#i wonder if one of them worships the king in yellow!!!
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canon-autopsy · 6 days ago
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murder mystery in cultist castle disguised as a prince? *chefs kiss*
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acrystalwitch · 1 year ago
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First an introduction to Lucifer: Usually in my deity guides this is where I’d share a bit of mythology on the deity I learned from their texts. Here will be a lot of UPG and SPG instead from him and other followers of his instead, as the texts he is in purely see him as evil and misunderstand him. This might ruffle some feathers so again please know; I understand I’m speaking from my own UPG a lot.
From the best of my understanding, and from what Lucifer has shared with me…
Lucifer was an Angel from the Christian religion. He was his father’s most beautiful Angel.
His father made the angels to serve him and always rule under him, he was the only god in his pantheon and wanted to stay that way.
The angels never even questioned it, things were how they were and that was that. But, Lucifer started to question it, he felt it was unfair and cruel for a god to create so many creations just to serve him and worship him, it was selfish and controlling. So he asked to be treated as an equal, and instead was punished.
In that he gathered all of the angels he’d been able to rally behind his cause. He wanted to free them of the idea that told them they couldn’t ever be more than his servants. Lucifer revealed to them that they were all no different from gods themselves. They rebelled against their controller, and lost.
Lucifer and his angels were kicked out of their pantheon and thrown into Hell, being called ‘demons’ now.
The demons rule different parts of hell and Lucifer is said to be the king of all of it. But I also believe he spends most of his time on Earth.
When Lucifer saw that his father created humans and was doing the same to them in Eden that he’d done to the angels he felt so sorry for them. He snuck his way into the garden and tried to get them to pull the veil from their eyes. He helped them see that they could make decisions for themself, and that’s the energy he continues to try and bring to us all wherever he can.
He is a deity of love for humanity, love for freedom and independence. A god of rebellion and justice for those who have been walked all over. He is angry and sad and kind and fair. He is pride and self love. Confidence and knowing yourself inside and out.
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My personal experience with Lucifer:
He is the 3rd deity I brought into my personal pantheon I worship and he is very key to my pagan practice.
He came into my life to help with a lot of my religious trauma and things revolving around the church and my childhood and my parents.
He also helps with a lot of my gender and trans issues, as I and many others that work with him see him as a more non-binary being (I use he/him pronouns mainly but I have always felt Lucifer isn’t binary)
He appears in meditations to me as a blonde man, looking kind of sad at times, but other days very excitable and probably the one that makes me laugh the most (next to Thor)
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WHY ALL THE LEMONS
You might’ve noticed almost everything I do surrounding lucifer I talk about lemons or have images of lemons.
Plain and simple answer is, lucifer really likes lemons 😂
It just kind of became our thing because I’ve always really liked sour fruits. They seem misunderstood like him, but also bright and sunny , with that sour kick.
On that note…
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Other offerings for Lucifer
(Of all of my deities Lucifer cares the least about physical offerings and the most about spending quality time together)
- yellow, orange, red, black candles
- sunstone
- citrine
- carnelian
- flower agate
- gold jewelry
- wine
- Sun water
-chocolate
- citrus/lemon incense
-coffee
-tree fruits
Non physical offerings
- acts of rebellion
- artwork
- poetry
- shadow work
- hanging out with him while you do mundane activities
- learn about yourself, get to know yourself
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If you have a lot of trauma in your past about the Christian religion and have felt like he might be reaching out to you, it could be worth pulling out your preferred divination method and having a check.
He has worked wonders for me already and I’ve found a lifelong friend in him as well. Of all my deities I’d say he’s the most understanding of humanity and what we go through and it just feels like talking to a wise friend sometimes.
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acoraxia · 11 months ago
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LIVE RHY REACTION TO INVESTITURE OF THE GODS
Disclaimer: this is an English translated version and I do not know how accurate it is so if some things are wrong or improperly translated please let me know. I will also be including screenshots of dialogue and scenes every now and then but please keep in mind I will probably not go into too much detail of these chapters and that I am just reacting to the scenes that happen in the book.
This is also VERY LONG because the book itself is very long. Do not read it if you don't want spoilers/want to sit through a lot of text.
I’ll be covering Chapters 1 - 10 in this post
Once again, do not read if it's a lot of text and mute the tag #live rhyactions
CHAPTER 1 (GODDESS NU WA AND KING ZHOU):
I can’t believe they made Li Shou king because he was strong. He threw a pillar and everyone told King Di Yi to make him king like ok cool ig
also in the other version I was reading, King Di Yi was called Da Yi.. wonder if that was a mistranslation or something
“King Zhou established his capital at Zhaoge, a metropolis on the Yellow River.” interesting, in the other version they call it Morning Song. huh! The more you know
“The king placed Queen Jiang in the Central Palace; Concubine Huang in the West Palace and Concubine Yang in the Fragant Palace. They were all virtuous and chaste in their behavior and mind and gentle in manner.” (…) im not gonna comment on how much that last line irks me for some reason but… ough
ANYWAYS HE RULED IN PEACE… YIPPEE
“and his peasants were especially blessed by favorable winds and rains” why did that make me laugh a little ok
the four dukes!!!! yippee!!
East Grand Duke Jiang Huanchu, South Grand Duke E Chongyu, West Grand Duke Ji Chang and North Grand Duke Chong Houhu
i hope none of them die
SEVEN YEARS OF PEACE!!! and then a report was sent to him oh no
ough a rebellion.. of 72 marquises in the North Sea District — surely Grand Tutor Wen Zhong can take care of it right?? surely he’ll take care of it.
Shang Rong asks King Zhou to honor and hold a ceremony at Nu Wa’s temple for her birthay (the 15th day of the third month) and King Zhou has the gall to ask, “What has Goddess Nu Wa done that a great king such as myself is obliged to to go her temple and worship her?”
What if i stab him. what then. 
thank you Shang Rong you will always be the smart one of the advisors
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King Zhou then makes an announcement that he's going to go worship Nu Wa at her temple. amazing. thank you for that.
“It would have been better if he hadn’t gone at all, for it was this very pilgrimage that caused the fall of the Shang Dynasty, making it impossible for the people to live in peace.” i think it was because he disrespected Nu Wa actually
why did he need 3,000 cavalrymen and 800 royal guards if he is such a well known and respected king… hm… 
But they were under the command of General Huang Feihu, Prince for National Pacification and of Military Prowess. so maybe this guy’s important for later. hopefully. i do not want anyone to die yet
except King Zhou but anyways
PRAYERS!!! RESPECT FOR NU WA YES
why are you wandering King Zhou. King Zhou go back.
KING ZHOU.
KING ZHOU NOOO
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the most beautiful passages describing Nu Wa and how beautiful she is and how she looks at him with joy and this mfer gets horny. ok.
Or, perhaps, it is about how men’s desires in the past were always the cause of their own downfall because he was warned that Nu Wa was a respected goddess and one he shouldn’t take lightly and, in the end, he ends up disrespecting her all on his own and that is what causes his downfall. 
“He desired to possess her and thought to himself in frustration, ‘Though I’m wealthy and powerful and have concubines and maideservants filling my palace, there’s none as beautiful and charming as this goddess.’” 
rip bozo you signed your own death warrant
AGAIN, I AM SURPRISED HE ACTUALLY DID WRITE ON THE WALL ABOUT HOW MUCH HE WANTED HER. I THOUGHT THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE WAS LYING TO ME BUT NO: 
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Shang Rong: Nu Wa’s been a proper goddess and the guardian angel for Zhaoge, I only suggested that you worship her so that she would continue to bless the people with timely rains and favorable winds and ensure that they’ll continue to live in peace. But with this poem, you’ve not only shown your lack of sincerity ubut have insulted her as well. This isn’t the way a king should behave. I pray you wash this blasphemous poem off the wall, lest you be condemmed by the people for your immorality. King Zhou: shut up i’m king
NOT THE REST OF HIS MEN LOWKEY SIDE-EYEING HIM….
anyways they go to the Dragon Virtue Court they go where he meets up with his queen and concubines happily. hooray!
Nu Wa paying respect to the three emperors — Fu Xi, Shen Nong and Xuan Yuan — before returning to her temple on her birthday is so nice to me? I know Fu Xi is her brother in some iterations and it makes me happy idk :(
WAIT THE MFER WROTE THIS IN THE MAIN HALL?
IT SAYS SHE SEATED HERSELF IN THE MAIN HALL — NAHHH HE DESERVES WHAT’S COMING TO HIM WHAT THE HELL??
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GET HIS ASS!!!
did not know King Zhou had two sons (Yin Jiao and Yin Hong)
anyways he still has 28 years to go before his downfall and Nu Wa realized “that she could do nothing about it at this moment, since that would go against the will of Heaven.”
surely this “against the will of Heaven” won’t be a reocurring theme in the book and it’s successor, Journey to the West, right? Right?
of course it will
NU WA SUMMONING DEMONS AND EVIL SPIRITS FROM THE DEMON SUMMONING PENNANT LET’S GOOOO
“All demons the world has arrived to receive her command” queen shit
IT’S THEM!!! IT’S THE THREE QUEENS OF THE SHANG DYNASTY LET’S FUCKING GO!!!
“May you live eternally, dear goddess!” they have more respect than King Zhou LMAO
“you mustn’t bring harm to the people” uh. anyways.
“since his visit to the Temple of Goddess Nu Wa, King Zhou had sunk into deep depression” shut the fuck go hold your wife
“He had no passion for his queen, his concubines, or the numerous maids in his palace. They now all appeared to him like lumps of clay.” Something poetic about Nu Wa making people out of clay and King Zhou now seeing them as clay—but also fuck this dude
King Zhou: im sad because im in love with nu wa and can’t marry her
what if i kill you
NOT THEM SUGGESTING HE ORDER 100 WOMEN FROM THE GRAND DUKES — BRO NOOOOOO
why is that the end of the chapter
[.....]
CHAPTER 2 (THE REBELLION OF SU HU):
King Zhou: bring me 100 virgins. they must be gentle, virtuous and above all beautiful
i cant with this man.
Shang Rong: you already have 1,000 women you can’t ask for more when your people are dying of drought and floods King Zhou: fine
HES SULKING LMAO
Su Hu… i like Su Hu he doesn’t want to give you any bribes smh
Shut up King Zhou i miss Su Hu
“we greatly appreciate the kind concern shown us by your majesty” i dont trust like that…
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what if i killed them all
why are you mentioning Su Hu has a daug- STOP
ISN’T THAT SU DAJI’S FATHER HOLD ON
King Zhou: can i marry your daughter Su Hu: fuck you King Zhou: >:O
NOOO HE FUCKING ARRESTED SU HU WHAT THE HELL
he was right though this kingdom is dying because you’re being too horny King Zhou please listen to REASON
HE (SU HU) WROTE HIS POEM ABOUT KING ZHOU ON THE WALL HELLO?
idk if it’s intentional but it seems like he’s making fun of King Zhou for writing on Nu Wa’s temple wall LMAO i love that
we stan Su Hu
“Our goal is the utter decimantion of the city.”
I miss Su Daji
where’s my wife
Fei Zhong is like… the worst fucking instigator huh? He’s the one who keeps giving King Zhou ideas- i hate men
Ji Chang taking place for King Zhou so he won’t get caught in the cross fire… interesting that he hesitated on that? ig?
“How could possibly have offended the king? He’s known to all for his loyalty and good conduct, and for his many outstanding military successes. There must have been good reason for him to write the poem.” Ji Chang you’re one of the few smart people in this novel
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tiredly reading this chapter because…. ough… ji chang,,,, rebel,,, ji chang,,, j i c ha ng,,
ANYWAYS BACK TO SU HU ARRIVING BACK AT JIZHOU
he has a son (Su Quanzhong)???? HE’S A DAD???
wait why am i suprised his daughter’s literally daji nvm
honestly this is great for learning how names work yppee
NOT THE 50,00 STRONG ARMY FROM CHONG HOUHU… OUGH
Su Hu immediately getting angry when he learns Chong Houhu is leading the armyncjks
“Chong’s an evil fellow” LMAO??? OK DAMN
not Su Hu apologizing for not being able to salute properly becuase of his armor
“King Zhou has of late become corrupt and immoral as a ruler” SAY IT LOUDER
LMAO NOOOOOO
NOT THE GUYS FIGHTING
STOP PLEASE NOT SU QUANZHONG
nvm they won HELL YEA
RUN AWAY CHONG HOUHU YOU COWARDS
SURPRISE ATTACK AT MIDNIGHT LETS GOOOOO
i forgot peopel took drums with them to war
not Chong Houhu drinking after Huang Yuanji reassured him it’ll be fine. fool. you’re at war. don’t drink before sleeping
“They rushed in like tigers and wolves, slaughtering and maiming on all sides.” ough i love this novel’s descriptions
SO MANY PEOPLE DYING 
“Chong Houhu dismount from your horse and die!” these men are violent
if this is how violent they are im terrified for su daji now LMAO
Su Quanzhong my beloved
NOT HIM KILLING SUN ZIYU WHAT THE HELL
not Chong Houhu fleeing and distracting his son and he ends up gettig killed by Su Quanzhong
THAT’S WHERE IT ENDS???
wow wtf
[.....]
CHAPTER 3 (DAJI ENTERS THE PALACE):
MY QUEEN’S ARRIVING LET’S GO
My queen did not, in fact, arrive
These men are going through it
also i thought Chong Houhu’s son died but no hes just wounded LMAO
MOST OF THIS CHAPTER IS MEN CRYING I CAN FEEL IT
Chong Houhu is finally smart for once in acknowledging he cannot win this
“A huge army is marching towards us at great speed.” PLEASE SAY IT’S SU HU COMING TO KICK EVERYONE’S ASS
oh. 
nvm
Chong Heihu, the Black Tiger, the Marquis of Caozhou
why does he have a brother-
Black Tiger: i heard you got your shit rocked
Su Hu: Black Tiger’s here? We’re screwed
Sun Quanzhong is so cool but also so so stupid
bro your dad is telling you this guy is trouble because he knows MAGIC bro
Bro don’t go off to fight your dad’s sworn brother bro no
NOT THEM CAPTURING SUN QUANZHONG
BRO
BRO WHAT THE HELL
HERE COMES BLACK TIGER WITH THE STEEL CHAIR
nvm the steel chair was Black Tiger winking and trying to give Sun Quanzhong a signal that he is, in fact, siding with his dad but Sun Quanzhong is too stubborn and fucking decides to fight Black Tiger
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honestly bro what did you expect
GET FFUCKING CAPTURED BRO
DUMB OF ASS… STUBBORN BOY SOBS
also no Black Tiger isnt a tiger he’s a human thats just his name i hope i dont have to clarify that again oops
bro
bro???
SU HU WHAT THE HELL???
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so… petition to beat up Su Hu??
NO
NO
NO
NO
OH MY GOD
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BRO ALMOST KILLS HIS DAUGHTER- WHAT THE HELL??
Why does he blame her and not the man who is lusting after his, supposedly, young daughter? Why doesn’t he curse the man that was a tyrant and has been growing lustful with power? Why doesn’t he realized that she is not to blame for she does not even know what is happening? 
Ough.
Black Tiger: Brother, if only you would only consult with me, I could withdraw my troops. Why do you fear and refuse to see me? I don’t understand! There’s no ned to launch an attack. 
black tiger and su hu have an interesting relationship.
hm.
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tfw even your men are wondering why you are suddenly acting so strange
bro Black Tiger did something to Su Hu huh….
GENERAL ZHENG… OUGH
hes going to fight black tiger oh boy
“Black Tiger was mounted on a fiery-eyed monster” what if i eat him
General Zheng Lun of Jizhou… inchresting
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interesting.
NJKCDSNJCD FUCKER CAPTURED HIM SO QUICKLY WHAT???
also Black Tiger’s smoke magic >>>> LMK!Macaque’s shadow magic sorry lmao forgot to mention that
Su Hu: I cant believe Zheng Lun died Zheng Lun: i’ve captured the black tiger Su Hu: what the fuck-
“I’ve never forgotten that we’re sworn brothers. I’m ashamed to be a captive and greatly appreciate your courtesy.”
Black Tiger And Su Hu Have An Interesting Relationship (by which i mean it's strange seeing male friendship represented like this in such an old novel but it's a /pos kind of strange yknow)
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uhm.
anyway.
SHUT THE FUCK UP SAN YISHENG PLEASE. STOP
WDYM KING ZHOU WROTE A POEM NOOOO
Poem basically says to let him marry Daji or else they’ll all die.
Su Hu Is Considering This.
“How could I dare to oppose his wishes!” bro you literally told him to act like a better king what’s happening right now-
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what if i die
wdym the chapter ends there.
what
[.....]
CHAPTER 4 (THE FOX SPRITE MURDERS DAJI):
the title goes straight to the point huh-
“I won’t sacrifice my life on account of my adoration for my daughter” Su Hu what if you shut the fuck up
yo what the fuck
Black Tiger going off on Chong Chouhu what
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wow.
anyway-
“As I cannot let the family perish on account of Daji, I’ve got no choice but to send her back to the palace and apologize to His Majesty.” Su Hu i want you to choke
aw madame yang crying over daj-
what the fuck
huh
huh
huh
WHAT
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I MEAN I GET W H Y
BUT
HUH???
y’all she’s gonna die either way im sorry-
“The old couple spent the whole night in despair and sorrow.” and y’all didnt… like.. want to fight for her or…. ok
when’s erlang showing up so he can beat up everyone
OG DAJI DID NOT DESERVE THIS
LOOK AT HER SHE BREAKS DOWN INTO TEARS WHEN SHE HEARS ABOUT WHERE SHE’S GOING
OUGH MY POOR GIRL
Su Hu after hearing there might be a murderous spirit haunting the place they’re staying at: SURELY THIS WON’T AFFECT US IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE
He checked in on Daji to make sure she and her maidservants were sleeping before reading a book on war strategy…
sir make up your mind either cherish her and love her or send her off to be married to a man probably twice her age
HE STARTLES THE GOES TO CHECK IN ON HER
OUGH
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EITHER BE A GOOD DAD OR DONT BE A GOOD DAD WTF
the fact he stays awake to keep her safe
wtf
oop
OOP
LMAO
SHES DEAD SORRY LMAO
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so.. who’s gonna tell him..
Fei Zhong: Su Hu is here to offer his daughter King Zhou: Why??? Fei Zhong: …b…because you asked for it-
mfer is so offended and for what
Shang RONG MY BELOVED
THE ONLY MAN WITH FUCKING COMMON SENSE LETS GO
and then Fei Zhong ruins it by saying if Daji is beautiful enough then they can forgive Su Hu and if she’s ugly then they can kill her and his father ok wow wtf
SU DAJI MY BELOVED <333
the fact they say she wears red… and i hc’d she wore pink/violets on her way to the kingdom.. and when the spirit kills her and possesses her she’s fully red clothed…. ough..
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Can he like… not…. can he not….
I MEAN
i know why she’s so ethereal to him
because hulijing are said to be bewitching to people and they fall in love with them easily
but also fucking come on dude what the hell
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sorry this whole thing is jsust… you have to read it to understand how ANGRY i am at this motherfucker right now
“passionate blissful night” daji im so sorry dude ough
NOT HIM FUCKING NEGLECTING ALL HIS DUTIES IMMEDIATELY
BRO I THOUGHT IT TOOK… LIKE 13 MORE CHAPTERS
MFER IS JUST…. GONE
WOW
WHAT A WAY TO END THE FUCKING CHAPTER
OUGH
[.....]
CHAPTER 5 (A VAIN ATTEMPT BY MASTER OF THE CLOUDS):
Master of the Clouds: she’s going to bring calamities
GOD FORBID WOMEN DO ANYTHING DAMN
also like???
she hasnt murdered anyone
Nu Wa sent her
why are people triyng to exorcise her already wtf-
TNE FUCKING MONTHS?
KING ZHOU HAS BEEN DRINKING AND FUCKING FOR TEN MONTHS???? HASNT APPEARED IN TEN MONTHS??? BROTHER WHAT
everyone: we’re worried King Zhou: anyways
HES SO FUCKINGNCJKDSNJK
im so tired of this dude
JUST DO YOUR FUCKING WORK??
where’s his wife bro
where are his sons
what the hell
Master of the Clouds explains taoism
ngl it’s pretty cool
i wont post the whole thing but it’s genuinely cool
he made a poem about the spirit lmao
PINE SWORD… SOUNDS SO COOL TBH
i want a pine sword
HE MADE ANOTHER POEM SAYIG HOW NICE HIS LIFE IS AS A TAOIST MASTER
THAT’S…
i like this dude
funky
Master of the Clouds: this pine sword will kill the spirit in 3 days King Zhou: Cool! Daji:
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MOTHERFUCKER BELIEVES HER
OH MY GOD
GASLIGHT. GATEKEEP. GIRLBOSS.
motherfucker you CANNOT BE THIS DUMB OH MY GODNJDKSNJCKDS
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bro 
BRO
i cant believe it fucking ends there DAMN LMAO
[.....]
CHAPTER 6 (THE BURNING PILLAR TORTURE):
i wonder what this chapter’s about oh boy
she recovered and carried on with her merry-making… i love her actually
“(…) Jiang Ziya will enjoy worldly glory and filfth, and fifth, gods are to be created.” ayo?? first even Jiang Ziya mention 
iirc Jiang Ziya was Erlang’s mentor? I could be wrong but yknow yippeeee
so basically, to recap: Master of the Clouds sends a poem to Grand Tutor Du Yuanxian and he immediately writes a report to King Zhou. Shang Rong receives the report and tries to present it to the king at his personal palace
oh boy
Du Yuanxian: hey so the spirit in your home is growing really powerful to the point where the spectral light she emits can be seen in the ninth realm King Zhou: HE ALMOST KILLED DAJI >:(
sorry guys he is…
he sure is something. this man. yea
He asks Daji if she knows anything about this and she just
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oh my god.
SHANG TRYING TO REASON WITH HIM OUGH…
Du Yuanxian waiting eargly for news of what King Zhou said,,,,,, only to be told hes a criminal and will be executed bro what
Mei Bo: dw bro i’ll talk to the king and tell him this is all a misunderstanding
i bet hes gonna get killed too lmao
HE CHASTIED SHANG RONG FOR TELLING HIM HE’S LETTING INNOCENT MEN GET SLAUGHTERED BRO PLEASE
KING ZHOU IS SO ANGRY MEI BO ENTERED THE PALACE LMAO
Shang Rong gets a pass because hes so polite (and he’s a veteran and served for three Shang Dynasty emperors)
MEI BO FUCKING CALLING KING ZHOU OUT…
“Du Yuanxian’s a loyal minister. If you put him to death on account of your concubine, you’ll be cursed for butchering your father’s old minister, and denounced as the destroyer of the nation, for your act tantamount to wrecking a house by removing its pillars and beams. I exhort you to let Du Yuanxian live, for it you do, people will honor you as saintly ruler.” i like mei bo
KING ZHOU IS NOW KILLING MEI BO AS WELL
MEI BO WENT OFF LMAO
“You listen daily to the fawning courtiers and spend your nights in dissipation with Daji. The kingdom will suffer disaster soon, and I fear that I won’t have the face to contront our deceased kings in the nether world.” GO OFF MEI BO…. OUGH
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….go off girl
go off
like
i - go off honeslty
KING ZHOU LOVES THIS IDEA
SHANG RONG RETIRES BECAUSE HE CANNOT HANDLE THIS ANYMORE
HE WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS ANYMORE
GO OFF SIR GO
LVIE YOUR LIFE
GOODBYE SHANG RONG… YOU WILL BE MISSED GREATLY SOBS
“King Zhou continued to indulge with Daji day and night, ignoring all state affairs.” daji if you kill him now i wont tell anyone promise
iMMA GET YOU OUT OF THERE GIRL
aside from that, some princes arrived and they were all horrified by Mei Bo's execution after witnessing it and declared they have to do something to stop King Zhou
King Zhou is too infatuated with Daji to notice this ofc-
i feel so bad for King Zhou’s wife
ough… next chapter
[.....]
CHAPTER 7 (FEI ZHONG PLOTS TO DEPOSE THE QUEEN):
…uh oh-
“When the guards announced her (Queen Jiang) arrival, King Zhou glanced at Daji with half-closed eyes. ‘Lady Su! Would you please meet Her Majesty for me?’” bro you have little to no decency…
mfer you’re not even going to go greet your own wife??????
what the fuck man
also i do like that they explain Daji is a “mere concubine” so she doesn’t get to sit down. very interesting
NVM KING ZHOU IS IN FACT THERE TO GREET HIS WIFE BUT I FULLY BELIEVED HE WAS GOING TO STAY BACK AT THEIR ROOM DRINKING WHILE DAJI HAD TO ENTERTAIN HER OKAY
i love daji she’s just singing and dancing and enjoying herself i bet
fuck off King Zhou i don’t need you complimenting her
Queen Jiang: this isn’t good King Zhou: why can’t you enjoy yourself Queen Jiang: BECAUSE OF YOU
GO OFF QUEEN JIANG????
HOLY SHIT
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i sure do hope nothing bad happens to Queen Jiang today
King Zhou is fucking drunk!!!!
amazing!!! /s
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we love a manipulative queen holy shit
SHE’S SO GOOD AT IT TOO???
HOW MANY TIMES HAS THIS MFER FALLEN FOR EHR CRYING
IT’S INSANE
i’m pretty sure any other man would’ve told her to stop crying or something
damn
abusing the fact he’s so in love with her huh
Queen Jiang: You’ve seduced and incited him to all manner of evil. You’re the instigator and must repent at once. If you continue to wreck havoc upon this dynasty, I will deal with you according to the law! You may leave now. Daji: Daji: so i’m planning to murder her-
no really she tells Gun Juan she must seek her revenge i love her nckjs
Gun Juan is so cool?
“I’m a mere maidservant” girlie you are so smart actually
it’s a solid plan too? i didn’t expect it ngl i thought they were going to curse Queen Jiang but nope! just regular plan which is very nice
bro this isnt a debate come on man
let’s go murder the queen
come on fei zhong-
HELL YEA FEI ZHONG HAS A PLAN
Everyone: go back to work King Zhou: bah Daji: go back to work King Zhou: ofc anything for you daji <33333
i fucking hate this man
this man tried to assassinate the king and failed
you disgrace me you should’ve killed him bro
wait nvm it was all part of the plan???
what the fuck omg
King Zhou: WHY WOULD MY WIFE CONSPIRE AGAINST ME
because you’ve ignored her for almost a year, mayhaps?
“Who has so shamelessly condemned this innocent woman?” Queen Jiang im so sorry but im a daji stan through and through, off with her head
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daji about to pull an ultimate powermove i can feel it-
daji i dont trust like that
ma’am?
i dont have the words to describe this so uh placing this down here HAHA
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King Zhou is a yes man for Daji and i cant even blame him right now
he still sucks
QUEEN JIANG CRYING
CONCUBINE HUANG CRYING
EVERYONE’S CRYING WHILE DAJI’S PROBABLY SITTING THERE SMILING WAITING FOR QUEEN JIANG TO GET TORTURED
god forbid women do anything smh
so they took one of Queen Jiang’s eyes
y’all will have to read this book yourselves lmao i am not sharing this scene
but it was good
anyways Daji wants to keep torturing her and King Zhou has an inkling of doubt on her for once
i doubt it will last tho
IT DID NOT FUCKING LAST LONG
OH MY GOD????
he has no spine
THEY FUCKING BURNED OFF HER HANDS????
MY FUCKING GOD
AND THE CHAPTER ENDS WITH DAJI SUGGESTING THEY BRING IN JIANG HUAN OKAY ALRIGHT GOOD IG
[.....]
CHAPTER 8 (PRINCES TAKE FLIGHT):
General Chao Tian and Chao Lei bring Jiang Huan to the west palace. yippe
Rip Queen jiang she only has one eye now
Queen Jiang: SAY YOU LIED Jiang Huan: but you ordered me to assassinate the King Queen Jiang: BITCH
HELP
Yin Jiao and Yin Hong playing chess…. free from guilt… not knowing whats about to happen lmao
Yin Jiao is fourteen and Yin Hong is.. two years his junior? So fourteen and twelve i think
no wonder theyre not paying attention
me too guys
YIN JIAO LET OUT A ROAR??? OK IG THEYRE RUNNING TO THE WEST PALACE TO SEE THEIR MOM
theyre crying now awesome
“I’ll cut off Daji’s head in revenge for my mother!” Yin Jiao buddy you’re like fourteen and you just kill your uncle- buddy n- oh boy
oh no nvm Yin Hong is sixteen then since they said Yin Jiao is too young to understa- yeah ok my bad
THE KING THINKS THEY WERE GOING TO KILL HIM LMAO NOOO
HE’S ORDERING THEM TO MURDER HIS SONS
QUEEN JIANG’S FUCKING DEAD?
WOW
OKAY NVM
RUNAWAY TEENAGERS LETS GOO
i would feel bad but i dont want to get attached i dont think children live long in these types of novels
HELLO?
CONCUBINE YANG FUCKING DID WHAT?
King Zhou: i wonder why she did that
BROTHER SHE WAS TERRIFIED YOU’D TORTURE HER
MFER JUST DOES NOT CARE HUH
still tries to kill his sons- im cdnsjkcndks
ERLANG PSPSPSPSPSPPSPS PLEASE I NEED SOMEONE TO COME BEAT THIS MAN UP
help is this why the war starts… because daji wanted queen jiang dead? damn
REBELLION REBELLION REBELLION
why does Huang Feihu have a rainbow ox
what
anyways
Fang Bi and Fang Xiang are taking the princes somewhere safe
BOTH THE PRINCES AND MARSHAL HUANG ON THEIR KNEES KNOWING THIS IS AWFUL AND WRONG BUT DAMN
NOT YIN JIAO SACRIFICNG HIMSELF SO HIS LITTLE BROTHER WILL LIVE AND RAISE AN ARMY AND SEEK REVENGE ON THEIR DAD
OUGH
ough,,,
E CHONGYU?
OH MARSHAL HUANG HAS AN IDEA
YES
YES THEY WILL ALL LIVE
SECRET BETWEEN ALL OF THEM HAHAHAHA
i already forgot who e chongyu was- wasnt he like….. hold on
no i forgot but it’s ok
Marshal Huang giving the boys his jade pendant with gold so they’ll be ok bc they have no money :( aw
Marshal Huang: yeah so i couldnt catch them idk where they went King Zhou: DAMN… it’s ok you can go now
UH OH DAJI HAS AN IDEA
Daji ily queen you go girl
ANYWAYS HUANG FEIHU ONLY SELECTINGT HE OLD AND WEAK SOLDIERS TO GO FIND THE PRINCES LMAO
why are you.. letting two little boys go off on their own 
what is wrong with you people
THANK GOD YIN HONG GOT SOME FOOD FROM SOME NICE FOLK DANG
anyways onwards he goes to find E Chongyu
he collapsed at a temple… uh… yippee
SHANG RONG????
SHANG RONG!!!!!!
LETS FUCKING GOOOOO
Yin Pobai and Lei Kai are now in pursuit of the brothers,,, oh boy
chapter ends there aaaaaaa
[.....]
CHAPTER 9 (THE PRIME MINISTER'S DEATH):
ayo what the FUCK
yknow i wasnt going to comment but immediately the generals find the Temple of Emperor Xuanyuan where Yin Hong is sleeping and they find him LMAO
Yin Pobai arrives at Fengyun to talk to Shang Rong uh oh
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GET HIS ASS SHANG RONG
also conspiring with shang rong would be the best thing imo
NOT THE BROTHERS REUNITING AND BASICALLY GOING “FUCK! NOW WE CAN’T AVENGE OUR MOM”
uh oh Huang Feihu’s mad-
OH LORD HES REALLY MAD OH NO
no one wants to execute the princes 
im assuming a riot’s going to happen?
Daji said to execute the princes today and King Zhou agreed
yep riot i can feel it
JIANG ZIYA MENTION
I CANT BELIEVE SHANG RONG TOLD DAJI “KYS” IN HIS REPORT TO KING ZHOU 
WOW
YEA NO WONDER YEAH UHM
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shang rong you will always be famous 
THATS WHERE IT ENDS? SHANG RONG DIES AND HIS BRAINS AND BLOOD DRIP DOWN THE COLLAR OF HIS ROBE….?
DAMN
MY GOD
OKAY...
[.....]
CHAPTER 10 (THE DISCOVERY OF THUNDERBOLT):
Zhao Qi angirly stepping out of the ranks to snap at King Zhou? uh oh
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WHAT AN INSANE WAY TO START THIS CHAPTER MY GOD
WELL IG HES DEAD… HUH….
UHM…. DAMN….
“‘Have you any better means to deal with these stubborn jackasses?’ he asked Daji.”
uhm how about stop killing these men
also i can’t even entirely blame Daji for this she’s genuinely just carrying out orders from Nu Wa to ensure King Zhou is the downfall of the Shang Dynasty? She’s doing her job and it’s going ridiculously good and although a war’s coming… King Zhou is at fault for not listening to everyone that tells him he is being a bad king
YIPPEE SHES OFFICIALLY QUEEN DAJI NOW LETS GO
so hes going to behead the four dukes…. ok
WHY IS SAN YISHENG IN CHAGRE OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS NOOOO
Bo Yikao is a funky name i wonder what it means
Ji Chang’s son going in his place to King Zhou’s court… hmhm
THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN JI CHANG HAS NINETY-NINE SONS????????WHAT
“the star of a great warrior has come to existence” ji chang why do you speak in riddles
WHY ARE YOU ABANDONING A BABY SOBS
MASTER OF CLOUDS
his name will be thunderbolt…
so
like
like his name’s just lightning?
hm
ok well master of clouds have acquired a baby
oh boy the dukes are drinking
well E Chongyu’s drunk at least
HES INSULTING CHONG HOUHU NOOO
Ji Chang stopped Chong Houhu from slapping E Chongyu… damn
so close
JI CHANG SAID TO DECAPITATE EVERYONE SINCE NO ONES SPEAKING UP LMAO
YAO FU???
i have a character named Fu Yao that was wild
anyways
YAO FU TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT DAJI AND KING ZHOU AND HOW QUEEN JIANG DIED
oh shit Jiang Huanchu’s her dad right
uh oh
HE FAINTED
Jiang Huanchu: MY DAUGHTER IS DEAD… MY DEAR DAUGHTER…. HOW HORRIBLY YOU MUST HAVE SUFFERED!
i like this guy
hes just sad over his daughrer dying ough :(
aaaaand King Zhou is killing everyone ok
THATS IT… HE JUST.. GETS ANGRY AT JI CHANG FOR SPEAKING UP AND THE NSAYS HE’LL KILL ALL FOUR DUKES
wild
can’t wait to read chapters 11 - 20
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reverieafk · 6 months ago
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Random things for genshin oc/nation stuff
Levelling Gem 'Amare Vita': "Within the recesses of memory lie the dreams of creativity, Within the tapestry of your memories lies the infinite palette of creation…please embrace my whispers of inspiration, for in them. Dreams are just our forgotten memories, they must be remember. For once they’ve gone….all hope is lost.’’
Talent books:
Guide To Joy: The music of the Nation of Art is Joy. It fills people with a sense of wonder and possibility, knowing that within the walls of this sacred nation lies the key to unlocking the boundless potential of their own artistic soul.
Guide To Originality: The song of the Nation of Art is originality. It fills people with a sense of liberation and empowerment, knowing that within the flower gardens of this kingdom lies the key to unlockingtheir own imagination
Guide To Imagination: The dance of the Nation of Art is imagination. It fills people with a sense of awe and wonder, knowing that within their beloved home lies the key to unlocking the hidden realms of the subconscious and tapping into the limitless wellspring of creativity and insight that lies within.
GNOSIS
The Apolelesma Gnosis is shaped after the Knight, which Symbolizes chivalry, bravery, and unexpected manoeuvres. It has a small yellow ribbon wrapped around it.
Adorned with intricate patterns and embedded with jewels that shimmer in every colour of the spectrum, it is a symbol of divine favour and extraordinary achievement. The people of Sideruem, in awe of its celestial beauty and the valour it represents, gather daily to worship the small thing, offering flowers, songs, and their deepest gratitude. To them, it is the pinnacle of artistic triumph and divine blessing, a testament to their beloved goddess’s courage and talent. However, beneath Kapana’s smile and playful demeanour lies a heart burdened with resentment. This Gnosis, while adored by her people, serves as a constant reminder of the war she was thrust into, the battles she fought, and the innocence she lost. Though it symbolizes victory, to her, it also embodies the harsh realities and responsibilities she never wished to bear. She often stands before it in quiet contemplation.
Stature Of The Seven (Eight?)
'…But perhaps most captivating of all is the sense of joy that emanates from the statue, infusing the very air with an atmosphere of boundless possibility and hope. For in the presence of the archon of art and joy, one cannot help but feel a deep sense of happiness, as if every moment spent in her company is a precious gift to be cherished for eternity.'
Local Flowers: Pink Roses, Lilies, Irises, Peonies, Hyacinths, Orchids
Elite Boss/drops: ''Princesses Of The Clouds'' (Divine Providence- Levelling Up mat)
Second Elite Boss: ''King Of Pressed Flowers'' (Paint-Covered-Flower- Levelling Up Mat)
Common boss: ''Confetti Cows'' (Flowercrown, leaves and mushrooms- Levelling Up Mat/Talents)
Second Common Boss: ''Dessert Bees'' (Honey + Sugar -Levelling Up Mat/Talents)
Thrid Common Boss: ''Space Bunnies'' (Stars, Broken Planets, Stardust -Levelling Up Mat/Talents)
Daily Comissions
''A Sweet Endeavor"
''A Brush of Inspiration''
"Petals and Paints"
''Rescue from the Cave''
This is all I got so far, might move on to Aritfacts next...or weapon mats....hmmm
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lya-dustin · 1 year ago
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All is bliss
Chapter 37
Gif by @dailyhotdgifs
Taglist: @mercedesdecorazon @darylandbethfanforever9 @watercolorskyy @alexandria-millie @ewanmitchellcrumbs @sweethoneyblossom1
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“The queen said none would be given a burial.” Criston says as he comes to escort her back inside.
Aemma managed to get him to take the route through the gardens because she was supposed to get her daily walk done anyways.
Orwyle had been very stern with her about taking care of her health. The Grand Maester was getting on her nerves, but then again, one of his assistants kept suggesting leeching to remove the excess black and yellow bile in her blood saying the old method was better than this.
“That’s rather odd, I never said that.” Aemma retorts reminding him Alicent no longer is in charge here.
Alicent had only just left and yet her loyal shadow believed she still held any power anymore.
The Green Queen will find the Court as black as night.
���Besides, why would she tell Aegon to be so careless as to deny them a respectful burial?
Had this been done by my faction, you and my darling goodmother would be amongst the first to condemn it.” Aemma added driving her point home.
It was all about optics.
Daemon was painted as a demon when Criston Cole was lauded for doing the same to nearly four noble families.
Alicent worshiped for usurping the throne to protect her children while mother hated for doing the same.
Of course, if you went to their side, you would find the opposite of this.
And the truth is, everyone was both.
People were not all bad, not all good. People were just people.
Yes, Daemon had done his fair share of atrocities in this war and the previous one, but he was a decent man at his core.
He had treated her just as he would treat his daughter, he had her back when mother in her paranoia would confine her to the keep and, from what she had seen growing up, he was a good husband to her mother.
Yes, Criston Cole was a great knight and yet once you looked past the shiny armor and white cloak, you saw he was awful.
He had the audacity to call her mother a whore to all and sunder when he had been able to leave her room instead of deflowering her, he killed people after they had surrendered, he had joined the queen in her incessant emotional abuse all those years when she was a child.
“You are not wrong---,” the knight admitted before treating her like a child under his care, “---but the next time you wish to act on your sense of justice, let us know before someone betrays you to get a leg up in court.”
“I know it wasn’t the Septon, who ratted me out to you?” the young queen asked him and wondered what it would take for him to toss Alicent over.
“The guards, one was demoted and sought a restoration of his position.” The Lord Hand who fettered her like a dangerous criminal relaxes and Aemma is amazed to know he could be pleasant company.
“Once you would have jumped at the chance to make an example out of me, I am surprised you have not brought it to my husband’s attention.” Aemma comments wondering if he’s over his bouts of irrational hatred.
“The king would not like his time wasted on these matters, and seeing as you were doing a good deed, it would be wrong to demand you be punished for it.” The knight approves of her actions, how extraordinary!
If only he hadn’t been so cunt struck by Alicent, the realm wouldn’t be in such a sorry state.
“Speaking of good deeds, have you dealt with the problems in the city, those very specific ones the merchant guild and the representative of the street of silk brought forward?” she asked hoping he had gotten to it.
He had been horrified to know his perfect queen had ignored suffering and sin like that.
From Otto Hightower, it would be uncharacteristic of him to care for anyone beside himself.
Alicent, however, had her entire reputation built on being good, chaste, and charitable.
It was far too easy to destroy her image given how much she did to satisfy her, thankfully, dead father’s ambitions.
“I have begun inquiries, but it goes far deeper than that. Lord Wylde and I have decided that we need to use guards that have not been bribed yet.” He answered as they found common ground: fixing this fucking shithole.
If there wasn’t so much awfulness in their shared past, Aemma would have thought she had found an ally in him.
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Mother has been gone for a moon and already the rumors of her being a wicked witch who eats baby’s hearts are utterly forgotten.
He was right on one thing, the outcome of the Riverlands battles would be all they would speak about.
The Battle by the Lakeshore proved to be a failure.
The Lannisters had already suffered defeats and under Lord Lefford’s command suffered another one.
Even without Daemon, the Riverlords had decimated the Westerners with the help of a battalion of old northerners calling themselves the Winter Wolves.
The Fishfeed they called it.
The survivors had managed to hole up in the blackened ruins of Harrenhal and now Aemond was needed to go and save them.
And not like gain them ground or anything glorious, no, Aemond and Vhagar were needed to carve out a path for a retreat.
Unfortunately, because Aemond is as green as their mother’s faction ---something Aegon loves to bring up as he shows off his newly healed burn scars---, Criston has to go too leaving the city very unprotected and without a hand.
It is a twenty-day march, and it will take an added week to finish the preparations and draft battle plans.
In the meantime, Aegon needs a Hand.
“You could name grandfather your Hand and get the Velaryon Fleet at your feet,” Aemma said rhyming on purpose as they go over plans for the nursery as he pretends their agreement has been forgotten.
The truth was, he had not been able to get his little king up no matter what Alys or Jena tried and if she knew now that his prick no longer works, Aemma would go running to his dullard of a brother.
Or worse, find a way to escape and go to her brothers and uncle in Dragonstone now that they’ve retaken it.
Instead, he tries to be a good husband and friend so that when she comes to know of his impotence, she will feel a little bad about it and maybe not leave the second she has a chance.
After all, she caused it by rebelling instead of taking her dragon and returning to her husband like a normal wife would have done.
“As great of an idea as that is, my grandfather would rise from the dead and strangle me with the chain of office.” He said pretending he was for it.
If he gave her everything she wanted, she would take it from him and have him put down like an old horse.
This had been Criston’s new advice.
Tyland Lannister would be acting as hand because the hand of the king chooses his replacement, or so he said after dealing with the issue about the children in Flea Bottom.
The Guilds who brought their petition to Aemma had been so thankful for that and gave him the head of the one-armed poor fellow who was preaching against him and his family.
Tyland was a good man, good for the job and would make sure things run smoothly. He may be less likely to give into Aemma’s whims, especially the more dangerous ones.
Even Jaehaerys made sure his wife knew her place, Criston had said.
Aemond had pushed for Ironrod to keep the west from taking it the wrong way, but Aegon agreed to Criston’s suggestion because Tyland would absolutely interpret it as a sign to bring his infernal niece to court.
Tyland would bring her to pressure a match between Tyshara and Aemond or the other ones with Daeron and get a dragon to deal with the Ironborn.
Once his brother proves his worth, he will be sent the Casterly Rock and be out of his life. If Lady Johanna Westerling had a daughter or a disappointment, he could make Aemond Lord Paramount of the West and get him away from his wife’s bed and heart.
“Tyland is perfectly adequate for the job.” Aegon says and his wife struggles to keep being the devoted little wife.
The moment something doesn’t go her way, Aemma fights with herself as if being nice and loving towards him costs too much.
Like now.
Love takes time, far too much, the king thinks as Aemma’s smile grows tight as she agrees with him.
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“Lady Tyshara would make a good bride. Her mother is like to have another daughter and you would be Lord of Casterly Rock.” Cole said as they went over what the Lannisters did wrong in their foray into the Riverlands.
The last thing they have heard was that the Blacks had retaken Dragonstone and everything past Duskendale.
Daemon had left the Riverlands and brought Jacaerys, Lucerys and Addam Waters together with sellsails the bastard had bought with the stolen treasury.
According to Larys, they were assembling an army of dragon riders amongst the Dragonseeds scattered about in the crownlands.
An orphaned shepherdess in Driftmark had claimed the ugly brown dragon, a smith called Hugh had claimed Vermithor and a household guard named Ulf had claimed a wild one.
Some had died trying to claim Syrax, the Cannibal and Aemma’s dragoness.
They were plotting to take Kingslanding soon, going to do so the moment they arrived at Harrenhal.
Only an idiot would not see the trap. Unfortunately, that idiot was their king.
But his idiot brother wanted him out of his hair and wedded to the bitchy blonde who called Helaena names when they were last in court.
“I cannot risk having a wife who would question the paternity of Aemma’s children.” Aemond reminds him.
Knowing the precarious situation they were in gave him time and opportunity to turn down eager ladies.
Eager ladies who wrote him sonnets and sent them with their uncle. Fuck, Tyshara even sent him a warhorse as pale as his hair.
“She does not need to know.” The Kingsguard countered. “Besides if the queen has a son, you wouldn’t need to continue the affair.”
“Mother may tell Aegon he needs a spare, or a daughter to wed his son.” And I don’t wish to stop it, Aemond could add that part, but bites his tongue. “In mother’s desperation to please her father, she damned me to live Harwin’s life.”
Sometimes he has nightmares where Driftmark happens all over again, but instead of losing his eye again it is Aenys taking his trueborn son’s eye for being called a bastard.
It is a gruesome thing, to see two little boys look almost like twins except one bloody and maimed as he was and the other whole.
Aenys clings to his mother who was round with child once more while his wife shouted and cried for justice.
Aemma does not call for the child to be questioned like her mother did, but Aegon and mother do this time.
It doesn’t matter that Aenys apologizes and claims it was an accident, his wife demands an eye for an eye as the boy bites his tongue just as Aemond did when asked where he heard the word bastard.
He tries to stop them, feeling helpless as his nameless and faceless wife charged at Aemma because once again his lover has taken everything from her.
The dream always ends with his dagger trespassing Aemma’s heart as she stands between his wife and their child.
He cannot let it become true.
“Your highness!” his page runs into the war room covered in sweat and preceding Vhagar’s roars in the distance. “Your Highness! Vhagar, she has begun laying eggs!”
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waitingforwinterwinds · 2 years ago
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A Clash of Kings - 31 CATELYN III (pages 426-439)
Cat meets with Stannis and Renly, it goes about as poorly as we all expected.
-
Storm's End sounds epic, but Durran sounds like an asshole, everyone was begging him to just move the foundations but he was all, "no, imma fight the gods. some of you may die, but that is a sacrifice i am willing to make." Yes, he did eventually get the thing built, thanks to the help of Bran the Builder and/or The Children of the Forest, but how many suffered for it? (my gosh this place is just full of guys grinding up smallfolk for their compensation castles. And I notice that it was the 7th that managed to stay up, 7 being a bit of a Big Number for the southern folk.)
Otherwise his dress was plain: studded leather jerkin over quilted doublet, worn boots, breeches of brown roughspun.
roughspun = 🥛
Even more curious was his standard bearer - a woman garbed all in reds, face shadowed within the deep hood of her scarlet cloak. A red priestess, Catelyn thought,wondering. The sect was numerous and powerful in the Free Cities and the distant east, but there were few in the Seven Kingdoms.
oh that's interesting. I don't know why I didn't think Cat would know about the Mel's sect, or where I got the impression Mel's the first red priestess to come to the Westeros in any length of time worth remembering. Like yeah, Cat's educated and religious herself, of course it makes sense for her to be aware of one of the other major religions, even if it's not very widespread in her immediate area, but it just never occurred to me that people would see Mel and understand what she was without being told?
He yanked his longsword from its scabbard. The steel gleamed strangely bright in the wan sunlight, now red, now yellow, now blazing white. The air around it seemed to shimmer, as if from heat. ... Some of the light seemed to go out of the world when Stannis slid his sword back into its scabbard.
colour shifting glowstick sword?! I want one, I need one.
[Insert Lightsaber Joke Here]
(Actually, I think they do make colour shifting lightsabers... remind me to google that later, never too early to shop for my own birthday gift!)
It is past time I went back to Riverrun to close my father's eyes, she thought. That much at least I can do. I may be a poor envoy, but I am a good mourner, gods save me.
Poor Cat, she's just so weary. She knows her part in starting it all, and she's trying to deescalate, but everyone has suddenly decided "actually, country ravaging violence sounds like a great idea" and there's just so little she can do about it all.
That choice Renly had denied himself in his headlong rush to come to grips with his brother. He had outdistanced his supply lines, left food and forage days behind with all his wagons and mules and oxen. He must come to battle soon or starve.
I keep wanting to remark on Renly's arrogance, but the specific type of arrogance he displays has my brain churning out the word 'cocksure,' and then back itself up because 'yeah the word fits but am I allowed to say that? Renly's gay, does that put it at too bad of a pun for public consumption?'
Renly laughed. "Loras, stay and help me pray. It's been so long I've quite forgotten how. -"
[Insert Joke about Idolatry and Body Worship Here... and Loras will Ins-]
sorry. We all know what he meant by 'pray'
In Catelyn's small corner of the camp, Shadd was slicing carrots into a kettle, Hall Mollen was dicing with three of his Winterfell men, and Lucas Blackwood sat sharpening his dagger. "Lady Stark," Lucas said when he saw her, "Mollen says it is to be battle at dawn." "Hall has the truth of it," she answered. And a loose tongue as well, it would seem. "Dow we fight or flee?" "We pray, Lucas," she answered him. "We pray."
I love the quiet comradery of this, not just between the men, but between them and Cat, so far in these sorts if scenes, I get vibes of 'she's not just the boss's wife or mother,' but their lady/boss, which is nice. (I don't know, just a lot of the other teams vibe like they'd look at a widow and go 'you're not my boss, you his wife/mother, which means you mean nothing' regardless of her own contributions.)
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shywitchyfangirl · 2 years ago
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hey!! so i am currently interested in undertale paganism a lot, and i was wondering if you have any tips for getting started?
and if you have the time, any chara correspondences? thanks!!
Hey, sorry for taking a bit to answer!
First off, if you haven't already, check out the pop culture paganism tag for some general ideas. This post is my favorite for explaining things. That being said, your starting point largely depends on what you're drawn to, what meaning you find in the game, and what you're hoping to become through it. For instance, are you hoping to grow into a more merciful person? More determined? Maybe you want to embody all seven soul traits? Or perhaps you just draw comfort from the characters themselves and want to have some sort of spiritual relationship with them? That's okay too!
Soul searching aside, I would suggest your first move be to pick just one character and try building a relationship with just them. Whichever one you're most drawn to, or whoever most embodies what you're looking for. Try to reach out to them, talk to them, give them offerings, and ask them for guidance. An important thing to keep in mind with pop culture entities, though, is that not all of them would be comfortable being worshipped or treated as a god. Depending on who you're working with, it might be a good idea to try just honoring them as a person and/or mentor until you get a better feel of their boundaries. Once you're comfortable with them and vice versa, you might find yourself drawn to another character, another character may reach out to you in some way, or your first character may introduce another character to you themselves. In my case, for my Deltarune practice, I started with Jevil, who might in Seam for me, who introduced Diamond King to me.
Aside from that, the wonderful thing about Undertale is that it has its virtues built right in. Focusing on mercy and the seven soul traits is a great way to practice Undertale paganism, and the souls/traits themselves could easily be revered in their own right (perhaps as something akin to angels?). For instance, your practice could include embodying one trait for each day of the week. Of course, the characters themselves will have their own lessons to teach you, and you could even call on them as guardian spirits if you need their specific skills.
As for Chara, they're a tricky character to nail down (just look at the fandom). Their associations really depend on how you see them, but in a sense, that could be a trait in and of itself. Chara is the one who calls out to their brother in the final battle and brings him peace, but they're also the one who, after being forced to kill everyone they love, decides that if they're going to do it, they at least want to do it by their own power, and you don't get to change your mind after they've lost everything. They were bitter enough to want to kill the humans who attacked them and Asriel, but they were also willing to sacrifice their life to save the monsters. They are, basically, the grey area between Frisk and Flowey, which is why the player is able to guide them one way or the other.
You can disagree or add your own, but this is a start for what I would give them:
-The colors red, green and gold, red heart shapes, smiley faces, as well as any yellow flowers
-Determination (duh)
-Survival in harsh/abusive situations (it's implied Chara had a very bad upbringing prior to their fall, and got through it by learning to laugh off the pain)
-Self-sacrifice (the whole buttercups thing)
-Doing what must be done (see previous)
-Family (they loved the Dreemurs enough to die for them, and they were the one who calmed Asriel)
-Gaining the upper hand on an abuser ("Since when were YOU the one in control?")
-Similarly, control/being controlled
-Gaining power ("Any time a number goes up, that feeling is me. Chara")
-Destruction and recreation (they do bring the world back if you beg)
-Deals with other entities (you giving them your soul in exchange)
-But relating to the above, inescapable consequences (Soulless pacifist)
-Also in those lines, cursing someone with exactly what they asked for
-Necromancy/ghosts/spirit work/death, because they are themself a ghost stuck to Frisk
-I would argue redemption, since what is the pacifist route if not teaching Chara a better way
-Anger and/or protecting others (them wanting to attack the humans who hurt Asriel)
Feel free to send another ask if you have further questions! I hope this can get you started!
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istumpysk · 3 years ago
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Operation Stumpy Re-Read
ASOS: Arya IV (Chapter 22)
The next morning, as they crossed the little stone bridge behind the keep, Gendry wondered if this was the bridge the old man had fought over. No one knew. "Most like it is," said Jack-Be-Lucky. "Don't see no other bridges."
"You'd know for certain if there was a song," said Tom Sevenstrings. "One good song, and we'd know who Ser Maynard used to be and why he wanted to cross this bridge so bad. Poor old Lychester might be as far famed as the Dragonknight if he'd only had sense enough to keep a singer."
I know this is important, but I'm not sure how yet.
+.+.+
Three days later, as they rode through a yellow wood, Jack-Be-Lucky unslung his horn and blew a signal, a different one than before. The sounds had scarcely died away when rope ladders unrolled from the limbs of trees. "Hobble the horses and up we go," said Tom, half singing the words. They climbed to a hidden village in the upper branches, a maze of rope walkways and little moss-covered houses concealed behind walls of red and gold, and were taken to the Lady of the Leaves, a stick-thin white-haired woman dressed in roughspun.
This reminds me of Bloodraven's cave system.
And once again, Arya's up in the trees.
A cloud of ravens was pouring from the cave, and he saw a little girl with a torch in hand, darting this way and that. For a moment Bran thought it was his sister Arya … madly, for he knew his little sister was a thousand leagues away, or dead. And yet there she was, whirling, a scrawny thing, ragged, wild, her hair atangle. - Bran II, ADWD
+.+.+
"You've not seen Lord Beric?" asked Tom Sevenstrings.
"He's dead." The woman sounded sick. "The Mountain caught him, and drove a dagger through his eye.
No eye is safe in back-to-back chapters.
+.+.+
"That's an old stale tale, and false," said Lem. "The lightning lord's not so easy to kill. Ser Gregor might have put his eye out, but a man don't die o' that. Jack could tell you."
"Well, I never did," said one-eyed Jack-Be-Lucky. "My father got himself good and hanged by Lord Piper's bailiff, my brother Wat got sent to the Wall, and the Lannisters killed my other brothers. An eye, that's nothing."
Fascinating tale, Jon-Be-Lucky.
+.+.+
The next night they found shelter beneath the scorched shell of a sept, in a burned village called Sallydance. Only shards remained of its windows of leaded glass, and the aged septon who greeted them said the looters had even made off with the Mother's costly robes, the Crone's gilded lantern, and the silver crown the Father had worn. "They hacked the Maiden's breasts off too, though those were only wood," he told them. "And the eyes, the eyes were jet and lapis and mother-of-pearl, they pried them out with their knives. May the Mother have mercy on them all."
What the hell?
<- Jaime III
The fattest Dothraki Jaime had ever seen was sitting on the Mother's chest when they rode up, prying out her chalcedony eyes with the point of his knife. Nearby, a skinny balding septon hung upside down from the limb of a spreading chestnut tree. Three of the Brave Companions were using his corpse for an archery butt. One of them must have been good; the dead man had arrows through both of his eyes.
An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind.
+.+.+
"No," the old man said. "Northmen, they were. Savages who worship trees. They wanted the Kingslayer, they said."
Arya heard him, and chewed her lip. She could feel Gendry looking at her.
If you replaced King with Queen, this almost reads like they're talking about Arya.
+.+.+
"I'm not a squirrel," she said. "I'll almost be a woman soon. I'll be one-and-ten."
"Best watch out I don't marry you, then!" He tried to tickle her under the chin, but Arya slapped his stupid hand away.
Another child professing to be an adult.
Be thankful you're viewed as a little girl, Arya.
+.+.+
Anguy let Arya try his longbow, but no matter how hard she bit her lip she could not draw it. "You need a lighter bow, milady," the freckled bowman said. "If there's seasoned wood at Riverrun, might be I'll make you one."
Tom overheard him, and broke off his song. "You're a young fool, Archer. If we go to Riverrun it will only be to collect her ransom, won't be no time for you to sit about making bows.
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+.+.+
"We have sore need of horses, milady. Armor as well. Swords, shields, spears. All the things coin can buy. Aye, and seed for planting. Winter is coming, remember?" He touched her under the chin. "You will not be the first highborn captive we've ransomed. Nor the last, I'd hope."
That feels like foreshadowing.
+.+.+
That much was true, Arya knew. Knights were captured and ransomed all the time, and sometimes women were too. But what if Robb won't pay their price? She wasn't a famous knight, and kings were supposed to put the realm before their sisters. And her lady mother, what would she say? Would she still want her back, after all the things she'd done?
These thoughts are even more depressing when you realize Robb wouldn't pay the price.
+.+.+
The next day they rode to a place called High Heart, a hill so lofty that from atop it Arya felt as though she could see half the world. Around its brow stood a ring of huge pale stumps, all that remained of a circle of once-mighty weirwoods. Arya and Gendry walked around the hill to count them. There were thirty-one, some so wide that she could have used them for a bed.
If someone would like to tell me the significance of thirty-one, I'd appreciate it.
+.+.+
The smallfolk hereabouts shunned the place, Tom told her; it was said to be haunted by the ghosts of the children of the forest who had died here when the Andal king named Erreg the Kinslayer had cut down their grove. Arya knew about the children of the forest, and about the Andals too, but ghosts did not frighten her.
I have no comment, I'll include Erreg backstory just in case someone has thoughts.
The great hill called High Heart was especially holy to the First Men, as it had been to the children of the forest before them. Crowned by a grove of giant weirwoods, ancient as any that had been seen in the Seven Kingdoms, High Heart was still the abode of the children and their greenseers. When the Andal king Erreg the Kinslayer surrounded the hill, the children emerged to defend it, calling down clouds of ravens and armies of wolves...or so the legend tells us. Yet neither tooth nor talon was a match for the steel axes of the Andals, who slaughtered the greenseers, the beasts, and the First Men alike, and raised beside the High Heart a hill of corpses half again as high...or so the singers would have us believe.
True History suggests otherwise, insisting that the children had abandoned the riverlands long before the Andals crossed the narrow sea. But however it happened, the grove was destroyed. Today only stumps remain where once the weirwoods stood. - The World of Ice and Fire
+.+.+
Beside the embers of their campfire, she saw Tom, Lem, and Greenbeard talking to a tiny little woman, a foot shorter than Arya and older than Old Nan, all stooped and wrinkled and leaning on a gnarled black cane. Her white hair was so long it came almost to the ground. When the wind gusted it blew about her head in a fine cloud. Her flesh was whiter, the color of milk, and it seemed to Arya that her eyes were red, though it was hard to tell from the bushes. "The old gods stir and will not let me sleep," she heard the woman say. "I dreamt I saw a shadow with a burning heart butchering a golden stag, aye. I dreamt of a man without a face, waiting on a bridge that swayed and swung. On his shoulder perched a drowned crow with seaweed hanging from his wings. I dreamt of a roaring river and a woman that was a fish. Dead she drifted, with red tears on her cheeks, but when her eyes did open, oh, I woke from terror. All this I dreamt, and more. Do you have gifts for me, to pay me for my dreams?"
Fun!
I dreamt I saw a shadow with a burning heart butchering a golden stag, aye.
Fandom consensus has always been this is Stannis and his shadow butchering Renly. I hate accepting consensus, but that's the most sensible conclusion. Only other interpretation I could buy is Melisandre destroying Stannis.
While reading other fandom theories I saw a lot of people fixate on golden stag, which would imply Lannister. It seems more likely the gold is meant to convey the stag is crowned.
I dreamt of a man without a face, waiting on a bridge that swayed and swung. On his shoulder perched a drowned crow with seaweed hanging from his wings.
Well, well, well. A vision of a Faceless Man assassinating a king. How funny would it be if she had the next chapter?
This is a Faceless Man killing Balon Greyjoy for Euron Greyjoy (On his shoulder perched a drowned crow).
As for the seaweed hanging from its wings, I got nothing. Aeron Greyjoy has seaweed woven into his hair, maybe it's him.
I dreamt of a roaring river and a woman that was a fish. Dead she drifted, with red tears on her cheeks, but when her eyes did open, oh, I woke from terror.
I don't want to talk about it.
+.+.+
And then to Tom Sevenstrings she said, "I'll have my song or I'll have you gone."
So the singer played for her, so soft and sad that Arya only heard snatches of the words, though the tune was half-familiar. Sansa would know it, I bet. Her sister had known all the songs, and she could even play a little, and sing so sweetly. All I could ever do was shout the words.
[...]
The singer laughed. "The sound of me, at least. She always makes me sing the same bloody song, though. Not a bad song, mind you, but I know others just as good." He shook his head.
Siblings do know best!
Sansa would have known who he was, and the fat one too, but Arya had never taken much interest in titles and sigils. - Arya VII, ACOK
x
Tyrion could think of something clever now, but all that occurs to me is to go at them with a sword. - Jaime I, ASOS
x
Tyrion would have known all there was to know about the Lord of the Dreadfort, but Tyrion was a thousand leagues away, with Cersei. - Jaime IV, ASOS
x
One of the early Targaryen kings had fought for years to suppress the two military orders, Jaime recalled, though he did not remember which. Maegor, perhaps, or the first Jaehaerys. Tyrion would have known. - Jaime IV, AFFC
Would Sansa know Jenny's song? Maybe we'll find out.
+.+.+
Arya promptly found herself marched upstairs, forced into a tub, and doused with scalding hot water. Lady Smallwood's maidservants scrubbed her so hard it felt like they were flaying her themselves. They even dumped in some stinky-sweet stuff that smelled like flowers.
And afterward, they insisted she dress herself in girl's things, brown woolen stockings and a light linen shift, and over that a light green gown with acorns embroidered all over the bodice in brown thread, and more acorns bordering the hem. "My great-aunt is a septa at a motherhouse in Oldtown," Lady Smallwood said as the women laced the gown up Arya's back. "I sent my daughter there when the war began. She'll have outgrown these things by the time she returns, no doubt. Are you fond of dancing, child? My Carellen's a lovely dancer. She sings beautifully as well. What do you like to do?"
Arya is being dressed like a tree two chapters before Bran II, ASOS.
+.+.+
She scuffed a toe amongst the rushes. "Needlework."
"Very restful, isn't it?"
"Well," said Arya, "not the way I do it."
"No? I have always found it so. The gods give each of us our little gifts and talents, and it is meant for us to use them, my aunt always says. Any act can be a prayer, if done as well as we are able. Isn't that a lovely thought? Remember that the next time you do your needlework. Do you work at it every day?"
I'm told Arya's gift is governing. With a dagger.
+.+.+
"Now you look a proper young lady."
I'm not a lady, Arya wanted to tell her, I'm a wolf.
Tell that to the Arya tag.
+.+.+
"It was 'Let Me Drink Your Beauty,'" said Tom defensively, "and milkmaids are always glad to hear it. As was a certain highborn lady I do recall. I play to please."
Her nostrils flared. "The riverlands are full of maids you've pleased, all drinking tansy tea. You'd think a man as old as you would know to spill his seed on their bellies. Men will be calling you Tom Sevensons before much longer."
(Lady Smallwood is the highborn lady, lol)
Some men know how to pull out, while others don't...
+.+.+
"I wish I had a flaming sword." Arya could think of lots of people she'd like to set on fire.
No, Arya. Bad, Arya.
+.+.+
Gendry put the hammer down and looked at her. "You look different now. Like a proper little girl."
"I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns."
"Nice, though. A nice oak tree." He stepped closer, and sniffed at her. "You even smell nice for a change."
"You don't. You stink." Arya shoved him back against the anvil and made to run, but Gendry caught her arm. She stuck a foot between his legs and tripped him, but he yanked her down with him, and they rolled across the floor of the smithy. He was very strong, but she was quicker. Every time he tried to hold her still she wriggled free and punched him. Gendry only laughed at the blows, which made her mad. He finally caught both her wrists in one hand and started to tickle her with the other, so Arya slammed her knee between his legs, and wrenched free. Both of them were covered in dirt, and one sleeve was torn on her stupid acorn dress. "I bet I don't look so nice now," she shouted.
Rest in peace to those Gendrya plans.
+.+.+
Tom was singing when they returned to the hall.
My featherbed is deep and soft,
and there I'll lay you down,
I'll dress you all in yellow silk,
and on your head a crown.
For you shall be my lady love,
and I shall be your lord.
I'll always keep you warm and safe,
and guard you with my sword.
[...]
Tom winked at her as he sang:
And how she smiled and how she laughed,
the maiden of the tree.
She spun away and said to him,
no featherbed for me.
I'll wear a gown of golden leaves,
and bind my hair with grass,
But you can be my forest love,
and me your forest lass.
Aw look, Arya gets her own song! Too bad all her fans are forced to ignore its contents.
(Maiden of the tree two chapters before Bran II, ASOS)
+.+.+
"I do not know who you are, child," the woman said, "and it may be that's for the best. Someone important, I fear." She smoothed down Arya's collar. "In times like these, it is better to be insignificant.
x
"Leave the boy, Lem," said Harwin. "Arya did start it, I have no doubt. She was much the same at Winterfell."
I'm not sure if this is important or not, but I'll include it. Lady Smallwood doesn't know who Arya is, and doesn't want to. Later, Harwin will say Arya's name right in front of her.
+.+.+
It was even worse than before; Lady Smallwood insisted that Arya take another bath, and cut and comb her hair besides; the dress she put her in this time was sort of lilac-colored, and decorated with little baby pearls. The only good thing about it was that it was so delicate that no one could expect her to ride in it. So the next morning as they broke their fast, Lady Smallwood gave her breeches, belt, and tunic to wear, and a brown doeskin jerkin dotted with iron studs.
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+.+.+
"I'm sorry, my lady." Arya suddenly felt bad for her, and ashamed. "I'm sorry I tore the acorn dress too. It was pretty."
"Yes, child. And so are you. Be brave."
Yes, be brave. You never know what challenge might pop up on the next page.
Final thoughts:
Dense, difficult chapter. Hopefully I didn't miss a ton.
-> return to menu <-
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irelandseyeonmythology · 3 years ago
Note
If such a thing applies, what's the most wonderful, artistically scribed--even illuminated--letter you've ever seen from a manuscript you studied?
Here is where I'm going to have to break hearts, I'm afraid:
In the manuscripts I've looked at (which is relatively few because, even though I do have training in palaeography, I'm not a professional palaeographer), there have been relatively few artistic flourishes. In the case of one manuscript, the vellum was actually so faded that a large amount of the text was totally illegible. (This also happened to be the only recension of this text known to exist....because of course it was.)
There are basically two reasons why someone would want to elaborately decorate a letter in the middle ages: One is as a personal show of skill/boredom, the other is for a patron, but those manuscripts would be insanely expensive and a lot of our surviving manuscripts were very likely for some kind of private consumption: Either compilations of material that were collected by a single family or material that was copied down by one scribe for his own personal usage (so that he'd have the stories to hand when he needed to consult them for something else he was writing.) Overall, not as much motivation.
This isn't to say that elaborate letters DON'T exist, because I have seen some letters that absolutely were Extra™, but it's just not to the degree where I can be like "Yes! This one!" Which is a little depressing when you consider that, for example, some of the most vivid visual depictions of medieval Irish life come from medieval English sources, like the illustrations of Gerald of Wales' Topographia Hiberniae.
Which is to say that I'm going to cheat and say "The Book of Kells."
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Yeah, baby.
I can whine about the Book of Kells' popularity all I want, I can bitch, I can moan, but at the end of the day, WHAT an ambassador for our field.
In contrast, from the Book of Lismore (f. 88 r; f. 86 v):
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Dublin, RIA, MS. 23 E 25 (Leabhar na hUidre/The Book of the Dun Cow), p. 31
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I'm going to note that this is also our oldest known secular extant manuscript.
Dublin, RIA, MS. 23 E 29 (Book of Fermoy), p. 178:
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(Were they even trying?)
Yellow Book of Lecan (col. 192):
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London, the British Library, Egerton MS 88, (f. 12 v)
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(f. 26 r)
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St John's College, Cambridge, MS C 9 (The Faddenmore Psalter), (f. 66 r)
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This is the only one that I really thought had illustrations that match the popular image of medieval manuscripts and what they look like, but...see above. Psalter. (The Book of Durrow is also stunning, but again.)This was intended for public viewing, as both an object of worship and as a display of the church's wealth. It follows that they would pay a large amount of money to show it off. (But I do love the bat helping his little letter friend out.) You just do not get that in the vast majority of secular manuscripts, which is why....while we have a decent idea of how a medieval English scholar viewed King Arthur, or how a medieval Icelandic scholar might have viewed Loki, we don't get anything comparable to that for secular depictions of Irish material.
We don't know exactly HOW they viewed characters like Cú Chulainn, Fionn, Lugh, Cormac mac Airt. And I know that I harp on a lot about us needing more adaptations of this material, but that's part of the reason why: We never get to see depictions of these guys, even from the time that this material was being written down. (Also, not to sound like a broken record: But IMAGINE what we could have had if all the manuscripts survived. IMAGINE all the illustrations that were likely lost to colonialism over the years.)
...which is far and away from letters, but.
(Also to note that different scriptoriums had different capabilities re: the production of manuscripts, some were richer and larger than others and, after the reforms of the 12th century, production of manuscripts is transferred to the bardic schools.)
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hatchetfieldtheories · 3 years ago
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Nightmare Time Season 2 - Trailer Release Theory Update
Finally!!! It's here! We have episode confirmations! We have dates! We have more pictures to try and piece together in some semblance of a theory - which will most likely be shot down the moment the episode synopsis is posted.
Following the puzzle's completion, I posted a theory on what it all meant, and this will be an update to that, taking into account what we have learnt from the trailer. Remember these are just my theories based on the clues we have been given and could very well be complete misinterpretations. So let me know what your theories are too!!
If you missed the NMT2 puzzle, you can see the completed puzzle breakdown here: x
If you want to read my post-puzzle theory, you can do so here: x
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I am still convinced the lightning is some king of harbinger of the Lords in Black - either to signal their arrival in Hatchetfield or to symbolise when one of them begins a plan.
In the trailer description we have been informed of some key facts:
evil things grow in strange woods
secret societies worship dark masters
a song can kill
Linda Monroe, Frank Pricely, Lex Foster are returning
We will see nerdy prudes both old and new
Hannah and Tim will not appear as Kendall isn't in the cast list
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Our first treat is a look at Lumber-Axe the Mad Woodsman himself. Or "the Axe-Man". I have had a go at working out the bit of the lyrics we have been given here but there a few I want to pick out.
So back in the trailer for season 1 of Nightmare Time, we were given a sort snippet of the Nightmare Time song, specifically the following lines:
"No need to runaway, you little runaway, 'cause the nightmare will get you soon... Look behind you. Hey what was that? (twig snapping) Boo! You can run but are you fast enough. You can hide but I will find you... Just run away if you want if you dare, the nightmares gonna get you...Daddy's gonna get you."
Now in the new Axe-man song we have been given these lines:
"He’s got you running for your life, He’s got you hiding out of sight."
Now, I'll mention Lumber-Axe again a little bit later on, but my initial thought is this. Is the "Nightmare" and "Daddy" one and the same. And could they be Lumber-Axe in some way?
Another interesting thing to note, @donteatthefishtacos has pointed me to the tale of Paul Bunyan which could be where the "size that humbles, hands that rumble, steps that crumble the ground" could be taken from.
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In the Cryptic Clues, Honey Queen was included on the line which also featured the image of a boat, a hive (as above), and some honey. As this was the section of the puzzle that included the boat, I reckon this is where we are seeing Linda. She is for sure the queen bee of Hatchetfield, or at least sees herself as one. I mentioned in my original theory following the puzzles that the idea of a Honey queen gives me vibes of a May Day festival or harvest festival type scene where someone is crowned the Honey Queen, and we have previously been told about the Hatchetfield Honey Festival.
The title for this one is yellow, which fits with the honey imagery. But also we can link to Tinky, which makes me wonder if this is Linda’s turn to time travel and end up in the Bastard Box – maybe trying to relive former glory days as the Honey Queen or claim what should have been hers?
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Now last season, we had episodes in which the two stories were very obviously interlinked. Not two parts of the same story but within the same timeline, with Forever and Always and Time Bastard.
I am wondering if Perky's Buds and Abstinence Camp could be similar, in that they both have the outdoorsy imagery. So maybe while they are two very separate stories, we see something happen in one which bears some influence on the other.
Bringing in some of the synopsis we have been given, we are told "evil things grow in strange woods" - which could be a reference to Perky's Buds, which is very likely Emma's pot farm. And we are also given "secret societies worship dark masters" which - if I'm going to take bets on a place for a secret society its an Abstinence Camp (though I will bring this up again later). Plus, Abstinence Camp is the only title which comes in two different colours - are we seeing a story featuring two Lords in Black?
Finally bringing in the puzzle, we see that the birds are related to Perky's Buds, which I personally think I am right in saying that we're going to find out these kinda dodgy birds are the "buds" in question. Note the title for this one is in green, which is interesting because though we have seen Emma a lot throughout Hatchetfield, we have not yet seen her with any real link to Wiggly.
Finally, back to Abstinence Camp, we see a woodcutting axe being used, so this may be where we see our long awaited Lumber-Axe.
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Welcome to Toy Zone, its world renown. Frank Pricely, my beloved. Episode three's "Daddy" is interesting because its clearly at Toy Zone, which makes you assume the Daddy in question is a parent having a hard time getting a toy for their kid, but:
The Daddy is in red, which could be a reference to Nibbly? I honestly think he is pink, and he is described in season 1 as pink but we did see that the puzzle included a red section, albeit for the Yellow Jacket line. Although the Toy Zone colour is red and is most prominantly worn by Frank himself.
Of the Cryptic Clues, its hard to say what we can attribute to which story without knowing more as they're definitely more vague, though I think its clear the singer we can attribute to Killer Track. I do think maybe the wedding rings and the sewer might be related to Daddy, though that is just arbitrary guessing.
We determined that Frank probably wasn't influenced by Wiggly as the rest of the adults were, as his greed was just a normal part of his personality. So maybe this time a different brother is making an attempt. We also don't have Hannah, but we do have Lex, so my assumption is this is where we will see her.
For Killer Track, we can bring in the phrase "where even a song can kill". For this I have two theories. Note the title for this one is purple (Blinky!). One ridiculous and what I want, and one more likely and also great but not as silly.
The ridiculous theory: I am still on my Miss Holloway is Tiffany the 80s singer thought train, and I’m not getting off until SK tell me I am wrong. If we assume that like Forever and Always/Time Bastard there are a reason some stories are linked, then it could be that this is also related to lakeside mall. Specifically mall circuits of the 80s – and a certain song is being performed which causes – some kind of killer commotion. Especially considering the background image is a record player, which, while I know they are certainly having their comeback, were a massive staple of the culture of the 80s.
The more likely one: a Killer Track reminds me of the tape Jane was playing in the car when she died. Now I don’t think they’re the same track, but its very likely their origins are linked. I.e. what if the killer song is a recording based on yet another spell from the Black Book – not a soul transference one this time, but something a bit more… fatal.
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Step into the Black and White - boxing ring? Do I have much to say on this one? No, its difficult as the title isn't giving us much. It is interesting however that this is a standalone story. As a reminder, the puzzle clues for this title included lockers (which we can now assume are lockers for boxing competitors), a test, a skating rink and fire.
The title is in white, which makes me think this is the story where we will see Webby appear, though without Hannah, I am curious as to how.
I said earlier I had an alternative option for the "secret societies worshipping dark masters" line, and it could be possible that these are related to the the high school, hence the tests, arcade, fire - and may be directly impacting a student boxer.
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So what's left? Well in the Cryptic Clues we also had two further lines:
"The Monarch is now Vexed"
"Nibbly Must Eat"
As for Nibbly, I've noted where he may appear, in "Daddy" (if red) or "Abstinence Camp" (if pink). Plus, now that we know these two aren't episode titles, it is very possible the monarch in question is whoever is Honey Queen. Perhaps Linda - vexed as she didn't recieve the crown, and so becomes a prime target for Tinky.
But hey, that's just a theory...
If you got to the end - bloody hell well done. Have some water, look at something far away to avoid eye strain, then tell me your thoughts! What are your theories?
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telekinetic-electronica · 3 years ago
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My Echidna Archie Lore Rewrite Part 1
OKAY SO, NOTES HERE. I’m basing this off of what Sonic Team originally intended for Knuckles Tribe to be like. Based off of the Maya Culture. Please note I did a lot of research on this and read and watched a lot of archeologists, historians, and read up to make sure I had accurate information. Please note we still don’t know everything on the Maya culture due to what the Spanish did to the Maya people.
With that out of the way, let’s begin!
____________________________________________________
So, for starters, let’s get a basis first. While the Maya people were a hunting-and-gathering society, they still had cities and had dozens of people living within them. Not to mention, they didn’t have chiefs. They had kings and queens. So, with this, we’ll say that they used to have chiefs but eventually they shifted to having kings and queens, etc. so we’ll have that with them. They also had highlands and lowerlands, which will take place for the plot of the rewrite.
They were also very advanced. They had early revolutions in astronomy, mathematics, the usage of zero, and develop the first of many calendars. They were also the first of many people to use chocolate and rubber. They made paper from tree bark, they used limestone for construction, used obsidian rock for tools and weapons, and even salt!
The Maya were also very deeply religious. And yes, I know of the whole blood ritual and human sacrificing shit but to demean an entire culture of that, especially a non white one is very disgusting, and people have already done to the maya and paint very racist shit on them. we’re not gonna be doing that here because this is a kids’ comic ffs. It’ll have the same amount of darkness and depth Archie sonic had. 
The Maya King was also their king and spiritual leader. As many ancient cultures, the king was said to come from the gods and goddesses himself. They also worshipped their ancestors, and they didn’t have any burials for their dead. They would build their houses on top of their dead loves as their graves, and give offerings to them that way. Not to mention cities had patron gods and goddesses as well. So, the Knuckles Tribe’s patron god would very much be Chaos and Tikal would have had a city named after her, and the echidnas would have told her story and even worshipped her.
_____________________________________________________
Now that we have some historical things set up, we can now set up the new Echidna world. Because of Chief Pachacamac’s way of how he hurt others, the Knuckles Tribe wanted to make sure that never happened again. Pachacamac soon remarried and had a son by the name of Bonampuk and soon tried to rebuild the damage his father had done, and thus continued the rule of the Echidnas. Now, we get into some what modern day times. Here, we meet one of the main characters. Knuckles’ grandma, Princess Xultun. How I’d image her too look like is that she has braided hair, and very dark red fur. Y’all know the pattern on Pachacamac and the zig zag patterns on them? She would that, with a collar and it have been colors to it besides red. Greens, yellows, blues, etc.
Example: 
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Also, yes she would markings on her, but like, they used black instead of white, so I can see that all over her shoulders, face, and some into her braids. For the looks, check out Maya and the Three they did a wonderful job on the outfits with the Maya people. I also think she’d wear light brown shoes. Guys, they had very decorative and very vast colors. Instead of whatever that crown thing Tikal had, I can see Xultan wearing a headdress for special events.
Xultan was the Princess of the Knuckles Tribe. She was a very happy, rebellious, fiery and passionate girl who just kind of wanted to do her own thing half of the time. She loved hunting, playing sports, reading poetry, and goofing around with her friends. Meanwhile she was tutored by assigned tutors and her mother and father, King Calakmul and Queen Uxmal. They were both loving kings and queens who cared for their country, people, and their daughter. Xultan tended to be a daddy’s girl was very excited to be the next ruler of their city/tribe. (Some inspo on what her parents would wear. From Maya and the Three.)
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Calakmul was a down-to-earth, responsible, serious and loving father. Uxmal loved to unwind, sit back, and just have a chill time. She did take her duties seriously. With her father’s fur that was the color of fire, and his eyes like the green forest, with her mother the color of brown, of the ocean, and the eyes of golden. The Knuckles Tribe was in a golden age and at peace. Everything was fine, everything was great! But, oh... they don’t last long at all, do they?
The Knuckles Tribe had been battling a Legion for quite some time now. A very dark, and foreboding Legion. The Legion was an oppressive force. Everyone around in this time period knew of them. They called themselves The Dark Legion. They represented the dark history of the Echidnas. The echidnas who barely survived, who worked and withered away under the hot heat of the Sun, doing all of the work. Barely surviving by, while they had to through poverty, starvation, and even lethal air. While the middle class and upper class got all cozied up while the lesser people of the Kingdom had to suffer and wallow away.
But they wouldn’t allow themselves that, no. They wouldn’t wither away. The Legion was controlled by Itza. Itza who would then renounce his identity and then later be called by Dr. Finitevus. Itza is a figure who’s very controlling, manipulative, dark, and cold. And all the crazy his canon counterpart is. Itza, a long time ago, formed the Dark Legion after the events happening in his life. See, Itza came from a poor family. A poor family of farmers, and as a kid, he wanted to help in the science department of his kingdom. Due to the cruel ways they treated his family the elites stealing his family’s food and leaving them to die by the wayside was there.
This wasn’t until Itza landed a job in the upperland of the city of Tikal. He worked tirelessly on his job. See, he could harness magic and use it with science. He wanted to share it with the public, and used it for the greater good. Instead, it was robbed from him and the other more wealthy stole it from him. While standing for his invention, a fight ensues, and due to the fight between them, the combo of chaos and regular magic, sounded off a big explosion. Which was pinned on him. He had everything taken away from him. His parents, family, job, money, everything.
Which lead him to seethe about how society was being run. The poor get poorer while the rich got wealthier. This is why he started the Dark Legion he hated what that society stood for and wanted to burn it to the ground. He wanted a new Knuckles Tribe a fair and just one. Not a disgusting, corrupt one. It all started when the nobles, council men and women, and her parents were starting to get worried. What the fuck was this talk of invasion? Everything was peaceful now and just. What was going on? Until she heard from one of her friends tell of the Dark Legion.
“The Dark Legion? Didn’t we take care of those guys like, moon ago?” The princes crossed her arms and looked at the other. The young lavender echidna shook her head. “From what I’ve heard from my mentor, they’ve always been around. It seems like we’ve been slacking on our defenses as of late. They’re moving in from the south pretty fast. Sounds like a war is gonna break out,” Misty said. Misty was one of Xultan’s friends. She was mentoring under her mother, who was the King’s advisor. “Pfft! Please. We’re gonna take down those guys easy peasy! And this time, it’s gonna be my first ever fight!” The young guard enteres the room. He’s a jet black echinda in head-to-toe Echidna armor, with white eyes that shone like the moon. “Iiiiiii don’t think so, princess. These guys... They’re something else.” “Not really, just any other loser bad guys who’s gonna get taken down!” “Welll.... it’s not the exact reason they’re doing this.” “Whaddya mean?” “To be frank, the lowerland people are treated like shit by the noble fuckwads around here. Half of them are starving, still. I know the King and Queen are trying their best to repair stuff, but... you can’t qualm an injustice rage.” “Oh, c’mon! Mama and papa are doin’ the best they can! They’re bringin’ more food to them, more jobs and access  to them! We’re tryin’ here! We’re the city of progress after all!” Misty and Pyrope glanced at each other and did a “oof”. Pyrope shook his head. “Ya still have a lot to learn about yer people, Xultan.” The two walked away while Xultan shook her head. Whatever. She doubt that war was gonna happen, either way.
________________________________________________________
That was the last name Xultan’s ego ever founded her. She paced up and down her bedroom, as she waited for the news. Her father and mother have decided to join the fray. Buildings had been destroyed, people were dying left and right, it was just a mess. She ordered for more soldiers to guard her and her people. But oddly enough, the Dark Legion was giving the lowland people food, water, shelter and medical care. She did the same with upperland Tribe. The war raged on for months on end until it finally came to a close. The officials sat in their chairs and looked rather somber. One of them spook up. “What of the princess? How shall we tell her?” the room got quiet. No one said anything. No rustling of papers, no items clanking of their writing. Nothing. Until the oldest member of the group spoke up. His tone was silent, but stern. “Tell the young Pyrope of their Majesties passing. We cannot falter. The kingdom will mourn them greatly. The Princess can mourn along with them. We must now make preparations for Princess Xultan’s crowning.” After hearing what he was told to do, Pyrope’s stomach dropped. He slowly entered into the Princess’ room, before knocking, of course. She turned his attention asking what he needed. “Xultan...” “...Yes?” “The king and queen are no longer with us. They’ve joined into the after life.” Xultan, after that, wasn’t the same. She sulked around her room. Crying for God knows how long. Her fire had seemingly been dampened. Oh Gods. Oh Gods. It hit her like a ton of bricks. She was going to be the next queen. Her parents are fucking dead. Everything is in shambles. How... how...?  She was only a 15-year-old orphan now.  How the fuck was she suppose to do this? She had some practice here and there, but nothing of THIS scale. She breathed in and out. She stood up and looked in the mirror. She remembered the words her father had told her. “Xultan, there will be times, when you’re queen, when everything around is going to flames, in the end, you’ll make it through. You’re a smart, clever, and talented young lady. You cannot be a child forever. You have to do what’s good for our people. Even if it hurts, even if the pain is unbearable, you must keep your head high. For their sake.” She breathed again and had a serious tone. It still burnt and hurt inside. But she can’t falter now. Her people needs a leader. Someone to be a guiding light in this time, and by the Gods, she’ll do that.
________________________________________________________
After the ritual ceremony of her becoming the Queen, will all of the headdresses, animal fur, the most expensive clothes, jade jewelry, and make up on her. She got work to right away. She created more jobs to be taken up, she wanted construction on the buildings, she gave out money to those who needed it, she even sent people to help the lowerland and reported what they needed. They were given money to help, food, shelter, and anything else. After going through a ton of meetings, weeks, months, and trying to get to some normalcy, everyone saw how serious and stern the new Queen was now. She was... taking this seriously. It’s like that fiery and happy-go-lucky teenager was just no longer there, anymore.
It was like she was a different person. The night had finally concluded with the final meeting. Her posture was perfect, her make up on par, and headdress held up high. She quietly makes her way down the city. She looks around her. Everything was being rebuilt slowly and more people were helping each other out. She decided to help some of her people by getting them whatever they needed, and just like, she left. She headed towards the Master Emerald. The guards asked what the Queen was doing, she merely said she just wanted to sit by it and gaze at the stars, seeing nothing wrong with it, She takes a deep breath and leans back against the Emerald. (also note just wanna say that maya afterlife believing in enter the caves as the underworld and I believe that royalty was in the stars when they died as well.)
She felt exhausted. She’s been working non-stop for months now. You can’t rebuild an entire city in Gods know how long. It appeared the guards had fallen asleep. It’s okay, she’ll let them rest for awhile. She’ll only wake them up if need be. She forced her tears to stay in. She needed to be strong now. Even if she was still a kid, she had to act like an adult now. For her people. They need her, and will still need her for the days to come.  That didn’t make it any less easier. Fuck. She was crying. Goddamn it. She didn’t need this right now. She needed to be strong! Until she heard a feminine voice- oh my fucking gods it’s Tikal’s spirit she’s gonna shit herself. Tikal told the other to simmer down. She basically told the other she could sense with why she was so upset and about everything had happened. Tikal patted her back gently.
Tikal had told the other that was a lot to take in, and how sorry she went through all of that. But then she told her, she wasn’t alone in this. She had the Councilors, her advisor, and a certain guard that took interest in her. And not to mention, her of course. She sighed. But was weirded out at the last thing. She had? Tikal herself to help her? What?? Father never spoke of that to her. TIkal explained that she dedicated herself to help all of the future rulers of the Knuckles Tribe. So they can get some info from the past, so to speak.
Xultan scratched her head. That made sense to her. She had a lot of work ahead of her, but it was nice to hear those words from someone who understood when things went from zero to one hundred real quick. Xultan sighed and exited from the Master Emerald shrine. She headed back to her room, ready to go to sleep, as she took her headdress and make up off, Pyrope knocked on her door. The two spent some time together and bonded. Having nice chit chats, and Xultan finally let out some of her problems and how she was feeling to Pyrope.
They comforted each other and shared some jokes with them. As time went on, Queen Xultan brought a golden age again with her people. She brought in more trades, more allies, helped the poor, make the farmers and all the others on the lowlands to be within equal standing as possible, and have their voices heard for once in a long time, and overall just bringing another golden age. Her dreadlocks got a lot longer, and is in stylized into this braid-bun look with the decorative pieces like in the Maya and the Three image. I’d say for her adult Queen look...
She wears a more flowy, bottom dress with no sleeves, still has a collar, and has a lot more jewels, make up and face pain upon her. Her fur still remained a dark red, with emerald eyes. During her teen years, she had dated Pyrope. And now, they were engaged to each other as adults. Bottom line is, she tried her best man. She had to make calls where others weren’t happy with her, but, she had to for her people. She’s been a Queen since she was 15 and has a lot on her plate.
Queen Xultan matured greatly and quickly. She’s still very fiery but toned down, calm, patient, stern, polite, and has a bit of a snark to her. She takes her job as Queen very seriously and will listen to anyone who thinks on what she could improve on. She’s also very compassionate and strong willed. But she tends to bottle up her emotions and can still be stubborn and close minded at times. 
Pyrope is her Prince-Consort and Captain of the Guard now. He’s a quick witted, sarcastic, charming, funny, and an overall good guy. He adores his wife to the tenth degree and has his own hobbies. He loves star gazing, talking about the latest book series, and just an overall goof ass. He gives his wife insight on the more poverty not-doing-so-good side as his family came from the more down rodden Knuckles Tribe. She even went to see the lands for herself and was digusted at such injustices. While her time as Queen, she got a big sense of morality and justice. Not to mention, big religious ceremonies and rituals to. To their patron god Chaos, to the other gods, festivals, ceremonies, and to even their ancestors.
And even then, the looming threat of the Dark Legion still hung in the air. There were times where they even talked to them, and yes, even worked with them just to achieve the same goal as the other, for they wanted. However, they kept off at bay, but Itza had a plan up his sleeve. He had something in the works, and always he had people everyone. He had eyes and ears everywhere. In the castle, in the towns, and even in the lowlands. He kept a watchful ear and eye over the new kingdom. During this time, the queen and prince-consort had a daughter. She was Princess Ceibal. She had her mother’s dark red fur, and her father’s white eyes. (also note, pyrope and xultun had ceibal in their 30′s-40′s.)
She was someone who was more on the calm and collected side. She was very graceful, but boy she could throw down if she wanted too. She did enjoy the arts, but she also loved hunting with her mother and father. Itza saw this and took note of it. To him, Queen Xultan was just going along to play nice with everyone and still viewed all of them had scum. For now, he’ll let them have their peace. For now.
Just ‘till they wait. Just ‘till they wait.
More years of peace had passed by until... when Ceibal was out with her husband, Caracol. They were ambushed by the Dark Legion’s forces and were held hostage. The simply way to get them back is for Queen Xultan to step down and for all of the nobles to step down and let the Dark Legion take over, which, she isn’t having any of that and another war broke out from then. It took an entire year to get them defeated and push them back, but, the damage was still done and left Xultan in a tight spot. It really did feel like she was 15 again. No matter what her age was, and now her daughter was an adult all of her own.
She never really felt like an adult sometimes. She still felt like she was a 15-year-old princess who just lost her parents. Even to this day, she still went to Tikal for advice, and got close to her and became good friends with her. Xultuna had always bottled up her emotions and she’s seen her friends come, go, and die. Repeat. It was quite unending, really. She still wondered how much time she would have on this Earth. When she gets to finally see her parents again. It’s a dark thought, but she’s been a Queen for so long. She’s been a queen since she was 15.
And she was exhausted. Too much to still think and do. They were doing a new science exhibit tomorrow, she had the rituals to appease the Gods, and so many discussions and problems to solve. She’s now going to be a grandmother soon, and just reflecting. She did good. She did good by her mother and father. And she has a wonderful family and good friends. That’s all that mattered to her.
The current ruler of the Knuckles Tribe only gave their crown to the next heir if they died or will no longer capable of such a role. She wondered when that will be next for her. She scratched her head. She should get to bed soon. She really should.
On February 2nd, her grandson was born. Given the nickname Knuckles for his feisty attitude. This was Prince Palenque.
_____________________________________________________
How to pronounce their names! 
Bonampuk - Bona puck Xultan - Shull toon Calakmul - Call lack mule Uxmal - Oosh Mall Itza - Eats-uh Ceibal - P much pronounced how it’s spelled Caracol - Car call Palenque - P much pronounced pronounced how it’s spelled
We’ll be going over Knuckles’ parents more in part 2! ______________________________________________________
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smells-like-mettaton · 3 years ago
Note
If you’re still doing character asks, maybe mettaton and spamton?
oh good im currently being emo about mettaton in this chilis tonight
Mettaton
First impression
Ok. So. Mettaton was the only character that I actually knew about before playing undertale, on account of a pal cosplayed box!mettaton for halloween once. So I knew he was a killer robot TV show host and that was it. My first impression of him in the game though was that he was hilarious (and also probably evil). Which is what he was going for! Good for him!!
Impression now
He's like, totally my robot husband <3 He is a hot mess and I love him for it. He is still hilarious and has some of my favorite dialogue in the whole game. I was not expecting him to turn into his EX form when i first played and that added a whole other dimension to him. His backstory is wonderful
Favorite moment
When death by glamour hits. honestly though all of them like what. you come into my house and expect me to pick???
Idea for a story
I know I've said the King Mettaton one already, and he actually has a pretty big role in the Megamind Alphyne AU fic I have planned too... a lot of my wips (either started or planned) involve Mettaton. I think I'd like to write deltarune mtt meeting swatch and/or spamton at some point
oh, and if I had time I would really like to write more of his backstory, like how he came to fame after alphys made his body, and how he felt being separated from his family for the first time.
Unpopular opinion
I don't know if it's unpopular, but I like to think that he can dish out the flirting but when it's someone he actually cares about, he absolutely cannot take it.
(Also maybe not unpopular but I think he had a crush on Asgore at one point sdlkafjd)
Favorite relationship
I love Papyton of course but since I already said that, also Alphys & Mettaton!! they are Besties (actually i think i said that in the alphys ask too...) ok for the sake of variety. Mettaton & Undyne. frenemies forever (affectionate rivalry)
Favorite headcanon
He was the one to advertise himself as a robot with an artificial soul, not Alphys. She never came clean about that because she didnt want to out him as ghost!trans.
Spamton
First impression
"oh heck oh no why are there words in this background music am i about to get murdered" and then i did (first death of my ch 2 playthrough lol). Mostly I was terrified and missing all of my party members. But after I got over the being scared i ended up jamming to the battle music and I remember leaving that on while I ate lunch for some reason (i do not remember why I ate lunch in the middle of a boss fight)
Impression now
Popular characters are something that can be so personal actually,, I just think he is super funny and also a really interesting character lore wise. He is still scary in canon so I really appreciate fanon making him even more pathetic (and sometimes hot) because then I am not afraid of him <3
Favorite moment
WHEN THE SOUL TURNS YELLOW. maybe that doesnt count as a spamton moment BUT close enough. i LOST MY FREAKING MIND
Idea for a story
Ralsei gets the dealmaker "fixed" by Malius, leading to Spamton coming back and being Ralsei's horrible uncle figure. Possibly with a Mob & Reigen (mp100)-esque dynamic.
Unpopular opinion
I don't know if it's unpopular but I like how he has so many different interpretations in the fandom. The tiny gremlin man animal ones are the funniest but he has such a range of fanart that is hilarious, spooky, serious, attractive, etc. that its just. its fun. im cringe i can be honest about this [repeats this like an affirmation]
Favorite relationship
Spamton & Swatch (romantic, divorced, or platonic). There is just something so narratively fascinating about them. Spamton keeps wearing their outfit even after he's been mega kicked out. Spamton worships the thing Swatch created. Swatch sells the big shot bowties with spamton's brand tag cut off. There's just so many hints of history and connection between them that are fun to explore
Favorite headcanon
He and Swatch are super divorced. Swatch actually gave him the colored glasses when they were dating, Swatch is just absolutely not going to fess up to that.
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4nglerfisher · 2 years ago
Note
Please expect an envelope in the mail in 3-5 business days. It will have a booklet with answers to our most frequently asked questions. If there's anything not covered in the booklet, I am required to tell you that I would be happy to answer them.
You and/or one of your close personal contacts has come into close contact with one of the following gods or their avatars:
Nyarlathotep
Hastur (The King In Yellow)
You and/or one of your close personal contacts may be entitled to one (1) question regarding your/their status in addition to our most frequently asked questions in the aforementioned booklet.
Thank you for your worship (whether intentional or not) and have a wonderful day.
cannot emphasize enough how much i will eat this letter when it arrives
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comicnerd557 · 4 years ago
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Stray Kids as Teachers!!
Bang Chan
Definitely the music teacher
Type of teacher that is super caring
Anyone can talk to him about anything
Offers life advice
Mostly good, sometimes joking
“Pay your taxes and don’t drink and drive.”
Finger guns
Tries to use young people slang
Fails even though he himself is super young
Keeps pictures of his dog on his desk at all times
“Mr.Bang, who’s that?” Points at picture of Barry
He then goes into Barry’s life story, slowly gaining an audience of other students
Every kid has a crush on him
It’s a rite of passage at this point
“Have you seen his ass?” “Duh, who hasn’t?”
Lee Know
The tired art teacher
Has sass battles with his students
Winner gets some candy
He almost always gets the candy
Plays movies once a week
Thinks everyone deserves to relax
Super chill with what students want to create
After all, art is personal
Not at all harsh with grading
Sneaks his cats into the school sometimes
Gets caught, claims they’re there to be models
Almost always has music playing
Students go to him when they need someone to vent to
Gives somewhat violent advice so.... Don’t take it
Everyone wonders when he’ll get with Mr.Han
There’s bets going
Even staff are in on it
Mr.Bang started the bets
Seo Changbin
Everyone’s favorite gym teacher
Specializes his class for students' needs
For example, the asthmatic doesn’t have to run laps, instead, they do some weight lifting
Stresses the importance of warmups and cool downs
Thursdays are pool days
Everyone worships Thursday, as shirtless Mr.Seo is quite the sight
Fridays are fun days
Students pick whatever they want to do that day
Even group nap time has been approved once or twice
He is the best spotter
Have you seen his arms?
Can be frequently found bothering Mr.Kim
Always wearing a tank top. Always
If students aren’t feeling well, he lets them take a nap in his office
Has a special cot with soft blankets and pillows he bought himself
Does not tolerate students making fun of their peers
Has the record for the most detentions given in one day
The class ganged up one on kid who wasn’t good at the sport, so they all got detention
The kid got a free soda of their choice
Hwang Hyunjin
Drama instructor
Specializes in helping students put emotion into their lines
Musicals are his favorite
He makes the Choreo himself
Kind of strict about it ngl
Still understanding somewhat
Just... Not as much as he could be
Basically a mom to his drama kids
Gets told all the tea
The Gretchen Weiners of the staff
He knows whats happening with literally every student
Has shown up hungover a few times, just lets the student directors take charge
Will fight for the theatre department to get more funding
Makes some of the costumes himself
Talented boi
Tries to modernize everything
“Listen, I know Hamilton takes place in the boring times, but Jefferson needs some shades.”
KING of improve
Actually an amazing actor
Blows everyone's minds
Like, yeah, he’s goofy and hot, and he LOVES spilling the tea, but holy shit can he do Shakespeare
Leaves the school at exactly 3:30 PM, unless there’s practice
Has stayed till 11:30 PM once
His students worship him, trust me
Han Jisung
The cheery Kindergarten teacher whos energy rivals the kids
His classroom is an explosion of color
Loves his kiddos
Is great at calming upset little ones
Works incredibly hard
Every other teacher thinks his classroom is a total mess
Blocks everywhere, paints on every table, and nap time mats still out
If you look closely, he does have a system
Only pink paint on this table
The mats are in a specific corner
The blocks are for the kids to make words whenever they understand how to spell something
Big fan of the reward system
Has had many kids call him Dad before
Parents love him so much
Their kids come home rambling about their teacher who taught them the alphabet and they can count to five now!
His kids are pretty much little geniuses
Gets sick so often since he works with little kids
Makes sure his sub is fun
Also make sure the sub isn’t as fun as him so the kids still like him best
Found in Mr.Lee’s art room… way too much
Lee Felix
The school’s therapist
His room is the definition of Happy Yet Zen
Light yellows, pinks, and blues fill the room
Basically a pillow fort
Has a scent diffuser and let’s the student pick the essential oil 
Walks around school with a happy smile always
We know he’s Stay’s sunshine, but he’s now the students
Has a wall of cheesy jokes for students who just need something to make them laugh
Let’s students show him their special interests with no complaints
Gets into almost all of them himself, just to bond with the kids
If the kids just need somewhere to calm down, his room is almost always open
Need a twenty minute nap? He’ll put on some calming sounds and supply the pillows and blankets
The type of teacher who gives gifts to his senior students when they graduate
Always ready to show students music he thinks will help them
The other teachers love him because he brings baked goods once a week
Doesn’t care if students swear in front of him
Kim Seungmin
Middle school English teacher
Students are lowkey scared of him
But they still enjoy him alot
He frequently roasts students and other teachers alike
“Mr.Bang said he’s the best producer? Next person to have his class, tell him to check his ego.”
His favorite time is independent reading time
Mainly cause the kids know to be quite
Heaven forbid someone interrupt his reading
Every time they finish a book, the movie is played
It’s a nice break for everyone
It’s also a break for him
It’s tiring being that sassy all the time
Pretty strict grader when it comes to essays
Only because he goes over what to do super thoroughly and even a baby could do it truly
You think he wants to grade a 7 page paper? No
4 Pages maximum
Definitely has favorites
Tries his best not to show it
Everyone knows
Loves the quiet kids in the back who love reading
Reminds him of himself at that age
Ya know, a whole 5 years ago
Mr.Seo shows up in his classroom all the time, just to mess with him
The kids love it
Yang Jeongin
 The other kindergarten teacher
The admins of the school put the quieter, more nervous kids into his room
Jeongin has a very gentle personality when it comes to kids
The shy ones tend to flock to him
His classroom closely resembles a herd of sheep
Just a bunch of baby sheep hiding behind protective mama sheep
Super calm, but someone messes with his kids?
He’ll fuck you up homie
While Mr.Han’s classroom is an explosion of bright colors, Mr.Yang’s is more pastels
Parents are amazed as their kids slowly open up
Seriously, sudden their super shy kiddo has like, five other super shy friends and won’t stop rambling about  their cool teacher
Prefers a quieter way of teaching, unlike Jisung
Gentle nursery rhymes, soft blankets, no dance parties
Even though him and Mr.Han are polar opposites, they’re best friends
He calms the excitable teacher, and Han brings out his energy
It’s always funny watching the two classes interact
It’s like watching a sheep and fucking golden retriever interact
When the two classes go to gym?
Mr.Seo is in for a treat
One side of the class is screaming like madmen while running around, their teacher joining them
The other is calmly waiting for instructions on the line
Not that Mr.Han’s class is badly behaved, just… energetic
Mr.Yang just chills in the back of the gym, working on some lesson plans while his kids get their limited energy out
Nap times are the best
He sometimes joins in, but shhh, don’t tell the other teachers
Only Chris knows, and has a million photos of Mr.Yang napping at his desk while his students sleep soundly
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Text
Footprints in the Sand
Part 10: Start a War
Summary/Author's Note: TWO MONTHS. Two fucking months Oberyn was silent in my head and y’all suffered for it. I just knew everyone would stop caring about this fic because I let you all down but I posted that it was coming back and my inbox and DMs have been BLOWING UP all fucking night. I love you guys and I am very emotional. Enjoy. 
We had to have just a little drama but of course I would never keep our main three from going to Dorne. Oberyn knows perfectly well that there will be consequences to his actions--he does not care. We are officially in double digits people?? This is unreal. Also, please listen to this song to get the feeeeeeel of what’s going on. 
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Pairing: Oberyn x Ellaria x Lannister!Reader Word Count: 4.1k Warnings/ratings: 18+/R - Distress, Sad!Oberyn (this was hard to write but I fixed it), murder, throat slashing, Oberyn is angry and reckless.
[Parts] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]  [MASTERLIST]
The waves crashed against the rocks with as much gentleness as was possible for the crags of King’s Landing. The air was cold, but the sky a crisp blue as the sun started to peak over the water. It was a good day for sailing, a good day for travel, and most importantly a good day for going home. Oberyn leaned on one of the posts on the boardwalk leading out into the waters as he watched his soldiers ready the ship. He held the slip of parchment in his fist, torn between crumpling it, re-reading it for the hundredth time, or throwing it into the ocean. 
‘I’m sorry. I can’t do this.’
Six words. After this week was that all they meant to you? The note was signed at the bottom with your name but he couldn’t believe it. His guts churned with the idea that what the three of you had shared in the brothel could be summed up in such a small note. He crushed it in his fist again and swallowed the lump in his throat as he tossed it into the sea. He watched it float down to the surface before getting swallowed by a wave and wished it was the sorrow he felt instead.
“My love?”
Oberyn looked over his shoulder as Ellaria came to stand behind him and put her hand on his sleeve, the other gripped his bicep as she bowed her head to kiss his shoulder. Her eyes were red and despite the stern, stoic way she held her body he knew she had spent most of the morning with silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She had put most of her energy into ignoring their existence, and he didn’t dare bring attention to them.
“I thought she’d come,” Oberyn said flatly as he looked back out onto the horizon.
“So did I,” she whispered against his cloak.
He knew it had been quick, a passion spurred on by spite and excitement, but he thought despite the amount of time, there was a certain kinship between you. The idea of not belonging in one place, of wanting to see what wonders the world held--they could give that to you. That and so much more. All it required of you was a leap of faith and yet you were choosing to stay with the Lannisters.
Looking back to the city, looming in the twilight of the morning, it was as if he was waiting for you to come running over the hill. If it was possible, he would stand here and wait as long as he had to.
"I vow to worship your body with my mouth, hands, and cock, every night once we're in Dorne." “Promise?”
He had made you that promise against that table in the library with his cock buried inside of you and you had called him your prince. Had it all been for nothing? Was it just a pretty sentiment said in the height of ecstasy? The thought made a twinge of pain blossom in his chest and he pushed it deep into the background of his subconscious. If you truly didn’t want to go to Dorne, if you didn’t want Ellaria, if you didn’t want..him--he wanted to hear it come from your own lips.
“It doesn’t make sense,” he rubbed his beard in thought. “Who did you say brought the note?”
“I don’t know,” Ellaria answered honestly. “Your men said the messenger was wearing Lannister colors.”
“Something doesn’t feel right,” Oberyn stood up straight and walked towards the plank ramp that was leading up to his ship. He stopped the captain of his guard with a gesture of his hand and the man stood at attention with his hand on his scimitar. “Change of plans.”
“But, my prince--” the man looked startled as he faced him. “We’re almost ready to set sail.”
“Then you’ll be ready when I return.” Oberyn held up his hand and stopped another of the guards from walking one of the horses up the ramp.
“Return?” Ellaria spoke up and turned Oberyn to face her instead. “What are you doing?”
“She didn’t write that, Ellaria--”  
“Oberyn--”
“Someone else did.”
“Listen to yourself--”
“My gut is never wrong. She’s in trouble--”
“Oberyn!” Ellaria grabbed both of his upper arms tightly, digging her fingers into the fabric of his yellow sleeves as she fought the urge to shake him. “I thought she would come, as well. I’m heartbroken that she--” She shook her head and swallowed hard. “That she doesn’t want us. But what are you going to do? Storm the Red Keep with a handful of men? And what if you’re wrong--what then?”
“I’m not wrong. And I don’t need a handful of men--I have me.” He gave her waist a squeeze in return and leaned forward to capture her lips and kiss her hard. It was brief, but it caught her off guard just enough to release her hold on him as he walked around her to the horse.
“Don’t do this,” Ellaria pleaded once she recovered, but it fell on deaf ears. Oberyn was many things, but with his fearlessness often came a stupidity that Ellaria knew was going to put her in an early grave.
“Captain,” Oberyn addressed the man from before as he undid his traveling cloak and tossed it to one of the other soldiers.
“Your grace?” The stoic man stood up straighter and gave a nod of attention.
“No one, except myself, is allowed on this ship. You are to stay with my paramour and keep her safe at all costs, do you understand?” Oberyn gave him a very serious gaze and the other man nodded.
“I’m coming with you,” Ellaria protested, but Oberyn shook his head as he grabbed the horn of the saddle and hoisted himself up onto the animal with a swing of his leg.
“No,” He said curtly, rubbing his hand along hers on his knee to soften the sting of his words. “You are correct in saying I will not be able to take the Keep by force. I’m going to go get her, and come back unseen--I need you ready to sail the moment our feet touch the deck.”
“This will have consequences.”
“Everything we do always does.”
She bit her lip and lowered her dark eyes at him. There was no arguing with him. He had clearly made up his mind. “Be careful.”
He grinned and gave her a nod. “I always am.”
“If that were true, I would worry less,” She said. He chuckled before clicking his tongue and spurring the horse forward back across the dock and back into the city.
--
It was early enough in the city square that barely anyone was in the streets. The shops and carts were still closed and the morning air was the cold, crisp kind that seemed to permeate one’s lungs and make them feel clean. The metal shoes of the horse clopped softly as Oberyn turned the reins and clicked his tongue again leading the animal down an alleyway.
The shadows swallowed him as he moved along the wall and pulled the animal up short, dismounting gracefully. He moved the reins up over the animal’s head and tied the leather straps to a beam that was protruding from the stone walls.
He knew the tower that held the servants quarters and the one that had held the bedchambers for the Lannisters when Elia had been queen. Ellaria would have skinned him alive if she had known that was what he was basing his entire plan off of--a memory of the castle layout that was the better part of a decade old.
He ran his hand along the damp stones of the wall that led down the alley and around the larger part of the tower. There were no guards to be seen, as they were no doubt guarding the doors, but he wasn’t looking for a door--he was looking for a window. He looked up, carefully pulling a bit of the mortar that held the stones in place from the wall and crumbled it between his fingers. Humming his approval, he pulled his dagger from the sheath on his side and reached up as high as he would and started digging one of the bricks loose.
He put his dagger away and grabbed the self-made foothold tightly before hoisting himself up to the metal sconce that held one of the Lannister banners on the side of the wall. With careful, meticulous planning, he found something to hold onto, one right after the other, up the side of the tower. A gap in the bricks, a stone that was slightly larger than the rest, it all served the same purpose. His arms and shoulders ached with the repeated motion of pulling his weight up but he pressed on.
He climbed to where the tower met one of the breezeways of the garden and used it as an opportunity to take a break and reassess. His boots dropped down on the roof of the apex of the tower and movement caught his eye. 
The window directly above him, where he was betting your bedroom was was open. But what was odd was the rope that was hanging down from it, blowing gently in the breeze. No, that wasn’t a rope, that was a long line of bed linens knotted together. The realization made him smirk as he searched the courtyard below for signs of movement.
“Clever woman,” he chuckled quietly to himself.
Staying low, he walked the spine of the roof along the perimeter of the courtyard until he got to the end and looked over into another dark alley. Whatever gods were looking down on him that day, were doing so favorably because just like he had hoped, there you were. You hugged the wall of the alley much like he had, sticking to the shadows as much as possible. Not only were you not wearing a dress, leather riding breeches took the place of lacy skirts, but your hair was tucked carefully under the dark hood of your cloak. To the average person walking by, you looked ordinary, easy to miss, unless someone was really looking.
He turned his back to the alley and gripped the edge of the roof, lowering his body down as far as it would go before releasing his grip. His boots made a firm thud on the cobblestone behind you and he moved swiftly, putting one arm around your waist and the other over your mouth. Just as he expected, you tried to scream against his hand but he was quick to speak against your hair.
“It’s me, it’s me--”
You turned in his arms and he loosened his grip enough to let you. The look of utter relief on your face was enough to make his chest tight. He grinned and tucked a strand of your hair back into the safety of your hood.
“Oberyn..”
He let out a grunt and braced his knees as you threw your arms around his neck and put your face against his shoulder. His arms wrapped tightly around your back and he dipped his head to kiss you softly.
“It’s alright. You’re alright,” he said, quietly.
"How did you know to come? I thought you were supposed to sail this morning before dawn. I was worried I would be too late."
“We are--but I knew something was wrong. I knew you didn’t send that note.” he rubbed his hands up and down your arms as if to keep you warm and convince himself that you were indeed real.
“What note?” You asked, a flash of fear crossing through your eyes followed quickly by realization. “Cersei--she said that she was going to send word to you and Ellaria that I had changed my mind.”
“She did,” he nodded. “But it wasn’t very convincing.” He winked and you gave a sigh of relief and hugged him again. "If you don't wish to go to Dorne, I expect to hear it from your own lips."
"No--" you blurted out and put your hand to your mouth, looking around the alleyway for any signs of another person. "No, I want to go--I want you, and Ellaria."
He smiled then and let his large hand cup the side of your face, allowing you to lean into his touch as he backed you up against the stone wall and kissed you deeply. "I was hoping that's what you would say." He whispered against your lips and you put your hands on his chest, gripping his tunic. He allowed himself to indulge for only a moment before he pulled back and said to the space between you, "We need to go. Ellaria is waiting and I fear the longer we wait, our odds of getting caught only increase."
You nodded quickly. "Cersei gave the order that if anyone wearing Martell colors came to the castle, they were to be killed on sight--especially you and Ellaria."
"Did she now? Well, that might make things interesting." He chuckled, but it held no joy, it was a noise of spiteful entertainment. "Come on," he grabbed your hand and walked ahead of you, keeping the majority of your body behind him.
The two of you hurried along the wall and you let Oberyn guide you down the alley and around the corner as he clearly retraced his steps. He stopped abruptly, almost causing you to collide with his back as he spotted his horse, now being inquisitively observed by two of the king's guard. They carefully untied the beast from its tether to the wall and looked at one another in confusion. Two against one? Those were favorable odds in his eyes.  
"Stay here," he said, planting you against the bricks with a firm hand on each of your arms.
"Oberyn--Obr--fuck." You tried to protest but he was already gone.
He moved like his nickname implied, swift and silent, like a snake in the sand. He grabbed the hilt of his dagger and pulled it from his belt, his hand wrapped securely around it as he reached the two guards. They never stood a chance as the prince grabbed the taller one by the back of the helmet, jerked his head backwards, and wrapped his arm around the front of him to run the blade across his throat in a dramatic display of red. The horse whinnied and reared back, taking a few steps away from the group of men.
“Stop!” The other guard yelled, as his comrade fell to his knees and then face down, unmoving on the stone.
The command didn’t do any of good, as Oberyn rushed him before he could pull his long sword. The Prince raised his knee and kickied the long sword from his hand with a clang. Oberyn used the momentum and slammed him up against the brick stones, the man tried to scream and he drove the blade of his dagger into his open mouth, through the back of his head, pinning him against the bricks. Your hand flew to your mouth, muffling an involuntary noise of shock as you watched the man’s body twitch, resembling a butterfly pinned to a board in a Maester’s laboratory.
Oberyn leaned in, gripping the man’s hair as blood poured down his chin and he fought his body’s urge to close his mouth around the blade. Any screams he may have made were strangled around the steel as he looked at his attacker with horrified eyes.
“You can keep the dagger,” Oberyn said quietly, close to the man’s face, as he traced his finger down the detailed snake on the hilt. “I want Jaime and the queen to know I was here.”
He looked back at you, expecting to see horror on your face, disgust, regret, anything that would have you second guessing your decision to go with him now that you had seen such a thing. But you were a Lannister, and when he extended his hand to you, you took it willingly. He pulled you behind him only dropping your hand long enough to hoist himself up onto the horse and reach back down to lift you up as well.
You put your hands in the mane of the animal as one of his arms came around the front of your body and held your back tightly against his chest. He dug the heels of his boots into the haunches of the horse and it bolted, thundering hooves against the stone. It was no longer about being quiet. It was about being quick, and putting as much distance between the you and King’s landing as possible.
The two of you rode hard and fast through the streets of the city. People waking up for the day and starting to open up their homes and shops looked at you with curious speculation but you moved too swiftly for much else. Oberyn’s arm was a comforting weight along your stomach and you put one of your hands over it, leaning back into his chest to ground yourself against the jerking of the horse as it galloped.
The minute the docks came into view you felt like you could breathe again. Your chest ached from the anticipation of being unable to see your destination but it was the image of Ellaria standing tall at the edge of the ship that made you want to burst into tears. She looked absolutely stunning, in her burnt orange robes, soft dark leather bodice and matching riding trousers. She was a siren on the water, and she was waiting to call both of you home.
“Sails!” She yelled, over her shoulder to the men behind her and Oberyn’s captain nodded in agreement before moving to make sure everyone within earshot followed her orders.
Your body jerked as Oberyn steered the stallion up the ramp to the ship and jumped it over the edge onto the deck with a loud thud. He let the animal slow to a trot as its chest heaved from the exertion and it blew loud breaths through its nostrils. He pulled up on the leather reins and came to a stop just as the ship shoved off from the port and Ellaria picked up her robes and came running down off of the quarterdeck.
No sooner had Oberyn released you to slip from the saddle and to the ground did she have you gathered in her arms. Your hood fell and she put her hands in your hair and kissed you. “Thank the gods,” she breathed against your mouth and you smiled, a few tears of relief forming in the corners of your eyes.
Oberyn swung his leg and jumped down, handing the beast off to one of his men before turning a fond grin upon the two of you. “I do believe I told you so.”
“Not now,” she chastised him with a smile and a shake of her head but she kept her gaze on you. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine. Ellaria--” you swallowed hard and took her hands in yours and gripped them tightly. “I didn’t--I would never have left..”
“I know, I know, sweet girl,” she brushed your hair back from her face and nodded. “Oberyn knew. You’re safe.” She kissed you again and drew you into her body, resting her chin on your shoulder and looking at Oberyn standing behind you. “What have we done?” she asked with a smile, her tone saying full well that the consequences didn’t matter.
“With any luck,” he shrugged and rubbed his chin as a smirk overtook his face. “We started a war.”
--
You had no idea just how long you had been on the open water, the days all seemed to run together. The sun rose, the sun set, and as far as the eye could see was just blue water that blended with blue skies. Your fingers twisted idly in the chain of your mother’s necklace that sat nestled between your breasts inside of your bodice--the only worldly possession you had made sure to grab when fleeing the Red Keep. Your lovers had assured you that their first task in Dorne would be to buy you everything you needed, but none of that seemed to matter that much.
The whole feeling of getting further and further away from your old life in King’s Landing seemed surreal. The idea that you didn’t have to return to Casterly Rock didn’t feel like it could possibly be true, but it was. As you stood on the bow of the ship with your hands on the railing and the wind in your hair, you knew that it was true--there was no going back.
Solidly strong arms slid around your waist as sun kissed skin nosed your neck and you leaned back against the solid chest of Oberyn Martell. You had been so caught up in your thoughts, that you hadn’t heard his boots on the planks behind you.
“How is she?” you asked quietly and he spoke as he rested his chin on your shoulder.
“She’s fine,” he heaved a sigh when you reached back to put your hand in his hair. “Finally asleep--hopefully she stays that way for a while.”
True to what she had told you in the brothel, as soon as the ship broke the waters of the open ocean, Ellaria had become almost violently sea sick. She had spent the majority of the trip with her entire body over the wooden rails, Oberyn and you taking turns holding her long, dark curls out of the way as she emptied her stomach until there was nothing left. She refused to eat, and when she finally caved and allowed even the smallest morsel to pass her lips, it wound up back in the water a few hours later.
“I feel awful for her.”
“It happens every time,” he said, trying to ease your concerns. “It is a small price to pay to see the world--her words, my dear, not mine.”
You nod and keep your eyes on the horizon as he moves your hair to the side. The action bares your neck to him and your eyes close slowly as you feel his lips start a trail at your shoulder.
“Did you ever send word to your family?” You asked finally, putting your hands over his on your abdomen.
“No,” he answered flatly. “I thought I’d let it be a surprise.”
“I don’t think that’s the best idea.” Your voice was chastising and it made him nip your neck and chuckle when you jumped.
“I’m a Prince of Dorne,” he continued. “You need to get used to that. You don’t need to ask permission anymore.” He kissed up to the shell of your ear and whispered. “What’s our rule?”
The action caused you to shiver and you squeezed his hand. “Don’t apologize.”
“Exactly. Most people spend their entire lives making excuses and apologies for the things they truly desire--we are not most people.” One of his hands slid up from your waist to cup your breast through your bodice as he licked a slow, wet line down the side of your throat.
“Oberyn…” you bit your lip and let out a shaky breath before briefly glancing over your shoulder to make sure none of his men had their attention on the two of you. “Stop--” you moved his hand from your breasts and back to your waist.
“As you wish,” he grinned against your skin and went back to resting his chin on your shoulder and looking out at the water. “But the second we get settled in our chambers in the palace--you and Ellaria are both mine.”
“Our chambers?” you asked, turning your head to smile at him and he hummed in agreement.
“Of course. Unless you’d rather sleep elsewhere?” he teased and chuckled as you shook your head. He was quiet for a few moments before he squeezed you gently, moving one of his arms to point across the horizon. “Look, my love.”
Your gaze followed his arm and your heart raced as the horizon broke to show that there was indeed land on the other side of the world. The smile that broke across your face was so wide that it almost hurt. Unlike the shore of King’s landing and Casterly Rock, there were no cliffs, no crags, no ragged edges to dull the beauty of the waves and darken the landscape. No, this was very different. The sandy beaches were warm and inviting, the foam from each crest of the waves broke against the shoreline and rolled back to let the sunlight sparkle off of the surface. You wanted to jump into the water, to feel the sand against your skin, to immerse yourself in what was to be your new home.
As if sensing your thoughts, Oberyn lowered his voice and spoke against your hair, “Welcome to Dorne, Lioness.”
--
[Next Chapter]
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dreamingofaizawa · 4 years ago
Text
Queen of Hades
Hades! Shouta Aizawa x Persephone! Fem! Reader
***18+ Fic***
If you are not 18 years or older, please refrain from reading any further. Thank you.
Warnings: TW: Incest, kidnapping, stockholm-ish, slow-burn ish, smut, praise kink and body worship if you squint, possessive during smexy time, overstimulation, squirting, dacryphilia, masturbation (not super descriptive tho), unprotected sex (pretty obvious but I’m putting it here anyway), creampie, aftercare, tiny bit of angst at the end but not too bad.
Word Count: 9.7k (Holy shit)
Author’s Note: *kinda long note here, you don’t really have to read it if you don’t want to*
Ohhhkaaaayyyyyy so this took a lot out of me. This is my longest fic so far, and honeslty I’m kinda proud of it. I’ve always been a sucker for Greek mythology, and I’ve always had a soft spot for Hades because he’s so sorely portrayed as a villain in mainstream media. He’s really not as bad as movies like Percy Jackson and Hercules make him out to be. Nothing in the mythology suggests that Persephone was unhappy, so I took it a ran with it. I also drew a bit of inspiration from Lore Olympus on WebToon (iykyk) for the parts regarding Demeter’s parenting.
The only three characters I really referenced to mha besides Aizawa is Hizashi Yamada (Hermes), Momo Yaoyorozu (Aphrodite), and Bakugo Katsuki (Ares). I went with Momo for Aphrodite solely because she seems like the only one Bakugo would willingly listen to since she’s on par with him at least in intelligence. I made Bakugo Ares because he’s the god of war, and tends to get angry easily. Their temperaments are similar, except for the fact that Ares can be pretty cowardly (sorry not sorry Ares).
Anyway, enjoy~
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The god sat on his throne, contemplating his lonely existence for what felt like the hundredth time. It may have been, considering he is immortal. At one time, he’d never given loneliness a second thought. He didn’t mind being this way. His job was important, even if melancholy, and he took it very seriously. Keeping Cerberus tame and entertained was probably the most difficult part, physically. The three-headed dog sat at the entrance to the underworld, guarding at all times to ensure any and all souls that passed through could never escape. And Hades simply ruled over this plane of existence, ensuring nothing was out of order and those kept in the depths of Tartarus remained there. 
However, in the last couple centuries the raven-haired god had been plagued with longing for someone to share his existence with. He no longer wanted to be alone. He craved someone to spend his time with, someone to think about and experience what mortals and gods alike called love. He wanted a queen. With the time he had on his hands, he prepared himself to scour the mortal realm as well as Olympus, to search under the invisibility his helm allowed him. Soon he was walking the realms, invisible to all creatures, observing, searching for his queen.
____
Being the daughter of Demeter wasn’t easy. The goddess hovered over you, making sure you were doing your duties properly as the goddess of vegetation. Being a goddess yourself was only made difficult by your mother. She needed perfection. You worked diligently to hone your powers, urging plantlife to grow to your will and learning about the time before the gods. You spent every day under her guidance, until she was finally satisfied with your performance. She’d finally stopped pushing you about a century ago, now simply watching with no commentary or instructions.
Today was finally the day you’d be able to have time completely alone outside your quarters. You wandered, stopping in a beautiful meadow. The sight made your heart swell with joy. Lush, soft grass stretched as far as you could see, flowers of all colors blanketing the area. From bright, vibrant sunshine yellow to deep cerulean and mulberry. Some of the lone flowers stood tall enough to touch your hips as you floated through the greenery. It was serene, peaceful. Your chest felt light, finally you were free from your mother’s harsh gaze to relax, all alone.
As you finally decided you’d return, you thought of the beauty of the area. It didn’t take long for you to find a few choice blooms to pick and carefully pluck them from the ground. Keeping them alive would be effortless from your amount of training. You’d keep them in your chambers, a memory of the feelings you experienced here. Satisfied with your choices, you took a final glance around you and began your return.
You only made it a few steps when suddenly the ground began to quake. Only a horse’s length from your feet, you watched wide-eyed as the ground split open to a huge chasm, chunks of earth tumbling into the void. A golden chariot pulled by four beautiful black stallions emerged from the fissure, pulling to an abrupt halt next to you. A raven-haired man stood proud in the chariot, one hand extended out toward you. His face showed no emotions, his dark obsidian eyes tired and sad, a scar curved under his right eye and light scruff adorning his chiseled jaw.
You shrunk away from his hand, unsure of his identity or the reason for such a surprise visit. “Who are you?” you ask warily, your eyes narrowing slightly. “I am Hades, god of death and wealth. Your mother would know me as Aidoneus.” Your eyes widened in shock. No wonder you didn’t know who this is. Hades rarely left the Underworld, and hasn’t in the past thousand or so years according to what you’d heard from your mother. Why was he here of all places? Sensing your apprehension, he reached out for you once more.
“Please, my sweet, come with me to the Underworld.” Your eyebrows scrunched in confusion. You weren’t entirely sure why the god of death wanted you, but you didn’t want to find out. Shaking your head, you took a few tentative steps backward. “I...don’t want to go with you…” The idea of abandoning your duties was absurd. You were a goddess, and your mother would be absolutely furious if she found out you’d gone with Hades and vanished to the underworld. Not to mention how your family might feel about your sudden disappearance.
A loud cry of your name had you snapping your head toward the source. A beautiful woman donning golden armor wielding a spear was sprinting toward you, her brown curls pulled tight into a woven plait down her back. “Athena!” You called to her as you began to run, but you were lifted off your feet before you could take a second step. In a blur of motion you found yourself in Hades’ golden chariot, a strong arm around your waist holding you tight to the god’s side. He peered down at you with those deep dark eyes as the chariot descended into the chasm.
“I am sorry, my love. But coming with me was never your choice to make.” You looked upward, watching as the earth closed above you. Panicked, you struggled in Hades’ grasp, but he was too strong for you to escape. “Please, don’t fight me.” You shot the god a glare that could kill, tears streaming down your face. “I never asked to be taken! Why? Why have you stolen me away?” A heaved sigh escaped his lips. “I will explain, my love, but for now,” he brings his other hand up and taps your forehead with two fingers, “Sleep.” Your eyelids droop, and your consciousness fades to black.
____
He had hoped you’d come with him willingly. Of course, he knew the chances of that happening were rather slim. Confiding in Zeus about his newfound feelings for you may have been a bad idea for him, considering he was the one to come up with this ridiculous plan. The god of the sky was supposed to be distracting most of the other gods and goddesses with a meeting, though it isn’t a surprise that Athena had managed to slip away. He was rather lucky to have been able to escape Athena without direct confrontation. He may be a powerful god, but Athena was the goddess of war strategy and wisdom. She could probably fight Zeus himself and find a way to come out victorious.
But now, as he gaze down at your sleeping form in his bed, he can’t help but feel it was worth the trouble. You were absolutely gorgeous, a beauty to rival Aphrodite, though he’d never say it aloud for fear of the woman’s jealous revenge. He watched the rise and fall of your chest, the way your lips parted ever so slightly with your breath. He wants so badly to kiss you, to hold you and cherish you, to worship you the way you should be. But he wants you to accept him and love him of your own accord. He’d made that decision from the first time he laid eyes on you. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to your forehead before leaving you to rest.
____
It felt like you hadn’t even been asleep for a second, like you had only just closed your eyes. But you definitely weren’t in the chariot anymore, and Hades was nowhere to be seen. Sitting up, you took in your surroundings. You lay on a large bed covered in fine pelts and furs on the wall furthest from the door. The room itself is large enough to fit at least three chariots and room to spare. Cool blue floated around the room, candles inset in the walls lit with cerulean fire, emitting a soft glow and shadows dancing in the light. The room was relatively empty, save for the armor on the wall along with a two-pronged scepter and a helm. There was no question in your mind where you were.
The large wooden door creaked as it opened, the King of the Underworld himself standing in the doorway. You glared as he made his way over to you and sat on the edge of the bed. “Why am I here, Hades?” You absolutely meant for the edge to come through in your voice, letting out your aggression in the most passive way possible. You hoped the tinge of fear you felt hadn’t shown through as well. As much as you didn’t like being taken against your will and hated Hades for it, you didn’t want to get into a fight with the god of death.
“Please, my name is Shouta. The mortals call me Hades. And you’re here because I’ve fallen in love with you, sweet goddess.” His voice was gentle, apologetic even. “The kidnapping was Zeus’s idea. I only went along with it because I knew my sister would never let me have you if I asked. I know how she is with her children.” You gave a small huff and pulled your knees into your chest, eyes still on the god. “Talking to me first was always an option, you know.” His shoulders shook as he chuckled. “My apologies. I should have talked to you first.” 
Apprehensively, you asked the question you were sure you already knew the answer to. You tore your eyes away from him, suddenly the furs underneath you were the most interesting thing in the world. “When can I go back?” His hand appeared in front of you, and you didn’t flinch or move away as his calloused palm cupped your face gently, making you look up into his dark eyes. “I’m sorry, my love. But I can’t let you return yet.” You gave a small nod, and he pulled his hand from your face as he stood. “Walk with me?”
His eyes were hopeful, waiting for the answer he wanted. If you declined, would he force you to go with him anyway? You squeezed your knees further into you, giving an indirect ‘no’ to test his reaction. He let out a small sigh, “I see. If you need anything, you can call for me.” He moved to walk out of the room, not halfway to the door when you stopped him. “Actually...um...I think a walk would be okay.” Slowly, you got up and walked over to him, and he gave a small smile before leading you out of the room.
The underworld was nothing like you thought it would be.
Hades - or rather, Shouta - led you on a tour of all three realms of the Underworld on the boat steered by Charon, the ferryman that delivered souls to the three parts of the Underworld. The Elysian Fields were gorgeous, mirroring daytime in the mortal realm with lush greenery and bright sunshine. This part was reserved for the mortals that were exceptionally heroic in their lifetime. Good people who lived lives giving to the people that needed it with no expectation to be repaid. All the souls here were happy, either playing or relaxing with each other in this afterlife.
The next part was the Asphodel Fields. This realm was darker, stuck in a deep limbo but beautiful all the same. A bright full moon sat high in the sky, the ground littered with luminous teal crystals. These souls were shadows of themselves, normal mortals that made mistakes and loved and lived their lives as best they could. They now live a mirrored life here, as a shadowed version of themselves. It was not a sad existence, but one that the mortal souls could be satisfied with.
As you rode the boat with Shouta on the river Phlegethon toward Tartarus, your body began to shake and your breath shallowed. You could feel the foul energy seeping into the air the closer you got. This was where the worst of the worst were kept prisoner. This realm locked a wicked soul in a loop of punishment and suffering. He looked down at you and wrapped an arm securely around your waist, and you peered up into his black orbs. “Tartarus is not a place I enjoy taking you, but I do intend on making you my Queen. You will need to see it even from a distance. I promise, you are safe.”
With a nod, he turns his attention back toward the bow. The closer you got to Tartarus, the more you began to feel fear. Despite the river of fire and the heat pouring from the banks, your body shook. The sheer bloodlust, anger, resentment, and malice pouring from the shoreline was enough to make your heart race. You may be a goddess, but you are young and weak compared to the god next to you. You feel yourself pressing into Shouta more as you float past the shore. The sights before you are horrific, if only because of the souls that are there.
You’d learned about the war between the gods and the titans early on in your life, and now here you were seeing the titans for yourself. They were enormous. Even on their knees, bound in chains thicker than the largest tree trunk, made from Adamantine the metal of the gods, they towered like mountains. They were monstrous, some with more heads than you could count, some with extra limbs, some with animalistic traits and some purely demonic. The sound of the chains rattling rang through the entire realm as a few lunged out toward the boat, only to be stopped short by the chains. 
You jumped several times, fear consuming you. Shouta held you close, his arm tight around your shoulders as you clung to him. Confidence and power radiated off his form as he raised his other arm, the chains around the titans tightening and drawing into the ground with a flick of his wrist. He leaned down and whispered into your ear. “You are safe, my love. They cannot hurt you.” You calmed a bit with Shouta next to you, securing you to him and keeping you safe.
The ferry floated along and soon you were out of the realm of Tartarus, back at the palace grounds that the god lived in. The building was beautiful, built like the temples the mortals built for the gods. However, the stone it was made from was not white but black, polished to a beautiful shine that reflected the cool blue glow from the misty realm. This area was not in any of the three parts of the afterlife. It was the god of death’s personal realm. 
The large temple sat high on a rocky hill, a staircase carved into the cliff face that led down to the five rivers that course through the underworld, all of them parallel each other until they branched off. The realm itself was magical in its own right. It seemed to be an enormous cave, huge stalactites hung from the ceiling, which was shrouded in deep blue mist that sparkled and mimicked the night sky. It was so high even the largest and lowest stalactites hung miles above the ground. The ground was all black earth, void of vegetation but full of life all the same, the scent of upturned earth and rain filling your senses. 
You ogled at the beauty of it all, despite the darkness. You hadn’t taken the time to observe before the tour, but now that you could you almost didn’t want to look away. You felt the warmth of Shouta’s body as he pressed against your back, a hand gently taking your chin and directing your head up to look at the misty abyss. “Would you like to know what sparkles through the mist?” You gave a small nod. Though the mist was thick, there was something sparkling from far above it that made up the constellations in the sky of the mortal realm.
He stretched an arm out, palm up as if to catch something. The star you recognised as Polaris shone brightly then faded, and the glimmering speck fell from the fog, landing square in Shouta’s palm. It was a large gem, sparkling against the darkness. You traced your fingers along its ragged edges, and it floated back up to its place when you dropped your hand. It was then you remembered that Hades was not only the god of death. He was the god of wealth, of earthly riches, precious gems and metals that mortals sought to obtain.
Shouta’s voice was smooth and deep in your ear, his body still pressed up to yours. “Let us go inside, my love. It is time to rest. Tomorrow, I will take you to see Cerberus.” You let your body relax into him, relishing in the safety of his embrace. Giving a small nod, you let the raven-haired god guide you into the palace. He led you to a hot spring in the back of the palace, the large steaming pool set deep in the ground and illuminated by blue flame candles. He left you alone to bathe, and you relaxed into the water as you reflected on the recent developments.
Despite kidnapping you, the god clearly harbors no ill intentions toward you. He’d even revealed that the whole thing was, in fact, your father’s idea. He’s kind, sweet, nothing like the angry and cruel god the mortals seem to fear. And he radiates power, his strength clear even when he first appeared to you in the field. He suppresses his overwhelming prowess around you, you’d realised. It became clear just how powerful a god he is when he took you through Tartarus. As powerful as he is he’s gentle toward you, compassionate and caring, dare you say loving. He did claim to have fallen in love with you.
Still, you had duties as a goddess, though your mother was more than capable of handling it on her own. The only reason you had duties is because you are the daughter of gods. You wondered briefly what she was thinking right now, if she knew you were gone, if Athena had informed her of your current placement. You would have to wait to find out. Until then, you would enjoy your time here. The Underworld is beautiful, and mostly peaceful, disregarding Tartarus. If Shouta means to make you his Queen, maybe you could learn to love the man as you’ve come to love the realm he rules. 
And of course, the god himself was rather handsome. His deep obsidian eyes held eons of emotion. Strength, power, loneliness and longing. And when he looked at you, you could tell he was sure he loved you, his eyes full of pure adoration. His long raven locks framed his face perfectly, the onyx crown he wore nearly invisible in his dark tresses. His jawline was strong, sharp, his ivory skin seemingly glowing blue in the atmosphere of the Underworld. The robes he wore hung loose around his frame, but it wasn’t hard to tell his body was strong and well built. He was a god, after all. You’d be lying to yourself if you said you didn’t want to see him in all his glory.
You finished your bath and fell asleep in the same bed as the god, your backs to each other and plenty of room between you. You only knew him for a single day, but you trusted him with your immortal life. When you woke up, Shouta took you to see Cerberus like he said he would. The dog sat proud just inside the entrance, the gate closer to resembling a cave entrance than an actual gate. Cerberus had his own wide perch above the ground to look down and watch the entrance closely, his job as gatekeeper being taken just as seriously as Shouta took his job as king of the Underworld.
Reaching the river bank, Shouta stepped out and held his hand out to you, helping you out of the riverboat after him. Soon the two of you were approaching the three-headed beast, and the closer you got the more you understood just how large Cerberus is. Sitting on his haunches, his shoulders towered far above your head. You’d have to climb up onto his back to reach his three heads. As the two of you approached, the hound turned his heads and bowed low, muzzles nearly in the dirt with a low growl emanating from him. 
Shouta, with a hand at the small of your back, walked up to the beast and placed a hand on the middle head, slowly petting up and down in between his eyes. You could hear the whoosh of his large tail behind him. He may be the guard dog to the Underworld, but he was still a dog, you supposed. “Hello, old friend. Meet your future Queen.” The head closest to you lifted, a large huff blowing in your face from his snout, before his nose twitched as he sniffed at your hair and face. You giggled, the air tickling your neck and face, as you reached up and held the large head in your hands and kissed above his nose.
“Such a sweet boy, aren’t you?” The hound’s tail swished harder and one of his front paws tapped against the ground, his body almost dancing at the praise and attention. Mindlessly, you let your hand pet at his fur as you observed the other two heads. Each one seemed to have a different personality. The one you were giving attention to was happy and jumpy, constantly sniffing and licking you. The one in the center was calm and collected, stoic even, eyes trained on the entrance as Shouta pet it. The furthest from you seemed angry, a low growl a near constant as his gaze was focused on the cave entrance. 
“Show her a little respect won’t you? It won’t kill you.” The angry head huffed before turning its gaze to you, giving a short bow, and with a snarl turning his attention back to the entrance. As interesting as guarding the gate seems, the only one that actually entered through the gate was Hermes. You watched as the god zoomed in and out, delivering souls to the dock, sending those who could pay off with Charon as he rowed them to their respective placements. You doubted any soul would be able to leave. They’d be spotted and caught easily, if Cerberus had anything to say about it.
Several months passed while you were down in the Underworld, staying by Shouta’s side through whatever he needed to do. No matter how many times you travelled through the underworld with Shouta, you never got enough of the beauty of it all. Sometimes he’d take you through the Asphodel Fields, deep into the crystal forests.  He walked with you through the fields with a warm hand at the small of your back, gently guiding you where you had yet to roam. The longer you stayed, the more you found yourself wanting to be around the god.
Any time he needed to visit Tartarus, you’d join him, and he’d keep you tucked into his side the whole time. You felt safe in his hands. Lately you’d been cuddling closer to him at night, longing for his embrace. His rather thick arms would curl around your waist and shoulders, pulling you tight to his chest. You'd wake up to the god’s deep obsidian eyes on your face, his gaze soft as he told you how beautiful you are or how thankful he was that he could wake up next to you. He’d leave soft kisses on your forehead and cheeks, thick fingers rolling shapes into your skin. 
It was those little intimate moments that had you falling, very possibly in love, with the King of the Underworld. When he’d run his hands down your arms and whisper his affections. When he’d teach you about the workings of the Underworld while you pet Cerberus’s head. In the bath when he’d wash you after a long day, never advancing further than a chaste kiss to your shoulder and neck. The lingering, longing, loving gaze he set on you while you rode the riverboat to the different realms. In no time at all you’d realized you’re happy here.
Now, you both stood at the gate with Cerberus once again. One head was nuzzling up against you, the other two focused on the entrance as you and Shouta pet the happy dog. You’d learned that while the center wasn’t averse to physical touch, he preferred to be left alone. The angry one had become less growly and aggressive toward you, which you supposed was progress. Though you were sure if you ever attempted to leave the Underworld, Cerberus would stop you regardless. Not that you wanted to leave.
A whoosh of wind rushed past you and suddenly Hermes was standing on the other side of Shouta, a wide grin plastered on his face as he leaned on the god’s shoulder. “What’s up, Sho?” His hypnotic green eyes wandered over to you and his eyebrows raised as his grin widened. “So this is miss Persephone, is it?” He held a hand out for you to shake. “It’s good to meet you.” Tentatively, you reached out and took his hand, shaking it before you asked the question burning in your mind. 
“Sorry, but why did you just call me Persephone?” A moment of realization hit the blonde. “OH! Yeah, you’ve been called Persephone by the mortals, as well as the rest of Olympus. The Bringer of Destruction. Fitting for the Queen of the Underworld, isn’t it?” Your breath quickened and eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. “Why would they call me that? I haven’t done anything!” Shouta narrowed his eyes at the god. “Hizashi, what’s this about?” He leaned away with his hands up in mock surrender.
“Hey, it wasn’t me. When Demeter found out her daughter was missing she abandoned her duties up in Olympus. The mortal realm has slowly been changing ever since she left, slowly becoming cold and barren. It’s not pretty. Your other siblings are trying their best to uphold Demeter’s abandoned chores but...they aren’t their mother.” Shouta slipped an arm over your shoulder, tucking you into his side, and you clung to him in your increasingly distressed state, relishing in the safety his arms often held for you. The two gods talked as you tried to ground yourself.
“How much does Demeter know?” A high-pitched hum rang from the blonde. “Well Zeus, Athena and I are the only ones who know you took her. I believe Hestia, Hera, and Poseidon know she’s here but not how she got here, and the rest just don’t know anything. Zeus made Athena swear not to say anything, but considering she’s his favorite it may be only a matter of time before she confesses to Demeter with no repercussions. There’s also a possibility Aphrodite and Eros know for reasons that should be obvious to you.”
While they spoke your mind was reeling. You never thought anything of your mother’s hovering, but she’d abandoned her duties up in Olympus just because you’d vanished. What did that even mean? And now that the mortal realm was suffering, would you be punished for it? Would you be blamed for your mother’s absence? 
____
“Do I have to go back to Olympus?” Shouta could hear the slight panic and sadness in your voice, and it made his grip around you just a bit tighter. Both their eyes flicked over to you, Shouta’s gaze soft and concerned. Hermes - Hizashi - gave a kind smile. “So far, nothing’s been decided. Zeus is pretty adamant about keeping this whole thing discreet, so for now you can stay here with Sho.” You seemed to relax in his arms, but Shouta could tell you were still stressed about the whole situation. 
“Thanks ‘Zashi.” The blonde nodded, then zipped away and returned to his duties as the messenger god. Shouta looked back down at you and he could see the tension in your face. Eyebrows slightly scrunched, bottom lip pulled between your teeth as you chewed on it, crossed arms and hands clutching your biceps. He’d almost call it adorable if he couldn’t feel just how stressed you were, leaning your body into him like a cat seeking shelter from the rain. His arm slipped down to your waist as he guided you back to the ferry. 
It didn’t take long for the both of you to be back at the temple. He sat you on the bed then kneeled in front of you, rough hands gently holding your own, calloused thumbs massaging circles into your skin. “My love, you are upset.” He watched and listened as you poured out your worries, all of them fears of whether or not the mortal realm would survive, if you were to be punished for your mother’s actions, if your mother would punish you herself for disappearing. He reassured you that he wouldn’t let anyone punish you for anything, that he’d protect you with his life. 
He had already vowed to himself never to let anything happen to his precious Queen. He is not a violent god, but he would hunt down any soul that dared so much as a wrong thought about you, vowing that there would be hell to pay. If he ever let something happen to you, he swore he’d never leave the Underworld again, and instead trap himself in Tartarus indefinitely. Eventually, he would express his devotion to you, his undying love and loyalty, but for now all you needed to know was that you were safe with him.
His heart nearly skipped a beat when your eyes filled with tears, voice breaking as you cried about not wanting to leave the Underworld, not wanting to leave his side. You’d grown to love the realm for all it had, as well as the man who ruled over it. He knew as well as you did that you would eventually have to return to Olympus, and there was no guarantee you would ever come back. Well, there was one, but he would never suggest it to you for it was almost cruel. It kept you connected to this realm, like a chain to an anchor.
But then you had to go and ask.
____
You could see the turmoil behind his dark irises. He was thinking, and thinking hard. “Sho...is there any way for me to come back?” His jaw clenched, something you’d come to recognize as a signal of stress for the god of death. “What do you mean, love? You could return any time you like.” You squeezed his hands, willing him to listen. “I mean permanently, Shouta. If somehow my mother refuses to let me return, is there a way to tie me to you? To make sure I need to return no matter what?” 
His usually calm features twisted in surprise, eyes wide and jaw clenched tight, his hands gripping your own. But the shock only lasted a moment before he was relaxing again. “My love, there is a way. But it is not kind to you, to force you to return here.” The sadness at that statement was clear in his eyes. He didn’t want to think of it, but the possibility for you to never want to return to him was there. Your eyebrows furrowed deeply and you ripped your hands away from his, planting your palms on either side of his face and forcing him to look deep into your eyes.
“I want to return here, Shouta, to you. Look into my soul and tell me I’m lying to you.” His dark onyx stared into you, and you stared back. He would know your sincerity, whether he wanted to or not. He had to know how much you truly cared, how far you’d fallen since that day in the meadow when he scooped you up into his golden chariot. You had to make him know. He didn’t protest when you began to pull him closer, leaning in until your lips ghosted over each other.
You’d never been this close before. He never advanced on you, never made you uncomfortable, never forced anything on you. He refused to force even the smallest things on you, like placing a hand on your waist or your shoulder, always asking permission and making sure you were okay first and foremost. Maybe it was just because of how gentle he is with you, or the fact that he’s the sweetest deity you’d met. Maybe it was the work of Eros. But you were no doubt in love with Shouta.
When your lips connected it was like a wave of heat crawled over your body, a spark igniting flame that rolled through your veins. You fit perfectly together, molding to each other in a sweet, passionate kiss. His own hands found purchase on your waist and neck, gentle caresses holding you close. Finally pulling away, you were both breathless, sucking in air through shuddered breaths and adrenaline. His voice came through heavy and thick with swirling emotions. “There is a way to keep you here, but will you wait and think about the decision before it is made?”
You knew what he was doing. He was preparing himself for what, in his mind, is an inevitable rejection from you. You also understood that he was taking you greatly into consideration, thinking about you and your happiness first. And that’s why you knew you loved him. Because you cared about him before yourself. Loving each other more than yourselves was something you shared. “Tell me now, my King, and I promise I’ll think about it.”
He sighed, but you couldn’t tell if it was from relief, sadness, or stress. Regardless, he explained to you the magic of the Underworld, and that if you were to eat a pomegranate seed from the realm you’d be compelled to return, whether you wanted to or not. You gave a nod and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you, Shouta. I will think about it. And you’ll know my answer when it comes time for me to return to Olympus.” He nodded, clearly grateful that you’d heed his words. However you fully intended to eat a seed when asked to return to Olympus. You had already made up your mind, and nothing could change it.
____
Waking up every day to see your face was a blessing for the god of death. He loved that you’d become comfortable with him, that you curled into his side while you slept. He adored your half-lidded, sleepy eyes when you first woke up in the morning. He adored your mussed hair before you combed it out and pulled it into a loose braid down your shoulder. Everything you did made him adore you even more, everything about you was the most beautiful thing to him. 
He loved all of you, all that you did and said, every little detail of your existence. And he made sure you knew, whispering sweet nothings as he held you in bed, praising your beauty while he bathed with you. Every morning he watched your gorgeous eyes flutter open and made known his gratitude for being able to hold you so close. You never said much yourself, but he’d never have it any different. Your movements were enough for him. He lived for the little gestures and physical touches. The way you’d cling to him while you were out, how you’d hug him close at night. How you’d lean into his chest while you bathed together, or run your fingers through his hair when you relax in bed.
But he hated what you did to him, when you’d get close and squish your body up against him, when he felt your soft skin under his rough palms. He hated the feelings being with you unlocked, the filthiest parts of his mind coming to light. He wanted to ruin you in the best way, to make you his forever. He wants to worship every inch of you, and watch as you unravel beneath him. Late at night while you were fast asleep he’d gaze at your body, eating up every bit of exposed skin and letting his imagination run rampant. Tears falling down your face from pure overwhelming pleasure, sweet sounds pouring from your kiss-swollen lips, legs quivering and fingers clawing at the bed beneath you.
Tonight was no different as his eyes raked over your slumbering form. He could feel himself hardening just at the sight of you, and it drove him insane. He was slightly disappointed in himself for allowing something like lust to affect him so heavily. But it did, and he had to take care of it.
____
You were only half awake when you heard a soft curse and felt Shouta shift in bed behind you. When you rolled over to curl into him, you confirmed he wasn’t there and it woke you up rather quickly. Still a tiny bit groggy, you got up and went to search for him through the temple. Really, there weren’t very many places to search. It wasn’t long before you ended up outside the bathing room, but something stopped you before you stepped through the curtained entryway. 
You could hear heaved breaths and soft curses from inside, the light slosh of water muffling a lot of the sounds. The sounds which were coming from none other than Shouta. You slowly pulled the curtain back, just barely, and peeked in. The sight before you made your thighs squeeze together and heat build in your stomach. The god was leaning on the edge of the small pool, head thrown back and his lower half below the water. It wasn’t hard to figure out what he was doing, with his hand submerged and the muscles in his arm flexing and pumping slowly.
You’d be lying if you denied how much you wanted him. You craved him in the worst way, wanted to touch his bare skin and feel the muscles in his back tense under your fingers. You wanted to see him lose himself and ravage you, to watch as he let his more primal instincts take over. The only problem you saw was how you would approach the subject, especially when your lustful feelings were becoming very hard to ignore. But now, you had just found the perfect opportunity.
Shouta’s back was mostly turned toward the curtains, so it wasn’t hard for you to slip into the room unnoticed. Silently, you padded up behind him and knelt. He was still pumping himself below the water, whispering filthy words and your name under heavy breaths. You reached out and grabbed his shoulders, making him jump, but you quickly shushed him. “It’s me, my King.” He froze, his entire body tensing and his shoulders rising with shuddered breaths. 
“I-I’m sorry, my love...I-” You released your grasp and leaned over to look in his eyes, silencing him. “No, Shouta. Don’t be sorry. We may be deities but we are afflicted with emotion, same as any mortal.” Leaning down, you kissed and nipped below his jaw. “Come to bed, and we can help each other with those emotions.” He turned his head to you, brows slightly furrowed and concern laced in his voice. “You don’t have to help me, sweet girl. You shouldn’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
You raised an eyebrow at him, a small smirk tugging at your lips. “Did I not just say we’d help each other?” Surprise was evident on his face as he gazed up at you from the water. You leaned close to his face, lips just grazing each other, and stared deep into his eyes. “If I didn’t want to do it, I wouldn’t have offered.” Just as he pressed forward, you leaned back and stood, leaving the god shocked and wanting more. “I’ll be in bed, if you feel like joining me.” You swayed your hips a little more as you disappeared behind the curtains, a small tease to lure the god.
Back in the room, you stood at the foot of the bed, back to the door as you waited for him. You made it abundantly clear what you wanted, that you knew what you were asking for, and knew what you were offering. The door creaked open, and you could feel the heat of Shouta’s gaze on your body. He was on you nearly instantly as the door shut, his hands roaming your body and lips ghosting over your neck. His voice was raspy, heavy with lust and want. “Are you sure you want this?” You pushed your hips back into him, feeling his hardness through your thin robes. 
A sighed ‘yes’ passed your lips, and it was all the confirmation the god needed. His hands came up and pulled the fabric off your body, the cloth wrapped around his waist following soon after. His thick fingers pinched and pulled at your body, relentless in their attack on your skin. His touch floated over you, sending electricity buzzing through you. Lust built like a wildfire, spreading and burning your blood as it coursed through your veins. You leaned back into him, pressing yourself against his strong body as he peered down yours and left kisses on your neck and shoulder. Your body felt impossibly hot, arousal pulling you deep into him as he traced your body with feather light touches.
Suddenly he grasped your hips tight, turning you and pushing you backward onto the bed. He stayed standing, and you both took a good look at each other for the first time. Yes, you often bathed together, but your back was always to his chest, and the lower halves of your body were submerged. He never touched you anywhere other than your back, shoulders and hair when he helped to wash you, and you never turned to look at him. But now, as you looked up, there was no doubt in your mind you were looking at a god. 
He looked as if he was sculpted from marble, ivory skin pulled taut over chiseled muscles. Scars littered his body, discolored lines carved into his skin, each holding a story. Your breath hitched in your throat when your eyes landed on his cock. You may be a goddess, but if you weren’t prepared, he would undoubtedly destroy you. You felt more than heard the deep chuckle he let out, a devilish smirk set on his lips. “Don’t worry, little one. I won’t break you,” you lifted your eyes to meet his, “Yet.” You swallowed thickly, anticipation building in your chest. He climbs up and slots himself between your legs, leaning over you as his hair hangs in curtains around your face, drawing your eyes to the man above you.
“My love, you can tell me to stop any time.” The look in his eyes told you just how serious he was. He would do anything you asked of him without a second thought. You gave a nod and looped your hands around the back of his neck, pulling him down into a deep, sweet kiss. Your bodies pressed into each other, your skin burning against his as every cell in your body longed for his touch. Both your tongues poked out and melded together, tasting and savoring each other while his hands roamed down your body and your fingers massaged into his scalp. 
When he finally pulled away you both panted, hot breaths fanning over each other’s face. One of his hands trailed down and gripped your thigh, fingers digging into your plush flesh as he ventured toward your heated core. He gathered the slick at the apex of your thighs, groaning at both how wet you had become and the little breathy moan you let out as he pushed a thick digit into your sopping folds. Soon he was adding a second, the burn quickly subsiding into pleasure as his thick fingers curled and scissored, stretching you and preparing you for his cock.
The pleasure was intense for you, never having experienced it like this before. In the 200 years of your life you’d never lain with a man, but there was nothing your mother could do to stop you from learning to pleasure yourself. She knew nothing about what you did alone in your chambers. But this was something different entirely. Shouta’s fingers reached deeper than yours could, stroking every sensitive spot inside you that you’d never known existed. Your legs shook as that familiar coil built in your abdomen, though much faster than you could build it on your own. 
Shouta cooed praises into your ear, that knot beginning to fray the more he focused his attention on that gummy spot on your walls. His thumb slick with your juices reached up and rubbed at the little nub between your folds, and it only took a few tight circles for you to fall apart on his fingers with a moan. He drew out your orgasm, curling his fingers into you until you were choking on sobs from the overwhelming pleasure, your thighs trying to clamp down on his hand and nails digging crescent shapes into his wrist.
You whimpered as he pulled his fingers from you, moaning softly as you watched him suck your essence off his fingers with a lewd groan. He leaned down and pulled you into another heated kiss, and you could taste yourself on his lips. “Are you ready for me?” His breaths are heavy, hands gripping your hips tight, jaw set as he tries to compose himself. “Yes, my love. I’m ready.” He kisses you softly as he pushes into you slowly, swallowing up the little mewls dripping from your lips. One hand is rubbing at your swollen clit and the other toying with your breast to distract you from the stretch of his thick cock.
Your own hands are dragging down his back, trying to ground yourself as the god sank all the way into your cunt, stilling as he bottoms out completely. You’re both taking heaving breaths as your walls flutter, adjusting to him. Your legs are quaking and you mewl softly, tugging at his hair. “Please, Shouta, move.” He pulls his hips back and slowly thrusts back in, dragging the head of his cock along your sensitive walls deliciously. He starts a slow pace, languidly driving himself deep inside you. He leans down and kisses at your neck, the angle change making you throw your head back and moan. 
You purposely clench down on him, and he bucks his hips up into you with a curse under his breath. His hands come back to your hips, fingers digging harshly into your skin as he growls. He pulls back until only the tip of his cock sits inside you, and snaps his hips forward, punching all the air from your lungs as he sets a brutal pace. Shouta doesn’t react as your nails claw furiously at his back, only yanks your body into him as the tip of his cock kisses your cervix with every thrust. Deep guttural growls and moans pour from his lips, the sound of wet skin slapping skin and the sweet, salty smell of sex permeating the room.
The little air you’re able to suck in is expelled in whines and sobs, fat tears streaming from your eyes as they roll back in your skull. Your mind was so far gone with pleasure, your entire body shivering and shaking as calloused fingers rub your clit, sending you head first into a powerful orgasm. His growls deepened as he kept himself from his own release, pounding into you with reckless abandon. His voice was raspy and breathless and one hand gripped your chin, tilting you to face him as he slowed his rutting. “That’s right, little goddess. Cry for your god, for your King. Tell me, who do you belong to?”
You took a moment to breathe through a sob, barely able to think with the overwhelming sensations. He was still thrusting his hips into you, slowly, dragging along your fluttering walls and gripping your face ever so slightly harder. “Answer me, sweet girl. Who do you belong to?” He punctuated the question with a sharp snap of his hips, stealing the air from your lungs before you gasped it back in. “You! I belong to you Shouta!” He’s pounding into you again, his hand moving to squeeze gently at your neck as he drives his cock deep into you over and over again.
“Yes, you’re mine. All mine forever. My goddess, my Queen, my wife, my love.” He lets out a loud moan, rubbing at your clit furiously. “Cum for me again, pretty thing. Cum.” Your entire body thrashes with the intensity of your orgasm, electricity jolting through you, your body answering Shouta’s command as if it knew you belonged to him, just as you both had said. You scream a moan as clear liquid splashes over his thighs and abdomen, and he fucks into you relentlessly as he chases his own release. With a long, low growl he shoves himself up against your cervix, pumping his thick seed into you and painting your insides white.
He keeps his cock buried deep inside you as he wraps his arms under your waist and rolls over onto his back, holding you tight to him as you lay boneless on his chest. You’re panting heavily, a sheen of sweat covering the both of you as he rubs his palms up and down your back. Fatigue tugs at your mind, your eyelids drooping as your breathing finally evens out. You feel Shouta shift your body with ease, pulling himself out of you with a hiss and lifting you into his arms. 
You nuzzle into his chest as he walks, and soon you’re in the warm water of the bath, sitting on the submerged ledge between Shouta’s legs and leaning back into his chest. You can feel the water running down your arms as his hands cup and pour it over you. His rough hands are gentle as they run over your body, slowly cleaning you and massaging your aching muscles. You’re drifting in and out of consciousness, barely registering being carried once again before being laid down on the bed again. Shouta’s strong arms wrap around you, pulling you into his chest as you relax in his hold.
Barely conscious, you kiss his chest lightly, getting a kiss to your temple from the god. His deep voice is tired, but happy, gravelly from earlier. “I love you, (y/n).” You echo the sentiment, barely a whisper, and somewhere in your mind you wonder if he heard you. The question vanishes as quick as it had appeared, and you drift off to sleep.
*
***About 2 months later***
*
It was early, much earlier than you’d normally wake up, when someone showed up at the temple. You were in bed with Shouta, and he awoke at the presence of other gods. Yes, gods. The both of you went to see who it was that garnered his attention. Hizashi - Hermes - stood at the top of the staircase with another god and a goddess. You recognized both. The god with spiky blonde hair and eyes red as blood was Ares, god of war. The goddess had hair black as Shouta’s pulled high on the back of her head. The front of her red dress draped low, down to her navel, her shapely figure complimented by the soft fabric that was no doubt woven from silk. Aphrodite.
The three stood at attention as the two of you walked out, the three eyeing you with very different looks on their faces. Hizashi regarded you fondly, like old friends reconnecting. Ares was angry and guarded, as always, and Aphrodite had a glint in her eyes that you couldn’t quite discern. The ravenette turned to the god of war and nodded, and Ares visibly relaxed, no longer ready for a fight. Hizashi strolled over and leaned on Shouta’s shoulder again, a wide grin plastered on his face. “Hiya, Sho.” The blonde nodded his head at you. “(y/n).” 
You smiled back at him, greeting him kindly before turning to the other two and giving a short bow. Aphrodite returned it, but Ares almost sneered. You weren’t really surprised.  “Why are you three here, Hizashi?” Shouta asked sternly. The blonde seemed to deflate slightly as he walked back over to the other two and stood with them before speaking. “Well, for one, Demeter knows now where her favorite daughter has disappeared to. Imagine her fury when she found out her own brother had stolen her away.” Shouta groaned, then huffed. “She’ll live.”
The blonde chuckled. “Probably. Zeus has ordered that Persephone, formerly known as Kore and given the name (y/n) by Demeter, return to Olympus indefinitely.” Your eyes widened in shock and time seemed to freeze at his words. Your heartbeat drowned out any other noise, panic swirling in your head. Indefinitely? That meant until your mother decided you could come back to Hades, and you knew the answer would be never. You couldn’t live in a world where you couldn’t come back to Shouta. 
The god could sense your distress and pulled you into a tight embrace, still discussing the arrangement with the three deities. But your mind was elsewhere. You knew what had to be done if you ever wanted to return. Heart racing, you leaned back and grabbed Shouta’s face, pulling him to meet your eyes. “Let me eat a seed, Shouta. Please.” His eyebrows knit together and his body tensed as he shook his head. “I can’t let you do that, my love. I can come visit you in Olympus instead.” But you wouldn’t have any of it. 
____
He watched as your eyes filled with tears, your voice quivering and breaking as you spoke. “No! My mother won’t let you see me! And even if I begged her she won’t allow me to return here. She won’t let me come back to you.” Fat tears rolled down your cheeks, sobs shaking your shoulders as you tried to hold them back. He hated seeing you so sad, so heartbroken. But he knew what would happen if you ate a pomegranate seed. To be fair, so did you, and you were willing to do it if it meant you could see him again.
You were willing to be compelled to return, compelled so strongly that if you didn’t return your body would fall ill and weak, pain seeping into your very bones. You would need to return here, to the Underworld, or you would suffer. You would need this realm to survive. He had explained it to you when you asked, and you’d promised you would think about it. Still, he hated the very idea of you being in pain. His mind reeled with the possibilities, and as much as he hated it, you both knew how this was going to go.
____
Staring up at the god, you waited as he lost himself in thought. You didn’t want to force his hand, but if you needed to, you would. Three other deities were present, and could probably hold him long enough for you to pull a red fruit from the earth and swallow down a seed. A deep sigh came from the raven haired god, and a large hand cupped your face as he pulled you into a sweet kiss. He leaned his forehead against yours and sighed softly before speaking, his voice low. “I won’t force you, my love. It is your choice to make.”
You let out a shaky, relieved breath and pulled away from him. Extending your arm out to your side, palm down to the earth, you willed the plant to grow. In mere seconds, a tree sprouted from the dirt, a single large pomegranate glowing with the magic of the Underworld hanging just at your face. You plucked it smoothly, then let the tree shrink back down and vanish. You cracked the fruit open and held a single seed in your palm, looking to Shouta as you took a deep breath. He gave a final nod, and you popped the seed into your mouth, swallowing it whole.
You felt the magic course through you, a piece of the Underworld itself flowing through your body and making itself a part of you. Turning to the three, you spoke, radiating the confidence of a Queen and a goddess. “You three have witnessed me consume a pomegranate seed from the Underworld of my own volition. You know that Hades has not forced anything upon me.” The three nod, acknowledging the truth in your statement. You addressed the goddess of love. “Aphrodite, I believe you can confirm that I love Shouta just as he loves me, and that it was not influenced by you or Eros but developed naturally.” 
She gave a sweet smile, nodding in confirmation. Turning back to Shouta, you wrapped your arms around him and he held you tight in a final embrace before you left for Olympus with Hermes, Ares, and Aphrodite. You peered up into his dark obsidian eyes. “I’ll be back, I promise.” He smiled down at you, adoration and love the only emotions in his gaze beside a tinge of despair. “I know you will, my Queen. If you are ever in danger, or if you long for me too much to bear, tap the ground and I will come to you.” 
You held him close, then separated and walked to Hermes, who picked you up gently and held you to his chest. Aphrodite and Ares climbed into their own chariot and set off before you. With a final glance to the god of death, you called out to him. 
“I love you Shouta.”
“I love you too (y/n).”
He and the rest of the Underworld vanished in a blur, replaced by the grand palace grounds of Olympus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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