#living as the emperor's fiancée

[edenesth]

The Way to His Heart [2]

Pairing: general!Seonghwa x wife!reader

AU: arranged marriage au (Joseon era)

Word Count: 3.4k

Summary: Life has been hell ever since your mother's passing many years ago. Despite being from a prominent family, you've never received the privileges associated with it. It only got worse with the arrival of your stepmother and her daughters. When the intimidating General Park was in search of a wife, your father seized the opportunity to dispose of you, simultaneously securing a connection with the powerful general—killing two birds with one stone.

Part 1 | Fic Masterlist | Part 3

"S-sir, are you truly certain this is acceptable? This is worse than all the previous quarters we've arranged for your past fiancées."

Seonghwa grinned in satisfaction, "What do you mean, Jongho? This is perfect. She will take what she gets. If she's so unhappy, she can go ahead and run back to her dear father for all I care."

Like all his prior marriage candidates, the general had instructed his servants to ready accommodations in the least appealing quarters available in his estate. It was all part of his strategy to intimidate and drive them away. Nothing brought him greater joy than hearing their whiny shrieks of displeasure as they fled his home, rushing back to plead with their fathers to annul the engagement.

Given he had no say in this particular wedding, his only option was to make it as unpleasant as possible, hoping to scare you away. Surely, the words of the minister's precious daughter would carry more weight with her father and, consequently, the King.

Seonghwa counted on you to bring about the downfall of this marriage, "This should be enough to get the job done. Worry not, Jongho. She'll be gone in less than a day, mark my words."

As he observed his master striding off to his study, the assistant shook his head in defeat, glancing unsurely at the preparations made for the daughter of the Minister of Military Affairs. This particular room had remained vacant since the general first assumed control of the estate from its previous owner.

The room had earned the nickname "The Cold Palace," drawing parallels to the infamous residences of China's Forbidden City, where concubines who had made mistakes or fallen out of favour with the emperor were confined until their last days.

According to tales from the previous residents, the room might have even been haunted, with rumours circulating about the previous mistress of the estate taking her own life within those walls.

Leave it to the general to be fixated on the darkest forms of torment, truly living up to his reputation. Oh, he just couldn't wait to see the look on his new wife's face when she would eventually be ushered into her very own cold palace.

"Are the preparations to the master's liking?" Eunsook, the head maid, inquired of Jongho as she emerged from the quarters after ensuring that all dusty areas had been thoroughly cleaned.

The assistant nodded, his lips pressed in a firm line, "He's more than satisfied, but..."

The elderly woman raised a brow with a knowing smile, "But?"

Jongho sighed, "Is this really right? After all, she is about to become the mistress of this estate, and having her reside here, of all places, seems a little too much."

The two could only shake their heads as they cast a final glance at the pitiful excuse for a room. Having been left untouched for decades, the furniture within was mostly rusty or broken in certain places. While it was cleaned on the surface, who knew what sort of parasites or little crawlies had already made their home there.

Despite the possibility of the new Lady Park being a spoiled brat, as the general claimed, the assistant and head maid weren't sure if she deserved this kind of treatment.

"There's nothing we can do for her, Jongho. Now, we best get back to work before anyone hears us or master will have our heads."

The younger man nodded in defeat before they went about their day, uncertain if they should even be looking forward to the arrival of their master's bride on the next day.

"Lord have mercy on her poor soul."

They couldn't fathom any more humiliation that she had to endure beyond what she already had. According to typical traditions, the bridegroom was expected to visit the bride's home with gifts and a dowry, paying respects to the bride's ancestors before escorting her back to his home.

In an attempt to appease the general and ensure the wedding proceeded, the King had agreed to forgo all customary procedures, allowing the bride to travel to his estate on her own. For some mind-boggling reason, the minister had also agreed to these conditions.

"Your Majesty, if you want me to proceed with the wedding peacefully, I will, on one condition." Seonghwa boldly asserted in the assembly where details of his wedding were being finalised.

"What is it, my boy? Anything for you." The King cooed.

The minister straightened in his seat, clenching his fists in fear of the general making any unreasonable requests.

"Please do not expect me to follow through with any of the silly traditions. I will do no such thing. On our wedding day, I will be waiting in my own estate. Minister Jang can prepare his daughter's transportation. If that is viable, I will finally be married as you so pleased, your Majesty."

The King grimaced, throwing the minister a worried glance, "Seonghwa, isn't that a little much? Think about the poor girl—"

To everyone's surprise, your father breathed a sigh of relief, "Is that all, General Park? If so, I do not see much of a problem with it. My daughter is also not a fan of flamboyant celebrations. She favours simplicity, much like yourself. I'm sure she'll be more than happy with the new arrangements."

Sure, you tell yourself that.

The general grinned into his fist, satisfied. That would make her the laughingstock of the century. The King blinked at the unexpected response but beamed regardless, "Does she now? Oh, Seonghwa, I knew she was perfect for you!"

Everyone was happy with the outcome that day, save for you, the unlucky one caught in the middle of all the crossfire, as always.

Jongho remembered how all members of the general's estate servants had been utterly flabbergasted upon learning about the final decision for the wedding plans. They had initially geared up to work tirelessly for their master's first actual wedding, prepared to pour in endless efforts for the grand celebration.

However, they were left appalled by the news. Who would have expected the minister to be alright with such conditions?

Perhaps the importance of solidifying his connection with the great General Park outweighed his concerns for his daughter's momentary embarrassment.

On the day of the wedding, Eunsook stood steadfastly behind her employer, awaiting any orders he might have for her, "Master, is there really nothing else for us to prepare?"

More than the general, nearly every servant felt uneasy due to the lack of decoration as they awaited your arrival. To an outsider, it would seem like just another regular day. Despite the wide-open doors, the estate didn't appear to have much going on at all.

Seonghwa waved her off, sipping on his tea nonchalantly, "Don't make me repeat myself again, Eunsook. This woman isn't worth any of your efforts. Remember, I pay your salary, not her."

"R-right, master." She lowered her head, knowing better than to get on his nerves.

He sighed upon noticing the unusual group of servants lining up by the main hall as if waiting to welcome some distinguished guest, "Don't you all have better things to do? You're all dismissed; get back to your daily tasks if you wish to keep your job."

Shaking like leaves, they all turned to see the head maid nodding at them, signalling for them to do as they were told. Before they angered him any further, all servants dispersed after bowing in unison at their master's direction, "Yes, master."

"Perfect. The minister did mention his daughter favoured simplicity; I'm sure she'll love this." He grinned in amusement, looking forward to the new Lady Park's reaction.

Bowing one final time to your family, you turned and never looked back. Escorted by the kind elderly servant from before, you were led to the palanquin waiting at the entrance of the Jang estate, "This is your ride to the general's estate, young miss."

Surrounded by a throng of people eager to catch a glimpse of the minister's mysterious eldest daughter, you stumbled backwards a bit, feeling overwhelmed. The onlookers were excitedly exchanging the latest gossip about the unusual wedding, where the bride was expected to travel to her new husband's home alone, without a chaperone.

Stepping out of the estate for the first time in more than a decade, you didn't know what to expect. However, this was certainly not it.

As you navigated through the crowd, you reminded yourself of the role you needed to play. Outside the familiar walls of your family estate, you were recognised as the noble eldest daughter of Minister Jang, about to marry the formidable General Park.

You were quite literally the talk of the town.

"Smile, young miss." And you did.

You put on the fakest smile you'd ever worn as you passed by the prying eyes of the onlookers on your way to the waiting vehicle.

As you settled into the palanquin, you looked up to find the servant sighing, ensuring you were comfortably seated for the journey ahead, "Goodbye, young miss. None of us have been allowed to accompany you. You're on your own from now on. Hopefully, the people there will treat you better, the way you truly deserve."

The way you deserved?

You honestly didn't know what that meant.

All your life, you have only ever been treated like a waste of space. So much so that you have begun to believe that was just how things were meant to be. The prospect of being treated with any sort of decency was, at this point, foreign to you.

Nodding, you acknowledged the harsh reality imposed by your father, "Of course, I expected just as much. Thank you, by the way, for the kindness you've shown me. You best hurry back. Don't let them catch you near me, or you'll be punished."

She gave your hand a warm squeeze, "All the best, young miss."

You returned the gesture before the bearers lifted the transport and began walking.

"Goodbye." You whispered, not only to the servant but also to this life you were about to leave behind for good.

With only a thin layer of cloth serving as a curtain on the tiny window of the palanquin, you could hear every word of gossip uttered as you made your way out of this town and to your bridegroom's.

"Oh dear, what a poor thing. Imagine being wedded to that heartless general. He isn't even courteous enough to come take her home. How long do you reckon she'd survive under his care?"

"Can you believe the minister actually agreed to this? Letting his eldest daughter marry in such an undignified way? He seems desperate to get rid of her. Do you think there could be anything wrong with her?"

"She's quite the beauty, isn't she? What a shame no amount of beauty could save her from this ill fate. You guys wanna bet how long before she gets beaten to death by that husband of hers?"

You squeezed your eyes shut, pressing your palms against your ears. You had heard more than enough back home; not only did your stepmother and stepsisters insult you for fun, but most servants were also audacious enough to speak ill of you right in front of your face. You were sick and tired of people talking about you like you weren't there.

The continuous mockery and cruelty had worn you down, and you longed for a reprieve from this life of constant torment.

Why me?

Why is it always me?

Is there really something wrong with me?

There must be a reason why the whole world was constantly out to get you. Why did your mother even give birth to you, only to leave you behind in such a cruel world? What was the point of it all?

Thousands of thoughts raced through your mind, and you wondered if the general truly was as cold-hearted as they say. You pondered what he could possibly look like. They say he was as good as the devil incarnate, but could he really be worse than your family?

You were already convinced that every member of your family was the devil's spawn; you simply couldn't imagine anyone being worse than those people.

With all these thoughts swirling around in your mind, you slowly drifted off to sleep amid your journey from one hell to another.

Your eyes snapped open as you were abruptly awakened by a knock on the palanquin, "Lady Park! We've arrived; it's time to get off. Your father did not compensate us for escorting you inside, so this is as far as our services extend."

Lady Park? Who?

Oh.

It's you.

That's your identity from now on.

Rubbing your eyes, you moved to exit the palanquin. You were perplexed to find yourself at a considerable distance from the entrance of the general's estate.

"Forgive us, ma'am. We hope you can manage the short distance to the estate on your own. We're trying to avoid meeting the general, you know how it is."

You blinked, sensing the immense terror in these men. Park Seonghwa really was something else, wasn't he? Feeling sympathy for them, you nodded, "I... I understand, thank you."

They sighed in relief, scurrying to leave as fast as they could. The reality of your situation began to sink in, and you hesitated before taking your first step towards the looming entrance of your new home. The world you once knew had changed, and you were about to step into the unknown.

As you halted by the front doors, an employee of the estate quickly recognised your outfit, presenting a wild sight – a bride wandering about like a lost sheep.

Approaching you cautiously, one of the men inquired, "Miss Jang?"

You nodded in acknowledgement, "Yes, that's me."

Bewilderment painted his face as he scanned the area, "Are you here alone? Where are your servants and palanquin bearers?"

A gulp betrayed your nervousness, and you lowered your head in shame, "I have no servants with me, and the bearers have left."

His eyes widened, "What?" Quickly regaining composure, he apologised, "M-my apologies, ma'am! My name is Jongho, and I'm General Park's trusted aide. We have been waiting for your arrival. Please, let me take you to the main hall."

At first glance, the assistant sensed you were different from all the other noblewomen he had encountered. It astonished him even more to see you standing there all alone. What in the world was happening? Was the minister aware of any of this? There was no way it could be part of his arrangement. After all, this was his daughter, wasn't it?

As you walked through the estate, you realised the deep bows from the servants were unfamiliar to you. In response, you bowed back, only to receive baffled stares. Your shoulders were hunched, and your lack of confidence was evident.

The unusual exchange did not escape Jongho's notice, and he struggled to understand your odd behaviour.

Nothing seemed to make sense to him.

What was the minister planning? Were you really the eldest daughter? Surely, they wouldn't send an imposter, and even if they did, they wouldn't be foolish enough to make it this obvious. Besides, what reason would they even have to do so? It would mean deceiving His Majesty, the King, too, as the minister had indeed promised his daughter to the general.

As you reached the main hall, the assistant had no time to dwell on such thoughts as he presented you to his master, "Sir, the minister's daughter, your bride, has arrived."

Facing the back of a rather youthful-looking man was not the sight you expected. You truly believed the rumours about him being rough and middle-aged, but now you questioned their accuracy.

"You've made it, wife. At last, you're here." He muttered emotionlessly, moving to set down the cup of tea he cradled in his hands before. The sound of his deep voice sent chills down your spine.

With that, he finally turned around, and you wondered if this was the terrifying general that all of the nation feared. You had envisioned him in various ways, but this was not what you expected.

He was... beautiful.

His features were a perfect blend of masculinity and femininity. His body, too, was ideal, slender yet muscular in all the right places. His ethereal appearance took you by surprise. He was perhaps the most enchanting person you had ever laid eyes on. Granted, you hadn't met many people, given your confined life. Still, you didn't need a broad social experience to recognise that he was a sight to behold.

"Cat got your tongue?" He questioned, a raised brow giving his stoic expression an intimidating edge. You immediately grasped why people found him so fearsome.

Feeling as though you'd committed a grave error, you lowered your head and bowed deeply, your heart beating loudly in your chest, "I-I'm sorry, my lord. I shouldn't have stared; th-that was very rude of me. I thank you for accepting me into your household. I will do my best to make myself... u-useful."

Throughout your life, your family has consistently taunted you for being useless. Now, you wished to change that narrative. If you could somehow prove your value here, perhaps you wouldn't face the same mistreatment that haunted you in your old home. After all, you had only just arrived, you didn't want to be beaten to death so soon.

What in the world?

Seonghwa was rendered momentarily speechless. Undoubtedly, you possessed a striking beauty, the kind that justified your father's decision to keep you hidden for so long. But what puzzled him was the unmistakable insecurity reflected in your posture and the uncertainty in your words.

You were nothing like any of his past fiancées, and he struggled to comprehend the reason behind it. You didn't exhibit the expected haughtiness of a noblewoman from a powerful house. Your apparent indifference to his lack of wedding preparations irked him; he wanted a reaction from you but didn't get one.

What the hell was the minister playing at? Were you intentionally trying to be different? What kind of tactic was this? If the plan was to catch him off guard, it was working very well. This won't do; he couldn't be deterred so easily.

Finally breaking his silence with a scoff, he demanded, "Really now? Useful? In what way?"

You gulped, completely unprepared to provide any sort of elaboration, "I-I..."

He smirked, "Let me guess, your script ended there?"

The accusation threw you into a panic, and you gasped, denying any insincerity, "N-no, that's not—"

Waving you off dismissively, he said, "Save it. I won't buy anything else coming from you. Eunsook, take Miss Jang to her quarters."

Oh no, he hates me already.

« Preview of Part 3 »

"Is all this for me? Are you sure?" You asked in disbelief, gazing in awe at the quarters assigned to you. It was spacious, a far cry from the cramped space that used to be your prison cell.

Eunsook bowed apologetically, "Yes, mistress. I know it might not be ideal, but the master insisted on preparing this specific room for you—"

Shaking your head, you stepped inside, "What do you mean, not ideal? No, this is more than enough. Thank you so much." The room had actual furniture and was even larger than any of your stepsisters' quarters back home. Sure, it wasn't necessarily prettier, but at least it was practical.

The head maid struggled for words as she observed you admiring the interior of The Cold Palace. Were you being sarcastic? It didn't seem like it; you appeared genuinely content. She couldn't fathom why the scene before her eyes almost felt... heartbreaking.

"R-right then, let me help you settle in. Do you have a lot of luggage waiting by the entrance?" She asked politely.

You shook your head, "I-I don't... I'm sorry, this is all I have with me." You showed her the nearly empty duffel bag in your hands, leaving her unsure how to react.

"Gosh, mistress! You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. Please, uhh... make yourself at home. Just call out to any of the servants around the area if you need any assistance. I'll be here to alert you when dinner is ready."

"D-dinner..?" You croaked, realising you hadn't had a proper meal in who knows how long. You couldn't believe dinner was being prepared... for you. Blinking back your tears, you bowed, "Th-thank you."

"Please, mistress! You don't have to thank me; it's only my job." Panicking, Eunsook bowed even lower before hastily leaving your quarters. She needed to talk to Jongho about your peculiar behaviour. Surely, she wasn't the only one taken aback by it.

Oh my gosh, thank you for 600+ followers! I hope you enjoyed the second part! As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3

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[diminuel]

Art Masterpost for Benka79's DCBB:

The Duke's Exchanged Fiancée

What would you do if you could go back in time and fix what went wrong? After Castiel Novak and his parents die at the hands of the Duke Winchester for treason to the Emperor, Castiel returns to life two days before the catastrophe and tries to stop the tragedy by asking to be taken by the Duke instead of his sister, Dean's fugitive fiancée, as a financial advisor. The Duke accepts the offer and spares the Novaks' lives. However, Castiel will soon discover that the Duke has not taken him to his dukedom to be just his advisor.

It's DCBB season everyone!! The two of us have worked together before and I'm happy that I had the chance to draw some illustration for this fic~ ♥ (We all know I enjoy the occasional royalty AU ;3)

[soapssuds]

There is No Law that Emperors Must be Fair

Emperor ! Jing Yuan x Princess ! Reader

Chapter 9 | Boothill

Summary | You are set to marry the Emperor, Jing Yuan. In order to break the engagement, you stage an accident and fake having amnesia. But now, your own cruel, cold, and distant fiancé, who seemed to not want anything to do with you, is now acting all lovey dovey!

want to be a part of the taglist? then pls go to taglist ^-^

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You steadied your breathing as you sat atop a horse. The moment you said you wanted to go horseback riding, Blade seemed all too eager to get a new change of scenery as he lead you to the stables and got a horse.

Your sudden interest in riding a horse?

You wanted to fall off of it in hopes of either getting amnesia or acting like you got amnesia. It was a full proof plan! And this time you were sure it would work. Mainly because you’ve never ridden a horse before.

“So I just hold the reins like this,” you asked causing Blade to look over at you and momentarily sigh.

Your posture was wrong, your dress was bunched up weirdly, and the reins were practically being held in a death grip.

“No that’s not-“

“It is isn’t, Blade. Didn’t expect to see you here today. The Emperor wanting to go for a ride or something?”

“Boothill.”

“Boothill?”

Blade looked to you, “he’s a criminal.”

“If he’s a criminal then why is he here-“

Blade cut you off, “for work. The Emperor needs him for something, until then he is allowed to live here as long as he helps with the horses.”

You glanced towards a man who walked up to you both. He grinned up at you and tipped his hat, “little lady, you must be that princess I’ve been hearing so much about.”

You laughed a little, “the one and only,” you said as Boothill glanced at your form.

“You know little lady, I can teach ya how to ride a horse if ya want.”

“Really?!”

And just as Boothill was about to walk closer to you, Blade grabbed a hold of his arm causing him to chuckle.

“Relax, I ain’t going to hurt her.”

Blade tightened his grip for a mere moment before letting go of Boothill. Grinning at this, Boothill turned back to you, “pardon me, princess.”

“Huh- huh?! What are you doing?!”

Easily, Boothill had climbed into the saddle behind. Something that had taken you an embarrassing ten minutes to do.

“You need to relax too, I ain’t going to hurt ya.”

You could feel your face grow hot when he reached his arms around you and managed to take the reins from you, he then even helped you relax into him and help fix your dress for you so you wouldn’t accidentally flash anyone.

And as he sat behind you, you realized something else.

With him riding with you�� you wouldn’t be able to enact your amnesia plan!! You internally groaned at the revelation.

“Ya know princess…”

“Hmm?”

Slowly but surely, you and Boothill started a slow trot around the field.

“You don’t have to stay here.”

“What do you mean?”

Boothill barked out a laugh, “come on, you can’t be serious. The Emperor is basically keeping ya around as some damn trophy. In fact, he will probably get rid of you once he gets bored with ya.”

You rolled eyes at that, “please, wouldn’t he actually have to be around me to get bored?”

Boothill snickered at your words, “looks like ya have some sass after all, and here I thought you were some bored little know nothing princess,” he gave your thigh a little pinch causing you to let out a little yelp which made you turn in the saddle a little and give his arm a light whack.

“No pinching you jerk!”

He laughed again before apologizing, “anyway princess, so how about it?”

“How about what,” you huffed.

“Come with me when I leave.”

Your brain took a momentary pause, “huh? Why would I-“

“Ya don’t have to answer now.”

You glanced back at him for a moment, “alright, but at least answer me this… why would you offer me something like that?”

He looked at you then, and when he gave you a little toothy smile a sort of familiarity struck you, “cause I have ta pay ya back at some point.”

“Pay me back…?”

“Yeah, I figured ya wouldn’t remember, so I’ll be kind and give ya a little refresher.”

He looked behind you both to make sure Blade wasn’t following, and to his relief, the guard was minding his own business and was keeping a distance from them both (but he was still following after of course).

“Awhile back ago when your kingdom still belonged to your father, you and I crossed paths. I was injured, just got into a fight with a guy I considered an enemy and it was late at night when you stumbled across me in an alley. You wore a heavy cloak and a hood that covered your face, but I seen you enough times with your father to know you were a princess. A princess who decided to sneak out of the castle and see what night life was like.”

Slowly the memory started to come back. Truthfully, you tried to forget such a thing. Mainly because you knew you weren’t allowed out at night and didn’t want to get into trouble. So, you thought if you forgot about that night then you wouldn’t accidentally bring it up to father like how some children accidentally end up tattling on themselves when they try to tell their parents a story.

“You didn’t hesitate to bring me back to the castle and sneak me up to your room to try and patch me up. Truthfully, you did a shit job at stitching my wounds, but… if it weren’t for you I would either be dead from the blood loss or be a limb or two short.”

“I… I remember now.”

Boothill chuckled, “good. I would of been hurt if a beautiful princess forgot about me.”

“R- right, and maybe I should be thankful that such a handsome man even bothered to remember some trophy of a princess.”

Boothill chuckled at that, “mannn, I hope you don’t sass the Emperor like that. He’ll have your tongue cut out before you could say sorry!”

You shook your head at that, “trust me, I know better than to mouth off to him. Besides, its not like I even have the chance to talk to him anyway.”

“That’s right, you did mention how he doesn’t even glance at you, so princess… what do you say to my previous offer?”

You bit your lip as you could hear Blade’s horse start to come closer, “may I think it over?”

“Sure you can, but just a warning for ya, I won’t be here much longer.”

You nodded silently as Blade caught up to you both, “dinner will be ready in a few moments and the Emperor wishes to share a table with you.”

You glanced behind Blade to see a messenger riding on his own horse.

“I understand… does he want me to wear anything specific?”

“He said to wear something pretty,” the messenger immediately said.

Something pretty…

taglist pt 1

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[abbyfmc]

Yandere Emperor! x Female! Reader Phrases #2:

A/N: Continuation of the previous part.

-"When did I say you could go? I brought you here to cuddle you"- The yandere emperor will surely have summoned you one night to serve him, and seeing that you were trying to leave or looking for excuses to leave, he will have closed any door or window, or grabbed you by the wrist or another part of the body.

-"If you are in love with someone else, I will behead him without hesitation"- He is the yandere emperor, and he is capable of anything to have you by his side, including extreme physical punishments or the execution of your partner or fiancé.

-"You didn't know who was going to attack me or how, and yet you protected me that year and suffered great damage to your body. I really appreciate what you did and I want to make it up to you by letting you be my wife."- In a story about Yandere crown prince x maid reader, you probably served the yandere prince (who in the future would be the yandere emperor) closely, and due to the environment in which he lived, you had to watch his back many times, ending up being sometimes punished by other superiors and even tortured. The yandere prince KNOWS about your wounds and scars and now that he is an emperor, he tries to reward you.

-"I will take good care of you."- A more subtle and "kinder" way to make you understand that you will not leave the palace.

-"No matter what you are, you will still be mine. You can be my empress, my favorite consort or concubine; and if you want to be a servant, you will serve at my side, so your rank within this palace does not matter; you will NEVER escape from me."- Another stern warning from him. You are partly right; since if you are his empress, consort or concubine, you will have to continue serving or obeying him in everything. If you are a maid, he will purposely make you clean what he tells you, wash his clothes, follow him and take care of him; or he would put you to hard labor as punishment, until you beg him.

-"If someone dares to hurt you, I will punish the person responsible and their family."- Before, in an imperial family the issue of clans was very important and people like the empress, consorts and concubines were no exception (come on, not even the maids, guards or eunuchs were saved from it) and if they did something very bad, The emperor could punish them and their families or clans with whatever he wanted; from exile, loss of compensation and living conditions, to multiple executions.

-"Every item sent to (Y/n)'s palace must be meticulously checked."- The yandere emperor KNOWS that fights and intrigues occur in the harem that mostly end in murders, attempted murders, poisonings, accidents, false accusations and even attempted abortions by some concubines on others. He would do it with the excuse of protecting you and your possible child.

-"I can't wait to see you carry our children in your womb. That will unite us more, and make you more mine."- The yandere emperor wants to sleep with you and get you pregnant (if you are a woman), because he thinks that not only could a prince from your side be the future of the empire (or if it is a princess, he could form marital and political alliances), but He believes that with that you will not leave his side.

-"I feel delighted with every walk I take with you. Every talk, every laugh, every meal, every celebration and even when you sleep with me, I feel great; something I never experienced with anyone else."- The yandere emperor would love every moment with you; more preferably alone than in a group with his other imperial women.

-"Let these marks or scars be a clear warning in case you try to escape again."- The yandere emperor is strict with his rules, and the "no escape" rule is undoubtedly the strictest. Every time he sees you trying to escape he not only locks you up, but physically punishes you so that when you see the scars when you change or bathe, you have a memory of what will happen to you if you try to escape from him again.

-"I always collect every gift you give me, although there is one that I still fight for and that you still don't give me: your heart."- Yes, the emperor adored and appreciated either discreetly or indiscreetly each of your gifts; whether it was new clothes, new accessories, some painting on him, some sculpture, a show or simply personally playing an instrument for him. But he knows that you do it without love for him.

-"I promise you that I will take care of you and our son."- He would probably make you pregnant, and as soon as he found out he put you under all kinds of 24/7 care. He watched you all the time and had every gift, food, drink or medicine that came into your hands thoroughly checked.

-The end.

[dottoreandcapitanosimp]

HEAR ME OUT!!!!

(read this w once upon a dream! And If you like you can request more too!)

Imagine a manhwa villain who has a fiancé who is a crown prince, and this crown prince, who we will call Drystan, is madly in love with a commoner. The villain, who we will call Verena, does not necessarily do anything bad to the commoner, who we will call Miri, she just ignores her and Drystan. When this reaches the ears of the emperor and empress, Drystan's parents, they immediately decide to kill Miri in a public execution, mainly because the empress adored Verena and had already had the experience of being betrayed before, but at least it was with a noblewoman who soon died, while the emperor did not want to miss the wedding that would be a great union between the two most powerful empires on the continent.

While Drystan was forced to watch the person he loved most be cruelly executed while all the commoners and nobles present applauded, Verena who was by his side was the only one who showed empathy and tried to calm him down, only to be met with thousands of curses from Drystan who blamed her for the death of his beloved.

Briefly after that, Drystan had entered a deep depression and was simply apathetic and numb for weeks, and the only one who took care of him was Verena. Verena, unlike what Miri told him, was sweet and kind, being the only one who took care of him after all not even Drystan's parents who were disappointed or the maids who previously hated Miri and hated Drystan even more were at least worried about him. With Verena taking care of Drystan, Drystan simply begins to fall madly in love with Verena, with her beginning to be the only reason for him to live.

As the months passed, a sudden change occurred in Drystan's behavior. Before, he was minimally cold and only affectionate with Miri, then apathetic when it came to getting out of bed, and now he was simply extremely cold and angry with everyone, except when he was in Verena's presence, since when he was in the presence of his beloved, he was simply like an abandoned puppy. Verena was always kind and affectionate with Drystan, although she was normally cold and calm with all the other nobles and maids.

One day, Verena had gone out to take care of some royal business, which basically left Drystan completely depressed and afraid that something would happen to her. To simply calm down a bit, Drystan decided to stay in Verena's room until she returned. While he was lying on Verena's bed, he just decided to tidy up some letters that were on top of her dressing table, and only decided to read the contents of the letter, thinking that it was just something banal or Verena answering her older sisters who were always very worried about her, until when he decided to read it he was just paralyzed and in shock.

Drystan discovered that absolutely everything about Miri's death and then Drystan becoming hopelessly in love and obsessed with Verena was carefully planned by Verena, who had decided that if Drystan didn't love her, she would force him to love her anyway. Absolutely everything, from the clothes she wore to the sweet and loving answers were carefully planned for her to make sure that Drystan would fall in love with her.

Now Drystan was in pure shock, reading and rereading the letters thousands of times without realizing that Verena had just arrived and seemed the least bit furious with him reading the letters about their content.

"Shit, I shouldn't have left those stupid letters there!" Verena cursed herself mentally.

Nowadays, Verena was the beloved princess and even Drystan's parents didn't care if he was alive or dead, much less the servants who, like Drystan's parents and Drystan himself, considered Verena a saint who would have valid reasons if she killed someone. Drystan only heard the door being locked.

Whether he liked it or not, he was Verena's fiancé and would be her perfect and loving husband.

"He just needs to learn his place, it won't take more than a few hours locked in the room until he misses me."

[deancasbigbang]

The Duke's Exchanged Fiancée

Author: verobatto

Artist: Diminuel

Rating: Explicit

Pairings: Dean/Cas (Chuck/Naomi, Hannah/Gadreel)

Length: 22785

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Tags: Royalty AU, enemies to lovers, emotional hurt/comfort, arranged marriage, top!Dean/bottom!Castiel, case fic, healthy relationship, time travel, bickering, slow burn.

Summary: What would you do if you could go back in time and fix what went wrong? After Castiel Novak and his parents die at the hands of the Duke Winchester for treason to the Emperor, Castiel returns to life two days before the catastrophe and tries to stop the tragedy by asking to be taken by the Duke instead of his sister, Dean's fugitive fiancée, as a financial advisor. The Duke accepts the offer and spares the Novaks' lives. However, Castiel will soon discover that the Duke has not taken him to his dukedom to be just his advisor.

Link to Fic | Link to Art

[inkofthebrain]

Imperial masterlist || Paul Atreides x f!reader

———

Paul x F!Reader || 17,215 words ||Paul Atreides, Duke of Arakkis, takes the hand of the Emperor’s eldest daughter for the throne. They know they must learn to be civil, but what will it cost them…

(1) “It was better to have a pretty fiancé who also did not seem like she needed to be supervised all the time.”

(2) “You have been ripped from your home and presented to the Atreides estate as a hope to strengthen the now fallen apart Imperium.”

(3) “As you taught him the complex workings of the imperium and its politics, you realized his intelligence was unmatched.”

(4) “Fate is something you never believed in, yet as the wool that has been placed over your eyes starts to slip you realize—your fate has been decided centuries before your birth.”

(5) “"Perhaps that is the hardest part", he says. "The knowledge that we have no real control over our own lives. That everything we do is predestined, and the path we follow has already been laid out for us."”

(6) “Paul's gaze stills on the necklace as you turn to face him, his eyes fluttering to your throat as his fingers lightly brush the delicate chain.”

(7) “She is simply stating a fact, and it hits you like a gut punch. “Your role as a bride, especially of your stature, necessitates heirs. It is a political need.””

(8) “You have the weight of an empire on your shoulders yet you hold your head high. You refuse to falter, there is no room for weakness within this court; this you know very well. “

(9) “He had just married a woman he barely knew, all the while leaving the woman who brought him to be the person he is now behind in the dust.“

[candlelover]

Just some fun...

General Marcus Acacius/(f!) Reader

Summary: When Marcus Acacius' (involuntary) fiancé just wants to have a little fun, he sees himself as the perfect fit to put an end to her fun

Warnings: my first time writing something like this, involuntary engagement, dubcon? fingering, kissing, Acacius is jealous, Acacius is slightly annoying?

When you find any more warnings please tell me :)

"Aren't you excited, love? "We haven't had such big games in a long time," your mother asks your father to break the silence on the way to the Colosseum.

"Excited?" your father scoffs, "how could I when this spectacle once again raises far too much from the state treasury?"

“It will cheer up the people. "The emperors have to make themselves popular somehow if their personality can't do it," you say, hoping that your father won't get upset again with his endless talk about the emperor and the Senate. You hardly hear anything other than the Senate at home , Senate this..... general Marcus Acacius this General Marcus Acacius this.

Ughhh... your future husband with whom you exchanged about five words in your life at dinner to celebrate your engagement.

'At least I'm lucky,' you think, 'he seems decent and isn't bad to look at.'

Many of your friends have had worse. Men who are almost on their deathbed or men who are completely inconsiderate and disgusting. Acacius probably won't even be in town much. Then you can continue living as you want. Do whatever you want.

"I hope when we see the general today that you approach him with a more bridled tongue," your father hisses, "of course also towards the emperors."

"I'll behave as well as always," you say while rolling your eyes.

You just hope you just don't have to talk to anyone. That would make things even more fun anyway. Maybe you can even convince your parents to let you look around the market in town after the games. You love to disappear into the hustle and bustle of people and have a pleasant chat with the sellers at the fruit and vegetable stands.

At the entrance to the Colosseum, your father holds you back by the arm and demands: "Just behave!"

As if you didn't always do that. Always perfect behaved, never contradictory, that's how it should always be.

Yes...maybe you'll find a handsome man at the market later with whom you can have some fun. Anything is better than going back to the villa straight away and having dinner with your boring parents and boring conversations.

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

"Senator, I am pleased to see you and your family here."

You had just sat down in your seats when General Acacius came by to greet you. your father also greets him with a handshake and a slight head bow that is returned by the man across from him.

"My Ladies," he takes your mother's hand and yours in his,one after another, bows slightly and gives them a kiss.

Acacius wears something like a white festive armor robe with a white cloak over it. Everything with golden details. Not to mention the gold metal bracelets around his wrists.

I was right...I really could have married an uglier man.

"My lady, I wanted to ask if you would sit with me. We're getting married in a few weeks and haven't shared much closeness yet," he asks you, smiling.

His deep brown eyes look down at you as gently as the smile on his lips.

"Of course she would like to. Isn't that right, my star?" your father asks you with a warning in his eyes not to say anything wrong.

"Yes, I'd love to General," you answer with the best fake smile you have.

,,Good. Then follow me. And please call me Marcus.We'll get married soon," he suggests, holding out his arm for you to take.

"Yes, if that's what you want, Marcus. Then please call me by my name too," you reply as you take his arm and you start to walk to your seats.

You chat for a bit at your seats until the games start. Relieved that you no longer have to come across as overly nice, you lean back in your seat and focus on the first gladiators who step into the middle of the arena.

One Galdiator in particular catches your eye. Dark hair, muscular, tanned body and as it looks from above, a pretty face too. He fights fantastically and seems to be a real crowd favorite.

You can't help but turn to Marcus and ask, "Do you know the name of the gladiator who is so beloved by the crowds?"

"His name is Celio. He came from one of the smaller provinces we conquered," he explains.

You nod and a few moments later he leans towards you again and looks serious.

,,Why? Do you like him? You seem to enjoy watching him?"

You blush slightly at the sudden turnaround in your relationship. So far you've always been on an almost exhaustingly friendly basis and suddenly his relaxed charisma turns serious?

,Jealousy?'

'No, that can't be it. He barely knows me,' you think to yourself.

You decide to approach it carefully anyway and answer: "No, I'm just curious which man gets the audience so excited."

Marcus gives you a quick critical look and focuses back on the fighting down in the sand.

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

After the games ended, the general said goodbye to you with another kiss on your hand.

Back at your parents' , you left the Colosseum and made your way home. Somehow you managed to persuade your father to let you go to the market for a while.

So here you are now. Strolling around the market and being happy.

You're just looking around distractedly when you suddenly run into something, or rather, someone.

You're just starting to apologize when you look up and see the man you ran into.

It's Celio, the gladiator from the arena.

,,I'm sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going,” you finish your apology from before.

,,That's fine. I have to apologize too. My gaze wasn't directed in front of me," he admits with a small smile.

From this point you engage in a small conversation that ends in a wild kiss in a poorly lit alley.

'A little fun doesn't hurt, does it?' You think to yourself as you put your arm around his neck.

But of course you won't have the fun for long...

Suddenly Celio is pulled off you and taken away by a bunch of soldiers.

You stand in the alley in shock and look at the man who pulled the gladiator away from you and handed him over to the soldiers.

-Marcus Acacius

"What are you doing here?" you ask, surprised.

"What am I doing here? "I think I should ask you what the hell you're doing with a strange man here a few weeks before our wedding!" he replies angrily.

Oh, be damned...

"Let's be honest Marcus, you're certainly not an innocent lamb either!" you discuss with a special emphasis on his name.

He comes threateningly towards you and has now trapped you between a building wall and himself.

"I never said I was innocent. "Oh my little lamb, I'm not all that. But unlike you, I don't do it in public where everyone could see me."

"You have no right to decide what I do, where, when and how."

You don't know why, but his intense gaze on you stirs something inside you. And in this situation you're not doing well at all.

“If it concerns your reputation, I certainly have the right to do so. Because whether you want it or not, your reputation and mine are linked"

Unfortunately he's right, but you're unlikely to admit it. So why not tease a little for the fun?

"Is it really just your reputation that you're worried about or is it jealousy?"

He would do anything to wipe that confident grin off your face, so he brings his face even closer to yours and whispers, "Do you want it to be jealousy?"

Your breath catches and you feel caught.

'Hell no, this man definitely can't do anything for me,' you think, shocked.

But before you know it, you're both holding deep eye contact and the confident grin is now on his lips. With the sole thought of getting rid of this expression of superiority, your body acts against your will and kisses him harshly.

Well...at least you got rid of his grin.

He puts his hands on your waist and pulls you even closer to him. You sigh with pleasure and kiss him even harder while you comb your fingers through his hair and pull it lightly. He seems to like this gesture too as he moans slightly.

His fingers start to wander again and quickly find their way under your clothes.

"But that doesn't hurt our reputation if someone sees it?" you ask teasingly.

He just goes down to your neck with kisses and makes you moan with a light bite as an answer.

His fingers are now circling your clitoris.

"Even if you don't seem to like me, my fingers are pretty wet, my little lamb."

“Just do it Marcus. I can't wait any longer."

"So rude...where did my good future bride go from this morning?"

"We both know very well that this is just a facade."

"So I'm going to marry a little minx, huh?" he asks as he slowly inserts a finger.

'Ooh shit that feels good..."

You moan loudly and reply breathlessly: "I'm not getting married to a better person either, believe me."

As soon as he says it, his second finger is already in there and he starts to move it.

He laughs a little: "If you say please, I might let you come."

"I have no problem going home and doing it myself."

“Stop trying so hard. I know that's what you want."

You kiss again and you are close to finally finding relief.

Acacius notices and stops abruptly, moving a few inches away from you. Frustrated by the sudden emptiness, you whimper slightly and glare at him.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

"I'm just making sure my little lamb listens straight away next time."

With a smug grin he begins to move away from you for good.

You can't believe it. This terrible, sexy, horrible man!

Before he finally disappears, he calls to you over his shoulder:

"See you at our wedding, my little lamb. We will definitely have a very nice time that night."

Smug idiot!

[angel-tsugikuni-kamukura]

Manhwa's I have read this year

Pink means it's my favourite ones.

The remarried empress

Men of harem

Lady and the beast.

Royal Shop of Young Lady.

Forget My Husband I'Il Go Make Money.

I Want To Become The Emperor, So I Need A Divorce.

I tamed my ex husband's madog.

The Villainess Debuts Gorgeously.

I Will Fall With The Emperor.

I Failed To Throw The Villain Away.

your regrets mean nothing to me.

Bastian.

my in-laws are obsessed with me.

A Divorce evil lady bakes cake.

The price of braking up.

The tree are living a married life.

Dangerous Fiancée.

My Husband is a antisocial count.

Baked by the barones.

Who kidnapped the empress.

the villainess tames the beast.

if you desire my despair.

the abandoned princess secret Bedroom.

The Mistress Runs away.

It's not your child.

The monstrous dukes adopted daughter.

The Saintes returns as a vilian.

Regina Rena.

You never meet a villainess like me.

Tru education.

As the Villainess I rejected these happy bad endings.

The archduke gorgeous wedding was a fraud.

I will take the dutchy from today.

Isn't being a wicked woman much better.

Flirting with the villain's dad.

Goddess emila wants to escape.

My goal is to achieve success on my own

I refuse to be executed a second time.

Romance is dead.

I'm devorsed but I'm a chaebol.

I'm in trouble because my husband is so cute.

I'm the queen in this life.

Go away romeo.

Janice.

If you want a fake sister.

I'm being raised by villain's.

I'm the fake saintess but the gods are obsessed with me.

The heat of the reincarnated villainess.

Attic princess.

The older sister of a maniac.

I thought it was a common Isekai story.

The abandoned bachelorette enjoys her simple life.

Love doesn't matter.

I've become the villainous emperor.

The way to protect the female leads older brother.

I have become the heroes rival.

Death is The only ending for the villainess.

Who made me a princess.

Marriage of Convenience:95

Royal marriage.

Aidin.

The Obsessive second male lead has gone wild.

I am the real one.

I don't love you anymore.

I'm ingaged to the Obsessive male lead.

Lies become you.

You go marry my husband.

How to get my husband on my side.

Empress simulation.

I'll be the matriarch in this life.

The dukes dark lady.

In to the light once again.

My body has been possessed by someone.

Depths of malice

Becoming the villain's family.

My destiny to be the hero's saviour.

The real daughter is back.

A noble pirate.

The world without my sister.

I'm devorseing my tyrant husband.

Even if I'm the villainess I'll become the heroine.

Beast's Flower.

Once Wicked always wicked.

Ashtarte.

Crownless queen.

I thought I didn't have long to live.

I tamed a Tyrant and Ran Away.

Beloved in-laws.

The villainess revenge.

Your Majesty please don't kill me again.

And Unseemly lady.

Baby tryant.

The tyrant wants to be good.

I will politely decline the male lead.

I'm the villainess but so famous.

Crazy princess renia.

The gangster baby of the dukes.

Surving as an illegitimate child.

It's useless to hang on.

Empress cesia wears shorts.

Of all things i became a crow.

No more turning a blind eye.

I became the Ugly lady.

A Stepmother's Marche.

While you are in love.

Devine inconvenience.

After I cured his insomnia, Tyrant became Obsessive.

Revenge is sweeter than honey.

My Unexpected Marriage.

From Duty to Devotion.

Hated It Even More.

I'm to lazy to be the villainess.

The tyrant princess wants to get married.

Stella the star princess.

Please support my revenge.

Reasons to Protect the Witch's son.

The Reason Why The Twin Lady Crossdresses.

Why Do You Love Me When Refuse Your Request.

Finding Camilla.

I Don't Want to Be Loved.

The Villainess has Fun.

Surviving as an Obsessed Servant.

A Saintess adopted by the grand Duke.

I Adopted a Villainous dad.

No Place for the Fake Princess.

Villainess need a Tyrant.

Tamed a blackened slave.

Princess hundreds ways of martyrdom.

A Perfect Ending of the Villain.

Beast within.

I will seduce the male lead for my older brother.

I've become the true villainess.

I became the obsessive villain's babysitter.

I'll change my fate to be executed.

The tyrants tranquillizer.

Crow dutchess.

The Male Leaď's Nephew Loves Me So Much.

Falling for a Dying Princess.

I Am the Villain.

Why Do You Love Me When Refuse Your Request.

The betrayed queen is devoted to by the beautiful baron.

Baby Pharmacist Princess.

The Runaway Lead Lives Next Door.

The villains life l'Il live it once.

La Dolce Vita de Adelaide.

Why Would a Villainess Have Virtue.

My Childhood Friend Became an Obsessive Husband.

10 ways to get rejected by the tyrant.

I Became the Villainess in an Anticlimactic Novel.

To Those Who Long for My Destruction.

Becoming the obsessive male lead's ex-wife.

How to survive as a maid in a horror game.

the fake saint waits to leave.

Obsidian Bride.

Rosalyn Vogart.

Let's take a bath Duke.

The Precious Girl Does Not Shed Tears.

Father i don't want to get married.

The Priest Dreaming of a Dragon.

She No Longer Wields Her Sword.

I am the Male Lead’s Ex-Girlfriend.

Red Laurel Flowers to My Emperor.

I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend.

Please Don’t Come To The Villainess’ Stationery Store.

In This Life, I Will Raise You Well, Your Majesty.

Vengeance from a Saint Full of Wounds.

The Duke’s Daughter is Going on Strike.

The daughter of evil.

The Villainous grand Duke sister.

Beware the Villainess.

A wicked tale of Cinderella's step mom.

The devil raised a lady.

Reborn As a Character That Never Existed.

The Precious Sister of the Villainous Grand Duke.

I Didn't Save You To Get Proposed To.

I took away the tyrant's virginity.

The dutchess has a death wish.

Heaven official's blessing.

I'm being chased by my husband.

Why she lives as a villainess.

I'll just live on as a villainess.

I created a harm to avoid the male lead.

I became the sultans precious cat.

I'm a villain but I saved the female lead.

I will divorce the female leads brother.

Let's live together.

I became the greatest heiress of the empire.

I raised my younger sister beautyfully .

I Accidentally Saved the Male Lead’s Brother.

I Didn’t Mean to Seduce the Male Lead.

Here reigns the vengeful villainess.

I Am Selling the Main Character’s Shares.

The villainess reverse hourglass.

The price is your everything.

I became the mother of the bloody male lead.

I think it would be better for me to become king.

The Villainess is a Marionette.

As My Husband Said, I Brought in A Lover.

How a Villainess Survives as a Saint.

The Empress Wants To Avoid the Emperor.

The glamours life of the fake mistress.

The villainess reverse hourglass.

I Will Take Responsibility for the Welfare of the Male Lead.

Cinderella Wasn’t Me.

The Crown Prince’s Fiancée.

Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom.

Marriage Alliance for Revenge.

To My Husband’s Mistress.

The reason why raeliana ended up in the Dukes mansion.

Ennead.

[lotomber]

Hello! hope your day is good! Can I request a Dazai x fem reader oneshots for a Royalty AU!

Where Dazai and reader were forced into an arranged marriage for war peace/ something else. At first Dazai doesn't like the idea and kinda hated reader, but eventually fall in love with her because of her kindness and patient.

I know it's kinda alot but hopefully you consider my request!

Thank you!

Hello, I really liked your idea👀 I tried my best to make it to your liking. Do tell me if you enjoyed it.😄

Yes to heaven ~✨Pt1|| Pt2

(ROYALTY AU!)

Pairing: Prince Dazai x Fem! Reader

Warning: arranged marriage, Enemies to lovers, Dazai being an ass to you at first, slightly suggestive at the end

Word count: ~1.4k

The Crown Prince of Eastern empire was known to be free soul, someone who doesn't like to be bound by rules and regulations. To such a Prince an arranged marriage was a nightmare. It all happened when he was summoned by the emperor a month ago. It was not the first time when his father the king arranged a married partner for him, he always used his antics to get rid of them but this time it was different. Dazai was told that if he doesn't agree to marry the princess of western empire he would be dethroned from his position as the prince, just for the sake of peace negotiations.

" Your Highness, the delegation from the western empire will be arriving tomorrow. And the wedding will be held the day after. I was told by the king to inform you all the preparations are done so you are to escort the princess tomorrow." said the grand chamberlain.

" Hah!! why should I escort her ? "

" That's cause she is your fiancée and soon to be wife. and I am sure the emperor already warned you to be on your best behavior" chamberlain warned him.

Dazai really hated the idea of marrying a complete stranger, much to his dismay he had no choice in this matter.

Next day when the delegation arrived Dazai was also waiting for you. He pretended not to but was still somewhat curious about what kind of person you were. The moment you came out of your carriage, Dazai was mesmerized by your beauty, he had heard the rumors of the western princess being an absolute beauty, he felt that the rumors did no justice to your beauty. But he tried to maintain his façade of not being interested. After all the formalities and the audience with the emperor, Dazai was told to show you your chamber.

It was finally the two of you alone and you tried to initiate a conversation with him but he paid no heed to your small talks.

" I'll get straight to the point, this marriage is just for the sake of our countries not because we want it. so don't even try to expect something from me. Either way you'll have to bear me. The maids will show you the rest of the way." Dazai deadpanned and just left you there before you could even reply.

After that you didn't get any opportunity to see him until the wedding. It was a grand wedding, delegations from various countries were there to witness the two empires tying knot. But to Dazai none of it mattered it was just something he had to get over with.

After the wedding was over, you were waiting for him in your chambers for the first night but he never came. The next morning you asked the maids about Dazai's whereabouts, they told you that he left the palace this early morning to inspect nearby villages due to flooding and won't be back for another week. A week passed and you were quick to adjust to your new surroundings, due to your open personality everyone took a liking to you already. When Dazai returned he saw you taking a walk in the garden, talking to the knights nearby. That evening he invited you for tea and you finally got the chance to talk to him.

" Hmm ~ I see you are already familiarized with the people in the palace. One might even think you've been living here for a long time." Dazai said sarcastically.

" Well after all my husband left me alone for a week just after our marriage so I had to get accustomed here. " Dazai was vexed by your response.

" I think I already told you not to expect anything from me. Besides you are surprisingly doing well for someone who was married off in a foreign land against her will. "

" I think you are mistaken about something, although it's true our marriage was arranged but marrying you was my own choice, no one forced this all on me." you told him firmly. Dazai was shocked by your response.

" Good for you then. Suit yourself. " he said hiding his initial bewilderment and then left.

After that day Dazai joined you for lunch or dinner frequently. Sometimes he also joined you for tea or brunches. He stopped avoiding you to a certain measure, instead he started to playfully annoy you but you were never bothered by him. You both started to hit it off together sometimes he rants to you about how the other nobles bother him or how his father nags him about his responsibilities. Or he just simply jokes around. He also started to observe you more, despite being a princess initially, you never looked down on others you always treated others with kindness no matter their status. You were not like the other stuck up noble women he met before. As the time went by you just started to plague his mind.

Soon after a banquet and a grand ball was held in celebration of emperor's birthday. Everyone was quiet busy due to the preparations, so was Dazai he couldn't find time to meet you. It was on the day of the ball he could finally see you after a long time. As you were to go together as a couple. You were getting ready by your maids when when he came to pick you up, so he was told to stay outside. When you came outside Dazai couldn't take his eyes off of you, calling you pretty was an understatement. To him you looked like an angel descended from heaven. Your long silk gown cupping your curves perfectly, Your long hair tied up in a bun letting some loose strands fall on your shoulders, those long eyelashes, your eyes which seemed to contain the whole universe in them, oh and those red lips of yours oh how would it feel to touch them ? He could feel himself melt in your presence.

" Shall we go ? " as you asked him he was shook away from his trance.

He was quiet all the way to the ballroom which was unusual for him and you were quick to notice that he was acting strange. Before you could ask him what was wrong your entry was announced.

Crown prince Dazai and princess ( name ) have arrived.

After that you both proceeded to greet the emperor and few other nobles. It was your first time coming to such a social event after your marriage. You were quickly surrounded by people who wanted to win your favor. You tried to find Dazai but he was pulled by other nobles. After some time you were able to get out of from the crowd. You were completely exhausted so you decided to have drink. Just then someone came to ask you for a dance, you puzzled whether to accept or not cause it would be impolite to reject his invitation. Suddenly Dazai came from behind and grabbed you by your waist.

" Sorry gentlemen but my wife seems to be tired so we will be taking our leave. If you will excuse us ." Dazai said smiling but there was an underlying sternness in his voice. Everyone left you alone after that. For the whole evening Dazai couldn't take off his eye from you, he saw you surrounded by those snake like people trying to gain your attention. What pissed him even more were those scummy men who were trying to approach you thinking as if they have a chance with you.

As for you, It was the first time Dazai ever called you his wife you were taken aback by his demeanor so you just asked him,

" Since when did you start calling me your wife?" you taunted him.

" Well technically you are my wife so what's wrong with me calling you my wife. Besides I don't like idea of those dirtbags thinking they could have what's mine." He then pulled you away to an empty balcony. Before you could say anything he cupped your cheeks placing his thumb on your lips smudged your lipstick. You could feel your blood running through your cheeks making you blush.

" Dazai wha- He shuts you abruptly by locking his lips with yours, It was a slow and sensual kiss. He could feel you melt in his arms as you reciprocated his kiss, hooking your arms on his neck. Both of you pull apart for a second to look at each other, then once again lean in to kiss but this time more passionate, all your senses were overpowered by the feeling of pure ecstasy, running out of breathe you pulled away again. Then Dazai suddenly whispers in your ear " Don't you think we have postponed our first night for quiet a long time~ "

[empiredesimparte]

Live broadcast of ‘Le Sacre de Napoléon V’ on the national channel Francesim 2, hosted by Stéphane Bernard

(Another journalist) Ah, we have news from the gala! (Stéphane Bernard) Indeed, the doors of the Château de Versailles are opening to welcome the Emperor's first guests. The setting makes everything more delightful: it is likely His Majesty's favorite residence. He spent much time there during his childhood. (Another journalist) Who are the guests, Stéphane?

(Stéphane Bernard) The Emperor has invited the most prominent heads of state, accompanied by their spouses or heirs, in the case of monarchies. We see Queen Viviana, whose country has very strong ties with ours. Similarly, the sovereigns of Uspana share what I would call a generational friendship with the Simparte family, dating back well before the restoration of the Francesim Empire.

(Other journalist) Here is Madame's fiancé! He is unaccompanied. (Stéphane Bernard) It is well known that the Imperial Household and the Duke of Rothsey went through a period of tension a few months ago. However, this should not be seen as a sign of the Emperor's grudge. It is simply the adherence to imperial protocol on this festive day. Nonetheless, I must acknowledge that the Duke, despite his undeniable poise and sharp mind, has not yet mastered the art of pleasing his entire in-laws.

⚜ Le Sacre de Napoléon V | N°2 | Francesim, Versailles, 27 Thermidor An 230

The guests arrive at the gala for the coronation of Emperor Napoleon V at Versailles. It was broadcast live on television by Stéphane Bernard, the famous journalist for the crowned heads in Francesim.

Beginning ▬ Previous ▬ Next

⚜ Guests at the coronation

TIM, Emperor David I and Empress Katalina of Pierreland (@officalroyalsofpierreland)

HRH, Prince Oliver, Duke of Rothsey (@officalroyalsofpierreland)

HIM, Queen Viviana II of the Ionian Union (@funkyllama)

TM, King Arnaut and Queen Lorraine of Uspana (@nexility-sims)

HM, Queen Anastasia of Carrington and HRH, Prince Hisirdoux, the Duke of Clois (@royalhouseofcarrington)

TRH, Crown Prince George, Duke of Everton and Crown Princess Anne, Duchess of Everton (@crownsofesha)

HRH, Margaret, the Princess Royal of Corrilea (@theroyalsofcorrilea)

HM, Queen Diana and HRH, Prince Gerhard of SimDonia (@bridgeportbritt)

HRH, Madame Royale Eleanor de Thornolie (@theroyalthornoliachronicles)

TM, King Giovanni and Queen Consort Cassandre (@royalhouseofcardsleyts4)

TIM, The High King and High Queen of the Presean Empire (@stthomaspalace)

TM, King George I and Queen Elizabeth of Illyria (@the-lancasters)

TRH, the Duke and Duchess of Marseille and Saint-Lyon (@sosa-royals)

HM, Rosalind II, Queen of the Armoricans (@armoricaroyalty)

HM, King Arthur of the United Kingdom of Prydain and Voltadelmar (@prydainroyals)

TRH, The Prince and Princess of Belen (@housekonig)

HIH,  The Princess Imperial Eliana of Alexandria (@thealexandrianroyals)

TM, Queen Najwa and King Abeni of Oasis Springs (@hrh-the-royals)

TRH, Crown Princess Emeline and Crown Prince Cedric of Whitmore (@whitmoreroyals)

TM, King Oliver and Queen Charlotte of Cedoria and the Isle (@thebaillieroyals)

TM, King James II and Queen Alibhe of United Kingdoms of Great Briton and Ériu (@trhor)

Her Majesty Queen Irene and HRH Prince James (@albanyroyals)

⚜ Traduction française

Les invités arrivent au gala du couronnement de l'Empereur Napoléon V qui a lieu à Versailles.

(Autre journaliste) Ah, nous avons des nouvelles du gala. (Stéphane Bernard) En effet, les portes du château de Versailles s'ouvrent et accueillent les premiers invités de l'Empereur. Le cadre rend tout plus agréable : il s'agit probablement de la résidence préférée de Sa Majesté. Il y a passé beaucoup de temps durant son enfance. (Autre journaliste) Qui sont les invités Stéphane ?

(Stéphane Bernard) L'Empereur a invité les plus grands chefs d'Etat, accompagnés de leur conjoint ou de leur héritier, pour les monarchies. On retrouve la reine Viviana dont le pays est très lié au nôtre. De même, les souverains de Uspana ont une amitié je dirais générationnelle avec la famille Simparte, bien avant le rétablissement de l'empire de Francesim.

(Autre journaliste) Voici le fiancé de Madame ! Il n'est pas accompagné. (Stéphane Bernard) Il est de notoriété publique que la Maison Impériale et le duc de Rothsey ont traversé une période de tensions il y a quelques mois. Toutefois, il ne faut point interpréter cela comme une rancune de l'Empereur. Il s'agit simplement du respect du protocole impérial en ce jour de fête. Néanmoins, je veux bien reconnaître que le duc, malgré sa prestance indéniable et sa tête bien faite, n'a pas encore maîtrisé l'art de plaire à l'ensemble de sa belle-famille.

[kuroneko1815]

Imperial Domesticity: Mistletoe Kisses

Siyeon staved off the holiday loneliness by watching movies to drown out the sounds of her family’s parties. She grew enthralled with the thought of a kiss under the mistletoe. Years later, as Penelope, she finally has someone to share those kisses with.

It started off years ago, on their very first winter together. The ground was frozen and far too cold to do excavations so Penelope spent that winter and every winter since, in the palace with Callisto. Something that thrilled him. Three months where Penelope was there when he woke, her magenta hair strewn across his chest, face, arms, pillows, everything.

Three months where Penelope took every meal with him, appeared on his arm in functions and danced every song during the balls and within their room. It was blissful heaven for the young emperor. And then there were the strolls along the garden paths.

It was innocuous and insignificant at first, Penelope walking arm in arm with Callisto along the snowy paths of the winter garden when she saw something growing on the trees that she was certain wasn’t part of it and certainly something she had seen before.

“Ahh, the mistletoes.” Callisto said when he followed her gaze. “The gardeners hate it, and so did my mother.” He said.

Mistletoe. How often did she watch those western shows while she spent her winter breaks locked in her room, away from the eyes of her family and their guests for Christmas? How often did she pause and sigh and dream quietly as she watched the Christmas kiss take place under the mistletoe?

Cheekily, she stared at her fiancé and when they passed underneath, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in to a kiss. He deepened it after a moment or two of surprise before she pulled away and dragged him along.

But there were more trees and more kisses given along the way. And every day throughout the winter season, and the next three after that, she would kiss him. He came to expect it.

On the fifth year, when she was pregnant with their first child, the mistletoes had been removed and she stopped kissing him. It took him by surprise, she knew, when they passed by those trees and he went unkissed.

It went on for a few days, until they stumbled upon another tree with mistletoe. She pulled him into a kiss out of habit. There was something puzzled in her husband’s face as they continued to walk.

Three days later and he finally asked her.

“So, why do you kiss me under some trees and not others?” He asked.

Penelope paused and smiled. “I did wonder if you’d ever ask about that. But it’s just something from the other world. There’s a holiday in the winter where people gather together and exchange gifts.”

“Just like you’ve been giving gifts to all the servants and soldiers in the palace.” He pointed out. “And to me too.”

“Yes, but I… I never celebrated it.” She admitted. “Mother and I were too poor, and when I went to live with my father and half brothers, I wasn’t wanted around and I was the child of a scandal so I wasn’t supposed to show my face during their parties. I would drown out the sound of their celebrations by watching all of these shows from the other continents and countries and one of the things was about kissing under the mistletoe.”

“Hmm, so it was the mistletoe you sought. I know they finally eradicated the mistletoes in those older trees.” He said, thoughtfully. (She didn’t know that the Emperor put a ban on the destruction of mistletoes within the imperial residences.)

“Exactly!” She plucked a mistletoe sprig from the tree and held it up their heads and leaned in to kiss him. “See!” And then she pocketed the sprig and pulled him away.

-

-

Penelope walked through the palace halls and suddenly found herself in a hallway filled with mistletoe. She turned to her husband in surprised confusion. “What is this?” She asked simply as she laughed.

“Well, this way, you’ll have to kiss me.” Callisto said happily.

Penelope let herself be pulled into a kiss, a few actually, as they walked through the long hall. When they made it to the other side she smiled at him. “You do realize that you don’t merely kiss me do you? You have to kiss whoever you walk with, such as Cedric Porter.”

He turned green and shuddered. “I’ll take this all down immediately.”

-

-

Of course, there was one place he could get away with it.

Their bedroom’s ceiling was made in to resemble trees only mistletoes were used. The fire warmed the room, and soft, fluffy carpets were laid down around it to ensure their feet stayed warm.

Even over their bed, the canopy was filled with mistletoes. He used that to his advantage to kiss her as much as he could, wherever he could, and whenever he could within their room.

Her husband even kept it on his person to give the excuse of kissing her out in the open.

-

-

Judith grew up with mistletoe as a tradition of her family, as well as gift giving. She hadn’t known that it hadn’t been until her mother and father married that such things came to be. She knew that mistletoe kisses were supposed to be given when the snows fell and you saw them. And only, absolutely only, to the people you loved like her family.

But Judith didn’t know how it was applied.

Penelope smiled as her daughter came flying in to her room screaming “miss toe kissies!” Her nannies were all running behind her and stopped when she got to Penelope’s arms. Penelope waved them away as she laughed while her three year old daughter rained kisses on her face. And then on her father’s a few moments later.

Yes, her baby always thought that when you saw a mistletoe in winter, rather than kiss the person you were with, you would run to find your loved ones and give them kisses.

Merry Christmas everyone! This is a short one because I wrote it in under an hour and wanted to get it out for Christmas. Anyway, I firmly believe that Penelope would have brought in some traditions from the other world, mistletoe being one and gifting being another. I also believe that Callisto would misuse it to his advantage, and that little Judy will be a bit confused. So her mama, papa, grandpa, and uncles all get mistletoe kisses far away from any mistletoes. Anyway, that's it, let me know what you all think. Stay healthy and safe!

[soapssuds]

There is No Law that Emperors Must be Fair

Emperor ! Jing Yuan x Princess ! Reader

Chapter 6 | No Law, But His

Summary | You are set to marry the Emperor, Jing Yuan. In order to break the engagement, you stage an accident and fake having amnesia. But now, your own cruel, cold, and distant fiancé, who seemed to not want anything to do with you, is now acting all lovey dovey!

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As soon as your head hit the pillow, it seemed like it was already time to get up and get ready for your day out with Jing Yuan, and honestly… you were nervous. Your whole body would erupt into shivering fits as you would steadily get ready and put on a dress suitable for the cold night air. And as soon as your hair was fixed and Blade announced himself, it was already time to go.

Though, even as he let himself in, something felt off with the guard. You could tell. But… you weren’t exactly sure what it was. And it wasn’t like you could ask him either. You weren’t close to the man at all, nor did you care to find out anything else about him either. Well, mainly because he and that damn Vidyahara are forcing you to steal from the emperor.

“You should be careful tonight, princess.”

He was carefully walking you down the stairs in slow deliberate steps. You frowned at his words and looked up at him.

“What… what do you mean?”

“The emperor…,” he paused and shook his head, “the emperor is dangerous. One wrong move and he will see through your façade with ease.”

“You and Dan Heng keep telling me that, but just let me do my thing, ok? I can handle it.”

There it was again. That off feeling, but now it didn’t feel like it was coming from Blade but from somewhere else, so you stopped and looked around for a moment.

“What are you doing?”

You tried to see if someone was following, but found no one, “it’s nothing…just my imagination, I guess.”

You turned back around and grabbed onto Blade’s arm to hold yourself steady. Once at the bottom however, Jing Yuan was already found waiting for you. His warm smile unsettled you slightly.

“My love.”

His voice was so warm, it made your heart skip, but you steeled yourself. He was playing with you, you knew this. He never acted like this before. That much was for sure. Letting go of Blade’s arm, you gently took a hold of Jing Yuan’s hand.

“Blade, you can retire for the day. Your presence won’t be needed.”

The sudden order caught him off guard, but he begrudgingly agreed to it nonetheless. The princess was on her own. Bowing to you and to Jing Yuan he dismissed himself. And you could only watch your guard leave you here to fend for yourself.

“Don’t worry Princess, I won’t bite you,” Jing Yuan’s soft chuckle shouldn’t have been as soothing as it was. But you couldn’t deny how it managed to slow your rapidly beating heart.

“Of- of course, Emper- Jing Yuan.”

He patted your hand gently as he led you to the massive front door of his castle. The last time you had seen this big door was when you were forcefully taken here as his future wife… It still seemed so unreal that he was letting you walk with him outside of-

You paused at the thought.

Blade wasn’t joining you, you both will probably be going into town, which means… I can escape!

You managed to hide your smile as you gently leaned in closer to the Emperor.

It will be sad to not be able to go back to your home, but your father had given you away to begin with so what was the point in going back? Why not make a new life elsewhere far far away from the Emperor’s intimidating gaze? He owned this whole country, but he only ever leaves the capital for war campaigns. And you always wanted to see snow, so you could always travel far to his nation’s border close to the north in the countryside and start a life there.

Living your own life didn’t sound so bad. No Blade, no dan heng, no jing yuan. Just you. And a new life!

The walk into town was a short one, one that quickly brought you out of your daydreaming stupor. And as expected there were a plentiful of people bustling around. And Jing Yuan looked to be focused on the crowd careful to avoid any stray pickpockets or would-be assassins. And the farther you both traversed into the town’s square made your heart immediately become erratic. Your eyes watching for any clear sign of escape until…

There!

Yanking your hand from his grip you dashed in between the throngs of people. Luckily you chose a more plain looking dress that could match the high society girls of the capital and not that of a princess, so you could blend right in.

Dashing in-between people, you thought you were getting away, wel, until you felt a tight grip on your forearm and a sudden pull, and all too quickly you found yourself thrown into an alley way. The people around, as busy as they are, didn’t even notice.

“Running away?”

The man looked unfamiliar to you, but everything about him screamed “assassin”.

“Moze. Good, you caught her.”

Your eyes widened when you turned your head to see Jing Yuan enter the alley. His hands clasped behind his back, his head tilted slightly up so he was looking down at you, and his eyes…his eyes were glowing a bright, striking yellow. You stumbled back with each step forward he took, and soon found yourself tumbling to the dirty ground.

“E- emperor.”

He made a tut sound, “I asked you to call me Jing Yuan, remember?”

He crouched down in front of you as Moze went to go block the alley way’s entry.

“That was really bad of you, you know. Staging your little amnesia incident. For a moment, I would of believed your act, but want to know what gave you away?”

He didn’t wait for you to nod as he reached out and caressed your cheek ever so gently.

“It was Blade. He looked so protective of you. Then again, it wasn’t like he would protect you in the end. One simple order from my lips and he’s obeying like a loyal dog. Now…,” his hand stopped caressing you and instead reached for the back of your neck, and ever so harshly he pulled you forward so your faces were mere inches apart. The position made your neck ache. Your hands could only bunch up in your dress as you didn’t want him to see them shaking so uncontrollably.

“Why? Why create such an elaborate plan princess?”

You bit your lip. There was nothing you could do but answer him. He could kill you at nay moment. Running was never an option it seems.

He was prepared.

“I wanted to get out of this engagement with you. You- you took me from my home. And even when you brought me here all you do is scheme, and plan, and take, and mess around with those maids. I’ve become a laughingstock. Though, to be honest, I could care less about the maids and servants laughing at me because at the end of the day I was just a hostage princess with nowhere to go. I thought if I could lose my memories somehow, then you wouldn’t be interested in some useless, dumb, broken girl.”

“And Blade and Dan Heng’s involvement?”

“They wanted me to steal a key from you. That was all. They said that once I did that, I would then steal a key from my father, and then and only then will I be free.”

Jing Yuan merely chuckled, “and moze… what do you think?”

“I think she is just a naïve little girl.”

“And?”

“It still doesn’t change the fact that she tried to deceive you.”

Jing Yuan let go of your hair and stood back up. His lightning blade materializing into his hand.

“Your honesty will be cherished, princess, but your crime against me will not go unpunished. But for you, it will be freeing. Death will release you from the engagement with me.”

You couldn’t stop your tears then, your eyes looking up to him, “death is the only way? And what crime? I just wanted to go home!”

Jing Yuan chuckled again, but his laugh did not soothe you like before, “foolish princess. There is no law that emperors must be fair.”

And when he raised and swung his blade down onto you, you wished… you wished that there was someone…anyone who could give you a second chance.

taglist pt 1

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[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Morning, Afternoon, Night

The day of the battle with the Netherbrain with Amelie and Rolan. SFW.

Morning

When Rolan saw his beloved, Gale, Halsin, and Astarion enter Sorcerous Sundries the morning after they obtained the final Netherstone, he knew what he had to do.

“Amelie, my dear, a moment if you please?” He said politely, offering his arm. Not in front of her companions. Not in front of customers.

She nodded wordlessly and took his arm. Her grip is tighter than normal. Not a good sign. Not good. He led them to a storeroom on the second floor and locked it behind them. “Rolan, I—”

“Please.” He croaked, cupping her face. Taking a moment to compose himself, he tried to smile as bravely as possible because I don’t know what I’m doing. “Remember when I said I wanted to plan how I would propose to you?”

She was breathless when she answered. “Yes.”

Mia, please my love, don’t cry. Please. “Well, I…I…” Find the words, damn you. Stop stuttering like a fool. “I cannot let you leave here without telling you how much you mean to me.” Because you’re going to fight a godsdamned Netherbrain and hope you win. You frustrating, brave woman. “I love you. I have loved you from the first moment I saw you in the Grove. I loved you when you saved us from the goblins.” He chuckled, despite tears falling down his freckled cheeks. “I loved you when I lashed out at you like a drunken ass. I loved you when you brought Lia and Cal back safely from Moonrise. I loved you when you saved us from the Shadow Curse. I loved you when you slipped me that healing potion after you saw my bruised face. I loved you when you blasted the bastard dead.” I have never seen anything more beautiful than you casting Chain Lightning and frying the bastard. “I loved…I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you at my side. Please return to me and be my wife, Amelie. I swear I will do everything in my power to ensure your happiness—”

When her lips touched his, he released a strangled moan. The kiss ended far too quickly for me at least, and despite her own tears, Amelie was smiling. “Rolan, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been because of you.” She gave him the sweetest little kiss before whispering, “I promise I’ll return to you, and I would be honored to be your wife…but you must promise me something.”

Oh gods. “Yes?”

“Promise me that you, Cal, and Lia will survive. I can’t lose the three of you.” She laughed softly. “Especially since I’ve saved you like three times already.” She then rested her forehead against his. “I will come back and marry you, love. And you will make it through this.”

How can I refuse her? I cannot.

“I promise. After all, darling---with your wild magic and my intellect, there is nothing we cannot overcome.” Nothing. We can…we will…we must win. After giving her a brief kiss and quietly slipping a ring on her finger, he squeezed her hand. “Now, my beloved, what do you need?”

***

Afternoon

“You have the full force of Ramazith’s Tower, and its dashing master, at your side, my love. Let us finish this.” Rolan said with confidence when my fiancée approached. She smiled tightly and then took his hand, practically dragging him away from the others. Stopping, she turned and placed her hands on his chest.

“Rolan, listen to me. This is worse than we ever could’ve imagined. It’s a Netherbrain. The magic in the crown evolved the elder brain. I…” Tears shined in her golden eyes. “I couldn’t wield the stones because of it. The Emperor---that fuck---said only a mind flayer can use the stones to stop the Netherbrain…and I…I was selfish.” Now crying, she shook her head sadly. “Orpheus is free only to be damned because I wouldn’t—”

His lips crashed into her in a hungry kiss.

You are not doing this, my lady.

“And you listen to me, Mia.” He growled. “It’s not selfish to want to live, damn you. To have your soul. It’s not. You have sacrificed more than anyone else on this bloody adventure. You have given more of yourself than anyone else. You have given everyone around you, including me, hope. So please, let’s forego your usual tendency to feel awful about not being the perfect hero.” A rueful smile tugged on his lips. “Gods, you are the most frustrating, infuriating woman I’ve ever met.” And the one I love most, and I’m so happy you decided to save yourself FOR ONCE.

She laughed a little, much to his relief. “Frustrating and infuriating? And you wish to marry me still?”

Rolling his eyes, he could not contain his grin. “Darling, there is nothing I want more.” There was a beat. “Well, other than to rain hellsfire on all who stand in your way. I worked very hard on that artillery.” If I cannot be at your side in battle, then I damn well will ensure you have my full support.

Amelie chuckled and then kissed him briefly. “I know you did, love.” One more kiss, sweetheart. One more. Please. Then you can save the world. Thank you, darling. With all the sincerity and earnestness she could muster, she said, “Now, let’s go kick some big brain ass.”

***

Night

“ROLAN!”

He heard Lia yell from the ground floor of the shop as he magicked away broken glass. But structurally, the tower is stable and did not take too much damage. “What?” He groused. “I’m a bit busy up here!”

“It’s Mia! It looks like one of her friends is hurt…”

Mia.

My darling.

She…she’s alive.

He never ran faster in his life than he did down the stairs.

Mia.

Mia.

Mia.

Mia.

And there she was---strands of dark ginger hair in her face as she held her cape over Astarion. Her robes were torn and singed in places. She looked exhausted but happy. At peace. Gods, surely that must mean…

“Love, we need to get Astarion in a dark room immediately. Without the tadpole, he can’t be in the sun anymore.” Amelie said, staring at Rolan expectantly. “In one of the spare rooms upstairs?”

Without the tadpole.

Without.

The.

Tadpole.

“By the gods, you’re cured! My love!” He cried, taking a step towards her and then stopping abruptly. “Yes. Right. Upstairs. Go. I’ll meet you up there.”

She shot him an amused look then focused her attention back on the charred vampire. Well, he is quite charred.

It was not until well after sunset that he and Amelie were finally left alone. She practically shoved her wrist in Astarion’s face, begging him to feed. That, and plenty of healing from Halsin, Jaheira, and Shadowheart, got him back to good…well, not health. Good undeath? He’s fine. And so is my darling because I told them if they didn’t give her Lesser Restoration, then I would be very peeved. They all returned to the Elfsong Tavern earlier. Cal cooked dinner with Gale. Lia was delighted by Astarion, who seemed to have lost none of his beauty.

And now…

He was in his fiancée’s arms, head resting on her perfect but sadly still clothed chest. One of her hands massaged his scalp while her other hand was on his shoulder. I get to spend the rest of my life with her. How lucky am I?

“What a day, huh?” She chuckled. “An engagement to start and saving the world after.”

Rolan rolled his eyes. “Your gift of understatement is astounding, dear.” You frustrating, infuriating, hilarious woman. I love you. “Because that’s just normal for her ladyship.”

Though he could not see her pout, he clearly imagined it when he heard a little annoyed noise escape from her perfect, beautiful lips. “Rolan! I swear that wasn’t what I was doing pre-abduction.” He grinned as she squirmed and giggled. “My life was very boring. Yes, I wished for something interesting to happen, but I didn’t expect THAT!” They both laughed at that, and she nuzzled one of his horns. “Though, speaking of doing things, you keep calling me Mistress of Ramazith’s Tower, but I have no idea what that even means. I was taught how to a run a household, among other things, but not a bloody wizard tower.”

He made a noncommittal noise. “Running a household sounds appropriate, I suppose…but more than that…” More than that you are my superior in all things. I am the Master of the Tower but without my Mistress, I am nothing. “More than that…you are my partner in all things. I would hope, that is, if you don’t mind, helping me organize and catalog the tower, and perhaps even some of my research, if you would be willing. You have a brilliant mind, and with mine, there’s so much we can discover together.” That is the dream, isn’t it? To learn, study, and discover things with her. Always with her.

Amelie shifted under him and sat up, forcing him to adjust his position. “You…you want me to help with your research? Really?” Her mouth hung open as she watched him mirror her sitting against the pillows.

“Of course! Why would I not share one of my passions with the person I love?” He stared at her, bewildered by her reaction.

“Because I’m not a wizard.” She said slowly. Well obviously, darling. “I don’t know how to do experiments. I don’t know if there are special rules or something…don’t laugh.” Ah. Right. Now is not the time for teasing. “I just…surely there are other, more qualified people who can be of assistance?” She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

She cannot be suggesting…She can’t. No. He tilted her chin up so he could look into her golden eyes. “The only person whose assistance I want is yours, sweetling. And fear not, in authorship you’ll be credited alongside me. As my equal.” Knowing her soft heart, she doesn’t even care if her name is on it. But it matters to me. “If that is what you want, of course.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “You think I’m good enough to do research with you?” As he opened his mouth, she shook her head. “I’m sorry, love, but I’m not as smart as you are.”

Enough.

“Mia sweetheart,” he smirked. “I would not be madly in love with you if you were not my equal in all things, including intelligence. We are simply on a level beyond most, darling.” When she groaned, he laughed and tickled her substantial sides. But then she laughed and squirmed and gods she feels so damned good.

“Twat.” She smiled and gave him a quick peck. “You know,” Amelie began thoughtfully, gaze drifting from him to their bedroom door. “I saved the world today, and fuck it, I’m going to have some cookies. Would you like some?”

“No thank you, dear. Just hurry back.” I’m not ashamed to say I ogled her as she stood and walked to the door. As he lay back down, he teased. “I need time with my favorite pillow.”

She turned on her heel and laughed. “So that’s all I am to you, hmmm? A pretty pillow?” Still giggling, Amelie put her hands on her wide hips and posed.

Rolan realized in that moment, he had never seen her so carefree.

Such a contrast to a few nights ago. Confessing to me that she was afraid to bear all her heart (and desires) to me. Afraid that I would at best ridicule her or worst discard her.

As if that would ever happen.

“When we are alone together, we will love as freely as we wish. Indulge in each other as freely as we wish. Dote. Make love. Even fucking.” Which earned me a laugh, thank you very much. “I will give unto you my all---my heart, my body, my soul, my mind, all that I am---and I only ask the same of you, Amelie.”

As I vowed that to her, she vowed the same to me. With lots of tears on her end.

The next morning, she told me she felt beautiful for the first time in her life, and it was because of me.

I did not cry. Absolutely not. You can’t prove it.

“On second thought,” Rolan hummed, grinning. He sprang from their bed, grabbed a robe, and tied it around his narrow waist. “I should accompany you.” He offered his arm grinning like a fool but alas, I am a fool in love.

“What? Afraid I won’t come back?” Amelie giggled, taking his arm.

He sighed dramatically. “Is it a crime to want to spend time with my future wife?” His gaze caught hers as they walked into the kitchen. She looks at me with such love that I fear my heart may burst.

“It’s only a crime if you don’t kiss me right now, Master of Ramazith’s Tower.”

I needed no further encouragement.

I kissed her in the kitchen.

I kissed her as she ate her well-deserved cookies.

I cursed her as I cleaned up the crumbs from said cookies and then kissed her.

I kissed her as we cuddled and fell asleep.

And then I shall kiss her in the morning.

After all, darling, you are the reason I am here to even greet the morning.

I am blessed to greet those mornings with you. That I will greet them with you for the rest of my days.

[akagelchii]

“In the year 1860, Japan had a young emperor renowned for his absolute dominance and unyielding desire for control. He bore a striking appearance, with crimson-red hair and heterochromatic eyes-his right eye a vivid red, the left a golden brown. As the only son of the former emperor, he inherited both the throne and the weighty expectations of producing an heir. However, the emperor's devotion to his duties left him uninterested in romance or marriage. Nevertheless, pressured by his father to continue the imperial lineage, he reluctantly agreed to an arranged marriage. The day arrived for him to meet his bride-to-be. Waiting beneath a cherry blossom tree planted by his mother, the young emperor, dressed in an elegant dark kimono, crossed his arms and waited. Then, a young woman of nineteen appeared. She had long, silky, deep-purple hair and innocent, deep-blue eyes, and she wore a light-colored kimono that complemented her gentle beauty. Her soft, soothing voice and calm, kind demeanor intrigued the emperor. They introduced themselves, and over time, he found himself drawn to her, captivated by her elegance and grace. Though he remained stoic and authoritative, in her presence, he became softer, even gentle. Their relationship blossomed, and their bond grew stronger. Yet, their love story took a tragic turn. When war broke out, the emperor ordered his men to take his fiancée to safety as he stayed behind to defend his country. In the chaos, her convoy was ambushed. She narrowly escaped, only to unknowingly flee into a deadly trap. A terrorist captured and fatally shot her, a sight witnessed by the emperor himself. Overcome with rage and grief, he fought ferociously, taking down his enemies until it rained blood from the enemies. Though victorious, he was left gravely injured. Cradling her lifeless body, he couldn't accept her death. As he held her tightly, a dying terrorist raised a gun and fired. Sensing the end, the young emperor closed his eyes, choosing to die in her arms. His men swiftly ended the threat, but it was too late-the emperor's last breath had slipped away. In the afterlife, the lovers met again under the cherry blossom tree where they had first crossed paths. Though they had never exchanged words of love in life, they promised each other that, no matter how many times they were reborn, they would always find one another.”

Everyone is posting Halloween while I'm posting here differently 😅 This is probably one of my favorite drawings I've done this year, I love how I did the lighting, their expression and the meaning of the art <3 Just to let you know I almost cried making this side story of them or...what if that's really their past lives 👀 Idk what's gotten to me, why I made this au of them 😂 This anime is supposed to be sports why did I turned this into angst😭 Anyway, I hope you like it :3💕🌸

I'm still finishing a art trade huhu, I'm trying to make it detailed. It's kinda taking me so long because it's a Genshin character and you know how much designs are the Genshin characters :')

Ps: I hope you read the story so you can understand:3

[deancasbigbang]

Title: The Duke's Exchanged Fiancée

Author: verobatto

Artist: Diminuel

Rating: Explicit

Pairings: Dean/Castiel (Chuck/Naomi, Hannah/Gadriel)

Length: 22882

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence.

Tags: Arranged marriage, royalty au, top!Dean/bottom!Castiel, time travel, case fic, hurt/comfort, sassy!Castiel, slow burn, happy ending, fluff and smut.

Posting Date: October 22, 2024

Summary: What would you do if you could go back in time and fix what went wrong? After Castiel Novak and his parents die at the hands of the Duke Winchester for treason to the Emperor, Castiel returns to life two days before the catastrophe and tries to stop the tragedy by asking to be taken by the Duke instead of his sister, Dean's fugitive fiancée, as a financial advisor. The Duke accepts the offer and spares the Novaks' lives. However, Castiel will soon discover that the Duke has not taken him to his dukedom to be just his advisor.

Excerpt: “Castiel? What are you doing here?” Halting, Castiel turned around and stared at him speechless. The Duke narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he approached him and then chuckled. “Did you miss me that much to search for me outside the hall? That's touching,” the Duke said and Castiel dropped his jaw, muted. Finally, Castiel shook his head and glared at the Duke. “Who's missing who? You're insane. Did you know that?” And why the hell am I blushing? “Mhm.” Dean placed a finger on his chin as he tilted his head. “Maybe you want to dance with your finacé.” “I don't want to dance! What are you…?” As Castiel felt he was losing his voice, Dean grabbed his hand all of the sudden and led him back to the Hall. “Let's dance then,” Dean said and in a few seconds they were dancing in the hall, and everyone was watching them again. At the distance, Castiel could hear Lafitte's laughter. Ashamed, Castiel dropped his gaze to the ground. His face was burning and he couldn't look at the Duke's eyes. “You dance nicely.” Maybe the Duke’s voice was sincere, Castiel didn't know. He only wanted to be swallowed by the ground. “Please–” Castiel pleaded, yet the Duke made him twirl like a freaking spinning top. When the song ended, Castiel thought that was the end of the martyrdom. He thought wrongly. Without previous warning, the Duke pulled him closer by the waist and kissed him in the lips. A cheerful ‘Oooh’ mixed with Castiel ragged heartbeats.

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