#like yes great for you king slay or whatever but also give me back the height difference-

[uselessnbee]

i'm really happy for Noah for having that growth spurt between seasons 3 and 4 but i will always mourn the s3 byler height difference that was just perfection

[srose-foxfire]

Damirae Week 2021 - Day 7 (part 1)

“Finding Our Happily Ever After: Part 1” Day 7: Soulmates

All Raven could recall was standing before Damian about to confess she wanted to stay with him and his family, if he allowed her. The moments that followed after were in a blur, she had felt a pull from the skies and before long she was rising in the dark grey skies at a rapid speed. Raven looked down to see she was being pulled away from her friends and Damian. Scared, the young maiden called out for him, she heard him call back and bark an order towards her captor. Raven could also faintly remember seeing Sombra, trying to attack her captor but was wounded. The next thing she remembers was trying to punch and free herself from her captor, but she was then struck on her head rather hard making her lose conscious throughout the flight.

Overtime Raven would briefly wake up catching glimpses of the surrounding lands, as they approach a mountain.

When her senses came back and she fully awoke, Raven found herself to be inside a dark cave. It was too dark for any mere mortal to be able to look through but the part of her that held demon blood allowed her to see in the darkness. Raven slowly turned her head, skimming the area, as she tried to stand, she notices a tug come from her wrists and ankles. Looking down on herself, Raven had been tied onto a wooden chair, her wrists and ankles were tied rather very tightly, she notice red bruised marks stain her wrists . Raven tried to wiggle from her chair, when from the darkest part of the room, she heard the grunts of an older man.

The cave was lit with floating wax candles holding a green flame on them, making the room glow in green. Raven managed to see two figures standing close together from the direction she had heard the man come from. One was tall and well built, a man with his face hidden behind a black and orange mask. Next to him was an old woman, though she had a devil look in her eyes as if she shouldn’t be easily trifled with. This woman was dress in grey rags, almost appearing to be her dress, her long grey-hair was in locks pointing in different directions. She wasn’t pleasant to the eyes and might as well frighten any child.

Raven exhaled carefully, “Who are you and what do you want with me?”

The man laughed lightly, he took a step toward Raven, “my… you really cut to the chase, my dear.” He then bowed towards her, “I am Slade Wilson, and I have a proposition for you.”

Before Raven had a chance to inquire, the old woman next to him, place her weary old boney hand on Slade’s arm, “my lord, I must advice not to deal with the likes of her. Contracts with them come at a price, perhaps-”

“Quite hag,” Slade hissed through clenched teeth, then glanced at Raven who had her brows lifted, he gave her a gentle laugh, “apologies my dear. Like I was saying I have a proposition, if you choose to accept it, and I will free you from those binds.”

Not allowing herself to falter, Raven held her head high and spoke with a stern voice. “Listen, I don’t have anything to my name, if you know who I am, I’ve been exiled from my father’s lands. I hold no value-”

“Oh, but you do my dear, you absolutely do and that is why you should be wise to choose this offer of mine.” Slade clapped his hands together, looking over to the older woman, who mumbled some incoherent words and a large wooden chair appeared right in front of Raven, Slade then sat down, she could feel he was studying her through his mask.  

“Which is?” she then asked him.

The masked man, sighed heavily, “you have been staying with a certain and very peculiar family,” She could feel her heart picked up speed as she listened, her chest rised with disdain, and her face was starting to flush with anger as Slade continued, “the youngest child of said family… well he was given a birthright he did not deserve, well to make it short I want to employ you to help me bring him to ruin-”

Enrage, Raven glared and spoke the truth in her heart, “You are wasting your time with me; I will never turn against Damian or his family! They have given me more than my own father ever could… besides Gotham has been with the Wayne’s for generations, its Damian throne to take-”

“Shut her up.” Slade commanded with a hiss, the old woman who stood behind him muttered some words in another language Raven didn’t understand and her lips were sealed, Slade then rose from his chair and walked around her.

“Apologies but I hate interruptions. Yes, the little brat is the heir to rule over Gotham, but he was also given another birthright one he very carelessly gave away to his cousin. The kingdom of Nanda Parbat, a land inhabited by the world’s most elites of assassins, it’s former ruler was Ra’s al Ghul, had chosen his grandson, the one you know as Damian Wayne to take over his kingdom!” Frustrated, Slade then kicked the large wooden chair, across the room with a powerful kick.

The noise frightened the harpy as it screeched and flapped it wings from a corner, hoping around the room. The old woman hissed at it to quiet down, with a flick of her fingers tips the chair was rebuild and place across from Raven. Slade grabbed it and sat down, he clasped his hands on his lap and studied her, noticing Raven had her brows knitted together.

“You must wonder why I hate him so much, correct? Well I was the ‘Demon Head’s’ right man, he almost treated like a son… he once told me I was going to marry his daughter Talia, but what does he do instead? Create a ridiculous alliance with the kingdom of Gotham, King Bruce takes Talia in marriage and she gives birth to the little brat. That boy has stolen what was rightfully mine and gave it away like nothing.”

Slade then stood up, remove his mask to reveal a dark skinned man, with short white hair and a left eye covered by a piece of black leather, placed his hands on either side of Raven’s chair leaning ever so closely to her face, “I needed to have my revenge. That boy took everything away from me, so I took away everything he came to love. I had a cursed place on him, his family, and soon everyone came to forget that the kingdom of Gotham ever existed. Its people became like wind, it was like they never existed. I found pleasure knowing he would never get to experience true happiness… that is until…you came along.”

Raven’s chest was heaving as she strained to breath steadily, she could feel her blood start to boil and her head throb with rage. “You somehow manage to worm yourself into the castle and lighten the darkness I so perfectly designed for them. I had to come up with something else, something that would really bring that boy to his knees, and that is making you my bride.”

Slade started to caress her cheek with his hand, she turned and tried to lean away from his vile touch. Her mouth was beginning to fill with saliva and just for a split-second Raven felt strange. She had a feeling like she could overpower whatever had been placed onto her lips, she locked gaze with Slade’s, glared at him from underneath her lashes and then spit at him.

The older man groined and wipes his face with the back of his palm, the old woman gave out a horrible angry cry as she screamed, “you filthy wench! How dare you break my enchantment?!” Raven’s chair was lifted and flung towards the ceiling of the cave, Raven cried at the impact as she was dragged to the floor and up again. Then she was floating just above the old woman, with a flick of her old wrist, Raven was thrown across the cave, causing the chair she was tied on, to break at the impact.

“Stop it!” Slade yelled as he lifted his servant by the throat, then releasing her harshly. He turned and pointed his finger towards Raven. “You! Do you think you could ever live happily alongside a beast like him? Don’t you want to live a normal-human life with someone like me? I can give you that and so much more.”

“No… you can’t.” Raven strained to speak as her whole body was aching, she lifted herself off the ground with great difficultly, “Damian may be trapped in a beast’s body but even he has shown more compassion and kindness from any demon I have ever met! He is no beast, you are!”

“Enough! I employed this witch long time ago to curse him, now for being a thorn on my side you will perish!”

The old woman cackled and her fingertips sparked with green magic, “oh, what great pleasure you give me my lord to slay a sorceress of Azarath.” Azarath?

“Don’t you dare, hurt her!”

That voice! Raven turned around to what was hopefully the cave’s only exit and to see him magnificently riding on Titus, like a white knight riding on his noble steed. Damian hopped off from Titus, as they both snarled and growled at Raven’s captors.

“Damian!” Raven cried happily.

Slade laughed, “Well now, isn’t this a sight! The beast man with his beast dog!” He then unsheathes a sword he had on his hip and pointed it towards Damian, “You want the girl, you will have to go through me!”

“You will pay for what you did to her and to my family!” Damian yelled. He leaped towards Slade, swinging his claws to land a hit.

The harpy who had been standing nearby flew up and dive to attack Damian but was interrupted as Titus manage to bite one of its winged arms. The harpy cried out and kicked Titus on his muzzle, then tried biting him in return. When she missed used her clawed feet to puncture his shoulder. Titus effortlessly evade each attack, then lodged its fangs onto one of the harpy’s foot and swung it in his mouth like a doll. He then let go, causing the harpy to be thrown across the cave, it shrieks and cried painfully flying away, abandoning it mistress.

Titus barked proudly and ran towards Raven as they watched Damian continue to battle Slade. “You cause me my pet!” Raven turned around and notice the witch was flying towards her, Raven through herself away from the attack and Titus tried to swing his paw at her. The witch shot a bolt of her green magic and Titus whimper as he was struck. Angry, Raven stood and ran towards the witch as she managed to tackle her to the ground. They rolled on top of each other, Raven had the upper hand given to her youth and her own will to survive this terrible ordeal. But the witch had magic and she started chanting some words making Raven float away from her and then launching her like she had done before with the chair. Raven rolled a few feet away, she glanced up as the witch floated slowly towards her.

“Your mother turned me into this! She took away my beauty because I used it to lure men to their dooms, now it is time for me to have my revenge!” She raised her hands up, green sparks going off as she chanted a spell. Raven lifted her hands to shield herself, when she heard a whoosh sliced through the air. Slowly Raven, opened her eyes and widen them when she saw that the witch had been impacted by Slade’s sword. It had entered through her back and the tip managed to pierce through the front of her chest. She slowly floated down to the ground, standing still. The witch then slowly turned around still with the sword embedded through her as she glanced towards Slade. “My lord? Why…?”

“Our deal is off; you are no longer any use for me.”

Damian quietly moved around Slade as he approached Raven, he used his body to shield her from their enemies. He slowly pushed her towards the path he and Titus had come from. The witch continues to walk towards Slade, then pointed her long pointy finger. “You traitor,you dare double-cross a witch, all of you will never see the light of day, I cursed thee all to be buried in this cave!” Her whole body illuminated and burst into green and black ashes, the cauldron started to boil and erupted around the entire room. Which cause the cave to rumble and some stalactites fell all around them.

“Let’s go!” Damian yelled as he grabbed Raven’s hand and together ran along the path to exit the cave. Titus ran up ahead, managing to evade pillars of rocks tumbling down, at some point Damian lifted Raven in his arms and carried her off most of the path. As they near the exit, some rocks came lose, falling right at the foot of the entrance to the cave. Damian stopped, placed Raven down and then jumped on top the nearest boulder, he turned and reached for her hands to help her climb. Titus effortlessly jumped and stood near an opening big enough for them to pass through. When Raven reached the top, she reached out her hand to grab Damian’s paw, for a second her looked at her and couldn’t help but smile towards her.

Then out of nowhere Damian screamed out a roar of pain, one hand clawing the air around him. Raven glanced to Damian’s side and saw Slade had reached them and had use a dagger to pierce Damian. The young curse prince had lost his footing and grip, causing Raven to hold onto him as tightly as she could and not let him fall. Slade used this opportunity to stab Damian again, but he too lost his footing and pulled Damian down with him.

“Damian!” Raven cried as she watches him tumbled down and roll a few feet away from where they had started to climb. She and Titus hopped down the to the floor and running to Damian’s side. She knelt down and gently picked up his head in her hands, trying to shield him from the small debris. Titus stood next to them, using his own large body as a shield for his master and the young girl. The only entrance they had was covered by more rocks, trapping them inside the cave.

“You lost, you lost it all!” Slade exclaimed happily as he tried to stand up straight, with shaky legs started walking towards them. “I was never going to let you live a happy life! You deserved this; oh, you so deserve this!” Slade chanted madly, all reason was gone, now before them was an old man filled with utter madness. Above them a large cracking sound was heard, gazing right above him a large stalactite broke from the roof and landed right where Slade had stood.

The cave continued to crumble around them. Damian was heavily panting, trying to minimize how much in pain he was in. “Save yourselves,” he whispered through painful breaths.

“I am not leaving you.” Raven answered him as she cradle his face. There has to be a way. Raven thought. She turned and turned her head all around her hoping to see something that could save them. But there was nothing, all was truly lost as Slade had said, was this truly what they were fated for from the start? Was the grand design of the universe this cold-hearted towards them in wanting to have a happy life? Wanting to hold on to what had brought her happiness for a short moment of her life, Raven felt that feeling again when she had broken the witch’s enchantment on her lips. It felt peaceful and warmth almost, just like when she had been visited by that strange woman cloaked in white. Without even knowing it herself Raven whispered;

“Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos.”

A dark purple circle suddenly appeared on the ground around them. As more cracks were heard from the cave’s ceiling, she saw some stalactites break, coming down rapidly targeting them. The circle then emitted dark looking shadows that looked like black tentacles wrapping around Raven and her friends. She closed her eyes waiting for their death but then opened them and looked at Damian. If she were to die, she wanted to see him one last time. Then they were  all engulfed by  shadows.

[oidheadh-con-culainn]

What are the major details that confused you about the Hound blurb? The major one that stood put to me was the "way of the farmer opposed to the sword" thing which felt very...un-Cú Chulainn. Also, if you don't mind expanding further, which details didn't you question/be confused by?

and also for anon:

okay so it is like. 2am so there are not going to be any sources here but i can't sleep so here goes!! i will go through this blurb line by line and give youse my thoughts

In 50 BCE,

reasonable. this is roughly the right time period for when the ulster cycle is set. maybe marginally earlier than i'd place cú chulainn, but i'm talking a few years, nothing to get worked up about.

Morrigan, the goddess of war,

fine. normally i'm wary of pantheonising impulses with regard to irish characters (almost none of them can be identified as a god of anything in particular, it doesn't work like that) but tbh the morrigan is like, the most plausible exception to that, so whatever. normally her name has the definite article attached to it because it's kind of a species term as well but whatevs.

has become restless as a long-lasting peace settles over Ireland.

dubious. closest i can think of to peace being reference in any texts is togail bruidne da derga talking about conaire mor's reign being like, prosperous and peaceful and whatever, and even there you've got díberg (plundering/reaving) which is what eventually fucks him over and starts the otherworldly hell spiral situation. that's roughly the right period here but conaire's doom proves you don't have to do much to nudge peace into war, and connacht and ulster are at each other's throats for years before cú chulainn comes on the scene anyway

Deciding the time of peace must end, she chooses Setanta, the nephew of the king of the north, to become her ward.

hmm. i mean. like, this isn't the WEIRDEST choice they could have made. it's still completely made-up, don't get me wrong -- cú chulainn has a lot of different foster parents in different texts and they don't agree with each other but none of them ever mentions the morrígan. but like, they do have a connection of some sort, as evidenced by their conversations. and there's that one moment in the r1 boyhood deeds where little cú chulainn is out on the battlefield and hears her (not sure which name is used here) calling out to him and it like. motivates him to do some deeds or whatever, and i guess you could extrapolate that into some kind of teaching capacity.

so like. could be weirder. if you're gonna pick anyone, you could do worse. still seems weird to me! but not on its own a major issue, i could get past this and consider it a Fun But Unorthodox Creative Decision

(the fact that she tries to seduce him in the táin probably wouldn't get in the way of this considering sleeping with his teachers/foster-mothers is far from unheard of where cú chulainn is concerned)

After a young Setanta slays the demon-hound of Cullan, he becomes known as Cú Cullan—The Hound of Cullan.

weird spelling choices, they could have at least bothered to use the genitive properly. also the hound isn't a demon, it's a ferocious watchdog -- making it sound all Otherworldly and Hellish like this kinda confuses the issue of why he would need to take its place. he needs to take its place because the cattle and people still need protecting because it is a watchdog!! but whatevs, again, it's a brief summary so they can't exactly give us all the details and this is not actively objectionable

As Cú Cullan grows older, it is apparent that an extraordinary power lies within him … and a great darkness.

ugh boring. this makes it sound like he's going to be ~tortured~ and angsty about it. give me an unapologetic murder teen please. is the ríastrad dark? sure i guess, if you're going to be boring about it. it's more like, grotesque neon in my head

When he chooses the quiet life of a farmer over the sword,

this would fucking never happen on like five different levels. obviously like anyone who has ever read anything about cú chulainn can see that this is not in his nature. he is never going to choose a quiet life. this is the kid who tricked his way into taking arms before everyone thought he was ready. also juxtaposed with the "darkness" comment makes it sound like he would Angst his way into this quiet life which. again. have you seen this kid. he is an unapologetic murder teen

the only thing i can think of that might make him temporarily want to walk away is connla's death which... depends where you position that in the timeline really, he does seem a bit fucked up by it and maybe he'd want a holiday although i can see that lasting precisely 5 minutes before someone pissed him off enough for him to murder them. but if he's being raised by the morrígan i can't see him going to train with scáthach so then he'd never meet aífe and therefore connla would never be born so that wouldn't happen. so like. whatever.

but also like. he would not become a farmer. he just wouldn't! it doesn't work! the ireland of the stories is super hierarchical, right? and this blurb has already fucking told us that he's the king's nephew (canon) so we can tell that being a farmer is Not His Place. when we see upper class figures becoming menial labourers in texts, like in cath maige tuired, it's because Things Are Fucked, Shit's Gone Wrong. people don't just decide to change their entire social class on a whim lmfao

if cú chulainn really wanted to turn his back on being a warrior he could probably make recourse to certain other Suitable Professions ... his grandad's a druid so he might have a route into that, though his dad's not so that might fuck things up a bit bc it's one of those things that's usually inherited. he does give "wisdom" in at least one text though and we also know he can write (he carves riddles in ogham in the táin) and he composes verses on various occasions so idk, maybe something in a poetic direction, though again, usually requires two generations of inheritance to be a real poet and not just a lower-class bard. warrior's kinda the main thing he's got open to him tbh. but farming? i'm not a legal expert but as far as i'm aware based on what i have read, that would fuck shit up

more likely an upset cú chulainn would just go off in search of an adventure somewhere conveniently far away until he'd calmed down (alba, or the tyrrhenian sea, or -- if we're going to get early modern about it -- somewhere like india, which frequently gets thrown into the texts with absolutely no cultural context and it's always hilarious)

Morrigan, angry at the betrayal,

of the entire social order, yes,

instigates an invasion of his homeland

i mean. if they intend this to be the táin then.... táin bó regamna does kinda make the morrígan responsible for it? not in the sense of triggering the pillow talk argument that it's in the book of leinster -- it's her getting up to her usual cow-nicking behaviours for shits and giggles. [note to readers: it is probably for more than shits and giggles but did i mention it's 2am]

but all in all, not particularly out of character that she would be at least some way responsible for this so i can vibe with this. echtra nerai also supports the TBR explanation with her fucking around with otherworldly cows and pissing people off so, yeah, whatever. the morrígan engineered this. sure.

and Cú Cullan must challenge fate itself

this is probably a controversial stance but fate feels like a difficult concept to apply to medieval irish texts. like are people sometimes Doomed? yes. there are prophecies, there are gessi, there's all manner of otherworldly fuckery that can trip you up. is that the same thing as fate? no idea. considering cú chulainn comes out alive from the táin though and his doom prophecies don't catch up to him for like, at least another decade, maybe 16 years depending on who you listen to, hard to see how that would apply here

to keep the goddess at bay.

again like she IS causing fuckery in the táin but also it's like... one time. really not the main character. but she or maybe just some crows, hard to say, do get implicated in the death tale so maybe they're doing what people often do and conflating the two? even though there's like 10-16 years in between them?

anyway as you can see i don’t think it’s wholly terrible / i’m not completely thinkshaming it. like, having cú chulainn raised by the morrígan is unorthodox but it could be a fun and creative direction so i don't object to it. making cú chulainn get sad about murder and choose to be a farmer is just fucking laughable tho, and makes me doubt their characterisations in general. so that's offputting and would probably make me think twice about buying it, if that had ever been on the cards.*

and of course sure, their cú chulainn can be a Sad Boy Who Likes Sheep, but that means he's not the cú chulainn of medieval irish lit / irish myth, because that cú chulainn is a feral murder teen who keeps killing his friends and also is way too high social status to ever be a farmer, and whose only relationship to livestock is as the watchdog who kills anyone trying to harm them (which is an important role on a farm! but like. not the same thing as Being A Farmer. mostly because it involves more murder and is essentially just an extension of his role as a warrior. or rather the other way around. he promises to protect mag muirthemne as a watchdog and this like. gets extended into him becoming its sole defender)

this has been my analysis of this blurb i hope you enjoyed it

it's now 2.30am i should try and sleep now that i've exorcised a few thoughts from my head

*as i mentioned in the tags of my other post, i don't tend to read graphic novels due to disability stuff. they're much harder for me to understand and follow than prose, to the point where some are incomprehensible, so i don't really enjoy them. there are a few i've read, but they tend to be short ones, and i'm usually not reading them in order, just admiring the art separately from the text. so it's unlikely i would read a graphic novel of this size anyway.

[acebladespades]

For the sicktember thing, 9 with Nameless King, please? Thank you! 😊

Title (Do not) let him eat cake!

Fandom: Dark Souls

Characters: Nameless King, Ornstein, Gwynevere, Smough, Artorias, Sif.

Word-Count:2911

AO3-Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/34321024

Summary: Eating too many cakes in one go may not have been as fun as Gwynsen had thought...

Prompt: I am not sick

I am so sorry for taking so long!! Life got in the way but I finally finished your prompt :D I hope you like it, writing this was fun!

@sicktember

It was the smell which lured him out of his way and guided him to the dinning hall. Deep down, he knew there was something of importance he was meant to be doing. There was someone waiting for him.

Unconsciously, Gwynsen tried to remember, but all his thoughts faded into the background of his mind once he saw the tower of freshly baked pastries carefully placed on the table.

They exuded a sweet and delicious steam, the spicy scent of marzipan.

There were plenty, enough to feed a small army or a very hungry court.

Or, in Gwynsen’s case, a god of war with a grumbling stomach and a watering mouth.

Well, marzipan cakes are my favorite. Gwynevere finds them overly sweet and Gwyndolin often says they would rather lick a basilisk’s eyeball than to take a single bite of these sugary abominations. Oh Dolin, always so melodramatic.

Gwynsen carefully took one of the cakes in his hands.

So, surely, these were baked for me. The cooks must have wanted to surprise me. They are too generous to me. I shall see that they are rightfully rewarded! But first…

“I shall feast!” He opened his mouth and prepared to take the first bite.

“No, Gwynsen!”

But all he ended up biting was thin air and almost the tip of his tongue when, with a swift swing of her hand, Gwynevere took the cake away from him.

“What the--” Gwynsen said after his jaws recovered from the forceful impact of his empty bite. “Sister, where did you come from? And more importantly, why have you stolen my cake? Could this be fraternal betrayal?”

Gwynsen’s heart started to break at the mere thought of his own sister turning against him; thankfully, Gwynevere soon proved him wrong, but not before giving him a small slap on his head.

“Please, stop fooling around.” Gwynevere said with a heavy sigh as she placed the marzipan cake back in its former place. “Father will not approve of you eating his desserts. You know well how finicky he is about his midday cravings. Do you remember the time he destroyed the East tower with one of his lighting spears just because his pastries did not have enough powdered sugar on top? Because I do, and so do the cooks. I created many lovely memories in that tower. I loved that tower, brother, I really did.”

Gwynevere’s gaze became dark and sharp.

“Sister, please. You are scaring me.”

“Oh, I am sorry. I got a little carried away.” Immediately, Gwyenevere went back to her laid-back and cheerful demeanour, but her determination had not waned. “In any case, you shall have none of these baked goods. Unless, of course, you convince Father to share a few of them with you, but we both know that taming a rageful dragon would be an easier task, so really brother, don’t waste your time.”

“Ask Father?” Gwynsen snorted, half amused and half angry at how ridiculous the idea was. “Please. I would rather kiss Smough on the lips.”

“Brother, don’t be like that, for underneath that grotesque armor, lies a skilled kisser.”

“What?!”

“I said I would never want to do so either.”

“Gwynevere, that’s not what you said.”

“Brother, don’t you have places to be?” Gwynevere interrupted him without shame. “Isn’t it time for your daily training with Ornstein? It is not proper of a god to leave others waiting for long.”

Ornstein!

So that had been his original task before he had become distracted by the mesmerizing aroma of the cakes.

“I shall go to him at once.” Gwynsen exclaimed. His treacherous stomach seconded him with a loud growl.

He looked at the cakes again.

I’m already late for our training… so truly, you wouldn’t mind waiting for a few minutes more, would you, Ornstein?

Ornstein would definitely mind, and Gwynsen knew it.

I’ll think of a way to make it up to him later. Right now, there are more important matters at hand. And I know the way to turn things into my favor...

“Nevy, please.” Gwynsen looked around to make sure no one was around. Once he made sure there were no witnesses, he joined his hands together and looked at Gwynevere with hazy and sad eyes. “Let me have one. Father will not notice its absence, I promise. Please my dear, wise, beautiful, patient, smart, noble, brave--”

“No, Gwynsen.” Without mercy, Gwynevere interrupted her brother’s overused list of compliments. “I already told you no.”

“Then I hope you know how to explain Father about those little kisses you steal from Executioner Smough everyone now and then.”

“Oh dear… you know about it? Yes, I should have expected it. Gossip travels faster than light in this place.”

“So it’s true?! Gwynevere, you really should be more mindful of your secrets and your words. You are not what I would call subtle about them. And why, sister? Why Smough?”

“I think the right question here is ‘ Why not Smough?’ ” Gwynevere answered, winking an eye to Gwynsen.

“Gwynevere, stop. You’re killing your big brother.”

Unrepentantly, Gwynevere chuckled. “Don’t you worry, it was all a jest. Very well Gwynsen… if only to keep this small rumor between us, I shall let you eat one of Father’s cakes. Just one, understood? Now, if you excuse me, I too have someone to meet. He awaits for me in the west tower. And that someone’s name is Smough.”

Lighting power began to manifest around Gwynsen’s frame.

That bastard! How does he dare?

Gwynevere laughed at his reaction. “Oh brother, you are so easy to fool.”

She gave him a small pat on top of his head to calm him down. Gwynsen had just succeeded in controlling his temper when Gwynevere pulled him closer to her and whispered, “Seriously now, don’t come by.”

And with that, she was gone.

“My dear sister and the Executioner? No, I will not allow it!” Gwynsen exclaimed, his voice echoing with ruthless determination, the same way it did every time he commanded his soldiers to battle. “This is a transgression I cannot overlook! Wrathful lighting shall be your punishment, Smough! You shall curse the day you were--”

His stomach growled again.

Almost unconsciously, one of his hands reached for a marzipan cake.

“By the first flame, they sure smell good.”

His fury started to disappear, and it was completely forgotten when, at last, Gwynsen took the first bite.

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

“Master!”  Ornstein welcomed him as soon as Gwynsen entered the training grounds. His apprentice and friend did not bother to hide his anger at his pronounced delay. “What took you so long? We were supposed to start our training two hours ago. I had to listen to Artorias’ anecdotes this whole time. And don’t get me wrong, Artorias is my beloved friend and you know how much I care about him, but I swear, if I ever hear one more story about Sif’s antics...”

“What?” Gwynsen had heard only half of Ornstein’s rant. He wanted to pay attention, but it was difficult for him to focus on anything else other than the torturous knot on his stomach.

It hurt more than a dragon fang stuck in his gut after failing to evade the beast’s jaws. Gwynsen didn’t know how he was still standing, or how his fever had not melted his brains yet.

Oh, nonsense. I’m fine. Am I not the god who slays dozens of dragons and comes out of their fiery attacks unscathed?  I am fine! I just need to walk it off.

“Oh… Oh yes, Artorias.” Gwynsen said, doing his best to sound amused. “Where is he? I thought he would be joining us.”

“He had to leave. It was time for Sif’s daily walk.”

“Wait, the wolf walks his master?”

“What? Master, what are you talking about? Sif is the wolf, Artorias is the knight.”

“Oh… right.”

An awkward pause followed, one in which Ornstein took off his helmet and revealed his concerned expression to Gwynsen.

“Master, is everything alright?”

Ornstein’s worry was like a wake-up call for Gwynsen.

“Of course it is! “Gwynsen replied with the most forced smile he had ever made in his life, even more than when he had to pretend to be happy in his father’s presence. “ Why would you ever think otherwise, Ornstein?”

“You are sweating, your face is red, your legs are trembling.” Orbstein observed, unamused but still concerned. “And you keep embracing your stomach as if you were hugging an invisible lover.”

“Ornstein, don’t tell me you’re jealous!” With gigantic effort, Gwynsen straightened his back and unfolded his arms. The sharp sting in his stomach came close to making him gasp; to conceal it, Gwynsen cackled instead. “There is no such thing as an invisible lover in my arms! Ornstein, you say the wildest of things!”

An agonizing sting pierced Gwynsen’s stomach.

I am going to pass out.

His sight blurred and his belly burned as if he had swallowed the First Flame like it was wine.

No!

Gwynsen stomped his feet. Lighting energy shattered the ground below his sandal.

No, I am not sick! I am fine. My stomach is simply overreacting at the memory of my sister and Executioner Smough sharing kisses.

His stomach growled louder than a furious dragon.

Why Gwynevere? Why did you brand that image on your brother’s mind?

“Master, you are not well!” Ornstein exclaimed with great concern. “We need to take you to Lady Gwynevere. She will know how you heal whatever ailment is--”

“Nonsense!” Gwynsen countered, making Ornstein jolt back in surprise. “My sister is quite busy, you see. He is tending to Smough at this time of the day, and not in a chaste way.”

“What?” Gwynsen and Ornstein said at the same time.

Realizing he had spoken more than he should have, Gwynsen quickly gave Ornstein a strong slap on the back. “It was a jest! Ornstein, you are such a stick in the mud! You need to loosen up and relax, for laughing and resting are also fundamental parts of a knight’s training.”

Before Ornstein could protest, Gwynsen wielded his spear and readied his fighting stance.

My stomach is going to explode. Oh Father, what will you see when you gaze upon the scattered guts of your first- born?

He would probably say something akin to “Oh Gwynsen, look at the mess you made! You are a lost case, boy, you truly are!”

“Oh Father, you insensitive knave!”

“Master, there’s no need to be rude.” Ornstein protested. He too had wielded his spear and had readied his stance.

“No, I was not talking about you, Ornstein.  I was talking of my big, dumb, stupid… No, it doesn’t matter.” Gwynsen shook his head and focused. “Let’s begin. Come at me and try to land a hit, Ornstein. I will treat you as I would an enemy, so don’t hold back.”

“Master, I really think we should take you to your sister instead.”

“You talk too much! Battles are not won with words, but with arms!” Gwynsen charged at Ornstein. For a second, the adrenaline of battle, even one of training nature, erased any trace of pain. For Gwynsen, it was like a blissful and distracting gift.

I knew it. I knew my pain would go away on its own.

Gwynsen closed his eyes, rejoicing in his healthy and numb stomach.

You were no foe for this god of war, marzipan cakes! Your sweet and delicious ingredients are no match for my iron guts. MY IRON---

The rest of his victorious thought remained forever unfinished after an explosion of burning pain, born from the impact of the blunt side of Ornstein’s spear, spread from his stomach to the rest of his body.

Perhaps… I am sick.

Gwynsen thought as the darkness of unconsciousness took over his world.

Just a little bit.

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

“Last time, Gwynsen.” Gwynevere said to her brother with anger as she and Ornstein helped Gwynsen keep the vasin still on his lap as he emptied his stomach inside it. “That was the last time I ever trusted you and your insatiable hunger!”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.” Gwynsen stuttered in a small pause his intestines gave him. “My will may be strong, but the marzipan was stronger.”

He wanted to say more, but he was interrupted by another gush rushing up his throat. Once he was done, Gwynevere and Ornstein put the vasin down on the floor and tucked him in bed.

“Well, I have to say,” Ornstein sighed with little enthusiasm, “this is not how I pictured my day would go. There was supposed to be more training in it and less vomit.  At the very least, I am glad you are feeling better now, master. Next time, don’t try so hard to pretend you aren’t feeling well.”

“And while you are at it, how about you also try not to devour four hundred marzipan cakes in one go like some hungry animal?” Gwynevere added as she glared at her brother. “God of war… The only thing you are a god of is gluttony!”

“Four hundred marzipan cakes?” Ornstein said in disbelief, only adding to Gwynsen’s shame. “Master, how could you have done such a thing? And here I was starting to think one of the cooks had tried to poison you! Four hundred cakes! And worst of all, why didn’t you ask me to join you or save some for me? You know they are my favorite too.”

“Dragon Slayer Ornstein!”

“N-no, no.” Ornstein turned crimson and began to stutter. “What I meant was… I was just saying… Oh, bollocks.”

“Ornstein!” A newcomer exclaimed. He entered the room and carefully closed the door behind him. “Such foul language in the presence of Lady Gwynevere. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Gwynsen, Gwynevere and Ornsteind stared at Artorias at the same time.

“Hey now, do not look at me all at once.” Artorias chuckled nervously. “No, seriously, please stop. I’m getting self-conscious.”

“Artorias, what are you doing here?” Ornstein asked. “I thought you were walking Sif.”

“I was, but Lord Gwyn summoned me. He told me about what happened with Lord Gwynsen and his poisoning. Something about marzipan cakes? I am not sure. Honestly, I stopped listening to Lord Gwyn soon after he started talking.  I don’t know the details, but he assigned me one task: to be Lord Gwynsen’s one and only companion during his recovery. I told Lord Gwyn that you would be more fit for the job, Ornstein, but he insisted I was the one to do it. He also told me how much Lord Gwynsen is fond of my anecdotes of Sif…. Oh master, I had no idea you felt that way. Worry not, I have plenty of stories I have not told you yet. I’m sure they will be a fine diversion while you recover!”

Gwynsen closed his eyes and cursed his father in his mind.

Father, you vengeful twit! I knew you would not let my mischief go unpunished! It was just some cakes… is this truly the punishment I deserve? You are cruel, Father. Cruel.

“But at the very least, I’m not alone.” Gwynsen said under his breath with relief and gratitude. He opened his eyes again and smiled. “For I have my dear sister and loyal friend by my side.”

The words died in his mouth when he saw neither Gwynevere nor Ornstein around. The only evidence they had left behind of their presence in the room was the open door they had forgotten to close during their hurried escape.

“Nevy?” Gwynsen whispered in despair. “Orny?”

But they were gone.

Only Artorias was there with him.

Artorias and his endless anecdotes of Sif.

“Do not worry master, I am sure they will be back soon.” Artorias said, pulling a chair closer to Gwynsen’s bed and sitting on it. “In the meanwhile, how about I tell you about the time Sif answered the call on nature inside Smough’s helmet and he only noticed once he put it on? That was a day Smough will not forget....”

Father, if I ever turn against you, know that this was the reason!

Gwynsen thought as he hid his head under the pillow.

As for Artorias, he kept talking and talking.

This was the reason!

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

It didn’t take long for Artorias to regret having left his master behind.

“Oh Lady Gwynevere, we should have not abandoned your brother. We should have remained by his side.”

“And listen to the time when Sif chewed on Father’s favorite sandals and almost brought doom upon us all? Do forgive Ornstein, but I think I shall pass. Besides...” Gwynevere turned around and stared longingly at the West tower. “There is someone waiting for me, and his name is…”

“No, I do not want to hear it. My mind shall not be branded as my master’s was!” Ornstein covered his ears and escaped from the scene. He did not know where he was going, but anywhere was better than staying there. As he ran, he kept chanting, “If I don’t hear, it isn’t real. If it isn’t real, it won’t haunt me!”

Gwynevere watched him go and laughed, unaware that Smough was standing behind her and had witnessed the whole thing.

Before he too walked away, he shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“By the Lords,” he lamented under his breath, “it is always the same thing with these gods and their knights. Every day. Every darn day.”

[wingsofthewibbets]

Hello I Made A Playlist

It is specifically for the vibes of the Calamity Trio! Also, I feel like contributing to fandom, so I tried to explain why I felt each song gave off the ~Vibe~. Apologies for the length of this monstrosity. It’s on Youtube and Spotify, but there is a song on Youtube I used that was unavailable on Spotify. It’s in no particular order, although maybe I’ll organize it one day.

~‘California Friends’ (The Regrettes)- Generally the fun upbeat vibe of the song, but also these specific lyrics make me think of Anne’s :

     I think I love you but then I think

     No way!

     I gotta go but I wanna stay

    Just stay!

    I guess I’ll save it for another day, well okay?

As well as:

     I get mixed up in my head, you do too

     But I don’t forget a thing you’ve said

     Well that’s true

I think the lyrics definitely give me more Anne/Marcy vibes, but the music itself makes me think of Sasha getting them into trouble. There’s some big garage band energy here, and it just makes me think of them running around and causing chaos. (also the ‘i gotta go but i wanna stay/just stay’ definitely reminds me of the end of the aquarium episode)

~’The Archer’ (Taylor Swift)- Oh man this song where do I even start?? There is so much?? (I know I’ve already talked about this one, but Imma do it again) I was listening to this song one day and the lyrics hit me so hard as reminding me of all the girls, specifically:

For Anne:

    Combat, I’m ready for combat

    I say I don’t want that, but what if I do?

    ‘Cause cruelty wins in the movies

    I’ve got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you

I feel like this is pretty self-explanatory, but this seriously makes me think of her relationship with Sasha -or the shambles of it anyway oof- and the speeches line just makes me there’s so much that she doesn’t tell her friends about what’s running through her head. 

Anne’s an emotional person to be sure, but she’s also a very impulsive one, which means a lot of times, what people get from her is the unedited, unreflected version of her thoughts, which don’t make them any less true, but that also means that she’s probably a little more reticent with the deeper ideals that don’t get unearthed through dramatic moments. She just does things a lot of the time, and when she gets stuck on something, it is kinda obvious from the outside, but she also gets uncomfortable with trying to talk about it, because there is no clear solution she can enact in the moment to resolve it.

For Sasha:

    Screaming who could ever leave me, darling?

    But who could stay?

    I see right through me, I see through me

As well as the repetition of ‘they see right through me/can you see right through me’, these lines give me huge Sasha vibes, specifically. I think of them kind of especially applicable to the Reunion episode, but also just how there were a couple scenes where she seemed to be regretting hiding from her friends the toad rebellion that was going to take place in Newtopia, and that conversation Anne and Sasha have in The Third Temple. I don’t think she ever considered regretting the rebellion at all, but I do think she worried over what it might do to her friendships. 

The end of Reunion was heartbreaking, for both Anne and Sasha, because if the Plantars had been able to pull both girls up, I think there would have been more opportunity for Sasha and Anne to have a better reconciliation. (i think this about this a lot ngl) And, also because she was willing to die for Anne??? I don’t think that gets discussed enough. That episode has big ‘who could ever leave me’ at the beginning, and then at the end ‘who could stay’ vibes. 

For Marcy:

    And all of my heroes die alone (OOF)

As well as

     All the king’s horses, all the king’s men

     Couldn’t put me together again

     ‘Cause all of my enemies started out friends

Ahahaha this is the ANGST. So. I mean, obviously the king’s horses part makes me think of the ending of True Colors, and I don’t think that Marcy considers Sasha and Anne to be her enemies by any stretch of the imagination, but I don’t think that Andrias is above manipulating her to think that they think of her that way. (Also the line ‘cause all of my enemies started out friends’ line is very applicable to Anne and Sasha as well, it just happened to be part of the lines that made me think of Marcy) Plus sticking around the king and whatever the heck he has in store for her will definitely not put her back together sooo-

The ‘help me hold onto you’ and the ‘I’ve been the archer/I’ve been the prey’ just apply to all of them (for the former, think Sasha and Anne in Reunion, the way Marcy tried to mediate in The Dinner, and just True Colors in general; for the latter, it makes me think of the sword-fights between Anne and Sasha, as well as how Marcy once believed that Andrias actually cared about her). The ‘Dark side, I search for your dark side/But what if I’m alright, right, right, right here’ make me think of how Anne is going to be reevaluating her friendships with both Sasha and Marcy, as well as how all of them seemed to grow into the Amphibia communities that they landed in and what they are going to struggle with leaving behind.

I had this song on loop for way too long trying to word my feelings out about it.

~’Soldier, Poet, King’ (Oh Hellos)- This song is just so absolutely perfect for the three girls. I’d like to take the time to state that I think Sasha fits soldier, Marcy poet, and Anne king, but what are y’all’s thoughts? 

     There will come a soldier/Who carries a mighty sword

     He will tear your city down

Big Sasha vibes, fits with what’s she done so far in the show, as well as how she’s being set up for the third season to be a hero (whose intentions somewhat align with the consequences of her actions).

    There will come a poet/Whose weapon is his word

    He will slay you with his tongue

Marcy spends a lot of time journaling, and she even takes the time to learn a dead language! She seems rather skilled with more traditional weaponry, but her biggest boon is her intelligence and her quick-thinking. I also think that if she does end up getting possessed by the Night, its words being spoken by Marcy’s voice is absolutely going to SLAUGHTER Anne and Sasha.

     There will come a ruler/Whose brow is laid in thorn

     Smeared with oil like David’s boy

Apart from the fact that Anne literally has plants growing from her head in the S2 finale, she is also a charismatic leader who has made connections all over Amphibia. She genuinely cares about the people around her, and takes the time to get to know them and spend time with them. Also, a lot of times, she is underestimated and seen as the David to her opponent’s Goliath- whether that be physically or in skillset.

~’Someone To You’ (The Banners)- No specific lyrics here, but the general vibe of the song. There is a sort of desperation that seems to permeate it, as though if the narrator isn’t someone to the person they are singing to, they will be nobody at all, and I think that is very much how all of the girls view their friendship, at least at first. 

Marcy gets the music box thing going because she doesn’t want to be alone; Sasha is desperate to have Anne, and she wants so much for both Anne and Marcy to look up to her as someone who is strong and present. I think for Anne, we kinda see this song in the speech she gives to Sprig in Best Fronds when she’s trying to get him to break the rules with her, but also in how she is open to reconciling with Sasha in The Dinner and giving her a second chance. Mainly, though, what I associate with Anne for this song are the scenes where she reunites with Marcy and Sasha for the first time. The spinning hug she gives Sasha, and how tightly she hugs Marcy with tears in her eyes- she really does love and care about these girls.

They all cling to this friendship so much, in different ways, both healthy and unhealthy, and I think this song really captures that.

~’Lost Girls’ (Lindsey Stirling)- This song is mostly instrumental, so again, no specific lyrics here, but there is a very deep, melancholic feel to this song. It gets kinda fast-paced at some points, and reminds me of the ending of True Colors, with Anne and Sasha and Marcy separated. There is so much space- literal and internal- between all of them now, and I think this song does a really great job of getting Those Feels across. They aren’t just lost to each other, they are also struggling with battles inside of themselves.

But the lyrics that are in this song, (lol I just said I wouldn’t mention them whoops) ‘Lost girls find a way’, are sung, the music played after them that plays remind me that, like Matt Braly said, sometimes things have to be broken to be fixed again. They can find a way. It’s not a happy song to be sure, but there’s a quiet strength and determination in it.

~’Long Live’ (Taylor Swift)- I could cite specific lyrics here, but this song has just always given me epilogue-end-of-the-battle scenes, where we get to see everyone exhausted, but happy and most importantly together. This song is what I’m hoping the future gets to be for Marcy, Anne, and Sasha; happy about their present together, being able to heal despite the past, and accepting that even if they aren’t together forever in the future, that doesn’t mean they weren’t important to one another.

~’Torches’ (Oh Hellos)- ‘Torches’, on the complete opposite hand to ‘Long Live’, kind of represents where the girls are right now with one another. 

Despite keeping that old wheel turning, despite laying that next spoke down (yes these are direct lyric references), they are also continuing to make mistakes with one another.

    I got a venom like a snake running out of my mouth

    (Running out of my mouth, running out of my mouth)

    It’s got you burning at the stake

    Innocent or not, you’re not a bet I care to take

 And, yet, somehow, they keep being led back to one another. They are more alike than they think, and even if they get back to Earth, they will still be bound by the mutual experiences they had on Amphibia, that no one else is likely to ever understand. The ways they misunderstand one another and don’t communicate cleave them apart, but also together, in a way. 

    And Father Ignorance will make brothers of us all

   (Brothers of us all, brothers of us all)

    As he sets our torch aflame

    Chasing down the flimsy specters that we pro-create

As well as 

    Mother Fortuna, O, she makes sisters of us all

    (Sisters of us all, sisters of us all)

   When the faces in her wake

    Look more like our own than the effigies that we immolate

~’Castle On The Hill’ (Ed Sheeran)- Purely just the vibes. Nothing super deep, just makes me think of how Anne, Sasha, and Marcy are going to look back on their friendships and their time together. 

~’Trouble’ (Valerie Broussard)- Though I will forever associate this song with Six of Crows thanks to a fabulous animatic, I will say that it also makes me think of the darker tone that Season 3 might take on, and how each girl is poised to take on a different problem. I see it as a very Sasha song (especially ‘I’m your Number Two man in a fight/We are revolutionaries tonight’), but all three of them tend to lead a trail of chaos in their wake. (Also the vibes here are impeccable)

~’Time Alive’ (K.C Katalbas)- (not on Spotify, definitely recommend checking it out) This song just has that perfectly nostalgic, yet aspirational feel to it. It is hopeful, yet it it has its own sort of weight. It pairs nicely with ‘Long Live’ and ‘Castle On The Hill’, in a way, I think. It makes me think of what the future could be for the girls, once again, and how even if something is bittersweet, you are still allowed to be hopeful. Mostly, it makes me think of each girl reflecting about one another, and the time they spent together. 

    And this is your life, every plan has a right to fall

    And this is your heart, through the dark it’s the loudest call

    And this is breathing

    And seeing her go

~’Try’ (The Lightning Thief)- True Color battle against Andrias vibes! And Season 3 vibes! A lot of these lyrics are kind of specific to Annabeth, Percy, and Grover’s characters, but I also think the general feel of this song is very applicable to Anne, Sasha, and Marcy. Particularly, I am reminded of how Sasha and Anne will be feeling about Marcy.

    I may fail you

   I may fail you

    I may fail you, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t try

And

    I’m not leaving your side til we find what matters

   I’m not leaving your side til we’re back home

   I’m not leaving your side til you’re remembered

   No matter how far we have to go

As well as probably the guilt that Marcy was feeling during True Colors:

   Two thousand four hundred forty eight reasons I have to come along

   Wash my hands of past mistakes

As well as

    The weight of the world’s on my shoulders

    Like Atlas, it’s crushing me down

    We’re not brave, we’re not strong, we’re not soldiers

And how could I forget?

    L.A doesn’t seem so far away…

~’Drive It Like You Stole It’ (Sing Street)- Again, like ‘Trouble’, but a little softer. If ‘Trouble’ has Sasha vibes, this one makes me think of Anne, but it also has a similar line to ‘Time Alive’- this is your life. For the most part of Amphibia, I think the girls focussed a lot on fitting in and adapting to their surroundings, but I think Season 3 is really going to see them owning who they are and taking it upon themselves to enact change. 

It also just makes me think of them messing around and being kids, trying to figure out who they are. It’s like, if they ever make it back to Earth in one piece and stay friends, but still manage to get into shenanigans.

~’What’s Up Danger’ (Blackway, Black Caviar)- local newt king gets mauled by three newly empowered thirteen-year olds

~’How Far We’ve Come’ (Matchbox Twenty)- This one is a classic. No playlist of mine is worth its salt if it doesn’t have this song here. It has the ~vibes~ of pre-last battle energy, and also I can definitely see Sasha and the Sharps playing it at some point. 

Alternately, this also makes me think of Anne, Sasha, and Marcy finally going home together or reuniting properly after the end of True Colors. Lots of angst either way.

~’We Are Young’ (fun.)- What I picture with this: Anne, Sasha, and Marcy are not entirely reconciled with one another yet, but it’s the night before the last battle or somethin’, and they still care about one another a lot. This has that energy. They’re just kids, but they’ll be damned if they don’t go out without a fight, and without standing by one another’s sides. 

(and marcy found someone(s) to carry her home nanananananana)

Slightly more uplifting(?) than ‘How Far We’ve Come’, but similar energy, I think.

~’Pump It’ (Black Eyed Peas)- three local teenagers get pumped to cause problems on purpose; montage time. I have no justification for this song, only that it has the vibes of Sasha and Anne’s relentless energy and the confidence of Marcy swinging down on a rope she doesn’t know will actually hold her weight. 

~’Disaster Hearts’ (I Fight Dragons)- I feel like this song is the definition of Matt’s tweet about how some things have to be broken to be fixed. It has vibes of the aftermath of a battle, and opening the door to reconciliation and forgiveness. Amphibia has tied these girls together, for better or worse, and I think there is room for them to become better friends and mend their relationships.

    Disaster has a way of remaking our hearts

    Long after all the thunder and scars

    Days pass and bit by bit we begin to restart

    Our disaster hearts

~’Thus Always To Tyrants’ (Oh Hellos)- It makes me think of where Anne and Sasha are left at the end of Reunion, but also in how Anne wants to find Marcy now that she know she’s definitely out there. The sound of the song gives me huge Marcy vibes, with how it does seem to be almost cheerful? The very last line makes me think a lot about Sasha (‘Learn to love without consuming’), but I think a lot of the song is applicable to all the girls in different situations. 

[local-spoon-does-a-thing]

DOOMGUY WITH BIG TIDDY DEMON GF

A/N: Woooo first ask! I'll do my best to make this fic good. I apologize if it's not what you expected/wanted.

Doomguy with a demon reader

This is a bit of a tricky situation

I'm sure that everyone knows that the Doom Slayer absolutely HATES demons

I mean, he rips and tears them on a daily basis

So for the sake of this fic let's just say that you got demonized when you were hit with the lazarous wave

But for some odd reason, you didn't become a mindless slave

Change in appearance? Yes

Change in mind? No

You weren't hell's slave

You weren't like the others that turned

Later on, you meet the Slayer

He was annihilating demons as per usual

You were just at the corner of the room, not wanting to risk yourself in getting caught up in the crossfire

He was rather running low on ammo and you just so happened to have some ammo on yourself

It was one hell of a big risk but you decided to slide/throw it to him while remaining anonymous

Of course he would notice and of course he would mistaken you as one of the mindless demons

Listen, you were going to get killed either way

Soon enough, either ARC was going to do the job or some other hell entity when they realize you're not siding with hell despite your appearance

When the Slayer started approaching you, you went on to slide the rest of the ammo ypu had towards him and throw your hands up in surrender

I mean, what the hell were you supposed to do when you see a big armored man coming towards your way with malicious intent?

But when the big guy saw your gesture, he froze for a brief moment

Wait, you weren't going to throw yourself at him and attempt to attack?

And did you just give him ammo?

Cool, free ammo

He went to grab it while keeping a cautious eye on you

Were you a friend or a foe?

Despite you somewhat helping him, he didn't trust you

When he took a step closer to you, you immediately collapsed to your knees while shielding your head

You didn't want to die

Can demons cry?

Well, devil may cry haha wait this is the wrong fandom

The Slayer was very much taken aback

What the actual fuck?

Were you begging for mercy or some shit?

Why did you seem...human?

I mean, he hasn't interacted with humans for a long time but he has his fair share of experience with demons

And he knows for sure that demons DO NOT back down

If they did, then a hell invasion wouldn't even be happening when they know damn well that the Doom Slayer exists

When he knelt down and tilted his head questioning manner, you looked up and stared at his visor

The look in your eyes...it did not represent anything demonic

It represented fear, sorrow, broken hope; human

You went to open your mouth to form some comprehensive words and to your surprise, it worked

You haven't spoken to someone in so long

"Help me."

Just then, a pinky demon bursted through one of the big metal doors along with a few other turned humans

But they weren't just any turned humans

They were your colleagues...friends you made

It broke your heart to see them like this

Doomguy turned towards the hostiles and got back up

Ripping and tearing first then questions

After he has a splendid time doing just that, he went back to you and started the interrogation

You answered each question truthfully and after some heavy reassurances along with checking to see if you had any tracking device or some shit, he brought you back to the fortress

But he made it very crystal clear that if you did anything that would suspect you as a liar, he will not hesitate to tear you into thousands of time pieces

While also having VEGA keeping an eye on you 24/7

At first, your interactions with him would be very strained and awkward

Whenever you were in the same room as him, it would feel like the weight of the world suddenly came crashing down in the room

But then, you noticed the comics he read and the music he listened to

You asked VEGA about the comic series and he gave you information about them

It just so happens that one of the comics he has is one that you read in the past

Y'know, before the whole lazarous wave incident

The next time you met up with him, you mentioned the comic series

Before you knew it, you two were nerding out about it

The air became very light and somewhat comforting

It was pretty adorable to see the menacing man having this child-like sparkle in his eyes

After that whole interaction, your future interactions with him are more lighthearted

He gave you some comics to read you haven't read during your spare time

You would listen to his music through the speakers

Everything was going pretty swell and not as bad as you expected

You guys are just vibing along with each other

As more time passed by, you two got even closer

You started talking about your personal shit to him

Venting, ranting, just whatever you were feeling

You talked to him about your nightmares about your turned colleagues

The lazarous wave

The hell invasion

Anything that was bothering you

Of course, he went on to comfort you and from time to time, tell you stories about his trauma and past

Two broken souls can heal each other, am I right?

As for the missions: if the mission he went on involved going to an UAC base then you would sometimes help guide him through the area

You two would make such a great duo

Eventually, feelings bloom

I feel like how he would react and cope with it would be the same to the general doomguy x reader headcanons I made along with the confession

Although, you would be in a full blown panic

You, a demon, have feelings for the demon slaying former sentient king?

Quite the predicament you've thrown yourself into

You didn't know how he was going to react

Will he kill you? Laugh at you? Be angry at you? Be disgusted???

A human stuck in a demon's body

Probably one of a kind

HOWEVER when you recieved a confession from HIM, your brain stopped working

The feelings were mutual? He liked you too? But didn't he hate demons? But...you weren't much of a demon, right?

He was going to have to lightly shake your shoulders to snap you back into reality

When you accept his confession, his brain stopped working as well

Both of your guys brains stopped working

It was up to VEGA to get the both of you to snap out of it

Wow, a relationship that was never expected

A demon killer and a demon

Quite the forbidden love, eh?

The whole couple thing would be similar to how he would generally be (check out the gereral doomguy x reader headcanons) except with a few differences

If you're insecure about your demonic appearance, he'll be for sure there to comfort you

Hug you, kiss your scars, reassure you

He liked you for who you were on the inside

If he didn't, then you would be very long gone

[meadow-roses]

aske time :) for the writing asks: A1, A2, A10, A12, A14, your choice of anything in B, C8 ( :^) ), C11, D6

A1: Introduce the characters from one of your current WIPs in one or two sentences each. 

Okay let's gooo,,, I'll do The Keepers cause I haven't talked about that one as much. These aren't gonna be the best descriptions but whatever 

Ketsler: Quirky, fun-loving, everyone's weird grandpa, but also the most powerful person to have ever lived. He's old- so very, very old- and he's seen so much over all the centuries he has been protecting the worlds from Chaos, but he still makes an effort to slow down and appreciate the little things around him, because he knows better than most how fleeting life is.

Skylar: Skylar is from a world where faerie circles are real and witches turn people into frogs and trolls live in great, big castles and are slain by talking cats, a world where there's too much adventure to stay in one place, too many people to meet, and too many monsters to slay to stop running. He may be only a human (ooo mystery!!) but he is proficient in Wind magic and carries around a good bit of rune stones he and his pet dragon have found along his adventures. 

Felix: Felix is just a normal human from a small town after the earth becomes united under one world power. He wasn't born with superpowers like most soldiers are, but he was still skilled enough to join a special force working behind enemy lines when the rebellion made its move to free the planet from the tyranny that built this dystopian reality. 

Betty: A very sweet young lady, she's from a planet that was colonized by humans centuries ago. She may seem naive, but Betty can read anyone like a book and uses her gift to help those who are lost find themselves again. 

There's more characters but I'll just stick with those main ones cause I really struggle with descriptions xD

A2: Who's your favorite character to write and why?

Probably Joden? I haven't written most of my characters, but I looove writing his dialogue. He also makes me think so I can keep him clever lol

A10: What’s your character development process like? (As in how you develop them, not necessarily their development in-story)

I roleplay them! The more developed they are, the more I've acted as them. It really gets me inside their head to try and think like how they think, and that results in me being more equipped to "discover" why they are like that. 

A12: What kind of internal conflict does your character go through (want versus need, personality complexes or strong personality flaws/”fatal flaw” kinda thing)? How does this affect them?

It really varies depending on the character? For example Joden has this need to always have a plan, always be in control, and a breaking moment for him comes in when he finally just,,, doesn't know what to do. He's in over his head and the only thing he can do is trust Jacer to do what he can- knowing Jacer doesn't have things under control. 

So that's an example of a flaw that the character gets to overcome, but there also characters whose flaws are part of who they are. Skylar wouldn't be Skylar if he weren't stubborn. Ketsler wouldn't be Ketsler if he weren't arrogant. They never grow out of these flaws, they just learn to control them. Or I guess not be controlled by the flaw. 

This is actually something I think I struggle with for my characters, giving them those visable flaws. I see other people's characters that start out "bad" and grow into heroes, but it kinda seems like all my characters start out as heroes. 😅 I mean, they have flaws, but in comparison to other people's characters they feel really bland in that aspect. Idk

A14: Ramble about your characters. Anything special you like about them? Random little details you’ve added that you enjoy? 

Uh,,, I don't even know where to start I just love all of them for so many various reasons. Joden is just a clever little genius but he still can be so naive. He just has simple pleasures and it's not hard to make him laugh or smile and practically impossible to discourage him. He starts off just,,, wanting his old life back and then he sees what the world is like outside his little bubble and the bubble pops. He sees the atrocities for what they are and to be able to settle down again, he has to fix it. He can't just smile and do as he's told, he can't let the bad guys win. It I just his mother and wife and son he's fighting for, it's the entire wood and the idea of being actually, truly, free.

Jacer is so savvy, he knows what to do and what to say to get into and out of any situation, but at the same time he's just clueless when it comes to genuine connection. He's a princeling who's really never had a friend and now he's saving the world with Joden who only knows how to make genuine connections. Why does he have to keep hugging me??  

And Twylla who's ready to fight anything so she can get her clever idiot husband back? 

Adric who's just doing his best to be a good leader but everything keeps going wrong. He wasn't born to be a king, he wasn't born to lead an army, he always had his big brother to help him do these things and he's gone- he's gone and he's not coming back he messed up again so bad and yet here he is with everyone looking to him for answers and he doesn't know what to tell them. But he's got his friends, and he's got a good heart, and he genuinely cares and they're going to figure it out.

Skylar just keeps running forward and he never looks back at the past he just jumps from one adventure to another stopping the monsters and saving the day. He's got Gigi what more does he need? 

Felix is just,,, he's just such a nice guy. Over and over he stepped into the gap because someone's gotta fly that fighter, someone's got to fire that gun, someone's got to stabilize the bomb, someone's going to lose their life to ensure the victory, why shouldn't it be him? But he never actually dies, somehow he always survives and lives to fight the next day, and the next day and the next day, and then they win the war- the world is free. And even though he's been through so much he still hasn't lost that kindness, that love for all life that makes him himself. He still falls in love and starts a family and has his own beloved children… and even when he loses them he still doesn't become cynical. He still stands in the gap and is the one to fire the gun, to hold the hand of the one who's mourning, to scoop up the orphan child and carry them home. He fights, so others don't have to. Father to the fatherless and hero for all. Also he puts up with Skylar's time traveling craziness lol

And Ketsler? Unlike everyone else he never chose to be a hero. What are you supposed to do when you're a four year old boy and everyone tells you you're the hero they've been waiting for, praying for, you have to save them. It wasn't at all his choice to be born with the power of the universe running through his veins. To hold the Inness in his hands and bend reality to his will. But he didn't run away. He never hid from his destiny. He took the world onto his shoulders and never set it down. Only once- and he's never going to do it again. Never going to ask someone to fill in his role for him, it is his burden to bear… Except not anymore. Despite being multi-millenniums old, all that time didn't dull his appreciation for the little things. A baby's smile, sunshine through the leaves, the change of the seasons. The union of two souls in marriage, or the colors of the sunset streaking a foreign sky. He still sees these things, loves these things, fights for these things. Cause it's the little things he's fighting for, not just the big things. The precious moments and precious lives that make up the worlds. One of his apprentices asked him once, he'd been fighting for so long, when was it going to end? It's not his job to strike the final blow, to end the suffering and bloodshed, just to help. He saves the world, so that he can save it again. 

I have… several more characters I'd love to ramble about but that answer's gotten pretty long so I'll cut it off there. XD

B3: Do you have any plot twists? No need to describe them, just think about what kind of reaction you want from your readers. 

Oh I was just talking to August about this the other day. XD There is one plot twist in the Keeper's story I'm reeaaally looking forward to hehe I want to make people confused and then really mad when the whole thing is stretched out. >:) 

C8: Does magic exist in your world? Who can use it? How does it work?

It really depends on which WIP, but in general I like to keep magic restricted with rules. Joden's story and the Keeper's story are in the same universe (along with ThRoG) and follows that magic system. It's too complicated to go in depth here, but "magic" exists in another plane of existence, and things in the material world have varying levels of connection with it. It's kinda the energy that holds all worlds together and sustains life. The magic realm- the Inness is not a place where physical matter should exist, only spirits can walk there. 

Wizards are creatures that stand with one foot in the physical realm and the other in the Inness. Tevlar is destroying the world basically by turning it inside out- pulling the Inness out.

C11: Have you developed historical figures? How do you develop them? How in-depth do you go?

Oh yes. I am a complete history nerd so if any world EXISTS it has history, and history only happens because people. 

Sometimes it's a thought through process of "somebody needs to go here" and sometimes it's an npc from a time travel rp that took on more importance than I originally intended. 

It really varies how in depth it will go? Sometimes it's just a name to fill a spot and other times it's like, man I could write a whole book about this guy!

One historical figure would be Ares of the Pegasus. He was a powerful warrior that won a bunch of wars and united the different pegasus clans under his leadership and became the first king. He's really famous and people like naming their kids after him in a kinda superstitious hope they'll grow into attributes of his character. Ares is the male form of the name, Aris is for girls. It's like, the most common Pegasian name. XD

D6: Are there any writing styles that inspire you?

Probably the first writing style I wanted to emulate was Tolkien's, but I also really liked Andrew Peterson's? Tolkien is so dramatic, and Peterson isn't heavy on location descriptions, so I'm kinda aiming for in between I guess. 

[capri-ramblings]

Idk if anyone still remembers this but I actually forgot I finished chapter 3 about a week ago and didn't even posted it 🙂 still kinda confusing I think? But I promise, It'll come together soon 😤💖

[ R a p t u r e d ]

Chapter Three

The walls encasing your freedom began to simmer your frustration, and when a spiral staircase immerged from the wooden floorboards right across the room, your hands reflexively balled into fists.

Though when an unfamiliar face greeted you, they uncurled and from where you sat on the chaise beside your only window, your figure hunched over to pull your knees closer to your body. You'd been reacting so defensively lately, it almost felt natural now.

"Did they send you up to finally get rid of me?" Your words were harsh, a deep grating rage lacing each enunciation you spat out and yet the girl seemed unfazed as her lips curled into a small smile.

"I don't think they're that merciful, but Prince Leona has stated multiple times he'd rather you be dead."

"Who are you then?"

"An ally" She answered then rather hastily added, "If you'd allow it."

You scoffed,bitter and dry you almost sounded gruff and nasally.

"Like I allowed to be imprisoned and kept like an animal?"

The girl's expression softened and she gave what seemed to be an understanding nod before she placed both hands behind her back and stood poised before you.

"Boe" She said, "My name is Boe. As in the kind you'd use to hunt with but with an 'E' at the end because my nan felt it was creative." She sounded pleasant, to be honest,she looked decent as well, like a very familiar face you'd seen somewhere and yet nowhere at the same time. She wore her hair in two loose twin braids,her simple beige coloured tunic and short khakis gave her overall soft, feminine looks a rather boyish touch. And when she smiled it was genuinely given.

Despite yourself, Boe's appearance had you feeling a little less hostile and perhaps even a bit more hopeful.

"I made them an offer" You told her and again she nodded her head.

"To kill your brother in exchange for your freedom. Why?"

"Isn't that what they wanted? That bastard killed their beast and the only reason I'm here is because he's traded me off for his glory."

Boe seemed surprised at how you caught onto the situation at hand but you could see how calculative her eyes were. She may have looked pleasant but you weren't foolish enough to trust her, and if she knew your captives then chances are she wasn't just some typical servant running errands. They sent her up to you to talk, which meant they trusted her. And they didn't look like the trusting type.

"He and I aren't related by blood" You told her, scornfully. "It doesn't take much to piece up my being here, and I'll tell you now that he's not coming to save me. Not when he has every village folk singing his glory and the King welcoming him in his halls."

You sounded so dejected, Boe practically felt the heat of rage circulating through the room, but she also sensed sorrow. A sort of grief from the way you hunched yourself over. You've been through a lot, she could see that much.

"Tell me, did you ever believe the story your land has? It's history with the Faefolk and magic?"

You knew little. Simply enough to have your mind wander, but every child was like that, and when it was time to face the world and grow up, the stories you used to cling to before sleeping became just that; Stories.

So, you told Boe you didn't. You told her you knew the land has always been lavish, that it had always been easy to farm and make produce because it's forests were endless and green. It was because it was placed right in the centre of a growing land, wasn't it? Magic felt too foreign to have been a part of it all.

But then she told you of the story of a man planting a seed given to him by a generous Fae, and that the seed grew into a tree and another and another, until it formed a forest so lush and rich with life, people came to the land as a place of salvation. She told you that the Fae was the Mother Goddess Gaia and that she had made a pact with the humans who stayed in her grounds. They were allowed to grow and live as they wanted as long as her generosity was remembered. Thus the human built shrine after shrine in her name, and the land never once withered. Until weeks after your brother slayed the beast.

You sat there facing her,baffled and refused to believe in such a tale so easily, told yourself that no such thing could be possible...

Yet, the tower that kept you had nothing but a single window and a door that only seemed to appear when called. You remember how you tried climbing down through the window and how your makeshift rope snapped and you thought you'd fall to your death but instead you stayed in the air. Frozen.

As your hardened gaze looked to Boe and the faint light of the sun peeked through the window and into the room, you noticed the slight point of her ears and how in that specific lighting her features looked ethereal,as if she was carved out from a completely different mold.

You've seen those features before. A long,long time ago. The brief memory tucked behind the grains of your mind.

You must've laughed because Boe's expression shifted into confusion, and you ran your hands through your hair as a slight colour flickered to life in your eyes.

"You must think I've gone crazy. Wanting to kill my own brother but I've never seen him as family, and I'm sure he feels the same. It's the only thing we have in common."

"You'd really kill him for your freedom?" Boe asked, almost quietly.

You lifted your gaze,heavy and dark but driven with determination.

"Wouldn't you? It sounds selfish and maybe it is but hasn't he done the same to me? Ever since mother died, I was left under his care which meant he'd been shackled to me against his will and now I'm here and he's drinking in the castle." Your voice shifted, breathless and worn. You wanted to stand, to show to her that you weren't as weak as your captives had force you to be. That you meant what you said.

"I don't care about being kind and understanding anymore. I want to be released. I want to take back what I've lost and if that means killing Cyril and appeasing your Princes, so be it."

***

"You could be their Champion" Boe said as she stared you up and down,her gaze flickering with something you couldn't quite put a finger on. But she smiled when her eyes landed on your face, and a slight shade of pink dusted your cheeks. Though you felt it was because she had been nothing but open in her discussion and all you ever did was scowl and kept your distance.

And perhaps,you couldn't really be blamed for any of it given your own situation, but maybe it wasn't too harmful to act a bit more cooperative...

"A champion?" You repeated the words with your brows furrowed and lips down-curled.

Boe nodded her head.

"Faes often keep champions in order to settle certain affairs,like a representative or a tribute on their part without having to physically attend said affairs themselves, and unlike most dealings, this one has the exceptional perk of not being entirely enslaved by the Fae you serve under"

"...You mean if I agreed to being their... Champion? I wouldn't owe them anything?"

You know the tales of giving your thanks to the Gentry, and how such unfortunate humans fell to the mercy of the cunning creatures. A slight shiver ran up the length of your arm, but you fought the urge to look disgruntled, and simply crossed your arms.

Boe's smile widened a fraction.

"Yes, and I can't tell you why such a thing is possible in the first place, not because I don't want to but because I also do not know the reason behind it. It's said that this pact Faes have created with humans is a rare thing and a ritual they hold with great respect. If you so desire to kill your brother and gain your freedom, being the Princes' Champion is perhaps the best and only way."

"But how can I trust them to hold onto their end of the bargain? I might not have full belief in all your fae nonsense, but I know that whatever you are, your kind are known to be cunning and slippery!"

You felt like jabbing an accusing finger to her chest then,but you bit back the venom on your tongue and swallowed your carousing temper from erupting. Anger did no good in discussions after all. You learned that from years living with your step brother.

Despite it all however,Boe didn't seem to mind your frustration or hostility. In fact, she remained informative and calm, you began understanding why she had been sent up in the first place.

Unlike the Princes themselves, Boe didn't have any intimidation oozing from her demeanor. She came as a neutral party, neither to nurse nor make you submit.

Perhaps her words were the most trustworthy you'd have here.

Perhaps being a Champion was your only way out.

[agentrouka-blog]

What do you think about stannis arc to be ended?

I think it will be fun! 

He’s obviously doomed. Kinslaying, blood magic, obsession with prophecy and affronting all gods beside R’hllor… 

I’m quite sure he will pull a full-on Agamemnon. The shoe fits. Kinslaying, prophecy-spouting mistress (anti-Cassandra = Melisandre), on the war path… He and his ever more radicalized red-god-followers will probably end up sacrificing Shireen to compensate for a setback, in a mirror to Iphigenia. 

My hope: In some completely unexpected way, Selyse will be the one to kill him over it. Just a complete inward collapse of his House. 

"I never asked for this crown. Gold is cold and heavy on the head, but so long as I am the king, I have a duty . . . If I must sacrifice one child to the flames to save a million from the dark . . . Sacrifice . . . is never easy, Davos. Or it is no true sacrifice. Tell him, my lady."

Melisandre said, "Azor Ahai tempered Lightbringer with the heart's blood of his own beloved wife. If a man with a thousand cows gives one to god, that is nothing. But a man who offers the only cow he owns . . ." 

(ASOS, Davos VI)

What does Stannis have only one of? Children. 

Why would Selyse do it? Because she loves her daughter. 

"Eastwatch is not safe." The queen put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "This is the king's true heir. Shireen will one day sit the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms. She must be kept from harm, and Eastwatch is where the attack will come. This Nightfort is the place my husband has chosen for our seat, and there we shall abide. We—oh!"

An enormous shadow emerged from behind the shell of the Lord Commander's Tower. Princess Shireen gave a shriek, and three of the queen's knights gasped in harmony. Another swore. "Seven save us," he said, quite forgetting his new red god in his shock. (ADWD, Jon IX)

Also, it would be beautifully ironic:

"Lord Snow, as Lady Val is a stranger to our ways, please send her to me, that I might instruct her in the duties of a noble lady toward her lord husband."

That will go splendidly, I know. Jon wondered if the queen would be so eager to see Val married to one of her own knights if she knew Val's feelings about Princess Shireen. (ADWD, Jon XIII)

Also, we are unsubtly pushed not to expect it:

"—and children, yes. Very sad." The queen pulled her daughter closer to her and kissed her cheek. The cheek unmarred by greyscale, Jon did not fail to note. "We are sorry for the little ones, of course, but we must be sensible. We have no food for them, and they are too young to help the king my husband in his wars. Better that they be reborn into the light."

That was just a softer way of saying let them die. (ADWD, Jon XIII)

A misdirection to make us believe she doesn’t truly love her daughter, and is unfazed by murdering children. Nope. Touch Shireen and she will forget the red god. 

Sort of a mirror to Dany. Magic, Rhaego dies, Dany kills Drogo. Fire. The khalasar scatters. Kingsblood wakes a stone dragon.

"Your brother's blood," Melisandre said. "A king's blood. Only a king's blood can wake the stone dragon."

Stannis ground his teeth. "I'll hear no more of this. The dragons are done. The Targaryens tried to bring them back half a dozen times. And made fools of themselves, or corpses. Patchface is the only fool we need on this godsforsaken rock. You have the leeches. Do your work." (ASOS, Davos IV)

Stannis shed a lot of kingsblood with those magic leeches: Balon’s, Joffrey’s, Robb’s. Plus Renly.

Dany: Viserys (Renly), Rhaego (Shireen), Drogo (Selyse), Mirri (Melisandre) -> woke three stone dragons. Stone being a bastard name like Snow. Jon’s heart having turned to stone. Possibly this connects to Sansa (Alayne Stone), as well, but it gives us a general timeline.

The clouds hid most of the Ice Dragon, all but the bright blue eye that marked due north. The sky is full of smugglers' stars. They were old friends, those stars; Davos hoped that meant good luck.

But when he lowered his gaze from the sky to the castle ramparts, he was not so certain. The wings of the stone dragons cast great black shadows in the light from the nightfire. (ASOS, Davos VI)

The nightfire will cast stone dragon shadows, in the North, where a hidden (ice) dragon has a blue eye. The enormous shadow that made Shireen shriek had come from behind the shell of the Lord Commander’s Tower. 

Ominous.

If it is not Selyse, very importantly, I do not want it to be Brienne. She is intimately connected to Catelyn and Arya’s arc of justice v. vengeance, and like Arya’s competing list of names (kill list v. alias based on loved ones), Brienne has competing oaths, competing swords.

It made sense enough for Brienne. “I will kill him,” the tall homely girl declared. “With my lord’s own sword, I will kill him. I swear it. I swear it. I swear it.” (ACOK, Catelyn IV)

She wants to devote herself to vengeance, but Cat gives her a different purpose.

Brienne closed her thick callused fingers around the hilt of her sword. The sword that had been his. "I swore a vow. Three times I swore. You heard me." (...)

“My son may be a king, but I am no queen . . . only a mother who would keep her children safe, however she could.” “I am not made to be a mother. I need to fight.” “Then fight . . . but for the living, not the dead.” (…)

“And I think, when the time comes, you will not try and hold me back. Promise me that. That you will not hold me back from Stannis.” Catelyn could still hear Stannis saying that Robb’s turn too would come in time. It was like a cold breath on the back of her neck. “When the time comes, I will not hold you back.” The tall girl knelt awkwardly, unsheathed Renly’s longsword, and laid it at her feet. “Then I am yours, my lady. Your liege man, or . . . whatever you would have me be. I will shield your back and keep your counsel and give my life for yours, if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new.”

(ACOK, Catelyn V)

Brienne is set on a path to preserve life, not take it, with Jaime.

Brienne pushed open the door and stepped inside the cell. “You called, my lady?” “Give me your sword.” Catelyn held out her hand. (ACOK, Catelyn VII)

Oathbreaking is a theme...

Up again. “Yield, or I’ll drown you!” “And break your oath?” he snarled. “Like me?” She let him go, and he went down with a splash. (…)

Brienne dove for her sword beneath the waters of the brook, but the Mummers were on her before she could lay hands on it. (ASOS, Jaime III)

She loses the bad sword of vengeance. But she will gain another one:

"A sword so fine must bear a name. It would please me if you would call this one Oathkeeper. One more thing. The blade comes with a price."  (…)

"I have made kings and unmade them. Sansa Stark is my last chance for honor." Jaime smiled thinly. "Besides, kingslayers should band together. Are you ever going to go?"

Her big hand wrapped tight around Oathkeeper. "I will. And I will find the girl and keep her safe. For her lady mother's sake. And for yours." She bowed stiffly, whirled, and went.  (ASOS, Jaime IX)

Kingslayers should band together. But she is not truly one, nor should she be. Her fight is for the living.

Lady Catelyn's fingers dug deep into her throat, and the words came rattling out, choked and broken, a stream as cold as ice. The northman said, "She says that you must choose. Take the sword and slay the Kingslayer, or be hanged for a betrayer. The sword or the noose, she says. Choose, she says. Choose."  (AFFC, Brienne VIII)

Brienne fights for the living. There is one vow she needs to break: to become a kingslayer for vengeance. 

There is every chance I am wrong, but this is my optimal scenario. 

[sebastianshaw]

Let's go wide and predictable... Tell me about the different WoD incarnations for Shaw. :>

OK SO First thing I am glad you are also a nerd for this so I don’t don’t to explain all these terms. Secondly wow I need to be better about tagging/organizing, I couldn’t find all the other posts on this I was SURE I wrote. SO HERE’S A BIG FAT POST, RIP YOUR EYES

VAMPIRE Lasombra: This is the clan I typically default to in answers for him AS YOU HAVE NOTICED. I mean, they’re dark aristocrats who are all about Social Darwinish, preying on the weak, and the strong reigning. They primarily enforce this subtly through political games, but they have NO PROBLEM throwing an elegant Potence-backed punch. While one would think that these proud predators demanding sniveling obedience---and one would, in a way, be right---they certainly don’t RESPECT it, and it can even induce violent rage in them. Fits Shaw to a T. Sure, the Catholicism/Church control and Spanish origins and attraction to the sea and Abyss mysticism aren’t for him, but hey, he fits the outlook of the Clan perfectly aside from the religious aspects, and no one fits EVERY stereotype of a clan anyway.  Most Lasombra are Sabbat, and he could be too, but he would be in it for personal power, not true belief in being the Sword of Caine. I can equally easily see him going antitribu for the political power and stability of the Camarilla.  My other choices for him are VENTURE which is pretty obvious, but also Gangrel, which sounds counterintuitive but I HAVE A REALLY GOOD ARGUEMENT FOR IT! WEREWOLF Shadow Lord. Total Shadow Lord for pretty much all the same reasons as Lasombra. Like just LOOK AT THIS QUOTE: “ The Shadow Lords are a fictional tribe of Garou (werewolves) in White Wolf Game Studio’s Werewolf: The Apocalypse role-playing game.   […]  The Shadow Lords’ lives are like a daily game of chess and a constant struggle for power […] Shadow Lords respect power and condemn weakness, any cub who’s not strong enough in their eyes is banished from the tribe [… ] None of the other tribes like them very much, or at all, but even the ones who hate them most don’t question their ability to get things done. […] perhaps the largest camp, the Lords of the Summit tend to be the stereotypical Shadow Lords - power-hungry, manipulative, ambitious, and arrogant. This by no means makes them less dangerous foes.” And like. . . .they focus on political and intellectual power FIRST, and that sort of character is typically physically weak. But as with the Lasombra, nope, the Shadow Lords had bodily power too; they’re described as looking more like over-muscled pit bulls in lupine form than wolves. So....yeah, that’s perfect. Because Shaw does fight “smart” first, he ideally never touches his opponent, but when he has to? BOY CAN HE PULVERIZE. So, Shadow Lord Shaw is a Homid, probably an Ahroun but maybe a Philodox, and he has a lot of Glass Walkers following him as well as fellow Shadow Lords; he finds great use in their technological talents and ability to adapt to an urban environment and OWN it (rather than just SURVIVE in its fringes like a Bone Gnawer, as he sees it) and they organize themselves in a corporate-like structure where he takes a natural lead.  While the Shadow Lords are stereotypically/traditionally Eastern European, they can be of any race today. Shaw’s dad is English, but since we never see his mom in canon, for this version I’m saying his mom was a great big Eastern European Shadow Lord, and that’s why he never knew her, because the Garou aren’t typically raising their own young. He’s just. . . .big brutal wolf boy. And has like a billion puppies/Kinfolk kids. I DREW HIM FERA Ok, so I picked a BUNCH of Fera for Shaw, and you know why? I could. Literally just because I could. I don’t have a DM to tell me no! I even picked extinct ones, BECAUSE I WANTED TO! Cat-wise, I like him as a Khan or a Khara. Are the Khara extinct? Yes. Do they really suit him, the way they’re described less as warriors and more just secret-gatherers? Not at all. I picked them because I just like the idea of him turning into a massive, massive black smilodon. Because I think it’s cool and I don’t have to respect canon here. He can be the last of the Khara and not fit them at all if I say so. And hey, he LOOKS like a prehistoric man already! As for the Khan. . . .of the extant Bastet, the Simba and Khan fit him best. And if I am being honest? The Simba probably are a better fit for him. And I’m fine with that. I’m fine with Shaw as a big ol werelion with a black mane. But I also just really, really like the Khan. And as I have made clear, I am running this show. So my first choice for him that isn’t a Shadow Lord, is a Khan. They’re most typically Indian, Chinese, or (due to breeding with colonizers in India) English, so he could be one of the English Khan, and hey, fighting the Wyrm gives him a good outlet for. . . himself. Their human forms are also typically tall and HUGE, upwards of 300 lbs, and they’ve sired some of the most beautiful kittens and powerful bloodlines. T “ The Simba may declare themselves nobility, but the weretigers fit the title. Regal hunters and warriors, these Bastet evoke the respect the lions demand. From the snowy mountains of Asia to the cities of India, the weretigers hunt the spawn of Asura and defend the last of their Kin. They’re solid, dependable, smart and strong. Their weaknesses, such as they are, come from being too trusting or too sure of themselves. Khan are straightforward and action-oriented, not clever schemers. Whatever a Khan does, he does full-tilt — fighting, romancing, hunting, studying, even contemplating. These Bastet throw themselves into all tasks with vigor and passion, and their bodies, in any form, bristle with vitality. Most Khan love company; though few of them can stand the presence of another of their kind for long, they often enjoy companions. And who would deny a tiger’s friendship? It’s said the Khan were brought forth to battle demons, and many of them take that charge literally. Vampires, Asura and fomori have few enemies more relentless than a tiger. Perhaps that’s why the Khan have been brought to the verge of extinction: They made too many of the wrong kind of enemies.” “ The tribe’s traditional cultures stress honor and obedience. The treachery of Nagda was worsened by the stain it put on the tigers’ pride. While solitary in nature, most Khan establish protectorates where they defend a given family or land against corruption. The fact that “defense” occasionally includes killing certain people doesn’t detract from the tribal purpose. The Kahn were created to war against demons. Those who court the darkness must die “ “ While many Khan tend to be bad-tempered and aggressive, others love company of all kinds (and are powerful enough to demand respect). “ So, is that ALL Shaw? No. He’d be a particularly nasty, scheming Khan, in fact, a little unusual for his breed. But that’s hardly unheard of. After all, the famous English Khan named Lord Clouster “had cobras for a heart; he tossed his own kuasha beneath the wheels of a train, fed his wife to a suttee fire by pretending to be dead, then killed his children when he found they did not carry the Changing Touch.” And another Khan, the Indian sultan Nagda, got into a feud with another Khan and “ taken over by his rage, the Sultan Nagda betrayed his race and used a tribal secret. During an eclipse, his assassins struck all over Asia, slaying nearly 100 Khan and many Kinfolk outright.” So, Khan can be bad too.  But not as bad as the Simba. “ “The Lords of Sunlight.” That’s what they call themselves. Like the blazing mane around the heads of their kings, werelions liken themselves to the sun. All things have a place and an order and rebels must be reminded of this fact. The real fact, of course, is that the other tribes dislike the lions; the Simba may call themselves “Lords of Sunlight,” but many other cats give them another name: “The Dark Kings,” an unflattering comparison to the Khan. The Simba aren’t villains; they’re magnificent lords, slayers of demons. Things are simply out of order. When the balance is  restored, when the humans know their place and the cities become graveyards, the lions will be proven right. The demons of the modern age can be traced to the end of the Impergium and the laxity of the Changing Breeds. The Simba mean to put things in order, and if that requires bloodshed, so be it. Warfare is the sport of kings” “ Werelions value strength and order. Despite their bloody reputation, Simba adore their loved ones, and watch their Kinolk closely. Children and kittens are raised within the pride and must constantly prove themselves to survive. “ “ Each pride has one Mtolo (“father”), or dominant male, and several Kirii (“wives”) and Anwana (“young hunters”). Small prides defer to larger ones, and may owe allegiance to a Chakuva (“High King”) like Black Tooth. “ So, Simba are very patriarchal, very hierarchal, and want to run everyone else and feel they’re entitled to do so by birthright,  and the more I talk the LESS it sounds like Shaw actually? Like don’t get me wrong, he’s proud and power-hungry AS YOU KNOW, but what sets him apart from Apocalypse or Magneto or Xavier is that Shaw has never sought to have mutantkind follow him. He has his own ideologies, but he has never sought to lead others or enforce it on them. So really, the Simba mentality of “we should be in charge because it’s us” DOESN’T work for him, nor does the idea of being entitled to do so, as Shaw’s “power first” mentality is all about EARNING your position, not deserving it automatically. It’s all very Fabian though! So I’ll leave that here as a bonus for you instead of going back and deleting it lol. yEAH HE’S A BAD KHAN, BASICALLY And his Pyrio, no matter what cat type he is, would be Night.  Each Bastet has a “Pyrio” meaning a classification of their general personality and what fields they’re likely to pursue and be talented in. “Like the Dark Father Cahlash, the favor of the Night indicates a sinister or hidden nature. Most Bastet with this Pryio tend to withdraw from others, concentrating on their own business unless interrupted. Although they might not be actively malignant, they have short tempers and quiet ways, and fiercely guard their privacy. Night Bastet prefer occupations such as assassin, scholar, scientist and dark mystic. In the wilderness, the Night cats are hidden hunters and man-eaters, with nasty dispositions and an eerie reputations. These are the cats whose deeds are told around campfires for years to come. If you’ve got a disposition toward the Night, activities that cause others discomfort, reinforce your private space or protect some valuable secret from outsiders can refresh your Willpower.” So yeah. Shaw is a night kitty.  Rats are not the type that fit him the MOST, but I drew him as a RATKIN WARRIOR anyway. Because rats. Also while I drew him as a Warrior, he could also be an Engineer or a Plague Lord (specifically sylphyllis; every Plague Lord contracts with a disease spirit and embodies its most horrific symptoms and I just love the idea of this hideous terrifying syph-ridden Shaw) And hey, he can get into the “culling humanity” and “survive so that you may breed” deal! Most wererats also have very little kindness towards the weak either, despite being the underdogs of the Fera themselves. Likewise, hyenas aren’t the breed that fit him the most but I kinda dig the idea of him as an Ajaba? Their role was choosers of the slain, tasked with culling the sick, dying, and unfit. They were called rainmakers because of the tears their task brought to others, and they did not spare even their own. Then, the Simba came to their lands, and enacted genocide against them. They left Africa and spread across the globe, now breeding indiscriminately to survive and can be any race. What holds them together now first isn’t any duty, but the desire to simply stay alive. And both those things---culling weakness, and being knocked off his pedestal and now forced to fight for scraps in the shadows to survive---seem fitting for Shaw. The philosophy is obviously what he’s always had, and the degraded position reflects where he currently is in canon. He’s not usually the underdog, but he is here---but doubtlessly a brutal one, the Fera equivalent of a gang leader, recruiting  Also they’re matriarchal and I kinda like the idea of him having to deal with that, as....that kind of fits too? Shaw was the only MAN of note in the Hellfire Club. All the other most iconic, powerful, threatening members were women, and Shaw’s never really had a chance (or tried to fuck with) any of them. He’s USED to being around a ton of badass ladies who are calling the shots, that’s just TUESDAY for him.   Finally---FINALLY-- I could see him as the odd human-born Rokea. A Great White, of course. Again, it was probably his mother who was the Fera, some monstrous creature who came on land and mated with his human father, only to spawn this boy while still out of the water. All Rokea are ugly in their human state, but Shaw looks better than most due to being born on land and as a human, and he is also able to move through---and thrive---in human society. Since he is seen as a Betweener---one of the Rokea who “betrays” the Sea by living on land instead---stepping into what should be his natural habitat is always risky for him, as other Rokea WILL kill Betweeners on sight. And the single-minded nature of sharks leaves little room for explaining oneself.  Oh did I say finally SURPRISE I HAVE ONE MORE. The peaceful, matchmaking, extinct Apis don’t really fit SHAW aT ALL, and they’re EXTINCT, but I love the idea of him turning into a HUGE BLACK BULL. So here’s my explanation. The deal with the Apis is that when their numbers reached the single digits, a last handful of young Apis called Last Hope went into the Deep Umbra and haven’t been seen since. The “hook” in the 20th anniversary Changing Breeds book for their return is that maybe they finally came out the Umbra and back to the physical world. My idea is that he and HAVEN are mebers of Last Hope who have re-emerged in modern times to bring back their kind---something that rests entirely on SHAW’S shoulders, since Haven’s womb was cursed by the Wyrm. So it’s up to him to just breed with as many women and cows as possible. So he’s got an excuse! And as for why he’s so un-Apis, my explanation is that the trauma of their species being wiped out and the time that was allowed to fester in them during their long sleep in the Deep Umbra, drove Haven and Shaw to two extremes of Apis behavior. Haven took on the gentle caretaker side to the extreme, becoming so pacifistic she can’t fight or defend herself. Shaw went the other end, becoming so enraged and resentful that he’s become more like a bloodthirsty predator himself.  Eventually, they both fall to madness after re-emerging, but in the opposite ways that everyone expect. It’s the sweet gentle Haven who ends up Frenzying other of control in a berserker rage, rampaging across the city in massive bovine form, causing untold death and destruction until she’s put down. . . .while the cruel violent Shaw falls to a “cow version of Harano” sinking into a depression so profound he goes catatonic up until Haven’s own loss of sanity, at which point he throws himself on her horn. The story ends with the last of the Apis truly dead, but with a new hope for the species living on in Shaw’s children, who are showing signs of being Kinfolk or Apis themselves.

[beecherdrysdale]

Heyy, thank you for responding! I loved all of it!

We are totally hanging out first! Honestly I don’t understand why we keep putting you with Dylan in the same car, you win at everything. maybe I should switch the cars around and give you Ryan instead? But Brigid+Dylan is 😍 and I need that to happen. Wait imagine we are all in our cars and we just pull up all at the same time to a red light and we roll down the window and just laugh at each other and then we all zoom away. I would absolutely not let Ryan sit up front with me, we would probably start smacking each other and chirping each other and I would lose concentration so imma put him in the back with Braden :) . Quinner can come and hold my hand because he’s gorgeous and I wanna hold his hand. Quinton would be fine, he’s seems like he would be slightly chaotic. Kesh has the most chill car. Like Kirby, Dylan C and Devon are all chill and would just be calmly talking while Kesh is driving.

When we are all together tho, it’s more chaotic. Haha yes the braiding is not going well for Dylan and Jamie they’d be like “How do I do this?” I don’t understand this. Why does this exist lol. Yess I would have to pull over and make them switch with Devon and quinton hehe. They would just be calmly braiding your hair and then Jamie and Dylan would be slightly jealous and pouting in the back. Just a warning I love music so imma play that loud and roll down the windows. Only for a bit tho . Also kesh omg late night drives are so cute. Also imagine all of us in a grocery store, that would be so chaotic. Also why do I feel like Braden, Kirby , Dylan C would pass out for literally the entire drive?

Malt teaser are yummy, but what about sour patch kids orrrrr peanut putter filled M&Ms. Have you ever had those? I always get them if I go to the movies:) Nutella is good too! Imma be Canadian and say have you ever had all dressed ruffles? Nanaimo bars are delish, we can get them in BC ! I’ll buy you poutine brigid. The best is probably in Montreal so when we make a pit stop there I can buy you some!. Also let’s not forget chocolate and healthy foods lo. Carrot sticks anyone?. Also music would be great, imma play like a g6 or promiscuous girl cuz I love that song 😍

Chirp kings unite, this will be the main factor of our vacay lol. Brigid I’m sorry but it has to be done lol. We are gonna chirp you sm. Oooo you putting your hands on his abs, and feeling the muscles. Honestly I would too lol- sorry Quinner. But Dylan Holloway has an amazing body. Ryan and I would chirp you again I’m not gonna lie, but also you straddling jamie would be 🥵. Kesh this is for you, Kirby shirtless, in that photo with him by the lake. I unfortunately have not found Quinner by a lake. Aww kesh I loved the “I didn’t think I needed sunscreen” lmao your entire back is the shade of my blush. They do need sunscreen tho, pale boys.

The boat is a must! All of these activities are so fun, Brigid you would go on the same tube w Dylan?. We would definitely make each other fall. Tanning is a dream sometimes - but while your tanning Jamie and Dylan are looking at you 😏 same w Kirby kesh . I’m not gonna lie drinking on a boat is nice. Some white claws or margaritas lol. Aww one of them holding your waist, some photos are gonna be taken there. Lmao Quinner is gonna be like “I’m gonna get a drink” and leaves and then Ryan sneaks up and pushes me. But not so fast I would grab him real quick and we would both fall in l😂. Awww kesh, I love those little sentences you wrote “oh yeah babe, uh huh babe sorry , but look” that’s adorable that he’s spending time with you.

Drunk Quinner is the best, but I would secretly love that he’s being clingy 🥺. Dylan H seems like the jealous type and probably so is Jamie. But you dancing with them would be soooo cute! They just want be constantly around you. Kesh and Kirby would be slaying.

I’m going to let you have a break from Ryan and I causing chaos, he would actually be helping unlike me and I would just be watching Dylan h become jealous that Jamie is w you lol. But I do want a friendship w him too lol . Awww yes him pulling on your braids 🥺 my smart girl is adorable same with “my smart boy”

Haha ya, my mom refuses to let me have a one piece, so all I have are bikinis lol. That’s good brigid, we all have hot bodies hehe. #hotgirlsummer.

I wanna go shopping w you and kesh soooo bad. It would be so fun!! Vacay clothes are cute. We should all a little black dress and take everyone’s breath away lol. Oo ya Dylan and Jamie admiring you in your hit lbd or clubbing clothes 😏. Same w kesh, Kirby would be amazed like how did he get such a gorgeous girl?. I love stealing clothes - from my bro and friend . so I am on board with wearing the guys clothing lol . They would be comfyyyyyy.

Kk I’ll get you a Holloway and Drysdale jersey l!! And a Kirby and cozzy jersey ! Get ready for some gifts :)

Wow this was long.

Ok kesh what’s your favourite cake flavour?

Xo ly

Lexiiiiiiiii

ok yes, first of all i love all of this 💖

so ig it’s been decided that dylan and i are in the same car so we can dominate once again lol. and then jamie and quinton are there too and then jamie and dyl are just trying to talk over each other to have a convo with me, so then i start ignoring them and talk to quinton instead hehe. omg yes if we all pull up at a red light at the same time, i’m that one person who just keeps inching forward when someone rolls up next to them and then as soon as the light turns green i’m gone lmao. so esp if it was you guys i would be being extra competitive. haha yes banish ryan to the back with braden so he doesn’t make you crash the car bc we’re too broke to pay for rental car damages. and then quinner gets to sit in the front with you and hold your hand 🥺 and then kesh is just vibing in her car and then i feel like they would all get distracted and decide to go sight-seeing and forget about the race lol

haha yes when we’re all in the car together it will be so chaotic. and then jamie and dyl are both trying to braid and they can’t and they’re getting frustrated bc my hair is just in knots and they’re just like why is this even a thing? why do people actually want to do this? and then thankfully you pull over to save my hair and then devon or quinton has to fix it. and then jamie and dyl are just pouting about it and you and ryan start chirping them about it lol. and yes please play your music as loud as you want. i love having the windows down and just blasting music super loud esp when you’re on the highway. and then somehow kirby, dylan c, and braden are just asleep in the back? even tho the music is so loud lmao. definitely have to play like a g6 for the boys lol. awwww yes a late night drive would be so fun. idk why i just love driving in the dark

omg all of us in the grocery store together is literally the worst idea ever. like it would be so chaotic, all of us would be running around the store looking for whatever food we wanted. and we would not get like any healthy food, it would all be junk food, which would be horrible for all of us athletes lmao. and then in the end the cart would be overflowing and half the boys would come running up to us with more food they wanted and then the cash register would just be like wtf why do you need sm food. but we would end up eating it all by the end of our trip bc we all eat so much

omg sour patch kids, resees and peanut butter m&ms are like my three favorite candies so we would have to stock up for the drive. i just looked up all dressed ruffles and now i literally want to try them so bad. but we would have to have so many bags bc we all eat so much lol. and then yes i love dark chocolate, so bring any kind of dark chocolate. and then we have to be at least a little bit healthy and bring like carrots and peanut butter or something. and then making pit stops to get nainaimo bars and poutine bc i want to try both those things lol

hehe yes you and ryan would be chirping me the entire time, but it’s all good i still love you guys. somehow kesh and kirby are escaping your guys’ chirping. haha wow lexi ok i see you. quinner would be very jealous rn. but yes i would be feeling dyl’s muscles while we were on the jet ski. and then i have to straddle jamie 😏 it’s just to put aloe vera on. obviously. hehe yes all of their lake pics are so good. it’s ok that you couldn’t find one for quinner, i can’t find one for jamie either. haha yes they all are convinced they don’t need sunscreen and we’re just like sure.... 

yes, boats are so fun! haha maybe i’d share a tube with dyl, or maybe i’d go with jamie and make dyl jealous lol. either way someone would definitely try to flip us out of the tube lol. hehe while we’re tanning the guys will just be looking at us 😏 but then we would also all be sitting on the railing drinking and then you and quinner both finish your drinks so he goes to get you guys new ones and then ryan pushes you in lmao. but then you would pull him in with you to get payback lol. and i would just being chilling on the railing with my white claw dying of laughter

omg drunk quinner and lexi would be so cute together😍 like obviously you guys are always cute, but when he’s being all clingy and following you around that’s adorable. and he would do whatever you want bc he’s drunk lol. hehe dylan and jamie getting jealous whenever i dance with the other one. sorry guys, got to spread the love equally lol. and then kirby and kesh just being couple goals

haha yes so when we’re in the escape room ryan actually decides to help instead of causing chaos for once. so then you just go and chill with dylan and start becoming closer friends with him bc you guys hadn’t talked that much before we got to the escape room. and then you notice him getting jealous of me and jamie so then you chirp him about it lmao. and then i’m just helping jamie in the corner 🥺 and don’t even realize what’s going on lol

lexi i’m so jealous, my mom could never. we love a body positive queen. but we would all look hot in our swimsuits #hotgirlsummer. hehe we could go shopping together to get our suits when we’re getting other clothes too. and then we have to get cute vacay clothes so i’m not wearing athletic clothes like i do literally every day lmao. and then we would all get lbd and other cute clubbing clothes and the guys would just be in awe. like they would all be admiring us and maybe getting a little to handsy lol and then we’re like stop it we haven’t even left yet. but then once we get back we just steal some of their clothes bc they’re comfy and then keep wearing them for the rest of vacay lol.

ooooh ok i actually want to answer the cake question. my mom makes really good chocolate cake with cherry frosting that’s amazing, or i also like chocolate cake with like orange frosting. in case you couldn’t tell i really like the chocolate-cherry combo lol. what about you guys?

ily too 💖

[mikeisthricedeceased]

The Fae King

Chrys x Dyne (Gay Faery OCs)

Word Count: ~4.3k

Warnings: Language

A/N: This is an original short story I wrote for one of my folklore classes. I plan to expand on these characters in the future. I also want to find a way to include some of them in my currently unreleased Ezra fic, just because I think the dynamic would be neat.

Summary: A tale of love, fear, power, and mischief.

Masterlist

~*~*~*~

Master of New Dreams

A very long time ago, a young Faery woman was alone in the woods. She picked berries and fruits as she walked on the path from the little cottage she lived in to the small stream beyond it. It was quiet and warm, leaves whispering as they danced over her head and cast the world in soft shades of green.

The sack on her belt soon grew heavy, so she abandoned her efforts toward picking and instead let herself enjoy the sun on her face and the breeze tugging at the tight coils of her hair.

It had been so dark and dreary lately, the brightness was a welcome change. The King’s recent hunts had made even her short walks treacherous. She wouldn’t dare to even think of making such a walk at night, even if the days were becoming a bit lighter.

The low bubbling rush of the stream found her when she drew closer, the dented bucket in her grasp bumping against the side of her leg as she stepped over a fallen branch. Her shoulders relaxed, a smile curling at her lips. The sun reflected brilliantly off the water and made her surroundings sparkle invitingly.

It wasn’t until she cleared the tree line that she sensed the other presence there.

She froze in place, eyes finding the figure immediately as it rose up from a crouch some distance away, right at the water’s edge, back facing her. A sword hung from one hip, a wicked looking dagger from the other.

Her grip on the bucket tightened. She was about to take a step back onto the path when the figure spoke.

“Don’t mind me.” A turn and she was hit with a charming, roguish grin. “I’ll be leaving shortly.”

Her breath caught slightly at the sight.

The rogue’s head tilted, fully facing her with gleaming dark eyes. “Pardon me, miss, but you are quite a sight. I wasn’t expecting to find any company on this outing, though I can hardly be upset when witnessing such beauty.”

Her face warmed. “I’d hardly call myself the beauty in this instance, stranger,” she replied, taking a tentative step toward the stream, eyes never leaving those of the rogue.

An odd light reflected in those eyes as they narrowed slightly, her smile widening. “But you are. I have no reason to lie about such a thing.”

She looked away long enough to dip her bucket into the water, a smile tugging at her own lips. “I don’t think you’re lying. I’m just disagreeing with you.” She pursed her lips to hide the smile and gestured around her. “What brought you all the way out here?”

The rogue strolled toward her and eased down onto a rock with a sigh. “The duties assigned by my father.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And in carrying out those duties, you wound up in the middle of the woods?”

Dark eyes settled on her, a playful smirk flashing her way. “In avoiding those duties, I wound up in the middle of the woods.”

“Ah,” she said, nodding as she pulled the bucket up. “Of course. Do you often avoid your duties?”

“As often as I can,” she replied, laughing with no small amount of bitterness. “My father is perhaps the worst piece of excrement to ever parade across existence. Being a regular annoyance to him is simply invigorating.”

She let out a startled laugh of her own. “I assume there is little love between the two of you.”

“Indeed.” The rogue stood swiftly, making a slight adjustment to her belt and gesturing to the bucket. “Would you like any help?”

“No, thank you.” She rose up as well, the bucket’s handle firmly in her grip as she studied the rogue for a moment, noting the look of amusement she wore at such an assessment. “Though, I wouldn’t mind some company on the walk back home. If you’ll tell me what I can call you.”

The rogue’s expression visibly brightened. “Dyne. And what can I call you?”

“Chrysania,” she said, holding out a hand. “Or Chrys.”

Dyne took that hand and, instead of shaking it, brought it up in order to brush her smiling lips over Chrys’s knuckles. “A pleasure.”

The warmth in Chrys’s face spread and bloomed in her chest. “Yes. A pleasure.”

~*~*~*~

Master of Old Nightmares

Somewhere just outside the land of Faery, a human knight and his small band of companions rode steadily through the morning.

Sir Robert Hampton sat tall in his saddle, reigns light in his confident grip. His young squire rode at his side, already a bit weary from their days spent on the road. Ahead of them was the tracker who claimed he could find an entrance to Faery, so long as Sir Robert was willing to pay him for such a dangerous mission. Behind them rode a pair of sell-swords, a man and a woman. The man was a brute, allegedly the result of some sort of faery and human mingling, and likely useful should they meet any challengers along the way. The woman, who had mismatched eyes, said she could guide them to the Fae King’s castle once they entered the land. According to her, those eyes were the mark of a past trip into Faery, in which she had successfully found the castle.

Sir Robert’s goal was to slaughter the Fae King, a being known for his brutally cruel nature, and to rescue the Fae Queen, a beauty of much renown. He also hoped to take the Queen as his own bride, counting on her gratitude to make her more than willing. And he could only imagine the power that would come from slaying a being like the King. If there was such great possibility for destruction, then there were surely many other things it could be used for, and all to his advantage.

The tracker stopped, holding a hand up. The party halted.

Sir Robert brushed a hand over his sword’s pommel as he scanned the tree line ahead.

The tracker turned around and rode to them, looking pleased. “There is an entrance that way,” he said, gesturing somewhere in the trees to their right. His expression became grim. “But I must warn you, sir. Their world is very dangerous for men like us. There is much to avoid, if you do not wish to die or go insane.”

The knight gave a dismissive wave. “Yes, I’m aware. The names and whatnot.”

The tracker frowned. “This is very serious, sir. Men go mad or missing with a single misstep in those lands. This is not to be taken so—”

“Would you please take us to the entrance? I’m certain we can handle things from there,” said Sir Robert, a tight smile on his face.

Gritting his teeth, the tracker gave a curt nod. “Of course, sir.” He turned his horse and led the way into the trees.

The brute looked over at his companion, waving a hand to get her attention. “What was he talking about up there, eh? Things to avoid?” he grunted. “You made it out of there.”

She snorted. “There’s plenty to be weary of. The most important thing to remember is that you must never give your name to a faery, especially not your full name.” Her eyes flicked toward Sir Robert Hampton of House Hampton in Breker. “It isn’t smart to disrespect a faery to their face, either. And don’t trust the silence. You can assume that almost everything is a trap, no matter how harmless it seems,” she told him.

He harrumphed. “You aren’t very good at instilling confidence.”

“Who said I was trying to?” she asked, smirking. “I was just answering your question.”

He loosed a sigh, shaking his head. “So, the old stories are true?”

“For the most part, yes.”

“If I go mad or die, make sure people know I blame him,” he said lowly, jabbing a thumb at the knight.

She chuckled. “I’ll be sure to remember that. Can I make the same request of you?”

“Sure,” he said, grinning. “Glad to know we have things in order.”

She flashed him a roguish smile. “Indeed.”

~*~*~*~

Chrys brushed by the shopkeeper, wiping her sweaty palms on her skirt. She desperately wanted to open the windows of the shop and allow the breeze in, but she knew better than to suggest it. The shopkeeper was very particular about such things, always more concerned about someone reaching in and snatching a bracelet than the wellbeing of the employees.

Just as Chrys crossed the threshold into the backroom, a hand reached out and took hold of her arm.

Her eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly relaxed when she saw that it was just the other shop girl, Weni.

Weni was a pale little thing with nervous hands and a soft voice, the opposite to Chrys. They were best friends.

“Have you heard about the massacre in the woods?” she asked, voice reedy and sweet. Weni also loved gossip.

Chrys raised an eyebrow, tensing. “There was another one?”

Weni nodded. “There’s always another one.” She leaned in closer, glancing toward the shop’s main room before whispering, “I think King Sonden is getting worse, Chrysania. The kingdom will be dead in a matter of decades if he keeps up this slaughter.” Her hands fidgeted. “Emptying the human village near one of the borders was bad enough, but now that he’s been chasing down other faeries as well…” She shook her head, eyes brimming with concern. “His hunts get closer every time. It’s terrifying.”

Chrys scowled. “Surely, even a monster like that knows there’s no use in ruling a dead kingdom,” she hissed.

“It’s the power,” Weni said. “Whatever that power is that makes someone a King, it’s surely driven him mad. All that Darkness in one being would certainly create a monster.”

Chrys couldn’t help but agree.

“Maybe something will happen to him and his heir, get rid of that power for good,” grumbled Weni.

Chrys shook her head. “Be careful, Weni. Don’t draw the attention of that power,” she warned quietly.

They both jumped when a knock sounded on the back door of the shop. Exchanging a wide-eyed look, they stood frozen until there was a second knock.

Weni scrambled out of the backroom and into the main shop room, leaving Chrys to hiss out a few colorful curses. She took a deep breath, cautiously shuffling toward the door.

All the tension left her when she was close enough to sense who was standing outside, a smile spreading over her face as she pulled open the door.

Immediately, she was drawn into a familiar embrace and she sighed happily.

“Hello, my love,” Dyne purred in her ear. “How are you?”

Taking a step back, Chrys met her gaze. “Better now. Even if your knocking scared us.”

Dyne kissed her forehead, chuckling lightly. “I’m sorry for the unintended fright. I’ve come to find joy in your presence, seeing as my day has been full of contemplation and decision making which has left me lacking.” A small crease appeared between her brows.

Chrys traced a finger over her lover’s cheek gently. “What sort of decision making is that?”

Dyne’s head tilted as she sighed, expression more serious than Chrys was used to seeing. “I’m going to kill my father,” she answered simply.

Chrys reeled back a step. “Dyne—”

“He deserves it,” she said softly. “He killed my mother when I was a child. He’s a ruthless monster, and he always has been.”

“I know he deserves it. From what you’ve told me, he likely deserves worse,” said Chrys.

Dyne pursed her lips. “The only thing I’m still trying to decide is when. Am I ready to take his place? Do I risk letting the situation get worse while I wait to feel ready?” She frowned, eyes hard. “He hasn’t exactly been a very good mentor. Too busy being a prick, or worse.”

Chrys leaned against her. “I think you’re better than he could ever be. At anything.”

“Hmm, but you’re a bit biased, aren’t you?” Dyne murmured, a hint of a smile in her voice.

She shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

“You give me far too much credit, my love,” said Dyne as she cupped Chrys’s face in her hands. “I’m just a sweet talker with a sword and an overdeveloped capacity for mischief.”

“I wouldn’t call it overdeveloped,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Dyne grinned. “Oh, but it is. I’m exactly the sort of wicked creature that humans think we all are.”

~*~*~*~

Sir Robert had taken the lead once the tracker parted ways with them at what he insisted was an entrance into Faery. The knight found that the scenery looked no different from the forests they’d been traveling through up until that point.

His squire seemed unable to calm himself, fidgeting endlessly while his eyes darted around, anxiety etched into his young face.

“Pull yourself together, boy,” barked the knight. “We’ve seen nothing but trees. No reason to start pissing yourself now.” He fixed the squire with a harsh sneer, forcing the boy to look down and away.

The mercenaries traded a look at the exchange.

“Boy,” called the brute.

The squire looked back, clearly startled, but slowed his horse until he was riding between them.

“You know anything about faeries?” the brute asked, a brow raised.

He hunched forward in his saddle. “A bit. I’ve heard a few of the stories.” He glanced to the brute. “Are you really half faery?” he asked quietly.

The big man laughed. “No. I just ate endlessly when I was a boy.”

“Still do,” commented his companion.

“Fuck off with ya,” he spat back with no real venom. He looked to the squire, jabbing a thumb at the woman. “She’s likely the closest thing to a faery you’ve seen, having her eyes like that. Be seeing real faeries soon if that tracker led us the right way.”

“He did.”

Both the squire and the brute looked over at the woman.

She grinned. “Can’t you feel it? There’s a certain…beyondness. It might look the same, but we’ve left the world of man.” She tilted her head, catching the squire’s gaze. “You can tell, can’t you? The way that the air itself breathes, or how the shadows are watching us.” She held out a hand, gesturing to the forest around them. “We’re in the land ruled by the Master of Dreams and Nightmares, the Living Darkness. The Fae King.”

“Did you see the Fae King,” asked the boy, “when you were here before?”

Her smile was sharp. “Not many who see the King live to tell about it.”

The brute shook his head. “I don’t think you came back right,” he said with a snort.

She relaxed in her saddle, scoffing. “Fuck off with you.”

The boy was looking back and forth between them, eyes massive.

“You’ve made it worse now, ya prick,” grunted the brute, waving a hand at the squire’s expression.

“Ah, I’m sorry, lad,” she said. “Coming back here brings out my theatrical side, I think.” She leaned toward him, a reassuring smile on her face. “If it makes you feel better, I heard that the King hasn’t been at the castle for a while. Might not have anything to worry about, aside from the business with the Queen,” she told him.

The squire relaxed a bit at her words. “Why would the King leave his castle?”

She shrugged. “Tormenting humans?”

The boy paled.

“Prick,” hissed the brute.

“What answer was I meant to give him?” she asked, exasperated.

The brute scowled at her. “What my friend here is trying to say is that the King was likely doing whatever faeries do outside of these lands and had to take the time to build an escort for the return trip.”

“Like the old story? Humans and faeries, riding together?”

“Some old tradition, or something,” said the brute, giving a nod. “Try to keep some of those stories in mind while we’re here. They might give us a better chance of getting home.”

From then on, the squire and the mercenaries spent the ride retelling as many old tales of the Fae as they could remember. The woman would break off and trail ahead every so often to make sure they were still heading toward the castle, even as it grew darker.

They passed through a few towns on their way, but each one was empty. The lack of any damage made it seem as if the inhabitants had simply vanished. The land of Faery was unnervingly quiet.

Sir Robert still rode tall, chin raised with confidence. The apparent lack of citizens would only serve to make his claiming of the throne that much easier. Despite rumor of the King’s skill in combat, the knight had little fear of being bested. He was perhaps the best swordsman in all of Breker, never having been defeated in a duel. He’d survived many grueling battles during the war against Clarrock. Some mad faery with a knife would surely be no match for a hardened warrior like himself.

“There it is.”

He looked over, finding the tainted mercenary beside him, her gaze fixed somewhere in the distance. His lip curled but he followed her gaze. Through the trees, he could make out the glittering black walls of a castle.

“We must reach it while we still have light,” he said, a grim smile on his face.

“You don’t want to wait until morning?”

His attention snapped to her. “No. Are you deaf, woman? I said we go now,” he growled.

She raised an eyebrow. “Very well.”

He dug his heels in, pressing his horse into a canter, then a gallop. The others soon followed.

The castle seemed as deserted as the towns preceding it when the knight reached it, pulling on the reins to slow to a trot as he entered the open gate. He stopped inside, dismounting quickly as the sell-swords and squire rode in.

He approached the massive doors slowly, fingers curled around the hilt of his sword. He felt more than saw the mercenaries coming up behind him. He leaned against the door, glancing at the others, and saw their weapons were already drawn. They both nodded.

He shoved his weight against the door, pressing it inward. Dust sprinkled onto them from overhead as they all moved inside.

The knight heard a soft gasp. In the otherwise empty throne room, he saw a woman standing in the soft light of the windows. Long golden hair cascaded down her back and framed her lovely face. Eyes as blue as the sea stared back at him. Suddenly, she was running to him, face lit up with joy, her pale dress flowing around her slender frame. She threw her arms around his neck with a cry of happiness.

“You’ve come to save me,” exclaimed the Fae Queen.

Sir Robert wrapped an arm around her waist. “I have,” he said. “Where is the King?”

She turned in his hold to look up at the throne.

Seated there was a dark figure, massive and radiating malice. It rose up, glowing eyes fixed on him.

The knight pushed the Queen aside and drew his sword.

“You dare enter my land? You wish to slay me?” growled the Fae King, voice rumbling through the walls. “Fool! You believe you can take my throne from me? Steal away my Queen?”

“I will take all that is yours, beast!” shouted the knight. “I will be the new King!”

The King summoned a blade from the shadows, raising it with a menacing snarl.

Sir Robert lifted his own sword and charged forward.

~*~*~*~

Chrys was just stepping out of her little cottage when Weni appeared before her, grasping her arms tight.

“The King is dead,” she said breathlessly.

Her eyes widened in shock. “What?”

Weni nodded vigorously. “He’s dead.”

“And the new King? Is there one? His heir?” Chrys asked, shaking her head in bewilderment.

“No one knows,” said Weni. “The mark left Sonden, but they can’t find Masadyne. They can’t tell if the power shifted over.” She ran anxious fingers through her hair as she paced. “Oh, it’ll be that rising madness all over again, Chrysania. When will the massacres start back up? Sonden was only King for the last six hundred years. Will it be sooner this time? Stars above, we don’t even know what Masadyne looks like!”

Chrys took hold of her shoulders and made her stand still. “I’m sure everything will be alright.”

Weni was trembling. “But what if Masadyne has already started hunting? What if that’s why the searches haven’t come up with anything?”

“Slow down,” Chrys insisted. “I need you to breathe, Weni. You can’t start speculating about the heir like this when no one seems to know what’s really going on right now. If things are as bad as you’re working yourself up for, I’m sure you’ll be one of the first to hear about it. For now, I just want you to look at me and slow down.”

Weni covered her mouth with both hands. “It’s terrifying, Chrys,” she whispered, her voice catching.

Chrys sighed. “Have you considered the possibility that whatever killed the King might’ve also killed the heir? Maybe there isn’t anything to worry about, or the power moved to a more stable bloodline.”

Weni just blinked at her and gave a slow, hesitant nod. “Okay.”

She smiled gently. “Okay.” She took hold of Weni’s hands. “Now, let’s go to the shop and try to catch Mr. Filbet sneaking candies from behind the counter,” she said, earning a small giggle from her friend.

They walked arm in arm through town, chatting about the more mundane side of recent gossip and avoiding any mention of royal intrigue.

The day was largely uneventful after that, though Chrys caught a few of the customers’ whispers about what was going on at the castle. From what anyone could tell, it seemed that the heir had just vanished.

It was the middle of the afternoon when she heard a knock at the shop’s back door. She walked over to it, already guessing who it was, and pulled it open.

Arms wrapped tight around her and she was suddenly being lifted off her feet as Dyne spun her around. Chrys made a shrill little noise of surprise that quickly turned into laughter as she hugged back.

Dyne set her down after a moment but kept her arms wrapped around her. “I did it,” she breathed, burying her face in Chrys’s neck.

Chrys twirled a strand of Dyne’s thick black hair around her finger. “Did what?”

“My father. I got rid of him.”

“You did?” Chrys asked, brows shooting up her forehead as she pulled back to look up at her. Then, Chrys tensed, reaching a hand to touch her lover’s cheek. “What happened to your eyes?”

Dyne’s left eye was its familiar fathomless black, while the right was now a bright silver.

One of Dyne’s brown hands came up to settle over her darker one. “It’s my inheritance,” she said softly. “And a sign of my title.”

Chrys frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I killed my father, so the title of King falls to me. And I inherit all that comes with it,” she explained, a thumb tracing the side of Chrys’s hand.

“King?” she whispered.

But the heir was…

Masadyne.

Dyne nodded. “King.”

~*~*~*~

The throne room exploded to life, startling the brute as Sir Robert collapsed to the ground just inside the door.

A feast was in full swing, music and chatter filling the air. A fire crackled in a massive hearth and the tables were overflowing with platters of food and pitchers of drink. He could smell the sweet cakes and the savory pies, the roasted meats and sliced fruits. Faeries of all kinds danced between tables, roaring out songs that ended up garbled on many a drunken tongue.

His companion stepped neatly over the fallen knight, not even bothering to look down as she waved for the brute to follow.

He did so, utterly dumbfounded. The room had been barren when the door first opened. He didn’t understand.

A lovely woman appeared from the crowd. Her skin was as dark as the night sky and she had the warmest eyes he had ever seen. She immediately strode over to his companion, pulling her face down into a soft kiss. “Welcome home, my love,” she said with a bright smile.

His companion, whose smile had become noticeably sharper, greeted her just as warmly. “I’ve missed you, my Queen.” After the two shared a long, fond look, Dyne nodded his way. “This is my friend. He’s proven himself a rather talented fighter.”

Chrys held out a hand, which he slowly shook. “Welcome,” she said, flashing that smile at him.

“Thank you,” he blurted.

“And this,” continued the King, gesturing to where Sir Robert was sprawled out on the floor, “is a knight who is currently dreaming about slaying me and stealing you away, along with all of my power.”

The Queen hummed. “Is that so?”

Dyne pursed her lips. “Well, he’s picturing a ten-foot tall mass of shadow and a little golden waif, so…” She trailed off with a sigh and a shrug.

“He lacks creativity,” Chrys supplied.

Dyne laughed. “Indeed.” She met his eyes again and nodded toward the feast. “If you wouldn’t mind calling in that young squire, I’d be glad to have you both join us. Be a shame to leave the pleasant members of my escort out of the festivities.”

He simply nodded, wide-eyed as he turned around to go find the boy.

~*~*~*~

Let me know what you think!

@bisexual-space-slut @cinewhore @giselatropicana @shadow-assassin-blix @lestrange2703 @huliabitch

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~ Mike

[drkcnry67]

Sleeping beauty: a twisted supernatural fairytale

A/n: this is for 4 different bingo challenges... hope people like this one! Show it some love if you loved it.

Title: sleeping beauty: a twisted supernatural fairytale

Pairing: dean x reader

Spn Dark sq: free space (shadow/fear demon)

Share the love bingo sq: sleeping beauty

Fluff sq: soulmate AU

H&H sq: Gabriel

Rating: pg-13

summery: not telling

created for @spnfluffbingo​  @spndarkbingo​  @heavenandhellbingo​  @thisismysecrethappyplace​

Once upon a time in a kingdom oh so far away lived a king & his fair queen. for many years they had longed for a child & finally their wish was granted.

a daughter born to them whom they called YN. for they named her after the dawn for she filled their hearts with sunshine. a great holiday planned to honor the princess for the entire kingdom rejoiced at her birth.

as more people graced the party, the party got stronger. amongst those to arrive were King John & his son Prince Dean. fondly had these monarchs dreamed that one day their kingdoms unite.

thus that day they announced Dean, John’s son and Heir to Castiel’s daughter be betrothed. so to her his gift he brought as he looked unkowing on his future bride.

Page: their most honored and exalted excellencies, the 3 good fairies. Mistress Claire, Mistress Jo & mistress Alex...

the 3 fairies approached, now addressing Castiel and his queen.

Fairies: your majesties!

in courtly fashion they all curtsied.

Claire: each of us the child may bless with a single gift, no more no less.

claire approached the craddle, with a wave of her wand she spoke these words.

Claire: little princess, my gift shall be the gift of beauty...

~one gift, beauty rare. full of sunshine in her hair. lips that shame the red red rose. she’ll wake with springtime wherever she goes.~

Jo was next to approach the craddle, with a wave of her wand she spoke these words.

Jo: tiny princess, my gift shall be the gift of song.

~one gift, the gift of song. melody her whole life long. the nightingale’s her troubadour. bringing her sweet serenade to her door.~

Alex stepped up to the craddle, she walked and raised her want tostart her speech but something soon would disrupt her wish.

Alex: “sweet princess, my gift shall be...

a gust of wind blows blazing through the castle doors, they swing wide open. with wind and thunder crashing through, in a blaze of fire in the middle of the crowd appeared Rowena.

Claire, jo and Alex all in states of shock at the sight of Rowena who speaks now.

Rowena: well quite the glittering assemblage King Castiel. Royalty, nobility, the gentry and how quaint even the rebel.

alex tries to fly towards Rowena but is held back by Claire.

Rowena: i really felt quite distressed at not recieving an invitation

Alex now more than a little peaved speaks.

Alex: you weren’t wanted.

Rowena: not wa...? oh dear, what an awkward situation. i had hoped it was merely due to some oversight. well in that event i’d best be on my way. 

queen: and your not offended your excellency?

Rowena: why no your majesty. and to show i bear no ill will i too shall bestwo a gift on the child. 

the fairies back up to protect the craddle. 

rowena: listen well all of you! the princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. but, before the sun sets on her 16th birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel & die.

queen: oh no!

queen takes her child in her arms as rowena maniacly laughing...

castiel: seize that creature!

rowena: stand back you fools!

in a flash of fire and lightning as well as laughter rowena disappeared!

Claire: dont despair your majesties, Alex still has her gift to give.

Castiel: then she can undo this fearful curse?

Alex: oh no sire.

Jo: Rowena’s powers are far too great.

Claire: but she can help.

Alex: but...

Jo: just do your best dear!

Claire: yes...

Alex rolls up her sleeves and proceeds to speak her part.

Alex: sweet princess, if through this wicked witches trick a spindle should your finger prick, a ray of hope there still maybe in this, the gift i give to thee. not in death, but just in sleep the fateful prophecy shall keep, and from thy slumber thee shall wake when true loves kiss the spell shall break.

~for true love conquers all~

but castiel still fearful of his daughter’s life, did then and there decre that every spinning wheel on that very day be burnt. so it was done!

~this is the first jump out of fairytale reality and into our own reality where dean is picking up watching this classic fairytale & trying to get some shudeye.~

dean: if i have one more flippin’ dream about this movie im gonna kill someone.

sam: dont worry about it Dean, its not gonna get better with you yelling & screamin’... now try to get some sleep! we have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow!

Dean: yeah your right.

Dean throws his headphones on again trying to coax himself into a relaxing sleep. which Gabriel  had set so Dean would not wake from his sleep till the story would finish, then his destined quest would begin.

Gabriel: sweet dreams Dean. you have a really rude awakening ahead of you... everything you know is about to change...

gabriel casts his curse & leaves dean to his tormented slumber that which awaits him.

~jump back into the story, where we find the 3 fairies talking with Castiel and the queen~

Claire: your majesty please consider this a kind of protection detail, this will allow your sweet YN to grow up in peace without the worry of her pricking her finger when her 16th birthday hath fully passed your sweet YN will be returned to you. to ensure the curse does not come true.

queen: you 3 have always been here even when we havent always honored it, we do so appreciate your loyalty and protection. this has surely been a trying day for us and we are honored to have you 3 commited to helping us protect our daughter.

Castiel:  and it is on our honor that, you 3 shall go with our blessing. please be careful & guard our child well...

many hours later after dark, the king and his queen watched with heavy hearts as thier most precious possesssion their only child disappeared into the night..

many sad and lonely years passed for King Castiel and his peopple. but as the time for the pincess’ 16th birthday drew near, the entire kingdom began to rejoice. for everyone knew that as long as rowena’s domain, the forbidden mountains, thundered with her wrath and frustration her evil prophecy had not yet been fullfilled. 

rowena yells at her incompetant servents, they encur her wrath. rowena sends out her own raven to search for the princess. 

and so for 16 long years, dean had been learning how to live life as a prince. while the wereabouts of the princess remained a secret, the faires carried out their long laid planes living like mortals.

the fairies send Yn to collect some berries while they argue about the kind of last birrthday party they wish to give her, the dress color the cake and the cleaning something extra special for their last night as her guardians.

YN decides to stop in the glen... she feels like something is wrong thats when your real self breaks through... 

YN: omg what am i doing in here? 

as you keep singing you try to remember wht happened to put you in here. sure was your fave movie but it was not how you wanted to live.

Dean was riding Chuck the horse, the scene still happens the singing in the glade, dean hearing your singing following the animals that are stealing his cape, boots and hat. 

your still singing by yourself but now kinda talking to the animals. after that kind of normal conversation you notice that some of your animal friends have come back dressed as a prince. you started singing and continued to dance with your animal friends, but thats when Dean had snuck up and hid in the bush, he waited for his oportune moment.

YN: but if i know you, i know what you’ll do, you’ll love me at once... the way you did...

thats when your vocals were interrupted by another voice to complete your song.

Dean: once upon a dream.

though it wasnt exactly ideal, your hands interacting, it felt more real than you had this entire time. waltzing through the glade by the lake, made your real self shine through. Dean could feel his real self shine through as well.

Dean: are you real?

that question made you look at him instantly. another person whose not really the character he is pretending to be.

YN: you’re real... your an actual person, not just a fairytale character?

Dean: yes, i’m real, what’s your name?

YN: YN, outside this ever turning story book fairytale movie thing im a hunter.... this story just keeps repeating itself everytime someone watches this movie. i have no idea what the hell put me into this neverending storybook. im annoyed greatly but strange thing is i can’t feel any connection right now to my actual body...

Dean: im a hunter as well. my name is Dean. i hunt everything that goes bump in the night from ghosts to demons and everything in between. i am also not sure how i got in here.

YN: your a hunter as well... i thought i was the only one.

Dean: whats the last thing you can remember before waking up here in the story?

YN: i was on a strange case, one thing made me think it was a werewolf. one thing made me think it was a ghost. one thing made me think it was a poltergeist. i remember walking out of my hotel room and that is it. nothing else after that. it sends shivers down my spine when i think of what may be going on with my actual body. how did you end up in here?

Dean: last thing i rememebr is turning on the movie to watch/listen too while i try to sleep. thats it... i have no fucking idea how i ended up in here. as to you saying that you can feel no connection to your physical body, something magical must be blocking the connection, but non-the-less i want to help you. i will finish the story so i can get out of here and find you. i will slay whatever i have to in order to free you, in the story and in reality. i will not rest till i rescue you.

you both continued on in the story, as they say it must continue or the end will not come. but it was nice for both of you to know that neither of you were alone. 

the 3 fairies gave you your birthday surprise and told you of your true heritage then whisked you away to the castle where they hid you; dean showed up at the cottage where Rowena prince-napped him; you are led away by rowena’s curse to prick your finger in a hidden tower room the 3 fairies find you laying you down in “your” room; then they put the kingdom to sleep till someone can wake their sweet YN. 

~meanwhile outside the story Sam is working with other people to figure out what happened to dean. Ellen, Jo and Bobby all were doing everything they could to help Sam figure out what happened to Dean.~

 Back in the story: many sleeping people but the fairies were trying to find out who the handsome stranger was that their sweet Yn had been talking about. they figured he might be their key to saving her. 

but soon it was claire who had been doing a round to make sure all of her section was asleep but it was John’s voice that caught her ear for he started talking about how he had spoken to Dean who had been raving about some pesent girl and how Dean had said he was gonna marry her and such. 

claire managed to suss out that it was Dean that Yn had met in the forest. the words she had heard from John that had firmed her suspicions were Peasent girl & once upon a dream...

claire flies back to Jo and Alex and speaks in raced tones of panic.

Claire: the young man that YN was talking about is Prince Dean. come on girls we have to get back to the cottage.

as fast as their wings could carry them, they rushed back to the cotage but alas were too late for all they found was Dean’s hat no Dean. they conclude that it must have been Rowena who has dean trapped in her forbiiden palace. their minds made up immediately, they had to go there.

Dean, the only one true person who is able to awaken their Sweet YN... they had to find him to save her. off they went no plan in hand just ‘winging’ it as they went, weaving their way through the grounds passed the guards... 

Rowena was in her throne room watching her lackys celebrate. to her raven she speaks.

Rowena: what a pitty prince Dean cant be here to enjoy the celebration. come my pet let us go to the dungeon and cheer him up...

the raven she was just talking too cawed at her as she got up and started walking towards the dungeon where she had been keeping dean.

~*reality jump!!! Dean is still unconcious while Sam is runnning around like a chicken with his head cut off trying to figure out what the hell happened to his brother*~

Sam: i don’t want lecutures. i want to know what happened to Dean.

Bobby: dont worry boy, dean is strong, he will pull through whatever is happening to him. do you have any theories?

Sam: im thinking maybe some sort of curse or something but no signs of any hex bags or nothing surrounding dean. there has to be something we are overlooking. some angle that we have missed.

~*back in the story, dean is stuck in the dungeon not even phased when rowena walks in the door.*~

Rowena: oh come now prince dean why so mellon colly. a wondrous future awaits you. you the destined hero of a charming fairytale come true.

the fairies arrive in the window hiding from the raven and rowena but witness what rowena depicts to Dean through her Staff.

Rowena: behold, king castiel’s castle &and in yonder top most tower, dreaming of her true love, the princess YN. but see the gracious whim of fate. why tis the same said peasent maid who won the heart of our noble prince the other day. she is indeed most wondrous fair. gold of sunshine in her hair, lips that shame the red red rose. in ageless sleep she finds repose. the years roll by, but a hundred years to a stead fast hear are ‘bout a day. and now, the gates of the dungeon part and our prince is free to go his way. off he rides on his noble steed. a valiant figure, straight & tall to wake his love with love’s first kiss & prove that true love conquers all...

Dean struggles against his chains, alex starts towards rowena but is held back by Claire as rowena brings her raven back onto her shoulder as they prepare to exit the dungeon she says one final thing in Deans presense.

Rowena: ah my pet let us leave our noble prince with these happy thoughts.

she exits the dungeon leaving Dean struggling against his bonds. the 3 fairies enter the cell using their magic to release dean from the chains and unlock the door. Dean starts towards the door but is stopped by Claire who proceeds to speak.

Claire: wait prince Dean, the road to true love may yet still be barred by much more dangers, which you alone shall have to face. so arm thyself with this enchanted shield of virtue, and this mighty sword of truth. for these weapons of righteousness shall triumph over evil. now come we must hurry.

out of the dungeon they went but rowena’s raven had stayed behind after rowena and the raven exited the dungeon. he started cawing at them, Dean was thinking this would be easy escape. but he was wrong. the raven was bringing an army of lackies downt he stairs to them. dean begins to fight them off.

Claire: quick Dean jump out the window.

Dean jumps out the same window as the fairies, but some rocks start falling towards Dean. Claire notices and speaks quickly.

Claire: Dean watch out!

Claire turns the rocks into bubbles. then a wall of arrows quickly turned into a wall of flying flowers, alex went down to free chuck. dean rides off on chuck towards the gate where hot oil is thrown, claire turns it into a rainbow.

the chase of a lifetime made alex proud as she chased that raven to the top of rowena’s tower & turned it to stone. this made rowena emerge, freshly woken from her sleep she goes to yell at her raven but discovers that her pet has been turned into stone. 

she watches from her balcony as the drawbridge is being raised, dean and the fairies are heading straight for it, the fairies help him make the jump. chuck keeps running, carrying Dean as quick possible, dodging rowena’s two spells that she has cast causing them to fail. 

in straight eye sight for Dean and the fairies is the castle, but before they can reach it Rowena makes her second last attempt to stop them.

Rowena: a forest of thorns shall be his tomb. born from the skies in a fog of doom. now go with a curse and serve me well. round Castiel’s castle cast my spell.

a black cloud appears over the castle, lightning striking the grounds around, thus causes icky thicky black thorns to grow in large bushes between Dean and the castle. 

Dean stops before them, drawing his sword he fights his way through the thorns this let him out just before the bridge to the castle. rowena seeing this appears before Dean in a firey blaze for her final attempt to stop them.

Rowena: now shall ye deal with me oh prince & all the powers of hell!

Dean and the fairies watch as Rowena using every ounce of power she had left to transform herself into a huge fire spying dragon. Dean begins what turns into a short-ish fight but retreats hastly reaching a wall he climbs high. 

our prince is now trapped on a cliff, another blaze of fire this causes Dean to loose his shield off the side of the cliff. Claire jo & alex bring their collective magic together near the prince they cast this on the sword.

Claire: now sword of truth fly swift and sure, that evil die & good endure.

dean throws the sword at the dragon piercing its heart. rowena lunges one final time but falls off a cliff to her downfall. dean is then lead down the cliff and to the castle, up to the tower where you lay in slumber waiting for this moment. Dean kneeling by your sleeping form placed a light kiss to your lips. 

you wake up just as time freezes. Dean helps you stand up. both of you looking around. yes the entire movie was frozen. puzzled you both stand in front of eachother. 

Dean: now whats happening.

you went to open your hand to grab Dean’s but something fell to the floor. Dean reached down to pick it up. he unfolded it and proceeded to read what was upon it.

Dean (reading note): congratulations! Defeating that witch takes care of one of my issues, that was of course the easy part. your next task Dean is to find your destiny, yes your destiny lies within the form of this girl. you must go back to reality and find her body and wake her up once you do everything and i do mean EVERYTHING will become clear. want a clue? here it is: “in a place of myth & legend where the balance of nature is true, this place you know it all too well. what you believe isnt real is, everything you know shall change forever. the ways of old shall guide you by, this far side of _________ in the final resting place of _________...” i look forward to seeing you very very soon. try to hurry i hear there is trouble on your horizons. 

now you both were very very very confused. this is what caused you to pop up and say..

YN: what the hell kind of clue was that? any idea what he is talking about? wait does that mean im not in my hotel room anymore. that someone or something moved my body?

Dean: that is exactly what it means and i will do everything in my capable power to find you. hopefully when i get back to reality this paper goes with me... 

just as he finished speaking a portal opens, visions of dean’s unconcious body appear along with Sam and others going frantic over what happened to Dean.

Dean: Yn, i give you my solem oath that i will not rest till you are safe by my side, i will fight whoever, go wherever, do whatever i have to in order to save you. dont give up hope and pray that this loop does not repeat for you. pray this time freeze does not disappear when i walk through that portal. 

YN: i have faith in you Dean please hurry. i look forward to never leaving your side.

Dean placed a chaste kiss to your forehead before he walked through the portal. you sat on the bed and watched as Time remained frozen but you were once again alone.

Dean arrived back in his own body, he sat straight up and scared the living daylights out of his brother, bobby and several others all of whom embraced Dean. 

Dean then went to where Sam’s laptop was and began searching the lore, the myths and legends specifically. when Sam approached him about what he was doing, Dean presented sam with that note. suddenly it made mroe sense to Sam, who left Dean in the charge of Jo while he, bobby and ellen all went to grab food and booze. 

Jo: what happened to you?

Dean: one minute i was in that bed trying to fall asleep using a disney movie & the next thing i know im inside the movie. im telling you i would have preferred Hell. but i wasnt the only person from reality stuck in the movie. there was a girl, she said she is a hunter too she was on a strange case when she found herself in the movie. she has no idea of how long she has been in there. she also thinks her body has been moved. this piece of paper proves that someone or something is holding her body somewhere and its up to me to find this girl. at this point nothing else matters. i made her a promise now i have to keep it. 

Jo: let me see the paper again...

Dean hands Jo the paper and after a few moments of staring at it she takes a pen and fills in the blanks... thats when the paper glowed... and revealed a magical map... 

Dean: how did you do that?

Jo just smiled and laughed...

Jo: im really good at fill in the blanks. its a natural talent i get it from mom... your clue should have finished like this:   “in a place of myth & legend where the balance of nature is true, this place you know it all too well. what you believe isnt real is, everything you know shall change forever. the ways of old shall guide you by, this far side of Romania in the final resting place of Dracula...”

Dean hugged her, he knew where he had to go now but how the hell was he gonna get there. it was then that Dean went to load several of his handhelds and load onto his back a machete load up some ammo clips. 

he didnt know what to expect but he was certain that being cautious was better than being stupid. he was not gonna walk in there half assed. he needed to be as prepared as could be. however thats when bobby, sam and ellen walked back into the room. 

Sam: Dean what are you doing?

Dean: im getting ready before i call cas for transport. this will allow me to not get dinged by airport security and not to become sea sick either. but i hope honestly that this mission im about to embark on is gonna be beneficial. 

Bobby: what the hell do you think your doing? never mind that where are you going?

Dean: romania, Jo has the knowledge on why i am going to romania, she will fill you guys in... ill take my burger to go. put my pie in the fridge. 

once Dean is ready to go, he stands in the center of the room and smiles back at the others but then Jo pipes up and goes to stand beside Dean with a backpack on her back... 

Dean: Jo what...

Jo: im not letting you walk into your destiny alone. do not for one second think im not gonna jump at this opportunity to hunt with you, to help you to find your destiny. you helped me once to know what my destiny was, now its my turn to repay the favor.

Dean takes Jo by the hand as he in a stern voice he speaks the following words. 

Dean: Castiel get your oh holy feathery ass down here i need a lift and your my ticket to my next destination.

cas comes to the hotel room and approaches Dean & Jo.

Castiel: where am i taking you and your friend here...

Dean: transylvania and dude once we land you cant be there... it will not be helpful for you to be there. this is a mission i have to do alone. me and my friend here go through the rest of the process alone. 

Cas only nods completely understanding on what his friend has asked of him. he takes Dean and Jo to Transylvania. then once they are safe on the ground again cas leaves. 

Dean: okay now to look at this magic map and figure out where we are and where the resting place of Dracula is... 

Jo: well lets first of all make sure we are prepared before we go into town. i did a bit of research apparently they dont trust strangers here. we need to show them that we mean no harm. or just keep our noses down and pass through without being detected. 

Dean: well lets see what the map says. 

Jo leads Dean to a rock as she lays out the map... 

Jo: these 2 dots over here are us... but what is that red dot over yoner on this map... look there is a multicolored one too.... 

Dean: the multicolored one is my destiny, the red one has to be what is holding her captive. 

jo notices some writing appearing on the map after a few moments. 

Jo: whats that say...

Dean: it says, “inside the castle you face your fears, beat them out till you cant no more. fears and demons go hand in hand but if you beat them in order to save your destiny. this is to be your greatest reward.” what the hell does that mean... 

Jo: it means no matter what we need to get to that castle. 

hand in hand they get their tracks moving towards the path...

Jo: i really hope the story of transylvania is fake... 

Dean: you mean the fact that as soon as the sun goes down werewolves and vampires come out to play... you and me both but hey if they do we are fully prepared. this place is on top of a supernatural time  bomb. everything that goes bump in the night comes out after sunset. 

both dean and jo look up into the sky the last bit of light leaves the tree line. 

Dean: have your silver bullets and machete ready just in case... we are not taking any chances. we have to get to that castle. 

Jo: dont worry we will... 

Dean smiles as both of them continue making their way through the forst, a little quicker than normal pace. the sun had now fully set, the light that had been guiding them was gone. 

Jo: just follow the path the map says this will lead us to the castle where your destiny awaits you. Dean are you sure we...

thats when she stopped speaking... her words cut out... Dean pulled out his machete and quickly brought it to face the enemy that now held his best friend back. 

Shadow entity: ah so the prodigal has come for his prize.. well i think ill take a  constitution to ensure that you follow the rules, to ensure the balance is complete, to ensure that we are all in clarity to our debts. to this i have something to say this to you: you are part of the same card, the girl i have sleeping right now is not going to wake up without her other half. you have not done anything to earn her freedom, so i take your friend as kind of a wake up call to the horrors that which wait you inside. this castle has its own story but to unlock its secrets you must face your fears. face them down Dean, only then will you have earned her freedom. see you real soon.

the shadow figure disappears with Jo... Dean picks up her bag and keeps his machete on hand as he continues walking. following the map as he heard the soft crunching of his boots under the snow. winter sure is warmish in whats supposed to be the coldest part of romania. 

Dean (to self): i have no idea what the hell is going on but i now have 2 bright lights to save i am just hoping i can conquer whatever appears before me... Jo for your courage please be my light. guide me to where you are... my dear sister. 

meanwhile Jo has been placed in a room, where you lay in wait for your destiny. Jo takes one look at you and she smiles. she knows that you are definately dean’s destiny and then she speaks the following words. 

Jo: in all my years i had never thought Dean would find his destiny, never after he helped me find mine i swore i would help him find his, now Dear Brother please follow my light...

Dean stops a quick moment to catch his breath and look at the map... he then sees Jo’s dot on the map glow brighter... it acts as a flashlight lighting up the path he must walk. 

after several more steps and following his light he arrives at the castle.

 Dean: here i com ladies... dont loose hope.

Dean holding his machete walked inside the castle.. the first thing he saw was the vision of himself as a demon tellig hm that he was gonna die alone and that he would become that... he told that vision that he would always have a family beside him even if they werent around that cared for him that would never abandon him.

that he went on his way still fllowing the light o the ground he comes accross the first blade which tells him that he fears being back in hell torturing souls and how good it made him feel. dean tells it that he will never and shall never go back to hell and never will he torutue those who dont deserve it again.

a few more fears tried to get dean to turn away from this quest, tried to get him to fail but nothing worked. the last area on the map was a long corridor it looked as thought there was a figure about mid way down. 

the map let off a warning flash meaning there was danger approaching. Dean speaks once more to whatever is trying to face him down.

Dean: i address the entity in front of me. who are you? why have you brought me to this awful place?

Shadow: i am the demonic shadow of Count Dracula and I have brought you here so you can face me in the ultimate battle. Either I will be finally put to rest or I will be made whole again. do you accept my challenge?

Dean drops the bags and keeps both his guns and his machete as he speaks.

Dean: look dumn ass, i dont know who your the spirit or entitiy of but this is not how things are run in my world. in my world the good guys win and the bad guys loose. now if you stand aside and let me wake my destiny and save my sister then you might just get to be put back to sleep again. or ill succeed and kill you right now. your choice, i’m good either way. 

Shadow: you dare to think you stand a chance against me, how cute. very well, if its death you choose then allow me to help you with that.

Dean moved out of the way as the shadow lunged toward him, missed and just landed again.. Dean then shot out 6 rounds of dead mans blood rounds all aimed at shadow-Dracula, he dodged those. 

shadow: tell you what, ill make you a deal if you surrender now ill give you ten long years to spend with your so called “destiny” in exchange for you letting me out of here with my life. 

Dean: how bout not a prayer. eat bullets instead.

Dean unloads the rest of the bullets in a circular form at the ground around shadow-dracula. completing the devils trap... 

Dean: oh wait you dont need to eat the bullets cause your history pal... 

Shadow-dracula looked down and around himself, the look that he now sported was one of fear. he was the one that now was terrified. 

Shadow: this is impossible no one imprisons the great Dracula. 

Dean: oh buddy im gonna do alot more than that, time for you to go back to where you came from. 

Dean stands up tall as he then speaks the same words he had spoken previously hundreds upon hundreds of times. 

Dean:  Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica, ergo draco maledicte, ut ecclesiam tuam secura, tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audios bitch!

that was all Dean had to say the shadow of Dracula was no more. he went back to grab the bags and continued forward... he shot the lock on the doors and kicked them open. 

Jo: Dean you found us... i believe you know what to do romeo... put everything down ill prepare to treat any wounds and such that show themselves once you wake her. 

Dean: Jo it was dracula, the shadow outside the door was dracula’s shadow. i cant believe his shadow was so hostile. i mean if i hadnt wasted 2 clips of amo drawing out a devils trap i would have lost the fight. 

Jo: ya ya ya okay dude, you have an overdue appointment with destiny over on that bed, now drop the bags and go. 

Dean knew jo would have kicked his ass if he didnt listen. he did as told, he dropped the bags and walked over to kneel beside you. he brushed some hair from your forehead..

Dean: together now and always i have always been your once upon a dream.

his lips met yours in a gentle kiss. he pulled back after a few seconds and waited to see if it workd. a while later you open your eyes and touch Dean’s cheek. 

YN: you found me?

Dean: did you doubt i would? i said i would and i keep my promises. this girl over here is my sister Jo.  she is gonna give you the once over and then ill call for our ride out of here once she has you in a clean set of clothes. im gonna make sure we are still safe... i will call cas once we are all ready.

Dean leaves you in the hands of Jo who hands you some clothes and assesses you making sure you are not hurt. Dean comes back a few moments later and calls cas to come bring you all home. 

Cas came brought you, dean and Jo back to the hotel. you and dean were gonna take some time to figure out what everything meant. this was when a bright light came upon the entire room. 

Dean: whats going on?

thats when Gabriel appeared in the room. everyone had hand guns on him immediately. but he speaks not with hostility but with normality.

Gabriel: ah winchesters and friends. do not be alarmed for YN and Dean have been written in the stars since the beginning of time. Dean and Yn im sorry for trapping you both in that sleeeping curse it was the only way to get you both to listen to reason. to listen to your hearts. i was only trying to get you both to follow the rules that destiny had for you. 

Dean: then why show up and tell us about it now...

Gabriel: cause i knew if i didnt it would have been alot worse later on. 

Dean: what happens now?

Gabriel: well with your permission i could marry you and Yn right here right now... if you both agree. 

you and Dean exchange looks before smiling.

Dean: when do we begin?

Gabriel snapped his fingers and the room transformed into a garden glade type thing. before you and Dean could say anything else you were taken from grungy hotel room to garden glade. 

Gabriel: we are gathered here today to join Dean and YN in the ever holy bonds of Matrimony. this holy bond is a sacred gift, that deserves to be protected cherish it now and always. now i am assuming that there are no objections to this holy union.

the room was silent as Gabriel held his hand out and 2 silver bands appeared clearly made for you and Dean. 

Gabriel: vows or no vows.

Dean: what more needs to be said, we already said everything we needed to... we know what we are. we have our feelings, we need no words for them.

Gabriel: very well, Dean take the band and tell Yn what you think should go with this ring!

Dean takes the ring and slowly slides it on your finger as he reveals whats in his heart. 

Dean: YN after the movie and what i had to do to rescue you. i have to say that im 100% positive about you being the single most best thing that has ever stepped into my path of life. i promise now and always to honor, love cherish and whatever else goes with that... i love you Yn your the best part of me now.

you take the ring and you do the same thing.

YN: Dean, when i met you in the movie i was unsure of your intentions. then it was your beautiful green eyes that made me swoon. now i stand here to say i too now and forever more will honor, love, cherish and everything else that goes with it for the rest of my life. you are an amazing man Dean Winchester i love you so much and i cant wait to be your wife and have your last name. 

Gabriel: by the powers and laws bestowed on me by Heaven, i now am honored to pronounce you husband and wife. Dean you may now kiss your beautiful wife. 

Dean kisses you with so much passion. there was nothing to do for everyone else except cheer and clap. 

everyone lived happily ever after. well at least once upon a dream!

[monotonous-minutia]

DORILLA IN TEMPE (in a nutshell)

(contains spoilers)

Cast:

Dorilla, a princess, in love with Elmiro (soprano or mezzo-soprano)

Elmiro, a shepherd, in love with Dorilla (mezzo-soprano)

Nomio, Apollo disguised as a shepherd, also in love with Dorilla (mezzo-soprano)

Admeto, the king, also Dorilla’s father, presumably single (bass)

Eudamia, a nymph, also in love with Elmiro (mezzo-soprano)

Filindo, who apparently doesn’t get a title, in love with Eudamia (mezzo-soprano)

Act I

(A pasture outside the palace)

Elmiro: Dorilla! I love you!

Dorilla: Elmiro! I love you too!

Elmiro: Well glad we got that established right off the bat, usually the mezzo has to battle a little bit more.

Dorilla: Nah, you’re cute.

Elmiro: But what if…this was all a dream and you didn’t actually love me.

Dorilla: Oh, come on now.

Admeto: UGH I JUST GOT THE WORST NEWS

Dorilla: Elmiro, hide before my dad sees us hanging out together! He doesn’t know about us!

Elmiro: Fiiiiine.

Dorilla: So, dad, what’s this terrible news?

Admeto: I just saw this giant snake hanging around the shore and it’s destroying everything in its wake!

Dorilla: That’s terrifying! But don’t worry, I’m sure the gods will protect us.

Admeto: Well, we’re about to find out. I’m going to consult the Oracle to see what we need to do.

Dorilla: Ooooh can I come?

Admeto: Sure, let’s get going. Oh, hey, Nomio.

Nomio: Good morning, your highnesses. Dorilla, don’t you look lovely this evening?

Dorilla: I do, don’t I? Come on, dad, let’s go.

Nomio: Wait, so what’s this about a giant serpent?

Admeto: Yeah, there’s this monster hanging around and it’s starting to terrify everyone.

Nomio: What if I killed it?

Admeto: HAHAHAHA

Nomio: No, really.

Admeto: Well, sweetheart, if you were to kill it, I would certainly come up with some grand reward for you.

Nomio: Cool. Consider it done.

Admeto: Sure, kid, sure.

Nomio: Now that they’re gone I can reveal my true identity. I’m actually Apollo in disguise. I’ve come to Earth in another form to pursue my love. I do this a lot. Which obviously doesn’t invalidate what I’m feeling right now. And what I’m feeling is a great love for Dorilla, even though she’s obviously taken and has no interest in me. But that’s never stopped me before! Maybe if I kill this giant serpent, she’ll fall in love with me.

(In a sacred hollow)

Admeto: Oh sacred Oracle, we call on you to grant us your insight.

Oracle: Oh, that snake? Yeah, you gotta feed it your daughter, then it’ll leave you alone.

Dorilla: WHAT???

Admeto: Oh, the horror! My poor daughter! Well, you heard the Oracle. Come on, Dorilla.

Dorilla: Dad, seriously? You’re not even going to fight this?

Admeto: I’m a king, not a miracle worker.

Dorilla: Alas, my wretched fate! But I suppose it’s the duty of a royal daughter to obey and sacrifice myself for the good of the kingdom. On a side note, you’d think I’d get an aria here, but I don’t even get that. Sigh.

(Back in the pasture)

Elmiro: So what’s the big news?

Dorilla: Well, there’s a giant snake and apparently it has to eat me.

Elmiro: WHAAAAT NOOOOO

Dorilla: I KNOW RIGHT

Elmiro: There’s got to be something we can do!

Dorilla: Well, if you think of anything, let me know. I have to go get tied to a rock now.

Elmiro: Omg this is just the worst. I have to find a way to save her.

Eudamia: Heyyyy beautiful.

Elmiro: Not now, Eudamia.

Eudamia: Come on, aren’t you done giving me the cold shoulder yet?

Elmiro: For the last time, I’m not playing hard to get. I legitimately do not like you the way you like me.

Eudamia: That’s just rude.

Elmiro: It’s the truth. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go save the girl I actually like.

Eudamia: Ugh, men.

Filindo: Eudamia! I love you!

Eudamia: So you say.

Filindo: Aren’t you tired of Elmiro rejecting you over and over? Why don’t you return my affection?

Eudamia: Well, I never really said I didn’t, did I? (Hmm, his devotion might actually come in handy.) How about this: you spy on Elmiro for me; let me know what he’s up to. Then I’ll let you take me on a date.

Filindo: That’s kinda sketch, but sure.

Eudamia: You’re the best!

Filindo: YAAASSSS she likes me!!

(On the shore. Dorilla is tied to a rock.)

Dorilla: Oh, gods, in my last moments, can you not spare any pity for me and my people?

Nomio: I CAN (he slays the serpent)

Dorilla: OMG

Admeto: OMG YAYY MY DAUGHTER IS SAVED

Dorilla: SEE DAD I TOLD YOU THERE’S ALWAYS A LOOPHOLE

Everyone: THANK THE GODS WE HAVE BEEN SAVED

Nomio: Ummmm….over here? Anyone? Anyone?

Act II

(Back in the pasture)

Dorilla: Elmiro!

Elmiro: OMG DORILLA YOU’RE ALIVE

Dorilla: Yes Nomio saved me!! Now you and I can live happily ever after!

Elmiro: Wait, Nomio? You mean that super hot shepherd?

Dorilla: …yes?

Elmiro: What if you go all damsel-in-distress on me and fall in love with the person who saved you?

Dorilla: Oh my god, stop being such a jealous tenor, there’s a reason they wrote you as a mezzo.

Elmiro: Right, sorry.

Admeto: Hey honey! I’ve got great news: you’re marrying Nomio.

Dorilla: Uh, since when?

Nomio: Since I saved your life from the serpent!

Dorilla: I didn’t realize that was part of the deal.

Admeto: Well, it’s only fair. It’s not like I could let you marry a lowly shepherd.

Dorilla: And what exactly is Nomio?

Nomio: A lowly shepherd who just SAVED YOUR LIFE

Dorilla: Okay, fair, but…

Admeto: What’s the matter? As far as I know, you’re not dating anyone.

Eudamia: Actually that’s not true! Filindo, tell them what you found.

Filindo: Um…

Eudamia: Do you love me or not?

Filindo: OKAY FINE so uh I kinda saw Dorilla making out with Elmiro a while back.

Admeto: Dorilla is this true???

Dorilla: Um well are you really going to trust everything that Eudamia says when she obviously has a crush on Elmiro too?

Filindo: Wait she WHAT

Admeto: OKAY WHATEVER I really could not care less. Dorilla, you’re marrying Nomio. End of story.

Dorilla: BUT DAD I DON’T WANT TO

Admeto: I think we established pretty early on that your happiness is not my biggest priority. Now, everyone, let’s put together a big celebration to honor Nomio, since he saved everyone and is going to marry my daughter.

Nomio: Dorilla, will you join me?

Dorilla: Well, I’d rather not.

Nomio: y tho

Dorilla: I��m just not in love with you. Sorry.

Nomio: WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME ugh

Filindo: Eudamia, what was up with that? You said you’d go out with me if I helped you, but this entire time you were making me help you get with Elmiro?

Eudamia: Filindo, my heart is hurting, okay? Leave me alone.

Filindo: I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME

Eudamia: I never actually said that.

Filindo: FINE I’M DONE WITH YOU WHO NEEDS YOU ANYWAY I’M GOING TO GO CRY I mean I’M GOING TO GO HUNT YOU KNOW KILL SOMETHING LIKE REAL MEN DO WHEN THEY’RE SAD    

Everyone: Bring on the food and bring on the hunt! Let’s celebrate the marriage between Nomio and Dorilla!

Dorilla: I guess it’s just going to be a thing huh.

Elmiro: Dorilla, run away with me!

Dorilla: OMG ABOUT TIME

Act III

Admeto: OMG Elmiro ran off with my daughter!!

Filindo: Don’t worry, your majesty, I’ll find them!

Eudamia: Um, what?

Filindo: You wanted me to break them up, didn’t you?

Eudamia: What has gotten into him?

Nomio: I FOUND THEM HERE THEY ARE

Admeto: Dorilla! How dare you disobey me and run away from your husband!

Dorilla: BUT WE’RE NOT EVEN MARRIED YET BESIDES I DON’T LOVE HIM I LOVE ELMIRO

Admeto: OKAY THAT’S IT ELMIRO YOU’RE GOING TO BE SENTENCED TO DEATH

Elmiro: Alas my love! Don’t weep for me! Or, well, do a little so I know you loved me, but not, like, forever.

Dorilla: NO I WOULD RATHER DIE WITH YOU THAN LIVE WITHOUT YOU       

Admeto: What the heck is going on?

Dorilla: I refuse to marry Nomio! Just kill me already!

Nomio: OMG THAT’S THE LAST STRAW I AM ROYALLY CHEESED OKAY YOU’RE GOING TO DIE AND YOU’RE GOING TO DIE

Admeto: You don’t actually have the authority to do that, Nomio.

Nomio: YES I DO I OWN THIS PLACE

Admeto: But you’re just a shepherd??

Nomio: …oh. Right. Uh. Excuse me for a minute.

Eudamia: Elmiro, do you really want to just die for the sake of Dorilla? What about me?

Elmiro: Look, I’ve told you, I don’t love you. You’re a cool person, but I’m in love with Dorilla, okay?

Eudamia: FINE THEN JUST DIE

Dorilla: GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD

Everyone: OMG DORILLA JUST THREW HERSELF INTO THE RIVER

Elmiro: OMG JUST KILL ME NOW OKAY IT’S NOT LIKE THINGS COULD GET ANY WORSE JUST REUNITE ME WITH MY BELOVED

Nomio: EVERYONE SHUT UP okay so I’m actually Apollo right so I’m a literal deux ex machina and I just saved Dorilla and I guess I just have to bless the marriage between her and Elmiro because, you know, True Love™. Also, Eudamia, just go out with Filindo, okay? We all know you have a crush on him.

Eudamia: Okay, fine.

Filindo: FOR REAL?????

Eudamia: Yeah, you’re pretty cute.

Filindo: Yeah I am!!!!

Elmiro: Dorilla, my love!

Dorilla: Elmiro, my love!

Nomio: Well, I guess it’s back to Olympus for me.

Everyone: Dude literally no one cares we all know you’re going to be doing this all over again with another girl next week.

Nomio: …that’s fair.

Everyone: HOORAY FOR TRUE LOVE TODAY IS A GREAT DAY

The end

[rosegivy]

Chapter 2: The Black Knight

Valandi stood in the royal castle feeling slightly nostalgic. Before she became the Black Knight, she used to live in a place like this. Of course, the architecture was much different from that of the paler residents of the kingdom of Laurendia. She sighed sadly as she recounted the gold archways that led to the palace of her people. She wondered if it was still standing after it was conquered, abandoned by their royalty, by her. A bitter taste filled her mouth and she stopped reminiscing. Instead she surveyed the colourful flowers in the royal gardens she was forced to wait in, curious as to why no one came to greet her

She was here to hopefully help another people with their problems. So that she could solidify her status as a noble, male, knight. She may have cut her thick black hair and spent much more time in the sun to darken her skin from a chestnut brown to an almost midnight black, but she had to fake confidence as she felt one small mistake could ruin her guise.

She heard her attacker before she saw them. In one swift movement she unsheathed her yatagan, a short slightly curved sword. She used it to parry the strike. Surprised by her response her attacker, a knight it seemed, was not prepared for the kick to his gut. He doubled over in pain and Valandi used the back of her sword to send a blow to his skull knocking him unconscious. No sooner had she done that two more knights came from her sides. They were armed with a sword and shield each. Valandi rushed the attacker on her right. She feigned a strike to his left with her sword and pushed the palm of her hand to his neck, incapacitating him. She again parried the third man's assault and swept his feet out from under him. She pointed her sword to his throat letting him know she could kill him. Inwardly Valandi rolled her eyes. These people fought like blundering cattle, they had no technique, no knowledge of the body. They were simple army grunts.

A slow clap could be heard from the entrance to the garden. Valandi turned to see a large man in a decorated blue battle uniform. He sported a long beard speckled with gray that clashed with the neatness of his outfit. Despite this, Valandi could tell he was no army grunt.

"Gave them a workout I see." His voice was deep from his stomach.

Valandi sheathed her sword. She did not reply, waiting for the man to get to his point. Uncomfortable with the lack of discourse the general coughed to break the silence.

"Not very chatty, that's fine. I am sure you are curious as to why we summoned you here. The great Black Knight. Black in more than demeanor I suppose." Valandi did not respond. She was used to these kinds of remarks but was getting impatient. She only nodded.

He introduced himself as Sir Graeme, the head general of Laurendia's army. And proceeded to explain the situation. Valandi listened intently. She took the updated map of the region he handed her after he had finished. Rescue a princess, slay a dragon, save a kingdom. Simple. Although she felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of the dragon. She had not fought one since...

"What exactly is the princess' curse?" Valandi asked, purposely interrupting her flow of thought.

"We aren't quite sure." Sir Graeme responded. "Whatever it is you need not worry about it. Just bring her here in seven days and you will be greatly awarded."

Valandi waived away his offer. "The only compensation I can hope to ask for is that you mention my deed to the court of Camelot and back my good name."

Sir Graeme was not surprised. The mysterious Black Knight was known to not take reward from the people he has helped. "Or course. But if you do not mind me asking, why Camelot? You clearly are not from there." He gestures to her complexion.

"A magic free land should be for all people. I wish to become a knight of the round table, so I can fight among those who also wish to fight for the good of common people." Valandi stated simply.

Sir Graeme bowed slightly in respect. "I pray that you accomplish this goal. Surely there is none as noble as you at the round table."

"I wouldn't give myself that much credit." Valandi replied curtly looking at the map he handed her again. She put her fists at her side and bowed slightly before she turned to leave.

"Godspeed sir-?"

"The Black Knight is fine." Valandi responded as she left the courtyard.

-═══════ι▬▬

Valandi rode East deeper into the heart of Laurendia. The princess was kept in a fortress on the border in a more desolate mountain area (most of the border was a mountain range). Her hand clutched the reins as she leaned into Ziba, her horse, urging him to go faster. In the distance she could see the the mountain where the princess' dungeon should be. It was at least a two day journey but she would make it one and a half. Her determination and stubbornness are what has kept her alive, even when everyone she had ever loved wasn't. As she rode, she allowed her mind to wander and after some meandering it went where it always did. To that day.

She was barely a teenager. Her and her family were on their way to Camelot to meet King Uther. They were going to make history. It was the first time people from their kingdom would have a partnership with the new continent that didn't involve slavery. Her family would join the nobility of Camelot, swearing allegiance to each other. And when her younger brother Raja was of age, he would become a knight to honour the agreement. It was part of efforts to have the two very different peoples seen as equals.

They hadn't even made it to the sea that separated the continents before disaster struck. A dragon. A small one, but enough to be deadly. Valandi squeezed tighter at the reins, willing the memory to fade, but the pain stayed. She had to get the scene out of her head and focus. While she continued riding, she went over sword forms mentally. An effective way to get her mind off subjects she didn't want to think about.

She slept overnight in a valley before reaching a gaping chasm, where a thin bridge was constructed as the only means to cross it. Below her she could only see darkness. If there was a river below this bridge Valandi couldn't see it. On the other side of the bridge was a small castle, still magnificent in its own right. However, it appeared to have undergone several ruthless attacks. Most of the turrets where completely destroyed and scorch marks covered large portions of the castle walls. Still Valandi could see no sign that the dragon was present.

She decided to dismount Ziba and continue the rest of the journey on her own. She was afraid that he would run away frightened by the dragon or cause them both to fall on the bridge. Valandi took a deep breath, unsheathed her sword and began to traverse the bridge. With every step it swayed beneath her. Her stomach churned when she glanced down. Keep your cool Val. She chided herself. Just one foot in front of the other. Then she will save the princess and be on her way to Camelot.

Finally, she crossed the bridge and ran into the castle. Now where would the princess be held? She realized that despite the small size of the castle she still had a lot of ground to cover. As she searched, she noticed the failed attempts of her predecessors. Skeletons in armour was all that was left of most of them. Some more recent victims where blacker even in their bones, seemingly burned alive. Valandi shuddered, the image of her brother's charred arm as he tried to protect her moments before his death flashed in her mind. Focus. She chided herself.

Eventually she reached a less damaged part of the castle. Stairs led to the top of a tower. Of course. Valandi climbed them quickly, without losing a breath. At the top of the tower was a door to what seemed to be a bed chamber. She knocked on it and immediately scolded herself. She was rescuing the princess, there was no need to knock.

Nonetheless a sing song voice answered, "Come in!" Valandi opened the door which led to a bedroom like she had guessed. A large, pink, four poster bed was against one wall, beside it a window which overlooked the bridge from where she came. Meaning the princess probably already knew she was coming. At the opposite wall was a mirror and a table filled with cosmetics. In front of the mirror was the most fascinating woman Valandi had ever seen. She had bright orange hair, almost like fire Valandi thought. And her skin was as pale as milk, with freckles dotting her face. Her eyes shone a deep emerald green, matching her silky, green gown. Her striking features were unlike any Valandi had ever seen before. She looked so much different than the people from her land, yet still beautiful.

"Are you here to save me knight or are you going to keep staring?" She mused with one eyebrow raised.

Valandi bowed quickly and cleared her throat. "Save you your highness." She said deepening her voice slightly.

The princess approached her and reached out her hand. Valandi paused before she took it and kissed it, almost forgetting this land's customs. "Then get on it with it. Sir-?"

"You can call me the Black Knight." Valandi replied.

The princess raised her nose. "Hmm that's a strange name for a knight. Mysterious." She curtsies. "I am Princess Christan."

"Yes, excuse me your highness, but there is supposed to be a dragon guarding you, where is it?" Valandi was perplexed.

The princess shrugged. "It must have left to go terrorize a village. We must hurry before it gets back." With that the princess hiked her skirts and hurried down the stairs. Valandi followed. She helped the princess cross the bridge and soon they are on the other side.

Princess Christan sank to the floor, allowing her hands to feel the earth. "I can't believe it." She laughs her smile revealing pearly white teeth.

Valandi allows herself to smile slightly. "How long have you been locked up there?"

"Since I was a young girl." She stands up dusting herself off. "An abandoned castle is no place to grow up, but it had to be done." She said as she pet the horse. Ziba seemed to like her. He nuzzled his nose against her hands and she smiled wider.

"Why were you put there? Seems a bit cruel for parents to lock up their own child."

"I was cursed at birth."

"How so?"

The princess hesitated. "That's not important. What matters is that I was saved." Suddenly she looked at Valandi closely, a realization coming to her. "That means you're my true love." She said, holding Valandi's hands and coming close to her. "I must reward you with a kiss, true love's kiss."

The Princess closed her eyes and leaned into Valandi. Valandi moved out of the way of her lips. "No, I am not." The Princess opened her eyes.

"What do you mean? You saved me."

"Yes, but for someone else. Prince Astor is your true love."

The princess crossed her arms. "Then why didn't he save me?"

"He is no shape to; I must take you to him."

Christan started marching towards the bridge, heading back to her prison. Valandi couldn't believe it. "No! You're doing it wrong. The curse will not be broken unless I am saved by true love. I will be waiting in the castle for this Prince Astor to prove his love for me."

Valandi sighed in frustration. "Sorry princess that's not happening." She grabbed the princess by her waist and threw her over her shoulder.

Christan hit and pulled at Valandi. "Put me down you, you lug!" Valandi ignored her and placed her on her horse roughly.

"Listen here your highness." Valandi scolded her. "Your kingdom is about to destroy another if your marriage does not stop it before that happens. I need to do everything in my power to get you there by next week, or else thousands will die. Do you want that all so you can find love, your highness?"

The princess' eyes widened and she shook her head. Valandi continued, "You will follow me back to Prince Astor's castle, they will cure you, you will be wed and you will live happily ever after. Deal?"

The princess nodded and said quietly, "deal."

"Good. Now let us hurry before the dragon returns."

-═══════ι▬▬

Valandi and Christan traveled for the most part in silence. Valandi walking alongside Christan on horseback.

"Are you not tired?" Christan asked.

"No." She replied curtly.

She was amazed that the knight could be so... knightly. Not once did he complain about walking, while she rode on his horse. Even though they went up and down hills and through mud. He stood stoic without falter. Guiding her towards her happy ending. Something she had been waiting for for most of her life. Finally she would be free of, of it. She hoped that the prince was handsome, but she couldn't help but notice the man that called himself the black knight. His skin was darker than any she had seen before and his hair was blacker than ash. But that's not what caught her attention the most. His eyes were a dark brown, almost black but changed to golden discs in sunlight. She had never seen anything like it.

"What?" Now he was looking at her inquisitively.

"Sorry?" She replied.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Princess Christan blushed. "It's nothing. You're just so... mysterious."

"Hmm." Was all he replied.

What Valandi was actually thinking was the date. As far as she knew she was supposed to start menstruating before she began the journey. She even wore protection just in case, but upon inspection that morning there was nothing. So she decided to go without it for the day (for the stuffing of wood up ones arse is very uncomfortable especially on horseback). But as she felt the princess stare at her, she also felt the familiar feeling of flow between her legs.

"We must set up camp now." The knight said suddenly.

Christan smiled. "Ah so you are tired." Then her smile faltered. She smelt it. The metallic smell of blood distinct to a woman's monthly cycle and it wasn't from her.

"What is it princess?" The knight asked.

Chistan knew she couldn't call him, no her, out on it. It would seem absurd for a regular woman to be able to smell such a thing. So instead of acting on it Christan shrugged and looked towards the oncoming sunset. "Nothing. I agree, I grow tired." Christan saw the almost unmistakable look of relief on the knight's features as she nodded.

"We can set up right here. There is a stream not too far away from here for bathing." They were traversing the mountain range. In front of them was a grassy valley. Just as was mentioned there was a stream that flowed behind a green hill. It's tip resembling that of the mountains that surrounded it.

"I didn't know men bathed often." Christan said curiously.

"It's for you princess, but now that you mentioned it I am in need of a bath." The black knight made a show of smelling her armpits. Christan huffed as she was led to where their camp would be. That was a smooth save, she thought to herself. But Christan was going to find the proof she needed. Soon they stopped in front of the hill near a hollow that resembled a grassy cave.

Courteously, the knight asked, "would you like to bathe first, princess?" Wow, she was taking the chivalry thing very far, Christan thought. However, if she was going to prove she knew she was a woman she was going to need her to be occupied.

"That's alright, I think I'll help set up camp." Christan said removing what appeared to be the knight's camping bag from the horse.

"Thank you, princess." The black knight left Christan with the horse as she made her way to the stream.

Christan pretended to be busy unpacking the knight's things. She didn't pack much other than the bare essentials. Water skin, dried food, some cloth, etc. A small dark brown pouch caught her attention. It was made from a leather she had never seen before. Christan's curiosity was piqued, but something told her not to touch it. Besides, she realized that time was passing quickly and she may miss her window. Reluctantly, she replaced the mystery pouch in the travel duffel.

[brightsun-and-darkmidnight]

Don’t Let Go

TITLE: Don’t Let Go

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: 1 / ?

AUTHOR: brightsun-and-darkmidnight as well as @melodylnoelle

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki's life if he did not let go at the rainbow bridge... (After the Bifrost being destroyed.)

RATING:  Explicit

NOTES/WARNINGS: Depression. Thoughts of suicide. Odin is a dick. Thor is an asshole but still cares about his brother. Frigga is a concerned mother but puts the image of the Odin family first. Okay… everyone still treats Loki badly.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is my thoughts of what it might have been like if Loki did not let go. This is set immediately after the Bifrost being destroyed. Loki has a lot to sort through...

My Ao3: brightsun_and_darkmidnight

*FINALLY..Read the warnings. Once you agree you can handle it...

 ~ ~ ENJOY  ~ ~

Loki sat staring at the food his mother sent for him and the events played in his mind making his heart constrict.

All he wanted was to delay Thor's coronation. 

Loki knew his brother was not ready with how hot headed he could get. His reaction to finding the frost giants had gotten into the vault was evidence of how Thor would jump blindly into a war… started the war and that day, the start of the house of Odin's lies coming to light for many. Loki was the only one who acknowledged some of the lies, but he did not know the lies about himself.

Loki played with his hand, the hand that turned blue with the giant’s touch weeks ago. 

Loki was torn, caught somewhere from dreading that day and being somewhat thankful for the truth. However, the truth was he IS the monster everyone feared as children and hated as adults. The son of Laufey, a frost giant, the ruler of Jotunheim. Odin's enemy… was Loki an enemy of Odin?

-:-

“But,” Odin stepped forward, away from the Casket of Ancient Winters, “the day will come when one of you will have to defend that peace.”

“Do the frost giants still live?” Loki questioned quietly.

Thor looked to his brother. “When I’m King, I’ll hunt the monsters down and slay them all!” He made show of swinging his arm as though it had a sword. “Just as you did, father.”

“A wise King never seeks out war. But-“ he paused, looking between the two of them – “he must always be ready for it.” He strode past them, heading to the vault’s exit.

Loki and Thor smiled at each other. Loki knew Thor’s was in warning of some healthy competition, and he would certainly give it to him. He knew his brother would be King – he was the elder of the two, after all. But he also knew that one day, he would be a great King.

With Loki’s counsel, of course.

 Loki smiled at his brother. If what Thor wanted was healthy competition, then so be it. Thor would have to let that be his teacher.

More than anything, Loki looked forward to Thor’s coronation, and standing by his side as he rules.

They both turned, running to their father and taking his hands.

“I’m ready, father!”

“So am I!” Loki added.

“Only one of you can ascend to the throne, but both of you were born to be kings.”

They left the vault, and Odin brought the boys to the dining hall. While Odin had said no more on the subject, Thor and Loki spoke to each other about what their father had told them.

“One day, brother, we will be warriors, and we will bring an end to the frost giants!”

Loki nodded excitedly. “We will make Father proud for sure.” An idea crossed his mind, and he smiled wickedly. “Shall we start practice now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I will be the frost giant, and you be Odin. Try to best me.” Loki picked up a roll from the table and threw it at Thor, landing square in his face. At Thor’s startled outburst, Loki jumped from his seat, running the length of the table.

Thor recovered quickly, grabbing another piece of food and throwing it in Loki’s direction. Loki anticipated it, though, and dodged perfectly.

“Oh, come now, you call that the might of Odin? You can do better than that!” Loki took another roll and lobbed it at Thor.

This time, Thor was ready, and it breezed past his shoulder and across the room.

“So speaks you, Frost Giant, who could clearly only hit me by surprise!”

They picked up their pace, throwing more food and laughing jovially. Smile on his face, Loki turned to grab another piece of food.

But his smile faded as he turned and ran right into Odin, who was glaring down at the boy.

“That’s enough!” He said to them both.

Thor dropped the  bird leg that had been in his hand, straightening immediately. “Father, I am sorry. We were just playing.”

“Is that how princes should behave?” Odin’s voice was stern, but there was some softness to his voice still.

“It was just a bit of fun, Father. We meant no harm,” Loki pleaded with him.

Odin’s voice lost the softness as he turned his face to Loki again. “You started this, did you not? You know this is not the time or place for your foolery!”

“I am sorry, Father. I did not mean-“

“You will be punished for your behavior here. Go wait in your chambers until I am done here,” Odin demanded.

“Yes, Father.” Loki bowed his head, turning to go.

“As for you,” he heard Odin say as he left, ” I trust you not to get involved in his trickery again. You are a prince, I expect you to act like it.”

-:-

Of course Loki is an enemy of Odin... Odin favored Thor forever and before Thor was born. Thor was his own blood while Loki was the blood of another race entirely. And he was everything Odin wanted him to be. Loki was never loved by anyone in the way everyone cared for Thor. Even Thor himself openly told Loki how much he despised him for forcing the only way to Jane to be destroyed.

If Thor hated him so much why did he plead with Loki to hold on and don't let go?

-:-

In a blinding flash, the bridge cracked and collapsed. The pulsing glow of rainbow light ceased. The waves roared loudly as they were pushed away. The bifrost, now stilling, crashed and exploded as it fell into the void of space below.

There was a sensation of flying, and then falling. The screams ripped through his throat out of his control.

This was it, he was done.

Or so he thought. He came to a jarring halt as Thor gripped onto Gungnir. But that made no sense. Should Thor not just be falling with him?

That was when he saw Odin standing at the cracked edge of the rainbow bridge. He had caught Thor’s leg, keeping them both from following the bifrost into its oblivion. Thor grunted in pain from the position, but Odin made no move to pull them up. Loki looked up to see what was keeping him, but was met with nothing but disappointment on Odin’s face.

“I could have done it father!” He called up to him. “I could have done it! For you! For all of us!” He hoped that his father would forgive him soon and pull them both up.

But his face did not change, and he was met with two heavy words. “No, Loki.”

The weight of what he meant crashed onto him. Odin was not disappointed that he failed. He was disappointed that he tried. What he had thought would prove his worth to his father had in fact done just the opposite.

He felt sick. He felt shamed. How in Hel was he supposed to continue on among the Asgardians now, knowing that he is not one of them? Knowing that Odin would likely never forgive him. Never want him. Knowing that he was the reason they would feel trapped here, and they would all know it, too. Was Odin waiting to pull them up because he truly did not want to? Loki had only longed to matter to Odin. To be Thor’s equal. But he never would, would he? Now he longed for nothing more than to follow the bifrost into death.

Well, that. That was something he could still do.

He took one last look to both of them. His breaths slowed and came more easily. Resigning to the end, and started to loosen his grip on Gungnir.

“Loki, no.”

Thor’s voice had given Loki pause for a moment. He had seen the change on Loki’s face, and now wore a pleading expression of his own.

But Odin’s had not changed. It didn’t matter.

“Brother, please, do not do this!” Thor continued pleading. “We have all lost much on this day. Please do not make us lose you as well.”

He was surprised at the sincerity, the urgency, in his voice. Had he not just fought to stop Loki? Wielded his hammer against him? He knew in Thor’s eyes Loki would hold all the blame for the bifrost’s destruction. He would never see the woman he seemed to love so much. Why did he want Loki to live?

“Loki, please, I am sure father will be able to pull us up. Just hold on, brother. Hold on and don’t let go.”

Whatever it had been that made him pause – Thor’s sincerity or the questions that now flowed through his mind – kept Loki’s hand on Gungnir.

“Father, please, pull us up!” Thor asked, never turning his face from Loki. Odin still heard them, and slowly, the two were brought back onto the bridge.

The brother’s stood, and Thor embraced Loki. Loki did not return it, confusion swimming in his mind again.

“I may be angry with you, but you are my brother. We will get through this, Loki, of that I am sure.”

-:-