#may series 5 bring wonderful new beginnings

[owlsie-hoot]

Siegfried Farnon has always been a strong presence, and it’s complicated because he’s her employer, as well. It’s a lot she’s giving up. For a woman who’s in a position where she’s independent, but she’s entirely dependent on her income from that job, and that’s also where she lives, it was a big thing to offer to give all of that up and to go towards something quite unknown. (Anna Madeley)

[just-aake]

Boundless Devotion - Part IX

Pairing: princess!Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: MedievalAU. Natasha is the eldest princess of the Romanov Kingdom. As the time of her coronation approaches, she is suddenly forced to make a decision – either find herself a partner or her parents will choose one for her.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15

Warnings: angst, mention and hints of abuse, brief violence

Words: 5824

Something feels different with you and Natasha.

It’s not a drastic shift, nothing extremely out of the ordinary. 

It’s more like an observation of yours concerning your interactions with her.

Ever since the festival, Carol’s comments have been echoing in your mind, causing you to notice things you didn’t before.

For instance, during quiet moments reading in the library, you occasionally catch Natasha gazing at you from the corner of your eye.

Whenever you turn to meet her gaze in question, her expression would soften into her usual grin, and that familiar warm feeling from many times before would re-emerge between the two of you.

Moments like that have left you wondering if this tension between you is new or if it has always existed before.

You are unable to come to a definitive conclusion though because as the days pass, there is less time for you to observe Natasha much further.

With only three days left until the coronation, the preparations keep everyone in the kingdom and the castle busy, especially Natasha who appears more exhausted every time you see her.

So, in an attempt to offer her a break from her responsibilities, you invited her for a sword training session by the lake the next morning.

It was a chance for you to both fulfill your promise to her and hopefully address this unspoken tension between you.

Natasha had eagerly accepted your invitation, her tired expression replaced by an excited, appreciative smile when you asked her.

Now, under the early morning sun, Natasha stands in front of you, confidently wielding a wooden practice sword in her hand while you grip a similar one in yours. 

She has already gone through the basics with you and now believes that you are ready for a practice spar with her, despite the doubtful look that you gave her.

"Remember to move with your whole body, not just your arms," Natasha reminds you as she takes her stance. 

You nod with your gaze locked on hers, determined to at least show her that her efforts were not completely in vain.

The two of you begin to circle each other slowly, Natasha waiting patiently for you to make the first move. 

With a deep breath, you finally lunge to strike her, and she effortlessly blocks your attack in turn, but still, you persist, following with a series of swings she taught you earlier.

Throughout each exchange, Natasha guides your movements, offering helpful pointers and gentle advice.

Then once she gets the sense of your comfort, Natasha initiates some strikes of her own, forcing you to also focus on defense, dodging and parrying her attacks in turn. 

Eventually, the both of you end up moving together in harmony, almost as though you are dancing to the melody of your swords connecting with each strike.

As the spar continues, the tension in the air also seems to increase with every gasp of breath, each movement drawing the two of you closer and closer together without even realizing it.

At one point, your swords lock, and you push determinedly against her block, bringing your faces inches apart.

Natasha’s eyes instantly shift from the swords trapped between your bodies to your eyes, her own shining with a proud glint as her smile widens.

You let out a shaky exhale and feel your breath quicken, not just from the training, but from the intensity of her gaze now focused on you.

There’s that look again, the one that makes you wonder if Carol was right — the familiar warm look that gives you a glimmer of hope that Natasha may feel something more for you.

The sword in your hand becomes an afterthought as you focus on Natasha's presence.

With your faces so close, that previous irresistible force draws you nearer to her, and you bite your lip unconsciously at the reminder of the last time you were this close to her.

Natasha’s eyes seemingly darken as they drift down and fix on your lips at the movement, causing your heart to race and your cheeks to flush even further.

"I—I think we can take a break," Natasha whispers, her voice husky with emotion. 

She steps back from you, breaking the intense connection.

The distance helps to clear your mind a bit as you clear your throat slightly and make a sound of agreement, unable to trust your voice. You can still feel your heart racing as you try to collect yourself.

Thankfully, Natasha doesn’t see your flustered expression as she turns around and heads to the edge of the lake.

“That was good. You almost hit me at one point,” Natasha compliments over her shoulder. 

You huff in amusement and roll your eyes at her words, knowing she was just trying to be supportive. 

“That’s only because you let me get that close,” you point out, aware of how she went easy on you. 

You’ve watched Natasha train enough times to know that this was just a fraction of her usual speed and strength.

Natasha chuckles lightly, not denying your claim. 

Kneeling at the lake’s edge, she splashes some water on her face to help her cool down and relieve the flush that she still feels on her cheeks.

For some reason, when your face suddenly appeared so close to hers, Natasha swears that she had completely lost focus for a moment there, all thoughts of the training leaving her mind. 

That was why she had suggested the break so that she could take some time to compose herself.

Behind her, you fidget with the wooden sword in your hand, digging its point against the ground in a nervous pattern.

That moment just now reminded you of the other topic you wanted to discuss with Natasha today. 

With a deep breath, you call out to her.

“Natasha, can I ask you something?” 

She hums in acknowledgment, her back still turned to you.

"Do you—have you ever—,“ you groan internally, struggling to find the words to express your question.

It’s not like you can just bluntly ask if Natasha has any feelings for you. 

With a resigned sigh, you decide to ask instead, “What would you do if you like someone, but you don’t exactly know how they feel about you?”

Natasha freezes, surprised by the question. 

That uncomfortable feeling in her chest from the night of the festival returns, and the memory of you and Carol standing close together flashes through her mind. 

She swallows nervously as she focuses on her reflection in the water, her expression showing one of discomfort at the memory. 

Natasha sighs internally, knowing she can’t avoid these kinds of discussions with you forever.

"I guess, for me, I would just ask them directly about how they feel,” she replies honestly.

A small smile forms on your face as you shake your head knowingly.

Of course Natasha has the confidence to do something like that. 

You don’t think you would be able to do the same.

After making sure the color on her face and her expression have returned to normal, Natasha stands and makes her way back to you. She tilts her head at you curiously.

"Is there someone you have in mind?" she asks you in turn.

There’s a short pause as you contemplate your answer.

Wanda’s words from the festival echo in your mind, giving you a little courage to at least try for what you want for once. 

"There is," you admit softly. 

“Oh,” Natasha sighs lightly with a tight smile before asking, “Do I know her?” 

You smile gently as you think about Natasha and what she means to you. 

“Yeah, she’s…she’s really amazing, and she’s one of my closest friends. That’s why I don’t want to ruin anything between us,” you explain your hesitance.

Natasha watches your face soften as you talk, and she closes her eyes briefly in resignation, already suspecting that you are referring to Carol.

She should be happy that you found someone you liked, and she knows Carol is a good person who would treat you well if you got together. 

So, despite the uncomfortable ache in her chest, Natasha decides that she will support you in your decision no matter what.

“Well, I wouldn’t be too worried, Y/n. Anybody would be honored to have you as a partner,” Natasha reassures you.

Your heart swells with hope at her praise, and you open your mouth to tell her the truth about your feelings, but then Natasha’s next words catch you off guard.

“I’m sure Carol feels the same way,” Natasha tells you with a small smile.

A small crack forms in your heart as your smile turns downward slightly, and you tilt your head in confusion. 

"Carol?" 

Natasha nods, looking down and fidgeting with the sword in her hand. She is unable to meet your gaze, not wanting you to see her upset feelings about her next words.

"You know, with my coronation almost here, you won't have to pretend to be in a relationship with me much longer. You'll be free to be with the person that you want."

The crack in your heart widens with the realization of what she means, and you raise your hand to your chest in an attempt to ease the growing pain there. 

"And you think that the person I should be with is Carol?" you ask with a furrowed brow.

"I've seen the way she looks at you, Y/n.”

Natasha’s lips press into a thin line as she reluctantly admits her next words.

“I’m sure the two of you together would be...great."

Your heart shatters at her words as you come to a disappointing conclusion.

You were right. Natasha doesn’t like you in that way.

The two of you are just friends, and you were foolish to think otherwise. 

You feel your eyes well up slightly with tears, but you blink them back, hiding your sadness and disappointment.

Natasha finally looks up at your silence and notices the change in your expression. She reaches out in concern toward your hand that was still clutched at your chest.

"Y/n, are you okay?"

At Natasha’s movement, you pull your hand down, hiding it behind your back and offering her a weak smile. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just thought…”

You shake your head, your voice cracking slightly as you try to keep your emotions under control.

“Never mind, it was stupid."

Natasha furrows her brows in confusion. 

The conversation fades into an awkward and heavy silence, like a sudden weight pressing down on the both of you. 

Unable to bear the pressure, you excuse yourself, offering the practice sword back to her.

“I’m sorry, Natasha, I’m not feeling so well. Can we continue the training another day?”

“Sure,” Natasha replies slowly in hesitation, taking the sword. She steps closer to you.

“I can bring you home,” she offers.

You shake your head quickly, taking a step back in response to keep the distance between you and Natasha.

"It's fine. I can go by myself.”

You need to spend some time alone to gather your thoughts and push away your feelings so that you can return to the way it was before with Natasha.

As just friends.

Natasha searches your face and finds that she can’t understand the reason for the subtle signs of distress in your expression.

“Are you sure?” she asks hesitantly. 

You nod reassuringly, your smile strained. 

"I'll see you later, Natasha," you promise weakly, turning around to leave.

With a growing ache in her chest, Natasha watches you walk away, your sad expression lingering in her mind.

For some reason, Natasha can’t help but feel that she just did something wrong.  

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Natasha slumps into her window seat, letting out a heavy sigh. She leans her head back against the window sill as her arm rests atop her bended knee.

Her eyes glance out the window. Even though she can’t see your manor from here, her gaze still finds its general direction. 

She thinks back to the conversation with you at the lake, attempting to understand the reason behind your sad expression when you left her. 

The only guess that Natasha has as to the possible cause of your sudden sullen mood is the discussion about your feelings for the person you liked.

That reminder causes her eyes to drift down to the small box in her hand, cradling the ring that you had singled out as your favorite. 

The item stirs a sudden sense of nostalgia for Natasha, of a time when life was simpler for you and her, back when she didn’t have to imagine the idea of you being with someone else. 

Someone who wasn’t her.

Natasha’s eyes widen at the thought, and she sits up abruptly as a realization washes over her.  

Determined to confirm her suspicion, Natasha envisions you and Carol together, and sure enough, that tight, uncomfortable ache returns in her chest.

But then, Natasha shifts her thoughts to the moments when you are with her.

Her heart suddenly warms at the memories of you.

Your smiles and laughter. Your playful and teasing banters with her and the way you treat her as a person, not just the princess.

The times when you were not by her side and how she would always seek you out. 

How she never tires of listening to your voice talk about your interests.

The desire to keep you safe and protect you from harm. 

All the times you blush around her.

That one moment when you both accidentally kissed and how much she wanted to lean in for another.

Overwhelmed by all the memories, Natasha covers her face and groans aloud in realization at her obliviousness. 

“Uh oh, did something happen with Y/n?” 

Yelena’s voice breaks her thoughts, and Natasha looks up from her hands to find her sister standing in the doorway, her brows furrowing at the question.

“What makes you say that?” 

Yelena shrugs and enters the room, plopping down on the bed casually.

“Every time Y/n avoided you before, you would sit there and brood in your room for days.”

Natasha exhales in disbelief, running her fingers through her hair exasperatedly at Yelena’s words.

Has it always been that obvious?

Natasha glances down at the ring in her lap, thinking about you again. That warm feeling envelops her heart instantly, and now she knows what it means.

“I think I’m in love with Y/n,” Natasha breathes out. 

At her admission, Yelena stares at her blankly for a moment before suddenly slumping against the bed and letting out a deep breath of relief. 

“Oh, thank god, I thought I was going to lose for a moment there.”

Her comment snaps Natasha out of her reverie. 

Confused and suspicious, Natasha stands up from her window seat and approaches Yelena, who is now lying upside down across her bed. She places her hands on her hips and demands an explanation. 

“What are you talking about?” 

Yelena waves her hand nonchalantly in the air as she explains.

“Well, Kate and I had a bet on how long it would take for you to realize your feelings for Y/N after your whole fake relationship plan was created.”

“You knew?” Natasha exclaims, grabbing a pillow nearby and hitting Yelena with it. “And you didn’t say anything?!”

“Hey!” Yelena grabs another pillow to block her sister’s attacks before standing up on the other side of the bed, out of Natasha’s reach. 

“At least I had some faith in you and said that you would figure it out before your coronation.” 

Natasha throws her hands in the air in frustration. 

“How was I supposed to suddenly figure out by myself that I am in love with Y/n? We’ve been friends for years."

Yelena raises her brows and scoffs in disbelief before pointing a finger accusingly at her.

“Friends don’t look at each other the way you look at Y/n,” she remarks bluntly.

Exasperated, Natasha groans in disbelief, running her hand through her hair in frustration.

Yelena raises her hand reassuringly.

“No, this is good. Now the two of you can just stop this whole fake relationship plan and actually get together,” she points out.

Natasha pauses, suddenly remembering her earlier conversation with you at the lake, and she winces as she recalls her words to you.

Yelena notices her expression and narrows her eyes suspiciously.

“What did you do?” she asks.

Natasha drags her hand down her face, shaking her head.

“Y/n and I talked earlier today, and I may have suggested…that she and Carol be together.” 

She lets the pillow that Yelena throws hit her, upset by her own actions now too.

“You are hopeless,” Yelena states plainly before climbing over the bed to her side and grabbing her wrist. 

“Come on, we need to go to Y/n’s and fix this.”

Natasha shakes her head and pulls her hand back from Yelena’s grip. 

“I can’t leave now. I have that security meeting with dad and all of the knights in the courtyard later,” she explains. 

The only free time she had was this morning with you.

After that, she is busy for the rest of the day with finalizing the details for the coronation.

Yelena crosses her arms and frowns at Natasha. 

“Well, we can’t have Y/n think you don’t love her and then decide to be with Carol instead,” she argues.

“Yelena’s right,” a voice interrupts them.  

The two sisters snap their attention to the person leaning against the open doorway.

Carol has an amused expression on her face as she stares pointedly at them. 

“The two of you should really close the door when you’re discussing sensitive information such as fake relationships,” she quips casually.

Natasha turns to shoot a disapproving look to Yelena, who avoids her gaze and rubs her neck sheepishly.  

Carol steps into the room and continues, “Yelena is right though. I like beating you, Natasha, but not like this.” 

Natasha furrows her brow in confusion. 

“What are you saying?” she asks.

Carol nods her head toward the door and explains.

“You should go and clear things up with Y/n. I’m sure your father won’t mind if I help him with organizing the knights in your place.”

At the offer, Yelena grabs Natasha’s arm and begins to pull her along again. 

“Great, that’s settled. Let’s go.” 

As Natasha goes past Carol, the other princess places her hand on Natasha’s shoulder to stop her for a moment and gives her a teasing smirk. 

“You have one chance, Natasha. If Y/n rejects you, I’m not going to hold back,” Carol warns playfully.  

Natasha huffs in amusement and rolls her eyes.

They may be rivals at times, but she’s glad that at the end of it all the two of them can still treat each other as friends.

She gives Carol a firm nod in acknowledgment and a pat in appreciation before quickly leaving.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

After your swift exit away from the lake and Natasha, you make your way slowly down the path toward your manor.

A deep sigh escapes your lips as you remember Natasha’s words.

You can’t help but blame yourself for assuming that Natasha might have deeper feelings for you. It’s clear that she only sees you as a friend.

Disappointment washes over you again at the reminder, but you quickly brush off the feeling.

It’s not like you didn’t already know this before. 

Instead of being sad about something you already knew was not possible, you should find comfort in the fact that you still have Natasha in your life, even if the both of you remain just as close friends.

Losing that connection with her is not something you ever want to experience again.

As you approach the manor gates, your thoughts distract you, making you oblivious to the figure emerging from the shadows behind you. 

A hand grabs your arm, startling you from your thoughts.

You pull back in shock and turn to face the stranger, quickly recognizing him as the man who bumped into you at the festival.

Seeing your startled expression, he quickly releases your arm and steps back, allowing some space between you.

Cautiously, you take another step back to increase the distance between the two of you before addressing the stranger. 

“You’re the one from before. Who are you?”

He remains silent as his eyes carefully study your face.

“Can I help you?” you try again.

Still, he doesn’t respond.

A small feeling of frustration wells up in you as you recall his previous disinterest in responding to you.

About to repeat your question, you overhear him muttering something under his breath. 

“It can’t be possible.”

He continues to examine you, lost in thought. 

“But there is a resemblance,” he says absentmindedly.

You frown in confusion at his words, so you try to see if he would clarify his meaning. 

“What are you talking about?” 

The man focuses his attention on you, furrowing his brows when he realizes you had heard him. 

With a final study of your face, he finally answers.

“You really do look so much like your mother.”

Your eyes widen in surprise at his words.

Besides the information concerning her death, there is little to nothing that you know about your mother, not even what she looks like.

It was as if after her death, your father had erased all traces of her existence.

During the year, when he had finally remained in the kingdom long enough for you to ask, he got violently upset.

You touch your neck lightly, still remembering the pressure there, before shaking your head to brush away the memory.

You never asked him about her again after that.

“You knew my mother?” you ask curiously.

Feelings of pain and regret cloud his eyes as he begins to respond, but then he seems to realize something, his eyes narrowing.

“What are you doing here? This place belongs to Dreykov.”

You glance at the manor, then back at him before cautiously responding in confusion.

“This is my home. Lord Dreykov is my father.”

Your words cause his eyes to widen in shock and anger to appear on his face.

“No, he isn’t!” he growls, grabbing your arm once more and attempting to pull you away. “You shouldn’t be here!”

Confusion and alarm course through you as you struggle to free yourself, but to your realization, he is much stronger than you. 

“Hey!” Pietro’s voice calls out from behind. “Let her go!”

Soon, the man is pushed away from you, and you are pulled back swiftly.

Pietro stands protectively in front of you, with his arm outstretched, creating a barrier between you and the man.

“Wait, Pietro,” you say, placing your hand on his arm reassuringly as he attempts to back the two of you away.

Pietro glances doubtfully at you before reluctantly lowering his arm to his side at your request, though he still stays close to you, remaining vigilant.

Turning your attention back to the man on the ground, you think about his cryptic words.

"What did you mean just now?" you ask him to explain.

Before he can respond, a voice from behind makes you tense in surprise at his unexpected presence.

“Well, look who we have here.”

Your father strides past you, his condescending gaze fixed on the man. 

With a wave of his hands, his guards restrain the man and force him to his knees.

The man’s anger flares at the sight of Dreykov, and he struggles violently against the guards’ hold on him but he cannot escape their grip.

Dreykov smirks menacingly at him.

“Oh, Barnes, you have fallen so low after all these years,” Dreykov mocks, chuckling. “Though I assume being constantly on the run doesn’t help, does it?”

“Because of you!” the man snarls and tries to lunge at Dreykov, but he is quickly overpowered and pinned to the ground for his action.

Your eyes widen at the revelation, connecting the information on who this stranger was.

You examine the man closely again.

Barnes, or more precisely Sir James Barnes, was the name of the previous captain of the Stark Kingdom, also known as the traitor who murdered the members of the Stark royal family right after the war. 

You look between your father and him critically, still trying to piece together their relationship with each other.

It was obviously antagonistic for both sides, judging by their interaction.

Dreykov clicks his tongue mockingly as he shakes his head at Barnes, who still glares up at him from his pinned position. 

Your father then turns his attention to you, seemingly remembering your presence.

Instinctively, you pull Pietro back behind you as you tensely watch his eyes flicker between you and Barnes in thought.

He finally settles on you as he demands.

“What did he say to you?”

You glance at Barnes on the ground, who subtly shakes his head at you.

At your hesitance, your father takes a menacing step toward you, and you snap your attention back to him.

“He said nothing,” you reply quickly. “He just came out of nowhere and surprised me. That’s all.”

Your father scrutinizes you closely for a moment before chuckling darkly and turning his attention back to Barnes.

"Did you really come out of hiding to try and ambush me after all these years, only to fail so pathetically?"

You wince as your father presses his boot against Barnes's pinned head, speaking condescendingly.

“Though, I wouldn’t blame yourself too much for your failure,” he turns to look at you in disdain, causing you to instinctively take a step back at the harsh glare.

“After all, this girl does tend to ruin plans.”

Pietro growls at his insult toward you and tries to take a step forward, but your hand quickly reaches out in front of him to stop his advance, giving him a subtle shake of your head. 

Dreykov’s eyes narrow at Pietro’s movement, but you step forward, drawing his attention back to you before he can get upset at Pietro’s almost act of disrespect. 

You gesture to Barnes.

“What are you going to do with him?” you ask in concern.

Dreykov rolls his eyes at your worried tone, removing his foot from Barnes’ head and stepping away.

“Lock him up. I’ll deal with him later,” he commands.

You watch as the guards lead Barnes away until he disappears from view, leaving you with a sense of unease at the fact that the meaning of his previous words remains a mystery to you.

“Where are they taking him?” you inquire, hoping to find a chance to get some more answers from him.

“That is none of your concern,” your father responds sternly, his eyes fixed on you with a disapproving glare.

“You should be more worried about the consequences of your actions and behavior today.”

Confusion washes over you as you furrow your brows, trying to comprehend what you might have done to have displeased him.

At your perplexed expression, he gestures to you with a reprimanding tone. 

“Why is it that whenever I return, you are never where you are supposed to be?” he criticizes.

Realizing that he was referring to your absence this morning, you begin to explain.

“I was—”

“I don’t want your excuses,” he interrupts sharply, causing you to shut your mouth in a flinch at his tone. 

With a wave of his hands, his guards approach you, their firm grips fastening onto your arms. 

“Take her to her room and make sure she stays there,” he orders them. 

“Hey!” Pietro exclaims as he moves toward you to help you, but then he is also apprehended by some guards, twisting his arms painfully behind his back. 

Seeing the way the guards roughly grab Pietro, you manage to free yourself from their grasp and take a deliberate step toward your father. 

“Stop, I’ll go,” you quickly reassure, your voice shaking slightly as you confront him directly.

You gesture to Pietro, still struggling in the guards’ grip. 

“Just tell them to let him go.” 

Your father’s scrutinizing gaze seems to weigh your words and actions for a moment as if determining if it was an act of defiance or not before coming to a decision.

With a dismissive wave of his hand, the guards release their hold on Pietro and shove him in your direction. 

You catch Pietro and let out a breath of relief that he is safe at your side again.

Your father scoffs at your reaction, rolling his eyes at your concern. He raises a warning finger at you.

“See that you stay in that room,” your father remarks sternly. “I have more important matters to attend to today than to wonder where you will wander off to.”

With those words, he turns and heads back toward the manor without another glance at you.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Natasha raises a skeptical brow as she confronts the guards blocking the entrance to your manor.

“What do you mean I can’t see Lady Y/n?” she asks, her voice laced with a subtle warning.

The guard stands firm in his position, responding with a monotone formality.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. No visitors are allowed inside the manor today.”

Unfazed by the refusal, Yelena shrugs nonchalantly, stepping forward to address the guard. 

“Fine, then let us invite Y/n back to the castle.”

She attempts to move around the guard, but he quickly steps in her way, blocking her path. 

“Lady Y/n is not allowed to leave the premises either for the remainder of the day,” he declares, his expression emotionless and unyielding.

Natasha narrows her eyes, an uneasiness forming in her as she questions, “Not allowed? By who?”

“That would be me.”

Lord Dreykov emerges from the manor, answering Natasha’s question. 

“Your Highnesses,” he greets them with a curt nod.

“Lord Dreykov, you’ve returned from your trip,” Natasha states plainly, her expression growing serious at his presence.

She was not informed that he had returned to the kingdom, and since you didn’t mention anything about it either, this must have occurred recently after you met with her. 

The thought of you reminds Natasha of the pressing issue of your situation.

“What is this about Y/n not being allowed to leave?” she questions.

Dreykov disregards her intimidating tone, casually examining his hand in disinterest as he replies.

“Yes, well, I’m afraid Y/n won’t be able to see you today.” 

Natasha squints at him in suspicion, before pointing out.

“I was just with her this morning.”

Dreykov scoffs at the revelation, rolling his eyes.

“So that’s where she wandered off to,” he waves his hand in dismissal. “Nonetheless, this is for her own good.”

“How?” Yelena interjects, stepping forward. “It just sounds like you’re treating her as a prisoner.”

Dreykov chuckles and shakes his head. 

“No, just a concerned father for his daughter’s well-being. I’m sure King Alexei understands the feeling.” 

He gestures to the two of them. 

“I’m surprised he’s letting his two daughters outside of the safety of the castle walls after what I heard happened at the tournament.”

His eyes turn to focus on the younger princess.

“By the way, Princess Yelena, it was unfortunate how things ended up, wasn’t it?”

“Sure,” Yelena replies bluntly, crossing her arms and instantly recognizing the insincerity of his concerned tone. 

Natasha steps forward, drawing his attention back to her.

Her mother warned her about taking any actions against Lord Dreykov, but that doesn’t mean she can’t try to get some more information on what he knows about the situation.

While she tries to maintain a neutral tone, her voice carries a hint of accusation as she probes. 

“Then I’m sure you also heard about Oksana and her condition. Doesn’t it sound like something you would be familiar with, Lord Dreykov?”

Dreykov grins politely, though his eyes narrow in response to Natasha's words.

“I assume you are asking for my opinion on her situation and state of mind and that you are not insinuating anything else, Your Highness.”

Natasha's response is equally measured as she responds. 

“I’m just trying to figure out what’s happening, for the safety of everyone in the kingdom.”

He snorts derisively at her, waving his hand dismissively.

“Then you shouldn’t concern yourself about my intentions. That is something we can agree on — a better future for the kingdom.” 

His eyes narrow at her, observing her up and down seemingly in contempt before continuing.

“However, as for the one who can accomplish such a thing, my opinion remains the same as before.”

The reminder of their previous conversation concerning her ability to rule makes Natasha clench her fists in frustration, only this time she doesn’t have you next to her as a calming presence.

Dreykov smirks as if satisfied at causing her reaction, and he gestures to the gates of the manor in dismissal. 

“Now, I believe it’s time for the two of you to leave. I’m sure the esteemed heir to the kingdom has more important responsibilities to attend to than to waste time seeking out my daughter,” he challenges, raising his eyebrow at her with a knowing expression.

Natasha’s mouth presses into a thin line as she refrains from responding in a way she knows her mother would disapprove of.

It’s obvious that Lord Dreykov was just trying to provoke her again. 

She glances at the guards’ unwavering stance at the doors, knowing that going through the front is not an option at the moment. She would need to find another way to see you.

“I’ll come back another time then,” Natasha grits out.

With a curt nod goodbye, Natasha turns around to leave with Yelena following in tow.

“I do hope you heed my previous advice from before,” Lord Dreykov’s voice calls out to her, his tone filled with a mocking warning and making her pause with a deepening frown.

“After all, you don’t want to be caught unprepared when that peace of yours eventually crumbles, especially before such a crucial event.”

With those last ominous words, the manor door and gates close shut behind them.

Yelena kicks a stone against the gates angrily, exclaiming in frustration, “What a jerk! How does Y/n stand him?” 

Natasha's calm gaze remains fixated on your manor walls, her thoughts consumed by the strange situation. 

"I don't know," she responds distractedly, her mind working on a solution.

Yelena releases another angry huff before noticing Natasha is still facing your manor, lost in thought. 

Knowing Natasha’s determination, she places a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she offers an alternative idea. 

“Do you want to head over to Kate’s to regroup and see if we can come up with another way to see Y/n?” 

Shaking her head, Natasha’s lips curl into a small smirk as her eyes focus on the open window of your room, where your curtains sway gently in the breeze.

“No, you go ahead. I already have a plan.”

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15

Series Masterlist : Boundless Devotion

a/n: Thank you for reading! And fair warning, I think there is two or three more chapters left to this series.

Taglist: @lightwhoranoutoflight, @taliiiaasteria, @romanoffprentiss, @canvascoloredin,  @silentwolfsstuff, @blacklightsposts, @arcturusseer, @presser24, @dvrkhcld, @jujuu23, @screechcat, @vivs46, @cd-4848, @youneversawmehereooooooo, @pancakefan7529, @confusedspaceotter, @natbelovasblog, @izzy-b09, @iamheartless, @mrsrushman, @fxckmiup, @natty-taffy, @2silverchain, @traveler-at-heart, @autorasexy, @natsxwife 

[two-white-butterflies]

you're losing me (four) | am. targaryen and j. velaryon

Description: The awkward family and friends dinner continue. Rhaenyra tries to prod deeper into your relationship with her brother. Rating: General Audiences Author's Note: I didn't expect this series to last longer than 3 installments. Might reach longer than 5 or 7, but I'll keep the chapters light. part three

Jace watches as the waiters began to serve their food. It was gourmet of course, prepared solely for the guests' enjoyment. You couldn't help but feel out of place - an imposter crawling into the inner circles of the upper echelon. "I'm vegan, I'm sorry - I can't eat this." you whisper, declining the wagyu steak in front of you. It looked delicious, but there was no way in hell that you were eating meat.

"Really? Aemond was the one who confirmed the meal samples?" Rhaenyra raised her voice, saddened since she was the one that planned the party. "Oh, he didn't know." you smile, and the waiter places the food back on the tray. "How long have you known each other?" Jace speaks, swirling the wine on his glass.

The first thing that couples do before knowing each other - is going on a date, and if you've been on a date with him countless of times - wouldn't Aemond know about your certain likes or dislikes?

"A year." Aemond answers, flashing you a sorry smile. " - and you can have my food, it doesn't have any meat." he smiles, quickly placing his plate on your table-mat. "Thank you." you mumble, and he motions for the waiter to bring the steak back and to give it to him.

Jacaerys' eyebrows raised in intrigue. A year and his uncle knew nothing about you. Aemond didn't know that your eyebrows bumped into each other when you were worried. He didn't know that your favorite game was Mario Kart even though you sucked at it. He was losing you to a man that hardly knew you - and he could do nothing but watch. "Where did you meet?" Lucerys pipes, realizing that drama was about to go down.

"At a hotel room garden," Aemond smiled - staring at you with stars in his eyes. He looked at you with all the warmth that he could muster. He was a magnetic force of a man. "I wanted to grab a picture for Helaena, but she grabbed my heart." he placed a hand on your chair, a coy smile on his face.

Alicent smiles at the both of you - a look of adoration on her face. Her son has fallen in love with a wonderful woman. "When are you getting married?" she inquired, joyous at the thought of grandbabies. "Soon, somewhere around May or August." you answered. You were staring deep into his eyes - convincing yourself that you were doing this to free yourself from debt, and that you weren't actually in love with Aemond Targaryen. "This year?" Jace choked.

"Of course, the good ones never wait." Aemond smirked.

Jace finally has you alone.

You were standing on the balcony - with another glass of wine on your hand. The dress that you were wearing was slightly wrinkled, the ring on your finger was beginning to slip. He knows that this is the only chance that he'll be given - and he's taking it.

"Are you sure?" he opened his mouth, leaning on the balcony rails. This wasn't how he imagined it to turn out - you were his sacred new beginning, his sweet nothing, but now - you were his hoax.

"Sure about what?" you asked with a hoarse voice.

What the fuck did you get into?

"My uncle." he responded plainly, looking for something hidden in your eyes. Was it too far gone to bring back to life? Did you win the battle but lose the war? "He's the only thing I'm sure of nowadays, Jace." you answer - he could hear a tinge of sadness in your voice. You were hiding something and it wasn't his place to ask any questions. He takes a deep breath.

His biggest regret - standing in front of him. "I'm sorry," he apologized - and your eyebrows merged into each other. "Sorry for what?" you asked, playing with the rim of the glass. "I'm sorry for chasing fame - when I should've been happy with what I had. In another life, maybe - I'll love you, and you'll still love me back." he chuckled, slowly walking out of the balcony - completely oblivious of the man leaning on the door and eavesdropping on your conversation.

scammerui streets are saying that aemond targaryen (new dad) and j*ce velaryon are related. 😄 Y/N is a family hopper? IDGAF I STILL SUPPORT HER #SueMe

arthurmenchie: If my bf was related to a hot/rich/tall specimen like aemond targaryen, i'd family hop too 😳 also @ynwebster confirm this boo. - ynwebster: (source, wikipedia but put into terms that we can understand) Aemond is J*ce's uncle, they're related through his mom (Rhaenyra Targaryen) xxx ynwebster OUT

Aemond smiled at you with a drunken stare. He was evidently tired from all of the mingling and talking, but he still managed to escort you into the safety of his car. There was silence between the both of you. None daring to move or make a sound. He slumps on the backseat. Popping a small mint into his mouth.

You help him unbutton his suit, freeing his chest from the tightness. His smile deepens - staring deep into your eyes. "You're my best friend." he states - slurring though his words due to the amount of wine that he consumed. Your eyes widen slowly. He was in love. The drunken smile continues to paint his mouth, until he falls asleep on the drive home.

(your first name): here's to forever and more.

89,123 comments 3,128,801 likes

jacintarobinhood: "I wanna teach you how forever feels like," is not for Jack-in-a-box because it's for Aemond now 😭 - bananashake44: You mean Aemond Targaryen; born in Nairobi, Kenya who beat Jacaerys for the spot as President of Fire and Blood Corporations using equal machinery Aemond Targaryen? 🤘🏽 - technobrat61: I think you mean, Aemond Targaryen who was raised in Monte-Carlo and founder of his own corporation Aemond Targaryen. 💪🏽😳 - (your first name): is there a meme about him now? i don't get it

part five

@glame @xcinnamonmalfoyx @winxchesters @yentroucnagol @hotchnerswife @mxxny-lupin @joliettes @kemillyfreitas @mxtantrights @urmomsgirlfriend1 @kravitzwhore @sweethoneyblossom1 @introverbatim @flrboyd @kemillyfreitas

[happilyhertale]

Long Last Love - Aemond Targaryen x female!reader, Part 1

Summary: You are finally engaged to Aemond Targaryen. As the daughter of Daemon and Rhaenyra, you will now live in King's Landing and no longer on Dragonstone. Your marriage to Aemond is imminent, as is your life together. The relationship between Aemond and your family has never been particularly easy, but the future will show whether your love will withstand this and subsequent tensions.

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x fem!reader

Warnings: In some parts Smut (uncle/niece) as well as violence

Author’s note: Hi you (:

This is the follow-up story to "Long Lost Love".

This story starts just before the wedding of Aemond and y/n and goes over the events of the first season hotd. However, the events are not quite similar to those in the series. English is my second language, please forgive me if I made any mistakes (: Enjoy reading and have a wonderful Christmas to all of you (who celebrate it)!!!  ❤️

18+ NSFW

Word count: 3.1k

Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Several moons have passed since your family went back to Dragonstone.

Shortly after your family left King's Landing, you visited them on Dragonstone. After all, you had to bring Meraxes to King's Landing. And although you would never admit it to Jace, you miss his constant presence. Just as you miss not having your father around.

For Meraxes, the adjustment to now living in King's Landing has not been easy.

Since she has been alive, she has been used to being with Vermax, Arrax, Caraxes as well as Syrax. Just as you were used to growing up close to your siblings, Meraxes did with your brothers' and parents' dragons.

Now she lives in the dragonpit, a very different environment and with three other dragons at that. She gets along with Vhagar, Sunfyre and Dreamfyre, but you can tell it's not easy for her.

You try to make the transition as easy as possible for her. You spend many hours in the dragonpit. As soon as Aemond goes to training, you go to the dragonpit. Often you sit leaning against Meraxes and read books. But just as often you try to ride out with her. Then you grab Aemond and ride with Meraxes and Vhagar through the clouds above King's Landing. Meraxes and Vhagar seem to be getting on well, at least you sense that the old dragon lady seems to be reassuring Meraxes. When you arrive at the dragonpit after breakfast, Meraxes is actually always with Vhagar. You like the idea that Meraxes seems to feel comfortable with Vhagar, just as you feel comfortable with Aemond.

When you are not in the dragonpit, you are in Aemond's chambers. You enjoy your new life with Aemond to the fullest and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. All the countless hours you spend together in his chambers. He usually has a book on his lap and you in his arms while you enjoy the peace and quiet together. Or he may have you sitting on his lap while you enjoy yourselves for hours under the sheets in his bed.

But mostly you just sit in front of the fireplace. You sit cross-legged on the sofa while Aemond sits on the floor in front of you, his back turned to you. Of course, he is reading a book while you run your hands through his soft hair.

Tonight was another one of those evenings. After dinner you sneaked into his chambers, and now you sit in front of the fire and let your fingers wander through his hair again. Slowly you begin to braid individual strands. Aemond wouldn't admit it, but he likes how lovingly you always take care of his hair.

When he has a few braids in his hair, you must imagine how nice it would be to have a daughter walking through your chambers who would also fall in love with his hair and couldn't keep her hands off it.

"You know what?", you murmur.

An "mmhm?" rings out in his chest.

"If we had a daughter, she would love your hair as well"

You hear him chuckle, "I think I already have one person by my side who can't keep her hands off my hair...I wouldn't need a daughter for that"

Lightly you nudge his back with your knee. You let your fingers glide further through his soft hair. Almost absently, you ask him, "Do you think we're allowed to have shared chambers already?"

Aemond looks at you over his shoulder, "We spend most of our time together anyway?"

You nod, your hands not leaving his hair, "Yes, but I mean, my things would be here as well... Do you think that would be allowed?"

"Why not? I'll instruct that first thing tomorrow," his gaze returning to the book in his lap.

You hit him lightly on the shoulder, "It's not that simple.... We're not married yet. We should probably ask your parents for permission first"

He shakes his head slightly, "We are betrothed and as good as wed. Why ask?"

"Aemond..."

"Well if it feels better for you, of course I will ask" Slowly he leans his head back and lets it rest in your lap. You lean forward and gently kiss his lips.

"Thank you...", you whisper.

A light "mmmh" can be heard.

The next day after breakfast, when you set off for the dragonpit, Aemond goes to see his mother. It doesn't really seem necessary for him to ask permission to share your chambers. You are going to get married soon, and whether you sleep in the same bed now or in a few weeks officially ... well, it makes no difference to him. But you care and he takes your needs seriously, so he will talk to his mother now.

When he enters her chambers, Alicent looks up. She is sitting on a bench and Helaena is with her. Helaena smiles joyfully at her brother. He smiles sweetly at her.

"Aemond," Alicent smiles.

Aemond nods at her, "Mother. I have a request."

She looks at him questioningly, "What would you like to ask?"

Aemond tries to smile, "y/n and I would like to share our chambers already now."

Alicent looks shocked, "What? It is not customary for the wife and husband to share chambers."

She doesn't seem to fully understand Aemond or doesn't want to understand him.

He sighs, " y/n and I will not have a marriage where we do not share our chambers. But we would already like to move into shared chambers now."

He stands in front of her, his hands clasped behind his back, and he can literally see Alicent beginning to understand.

She looks at him shocked, "Already?! Aemond! You can't! What kind of talk would that create?"

He looks at her unimpressed, "I don't give a damn mother. What is the gossip supposed to accomplish? That y/n will be pushed into a marriage with me?"

She looks at him still shocked, "Aemond.... have you already slept with her...?"

Amond's face takes on serious features, "That, mother, is really none of your business."

She inhales sharply. She is irritated by his dismissive attitude. "Aemond. You can't behave like this."

But he sticks to his decision, "Mother. I'm going to marry her in a few weeks. If it were up to me, she would already be my wife. I only approached you with this request out of courtesy and because it was important to y/n. We will have common chambers."

Alicent just shakes her head slowly. Helaena has to grin. She thinks it's sweet that Aemond is so committed to you. Aegon wouldn't even come close to doing the same for her.

Alicent turns back to Aemond, "Very well.... That doesn't mean I approve of it. But while you're here, y/n should think about which lady-in-waiting she would like to have."

Aemond gives her an irritated look, "Y/n doesn't care for that sort of thing. She's perfectly capable of taking care of her own needs."

"I'm glad for her. Still, she is now a lady of the court. A princess," she replies to Aemond.

Now Aemond is the one shaking his head, "Yes, but that does not change the fact that it is independent. She will not need a lady-in-waiting. Mother... there is nothing more to say. I shall take my leave. I have responsibilities to fulfill," He bows his head briefly as he turns his back to her and leaves her chambers.

Alicent just stares after him in disbelief.

As Helaena turns to her mother, "Mother, don't you think it's sweet how Aemond stands up for y/n needs?"

Alicent just smiles at her absently, "Yes my dear... That is indeed sweet."

Alicent seeks out Viserys shortly thereafter.

She is worried about what kind of gossip might arise if you already share your chambers and she hopes that Viserys will side with her this time.

But he looks at her half amused, "Are you serious? It bothers you that she doesn't want a lady-in-waiting?"

She snorts, "Did you ignore the first part? That's half the point, but they want to share their chambers.... Even before the wedding!"

Viserys shakes his head dismissively, "What can I say about that? They're young, they're in love. And they're soon to be wed. Of course they want to spend their time together."

Alicent looks at him in shock. Just once, she wished he would stand behind her. "How can you tolerate such a thing?"

Viserys just looks at her, "Perhaps I'm just happy for my son that he can marry for love."

Alicent gives him a pained look and just nods.

***

For a few weeks now you have been living in your shared chambers.

You love the fact that you can now spend evenings with Aemond without secrecy. In the afternoon you are with Aemond in your chambers. Aemond sits on the sofa and reads a book, you lie on the bed and look at the ceiling. Nothing makes you happier than being with Aemond now, but still you feel something missing. You could almost say you're bored in King's Landing. Even Aegon has been rather boring lately. It seems like he's been drunk a lot more often since his wedding than he was before. But he's probably just getting ready to father offspring with Helaena.

And even though you enjoy your time with Aemond, you notice that your brothers are not present. They are always up for some nonsense or silly conversation. Even Rob's presence would make you happy right now.

Gods what you would give for a little game.

You lift your head and look over at Aemond. He is still sitting on the sofa and reading.

"Aemond... I'm bored," you finally say.

He looks up from his book, "Then read a little. There are still some books over there," he points briefly to a small table by the door."

You pout a bit, "I already have..."

Aemond raises an eyebrow.

"And I miss my brothers.... My parents...?"

Now he smiles at you.

"After all, my brothers... even Rob... were always up for a game or something like that."

Now you have him, he turns further in your direction, "Well, I'm up for that too"

You sit up and smile at him, "My dear betrothed.... I love you because of your tender ways... your sharp mind... maybe because of your beauty too... But playing games is not exactly your strong suit."

He looks at you almost offended, "Well, as far as I can remember, our entire childhood consisted of playing games."

You have to stifle a laugh, "Oh really...? We were children, Aemond, we knew nothing but playing games.“

Now he closes his book, "I can play games!"

You grin, "Yeah? Okay, let's go"

He stands up, "What do you want to do?"

You think for a moment, ".... mmhm how about drinking tea..."

He raises an eyebrow, "Drink tea? And you say I'm boring..." "... naked."

He looks at you with his mouth half open.

"And I never said you were boring. I want to make that clear."

Aemond is still standing there looking at you. Slowly you rise from the bed and walk towards him, "Will you have tea with me?"

As you stand in front of him, your hand wanders to the first buckle of your dress.

Now he has to grin, "Okay.... I'll get the tea... and then we'll enjoy the afternoon with a cup of tea.... naked."

You grin back and nod.

Aemond instructed the first servant he met to bring tea to your chambers.

After a short while, there is a knock at the door. Aemond opens it and takes the tea. After he has placed the tea on a small table by the sofa, the two of you stand facing each other.

Slowly you raise your hand to undo the buckles of his leather waistcoat and take it off. "Mmhm do you want to undress me?", Aemond asks you. You just smile.

While you tamper with his vest, Aemond begins to undo the buckle of your dress. When he has undone it, he lets your dress slowly slide to the floor. You take the vest off over his head, and as Aemond stands there in just his trousers, you turn around. You slip out of your dress and on your way to the sofa you slowly take off your panties.

Aemond looks at you and starts to open his pants.

A pleasant silence spreads as you sit on the sofa and drink tea in a relaxed manner.

You are facing him. He looks beautiful.

He sits still, which allows you to take in his whole naked body. His soft hair falls over his bare shoulder and ends on his defined chest. The chest you love to touch when you lose yourself in a deep kiss with him, or when your head rests on his chest, or even when you sit on him…. and you try to find support with your hands on his chest. Every movement with which he brings the cup to his mouth is watched by you. The muscles in his arm dance during these movements and have your full attention. You watch as his slender, long fingers wrap around the cup.... Where those fingers have been all over your body.... You can't really believe you get to wed him.

As your gaze returns to his face, you notice that he is also looking at your body, a smile not leaving his lips.

You have to grin, "So, are you bored?" you finally ask before taking a sip of the tea and gently setting the cup down on the table.

"Mmmhm, not at all my Love.... In fact, I don't think I've ever found it so exciting to have tea with someone before."

He looks into your eyes and leans forward. Just as he is about to kiss you, your door opens.

"Aemond? Aegon and..."

Aemond shouts out, "Mother! No! Get out!"

You startle and see Alicent standing wide-eyed in the doorway. Aegon is standing directly behind Alicent, he has a big grin on his face and is staring directly in your direction.

When Aemond notices this, he half leans over you and yells at Aegon, "Aegon! I'm warning you! Avert your gaze from her at once, or I will blind you so that your eyes can never wander over her body again!"

Alicent just stutters things like "Apologies" and "I'll talk to you later" and turns around. She pushes Aegon out of your chambers, who doesn't seem to want to move at first, and closes the door behind her.

You sit on the sofa and somehow try to cover your breasts with your hands. Aemond is still half on top of you and he looks stressed. He looks at you as you start to laugh. At first he looks incredulous, until he joins in your laughter.

You pull him closer to you and smother his laughter with a kiss. You murmur against his lips, "Well, I think this is going to be an interesting dinner tonight"

Aemond shakes his head, "What you always talk me into"

"Mmhm, could I talk you into something else?", you slowly let your hand wander down his firm stomach.

He smiles at you and kisses you, an "mmhm" stuck deep in his throat.

As if by itself, your hand wraps around his hot length. Slowly you let your hand slide up and down. Aemond gasps into your mouth as you exchange hot kisses.

He doesn't wait long and climbs over you and gently pushes you down onto the sofa, placing himself between your legs. His crotch presses against your hot core and gently his cock slides through your already wet fold, you moan and wrap your arms around his neck to pull him closer to you. Greedy kisses leave your lips.

"Aemond... please... I need you...", impatiently you push your hips towards him.

Aemond chuckles, "I like it when you plead for something… for me…"

He lets his lips wander over your neck and leaves hot kisses. Slowly he positions himself in front of your entrance. You continue to press your wet core against him and you gasp as he enters you with one thrust, filling you completely. Without being able to adjust to his size, he thrusts into you with full force.

You moan in unison as you cling to him to feel him even deeper. Aemond holds you tightly by your hips, spreading your legs wider to get better access. He lets his cock slide out and in. With every thrust he pushes deeper into you.

He moans loudly as he notices you tense around his cock and increases the pace of his thrusts.

"Fuck... Aemond... I'm close..." you gasp.

An "already?" leaves his lips. You only manage to kiss him.

He lets his hand wander to your clit and starts massaging it with circular movements. Your thighs start to tremble.

"Let me feel you come," he whispers in your ear. That's enough to push you over the edge. You cry out, Aemond immediately clasps your lips with his to muffle your outcry. You grab his shoulder for support. Aemond realizes he can't hold on much longer either. Seeing you like this, naked under him, full of lust and satisfied. He moans out as he pulls his pulsing length out of you, spreading his hot seed over your breasts.

He groans as he slowly lets himself fall backward. He soaks up the sight of you.

"We should drink tea more often," he finally gasps.

You smile with your eyes closed, "So Aegon can surprise us while we're naked?"

You open your eyes as you get no response from Aemond, he just looks at you.

You nudge him lightly with your foot, "I was joking... Now… clean me up."

Aemond chuckles as he gets up to get his vest, "As my princess wishes".

He sits back down between your legs and gently cleans you up, "Though I actually quite like the look of it."

You smile, "I know.... But I prefer not to be full of your cum for dinner."

He grins, "Interesting thought though," he leans forward and kisses you gently, you hold him close to you by his neck.

In the evening you are in the hall for dinner. Aegon, drunk as always, grins incessantly in your direction. You do your best to ignore him. Aemond, on the other hand, does not ignore him, he looks at him warningly.

Alicent does not even look in your direction. Not from any of you. You can tell from her red cheeks that she must be uncomfortable with the way she found you.

You try to concentrate on the conversation with Helaena, apparently she has been given a new book about various insects that probably only exist in Essos, as the door to the hall opens. Your grandfather slowly enters the hall. He doesn't often eat dinner with you, but today he takes the time and strength to do so. He is not doing so well lately. You see him much less often and when you do, he often moans in pain and smiles in agony. As a result of all this, he talks much less than usual.

You're worried about him.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Tag list

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[lanayru-the-water-god]

Living with secrets

While Lanayru’s physical strength has returned, Nerin soon finds out that her waterdrop has been keeping a secret of her own.

(Part 5 of the “All for the maiden” series)

Word count: 2683

The back doors to Lanayru’s palace glimmer in the light, their intricate white and gold pattern standing out against the sky-blue of the surrounding area. Nerin approaches, her heart racing with anticipation as she pictures her best friend’s smiling face. Lanayru had sent her today, supposedly to hang out like they always do. At last.

In the weeks since the Water Goddess’s awakening, Lanayru has kept her distance in order to catch up on all the days she missed. Although Nerin has understood why, she has lived through each day with an ache in her heart, longing to spend more time with Lanayru; they could sit and giggle together, playing with the new baby dragon, teasing Cordelia and the other Dwellers…just like it had been before.

The Swan Goddess stops in front of the doors, her brows furrowing with confusion. While there is usually a Dweller or two sitting outside to guard the place, today it is eerily silent. Nobody is here.

Taking a deep breath, she tries to open the right-hand door, only to find that it’s locked. Just as she raises her fist up to knock, a click sounds from the other side and the door pulls open.

She was waiting right here!

“Lanayru!” she shrieks with delight. “Oh, it’s so—“

The figure in the doorway frowns, her royal blue and purple hair taking Nerin aback.

That’s…not Lanayru.

“Oh…Cordelia.” She puts her hand back down to her side and smiles, trying to hide her disappointment. “I-I’m sorry, I thought—“

“It’s alright.” Dweller 2 chuckles, stepping aside to let Nerin in. “But there is something important I must discuss with you, before I let you see her.”

The Swan Goddess freezes, trying to peer down the hall. “Can’t that wait for just a bit? Where is she?”

“I can’t tell you yet. Lady Lanayru’s orders. Please, just follow me, and soon your questions shall be answered.”

Cordelia closes the door behind them, locking it in place, before leading a nervous Nerin down the elegant corridor. The Dweller’s colored hair stands out starkly against the rest of her figure, dressed in all black with a glimmering cape nearly touching the floor. Her heels click-clack against the tiles, as do Nerin’s, and the Swan Goddess marvels at the woman Lanayru created all those centuries ago.

She is truly beautiful.

But observing Lanayru’s creation brings her back to Lanayru, and her heart sinks again. A situation like this has never happened before, and she wonders if something has gone wrong. It must have, right? The Water Goddess wouldn’t shut herself out otherwise…

The two reach the sitting room, with its large intricate windows and flowy white curtains. Nerin checks around the room for Lanayru, only to find nobody there. Cordelia draws her attention to the low round table at the center of the room, where a piece of paper sits atop one end. It has writing on it. A letter.

“Is this for me?” Nerin asks, reaching out to take it.

“Indeed, this is from your waterdrop. I shall let you read it now…it might be difficult to do so.”

What does that mean?

With careful hands, the Swan Goddess holds up the paper, filled on both sides with unmistakable small, loopy writing. Lanayru’s writing.

Her heart pounds in her chest as she begins…

My darling Fea,

This is not an easy letter to write. I must inform you that I am not doing well. Although I may have regained my strength now, my emotional state has deteriorated. I have laid in my bed weeping, for you and for what I must have put you through. For I, too, have a secret. I have been hiding this from you since my head cleared enough to fully think, and I believe it’s time I let it out. While I would like to share this news with you face to face, I am too heavy with guilt to do so, and for that I hope you can forgive me.

You might still be thinking of how you’re gonna tell me, right? Or if you will at all. So let me make this easier, ok?

You don’t need to tell me, Nerin.

I know.

I always knew.

My words now may sting, I am aware you have wanted to keep this from me, and I am truly sorry. But I feel this is the only way. We are both dealing with heavy emotions and baggage to carry, mine from giving you such a traumatic experience, and yours from trying to keep me unaware of the truth. Don’t try to deny it, I see from your behavior how much you’ve been hurting, and each occurrence of this deals a heavy blow to my heart.

Again, my deepest apologies for keeping this to the written word. Now that I have explained this to you, I think we shall finally talk it out. Only then will I begin to heal.

I am outside, on the terrace by the right-hand side of the room. Please come, little one.

Much love,

Lana

The letter slips out of the Swan Goddess’s hands, and she freezes in place, unable to move. Lanayru still knew she still fucking knew oh my gods she knew this whole time-

“You okay, Lady Nerin?”

Startled, she whips around to face the blue-haired Dweller, still standing behind her.

“Oh, Cordelia, I’m sorry-“

“She’s over there.” Cordelia points to a large set of glass doors, her black and silver bracelets jingling. “Go to her, she’s been upset for quite some time.”

Through the glass and out onto the elegant patio, a familiar figure catches Nerin’s eye: the back of a short blonde bob with two pointy ears sticking out, the long flowy skirts in baby blue, droplet-shaped earrings glistening in the light…

“Lanayru!!” The Swan Goddess bolts for the door without thought, letting her dainty legs take her, and leaving Cordelia inside. With quick fingers she swings the door open and steps outside, closing it behind her.

The Water Goddess sits at the edge of a small spring, on a smooth round border functioning as a bench. She doesn’t turn her head, just stares out into the beautiful views of her domain, hands clasped in her lap. Does she know I’m here? Did she hear me?

“Lanayru?” Nerin calls out tentatively, approaching where her best friend is seated. At the sound of her name, the Water Goddess finally turns to look.

“…You came,” she breathes, relief filling her blue eyes and tender face. “I…I didn’t know if you would be mad at me.”

“Mad?? Why would I be mad?”

“Because I wouldn’t tell you that I knew.” Lanayru gently taps the spot next to her. “Here, why don’t you sit down?”

Nerin obeys, tucking her skirts back slightly before taking a seat next to her friend. The slight breeze produces a soft jingling sound, from the silver and white jewelry dangling from her dress and four sets of earrings.

“You knew…this whole time? H-how did you figure it out? Did you—“ She pauses in thought, her mind flashing back to the moment of Lanayru’s first awakening. “Do you remember that day?”

“…What day?”

“When you first woke up from recharging.”

“No…? I mean, I remember waking up, at some point, and then…” Lanayru’s brow furrows. “I don’t think you were there, though…just Cordelia. She told me I was fading in and out for a while, and…after that it gets a bit fuzzy, sorry.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Nerin smiles slightly. “I just wanted to make sure…I know I’ve asked you that before and you said no, but…”

“You think I would lie to you?”

“No, of course not! It’s just that…” A weak, half-conscious Lanayru comes to her mind as she trails off, bringing a pang to her chest.

“What?” the Water Goddess asks. “What happened?”

Might as well tell her now.

“Well…” Nerin starts, a sigh escaping her lips. “You figured it out. Right then and there. I didn’t think you would, you were barely conscious and so disoriented, but—I told you too much, I gave myself away.” The solemn, guilt-stricken look on Lanayru’s face is enough to break her heart. “For thirty-five days I thought about how to tell you the story, with the hopes that you would never have to know, and since you haven’t brought it up again I thought—“

“I’m so sorry…” Lanayru touches a ringed hand to one of Nerin’s own, gazing into her eyes. “Guess I figured it out more than once, then. But when I heard your story, the one I remember…I saved Ivory, and then you came to carry me back to my domain, devastated to see me lying passed out on the ground. When I started to gain more awareness I realized that this story wasn’t adding up, little one. Why wouldn’t you have been there when your maiden was dying? In your spring of all places? The others wouldn’t have waited to call you until she was unconscious, right? And why would I be out there with her and not you? I’m never in your spring by myself…it all just sounded like one big cover-up to hide something else that troubled you. So to make it 100 percent certain, I recently brought my concerns to Cordelia. She confirmed it.”

Damn it.

DAMN IT!

Why did I tell all the Dwellers??

“….Oh, Lana…” she replies, as the Water Goddess moves her hand to fidget with a fold of her skirt. “I really didn’t want you to know. That’s why I never told you, because all this guilt you’re feeling- I was certain this would be your reaction.”

Lanayru stays silent, glancing down at her lap and letting out a deep exhale. For a second the only sound is the soft ripples of spring water, and the quiet chirping of distant bluebirds.

“My darling…I never wanted you to go through this, little one,” she speaks eventually, without looking up. “And none of this would have happened in the first place if I hadn't…you know…”

“Lanayru. No.” Nerin scolds. “Please don’t blame yourself! Do you know what would have happened had you not done anything?”

The Water Goddess nods her head slowly. “…Yeah, of course I do.”

“So you did a good thing, waterdrop, trust me. You saved someone’s life. Yes, what I had to witness was heartbreaking, but I’ll live. It’s much better than the alternative.”

She cringes as she speaks the last few words. No, don’t think about it. That didn’t happen. But she can’t help but picture if Ivory had been the one to die, not Lanayru…

“Little one…tell me.” Finally, Lanayru meets her gaze, tears running down her pale face. “What was that like?”

Nerin’s heart sinks in her chest, as she lets out a sigh.

“If you must know, it was the most painful thing I’ve ever had to…” She trails off. “Sorry, that’s not helping you at all—“

“No, go on. Please, tell me the truth.”

“…Okay,” she continues. “Well, you know how I told you that Ivory wasn’t awake to see you fall?” Taking in a breath, she hesitates. “The thing is, uh…she was. I lied to you, waterdrop. She was awake and very much lucid, and I wanted her to think you simply passed out. So after you went limp I buried my head into your chest so she wouldn’t see, and oh gods, I knew what to expect, but you weren’t breathing, you had no heartbeat, it was all just fucking silent, and I stayed there forever, minutes, hours, who knows how long it was…and Ivory tried to touch you but I shooed her away…it was haunting to not hear the beating of your heart because I knew you would come back but you were also gone, Lanayru, you were fucking dead—“

Burying her face into her hands, Nerin chokes out a sob. The memories she had been holding in are now free, giving her a tiny sense of relief, but now it’s almost as if she’s back in her spring, her head on top of Lanayru’s unmoving chest to shield the truth from her maiden��and she wants to forget this but she can’t, she can’t—

“…Fea?”

Slowly she lifts her head, at the sound of her precious nickname, to face her friend’s worried gaze.

“Oh, little one, I’m so sorry I asked…”

“Don’t apologize, please. You said we need to talk this out…I shouldn’t keep it inside any longer.”

“Well…” The Water Goddess sniffles, wiping a tear with her hand. “Is there…anything else?”

“I, uh…I do have one question,” Nerin’s own tears spill down her face as she watches her friend’s gloomy expression. “How-how long does that last? Before the resurrection?”

“Nobody knows exactly, my darling…but from our estimates, I would say up to two minutes.”

“…Two minutes??”

All of the pain, the waiting, the torture of silence…it was only two minutes?

“Yeah…that’s it, little one. I simply can’t fathom how long that must have felt for you, I mean—“

“Too long,” Nerin breathes. “It was too fucking long.”

Lanayru breaks eye contact with her friend, leaving the pair in silence briefly, before finally opening her mouth to speak again.

“…Rin, I am so sorry…beyond what words can say, I—I’m the reason you had to suffer like this, my stupid Healing Grace that wasn’t made for saving others, curse me! If only I was born with a power that didn’t fucking kill me every time I saved someone, I—“ Lanayru holds her hands out and weeps, stamping her foot onto the tiles in frustration and anger. “Whatever I do, I try to-to give one person…a second chance but I just end up hurting another! I’m never enough, I-“ She chokes on her own tears, letting out what must have been clawing through her since she discovered the truth. “I will…never be enough—“

Too heartbroken to respond, Nerin wraps an arm around Lanayru, bringing her in closer, and the Water Goddess rests her head on her friend’s fluffy feather shawl.

“I can’t forgive myself,” she continues, “I—I gave you…a traumatic experience… and now—now you still wanna be friends with the one who failed you.”

“Woah woah woah, Ru, stop,” Nerin interjects. “What makes you think you failed me?? That couldn’t be farther from the truth, waterdrop, you know that. You did everything you could to make sure my maiden wouldn’t leave me.”

“Y-yeah, I just…I wish I could save someone…without losing myself.” Lanayru sniffles, her tears running onto the shawl, and Nerin only squeezes her tighter. “I don’t wanna lose myself. All that does is hurt you.”

“I know, sweetie…oh, I wish I could change that for you…I don’t wanna lose you either. But you come back, right? You always do…and we get through it, we come back stronger. So we can get through this too, alright?”

Nerin gently runs a hand through Lanayru’s soft hair, feeling the silky strands between her fingers. The last few weeks have been draining, and she can only imagine how painful it’s all been for her friend. Pain that will take time to fully heal from.

Lanayru sighs. “…Alright.”

“Good, my darling. You will always be enough, remember that. Your Healing Grace may be less than perfect, but you’re still beautiful, kind, selfless…You’re still my Lanayru.”

“Aww…that’s so sweet…” The Water Goddess slowly lifts her head to look her companion in the eye. “Sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Please, waterdrop…there is nothing wrong with you, ok? You have the most compassionate heart of anyone I know, and you never want any of us to suffer. I’m proud of you for telling me the truth, Ru.”

“Well…I can’t go through this alone,” Lanayru replies, wiping a tear with her sleeve. “Thank you, Fea. I really owe you one.”

Nerin smiles at her friend’s words of gratitude, even knowing that a repayment is never necessary. Just having her friend here, alive and breathing, with her full strength returned, is all she needs.

Because together, they can finally take their first steps on the long road to healing.

[writeforusfashionandtech]

What’s Next in Stranger Things Season 5: Unraveling New Mysteries

A Glimpse Into Stranger Things Season 5

With each passing season, Stranger Things has continued to captivate audiences with its perfect mix of 80s nostalgia, supernatural thrills, and rich character development. Now, as fans eagerly await Stranger Things Season 5, speculation is rife about what’s next for the Hawkins crew. After the jaw-dropping finale of Season 4, we know the Upside Down is closer than ever to the real world, and the stakes have never been higher. As we inch closer to the release of Stranger Things Season 5, let’s dive into the burning questions and exciting possibilities that await.

The Final Showdown: What to Expect

While details about Stranger Things Season 5 remain under wraps, one thing is clear—this season will serve as the grand finale of the series. With the ominous presence of Vecna looming large and the Upside Down threatening to merge with our world, it seems like the Hawkins gang will face their biggest challenge yet. The final season is set to focus on a climactic battle that could determine the fate of not only the town of Hawkins but perhaps the world itself.

In Season 4, we saw the significant progression of Eleven’s abilities, the emergence of new alliances, and the deepening of existing relationships. It’s only fitting that Season 5 will tie up these plotlines while introducing fresh twists. With the Duffer Brothers hinting at an emotional and epic conclusion, fans are already theorizing what this “final showdown” might entail.

Character Arcs: Growth, Redemption, and Sacrifice

The character development in Stranger Things has always been one of its standout features, and Stranger Things Season 5 is expected to bring these journeys to a satisfying resolution.

Eleven: Coming Into Her Full Power

Perhaps the most significant arc to look forward to is Eleven’s evolution. After years of struggling with her identity and powers, Stranger Things Season 5 could finally see her mastering her abilities to their fullest extent. More than just a weapon against the Upside Down, Eleven’s journey of self-discovery has been a core theme, and we can expect to see her take on a more mature role in the final fight.

Will Byers: A Darker Role?

Will’s connection to the Upside Down has been a recurring plot thread since the very first season, and Stranger Things Season 5 will likely explore this in greater depth. With signs pointing to a more prominent role for Will in the upcoming season, fans are wondering whether his connection to the Upside Down could result in an even darker twist. Could Will become a key player in the final battle, or might his bond with the otherworldly realm lead to tragedy?

Max Mayfield: Resurrection or Farewell?

Max’s storyline in Season 4 ended in heartbreak, as she was left comatose after a deadly encounter with Vecna. Stranger Things Season 5 will likely delve into her fate, and fans are anxious to know whether she will return to full health or if this could mark the beginning of a more tragic storyline. Max’s fate could serve as a powerful emotional thread in the final season, influencing the motivations of her friends and perhaps the outcome of the ultimate battle.

The Upside Down: Expanding the Lore

A central mystery that remains is the nature of the Upside Down itself. In previous seasons, we’ve only scratched the surface of what this dark, alternate dimension entails. Stranger Things Season 5 may finally answer lingering questions about its origins and how it connects to our world.

Is the Upside Down simply a twisted mirror image of our reality, or is there a more profound purpose behind its existence? Fans are hopeful that the Duffer Brothers will provide answers to these questions, weaving together the various threads of the Upside Down’s lore in a way that makes the final season both thrilling and fulfilling.

The Return of Vecna: Is He Truly the Ultimate Villain?

Vecna, the terrifying antagonist introduced in Season 4, may return as the primary villain in Stranger Things Season 5. His connection to the Upside Down and his manipulation of Hawkins’ residents have already cemented him as one of the most formidable foes the group has ever faced. But is he truly the ultimate mastermind behind the horrors of the Upside Down, or could there be an even greater evil lurking in the shadows?

Many fans have theorized that Vecna is merely a pawn in a larger game, suggesting that Stranger Things Season 5 could introduce an even more dangerous force that has been pulling the strings all along. Regardless, the final battle against Vecna promises to be a show-stopping moment that will test the limits of our heroes’ strength and resolve.

The Fate of Hawkins: Will It Survive?

One of the central questions going into Stranger Things Season 5 is whether Hawkins will make it out unscathed. The small town has been at the heart of the series since the beginning, but with the Upside Down now merging with the real world, its survival seems uncertain.

Will our heroes be able to stop the impending catastrophe, or is Hawkins doomed to become a permanent part of the Upside Down? The final season will likely explore the personal stakes for each character as they fight to protect their home and each other from destruction.

Nostalgia and New Beginnings

As Stranger Things Season 5 marks the end of an era, fans can expect a healthy dose of nostalgia. The series has always been a love letter to the 80s, and the final season will likely include callbacks to earlier seasons, characters, and moments that have defined the show’s legacy. However, there is also room for new beginnings.

While the core story of Hawkins and the Upside Down may come to a close, the Duffer Brothers have hinted at potential spin-offs and other projects set within the Stranger Things universe. As the series wraps up, Stranger Things Season 5 may leave the door open for future stories, allowing fans to continue exploring the world they’ve grown to love.

Conclusion: The End of an Era in Stranger Things Season 5

Stranger Things Season 5 promises to be a thrilling, emotional, and satisfying conclusion to one of the most beloved TV series of the past decade. With high stakes, intense battles, and character arcs that have been years in the making, fans can expect an unforgettable final chapter. As we say goodbye to Hawkins and the world of Stranger Things, there’s no doubt that Stranger Things Season 5 will leave a lasting impact, both as a fitting end to the series and as a cultural phenomenon in its own right.The anticipation is palpable, and fans across the globe are ready to witness the final showdown and uncover the mysteries that have kept them hooked for so long. Stranger Things Season 5 is sure to be a season to remember!

[captastra]

The collection of 19 fics I've written for Writer's Month 2023!

AO3 Series or full break down under the cut! Biggest shoutouts to @kourumi @poetikat and @kyber-infinitygems for all your support and assistance throughout this whole experience <3!

Day 1; Day 11

Suicide Squad: Recovery and Redemption (The Suicide Squad, Words: 5,492, Chapters: 2/?, Rating: T) (Chapter 2)

Living in a world with meta-humans hasn't stopped Renée Watts from doing what she does best, helping others as a nurse. But when she befriends one particular patient, she finds herself learning what it truly means help others. Rick Flag wasn't meant to live. Peacemaker had made sure of that back in Corto Maltese. But when he wakes up in a hospital months later, he finds himself left wondering: what will he do now? His sense of emptiness gets challenged when he befriends a nurse that shows him that there can still be purpose and recovery for him.

Day 2; Day 9; Day 15

Statesman: Four Roses (The Outer Worlds, Words: 10,214, Chapters: 3/?, Rating: T) (Chapter 2; Chapter 3)

Felix Millstone, aka Agent Whiskey of the Statesman agency, has devoted his life to taking down the underground criminal mastermind, Charles Rockwell. So when he is assigned a simple protection duty of a UDL scientist, Rhea Hawthorne, he feels all his hard work has been for naught. But as he comes to know Rhea, his secret plans to bring down Rockwell may come to harm his new companion.

Day 3; Day 10; Day 12; Day 27

A Beach Vacation (Bullet Train, Words: 3,776, Chapters: 4/4, Rating: T) (Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4)

Lily, Tangerine, and Lemon enjoy a beach vacation together.

Day 4; Day 19

I Don't Need Your Love (The Suicide Squad, Words: 2,707, Chapters 2/2, Rating: G) (Chapter 2)

Renée and Rick are faced with the reality of their world when Rick is called to lead another suicide mission by Amanda Waller.

Day 5

To New Beginnings (Mass Effect: Andromeda, Words: 2,543 Chapters: 1/1; Rating: G)

Kiara Ryder struggles to process what happened at the Eos Vault, despite the restart being a great success. A chance to chat with Kandros helps her realize she doesn't have to face her problems alone.

Day 6; Day 26; Day 29

Along the Right Path (Resident Evil; Words: 6,576; Chapters: 3/3; Rating: G) (Chapter 2; Chapter 3)

A recreational hike through Arklay Mountains takes a turn when Jill and her friends get lost, but a certain handsome park ranger comes to their rescue.

Day 7; Day 21

A Promise for Another Day (Haven; Words: 2,133, Chapters 2/2, Rating: G) (Chapter 2)

Duke attempts to surprise Paige with a promise to get away, but fate has other plans.

Day 8

Watermelon Candy (Z Nation; Words: 753; Chapters: 1/1; Rating: G)

Enjoying a rare moment together, Annie shares a sweet treat with 10k.

Day 13

Fanning Their Feelings (The Outer Worlds, Words: 2,164, Chapters 1/1, Rating G)

Mayor Odie supports Deputy Felix with his crush on the new schoolmarm, Miss Rhea. Only problem is he won't court her, so Odie decides a little meddling in their affairs will help matters along.

Day 14

By the Fireside (Baldur's Gate 3, Words: 716, Chapters 1/1, Rating: G)

Everlith and Gale's friendship starts to blossom on their first night at camp.

Day 16; Day 20

In You I Can Trust (Baldur's Gate 3, Words: 2,600, Chapters 2/2, Rating: G) (Chapter 2)

After revealing the truth of his magic absorption, Gale still worries about whether Everlith truly wants him to stay by her side. But a nighttime conversation shows just how much he is truly wanted.

Day 17

When Dreams Become Nightmares (The Suicide Squad, Words: 1,006, Chapters: 1/1, Rating: T)

What started out as a peaceful getaway for Rick with Renée turns into a nightmare when reality comes crashing down.

Day 18

A Nurturing Hand (Elden Ring, Words: 1,307, Chapters: 1/1, Rating: T)

The animal shelter Aisling works for rescues an extremely angry feral cat. With Malenia's help, and a lot of patience, their family gains a new member.

Day 22

An Enchanting Encounter (The Outer Worlds, Words: 2,008, Chapters: 1/1, Rating: G)

Becoming a wallflower at her own celebration, Rhea's evening takes a turn for the better when she encounters a mysterious winged figure.

Day 23; Day 30

Waiting Out the Storm (The Outer Worlds, Words: 3,352, Chapters 2/2, Rating: G) (Chapter 2)

A surprise thunderstorm offers Rhea and Felix a chance to learn more about each other.

Day 24

Stolen Kiss (Baldur's Gate 3, Words: 1,001, Chapters 1/1, Rating T)

Gale and Everlith steal a moment alone on their journey to Baldur's Gate.

Day 25

Just You and Me, Alone (The Suicide Squad, Words: 536, Chapters 1/1, Rating: T)

Rick and Renée get to go on the vacation they deserve.

Day 28

What Promise Awaits (Baldur's Gate 3, Words: 1,248, Chapters 1/1, Rating: G)

Gale Devrakis had accepted that his life was one of solitude and reflection. Being summoned to Elminister's tower promised a possible solution to his magical condition, and companionship from his new assistant, Everlith S'aer.

Day 31

The Light In The Darkness (Baldur's Gate 3, Words: 1,793, Chapters: 1/1, Rating: G)

Gale and the others attempt to enjoy an evening around the campfire while traversing towards Moonrise Towers. But even as darkness and evil surrounds them, Everlith reveals her feelings to Gale as Wyll supports their budding romance.

Taglist: @olliesaurus-rex @roofgeese @kyber-infinitygems @poetikat @confidentandgood @spaceratprodigy @darkfire1177 @jillvalentinesday @theelderhazelnut @shegetsburned @awhellstothejoe @oh-nostalgiaa @seliviawanders @thisisrigged4 @poisonedtruth @bitchesofostwick @transcaster @incognito-insomniac @kirjanikv6ilill @madparadoxum @gayafsatan @euryalex @mxanigel @eclecticwildflowers

[reyleese]

*** ACOTAR 5 THEORIES ***

So.. We all know of the three ancient siblings: the twins, the Bone Carver, the Weaver of the Wood, and the oldest, Koschei. Each of the, were “contained”/trapped by an ancient fae female (can’t remember who, please let me know if you do). Bone Carver was locked in the prison, the weaver had her powers diminished and she was stuck in the woods in the Middle. Then Koschei was trapped in the lake, he is also the suspected “big bad” of this upcoming half of the ACOTAR series.

There’s a lot of balance of threes in this series. The three objects Made by the Cauldron; the Mask, Crown and Harp. Then there’s the three Archeon sisters, Nesta, Elain and Feyre. In a way, each of the girls can be matched with one of the ancient siblings, and maybe even the Made objects, as each of these girls are also Made.

Feyre could be Koschei, the strongest of the siblings, trapped by the fae as she was in the very beginning of the series. Feyre was trapped by her life in many ways, but in a way essential to her transition into who she is today, she was trapped in the house by Tamlin, trapped Under the Mountain by Amaranthe, etc. Feyre is the crown, for very obvious reasons, like her being High Lady, but also her being the head of her household. She may be the youngest, but Feyre has been the head of her household since she was 11 and she had to save her family from starvation.

Nesta could be the Weaver, the one who literally devours the people who get close to her, which was part of Nesta internal struggle. The one who had a great portion of her power taken from her— the Weaver from the ancient fae, and Nesta’s was given back to the Cauldron— and stuck somewhere she didn’t choose. She is the mask. She’s put up more of a front to hide her feelings than either of her siblings.

And Elaine, the Bone Carver, who is the Seer— like Elaine— who is not as noticed or out in the world as their siblings are. The one who seems hidden, quiet. But the one who always knows more than what other people think they know. She is the harp. The otherwise beautiful instrument, the most beautiful of the sisters. Even her personality is softer, more appealing to others than anyone else, and yet, she is capable of incredible things. People underestimate the instrument of the harp.

Now, both the twins are “dead” thanks to the war in which Rhys and Feyre made bargains for their assistance against the King of Hybern. They were taken out by the Cauldron (if my memory serves). HOWEVER, Koschei, the oldest, is said to be deathless, but considering he and his siblings were here before the invention of the Cauldron, it’s possible they are susceptible to this new power, as the twins were. I wonder if, with all the objects of death could be wielded by one of each of the sisters, could they in a way combine their power with the power from the cauldron to kill Koschei. Especially considering the idea that the Made objects of the Cauldron are objects of death basically.

Secondary, theory that can either be separate from the first or part of it, but it was said that the three ancient being came from another world a long time ago, potentially a world much like Bryce’s. What if Bryce inadvertently brings with her some vital piece of information or something that ends up being of use to the Court of Dreams when Koschei comes along.

[mamamittens]

Been thinking on it a bit and I might just nix the valentine's event. It's been nice having a breather and if anything, I may just do some art pieces as a mini celebration for the day.

If I could finally just get to it, I'd like to start making more progress reading One Piece. I'd say watch it but it's... Weird to describe, it's been so long since I've watched a series I've got no patience and a hard time regulating my... Energy? Like, I need to skip embarrassing, foot in mouth scenes or I can't watch. The older style of the beginning is also a bit... Weird to see after seeing so much modern anime. The whiplash I'd get going from start to finish would be something else, that's for sure.

Ah, overstimulation. That's what it is. Everything is new and in a format I'm unfamiliar with, a format I used to know well but not any more, so it's easy to get frustrated even as I'm happily watching it. Overwhelmed, as it were. Too much new stuff where I'm used to piecemeal.

That and it'd be 3 whole ass months nonstop and idk if I've got the focus for that.

Used to watch episode after episode of animes on bootleg sites as a kid and now I can barely bring myself to crack open the literal, physical copies I've got. (I've got so much anime on my shelves. If we did serious, no exception lockdown for a year, I'd probably be set without opening any streaming sites for at least half of that)

It'd be nice to actually be able to answer some of these asks rather than draw a total blank because I've never heard of them... Or I've completely forgotten who tf they are. Then again OP's cast is so massive I'd probably forget most of them anyway.

Then again, I've only recently started watching new movies in theaters. So for years my only exposure to new media was through second hand stuff. Memes and fanfiction, stuff like that. In light of that, it's no wonder I have such a hard time starting and sticking to series anymore. I collect the movie tickets and the stack is pretty thick (need to find a way to put them in a scrapbook to properly preserve them...)

Something about the jump and emotional investment exhausts and terrifies me... I don't know.

I've got a lot of things I need to do but tomorrow is always closer than it seems. And before I know it, today is yesterday with nothing to show for it.

Projects left unfinished that I used to spend hours work shopping before even opening Word. Passion projects gone cold and obligations that leave a stale taste in my mouth.

I wonder if this is just what growing old is. Hesitating at something new thinking about everything that's already there.

I don't know. But I do know I need to go to bed now or I'll sleep through 5/7 alarms for work in 5~ hours.

[puppy-phum]

5 Songs Tag - QL Shows Edition

tagged by vi @feralmuskyscentedhoepran​​ ♥ thank you once more for thinking of me with these cool tag games ^^ 

When you get this, list 5 songs from the Asian QL media that you actually listen to.

🎶They do not have to be custom-made for the series. 🎶Non-western tracks only. Let's support Asian music and languages! 🎶Feel free to tag anyone who may be interested in participating. 🎶Add #5qls tag to your post for others to find the new favourites!

all of these will be from thai shows as i mostly pick up songs from those. i've also been watching mainly thai shows lately so i don't have much else to choose from, sorry...

I. ข้างกัน (City) - Fourth Nattawat and Gemini Norawit (Cover) My School President OST / Original by Three Man Down

To be honest, I love both the original version and this cover from MSP. The cover just holds double the meaning. It is both part of TinnGun’s story – their first meeting, their beginning, the reason why Tinn fell for Gun and why they fit together now – and PuenTalay's story in their own universe. It connects these two universes too, and that is why I’m so fond of it. Also, Gemini and Fourth make this song sound even softer than it already is. (My other favorites from MSP ost are Healing, Let Me Tell You, and the cover of Just Being Friendly, tho the whole soundtrack is just phenomenal.)

II. ใครคลั่งรักกว่ากัน (Madly in Love) - Jimmy Jitaraphol and Sea Tawinan Our Skyy 2 x Vice Versa OST

This song is so very PuenTalay but also so JimmySea. It’s extremely soft, romantic, a little playful, cute, and just loving all the way around. It compliments both of their voices and styles, and just makes me super happy. The lyrics are nice too. My favorite part is the one where Jimmy changes the way he sounds in the chorus (Idk what to call it sorry). It’s towards the end of the song. It’s just super cool somehow and very addicting.

III. คลาด (Over the Moon) - Khaotung Thanawat The Eclipse OST

Absolutely obsessed with this song. One of the best theme songs a BL has ever had, hands down. Truly lived up to the hype I got from hearing this song in the mock up trailer. I love Khaotung’s voice, the visuals in the MV, the lyrics, the instrumental. Overall just a perfect song for me specifically. (To be fair, The Eclipse has had two of my favorite soundtracks with this and their Our Skyy 2 song. Instant hits, no question.)

IV. ก่อน - Pchy Dew The Movie OST

I don’t think any other piece of media has ever made me feel the way Dew The Movie does. It was, and still is, simply everything to me. And this song. This song. I cannot put into words how perfect, how wonderful, how special this song is. I cry every time I hear it because it’s just so fully packed with all these feelings I cannot describe. I love it. I love it so much. And for the love of god, if you haven’t watched this movie, go do it right now. 

V. ร้อยล้านวิว (Million views) - Stamp Last Twilight Pilot Trailer 

I don’t know how well this song fits the criteria for this game but I found this lovely thing bc of the Last Twilight trailer and now I cannot get rid of it. It’s been on my playlist ever since this trailer dropped in November and not a day goes by that I don’t listen to it. It’s just so good and always brings me back to these moments. I keep hoping they would keep this song in the show itself or that they will get an OST that sounds similar, instrumental and lyrical wise. Bc my god did this song hit again once I stopped being lazy and looked up a translation for the lyrics. Now I’m crying even more bc of it thanks.

Bonus: พระเอกจำลอง by Getsunova from the Theory of Love OST. One of my eternal favorites. This song just is the show.  Special mentions: These are western songs so I didn’t want to include them to the list itself but I have to mention that Blueming brought me back to sød ven’s music bc they used the song hollow for the show (the beach scenes to be specific). I am forever grateful. Also, I love the songs both Not Me and Never Let Me Go used in their soundtracks, specifically this one and this one (both are instrumental as these shows have made me appreciate instrumentals a lot more too).

Tagging: @dimpledpran​​ @snimeat​​ @wanderlust-in-my-soul​​ @dragonsareawesome123​​ @oswlld​​ @leonpob​​ @stormyoceans​​ @ayan-sukkhapisit​​ @nongnaos​​ ♥ 

[warrenwoodhouse]

Bring Desmond Back! (Assassin’s Creed) (Assassin’s Creed Council) (Assassin’s Creed Alpha)

Article by @warrenwoodhouse #warrenwoodhouse

Up voted 5 times on Assassin’s Creed Council official fansite

When you left Desmond dead in Assassin's Creed III, one can only hope if Ubisoft will ever bring him back. I'm still thinking and wondering if Ubisoft will get around to bringing him back, as they kept mentioning Desmond as an Assassin in his early days in Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed II & Assassin's Creed III.

It would be nice to see New York City in the eyes of Desmond Miles, back when he was escaping and evading the law. You can use real events that have happened to unfold the story of Desmond Miles right up to the part before he gets caught. A certain individual sees Desmond on his last mission and the individual says "Are you sure you want him? I can bring him to the office when we've captured him. We'll run the Animus on him when we get there!"

The end credits appear, leaving us stunned to think that it continues with Desmond when we all know that it won't, but would be an epic to see Desmond in his early years.

POST UPDATES (LISTED BELOW):

Me, Warren Woodhouse, I've only played Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed II, Assassin's Creed Revelations, Assassin's Creed III, Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag & Assassin's Creed Unity.

Some new information involving Desmond has come to my attention and is presented by another Assassin in the comments below.

Original Post

Archived Post

Comments

Here is where you’ll find the full list of original comments before Assassin’s Creed Council shut down completely.

Comment 1 by wwoodhouse

Ready to kill - 130 points

Comment 2 by Crowsnevermore

I think Desmond is long gone from the series. He had a great run, but the story is no longer about him. They have moved on to a new story arc

Reply by wwoodhouse

I know, but they mentioned him as an Assassin in the original games. Would be nice to ACTUALLY see that as an actual game, wouldn't it?

Reply by crowsnevermore

oh…you don't know Desmond's backstory do you? Desmond grew up in a compound for assassins called The Farm. He was trained to be an assassin from birth, even if he didn't know it outright. He actually used these skills and ran away from it all and lived a normal life in New York until his abduction by Abstergo. He didn't want to be an assassin from the start

Reply by wwoodhouse

How do you know that backstory? Which games did you find all that information in? I've played Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed II, Assassin's Creed Revelations, Assassin's Creed III, Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag & Assassin's Creed Unity.

Reply by crowsnevermore

That particular part was found in Revelations. If you collect enough animus fragments and go do the Desmond Story missions on Animus Island, you will hear desmond talk about how his chlldhood. It is also in the Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia

Comment 3 by f.dumont

If they remaster AC1, they may use the new present day arc. So rather than play it as Desmond, they may allow player to revive the genetic memories of Desmond as well as his ancestor Altaïr. Maybe then, we could have the chance to play new sequences (something like prior he been captured by the Templars). Never know…

Comment 4 by BluePerikles

Yes bring him back. He may have been a little grey in the beginning… But with living the game he got more important. He was the key between the Eden and the elders…

Comment 5 by Pariwi

Desmond should definitely be brought back with some sort of awesome first civ technology.. They always banged on about trying to keep people alive in the first civ, so why not allow for that technology to be perfected right at the end, so we can see all the assassin's defeat a mega-boss? That also doesn't have to be the of it, although it sounds like it would be… I guess they don't want to do something drastic again in fear of losing fans

Comment 6 by TakedownGrunt

If they were to bring Desmond back, like his early years, then they would have to bring back Lucy and quite possibly people like Clay a.k.a subject 16…as from what I remember, William makes some comments in AC: Revelations while Desmond is on Animus Island about having trained both Lucy and Desmond together as children. I don't think Desmond knew up till that point. Lucy tends to jump between Assassin and Templar loyalty if you look into the back story. In one of the AC games, I forget which, you do start to gather bits of a file that shows the planning of capturing Desmond. So I guess they could make some kind of prequel to AC1 and end it with Desmond being put in the animus..then leading to beginning of AC1.

Changelog

13th August 2024 at 11:17 am: Added all of the original comments to the section titled “Comments” directly in the post. The comments are subject to the Community Guidelines policy of the Warren Woodhouse Community

30th July 2023 at 08:30 am: Moved post to my Tumblr blog

21st October 2019 at 4:50 pm: Moved post to my Fandom blog

10th March 2017 at 7:55 pm: Moved post to my Blogger blog

19th December 2015 at 9:48 pm: Added section titled “Post Updates (Listed Below)” to the post. Made a backup copy of the page as a PDF. CLICK HERE to download it from Woodhouse Archives

13th September 2015 at 3:38 pm: Created post

[its-all-ineffable]

Anti-hero {Lestat series}

A 13-part series, where every fic is inspired by a lyric from the Taylor Swift song 'Anti-hero'. All these fics are primarily Lestat-centric or from his POV, but most of them feature a healthy heap of Louis and/or Loustat as well!

{Part 1} Midnights become my afternoons Summary: Lestat becomes a creature of the night, and laments the loss of entertainment. Luckily, he finds that nightlife may not be so bad, particularly with companions. For a while.

{Part 2} I'm a monster on the hill Summary: Lestat finds a reason to stay in New Orleans – a beautiful, enchanting reason. Following the mysterious man he sees pull a knife on his own brother to a lavish saloon, Lestat ponders on his newest infatuation.

{Part 3} I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser Summary: Lestat wonders at the similarity between his first and current loves while trying to cope with the first of Louis' major depressive episodes. Sometimes, it feels like history's repeating itself.

{Part 4} I wake up screaming from dreaming, One day I’ll watch as you’re leaving, ‘Cause you got tired of my scheming, For the last time Summary: Lestat wakes from a nightmare of Louis leaving him, and tries to deal with it alone. Louis doesn’t let this happen.

{Part 5} I wake up screaming from dreaming, One day I'll watch as you're leaving, And life will lose all its meaning, For the last time. Summary: Lestat pushes, and Louis snaps. Tensions reach their breaking point. And Lestat, as always, ends up alone. He always ends up alone. “It’s why you’re always gonna be alone.”

{Part 6} Did you hear my covert narcissism, I might disguise as altruism Summary: Lestat reflects on why he really turned Claudia, and realises it wasn’t for Louis. It was for himself.

{Part 7} I should not be left to my own devices…, I end up in crises Summary: Louis falls into a deep depression after Claudia leaves. Lestat flounders over what to do, and years pass by as the two lovers fight and ignore and cheat, and then…nothing. Louis has nothing. Lestat muses on why – it is his fault, he knows. But it never is his fault. Not him, not Lestat de Lioncourt. Or, Lestat has a chance to help Louis, to help them both. To become better when he realises what’s happened to them. But, of course, he misses it.

{Part 8} I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror Summary: “Lestat was well aware he liked pain. Far too much. Always had.” Lestat ruminates on pain, and the forms it’s taken in his life, after causing the worst night of pain he ever could. He comes close to self-awareness. He doesn’t quite manage to meet his own eyes.

{Part 9} And then someone screams out, “She’s laughing up at us from Hell!” Summary: “The funny thing about being only almost dead was that Lestat could still hear things. His eyes were rolled back, vision obscured, his limbs wouldn’t move and his mind churned sluggishly, but he could still hear. The old blood within him had kept him from dying completely, kept him partially conscious. But it was the worst kind of torture. Because he could hear them. And he could do nothing.”

{Part 10} It's me, Hi! I'm the problem, it's me Summary: “He was the weed that needed to be pulled up, the leech that needed to be squashed.” A look inside the head of a half-dead vampire as he realises where he went wrong, and begins to understand that he’s been the monster in the story all along.

{Part 11} Pierced through the heart but never killed Summary: “He'd survived, as he always did. Lestat de Lincourt, Lelio, the Wolfkiller. Never completely beaten, always a way to get back up, to keep going. He didn’t want to be that anymore.” Lestat always survives. Two attempts on his life, told from his perspective. One of them inspires him to change. The other brings him lower than he ever thought he could go.

{Part 12} I'm the problem, it's me,...Everybody agrees Summary: Lestat comes into the world and begins to learn just how much he missed. But he’s haunted by the ghosts of Louis and Claudia wherever he goes; doomed to be alone, his two companions dead and gone. And it is all his fault. He’s the problem, the problem that got them killed. Or so he thinks. Until he stumbles across a little-known book called ‘Interview with the Vampire’…

{Part 13} It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero Summary: ‘The hair on the back of Daniel’s neck stood up, and he knew that predatory, assessing gaze was locked on him. “I must say, I’m a very big fan.” Daniel put the kettle on and turned around, only to be met with a paper copy of ‘Interview with the Vampire’. “May I have an autograph?” Daniel scoffed, meeting Lestat’s eyes as the vampire put on an exaggerated pout. “Sure. But that’s not what you came here for.”’

[sarthak2405]

How Rocksteady Studios Ruined the Batman Arkham Series with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Introduced on May 30 1939 Batman has been surrounded by many fans from all over the world (Including me). Thus it’s of no surprise that there have been multiple games ( 51 to be exact) on him but none have been as popular as the Batman Arkham series created by Rocksteady. In 2009 they created they're first Batman game called “Batman: Arkham Asylum”. The game Featured Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman and Mark Hamil as the voice of Joker many may recognise them as the voices of Batman and Joker in the Batman animated series as well as some Justice League movies and shows. This game redefined the combat system of many video games of that time and has been an inspiration to many others , the most popular being Insomniac's “Amazing Spider-Man” series which features similar gameplay mechanics. No wonder this game won Game Of The Year.

The popularity of the first Batman game gave the studio enough confidence to create their second game roughly 2 years later in 2011 called “Batman: Arkham City” This time the game took a different approach. Instead of the linear playthrough of the first game the studio decided to make this game open-world. This change was one of the best changes the studio made as this game has been known to many as “one of the greatest Batman games ever”. Spoiler alert to anyone who hasn’t played the game The Joker dies in this game.

Warner Brothers which is the parent company of DC Entertainment wanting to capitalize on the success of the Batman Arkham series created another game called “Batman: Arkham Origins” This game was meant to act as the beginning point of the Arkham series as this series shows a young batman Just beginning his vigilante career of being the guardian of Gotham city. This time it featured Troy Baker as the voice of Joker and Roger Craig Smith as the voice of young Batman. This game featured one of the best boss fights in the series i.e. against Deathstroke

To close the Batman Arkham universe Rocksteady decided to create their last and final game ( or so we thought) with “Batman: Arkham Knight” in 2015 this game featured a new combat system i.e. we used the bat mobile. This game was the studio version of the Red Hood story by DC Comics. It again featured Kevin Conroy as the voice of the Batman and Troy Baker as the voice of the Red Hood. In my opinion this was another underrated game if it wasn’t for the technical difficulties the game faced.

Roughly 5 years later Rocksteady Studios announced another Batman Arkham game called Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League. The game was meant to be released in the year 2022 but got delayed twice due to complaints by fans, The game finally came out in February of this year and in mine and a lot of people’s opinion ruined the series. This was for two reasons i.e. the Voice actor of Batman Kevin Conroy passed away from Intestinal cancer at the age of 66 therefore this was the last performance of the actor and the way the studio went about handling the death of Batman. The other reason was that the studio decided to make this game a live service. Simply, a player could spend real money to buy cosmetics and overpowered weapons from the game store

The studio could only save themselves by erasing this story, saying that Batman isn't dead, or saying that this game is not part of the Arkham verse. This game does have two popular theories namely the heroes we see dying are clones created either by the Justice League themselves or by Brainiac. and the second is that the game will slowly bring back the dead heroes because of hidden voice recordings found in the game's files. Whatever they do I hope they make Rocksteady make the right choice.

[msclaritea]

Where to Watch ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest’ — 2024 Edition

Blind Items Revealed #2

February 10, 2017

With his popularity waning because he is not on television each week, this A list mogul is threatening to pull his production deal with the parent company unless he gets back on the air now. Thirsty f**ker. Always likes you to think he prefers being behind the scenes. Nope. His ego is HUUUUUUGE. So, now the company is going to overpay for a worn out franchise from a different network.

Ryan Seacrest/American Idol/NBC

Blind Items Revealed #5

July 13, 2021

Except for making some things blind items, I have left it entirely in the words of the tipster.

I was invited to spend time this past Memorial weekend hanging out with this animator/writer/illustrator/one hit wonder (#1) who had a short lived series on this almost network several years ago. The show attracted a significant cult following when it aired on (#2) and this person still has a strong fan base within his subsection of pop culture. To this day, he never appears out in public where he might be recognized or allows any photos to be taken without wearing his signature disguise that he’s worn since the inception of his show. (He didn’t wear it Memorial weekend when out with me. I completely didn’t recognize him when I first saw him.) Everything online, including his Wikipedia bio, is fake and written by him. He will do anything and everything to keep people from knowing any personal info about him. He desperately attempts to project his age much younger than his 54 years and while his real first name is very close to his fake persona, his last name is not.

To say that he is a horribly racist individual doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of his deep seated racism. A very nice and genuine friend of his that I met last year, he refers to as, “that rich Jew”. He believes everyone in the Little Armenia section of LA hates white people. He was upset that his neighborhood is being “invaded by Mexicans”. A kind friend of his, who happens to manage a very popular bar, graciously let us cut to the front of the line to get in because he was getting angrier and angrier at having to wait. When talking about his friend that got us in the bar, he continually made disparaging comments about the fact that the guy only dates black men. He repeatedly said throughout the weekend that he doesn’t like inviting this person to his house for parties because he brings a boyfriend and hates having black people in his house.

He texted me Sunday afternoon and inquired about lunch and thrift shopping (something we have in common). I said sure and hoped that Saturday’s deplorable behavior was just due to having an off day. Nope. As soon as I picked him up, he was in a horrid mood. When I called him out on it, he said that he could just not talk to me at all (tempting but awkward). He asked what I had done all morning. I told him the fun I had and the great places in LA I visited. He laughed and said he thought I was probably sitting in my hotel room waiting for him to call. (Pro tip: when in LA be sure to visit the immersive art exhibit at Cakeland LA.) I suggested we eat lunch at El Coyote. I had always wanted to eat there. He got more irate and asked who I thought I was that I could pick where we ate. Not wanting to argue with someone with the temperament of a four year old, I let him pick lunch. While waiting for our food he asks me who I think is gay in LA. (I’ve been an avid reader of CDAN for over a decade; I know my Hollywood gays.) First name that comes to mind is the mogul (#3). He says he’s heard that #3 might be gay. Next up on my list is the talk show host/game show creator (#4)’s ex boy toy, (#5). He says that he has met #5 numerous times and there is no way he can be gay because he is so nice and gives back to the community. (That may be true but Helen Keller could tell #5 is gay.) I tell him I’ve always thought this A+ list mostly movie actor (#6) was gay. He replied with the antiquated and false notion that #6 can’t be gay because he’s married with kids. He wasn’t joking. He actually believes this! While we were dining outside, he randomly starts yelling at me out of nowhere. People stopped eating and were staring until I told him to calm down because someone was going to call the police on him. His ability to go from zero to unhinged, screaming rage is only surpassed in speed by JLo’s ability to call the paps when lunching with Ben.

After lunch, we went thrift shopping. The first spot we hit, he found a book he wanted to buy. It was $2.75. At the counter, when told the price, he said he didn’t have any cash. I stepped up and paid for the book. As soon as I got outside, I was berated for paying for the book. He said he had cash and he told the sales clerk he didn’t to see if he could get the book for less money. It was $2.75. The money was going to a charitable organization! He literally complained about everything, including his constant inability, due to his size, to easily get out of my rental car, a Ford Mustang. He argued that getting out of my own car, a Mini Cooper, would be much easier. (No way.)

After I dropped him off at home, I had a delightful dinner at El Coyote. I decided that there was no way I could spend another nanosecond with him. Life is too short to waste time with someone like this. I used my points on Southwest to fly to CA. To change my flight to an earlier one would have cost me over 28,000 points. I called Southwest and asked if I could please change my flight and not be charged the additional points. The customer service rep said she would need a reason to tell her supervisor why an exception should be made. I told her who I spent my weekend with and what had transpired. Southwest allowed me to change my flight without using any of my points; even they realized what an ass he is. I do feel sorry for his long suffering partner and the unmitigated nightmare it must be to live with him. He’s looking to restart his career with another series. Miraculously, he got a pitch meeting with some executives at Amazon. To the surprise of no one but himself, there was never a second meeting. This man is a vile, narcissistic human being.

#6 - George Clooney

#1 - Angus Oblong

#2 - "Adult Swim"

#3 - David Geffen

#4 - Merv Griffin

#5 - Ryan Seacrest

#6 - George Clooney

Blind Items Revealed #4

November 28, 2023

Apparently the wannabe Ryan Seacrest and the launch of his new venture was sparsely attended. They were expecting hundreds of people and got maybe a dozen.

Mario Lopez/Shoe collection

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 33 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

Adri’s impractical six-inch heels didn’t do well on cobblestone, so at some point she took them off and carried them in a hand as she finished the rest of their journey to the room barefoot. Right before she pushed the door open, Gideon swung out an arm to stop her.

“What?” she asked, eyebrow raised.

“Because this is supposed to be a romantic vacation, I have to try something.”

“Like—oh!” Adri let out a surprised laugh as Gideon attempted to bend down and pick her up. But she was much heavier than she looked, and carrying her like a new bride into their hotel room proved much harder on his back and his ego than he’d predicted. Still, he did manage, and she seemed very amused and delighted by his attempt, which made it worth it.

“Easy peasy,” Gideon huffed, hoping he hadn’t pulled anything in his back. He was too old to be doing this shit.

“Consider me properly wooed,” Adri said, rubbing a hand over his arm. “You’re so cute.”

“Yeah, well.” He straightened with a wince. “That’s my job. You’re the smart successful business person, I’m the hot one. That’s the dynamic.”

Adri smoothed a hand over the collar of his shirt, smiling. “This smart successful business person is going to take a couple minutes to change into something more comfortable.”

“May I suggest five-inch heels?”

Adri knocked her shoes against his chest before stalking away. “If you don’t like me wearing the shoes, then maybe try not to stare at me so much when I wear them.” She looked at him over her shoulder with a smirk before vanishing into a bathroom.

“A couple minutes” turned into more like forty-five minutes, and Gideon was starting to wonder if Adri had drowned in a bathtub or something. He decided to go to the door and knock.

“You okay in there or do I need to call for an ambulance?” Gideon asked.

“One sec,” came Adri’s response.

“You said ‘a couple of minutes’ forty-five minutes ago so I’m starting to distrust your understanding of time. Was it something you ate?”

“Ew, Gideon, no, I’m just—two seconds, okay?”

“Oookay,” Gideon replied, then wandered back to the bed to twiddle his thumbs for a bit. It wasn’t two seconds, but it was a reasonable minute or so before the bathroom door opened and out walked Adri in the same heels she’d abandoned on the walk back to the hotel room, but the relatively conservative maroon dress was gone. In its place were thigh-high nylon stockings with garter straps and a garter belt, black underwear, and some kind of long and flowy black lace robe that was tightly affixed to her torso from the waist to her sternum but otherwise flowed out and away from her legs and arms. With a wily grin, she struck a pose with her back and one foot resting against the bathroom threshold, cocking a shoulder as she grabbed the bottom of her long robe and held it high like a tango dancer before tossing it away dramatically.

“Well? How does this smart successful business person look now?” Adri asked.

[thereviewstudio]

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling

Image taken from Sunlit Pages

Rating: 5 / 5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is an excellent continuation of J.K. Rowling's magical world and an all-time personal favourite of mine. The novel manages to capture the essence of pure adventure and wonder that made the first book so successful. This instalment within the series took me on an exhilarating journey filled with danger, mystery, and character growth.

One of the standout aspects of this book is Rowling's ability to expand on the universe she created in the first story. I delved deeper into the mythology and history of the wizarding world, learning about the Chamber of Secrets and the legend of the Heir of Slytherin. This world-building is both intricate and rich, adding multiple layers of complexity to the story and making it even more immersive. Rowling's vivid descriptions of locations like the Burrow, Diagon Alley, and the Hogwarts Castle made me feel as though I was actually there, experiencing the magic alongside the Golden Trio.

The characters continue to shine through in this book. Harry, Ron, and Hermione's friendship deepened as they face new challenges. It is heartwarming to see their unwavering loyalty, and their support is one of the driving forces behind the series. As well as this, new characters such as Gilderoy Lockhart and Dobby the House-elf bring intrigue and humour to the story.

The plot of "Chamber of Secrets" is tightly woven with a compelling mystery at its core. The question of who, or most likely what is responsible for the attacks on Muggle-born students kept me engaged and guessing until the very end. Rowling's ability to craft intricate plots with unexpected twists is on full display.

Furthermore, this book explores important themes like the danger of believing stereotypes and prejudice. The notion of "Muggle-borne" being impure is reminiscent of real-world discrimination, and it serves as a powerful allegory for the consequences of intolerance and hatred.

It is worth mentioning, however, that I did find the pacing slower in the middle of the book when compared to the high-adrenaline moments of the beginning and end. Nevertheless, the slower pace did allow for needed character development and the exploration of essential themes.

To conclude, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is a literary gem that successfully builds upon the foundation laid in the first novel, offering a deeper dive into the characters, magical world, and thrilling mystery. While it may have a few minor pacing issues, its themes of bravery, friendship, and the battle against prejudice make it a timeless and thought-provoking read. This installment solidifies the series as a classic in the world of literature.