#maiden win poll

[bestygogirl]

BEST YGO GIRL: Round 2, Group B

Match 6

please use this as a chance to talk about why you like your girl, instead of being negative about either

Propaganda under the cut!

Darklord Ixchel

Shes such a bad bitch look at her

Condemned Witch

She literally could not catch a break during the forbidden items line of cards, but at least she has two gfs to match with her link form stole from God Himself FOUR times. iconic behavior honestly

[whowouldwininafite]

[spectrum-color]

So we all know GRRM, like all authors, took a lot of inspo from real life fairy tales, religion, and mythology. There are a ton of parallels but I picked out a few to put in this poll

Propaganda: Before anyone says anything, I know a lot of these are dark spins on the original. I’m not trying to say Littlefinger is a handsome prince or whatever. Also note that some of this is based on either things that haven’t happened yet but are highly likely to happen in Winds/Dream up to and including being confirmed by GRRM.

Arya and Jaqen as Hades and Persephone-the young maiden of spring is found by the lord of the underworld, who gives her an object (in this case a coin) to trick her into being trapped in the world of the dead. When she leaves home, winter comes, but when she returns, so does spring.

Sansa as Rapunzel-a princess locked in a tower by an evil sorceress (or just queen) who is spirited away by a man who wants to marry her. Strong focus on her hair as a symbol of her identity.

The Brotherhood Without Banners as Robin Hood and his Merry Men-a band of outlaws who defend the common people against corrupt authority figures. This one is really self explanatory.

Cersei as the evil queen and Margaery/Sansa/eventually Dany as Snow White-a vain, cruel women terrified of her beauty fading and being replaced by a younger woman who outshines her, so she tries to destroy her perceived rival, ultimately leading to her own downfall. The girls in Snow Whites slot are the popular choices for the identity of the YMBQ and the one Cersei is currently convinced it is.

Jaime and Brienne as Beauty and the Beast-a double subversion. Jaime is handsome and Brienne is ugly, but when they meet she’s brave and kind while he’s selfish and cruel, so it’s the beast who helps the beauty be better.

Lyanna, Rhaegar, and Robert as Helen of Troy, Paris, and Menelaus-a beautiful woman fiercely desired by two powerful men, she either runs off with or is kidnapped by a prince, leading to her (soon to be) husband retaliating by starting a tragic war.

Stannis and Shireen as Agammemon and Iphegenia-a king and commander sacrifices his daughter to the gods to win a war. Bonus if this ends up causing Stannis’ downfall.

Lady Stoneheart as Demeter-a mother wanders the land bringing destruction and misery as she searches for her daughter(s.) When her daughters return to her, spring comes.

Cersei and Jaimes children as the emperor wearing no clothes-the emperor walks around naked insisting that he’s a wearing magic invisible outfit, but everyone is afraid to tell him the truth until finally a child points out that he’s wearing nothing at all. See: everyone pretending not to notice that Cerseis children are the result of incest with her brother, and Ned finally realizing the truth when his 11 year old daughter points out that Joffrey is nothing like Robert.

Bran as the Fisher King-the Fisher King is a character from Arthurian myth. He is the guardian of the magical holy grail, protecting it so it (and power) does not fall into the hands of the unworthy. Notably, he also has a deliberating injury to his legs or groin (depending on the version.) Of course the endgame Bran of the show is a blatant rip-off of Leto II from Children of Dune, but I think the Fisher King sounds more like GRRM would do.

Dany as Moses-a leader who has prophetic visions, who after performing a miracle, frees her people from slavery and leads them on a harsh journey to a new land. Notably regarded as a critically important figure by a monotheistic religion.

[mustainegf]

Valentines day with Metallica! They all ask you out on a date- but you can only choose one!

(would be cool if it ended on a cliffhanger and there was a poll at the end- whoever wins the poll is who you go on a date with :D)

THIS IS SUCH A COOL REQ!?!? I LOVE THE POLL IDEA THIS IS GONNA BE SO FUN

𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘 ¹⁹⁸⁴

There were posters everywhere of Iron Maiden, Diamond Head, and Motörhead, amplifiers stacked in corners, and guitars strewn about, literally everywhere, like they were a part of the furniture. The year was 1984, and this band was about to hit the big time, I just knew it.

Me? I was just a small part of that world then, living with in their basement, but I’d grown to love these guys.

Valentine's Day was drawing close, and the house was charged. I was a friend to all of them: James, Kirk, Lars, and Cliff. But on this particular Valentine's Day, things turned a little differently than I thought they might.

Well, February 14th started like any other morning. The ringing in my ears was from James’ guitar. His bedroom was just above mine, and he had developed a habit of early morning fiddling. Today, though, there was something soft about his playing.

I went and began making my way downstairs to the kitchen. As I did, I could smell freshly brewed coffee waiting for me. There was James, standing at the counter now, looking more frazzled than I had ever seen him. His usually confident air was replaced by a sort of shy, somewhat boyish bashfulness.

I mean, it wasn’t like he wasn’t always shy, because he was, but this time it was different.

"Morning, James," I said, trying to sound nonchalant despite the tickling butterflies in my stomach.

"Hey," he replied, cracking a little. "I just made some coffee for you, so…”

"Thanks," I said, taking the mug. "What's up?"

James took a deep breath, his hands trembled a bit as he leaned back on the old creaky linoleum counter. "I know this might sound kinda crazy, but, um, I was wondering if you'd maybe wanna go out with me sometime. I mean, it's Valentine's Day and all, and I thought- um, I don’t know it doesn’t have to be serious or-” He seemed to be backpedaling as his cheeks burned red. “Just you and me."

His eyes were earnest, full of vulnerability, leaving him open, more open than I’d ever seen the boy. It was the sweetest thing I'd ever seen, and it made my heart speed up.

"I'd love to, James," I said, "but I have to think about it. Can I let you know later?"

He nodded a little, his eyes showing he was a little disappointed, but he could muster up a small smile. "Yeah, sure. Take your time."

Afternoon, I lay on the living room couch just flipping through a magazine when Kirk came bounding in. He was his usual giggly self, but today there was an added element of excitement to the feel about him. His curly hair bounced as he moved and his eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Hey," he said, plopping down on the couch next to me. "Horror fan, cool magazine. I’ve got that one.”

"I know, I took it from your room," I teased, setting it aside to face him. "What's up?"

He leaned back on the old seat, still grinning, and the giggles began to spread. "So, I was thinking. It's Valentine's Day, right? And, well, I was just sort of wondering if you'd like to go out with me, maybe tomorrow? You know, we could go see a movie, or something... They’ve got a new horror one out that could be cool, if you wanted to…"

He was so excited that I couldn't help but smile. "That does sound like fun. But, um, I have to think about it. Can I get back to you?"

"Yeah, yeah… Of course!" he said, just about bouncing off the couch. "Take all the time in the world." He said happily, his cheeks going maroon.

The day dragged by. The atmosphere in the house was tight, for I knew Lars would eventually make his move. Never had he shied away, even though, admittedly, it fazed him a little.

Later in the afternoon, I found Lars in the garage working on his kit. His usual cockiness was shadowed by something.

"Hey, Lars," I said, walking up to him.

He startled, then dropped one of his drumsticks. "Oh, hey.. Didn't see you there."

"Someone’s on edge. Can find a valentine?" I joked, picking up the other drumstick and handing it to him.

"No, no, everything's fine," he said, though by his eyes, he was nervous. "If you’re so adamant on teasing me, why don’t you just be my valentine." He blurted out, the realization then washing over his face as he took in his own words.

I paused with a grin. Lars swallowed hard and then blurted out, "Do you want to go out with me sometime? For Valentine's Day? But.. I mean like, it doesn’t have to be today..." He cleared his throat, looking away.

His words came out in a tumble, and I could see he was bracing himself for rejection. I smiled at him sympathetically. "That sounds awesome, Lars. But I need some time to think. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, trying to hide his disappointment. "Just uh.. just let me know."

Evening dropped over the house, and the sky outside deepened into a rich, velvety blue. I stepped out into the yard for some fresh air, needing a break from the emotional whirlwind swirling about. There I found Cliff sitting on the porch, cradling a joint between his fingers. He was the calmest of them all.

"Hi, Cliff," I said, sitting down beside him.

"Hey," he responded, his voice as calm as ever as he blew the smoke in the opposite of my direction. "How's it going?"

"Busy day," I admitted, leaning back and staring up at the stars that were beginning to peek through.

"I bet," he said softly. A second or so of comfortable silence before he turned back to me.

"So, I was thinking. Valentine's Day. I thought maybe you'd want to hang out sometime. Nothing fancy, just the two of us. We could just chill, go on a walk. What do you say?"

He was refreshing in his directness, and it brought an ache to my heart in a much different way. "That sounds really nice, Cliff. Let me think on it. Can I tell you later?"

"Sure thing," he said with a reassuring smile. "No rush, I’ll always be here."

Night fell, and I retreated to my room. My mind was blurry. They all asked me out in such a different but sweet way that I feel like my heart pulled in four ways at once. James with his vulnerability, Kirk with his dorky joy, Lars with his rare nervousness, and Cliff with his calm charm.

I could hardly believe that ALL of them asked me out on the same day, and none of them knew about it.

I lay down on my bed. I looked up at the ceiling, thinking of what to do and feel. How was I to choose just one of them? They all meant a lot to me in different ways. Really, the thought of knowing I would hurt 3 of them sickened my stomach.

Or even all 4 of them if I decided not to go through with it.

Who would I choose?

Click here to read the first date!

[codelyokooutofcontext]

And your Season 4 winner is…

I’d Rather Not Talk About It!

What a ride this last set of polls has been! You guys certainly made it interesting. But did you really have to tie it so often?

…I’m sure I hear my friends laughing at this in the distance.

Anyway, I had no idea what was going to win! My guesses were maybe Distant Memory, Wrong Exposure, Hot Shower or A Lack of Goodwill, but evidently I shouldn’t underestimate the power of Jim!

Maiden Voyage was surprising to see in the finals as well! I wonder how much of that had to do with the bracket set up… Questions to ponder

In any case, this brings us to a close for our season brackets. But we’re not quite done yet! After all: we still have to decide on our overall winner!

Stay tuned!

[last-herondale]

Help Me Understand

Loki x FemReader!

Loki x FemReader!

Angst, hurt/comfort, some fluff Warnings: Mentions of abuse, self deprecation, feelings of unworthiness

This fic takes place during Dark World. (I didn't particularly like the movie, but we were blessed with scenes of Loki so...) Summary: The reader is a handmaid of the castle, assigned by Frigga to take care of a special prisoner. While you tend to Loki, you slowly begin to learn more about the "Would-be King of Earth".

A/n: Here is the Loki fic that i promised in my poll! I hope you like it! I had fun with this one.

Enjoy 🤘🏼

“Could you cease with your incessant humming?” Loki hissed from across the room.

He sat against the wall of his cell, not bothering to look up from his book as he spoke to you. You ignored him, continuing your tune as you attended to your duties. Maiden’s work was not a particular favorite job of yours, but Queen Frigga had requested for you personally to see to Loki’s new… living arrangements.

You had just finished putting fresh linens on his bed, placing clean clothes into his wardrobe, and began to tidy up his mess of books that were strewed about the place. You continued to hum as you worked, delicately placing the books into their proper shelves.

Finally, you heard the soft slamming of a book, and a loud sigh from behind you. “Must you always be so irritating?”

“Insulting me will not make me leave any faster, your grace,” you say simply as you finish tidying up. You turn around to him and are met with an icy stare. “In fact,” you mused, “I may decide that these floors need waxing, and gods know how long that might take me.”

A flicker of something crossed Loki’s face, but you were unable to detect what it was before he turned his face back towards his book. He didn’t open it again, but rather he let his fingers caress the pages gently. You found yourself watching him for longer than necessary, and heat flooded your cheeks as you turned away. You gathered up the old sheets and began to make your way to the exit when his voice cut through the silence. “Why do you still call me that?”

You halted mid-step, blinking in surprise at the question. “Call you what, your grace?”

“That,” Loki said bitterly, “Your Grace. You of all people should know by now. I am a prisoner. I have no place here.”

You froze in place. In the few days you had worked here, Loki had hardly spoken to you, let alone discuss his imprisonment. You slowly turned to face him, being careful to guard your emotions. Loki looked to you expectantly, an eerie calm washed over his face as he waited for you to respond.

"You are still a Prince," you replied carefully, "And I was taught to always formally address those of higher status."

Loki gave a bitter laugh. "Naive little thing, aren't you? Save your pleasantries for when you leave this cell, I have no need for them, and you'll not win any favor with the All Father by being cordial with me."

You narrowed your eyes at the god. You had heard rumors of his nature all your life. The Mischievous son, the silver tonged viper, the fallen god. Stories of his rampage on Earth had spread like wildfire. You had wondered how much of them were true, if he really was the villain everyone seemed to think he was.

You straightened your posture, tilting your head a bit higher. You refused to be intimidated by him, no matter what you might have heard. "It is not for your benefit, believe me. I am in the service of your mother, not Odin, and it is on her behest that I show you this simple act of courtesy, whether you are deserving of it or not. Now if you will excuse me, your grace," you spun on your heel and exited the room, leaving Loki glaring after you.

~

The next few days passed by without issue. You attended to your duties in a diligent manner, always bringing Loki his meals on time, cleaning his cell, and bringing him books that his mother had sent with you. Loki kept his distance, for the most part. He couldn't help but mutter the occasionally bitter phrase at you, but it wasn't anything you couldn't handle. Frigga was grateful to you for your service. The other maidens were too frightened of Loki to take the job, and you were Frigga's last hope. For what, you were not certain.

It was dinner time now. You carried a platter of food down into the cells, taking pleasure in the smell of freshly baked bread and stew meat. A guard let you into the cell without question. You thanked him as you entered and was unsurprised to see Loki lounging in a chair, book in hand. He had his hair tied back into a messy bun, a few of his dark strands lingered on his face, almost kissing his cheekbones.

You cleared your throat, watching as his eyes flickered up briefly from his book to look at you. "I have brought your dinner," you said. You placed the plate on a small table that sat on the opposite side of the room, being careful to move some scattered books and parchment. As you turned, books in hand, you nearly bumped into him as he stood beside you. "Watch it!" you snapped. Immediately you bit your lip.

A smirk spread across Loki's face, as if he could read you like one of his books. "My, my," he mused, "Not as cordial as we usually are, are we?" Warmth heated your face as you pushed past him, eager to be done with your job. “My apologies,” you muttered. Loki just snorted as you began to put away the books in their proper place.

"And what have you brought me today, my gracious lady?" Loki mocked as he lifted the lid from the container.

"Lamb stew, your grace," you replied with a sour tone. You finished putting the books away and turned to face him. You were caught off guard by the sight of him. He stood rigidly over the plate, giving a distant stare into the bowl. “Is something wrong?” You asked.

Loki remained silent as he slipped into the dining chair. He clasped his hands together in a tight ball, and leaned his head into them. Slowly, you made your way closer to the table. You peaked your head over the bowl to make sure nothing was amiss.

“My mother made this, didn’t she?” He asked weakly.

“I’m not sure your gr—“

“DON’T LIE TO ME!” Loki slammed his hands down onto the table, causing the bowl to go spilling all over the table. Loki rose from his seat so fast that the chair knocked backwards. “Does she take me for a fool? Does she honestly think that she can win my sympathy by bringing me books, cooking my favorite meals, sending some broad to tend to me each day?”

Your blood felt like ice in your veins. Loki looked at you as if you were some kind of monster. His eyes seemed wild, but there was a sadness in his expression that he couldn’t hide. He caught you staring, and he gave a low snarl as he charged toward you. You stood your ground, stiffening your back as he stuck a finger in your face.

“You tell my mother— the next time you grovel at her feet— that I don’t need her pity. She needs to accept how things are now— how things have always been..." he took a ragged breath. The heat of him radiated around you. He inched ever closer to you, his forehead nearly touching yours as he hissed. "I don’t need her— and I most certainly do not need you.”

“Is that all?” You asked calmly. Loki’s expression looked murderous, but you just turned around and began to clean the table. You gathered the tray, putting everything back as best as you could as you made your way to the exit. You hesitated before leaving, turning back to look at Loki. He had thrown himself into one of the armchairs, holding his head in his hand as his body heaved with deep breaths.

You sighed a soft breath and placed the tray down on the floor. You didn’t understand why you were doing what you were doing. All you knew is that you were walking across the room, sitting on the edge of his bed. He looked up at you with tear brimmed eyes. Your presence shocked him, that you were certain. He had to mold his expression into one more hostile to fit the façade, but instead he just looked… broken.

There was a pang in your chest when you looked at him. You took a deep breath and steadied yourself.

“Firstly,” you began in a gentle voice, “I will expect an apology for your earlier comment before I leave.” Loki opened his mouth to speak but you quickly interrupted. “Secondly, your mother is one of the few people in Asgard— possibly in the universe— that truly cares about you. You are her son, and she loves you unconditionally, despite whatever might have happened in your past. You would do well to remember that.”

He just stared at you with a wavering intensity. “You don’t know anything,” he muttered. “Perhaps not,” you shrugged, “but what I do know is that you do not frighten me. If your goal is to scare me away or anger me to the point of insanity-- I’m afraid you’ll fail. But there is little use in making my job more difficult than it needs to be, so out with it."

Loki furrowed his brow. "I don't-" "Look, neither one of us wants to be in this situation. Clearly, you are upset— either with your circumstances, the Queen, or me I don’t care, but for the sake of both of our sanity, I think its best we clear the air."

Loki scoffed. "This is ridiculous." "No, what is ridiculous is throwing a fit over perfectly fine stew," you muttered, letting a small smile escape your lips. Loki studied you, taking a large sigh as he rubbed his temples. "You are quite irritating," Loki muttered.

You took that as a victory and nodded. "It does not have to be today. We can begin tomorrow, when I bring you your breakfast." You stood up from his bed and made your way to the exit, picking up the tray once more. “Think on it, your Grace. I believe it could do us both some good… this cell can feel lonely for just about anyone, but it doesn’t have to be.”

You signaled for the guard to open the door. Just as you were about to step out, you heard his low voice echo behind you.

"I apologize," Loki began in a soft tone, "for my behavior this evening. My words were- unbecoming to say the least, my lady." He said the last words with a sour tone, but there was the faint whisper of a smile on his lips. You turned to him and gave a small bow with your head just before leaving the cell.

~

As promised, the next morning you came, breakfast in hand. This time you requested that two portions be prepared. You wanted Loki to feel as normal as possible, so you joined him for breakfast. At first he seemed amused when you took a seat at the table in front of him, a sly smile inching across his face as you served yourself from the platter. "Aren't you going to eat?" you mused, filling your plate with meats and eggs, "I will eat this entire thing if you don't." Eventually he shrugged and also began to dig in.

You were surprised by how easy it was to talk with him. It was as if you had always known each other. Once the conversation began, which took some encouragement from your end, it never seemed to stop. Loki had a deep love for books and theater, and you quite enjoyed listening to him recount his favorite plays from the royal theater. The two of you talked about your childhood, the fond memories of Asgard in your youths. Loki spoke of Thor often, even though he seemed to try to avoid him as much as possible. You could tell he loved his brother, despite their complicated history. Loki refused to talk about his father, the memories still perhaps too painful for him, and so you didn’t push.

You listened to every word, not out of duty or obligation, but out of curiosity. It was an odd wonder to pick the brain of the crowned prince. The mental images that you held of him from past rumors were starting to fade. A clearer picture was being painted and the menacing god before you was beginning to become a man. He would listen to you as well. Loki would ask you questions as you worked, and he seemed genuinely interested in what you had to say. It was nice to have someone to talk to.

Days passed like this. You now ate every meal with Loki. The two of you filled the empty silence with chatter and sometimes laughter. You viewed each time you made him laugh as a victory and he enjoyed teasing you to the point of making you red in the face. His demeanor towards you changed. Slowly, his snippy remarks began to dwindle and he seemed to smile more, although you couldn’t be sure if it was because of your company.

~

Not all days were good. Some days Loki would be in one of his horrid moods. You came to the cell one day to find most of his furniture overturned. His cell was a wreck and Loki seemed to mirror his room. His hair was a tangled mess, and dark circles hung under his eyes. Part of you wanted to get angry with him. To yell, to curse, to hit at him for making you clean up after him. But you didn’t. There was still that lingering sadness in his eyes, hidden behind the slyness. You could see he was hurting in ways you couldn’t imagine and so you took it in stride.

He would apologize once his episodes would end. He would read to you from his favorite books, as a sort of peace offering, or make sure to clean up immediately after your meals so that you wouldn’t have to. You never forgave him out loud, but he must have known you didn’t hate him too much because you kept returning. Day after day.

One night you returned to bring him dinner and you could tell he was in one of his dark moods. He hadn’t destroyed himself or the room, thank god, but you could sense the change in his demeanor as he ate. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or shall we continue this night in silence?” You meant it as a friendly nudge. You knew sometimes playful taunts could pull him out of his darkness, but instead he just shook his head.

“I think I would prefer to be alone tonight. Your presence is not needed.” He stood up from the table and walked to his reading chair where he plopped down. Normally, you would have obliged and left, but something was nagging at the back of your mind. A silent command. Stay.

You rose from your seat and slowly made your way towards him. He watched you move closer, his weary eyes seemed to brighten as you took your seat across from him at the edge of his bed. “Something is troubling you,” you say softly, “Please, let me help you.” Loki’s face became unbearably soft as he looked at you with complete tenderness. “You can’t. I’m haunted… the things I’ve done…” he placed his head in his hands and shuddered.

“Loki,” you said gently as you reached over and placed a hand on his knee, “I think it’s time you told me about New York.” Loki lifted his head to look at you. He looked pained at the mention of his biggest failure. He had refused to mention it, and you had been careful to avoid the subject. But you couldn’t stand to see him so broken. Maybe if he talked about it…

“If I told you what happened,” he began slowly. He took your hand off of his knee and held it in his hand gently, looking at it rather than you, using the tips of his fingers to trace the lines on your palm, “you might very well hate me.” A shiver ran down your spine as he touched you. He looked up at you again, his tired eyes searched yours.

“Would it matter if I did?” You asked. Loki gave a shaky laugh, “Perhaps not, but I don’t want this to be the story that scares you away. I was actually starting to enjoy your company.”

You felt a lump in your throat. "I told you before... I am not easily frightened." Loki realized there was no swaying you, or perhaps he needed the outlet. Maybe he could no longer hold back the secrets that haunted him.

He let go of your hand, almost unwillingly, and watched as you slowly pulled it back to rest in your lap. He took a ragged breath, waiting a moment, as if to savor the last moment of normalcy between the two of you. A part of you feared what his story entailed. What had truly happened on Earth?

~

After he finished his story, he finally looked up at you to gage your reaction. You had your hands balled into fists, and they trembled slightly in your lap. Loki noticed them immediately and his face went a little slack. "I'm sorry," he muttered. You blinked at his words. "Sorry? Loki—" you struggled to find the words. A million thoughts were racing through your mind, making you almost dizzy as you tried to formulate a response.

Before you could do so, Loki rose from his chair and began to pace the room. "I realize it's too late for apologies, for all of the wrongs I've done, but you wanted the truth and there it is. I am a monster. A frost giant dressed up as a Prince, an unworthy son, a villain— I am all of those things, and look at you now. Scared of me for it."

"Scared?" You demanded. "You think I'm scared of you? Loki," you stood up from where you were sitting and stepped towards him until he stood only a foot away. "Loki, I am angry for you." Loki was the one to blink in surprise this time. "What?" he gawked. “You were lied to… your whole life. Pitted against your brother for something so trivial as a throne…” You shook your head at the thought of Loki’s story. How much pain had Odin caused? “And then there’s Earth…” You took a step closer to Loki, fighting the urge to wrap your arms around him.

"Loki—Thanos tortured you, manipulated you into overtaking Earth for him... How can you not see that?" Loki remained silent as you continued. "He should be here in these cells, rotting away for his crimes, not you. If you told Odin, maybe he would-"

"NO!" Loki shouted, "My father cannot know about Thanos. You have no idea what the Titan is capable of y/n, he would bring his armies to destroy Asgard." You threw up your hands in frustration. "But this may be the very thing needed to set you free! Help Odin find Thanos, help lead Thor and his Avengers to him and let real justice be done. Your mother would see to it, I know she would. Anything that could grant you your freedom." Ideas flooded your head. Perhaps there was a way to free Loki from his prison. You didn't realize how much you wanted this to be a reality until now. But now you had all of the facts. Loki did not act alone. Loki was not the one to be facing punishment.

"Don't," Loki croaked in front of you. You stilled for a moment, the hope that was rising through your chest was sharply cut off by the look on his face. He had no intention of fighting. "It is kind of you to have such sympathy for me, but it is undeserved. Thanos might have had a hand in the siege of Earth, but it was my hand that held the scepter, my hand that took those lives. And I will not risk losing Asgard by provoking Thanos any further than I already have. My mere presence here is damming enough."

“And so what, you’re just going to stay here? Locked away for the rest of your life? Is that what you want?” You asked incredulously. Loki just gave a dry laugh. “I hardly get what I want,” he looked at you, his eyes glimmered for a moment as he searched your face, “But believe me, it’s what I deserve.”

You crossed your arms in defiance. You couldn’t believe how easily he was willing to just give up. He noticed your posture and flashed a small smile. “Such a fiery thing,” he mused. He held out his hand toward you, and slowly you slipped your hand into his as he pulled you towards his living area. He motioned for you to sit down in his armchair as he slid into his bed. “Let’s not end the night with us bickering. Come, I’ll read to you a while before you leave.”

He pulled out a book from his shelf and began to dip through the pages. You let yourself relax a bit in the chair. If he didn’t want to talk about it anymore tonight, fine. But you had no intentions of keeping quiet once you left this cell. “What would you want?” You asked softly. Loki arched his brows at the question. “You said before that you hardly ever get what you want. So what would you want? What’s something I can do?” Playfulness danced in his eyes. “I could think of a few things that you could do,” he murmured, a grin inching across his face. You rolled your eyes, and ignored the flush of your cheeks.

Loki’s face softened, and the mischievous demeanor slipped away. “If I could have anything,” he began slowly, taking care to articulate his words almost as if he were nervous. “I wouldn’t want to be alone tonight. You can’t imagine how— eerie this place feels at night. It can be soul crushing.” You blinked at him. He seemed serious in his words, and your heart lurched a bit in your chest. This was something you could do. You rose from the chair and hurried across the room to the cell door. You turned to Loki, your breathing uneven as you enacted your plan. “I’ll return soon, trust me.” He just gave you a small confused nod of his head as you slipped out of the cell.

~

Returning had been as difficult as you imagined. First, you had your daily check in with Frigga. She asked about Loki, and if he needed any more books, or clothes, even if he enjoyed the food. She had been pleased to hear that you joined him for meals, that you treated him as an actual person. You wanted to tell her everything that Loki had relayed to you, but now was not the time. You had made a promise.

Sneaking back into the cell was another matter. You had to wait for the guard change during lights out to slip back into the cell. You were careful to not knock anything over in the dark as you stumbled toward Loki’s room. “Loki—“ you began to say as your foot snagged on a edge of a rug. Hands were holding you before you could even Yelp, steadying you in the darkness. “You came,” Loki’s low voice hummed in your ear. “I said I would.”

Your eyes began to adjust to the darkness in the room. Loki had been right. It was eerie here at night. You imagined how being alone with your thoughts in this kind of darkness could lead someone to madness. Loki kept a hand on your shoulder as you felt around for the bed. You had returned in your nightwear, wrapping a dark cloak around yourself as you snuck through the castle. You removed the cloak and inched your way into Loki’s bed, ignoring the pounding in your head as you did so. You felt him lay beside you, the heat of him warmed your side as you stared blankly into the darkness. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“I could get in trouble for this,” you replied in the same hushed whisper, “They might throw me in one of these cells if they catch me.” You felt Loki laugh beside you. It was odd to be so close to him, especially in the engulfing darkness. It felt like energy buzzed around you. As if you were in a vacuum of space, floating along aimlessly in the darkness. At least you weren’t alone.

“How could you get in trouble? Clearly, you were seduced by the imprisoned prince with his quick words and stunning looks. After tending to me every day, it was only inevitable that you would fall victim to my charm.” This time you found yourself laughing, taking care to cover your mouth as you did so. “I guess that would be the easier explanation as to why they’ll find me in your bed,” you teased. You let your hand fall from your mouth back to your side, but accidentally put it in top on Loki’s. At first you went to move it immediately, but stopped when you felt the curve of his fingers hook around yours.

“Loki-“ you warned. “What is that song you’re always humming?” Loki asked quietly, letting his hand wrap around yours. His fingers intertwined with yours and you did not pull away. “It’s a lullaby,” you finally respond, “my mother would sing it to me as a child. It calms me.” Loki strummed his thumb over your hand but did not move outside of that. Your heart fluttered in your chest as you stared into the darkness. “While I am making a habit of being selfish tonight, can I ask one more thing of you?” Loki asked.

“Sure,” you whispered, feeling your voice choke up in your throat. “Would you hum it— the song?” You smirked in the darkness. “I thought you said it was incessant noise?” Loki just gave a small chuckle. “Perhaps it’s grown on me,” he murmured, “your silly little song.” Your eyelids felt droopy. The only thing that reminded you that you were awake was the soft touch of Loki’s hand in yours. You smiled, knowing he couldn’t see you and began to hum. You hummed until Loki’s breathing slowed into a soft rhythm, and his hand stilled in yours. You hummed until the darkness over took your senses, and your head nestled into the crook of the Prince’s neck.

[rebelangelsims]

And Maven wins the poll!

Meet Maven Jeong

Some Facts about her

95 liner

Aspiring Writer

Got married at a young age and moved to Korea

Is in a unhappy marriage

Married to a music producer

Maiden name is Sinclair

[simlit]

Chosen of the Sun | | forest // twenty-five

| @keibea | @sani-sims | @rollingsim | @poisonedsimmer-gone

POLL RESULTS | A 60% majority votes in favor of Team 02 // Åse and Eve // to win the duel. In the highest turnout of any CotS poll thus far (big wow!).

next / previous / beginning

ÅSE: You lose. I told you, this path leads nowhere. Hand over banner as promised. SARAYN: And if we don’t? ÅSE: Have you no honor at all? Keep word, Deathling or we will not have simple spar! SARAYN: That would not be a fight you would win. ÅSE: What sore loser you are! Then go again! Fight me one against one! ÅSE You are angry you lose to fair maiden! She is not weak as you thought she was! You have many lessons to learn! SARAYN: You’re insufferable. ÅSE: WHAT A THING TO SAY! You are most foul of all! And liar! You do not deserve to be Chosen! You deserve nothing! EVE: Just… stop it already! THERION: What… just happened? EVE: Oh no… THERION: Eve? What was that? What did you do? EVE: I-I— THERION: Where are they? EVE: I don’t know! THERION: You must know! You just… blasted them into the void! EVE: I know! I know… I can’t control it. THERION: You might have mentioned you could just summon portals out of thin air! Just magic up another and bring them back! EVE: It doesn’t work like that! My brothers have tried to help me, but this magic is… it’s not that simple. I don’t even know where they’ve gone. THERION: Then, they could be anywhere right now? EVE: Anywhere or… any time.

[gringolet]

posting a gay gawain and lancelot quote every day till they win the poll day 3

This infamous scene from the vulgate where an injured Gawain is asked what he would do for Lancelot:

Then Sir Gawain thought a little, like a man who believed he would never be well again. “If God were to grant me my health,” he said, “I’d immediately wish to be the most beautiful maiden in the world, happy and healthy, on condition that he would love me above all others, all his life and mine.”

[ilynpilled]

[whowouldwininafite]

[rohanneofcoldmoat]

Ser Galladon was a champion of such valor that the Maiden herself lost her heart to him. She gave him an enchanted sword as a token of her love. The Just Maid, it was called. No common sword could check her, nor any shield withstand her kiss. - AFFC Brienne IV

"Brienne of Tarth." Jaime sighed. "I have a gift for you." He reached down under the Lord Commander's chair and brought it out, wrapped in folds of crimson velvet. Brienne approached as if the bundle was like to bite her, reached out a huge freckled hand, and flipped back a fold of cloth. Rubies glimmered in the light. She picked the treasure up gingerly, curled her fingers around the leather grip, and slowly slid the sword free of its scabbard. Blood and black the ripples shone. A finger of reflected light ran red along the edge. "Is this Valyrian steel? I have never seen such colors." - ASOS Jaime IX

Brienne could not help but smile. "Perhaps," she allowed, "but Ser Galladon was no fool. Against a foe eight feet tall mounted on an aurochs, he might well have unsheathed the Just Maid. He used her once to slay a dragon, they say." - AFFC Brienne IV

Little did you know that the tale of Ser Galladon was actually foreshadowing Brienne winning a poll of ice and fire.

[goldenlaquer]

Lmaooo Seiji never winning the popularity poll against Yan is my favorite running gag of this blog, he only get what he deserves 😌

as it was written 😌 man is constantly failing to acquire the maidens and i think that’s so beautiful