#if this gets notes i will reblog it with a more detailed plot description i promise

[oleafia-art]

can i info dump about my south park au pls ??

basic premise is kyle stan and kenny run a paranormal investigation business where they’re trying to free the lost souls of south park from earth and into the afterlife. as u can see kenny is a ghost, his immortality curse finally broke ig. stan and kyle are both cursed to each free fifty ghosts in a year or else they’ll die, which is why they started this ghost hunting business in the first place. they live in stan’s shitty apartment for now and have to sleep on the singular mattress on the floor while kenny watches over them.

meanwhile cartman is scamming people by being a preacher/excorcist and “freeing people of their diseases” through “his faith in god” (he’s a faith healer). he’s forced butters to be his assistant in this scheme, and he has gotten quite rich from it. butters clearly isn’t very happy lmao.

these other two are more of supporting characters but wendy helps the boys with their ghost hunting when she can through science and stuff. meanwhile karen is desperately trying to find where her brother went (she doesn’t know he died).

also they are all 25 except for karen who’s 21

if yall like this i will draw more characters/random illustrations as well as make more detailed posts about the role of each character and the plot.

ALSO PLS CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO SEE THEM BETTER THE FIRST ONE IS CROPPED FOR SOME REASON :(

[stemclann]

🌱 Welcome to Stemclan ! 🌱

This is yet another Clangen blog.. But this one's mine !

In a forest full of mysteries just waiting to unravel, a group of cats decides to set camp after moons of exile. This is where their leader, Veilstar, takes position after receiving a spiritual visit from Starclan, and swears to deepen Stemclan's roots so that it can thrive. What she didn't take into consideration, is that if there is blood on the roots, there will be blood on the branches. 🌿

From allegiances to lore, throught moons and moons of stories, this is Stemclan !

Start reading from moon 0 - 🌼 Here ! 🌼

Allegiances - 🌻Here !🌻 (Note that allegiances might sometimes be slightly late on updates compared to the actual story) (+ note that cats will be added to the allegiances once they reach warrior status, or else it's going to be a mess for me to update 💀)

Lore - 🌷Here ! 🌷 (Random posts, most asks that characters answer themselves, ect)

🌜 Wanna look for a specific moon ? Search in the tags : Moon (+ number of the one you're looking for)

🐈 Wanna look for a specific character ? Search their name in the tags and all content involving them during the time they had that specific name will appear! (Please note that some names will change and so the tags will as well, for example Flowerkit ➡️ Flowerpaw = Same character but different tag refering to a different phase of their lives.)

Tags / subjects that might appear in this comic : (this section isn't done yet, I'll add details later) Violence - Kitten death - Dead body / corpse - Mysoginy / sexism - Homophobia / transphobia - Xenophobia ⬆️ That will depend on the characters / plot point they face, and doesn't in NO WAY represent my own vision on these topics.

____________________

Hi everycat ! 😺

My name is Amande (she/her, 29 yo) and I'm a french concept artist / illustrator / aspiring tattoo artist from France. That's the reason why there might be a bit of spelling / grammatical mistakes along the way. I'm trying my very best to notice it before I post but I know I won't catch everything. That's also why some of the names are translated in screenshots / allegiances ! It helps me connect to the characters better and remember them more accurately.

I've always been a huge warrior cats enthusiast, ever since I was a kid. This blog, while it might not be updated regularly, is a form of escapism for me and it brings me a lot of joy <3 I hope I'll get to stay consistent and that you'll like what I have in store for all these kitties💐

Note - This post is bound to evolve with new tags and informations. I'm currently looking at ways to make the pages easily readable, regarding order, image descriptions, ect, if you have any suggestions please don't hesitate to talk to me about it ! I'll reblog it when that happens.

I hope you'll enjoy thesestories and characters as much as I'm having fun playing with them ! See ya around, and have a very nice day 🎀

[crimeronan]

hey, question about your writing services! I saw on ur reblog that you mentioned writing for someone else’s oc’s, I was wondering how that works and what you would need from the customer to do that. Would you need like just character descriptions/profiles, snippets of previous writing, and like how much stuff would you be willing to read through lol. I’ve been struggling to get started on my story and I think it would be interesting to see someone else take a shot at it - I most likely would just keep it for inspo/reference

hello, amazing question! the idea of being able to play with MORE people's OCs is quite frankly DELIGHTFUL.

with the piece i just did, the client provided basic overviews of the characters (think like, three-sentence backgrounds), a background document on the world, and previous writing so i could get a sense of the voices, characterization, and lore.

what's Most helpful to me are descriptions of the characters' key personality traits and a bit about their appearances, plus some snippets of them in action so i can see how things like their speech and thoughts are written. the more past writing i have to go on, the easier it'll be to emulate their voices

i'd also request a prompt, though it doesn't need to be Super Detailed. this past order included a simple explanation of the relationship/backstory between characters, a bit of internal conflict, and then a description of a scene/interaction between them to write.

basically, tell me about your characters, tell me how you want them to interact, give me a setting (can be in-depth worldbuilding or something as simple as "coffee shop" or "living room".) if i have questions about the piece, i can reach out in DMs before i start!

okay actually as a bullet list:

who are the characters? what are their personalities?

if there's a relationship btwn them, briefly describe it

where would you like this work to be set? what plot points or conflicts do you want to see?

are there any other details i should include?

then you'll be able to append files with any snippets, drafts, references, or extraneous background!

and i'm happy to read quite a bit :D the one thing i'll say is that i might skim portions rather than doing an in-depth dive, so i can take whatever characterization/relationship/setting/etc notes i need for the piece. but i'm pretty good at picking out what information is important when constructing fiction.

hopefully that's not terribly overwhelming -- if you need further guidance, i'm happy to answer more questions! if you're feeling out your fictional dynamics, you could even give a prompt like "write three different ways X conflict could go," so you can decide what feels truest to the story you wanna tell.

i'd recommend getting a 1,700 word piece for that, though, as i probably need at least ~500 words per scene to do an interpersonal conflict justice.

[happiestplacehq]

Task Eleven → Intro & Connections

Welcome to our first mandatory task! As I’m sure you have all heard me wax poetic about by now, this task has been created with the intention of helping you all connect better to your fellow writers, and to give you and your partners a head start when it comes to plotting and coming up with connections for your characters. Below you will find a list of plot and connection ideas to help you get started. Now, let me explain the task at hand.

Firstly, treat this like you might do an intro post.

Using the template below as a guide (you can set it out any way you wish, this is just to help you get started) each player must create a post detailing things they are looking for for their characters. There are suggestions in the template for what other things may be useful to include. Anything that is required is marked in bold with an asterisk*. I would then like this post to be pinned to the top of your character blog, or added in some way to your current pinned post, so it is easily accessible to all players. It is up to you if you link it in your theme.

For each character you should have a minimum of 3 connection types, and a further 3 fleshed out plot ideas you are looking for. The more specific you are, the better, but I understand that sometimes a vague title is enough. If there is a plot you really want for your character, put it here! The people need to know.

If you have multiple characters you do not need to fill this out for all of them immediately, but should all be completed by the end of next month. Start with your characters that have less connections when in doubt. Please note that your connections should be varied, and not all focus on shipping and romance, in order to get a good range to work within.

I’m borrowing one of Paige’s as an example of a more fleshed out connections & intro post [here]. This one by Claire is also in depth [here]. I know a few of you have similar posts already but please take the time to make a new post for this task so I can reblog it to @redwoodhollowreview and make sure to tag the blog as well!

Please tag your posts with #happiestplacetask and #happiestplacetask11 so everyone can see. This task is mandatory and will be reblogged.

TEMPLATE

Character Information*

Brief outline about your character, as formal or informal as you like.* Can be paragraphs or bullet points. Include Name, Age & Occupation

Outline of their personality & how they vibe with others.

Anything that you think is important about their past or present that will affect plotting.

A link to their bio on the main, or a more in depth description of their history if you want.

Wanted Connections*

Connection 1

Connection 2

Connection 3

Another? 👀 

Wanted Plots / Plot Ideas*

Plot Bunny Number 1 - Short Description, 1 paragraph. You can link inspo posts if you have any.

Plot Bunny Number 2

Plot Bunny Number 3

Taken Connections (like Naomi’s post [here])

Connection 1 e.g. The Best Friend, Name, Info about connection

Connection 2 e.g. The Enemy, Name, Info etc.

If you think a connection is important or may help connect your characters to other characters through mutuals, this is an excellent way to go.

Other

One character from the open tag [here] you would like to see taken / added to the Most Wanted page*

One Character you want to see a bio for in relation to this specific character

Plot Ideas 

Plot ideas should be fleshed, giving specifics of ideas you’ve had for your character that you want to play out but haven’t found someone to write them with yet. For example, they can be as simple as a thread idea (Muses visiting IKEA) to something more long term (Muses are mortal enemies but have to pretend they’re best friends in order to progress in their job).

[helpersofindie masterlist of plot/ connections masterlists]

[The Plot Masterlist Tag]

[More idea masterlists by winterhelps]

Connection Ideas

Childhood Best Friends / High School Best Friends

Colleagues (current or former)

Neighbours

Roommates

Ex Partners - on good terms, or bad terms

Ex Friends - on good terms, or bad terms

Mortal Enemies

Tinder / Grinder Match / Old One Night Stand

Previously been through a traumatic experience together

Previously been through an amazing experience together

The one person that just really, really gets on their nerves

The secret crush

Their school bully

Confidant

Role model

Classmates

Ride or Die

One part of a wider friend group

Secret Friends

Cousins / Aunts / Uncles / Related through marriage

Friends because their parents, siblings or grandparents are friends

Attend a club together such as bowling, swimming or yoga

First Kiss

Childhood Crush

Publicity Partner

Someone they hired either recently or in the past

Frenemies

Rivals - in the same field of work, in a club like swimming, in a group of friends, over the same love interest

Share a secret - they share a secret and both are always on edge the other will tell the secret

Study Buddies / Tutor

Have mutual friends - they either do or don’t get a long

Babysitter

Thanks to [Connections Masterlist] by shroyers for some of the inspo, [iridcscenceq] and [Character Connections] by activisthelps for more ideas.

If you need any help with this task or just want some help coming up with ideas, don’t hesitate to ask me!

Please like this post once you have read it !!

[totchipanda]

I posted 3,607 times in 2022

That's 3,345 more posts than 2021!

77 posts created (2%)

3,530 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@snakesnakewhale

@marycontraire

@bastetsbard

@desidarling123

@tomlinson2017

I tagged 1,239 of my posts in 2022

#kaz brekker - 161 posts

#inej ghafa - 156 posts

#six of crows - 140 posts

#kanej - 119 posts

#fanart - 101 posts

#this blog stans sharp dressed men - 76 posts

#crooked kingdom - 70 posts

#authorbeasts in their natural habitat - 69 posts

#bridgerton - 67 posts

#jonathan bailey - 64 posts

Longest Tag: 134 characters

#if you need to say the 'fucking' between 'of course' it's usually a scenario in which spelling the entire thing is useful for emphasis

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I wanted to read some kanej fics. Any good recs?

Hi anon, I reblogged a couple posts by others with so many amazing recs, many of which I was going to rec (and have again), so please check those out too!

Stories about Crows by @marycontraire This whole series is great. I'm particularly fond of Thieves, Just Desserts, and No Echo.

One Thousand and One Nights by Trogdor19

roomy, and drenched in sunlight by @whatanybodygets just wrapped up today and anon, I am not OK. Completely focused on Inej and Kaz as parents and learning to live with each other with these new roles and oh my goodness, oh my heart, I am not even exaggerating when I say I've shed tears over this fic. (Adagio is also excellent. A ballet AU, you say? READ IT. It's not very much ballet and a whole lot more murder.) [

Everything written by @linearla I've read them all, and they're all excellent. Special fondness for Serves You Right just for the clothing details, getting corsetry RIGHT and an a guest appearance by Madam X.

Out of the Brambles by @wylanvanfeck

More kid fic, only Kaz and Inej are witches who must share a promised child...

The Heart is a Muscle ) by @frick6101719

kisses on your hands (and your knees, and your thighs) ) by @demigodbeautiies on my request :D Li'l spicy, but oh so sweet.

Seigaiha by @didowasdonewrong Another spicy n sweet one :3

I have more, I have 19 windows open to read, but I'm so very far behind on my reading list D:

33 notes - Posted February 9, 2022

#4

Hello, I come here asking for some Kate/Anthony fic recs...pleeeease.

Hi anon! I'm not super into reading a lot of fic right now, but I do have a couple on my radar and I hope you enjoy them too.

Come Away With Me by KMGO26 - Kate and Anthony on their wedding tour (E)

no more keeping score (now i just keep you warm) by vexinglilies - Kate and Anthony becoming parents (M)

Tulips by Anabananawrites - Anthony brings Kate tulips shortly before their wedding. (G)

i'd suffer hell if you'd tell me what you'd do to me tonight by punto_y_coma - Kate and Anthony each alone between eps 6 and 7, thinking about the other... (M)

36 notes - Posted April 23, 2022

#3

I have been watching Bridgerton Season 2 with my beta, and we have decided to plot out the Kanej Regency/Bridgerton-inspired AU that absolutely no one asked for. I won't abandon my modern AU, but this is tickling my brain in the most delightful ways.

I hope you're read for gratuitous clothing descriptions, barely touching, horses, and strangers to friends to lovers in spades.

(I'm also hoping it won't turn into a 65k behemoth, but we shall see.)

43 notes - Posted April 6, 2022

#2

I am.so sorry, i lost track of the original ask, but it was "did Anthony and Kate go all the way in the gazebo". And i bear the disappointing opinion of: no.

Consider!

I screencapped this out of a gif. We see his boots, a small white object (either waistcoat or cravat, im leaning towards cravat) and his coat. His shirt is up around the right side of the pillows (visible in another shot). I do not see evidence of trousers. We aren't given a good angle of him sitting ip here, but the following photo has been posted with a couple of articles online:

See the full post

74 notes - Posted April 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

BABES WAKE UP THEY'RE REUNITED!!!

See the full post

107 notes - Posted July 23, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[saltyunordinaryprincess]

𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕄𝕦𝕟

Blog run by a friendly she/her named Paws.

Mun has 15+ years experience; Tumblr, Discord & classic AIM

Mun & Muses 18+

Mutuals only… lets chat to make sure we vibe

Non-exclusive

OUAT canon, canon-divergent, and AU-friendly

Open, semi-selective, and accepting starters

Prompts, memes and plotting available

Eastern Standard Time (GMT -05:00)

Full-time employee, Part-time blogger

ℝ𝕦𝕝𝕖𝕤

NSFW 🔞 must be discussed ahead of time and both parties must both consent. I am 100% ok with any graphic details being moved to DM or fading to black/behind closed doors.

I like to talk to new partners before just jumping into threads first. Nothing complicated, just to make sure we as muns can vibe. Because if we can’t vibe in casual conversation its going to make roleplaying more complicated. I want us to be able to talk if something comes up we are uncomfortable with, or if we have an idea we want to share. We don’t need to be besties, but I want us to be able to communicate.

Literacy is important, but mistakes do happen. I promise to do my best to proof read and edit all my posts before I click submit if you do the same. But then again, this is all for fun. I’m not looking to win a Pulitzer here.

I am non-exclusive, and do not mind working with multiples of the same character and will do my best to keep the stories separate (again, my tagging is complicated).

I do my best to match my partner length or length in replies. But at the same time, I prefer quality over quantity. We can always discuss expectations in reply lengths ahead of time if you would like (para, chat-style, short and sweet, etc) I used to do creative writing as a hobby in college so I tend to get carried away with details and descriptions. Feel free to poke me to tone it down if my replies become more outrageous and more fan fiction less roleplay.

I do not mind having more then one thread with the same character and/or partner. As long as we can both keep up, the more the merrier. Thus the reason I try to keep up with my own complicated tagging system.

If a thread starts from an ask (meme or prompt), if it gets involved and lengthy, I will most likely move it to it’s own post with a title to just remove the original ask post but I will link back to it, just allows shrinking easier.

Life happens, if I don’t reply to a thread in like 3 days, please feel free to DM me. There is a good chance I either missed the notification, totally forgot Tumblr existed and got lost in a side hobby (neurodivergent), or completely forgot to mention I was going away for a few days. I won’t be mad if you remind me. And if you wish, I will give you the same curtesy. 

If you are not one of the involved parties, please do not just jump into the roleplay without reaching out first to one of the involved parties. All my threads are CLOSED unless otherwise stated. Threads that are open to the public will be very clearly marked as [open to others].

On that same note, if you are not in the roleplay, please do not reblog any of the threads. You can like ❤️ and you can freely send us positive DMs as comments, but please do not reblog. It bogs down notifications and causes confusion in an already confusing and chaotic system.

Please do not ghost me. If you are no longer interested in roleplaying with me, please just send a quick DM. If you are going away on a sabbatical from Tumblr for an unknown time, family vacation, change in work/school schedule or you just don’t want to roleplay anymore, I beseech you to please just send a quick DM. I will not make a fuss. Ghosting hurts and makes me panic and worry about your wellbeing. Dead air in the middle of a planned plot is just heartbreaking with no explanation.

Once again, on a similar note, if we are in the middle of a thread and you just are no longer vibing with it and lose interest in that particular one, or you want to take a break from it and start another, same applies. Just DM me. I rather stop a thread and start a new one then force someone to bs their way unhappily and have the quality go down because they are just not feeling it.

Have fun!  This is a hobby. A game. A form of therapy. Stress release. Self care. Self expression. This is not homework, a career, an obligation. We’re all here to have fun. So let’s have some fun!

Updated 6/21/2024

[moonlinos]

do you have any tips on how to improve my writing skills 😭😭 I've tried to write stories so many times but I just can't get to be good even if the plot I planned was really good 😭😭

I saw a post these days (pretty sure I reblogged it too) that basically said to write even if it’s in bullet form, or even if it’s lowercase and you think it’s not good. I would first take this advice!!

BUT if we’re talking advice on how to be more satisfied with your own writing, I’d say read a lot. This is pretty much what helped me. I’ve been writing since I was a preteen, so this is something I’ve done for a long ass time: underline, write down, screenshot expressions and words you liked and haven’t seen before. This helps you broaden your vocabulary, which is important when writing.

Another advice is keep writing!! Even if you hate it, keep writing. Just write your ideas down, you can always edit them later. This is basically how I write lol I just write down a rough draft of what I want the plot to be, then go back and add in more details/expressions/descriptions etc. Writing is the best practice to become better at writing. The more you do it, the more you’ll improve.

Keep in mind that “good writing” is incredibly subjective. What I consider good writing might be just okay to others. Any piece of writing is good, because it came from your mind!! That alone makes writing good. So basically, read a lot, take notes and write a lot 🫡 Keep writing, I hope one day you’ll be sharing your stories with the world 🩷

[rise-my-angel]

hi mimi! i know this is just one voice, but i really cannot exaggerate how fucking ravenous i am over hotgw (and your whole blog too). I've been completely hyperfixed on hotgw since i found it and can EASILY say this is my all time favorite fic. nothing even begins to hold a candle to how you completely NAIL the characterization of everyone you write (which is especially such a breath of fresh air in this fandom in particular haha), how you always take the time to explore every plot point so we're constantly fully invested in the world we're in, how everyone feels so dynamic including the reader while leaving room for self insert. how descriptive your writing is so that everything just feels so fleshed out and real and its always so easy to visualize. like just straight up, you're a very very talented writer. so that coupled with the fact that you're expanding on a universe that we love. and how its so obvious that you do too with how much effort and passion shines through your writing. just makes your story so unparalleled and immersive.

also your smut is out of this world. for as limited as smut writing is, you still manage to keep it so descriptive and well paced that it feels so new and real every single scene you write. you can make even just regular smooching feel so intense. BUT I DIGRESS.

i can totally understand why the amount of notes can make it feel like its not worth updating, but please know those of us still following along really really adore your fic. and we would do anything to read it all the way to its end and see what direction you decide to go in because its obvious you can and will cook something really good up.

also!!! i want to show appreciation for the analysis posts and the tags under your reblogs and what not. they really help to fill the void in between the days we're waiting for hotgw to get updated. much love for your blog.

tldr, thank you so much for the scrumptious meals you serve us every monday <3

Truly, for someone who started out on here as pretty much just a no plot only porn smut writer, it is out of this world to me that I've written something that people enjoy as much as they do. I adore the world of asoiaf and I want to put every appreciation and respect I have for it into this fic. I want you all to see the story as I see it play out. Have plots take their time because the best parts of the main story is when we see all the details leading up to the big moments, not just the moments themselves, and I wanted to capture that.

I orignally thought this story was WAY too big for me to handle, and was going to make a new outline of chapter 1 and make it just a Robb Reader Jon sort of love triangle but it felt like there could be so much to tell once that story was done anyways, that my original outline got reworked into something with far more longevity.

I really appericate it, especially since the last fandom I came from previously, it was heavily a numbers game. If you didn't have the engagement, you were a flop. No one ever talked about it if you didn't get 200 notes minimum per fic and success was everyone reblogging it and boasting it all the time. I left the fandom because the fic mentality was really making me feel like a terrible writer, and sometimes even now it's still difficult to see low numbers and not think I am a failure with a terrible story no one likes.

Also I'm glad you enjoy the nonsense on my blog the rest of the time, especially considering how much those tags and analysis posts get me into trouble in this fandom.

[kusanagionthetelevi]

red alert! new project sekai rp blog!

as you make your way through the vast spectrum that is project sekai roleplay blogs, you find yourself running into...

...a television?

what's that doing here?

you attempt waving at it, but as you move closer, you notice the confusion in their face as they try to process everything that had just happened, to no avail.

a dialogue box suddenly appears from the screen...

[alt text: an animated gif of a custom mint-themed earthbound dialogue box that reads: wha.. what am i doing here… /end id]

(ooc intro under the cut)

hi there! i'm no one's favorite inazuma eleven fan @nanairomelette! i made this sideblog as a sorry excuse to overuse the earthbound text labs site because it's beautiful. sorry not sorry

general? info:

i prefer being called noa, but i use other names too :3 (allister, fei, j, sol)

i use the same pronouns i use for nene, as well as thou/🎲/nine/six pronouns !

basic dni (homophobes, transphobes, naz1s, ableists, racists, etc) and anti mogai or neopronouns. also if you sexualize any of the pjsk characters you WILL be blocked on sight. this excludes some of the npcs and kaimeiluka as they're all of age but i will likely avoid interacting with you since i'm a minor

speaking of sexualization, please don't send anything suggestive in the askbox! nene is a minor, and so am i.

this is generally a self indulgent blog so expect a lot of headcanons. one of those hcs are he/they/six/waltz nene so just a heads up i guess

although this is less important, i'd like to note that i also hc nene as a genderfluid transmasc aroace lesbian :]

oh ANF ANFD AND. i will also use pronoun hcs for other project sekai characters and i'll make a masterlist when i feel like it.

even then, i'll use the pronouns you use for the character you're roleplaying as when the time comes that we interact!

also i already have this in my description but i'd like to add a trigger warning for unreality as this is a roleplay blog, as well as an obligatory no this account is in no way officially affiliated with sega nor colorful palette!

and since i'm using gifs (image format) as a means to communicate, i'll do my best to maximize alt texts on this blog. feel free to criticize me if i'm missing out or pointing out too many details in my alt texts!

i might not be too active on this account as 1. my current sp/in is inazuma eleven so i don't really dwell much on pjsk anymore 2. school is stressing me the hell out

also i have a few negative experiences with roleplaying and i'm a bit scared of interacting with strangers so please bare with me

some stuff i think you should know:

this is basically an au where for whatever reason, rui's inventions accidentally get nene stuck inside a damn old television. as of late, she has not found a way to get him out of there

that's like. the main premise if we're talking about nene, however i haven't really decided the rest. i'm thinking the main plot would include project sekai characters inside random things (ie. miku inside your washing machine)

feel free to add more to this mess of an au, i'm open to anything, just shoot me an ask either here or on my main account!

tag masterlist:

#nene live broadcasting -> text? posts #live nene reaction -> in-character reblogs #nene rebroadcasting -> in-character self-reblogs #dial KUS4N4G1-N3N3-720-06 -> asks #sol live broadcasting -> ooc/mod posts/reblogs (includes self-reblogs)

to conclude this post, i'd like to link the project sekai rp blog masterlist down below! nice to meet you all, and let's have fun!

[ivy-loves-chocolate]

Note: this isn’t RE or MK related, but it’s something I wanted to write. The plot is about two strangers who have a small talk in an art gallery. William, the protagonist, is lost in his thoughts until a stranger decides to pull him out.

More goodies will come this week after this. Comments and reblogs are very appreciated!

William was staring at the painting in front of him. The golden plate from below stated the name, artist, and a brief description. "The Blue Rider" by Wassily Kandinsky, To Kandinsky, the color blue was associated with heaven, supernaturalness, infinity, and silence. The title of this painting would also give name to the seminal expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter, founded by Kandinsky and Franz Marc in Munich a few years later.

He signed as he was staring blankly at the painting. From another person's point of view, he looked rather focused and intrigued by the piece of art in front of him, like someone with vast knowledge trying to find a meaning behind the colors and between the details, but in reality he was lost in his own thoughts.

Sensing he might be on another plan of reality, a person approached him and tapped lightly on his shoulder.

"Beautiful painting, isn't it?" He asked in a southern accent, seeming like another misfit in this sophisticated place just like our friend. 

"Yes, indeed." He turned his head to face the stranger and continued to speak. "To be honest, when it comes to art, I'm not much of a fan. Art is...very interpretable. I'm more of a books person."

"I see, then why are you here, if I may ask."

"My girl is more artistic than I am. She used to come here for inspiration, and sometimes I would tag along. I would sit on one of these benches while she'd frantically walk back and forth to each painting, writing down her thoughts on a cute, little notebook."

"Where is she now? Is she running around here as we speak?" He said it in a joyful way, somehow eager to meet the stranger's girlfriend, a stranger he just met a few minutes ago.

"She is not here. I-I don't know where she is actually." he chuckled faintly as he turned to the painting again. The blank stare returned to his face once again.

"I see. Is she- missing for a long time?"

"For a week. She packed some of her stuff and left."

The stranger sighed in relief.

Silence fell between the two men as they looked at the painting. Eventually, the stranger spoke.

"Will you two get back together?"

"Yes, we will eventually. We always do."

"What was the reason?" the strangers asked.

"We both did. At the beginning, both of us are too shallow, so we make excuses for our own faults instead of admitting them. We fight, and she always leaves, while I stay in our home. After our time apart, we apologize for our foolishness and get together. The point is, she always comes back, but it rarely takes this long. We must’ve messed up pretty bad." 

"I see. What do you think she’s doing while she’s away?"

"She puts an unbearable amount of guilt on her. She thinks it’s her fault, that she wasn’t enough, and that she will mess things up again if she returns. She likes to think that I’m better off without her, for she is a toxic individual who destroys everything she touches. She probably cries too."

"Is she?" 

"Is she what?" 

"As you said, toxic?"

William was silent for a few seconds, and then answered.

"No, no she is not. She is...misunderstood. Yes, that’s the word."

"Like every artist, ay?" 

"I suppose," he chuckled. "I just hope that she doesn’t stay away for too long."

"Are there any chances she won’t come home this time?" 

William chuckled again. 

"No, sir, as I said, she always comes back. The only things that scare me are the long periods of time she spends away."

"This girl is lucky, because not every guy would have the patience you have."

"I don’t care about what other guys would do, really."

Silence fell once again. The only voices were the ones around them, as people of many nationalities passed through the gallery. Some took their time to admire the works, some took pictures and moved quickly to another one, and some seemed to be out of the picture just as they were.

"Well, it seems you have things sorted out."

"Yes, we’ve been at this for a while."

"Sorry to bother you."

"It’s alright, it felt good to talk with someone."

"I’m glad to hear that."

The stranger tapped lightly on William’s shoulder once again and got lost quickly in the crowd.

William was left alone with his thoughts. 

"She always comes back, as we’ve been like this for an infinity, and will always be." he spoke softly, his words never heard by anyone as they became part of the inaudible disaster the voices created. 

[chaoticrushu]

I posted 29,541 times in 2022

53 posts created (0%)

29,488 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@the-descolada

@selenelawfulgood

@aridotdash

@aspiringwarriorlibrarian

@andthentheywilleatthestars

I tagged 1,137 of my posts in 2022

#ntn spoilers - 138 posts

#kenobi spoilers - 113 posts

#nona the ninth spoilers - 84 posts

#baru cormorant spoilers - 48 posts

#htn spoilers - 48 posts

#acofaf spoilers - 43 posts

#baru cormorant - 38 posts

#the traitor baru cormorant spoilers - 21 posts

#archive - 19 posts

#nona spoilers - 18 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#nona being able to read intimate and intricate details about people's personalities based on the way they move and hold their body to a poin

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Top 5 Cosmere foods?

1) Yolish Instant Niidles

2) Strawberries

3) Chicken

4) Lurnips

5) Womens food (I like sweets)

16 notes - Posted April 2, 2022

#4

“Muire Lo offered a linen napkin for the grapefruit. He’d folded it into a perfect triangle, like a lateen sail. “Our frigate Lapetiare is still in port,” he said, “and will not sail for a week.”

“Oh,” she said, straightening. “Oh.””

I did not add the italicization. Bari literally does an italicized oh when she remembers Aminata's still around.

Aminata x Baru for 2023!

24 notes - Posted January 26, 2022

#3

Rereading The Tyrant Baru Cormorant, and I found this line,

"her smooth, fat-padded stomach bare.", The Tyrant Baru Cormorant, Chapter 8

As a description of Tain Shir. And I love this. This is Tain Shir, the Bane Of Wives, this being of amazing skill and strength who literally every one in these books(AFAIK, might have forgotten someone) is terrified of. She was "born to a red moon and the flash of summer heat lightning", "born out of the light and the sea wind."

Look at this description of her:

The sailors stare at Shir in warrior awe. The scar-streaked hatch of her back, clamped shut over brute muscle. Her pillar-thick legs. Heavy arms and strangler’s hands all limber and loose. Upon her tall torso one of her breasts is cut crosswise by an old and devastating scar. The soft of her gut would disqualify her from the gymnast pageants in Falcrest but she is not a gymnast nor is her work a pageant. The Monster Baru Cormorant, Interlude: RNS Shulane

She's a force of nature in these books, almost a superhero in this book of realism.

And she's got fat! She doesn't have a six pack, she's not made of muscles, she has a "fat-padded" stomach!

I love this so much!

43 notes - Posted February 21, 2022

#2

Seduced by the Ruler’s Gaze: An Indian Perspective on Seth Dickinson’s Masquerade |

79 notes - Posted February 25, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Compiliation of character descriptions in Gideon the ninth

While I did my best to collect as many quotes as I could, I'm sure I missed a few, especially towards the end of the book, when I got distracted by plot. If you have any I missed, put them in the comments, and I'll edit them in. I haven't done HtN yet, but I'll add quotes from there when I get to it as a separate edition

Second House

Combined

"They both affected the same tightly braided hairstyle and abundance of gilt braid, and also the same serious-business expression. They were only distinct because one wore a rapier and the other quite a lot of pips at her collar." - Chapter 18

"Judith is somewhat less completely scrawny than other necromancers on the cast, though she should be less built than Marta is; Judith is imposing, solemn-faced and reflective, Marta is more keen-eyed and restless. I imagined both as Tongan." TM's tumblr

Judith Deutoros

Marta Dyas

"Am intensely dark girl snapped to attention."- Chapter 8

"That was the cavalier in the Cohort uniform, who had a voice as crisp as her collar." - Chapter 11

Third House

Combined

"The first was a rather sulky young man with an air of hair gel and filigree, an ornate rapier at the belt of his buttoned coat. The cavalier. The other two were young women, both blond, though the similarity ended there: one girl was tall and statuesque, with a star-white grin and masses of bright gold curls. The other girl seemed smaller, insubstantial, with a sheet of hair the anaemic colour of canned butter and an equally bloodless smirk. They were actually the same height, Gideon realised; her brain had just deemed that proposition too stupid to credit on first pass. It was as though the second girl were the starved shadow of the first, or the first an illuminated reflection. The boy just looked a bit of a dick." GtN Chapter 7

At the bottom of the stairs, deep in the shadows, Gideon got her first good glimpse of the speakers. The strange twin-scions of the Third House were looking around, attended to by their sulky, slightly bouffant cavalier. Up close, Gideon was more impressed than ever. The golden Third twin was probably the best-looking person she’d ever seen in her life. She was tall and regal, with some radiant, butterfly quality—her shirt was haphazardly tucked into her trousers, which were haphazardly tucked into her boots, but she was all topaz and shine and lustre. Necromancers affected robes in the same way cavaliers affected swords, but she hadn’t tucked her arms into hers, and it was a gauzy, gold-shot, transparent thing floating out around her like wings. There were about five rings on each hand and her earrings would’ve put chandeliers to shame, but she had an air of wild and innocent overdecoration, of having put on the prettiest things in her jewellery box and then forgotten to take them off. Her buttery hair was stuck to her forehead with sweat, and she kept tangling a curl of it in one finger and artlessly letting it go. The second twin was as though the first had been taken to pieces and put back together without any genius. She wore a robe of the same cloth and colour, but on her it was a beautiful shroud on a mummy. The cavalier had lots of hair, an aquiline face, and a self-satisfied little jacket." - Chapter 9

"Coronabeth is massive, taller even than Palamedes, larger-than-life – statuesque, very bright gold hair, golden/bright skin, violet eyes. Ianthe is the same height but gangly and washed out. Skin colour defined heavily in Corona’s case as golden/olive-hued brown/tanned; Ianthe similar, but less radiant/more pallid whatever the case. Both have long hair: Corona’s should be big and bouncy, Ianthe’s flat/sleek.

Naberius is shorter than both, brown-haired (brown can be light, medium or dark, it’s not defined) and blue-brown hazel eyes. Also has lots of hair, cut short, but sense of pompadour/waves. I imagined all three as Pakeha/white." - TM tumblr

Ianthe

"Pale eyes" GtN chapter 10

Coronabeth

"It was the lovely one; she had the sleeves of her gauzy robe haphazardly rolled up to each golden shoulder and her hair tied back in a tawny cloud"

Naberius terns

"He was not a short young man, but she had half a head on him, and a whole head if you counted her hair." - Chapter 9

"The Third’s main-gauche dagger was as gorgeously wrought as his hair" - GtN chapter 11

"He was about an inch shorter than her, with a frame that had been whipped within an inch of its life into perfectly sculpted muscle. He was narrow shouldered with long, long arms, and she was beginning to believe that he was not simply a douchebag who used lip balm, but a douchebag who used lip balm and had a very long reach." - GtN chapter 11

"The hard moue of his mouth" - GtN chapter 11

See the full post

313 notes - Posted February 20, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[sanguivorouscorvid]

I posted 13,874 times in 2022

That's 13,874 more posts than 2021!

64 posts created (0%)

13,810 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

loving-parappa-always

eldritch-something-or-other

vampireopossum

hotvampireadjacent

bluehairedspidey

I tagged 5,907 of my posts in 2022

#art - 1,635 posts

#reblog - 1,480 posts

#dracula - 896 posts

#wc - 212 posts

#vampireposting - 200 posts

#wwdits - 189 posts

#tes - 166 posts

#fave - 143 posts

#will wood - 138 posts

#ghost - 128 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#it’s not even that they’re open to being in an open relationship i think at this point it literally just is given all the times we’ve seen

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

It’s a pretty small detail but I really love that the crucifix that the captain tied his hands with literally cut him down to bone. It was the only thing that could protect him in the face of horror at that time and the way he used it to protect himself was one that left him stuck at the helm and ended up causing severe injury and probably death (I mean I doubt the count killed him). It would’ve caused decent wear on his wrists before he died, too, so that’s fun. Tying yourself up with a crucifix using your teeth, solely so you can save your ship, and slowly watching it wear down on your hands until you can see bone and eventually die is a neat idea

69 notes - Posted August 8, 2022

#4

the difference between the deaths of his roommates and Dracula himself is so funny to me. Van Helsing’s memorandum talks about how he could barely bring himself to kill the ladies despite everything because they were screeching in horrific agony and violently writhing and had bloody foam coming from their mouths, meanwhile the description of Dracula’s death is like “he looked so peaceful when he died, and he just crumbled into dust. that’s so sweet guys we really set his soul free :)” what did those women do to deserve this

71 notes - Posted November 7, 2022

#3

Fighting my demons rn (urge to buy will wood merch)

74 notes - Posted May 3, 2022

#2

I know that Lucy is sick because of Dracula and that there’s no chance it’s anything BUT Dracula for various reasons however she does have a lot of tuberculosis symptoms and it would be really goddamn funny if midway through Dracula we got a side plot about a woman dying of a respiratory disease, completely unrelated to all the vampire shenanigans

294 notes - Posted August 26, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

“smile and wave boys, kiss the cook, live laugh and love, please pass the pills” is such a raw line youd think it was from a will wood song about suburbia but its actually from Penguins of Madagascar

695 notes - Posted April 16, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[greekmythcomix]

Update 10th August:

TL:DR what I got done yesterday, why I’m doing this project, what’s in it (in more detail), why I love you, and a bonus image of my notes!

Yesterday’s Day Off was a bit of a mammoth session: I worked on the gamebook for about nine hours, had dinner and put my kid to bed, hung out with my husband, then put in another six hours.

In that time, I finally finished the Menelaus section! Why did it take so long? Because of course I put in several new sections, and each section generally needs at least two choices, then the choices split off into alternate versions of themselves, which may then need a different or at least variant outcome, and suddenly you’ve plotted another ten sections.

To give you an idea of what’s now in it, I wrote:

- a fantasy cast list

- a question answer on what Odysseus’ palace might have looked like

- an entire subplot concerning Memphis and Helen’s eidolon in the style of a Greek Tragedy

- a ‘who did it better’ between Sidon and Tyre

- a light murder mystery involving the Aeneid

I have gone rogue. It’s almost writing itself.

And I STILL DIDN’T GET TO THE BIT WITH THE SEAL CARCASES DAMMIT. But it’s plotted out and I’ll write it properly next week… before getting back to Book 13 and trying to plot an actual end for the entire thing.

Note: I can see why Homer keeps his descriptions of places completely vague, other than probably not knowing where they were or what they were like: the research I’m doing on random aspects of Bronze Age Egypt and Phoenicia is insane practically a religious experience 😂

It’s taken me a long time to dig up the courage to finish this in the first place. It’s actually been an entire year since I last worked on it (teaching is intense, and I have a small child), and something that’s been niggling at me this entire time is ‘am I allowed to do this?’ I mean, it’s one of my absolute favourite pieces of literature. It’s my absolute favourite text to teach. And effectively I’m messing with it.

However, joining Tumblr has really helped with this. The undying love I’ve seen for this text and other Ancient Greek mythology, and the *artwork* (sigh), and the fanfiction… 😘👌 It’s made me realise that what I’m doing is valid, it’s Classical Reception, it’s fanfiction, it’s ‘what if *this* happened, it’s practically what Virgil was doing (SEVEN stags, Virgil? Really?😉), and, most of all, it’s FUN and I think it’s going to be very enjoyable in the long run. (I mean, what could be more fun than fanfiction where you get to choose the content?) After all, at the heart of it is the actual Odyssey, as unadulterated as possible, recreated as a gamebook but still containing as many of the literary formulae, similes, epithets, and context of the Odyssey as possible, based on my reading of three very different translations. And the alternate choices are all based on what else happens in the text (like Menelaus’ wanderings) or in other canon myths (lots of references or similar events) and ancient texts (hello Virgil), or things I think after a lot of years teaching, researching and just imagining might happen.

What is truly stupendous to me is that 300 of you have actually signed up to hear about it when it’s finished, even though the OP only has about 1200 notes. That’s such a huge conversion rate, and your genuine interest it’s been driving me to work harder and try and get it done, without compromising on the details or the fun.

So, thank you so much Tumblr for being my divine inspiration! I really appreciate your comments and questions and reblogs and signups (the link is in the update above) and thank you especially to @platosfire for doing a bit of test-reading for me yesterday!

Image - my extremely messy notes for Menelaus and Odysseus going up and down Aiguptos (the Nile):

You Are Odysseus

So

I’m a teacher of Classical Civilisation that has taught the Odyssey for over a decade and studied pretty much every myth and story with Odysseus in it.. I think

and I’m writing an Interactive Fiction (choose your own path) version of the Odyssey, inspired by the Homeric phrase “he turned his great heart this way and that”, where you are Odysseus, allowing you to follow his decisions or make your own

and it already has 500 sections to it - written to emulate modern translations of the Odyssey, including the literary features of simile, formula, epithet, and the rest - and 21 different ways to die, and quite a lot of period and theme-appropriate alternatives

(and if I get time, the option to be Telemachus or Penelope, although that might have to wait because it’s already a monster)

and I’ve tested what I’ve made so far on my pupils, other Classics teachers, and some of the leading (and best-read) Greek Mythology podcasters and YouTubers, all of whom have universally loved it (yay!)

(EDIT: Oops and I presented on it at the Classical Association conference last year)

I’m trying to finish it this summer, but need a bit of encouragement to do so

EDIT: and I forgot to say that ideally I’m planning on it being a beautiful BOOK with an old-fashioned cover and lots of ribbons to mark your place ❤️ (ex-bookseller ofc)

so, please let me know if you’d like to know more!

(EDIT: or sign up here go get notified directly when it’s ready: https://ljenkinsonbrown.wordpress.com/you-are-odysseus-signup/ )

[crumbledcastle28]

Azriel Shadowsinger: Book Worm

Pairing: Azriel x fem!reader

Summary: a long day of work can always be cured by your mate.

Warnings: sleeping on Az, reading, softness, descriptions of skin and body heat, allusions to sex and arousal. Also kissing and cuddling, Az is sexy (duh), and the two of them have a communicating mating bond (I’m so lonely).

A/N: this is definitely a blurb, and not really well thought out, and maybe the most self-indulgent one yet haha but I still hope you all like it! Thank you for any support, and thank you all so much for almost 500 followers!! I truly can’t believe it. Thank you :). And Merry Christmas Eve to all those who celebrate!! I hope you all have an amazing holiday. I am grateful for each and every one of you.

Disclaimer: this gif in no way illustrates how Y/N is “supposed to” look. Y/N is completely up to your own interpretation! I just liked how the gif fit with the fic. Thank you for understanding!

If you’d like to leave a like, comment, or reblog, that would be much appreciated <3

Azriel Masterlist

Even though every inch of your mate was indescribably gorgeous, you always found his mind to be the sexiest thing about him.

The way he thought things through, only spoke when he felt it was needed, and observed everything with the sharpest eye you had ever seen was just…

It was so hot.

His intelligence was actually the first thing you noticed about him. How he spoke at meetings, thoughtfully and methodically, always bringing up details that everyone else seemed to miss. You could see his intellect behind his golden eyes, and his desperation to understand everything that went on around him. A need for it.

You related to that. Your own mind frantically reached for complete and total comprehension of the world around you, and it frustrated you completely when you couldn’t get there. Especially when it put the people you love at risk.

Thank the cauldron you mentioned the similarity between the two of you to Az. If you hadn’t, there was a possibility that you would have never found him.

Truly found him.

Your mate.

You should have known by the size of the bookshelves next to his bed that he was the one.

Every single cracked spine and folded page felt like a piece of Az’s soul. You found yourself going through the books when he wasn’t around, seeing what pages he marked, trying to dissect why exactly that page stood out to him. Maybe it was because the information was important to come back to later, or the plot of the book was starting to pick up, or the rare occasion of the two lovers finally confessing their feelings.

You loved it, not only because they were beautiful, but because every speck of ink belonged to him.

Your absolute favorite thing, however, was when he left little notes in the margins. Whether they were just definitions to an unfamiliar word, or a broad comment, or when he corrected the author’s grammar.

You cherished those leather-bound pages so much. More than you cared to admit.

And Az knew that.

You swore he put his books next to your shared bed just so he could catch you looking, or in his words, “snooping.” He would constantly tease you about it, but would blush faintly when you caught him doing the same thing to your own books.

Az was a blusher. It was so endearing, and yet another detail about him you felt blessed to know and feel under your skin.

Still, no matter how much you adored Az, it was almost nothing compared to how much he deified you. Especially at night, in his own bed.

One specific night stands out to you the most, and it makes your mating bond tingle with affection every time it pops into your mind.

It was so simple, but yet so perfect.

Az had gotten out of the shower only a few minutes before you were due to arrive home, and he decided to spend that time alone laying in bed and catching up on some reading. His hair was still damp, and he threw on only his boxers before climbing under the sheets. He had a singular lamp on, which encapsulated the entire dark room with golden beams. It was his favorite type of lighting, no matter the situation.

He especially loved how you looked in it, however.

The sheets were pulled up to his waist, allowing his taut stomach to still be revealed, and he propped himself up against the bed frame. He exhaled, finally feeling some sense of peace and serenity from the long week he had just experienced. Using his book to destress and escape for a while was exactly what he needed.

He got so lost in the feeling of the paper against his calloused hands, and the images he painted in his mind, that he didn’t even check the time until thirty minutes later.

Which meant you were over thirty minutes late.

He eyebrows creased up and his jaw clenched.

How could he not notice?

He sent a strum down the mating bond, and tried to keep it as calm as possible.

Almost home?

He waited for about a minute for you to respond, and he felt a sense of anxiety start to creep it’s way up to his shoulders.

You never came home late under your own accord. It either meant that work had been crazy good, or crazy bad.

And Az really hoped it didn’t mean crazy bad.

Almost, you said down the bond, and a deep exhale of relief came from his mouth.

I’m sorry Az, you said. I promise I’m almost back.

Don’t apologize Y/N, he said. I get it.

He, more than anyone, would understand.

His body relaxed back into the bed frame, and he continued his reading once again. He wanted you home, desperately, but he wanted you safe more than anything. And if you were safe, what else was there to worry about?

He let himself enjoy the words in his lap for a few minutes more, sending comforting strokes down the bond every time he thought of you, and you would of course send one back.

He had been listening for the little squeak of the front door opening, and your quiet footsteps to echo throughout the house, and he laid his head back in relief when he finally heard them.

His mate.

You opened the door to the master bedroom, and he could already see from the look of you that work had been crazy bad.

You looked as beautiful as ever, but when you closed the door and leaned your back against it, he could see the exhaustion settled in your shoulders and the outline of your swollen eyes.

He could read you just as well as the pages in his hand.

“Long day?” he asked, and you nodded. You had closed your eyes when you leaned your body weight against the closed door, but you could hear him marking his page and setting the book down.

“Don’t stop on my account,” you said with a chuckle, referring to his reading. He scoffed back, and you finally opened your eyes to see him.

He looked…radiant.

The sheets were still pulled up only to his waist, letting his defined muscles and gorgeous tattoos shine. He had obviously showered, which always made his hair slightly frizzy and fluffy. All you wanted to do was run your hands through it. His jawline was still as chiseled as it was when you left that morning, and his eyes were still as piercing.

You really loved him.

“Do you need help getting changed?” he asked, but you shook your head.

“Thank you, but I’m good,” you said, and walked over to your side of the bed. You picked up your pajamas, and moved to the corner of the room to get undressed.

Az picked his book back up and looked down at it, trying to subtly respect your privacy as you pulled your shirt over your head. You giggled.

“Did I say something?” he asked, still staring at his pages.

“Nope,” you said with a laugh. “Nothing.”

He had seen you naked hundreds of times, and so you thought his chivalry wasn’t needed, but still very cute. 

You got yourself completely changed into comfortable clothes, aka Az’s shirt and sweatpants, and admired Az reading for a few extra seconds.

You loved how focused he looked when he read. His face was completely neutral, but his eyebrows were creased every so slightly. His features looked carved from marble.

You called it his “focus face.” There was something so charming about a feared Illyranian warrior like Az being focused on a simple little book.

“I’m done,” you said, and Az looked back up at you with a wide smile.

He patted the bedding next to him, and you crawled under the sheets. You laid your head on his chest, and he wrapped his arm around your shoulder. His body was so warm. You didn’t know if it was from the shower or how long he had been laying in bed, but either way, you loved his body like this. It lulled you right to sleep.

You closed your eyes and said, “Read to me. Please.”

You felt Az’s chest rise underneath your head. “Are you sure? You seem tired baby.”

“Please Az. I just want to hear your voice.”

The skin on his chest under your fingertips heated up at your words, and you were willing to bet that if you opened your eyes, his face would be blushing as well.

You grinned.

“Ok,” he said, and reached for his book on his nightstand. He opened it with one hand, holding it in the air, and massaged your hair with his other hand.

“Are you sure you’re not just jealous that I got to read today and you didn’t?” he asked you teasingly.

You grinned. “Maybe,” you said, and he laughed.

“You’ve got to be the biggest book worm I’ve ever met.”

“You have exactly fourteen more books than me, Azriel, so I beg to differ.”

He laughed softly and brought your hand to his mouth to kiss, before he set it back down and started to read to you.

You had no idea what was happening in his book, and to be honest, you didn’t care. It was never about the book in moments like this. It was about hearing Az’s deep, baritone voice articulate each word, emphasizing and pausing when he saw fit. It was about the feeling of his hands in your hair and his warm chest against your face. It was about the deep breaths he took, and just how much his voice seeped into your skin. It gave you a blanket of comfort, and you felt truly at home.

It was never, ever about the book. It was always about him.

After a few minutes, you felt your body begin to fail its fight against slumber. You tried to stay awake as long as you could, soaking in this intimate moment with your mate that was long overdue, but it was no use. Your body started to win.

You were inches away from completely falling when you heard Az stop his reading, and set his book down once more. He gently lifted you off his chest and set you on your own pillow before he walked across the room and turned off the lamp. Total darkness surrounded you, and you knew this was going to be some of the best sleep you got in your life.

Az walked back over to the bed and slid under the covers. You felt his breath against your cheek, and he pressed a faint kiss to your cheekbone.

“I love you,” he whispered, and pulled away.

You couldn’t stop yourself from smiling.

“That’s all I’m getting,” you said teasingly, and you opened your eyes to see visible shock on Az’s dark face.

“I didn’t know you were awake,” he said in a whisper, and you only laughed harder.

“That ought to be the most anticlimactic kiss ever! I know you can do better—” you said, but were cut off when Az pressed his lips against yours.

It was passionate and hard, like he had something to prove to you. He glided his right hand over your side, and you pulled him in closer by the back of his neck. It only lasted for a couple seconds, but your heart-rate rose nevertheless.

He molded his lips against your own for one last searing kiss, before pulling away and mumbling against your lips.

“Was that better, baby?” he said teasingly.

Your deep breaths when he pulled away was proof enough that it was.

Bastard.

You nodded and smiled tiredly, and he smiled back.

“Now go to sleep,” he breathed against your mouth and pulled you against his chest. You snuggled into his warm body, and pressed a chaste kiss against his collarbone.

“Hey Az?” you said.

“Yes?” he whispered.

“I love you too.”

Tag list: (if you’d like to be tagged, please let me know! I’d love to add you!)

@leahkenobi @notquitehero @lovelyladymayyy @seraphqueen123 @em---r

[twopoppies]

Hi! I hope it’s not too annoying of a request but I was wondering if you or your followers can think of any fics that are kinda inspiring academically, especially regarding British literature, if that makes sense? I just finished rereading Come As You Are and every time I read it, it motivates me to read more and practice my writing because I want to be more like Harry from that fic hahaha and I’m looking for more fics which evoke this feeling since I’m starting my masters in October and I need all the help I can get. Thank you so much! (I absolutely love your master post and its my go to couple times a week!)

Hi sweetheart. Hmmm... I just reblogged my Dark Academia fic rec, but other than that I think it would be fics where one or the other are writers/poets etc. Not all of these are heavy on the writing/poetry, but they're all great fics.

Make Your Words A Weapon by @helloamhere (E, 36K) I recently read this a second time and it’s even better than I remembered. I love everything this author writes. This one just really hit me hard for whatever reason. Maybe it’s the way they explore Louis’ anxiety and coping mechanisms and pain and the way he pushes people away and protects himself, but also wants someone to push back just a bit and love him despite all of that. And the way Harry is the perfect foil for all of it, while also feeling like a fully developed character himself. Yeah, it’s probably all of that. Plus soul marks! (Musician Harry/Music Journalist Louis)

Our Lives, Non Fiction by @indiaalphawhiskey (E, 114K) this is, quite literally, the best fic I’ve read in years. It’s so well written, clever, funny, emotional, and sexy. Its draw you in immediately and you’ll end up falling in love with these characters before you know it. Don’t miss this one. Harry and Louis are both authors.

An Invincible Summer by Brooklyn_Babylon / @twopoppies (E, 45K) this one is mine, I hope you like it:

Never content to stay in one place for long, a few months down south researching for his novel seemed like an idyllic, slow-paced summer to Louis. He wasn’t ready for the blistering heat, the backbreaking work of watermelon picking, or how stifling the attitudes in rural Georgia would feel. And he definitely hadn’t anticipated falling in love with the farmer’s son.

The summer of 1946 would turn out to be everything worth writing about. Farmer Harry / author Louis

Mine Would Be You by @crinkle-eyed-boo (E, 115K) Beautifully written, flawed characters and an emotionally engaging and ANGSTY plot. Super hot smut that made me cry like a fool. Banter, OT5 friendship, and the gritty realness of New York as a backdrop. Loved this one. Artist Harry / Author Louis

where your lips land by BriaMaria / @briannamarguerite (E, 12K) Ok, I’ve recommended this one a few times and I really do love it. Anyway, I love fics where the two of them are both artists of some sort (Louis is a poet in this one, Harry is a photographer) because it allows for another layer of understanding and connection and support. I particularly love the way Louis’ tattoos are woven into this story with layered meaning. And, as always, just beautiful writing.

you’re writing lines about me by snazzyasalways (T, 4K) This is gorgeously written on that Dreamy, poetic style I happen to love. Louis is a blind poet, Harry is a baker, Harry falls in love with Louis’ words, then with him.

another hazy may by deLILah (M, 41K) Another author who writes great fic after great fic. This one has that dreamy quality I love and there’s also something about it that, at times, reminds me of a little bit of a Raymond Chandler novel. I know that’s weird...but, yeah, it does. Anyway, I love this one. Such a good read.

I would name the stars for you (I would take you there) by orphan_account (M, 91K) This is just beautifully written. Angst. Mutual pining. Dumb boys. Beautiful descriptions of art and creativity and fame and beautiful poetry.

Little Technicolor Things by scary_crow (M, 72K) This is truly one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read and it is an absolutely travesty that it’s not being talked about every day. This fic is gorgeous and poetic and romantic and heartbreaking and an explosion of metaphoric images and everything I never knew I needed but now that I have it I want to read it over and over and over.

But If This Ends by nonsensedarling / @absoloutenonsense (E, 107K) This author referred to this fic as their “depressed vampire” fic while they were writing, and it is that. But it’s also a unique story with beautifully fleshed out characters, plot twists, and super hot smut. Go check it out! Vampire Harry / Writer Louis

24K Magic by @justalittlelouislove (E, 33K) FINALLY a category in which I can rec this author! I love everything they write, but this was the first one I’d read and it’s just great. Smooth dialogue, sexy smut, great description of character growth…just a really fun fic.

the best part of me (was always you) by @moonshinelouis-archive (E, 6K) Gorgeous writing. The descriptions of heartbreak and missing someone and still loving them were really well done. And I cried. Of course.

'Sup by MediaWhore (GA, 7K) Divorced, awkward Harry pining for silver fox Louis is a trope I never knew I needed, but I love it so much.

I Will Never Rust by stylez (E, 38K) I must have read this at least 5 years ago and I honestly don’t remember details, but my notes say “gorgeous, sad, sexy” so... I’m crossing my fingers that old me knew what she was talking about. It’s frat boy Harry so that could go either way. LOL! Student/Poet Harry.

Loyal Knight and True by rainbowninja167 / (E, 52K) Really original story, mystery and magic, great characterizations. All around a very good read!

Turning Page by purpledaisy (M, 68K) This author does a wonderful job with their characterizations which makes their fics such a pleasure to read. This one really has you rooting for curmudgeonly Louis and skittish/secretive Harry to figure their shit out and fall in love. If you like this one, make time to read this author’s fic, Walk That Mile – it’s one of my all time favorites. Sports journalist Louis.

Black with Autumn Rain by Whimsicule (T, 93K) This author is a favorite. If you like intense, creative stories, with complex characters and tight dialogue, you should read all of their fics. This one has the flavor of a Daphne du Maurier novel – dark, creepy, and moodily romantic. Plus a supernatural edge. It’s so good. Journalist Harry.

That Sounds Fake But Okay by dancingontheceiling (E, 113K) This one has a little bit of everything: Enemies to lovers, fake relationship, famous/not famous... plus, really good writing and some sexy smut scenes. Actor Louis / journalist Harry.

Sing When You're Winning by hazmesentir (NR, 91K) another one I read ages ago, but I always like this author’s writing and the premise of newly out footballer Louis and journalist intern Harry who somehow snags the interview, is such a fun one. And I don’t know why it has an NR rating, there’s plenty of smut.

feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream by togetherwecouldbealright (M, 123K) I read this one so, so long ago that all I remember is that I loved it, that there’s some really romantic and sweet moments, and that my notes from way back when only say, “OMG this one is so good! And I’ve barely gotten to the smut!” HAHAHAHA! Journalist Harry/prince Louis (this fic has been deleted, so the link is to a download).

[legolasbadass]

Heart of Gold, Chapter 24

Characters: Thorin, Dis, Thrain, Dwalin, Balin, Original Characters

Relationship: Thorin x OFC

Setting: Post Azanulbizar, Pre Quest of Erebor

Notes: Hello everyone and once more apologies for the delay! I rewrote this chapter a dozen times and I'm still not sure about it, but as I have a lot of plot to get through, I thought it would be best to get over my insecurities and just share it with you before you all lose interest in the story! As usual, there is angst in this chapter, but this angst turns into something different at the end ... 

This is the 24th chapter to my Thorin Oakenshield fan fiction, Heart of Gold which can be read in full on ao3. Go check it out there to read from the start! Please consider reblogging if you enjoyed this chapter and if you are enjoying the story so far!

⚠️ Warning: Angst. Minor descriptions of birth (the act itself is not detailed at all though, and there is only one sentence mentioning blood!)

Word Count: 5.6k

Chapter 24 - Duty

In the following days, Dania did everything she could to avoid Ester, for she did not have the strength to face her without unleashing the extent of her outrage. As much as it dismayed her, Dania had accepted that Dís was right: she could not expose Ester. That would only bring more suspicion to her. How did she know Ester was to blame? And more importantly, why would Ester do such a thing? These questions Dania could not answer without exposing the very secret that lay at the heart of this whole mess.

In any case, who would believe Dania, the girl with elvish blood, over Lady Ester?

And so Dania spent all the time she was not taking care of Dís away from Lord Yngvi's court. She began to spend even more time with Master Gróin, but on days where he did not expect her, she tried everything that had worked in the past to rid herself of the horrors that plagued her mind: going for long walks in the woods, reading a book or studying ancient maps, or training, as she did now.

But today, she found that she could not concentrate, no matter how hard she tried. Arrow after arrow, Dania missed the makeshift target she had traced into a tree's bark, growing increasingly frustrated. Nothing. Nothing allowed her any respite so that now her whole body tingled irritatingly with the weight of her disquietude, for though her mind knew what had to be borne, her heart still could not believe it.

What kind of world would allow Ester to walk free? Ester did not merely need to be punished; she deserved to be destroyed, and Dania wanted to be the one to do it. All Dania wanted to do was rip those dainty gloves from her traitorous hands and tear her stupid embroidered gown to pieces.

Oh, Mahal, there was so much anger inside Dania, the likes of which she had never felt before. It practically made her dread Thorin's return, for if she was the reasonable one of the two, she could not even imagine the rage that would burst from him when he discovered the events that had occurred in his absence. And she could barely contain herself now; how was she supposed to remain passive when Ester would throw herself at Thorin upon his return?

With a sudden, furious cry, she cast away her bow and unsheathed her dagger and threw it at the tree, where it landed straight on the makeshift target.

"I'm curious to know what the tree did to deserve that."

Dania's hair swirled around her burning face as she spun to face the intruder. Her heartbeat slowed as she recognized Master Airi—one of Lord Yngvi's advisors—but her shame and embarrassment did not. He was dressed more casually than when she had last seen him, his courtly attire replaced by a more simple and comfortable brown tunic and trousers nearly the same colour as his umber hair and beard.

"How long have you been watching me, Master Airi?" she questioned in a wary voice as she moved to dislodge her dagger from the tree, her eyes never leaving his figure. It was not so much that she saw him as a threat—quite the contrary—but the last few days had made her increasingly distrustful.

"I've told you already, please; call me Airi," he said with a warm smile.

She wrapped her fingers around the dagger's hilt and pulled it so that it came out of the trunk with a soft crunch. "Alright, then. How long have you been watching me, Airi?"

"Only a few moments," he shrugged. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine," Dania answered curtly, then sighed. She was being exceedingly rude, and he did not deserve that. "I'm sorry; you took me by surprise, that's all."

"My apologies!" Airi said, raising both hands in the air. Dania quickly sheathed her dagger. "I like to walk in these woods from time to time, and then I heard sounds and . . . well, I found you."

"I didn't mean to disturb you," Dania apologized as she picked up her bow and quiver and slung them on her back.

"No, I—you didn't—that is, would you like to walk with me?" he asked, stumbling over his every word, and Dania realized that she was probably glaring at him.

Softening, she offered him a smile. "Alright."

It was mid-morning, and as they reached the edge of the woods, the Sun blessed the land with her mantle of burning gold. Dania still had not adapted to the torrid summers to which the South was subjected. Back in Erebor, summers were always mild; it was warm, even at night, but never to the extent where a simple walk rendered her sweaty and breathless, as she was now.

Ahead, the small camp that lay before the walls of Lord Yngvi's Halls was slowly coming to life. The sound of a few children playing and running around reached Dania's ears, conjuring a smile on her tired face.

"So, how does Lady Dís fare?" Airi suddenly asked, reminding Dania of the nightmares that had yet again plagued her last night. She was pinned against a wall as the strange man held her forcefully, her whole body aching under his malicious touch. Eventually, she would find the strength to push him away, but as soon as she did, he turned his attention to Dís.

"She's alright—she's strong."

"I don't doubt she is; the blood of Durin flows through her veins," Airi said solemnly. "They must be immensely grateful for what you have done—the royal family, I mean."

"What makes you say that?" Dania asked, frowning as they passed the first tents. They walked through a small alley, ducking beneath clotheslines, before reaching the main path through the camp. Many were just starting their days and preparing breakfast over fires, making it even hotter.

"You were the only one with Lady Dís at the time of the attack," he explained. Dania's frown deepened. "Rumours travel fast."

"Tell me about it," Dania sighed.

"Oh, I didn't mean it in a critical way," Airi said, shaking his head repeatedly so that the braids hanging from his moustache swung to and fro like a pendulum. "I have never met a lady who could defend herself like that. I mean, everyone knows the basics, but . . . that's very different from being in an actually dangerous situation!"

Unsure what to make of the awe in his voice, Dania merely said, "Well, living on the road, in exile, is very different from life at court. It forces you to become . . . stronger." Stronger was not the right word; it was more about learning to bury your weaknesses deep inside you. Otherwise, the atrocities you witnessed might consume you whole. But Dania kept this to herself.

"I imagine it's not always easy," Airi replied, "but, I still wish I could see the world; there's so much out there that I know nothing about—that we know nothing about."

"But you are a member of Lord Yngvi's council; you must have worked hard to get there at such a young age. Was that not your aspiration?" Dania asked with genuine curiosity.

Airi shook his head slowly. "That's what my father wanted for me. He died at Azanulbizar . . . Lord Yngvi chose me as his replacement after the war."

Cold seeped into Dania's bones even though the Sun continued to burn with intensity overhead. "Oh, I'm — I'm so sorry. . . ."

Airi shrugged. "We have all lost people we cared about dearly because of that battle."

She nodded absently, her grief turning words to ash in her throat. Thoughts of Frerin slipped through the cracks in her heart, making her whole body tighten. It was all slipping away; his voice, his laugh . . . even though it had not yet been a year since she saw him last.

They said their goodbyes soon after, and upon Airi's request, Dania promised him they would walk together soon and that he could give her a tour of the library—she had not the heart to tell him she had been several times before already. Then, after dropping off her bow and quiver in her tent—she could risk leaving them in her room inside the hall—she made her way toward Master Gróin's.

A small smile appeared on her face as she entered the colourful tent; the smell of chamomile, garlic, and eucalyptus—though a strange and unexpected brew—calmed her troubled mind almost immediately. She was still uncertain whether she wanted to become a healer; helping people warmed her heart, but too often, she was forced to be the bearer of bad news, and she was not sure how much longer she could bear it. Nevertheless, she was eternally grateful for Master Gróin's kindness and support, and she gained invaluable knowledge that made her fond of this place despite everything.

"Are you alright, dear?" Master Gróin asked, turning his attention away from the open cabinet to face her. He had an almost supernatural ability to read his patients' minds—and hers, apparently—but she shrugged it off, not wanting to concern him needlessly.

"Of course!" she said with a smile. "And how are you?"

He watched her for a moment more before a smile crept beneath his thick white beard. "Eager to get on with today's lesson—as I hope you are?"

Her smile widened, and this time it was genuine. "Always!"

"I prepared something fun for you," he said, moving to the other end of the table, covered with a white cloth, which he then pulled away to reveal a variety of herbs and empty jars. Resting her hands on the table's wooden surface, Dania looked up to him, awaiting explanations. "We have few appointments today, so I thought I might test some of your knowledge in the meantime.

"This is our new stock of herbs; you need to identify them with as little help as possible and store them in the right jars. Do you understand?" Dania nodded emphatically, determined not to use any help. "Good. Use that clever nose of yours," he chuckled as he moved back to the other side of the tent, "I'll be right here if you need me."

"I won't," she replied with a teasing smile, pulling a hearty laugh from Master Gróin.

Unfortunately, Dania barely had time to begin before three dwarves walked in, one of whom was a very pregnant dwarrowdam, who moaned and hunched over while another—presumably her husband—held her protectively.

"Mistress Signy?" Master Gróin said as he took a step toward the newcomers.

"Master Gróin, please; she cannot be in labour — she's not due for weeks!" the husband exclaimed, clearly distressed.

"Yes, that can happen," Master Gróin said, remaining calm despite the rapidly growing tension in the tent. "Mistress Signy, you should sit down," he added, pointing to a chair in front of the open cabinets. "When did the contractions start?"

The husband and companion looked on helplessly as Master Gróin led Mistress Signy to the chair. Another pained moan escaped her lips, then, panting heavily, she said, "they started no more than an hour ago."

"Right. Well, you have quite a way to go, then," he said, nodding to himself as he completed a few observations. "Dania?"

Up until this point, Dania had been standing frozen on the spot, trying to make herself as small as possible to ignore how helpless and confused she felt. 'Yes?" she said hesitantly.

"I'm going to need your help—"

"What?" she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, suddenly feeling very faint and very nervous.

"You'll have to assist me—it's alright," he added quickly as she continued to stare at him with wide eyes. "Just start with clearing the table; we need to make some room."

"Er, alright," she mumbled, turning her back to the newcomers to focus on clearing the table. The herbs and jars that had seemed so important mere moments ago now felt like silly toys, and she tossed them into the cabinet with shaking hands. She felt so utterly foolish for not having foreseen this, but she had never imagined such a task would be expected of her. And while earlier she had been remarkably eager to prove herself, now she rather hoped Master Gróin would dismiss her for the day.

He did no such thing, and it was a terribly long day.

It did not take long to clear the space and clean everything they would need. Afterwards, all she had to do was wait—she wondered why no one had ever told her that giving birth was so long. But then, as Mistress Signy's contractions multiplied in frequency and agony, Dania realized that giving birth was not only a miracle but also a curse.

Dania was surprised when Master Gróin dismissed the husband and his companion; if she had been in his position, she never would have wanted to leave her wife, but he did not seem to mind. This would be their first child, Mistress Signy told Dania with a fond smile as the latter helped her make slow circuits around the tent, pausing when as a contraction struck, going on when it ceased. Despite the sweaty wrinkles on her brow and the clenching of her belly, hope shone in Mistress Signy's eyes, and longing settled in the pit of Dania's stomach once more.

But this was not the time to think about her fickle dreams, and soon Dania could think of nothing other than the headache pounding in her head in response to Mistress Signy's screams. Dania could not wait for it to stop. Mistress Signy's pale blond hair was soaked with sweat by this time. Rushing to gather clean cloths to soak in cold water in the hopes of granting her some relief, Dania was startled to see the dark stain of blood between Mistress Signy's thighs. Bile rose in her throat, but Master Gróin nodded reassuringly.

"Don't worry—it's all right," he said. "It's only when the blood is bright red and there's much more than this, that you need to worry."

Dania nodded, but she could not shake off her discomfort—discomfort that soon turned to distress when, despite Master Gróin's reassurances, things took a turn for the worse.

Dania could not describe what happened nor how; all she knew was that she felt utterly drained and her hands were soaked in blood, and regardless of how strongly she had wanted the screaming to stop, she missed it terribly when it ceased. There was no time to linger on it at first, for the baby wailed with vitality, unaware that his coming into the world was tainted in grief. Dania had never held a baby in her arms before, and as she gently wiped the fluids that covered him, still shaken and slightly dazed, she could only think of how his delicate body seemed to be a reminder of the fragility of life.

The sky was steeped in the evening sun's gentle blood when Dania stepped out of the tent. No words had come from her mouth yet when Mistress Signy's husband turned pale and rushed inside. His cries tore through the quiet night, causing the baby to wriggle and wail with renewed vigour in her arms. Could he sense his father's pain? Could he sense that void he would carry with him for the rest of his life? Dania did not know how to make his crying cease, but of course, she was not his mother. Remembering the hope in Mistress Signy's eyes, Dania's heart tightened, and for a moment, she felt as though the baby in her arms could feel her consternation. What a cruel fate! What kind of world took mothers away from children who needed their loving embrace more than anything?

The same world that allowed Ester to walk free despite her transgressions, came the reply from deep within her heart.

***

Thorin heaved a heavy sigh as he slumped against a fallen tree trunk, utterly spent after another endless day of travelling. The heat did not help; he could feel it all around him, even at night, pressing down on him no matter how many layers of clothing he shed or how much water he poured over his head. Part of him wished they could slow down or rest without having to rise before dawn—but at least this haste meant he would see Dania soon.

Dania.

He missed her so much his entire body ached with longing. They had been apart for a little more than a month and looking back, Thorin wondered how he had survived even one day. But, at least time went by quickly, for there was much to be done. Following the maps Dania had retrieved for them in Galtrev, Thrain's company had travelled towards the southwest for a few days until they reached the ruins of what appeared to be a massive arch between two boulders. On the arch were ancient runes; they had faded over the centuries, but they unmistakably marked this as a gate.

And so the dwarves had ventured forth and soon found themselves before the ruins of the ancient dwarf kingdom of Belegost*—though, at the time, they could not know this for a fact. At once, Balin was enthralled and furiously began to take notes. Thorin could not understand what he saw in the rubble of stones that surrounded them, but Balin's reaction told Thorin that he had better pay attention so that he might recount their findings to Dania as soon as he saw her.

The city—which could really no longer be called a city—was in such a poor state that it was dangerous to venture inside. However, the discovery gave them all hope. It would be a long and arduous process to resettle here, but at least they would not have to start from nothing. Most of the passages were completely sealed off, but all they needed was a warm, safe place before winter came along. With time they would rebuild a small hall from the remains of the ancient city and perhaps even prosper once more.

However, it quickly became evident that they would need more hands to secure the hall. Leaving half of their group behind to continue their work, Thrain led the others back to Lord Yngvi's Hall to bring the rest of their clan to their new settlement. They could not be more than two days away from Lord Yngvi's Hall now.

Thorin was grateful to finally have a moment to himself, and, trying to forget the heat and the ache in his feet, he closed his eyes and thought of Dania. Every night since they had parted, he thought of her. He could feel her hands holding his, smell that sweetness that was uniquely hers, and gaze into her beautiful face as though she were really before him. Her brown eyes always sparkled like a glittering cave of mithril as she leaned in to kiss him with lips of velvet. And the way she wrapped her arms around his neck and tangled her fingers in his hair. . . .

Mahal, being away from her was unbearable. Thorin could scarcely believe it had not yet been a whole year since they had first confessed their love for one another. Despite all the obstacles, everything felt so right when they were together; it was as if they had always been lovers—husband and wife. Of course, they had been friends for years before, and Thorin had known he loved her through much of that time. He could not remember precisely when he had fallen in love with Dania; it had been a gradual but inevitable process until he could not imagine his life without her.

But this was also what made it all so difficult; most of the time, he had to be away from her and pretend like it did not bother him. Worst of all, however, was when they found themselves in each other's presence and had to act like they were nothing but acquaintances. Adversity was all too familiar to Thorin, yet he could not help but despair at how unfair it was. Dania was his wife. His One. They had found happiness despite all their hardships in the few days before they had parted. He had made her smile, laugh, and sigh in pleasure, as was his duty and desire. And yet, he felt unworthy and disappointed in himself every time she slipped from his bed before dawn.

Amidst the sounds of the bustling camp, Thorin recognized Dwalin from his steps and the grunt he let out as he sunk beside him, but he did not open his eyes.

"It's no rare to see ye with such a frown on yer face lately," Dwalin said, causing Thorin's frown to deepen. "But, Mahal, Thorin, ye look like ye've got a stick up your arse."

If anyone else had told him that, they would have been lying face down on the ground in no time, but since this was Dwalin, Thorin only stared at him and raised his eyebrows, hoping that would be enough to make his friend retreat. But it was not.

"What? It's true," Dwalin insisted, as though he did not understand precisely what look Thorin gave him.

"I am fine."

"I didna ask." Thorin raised his eyebrows again as he turned to face Dwalin, who burst out laughing and said, "Mahal, I'm only kidding! But yer lying."

Thorin sighed. Dwalin had no idea just how many things Thorin lied about, and even less so how much Thorin wished he could tell him the truth. Dania was the one who knew him best, and that had been true for many years now. He remembered the long nights they spent in the armoury in Galtrev; they talked about everything, from their days to complaining about their fathers or reminiscing about their childhood in Erebor. They were closer than ever before now, yet there were things Thorin felt he could not tell Dania. He would have been lying to himself if he did not admit it. And then he saw how much it heartened Dania to be able to share everything with Dís, and though he felt selfish and immature for feeling so, he was jealous.

"Do you ever . . ." Thorin trailed off as he realized how ridiculously melancholic his thoughts were, but then as Dwalin insisted he speak, he forced himself to go on. "Do you ever feel as though you have no control over your life?"

"What do ye mean?" Dwalin asked, a concerned frown marking his face.

Tilting his head, Thorin swallowed hard. "Everyone expects different things from me—great things—but they never stop to ask themselves what I want."

"Well, I suppose sometimes things dinna work out the way ye wish they would, aye," Dwalin said hesitantly. "Ye cannae win every fight—ye'll have to fight someone else if ye want to win for once."

Thorin chuckled, his fingers fiddling with the hilt of his sword, Deathless, which hung by his waist, but he was in no mood to jest. Moonlight enveloped the camp, and overhead, an owl hooted, perched atop a branch as though the world belonged to him.

Dwalin was right: it was hard to encounter a reality that did not satisfy one's expectations, but so far, he and Dania had simply assumed that things would never work in their favour. Thorin wanted the whole world to know they belonged to each other—inasmuch as one person could belong to another, anyway—and though he knew the chance of that ever becoming a reality was slim, did that mean it was useless to try?

The truth was that Thorin was terrified. He had insisted that there was a chance for them on more than one occasion, but as long as their love remained a secret, that chance could not be definitely destroyed.

Or so he had thought.

He would never have expected his father to begin talking about marriage so soon. Dwarves seldom married before they were one hundred years old, and being only fifty-three, Thorin had been sure that many, many more years lay before him until his father would start bothering him with the idea. But now, his father wanted him to marry Ester, that vile creature who had spoken so foully to Dania. Unconsciously, Thorin tightened his grip on his sword, only realizing when a voice pulled him from the dark recesses of his mind.

"My Lord Thorin," Master Mimir said as he bowed before Thorin, who quickly raised himself.

"Master Mimir," Thorin said. He always felt a slight unease around Dania's father, mainly because Master Mimir had always been very kind to him, as though he understood what it was like to be forced into unpleasant situations in the name of duty. And how had Thorin repaid him for his kindness? By secretly wedding his only daughter.

Thorin bit his cheek; he could not think of Dania as such in Master Mimir's presence. It felt wrong. So wrong. And yet, as they looked at each other, Thorin could not help but think about Dania. They did not share many physical attributes, but they had the same chestnut-coloured hair, though Dania's looked much softer, and his was streaked with gray. They were also roughly the same height, but perhaps this was due to her Elvish ancestry, for Dania was tall for a Dwarrowdam. Still, she was short enough that she could tuck her head in the crook of Thorin's neck when they hugged. Oh, how he adored that!

Stop thinking about her, he chastised himself.

"The king would like to speak with you," Master Mimir said. "He was expecting you half an hour ago," he added, but his tone was apologetic rather than reproachful.

Groaning, Thorin said, "I completely forgot—I hope he is not too displeased?" He nodded to Dwalin before following Master Mimir toward his father's tent.

"He's in a good mood today," Master Mimir replied, though his voice grew weary. Thorin knew why: in the past month, it had become a habit for his father to explode in rage before his advisors at the slightest inconvenience. He had even shouted at Thorin a few times, something he had not done since Thorin was a little boy and had snuck into the armoury unsupervised. Despite how hard Thorin tried to reassure himself, he recognized the signs. But how? How could his father be slowly succumbing to the same sickness which had taken his grandfather if the treasure lay half a world away?

No answer came, and Thorin chased the question away as they entered the tent. Thrain stood in the middle, his eyes fixed on the maps laid out before him on a large rock until he looked up to the newcomers.

"Thorin, there you are!" Thrain said with a warm smile.

"Father," Thorin greeted him, smiling in return. "I apologize—"

"There is no need to apologize, son," Thrain reassured him, and Thorin—like a little boy desperate to please his father—felt his heart lighten considerably. "Thank you, Mimir."

Thorin nodded in thanks to Master Mimir before the latter stepped outside, leaving father and son alone. Thrain continued to smile at him and said, "We should be reaching Lord Yngvi's Hall tomorrow just before dusk if we wake before dawn and keep our current pace."

"That is good news," Thorin replied, thinking of his mother and sister, and above all, Dania. Only a few more hours until he held her in his arms again!

"I expect you to be well-rested and presentable," Thrain said, alluding to Thorin's slightly dishevelled appearance—a completely normal effect of travelling in the wild.

"I highly doubt Lord Yngvi will mind if we arrive on his doorstep looking a little worn out, father."

"It is not Lord Yngvi I am concerned about."

Thorin froze.

"Lady Ester will be delighted to see you after so long," Thrain went on, oblivious to the turmoil raging inside Thorin as Dania resurfaced in his mind.

"That will make one of us." The words were out of Thorin's mouth before he realized it.

Thrain's eyes narrowed as he rested a heavily ringed fist on one of the maps. "I beg your pardon?"

Thorin momentarily closed his eyes and sighed. "I am sorry, it is only that—"

"She likes you," Thrain said flatly.

"She likes the idea of me," Thorin corrected him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Even so, it is an advantageous marriage. You would do well to remember that."

"Advantageous for you, perhaps, but certainly not for me," Thorin retorted bitterly. He could tell that his father was growing impatient, but there was nothing to be done; he could not take back his words. In any case, he did not want to take them back.

"Thorin, we must all make sacrifices to preserve the integrity of our house," Thrain said, accentuating his words with a bang of his fist on the rock. "You are my heir; you must therefore marry someone befitting your rank and who will strengthen our line, just as I did when I married your mother."

"But you and mother actually liked each other before courting," Thorin replied, growing increasingly frustrated. He was walking a very fine line here, and though he could not back down, he had to be careful not to slip and reveal his deepest secret.

"You and Lady Ester will learn to do so as well. It can take time to learn to love someone."

Tolerance, even perhaps affection, could be learned, yes, but not love. Thorin knew better than to voice these thoughts, however, and instead merely said, "Ester and I could never make each other happy—we have nothing in common."

"Now, Thorin, how can you possibly know that if you do not even try to know her better?" Thrain questioned, his thick eyebrows raising into his tattooed forehead.

"I do not need to learn anything more to know that she is the last person I wish to spend my life with!" Thorin exclaimed, then, taking a deep breath, he added, "Do you know she insulted Dania, Mimir's daughter, in public, saying that she was 'nothing' and would never be one of us?"

Sighing, Thrain scratched his beard. "That has nothing to do with you."

Thorin's heart tightened. "Should not the future queen of the Longbeards be more respectful toward her kin—and not merely other lords and ladies? Should she not be warm, generous, compassionate, modest? Ester is none of that." His right hand tightened on the hilt of his sword once more.

"You have never disobeyed me before," Thrain growled, his eyes wide and incredulous. "What in Durin's name is the matter with you?"

Resentment and heartbreak wreaked havoc inside Thorin, filling his lungs and making it hard for him to breathe. His whole body ached with the force of such injustice. He almost wanted to tell his father outright that he loved Dania and that she was his wife. His father could exile them for all he cared; at least they would be together. He could not think straight. The only thing keeping him from committing a grave mistake was the knowledge that Dania had repeatedly told him she did not want that. And she was right; he could not abandon his duties.

"Father, please . . . do not make me marry Ester—I am begging you. . . ."

These words seemed to perturb Thrain, who continued to stare at his son, confusion and worry marked onto his face. "Thorin—"

"Do you not want me to be happy?" Thorin asked, his voice breaking despite how hard he tried to retain his composure. The last thing he needed was to be so weak in front of his father.

"Of course I want you to be happy, son, but I—I do not understand. What makes you think that marrying Lady Ester would be so terrible?"

"Are the points I raised not reason enough?"

Sighing deeply, Thrain took a step toward Thorin and placed a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder. "You know what is at stake here; I know you do."

"I do," Thorin replied solemnly, looking deep into his father's eyes. Those eyes—one of which had been blinded during Azanulbizar—made Thorin feel like such a failure. His father worked so hard for his family and his people, and this is how Thorin repaid him? But he could not marry Ester. As much as Thorin wished he could please both his father and Dania, he was bound to disappoint one of them. And he had promised her he would fight for them.

"Very well," Thrain said with another deep sigh. Thorin's eyes widened, but he was not yet sure he could trust the hope beginning to bloom inside him. "Do not think I am not disappointed in you—I am. However, as your father, I cannot force you to do something which would bring you such deep unhappiness."

"Father—" Thorin breathed out, his heart hammering against his chest.

"Let me finish," Thrain interjected. "We cannot afford to lose Lord Ivar's support. You will need to handle this with the utmost care."

"I will talk to Ester. She does not love me, and so I am sure I may find a way to convince her that this is beneficial to both of us," Thorin said, despite how unconfident he felt in the venture. How on earth was he supposed to convince Ester—who was so blinded by power—that to marry him was a bad idea?

Thrain nodded slowly, then said, "I will not ask you why you are so vehemently opposed to the union, for I sense some deeper purpose which you have yet to disclose, but know that you are my son and there is nothing you may not tell me."

An overpowering ache stabbed Thorin in the stomach. How he wished that was true, words could not express.

"I will not disappoint you again, father."

And that was the last they spoke on the subject.

—

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