment, we’ll just see what (or who) we can play as in Fear & Hunger. 

Mercenary (Cahara) 

First of the four listed. He is the “rogue/thief” class, if you will. I highly recommend him for beginning players, as his perks are some of the most useful early on that remain relevant throughout the entire game. He can use any weapon type or any armour kind.

The Mercenary’s perks are as follows: Lockpick, Steal, Escape Plan, En Garde and Dash.

Lockpick: Exactly what it advertises- you can pick *MOST locks in the game (if it requires a Small Key, it can be picked, however some doors are “locked from the other side” and thus cannot be picked.)

Steal: Again, you get what you see. This is a skill you use in combat, which can award you with some pretty decent loot at the cost of a precious turn. 

Escape Plan: Pretty much as it states, it gives you a far greater chance of successfully running from/escaping a battle. Extremely useful, as you will be doing this… A LOT, regardless of how well equipped you are throughout the entire game. 

En Garde: Hold the skill button (SHIFT on keyboard) before an encounter gives you an extra move in battle. An excellent skill, as the only other way to get such an opportunity is through item/accessory/in battle skill usage. 

Dash: A special one, as this is something ALL characters are capable of starting with, as long as you choose the right options when creating a backstory for your character. Another perk I recommend for ANY player, regardless of their familiarity with the game. It’s something I, personally, cannot play with because you outrun most enemies with this bad boy in your arsenal. 

Decent starting equipment: a scimitar that does slash damage (great for early enemies) and a leather vest with okay defense.

Knight (D’arce Cataliss) 

Second of the four listed. She is the “warrior/knight” class, if you can believe it. She’s definitely a lot harder than the Mercenary in terms of not having a lot of perks to access different areas/items, but she makes up for this in her starting kit. She can equip any armour and wield any weapon.

The Knight’s perks are: Fast Attack, Defense Stance, Leg Sweep, Counter and Dash. Important to note: the ONLY perks you can choose for the Knight in the beginning are Fast Attack, Defense Stance or Dash. Leg Sweep and/or Counter can only be learned through special means in game, which I’ll explain when I go into depth about the Knight.

Fast Attack: Skill used in battle. Make enemy attacks more likely to miss and you gain an extra turn. Very good and likely a skill that would get you out of a bind if you have no choice but to fight.

Defense Stance: Skill used in battle. Prevents critical damage and greatly reduces the melee hit rate of enemies. It uses a valuable turn but the boons you receive will likely outweigh the risks of missing a damaging turn. 

Leg Sweep: There is a surprising use for this skill that you probably wouldn’t expect. (I sure didn’t.) It’s a skill used in battle that targets the legs that does damage. Obvious, right? Well… if you initiate a “fight” with a wooden door (just hear me out) it will break down the door. I don’t know what else to say other than it’s super useful but could be inconvenient to come by.

Counter: This is an unusual one. It’s a skill used in battle that causes your character to “brace for oncoming damage”, or guard (the in game option of a similar functionality), only with this skill, if any damage is inflicted on the character, a portion is directed back to the enemy. Definitely has its uses, though highly situational and likely something you would use if D’arce was a party member rather than the player character.

Something that makes the Knight highly attractive is her potential starting gear. She can start with either: Iron Spear (two handed), Iron Cuirass (very good defense), and Arm Guards (protects against limb loss), or Long Sword (good attack), Eagle Crest Shield (good defense), Plate Mail (excellent defense) and Leg Guards (protects against limb loss), all of which are EXCELLENT throughout the entirety of the game!

Dark Priest (Enki Ankarian) 

Third of the four listed. He’s the “mage/dark mage” class and pretty much a glass canon (a character with low health but has the potential for high damage output). Pretty tricky for first time players, as you need a pretty decent understanding of how magic works in the game as well as how to LEARN new spells.

The Dark Priest’s perks are: Counter Magic, Greater Blood Magic, Blood Sacrifice Pray, Necromancy, Mastery Over Insects, Pyromancy Trick, and Dash. 

It’s important to remember that perks are determined by the character’s backstory, though all can be learned later. The Dark Priest is especially tricky, as all of his skills rely on the Gods, which I will get into at a later time. 

Counter Magic: A skill that can be used both inside and out of combat. It improves resistances to different magic forms or even cancels some types out completely.

Greater Blood Magic: Increases the potential of all spells. It requires a greater in depth look, but think of every spell you learn getting an upgrade.

Blood Sacrifice: Remember when I said human sacrifice is okay? Yeah, there 

you go. Kill some unwitting bastard in a special place for a pat on the back by a specific God. 

Pray: This is something ALL characters can do immediately in game. It is done in specific places and increases affinity with a chosen God. 

Necromancy: Used to raise the dead. But only specific kinds of dead things. Cross your fingers and pray to Gro-Goroth. 

Mastery Over Insects: A passive ability that has a surprising amount of uses. You can talk to bugs. Yay! They give you hints and you can talk your way out of a few different scenarios…

Pyromancy Trick: Used in combat. Set someone on fire. Do it. You know you want to. 

Dark Priest has a lot of great potential, but he is weak physically. He has a low health pool and is unable to wield heavy armours or weapons. Again makes up for this with his magic abilities right at the beginning, but he’s tricky to plan out. Not great for beginners. 

Outlander (Ragnvaldr) 

Fourth of the four playable characters. He’s a sort of “ranger/tank” class. The Outlander has an interesting set of perks and possible starting equipment, making him close to the Knight in his usefulness. 

His perks are: Devour, Bloodlust, Marksmanship, and Warcry. 

Devour: Pretty much what you think. You can eat dead enemies. Well… some of them. Sometimes it’s not always a good idea…

Bloodlust: Used in combat. Your attack is increased but you no longer control when or how you attack. More useful if you have party members. 

Marksmanship: Passive that gives you the ability to shoot targets OUTSIDE of combat! Extremely useful, as it can save you a lot of heartache and stress if you’re unable to sneak around an enemy. Requires bow and arrows (duh). Activate on overworld with SHIFT.

Warcry: Used in combat. It directs all enemy attention onto you, giving your other party members a break and a chance to deal good damage. Dangerous to have all that attention on one character but has great use if your build supports this skill.

For his Marksmanship perk alone, the Outlander could be a good choice for a beginner. Some of his other perks require some set up and likely other party members, but it’s likely you would find at least one or two along the way in your trek through the dungeon of Fear & Hunger. 

It’s difficult to say which of the four would be the BEST for someone ill acquainted with the game, but my personal choice is the Mercenary. His perks are some of the best in the entire game and can make the experience much less painless given your expanded ability to access different items and areas. The Knight and Outlander are tied, depending on what kind of play style you prefer. The Dark Priest, though, is the hardest one to play for, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s mostly up to personal preference, though, as either way you’re probably gonna get fucked in the ass. (Metaphorically and literally speaking.)

Basic Hazards/Mechanics

There’s a lot of different moving parts in this game, but here’s a few basic ones you’ll be contending with throughout the entirety of the game:

Sanity

You’ll be immediately notified of this upon first entering the dungeon. Steadily over time, the player character and all party members will have their Mind drain when either in the dark or seeing things that are upsetting to them. Mind is what is used when either practicing magic or using character perks. There are different stages of fear, usually announced with some flavour text at the bottom of the screen describing what your character is feeling at the moment. The higher their fear, the less their attack rating will be and the more damage they will receive. It will also be clear on the Status Screen when the menu is brought up. If it gets low enough, it’s Game Over. The best way to restore it is through the use of Spirits, though you can also use a Pipe to smoke various… things. You can also restore it through less than conventional means, but a girl will never kiss and tell. And if your Sanity gets low enough… you can access a special “skill”, which could come in handy in some very, very special circumstances…

Hunger

This is the second thing you will be notified of when entering the dungeon for the first time. Like Sanity, it drains over time. Hunger has different stages, announced with some flavour text at the bottom of the screen, and will affect a character’s base health until treated. At the highest levels of Hunger, a character will be unable to walk and thus can only crawl. Feeding them will rectify this but the effects will linger for several minutes. When Hunger reaches zero, it’s Game Over. There are a variety of food things in game that can solve this status and even a perk dedicated to providing you with an easy food source… if you have the stomach for it. 

Enemies

There are a lot of enemies in the game. A lot… All of them can and WILL kill you in a manner of terrible ways, so be wary when thinking of initiating combat. Running away is always an option… though not always do you succeed. Most enemies don’t have to be engaged at all to make progress, so keep this in mind as you go deeper into the dungeon. A lot of the enemies are of an… upsetting nature as well, so be aware of that. You will see dick, tiddies and vagine, so yeah-

Traps

They are everywhere and nowhere where you expect to see them. You can:

Fall through the floor

Step on a pressure plate (and take an arrow to the knee)

Get sniped from a distance

And one of my favorites (/sss) stepping on a fucking rusty NAIL-

Watch where you are going for the sake of your tootsies. You can get some nasty status effects that will kill you if you don’t deal with them over a certain amount of time.

Status Effects

There are many status effects in this game, many that are situational and rare and some that are fairly common. A few that you will encounter often are: 

Bleed: Some weapons/attacks leave it behind. Can be healed with a Cloth Fragment.

Infection: A game ending effect that is all too common. Caused by certain enemy attacks or by the dreaded rusty nail. Can be healed by using a Green Herb.

Parasitic Worms: Yeah, that’s disgusting. Can be caused by some enemies or by eating Rotten Meat. Cured by drinking Worm Juice. (Sounds absolutely terrible but it is a cure not a cause.)

Poison: Some enemies can cause it or can be contracted by eating something you had no business putting into your mouth. Cured by using a White Vial or a Mix of Green and Red Herbs.

And this is only a few of the common ones. There are many more and some that are… just awful if I’m honest. They will be discussed more later.

What are you even doing in the dungeon of Fear & Hunger?

Every character has different reasons as to why they began their journey to the greatest shithole of Rondon, but they are all united under one, singular, unifying factor: Le’garde. He’s at the center of each character’s goal and it’s clear he’s meant for a greater purpose. What that purpose is, however, would be revealed as you uncover the secrets of Fear & Hunger. 

There are several different endings to the game, from one you can get right at the start of the game to ones that require a lot of planning and specific in game sequences to ones only accessible through specific difficulty modes. Most don’t end as you would expect them too and pretty much all of them end in some amount of tragedy or long standing dread. There aren’t many happy endings to be had here…

Depending on your knowledge of the game, it can take you hours to figure out what you’re doing or where you're going… Or it can take minutes if you are in the know. It also depends on if you are in the RNG (random number generator) gods’ good graces that day or not, because a BIG part of this game is… a coin toss! We’ll get into that more later, but know that one bad roll can doom your run, which is… fun. (/s) 

I recommend going into this game completely blind and see what you can figure out on your own. There’s a lot of little details hidden around that can help you on your journey and it makes the experience very enjoyable (in a sort of twisted, morbid curiosity and masochistic way) and it’s how the game is meant to be experienced at least on a first time basis. 

Death is common and you will die. A lot. There’s no shortage of ways you can die, many containing neat little animations (or traumatizing, depending on your definition) that are unique to various different coin toss “failures”. And sometimes, if you’re lucky (or not, again depending on your definition), a certain “Game Over” would simply be a change of scenery… and other things, but that’s only some of the time…

Wrap Up 

There is so much to cover in this game that it would take many different sections to do so. Different skills, different Gods to worship, different NPCs to interact with and different equipment options plus many, many different secrets you likely wouldn’t know unless you’ve been around in the fandom for some time… It’s got a great world that has been built upon a strong foundation and there is a metric fuck load of lore if you’re willing to slow down and enjoy the environment around you. If it’s not something you’d play, I highly recommend looking into it regardless. 

There is also a second game that further builds on the in game universe and I am thoroughly impressed with it. Both games are something I recommend lovingly with full knowledge that this game will cause pain and suffering to those that would dare to play it. I would like to go even further into detail about both these games because there is just so much to talk about and gush over and to bitch about. 

I really hope that this little rant piqued some interest in the games. Truly, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever played before and I can’t state enough how hard I fell in love with them.

@prettycutebunny, @infinitewhore, @kennbb, @slutwithadegree, @dead-bxxxtch-walking, @space-arsonist, @pink-soft-shadow, @sinlessdesire, @hoemine, @memoryofheather

[morgana96]

What Went Wrong with the Lancer Quests?

(Warning: Lancer Class Quests, Rogue Class Quests, and other Minor ARR Spoilers Under the Cut)

When I first started Final Fantasy XIV, I already knew I’d be maining Dragoon. Estinien is my favorite character and the one who drew me to the game in the first place, so my interest in the job was well cemented before I even picked it up. And while I like to play all the other jobs as well, Dragoon has remained my favorite to this day, and the one I play on the most often.

Which is why it’s quite ironic that I think the Lancer quests are some of the worst in the entire game.

It didn’t really hit me how bad the questline was back when I did it as a sprout, especially since it was my first one. But several years and many job quests later, Lancer stands out as tragically inadequate, even compared to some of the other class quests from A Realm Reborn.

Based on what I've seen from other players, I'm hardly alone in this opinion. But rather than just complain about it, I want to take a close look at the questline. It’s a good opportunity discuss the story’s key issues, as well as suggest new ideas for a potential rewrite.

To prepare for this, I’ve recently replayed the questline so that I can give an accurate and proper review. I doubt anyone who actually writes for this game will ever see this. But I'd still like to put my thoughts out there, especially since it can lead to good discussion about how the game could be improved overall.

Problem #1: The Plot Puts Too Much Focus on the Wrong Things

Writing a good story requires an understanding of balance. Characters, plots, and themes need to work together in order to create a strong narrative, because when even one of these elements is lacking, the entire story gets dragged down. This is exactly the situation I think is plaguing the Lancer quests; instead of a balanced narrative, it throws way too much focus on its attempted theme, neglecting the characters, pacing, and plot and leading to an ineffective story overall.

The main theme the story tries to convey is the idea of courage vs recklessness; in their training, lancers are encouraged to harness their sense of courage in order to face dangerous foes, while not slipping into reckless behavior that could end up getting themselves or others hurt/killed.

Now this in itself isn't a terrible lesson or anything. The problem is that the Lancer quests put way too much of the narrative focus on it. Everything the characters do and say feels like it revolves around this attempted theme, leaving them feeling like broken records instead of engaging and enjoyable characters. The WoL also spends most of the storyline having to complete various “tests of courage”, both those assigned by Ywain and those that Foulques forces them to join him in. It starts to feel repetitive rather quickly, especially when that’s all that’s being offered in terms of “plot”. And because the plot and characters are so underdeveloped, the theme being pushed so desperately just comes off as an annoying hindrance by the end.

The finale only emphasizes the problem, as the truth behind Foulques’ actions is revealed with barely six minutes left in the story. Many years ago, he was a lancer in the guild, and participated in robbing the guild with several friends and compatriots. But when he felt guilty and tried own up to it, the other accomplices framed him as the sole criminal, resulting in Foulques being subjected to anti-Duskwight prejudice and eventually imprisoned, while the others faced no consequences.

This sudden revelation leaves the player with unanswered questions and unresolved issues. Who and where are Foulques' ex-friends and co-conspirators? Are they still out there continuing to profit from their clear corruption/prejudice? Why isn’t there a more significant reaction from the guild to the truth behind this scandal being revealed? Why was such a significant plot point introduced with barely any time left in the story? And why did Foulques spend six quests throwing the Warrior of Light and others into random peril instead of, you know, actually trying to get revenge on those who horribly wronged him?

In my opinion, the story needs less repetitive theme pushing and more focus on the past guild robbery and those involved. Instead of random lancers-in-training, Foulques’ main targets should have been his former co-conspirators (perhaps going as far as to kill them one by one), and the WoL would have had to work with Ywain to discover the motive behind the attacks. This would be a much more engaging plot to watch unfold throughout several quests, and it would add some much needed intrigue and character growth in a nearly lifeless narrative.

The theme of “courage vs recklessness” can also still fit into a rewrite. Foulques would probably still judge the entire guild as “cowards” due to the cowardly actions of his former friends. He might also consider his recklessly vengeful actions “true courage”, regardless of whether innocents were caught in the crossfire or not. Meanwhile, Ywain could take the satisfying step of righting the Lancer’s Guild’s past failures; by finally holding the other conspirators accountable - and acknowledging that the guild must do better from now on - it would drive home that having the courage to admit to mistakes is just as important as courage in battle.

Problem #2: Foulques is a Poorly Written Character

I’ve actually seen a lot of players talk about Foulques over the years. For a minor character introduced so early on, he has quite the cult following, and I think it’s safe to say that I’m not alone in thinking this character deserved better.

To be honest, I don’t really like canon Foulques. But the reason I dislike him is mainly because whoever wrote him did a pretty horrendous job. He had potential to be an interesting and complex villain, as his justifiable anger about the wrongs committed against him could have warped and twisted his moral code. But instead, he spends the quests acting like a presumptuous jerk who thinks hazing lancer recruits will prove he’s the pinnacle of “true courage”.

The backstory they created for Foulques is honestly one of the most sympathetic in the game. But again, it isn’t even revealed until the back end of the final level 30 quest. Until that moment, you get ZERO explanation as to why Foulques is doing what he’s doing. No clues, no subtext, no steady and satisfying reveal - only a rushed exposition dump that feels disconnected from the character’s personality up until then.

You can’t just drop a complex and nuanced backstory at the last second and call that good writing. The upbringing and backstory of a character is integral to the character’s overall personality, much like how it is for real people who grow up and experience different circumstances. Yet somehow, Foulques’ backstory feels like an afterthought, dropped at the last second instead of integrated naturally.

Again, the best way to remedy this is to refocus Foulques’ motivations and actions. Adding the other co-conspirators as secondary antagonists would allow them to become the main targets of Foulques’ rage. Meanwhile, the background characters in the lancer’s guild could be collateral caught in the crossfire of his goals.

Furthermore, featuring these false friends as characters would be a good chance to show the consequences of not punishing them. Based on how they treated Foulques, there’s a good chance several - if not all of them - went on to continue their corruption in other ways, especially if they felt confident that they could keep getting away with it. If these further misdeeds were to be revealed, it would further show that the Lancer’s Guild’s actions failed not only Foulques, but the later victims of the co-conspirators.

Problem #3: Ywain is Underutilized

Ywain’s probably not someone brought up often when it comes to people’s favorite NPCs. In fact, I’ve seen certain players actively hate him because they consider him complacent in what happened to Foulques.

But honestly, I think Ywain is as much a victim of the story's bad writing as Foulques is. It’s not like he knew about all of this and was conspiring to hide the truth from the WoL/others or something. He finds out about Foulques' history in the literal final moments of the story, and because that history was thrown in so haphazardly late, his reaction is haphazardly rushed and poorly written in turn.

Overall, I think the biggest problem with Ywain is that he feels like he’s hardly participating in the story at all. Technically, he is the other main character in the WoL’s journey to become a lancer, and should be an important part of the plot. But instead, Ywain is a largely inactive presence; he spends most of the questline standing in a single spot of the guild and telling the WoL to go off on their own somewhere. He’s stationary both physically and in terms of development, which I think was a huge error in judgement on the part of the original writer.

I can’t help but compare this characterization issue with one of my favorite class quests: Rogue. Jacke, V’kebbe, and Perimu don’t have the issue Ywain does. They join you on various Rogue’s Guild missions, fight with you through several instances, and regularly banter with you and each other so you get a good idea of who they each are. Hell, these three even continue to help the WoL long after they graduate from Rogue, becoming allies with the Doman Ninjas and providing them with intel and extra manpower when needed.

The Rogue Quests did a much better job of utilizing their NPCs than what we see here. It’s practically impossible to become invested in a character that feels so removed from the plot itself. It’s no wonder Ywain gets forgotten - and even hated - when the lancer story gives him literally nothing to grow on. Instead of letting him be an actual character, the narrative regulates him to a one-dimensional mouthpiece used to assign the next set of tasks.

My frustration with the in-game writing only grew when I learned Ywain’s backstory from the lore book. Back when he was still a Wood Wailer, he and Landenel (the Wailer Captain at Camp Tranquil who was in Company of Heroes) were very close friends. At some point, a lack of judgement led to Landenel making a serious mistake - one that would have gotten him in a lot of trouble, and would have been exacerbated by the undeserved disdain Landenel often faced as the son of a known criminal. But wanting to protect his friend from unfair treatment, Ywain took the blame for everything and was kicked out of the Wood Wailers, though his name was later cleared and he was given the guildmaster position.

Ywain essentially did for Landenel what the co-conspirators refused to do for Foulques. This could have been an excellent way to give the two a comparable history, and if anyone would be insulted by the betrayal Foulques faced, you’d think it would be Ywain. But once again, this all goes to waste because the Lancer Quests never bring up Ywain’s history. I can’t understand how such relevant information ended up being ignored and left out, especially since it could have helped flesh Ywain out and allowed him to understand Foulques a little bit better.

In an improved version of the Lancer Quests, Ywain needs the narrative room to develop. He needs to be more involved in the plot and the tasks set for the WoL, so that the player can actually get to know him instead of just going to him briefly for their next assignment. He and the WoL should learn about Foulques history at an earlier point in the questline, and given his history with Landenel, it would make sense for him to be sympathetic. Ywain doesn’t necessarily need to agree with Foulques’ methods or means of revenge. But creating a common ground between them would greatly improve the nuance of both characters.

~~~

Thank you so much for taking the time to read! I plan to post my rewrite ideas sometime in the near future, but until then, I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts about this questline and its storytelling.

If you enjoyed my writing, please consider sharing and leaving feedback!