#it feels like he just used them and trew them away

[rat-rosemary]

Can you imagine if he just doesn't respond at all? If he just ignores what is being said and keeps going like it never happen, like he didn't cut ties with half his friends because he let someone who loved and cared for him suffer and get hurt and did not even attempt to help

[kkeidawrites]

A Domestic Chat

Welcome to Day 15 of Blacktober!

Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, a noble name, a cursed bloodline, a fugitive, a hero, a man who is conflicted with his own life and is unsure of what his destiny holds. A wandering husk on his own since his group had disbanded for the time being, nothing needed their attention so there was no need for them to be together so often.

He drinks away his stress and frustrations in a random bar he found in Whitestone, a good distance away from where his group had decided to settle for the time being and a good place for him to gather his thoughts.

Everything was happening too fast, and there was little time to even think about what to do next. Growling, Percy slams the empty glass on the bar table. He could barely feel the buzz from the first three he’s had and he wanted to forget to feel for the night.

“Another. Something stronger this time, if you don’t mind.” He demands, politely.

“ I think you’ve had your fill, eh?”

Percy looks up from his glass to see a dark skinned woman behind the bar, an apron around her waist and a grey shirt. Her hair was fluffed around her head and the rest sat on her shoulders.

She takes the cup from him and turns to put some water in it instead.

“I’ve been giving you the strongest liquor that I own. I’m afraid you have been cut off for the night, sir. I’m surprised you’re still even functional without a slur on your lip.” Sliding the glass in front of him, Percy sighs annoyed but takes the glass of water anyway.

“A lot on your mind?” She continues and Percy quickly glances at her, then turns away.

“Alright~I won’t bother you, if you want to be alone. Just wave my way if you want something else.” She says.

Percy drank his water, his mind on autopilot as he didn’t even realize that by the time he was finished with his drink, someone had sat next to him.

His side eye made contact with the bartender lady again, this time her outfit changed to a long sleeved purple tie front top, black trews, and black high heeled boots. Her hair hid away her face and Percy found himself turning around in his barstool to look at the puttering patrons in the bar.

A bard was keeping the people busy as servers made their rounds to tables and even greeting the new members that walked inside.

“You know drinking away your sorrows isn’t going to help anybody. Especially not your liver.” Bartender lady brushes back her hair, and fixes it. Percy tutted and pushes up his glasses on his nose.

“I’m quite used to drinking such lengths, I know my limits.” He sneers and the woman guffaws.

“The fact that you are here, I wouldn’t be surprised if you couldn’t hold your liquor. It’s almost inspirational.” She says, a playful smile on her face.

The two are quiet for a while and Percy rubs the back of his head, feeling the stress building up at the back of his neck.

“It’s nice to be able to be at peace for the time being. Those blasted dragons,” she tsks and sighs.

“I’m just glad to see another day, I suppose I have you and your friends to thank for that.” She nods and Percy looks at her in surprise.

“I don’t deserve any praise, I just did what I could.” His shoulders slump and he turns away.

“At least you did something, that’s the only difference between you and me. I don’t even have half the balls you and your friends have to do what you did and because of that the people of Whitestone can sleep without any strife.” She says and raises her right hand.

Another bar tender slides a glass near her, Bartender lady picks up her purple drink and raised it to him in a toast.

“To Whitestone and its unsung heroes.” She says and throws back her drink, then slams the rim of it down on the table.

Percy watches as she gets up and leaves then looks at her overturned glass. Picking it up, he fiddled with the small glass and mulled over her words. He didn’t feel like a hero, he didn’t deserve to be one especially, after what his past entailed.

But…it felt a little good that there was someone who did think he was still doing the right thing. Maybe that’s all that mattered. Pulling out his money pouch from his suit jacket, Percy gives the bartender three gold coins and gets up.

Looking around he thought he would see the woman again but, she was nowhere in sight.

“Excuse me,” he calls to the new bartender, a dwarf who was cleaning the glasses, looks up at him in question.

“That woman, that was next to me, what is her name?” Percy asks but the dwarf only looks at him in confusion.

“What woman?” He questions him. Percy frowns in confusion.

“The woman that was sitting right next to me, you even gave her a drink. She even works as a bartender.” Percy explains, exasperated.

“Son, unless you’ve had too much to drink then you’re hallucinating. No woman has worked my joint since my sister was here, and that was twenty years ago.” The dwarf turns away to attend to the other patrons leaving Percy confused more than ever.

Was she…a ghost? A figment of his imagination?

He shakes his head at the thought of such things and leaves the bar. The night air blew as he made his way back to his friends but, not without a watchful and familiar eye staring at his back as he leaves.

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Enjoy! Be sure to like, reblog, and comment! And be sure to request something for Blacktober as well, it would be a lot of help on my end on what I could write next for the rest of the month!

[blues824]

Imagen the dorm leaders body swapping with there female demon slayer s/o for a week because of crowley not doing his job .

🦩🌹Like riddle and his mitsuri s/o

Him having to get used to his s/o strength and appetite. Imagine a lovable riddle smiling and a yelling mitsuri about the 810 rules.

🦁😐Leona and his giyuu s/o

Him feeling so frustrated and more sleepy than ever because his s/o body has a natural alarm clock for midnight to fight demons and isn't made for naps .and his s/o being just giyuu imagine cheka coming over and now his *uncle "is willing to play with him instead of sleeping (aperntly giyuu loves children ) .

🐙✨Azul and and his tengen s/o

Him getting used to there high and hearing and stealth .his s/o admiring being in his flamboyant husband's body( bonus and the tweels having a feeld day because they have a insecure tengen and a confident Azul .)

🌞🔥Kalim and his Rengoku s/o

(aperntly cannon Rengoku has hearing problems that's why he is so loud ) him dealing with their hearings problems and having a bigger appetite . Personally wise they are the same but Rengoku is more responsible .

🦚🐗Vil and his inosuke s/o

💀imagine the chaos him having to lock them up because crawling on the ceiling whoud ruen him having rook look after her while he has a feeld day giving her body and makeover and admirering her face (his s/o treatment to eat mud if he throws away her bore mask 💀) .

🎮👼Ildia and his tanjiro s/o

Him passing out or freaking out in their body while his s/o is comforting him singing her family lullaby to him to comfort him and them just gaming even though she is not good at gaming they still try for him .

(bonus for nezuko and ortho are also switched and being as adorable as ever.)

🐲☁️And last but not least Malleus and his muichiro s/o

Imagen everybody in school seing a muichiro that remembers and is polite and a forgetful rude Malleus.

Him and his s/o stil cloud gazing and being the loveable couple they are. while sebek is freaking out. silver fell already asleep wile cloud gazing with them. and lilia is ether filming it or helping solve it because muichiro in boddy Malleus trew a rock at ace.

🌹🦁🐙🌞👑🎮🐉

Y’all, have you seen the art that @reiketsunomizunomegami made?? I don’t tell you guys to do much, but please go support them!!!

Riddle Rosehearts

Mans woke up feeling like he hadn’t eaten in 1000 years. He’s glad that you both stayed in his room overnight because he looked over and saw… him? He was high-key panicking and went to his bathroom to check the mirror and saw… you? He took a deep breath and figured that you both must’ve switched bodies somehow.

He gently woke up and was taken aback by how his voice sounded. You slowly blinked, then you saw yourself looking at you. He waited until you were fully awake to explain your predicament. He guided you through deep breaths, and you came up with a plan. You would tell everyone at breakfast so as to avoid any confusion.

Everyone had different reactions. Trey just about dropped the teapot, Cater’s eyes just went wide and jaw dropped, Ace let out an audible laugh (thinking you were joking at first), and Deuce just froze. Riddle - in your body - explained it like this: treat you (him in your body) like the dorm head and treat him (you in his body) like his significant other.

It was one weird first day because Trey had to see if your food preferences remained the same depending on the person or depending on the body that person was in. Cater totally vlogged this whole thing. Ace had to watch his back even more because you were one of the people he could rant to. Deuce was trying his best as well, but he fared better than Ace.

Overall, a solid 7/10 week. Riddle might not have been able to behead anyone, but he was able to put them in a very easy chokehold. And by easy, I mean they almost passed out due to lack of oxygen. Ace can concur that he prefers collars to being choked (don’t take that out of context).

Leona Kingscholar

You better believe that he was angry that he woke up before the sun rose for no reason other than his body told him to. He decided that he would try to go back to sleep and went to pull you back in when he noticed that he was pulling himself in… oh, shit. 

He shook you awake and you had a bit of a shocked face when you saw yourself waking you up. However, it’s not the weirdest thing you’ve seen. You were still quite sleepy since Leona’s physical body was always exhausted, so you quickly came up with a plan where you would pretend to be each other for however long this lasted.

At breakfast, it was a very weird experience. Ruggie most definitely noticed something was wrong when you said ‘thank you’ after he gave you your food. You mentally cursed yourself and just dismissed yourself to eat it in your room, but before you went you told yourself (Leona in your body) to go with you in the most I-don’t-care way possible.

It was a very difficult first day because Leona’s brother decided to drop off Cheka for the day. You (in Leona’s body) were actively playing with the young cub because you personally loved children. The child noticed this, but didn’t mind because maybe his uncle changed?

Overall, 5/10. I would’ve said it was a 4, but you finally got to relax from the stress of being a demon slayer. You got to know what it was like to sleep in and be catered to. Plus, the food Ruggie made was amazing. However, Leona wasn’t really acting like you a lot.

Azul Ashengrotto

When you both woke up at 6 in the morning, you knew that Azul wouldn’t want to get up immediately. You would normally give him a kiss on the forehead to get his day started, but when you went to do that you screamed. You saw your own body lying next to you.

After hearing your scream, your boyfriend looked around and saw himself on the floor. He was about to go back to sleep before he did a double take and started panicking when he realized he wasn’t dreaming. You led him through breathing and you came up with an idea. You would tell Jade and Floyd, but ask them to not inform anyone else.

Floyd was on the floor laughing while Jade choked back a few chuckles. The 4 of you decided that any appointments for any contract were to be rescheduled, and the excuse was that you got sick and Azul’s taking care of you. Jade got accustomed to it very quickly, but Floyd was having one hell of a time trying to get everything straight.

It wasn't too bad of a first day, and you kept this plan for however long was necessary. Since Crowley already knew, he informed the teachers so there wasn’t any mix up in class. However, your personalities kind of clashed around other students because you as a person were very confident and Azul’s very insecure.

Overall, 8/10. Nothing really changed in the wake up schedule, but everyone had to deal with a very flamboyant octopus and a very insecure demon slayer. Usually, you were the one comforting Azul, but to everyone else Azul (you in his body) was comforting you (him in your body).

Kalim Al-Asim

He probably woke up before you because your body was acclimated to waking up at 5:30 am on the dot. He was about to go to sleep when he wanted to give you a kiss on the forehead. That’s when he realized that it was his body that was lying next to him and not yours.

He shook you awake and you seemed surprised to see yourself waking you up. It’s one of the few times where you’ve seen Kalim (who’s in your body) panic. After you calmed him down, you decided to catch a few more hours of sleep and tell Jamil once breakfast was served.

Speaking of, you always loved to help the Vice Housewarden in preparing food. So when he sees Kalim (you) marching into the kitchen, he drops the spoon he was holding. You took this chance to explain that you and Kalim had somehow switched bodies overnight. Good thing it was Winter Break and no classes were being held.

For the first day, it wasn’t all that bad. Kalim (in your body) are a lot more than he normally would because of your body’s appetite, and everyone saw a more responsible Kalim (you in his body). You both kept up the high energy, so no one suspected anything.

Overall, another 7/10. Kalim had a lot of strength being in your body, so he wreaked more havoc. Nothing was horribly damaged except for Jamil’s sanity. What’s worse is that Kalim found out about your inability to hear well and he decided that you should receive more assistance once you switch back.

Vil Schoenheit

You both wake up at a very early time to get the day started. You took one look at each other and Vil screamed while you lunged at him. You thought some impostor had taken over your body when you looked in one of his mirrors. You got off of him and apologized. 

You realized that this was a matter that needed a plan, so you sat down. You could be cooperative when you needed to be. You would inform the teachers about the swap and then inform Rook about your predicament. 

The hunter had to admit that he did not see that coming. Rook stood there with his eyes widened and jaw dropped. You (Vil in your body) briefed him on the plan while you took to wobbling in the heels that Vil prided himself in being able to wear. As flexible as you were, you thought you would break an ankle.

For the first day, it was horrible for the both of you. You had informed the teachers of what happened, but it was still difficult. Vil loved performing skincare on his (your) face because you always struggled against him, but it stresses him out because you would threaten him by picking up some mud and holding it to your (his) face.

Overall, a 3/10 week. This was stressful for the both of you. Vil’s body was not used to wielding two nichirin blades, so you suffered some difficulty in training. Vil, however, enjoyed the flexibility your body offered and so he did a lot of yoga.

Idia Shroud

When he wakes up for whatever reason at 5 am, he’s confused. Didn’t he go to sleep 2 hours ago? He decides to look over when he sees his own flaming hair… on his own body. He screamed because he realized that it was his body he was looking at and not yours. 

His screaming most definitely woke you up, and you panicked a bit because it was you that was screaming, or something that was inhabiting your body. You looked down and saw your boyfriend’s jacket. You also noticed your new hair. You calmed Idia (in your body), and told him the plan. You would tell the teachers and Ortho about your situation and go from there.

Ortho was shocked. His brother swapped bodies with you? How did this happen? Were you cursed? How long is this going to last? His reaction, although apparent, is very logical. He will go through the internet database to see if there is any solution for your predicament.

For the first day, it wasn’t too horrible. The teachers excused you from your classes since nothing too important was going on. You and Idia spent the day in his room. He taught you how to play a few video games and even though you were horrible, you still tried.

Overall, I would give it an 8/10. It was a pretty chill week. Even though you were in different years, your teachers allowed you to attend classes virtually. It was a very chill week, but it was still weird to cuddle with your boyfriend who was in your own body.

Malleus Draconia

You both woke up at a very early time, but when you looked at each other to bid each other a good morning, both your eyes widened. It was most definitely an unforeseen surprise, but neither of you panicked over it. It was just a small inconvenience that could easily be worked around.

You both decided that it would be beneficial to tell the others as well as the professors. Lilia couldn’t help but giggle at how funny this whole thing was. Silver was shocked, but he didn’t mind addressing you both the opposite names of what he was used to. Sebek screamed and started to accuse you of cursing the Prince.

The teachers had dismissed you both from class for the day to get acclimated to this swap, so you both spent the most of it cloud gazing and planning for the upcoming few days. You see, your head was always up in the clouds, but when someone brought you back down you got angry. Malleus was very down-to-earth, but open-minded.

The first day was pretty chill. Lilia was helping the both of you try and find a solution to this problem, Silver spent the day sleeping like he always does, but Sebek was on-edge. He was used to always screaming at you to get your head out of the clouds, but now you were in Malleus’ body and he felt like he was being disrespectful to the young Lord.

Overall, 9/10. Even though you (in Malleus’ body) threw a rock at Ace for letting his mouth run, it was satisfying for the both of you. Lilia was rolling on the floor laughing while Sebek was telling you off. Malleus (in your body) defended you.

[c-m-stuff]

Love Language

-Description: You and Spencer are together. One of his love languages was writing notes.

-Warnings: Fluffiness

-Word count: 551

-Note: A cute one shot for you! Spread a little love and write notes! A lovable act of service. Xxx

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Masterlist

_________________________

Y/N POV:

One of Spencer's love languages was writing notes. Whether he was at home or away, I always found post-its with sweet messages or surprising facts on them. They were everywhere, always on a different place, he knew, I would see.

Yesterday, I found one on the mirror in the bathroom. "You're beautiful, never doubt that." was written on the little note. Today, it was located in my coffee mug, I use daily. "Did you know that dolphins actually have names for one another? According to National Geographics, they use an unique whistle to distinguish between different members within their pod." I loved hearing facts. I could just hear him ramble about it, always bringing me on ease.

I put all the notes I ever received in a small box in my nightstand. When I miss my genius, I go through them, never failing to make me smile.

It was late in the afternoon, when Spencer came into the living room, a puzzled look on his face.

'Have you seen my book? The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury?'

'Oh yeah, I wanted to give it a read, so I kinda stole/borrowed it? It's in my drawer in my nightstand.' he gave me a chuckle and left the room.

Suddenly, I heard sobs, coming from our bedroom. I immediately got up, running towards the loud sound. It revealed a crying Spencer, sitting on the bed, the box with his notes on his lap.

'What's wrong? Are you in pain? Do I need to call someone?' I rambled on, worriedly, as I carefully took place next to him.

He instantly wrapped me into a tight hug, not planning on letting me go anytime soon. One of my hands found his home in his messy hair, the other rubbing gently his back, drawing random shapes on it.

'Whenever you're ready.' I whispered, while placing soft kisses on his head.

After a couple more minutes, he broke the comfortable silence, pulling slightly away, so I could meet his gaze.

'I just can't believe you kept all of them. I knew, you read them, but I just thought you trew them away after that. But, you didn't. If I'm with you, it's like all my broken pieces are glued back together. With you, I feel not so broken. I just feel loved.' I needed to blink a tear of my own away, still letting the words sink down.

'Love, of course I kept them. They are so sweet and make me everytime happy when I read them. Thank you. Thank you for being you, thank you for loving me.' I ended my little speech on his lips, kissing them hardly, trying to let him know how much I love him.

Since then, I made it my own mission to remind him everyday that he is loved. It can be by hugging him, telling him, cooking meals for him, or my new favorite one, leaving notes for him. No matter what happens, he knew, I love him. And, I knew, he loves me.

[asa-writes]

Dichotomy 03

“Grace”

Aemond x F! OC / Jacaerys x F! OC - 18+ MINORS DNI

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: period accurate gender stereotypes, slight fluff, sexually charged jokes, talk of marriage 

Maena woke up early the next day. Seeing that Maellys was still asleep, she got dressed in a simple dress and trew her hair up into two loose buns which hung above her ears. She opened the door and smiled at her guard. "Good morning. Would it be possible for you to show me the training grounds? I would like to practice my archery."

The guard nodded and led her down the halls to the training grounds. As they walked, Maena couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. She had always loved archery and had been practicing since she was a child. It helped her clear her mind and focus on the task at hand.

When they reached the training grounds, Maena took a deep breath and readied her bow. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the fresh air and the smell of grass. When she opened them again, she spotted Aemond across the field. He was also holding a sword, his eyes fixed on the target.

Maena's heart skipped a beat as she realized he was watching her. She took a deep breath and steadied herself, taking aim at the target. With a swift movement, she let go of the string, sending the arrow flying towards its target.

To her surprise, it hit dead center. She felt a rush of excitement and pride wash over her as she turned to face Aemond, who was now walking towards her.

"Good morning, Lady Maena," he said with a smile. "I didn't know you were skilled in archery."

Maena felt a blush creep up her cheeks as she lowered her bow. "It's just a hobby of mine," she said, giving him a polite smile. The last thing she had wanted was for him to think that she was a simpering weak girl.

Aemond walked closer to her, their eyes locked together. "You're quite good," he said factually. He was so close that she could smell his scent - a mixture of pine and leather. She shrugged and gestured towards his sword. "Better than with a sword. Father had prohibited us from taking up blades."

Ser Criston Cole stepped out of the shadows and gave her a courteous smile. "And he is absolutely right. Lady Maena, would you like to continue for a bit before joining her royal Highness for breakfast? It could seem unseemly to be seen in the training grounds by the Queen."

Maena nodded, grateful for the interruption. She was finding it hard to focus with Aemond's presence so close to her. "Thank you, Ser Criston. I would appreciate that."

As she walked away from Aemond and towards the training dummies, Maena couldn't help but glance back at him. He was staring after her, a look of deep contemplation on his face.

Maena's heart raced as she wondered what he could be thinking. Did he notice her skills? Did he find her attractive? Or was he simply lost in thought?

Shaking her head, Maena focused on her training. She took up her bow once again and began to shoot arrows at the dummies with precision and skill.

As she trained, Maena couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. This was the first time in a long while that she had been able to practice her archery without worrying about the disapproval of her father or brothers.

After several minutes, Ser Criston approached her with a smile. "I must say, Lady Maena, you are quite skilled with a bow. I haven't seen such precision in a long while."

Maena felt a sense of pride wash over her once again as she lowered her bow. "Thank you, Ser Criston. I've been practicing for many years."

"Clearly," he said, his voice slightly patronizing. "But let us hurry now. The Queen awaits us for breakfast."

With that, Maena followed Ser Criston back to the castle, adrenaline pumping through her veins. As she walked, she couldn't help but think about Aemond and the way he looked at her. It was not lewd - no, no at all. It was also not loving. It almost seemed like he was analyzing her.

A servant opened the dining hall's door for them and Ser Criston Cole guided them to their seats. Queen Alicent greeted her with a nod and watched as her father, Lord Hightower whispered something in Prince Aegon's ear, making him chuckle. Maellys raised an eyebrow and nudged her sister. "Where were you?", she whispered, tring to hide her face behind a curtain of her hair.

Maena shook her head. "Doesn't matter.", she replied as quietly as she could. "Tell me about your morning." Maellys shrugged. "Just slept in, as usual," she said with a yawn. "I don't have much interest in archery or any of that." She glanced around and lowered her voice even more. "My Blood has begun again. I dread going out into public... I cannot just stay in my chambers, the princes might notice..."

Maena nodded soothingly, her mind still on Aemond. She glanced towards him, but he was deep in conversation with Lord Baratheon. The man was a giant; the way he towered over the rest of the hall made that obvious. His hair was dark and his eyes were steel, his face was scarred from years of battle. She turned towards Maellys and caressed her arm. "Don't fret, I'll be there for you. We can go out for some Embroidery or entertain Princess Helaena in her chambers if the weather gets worse." Maellys nodded thankfully and glanced at the Queen. "If she won't chase us around again."

As the meal progressed, Maena found herself growing increasingly restless. She wanted to speak to Aemond, to get to know him better, to understand why he seemed to enjoy speaking to her yet also enjoy avoiding her. Every time she tried to catch his eye, he seemed to be preoccupied with someone or something else.

It wasn't until the meal was finished and they were all getting up from the table that Maena finally got her chance. Aemond was walking towards her when Ser Criston intercepted him and whispered something in his ear.

Maena watched as Aemond's expression changed from one of interest to a look of irritation. He nodded curtly at Ser Criston and turned to leave, but not before catching Maena's eye.She saw a flicker of bitterness in his gaze before he turned away, disappearing into the crowd. Maena felt a pang of disappointment but shook it off, gently taking Maelys's hand and walking back to their chambers to gather their embroidery projects.

As they walked, Maena couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in her stomach. She thought about Aemond and wondered what Ser Criston could have said to him. Had it been about her?

They made their way to the gardens, searching for a quiet spot away from the prying eyes of the court. Yesterday's beautiful weather had changed into a cool, overcast day. As they sat down, Maena pulled out her embroidery and began working on a delicate floral pattern, hoping that it wouldn't start raining.

Maellys watched her sister work with interest. She had noticed Maena's stark change of mood. Yesterday she had been alarmed, cautious and dismayed, now she was quiet, reserved and seemed to draw her eyebrows together all of the time. "You seem distracted," she said softly. "Is everything alright?"

Maena looked up at her sister with a smile. "Yes, just lost in thought is all."

The two sisters worked in silence for a while before Maellys spoke up again. "Do you remember when Father said that we would be married off to the highest bidder?"

Maena frowned, recalling the conversation all too vividly. "Yes, I remember."

Maellys clenched her jaw, stabbing the cloth with vigour. "I don't want to be some man's puppet."

Maena nodded in agreement. "Neither do I." She paused for a moment before continuing softly. "But it's not as though we have a choice in the matter." Maellys sighed, resting her head on her sister's shoulder. "I know," she said resignedly.

-

The small council had gathered below the Iron Throne. Lord Otto Hightower gave everyone a sly smile. "We have received word from Dragonstone. They are willing to wed one of the Rivers sisters to Jacaerys." A murmur broke out. "Furthermore we know that Maellys is unsullied - her blood had started this night." Lord Varys scratched his chin. "Lady Maena's blood should come soon as well.", he stated. "My Queen, which one of them do you think is better to give away? Which one is better suited to Aemond?"

Queen Alicent frowned thoughtfully. "Maellys is older and has a more even temperament, she would be a safe bet for Jacaerys. As far as I have understood, she is quiet and easily pliable. Maena is more spirited and would be a better match for Aemond. It depends on what we want to achieve."

Lord Hightower leaned forward, resting his bearded chin on his wrinkly hands. "If we want to ensure the loyalty of the Blacks, then Maena is the better choice. She could give them a sense of superiority. If we want Aemond to be completely devoted to us, then Maellys is the way to go. She is pious and follows orders better than her sister, it seems."

The other council members nodded in agreement, and Queen Alicent considered their words carefully. She knew that the marriage alliance was crucial to her family's hold on the Iron Throne, but she also wanted to ensure that her son would be happy.

In the end, she made her decision. "We will wed Maellys to Jacaerys and Maena to Aemond," she declared firmly. "I believe it is the best course of action, both politically and personally. We will invite them for the Twins' nameday next month - the day where Maena will marry Aemond. Up until that point, it shall be our task to try and teach Maellys how to infiltrate the Blacks and to bring Maena closer to Aemond. We just have to make sure that they will slowly get pushed apart and most importantly - that they stay Virgins."

The council members murmured their agreement, and Ser Criston Cole gave a satisfied smile. "Excellent choice, my Queen," he said with a bow.

As they dispersed, Queen Alicent couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew that Aemond would not be happy about being forced into a loveless marriage for political gain, but it was something that had to be done. At least he knew what his duty was. She hoped that he would come to accept his fate in time, for the good of their family and their future on the Iron Throne.

Meanwhile, Maena and Maellys continued to work on their embroidery, oblivious to the decisions that were being made about their futures. Maena found her mind wandering as she stitched, and she couldn't help but think about Aemond. She wondered what he was doing at that very moment and what Ser Criston Cole had told him.

They heard shuffling at the garden's entrance and saw Prince Aegon appearing, along with a retinue of servants. "May I join you?" he asked gruffly, his eyes flicking between the two sisters. Maellys pinched Maena and tried pulling her closer to her side. Aegon flared his nostrils. "Your future King has asked you something. I would at least expect some grace and humility from both of you.", he sneered, his eyes burning wickedly.

Maena and Maellys exchanged a quick look before nodding in unison. Aegon took a seat on the bench beside them, his eyes roving over their embroidery projects. Maena stiffened, but Maellys nudged her sister reassuringly. "It's alright," she murmured softly.

"Your stitching is excellent," Aegon said, his voice low and rasping. "Did your mother teach you?" Maellys nodded, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks. "Yes, she did. She taught us both.”

"I see," Aegon said with a smirk. "You must have a great deal of free time to indulge in such trivial pursuits."

Maena bristled slightly at the insult, but she kept her voice calm and gave him a sour smile. "Embroidery is not trivial, Your Grace. It is an art form that has been practiced for centuries."

Aegon leaned closer to her, his eyes flashing dangerously. "You dare to speak back to me?" Maena held his gaze steadily, refusing to back down. "I am simply defending my craft, Your Grace. I mean no disrespect."

Aegon studied her for a moment before sitting back with a sigh, laying his arms around the sisters. "Very well. You have spirit, I'll give you that." He turned to Maellys, who had been sitting quietly throughout the exchange. "And what about you? Are you as defiant as your sister?"

Maellys flushed and shook her head quickly. "No, Your Grace. I am obedient and dutiful.", she mumbled, trying her best to diffuse the situation. If she would have told him that she was just as strong as Maena, this discussion could turn sour and never-ending.

"Good," Aegon said with a nod of approval. "You will make a fine wife."

Maellys felt a knot form in her stomach at his words, but she forced a smile and batted her thick lashes at him. "Thank you, Your Grace. I will do my best to serve my future husband."

Aegon stood up abruptly after eyeing her thoroughly, his retinue following suit. "I must return to my duties. I will see you both... at a later point."

As soon as he left, Maena let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "That man is insufferable," she muttered.

Maellys nodded in agreement, still feeling uneasy about the whole situation. "I just hope that my future husband will be kind and understanding," she said softly. Maena agreed.

[justanotherwarriorcatsfan]

Wheatstar stood in the bushes alongside his clanmates, the dogs where already sniffing the prey they had layed out as bait. Wheatstar slowly raised his tail, getting everyones attention and when he swiftly lashed his tail, the attack begun.

Blood and violence below, possibly even death.

Scratchnoise went for the smallest dog, knowing it's barks had scared away half of featherclans prey. Scratchnoise leaped for the dog and scratched it's noise mid-air, she was about to land behind the dog where she could bite it's tail but the dog jerked it's head up and managed to bite Scratchnoises flank.

Meanwhile Ruffnut and Cavefreckle were fighting the other dog, Cavefreckle was chasing the dog, she lured it right into Ruffnuts trap. Ruffnut jumped up just in time, he landed by the dog's leg and sunk his teeth into it, but the dog was strong and violent and it trew Ruffnut hard against a big rock, causing him to lose consiousness.

On the other side of the battlefield Oddseeker and Brindlebreeze stood next to eachother, they had a plan. Brindlebreeze leaped into action, jumping onto the large dogs back, distracting it so that Oddseeker could go for the throat, but the dog was fast and grabbed Oddseeker by her tail, throwing her into Brindlebreeze, causing both of them to get injured.

While the clan was driven aback by the strenght of the dogs, Lynxfern and Lotustiger stood back to back, keeping them busy while the clan regrouped. The two of them didn't know eachother very well but they were clanmates, and they would die for eachother.

Warmfall and tamagotchi watched the battle, ready to jump in and help, they saw that Lynxfern and Lotustiger could use some help and ran in.

More and more warriors left the battlefield with injuries, the number of remaining cats able to fight kept decreasing.

Wheatstar saw that they were losing, but he didn't want the injured cats to feel that pain for nothing, so he let out a fierce and incouraging battle cry, letting his call echo over the battlefield.

Encouraged by Wheatstars call, the remaining cats charged for the dogs all at once, swiftly attacking them and sending them running of with their tails between their legs, the battle was over.

So, this was the battle! Hope yall like it! Some poses were really hard to draw so sorry if sometimes the characters look a little wierd.

There will come a post with everyones injuries and wether they'll recover or not or wether they'll get scars and stuff like that.

[lailoken]

‘Dark and Demon Dogs’

“Haunting the coastline from the Wash to the Deben and beyond, and inland along the Peddars Way into the Brecklands, on marshland roads and mudflats, through the Fens and into the Broads, pads the ancient terror known as Black Shuck. For many hundreds of years the legend of the ghostly black hound has been kept alive and is probably the best known of all East Anglian spectres, still appearing to people today. He is typically seen as a huge, great, black shaggy hound, with blazing red eyes and dragging rattling chains behind him, instilling terror into all he comes upon and considered a portent of impending death or doom by most. Although generally called Black Shuck, he is known by many other names too; the Galleytrot, Old Scarfe, Owd Rugman, Shug Monkey and the Hateful Thing being some, although some form of Shuck or Shuggy is most common. Nor is he always a large black hound, appearing as anything from the size of a Labrador (shrinking into a cat!), a white rabbit in Thetford, to a calf or a donkey and even a monkey on a few occasions. Sometimes he was invisible, only his fierce breath, padding feet, fearful howls or the clanking of his chains giving evidence of his presence. Sometimes he could be seen without his head, but always with his glowing eyes appearing in the middle of where his head should be. One tale from Garveston in Norfolk goes;

‘They du speak of a dog that walks regular. They call him Skeff and his eyes are as big as saucers and blaze wi' fire. He is fair as big as a small wee pony and his coat is all skeffy-like, shaggy coat across, like an old sheep. He has a lane, and a place out of which he come, and he vanish when be bev gone far enough.’

Another informant from the village of Clopton, Suffolk, reported, 'a thing with two saucer eyes', on the road to Woolpit. It would not move out of his way but grew larger and larger as it breathed: 'I shall want you within a week'. The man died the next day.

One Christmas day in the middle of the 19th. Century, Black Shuck pushed against a small, blind boy who was standing on Thetford Bridge with his older sister. The little boy plaintively asked his sister to send the big dog away, but his sister assured him that there was no dog anywhere near them. However, the terrified boy insisted that there was, and that it was trying to push him into the water to drown him. The sister then felt the poor boy being carried away from her; she realised then that what he could feel, and she could not see, must be the terrible Black Shuck that she had heard so much about. Just as her little brother was about to be pushed into the water, she dragged him back from the edge and, hand- in-hand, they rushed off back to their waiting parents at home.

Villagers in the Waveney Valley round about Geldeston call it the ‘Hateful Thing', or the 'Churchyard or Hell-beast'. One old village woman claimed that she saw it one night on the road between Gillingham and Geldeston. She tells the story in the following words;

'It was after I bad been promised to Josh that I saw the Hateful Thing. We met Mrs S. and she started to walk with us. I beard something like a dog running pit-pat-pit- pat-pit-pat. "I wonder what that dog wants", I said to Mrs S. I was walking between Josh and Mrs S. and I lay hold on Mrs S's. arm and she say "It's in front of us; look, there it be." Just in front was what looked like a big, black dog; but it wasn't a dog at all; it was the Hateful Thing and it betokened some great misfortune. It kept on until we came to the churchyard, when it went right through the wall and we saw it no more'.

In Norfolk, Neatishead Lane, near Barton Broad, is a favourite walk of Shuck, as is the cliff path from Beeston, near Sheringham to Overstrand. This recalls the old adjuration in the legend of St. Margaret;

‘Still be though still,

Poorest of all, stern one,

Nor shalt thou, Old Shuck,

Moot with me no more.

But fly, sorrowful thing,

Out of mine eyesight,

And dive thither where thou man

May damage no more.’

A more humorous tale involves the grounding of Noah's Ark on Mulbarton Common, south of Norwich. Scoffers had better not go to Mulbarton. When one village elder was heckled on the point, he replied with some heat;

‘Thass trew! Trew as I stand bere. Where else could it ba' grounded? Aren't this the highest bit o' ground for miles around? When Ole Nick see the Ark be got inter a poont (punt), an' curled his tail up under the thwart and come rowin' around jest as Noah had opened the winder to let the dove in. And Nick sings out: "Mornin' Cap'n Noah. Nice mornin'arter the rain". But ole Noah he sees Nick's tail a-curled up under the thwart an' be sings out: “I know you. You're Owd Shuck! You goo to Hell". And bangs the winder down'.

However, perhaps the most famous accounts of the legend are to be found in Holinshed's Chronicle', an ambitious history of England which was updated to include contemporary events, and a pamphlet entitled A Straunge and Terrible Wunder' written by the Rev. Abraham Fleming, Rector of St. Pancras Church. Both accounts were published in 1577, shortly after the events recorded therein. According to Holinshed's Chronicle;

‘On Sundaie the fourth of August (1577), belween the houres of none and ten of the clocke in the forenone whilest the minister was reading the second lesson in the Parish church of Bliborough (Blythburgh), a towne in Suffolke, a strange and terrible tempest of lightening and thunder strake through the wall of the same church into the ground almost a yard deepe, drave downe all the people on that side above twentie persons, then venting the wall up to the venstre, cleft the doore, and returning to the steeple, rent the timber, brake the chimes, and fled towards Bongie (Bungay), a towne six miles off. The people that were stricken downe were found groueling more than balfe an boure after.......". At Bungay the storm "wroong in sunder the wiers and wheels of the clocks, slue two men which sat in the belfrie, when the other were at the procession or suffrages and scorched an other which hardlie escaped.'

However, Fleming gives the account as starting in Bungay church and includes the infamous Black Shuck;

‘Sunday, being the fourth of this August, in ye yeer of our Lord 1577, to the amazing and singular astonishment of the present bebolders, and abhsent bearers, at a certain towne called Bungay, not past tenne miles distant from the citie of Norwiche, there fell from heaven an exceeding great and terrible tempest sodein and violent..... There were assembled at the same season, to hear divine service and common prayer, according to order, in the parish church (St. Mary's) of the said towne of Bungay, the people thereabouts inhabiting, who were witnesses of the straungeness, the rarenesse and sodenesse of the storm, consisting of rain violently falling, fearful flashes of lightning and terrible cracks of thunder, which came with such unwonted force and power, that to the perceiving of the people...the church did as it were quake and stagger, which struck into the hearts of those that were present, such a sore and sodain feare, that they were in a manner robbed of their right wits.

Immediately hereupon, there appeared in a most horrible similitude and likenesse to the congregation then and there present, a dog as they might discern it, of a black colour; at the sight whereof, together with the feareful flashes of fire which then were seene, moved such admiration in the minds of the assemblie that they thought doomes day was already come.

This black dog, or the divel in such a likenesse (God he knoweth al who worketh all), running all along down the body of the church with great swiftnesse, and incredible haste, among the people, in a visible fourm and shape, passed between two persons, as they were kneeling upon their knees, and occupied in prayer as it seemed, wrung the necks of them bothe in one instant clene backward, in somuch that even at a moment where they kneeled, they strangely died.'

After reflecting somewhat on the wrath of God, he continues;

‘There was at ye same time another wonder wrought; for the same black dog, still continuing and remaining in one and the selfsame shape, passing by another man of the congregation in the church, gave bim such a gripe on the back, that therewith all he was presently withdrawen together and strunk up, as it were a piece of lither scorched in a hot fire; or as the mouth of a purse or bag, drawen together with a string. The man albeit he was in so straunge a taking, dyed not, but as it is thonght is yet alive; whiche thing is mervalous in the eyes of men, und offereth much matter of amasing the minde.

Meanwhile, the Clerk of the church, who had gone outside to clean the guttering, was thrown to the ground during a violent clap of thunder; and at the same time, the wires and wheels of the church clock were 'wrung in sunder and broken in pieces.' Inside the church, the Curate exhorted to prayer and 'comforted the people' until the frightening manifestation of the black hound had passed away, leaving behind it marks on the stones and church door 'which are marvellously renten and torne, ye marks as it were of his clawes or talans.'

According to Fleming, next, on the same morning, in the church of Blythburgh, about twelve miles from Bungay;

'the like thing entred, in the same shape and similitude, where, placing himself upon a maine balke or beum, whereon same ye Rood did stand, sodainly he gave a swinge downe throngh ye church, and there also, as before, slew two men and a lad & burned the hand of another person that was there amang the rest of the company, of whom divers wus blustled. This mischief thus wrought, he flew with wonderful force to no litule feare of the assembly, out of the church in a hideons and bellish likeness.'

The marks of his talons, burned into the inside of the north door of the church, can still be seen today.

Interestingly, archaeologists have recently discovered the skeleton of a massive dog that would have stood 7 feet tall on its hind legs, in the ruins of Leiston Abbey in Suffolk, close to both Bungay and Blythburgh. The remains of the massive dog, which is estimated to have weighed 200 pounds, were found just a few miles from the two churches where Black Shuck killed the worshippers. It appears to have been buried in a shallow grave at precisely the same time as Shuck is said to have been on the loose in this instance.

Coming forward in time, there is a legend of a black dog too, at Blickling Hall, Norfolk. In the 19th century, alterations on the Hall were being made by Lord and Lady Lothian, by the demolition of some partitions in order to form a dining-room;

‘I wish these young people would not pull down the partitions', said an old woman in the village to the local clergyman. Why so?' 'Oh, because of the dog. Don't you know that when A. was fishing in the lake, he caught an enormous fish and that, when it was landed, a great black dog came out of its mouth? They never could get rid of that dog, who kept going round and round in circles inside the house, till they sent for a wise man from London, who opposed the straight lines of the partitions to the lines of the circles and so quieted the dog. But if these young people pull down the partitions, they will let the dog loose again, and there's not a wise man in all London could lay that dog now'.’

This tale is interesting in that it links the occurrence or appearance of the hound with a practical knowledge of geomantic function and is the only tale told of its kind, as far as I am aware. It also links the Black Dog with the liminal area of the lake, which, as we have seen earlier in the chapter, is a gateway to the Other/Underworlds, guarded by supernatural beings; it is possible that the Black Dog may be another one of these guardian entities.

The common name for the black hound, Shuck, is generally considered to derive from the Old English scucca or sceocca, which means a devil/the Devil, a demon or a goblin (the 'sc' in OE being pronounced as 'sh'). There is also the likelihood that it comes from the East Anglian dialect word 'Shucky', meaning shaggy or hairy, a marked characteristic of most descriptions of the Hound. The first known use of the term comes from the Norfolk Chronicle or Gazette, in 1805, in an account by the Rev. E.S. Taylor of Martham as follows;

‘Shuck the Dog-fiend: This phantom I have heard many persons in East Norfolk, and even Cambridgeshire, describe as having seen as a black shaggy dog, with fiery eyes, and of immense size, and who visits churchyards at midnight.’

However, the term was obviously already in use beforehand, but for how long beforehand, no one knows. In regards to the appearance of the phantom in, at or near to churchyards and graveyards, there is another old tradition that is worth noting here. It was customry in years gone by, to bury a black dog in any new graveyard, before any other burials took place. The dog was intended to act as a guardian for the dead who were laid to rest there, and to protect the entrance to the Otherworld, ensuring that none came out – or went in – that were not supposed to. This practice goes back many millennia and is still rumoured to continue today in some areas; the dog is said to be buried in the North, or North-East of the graveyard, the traditional direction of the Dead and the Underworld.

Attempts to explain the origins and nature of the Black Hound have been many, some prosaic and some fantastical. He is said to be the memory of one of Odin's battle hounds, brought over by the Viking raiders in the 9th century. Whilst this may sound appealing, Odin did not have any war or battle hounds, but was accompanied by two wolves, a description never applied to Shuck. It is possible that he is the remains of a 'fetch beast', conjured by the Norse shamans to clear the pathways for their invasions, but there is no remaining evidence for this, however attractive; but the pathways theme is pertinent and I will come back to that in a moment. In the Anglo- Saxon classic, 'Beowulf', previously referred to in the case of Grendel's Dam and the Merewives, the monster Grendel himself is termed a 'scucca' and referred to as master of the fens and moors, some of the very places said to be haunted by Black Shuck in more modern times. He is also linked in popular imagination with the Devil and witchcraft, considered to be the Devil in animal form. Whilst there are recorded cases of the Devil appearing in dog or hound form in Suffolk, the descriptions of Shuck's appearances does not seem to fit any of these. He is often linked with Churches and graveyards, as we have seen, as well as crossroads, being described as coming from, passing over or into, or finishing his perambulations at one or the other; this also links in with the fact that the most recorded instances of sightings/encounters of the hound are on paths, roads, trackways, etc. as mentioned above.

It is these latter aspects of the Black Hound that I think give us the biggest clue to his nature and function; this is either as a guardian of the 'ghost roads' - the energetic and spectral pathways across the Land that guide the spirits of the dead on their way, or lead the spirits of living witches and magical practitioners to locations of power or gatherings of their kind or as a 'psychopomp', guiding the deceased on their last journeys to the Otherworld. It has often been remarked that Black Shuck is nearly always seen walking/padding along or beside a path or trackway and that his presence either heralds or initiates a death or near death experience (sometimes also averting disaster if it is not the person's time to die). It seems highly likely that this Hound is a product of the Living Landscape, given form and function, and imbued with the energy to guard/ guide those souls in need over the liminal point between life and death that we all must pass at some point. That he is given such a form by tradition and local culture only goes to show a living tradition stretching back hundreds, if not thousands, of years, as dogs and hounds have been seen as guardians of the gates of the Underworld for millennia, particularly and especially by the succeeding cultures that have inhabited East Anglia and the rest of these Isles. That he is feared, seen as a/the Devil, shunned and reviled, is only indicative of the lack of understanding of most people of the natural Laws and Ways of the Land and their separation from them.”

—

The Devil’s Plantation:

East Anglian Lore, Witchcraft & Folk-Magic

Chapter 2: ‘Mermaids, Giants and Spectral Hounds’

by Nigel G. Pearson

[i-love-hobbies]

Eda's reckless behaviour and overall mental health

Summary

Eda is a genius, but is very emotional when making decisions (not anger, but fear, stress ect.)

Her reckless behaviour and apple blood problem in my opinion are her ways of running from reality.

In season 1 she made a bit of progress on this issue. Then the finale happened. Then she made again progress and s2ep7 did a complete reset. And she is making progress now again.

Eda's intelligence

She's been a criminal for thirty years. She has been in the shady business for an extremely long time. Yes magic definitely helps but you also have to find a way to be on top of the game, so you can survive.

Remember Tibbles' shrinking potion. She can't really use a lot of magic if she is shrinked or poisoned and dead, can she? Not to talk about her enemies which you'd think would attack her now that she is magicless.

They haven't on screen, yet. The only ones that tried are Adegast and Tibbles and they both died without her using any magic (or close to nothing).

Now we know that she doesn't make plans a lot on screen. In s2ep3 especially she just let's Luz make the plan but that's because she is her mentor.

In s2ep6 Luz used sleeping needles which is wild magic so no, it's not knowledge coming from Hexside. Also the pickpocketing Luz mentioned.

Teachers don't do the tests instead of students.

She teaches her everything that isn't glyphs. I wouldn't be surprised if she has told stories to Luz about her best "outsmarting everyone in the room" moments.

Now we have seen some of her problem solving on screen. One of which was in ep.18 fight only using her channelled magic trough the staff (im not taking credit for noticing this, have no idea who did though) and used the bridge.

Also if she can telepathically talk to her staff. Owlbert saving Luz was probably her idea.

She had her impact on Raine's rebellion as well, without having magic or turning into a harpy.

"You are not our mom!"

"Wow, we actually helped people this time!"

"Bye, mommy Eda!"

In the back of her head she knows exactly what to do, everytime something happens.

Eda's mental health

Eda's curse and the nightmares it causes. The father incident. The fact that she probably thought Lilith was scared of her.

Lilith's hidden guilt and her taking her father's eye out don't mix well together. I wouldn't be surprised if they barely spoke even if they lived in a house together.

Her losing Raine.

Her faith in the emporer being broken.

She has seen a lot of death, that does impact people.

Season 1

At the beginning of the series she was making a lot of bad choices which don't aline with her experience.

The series starts with her getting caught by Warden Wrath. Instead of just sneaking, they were just walking comfortably in the corridors.

They are kids, one from another dimension, but her... She doesn't know better? And for a paper crown that she can replace by stealing from someone else.

Next episode we are introduced to her morning drink later on confirmed to be for adults only. And that drink didn't get a mention for the rest of the season. In that episode she is also not the most clear-headed. She didn't try to sneak, she didn't use potions. Didn't try to plan.

A list about her being impatient can go on and on.

So when does she think. When she realises it's dangerous (aka when it's right in her face). Literally in the first episode the moment she started doing stuff is when she got caught and spat on the warden's face.

In episode 2 she didn't do that because she didn't know if Luz was alive and had a hard time bottling her feelings. Like if Luz proved to him to be hard to keep tight up he could have killed her, the girl that came back for her and her son yesterday. And she proved to Eda that she is a little dangerous the previous episode with her fireworks.

Eda was rational again, after she was with both King and Luz.

As the series went on though she started to calm down a bit.

Firstly, the fact that she was so focused on fixing her card problem, after Tibbles scammed her, that she trew them away in another dimension.

I was wondering how she overcame it so quickly.

It also shows her knowledge of how to handle this type of problems which brings up a question. How did she learn it?

Secondly let's compare the first half of the season to the second.

1. Everything I already pointed out and was hiding the curse. The stuff that happened in ep.5. Her refusal to be parental in ep.7. Body swapped.

2. She gets scammed again (this time though, how do you expect that someone was digging their own grave). Didn't use a sleeping spell on the slitherbeast immediately instead was just standing there. Got caught by the fun police. Worsened King's stage fright.

In ep.15 because of her ignorance Luz and Amity almost die. Except that is not the full story. She had at this point a lot of faith in Luz and this was her friend's mind.

For Amity it's not that she hated her. Amity actually saved her in ep.12. It's because she wasn't that important for her to realise. "Omg Willow is at the very least extremely mad at her."

It's again a refusal to think, but for a stranger and not really on purpose. It was just a habit of hers.

Episode 18 and 19

At the beginning of the episode. Eda hid the curse, again.

When she learned that Lilith had kidnapped Luz. She didn't try to make a plan. She just revealed herself in all her glory while her magic was disappearing.

Shot the staff in a wall while she was having no idea, what that was supposed to accomplish.

Luz showed up and she finally started thinking.

Afterwards Lilith said we all know what and for the first time Eda's anger was the leader of her choices and Luz almost fell on to the spikes.

So then, for the very least a night, she was stuck in her mind with something, that was chasing her. She woke up to Emporer Baby the B*tch, who was telling her, he was about to go after Luz.

And no she didn't believe in Lilith, but was so overwhelmed. It was insane. So she begged. After some more running, she woke up to Luz in the Comformatoriam.

Next, she was about to get petrified and for awhile this was the calmest things have been since she got caught. Then Lilith shows up (ah yes she existed).

King jumped "She was trying to help!". Wait King was there.

Petrification beam go.

PURE PAIN!

Then she got the idea for all of them to fly away. Lilith shared the curse making the confusion even bigger. Then her magic is gone (that was a thing). She learned that the portal is destroyed. Now she was living with Lilith and might have starved to death with everyone else in the house.

After all of this she not only tried but HAD TO pretend that she was mentally stable, so they could survive this mess.

Season 2A

In episode 1 she told Luz not to go after big bounties and then tried to steal from a coven's ship.

At this point her emotions are the only thing that made decisions while they were also getting hidden. Don't get me wrong she did help and should, especially Luz but it's ALL feelings. She didn't think about consequences, which sometimes are good.

She didn't attack Lilith cause it's just not the time, she's scared from her own anger. Plus she can't really stand being with the roller coaster of emotions, that came with being in one room with her.

This didn't mean she didn't work with her and hadn't listened to the backstory, though.

The episode ends with her and everyone else not being close to dieing. Finally!

So now what? She tried to think about Lilith? Yeah, she probably preferred not to.

Then her glyph almost kills King, but Lilith showed up and helped. This is probably a familiarity she missed. So again she decided not to process it, but it definitely sticks.

She also didn't notice Luz being hurt.

Next episode, we saw Eda taking a shower which means she has healthy coping mechanisms, at least one, self-care and is not yet a workaholic.

Luz's apple blood joke is concerning.

After the events of episode 3. Luz probably told her that Lilith stayed with her and King, instead of just leaving them, get killed by Jean-Luc.

Then Eda still isn't certain where she stands about everything and Lilith just left, with her final act being, giving King mental issues.

Throughout this whole thing her mom was there with her cures/annual accidental attempt to kill her favourite daughter.

In this episode, Eda fell for apple blood signs. Rationality is out of the window.

In ep.6 she decided to help, with students getting palisman. Again not thinking about all the trauma, but finally doing something against her first instinct.

In ep.7 she heard King's "Le-" and refused to fully process, where the heck is he gonna go.

She also punched someone, cause this is gonna work?

Now she has reconnected with Raine having no idea should she even think of a romantic relationship again? And decided to be useful at least for something since she "can't raise kids".

She was helping and being very good at it, but it came from fear of loneliness.

Then she heard that Belos has a plan and just is overwhelmed. What if the kids get hurt, is she powerless?

Oh, look! Raine might be dead!

Next episode she overworked herself.

In between ep.8 and 9 she was trying to scare the beast into transforming. (She is losing her sanity. Literally the previous episode told her not to do that.)

In episode 9 again it's all emotional. She wants to feel better and be stronger, so she told King to blast her (almost blasting Amity), hit fool's blood even though Amity said the lake is further ahead.

Luckily she showed progress too.

She ate voles, which was against how she was feeling.

In ep.10 she was scared of letting Luz in the portal. I'm not saying she wouldn't have before, but I don't think it was easy.

Right now, after s2ep10, I think she isn't the most mentally stable. But she is definitely working on it.

[themadlostgirl]

Abandoned (10)

*Fluff with some mild smut to spicen things up and finally finished with even more fluff.*

~~~

Life was relatively peaceful following Baelfire’s escape and Wendy’s return all things considered. There were bad days where Peter’s emotions turned the island into a misery but most of the time everything remained bright and sunny. I think I loved the nights the most though. As beautiful as the days in Neverland were there was something magical about night time.

The island had gone to sleep. The only sound was that of the ocean lapping against shore and the rustle of wind in the trees. It was like the world had taken a deep breath and relaxed. It was during this time that I treasured with Peter most. He ran around the island a lot during the day but the nights were reserved for the two of us and the two of us alone.

On this such night we were at my camp. The fire we had built now only glowing coals. I sat between Peter’s legs as we stared out over the ocean. Peter asked me to sing something. I went into a quiet rendition of an old favorite of mine before Peter stopped me.

“Do you know any other songs?” He asked, “Make no mistake, swordfish, I love hearing you sing whatever your heart desires but I was hoping you might have a tune that I maybe haven’t heard from your lips yet.”

“There is one song I know almost all the lyrics to.” I shrugged, “I just haven’t thought about it until you said something.”

“Well then, please,” Peter pulled me closer, “Sing it for me.”

I took a deep breath and hummed to myself trying to remember the rhythm.

“The ship, it swayed. Heave-ho, heave-ho. On the dark and stormy blue. And I held tight to the captain's might as he pulled up his trews.” I sang quietly, “‘You haven't slept,’ Heave-ho, he said ‘In many suns and moons.’ Oh, I will sleep when we reach shore, And pray we get there soon. He said, ‘Now hush love, here's your gown, there's the bed, lanterns down.’ But I don't want to go to sleep. In all my dreams I drown.”

“Kind of foreboding. It is haunting but also pretty.” Peter said, “What is it?”

“I’m not sure. I remember being in a big tent when I heard it. I always liked the song even if I didn’t know what it was trying to say at the time. I think my father didn’t like it. Didn’t like when I sang it.”

“Then you must continue.” Peter encouraged, “Go on my little siren, sing to me.”

“The captain howled Heave-ho, heave-ho and tied me up with sheets. A storm is brewing in the South. ‘It's time you go to sleep.’ His berth, it rocked Heave-ho, heave-ho. The ocean gnashed and moaned. Like Jonah, we'll be swallowed whole and spat back teeth and bones. He said, ‘Now hush love, here's your gown, there's the bed, lanterns down.’ But I don't want to go to sleep in all my dreams I drown.”

I hesitated to sing the next verse. Peter nodded at me to keep going.

“Captain! Captain! I will do your chores. I will warm your cot at night and mop your cabin floors. Scold me, hold me! I'll be yours to keep. The only thing I beg of you, don't make me go to sleep.”

“I think I understand why daddy dearest didn’t like this song. To hear his little girl sing about being tied up in sheets and warming someone’s bed, not something a doting and protective father would want to hear.”

“Oh yes, the two words I would use to describe that bastard are doting and protective.” I sneered, “Why does he have to sour so many of my memories? I don’t have many and yet he keeps cropping up in them with that damn smirk.”

“Well there is a bright side to this tainted memory.”

“And what is that?”

“A new lovely image to imagine.” he smirked. My body flooded with heat as the same image drifted through my mind. “I see I’m not the only one intrigued by the concept.”

“I never said--”

“You didn’t have to,” Peter leaned in closer, overwhelming me with the heat and scent of his body. “Does my little spitfire like that idea? Restrained against a bed without a scrap of clothes on. Having me on top of you, pleasing you? So close to touch but no way to do so?”

“Almost sounds like torture.” I said, finally finding my tongue.

“A very sweet torture it would be though.” He kissed me. “Shall we rehearse?”

“Peter…”

“Not to worry, precious. It’s just a game and we can stop at any time. Trust me?”

I swallowed back the alarms ringing in my head and nodded. Excitement filling the spots where terror would have resided instead. “Good girl,” He pushed the jacket off of my shoulders. His hands hovered over the laces of my stays before I started undoing them myself and shucked them to the side. Peter eyed the shirt I was wearing as well but didn’t make a move to remove it. I was almost disappointed.

He laid me back against the ground and raised my arms above my head. “The rules are simple, spitfire.” He said, “Keep your hands right there no matter what. If you move them without me saying so then I’ll be forced to punish you. Got it?”

“I think you’re enjoying this game far too much.” I tried to ignore the heat that radiated off him as he straddled my legs. I was sufficiently pinned down with no easy escape.

“I said,” he kept my arms pinned with his hands, “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I gulped.

“Good.” He gazed over me as if looking for where he wanted to start.

He hadn’t even started yet and I was already breathing hard. Memories drifting up from a dark place in my mind.

Trapped.

Peter’s eyes softened and he touched my cheek. “Are you sure you want to play this game?” He asked, “I don’t want to force you, my pearl.”

I smiled. The knot of anxiety in my chest melting away. I’m not trapped. I can stop this at any time. “I’m sure. I trust you to make me feel good.”

“I will,” Still leaning over me he pressed a feather soft kiss to my forehead, then another to either of my temples. Next my eyes, my cheeks, my nose and all along my jaw. It was almost sweet. But if there’s one thing I know about Peter is that he doesn’t do sweet. Not for long at least.

He moved further down pressing kisses to my neck and along my collar bone and shoulders. I balled my hands into fists to still them from wanting to tangle them in his hair. This was harder than I thought it would be. He sucked hard on one of my weak spots and I whined loudly. He chuckled against my pulse and continued on unperturbed.

His hands wound from their grip on my wrists down my arms and traced over my body. Had my shirt always been this thin or did it just feel that way because Peter was touching me? Where his hands went his mouth shortly followed. The edge of my shirt was riding further up as Peter exposed more and more skin. Pressing hot kisses along my abdomen.

“Such a pretty little treasure you are,” he whispered as he moved his way back up to my neck. “And you’re being so obedient for once. You’ve behaved well so far, anything you want me to do?”

“I’d like it if you would kiss me properly.”

He grinned wider and pressed his mouth to mine. I kissed him back hungrily. For a moment I almost forgot about our game and my hands started to move before I positioned them back in place. My little slip up didn’t go unnoticed from Peter who pulled back from our kiss with a smirk. “Getting harder to obey, spitfire?”

“Isn’t it a good thing that I want to touch you?”

“It is a very good thing,” A gleam sparkled his eye, “Tell me how much you want to touch me. If you could, where would you touch me? My face? My hair?”

“Yes,” I answered, “But that’s not only where I’d touch you.”

“Oh really?”

“I want to feel the muscles in your arms. Run my hands down your chest.”

“Brave girl,” Peter took off his tunic and my eyes went wide. “Is this what you wanted? What you wanted to badly to touch?”

I nodded. My voice useless. He leaned down resting the naked weight of his torso along my chest. “Such a shame that you can’t,” He kissed my neck, “But I can touch you.”

“Enjoying the power high?” I asked, trying not to show how flustered I really was.

“Immensely.” He kissed me down the center of my chest and between the valley of my breasts. The only part of my torso that remained covered yet. Peter gauged my reaction before swiping a thumb over my left breast.

The moan that left me had me burning with embarrassment and arousal. Peter smiled at my reaction and did it again to the right earning another low moan. “May I?” he asked, gesturing to my shirt.

I nodded again. He shucked my shirt up and pulled it from my body. Certainly not how I had imagined the night going but I wasn’t complaining either. The both of us naked from the waist up illuminated by the moonlight. He laid back down. Letting the feel of our skin touching one another settle and warm us. He was shaking slightly and it occurred to me that he was probably just as pleasantly nervous as I. He kissed me hard and I responded in earnest. By the stars I wanted to touch him so badly.

He left my lips and I whined as the solid warmth of his body went with him. “Don’t complain, precious. I’m not going far.” His head dipped to my chest, taking full advantage of the fact that my shirt was now gone. My breathing came harder as he swiped his tongue experimentally over my breast.

“Peter!” I moaned, uncaring of the noises I was making anymore. He continued to lavish one breast with his mouth, sucking on it until it pebbled and running his tongue across it while his hand massaged the other one into a similar state. My body arching against him.

All the while I moaned and whined while trying desperately to keep my hands in place. This really wasn’t fair. “Peter,” I whimpered as he switched to suck on my other breast and fondle the other. “Peter please!”

“Please what?” he asked.

“Please let me touch you.”

“Since you asked so nicely…no.”

“Fuck you!” I snapped and he laughed.

“Well if you really want to,” He playfully bit my nipple and I yelped.

“You are such an ass!”

“You love it.” He squeezed the other harder and I whined louder again. “Stay in place, I’m not through with you yet.”

My hands fisted uselessly in the sand. More time slipped by as he went on his merry way of unraveling me. I had the biggest urge to throw the rules to the wind and tackle him so I could finally have some access but I kept my arms high above my head. If this was a game then I was going to win. Besides, the path to winning was pretty sweet too.

By the time he released me from my imaginary bonds my body was slick with sweat and there were a variety of bruises dotting my skin. The moment he said I could stop restraining myself I tackled him to his back. “My turn,” I grinned as I positioned his arms above his head like he had with me. “Or do you not want to be the one restrained?”

“Want to try your hand at being in charge?” He smirked.

“I am in charge.” I nipped at his neck, “Now be good for me. Just like I was good for you.”

I started slow just as he had. Feather soft kisses to his most sensitive places. Tracing my hands along his face and chest. Hearing his breath quicken under me as I sucked hard on his neck. Fingernails scratching down his chest. Muttered obscenities as I ventured lower. A kiss above his hip. A lick up the smooth expanse of his abdomen. A swipe of my tongue across his nipples.

“Damn woman!” Peter groaned when I tugged on his hair, wrenching his head up so I could taste his neck better. “Let me touch you!”

“You got to touch me plenty.” I reminded him, “It’s my turn now.”

I met his eyes. His pupils were dilated wider than I had ever seen. A bead of sweat collected on his brow. I swiped the curls from his forehead and kissed him there. I put my mouth to his and squeaked at the ferocity of which he kissed me back. The one thing he was allowed to do in this state of restraint.

I chuckled and pulled back again. A dark look passed over his face at my retreat. “Done already, Lost Girl?”

“Far from it,” I took my time to look him over, “Just wanted to take a look at my progress.”

“And you said I enjoyed this too much.”

“Let’s just say I understand you better now.” I repositioned myself and froze when I felt a hard ridge probing between my legs. Peter sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. “Well hello again.” I chuckled. The fear and dread I would have felt before evaporating into nothingness. I wasn’t trapped. This was my choice.

“What can I say, has a mind of its own.” Peter laughed dryly. He kept his face turned from me.

“Is that a blush I see?” I didn’t move from my position over his erection. “Are you embarrassed, Peter?”

“I’m not--” He cut off with a moan as I gave an experimental roll of my hips against his. “You are playing a dangerous game, spitfire.”

“Aren’t all our games dangerous?” I rolled again and this time my moan joined his. This was certainly different from last time.

“Fuck the games,” Peter sat up and pulled me flush against his body. The hard ridge of flesh between us grinding against me at a new angle. “Tell me to stop. Now!”

“No.” I bucked against him on instinct. My body craving more of the sweet friction between us. “Don’t ever stop.”

“You’ll be the death of me. I swear it.” He kissed me hard. One hand was tangled in my hair while the other rested on my hip urging me to continue moving. “How does it feel?” He asked after I got into a motion.

“Good. Really good.” I moaned louder, holding to him tighter. “I didn’t know it could feel this good.”

“Me either,” he quickened our pace. His eyes were screwed shut as he continued to rut against me. His breathing was labored and more moans and groans fell ceaselessly from his lips. I latched my lips to his neck and sucked hard on the sweet spot I knew drove him wild. “By the stars I love you.”

My world snapped back together and my hips stilled. Peter seemed to realize what he said as well and gazed up at me. “You love me?” I asked.

He visibly gulped, eyes wide with panic. “I do. I love you.”

I kissed him. It wasn’t urgent per say. It was just a kiss, deeply felt and spread a warmth throughout my whole body. “I love you too, Peter.”

That sparked something in him and he started moving my hips against him again. I took up the pace from before. My world was boiling over with heat and love. A heady combination.

“Say it again, my pearl.” His voice cracked with the plea, “Say it again.”

“I love you,” I gasped as I ground down on him harder, “I love you.”

“Again.”

“I love you!”

“Again!”

“I love you! Peter! I love you! I love you! I love you!” I screamed as my body finally flew over the edge it had been rocketing towards this entire time. Peter yelled my name as his own hips bucked hard against me. The high we were at slowing down as we stilled. He collapsed onto his back and I followed after him trying desperately to catch my breath.

I stretched to peck his lips affectionately. “Peter,” I whispered, “You love me.”

He laughed, brushing a finger against my cheek. “Yes my pearl, I love you.”

“Does my love want to go wash off in a lagoon with me? Sweat and sand makes for an uncomfortable combination.”

“You want me to be in the same place as you when we’re both naked and wet and right after we just did that?”

“Think of it as your punishment.” I smirked, “After all, you did break the rules and touched me when you weren’t supposed to. You get to be so close but not allowed to touch me.”

“Who said that you get to deal out punishments?”

“I did. Since I was the one that actually obeyed the rules.” I stood up, my legs slightly wobbly. Peter wasn’t in much better condition though he tried to hide it.

We found a small lagoon to wash off in and I turned around to undress. Considering I had just been grinding against him not ten minutes ago I shouldn’t have felt so strange about this. When I peeked over my shoulder to see if he was watching I found him facing away from me as well as he hopped around trying to pull his boots off. I snorted and turned back around. It made me feel better knowing that he was just as awkward about this as me.

I heard a splash and knew Peter was in the water. It was my turn. I turned around slowly. Peter was watching me from the water and quickly looked away when I caught him staring at my nude body. Adorable.

I stepped into the water and let out a content sigh as I sunk down up to my neck. “We should go night swimming more often. This is lovely.”

“Yes,” Peter said. He still wasn’t looking directly at me as he rinsed the grime of the day away.

“Peter,” I swam closer to him and saw him tense up. “Is this uncomfortable for you? I can get out if it is.”

“No. That’s not it.” He said, his back turned towards me, “I was told I’m not allowed to touch you so I’m not touching you.”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t have to look at me.”

“Yes it does.” He sighed, “If I look at you then I’m going to want to touch you and I’m trying my best to obey your rules, precious.”

I wrapped my arms around him from behind. He became tense in my arms as I pressed my chest to his back. My forehead rested between his shoulder blades. I pressed a small kiss to his shoulder and he breathed out. His body melting against mine.

“I thought we weren’t supposed to be touching.” His hands overlapped mine resting on his stomach.

“Rules are stupid.” I murmured. “Besides, you just told me you loved me. How am I meant to keep my hands to myself after that?”

“I meant what I said but I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that.” He scoffed, “Hardly seemed like the appropriate time to let you know that I had fallen in love with you. You just felt so good in my arms and you were so trusting of me and...I love you. I needed you to know right that second.”

“I’m just glad that you said it at all. I’ve been wanting to tell you the same thing for a long time now but was too scared. I was worried that you’d think I was asking for more than you were willing to give. I knew you cared about me but love is such a foreign concept to me nowadays I didn’t even want to imagine what you thought of it. Figured even the sound of it would offend you.”

“Before I met you probably. So much has changed since you flew into my life.”

“My whole life got upheaved when I met you.” I chuckled. “But for the better.”

“Only for the better, my love.” Peter turned around and kissed me. “You make it so difficult to be a gentleman looking as alluring as you do.”

“One of these days we’ll have sex. I can promise that.” I pecked his lips again. “Not tonight but someday. Maybe someday soon.”

“I look forward to the day you ask me to make love to you.” Peter traced my cheek with his thumb. “Maybe then I can look at you naked and not be so flustered.”

“I don’t know. I like seeing you act coy.” I booped his nose, “Makes me feel kinda special knowing that I can fluster you so easily.”

“You’re the only one that can do that, swordfish. Not another person alive has as much control over me as you do.” There was something akin to reverence in his eyes as he stared at me. “I do truly love you with everything that I am.”

I hugged him close. We stayed in the lagoon, our skin growing pruny but neither of us caring. We simply existed next to each other and it was bliss. This is what love was meant to feel like. What true love felt like. I wondered how I had gone so long without it. Without him. My love. My Peter Pan.

---

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[bonktime]

Weather the Storm

Chapter One - Taken Aback

Ezra (Prospect) x f!reader (no y/n) 1861 Lighthouse au 

Written in the third person, so I guess you could say Ezra x OC? but she isn’t physically described or named at any point

Rated: E (just the whole story)

Prologue - Lay of the Land // Masterlist // Chapter Two: Hand Over Fist

Ezra travelled with the tides, let the sea carry him where it willed and never stayed long. The lighthouse keeper was the opposite. Where he moved she stood firm, defying the waves and the tide as if carved from the cliff herself. They’re drawn together, but opposing forces so strong are always destined to cause a storm.

Summary: In search of a place to stay Ezra meets the Lighthouse Keeper. Stuck together for the night by the tide she must quickly work out whether she can trust him enough to let him stay.

Warnings: Language, a lil violence, an even liler bit of sexual tension, some victorian sexism (smut will come)

Wordcount: 3700

Note: Thanks to @danniburgh​ who I throw ideas at left right and centre to figure stuff out! Turns out I can’t write short things? Either way I’m glad I decided to chapter this so I didn’t go totally bananas. Next one should be up in a week! Prepare for yearning. 

~~~~~~~~~

Spring was doing what spring always did by the sea. Vehemently refusing to start. Sometimes a crack in the clouds let a beat of sun through warming the lighthouse keeper's skin and for just a second teased what could be. But as ever, it shyly retreated back behind the grey.

Unable to rest until dawn broke and tinted the sky pink, she had slept through most of the day. When she finally shook off the exhaustion from work the night before, there had been just enough blue in the sky to make a sailor a pair of trousers, enough to entice her into moving. So, she had thrown on her chemise for some illusion of modesty, not that anyone could see her, and gone for a swim. 

Bracing was one word for it, fucking baltic was more appropriate. There was nothing quite like it. The way it made her heart pound, made her gasp as she swam, circling the small island, it made her feel alive. There was always a risk of a current pulling her out, a risk she knew all too well. But she knew the water, knew every dip and whirlpool well enough to recognise when they should be avoided. Keeping an eye on the sun she let the incoming tide tug her gently back to the shoreline. In only a few hours she'd have to ascend the steps and light the light.

From her position in the water, she spotted a figure, wading across the causeway, getting pulled to and fro by the tug of the tides, but determinedly heading for the island. She'd let the captain of The Mistress know her room was available a couple days ago and he hadn't sent trouble her way so far. Even so a jolt of unease struck at the thought of being trapped with the stranger until the sea went out. The little rowing boat wouldn't be much good with the storm that was now threatening to roll in. Cursing quietly to herself and suddenly very grateful she’d thrown on even a thin layer, she struck out towards him.

Clambering inelegantly back into the rocks she stood to watch him. He hadn't seen her yet, too focused on keeping his possessions dry, giving her the opportunity to take him in. From this distance she couldn't see his features but his broad shoulders and lean body were a good sign he had experience with trying work, and she could make out a bright shock of white in the crown of his hair. That was more curious, she wondered if he'd been born with it or if he'd suffered such a fright, it'd left a mark. That seemed like a rude thing to ask on a first meeting so she brushed the question aside and headed towards him, carefully stepping over the rock pools and avoiding slipping on the seaweed.

⧫⧫⧫

The first thing Ezra noticed about the woman heading towards him was the fact she appeared to only be wearing her undergarments. The next was that she was soaking wet from stem to stern. Had he been a better man, he might have looked away. Instead, he blatantly stared, the liquid made the cloth cling to her body, damn near rendering it transparent. As she got close, he watched a droplet make its way down her throat, following it with his eyes, he swallowed thickly.

Up close she could see his coat was clearly well made and had probably been expensive but it was old and in desperate need of being rewaxed. Perhaps it had been a gift? Hopefully it had not been stolen. The thin scar curving across his cheek would probably give fair warning to most, but his eyes were soft and wide. He just spelt trouble for her.

"Shut your gob, the wind'll change and you'll get stuck like that."

At that Ezra closed his mouth quickly and pulled himself together, finally focusing on her face. She was waiting for him to speak, clearly sizing him up "Could you possibly direct me towards the lighthouse keeper?"

She noted his strange accent but couldn't stop rolling her eyes, no one ever expected her. "That depends on who's asking"

"Captain Williams suggested I could find respite here whilst I work his ship."

She frowned at him, “What’s your name?”

“I’m Ezra, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I humbly apologise if I interrupted your swim.” again Ezra felt himself be judged, but apparently, she deemed him enough for now and nodded. 

"Come on then or we'll both catch cold" she turned to climb the steps to the cottages with him following behind.

The small kitchen was warm, heated by a small arger, she moved a kettle onto its plate and tossed in a log. With a deep sigh she turned to him, biting the inside of her cheek to stop grinning at his bemused expression. "I'm going to dress; you should get out of your wet clothes too. Don't let the kettle boil dry, I'll make a cuppa, then we can talk." With that she left him dripping in the rough wooden floor.

Ezra decided then that whatever she was, she certainly wasn't grey. But she wasn't colour either, she was something else entirely. Something he couldn't recognise. It stirred something in him, an urge to uncover what lay beneath, like cracking a rock and discovering a beautiful gem. Naturally, it stirred something in his trousers too, but, he reckoned, seeing any woman wet and nearly naked would do that. Ignoring it, he tugged off his boots and trews and pulled on his spares before going to lean on the oven to warm up, feet still bare.

Just as the kettle boiled and he was closing the hot plate she reappeared, rolling her sleeves of her dark blue woolen dress up to the elbow and hanging her soaked chemise over the arger before stretching up to pull a teapot and cups out of a cupboard next to a little window. 

"This is quite a place you have here, and what a view.” He looked out the window, reaching up to the wind chime made from sea glass, worn matte from the sand that hung there. He touched the smoothed edges of the glass, it felt rough on his fingers. “I'll wager it’s quite something to awaken and be able to see water on all sides without feeling the rocking of a ship beneath you." As far as Ezra could tell, it was as if he wasn't there. The woman moved around him locating loose tea and milk as if completing a ritual, never one to be discouraged from talking he continued, "Course once you get used to it, I imagine you barely notice it. But for me, having been on the waves themselves for the past weeks, it will be quite an adjustment." He looked at the two cups. "Is your husband not joining us?"

She didn't turn around, "He will not."

"Your father then? Although I am surprised a lovely thing like yourself is not betrothed. Promised perhaps?"

"No." He wasn't sure which question she had answered at first, it dawned slowly that it had in fact been both. He nearly smacked himself in the forehead.

"You wouldn't happen to be the keeper, would you?"

She turned to him then, eyebrows raised "I think perhaps you worked it out the fastest, I once strung a poor young man along for a week before he realised, I lit the light."

Ezra wasn't really one to be shocked by much, and after her appearance on the rocks this wasn't too much of a revelation, so now with her full attention he continued to talk.

"I'd wonder it doesn't get lonely though, on this rock all by oneself would be mighty isolating. Almost no one around for company except the sea and the rocks. Perhaps that's why you rent the room? That or your expenses are far higher than I'd expect" he forced himself to stop as she placed the tea and a biscuit tin on the little table and turned back to glare at him 

"Why are you here?" That made him blink, halting his thread of thoughts

"I'm here to rent a room. Did I not make that explicit? I do apologise"

She waved him off "No. I know why you're here. Why are you in this place? Work sure, but work can be found anywhere, especially on the water. Work less dangerous, with better weather. Were you bored and thought it romantic?" She was stepping towards him "Are you desperate?” A step. “Do you like taking risks?" Another step "Are you running from something?" She was right in front of him then, looking up at his face "So, I'll ask again. Why are you here?" For a split-second Ezra felt frozen in her gaze but then she reached around him as grabbed his soggy trousers, turning away to hang them alongside her chemise on the airer.

He blinked and shook himself. "I wanted to see it, to work it. The dead sea. Conquer it in my own way.To continue my own adventure somewhere new." She hummed in response picking up her cup and watching him. "And what of you? All alone on this rock. Seems you're a risk taker yourself. Most people would frown upon a woman welcoming a single man into her home, it implies things. Not to mention anything could happen to you,” He couldn't help himself, his voice lowered, unable to back down from the challenge she'd given him. The implication of his crimes. “Anything at all and no one around to save you."

In a split second she'd moved, pulling a blade, he hadn't even thought to look for, out from a sheath under her apron and had it pressed against his jugular.

"A bit of risk? You needn't worry for me." her steady hand pressed firmly enough the knife nicked into his flesh "But you? You know no one here. If you die no one will notice, no one will care. No one will even think to look for your body, let alone find it." He couldn’t hold back the grin as she stepped back, inspecting the drop of blood on the blade, cup of tea still in hand. "5 shillings a week for the room and food, first payment up front, the rest when you're paid." 

Well, this was surprising. Such a spark, truly tough enough to stand against an ocean. "Sounds perfect."

Finally, she cracked the smallest smile and Ezra felt as if the sun had found a fissure in the clouds. "I'll make food, I'm working tonight so it'll be breakfast for me and dinner for you, then you can settle in. When do you start on The Mistress?"

"Two days' time, should be quite an experience." He thought of the heavy clouds.

"Well make sure you don't wake me in the morning tomorrow or your stay will be very short." She wiped the drop of blood off the knife and stowed it away again. Ezra wondered what else was hidden under that apron and why he hadn’t even thought she might have the sense to be armed. He chastised himself.

"Do you man the light alone? It seems prudent you don’t have to remain awake every night."

"5 days to three, I take an extra shift, the other keeper has a house in the mainland so he spends all the time he can there. I expect it won't be long until you're sick of the sight of me."

"Oh, I doubt that, not when you're so full of surprises. Why do you rent the room, with an extra shift surely you don't need the money?”

"I don't get paid that shift," Ezra waited for her to elaborate but she didn’t. "I" she let out a laugh "Mostly I rent the room so I can buy books, something to do whilst I work. Plus, I like the company. Get to meet new people from all over for a few months and I still get to have the whole winter to myself. It's lonely as you said, sure, but I like being alone. I'm good at it."

There was a wildness in Ezra that she couldn't seem to pinpoint. Something about the reckless grin when she's threatened him, the fearlessness. It was what compelled her to let him stay. It drew her in like the pull of the moon. To welcome in such a force of nature, made her doubt her own judgment.

"I'll expect you to help plant and harvest the vegetables when the time comes." As she spoke, she moved around the kitchen throwing together the meal as quickly as she could before the sun began to dip.

Supper was simple, just a stottie with a couple eggs and vegetables. She'll have to go into town soon and see if she could get some meat cuts. But he didn't complain. Just talked continuously, complimented her cooking whilst watching her every move not unlike one might watch an animal in a zoo. It was a little unsettling and it made her feel very glad she was going to be awake all night, not letting herself be vulnerable to him at least for a few more hours.

"Will I need to be expecting guests? Women? Men? Either way I'd rather be warned beforehand." Her upfront way of talking made Ezra chuckle.

"I cannot be sure yet but I'll endeavour to let you know should I be taken by someone. And what of you? Must I prepare for being kept awake in the night by men, women or otherwise?"

She just shrugged, "I doubt it, I'm not the most popular around here at the best of times"

"That wouldn't have anything to do with your working and welcoming in strangers, would it? Are the people here so closed minded?" He smirked at the notion of the scandal that probably followed her.

"Not all of them, just those with power. I am at odds with the vicar because I sleep most Sundays and keep defying the lord's will for me"

"How cruel of you." His tone was laced in so much sarcasm it made her relax a little. At least she wouldn't have to face his judgement and sly glares for a summer.

Still, it was very strange for a woman to hold this job. “I am compelled to ask if you have ever been married?”

A look crossed her face, of pain, and of something else he didn't know. Just there for a flash and then swept away, like writing in the sand. She ignored the question. “Pay up and I'll show you your room, you can get settled and sleep off your journey. I'll imagine you're tired.”

He handed her the coins and followed her through the door and up the rickety staircase. There were two doors, one slightly ajar. The glimpse inside revealed just the end of a bed and a bookshelf but all too quickly, she opened the other door and ushered him in. Inside was cosy, or possibly just small. The bed was heavily laden with blankets which appeared to be handmade, it sat opposite a chest of drawers and a chair. 

She crouched to light the fire, “Hopefully you won't need it all season but you definitely will tonight. I don't know how hardy you are against the cold.”

“Not as hardy as you I'd expect. I had the blessing of spending most of the winter months far south, so far south ice couldn't possibly be conceived”

The flame sparked in front of her, flickering around the room. "The sun is setting; I'll leave you to it. If there's an emergency I'll be in the tower. Try to stay quiet tomorrow. I'd like to actually get some sleep."

He opened his mouth to respond but she was already out the door, with a huff he sat down on the bed and opened his satchel to begin unpacking. When he was done, he stripped down, folded his clothes and placed them on the chair and curled underneath the blankets. The orange glow of the fire lit the room as the crash of the waves lulled him to sleep far quicker than usual.

⧫⧫⧫

It turned out the storm's threats had been for naught. The sky didn't break and the rain didn't come. Instead, after winding up the rotation system she enjoyed the peace and quiet, sitting back with a book only needing to move every hour to fill the sock over the paraffin with air. She was reading an old favourite, ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Mr Bennett reminded her of her father, all quick wit and dry humour. It made her laugh even as her heart ached for the loss. He used to say she was too much like Elizabeth for her own good. Hot headed and stubborn and determined, perhaps if he saw her now, he'd disagree. Be made sad by how the world had wearied her, wonder when her ability to find easy joy had gotten misplaced. But it had been dragged out to sea along with him, never to be found.

The night passed quietly and slowly. But every quiet night was a relief, to be bored, by this sea, was a blessing.

⧫⧫⧫

He awoke early, before the sun had even considered peeking over the horizon and stretched. Looking out of the window he saw the ocean was black, just the flash of the lighthouse illuminating it every few seconds. Tugging on his shirt he placed another log on the fire and picked up his leather-bound journal, an intimate document of his travels, reading the last page. Written on the boat in the cold it didn't give the most flattering depiction of the view of the village from the water. He chuckled to himself, light beginning to peek through the thin curtain as he continued to write his tale, it had its highlights. The appearance of the lighthouse keeper was one, approaching nearly naked and wet from the waves made quite the first impression. He wondered vaguely if even his ridiculous vocabulary could do it justice. The spark, the last stand against the sea, that damn near see-through chemise- he sighed to himself, that was going to haunt him.

The front door slammed shut and he heard a short curse, cut off by the sound of the keeper running up the stairs. Incurably curious, he put the journal aside and headed onto the small landing, dressed only in his long cream shirt. She had already disappeared into her room but as he stepped out, he stood directly onto a wet patch on the floor. Looking down he spotted the wet footprints. Clearly, she had striven to swim before he awoke for some discretion.

Unfortunately for her, Ezra's self-control had always run a little thin and there was no stopping him knocking on her door. It cracked open a little, her head poking out, body held to the side hidden behind the door. He grinned as her eyes widened for a second at his state of undress.

"What do you want? I'll make food in a minute"

Her statement was so concise he almost laughed. As if he had any real excuse to bother her. "It appears I have the day to myself, and with your need to rest I find myself in dire need of stimulation," an eyebrow rose at that, "Perchance could I borrow a novel? You implied ownership of quite the collection."

She pursed her lips at him and shut the door. He blinked, not expecting her just to brush him off and stood dumbstruck for a second. It was not often he was so rudely ignored. And then, even more to his surprise the door cracked open and a hand appeared. A hand clasping a book. He continued to blink at it.

"Do you want it or not? You're letting in a terrible draft." So, he took it and the door shut again. Totally baffled, he returned to his room looking at the cover. ‘Pride and Prejudice’, an old favourite.

A short while later a shout alerted Ezra to food and he chatted happily to the keeper who again appeared to be ignoring him as she hunted for bowels and pulled a dish out from the arger where it had been heating.

"I haven't had the pleasure of Jane Austen's writing for quite some time. Not since my book was cruelly stolen from me, along with several other possessions and my bag, just as I arrived in the beautiful port of Genova in northern Italy. Quite a place." He let himself trail off, expecting her to shut down his monologue or continue to ignore him.

Instead, she handed him his food, some fish pie, and sat down. "What's Genova like? I haven't been."

His face cracked into an easy grin as she watched, clearly thrilled to have her participation in the conversation even a little and he continued to talk until she yawned heavily and sloped away to sleep.

⧫⧫⧫

His day was quiet. He read, walked round the island, was delighted to see seals flopping around on the rocks, and wrote. Despite his best efforts, the lighthouse keeper seemed insistent on making herself a central character, even if she'd only been around for a few pages. Something about the woman watching the sea had captured his imagination. He wondered how she came to man the light, why she was alone, why she took him in. She had seemed far too clever to let him stay. Of all people, she should have had the sense to turn him away. Naturally, he was glad she hadn't but even so it was strange. He thought on all the trouble he'd found himself in, often of his own creation. She could very possibly become the worst of it.

⧫⧫⧫

Upstairs she tossed and turned. No idea why she'd let him stay. Maybe the loneliness had finally taken her sense. That evening, they ate together again. He talked seemingly endlessly but smoothly evaded her pointed questions about where he got his accent and why he really wanted to work the North Sea. It was amicable, but also impersonal, both still trying to gage the other well, before they could become totally comfortable. As she left to work, she told him to stay safe on the sea.

When day broke and she descended the stairs, he was gone. She hoped he'd survive.

~~~~~~

Glossary

Taken Aback: A boat facing the wind directly so no sails can catch the wind, basically just a bad pun

Enough blue in the sky to make a sailor a pair of trousers: A teeny tiny amount of blue

Baltic: Geordie phrase meaning freezing cold, I dunno where it comes from, baltic sea maybe?

From stem to stern: from top to bottom of a ship

Arger: Cast iron oven, in this age it would have had a fire in the bottom with two ovens, a hot one above and a cooler to the side along with a stove/hot plate on top. 

Stottie: Geordie bread bun

~~~~~

Ezra Taglist

@fandom-blackhole​

[georgesbee]

TEACHER LOVE Part.3

Pairing: George.Weasley x (Y/N) reader

Warning:smut, dirty talk, unprotected sex

(GIF is not mine)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

.....

...,, see you tomorrow class, mister weasley could you pls wait I want to talk to you in privat‘‘ George was very nervouse what would she say.

When they were just in a room George looked again up and down and stopped at her bum. She saw it and started ‘‘why did you lie to me, I thought you were an adult“

‘‘ I don’t know what you mean I’m an adult, I’m eighteen( just imagen😂🤚🏻). , I didn’t lie I have a shop, me and my brother will leave this school and start working“

‘‘you got to be kidding me u can’t just leave this school-“ “yes I can“

“I don’t care I just wanted to say pls forget what happend the day in the shop“ “I cant, I like you really, don’t say you didn’t liked it that day“

“yes I liked it but we can’t“ “why not you are twenty I’m eighteen what’s so bad about it I’m still taller than you“ ( from the size ) “it‘s not because of the size they would fire me if they find out“

George came her near and put his hand on her waist and wisperted in her ear. “they wont find out i promise. It could be our little secret“ “I don’t know it is wrong“ “I don’t care if it‘s wrong I like you a lot and I can’t stop thinking about you pls“

he kissed her neck and his other hand was in her bum and squeezed it. She was in shock but she wanted him too.

“okay..... I like you too but don’t tell it anybody“ “I won’t“

he kissed her neck up and got closer to Her lips . That’s when he kissed her on the lips and got slowly harder and stuck his toungh out in to her mouth. She kissed him back and wanted more.Her hands were in his hair. She stuck her toungh out and their both toungh‘s touched and fighted together for dominance.When he squeezed her bum harder and grinder into her she let a Moan out and his erection grew.

‘‘I want you Y/N so bad“ ‘‘I want to feel you“

that’s when he started to pull her shirt of off her and open her bra with violence. She ripped his pullover off of him and trayed to open his trousers but coudn‘t. That’s when George pulled away quickly and smirked a little

“you are sooo needy, don’t worry princess when you have me inside you,you will scream my name“ he unzipped his trousers and was now in his boxers.

She trew her bra away and he could see her bare chast. She pulled her skirt off of her. George looked at her erected nipple. “mhm I want you so bad“

he started to massage them and kiss her hard. ,, mhhhhhmmm....George“ she stroke him with her hand on his boxers ,, ahh...... mhm“

,,pls George just do it“ he grinned with his boxers in to her unterwere . ,, do what?“ he teased her .

He pulled her underwear down and his fingers went down there and were near her folds . ,, George just pls fuck me“ ,, everything you say“ she pulled his boxers down and his leangh spronge out and teased her folds.

With his fingers he cireld her clit. ,, ohh George pls I want your-„ bevor she could end her sentence he trust his cock in to her ,,ahhhhh“ ,,ohh babe“ he trusted his hips into her and rubbed her clit and with his other hand he held her hair.

Y/N hand‘s were in his hair and messed it up. ,, faster George“ he got faster and rough with her . She Wimperd and moaned like a moaning mess ,, ahhhh George ....ohhhh yeah“. George went even faster and groaned ,,ohh god mhhhm“. They could just hear their skin slapping and laud moaning. ,,george....Ohh GEORGE!“ there George knew she was about to cum. He went fast really fast ,, cum for me..“ ,,OHH“ with a laid moan she cum around him after that he came in Seconds after her.

,,ohh.. that was amazing“ George let her hair go and kissed her stomach and wisperd: ,, you are so beautiful“

,,I love you.. George“ ,, I love you too, u are so hot I just want a round two“ ,, chill my little bad boy, I musst to go when someone sees us you know what is going to happen then“ ,, okay , but I get a round two babe...“ they both started to put their cloths on and gave them the last kiss. ,, yk you can’t say it anybody ok-„ ,, I understood nobody, it‘s okay my love“

,,see you later baby“ ,,by hot stuff“ Y/N smiled so big,she was happy. They both leave the class room and went both other ways.

What will happen next🤔😂?

I hope you like it it‘s not good but I tried pls give me feedback 🙏🥺☺️

[concussed-to-pieces]

Her Dove, His Falcon, Their Shield Part Two

Fandom: Game Of Thrones

Pairing: Oberyn/Reader/Ellaria

Rating: Holy shit M.

AN: Disclaimer for Game Of Thrones writing here! Hello everyone, welcome to the next installment! I hope you're all doing well. Thank you so much for being here. Enjoy!

Tag List: @culturalrebel @huliabitch @absurdthirst @helplessly-nonstop @lackofhonor @the-feckless-wonder @cyaredindjarin @thesadvampire @robin-writes @buckysalefty

Part One

[!TRIGGER WARNING!: This installment contains allusions to previous abuse, non-graphic mentions of pregnancy/labor and birth, and threesome antics. Stay safe!]

"Again!" Oberyn demanded, wiping the sweat off his brow. 

You feinted left, then right, the butt of your pike nearly striking the prince in the ribs before he danced out of the way. You grunted, discouraged by the fact that you still weren't fast enough to catch him. You had been closer that time though…

The prince laughed, the noise in and of itself immensely galling. "Perhaps if you land a blow on me today, my newest daughter will bear your name!" He taunted. "Shieldove Sand has such a ring to it."

You leveled your pike at him. "Save your teasing for your courtiers, Prince Oberyn!" You snarled, "I am in no mood for your damned japery at my expense!"

"Hold." Oberyn ordered sharply. 

You slumped a little, your grip on the pike loose now. "I...I apologize, your highness." 

"You are concerned about her." It wasn't a question and you well understood that.

"I am." You allowed softly. 

Ellaria had gone into labor several hours before and Oberyn had specifically sought you out for some particularly grueling training. His smile was tight-lipped as the two of you squared off in the empty training courtyard. You knew he was worried as well, but you were bordering on frantic. 

Oberyn's heavy sigh took you by surprise. "I would give every breath in my body to be there with her, but I am told it is an excessively messy affair. She does not wish for me to see her birth." He said bluntly. "Every time it is like this. Every time I am caged, constantly pacing, driving myself mad with thoughts that grow more and more dark as the hours pass." 

You bit your lip and then laid a hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry Oberyn, I didn't mean to imply that...I know I am not the only one who fears for her safety." You apologized timidly.

He covered your hand with his own, thumb rubbing over your knuckles idly. "You called me Oberyn." He mused after a moment. You flinched, but he kept your hand where it was. "I am glad, my falcon. It heartens me to know that you think of her as I do." 

"We can do naught but pray for her safety and keep ourselves busy until she requires you once again." You pointed out, desperate to change the subject so he wouldn't dwell on your error of addressing him by his given name. "I must train even harder, for what if the new babe is like your Sand Snake Elia?"

Oberyn burst out laughing, bumping his forehead into yours. "Truly, what if! We will have no choice but to rally the guard at that point. No one will be safe." You couldn't help your smile when he looked at you, his eyes crinkling with mirth. "Thank you for the levity, my falcon." 

"I live to serve, your highness."

He sighed heavily, knocking the butt of his spear against the ground. "How many times must I insist you call me Oberyn?" The prince began to back away, his spear twirling easily in his deft hands. You shook your head ruefully and did not reply, your own weapon in a low defensive position. "Prepare yourself, Ser Shieldove! You face the Red Viper of House Martell!" He announced with a grand flourish, charging in afterwards.

You easily parried his first strike, and dodged his second. The third rasped against your chain mail loudly, making the prince grin triumphantly before you brought the haft of your pike up and threw him back a step. "Too cocky, princeling!" You admonished, startling another laugh out of him. "You'll have to do better than that!" 

Your pike thrust out and he slipped around it like the snake he was, his own mail clicking with the sharpness of his motions. You scoffed, swinging the shaft instead to finally catch him firmly in the ribs. The prince staggered, but quickly took advantage of your shock as his spear jabbed low, aiming for your legs. 

At the pressure of meeting your body, the safety binding around the blade of the spear tore slightly. You felt something catch on the inside of your unarmored thigh when Oberyn snapped his wrist back, his spear singing through the air with the speed of his retreat. You caught his next attack with the palm of your hand around the haft of his spear, halting the blow before it could land. "Mind your blade." You warned, tipping your head to the now-exposed metal at the head of his spear.

Oberyn nodded, then his eyes widened. As he strode forward, your thigh began to sting. You glanced down, startled by the amount of blood that already darkened your hose. Oberyn shoved you back a step with the force of his approach, his fingers tearing at the laced placket on your trews. 

"W-What are you doing?!" You protested, your voice pitched abnormally high out of fear as you slapped your hands down over his own to still them. He was too close, why was he-

"I have just slit your leg open and you ask what I'm doing? I should have made you wear your cuisses, I am a fool." He hissed, "Sparring with you while we are both in turmoil was me tempting fate, and now you...have…"

His words faded after he gave up on your placket and simply tore the hole in your hosiery a bit wider, exposing more of your bare thigh. You closed your eyes tightly, not wanting to see his face.

"Ser Shieldove, what are these marks from?" Oberyn queried after a moment, his trembling fingers grazing one of the many silvered scars.

"Pinching, Prince Oberyn." You answered softly.

"Pinching." His voice was flat with disbelief.

"When I would make noise or cry out during, Prince Oberyn." 

"Gods, what?" Oberyn breathed. 

You shrugged helplessly. "He did much worse to others. I was useful." You were certain he must be staring at you, but you could not bring yourself to meet his eyes. 

His arms wrapped around your shoulders and he embraced you, pulling you into his chest and resting his forehead against your temple. "That is...barbarous, monstrous." He seethed. "To so boldly attempt to rob you of any delight you might ever have--I tremble with rage!" His laugh was sardonic, bitter, and he was indeed shaking. "So that you can feel the echoes of his lecherous manhandling, every time you bathe or dress?"

"I do not believe he expected me to escape." You admitted, startled by his rough inhale of breath. "I believe he expected me to perish one of those nights, but I was hardier than his usual playthings."

"No more, falcon." Oberyn whispered. "Please. My heart breaks at the notion of you enduring such heinous treatment." He kissed your forehead and you flushed. This was far removed from his usual lighthearted flirting! He sounded distraught, burying his face in your neck as he continued to hold you.

My heart breaks…

Slowly, hesitantly, you raised your hands to rest on his back. Your fingers fumbled for purchase momentarily on his armor. If he merely sought you out for comfort because Ellaria was indisposed, then comfort him you would. Somehow. "I have survived him, however." You sighed. "And thanks to you, he will not harm anyone ever again."

"It feels like too little in the wake of his reign of terror." Oberyn muttered. "I did it solely for my sister, for the dashed body of my infant nephew and the slaughter of my niece, but had I stopped to think about the debt that man must have wracked up with his nightmarish actions…" He trembled again. "It is as though I was picked by the gods themselves to strike him down. Why me, I wonder?"

His palm covered the wound he had created, pressing down steadily as he helped you hobble to the nearby bench. "You worry too much!" You waved off his concern, peering at the wound. It was deeper than you had anticipated, but it was still hardly a scratch to someone like yourself. "This parchment cut shall not fell me. Unless you've poisoned your blade, Red Viper?"

"Never!" Oberyn protested. "I would not gamble so foolishly on naught but a simple sparring match, Ser Shieldove."

"You do loathe losing." You teased. "You must tell your daughters I died valiantly, cursing your name while choking on my own spittle or something equally as glorious."

"It would be a death for the history books." Oberyn assured you, the furrow of his heavy brow lessening somewhat as he seemed to realize that you would be alright. 

A servant skittered around the corner of the hallway leading to the training yard, her gauzy skirts bunched up in her hands so she could run freely. "Prince Oberyn!" She called, gasping for breath. 

The prince whirled and you lunged to your feet, your leg forgotten. "Speak, girl!" Oberyn demanded of the servant, who had obviously run quite a fair bit in order to find him.

"Baby--Ellaria wants--come now-" The girl panted, gesturing vaguely behind her.

Oberyn was still for a moment, like he was frozen. You placed a hand on his rear and gave him a gentle shove, saying, "tell her no matter what happens, I am proud of her, Oberyn." The prince nodded hurriedly, shaking off his daze and bolting down the hall.

You grimaced. Hopefully, no one would question the blood that stained his hand and vambrace! You decided your best option would be to retreat to your quarters to dress your wound and wait, on the off chance that the prince or his paramour would deign to summon you.

You had hoped that the sparring would help you expend some of your nervous energy, but it did not seem that luck was on your side. You found yourself endlessly restless, pacing back and forth beside your pallet as the sun slowly sank. The bells for the evening meal rang out, but you ignored them. 

You finally lit your lantern and settled down into the chair beside your bed, focusing on the flame that flickered in the glass panes. It was an old exercise, but comforting in its familiarity. You let your mind empty, let everything drift away until all that remained was the candle and yourself. 

All I ask is that they are healthy, whole and strong. You were uncertain of who you prayed to in these times of meditation, daring to surmise that you prayed to anyone who might be listening. All I ask is that Ellaria is well, and the baby is well. Your brow furrowed. Please.

You did not know how much time passed while you were in prayerful contemplation, only realizing how sore your back was when the door to your quarters was thrown open. The sudden motion made you flinch in surprise, looking up. It was that same servant, the young girl, her face alight. "The prince and his lady have sent for you, Ser Shieldove!" she chirped. 

Thank you, you threw your heartfelt gratitude to whoever might be responsible before snuffing out the candle.

Clad in only light hose and undertunic, you raced through the maze of outer hallways with all the speed and eagerness of a child. As you approached the birthing chambers, however, you attempted to calm your thundering heart and turbulent mind, slowing to an undignified jog.

The guard at the door saluted you stiffly, opening the door after a moment of floundering with his gauntlets. You crept into the room, closing the door gingerly behind you and then turning to survey the scene. 

The first thing you noted was Ellaria sound asleep in the lavishly-structured bed, her arms supporting a swaddled, tiny babe hungrily mouthing at her breast. You heaved a sigh of relief, slumping back against the door. The next thing you saw was Oberyn beside the bed, still in his armor, with a second swaddled bundle cradled in his embrace.

The prince looked up at you and you saw that his eyes were glassy with tears. "I have been blessed." He said hoarsely.

"Two?" You whispered, barely able to believe it yourself. 

Oberyn nodded, beckoning you closer. "Come see my first son, Ser Shieldove." He implored, his voice breaking. No longer caring if you seemed overeager, you strode across the chamber to the prince's side. Oberyn tugged at the swaddling by the babe's face, allowing you a clear view. 

"Oh." You sighed wistfully, reaching out to touch his sweet little nose before you remembered your manners and snatched your hand back. This was a Sand, after all, and the firstborn boy no less!

Oberyn tilted his head towards the washbasin beside the bed. "Wash yourself, and you may hold him."

"A-Are you sure? What if I...gods, he is so small, Prince Oberyn." You whispered. Oberyn just nodded, gesturing to the basin again. You obliged him rapidly but thoroughly, washing yourself to your elbows and then patting your arms dry with the clean towel. You returned and you were confronted with the reality of a slumbering, swaddled babe being deposited into your arms. 

"Cradle his neck, rest him upon your breast. The little ones have no real strength to hold themselves up." Oberyn instructed you softly, moving your hands until the baby was secure against your chest. "Look at him, just look." The prince didn't seem to be able to stop marveling at his new son, drawing a whisper-soft finger down the bridge of his wee nose. You were almost worried about the excessive attention he was giving to the boy, when he abruptly turned back to Ellaria. "Now, precious daughter, are you sated?" He cooed. Gods, domesticity suited him, armor and all. "Will you grant your poor mother respite? She has toiled long to bring you to my arms." 

"Too long." Ellaria agreed, smiling wearily up at Oberyn. He kissed her forehead, losing the battle with his tears. "Do not cry, lover!" His paramour chided him as he sniffled. 

"I am the most blessed man in all of Dorne and you would have me be stoic, woman? This one time, I'm afraid I cannot acquiesce!" Oberyn huffed, carefully scooping his sleeping daughter off of Ellaria's chest. You stifled your own giggles at the prince's petulant behavior, swaying back and forth idly.

Ellaria glanced up at the sound of your snorting, her eyes barely open as she smiled at you. "I am glad you're here, Ser Shieldove. I know my little ones will be safe now." She mumbled, obviously moments from falling back to sleep. 

You nodded, chuckling at Oberyn's indignant grumble. The baby in your arms stirred and you began to sing softly, not wanting to disturb Ellaria. "The moon rides sand dunes home to me, she calls me sweetly by name. I am a child, a child of Dorne, the moon she knows my name." You crooned, still swaying to and fro in an attempt to lull the babe back to sleep. "The sun rides sea waves home to me, he calls me proudly by name. I am a child, a child of Dorne, the sun he knows my name." You continued to hum the tune, even as you felt the little one relax against your chest.

"How do you know that song?" Oberyn whispered.

You glanced up, but his expression was guarded. "I heard one of the older knights singing it and I asked him to teach me. He said it was a child's song." You replied, whispering as well. "I simply liked the tune. Should I not sing it?"

"I have not heard that song since I was only knee-high myself. I had all but forgotten it." Oberyn's eyes were thoughtful, the prince studying you closely. "You are full of surprises, my falcon. It gives me a certain joy to know that the first song my babes ever heard was Moon And Sun." His brow furrowed. "I cannot recall the third verse, the one about the stars."

"The stars crown mountains high above, unbowed, unbent, unbroken. We are the stars, the stars of Dorne, the world will know our name." You prompted softly.

"You have a lovely voice, my dove. Perhaps you are a nightingale?" Oberyn teased. "I shall ask you to perform at their naming."

"Your mockery always wounds me so deeply, your highness." You deadpanned. Tiny fingers wrapped around your index and you looked down, but the child's eyes were still closed. "I have been seized, it appears." You said with a smile, laying a careful kiss on the baby's head. 

Oberyn cleared his throat suspiciously hard, thumbing away a few stray tears. You chose not to comment, allowing him his moment of paternal weakness.

…

You spread the blanket out on the ground in the blood orange grove, laughing when you caught sight of Dorea clobbering a nearby tree with her child-sized morningstar. "Lady Dorea! I believe you have vanquished that particular foe!" You called.

"Ser Shieldove, there is an orange that I can't reach and it is the best one! I need it for Mama!" She yelled back, bouncing on her toes as she tried to jump for the fruit. You shook your head, making your way through the rows of trees to where she stood. 

The fruit was (probably) just within your grasp if you stood on your tiptoes and braced against the trunk of the tree. You stretched out your arm, reaching upwards and-

Someone's hands landed on your sides, pressing into your armor and lifting you with ease. You managed to grab the orange, laughing when you realized that it was Oberyn who had given you your boost. "Your highness! Thank you for your brave effort." You said with a grateful smile, tossing the orange to Dorea. The little girl tore off towards the blanket you had spread, hollering to the approaching Ellaria that she had the perfect orange for her.

You expected Oberyn to release you with some quip, but oddly, he did not. His touch was not particularly uncomfortable. Firm enough that you could feel it through your armor, but loose enough that you knew you could easily twist free should you desire to. In amongst the sheltering branches of the blood orange tree, the prince caged you against the trunk and studied you intently. 

"Your highness?" You asked softly. "We should return, the children are-" His mouth on your own halted your words and you went stiff. His kiss tasted of fresh blood orange, tangy with citrus and you found yourself enjoying it a fair bit more than you should have, your chest heaving against his own when he finally pulled away.

"My falcon, my dove, shield of the Red Viper's clutch." Oberyn breathed, his pupils blown in the green-dappled light beneath the tree's foliage. "Forgive my impudence. Seeing you with my children stirs my mind to such wicked thoughts."

"Prince Oberyn!" you protested, your traitorous body still reeling from his kiss. But no, you couldn't, Ellaria-- "Please, you must think of your family." You insisted tremulously. "I will not let you ruin the beautiful life you have built for yourself. This...affection, whatever it is you're feeling for me--" You sucked in a sharp breath. "It is nothing but a misplaced infatuation. It will pass. You must consider your children, your highness, a-and Lady Ellaria."

"You truly believe that?" Oberyn asked, but he didn't sound angry. If anything, he sounded hurt. "You believe that I would seek you out due to something so cheap as infatuation? What, simply to exercise the power I have over you?" You shook your head, not trusting yourself to speak. "Your silence is damning, Ser Shieldove. I would never try to wound Ellaria or my children, just as I would never try to wound you. I thought I had made that clear."

His hand carded delicately through your hair, tucking a few loose locks back into your braids. "I do not believe you would purposely seek to hurt me." You amended finally, your gaze firmly fixed on the toes of your boots. "Many men do not realize the harm they cause, either through their actions or their wandering eyes."

"I am not many men." Oberyn replied softly. "I have lain with both men and women, my falcon. I know well the pain of careless touch and I do not abide by it in my partners." He stepped away from you after a moment, shrugging. "If you are so concerned about my infatuation, mayhaps you ought to ask my paramour what she thinks of inviting you into our bedchambers?" He suggested with a feigned attitude of nonchalance.

"Are you mad? Obe-Prince Oberyn, you are hers. There are certain things that one does not do, even as a prince of Dorne." You snapped, your turmoil adding a sharp edge to your voice. 

Oberyn looked startled, then he had the audacity to grin. "I am hers, you say? You insinuate that I ought to receive permission? Then I'll go ask her now-"

"What? No, that's not it at--damn it, Oberyn, take this seriously!" You hissed, wanting to strangle him. "She has borne your children, have some respect for her and don't attempt to stray!"

Oberyn's laughter washed over you and you were torn between the urge to punch him in the gut and the urge to bury yourself alive. "Stray?" He finally sputtered. "Forgive my mirth, my falcon. I am...All I can say is that you really must speak with my paramour. I imagine the two of you will have a highly interesting discussion."

"Oh, of that I am certain." You said icily, stalking past him and heading towards the blanket where Ellaria played with the twins. You bowed stiffly and her eyebrow quirked, as if to ask what's wrong? "I will return to the water gardens, my lady. His highness appears to be in such ferociously high spirits I assume he will be more than up to the task of warding off any attackers."

"Do not leave, Ser Shieldove!" Oberyn boomed directly behind you, making you jump out of your skin. Gods, he could be so quiet! "I will maintain my composure, I give you my word!"

"It is not your composure I worry about." You shot back under your breath, making him struggle vainly to disguise his laughter as a coughing fit. 

Ellaria looked back and forth between her lover and you, her eyes dancing like they did when she and Oberyn enjoyed one of their many secret jokes. "I see you both have been sampling the oranges." She commented pointedly, tapping her lower lip while winking at you. "They do stain so beautifully, don't they lover?"

"But Ser Shieldove has not even had any yet!" Loreza said plaintively, the younger Sand's red-stained fingers tugging at Dorea's hand. "We should get her some."

"Aye, how is it that you have blood orange on your mouth and not a mark on your hands?" Oberyn asked playfully, as if he didn't already know, this was all his fault!

You were back to warring between the two urges and the option to punch Oberyn, while absolutely certain to lead to your immediate incarceration, was looking more appealing by the second. You set your jaw, willing away the tears that were trying to build as Loreza set off with Dorea in tow. "I am--I am leaving now." You said thickly, cursing yourself for the sob that blatantly hitched your words. 

Ellaria immediately noticed your discomfort, her smile vanishing. "Are you well, my dove?" You hiccupped roughly, nodding. Your performance wouldn't have fooled anyone, but Ellaria seemed to take pity on you and allowed you to dismiss yourself. 

You stalked off through the orchard, trying vainly to stem the flow of tears that poured down your face. You finally stopped beneath one of the many trees, sliding down the trunk and wrapping your arms around your knees so you could hide your face as you sobbed. It was incredibly unfair of Oberyn to tease you so maliciously, but what did you expect from a prince? No doubt to him, the common folks' feelings were nothing but toys. Your heart had soared and broken all at once, leaving you feeling bruised and aching. 

The summer of being wanted, desired by someone, the winter of knowing that giving in to them would destroy their happiness...

"Ser Shieldove!" You started, looking up. You hadn't noticed Loreza and Dorea returning from their hunt, the two girls arm-in-arm. "What happened? Did you get hurt?" Dorea asked worriedly, making your heart break all over again. "Should we get Mama?"

"Oh, no no!" You tried to assuage their concern, giving the two girls a watery smile while you cast your mind around for a suitable excuse. "I--I saw a bee."

"You're scared of bees?!" Loreza erupted incredulously. "I didn't think you were scared of anything!"

"Not even our papa!" Dorea paused, then added, "but I'm scared of bees too. I got stung once, on my foot. That's why I wear my big boots now." She said importantly, shuffling the aforementioned boots. They did look oversized for her stature. You had never noticed…

An orange was thrust at your face, Loreza blinking solemnly down at you. "We found you a good one. It's ripe, I promise." The two of them plopped down on either side of you like little sentries, Dorea brandishing her tiny morningstar. 

You turned the orange over and over in your hands. "You know, where I am from, these are only for royalty." You began suddenly, digging your nails into the peel. "I had never even touched one before I came to Dorne."

"Never?" Loreza gawked, her own cheeks smeared with red from her feast. "I love oranges. Kumquats. Grapefruits."

"Lemons are better than grapefruits. More spicy." Dorea said firmly. "Like dragon peppers."

"I don't like dragon peppers." Loreza retorted sulkily. "They burn my tongue." 

The two girls bickered around you while you slowly peeled and ate the fruit, your turbulent thoughts calming under the press of the mundane task. You felt foolish for letting your emotions get the best of you; obviously Oberyn only teased you because he knew he would get a reaction! You pushed away the memory of how gently he had tucked your hair back into its braids. It was probably a force of habit for him, having had so many daughters. It meant nothing. 

You tore apart the last two slices of orange and slurped the juice off the heel of your hand, realizing that Dorea and Loreza had gone quiet. A quick look confirmed your suspicions: the two of them were sound asleep. 

You exhaled through your nose, then settled back against the tree. You eased Loreza down into your lap, stroking over her hair absently. The little girl yawned, but did not move. Dorea slumped into your arm and you carefully wrapped it around her instead, keeping your hand on her shoulder so she didn't topple over. Your own eyelids grew heavy the longer you sat with the two little girls, though you knew you ought to be vigilant for any dangers that could be lurking. Worn out from your crying jag, you slipped from consciousness yourself. 

You were roused what must have been hours later by a cautious touch on your shoulder. You jerked awake, your hand flying to the pommel of your seldom-used sword. "Tis' only me, my dove." Ellaria soothed, her hand resting on your shoulder. "You did not make it back to the water gardens, I see." She nodded downwards at the sleeping child in your lap. 

The sun was hanging low and red on the horizon, casting a pink hue over the land. "Seems I didn't." You yawned indecently wide, then carefully hugged Dorea a bit closer. "The little ones found me an orange fit for royalty to eat, and we spoke of important matters." 

"Oh?" Ellaria arched a brow.

"Bees, my lady. We spoke of bees." 

"Have you found them, my love?" You heard footsteps approaching. "Ah! I should have known." Oberyn continued softly, obviously trying not to wake the twins that slumbered in his own arms. "Safe and sound asleep."

Ellaria roused her daughters, eventually permitting you to get to your feet and work the kinks out of your neck from sitting in such an awkward position for so long. "I believe we should speak." Ellaria murmured, placing her hand on your shoulder once again.

You shook your head violently. "There is naught to speak about, my lady. I assure you, I shall cause you no trouble." You knew that your tone was exceptionally weary, but you hoped she could forgive such indiscretion. 

"Listen to Ellaria, Ser Shieldove." Oberyn demanded. "This is a mistake-"

"I'm well aware that what occurred was a mistake." You interrupted him through gritted teeth. "And as I said, Prince Oberyn, I will cause no trouble for you or your lady."

Oberyn opened his mouth to retort but Ellaria gestured for him to be silent. "Tomorrow, then?" She phrased it like a request, but you knew better than to think you could refuse her.

You bowed perfectly, your form ramrod straight when you saluted her and the prince. Your words were dripping with false sincerity as you stated, "Of course, my lady. I live to serve."

…

The dread that you felt permeated your very marrow. You were certain you would be sent away. What else did one do with a member of their household who was untrustworthy, especially if their partner proved they could not or would not stay away from such temptations?

This was surely the end of your proud career under the banner of House Martell. You were a fool for thinking that you could have been happy here.

You packed your few possessions with an air of sorrowful finality. You hadn't acquired much during your time in these lodgings, your living space admittedly Spartan. When you were summoned, the manservant found you sitting patiently on your bed in your armor, your satchel slouched on the floor. 

"Ser Shieldove, Ellaria Sand requests your presence." The older man droned, raising an eyebrow at your state of preparedness.

You nodded, trying not to let your apprehension show as you thanked him and proceeded out into the hall. Your boots felt like they were lined with lead and your eyes stung from all the heartsick weeping you had done the night before. Your stomach would not cease feverishly knotting. 

All too soon you found yourself at the door to the prince's chambers, raising your hand to knock. You hesitated momentarily, flattening your palm on the door and then resting your forehead against the intricate latticework. Your shoulders heaved with a single, soundless sob before you straightened back up. You would face this trial like all the others in your life, with some bare shred of dignity.

You knocked on the door. Upon hearing Ellaria's voice bidding you to enter, you unhitched the latch and let the door swing open. You ought to have known that Oberyn would be present as well. You weren't sure why seeing him standing on their terrace felt so...final. 

"Ser Shieldove, you come dressed for war." Ellaria remarked, sounding surprised. "Please, set your bag and blade by the door."

"I sought to make my dismissal simple, my lady." Your voice rasped in your throat when you spoke. You made no move to come further into the room, nor did you release your hold on your bag. "We do not need to drag this out, especially not from some misguided desire to soften the blow."

Oberyn turned to look at you, his brow furrowed. But you only had eyes for Ellaria, the woman rising from her vanity to pad barefoot across the floor to you. She stood before you, unarmed, unafraid, her hair still loose around her face. "Why do you believe you were brought here for dismissal, my sweet dove?" Ellaria asked. Gods, gods, her tenderness was going to reave your soul from your body.

You swallowed hard. "I...forgive me, my lady. Please, forgive me. I was weak and permitted my emotions to get the better of me. I did not firmly reprimand Prince Oberyn when he kissed me in the orchard. I take full responsibility for my failure." You bowed your head in grief, your dry eyes burning. "I will not bring shame to your family with my indiscretion, so I come willingly to my dismissal."

"She kisses like a virgin, Ellaria." Oberyn murmured, a hand cupping his paramour's hip and tucking her into his side. "She kisses like she has never been kissed. It was divine."

You flushed hotly, certain that he was mocking you. "I cannot believe your cruelty." You muttered incredulously. "To jest about something like that!"

"Is it true, my little dove?" Ellaria purred, her hand stroking your cheek. "Do you kiss like a virgin?" You stared at her, thoroughly confused now. You did not even notice her other hand cupping your face, utterly transfixed by how close she was. She was so near that you could see there were tiny flecks of gold in the brown of her irises. 

And then she kissed you. 

Your satchel fell off your shoulder, hitting the floor with a muffled thud when you reached out clumsily, gathering the other woman in your arms. She let you, she let you, gods, she was kissing you and that was her tongue teasing your own. You whimpered into her mouth, bewildered and helpless to resist her. 

"I think you are right, lover." Ellaria agreed after she took pity on you and allowed you a moment to breathe. "Hot and trembling and yet so, so eager."

"I...do not understand." You said weakly.

"Oberyn and I found long ago that we share certain proclivities, my dove." Ellaria explained, toying with your hair. "Particularly in the bedroom."

You felt like your mind couldn't catch up to your mouth, stammering, "S-So...wait, the both of you…?" 

Oberyn, his chin resting on Ellaria's shoulder, gave you a sly wink. "Aye, my love has excellent taste." The man tugged Ellaria's dressing gown to the side, baring her shoulder so he could shower it with kisses. "We have a special affinity for strapping, chivalrous types."

"So I'm not...I wouldn't...the-the both of you would know about me?" You stuttered.

"What do you mean, my falcon?" Oberyn asked curiously. 

"Well, I just...I assumed you were seeking me out as a--a secret. Something akin to adultery." Your voice faltered a bit. "B-Behind Lady Ellaria's back." You watched as understanding appeared to dawn on the prince, his brow furrowing darkly.

"Oh no, no no, gentle dove." Ellaria cupped your face with her hands. "We indulge together and we indulge openly. You would not be Oberyn's secret plaything." She assured you sincerely.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to imply that I think so little of you!" You apologized to Oberyn, who still looked somewhat thunderous. "I was distraught and confused, your highness. You know well that I have been wounded before. Please, please forgive me." You wrung your hands fervently. "I would do anything to-"

"Be still, my falcon. You protest overmuch." Oberyn chided, his expression clearing. "If you believe that your simple misunderstanding grieved me, I should hope that you never heard all the terrible, salacious rumors spread about me in King's Landing!" He smirked. "Such imaginative people."

"They certainly had a strange way of slandering you." Ellaria remarked, her lips twitching into a wry smile. "Do you remember what they said about your cock?"

"Oh that one was my favorite." Oberyn, no doubt noticing your horrified look, began to laugh in earnest. "There was a rumor that my cock was the same as a horse's, you understand." He finally managed to explain. "Length, girth, a hearty amount of description went into this tale. I feared I would disappoint, after hearing such an inventive story about myself! Mercifully, none of the lovely women and men in the brothel seemed particularly distressed about me lacking a cock that would outright murder them. One poor girl swooned from relief, timid thing."

"Oh dear." You said faintly. "I mean, the rumors are not wholly unfounded, but perhaps slightly less exaggeration-" You halted abruptly with a sharp squeak of dismay, what had you just said?!

"Flatterer! Always, it's in your blood I'd wager!" Oberyn chuckled, shaking his head. "I believe it is due more to my age, prolific partners and casual promiscuity. No one there could fathom such a thing, though in Dorne we view it as a common practice. That and the unwavering love I had for all my daughters. They claimed I was barking mad. Surely, I ought to be cursing the Seven every time a new girl was born." He scoffed derisively, blowing a raspberry as though he was a child. "Instead of being delighted with a healthy babe to love and spoil, sing songs to and dandle upon my knee. Aye, Prince Oberyn is surely mad."

His hand reached out to cover Ellaria's on your cheek and you closed your eyes, leaning into their joint touch. 

"Gods, is she not the loveliest woman you have ever laid eyes on?" Oberyn mused softly.

"Truly. So strong and brave!" Ellaria answered, making you flush with embarrassment and stare downwards. "Do not shy from such ardent words, my dove! They are spoken in truth, I promise you."

"I do not doubt your sincerity, my lady! It is just...it is overwhelming." You replied honestly. "A part of me is still that terrified woman from King's Landing, trying to barter for passage aboard any vessel willing to take me. That I would be rescued by the two of you…I never could have imagined this, even in my wildest dreams."

"It was a lucky chance that my dear Oberyn spotted you."

"I'd surmise more divine providence, but all the same." You smiled. "Thank you. Both of you. I...I know not what to say."

"Join us in our bed, gentle dove." Oberyn requested, his voice deadly serious. "Join us, my falcon." His hand slid beneath your chin, tugging lightly at your gorget and no doubt feeling your rough swallow. "Let us give you something good to think of on lonely nights when duty calls you elsewhere."

"I--I-I would very much like that, your highness." You whispered. 

His fingers hitched your chin, tipping it upwards so he could see your eyes. "Oberyn." He said softly.

"Oberyn." You allowed yourself to say his name deliberately and he grinned, tugging at your chin playfully before he released you and stepped back.

Ellaria caught his hand, and then extended her own to you. "Leave your sword, my dove."

"The armor as well." Oberyn added, his smile growing wider by the moment as you began to hurriedly oblige. You were thankful that the leathers slid off over your head, but the chainmail shirt took a bit more twisting and turning for you to emerge safely. "Gods, look at her, my love." Oberyn sighed to Ellaria after you had fought your way free of the mail, "the pride of her, the way she stands. I would happily cultivate such splendor."

"You did, Oberyn." You pointed out, fumbling with your cuisses. "You granted me the opportunity, after all."

"Let me help you, my dove." Ellaria murmured, her hands covering your own. You grimaced uncertainly, glancing to Oberyn. "He told me of your markings. I am no pampered princess, Shieldove." The steel in her gaze was undeniable; she dared you to think she would cringe at the sight of your scars. "I bear many of my own marks. The life of a Sand is better than most, but still fraught with its own hardships."

You nodded jerkily, letting her assist you with removing your cuisses, greaves and sword belt before she ran her hand over the laces at your groin. You swallowed hard. "I do not wish to distress you, my lady."

"Only Ellaria here, my dove. Here and everafter." The woman said, her fingers tugging the laced placket loose.

Oberyn sauntered up beside her as she slid her palm to your hip, fingers spread on the hot skin she found there. "Your consent, my falcon?" He breathed against your jaw, placing a trail of kisses over the area. "I seek your enthusiastic consent. I seek to have you undone and crying out in rapture, but first your consent." 

Ellaria's fingers teased at the waistband of your hose and you shut your eyes, gathering your courage. "Yes. Yes, I...I want. I want you both." You managed to say. 

"Open your eyes, knight of House Martell." Oberyn ordered and you obeyed meekly. The prince touched his forehead to your own, his brows pulled low. "Your consent, Ser Shieldove. Look at me while you give it. Look at her while you give it. We need to know. We need to hear it from your lips. No hesitation."

"We will stop if you cannot consent, sweet dove." Ellaria assured you. 

"N-No! No, I do want this, I swear I do. Gods, my head is spinning from how much I want the two of you." You confessed bluntly. "I am unsure of how to proceed. I do not know what to do. Forgive my inexperience." You held out your hands imploringly. "Show me what to do?"

"Never apologize for not knowing." Oberyn said firmly. "All man should ever apologize for is not being willing to learn." He stroked his fingers over your temple, light as a feather's touch on your skin. "And you are so, so willing." He whispered. "You have sought learning your whole life, my dove. Sought to hone your body, hone your spirit with songs and prayer. You have learned how to wield our weapons and cradle our babes with the same willingness that you approach us with now."

Ellaria enfolded your hands in her own as you processed Oberyn's words, each one saved in your heart like a precious treasure. All man should ever apologize for is not being willing to learn. "Will you…" you hesitated, biting your lip. "Will you help me learn?"

"Gods, I would eagerly kiss the breath from your chest." Ellaria sighed, her smile warming you from head to toe. 

"Is it...considered strange that I want the both of you?" You asked warily. "I have never lain with a woman before, b-but I would...I mean, if I could, I would like...I would like to. Attempt to! That is." You fumbled, kissing her knuckles afterwards.

"You wish to drink from the pure springs of my paramour? A bold request. What will you offer me in return for my generosity?" Oberyn's lips brushed your ear and you quivered when he continued, "will you let me touch you as you touch her, my falcon?"

You raised your eyes to meet his, startled by the heat you found there. Did he really feel that strongly about you? You freed one hand from Ellaria and reached out to take hold of his light robe. "If you harm me-" You began to warn him, your voice catching in your throat.

"Sweet dove, he will not." Ellaria assured you, her expression serious. "Neither of us will. I promise you." She cupped your jaw, her thumbs grazing your chin achingly soft. "We of Dorne are known for our passion, but a fire is gentle embers before it is stoked to hungry flame. We will not harm you."

"This incredible, delicious display of vulnerability that you are presenting to us...well, it would be wholly inappropriate to squander such a gift." Oberyn's hand covered yours on his robe, larger fingers lacing easily through your own. "We will bed you, and we will love you, my falcon."

"Do you offer such pleasures to all your knights?" You queried, half in jest as you let him lead you to their sun-drenched bed. 

"Only for the ones who break the Mountain's fingers." Oberyn chuckled, leaving you and Ellaria to settle onto the bed while he went to draw the thin curtains over the entrance to the terrace. 

Ellaria pulled one end of the laces on your placket, her motions teasingly slow and deliberate. The lacing unwound itself, tugging free of the grommets until your sturdy hose were slouching open. Her hand pushed your tunic up slightly, enough to reveal a sliver of your stomach for her to graze her knuckles against, then her lips. Those fingers curled around the hem of your tunic, continuing to drag it upwards to bunch underneath your breasts. 

"Her body looks beautiful like that, my love." Oberyn commented idly from his position at the foot of the bed. "Ser Shieldove, touch her hair, caress her. She loves to be touched while her mouth is occupied."

Your trembling fingers barely grazed Ellaria's luxuriously unbound locks, still smooth from being brushed, and you felt your heartbeat quicken in your chest. "May I…?" Ellaria nodded and you dug your hands greedily into her soft waves, half-sitting so you could press a lock to your lips. "Thank you, Ellaria."  You whispered. 

"Such chivalry! Perhaps we will consider parting with a few locks for you to carry into battle as a token of our affection." Oberyn kissed the crown of your head. "Regrettably, my curls are a bit shorter than hers."

"Mm, yours would make such delightful paintbrushes." Ellaria teased, continuing to cover the skin of your stomach with tender kisses and nips. She bit down gently on the waistband of your hose, looking up at you in question. You nodded rapidly and Oberyn settled into the bed alongside you, the man yawning wide. 

"Watch her now, my falcon." He instructed, his fingers tracing lazy circles on the bare skin of your stomach before this thumb slid beneath your bunched-up tunic. "She is such art, the way she moves. Had I the skill for it, I would write endless poems about the beautiful anticipation she inspires in me." His touch was light, teasing, forefinger and thumb pinched into the fabric of your tunic to ease it off the rest of the way. His other hand shot up to lift and cradle the back of your neck while he divested you of the article of clothing, the inconsequential motion new and gentle to you.

Ellaria rolled the hosiery off down your legs, the light breeches sticking to your heated skin. You were left nearly bare, the only garment still on your body the simple breast binding you used when you were armored. Ellaria hummed in satisfaction, drawing her hands greedily up your trembling form to seize the edge of your bindings. "Be naked for us, gentle dove." She crooned, her sweet voice dissolving your last fear. You placed your hands over her own, helping her to untie the frantically-knotted cloth.

Oberyn hissed out a breath through his teeth when your breasts were finally freed. "Gods, you were made for us." He groaned, "I want to grab handfuls of you and gorge myself on your taste, my falcon." 

Ellaria wasted no time flicking her tongue over the stiff peak of your right breast, smiling when you threw your head back in response. Oberyn lapped sloppily over your left breast and then blew gently on the damp trail, forcing you to bite down on the heel of your palm to keep from making a sound.

Oberyn eased your hand away from your mouth however, grimacing when he saw the marks your teeth had left in the skin. His facial hair felt like pinpricks when he kissed your palm, his eyes solemn. "We crave your sounds, my falcon. We welcome them." He murmured. "You can be as loud or as soft as you want, but do not smother them before they can blossom."

Ellaria toyed with your nipple, rolling her index finger back and forth over it and you whimpered pitifully, blinking back the tears that rose and nodding hard. "I will try, Oberyn."

"It will take time, sweet dove." Ellaria's gentle smile pierced your heart, her soft words contrasting so vividly with her devious fingers. "Do not underestimate our patience. You are our knight, our shield, and we will cherish you as you ought to have been cherished."

Part Three

[veronicaduartes]

Thoughts

So, the thing is... I feel devastated.

I loved somebody, gave him my all and he trew me away like a pile of trash. As if he never cared for me and the last 2 years of my life were just wasted.

I worked so hard on these last 2 years, I come from a broken family, abusive father, emotionally-unavailable mother (she did her best though, she had it DAMN hard all her life). On January 2020 I got into a car crash and no one believed my version of the story, they prefered to believe I was drunk-driving (which I wasn't) and it was all my fault (which it wasn't).

So I got really resentful and decided to get myself a job, stop depending on my mother and having to put up with all the shame inflicted on me. I started working at a call center, barely made minimun wage salary but I was saving as much money as I could to get out of my house (rent a room somewhere since it was all I could afford).

At the same time, I was dating a really nice guy, that I had only met a couple of months prior. He was 6 years older than me and already had a stable job so he decided to move out with me, wherever we decided to go.

It's April now, and on the 24th night of the month we moved in together. I was on cloud 9, we were so happy, I had a the shittiest job but coming home to him and watching TV together was everything I wanted and it was worth every damn second answering the phone.

But as the months passed the guy I loved grew apart from me. Suddenly we were not spending the nights together, all he did was play videogames with his friends all night until 7am in the morning sometimes, while I was growing lonelier and lonelier. Sex wasn't even happening, and I thought he didn't want me anymore. I told him about my discomfort and he promised to make some time for me.

Some more months passed and it was ok, but the situation repeated itself, and of course I was sad again. Many hours of thinking and analyzing patterns later, I decided it wasn't working anymore for me and it was time to call it quits.

I don't know what I expected that night but as the time came, I told him to break up. He seemingly reacted very calm and peacefull so I told him we could stay friends. The next day I had to go to work, I felt really sad but hadn't even realized in my mind that our relationship was over, until I received a text from him that said "I'm moving out on Thursday". That text just sunk into my stomach and as I got home to find an empty house it felt even worse. He had already gone to his parents' house, without even saying goodbye.

I was incredibly dissapointed, I thought that if he loved me he would've fight back, or at least not ran away on the first shot he got. Anyway, so he told me he was coming on Wednesday to organize his stuff into boxes and move out Thursday in the morning. I told him we could have a last dinner together, just to give some closure to me, as I felt I needed closure and so we did. Turns out on Wednesday night after talking a couple of hours he ended up crying and asking me if he could stay. I told him he had made the strongest desition by hiring that truck to move out and getting all his shit into boxes so, there was no backing off now. (By the way, some of the appliances were his' such as the refrigerator which he did not hesitate to leave me with all the food on the floor to rot as he took his damn refrigerator). On the next morning I told him goodbye and we went our separate ways.

Since I couldn't pay the rent all by myself I was left with no other choice than to go back to my parents' house. They helped me with the moving but I still felt like a damn failure coming back, while I still mourned the end of our relationship and cried myself to sleep every night.

Some weeks passed and one morning, I woke up with a text of his telling me "I miss you". I told him I missed him too (which I really did) and so we agreed to meet once again to talk. We met and the inevitable happened: after some crying we got back together. Still living apart though. Months passed and everything was going great! Still had our arguments but by this time we had already figured out how to talk our differences with love and patience.

**At this point I need to give you some important context: since I come from a broken family, I DON'T want kids. I really don't want to have kids of my own, not as of now or in the future. I don't discard adopting, I believe that's a very beautiful way to become a parent, but I really do not want to go through pregnancy and all those things having a baby comes with. I have always been very honest about it when I'm meeting people because on past relationships I've had this issue. So, since I was meeting this guy I was talking about, back on 2019, I told him I didn't want kids and he seemed to be on the same page as me. He even told me he wanted to get the male contraceptive injection that was soon going to be available on the market. Everything seemed fime.**

So, back to the story. On January 2021, my boyfriend's sister found out she was pregnant, everyone on his family was really happy because, on the contrary as myself, they have a really beautiful, happy and healthy family (everything I wished for). I was really happy for them as well and my boyfriend and I even went shopping some nice things for the baby. We bought the cutest and fluffiest bear costume. It was adorable.

As more months passed, I saw my boyfriend getting more and more excited about babies and the idea of having babies. Since he knew my position, he eventually taked to me about wanting to have babies in the future. I told him my position has not changed and most likely it will not change. I can't predict the future of course and can't know what my mind will think on 5-10 years, but I was honest with him and told him that the odds of me changing my mind are quite low, not to say inexistant. But he was confused, he still didn't know if he wanted kids or not. So I told him "think about it and whenever you have made up your mind, let me know".

On August 27th, about 12 am in the morning, his nephew was born, strong and healthy. I was really happy for all his family, since I know how much they already loved that boy. I sent them my best wishes and since he came out by c-section, they had to stay in the hospital for a couple of days.

Later that same day, I published some stupid game on instagram which really doesn't matter much what it was about but somehow it got us into a discussion and he told me "this is one of the best days of my life for you to fuck it up"... Those words really took me by surprise, I was happy and silly, literally just joking him around but he reacted very strongly and rude.

How in the hell is it ever going to be my intention to ruin his day? I thought he was very defensive. He stoped taking to me and returned hours later. However, I was really hurt and I felt like we really needed to talk about it. He sort of apologized but we couldn't continue the conversation since he was already sleepy and told me if we could continue the next day. I told him it was fine, of course.

The next day came and he didn't remember to get back to the conversation, he just pretended as if everything was fine. Another day passed so I reminded him and he told me it was late already and he was tired, so if we could talk the next day (again). A week passed and he never remembered to catch up with the conversation (or ignored it). I still felt sad and hurt and so, when making plans for the weekend I told him how I felt and that we needed to talk. We agreed on a day and place, but he followed telling me he knew I have been upset but he just ignored me... So basically that started the fight once again. How the hell if you know someone you love is upset and sad you just ignore it? Do you care how I feel at all? Some things were said and I didn't understand where did this sudden hate come from.

Ever since the baby was born he had been defensive and treating me badly like that (something I had never seen before on him). I was utterly confused until he confessed it to me: he was somehow angry with me because I do not want kids..... I had no words, how the hell was I supposed to knew that? It did make a lot of sense though, his behaviour was immediately explained to me. However he started blaming me on his smoking and a bunch of other crap I have no blame on. Turns out he told me: he decided he does wants kids and therefore I no longer had a place in his life. I told him to tell me, to confirm me if that meant we were breaking up, to at least have the guts to tell that to my face (metaphorically cause this conversation was all by text). I begged him for a goodbye, once again, to get some closure. I deserve closure, but he wasn't even able to tell me goodbye. To tell me I was a good girlfriend, to thank me for all the love I gave him, for all the times I had advised him, for all the memories we had together, to thank me for at least giving him my all. He knew I loved him, he really did.

And I respect his reason, I really do. If he wants kids and I don't then there's no point of staying together if we're going on different paths. However, it's been a week from the breakup. I'm still here devastated, crying, stalking his twitter every 5 minutes to see if there's any clue that he might be thinking of me. But all I see is the opposite. He's saying that he's happy, posting pictures with his baby-born nephew, it's almost as if I never meant anything to him. One week with the baby and I'm already out of his life. Am I so damn disposable? Does he not remember any of the happy moments we spent together? All the love that I gave him? How I even fought my own family to defend him? How I cared for him... It sucks, it really sucks.

The next morning after the breakup he had already deleated all his pictures with me on social media. So, on the next day I did the same. Oh how damn hard it was to delete that video I made about us and our adventures... I spent about 8 hours collecting little clips of our trips and I loved the end result so much... and now it's gone... forever, along with our memories.

It really sucks, some days I am ok, with just a little hole inside of me but overall ok... and some other days I feel like I want to die (yes, literally die). I cry everytime I remember. I have no friends. I can't tweet about how damn sad I feel because I don't want any of his friends or my friends even to see me how devastated and dependant I am.

The thing is, I don't believe he understands how much he meant to me... how much I loved him and how safe I felt on his arms. He's got lots of friends, a supporting family, tons of hobbies... while I'm here depressed, no job, no friends, nobody to talk to, living in my parents' house. I literally feel as if this 2 years, I tried so hard and it ended up being all wasted. I'm back to square one: no job, no money, no relationship. Lonely and sad once again.

I wish I could be like those strong women who stay single for very long periods of time... but I'm lonely. I usually need someone to hear me, someone to talk to. I like having someone to share my life with.

Sometimes I hate myself for having this romantic expectation of a perfect relationship that lasts forever and the love flame never dies... I guess Disney channel really damaged me. The dream is slowly dying though, at this moment I'm all out of hope. I know there are some men out there that would like to be with me, but I see no point in that.

First of all, I'm not interested in anybody. I don't like anybody, I don't even want men near me. I'm literally out of hope and I don't even want to meet anybody because eveything will eventually end up this way. I don't believe anymore. And it's dangerous to be out of hope.

Sometimes I'm scared, like, literally scared to become suicidal or something. Right now I'm not, sometimes I wish to die but I don't think I'm brave enough to do it myself. And then I stop to think that my mom doesn't deserve that pain. But yeah, sometimes I'm scared I may end up like Chester Bennington; with so many songs that basically were a cry for help but nobody ever took it that way because he looked so healthy and confident.

And I know I'm a great actress, I know people don't even suspect I have been fighting depression for years now. Every single day is a struggle and I'm tired already. I'm honestly so tired to be battling every day I just want to be free and give up but I can't since my demons are all inside of me.

I quit my job a month ago cause I thought that would give me happiness but guess what? Yeah, it didn't. Somehow it was easier having something to blame, than realizing that the only one to blame is yourself.

My boyfriend knew I was having a hard time with these thoughts already, he told me I should go to therapy. But I have no money to spend on therapy... and also, as I said in the beggining, nor do I have a supporting family, if they know I want to go to therapy they will think I'm crazy.

I have always been very strong, and showcased myself as a really strong woman, who thinks and analyzes and makes rational desitions... but it was always been just an act, when I'm by myself I cry a lot, I have a lot of traumas which I have been working really hard on for years now, but as I said, I'm tired.

I'm so tired of having to fight a battle everyday, I honestly just want peace and I'm scared I will never find it. Cause I can't stay like this for much longer. I know I won't hold up all my life with this sadness.

I quit my job because I wanted to start my own business. At first I was so excited about it but now I just can't find ANY motivation to work at all.

I don't know if he left me because I'm crazy and too much to handle, which reinforces my lack of hope in relationships. It has happened to me before, I don't know if all men are the same and they all forget you once they have you, which really sucks... Or if on the contrary, I keep seeking emotionally-unavailable people, just as my childhood attachment...

At least right now some friends have showed up and I have told them I've been having a hard time with this breakup (haven't told about all the other issues though, but it's a first step)... though I don't know if I'm ready to talk about it. I don't want to burst into tears and dramaticly crying in public, but oh well... We'll see how it goes.

Right now, all these thoughts are making me crazy. Sometimes I'm angry with my ex-boyfriend for leaving me right when I needed him the most... but it was a relationship doomed to end, and somehow deep inside me I always knew it. Still, that doesn't remove all the pain I'm feeling right now. If anything, just makes me blame myself for letting it come this far and letting myself fall so hard in love with somebody I knew wasn't right.

I don't know what to do right now... I'm dying to talk to him, but I know I must not. He doesn't miss me, he never loved me as much as I loved him (I don't know if he even has the capability of loving so deeply as I loved him) and we're not even compatible and I wasn't even enjoying his company so much lately... but you know, my feelings do not act by reason and I HATE them so much because of that. I feel like they dominate me, instead of me dominating them.

I gotta be strong and reasonable... These are the moments where I wish I had faith in God or something to give me strenght but I don't even believe in anything.

Why do we always cry and suffer so much about people that don't even deserve it? People that are no good for us...

Songs in my mind right now:

* Phil Collins - Against all odds

* Olivia Rodrigo - Good 4 u

* Olivia Rodrigo - All I want

* Taylor Swift - Cardigan

* Selena Gomez - The heart wants what I wants

Most likely no one will read this, but it helped me try to organize some thoughts in my head so that's enough for me. Luckily, no one uses tumblr anymore.

[futurewriter2000]

Six Months

A/N: Tbh I don’t know how I did on this one but I have wrote it meanwhile I should be studying. Just saying how much I do for this and that I’m risking my grades. Today and never again. Grades are more important.School is more important.

REQUEST: Make it a Fred Weasley x reader please! No reason, I just want it!

XX

Six months. Six months since you and Fred broke up. Six months it took you to move on from that painful heartbreak. Six months it took him to break it all over again. 

He dated a Ravenclaw. A smart, beautiful, witty and lovely Ravenclaw and it hurt to see him and her together because it was only two months after your break up when they started dating. 

He dated a Hufflepuff after the Ravenclaw but it was just as short of a relationship with that Hufflepuff as it was with the Ravenclaw. 

In those six months he has dated many different girls but none of them stuck as you did. And sometimes you took pride in that and it boosted your confidence that he couldn’t find a stable relationship.

But it wasn’t until he started dating a Gryffindor, someone who was close in their friend group that you knew it was going to be different. Him and you. The two of you were way past over the finish line. They were just at the start. 

You were okay. Truly. You moved on from him, you raised up your marks, you even made more than one friend outside of Fred’s friend group, even outside your own house. You were almost flourishing but it didn’t take those six months to just wipe all those feelings away as you thought it did. 

It took a necklace to a specific person from another defined person. 

He gave her a necklace. Not just any necklace but the necklace you have been window shopping since the beginning of the year. You remember the two of you would be holding hands and walking down the road, all of the friends surrounding the two of you would be teasing and laughing, and then your eyes set on that wonderful red ruby silver necklace. Since then you have been saving your money for it because you knew it would be too expensive for Fred by himself. He promised he would buy it for you one day but you knew it was just another of his broken promises. He promised a golden one but you were much more for silver. Gold was overrated meanwhile silver was just the right amount of classy and sheek. 

And when you saw that necklace on her... it was like your heart finally raptured and there was nothing but tears and anger. 

How could he?! He knew! He knew you wanted that gorgeous necklace and HOW could he even have the money for it?! It costs more galleons than his house. 

Since then? Since that moment of breaking you into thousand pieces, you shut down. You left his whole friend group alone. You didn’t want to talk to them, even say hi to them. You returned every single possible thing that was given from him or even reminding you of him...it was all in front of his dorm room that same day. Your side of the dorm was more than less empty now. 

Everthing reminded you of him and the only thing that went through your head was: 

How could he?

It gave you a sickening feeling whenever you saw her or him. It bubbled out your worst side and you hated him because of it. You hated yourself because of who he made you become. An angry, unforgiving and jealous beast. 

You cried in your best friend’s arms more than one night because of him. During those first two months and now when you were finally able to move on, you have done it again and again until you thought it was bothering her, so you distanced yourself away from her as well and cried alone. 

It just hurt. In every way that existed. He bought it for her when he knew how much you wanted it, when he couldn’t buy it for you and now he could, when he knew you were saving for it alone and he- well...he did what he wanted anyway. He always was a determined man. You can give him credit for that. 

“Miss (y/l/n)!” someone shouted for what felt a thousanth time. 

You turned your eyes to look from the window and up to a professor who was a few feet away. All heads were turned to look at you and you? Well, you didn’t care.

“Yes.” you mumbled, leaning back on your chair casually.

“What are you doing during my classes?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.” you started to get irritated. She was not your head of the house. Only your Muggle Study teacher.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Are you really really sure?” she kept pressuring intentionally 

“YES! I AM SURE I AM DOING NOTHING BECAUSE THIS CLASS IS NOTHING BUT THAT! IT’S LAME! YOU ARE BEING A DULL TEACHER FOR TEACHING ME THIS SUBJECT WITH SUCH AN AWFULLY BORING TONE!” you exploded and her eyes went wide, her smirk wiped off. 

“Excuse me?!”

“You’re excused.” you gathered your things and stormed out of the classroom.

You could say your temper wasn’t what it used to be as well. Neither was anything but you couldn’t deal being bullied by the teacher. You were thought to be quiet but no more. Not to her. 

It wasn’t till the next day that you spoke with one of the Slythering. He was a Chaser on his own team and he was complimenting you on your burst out at the Muggle Studies. 

“I do not take pride in it but I couldn’t deal with her mouth anymore.” was the only thing your replied to him before he was again by your side, flashing you a pearly white smile. 

“Why did you take it then?” 

“Why did you?” you snapped at him, truning your heal and basically backing him against the wall. 

“Hold your horsies, darling. I’m just trying to make a conversation here.” he leaned back casually and put his right foot against the wall. “You’re thought to hate us just because of our house but have I ever done anything than just trying to make a conversation?”  he smiled kindly and or the first time in a long time, you felt yourself see the person you have become. 

You took a few steps back and shook your head. “I-I- I’m sorry.” you said as you watched the ground. Then you looked up, finally taking a good look at his green eyes and appologised properly. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you like I did.” 

He opened his arms and chuckled. “You don’t see me offended, do you?” licked his front teeth and took a step forward. “I know of your ex and his little acquaintaces but none of them can beat a beauty you.” his hand went up your ear and tucked a fallen strand behind your ear. 

You rolled your eyes and scoffed. “Are you flirting with me?”

“I don’t know. Is he watching?” he glanced to the side and from the corner of your eye, you could see him, feel that it was really him who watched you and the Slytherin.

“I’m not going to kiss you if that’s what you mean.” you let your arms let loose and it was his turn to roll his eyes.

“And give you the satisfaction on kissing these tasty lips? Honey, I at least expect a first date.”

“Is that-”

“Me asking you on a date?” he finished, wiggling his eyebrows at you. “Would you want it to be?”

“That is a dull question-”

“That is a dull answer.” 

You stared at those green eyes for a moment, forgetting about your surroundings and if anybody saw you talking to him. Let them see. You liked this guy. He had courage. 

“If you are ask-”

“I am asking you a simple question, darling.” he cut in. “It only takes one word; Yes or no?”

You hesitated for a bit, biting your lower lip, focusing on him once again and finally saying. “Yes.”

He smiled victoriously and rubbed his hands together. “Then I’ll see you on Friday at seven.”

“Seven?”

“Seven, darling.” he winked before leaving his direction meanwhile you left to yours, passing the ginger with a smirk and confidence. 

---

Friday was faster than you imagined. The Slytherin, Maxwell was his name and he kept being around, being flirtatious, teasing and walking you to classes all week until Friday. 

You were standing in front of the mirror, changing your shirts. 

Blue?

Red?

Blue?

Yes. Definetly blue...

...

Nope. Red.

Do these pants even match any of them?

“UGH!” you groaned and trew yourself on the bed. “This is useless.” you turned your head to the clock and saw 20 minutes till seven. Both of you agreed to meet at the place where the two of you met but-but- you had nothing to wear.

“Hey, (y/n)?” somebody knocked and you sat up. 

“Yeah?”

“Can I come in?” you heard your best friend say and with a furrow of your eyebrows you answered.

“Yes. Of course. When do you need my permission to come in?” you asked as she was already in. 

“Oh-wow.” she looked at your styled hair and makeup, than over to your completely messed, full of clothes bed. “Are you...?”

“Going on a date?” you smiled and jumped on your feet. “Yes.”

“I was thinking of the party downstairs. The Gryffindors won. Against the Slytherin.” she continued to speak, confused in her tone. 

“Oh. Max must be devestated.” you frowned than took a shirt in each of your hand and jumped around. “I can totally comfort him.” 

“Max?” 

“Yes. The cute Chaser on the Slytherin Quidditch team.” you stood in front of the mirror. Now dark green and dark blue in your hands. “Which one?”

“He knocked off Katie.” she said, glaring at you.  “How could you go on a date with a Slytherin?!” she was more accusing you than saying.

You turned around sharply. “Quidditch is a rough sport. Maybe he didn’t mean it.”

“He’s a Slytheirn! Of course, he meant it. She almost broke her leg!”

“Stop making assumptions because of his house!” you shouted back. “Gryffindors and Slytherins are always at each other’s throats. I can count the times Fred telling me how he purpously tried hitting some of the other Slytherin players. Even Draco so more or less, Gryffindors aren’t that different from them!”

“So that’s who it’s really about? Fred?”

“This has nothing to do with Fred! He broke up with me! I’m moving on from that gromless slag!” you shouted throwing the dark blue away and putting the dark green shirt on, throwing your hair out and grabbing your jacket. “Now excuse me. I have a date.” you stormed out of the room and walked down to the common room, where the party was held. 

Before you could even take another step from the portrait hole someone grabbed your hand and pulled you back. 

“Where are you going all up for it?” he snarked and you let your mouth fall agape. 

“All up for it?!” you tore your hand away and slapped his cheek. “How dare you even touch me?!” you pointed your index finger at him. “Let alone accuse me of something you have been doing since the first day after we broke up?!” you turned your heel and started walking away.

“So you’re going to him?!” he shouted behind you and you stopped.

“I am!” you turned around. “Do you have a problem?” you crossed your arms and waited for an answer. When it didn’t come, you only started backing away. “I thought so.” 

“He’s only going to use you?!” he continued to shout.

“As if you care!” you waved your hand, not even botherin to turn around. 

He gritted his teeth, shook his head and mumbled under his breath. “Fuck me.” and he was running after you. He was running after you until he was there, with his hands on your shoulders and his face expression serious. “Please, don’t. Stay with me.” he said and let his hands remove themselves. 

You took a step back, maybe two. “Please, don’t?” you scoffed. “ Stay with you and do what? Be single for the rest of my life and watch you switch girls until you marry, have a family-”

“That’s not what I’m saying. Just not him!” he started shouting again.

“Why not?!” you shouted as well.

“BECAUSE!” he grew more furious yet he couldn’t finish the answer. 

“Beause what?!”

“Because he pushed Katie off a broom!” he blurted out but that only made you scoff. 

“Goodbye, Fred. Have a nice life with your new girlfriend.” you pushed past him, knocking his shoulder. 

“You can’t do this!” he shouted.

“Jealousy isn’t a good look on you, Weasley!” you shouted.

“I’m not jealous!” he continued to shout in frustration. 

“I can see.” you took a step towards him. “Happiness is just radiating from you!” you kept sarcasm sharp in your tone. 

“You think you’re being funny.” he let out an irritated laugh. 

“What? You think you can’t keep up oh-famous-prankster.”

“You became a real bitch since-”

“Well, you became a whore. Guess we were both blind!” 

“Why are you being like this?!”

“YOU BROKE UP WITH ME FRED! WE’RE NOT TOGETHER ANYMORE! I CAN ACT HOWEVER I FUCKING WANT! “

“NO,YOU CAN’T!”

“AND WHY THE FUCK NOT?! AM I OFFENDING YOU?!” 

“I LOVE YOU, YOU FUCKING NUTTER!” he bellowed and there was silence.

You stood there, thinking...six months, the necklace, the memories, the hurt,...”How dare you?” you stepped forward, poiting your finger at his chest and looking up his reddened face. “In two months you replaced me with more than many and now you have the nerve to tell me you love me.”

“In two months I tried to replace you because it hurt not being with you and seeing you happy without me was something that caused my whole body to ache.” he spoke calmly. “None of them is you and none of them I have loved as much as I love you.” 

“You can’t say that.” you shook your head, tears gathering in your eyes. “You broke up with me! Remember?! YOU BROKE UP WITH ME?!”

“I DIDN’T WANT TO!?” 

“BUT YOU DID?! AND-AND WHAT?! YOU’RE GOING TO TELL ME THAT YOU DIDN’T WANT TO BUY THAT NECKLACE FOR HER AS WELL?! YOU KNEW HOW MUCH I LOVED THAT NECKLACE!! YOU KNEW HOW-”

“THAT NECKLACE WAS FOR YOU!!!” he put his hands on your shoulder again, shaking you lightly before taking a deep breath in and calming both of you down. “I bought it for you.” he sighed and let go of you again. 

“Wha- She’s wearing it.”

“That’s because she found it in my jacket and thought I bought it for her but I bought it for you weeks before we broke up.” he said and you only stared with your glistened eyes. “I promised to you that I will get you that necklace and I did but then all those rumors started going around that you cheated on me with that dumbarse of a Ravenclaw and before I found out it wasn’t true we were already broken up.”

You stood there, motionless.

“When I asked you why- why are you breaking up with me you said because you didn’t love me anymore.” you looked up at his brown eyes, a tear falling from your own. 

“I thought it was easier than-”

“Confronting me about what was really going on?” you asked, furious yet calm. “You should have told me! You should have said and I would deny and we would talk and we would still be tog-” you stopped as you saw him turn his head away. You knew what that meant. Perfectly, clearly. “You believed them, didn’t you? Even if I would have denied, you wouldn’t believe me.” you backed against the wall and slid down on the ground. 

He walked to you and sat beside you as well. “You were being so secretive, so suspicious and I knew that you were hiding something from me.” 

“Yeah. I was.” you turned your head to him. “I was planning on buying you a watch for our one year aniversary. The Swiss watch that you have always wanted. I had to pre-order it and when I got it I sent it to an engraver to engrave your initials on it and your logo.”

“My logo?” he furrowed his eyebrows and you smiled.

“Fireworks.” you said and he snorted. 

“I’d prefer your initials on it, anytime.” he said and you took a hold of your hand.

“Too little too late.” you said, rolling up your sleeve and showing him a magnificent Swiss watch. You took it off and put it in his hand. “Here. Happy one year anniversary, Fred.” you smiled and he took the watch in his own ad, turning it around and seeing F.W and fireworks engraved. 

He smiled and chuckled to himself. “The funny thing is..” he reached in his pocket and pulled out a silver necklace with a ruby stone. “I have your anniversary present as well.”

“But-”

“I had to tell her it wasn’t hers. Seeing it around her neck felt wrong and this necklace was meant for you.” he unclipped the clasp part of the necklace and spread it wide. “May I?” he asked poiltely and you smiled with tears in your eyes, turning him your back and lifting up your hair. 

Feeling as the silver touched your skin, a tear fell from your eye and you turned around, jumping in his arms. “Thank you so much.” you laughed in his shoulder and squeezed him tight. 

How you missed his hold, his body, his scent- him...it couldn’t be described more than in this one, long-lasting hug to which he pulled you even closer, breathing in the parfume he could never forget. 

“Oh-” you pulled away, looking up at him and then your watch. “I have to give you your watch on.” you smiled and wiped the tears away. 

He opened his palm and the as soon as the light touched the surface of the watch, something much more than object was between the two of you. “Go on then.” he smiled and you took the watch in your hand, wrapped it around his wrist and  buckled up the strap. You let your hands linger on his hand for a while, remembering just how much you loved to hold his hand, touch his skin. 

He felt the same, looking up at you and then back on your hands. He took a hold of them and looked up. “I want to give us a second chance.”

You looked up from fright. “What?”

“Please. We were never supposed to be apart. Six months was six months too much of my life wasted without you.” 

You smiled and put your forehead on his. “I’d love that second chance.”

[thepaperpanda]

In The Haystack || Arthur Morgan x Reader Smut

Summary: When there's storm coming during your trip with Arthur, both of you decide to take a little stop in an old barn. Things get pretty steamy between two of you. 

Warnings: smut

Words: 2969

Authors: Cass & Rouge

There was a steadiness to you, as if all the storms in the world were a whispering breeze if you were there. You were kind and clever, perhaps that's what drew people to you. It was as if you knew you were born to be a queen of the earth, one who helped others, using brain to fix whatever needed fixing. A fierce independence of a woman was shown everytime you were around people and people were respecting you.

Even in the gang you were having your specific place. And you were feeling like being at home with all them around.

That trip was long and tiring but accompany of Arthur made it a little sweeter, time was passing by faster with familiar person you could have a conversation with.

You stopped your horses in the valley where you found and old barn, desolated and abandoned.

"This looks like a decent place to stay." Arthur said stopping his horse. "I can see the clouds, rain will be here soon."

He slipped off his horse and grabbed the reins to lead it inside. "I will make fire and prepare place to sleep. We will leave tomorrow's morning."

You nodded at his words and led your mare inside as well. "Great. There's a barrel as well. Some refreshing will be provided!," You clapped your hands and threw him a look. "I'll go gather some branches for later, we will be needing them during night."

"We sure will." Arthur simply nodded and went to take care of said things.

You both were hungry and tired after whole day on the horses' backs, night under a real, kinda leaky roof still would be nice.

____________

Fire was cracking when thunder roared not so far away from your hideout. You and Arthur were sitting on the hay pile talking and smoking cigarettes. ".... can you believe it though?!," You laughed loudly, your voice echoed from barn's walls. "This rat is fuckin' everywhere he shouldn't have been showing up."

Morgan laughed and shook his head. "Yea, I know. I never liked him and I still don't. I have a bad feelings about him but well, Dutch have his back." Arthur shrugged taking a drag of his cigarette. "So there is nothing I can do 'bout that. Let's change subject." He patted his knee before laughing a little. "Did I ever tell you how Marston tried to learn swimming?"

"Of course you haven't?!," You blinked and chuckled. "I see that you keep the best parts to yourself, fella," sending him a smile you stretched a little.

It was getting darker and darker outside and you slowly was feeling tired.

"Nah, he didn't really try to learn. I can't even remember when Dutch found this feral kid. One day I saw him standing close to the river, I asked if he knows how to swim and he said he doesn't. So me bein' good, older brother simply trew him into the river." He giggled. "I had to pull him out though, and got scolded by Hosea but what I laugued was mine." He shrugged and nudged you with his elbow. "Hey, maybe ya wanna go to sleep, huh?"

You let out a loud laughter and put hand to your stomach, Morgan was making you laughing like crazy all the time. You raised hand and shook head as "no". "I need a bath. I'm sweaty and I won't go to sleep like this," you informed and got up.

Arthur blinked and laughed. "You can always go and take a bath outside." He pointed at doors with his cigarette.

It was raining really hard outside. "Sorry but I ain't going out there." He added.

You only smiled at him and soon you vanished within the darkness of further part of barn.

As you got to opposite, huge, wooden gate, you peeked out to see a wall of rain.

You started to unbutton your flannel, checkered shirt and you out it on the old box nearby. Then you stripped from your patched pants and panties and simply walked out to stand in cold rain, letting it wash every sin of yours away.

"You will get cold, Y/N! I ain't gonna ralun to town to get meds for ya!" Arthur yelled still sitting in his spot, observing you.

You only waved hand at him as you brushed your wet strands with fingers. It was nice to feel fresh after entire day of the trip.

You slipped hand between your thighs, you felt some instant urge of touching yourself. You turned head to see the light of campfire in the opposite part of barn and figure of Arthur who was still laying comfortable in hay. You smiled to yourself.

Arthur placed the cigarette between his lips and got himself comfortable on the hay. Smiling to himself he watched the show because why the hell not? No man would let such an oppurtinity to slip away. Taking that he was sweet on you made it even more pleasing despite fact that he shouldn't do this.

It was strange yet nice to be thinking about Morgan in THAT exact way. In a way woman thinks of a man when she gets to bed at night. Fact that you and Arthur were close friends wasn't making it easier though.

You slowly played with yourself your head rolled aside, one hand massaging your breasts while other was playing with your sweet spot.

Arthur watched your every move, they were so gentle that they woke something in him. Something he never felt before or simply forgot how it really felt.

Getting up from the hay he slowly walked to the heavy door. He rested his arm on the frame and continued watching the show with arms crossed on his chest.

You looked at him briefly biting your lower lip. "You shouldn't be here, it's rude to be looking at lady in such a situation, ain't it?," You scolded him with a smile and never stopped your actions.

"Yet, the lady ain't afraid and doesn't try to cover herself as the most would do." He said gladly looking up and down at your naked body.

"I'm not like rest of girls you might have known," you smiled at him and moved hand from between your thighs to rested it on your belly.

"You for sure ain't. I knew one real lady, she even didn't let me touch her." He muttered and walked out into the rain."But yea, you are a different story."

"Better go back inside, I ain't going to go to the town to get meds for you when you'll catch a cold!," You tried to imitate his voice.

He rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around you. "I am bigger and stronger than you. Cold ain't gonna stick to me." Arthur said easily picking you up.

Not being sure how to behave you wrapped arms around his neck. "Are you going to save me?," You chuckled quietly.

Arthur only chuckled and hummed soft 'yes', then he carried you back inside to the little bonfire.

You nuzzled instinctively to him, soon his shirt was wet as it absorbed wetness from your body.

Arthur placed you gown on the hey and smiled. "Ya know, I made fool out of myself many times in front of the ladies but..." He sighed deeply, rubbing bridge of his nose. "I fancy you, Y/N."

You smiled at h and slipped hands into his hair. "Do you?," You whispered through parted lips. Your eyes were glistening in the dim light of campfire.

"I do."

The answer was followed by a soft kiss full of emotions, showing you just how touch-starved he was and how much he needed you. Arthur's hips gently bucked as his arms wrapped around you.

You couldn't stop yourself from moaning his name softly and directly into his ear. You cupped his face on hands and placed kiss to his nose to attack his rough lips second later. You reached to his shirt and started opening it.

He hummed and quickly started to help you with underssing him, he was more than happy to do that.

Using all of your strength you rolled with him so he was laying on his back in the hey. Slowly yet solemnly you straddled him and ended unbuttoning his shirt. You opened it and tracer hands up and down his broad, hairy chest.

As you were straddling him you could easily feel the bulge growing within his pants.

Arthur looked at you with blush covering his cheek. Despite all of this he felt kinda emberassed by his excitment and eagerness but he bucked his hips a little and smiled. "You ain't fair, girl. On top of me, undressed, while I am still stuck in my clothes?"

You closed his mouth by a tender kiss as your free hand slipped between two of you, right under his pants. Wrapping hand around his half-erected cock you let out a hum of appreciation. "Gettin' harder just for me, fella?," You smirked. "You want me to play with you a little? Do you want me to wrap that skilled mouth around it?," You were whispering into his ear, nibbling onto his earlobe from time to time as your hand pumped around his shaft slowly.

Arthur kissed you back and gasped when your hand wrapped around his cock. "It's kinda hard to... Not get hard when I have such a beautiful lady on top of me..."

You sent him a smile. "Oh, stop with all the bullshit, darlin'. I know you were watching me at least two more times," you told as you kissed his jawline and moved down to suck a mark on his throat. Then, licking a trail, you moved to lick his nipples, one by one, you hand still pumping his cock, your thumb massaging his tip.

Arthur let out moan and wanted to say something but he looked up to see his horse staring right at him.

Animal only huffed and shook its head.

"Y-Y/N. I don't think I can... When it's lookin'." He said slowly.

You stopped within blink of and eye and looked up at man, then moved your glance to the horse. "Shhh! Go away! You have hey there!," You scoffed the animal and slowly kissed your way down Arthur's body.

But the horse didn't move at all it simple looked at both of you, moving its ears in different directions.

Arthur looked at you with mixed face. He didn't felt comfortable when being watched by someone, even if it was only a horse.

You looked up at Arthur again and rolled your eyes. You slipped hand out of his pants and got up. You grabbed horse's rains and slowly led it where your horse was. You tied rains to some old, metal rail and turned head away to look at Arthur. "Is it okay now?"

He sat up and nodded. "Yea, much better. Come here now." Arthur patted his lap.

You walked to him with a swing in your hips, turning head around to make sure horse was tied properly. You didn't want any interruption to happen again. You straddled man's lap again.

Arthur smiled and kissed you as his hands roamed your body. He kissed your neck and shoulder as his hands cupped your breasts.

As quickly as you could you slipped out of his grasp and undone his belt. Moving his fly open you tugged his pants down his legs and got off his lap only to pump your hand around his shaft harder than before. You leant down and wrapped your lips around his tip.

"Fuck..." He breatched out and let out a quiet moan, Arthur gently grabbed your hair so they wouldn't fall on your face. "Good girl."

You looked at him as your hand caressed his base while you slowly slipped his thick length down your throat. You bobbed head a little and gagged yourself with his cock, gasping for air as you pulled his member out of your mouth only to give him a proper strokes before spiting on it and slipping it back into your lips.

"Darlin'... That feels good but I want to fuck you." He almost whimpered.

"C'mon, Arthur. Put more effort in your begs and I'll consider letting you fuck my tight pussy," you teased before massaging his balls slowly.

Suddenly he flipped you both so you were under him. "I ain't gonna beg woman for anything." He growled.

You rubbed your cunt briefly and put your fingers into your mouth sucking on them. "So take it," you whispered looking at him.

Arthur smiled and kissed you, he wrapped your legs around his waist and then slowly guided his member inside of you, letting out a quiet moan.

With a groan you rolled head back, revealing your neck to him. "Oh, yeah...," You mumbled as you wrapped arms around his neck, pulling him into a tender kiss.

You pussy took his cock perfectly, sucking it deeply and covering it with your wetness. Your hand moved down your body to rub your clitoris few times. "You drive me crazy," you whispered.

Arthur started to kiss your neck while his hips moved nice, deeply and slowly into you. He let out a gasp followed by a quiet moan. "Ya are the one that drive me crazy. Everytime by lookong at me, touchomg me, just staying close to me." He groaned as his hips started to move faster, his arm was wrapped tightly around your waist.

You moaned into the kiss and moved hands to his wide back. You scratched him hardly, leaving bloody marks. "Keep on doing this, cowboy, and I'll fuckin' be yours forever."

"I hope so." Arthur growled and nuzzlee to your shoulder, focusing only on his thrusts.

Soon he raised his head only to come face to face with you mare. "Oh you fuckin' kidding me!" He said and grabbed his shirt to throw it on horse's head. "I won't get disturb now, not by ya."

You laughed loudly and smirked at him as you squeezed his buttocks. "Focus on me!"

"I gladly will." He smiled at you before pulling you into another long, needy kiss. "I am close, girl. Gonna fill you up nicely." Arthur hummed against your lips.

You tried to move you hips only to meet man's thrusts. His cock was stretching you oh so nicely. Rolling head back you let out a groan. "Harder," you gasped.

Arthur placed gently kisses on your neck as he gladly fullfilled you wish.

You smacked his buttocks a little and then moved hand back to spat on it. You stated to rub yourself after.

"You are taking me so good, I have no idea what I did to deserve you." Arthur purred into your ear. "C'mon, cum for me, girl."

Arthur didn't have to repeat twice. His voice was enough to send you to the edge. You rolled hips for him and your pussy clenched tightly around his shaft, making it impossible for him to back.

Arthur moaned as your pussy clenched around him. Such a good feeling made him cum right on place, filling you up.

You moaned his name and slipped hands in his hair tugging in them a little, pulling man into a kiss

Arthur smiled tiredly and kissed you back, pulling you even closer. He enjoyed the feeling of you being so close.

The door behind Arthur's back slowly opened. "Arthur? Amigo? Dutch ordered me to find you and miss Y/L/N and bring you back to camp because he..."

It was Javier, he looked insied just to get with a view of both of you being naked. He closed the door with a loud bang. "No tenía que ver esto! No voy a olvidar esto! Avisame la próxima vez!" Javier yelled outside the door.

Arthur looked at you and laughed.

You covered your mouth to muffle your laughter. Even though you were blushing like a teenage girl who was caught by father on something bad, you enjoyed it. "Javier! What the fuck?!," You screamed loudly nuzzling to Arthur. "First horses, now him. Ah!"

"Dutch ordered me to get the two of you! That's all!" Man yelled.

Arthur kissed side of your head. "I guess we have to get dressed. Dutch doesn't like to wait."

"And I don't like to be waiting for you to touch me," you teased stroking his abdomen. "I'm touch-starved.

"I can clearly see that." Arthur kissed you one last time before pulling his flabby cock out from you. He got up and grabbed shirt from your horse's head. "That's mine."

You gasped sadly at emptiness in your pussy but you also for up and looked for your clothes.

After dressing up, Arthur found a little moment to hug you from behind. "Thank you" He whispered before kissing your shoulder.

You enjoyed his touch, so soft and tender and deep inside you knew it was something new happening between two of you. And you were oh so willing to know where it will lead

Javier wasn't happy when the two of you came out. "You two couldn't wait! I will be seeing your naked ass every time I close my eyes, Arthur!"

"And you'll think to yourself what a wonderful butt he has," you patted Javier's shoulder with a smirk.

He laughed and shook his head. "No, thanks. I will think to myself what a wonderful body you have, miss Y/L/N." Javier said, looking at you.

You blushed and pulled hat down to cover your reddish face

Arthur laughed and pulled it back up. "Ya better keep it on your head, not face. It's hard to ride like that, trust me, I tried."

During way back to the camp you were constantly glaring at Arthur. Oh Lord, how much you loved that fella.

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[isitgintimeyet]

Road To The Aisles

AO3

Previous

So with a bit of powering through the block, here is the penultimate chapter. Thanks for sticking with this story and all your  comments, likes and reblogs are much appreciated.

Thanks to @mo-nighean-rouge @wickedgoodbooks @happytoobserve for their support with the story

Chapter 24: An Enduring Commitment

Ever mine, ever thine, ever ours.

Letter from Beethoven to his Immortal Beloved. (Also used in Sex and the City)

Claire, in that blissful state between sleeping and wakefulness, rolled over and stretched out, her hand automatically reaching for the hard body next to her. The unaccustomed coolness of the empty sheets quickly pulled her fully awake. She lay still for a moment, content to savour the anticipation of the day ahead, triggering a small flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

Propping her back against the pillows, she could hear a flurry of activity outside the bedroom. A familiar low voice spoke, too softly for her to make out the words. The reply, however, came through loud and clear, in scolding tones.

“Unca Jamie, I said no! Mam has told me I’ve tae look after Auntie Claire taeday. Mam says ye canna see her, no’ even a wee keek. Mam says ye’re like a rat up a drainpipe given half a chance. So ye need tae go away… right now.”

There was a small knock on the door and Wee Jamie’s head peeped around the door.

“Are ye awake, Care Bear?” He ran in and perched on the end of the bed before she had a chance to answer.

“I had tae tell Unca Jamie tae go away jes’ now.”

Claire smiled. “I heard.”

“Weel, he canna be seein’ ye ‘til the kirk, Mam says ‘tis bad luck. Why?”

“I don’t really know. Maybe people are scared the groom will see the bride and suddenly change his mind?”

Wee Jamie scooted up the bed and snuggled into Claire. “Unca Jamie wouldna change his mind, no’ about ye, Auntie.”

“Aw, thank you. So you protect me from your uncle today, then.”

“Aye, I will,” he gave a big sigh. “I’ve an awfa lot of jobs tae do taeday, ye ken. And mam told me tae ask ye what ye want fer breakfast. Mam thought a couple o’ boiled eggs wi’ soldiers might do ye.”

“But,” he added conspiratorially. “Ye could always have toast wi’ chocolate spread… I can help ye eat it.”

“Boiled eggs sound great.”

Wee Jamie pulled a face in disgust as he climbed from the bed. “I’ll go tell Mam. She says tae stay here fer breakfast, ‘cos ye ken what Unca Jamie’s like… a rat—“

“I know,” Claire laughed.  “Thank you, Jamie. You go and tell your mum what a big help you are to me. And tell Uncle Jamie to behave himself… or else.”

***********

Feeling guilty at the prospect of being served breakfast in bed, Claire quickly dressed in leggings and an old university sweatshirt of Jamie’s. She opened the large mahogany wardrobe and gazed at her wedding dress hanging there, now free of its protective covering. The kaleidoscope of butterflies resumed their fluttering in her stomach. Six hours to go…

“Claire, can I come in?”

Rushing to the door, Claire let Jenny in. She placed a plate with two boiled eggs, and an army of toast soldiers on the small side table together with a large mug of coffee.

Claire smiled appreciatively. “Thanks so much. I’m not sure how much I can eat though. My stomach is flip flopping all over the place.”

“Ye’d best try and eat something. It’ll be a long time ‘till we have the dinner and we canna be having ye passing out at the altar.”

Jenny moved over to the open wardrobe. “So this is it?” She asked, recalling much cherished memories of another wedding gown at Lallybroch nine years before.

Bringing her thoughts back to the present bride, she continued with genuine emotion in her voice. “Oh, it’s jes’ lovely. Ye’ll look beautiful in it.”

She sat on the bed as Claire half heartedly dipped a soldier into one of the eggs. “How are ye feeling? Ma brother canna stop still, he’s fidgeting about the place and keeps trying tae see ye, of course. I’ve ordered him tae take William fer a nice long walk. They both need tae burn off some energy and it’s a grand day outside.”

“Like I said, my stomach is in knots, but in a good way… does that make sense? I just want it to be three o’clock, yet, on the other hand I don’t want the day to go too quickly.”

“Aye, I ken what ye mean. I was jes’ the same maself. I wanted tae be able tae remember every minute. But Da, now, he was sae nervous, he couldna stop shaking. He fair sprinted down the aisle. I had tae hold him back and try tae enjoy the moment.”

Jenny stood up. “Ah, weel, I’ll go and make sure Jamie goes fer a walk. Then ye can come down fer a bit, if ye’d like. I dinna want ye to feel ye’re in isolation up here.”

Claire took a swig of coffee. “Thanks, Jenny.”

“Nae bother.”

“Not just for this… or today… but for everything.”

"I always wanted a sister, as well as my clot-heid of a brother. It’s taken Jamie some time, but I now really feel like I’ve got one. We're family."

Jenny fumbled in the pocket of her skirt and pulled out an old leather box. “Claire, I ken Jamie has given ye our mam’s pearls, but I have the matching earrings here. If ye like, ye could wear them today… fer the ‘something borrowed’.”  

She opened the box and passed them to Claire. “I mean, ye dinna have tae.” She quickly added. “I willna mind if ye already have others tae wear.”

Claire wiped her hands on her leggings before taking the box. “Jenny, they’re lovely. Of course I’ll wear them. I don’t know what to say… thank you so much.

“I’d best away now.  I’ll let ye know when the coast is clear.”

Jenny bent down and gave Claire a big hug. Claire didn’t speak, but hugged Jenny even tighter before letting go. She wiped her eyes as Jenny left the room.

As soon as Jenny closed the door, Claire could hear footsteps rushing away along the landing.

“James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser, I ken what ye’re up tae, creeping ‘round here.” Jenny called out sternly.

“I was only going tae see if Claire wanted tae say hello tae William. She hasna seen the bairn this morning.” Jamie sounded very sheepish.

“G’on fer yer walk and dinna be mithering Claire. It’ll all be worth it this afternoon, when ye see her coming down the aisle.”

Claire felt a shiver of excitement up and down her spine at those words. She glanced at the clock. Only five and a half hours to go…

********

Wee Jamie loudly announced outside her bedroom door when it was safe for Claire to venture downstairs. He gallantly accompanied her into the kitchen and insisted on standing guard at the back door, despite numerous protestations that it wasn’t really necessary.

Claire poured a coffee and settled herself at the kitchen table to await the arrival of Geillis. The kitchen, the heart of Fraser-Murray family life, was unusually quiet, the only sound being Wee Jamie singing a song to himself, featuring lyrics clearly about a variety of toilet habits.

Growing up, this quietness had been the norm but now, ever since meeting Jamie, she relished the noisy mealtimes around this table, with several generations coming together to share food and whisky (adults only), conversation and laughter…and love.

The scrape of a chair against the stone tiled floor roused Claire from her thoughts. A warm hand reached across to lightly rest on her upturned palm.

“Ye were miles away there, lass. Ye’re no’ having second thoughts about our Jamie?” Brian asked, a broad smile on his face.

Claire returned the smile. “No, I was just thinking about mealtimes here, around this table. So different to my life growing up.”

“Different, aye. But fer the better, I hope?”

“Yes, of course. It’s so nice to feel part of something, you know?”

“Aye, I do. I can tell ye, the first time Jamie brought ye tae Lallybroch and we sat around here, I looked at ye and I kent ye belonged. No’ jes’ wi’ Jamie, but here wi’ all of us. He may have been a fool about some things, but no’ about ye.”

“I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

Brian released her hand for a moment before placing a small coin in her palm.

“Silver sixpence fer yer shoe… if ye’d like. Ye dinna have tae use it.”

“Of course, I’d like to.” She studied the coin for a moment. “You know Jenny has lent me Ellen’s pearl earrings… for the something borrowed.”

“Aye, she said she would. Ye ken, ma Ellen woulda loved ye. And ye remind me of her in many ways. No’ jes’ in looks. Her hair was red like our Jamie’s, and her eyes werena amber, but they were as warm and sparkling as yers are now. And she always had a calm, practical nature—like yers.” Brian’s voice began to crack. “And love, always so much love.”

“Aye,” he repeated. “She woulda loved ye. We went tae tell her yesterday, Jamie and I, we paid a visit tae the kirk yard. Left her some flowers. She always loved this time of year, ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ as the poet says, and tae ken her wee Sawny is getting married now, here…weel—“

A panicked yell came from the back door. “Auntie, there’s a car here, but I dinna think it’s Unca Jamie.”

“Oh, ‘tis alright,” he continued with a loud relieved sigh, ‘‘Tis only yer friend, G.”

“I think that’s my cue for us to go and start getting ready.” She moved around to Brian and gave him a hug. “I’ll see you in church, then.”

***********

Jamie shifted uncomfortably on the hard wooden pew. Despite the chill of the late October day, he was suddenly very hot. William, held tightly in his arms, seemed to sense his father’s nervousness and pouted before starting to grizzle, quietly at first, then building up to a loud wail.

Isobel, in her wedding role as baby minder for the ceremony, was positioned in the pew behind Jamie and Ian. “Hush,” she crooned softly as she tickled William under the chin.

Distracted from his woes, William grinned at his aunt and then amused himself by grabbing his father’s curls with both hands and babbling.

“Dadadada.”

Jamie’s heart filled with pride as he gazed at his son, clad in a little white shirt, Fraser tartan trews and matching waistcoat.

Ian nudged Jamie gently. “There’s nae doubt who his Da is. How ye doing?”

Jamie licked his lips and tried to swallow. “Fine,” he croaked. “A wee bit nervous but… shouldn’t she be here by now?”

“It’s a bride's prerogative tae be late. It’s only ten minutes. Yer sister kept me waiting for nigh on twenty, remember?”

Jamie smiled at the memory of how worried Ian had been, convinced that Jenny had changed her mind and was, at that moment, somewhere on the road to Glasgow. He had no doubts about Claire, he knew that she was on her way, but the waiting was excruciating.

Suddenly the atmosphere in the church changed. The organ music which had been playing quietly in the background ceased. The priest strolled down the side aisle and halted in front of Jamie and Ian.

“They’re here,” the priest whispered and indicated for the congregation to rise.

As the organ sounded with the opening bars of Händel’s ‘Largo’, Jamie stood and passed William to Isobel, wiping his hands, now damp with sweat, on his kilt. He tried to keep his eyes fixed on the altar, unsure if he was allowed to turn around. Ian had no such concern and craned around to watch before, smiling broadly, he clapped Jamie on the back.

Unable to contain himself any longer, Jamie swivelled around to watch the procession down the aisle. Wee Jamie led the way, carrying a small velvet cushion with a piece of Fraser tartan laid on top. Jamie knew that the two white gold wedding rings were nestled inside that fabric. His nephew’s face was a mask of concentration, only breaking into a smile when he spied first his mother, clutching Maggie to stop her toppling off the pew, and then his father and uncle.

Geillis brought up the rear, her bronze satin gown complimenting her strawberry blond hair, caught up at one side by an ornate pearl comb. The simplicity of the dress, with its cowl neckline, ensured that the congregation’s main focus was where it should be… with Claire.

Jamie caught his breath as he looked at Claire. The late autumn sunlight streaming through the church windows caught the highlights of auburn and gold in her hair, falling in loose curls onto her shoulders, the only adornment a simple pearl headband matching her necklace and earrings. In her hands she carried a bouquet of creamy peony roses and pale orange tinged ranunculus with autumn berries, seed pods and leaves, tied together with a bronze ribbon.

He felt tears prick his eyes as he recognised how Claire had lovingly included his mother in their wedding, wearing Ellen’s necklace and earrings and carrying peony roses, his mother’s favourite.

As she drew closer, he could see the detail on her dress, enhancing the creamy whiteness of her shoulders and neck. She was never less than beautiful to him, but here, now, he knew she was all he ever needed…  companion, confidante, wife, lover. She stopped alongside him and flashed him a warm, yet nervous, smile. His heart was so full, it felt like it would burst.

As Jamie and Claire said the familiar words of the traditional wedding service, repeated by millions of couples over hundreds of years, each vow, each promise felt, to them, fresh and unique, a covenant for the two of them alone. In front of their family and friends, they made their commitment to each other, their love clear in every word they spoke.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The priest intoned the final authoritative words.

“Dadadada,” yelled William at the top of his voice, clapping his hands.

The air of solemnity immediately lifted throughout the guests. With applause, cheers and much laughter, Mr. and Mrs. Fraser shared their first kiss as husband and wife.