#matriarchs of marvel

[eleonorpiteira]

Storm ⚡️

Painted for Upper Deck x Marvel, for the 2024 Upper Deck Fleer Ultra Matriarchs of Marvel set

[twasjane]

[anggrishka]

Final

This is an awesome game

>>>full<<<<

[chinesedramaoutfit]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ— I've read the Four Books for Women. It says that if a woman loses her virtue, she'd be better off being dead. But I can't understand why. Why do they say this? Why can't they just let her go? Why can't they let her live? Why force her to death? Isn't life more important than death?

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ— This is the rule and norm. If a woman loses her virtue, she goes against this rule and can't be tolerated.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ— You can take this coffin away. I won't need it. I will live. And live a good life! I'll find out who murdered Ren Xuetang! I won't die! I'll stay alive! And I'll see those who made me lose my reputation ruin and disgrace themselves!

[missewoodhouse]

Some additional theatre-history-nerd context on Ozma and gender: Baum was very much a theatre person (he started out as an actor/playwright) and it's been suggested that after the runaway success of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as both a novel and a stage play, The Marvelous Land of Oz was written specifically with a stage adaptation (ie. armies of chorus girls) in mind. This would place Tip->Ozma within the tradition of actresses in "breeches roles" -- think woman-in-disguise characters like Shakespeare's Viola/Cesario or Rosalind/Ganymede, but also the "Principal Boy" in British pantos (traditionally played by a young woman) or Peter Pan (first staged right around the same time.)

Alternately, if you’re interested in the politics of the later Oz books, I highly recommend looking into the work of Baum’s mother-in-law, the suffragist Matilda Joslyn Gage! (note: I haven't actually listened to the podcast about Gage I linked here, but highly recommend anything on the topic by Sally Roesch Wagner who is one of the guests)

the queen of Oz is a trans lesbian and she’s dating Dorothy

[foxlayng]

FOX HUNT 2025: Part Four

The year so far...

Wow! What a year it has been for sketchcards. So many cards have been pulled and popped up on eBay in the last five months it gets hard to keep track.

There are still a few hundred out there waiting for you. Pick up packs of GPK (Intergoo, KAP, C7), Retro Looney Tunes, Marvel Matriarchs, and indie sets like Popped Culture Series 2, Deep Cuts, and GCD. There's always a chance you'll catch a "Fox" while you're hunting.

[saudad3]

Daddy was a rolling stone Part. II

Smoke x Reader Word count: 2,345 Summary: Baby Daddy! Smoke returns to the Mississippi Delta with two things hot on his mind -- his woman and his baby. Let's just say, all he was met with was a purse to the face. Genre: two parts angst, one part fluff!! enjoy

Part One: here

𝄃𝄃𝄂𝄂𝄀𝄁𝄃𝄂𝄂𝄃

Against your better judgment, you allowed Smoke to attempt to redeem himself. You fully expected him to disappear from your grasp within the first two days of his return to Clarkedale, but here he was, in the flesh, bouncing your one-year-old baby on his lap while your sister, Mabel, attempted to spoon-feed her mushed peas and fruit. 

Elisabeth fussed, grabbing at her father, mushed peas dribbling from her chin and onto the lapel of his expensive tweed suit jacket. 

“Oh my..” you breathed out, stifling a giggle from the unfortunate circumstances. You looked down at the pant hem you were repairing on your lap before moving carefully, manueverin to not to have sewing needles strewn about the living room. You quickly entered the kitchen and emerged with a wet cloth, kneeling in front of Smoke to clean the baby’s food from his jacket. 

Having the mushed green slop stain his suit didn't bother Smoke none. He had several of the caliber in his closet waiting for him.  It bothered you plenty.

You couldn’t imagine ruining such a fine suit with baby food.

You shifted on your knees in front of Smoke and brought the wet rag to the soft material, working cautiously to not make the blemish worse. 

Smoke’s eyes softened when they met you, your brows scrunching in concentration. He dared not to protest, seeing how you bit your soft, supple lip between your teeth, cloth running over the stain with meticulousness. Once you were satisfied, your face transformed into a soft smile and the crescent moon eyes that made Smoke’s heart boom. 

Satisfied with your work, you looked up at Smoke through heavy eyelashes, bunching the rag in your hands. “All done,” you glowed brightly. Smoke opened his mouth to respond, but his voice failed him, his mind preoccupied by the beauty in front of him.

You wore a baby pink, floral house dress that complemented your skin tone gorgeously. Pinning back your pressed curls was a matching baby pink bandana, which managed to catch all but one rogue curl that swept over your forehead. Smoke wondered if you’d made the dress yourself, so skilled in your work that it looked like it came from one of the famous tailors in Chicago, that the ladies would wear whilst shopping, and accompanying their husbands on walks about Millennium Park. 

He imagined how you’d look as a future housewife, stepping into the role of an indestructible matriarch in charge of two or three beautiful black children, two girls and and a boy if Smoke had any say. He’d dress you in the fancy dresses of the Chicago ladies, and gift you the nicest mink furs and evening gowns that stores had to offer. 

Maybe you’d continue to be bull-headed, and dress yourself and your beautiful children in matching handmade outfits, becoming the talk of the city with murmurs about how marvelous your sewing was. How the women would line up at your door, offering money and gifts to get their hands on one of your designs. 

“Um, Smoke…” Your uncertain voice drew Smoke from the safe house of his thoughts. “Why you starin’ at me like that?” 

Smoke straightened his spine, eyes jetting towards the breast of his tweed jacket, noticing how the spot had reduced greatly in size and hue. “It uh.. looks great, darlin’.”  Smoke nodded, tightening his jaw. 

You smiled softly once more before bringing yourself to your feet and dusting off the white apron that tied around your waist. You collected all of Elisabeth’s food bowls before bouncing over to the kitchen, seemingly going to discard the uneaten mashed foods into their rightful containers. 

Stack cleared his throat, attempting to move forward from this interaction before turning his attention back to his baby girl.

The rate at which Elisabeth warmed up to Smoke and accepted him in her life left your head whirling. It was as if Elisabeth knew of Smoke's relation to her without even having to be introduced. It was natural. 

Smoke visited her (and you) every day for two weeks straight. You bit back the urge to scream and knock his head clean off his shoulders every time he popped up at your door, always holding a new toy or sweets for the girl( and sometimes a bouquet of wild flowers for you). However, when you saw the gummy smile and choked laughs Elisabeth would beam Smoke’s way, you couldnt help but accept this arrangement, for now. 

“Who’s ready for nappy?” You moved back into the living room, this time discarding the white apron and bandana, curls now neatly gracing your shoulders in uniformity. 

Elisabeth squealed, moving her body closer to her father’s, swinging her tiny, chubby ars around his neck. Smoke chuckled as Elisabeth attempted to hide in his neck, prompting you to place your hands sternly on your hips, failing to hide the smile creeping on your face. 

Moments like this made you feel like you three were a real family. 

“Good girls don’t hide from their mamas.” You sauntered over to Smoke and Elisabeth, who continued to cling to her father. “Don’t they, Elijah?” 

Smoke licked his lips, suppressing a genuine laugh, and attempting to hide Elisabeth with his hulking body. 

“I don’t see any good girls around here, miss.” Smoke joked.

You rolled your eyes, deciding to take matters into your own hands. “Fine, anyone who doesn’t come take a nap right now won’t get sweets after dinner.” 

With haste, Elisabeth ditched Elijah’s side and wobbled over to you, motioning to you to pick her up. 

“Works every time,” you mouthed towards Smoke, before grabbing your little girl and traveling up to your bedroom to take a nap. 

–

A moment passed while you attempted to put the girl to sleep. In the living room, Smoke and your sister sat in silence, her nose buried in the ungodly romance novel Smoke managed to sneak into the house at her request. There was no possible way he could get your other siblings to accept his presence without her approval first. 

A rapid knock at the door broke the comfortable silence of the living room, earning a confused look from your younger sister. 

“I’ll get it,” your sister shot a look towards Smoke before quickly hiding the novel in a random drawer of a side table. “Comin'!” she yelled.

Behind the door stood a tall, lanky man donning a smooth, tanned suit and matching fedora.  He was more on the skinny side, with hollow cheekbones and a clean goatee gracing a mahogany-skinned face and strong jawline. “G’day, Mabel,” the man said, taking off his hat to greet your sister, eyes traveling behind her and meeting the stone-cold ones of Smoke. “Is your sister here?”

Mabel opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it, shooting a nervous glance towards Smoke, who watched the man with the intense eyes of a predator. 

“He’s sizin’ him up already…” Your sister taught, looking between the two men.  

“She’s just puttin' the baby down.” Mabel gave the man a tight-lipped smile.

“Ah…” The man nodded, looking down at the sister with a soft smile, not noticing the awkward air about this interaction. “May I come in?”

‘Yes! Let me go get’er.” Not wasting another moment on the discomfort of this exchange, Mabel disappeared upstairs and into your presence, stressing that you would have lots of explaining to do later.  

Smoke grit his teeth when the man stepped into your home, fixing his tan suit jacket and sending a soft smile his way. ‘G’day, sir.” 

Smoke raised his eyebrow at the man’s accent, not having local origins nor having the strong bass of an older man, placing him at a few years younger than Smoke, himself.  

“You not from here, is you, boy?” Smoke’s southern drawl became thicker and more gruff addressing the man. 

The man opened his mouth to answer before you rushed downstairs, seemingly to his rescue. 

“Clyde!” You greeted the man, stepping in front of his body to stop Smoke's view from setting the younger man on fire with his gaze. 

Clyde turned his full attention to you, taking your smaller hand in his and planting a soft kiss onto your knuckles. “G’day, doll.” Your face burned bright red as Clyde held eye contact with you as he rose, not letting go of your hand. “Been alright?”

You nodded quickly, breathing out as you heard a heavy ahem from behind you. “Clyde, this is…” 

“The father of her child.” Smook stood up from his seat, confidently strolling over before standing closely behind you, solid chest ghosting your back. Smoke held a rough hand out for the man to take, trapping you in between towering bodies, hate and annoyance being exchanged between the two. 

Smoke flashed a wild smile towards the new man, gold-covered fangs flashing in the light. 

“I heard about you,” Clyde said slowly, daring to take Smoke’s hand and shake it. A bead of sweat formed on the apex of your forehead as you looked around for ways to kill this interaction, before it killed you. Clyde sent a twisted smile towards Smoke before uttering, “Nice of ya to finally show.”

Before Smoke could reel his hand back and into his waistcoat, you placed a small hand on his arm and beamed a large smile towards Clyde, who turned his full attention to you. 

“What brings you here this evenin’?” You shifted from one foot to the other, eyes darting from Clyde to your former lover. 

“I was in the neighborhood, though I’d check in on the Reverend and his family.”

Smoke took half a step back, face hard and ready to pounce at any moment. 

“Oh, how kind of you.” You laughed awkwardly. 

“Will I be seeing you this Sunday?” Clyde addressed you, placing his tanned fedora onto his head, finally reading the room. 

You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding before nodding softly. “Of course, Clyde.” 

“I look forward to seeing you,” Clyde’s eyes turned softly into crescent moons before he turned around and onto the porch of your family home. “Tell the Rev I said hello,” 

You nodded in obedience, sending a small wave his way. He lingered a bit on your front porch before turning around and strutting off your property and onto the dirt road that led into town. 

You stood there for a bit, watching Clyde's long legs walk away, before jumping at the sound of a door being slammed drew you out of your thoughts. You whipped around, eyes searching for the man who had just been breathing down your neck. 

Face palming, you closed your front door and went to deal with a new, pressing issue; an obviously jealous Smoke. 

–

“Elijah?” you question softly, entering the cramped kitchen of your family home. 

Smoke stood over the wooden table, leaning on two balled fists, his back heaving rapidly in anger. 

You approached him as if he were a downcast stray cat, steps barely making a sound as to not frighten him. 

“Smoke, I…” 

“I shoulda smoked him on that damn porch” Smoke seethed, jaw tight with vexation. 

You rolled your eyes, moving closer to him. “You and I both know that won’t do you no good.”

Smoke shook his head, eyes concentrated on the wood paneling of the kitchen table. 

“He’s awfully nice once to get to know ‘im” You stated, placing a small hand on Smoke’s back muscles that tensed under your touch. 

“I don’t give a shit,” Smoke chuckled dryly. “I don’t like him. Don’t want him around my child.” 

You scoffed, disbelief rising at the audacity of your former lover to tel you who you could and could not be around. 

“He’s a part of daddy’s church, a member of this here community,” You protested. “You can’t tell me who I can put around my child.”

“Our child,” Smoke corrected, two chocolate eyes boring into yours. 

“And while I’m here. I don’t want to see him around Elisabeth or around my woman.” 

“While you here?” you questioned, face scrunching in annoyance. “So you plan on leaving again huh ?” 

“This ain’t about me.”

“It is.”

The two of you looked at each other in anguish. Several emotions make the air thick and hard to breathe. You shook your head in disbelief, all of your darkest fear coming true. 

Smoke wasn’t here because he wanted his family. He damn sure wasn’t here because he loved you. 

Smoke said your name slowly, grabbing both of your arms in his large calloused hands but you dared not react. 

“I’m not leaving anytime here soon, baby...” He tried to reassure you, eyes pleading. “Look at me.”

You did not move. 

Memories of raising Elisabeth with only the help of your sisters and mother flooded your head causing you to closed your eyes from the torment. If only he knew what his absence put you through. 

You refused the move when he bowed his head down to your level, cupping your chin in his hand, big, chocolate eyes scanning your face in earnest. 

“Please believe me,” he almost begged.

And you almost believed him. 

“You know what,” You started, ripping your face from his grasp. “It’s time for you to leave.”

Smoke shook his head, face tracking yours. “No, I-”

“Just leave.”

You raised your voice for the first time, letting the smallest tremble shake your resolve. 

“Please, just make it easy for me.”  

Sad, brown eyes watched your figure as you turned away from him and out of the kitchen, leaving him alone with only the shadows of the setting sun to keep him company. Balling a fist by his side, he hauled through the door and out of your family home without a word or protest. 

Unknown to him, you watched him leave through your bedroom window and dissapear into the blue sunset. Your hand touched your cheeks, wipping away warm tears that dripped from your cheeks and onto your dress. 

This would be the last time you’d cry for Elijah Moore, you promised yourself. 

The very last time.  

𝄃𝄃𝄂𝄂𝄀𝄁𝄃𝄂𝄂𝄃

In celebration of Mother's Day, here's part two! Ain't no way Smoke thought you'd just sit here twiddling your thumbs while he was gone,,, right? Hope you all enjoyed!

Tag list; @ayeeeitsmiracle @childishgambinaax @chessteena @pr3ttyfac3jaelyn

[kurogane2512]

A Night to Remember

18+ CONTENT

Game: Wuthering Waves

Characters: Cantarella x gn!reader with a cock (Rover)

Type: Fluff and smut (long fic, takes place after her companion story)

Completed main story and her companion story and she's officially my favorite wuwa character like- she's so beautiful in every way holy shit 😭 You guys know I have liked her since the drip but seeing her in game just cemented it further, the perfect mix of sexy design and demeanour with amazing story and writing.

I'm only slightly upset she wasn't as femme fatale or morally grey as it appeared from the showcase, they kinda softened her too much tho she is well written in general. I hope she'll appear in more quests and we see different sides of her character. I love the way she flirts and teases ehenfkdkkdk. Oh and the way she practically proposed in the end?! I ACCEPT CNEOUFIHEWOFHI

Some time had passed since your arrival in Rinascita, and your participation in various events that unfolded including the esteemed Carnevale, solving the crisis in the Inverted Tower and even meeting the Sentinel, Imperator. Among the time you spent scaling the luscious landscapes and drifting through endless sea of clouds, there was one place you found yourself visiting more than often- Thessaleo Fells. Many would say it was a forbidden area due to the everchanging presence of Tacet Discords and strange frequencies, but there was one place here that seemed to attract you.

Atop the ravaged lands was a mysterious castle, Porto-Veno Castle, which you eventually found out belonged to the Fisalia Family and was the place where the current head of the Fisalia resided at. Perhaps, the real reason you were attracted to this place, to this castle, was that Matriarch herself. Your first meeting with Cantarella Fisalia was filled with uncertainties, given the kind of rumours you had heard about the family and the actions they had committed. But, Cantarella proved herself to be different and became a trusted ally rather quickly.

It was one of those evenings when you found yourself strolling through Thessaleo Fells once again, simply gazing at the seaside before your eyes fell upon the castle shrouded in mystery. This time, you decided to make a move. You didn't really think about what to say to her, you simply wanted to see her again. You reached Porto-Veno castle and met Cantarella's butler, Sebastian, at the entrance, who then informed you that she was in the backyard and you were welcome to meet her.

That's when it dawned on you that you should have brought something for her as a gift, but it was too late to turn around now. Maybe she'd be happy to just have your company?

Walking through the 'poisonous' garden, planted by none other than Cantarella, was a memorable experience. It somehow suited her perfectly, the plants looked beautiful on surface yet were known to be some of the most lethal in all of Solaris 3, and you knew how well Cantarella embodied this. Your hands brushed past the edges of the petals, a simple caress that didn't linger long enough to poison you and was just enough to feel the softness, until you reached the backyard and witnessed a most stunning sight.

Jellyfishes floated in the sky above the pool, dancing in the air and conjuring different frequencies. Among the jellyfish-studded sky, you saw Cantarella in the middle of the pool with her back towards you. You walked closer to her then stopped in your tracks when you saw her body move gracefully through the water, her soaked dress rippling around as she gleefully danced in the water by herself. Her movements were precise and gentle, hands swaying in different motions to accompany the turns of her body.

You couldn't help but feel starstruck, your gaze fixated on her elegant form. The jellyfishes moved as she did, creating a marvelous scenery that felt no less than a practiced performance. Waves wuthered with her dance, splashes echoing in all directions until she finally turned around and ceased her movements with a simple finishing pose, holding up the hem of her dress and her breath heaving. Her azure eyes met yours, a gentle smile forming on her face.

"Welcome, dear Rover. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?~"

Her words snapped you out of your trance and you cleared your throat then walked closer to her, standing at the edge of the pool.

"I was just passing by, thought I'll drop in to see if everything was okay."

"Oh my, how kind of you. My apologies for not meeting you in a better state."

You shrugged with a smile then lingered your gaze over her body, noticing her translucent clothes.

"Ahem, it's fine. I was the one who came unannounced. Besides, I got to see something quite beautiful."

Cantarella smiled more at your praise and elegantly bowed.

"Well, I'm glad that you enjoyed the show~"

You blushed lightly then spoke, "Why are you dancing here? What if you catch a cold?"

"I appreciate your concern, my dear, but I have a strong immune system. Ever since the Threnodian fell, and you broke the shackles in the Sea of Ghosts, the castle's atmosphere has lightened and become warmer. The frequencies are gentler, creating a pleasant environment around here. Well, how could one resist taking in this moment of respite and calm?"

More jellyfishes floated around her, some even gathering around you and playfully poking your cheek.

"I can understand.... the view here is brilliant as well."

You smiled then extended your hand towards her, offering to help her come out. She seemed shocked for a moment looking at your stretched out hand then smiled and extended her own to grasp it. However, before you could even fully hold her, she tightly held yours and pulled you forward instead. You couldn't balance yourself and were falling into the pool now, more precisely— on Cantarella.

She opened both of her arms in a welcoming embrace and cushioned your fall, both of you falling back with her beneath you. You groaned once you regained your composure and found yourself lying on top of her, your face nestled in her ample breasts as her hands securely held you. The situation finally made sense and you quickly leaned back, looking down at her with concern.

"Are you okay, Cantarella? You are not hurt, are you?!"

Your concerned expression and words caught her off guard for a moment, but she had come to understand this was just in your nature. It was one of the many things she liked about you. She smiled and cupped your face then pulled it down, close to her own.

"You need not worry so much for me, Rover. Besides, I pulled you in deliberately~"

Hearing her words, you finally realized your position. Your gaze lingered to her drenched body, eyes falling on her exposed skin and translucent clothing. Your face heated up and you swiftly pulled away to stand up then helped her stand as well, averting your gaze.

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to stare....."

Cantarella chuckled at your adorable state then extended her hand forward, "Care to join me?~"

You looked at her held out hand then at her face, a gentle and welcoming expression adorning it. You nodded and stood up straight then held your left hand behind your back and extended the right one to gently grasp hers as you bowed forward.

"It would be my pleasure, my lady~"

An unexpected blush crawled up face for a moment at your poised action, but she remained composed and tightened her grip to accept. Your palms traced as you interlaced your fingers together, your other arm wrapping around her waist while hers over your shoulder. Using her powers to control the frequencies around, Cantarella created a sombre tone to accompany your dance. She stepped forward first, almost catching you off-guard, but you quickly stepped back and synced with her.

Dancing in the water was difficult, something you had never done before. But Cantarella's movements were effortless and graceful as ever, her body treading through the water as if she was part of it. You matched your steps with her, swinging your body around and creating waves. More jellyfishes floated around you both, brightening the surroundings and making her sparkle. Your eyes were fixated on hers, feeling lost in her azure depths as you let your body move automatically.

"I must admit, your dancing skills are admirable, Rover. Who trained you?"

"Ah, I don't know, actually. I don't have memories of my past, just few vague recollections. I suppose my body just knows how to do it."

Her eyes softened at your response for a moment, "I see, that makes it even more impressive~"

You blushed, "I-It's nothing compared to your skills, you are even better than Carlotta—!" the words left your mouth before you knew it. You looked at her expecting her to be shocked but her expression was unchanged, the usual smile adorning her face until she let out a chuckle at your fumble.

"Now now, don't undermine little Carlotta. She's grown up exceptionally, but there's a lot she still requires to match me~"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to compare you both at all...."

She smiled then suddenly pressed her body to yours, wrapping both of her arms around your neck and leaning near your ear to whisper.

"It does intrigue me that you have done this with her as well. Though, I shouldn't really be surprised since I have known about her infatuation with you from the start~"

"We are just friends, trust me....."

She chuckled again then drew away from you, "I'm aware. This brings me to something I have been wondering about....."

"What is it?"

Her hands slid down to your chest until she gently pushed you back, creating some distance between you two. You were startled and tried to question her but saw her lunge forward into the air and float past you, her hand brushing your face and breath caressing your ear in the process as she circled around you. Water droplets fell as your eyes followed her then she came in view again and landed in front of you, your bodies pressed together with her back facing you, your arms around her waist.

"Did you really come here because you were merely passing by?~"

Her left hand cupped your jaw, fingers intricately tracing it as her eyes looked into yours. You then took steps from left to right, swaying her body with yours, her bewitching scent overwhelming your senses.

"What are you expecting?~"

Cantarella hummed then dragged her hips against yours before circling around you, her fingers tracing past your upper back as she stopped behind you and looped her arms around your shoulders. Her warm breath caressed your ear as she rested her face on your shoulder, her soft voice coming in a whisper.

"You tell me, what are you expecting from this meeting, Y/n?~"

Your face heated up for a moment, her hands slowly dragged across your torso and caressed your skin teasingly. She anticipated you to endure as you always do, resisting your urges whenever she did things like this. But you surprised her this time. You grasped both of her hands with yours and swiftly yet gently pulled them away before turning around to face her, twirling her body in your hold then pulling her close.

Her eyes widened as she felt herself being pulled and quickly acted to raise her right leg, giving you the perfect chance to grab her thigh and place it around your hip while you other hand held her waist and pressed her body to yourself. Her arms automatically wrapped around your neck as she braced herself against you, her face lying near your chest. A splash rippled when you embraced, your bodies panting as you breathed heavily. Her gaze finally moved to meet yours, a seductive expression crawling up.

"Must one expect things when seeking out someone they hold dear?~"

Cantarella's eyes visibly widened at your words, so much so that you clearly caught on to her surprise this time. She shifted her expressions rather quickly afterwards, curling her lips into a smirk and hooding her eyes.

"Ah, what a way with words~ It seems you are not as capable of hiding your intentions as you think, dear~"

You smirked back then gently released her thigh, letting her stand on her own and elegantly bowed.

"I have no intentions to hide, if the receiver is willing to accept~"

Another blush came and went on Cantarella's face in a matter of seconds, finding it difficult to maintain her graceful composure now.

"Hehe, the Fisalias expect a great deal of things if you wish to associate with us. Are you willing to comply, dear?~"

"Well.... You already gave me unrestricted access to everything in the castle, and in Fisalia's possession. There's only one thing left that I wish to have now."

She chuckled, "To just waltz in here and state your claim.... you know there are protocols to be followed, don't you, Rover?~"

"I prefer doing things my own way, as long as nobody is hurt."

Her eyes softened and she gracefully returned your bow, "Then, allow me to show you some of the Fisalia hospitality~"

You looked into each other's eyes with a knowing look, until you broke out in laughter followed by her restricted chuckles.

"That was quite enjoyable, thank you for joining, Rover. Come now, stay in the castle for a bit. I'll have your clothes washed up."

You weren't particularly pleased with her taking it all as a simple joke, but you decided to be patient and wait for better opportunities. You accepted her offer and followed her inside Porto-Veno Castle where a few maids immediately gathered around you both to accompany you. She took you to her study room, the place you had your first ever meeting with her. It brought back memories of the meeting, and made you internally chuckle at how far things had come since then.

One of the maids handed you a towel and you began drying your hair then looked at Cantarella also drying her hair, her skin glistening from the water droplets sliding down her body. You didn't realize you were practically staring in awe until she turned towards you and walked closer, then kept her hand on the towel which remained stationary on your head.

"Are you alright, Rover? You seem to be lost in thoughts."

Her hands pushed away yours as she grasped the towel then gently wiped your hair and face.

"A-Ah sorry, I will do it myse—"

"Shh, let me. I was the one to make you do that, allow me to return my gratitude."

"You also have to dry yours...." your eyes trailed down to her clothes and words faded as you noticed she wasn't as drenched as before, even almost completely dry, "Oh, I see.... That's quite convenient."

She chuckled at your surprise then leaned closer to your face, "Don't worry about me, dear. Just relax and let me tend to you~"

You nodded with a blush and let her do as she pleased. She smiled in return and dried off your hair completely then trailed her hands down to your chest, caressing your soaked shirt with a sultry look in her eyes.

"....Do you want to help me undress, Cantarella?" you asked, making her surprised for a moment.

"My apologies, how inappropriate of me. It seems your charm is hard to resist, Rover~"

You blushed again, "It's fine.... I don't mind if it's you."

Warmth brushed Cantarella's face too now, your words shocking her. She kept the towel away and caressed your face for a moment then grasped the lapel of your jacket and pushed it down, followed by clenching the hem of your shirt and pulling it off. Her eyes remained fixated as your body slowly came in view, and you caught her licking her lips once your upper body was fully exposed.

"Hmm, as expected of the mighty Godkiller~" she pondered.

Her fingers teasingly slid down your abs as she smirked, taking in the sight of you. You shivered from her touch once then suddenly felt her hand grab your belt buckle and instinctively gripped her wrist to stop her, feeling embarrassed.

"I'll do the rest myself, Cantarella—!"

She blinked a few times as if to come out of a trance, then swiftly retracted her hands and stepped back defensively.

"My apologies, I got carried away. I'll give you some privacy now, there is a change of clothes behind you. Excuse me, I will be back in a while."

She quickly exited the room before you could reply in any manner. You let out an exasperated sigh and held your head, feeling more embarrassed at the chain of events. On the other hand, Cantarella leaned against a nearby wall, her hands clenching her necklace as she recalled everything that happened so far and felt warmth surging through her once again.

"Seeking out someone you hold dear.... did you truly mean it, Y/n? And if you did then, what should I do? My feelings for you have always been this way...." she deeply pondered, feeling conflicted and regretful.

"Milady? Are you alright?" a familiar voiced called out to Cantarella and she quickly composed herself to see her butler beside her, standing with a trolley in front.

"Ah, I'm fine. Thank you, Sebastian. I'll take it from here."

"As you wish, milady." he bowed then turned around to walk away, leaving her alone with her thoughts, and you.

She took a few deep breaths to calm herself then grabbed the trolley and pushed it towards the room, followed by knocking on it to call out to you.

"Rover, are you done changing? May I come in now?"

"Ah, sure!" you shouted back.

Cantarella opened the door and pushed the trolley forward as she came in, giving you a small smile as you stood wearing the clothes she had arranged- a casual pair of shirt and pants, delicately ironed.

"It fits you perfectly. Is it comfortable to wear?"

"Yes, it feels great. The fabric is really soft and breathable."

She smiled then stopped the trolley near the sofa and walked in front of it, "Please, have a seat. I have prepared some refreshments for your liking."

"O-Oh, you didn't have to...."

"It is my pleasure, especially after the wonderful time you gave me~"

She eyed you with a smirk when she spoke the last part before turning her attention back to the trolley. You sat on one side of the sofa and waited as she poured out some drink in a bowl, followed by pouring a small drop from a potion vial and stirring it. She then took a seat beside you, closely, elegantly draping her dress, and took a spoonful of the drink to blow on it.

"Some freshly prepared soup and a concoction I made, it should be quite tasty. Here, say 'aah'~"

She brought the spoon towards your lips and you instinctively opened your mouth, letting her feed you. You didn't even question what kind of concoction it could possibly be, nor did you have the time to feel embarrassed by her action of feeding you. Somehow, the air around her intoxicated you and made you more relaxed than ever, your body seemingly abiding to any and everything.

"....It's delicious, perfectly seasoned and cooked. And that concoction.... is it some kind of potion to relax you?"

"You could say that. It is not as potent as the blend I made that day to help you sleep, this is simply meant to calm your nerves and muscles."

"Thank you.... I feel really good."

She smiled in satisfaction and continued feeding you a few more scoops, "Hehe, reminds me of the first time we met and I offered you tea which you refused. A shame, that tea was from Jinzhou~"

You recalled the time she was talking about and felt guilty, "I'm sorry about that. I was just trying to be cautious...."

"An astute way of thinking, I hold no grudge against you for that. But, it is quite amusing to see how far we have come~"

You blushed realizing what she meant, it was indeed impressive how things turned out. Who would have guessed the supposed evil and manipulative head of the Fisalias would turn out to be the real Blessed Maiden, a woman who selflessly sacrificed her life to save Imperator, and in turn Ragunna, including many innocent girls from the shackles of the Divine Trials. She was a Defier, a resilient and strong woman who gave up her own freedom for others to live freely.

"Would you mind serving me that tea again some time? I'd really like to try it."

"Why, of course. I will have it prepared the next time you visit. There are many other teas I have acquired from the states of Huanglong, I'm sure you'd be pleased to try those as well."

"I look forward to it."

You smiled at each other and soon finished the soup then she offered some desserts to you- cupcakes, pastries and pudding. You were quite overwhelmed by the variety but were feeling quite hungry, and tempted looking at them, hence accepted delightfully and indulged yourself. Cantarella silently watched you eat, finding it adorable how you enjoyed the simple treats and ate gleefully. It was during one of these moments when she noticed some whipped cream smeared near the corner of your lips, and how you were seemingly oblivious to it.

Smirking to herself, and being the teaser she was, she couldn’t help but lean in to wipe it away with her index finger, playfully grazing your lips in the process. You looked at her in embarrassment and quickly wiped away your own face then were about to thank her but your words, and breath, got caught in your throat as you watched her lick the cream on her fingertip, her engraved tongue sensually lapping it up and a pleasant hum leaving her lips. You instinctively swallowed a lump, your face turning bright red for a second.

“O-Oh, thank you for that, Cantarella. Sorry for being messy....”

She softly chuckled, “It’s not a big deal, Rover. While I do prefer to maintain poise and grace at the table, we are not in a formal place at the moment- nor do I want our relationship to have those formalities, I find it quite endearing to look at you this way~”

You shyly averted your gaze and were about to say something to change the topic but the Tacet Mark on your hand started glowing all of a sudden, followed by your companion conjuring himself from his slumber.

“Oh, I smell delicious food! Hey, why did you not call me if you were having such a treat!” Abby announced as his eyes sparkled looking at the remaining desserts.

You held your head with a sigh while Cantarella smiled to herself. Abby then turned around to face you and was caught by surprise seeing you alone with Cantarella, realizing he interrupted a private moment.

“Oh, sorry.... Am I interrupting something?”

“Abby.... you know I would have called you out if it was a feast.”

Abby scratched his head embarrassingly then flew near you, leaning to whisper something in your ear.

“Oi, are you getting anywhere with her? Why don’t you just confess your feelings alrea-“

“Shh! Abby, not here!” you gasped and waved your hands here and there, making Abby giggle before returning inside your Tacet Mark. You let out a sigh of relief then looked over at Cantarella who was also giggling to herself by your antics.

“Sorry about that, he has a habit of coming out that way whenever there is food, and danger, nearby....”

“Your friendship is adorable, it is a delight to see you both. However, I believe there was something you were going to say before he came out?~”

“Ah, that....” you held back for a moment then looked at her firmly, “....I have been a bit curious about your Tacet Mark. How does it feel? I imagine you must face some uncomfortable situations....”

She seemingly didn’t expect such a question, but was nevertheless pleased to satiate your curiosity.

“Hmm.... it’s not as bad as you think. Many things I have simply gotten used to over the years. Initially, it would get quite irritable since it goes down to my throat, but I learned to live with it. When inactive, it just lays there like no stranger. I... prefer to have simple food with no extravagant seasonings since I cannot taste much of anything so I’m not used to strong flavours.”

Your eyes widened at the surprising revelations, nodding at her while pondering.

“You said it’s not as bad but it sounds pretty troublesome. I never imagined it goes down to your throat and that you cannot taste much....”

Cantarella smirked and leaned close to you, her eyes narrowing with mischief.

“What kind of preconceived notions did you have about it?~”

“W-Well, for one I thought it’s only on your tongue, and that eating anything brings discomfort and perhaps even gets ticklish....”

“Hehe, I can understand. Though, I have never had someone brave enough to ask me about it~”  

“Also.... I wonder how it feels to touch.”

Her eyes glinted at your words, seemingly waiting for you to say that.

“Well, would you like to find out?~”

Her hand settled atop your thigh as she leaned even closer, anticipating your reply. Your heartrate fastened once again as you imagined the scene in your head, subconsciously swallowing a lump.

“I-I’m sure it must be like all other Tacet Marks for the most part....”

“I don’t mind letting you feel it, dear~”

She seemed almost eager, continuing to come closer to you and now grasped your hand. You felt defeated looking at her and eventually gave a nod then watched as she guided your right hand up to her face, sticking out her tongue for you. Your face heated up as you slowly extended your hand and finally caressed the tip of her tongue with your thumb.

The sensation was indeed similar as you anticipated, but also different enough to make you more curious to seek further. You traced along the vertical line with your thumb before pulling it aside and letting your index finger touch it, feeling the ebbs and bumps of the waves and the rough sensation of engraving.

At the same time, you were intensely aware of your action and kept note of Cantarella’s reactions, ensuring to not hurt her or do something strange. The situation and sight of her leaning forward with her tongue stuck out and eyes hooded was erotic enough for you, you had to stay in control and not get carried away.

“It’s.... very interesting, similar to others but also different. I can’t pinpoint what feels different but....”

She seemed pleased by your assessment and smiled then stuck out her tongue even more, giving you further access. Her saliva coated your fingertips but you didn’t mind; if anything, it made the situation even more erotic. You also leaned closer to take a better look at it further down her mouth, noticing a familiar pattern that you had only seen on 2 other people so far.

“6 waves just like Jinhsi and Cartethyia.... Is it because she was chosen as the Sentinel’s Resonator? But, does giving up that power not change it? Would be nice if I could get a chance to see the moment a normal Resonator becomes the Sentinel’s Resonator....”

You were lost in your thoughts as you conjured all sorts of theories and explanations. Cantarella was slightly shocked to see you so immersed in thinking, seemingly oblivious to your surroundings. With a small smirk, she took the opportunity to tease you. As you were not paying attention, she sneakily licked your finger then swirled her tongue around it before wrapping her lips on the tip.

“Mmh....~”

You finally snapped out of your thoughts at her constrained voice, darting your eyes to see the shocking sight of her sucking your finger. You’d have normally pulled away instinctively, but something held you back and you almost wished to let it continue further. You looked at Cantarella’s eyes which narrowed once she caught your gaze, clearly indicating her teasing. She then grasped your hand and gently released your finger, still holding your hand near her mouth.

“Why not have a better feel?~”

She whispered and dragged her tongue from the base of your finger up to the tip, the entirety of her Tacet Mark rubbing against it. But she didn’t stop there. She swallowed your finger once again and stroked her tongue over it multiple times, almost licking it like it was a delicious treat. You simply remained motionless at her ministrations, too aroused to stop it and simply too overwhelmed to really act. Her hand caressed and teased the rest of your hand at the same time, fingers running up and down in gentle motions. Her warm breath only added to the sensations.

You had no idea how much time passed when she finally stopped and released your finger, it probably hadn’t been much yet felt like an eternity. Your face was as red as a cherry, eyes widened and breath slightly haphazard. Who would have guessed having your finger licked over would be so arousing? Perhaps the person doing it, and the technique, made a difference. Cantarella smirked more at your speechless form; oh, how she adored seeing you this way and wished to see even more.

“Well, did that give you a good idea of it, dear?~”

Her question brought you back to reality, immediately pulling your hand away from hers and making some distance between you two then clearing your throat to speak.

“A-Ahem, yes that was sufficient. Thank you for the opportunity, I hope you didn’t feel.... uncomfortable.”

She chuckled and grabbed a tissue from the table then wiped your finger with it, “Of course not, I’m more than pleased to indulge you anytime~”

You blushed and simply nodded at her while looking away, feeling embarrassed to face her. She finished cleaning your finger then suddenly laced her hand with yours and closed the distance between you two once again, lips curled into a smirk.

“There is something I have also been curious about for a while. Care to return the favor for me?~”

“....What is it?”

She leaned even closer, her body essentially resting on yours now as you rested against the handrest of the sofa. Her other hand went to cup your face, tracing your jaw before she brought her face near your ear to whisper in a silvery tone.

“Just how sweet do you taste, dear Rover?~”

Shivers went down your body at her seductive tone, and the way she was practically leaning on you now, her breasts pressing against your chest.

"....Y-You already had a taste just now, didn't you?"

She chuckled, making you tremble once again.

"That barely told me anything. I'd like to try in a more.... direct way~"

Your lips twitched, fists clenching as you desperately tried to keep yourself composed.

"....What do you suggest?"

Her eyes narrowed as she traced her hand across your cheek, sliding it down to touch your lips with her fingers now.

"There are quite a few ways, you know...." she shifted her leg closer, her knee grazing your crotch, ".....Would you like me to show you?~"

Your eyes dropped down to her breasts, feeling how they squished on your chest. You felt her lips brush past your ear lobe as she moved in front of your face, your lips lingering over each other's. You opened your mouth to respond but just at that moment, all the sensations you were feeling got lost as Cantarella pulled back and sat up straight with reasonable distance in between. You couldn't descibe what you felt right then, the regret and disappointment.

"My apologies, that was a little too far. It's just hard to resist when you give such adorable reactions~" she stated with a giggle before reaching her hand out towards the table to pour a cup of tea for herself.

You almost glared at her, feeling annoyed by this constant dance of temptation.

"What was too far?" you asked with a flat tone, making her slightly surprised.

"....Doing any further is inappropriate for me. As the head of the Fisalias, I know there is a line to not cross."

You gritted your teeth then moved closer to her and gently gripped her wrist, making her turn to face you with widened eyes.

"So, you do even this with anyone? All the flirting, the looks and touching.... do you dance with just anyone? Do you treat anyone with such care and attention, even giving them your family's assets and secrets?"

You couldn't hold back and spoke your thoughts, desperate to know her true feelings now. Cantarella was even more shocked by your supposed outburst, unsure of how to respond for a moment. She saw the immense feelings in your golden eyes, realizing how she was playing with your heart all this time.

"....You are not just anyone, Rover. The things that you have done for Rinascita, for Jinzhou, for me.... nobody else could."

She extended her arms to cup your face, cradling it in her palms with a gentle smile on her face.

"You are the Sentinel's Arbiter, you fought off the Threnodian invansion in Jinzhou, you made the Carnevale a success this year, you solved the crisis in Avinoleum and freed Cartitheyia, and you saved me and my family from the lifelong torture of being under the Threnodian's whispers....."

She shifted closer and caressed your face.

"And this is simply what I know about. I'm sure there's many more things you have done, and will do, that make you unlike anyone in this world. So, tell me.... is it wrong of me to treat you the way I do? If it is then I will sto—"

"Is that really all the reason for you to treat me this way?"

"....What are you implying, dear?"

"You said it yourself, doing more is inappropriate for you. But, are you sure even this much is appropriate if you simply respect me for all my actions?"

You gripped her hands and pulled them away from your face, averting your gaze from her. Cantarella gazed at you in silence, trying to form words to speak. The answer was known to her all this time, but she refused to face it, fearful of the consequences.

"You know what I'm implying very well, don't you? Just say yes or no, that'll be enough." you added.

Your words tugged her heartstrings all of a sudden, a strange sensation rising in her as her hand subconsciously gripped her necklace while her mind plunged in deep thought. She wasn't sure herself why she was holding back all this time, perhaps she was not used to wanting something for herself?

"....Yes, I know." she finally replied in a low, soft voice.

You were about to look at her when she instead lunged at you and pressed her lips to yours, giving you a small and rushed yet intense kiss.

"My apologies.... I.... all this time I was— mmh!~" she attempted to clarify but you didn't let her as you kissed her back, equally as rushed and intense.

"It's fine, you don't have to say it...."

Light blush formed on her face, her hands coming to grip your shoulders as she shifted even closer and connected your lips again. Her body leaned on yours once again, causing you to rest on the armrest as you let her onto you. You lips moved with intensity, messy and unskilled even, but that only made it feel more passionate. Your right arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer, her body straddling you now.

"Mmh.... aah.... Y-Y/n~" she moaned into the kiss, her hands continuously moving to feel you up in every way before settling to grip your hair and neck.

Buried feelings exchanged through the kiss alone, her burning emotions that she planned to keep locked in forever came gushing out and flowed into the kiss. Her soft lips gave you no chance to part, keeping them pressed as much as possible.

"Mm.... C-Cantarella.... ngh....~" you gasped softly when you felt her bite your lower lip before enveloping it with her lips.

Moans and ragged breaths resounded in the room as you madeout, everything seemed to still and you could only focus on Cantarella. Perhaps that's why neither of you heard the knock on the door, followed by a familiar voice speaking only to be immediately shushed at the scene unfolding.

"Milady, Rover's clothes ar— Oh, my deepest apologies!" Cantarella's maid, Carmilla, stood frozen at the doorway with her head bowed. Cantarella quickly pulled back and sat up normally beside you, her face red and breath uneven, arms folding over her chest as she attempted to compose herself from the embarrassment.

"A-Ahem, it is alright, Carmilla. What were you saying?"

"I-I only came to inform that Rover's clothes are washed and dried now, and to ask whether you required something...."

"I see, you may keep the clothes with others for now. As for whether we require something....." she paused and glanced at you, to which you shook your head sideways and she continued, "....No need, you are dismissed."

"U-Understood, milady! I'm really sorry about this!" she kept bowing and apologizing as she backed away then shut the door close.

Cantarella let out a sigh while holding her head while you couldn't help but giggle at the situation.

"Are they not used to seeing you with lovers?~" you teased.

Cantarella smirked, "What a rude assumption to make, dear. I'm not one to engage in loose affairs, I'll have you know~"

"Ah, then I'm the first and only one to receive a consort proposal from the head of Fisalias?~"

"Well, I cannot speak for the previous heads but for the present one.... You are also her first kiss— and any kind of romantic engagement, for that matter~"

Your eyes widened in slight surprise, "Let me guess, you were always too busy with the family affairs and trying to find a way to save Imperator?"

"Indeed, but that's not all there is to it. With the current reputation of the Fisalia, and mine specifically..... who would really wish to form such a bond with 'The Bane'?"

Her eyes hooded slightly as she spoke, a hint of sadness and loneliness lingering on her azure gaze. You understood what she meant, yet found it upsetting she had to live this way. She seemingly sensed what you were thinking and let out a smile before coming closer to you and grasping your hand.

"Things will gradually shift because of you. I do not regret anything that has happened so far, for I believe it is our choices and will that led us to this situation—not the wishes of fate. Saving Imperator, Ragunna and residing over the family took priority for me, and I'm eternally grateful for the outcome it has brought me~"

She looked deep in your eyes as she spoke, clearly referring to you. Her other hand cupped your face and you were about to lean in to kiss her but she put her index finger on your lips and stopped you with a chuckle.

"Aren't you impatient, dear?~"

You smirked, "Can you blame me?~"

"Hehe, how about we move somewhere more private?~"

"Sure, I have yet to see more of 'our' home anyways~"

Cantarella blushed for a moment then kissed your cheek before standing up to go out. You exited the study room together and were following her down the hallway now, wondering where she'd take you. You reached the staircase and she was about to begin descending when you stopped her as an idea popped in your head. She looked at you with a confused expression then was startled the moment you put your arms under the bend of her knees and around her waist then picked her up bridal style.

Her arms automatically wrapped around your neck but the surprised expression on her face told you enough of how unexpected this was for her. A faint blush formed on her cheeks again and she slightly adjusted herself better, brushing her dress to the side and shifting closer to you. You heard vague sounds of gasps from around and looked to see some of the servants and members staring at you two with shocked faces, mouths agape and eyes blown wide.

You then looked back at Cantarella and she seemed unfazed by the looks, even if slightly embarrassed at first when her maid walked in on you making out. She looked at you as well and gave a gentle smile before cupping your face to peck your lips, causing even more gasps and squeels to erupt from the surroundings. Though, everyone soon cleared the way and acted as if they saw nothing while Cantarella guided you towards her private bedroom.

Porto-Veno Castle already looked grand enough from outside, but it was even better inside with its impressive architecture.

"How big is this castle?"

"Hehe, big enough that it would take you an entire day to see every room and passage~"

"....Doesn't it get lonely being all by yourself? Especially now after those girls went back...."

She softly smiled, "I have ways to keep myself occupied. Now that I'm free from a major responsibility, thanks to you, I finally go out sightseeing. There are still many other duties I have to do as the head, those keep me busy enough."

"I see.... Let's go out together someday, call me when you are up for it."

"Of course, it'd be my pleasure~"

She pecked your lips and you smiled at each other. You then finally reached her private bedroom and placed her down as she opened the door, welcoming you in. There was a queen size bed in the center with transparent purple curtains on its edges, a vanity to the left corner of the room accompanied with various plants and ornaments all around. A sweet, intoxicating fragrance filled the room, making you entranced immediately.

"Your room is beautiful....."

You walked in further as you glanced around, taking in the view. Meanwhile, Cantarella stood at the door with her back pressed to it and silently gazed at you, deep in her own thoughts. Her heart beated faster as each moment passed, your words barely audible to her. She then took a deep breath, clenching her necklace then releasing it and walked up to you.

"Oh, is that yo—?" your words were caught in your throat as she suddenly embraced you from behind, her arms wrapping around your torso and face buried in your shoulder.

"Cantarella, are you okay?" you asked out of concern, finding this unlike her.

She remained silent for a while and simply held you as if feeling your warmth and presence, her deep breathing prominent in your ear and making you shiver.

"....I'm in love with you, Y/n."

The sudden confession caught you off-guard, even if you were technically aware of this.

"Me too, I'm in love with you as well."

Her hold tightened hearing your words, a small smile forming on her lips. She dragged her hand across your chest to grasp your face, gently caressing your jaw while leaning closer to place kisses on your neck. You trembled in place feeling her lips on your skin, soft yet fiery kisses igniting a flame in you, a touch so sweet yet poisonous that you wanted more.

"Y-You didn't have to say it, you know? I have known for a while...."

"No.... I had to say it, for you and for myself, to finally make my heart accept it."

You smiled at her words then slowly turned around to face her, gazing into her fathomless eyes as they sparkled. She then cupped your face and stepped closer before meeting her lips with yours again, hungrily. There was no thought, only need— urgent and wild. Her usual grace and elegance was nowhere to be found, her lips clashing messily as if she's waited too long for this— which you knew you both had. Her hands then slid around your neck before tangling into your hair, pulling you closer and deeper.

Moans and desperate breaths exchanged as the heated kiss continued, your body growing warmer with each motion as your hands went to settle around her waist, slyly dragging up to feel her exposed back. She smirked against your lips and dug one knee between your legs, pushing against your crotch and making you groan into the kiss.

"C-Cantare— mmph~"

"Hush now~"

Her confidence in taking charge was uncanny, despite the fact that it was her first time doing this. You soon felt yourself being pushed backwards, lips still locked, every step unsteady with desire and urgency. The back of your knees hit the bed and you fell down, pulling her along with you. The mere drag of your body further up the bed was heavy as your lips never left hers, hands desperately clawing each other to touch anywhere and everywhere. She moved to straddle you properly, silky lavendar hair cascading over your face.

The kiss shifted, her thumb gently parting your lips and you easily let her, granting deeper access for her tongue to dive in. Your tongues meet, a tingling sensation running through you for a moment due to the Tacet Mark, but quickly changing into a passionate exchange. They moved as if in a frantic dance, sliding over each other impatiently. A low hum resounded from her, sending vibrations through you. Her mouth was warm, soft, and intoxicating— making you seek more of it.

With a swift motion, you wrapped your arms around her and turned over to place her on the bed instead and came on top of her, lips never leaving hers. She gasped into the kiss from the sudden change of positions, yet made no effort to resist and instead pulled you down to kiss deeper. Her right leg slid up around your waist, and you wasted no time to grasp and caress her porcelein skin while pressing yourself deeper. A passionate revelry unfolded with your tongues, bodies intertwining together into one.

It felt like an eternity when you finally stopped, breathless and panting as you slowly retracted from her, her tongue giving a final lick to your lips and relishing the taste. Her eyes were half-lidded, shimmering with the afterglow of the kiss. The deep blue glowed like an ocean, fluid and alive, ripples of light catching the surface like a jellyfish drifting beneath the water. The vibrant blue reminded you of those creatures, pulsating softly, drawing you in with the same quiet, hypnotic pull. Every glance, every flutter, felt like an invitation to sink deeper into her, to never escape.

No words were exchanged as you immediately attached your lips to her neck and placed several lingering kisses while moving down to her chest. Her body arched into you with a soft gasp when your lips touched the valley of her breasts, planting hot and wet kisses on her soft skin. You looked up at her once, asking for permission, which she understood immediately and gave her approval. You quickly removed the clothing covering her breasts, freeing the ample mounds of flesh. Your mouth almost watered at the sight, body moving automatically to take one in your mouth.

Cantarella sighed when she felt your lips around her right breast, while your hand grasped the other to knead it. Your tongue flicked over her erect nipple and fingers dug into the soft flesh, feeling the curviness and bounce. She wrapped her own hands around your head and pushed you deeper, arching herself further into you and letting you have more. You sucked her nipple now, swirling your tongue around the nub and pinching the other one. She gasped softly when your teeth grazed it, fingers treading through your hair. The more you paid attention to the hardened bud, the more her fingers gripped onto your hair.

"Mmh... Y-Y/n.... aahn~"

You could feel her chest rising and falling rapidly as she panted, soft moans leaving her lips. You switched between breasts, giving them equal treatment and attention. Her skin was burning against yours and your own breathing was beginning to become ragged from arousal. Her moans and whimpers of pleasure were music to your ears. When you were done, you pulled back and looked at her, face flushed and her chest glistening with your saliva as she panted.

Somehow, the sight of her this way aroused you to no end. The urge to pleasure her grew stronger, eager to see more of her in this state and just simply make her feel good. She looked at you with such love, eyes glazed with lust and desire. Knowing her situation, you couldn't help but empathize with her deeply and wished to make her happy for once. Your eyes trailed down to her clothed core, noticing a wet patch forming.

"....May I undress you, Cantarella?"

Her eyes widened for a moment, knowing well where this was headed. She gave a nod rather quickly, her own body betraying her thoughts. She sat up and let you do as asked, slowly sliding down her dress and revealing her exquisite body. Her fair skin glistened against the moonlight, lavender hair cascading and enhancing the view. The last to remove were her panties and stockings as you unclasped the suspender first, followed by removing her stockings then finally underwear. A string of arousal clung to the fabric, giving way to her drenched folds.

Her body shivered at the feeling of cool air hitting her exposed parts, reflexively closing her legs. You then leaned in to kiss her and gently laid her back down before parting your lips and trailing kisses down her body, marking a trail straight down until her abdomen. She softly gasped the moment you stopped, eyes focused on her inviting folds that begging to be touched. Her clit throbbed feeling your intense gaze, her usual confident demeanour broken as she laid completely bare for you, allowing you to do whatever you pleased.

The air thickened with the scent of arousal, a potent aphrodisiac that fueled you. One would wonder if it was part of her forte, but you knew this was reality and nothing could change it. You gave a simple lick to her clit, earning a startled gasp from her, her legs instinctively enclosing around your head. You caressed her plush thighs and gently parted them as you went lower, placing kisses on her inner thighs while eyeing her throbbing folds.

Cantarella bit her lower lip when she felt your lips travel to her outer folds, teasing them. Her eyes lowered to see you buried in her folds, eager to please her. Yet, a strange and unknown sensation ran through her. She wasn't used to this. She had never done this before. Not just this act, but the act of having her own desire fulfilled. Since childhood, she had been taught to live only for one purpose, and now she lived for the freedom of others- stripping her own.

"Y-Y/n.... wait...." she husked out, extending her hands towards you.

You leaned back and went closer to her, letting her hold your face, a soft look in her eyes. You cupped her hands with your own, somehow being aware of her thoughts and giving her a reassuring look.

"Just lay back and let me please you." you sincerely stated, kissing the inside of her palm and pulling her hand away before dipping your head between her thighs again.

This time, you were more deliberate, more attentive to her reactions. You traced the sensitive skin with your tongue, teasing and tantalizing, building the anticipation slowly. You hear her breath catch in her throat, and you feel the tightening of her muscles beneath your touch. You can sense her internal struggle, the conflict between her ingrained inhibitions and the raw, primal desire that is beginning to overwhelm her.

You continue your exploration, your focus entirely on her pleasure. You use your hands, your lips, your tongue to create a symphony of sensations, each touch designed to ignite a new spark of pleasure within her. You can feel her trembling now, her body arching towards you in response. Your tongue inserts between her folds now, plunging deep into the sweet abyss and caressing her walls. That's when she cries out, a sound so unlike her.

"Nn.... Y-Y/n.... aaah~"

Cantarella Fisalia, the current Matriarch of the long-standing Fisalia family, famously known as The Bane, a Sea Witch, a woman shrouded in so much mystery that the rumours surrounding her betrayed every single truth about her. The woman known to manipulate any, to torture souls and make poisnous concoctions with the flesh of young girls— that woman laid vulnerable for you, the person who saved her and changed her life.

A loud moan escaped her lips when your thumb circled her clit, her thighs closing around your head and body arching up. She knew what this feeling was, she had read all about it in scientific books, but experiencing it was unlike anything. Her fingers found way in your hair, tangling in the strands and gently grasping, a silent indication for you to do more. You raised her hips and plunged deeper into her sea, into her warmth, your tongue stroking her sensitive spots.

"Aaahn.... yes.... r-right there..... o-oh~"

She cried out more, fingers tightening in your hair and pulling you closer. Her hips rut against your mouth, finally letting her desires spill out as she chased her release. You suck on her bundle of nerves, circling her clit faster at the same time. Her body convulsed, back arching and eyes rolling to her skull as her release approached. You could see it, feel it with the way her walls clenched around your tongue in the end.

You did a final stroke and rubbed her sensitive spots then watched her release unfold. She moaned as the knot in her stomanch snapped, her orgasm coming like a broken dam. You slurped and lapped up everything she offered, relishing her sweet poison and wanting even more. You cleaned up her slick before leaning back to look at her state, sweat trickling down her body and panting intensely as she came down from her high.

"Are you okay, Cantarella?"

"Y-Yes.... aaah.... that was.... good.... r-really good.... thank you."

Her hand covered her face as she spoke before slowly removing it to reveal her flushed face, bright red from such an intimate action. The sight was utterly adorable, seeing someone like her in this state. Once composed enough, she slowly sat up and immediately pressed your lips together. Her arms wrapped around your neck while yours around her body, placing her on you lap and making out together. She was just as intense and passionate as before, impatiently seeking you.

Her hands roamed down your body, a frantic exploration that sent shivers down your spine. They clenched at your shirt, the fine fabric crinkling in her grasp before she swiftly pulled it open, buttons popping and rolling across the floor. The cool air kissed your suddenly exposed chest. She then pushed you down to make you lay on your back and took a moment to enjoy the sight, her hands delicately tracing down your muscles and abs, eyeing the scars adorning your battle-worn skin.

You shivered once as her cold fingers traced across the scars, not being used to having your body touched this way. Cantarella simply smiled at your reaction and leaned down to kiss your neck, deliberately sucking on some spots and leaving imprints of her lips. Her engraved tongue gave a long lick from your throat to your chin before biting down near your collarbone, teeth grazing and marking you.

A gasp escaped your lips, a sound that was both surprised and pleasured. Each deliberate caress sent a jolt of electricity through you, unfamiliar yet serene. Her hold on you was more than physical, perhaps she had pulled you into her Sea of Dreams, a potent enchantment woven with her voice, eyes, and her very presence. Her hands now explored further down and settled on your pants button, eager to undo and unravel more of you.

"I want you inside, Y/n. Would you be willing to....?" she asked in an uncertain tone.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" you answered with a smile, making her smile back.

She then wasted no time to undo your pants and pull them off along with your underwear, freeing your erect shaft from the constraints. Your length stood upright, showing your prolonged arousal and how desperate you had become. You watched her eyes flicker over your form, a mixture of awe and something akin to shyness flickering within their depths. Her hand reached out to gently grasp it, delicately wrapping her fingers around it and pumping.

You trembled in place feeling her soft, slow yet teasing touch. A part of you just wanted to be inside her already, but another wanted to wait and let her take the reins from here. Cantarella watched the way your length reacted with great interest, finding it quite adorable even if daunting due to the size. She stuck out her tongue and gave a long, slow lick across it, tasting with the entirety of her engraved tongue.

Your hips almost bucked in response but you held back, keeping yourself composed for her. She grinned at you, eyes glowing with mischief, and you knew you were in for a ride. She did say she wanted to taste you, didn't she....

"Bear with me, will you? It's my first time doing this, it may take a while to get used to~"

"I-It's fine, take your time...."

She smiled then planted a kiss on your tip, followed by making wet kisses all over and around the erect length. Your cock twitched at each touch of her lips, almost feeling embarrassed at the attention she was giving it. She then stuck out her tongue again and made a long lick from your sac to the tip, followed by swirling it over the head. You groaned in response, your body heaving at her ministrations.

"Hmm.... mmph~" she sighed as she wrapped her lips around the tip, her warm mouth engulfing it.

You suddenly became pliant in her hold, surrending to her and letting her do anything. You closed your eyes, abandoning yourself to the sensory onslaught that was about to engulf you. Her mouth felt hot and wet around your cock. Your fingers tangled in the sheets, grip tightening the lower she took you, attempting to swallow it completely. Her tongue swirled around your member, lubricating every corner and lapping it up.

A small groan left your lips when your tip hit the back of her throat, your cock laying snug in her mouth and she seemed to have no plans of letting it go. The sight was beyond erotic, and the sensations were indescribable. She breathed in and out to compose herself, the vibrations going straight through your cock making you throw your head back in ecstasy. You could feel her smile at your reactions, satiating her own desire to see you crumble. She then began bobbing her head, sucking you off at a torturously slow pace.

The wet sounds of her slurping and moaning sent shivers down your spine, chasing away the cool composure you were trying to maintain. The sensation was exquisite, agonizing, driving you closer and closer to the edge. She was taking her time, savoring every moment and every second. You knew this was her first time, but she almost made you believe otherwise with her technique. Her tongue wasted no chance to lap around whenever possible, the little bumps and crevices of the Tcaet Mark increasing the pleasure even more.

"H-How are you so-oh.... good at this?~" you asked, breathless.

She smiled at your praise then slowly dragged herself up and released you from her mouth with a wet pop, her tongue teasingly lapping at the tip as she spoke.

"I'm pleased to hear that since I'm just doing what I want to. Do tell me if I should change it up, my dear~" she winked and dragged her tongue against your shaft, her Tacet Mark rubbing across it as she took a deep taste.

A gasp escaped your lips as the mark tingled against your member. You were already dripping with precum, and the sensations of her warm mouth were driving you crazy. She then swallowed your cock once again like before, taking it all the way inside with minimal effort. Your hips bucked up at the feeling, no longer able to restrain yourself.

"F-Fuck.... I can barely hold on...." you groaned, looking down at her with a desperate look.

She giggled, knowing how desperate and close you were. She wanted to prolong your pleasure, but you both were craving release. Her hands went to massage your sac as she kept sucking, feeling the cum stored in them as it begged to be released. That's when she decided to give you even more, as if this wasn't enough. You suddenly felt a warm, soft and bouncy feeling around your base and looked down to see her breasts enveloping your dick.

"W-Wait.... shit....! Aah.... that feels so good....!~"

You sighed, enjoying the feeling of her breasts. She smirked and rubbed them up and down around your length, lubing the skin with your arousal and her own saliva to create a pleasurable sensation.

"I know what you have desired for so long.... my toxins reveal all secrets of others just by being near." she purred, "And for you.... I'm more than happy to indulge in every single one of them~"

She bobbed her head faster now, cheeks hollowing as she sucked harder as if to milk you dry, her moans reverberating in her throat and vibrating around you. The heat in your lower abdomen became almost unbearable.

"Can— Cantarella...!"

You groaned, hands flying to her hair and gripping tightly. All of a sudden, you felt intense vibrations against your tip and looked around to see jellyfishes floating near, realizing she activated her Tacet Mark now. The vibrations made you finally lose it. The heat erupted, and you climaxed into her mouth, a low moan erupting from your throat. She braced herself as you released, keeping your cock inside her mouth and welcoming the warmth.

The release was almost explosive, plentiful amounts pent-up that erupted at once. It was overwhelming, to say the least, and she eagerly took all of it. Her eyes rolled back as she swallowed, drinking every last drop. You were both panting as you finished. Her mouth finally let go and she licked her lips. You looked down, still recovering from your high, and saw her scooping up the cum dripping on her breasts, sensually licking it.

"Mmm, delicious~ Thick, slightly sweet and perfectly healthy.... hehe~" she mumbled, still licking away the cum on your tip.

You couldn't help but blush from her comments, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Hah.... if I didn't know better, I really wouldn't believe this was your first time." you said while panting.

Cantarella chuckled then came up on your body, pushing you down to lay flat on the soft mattress while she straddled you. The air remained thick with tension and lust still, both of you feeling nowhere near satisfied and craved for more. Her hands cupped your face then slid down your bare body as she slowly stood up on her knees, grasping your shaft and aligning it to her core.

"We'll truly be one in mind and body now, dear~" she purred before pushing herself on your length.

You groaned together, her walls slowly parting to accompany you inside. Warm and mushy sensations enveloped you as you went in, your eyes not leaving the sight at all. You grasped her hips and helped her as she slowly sunk down, then let out a small gasp once it was fully inside. Your body almost arched when you felt the tightness, while she moaned out at the stuffy feeling.

"Aaah.... y-you feel wonderful.... Y-Y/n.... mmh~"

"Y-You too.... hah.... so warm and tight....."

Cantarella’s eyes, wide and a little dazed, were fixed on yours, flecks of silver dancing within their deep blue depths. A faint flush crept up her neck and across her cheeks, a beautiful contrast against her creamy skin. You remained still for a moment, just absorbing the sensation, the sheer intimacy of it, letting her adjust. Her body, so regal and composed usually, was trembling slightly above you. You could feel the rapid beat of your heart in your chest, and you could tell she was the same.

"Are you.... hah.... alright?" you asked softly, gently circling your thumbs on her hips.

She blinked, a slow, languid blink, and a soft smile curved her lips.

“Alright? Y/n, I am… beyond alright.” She reached down, her fingers feather-light as they brushed against your jawline, sending shivers down your spine. “This… this is… incredible.”

She leaned down near your face, resting her palms on either side of your head then began to slowly move. Her hips rocked back n forth first, finding the right angle and rhythm, but also enjoying the way your cock scrapped her insides. She softly moaned at the growing pleasure, carefully raising her hips a little to thrust down.

"Aah....! Mmh.... y-you are so deep inside....~"

She began to move faster, finally finding the motion that suited her. Her hips sought yours as she rose and sunk down at a steady pace, sounds of skin slapping of her hips and your thighs echoing in the silent room. You watched her face, fascinated by the play of emotions there– a slight furrow of her brow as she adjusted to the unfamiliar feeling, then a soft sigh as pleasure started to bloom.

The sight of her was marvelous, making you entranced as you watched her breasts bounce with her motions, and the way her walls clenched you to keep you deep inside as if to never let go. You finally dared to move now, giving a little thrust up which made her gasp in pleasure feeling your cock hit her deep spots. She ceased for a moment, a smirk coming on her lips before she leaned down further and embraced you.

You wrapped your arms around her body, her face buried in your neck as she licked and kissed the skin there before moaning in your ear when you started thrusting again. Your bodies stuck closely, a delicious rhythm forming of your hips with hers, and her silky voice moaning in your ear only enhanced the pleasure tenfold. Your hands slid down to grasp her hips, fingers digging in the ample flesh as you bucked up faster, rutting into her.

"O-Oh, yes! More.... w-will you give me more.... aahn.... m-my dear...."

"Y-Yeah.... anything.... this is for you only..... ngh~"

You moved with increasing urgency now, each thrust a testament to the passion that had been simmering between you for so long, finally unleashed in this private haven. Cantarella clung to you, her moans becoming less controlled, more raw, each sound vibrating against your ear and sending shivers down your spine. Just then she sat back up, her palms intertwining with yours, head titled with a sultry look on her face. You braced yourself for the onslaught of her hips, her body bouncing frantically on your cock.

"Aaah.... aah.... R-Rover.... Y/n.... mmh.... more....!~"

You took a deep breath then sat up as well and tightly held her, your face flush in her breasts as you embraced. Her hands threaded through your hair, lacing in the strands while you grasped her hips and thrusted with her.

“Y-Y/n….!” she gasped out, her head thrown back, exposing the elegant curve of her neck. You instinctively leaned in, pressing kisses along the sensitive skin there, tasting the faint salt of her sweat, the intoxicating scent of her perfume now mingled with something wilder, more primal. You felt her walls tighten around you, gripping you fiercely, urging you on. Her breath hitched, and she arched her back, her breasts heaving with each gasped breath.

"I-I'm close... ngh... C-Cantarella....!~" you announced, slapping your hips up.

"G-Go on.... inside.... give it to me..... aahn~!" she urged you, wrapping her legs around your waist and locking you in so you wouldn't pull away.

Normally, you'd have been more cautious. But you couldn't control yourself here, not when you were finally in the arms of the woman you loved, not when you were finally inside her and she wanted you do it inside. You quickened your pace, your own breath coming in ragged gasps now. The world narrowed down to the feel of her body against yours, the sound of her moans in your ear, the taste of her skin as you nuzzled into her neck. The tension coiled tighter and tighter, a spring wound to its breaking point.

You thrust into her one last time, your release crashing over you in a torrent of sensation, hot and blinding and utterly consuming. You cried out her name, a primal sound of completion and adoration, as you emptied yourself into her, your body shuddering with the aftershocks of pleasure. She threw her body back feeling your release filling her up, moaning out at the hot sensations and the way your cum seeped inside her. Her arms and legs completely locked around you, holding you to dear life.

However, you weren't blind to the fact that she didn't have her release, despite her not saying anything about it. You were a little surprised she held on this long and even through your orgasm considering it was her first time, but it also would be unlike the Head of Fisalia to not have a greater willpower and resilience. Not to mention, knowing how she always prioritized others' wellbeing over her own, it was understandable she wanted you to be satisfied first. Too bad for her, you wouldn't be satisfied if she wasn't.

You suddenly turned over and placed her on the bed, her back hitting the soft mattress with a surprised gasp leaving her lips. She watched you come on top of her, spreading her legs open to accommodate yourself. Her eyes flickered when she saw your cock was still hard, brimming with energy as if it didn't just release twice in a span of some minutes. You rubbed it against her slit, grinding over her clit and spreading her arousal.

"You didn't cum, did you?" you asked her, your voice low and soft.

"I-It is alright, I don't want you to exert yourself."

You chuckled, knowing you were indeed right.

"It's not. I told you this is all for you, didn't I? No more suppressing your own desires and wishes. Tell me what you want, I will give it to you no matter what."

Her heart skipped a beat at your words, finding herself unaccustomed to this kind of situation. Her lips parted to say something but she held back for a moment, seemingly thinking over her words. Silence stretched between you, thick with unspoken desires. You continued to tease her clit, circling it with your cock, feeling her hips buck slightly against you. She was holding back, you could feel it in her tense muscles, in the quickening of her breath.

"I...." she began, her voice low like a whisper. "I want that.... again...." she eyed to where your bodies were joined, looking at your cock resting on her folds, "And.... I want what you felt....."

Her eyes hooded and lips formed a smile as she spoke, looking at you tenderly. You smiled back and pecked her lips then guided your shaft to her entrance, pressing the tip against her slick folds. She was so wet, ready for you in a way that words couldn't express. Slowly, deliberately, you began to push inside her, parting her folds once again for your length to fill her up. She gasped, a sharp intake of breath, but this time, there was no surprise, only anticipation, hunger.

"More.... mmh.... give it to me..... just engrave me into you!~"

Her unfiltered words sent a wave of pleasure and surge of energy through you, eager to please her and make her see stars. You bucked forward and hilted inside her in one go, immediately hitting the deepest spots in her. She arched up in pleasure, hips bucking into you with a raw moan leaving her lips. You began to move slowly, deliberately, drawing out the sensations for both of you. You watched her face, her reactions, her breath hitching and catching, her body starting to move with yours, instinctively, beautifully.

Her hands, which had been gripping the sheets tightly loosened to reach up to your shoulders, pulling you down and wrapping around, her painted fingernails clawing down your skin. You groaned in her ear, starting to go faster now, bucking your hips with fervour. You felt her walls tighten around you, clenching your member just like before, making you thrust harder. You felt her starting to lose herself, her breaths becoming ragged gasps, body arching and bucking beneath you.

"Yes.... f-faster.... ohhh....! Hah.... Y/n.... I love you.... I love you so much~"

Her sudden declaration of love caught you off guard, but also made you move harder.

"I love you too.... aah.... s-so much for so long.... fuck!~"

You buried your face in the crook of her neck, her left hand reaching up to entangle in your hair and grasp the strands. Her legs locked around your waist and you felt her walls flutter, tightening and loosening all at once and you knew she was close. You breathed against her, groaning as you thrusted faster, the bed moving from your intense pace.

"Cumming.... Y/n.... I'm about to— !~"

She cried out and embraced you tighter as she finally came, an explosive release washing over her making her walls milk you. You sighed at the tight and warm sensations, feeling her release on your cock still buried deep inside. You halted for a minute as she came down from her high, letting her breathe and compose herself. You raised yourself and watched her, face contorted in pleasure, smiling at you affectionately.

You shared a gentle kiss, enjoying this blissful moment. She perhaps expected you to stop now and not continue for a while, judging by the shocked expression on her face when you suddenly raised up her left leg and shifted her on her side, putting her leg over your shoulder. She had no time to prepare as you immediately thrusted inside, hilting to the base once again and setting a frantic, relentless pace.

"Aaahn! W-Wait.... I'm still— hng!~" she gasped, feeling overwhelmed.

"I know... hah.... that's why...." you said with a grin, kissing the back of her held up leg, caressing her porcelein skin.

Your hips drove forward animalistically, driven by the unfulfilled lust that still burned between you, the world narrowing down to the feel of her body against yours, the sound of your mingled breaths and the soft slapping of flesh against flesh. All of a sudden, you heard a breathy chuckle from her, followed by the usual confident smirk forming on her face.

"I didn't anticipate.... y-you to go on.... aah— I thought I'd have to.... mmh.... g-give you a stamina potion~" she teased, the way you were used to from her.

"Aaahn.... but I should have known.... it's you, after all— Oh, right there! Show me.... Rover.... Y-Y/n.... mm.... show me what you have~" she challenged, being fully aware of just what you could do.

She wanted to rile you up, to make you lose your sense of control and rail her so she wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow. Well, who were you to ever back down from a challenge?

You gritted your teeth and grasped her held-up leg then swiftly flipped her over, making her lay on her stomach. She mewled in pleasure at your rough handling, immediately standing up on all fours and glancing back at you, her eyes half-lidded and beckoning you to carry on. You wasted no time and grabbed her hips to pull her closer then thrust inside her once again, her back arching and a moan coming from her throat in response.

Driven by her challenge, your every thrust becomes a declaration, a raw expression of the desire that has simmered between you for so long. Cantarella’s breath hitches, her nails digging into the plush velvet of the bedsheets beneath her hands. “Y-Yes… like that…” she breathes, the words fragmented and breathless. Her head falls forward, her hands finding it difficult to hold up from your frantic onslaught on her behind.

Your fingers dig in the plush of her ass, kneading it in your palms, feeling her soft and plumpy skin. Her back arches further with each deep thrust, her body a taut string humming with energy. You keep drilling forward, fucking into her as if you wouldn't ever again, giving her what she wanted and more. The sounds of your bodies moving together fill the room— the soft slap of skin against skin, her increasingly louder moans, your own ragged breaths.

"Oh yes...! Just like that.... more.... show me....! G-Give it all to me.... aaahnn!~"

You soon wrap your arms around her waist and lean on her back, your face buried in her silky lavender hair as you keep thrusting, groaning with effort in her ear. She's barely able to hold herself up now from your added weight, but she soon realizes it's your hold that's keeping her in place.

"Ngh.... I think you should be.... mmh.... the o-one to take that stamina potion, hehe~" you tease, increasing the speed and intensity of your hips even more.

She knew what you meant, and you may be right. You then stand back up and suddenly loosen the grip on her, causing her front to lose all strength. Her face gets buried in the sheets with her ass still raised up for you, your cock rutting faster than before. She moaned with your thrusts, a cacaphony of her silvery voice and sounds of skin slapping resounding in the room. She couldn't describe what she felt any longer, her mind clouded by lust and you, just you.

"F-Fuck.... you are so beautiful this way.... aah.... I'm close again....!~"

You grunted then leaned down to rest on her back, pressing her body flat against the bed. Your hips continued seeking hers in this new position, your cock hitting her the deepest than ever. She cried out at how deep you went, the barrage on her sensitive spots never stopping. She looped her arm around your head and raised up slightly then turned her head to kiss you, pulling your head deeper with her looped arm. You exchanged a messy open-mouthed kiss, tongues and breaths mingling before releasing with a gasp as she put her head down to enjoy the pleasurable sensations.

"I-I'm also close.... oh yes.... t-this is amazing.... aahh.... d-don't stop....!~"

You didn't stop. You kept going, as hard and fast as you knew she could take. Controlling your strength at this moment became difficult with how lost you were in lust and the feeling of her— her tight and warm walls clutching around you, her exquisite body pinned beneath yours, her intoxicating scent that overwhelmed your senses, and her angelic voice that continuously moaned for you. You then raised up your body a little, supporting yourself with your arms by keeping them on either side of her, angling your hips in a new way.

You were sure she was completely lost in pleasure now with the way her lolled out, eyes rolled to the back of her head. She knew nothing but the pleasure you were giving her, enjoying the intense thrusts as you drove in and out. You were both reaching your peak now, having held on longer than expected. You pulled her hips into you with your final thrusts, desperately bucking forward to reach your release together. She merely thrusted back into you, feeling powerless to do anything else.

"Together.... are you ready, Cantarella? Mmm.... I'm really close....!"

"Y-Yes.... cum with me.... Y-Y/n.... I'm almost there too~!"

And just like that, the dam broke.

You did a final hard thrust, burying yourself to her depths and released a torrent of hot, unending cum. A guttural cry tore from her throat, not of pain, but of pure, unadulterated sensation. Her body arched beneath you, a wild tremor that rippled through you both. White-hot pleasure erupted from your core, radiating outwards, engulfing your senses. You felt her inner muscles contract around you, milking every last drop of pleasure, and you groaned, a sound lost against her cries.

You fell on her back, panting against her shoulder as your release drew out by the feeling of her walls clencing you, orgasming with you. For a long, drawn-out moment, time ceased to exist. There was only the feeling of her body pressed against yours, the frantic beat of your combined hearts and the slickness of sweat and passion coating your skin. You could feel Cantarella trembling beneath you, her body still radiating heat. You planted kisses on her shoulder and back before embracing her, simply resting together.

Slowly, after some time, you pulled out from her, your cum gushing out with a pop. You helped her turn on her front, her body still heaving from the intense session. She smiled at you and opened her arms in a loving embrace, and you couldn't help but dive forward in her warmness, hugging her back tightly and laying down together. She planted kisses all over your face- starting from your forehead then down to your eyelids, cheeks, nose and finally meeting your lips.

"Are you alright?" you asked, concerned.

The question felt almost ridiculous, given the intensity of what you had just shared. But you needed to hear it from her, needed reassurance that this experience, so new and overwhelming for her, was positive. She pulled back slightly from your embrace, her fingers tracing the line of your jaw, a soft smile playing on her lips. Her eyes, still heavily lidded and shimmering with unshed tears of release and something deeper, met yours.

"Why wouldn't I be? I have found my partner. Exploring the depths of this unknown sea with you was an experience I'll never forget. This night.... is truly a night to remember, and I cannot thank you enough for giving me this, and so much more."

You blushed hearing her words then smiled back, "Me too, it was an unforgettable experience for me as well. And.... I hope from now on you will openly tell your wishes, at least to me. I want to fulfill everything you desire, and give you everything you deserve."

Her azure eyes widened, yours words holding immeasurable weight.

"Y/n, you...." she trailed off in a whisper, cupping your face and gazing into your eyes, "Everything I want, I wish and desire.... is right in front of me~"

You smiled at each other then shared a gentle kiss before drifting into the night, snuggled under the warm blanket. The warmth of her body pressed against yours was a novel sensation, a comforting heat that seeped into you, chasing away the last vestiges of the day’s chill. You could feel the soft rise and fall of her chest against your own, each breath a gentle whisper against your skin. The air in the room, thick moments ago with unspoken desires, now held a quiet, expectant hum.

*~*

Morning light spilled softly into the room, golden and warm, brushing over tangled sheets and quiet corners. It stretched across the bed, falling gently on you both as you lay close, faces peaceful in sleep. Sunlight catches in Cantarella's hair, painting it with a soft, honeyed glow, and kisses her shoulders with warmth. Outside, birds sing sweet, lilting songs that drift through the open window, carried on a fresh breeze that stirs the curtains. Leaves shimmer with dew, the world hushed and still.

Cantarella was first to awaken, opening her azure eyes and to be met by the sight of you entangled with her. Her mind immediately recalled the events of last night, a whirlpool of emotions rising in her yet calming down rather quickly after looking at your peaceful face. She smiled and leaned in to kiss your forehead, slightly rising up to rest on her side and pulled the blanket further up on you, tucking you in while humming a soft tune.

"I wonder what you see in your dreams, Y/n, if not nothing at all...." she mumbled to herself in a low voice, "Hehe, look at you.... so peacefully asleep like a baby. Are you really the one who branded me into the sheets last night?~" she playfully tapped your nose with a chuckle, gazing at you with utmost love.

She raised her eyes to look around her room, watching the pleasant sunlight spill in and hearing the chirping of birds. Porto-Veno Castle had never felt this peaceful and serene, but she knew why this was the case now. This quiet, tranquil morning was a miracle granted by none other than you. She felt grateful to have you beside her this way now. Just like you, she also wised to fulfill all your wishes and desires and hoped for you to lead a peaceful and happy life.

She soon noticed your brows furrowing and a groan escaping your lips as you slowly opened your eyes, the sunlight obscuring your vision. She came in front to shield you, caressing your head to calm you down. You then finally opened your eyes and were met with Cantarella's beautiful face staring at you, a look of surprise coming and going on your face as you quickly recalled what had happened last night.

"Good morning, Y/n~" she stated with a smile, coming close to peck your lips.

"Good morning, Cantarella. Are you feeling alright?"

She chuckled and laid back down beside you, gently cupping your face and tracing her fingers along your jaw.

"Better than ever.... even if slightly drained~"

You smiled awkwardly, "Sorry, I'll be careful from next time...."

"Oh, please don't. I'd rather want you to not hold back from next time~"

You chuckled together before laying down in silence, simply gazing at each other, her hand continuing to caress your face in gentle motions.

"I like the way you look at me. In your eyes, even the darkest depths of the sea are made transparent. With you, I am no longer "The Bane." I am simply..... myself." she whispered, her face mirrored in your eyes.

You smiled softly then cupped her face in return, "And you will always be just you for me, Cantarella."

She smiled in return and joined your foreheads together, relishing the feeling of your touch and presence. The soft sunlight brushed through the room, a refreshing fragrance slowly filling the space as jellyfishes floated around you both. She lifted her azure eyes, the mist long faded, her gaze now like a calm sea, with just the ripple of gentle feelings.

[illyanarasputinfan]

2024 Matriarchs of Marvel 3x3 Puzzle Card Set “Fleer Ultra”

Artist: Elizabeth Torque

[astrolocherry]

When the Cancer permits you to be close enough to actually know her,

it’s like being let in on a marvellous secret. She exudes liquid lunar essence in a substance. There is depth and the dark side of the Moon, and there is a luminary that lights up your little world.

She is the personification of healing baths, transporting art, matriarchal legacies, and unattainable Feminine ideals. Hardened by what she has so far seen, yet tough in ability to maintain the love in her heart. There’s honour in being born that isn’t centred on pride or personal purpose, but rather about living in private honour. There is a strong vulnerability and a willingness to surrender that is surprisingly unapologetic about who she really is. Ultimately accepting of all that you are because self-acceptance was a major challenge and lesson for the Cancer.

She has moods like weather patterns with clear days and stormy nights, queen tides and tears to cry. And she is at her best when she is at her worst. Take it all or leave it, because absence can mark this presence once she’s part of your life.

Just as you have never known a sky without a moon - she forms a void when she leaves that can’t be filled in.

Cherry

[illuminatedquill]

Story Summary: Ursa Wren faces a dilemma: since her daughter, Sabine, is now of age, several high-ranking clans now seek to win the favor of Clan Wren by offering her potential suitors. With the political pressure mounting, Ursa has no choice but to acquiesce to the invocation of an ancient rite that will determine which of the suitors will have Sabine's hand in marriage. It's a risky game: turning any of the clans down has the potential to create new enemies that Clan Wren can scarcely afford as they continue to wage war against the Empire. To win this game, Ursa will need to rig it in Sabine's favor and choose a candidate of her own. But this candidate will need to have more than luck on their side . . . which is why she summons a certain plucky young Jedi named Ezra Bridger to Krownest.

Part 1 of 3

Mandalorians were taught since birth to only use beskar for armor and weaponry. That has always been the way. To use it for anything else, according to custom, was to waste it. But one person did not see it that way. They saw beyond, to what it could be. What did they see, you ask? Beauty. And so, they fashioned rings of beskar. The first of their kind. Who would be crazy enough to do such a thing? To go against established Mandalorian custom and change something considered immutable and derive a different purpose? You guessed it. It was a Jedi. - From the personal diary of Countess Ursa Wren

"To be seen is to be loved." - Unknown

~ the call ~

Fenn Rau rapped three times on the heavy wooden door and waited, taking a few moments to marvel at the craftsmanship in its design. Most Mandalorian clans loved to imbue their castles or fortresses with the latest tech to showcase how impregnable their stronghold was to guests. But not Clan Wren - here they still stood on tradition and the old ways but not in a manner that stifled innovation. It had been some time now since he had arrived on Krownest in service to their matriarch and it felt more like a home than anything else he could remember in his life.

"Enter." The commanding voice of his benefactor, Countess Ursa Wren, recognizable even through the thick wood, still full of authority and steel even at this late hour.

With a grunt of effort, he pushed the door open and entered Ursa Wren's bedroom.

Fenn Rau would never confess out loud, but he did harbor a curiosity regarding Clan Wren's matriarch - especially considering Sabine's strained relationship with her. But after meeting the woman himself, he immediately understood where the younger Wren got her fiery resolve from. Both of them were more alike than either were willing to admit - an observation that Fenn Rau decided was wise to keep to himself after witnessing one of their arguments.

Glancing around the matriarch's bedroom, the veteran warrior noted that it seemed to match the woman's personality: it was spartan, utilitarian, with no room given for personal effects that would reveal anything about Ursa herself. The walls were painted a light, neutral green shade that seemed to be an attempt at instilling calmness or serenity in the room's occupant, but Fenn Rau instead found it somewhat nauseating to look at for too long.

Pressed up against the wall to his right was a simple bed with plain grey bedsheets, accompanied by a single lonely pillow that had been flattened due to years of use. To his surprise, the bed was unmade - the only sign of life in the otherwise sterile feeling room. It seems the Countess really was human after all, he thought, feeling amused.

Other than the bed there was a large arch window that overlooked Castle Wren's grounds; a bookcase filled with thick, leather-bound books with the titles written in ancient Mando'a worn away on the spines; a medium sized wooden closet that presumably held Ursa's armor and other sets of clothing; and the only other piece of furniture in the room - a small, round table that had a tiny, delicate vase containing a red rose sitting upon it. It was an oddly personal touch of beauty that immediately suggested to him that it was not placed there by Ursa's hand. Perhaps Sabine, he wondered.

Next to the table, sitting in a wide-backed chair with one leg crossed over the other was the Countess. Ursa wore casual sleep wear: a simple, form-fitting long sleeve shirt and pants that were the same slightly nauseating green as the bedroom's walls, complete with comfortable house shoes. Her hair still remained tied in a tight, professional bun, but she was casually scrolling through a data-pad, her sharp, intelligent eyes raking over the information being shown.

Fenn Rau waited for her to acknowledge him. Finally, after a few seconds of silence, she sighed and tossed the data-pad gently onto the table next to her. With a weariness rarely seen by him, Ursa hunched over and massaged at her temples, eyes closed in deep thought.

"Countess," he said, concerned. "Are you alright?"

Ursa straightened herself with a wince and fixed him (Fenn Rau charitably ignored the faint popping noises that emitted from her back as she did so) with a grim stare.

(Pictured above: Ursa Wren contemplates her next move.)

Fenn Rau forced himself to stand upright against the weight of that intimidating stare.

A few tense seconds passed before Ursa finally relented, a small smile flickering over her face. "At ease, Rau," she said. "Just feeling the weight of my years."

"You're younger than me, Countess," he replied.

The smile grew. "Flatterer," she said.

"It's the truth."

She sighed. "Perhaps so," she said. "I suppose it's more to do with the mileage, rather than the actual number of years."

He nodded in understanding. Fenn Rau had his fair share of wear and tear from the long, hard years of life but by all accounts, Ursa Wren was far more accomplished and battle-worn in her early adulthood than he had ever been at that age.

And that was before she had become the leader of her clan. The stories he had heard about Ursa Wren over the years . . . well, it was enough to chill the blood of any Mandalorian.

"Is there anything I can do to assist you this evening?" he asked. "You did call for me."

"Yes," she answered. He suddenly caught a gleam of mischief in the woman's eyes that sent a spike of anxiety coursing through him.

"Fix my daughter's love life."

Out of all the requests she had ever given him, this was by far the craziest one yet.

Feeling somewhat unsteady on his feet, Fenn Rau asked, injecting a calm that he did not feel into his voice, "I beg your pardon, Countess?"

She gestured at the data-pad laying on the table. "More offers continue to come for my daughter's hand in marriage."

"Ah," he said. "I take it she's responding to them in her usual manner."

Ursa snorted. "Brief and colorful, as always. I'm somewhat proud."

Rau frowned. "You don't wish to see her married?"

"I wish to see her married, yes. Securing Clan Wren's future, especially in these precarious times, is among my top priorities."

"Then why - "

"Because," the Countess interrupted, "I would see her married to a suitable partner of her own choice."

He raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't your own marriage arranged, Countess?"

Ursa grinned. "Yes. By me. My parents threw a fit, of course, over my choice of Alrich. They had to save face somehow, insisting to the wider Mandalorian hierarchy that it was their doing."

Rau laughed. The Wren matriarch frowned at him. "What's so funny?"

"It's very . . . you, Countess."

"It should be," she responded. "I don't know how to be anyone else."

The data-pad suddenly chimed, indicating a new message. Ursa glanced at it and let out a soft groan.

"Another offer, I take it," observed Rau.

"Worse," muttered Ursa. "An invocation from three of the more insistent clans. They are demanding to invoke a Rite."

"Which clans?"

She checked the data-pad, eyes scanning the message. "Clan Eagan, Clan Cobel, and Clan Reghabi."

Fenn Rau grimaced. He had heard of these three - they were sharks in the water, smelling blood. They were ambitious, competent, and looking to claw their way up to the upper echelon of Mandalorian clan hierarchy. Outside of the larger war against the Empire, these three clans had been on the rampage, absorbing smaller clans under their respective umbrellas through back-door negotiations - or by force.

An invocation was a way for the smaller, less powerful families of Mandalore to force a response from the higher, elite clans. There always had to be at least three of them, Rau remembered.

Politically speaking, Ursa was in a bind. Yes, she could turn down the invocation, but it would weaken Clan Wren's stature in the eyes of Mandalorian society. Even during wartime, it could be a death knell. They were spread thin enough as it was and with the continued absence of Alrich - itself a weakening blow to the clan's political stature - their alliances were shaky at best.

It was only due to Ursa Wren's steely resolve that Clan Wren stayed ahead of their rivals, her efforts bolstered by her daughter's timely arrival with the legendary Darksaber.

However, there was a catch . . .

"You can still choose the Rite, if I remember correctly," he said. In the interests of fairness, the clan challenged could choose the manner of challenge.

"Yes," Ursa said, smugly. "And that is how I will settle this matter, once and for all."

His stomach sank. "You intend to go through with this?"

She shook her head. "I have no choice. Clan Wren can ill afford new enemies during this time. Desperate times, Rau."

Rau pursed his lips, thinking. Ursa eyed him. "Speak your mind," she prompted.

"You're playing games with your daughter's life, Countess," he pointed out - gently. "It's unlike you."

"Am I?" she asked, her voice whisper soft. A smile appeared on the matriarch's face - a surprisingly evil one, in fact.

He studied her, feeling the anxiety spike through him again. "I'm assuming you have plan for these games."

"Obviously," she replied. "I never would play games with my daughter's life."

Rau asked, "How do you intend to win?"

"How do you assure victory in anything?" she asked. "You rig it in your favor."

He considered Ursa's words. "That depends on the rite you choose. Which one will it be, Countess? The rite of woe, frolic, malice - or dread, perhaps?"

The evil smile grew wider. "I was thinking the Rite of Hearts."

He frowned. "I don't quite remember that one."

"I pose a question to the suitors," she answered. "How they answer will prove the winner of Sabine's hand in marriage."

He arched an incredulous eyebrow. "I remember now. It's not that simple. Isn't there a vote by each of the clans to declare the winner?"

The Countess laughed. "I don't intend to make it simple. You'll be helping me in that matter, Fenn Rau."

"I see." He really didn't but assumed that Ursa would explain later.

At least he hoped so. In her own way, the Wren matriarch was as unpredictable as her daughter.

"How do you intend to rig this in your favor?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Each of the clans will choose their suitor," Ursa explained. "I am allowed a choice, as well."

"Seems odd," he replied. "Regardless of the outcome, each of the clans will only vote for their own suitor."

"Unless they can be swayed to vote outside their own choice," Ursa corrected. "It can happen."

"I've never heard of it happening," he said. "Not in my lifetime."

She shrugged. "Depends on the candidate."

"Your candidate, you mean," he said. "Who would be brave enough to go along with this?"

She eyed him, the evil smile returning in full force.

A horrible thought occurred to him then: the image of a young man, piercing blue eyes, a scarred cheek, brandishing an emerald bladed lightsaber in the thick of combat.

"You can't be serious!"

"Deadly serious, Rau," Ursa confirmed. "He's the one."

Rau's mouth gaped open, his mind working furiously through the implications. "Countess - choosing him surely is against the rules?"

"I make the rules," she replied coldly. "It's my game now. We are at war - not just against the Empire but for my daughter's freedom. And that boy is my best bet against these sharks swirling around us."

He stared at her. It was a bold move indeed.

Rau didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Maybe when his wits caught up with him, he could decide on that later.

"Shall I make the call, then?" he asked her.

"Yes, if you please," responded Ursa. Her face turned serious. "Get me a secure channel to the Ghost. I suspect Hera Syndulla will still be awake at this hour."

_ _ _ _ _

~ the suitors ~

Three days later

This was the worst day of Sabine's life. She stood in the hallway outside the Wren throne room, awaiting the summons. It felt like she was going to her execution.

On the wall in front of her, Sabine studied the painting hanging there. A portrait of her mother, commissioned by her father, Alrich, as a gift for their wedding day. She initially started to do so as a way to distract herself from the feeling of impending doom but as the minutes passed Sabine came to appreciate the details her father put into the work.

A labor of love, he had called it. Even then, he would privately admit to his daughter later, it did not do his wife's beauty justice.

(Pictured above: Alrich Wren's portrait of his wife, Ursa, given as a gift on their wedding day.)

"Feeling nervous?"

Sabine turned to find Fenn Rau, dressed in formal Mandalorian attire. A sleek, form fitting outfit that was militaristic in style, dyed in the traditional colors of Clan Wren. Sabine felt awkwardly out of place, wearing her customary beskar armor since she owned no dresses. It was hard to get any shopping done in the middle of an active war zone, she had come to learn.

Despite wearing his usual stoic expression, there was a glimmer of humor in Fenn Rau's eyes.

"I'm planning to vomit in front of everyone gathered in that throne room shortly," Sabine responded seriously.

He eyed her. "You don't trust your mother?" he asked.

"How can I trust her after this?" she asked. "She's bargaining away my freedom and - for what - a few meager alliances with some has-been clans?"

Rau's face became pained. "Sabine. If your mother thought this wasn't necessary, then you wouldn't be doing this. We are at war."

"We're always at war," she shot back. "Why now? These offers have been coming in since I got back a few months ago. She didn't seem to mind me turning them down then."

He sighed deeply. "Things change. Listen, Sabine - you know our resources and strength as well as she does. Tell me honestly that we do not need this."

Sabine bit her lip. She could not lie, not even to herself. Things were looking grim for Clan Wren. Even with the strength of the Darksaber backing up their clan, the Empire was everywhere with resources that far outstripped their own. And the Mandalorians were still scattered to the far reaches of the galaxy, hesitant to answer the call to take back their homeworld.

But still, she had hoped it would not come to this. Her mother had never been shy in expressing marriage as a viable future for Sabine, but Ursa had always been insistent that it would be her choice - and no one else's.

She thought of Ezra suddenly. The image of her best friend, far away on the Ghost or in the middle of some crucial mission for the Rebellion, brought a lump to her throat.

I miss you, goober, she thought miserably.

If it could have been my choice, Ezra . . .

She let that thought trail off, not daring to follow through with it. It was too late for that.

Far too late.

Duty calls.

Sabine came out of her reverie to find Fenn Rau looking at her with a surprisingly gentle expression. "You alright?" he asked.

"No," she said, her voice rough. "None of those people will ever love me the way I want. Nor will I ever love any of them."

Something almost like a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. She was immediately suspicious. "What is it?" she demanded.

He shrugged, the almost smile vanishing instantly. "Trust your mother, Sabine," he said again.

She opened her mouth to reply with a snarky answer - and then a horn resounded through the hallway.

It was time.

Sabine took a deep breath, looking up at the portrait of her mother one last time. Once upon a time, Ursa had to go through an arranged marriage set up by her own parents. But that had resulted in her marriage to Alrich, the love of her life.

It worked out for you, she thought bitterly. I doubt it will do so for me.

The doors to the throne room opened. Fenn Rau offered his arm, a formal gesture reserved for Mandalorian royalty. Sabine took it gratefully and let him lead her out.

Sitting on her throne was Ursa, dressed in a sleek silver gown, similar to the one depicted in the portrait Sabine had just been studying. Her mother's eyes watched her carefully, flashing coldly in a warning that only her daughter would pick up on: Behave.

It took every fiber of restraint not to dash out of the room right then and there, but Sabine did it. Her clan was at stake.

This is the right thing to do, isn't it Ezra?

But her best friend was not here to console her. Sabine wondered if she would ever see him again after this.

They reached the center of the room, Ursa behind them on her throne, and faced the candidates from the different clans.

The three suitors were hidden beneath shimmer-silk cloaks, bequeathed to only the most important guests. Behind them were the clan heads, she assumed, also wearing cloaks to hide their faces. The introductions would begin shortly, each candidate and their sponsor lowering their hoods to reveal their faces.

Fun, fun, fun, Sabine thought. I might really puke from all this fun I'm having.

"Welcome," boomed Ursa's voice from behind her. "Welcome, honored guests, to Krownest and Clan Wren."

The three hooded clan heads responded in unison. "We seek an invocation, Countess Wren."

Sabine glanced behind her to see Ursa nodding in acknowledgement. "I accept this invocation."

They spoke again. "What rite would you ask of us?"

"The Rite of Hearts," Ursa said calmly.

There was a pause. The hooded clan members exchanged hidden looks with one another; Sabine caught some murmurs of surprise being whispered.

"I take it they're not happy about that choice," she whispered to Rau.

He shook his head, cutting off any further commentary from her. "Just watch."

But she caught that almost smile from him again. She's planning something, Sabine thought. Fenn Rau knows about it.

A small flicker of hope began to quietly burn inside her. It wasn't much, but she clung to it.

What are you planning, mother?

"We accept, oh gracious Countess," came the unified reply, albeit a tad reluctantly. Sabine got a sense of satisfaction from hearing it.

"Good to hear," Ursa said cheerfully. "You are all gathered here today to contest for my daughter's hand in the hereby declared Rite of Hearts. Are there any other challengers that wish to make themselves known?"

The front doors to the throne room blew open in a frigid gale of bitter wind. A person stood there, dressed in a humble hooded cloak of brown homespun wool. They were just a dark silhouette against the frozen tundra in the backdrop, unrecognizable - but Sabine caught a flash of their eyes beneath the hood.

Familiar, piercing blue eyes.

Sabine felt her pulse spike. It can't be.

The figure stalked forward, only to be met by a pair of Krownest guards, brandishing their pikes threateningly in his direction. He paused before them.

Ursa's command cut through the air. "Wait."

The guards stilled their approach but kept their weapons pointed at the new guest.

"Who are you to interrupt these proceedings?" she asked.

"A challenger," came the reply. "As you called for, I am here to make myself known."

Ursa arched an imperious eyebrow. "You wish to challenge against these others for my daughter's hand?"

"I do."

She stared at him for a few tense seconds - and then Sabine caught a smirk flashing across her mother's face for the briefest of moments.

"Very well," Ursa said. "I accept your challenge. I will be your sponsor, as is my right."

The clan heads snapped their hooded faces towards Ursa in shock and anger but didn't dare to raise a complaint. This was, after all, her house. They would obey her rules - or face the consequences.

The guards removed their weapons and went back to their posts. Fenn Rau hurried forward to close the front doors before returning back to Sabine's side. The guest stepped forward and took their place awkwardly next to the other suitors.

They glared at him. He gave a little polite wave only to be met with more glare.

"Seeing as though you came in such a dramatic fashion," Ursa continued calmly. "Why don't you introduce yourself first?"

There was a pause. "Oh, I'm supposed to do that now?" asked the guest.

Sabine stared at him - and then at Fenn Rau.

He shrugged. "Desperate times," he said quietly, in answer to her look.

"Yes," replied Ursa, sounding annoyed. "Unless you're waiting for something else?"

"Oh, uh. No. I guess I'll do that," he replied nervously.

And the guest carefully lowered the hood of his cloak.

There, in the throne room, presenting himself as a challenger for her hand in marriage was Sabine's best friend, Ezra Bridger.

"Hi, everyone," he said in greeting. Ezra caught Sabine's stare and gave her a sheepish smile. "I'm Ezra Bridger. A Jedi. And, uh, Sabine's friend."

The silence in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Sabine took a shaky step forward. Then another one.

Towards Ezra.

"You," she breathed. "It's you."

"Hey, Sabine," he said. "It's been a while - gah!"

She tackled him to the ground.

"Are you an idiot?!" she yelled, grabbing the front of his cloak and shaking Ezra. "Do you know what you've just agreed to, di'kut? Do you have some sort of death wish - "

"If you would just let me explain - glack!"

"Guards!" barked Ursa.

From behind her, Fenn Rau sighed deeply. "All according to plan, I suppose," Sabine heard him mutter, before the guards came to pull her away.

TO BE CONTINUED

[quitealotofsodapop]

This is set as a hypothetical between S5 and S6 but in the Stone Matriarch variants, the world did not cleanly heal from reality breaking twice over and thus some strange things have started happening. The most drastic of which being an incident in which the Noodle Gang and our favorite monkey ended up falling through time and space into another dimension set several millenia in the past when Wukong was approximately the same age as MK and still a very young monkey.

The most stark contrast, however, is that this world is a world in which the Great Floos never wiped put the Stone Monkeys. Meaning the young Wukong grew up with both his parents.

While everyone else is marveling at the new world and the changes within it, Wukong is having a bit of an existential crisis of his own upon realizing this is the life that had been stolen from him by a flood that happened long before he was ever even hatched.

Its the end of Season 5; MK has tried his best to spread the power of the Heavenly Stones throughout the universe.

When during their celebration party on Flower Fruit Mountain; a portal opens up and drags the gang all inside.

When they all come too - it's to Flower Fruit Mountain.

But not the one they know.

Many spears and swords are suddenly poised at the intruders. They are surrounded on all sides by monkey demons, all wearing plain island-style clothing made of natural materials. Cleary wherever they landed; they've alerted the locals.

Leading the scouts is an eerily familiar monkey - Wukong himself?!

However this monkey doesn't look exactly like Wukong: his eyes are a deep blue rather than gold, and he has a younger, somehow cheekier smile.

His smile only widens at the sight of the Monkey King.

???: "Shihou! You're home early! Wukong: "Who... who are you?" ???: "Ehh? Gege, are you ok? Or are you unable to tell your own brother's face from a horse's bum?" Wukong: "BROTHER?!"

This encounter quickly leads to the gang getting captured by the monkey scouts - who bring him to the Stone Palace.

But not the ruin Wukong refurbished in the early years of his kinghood.

It's THE Stone Palace.

Unweathered by time or nature. It's decorated with tapestries and statues of past warriors and rules. At the end of the entrance hall is an imposing stone throne - upon it sits a ginger-furred monkey.

But it's not Sun Wukong.

It's a female monkey. Older than what Wukong had been when he took the throne. Her body adorned by a large red cape in harmony with multiple jade ornaments. At her side is a brunette male monkey of the same age, readjusting his spectacles at their guests. Guards and retainers, many of whom Wukong and Macaque know from their youth, line the room.

Wukong: "Mrs uh... Matriarch is it? We're a little lost - dimension wise. Where we were, the Heavenly Pillar was breaking and the lines between worlds thinned. We must have fallen through the wrong door." (*As Wukong speaks, the female monkey rises from her throne and walks slowly towards him. Her eyes narrow as she touches his scarf, comparing it to her cape. The whole room seems to draw in a breath.*) Shihua: "Where did you get this?" Wukong: "It was draped over the throne when I found the palace for the first time." Shihua: "Found? Have you not lived here your entire life?" (*A feeling of dread overcomes Wukong as he tries his best to explain*) Wukong: "When I was very young, none of us lived in the Stone Palace. But I accidentally rediscovered it when I fell through the waterfall. There was a plaque dedicated to whomever lived there before us, and a cape resting on the throne. I took the cape for my self when the troop crowned me King- er.. Matriarch." Ye Lin, concerned: "And what of your parents? surely they would not have let a mere cub rule?" Wukong, brow furrowed with sad confusion: "I... never had any parents. I was born alone atop of Flower Fruit Mountain from a lone stone egg. As far as I know, besides Macaque and MK here, I'm the only Stone Monkey there is." (*The two royal monkeys look at each other sadly. The Queen makes a deep sigh as she sniffs the stranger-king's scarf, offering it to her mate to inspect. The brunette monkey takes a sniff, his gaze widening when he recognises the scent.*) Shihua: "That explains it." Ye Lin: "What does, my Queen? How does this young man smell almost exactly like our elder son?" Shihua: "These strangers truly are from another world. Another time even. One where our people did not survive the Great Flood we weathered." (*every single jaw in the room is dropped from shock. The monkey marshals and generals quickly begin inspecting the strangers, grooming their fur and sniffing their effects. The Wukong-double from earlier looks positively smug*) Luzhen, excited: "So he IS Gege!!" Marshal Ma: "No little prince, I've already checked with the Celestial Realm. Shihou is still working off his sentence in the stables." Wukong: "Sentence? Stables? Oh sweet Buddha, you mean I'm still the bimawen?!" MK: "I mean! At least you aren't under that mountain!" Tang, covered in curious monkeys: "What year is this even?" Ye Lin: "I am unsure if our time keeping methods match yours - but the humans on the mainland have recently chosen a new Emperor. A man they call Taizong of Tang." The Monkie Kids, shocked: Σ(°ロ°)! Mei, looking on the bright side: "I can introduce you guys to my Grandpa Lie!"

Of course, now the Monkie Kids/Noodle Gang need to figure out why they fell through a portal, what has changed in this new world, and whether or not the infamous Journey to the West can even happen.

Its very fun AU to think about. A lot of sight-seeing occurs as Shihua glamours/hides the gang as her or her family's new retainers. :3

Au name ideas im thinking; "Stone Royalty au"? or something along those lines.

Btw for those wondering about the "reincarnation" aspect of Shihua's life... Guanyin still exists in this world. Bodhisattva is a keystone character who will find a way to exist. Even if it leaves Shihua mourning her twin who did not survive the Flood.

[parad-ice-lostandfound]

Prompt: "You, whose image the Dark Mirror did beckon forth... If your heart bids it, take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror."

Pairing: Dire Crowley and GN!Prefect/ Yuu/ MC

Genre: Yandere (platonic)

TW: Yandere Dire Crowley, crow man's delusional and literally does not give two fucks, just generally creepy vibes all around.

AN: I am so, so, so sorry for what you are about to read now lol. If you get too confused in the middle, don't worry, I was just as confused writing this but my brain just wouldn't rest until I finished and posted this so here we are. The basic summary of this is that Yuu or the Prefect is trapped in an endless cycle because Crowley overblotted. You might have to read this twice or thrice to understand the how and why <3

He knows.

From the moment he sees them, he remembers.

He remembers and he watches as they do it again.

And again.

And again.

A puppet, unaware of their being handled by someone else, someone kinder and gentler who just wants to keep them safe and sound.

Even if it means trapping them in an endless cycle.

Even if he is the only one who sees and notices and remembers.

Dire Crowley cuts an imposing figure as he stands in his office, facing an ornate mirror. Not the Dark Mirror, no. This particular mirror has its roots in mystical arcane magic, from the times of Jupiter and when the Titans roamed free. Dire has a faint memory of his mother, the Crowley Matriarch, telling him to be careful with it, to pass it down to his heir as she had, to him.

Crystal clear, it beckons to him to reveal himself. To bare himself, imperfections and flaws laid out in the privacy of his office for it to see.

A selfish, sadistic desire to pick apart every carefully constructed lie, each bejeweled facade to show the utter mess of a man that lies beneath it all arises in him; he finds himself indulging in it more often than he likes to admit.

The masked man removes his mask for what is not the first time, and most certainly would not be the last. Sharp golden eyes look on as black ink, once held within the confines of his mask, drips down his face. Times like these make him wonder and marvel at how he has not met his demise yet.

Fingers adorned with golden claws rise and touch the blot, marveling at how cold it feels as it stains his skin. Lesser mages would have been dead long ago, Crowley knows this. Slight dread rises in him at the thought, knowing that his magic reserves are long finished; he lives on borrowed time and magic.

But then again, who cares? As long as he can have them here, where they belong, safe and sound-

A knock resonates through the room, startling the headmage. He quickly puts the mask on his face again and clears his throat, saying, "Come in."

He watches as they walk in, no doubt to complain about something, or to talk about their financial situation. Perhaps he should increase their allowance? After all, it is their being, their magic that sustains him, and allows him to live through these lifetimes watching over the unassuming, now magicless human he had imprinted on and the students they had endeared themself to.

Crowley watches as they speak, unable to stop his lips from curling up into a smile. He hems and haws and lies through his teeth about not being able to find them a way back.

He sees the light in their eyes dim; it is a small change, one that doesn't stay for long. But the magicless human is precious to him, and so he observes them. He watches them leave his office silently, a stark contrast to when their impatience and indignance have them cursing his name to the skies. No outcome, no outburst of their emotions will be able to move his cold, frozen heart to thaw, however; they belong to Twisted Wonderland, as Twisted Wonderland belongs to them.

In their first lifetime, Crowley recalls with the fondness of a father thinking of his grown-up child, they did possess magic; far different in nature, but magic nonetheless. And powerful too, considering the aura of it radiated from their being even as something stopped them from being able to use it.

Crowley wonders if it was so that he could see how invaluable, how indispensable they were.

How the entirety of Twisted Wonderland was made for them.

He did try, the first time, to find them a way back home. Endless efforts were dedicated to researching the existence of universes and multiverses. Of course, such exhaustive research would take time, time which he saw them spend getting close to the students of Night Raven College and fighting overblots.

Seven overblots, in the span of one year.

A record untouched by any other being, mage or otherwise. A record they kept making each and every lifetime they spent in the loop. A record that became his new normal, so much so that he no longer gives more than a cursory glance to the overblots and their aftermath.

He knows how it all ends, after all.

In their first lifetime, his efforts had bore fruit. His studies revealed a way to connect the Dark Mirror to their plane of existence, through the use of the very mirror that was hidden behind his back. His blood had run cold at the revelation, and he spent the next few weeks? months? looking for alternatives. For other ways to be able to send them back.

Until one day, the Prefect found out.

As they angrily interrogated him for the reasons behind his silence, asking him why he would not send them back even though there was a way, he realized exactly why he was hesitant about sending them back.

Crowley had no spouse, no children. But the mirror, the mirror which had been in his family for generations, needed an heir. One who could gain control over it, rather than have it control them like it did with so many of his ancestors, including his mother.

Surely the one dubbed a beast-tamer could tame such a dangerously powerful magical artefact?

He desperately begged and bargained with them, trying to change their mind. Trying to entice them into staying forever in Twisted Wonderland, as his heir. He offered them gold and silver, riches beyond what one would expect a man like him to have. He offered them the immense honour and prestige that came with being a deity that the entirety of Twisted Wonderland bowed to.

But they... they refused to stay. The only thing that was in their mind was to go home. Why couldn't they get it through their head that Twisted Wonderland was meant to be their home?

The aftermath of that argument... Crowley's memories are hazy at best. He remembers waking up in a pool of blot, the sticky ink covering his hands and the top of his face, dripping constantly. He remembers the mirror glowing as he dragged himself to it like a mindless moth flies to the flame even with the risk of getting burned.

Words had slipped through his mouth like the prayers of the devout at the altar of their deity, the faint and familiar hum of magic accompanied by a slight crackle of dark miasma.

"Ah, my dear esteemed benefactor... My proud, beautiful flower of evil. You are truly the fairest one of all," he had spoken, not knowing exactly what spell he was casting. All he knew, was that he was succumbing to the mirror, the same way his mother had; the same way all of his ancestors had, giving into the madness that such unchecked power and magic could create.

"O magic mirror, thy wisdom I entreat... Reveal unto me the visage I seek.." A vision of them, standing on the other side of the mirror, had Crowley try to reach out to them. His hand grazed the solid glass, before passing through it. He watched as their eyes widened and they took a step back.

"You, whose image the Dark Mirror did beckon forth... If your heart bids it, take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror." A shiver of thrill ran up his spine as they gingerly placed their hand in his after giving his words some thought, even with all the doubt in their eyes. He curled his fingers around their warm hand, and pulled.

He later found out that, during his overblot, he had managed to trap a significant portion of their soul in the mirror that was his family heirloom. The mirror rejected their magic, foreign as it was, and somehow those powers transferred themselves over to Crowley.

The words Crowley spoke, was the way to invoke their soul and bring them back each time they left Twisted Wonderland. A reset button, if you will.

Every time they show the slightest hint of wanting to leave, the slightest glimpse of understanding that he is the one they need to defeat in order to go home, he resets. Memories get wiped and Twisted Wonderland moulds beneath his gold-plated fingertips to what it was before. They say time waits for no man, but then again, Dire Crowley is more monster than human now. And so it bends to his will, but not without taking away his memories as well.

But then he sees them.

And he remembers.

[anggrishka]

Matriarch

She believed she was making things better

[chinesedramaoutfit]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ— Wipe away your tears. I can't endure seeing you cry. Baoqin, there is something I've been meaning to tell you. I admire you. You are my lifelong enemy and friend.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ— Let's keep being friends for life. This is so nice. It makes me feel like we are back to when we were young. Hands in hands, side by side we did tapestry together.

[simplegeneral]

It was an early morning in the Sky Queendom, arriving at nearly 5 am at a meeting planned to happen at 9 am, the new queen of the SandWings past her mother queen Burn's passing, Oasis and her envoy had arrived extra early in order for her to prepare mentally to meet the other queens at the now famous Queens' Summit, happening every 5 years, this time earlier thanks to the new sandwing queen's ascension to power.

Depressed, angry and above all else, volatile, queen Oasis has declared speech after speech she would deliver to the queens, but to no avail nor her own approval, being only encouraged by her envoy, the adviser, principal and all-doer Sunny and her father, the ex-king now general Sandstorm.

At around 7 am, queen Moorhen, quite often seem as the matriarch and arbiter of the summit had arrived, so confident she would be the first one there, as always happened, only to find the young queen angrily snarling fancy words around in an attempt to showcase her nobility.

" Your new majesty, queen Oasis. A pleasure to meet you finally face to face. How long have you been here? " She spoke, ever so softly and stern as a mother figure, the mudwings behind her begun to hastily unpack their belongings to guard and offer during the summit.

" Oh. Your majesty.... Queen Moorhen... Of the mudwings, of course! I have been here for a few hours, I believe... " Oasis stumbled in her memories the coherent words to say in such situation.

" Oh three moons! Energetic aren't you? In fact, I do believe where all this energy came from... " Moorhen spoke as she looked Sunny, who was approaching them from the side. " Sunny, oh my, your energy is fueling through the ground or something? Its causing our royal guest here to feel accelerated! "

" No no no, your majesty, I mean, yes, I mean, kinda of. I mean I have been advising Oasis to the best of my abilities... " Sunny yelped cutely.

" Ha ha! Oh well. Delightful as it have been meeting your person, queen Oasis, I may ask, is everything alright? " Moorhen directed towards the young queen.

" Well... I am nervous, absolutely. Such a summit, it seems marvellous but, politicing at home is complicated, and I can not imagine what will be in foreign affairs... 

- Ah, yes, indeed. Come with me, if you don't mind. Lets go to a walk to a nearby pond, we will talk there. You too can come, Sunny. "

The three of them made their way through the bushes, flowers and trees, into a large pond of cristaline waters, so pure they could see all the way to the bottom.

" Beautiful, isn't it? This pond is so refreshing, its waters so pure. It always relaxes me, and you?

- I do feel calmer by its beauty... But, what do you seek to talk with me?

- Oh. Direct to the point, eh? I see. Just like your mother! Ah, Oasis, once you live up as long as I did, the beauty of life is to live very calmly and tranquil. Your mother, queen Burn, and your grandmother before her, Oasis as well, were very agitaded and hard working dragons.

- I believe so. What do you know about my mother?

- A lot. We were allies during the succession war before you hatched. I believe I was one of the few dragons who could stand up to her, be direct, straightfoward, honest, and she always reciprocated. I met very few dragons in my life like her.

- I feel like I am her daughter but... I don't have much of anything of her, not the courage, the strength or the honesty.

- You are only so young! Be patient, queen Oasis. Let me tell you one quick story about your mother's first meeting with the other queens, at this very summit.

- Oh. Oh! Its queen Moorhen's story time!!!

- Calm down, Sunny, you might spoil everything to our guest here before I can even begin! "

The three of them sat down at the edge of the pond, and Moorhen begun:

" Your mother, queen Burn, was as nervous as you are when she first arrived at this summit. The proud warrior had a terrible charisma, her oratory was terrible and she couldn't get her ideas across in a convincing way to the council. As soon as she arrived, usually not so long after me, we would come here to this very pond and I would tell her stories, like I am doing to you, of how her mother, Oasis, stumbled on her words and embarrassed herself at courts held by other queens...

- She did? How do you know that?

- I am old enough! I saw Oasis' rise from a dragonet to the queen she would become. Burn was usually not very kind to anyone who addressed her mother with any lack of respect, but she usually tolerated my mockery because she knew I was saying light-heartedly. Oasis and I were good friends and allies back in a day, so I missed her too, it was all in good heart to remember what seemed to be better days. Oh well... So, the first time she arrived here, you had hatched only a few months before, and Burn had refused to leave you at the wingery of the palace, so she brought you ALL the way over here, and she was desperated!

' Moorhen! ' she yelled, ' I brought my dragonet over here, how embarrassing it will be when I address the council for the first time and she starts crying at the talons of my husband?! '

I said ' Calm down, Burn. I see you could win a thousand battles, but apparently you can not figure out motherhood haha! '

' THIS IS SERIOUS, MOORHEN! ' She snarled at me.

' Alright, alright. Calm down, Burn. Look. If she does cry, so what? She may or may not do anyways. Other queens are also bringing their dragonets because they do want them close, the situation is tense, its our first meeting, for ALL of us, not only you. I can list all of the dragonets who might cry if you would like. '

' Argh... Fine. Thank you, Moorhen... I can bark orders all I want, but properly address a crowd, I have never done that, it feels such a waste of time. '

' Words are more powerful than your talons, Burn. If you seek the other queens to believe in your ability to follow the international laws we seek to establish commonly among the queendoms, you must show yourself capable of reasoning, either you like the outcome or not. '

' I see. You are right... Good thing my daughter is here. I will do it for her, for I do not seek a dangerous world for her to live. '

' Remember Burn. Speak for what you love, not against what you hate. Good luck, my friend. '

- And so Burn and me nodded at each other and departed to the meeting. It was alright. Burn stumbled on her words but she delivered them with her heart in the right place, the crowd was pleased, and she proved to Pyrrhia she was a respectable leader, both in times of strife, and now in times of peace. "

Oasis had paid attention to Moorhen's words like she have never had to anyone, not even Burn in the later years. She spoke:

" Mother seemed so confident, so powerful, I confess, I never thought she could be such a nervous dragon...

- We are all normal dragons at the end of the day, Oasis. And as queens, its expected the most out of us. Known where your heart lies in, and speak with the oratory to melt their hearts, its my elderly wisdom to you, young one.

- Thank you, queen Moorhen. I... I wrote so many speeches to impress, to mark me as a powerful and decisive queen, yet none of them came out of my true beliefs, what my mother, my father, even what Sunny has told me. Maybe its too late to change all of it.

- We still have a hour until the meeting, Oasis. Its not too late.

- You think so?

- I know its not. Rewrite it. And remember the lesson your mother also had, reason your ideals, be ready to be challenged, respect the outcome.

- I will keep this in mind, thank you, once again, for sharing this with me, queen Moorhen.

- Worry not, young one. Expect nothing, deliver everything. You will do well. "

As Moorhen stayed in the pond, ever reflective, Oasis and Sunny departed back to their caravan, Oasis more than ready to write with her heart in the right place.