#mercury has no moons and scar had to kill The Moon to win

[pyrolizard413]

"The Sun, The Stars, The Moon, and Mars, with Mercury close behind.

The Moon and a meteor sought to win, they fought 'til the end of the line.

Fate only dealt him enemies, until nearly the end of his time.

So alight without fear, dear Mercury, onward to make your next dime."

[gladumfdoodles]

dudes my brother just came up with the best symbol for if scar wins secret life

you know how we have sun, stars, moon, and mars? scar would be mercury

hear me out okay: scar has always been close to grian, we've got our desert duo, we know them, we love them. grian is the sun, right? he provides warmth, safety, but get too close and you get burned. scar has also lost so many lives due to grian, be it 3rd life, last life, double life, or limited life. every season, grian has killed scar at least once, and "taken" a life from him at least twice. yet somehow they always seem drawn to each other.

scar has also always had a sort of messenger role, and mercury was the god of messengers in roman mythology. I'm using messenger as a broad term here, but scar has always done some kind of swindling and trading and if that isn't in the spirit of mercury, I don't know what is

so yeah, this is my official vote that if scar wins, he should be mercury

[scatterbrainedart]

Alright, if we're still doing the winners' poem, let's talk through some Scar ideas I've seen floating around (and some of my own). But first, see this post breaking down the poem as a whole and explaining why Martyn is definitely mars, if you want.

The Earth:

Probably the most popular. And it makes sense. Scar, full of life, so full of tragedy. Forever growing, like the sunflowers of sunflower valley, and the flowers on his cape. The earth, revolving around the sun and having its tides pulled by the moon. Both of whom he fought to the death, one of whom he won.

A Solar Eclipse:

Ah, more sun and moon. The moon blocking out the sun. Something could be said for parallels of the fight. Of a denied sacrifice followed by a fight already over before it had even begun. A fight that was always going to end the way it did.

Or, perhaps, if we take it another direction. The secret keepers blacking out all his light. He won as a forced villain.

And of course, an eclipse just generally being a bad omen, which also fits into his villainy. It also slightly ties into the sunflowers of sunflower valley. Just a bit. A sliver.

A Black Hole:

Similarly to the eclipse, the black hole is also devoid of light. Even more dramatically so. But still, he has a gravity that managed to pull people in during their last moments.

Mercury:

If I use the same thought process as I did for Martyn's "mars", I must mention the roman god. Mercury was the Roman equivalent of Hermes. He was also the god of thievery, wealth, trading and language. And what is Scar known for, if not for his silver tounge and swindling? Mercury is also the god of luck. And although Scar hasn't really had all that good luck this season, it still drives me to think about the first episode. The hard task, that wasn't all that hard. And the warden, and wither. How he just couldn't seem to die. Luck, maybe.

Mercury is a small planet, often overlooked. I don't think many people expected Scar to be a threat this season, not when he initially struggled to keep both secrets and hearts.

It also has no moons. Scar has no allies. And yes, of course, it's the closest planet to the sun.

The Void:

This is the first season where the end has been unlocked. A cold, lonely place. Makes me think of the word "devoid", and how many things haven't Scar had taken away from him? Potential allies, a home burnt and blown to smithereens.

Pluto:

Barely even a planet. People wouldn't think he'd even be included in the line of notable celestial bodies for this poem. But then again, most people didn't think they'd see Scar win either. And definitely not in the season where taking any damage had lasting consequences. Similar to the point I made about mercury, but when more pointed tbh.

Pluto is the furthest away from the other planets. Pluto is lonely, terribly so. Pluto, who has been told time and time again what he is and what he isn't (planet status, villain tasks), which has alienated him from the other planet (still, it has that little heart looking shape on it. Like a scar. Like a wish to be loved).

Now, of course, the Roman god. Pluto is the god of wealth. Fitting for a man whose whole thing this season was trading (and who, in every other season, also had a thing for material goods and negotiating). Pluto is also the god of the dead. Scar is the only winner to have been killed (by another player, in the cactus ring) and the only winner to have survived.

[junk-heart]

People are debating which celestial body Scar should be, and I argue Mercury (totally not because it's my personal favourite planet and he's my favourite character or anything)

Actually, it's for the same reason as why I like Mercury:

Deity connected to it is the protector of traders, travelers, tricksters and liars (which is the best description of Scar lmao)

The planet has no moons cause of it's proximity to the Sun, and it might have had moons in the past before it got too close to it (he killed Perl in the end and Grian was crucial to his win against Gem)

It spins the other way from all the other planets (can symbolise how this season he was unable to sink up with anyone like he usually does)

The planet of Mercury is very hot and nothing can live on it as far as we know (water would insta evaporate on it) which again reminds me of the desert and the first season

[alistairtalkstoomuch]

Secret Life Spoilers

Why I think Scars Symbol should be an Eclipse

(there's a summery at the end)

Ok, so we all know that the winners of each life series have a celestial symbol, Sun, Stars, Moon, Mars. So with the newest winner we need a symbol. Earth? Mercury? Something else entirely?  I think that Scar would best fit as an eclipse. I have five main points supporting this; loneliness, shining out from the dark, looking in/ watching (for a lack of better words), the parallels between the sun and moon, and the passing of the moon.

1) Loneliness. For the whole of the life series Scar has been a bit of an outcast, he’s very often the one person who is alone. Yes he has allies, but does he have friends or a group? In Third Life Grian owed his life to Scar, they didn’t really become a team organically, they became a team when Grian killed Scar. They lived on a mountain in a desert far away from everyone. Then in  Last Life Scar had allies but he was alone on a mountain, he lived alone,and traveled alone. He didn’t make friends, he made deals. Next, in Double Life he was the last person to figure out who their soulmate was, and if it weren’t for the soulmate system Grian probably wouldn’t have stayed with Scar, He literally had a ‘secret soulmate’.  I haven’t seen Scars Limited life so I’m not going to talk about it so I don’t get anything wrong. Finally in Secret Life, the secret keeper gave him tasks that made him seem vilnius/bad, no one would want to be his friend, alliance, sure, Though it would never be the main alliance that person had.  All this to say that Scar has been a lonely guy over the series.

But what does that have to do with Eclipses? If you’ve seen an one then you would know that when you have the glasses on, all you see is the eclipse, there is nothing else to see, just the event. I have personally always found it a little unsettling how you only see the Eclipse lonely as ever nothing else, because there isn’t anything else to see. No friends around it, just the uncanny darkness surrounding it. Scar is that Eclipse with no-one around him, just the emptiness of the void to comfort him.

2) Shining out from the Dark. When you see an Eclipse you are seeing the light from the sun coming from behind the moon, the moon itself is completely dark. All you see is the light from where the moon isn’t. In this part the moon can represent darkness/ being put as the ‘Villain’. Despite Scar being put as a villain by the secret keeper, he still tried his best to make allies in the finale. An example of this being when he sold out Skizz so Joel could gain hearts. By doing this he was defying the narrative that the secret keeper was pushing on him; he was rising above what the secret keeper was telling him to do. This could be viewed as the moon passing, The darkness passing as he defies what he is being told to do by the secret keeper. 

3)Looking in. This ones a bit shorter, but I still find it important. All this season people have been looking at Scar wondering what he’s doing. They almost never got involved, there was the occasional “Take your helmet off” but never really joining in or actually stopping him. All the other symbols feel more attainable and like you can be there. Sun- feeling the sun on  you back, using natural light. Stars- Stargazing can make you feel engulfed, or almost life you are there floating with them. Moon- People have been on the moon, it just feels closer/ more attainable. Mars- There are so many people studying mars to try and go there, it feels close. An Eclipse is an event not something to reach or feel.

4) Sun and Moon- An eclipse is made of the sun and moon. I want to use this as an opportunity to show the parallels between Scars, Pearls, and Grians finales. Sacrifice is the common theme. In all of these wins someone else offers their sacrifice so that the winner  can win. In Grians win Scar says “You can kill me, For everything you did to me, for keeping me alive this long, you may slay me and take the enchanter” Grian refuses, instead they have a fight in a ring of cacti in which Grian wins. In Pearls win Scott, her soulmate, says “Pearl you deserve this more, you do, but in the same way, Tilly death do us part '' Killing himself and Pearl causing her to get the win. In Scars win Pearl says, “At the end of the day I want you to kill me you get an extra 10 hearts … I kill Scott, you kill me, then you kill Gem '' What ends up happening is Scott Sacrifices himself to Gem giving her 10 more hearts, then Scar kills Gem, then Pearl dies running from Scar.

5) The Passing Moon. In an eclipse it starts out with the sun, then it gets covered by the moon, and goes back to normal quite quickly. Scar starts out with no friends for most of the season, like the sun before an eclipse. Then as the moon covers the sun he gains some friends, Pearl, Bdubs, ect. Once Pearl dies, Scar stays in the world with no friends around, until the next season. He returns to being that version with no one around. His friends were ripped away from him at the same speed as they joined him.

Those were my main points, now I want to talk about why I don’t think he is Mercury or the Earth, 2 of the more popular suggestions for Scars symbol. 

1) Mercury. I want to start by saying I do not like scar being portrayed as Mercury.  I have seen 2 main pieces of evidence regarding this. The first and I think strongest being that Mercury in Roman Myth is the god of Trading/Merchants and that's Scars whole thing, he is a Merchant. The other part supporting this is that Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Grian is represented by the Sun, so this is saying that Scar is the closest to Grian. I don’t like this part because it feels like half of the reason behind him being Mercury has nothing to do with his own character, and instead with Grians. I think that this reduces Scars character/win. I think his symbol should not be almost reliant on someone else's. His duo with Grian is important in the overall narrative, but isn’t his whole thing, there is so much more to him than his relationship with Grian. 

2)Earth. I do like the Earth as a symbol for him. I find it makes sense, but I have 2 reasons I think  it's not as good a fit as an Eclipse, the first being that it feels like it's missing something.  The second reason I have is I think someone else in the series would make a much better Earth. I think that Earth is missing the almost otherworldly feel I think Scar has. A lot of the time when I see fanart of Scar there is a magical element and I think him being named as the earth feels like it’s not mystical enough for him, this could just be me, but I really think that's what the Earth is missing. 

Secondly, I think someone else fits Earth better, none other than Bdubs. He is literally part moss and obsessed with horses. He also Built the Earth which has to count for something. I also like how at the beginning of the series he is moss but now his red skin is battered and bruised, almost like it's been corrupted by wars just as Earth has. I also think that him and Scar being brothers adds to this, in my mind the Earth and Solar Eclipses are siblings that see each other every so often in passing just like Scar and Bdubs, they will need each other for something small then keep going their way until they cross paths again. (also I think it would be cool if in the next season bdubs would win then it could be Sun, Stars, Moon, Mars, Eclipse, Earth, like that would be neat.)

To summarize, I believe that Scars symbol should be an eclipse. This is because of his constant loneliness, he shines out from the dark, he has the feeling of looking in from a distance, he has big parallels to the sun and moon, and the similarities between him and the passing moon . I also believe that the other suggestions for his symbol aren’t as strong or supported as him being an eclipse. 

Secret Life Spoilers

I just spent the last 3 hours of my life writing about how I think that Scars symbol should be an eclipse and Im not sure if i want to edit it and post it or not, but I am dead set on the fact that scar should be an eclipse and not earth or mercury so i kinda want it to

[rosalies-rage]

folklore x Twilight: An Analysis

folklore's lyrics match Twilight uncannily well and here’s proof! 

my tears ricochet - Rosalie

We gather here, we line up, weepin' in a sunlit room And if I'm on fire, you'll be made of ashes, too Even on my worst day, did I deserve, babe All the hell you gave me? 'Cause I loved you, I swear I loved you 'Til my dying day I didn't have it in myself to go with grace And you're the hero flying around, saving face And if I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake? Cursing my name, wishing I stayed Look at how my tears ricochet We gather stones, never knowing what they'll mean Some to throw, some to make a diamond ring You know I didn't want to have to haunt you But what a ghostly scene You wear the same jewels that I gave you As you bury me

And I can go anywhere I want Anywhere I want, just not home And you can aim for my heart, go for blood But you would still miss me in your bones And I still talk to you (When I'm screaming at the sky) And when you can't sleep at night (You hear my stolen lullabies)

Rosalie would sing this to her murderer/fiancé at her funeral as he goes around being the ‘hero’ and ‘saving face’. She’s ‘screaming at the sky’ because he has stolen the one thing she really wanted from her ‘anywhere I want, just not home’. Even though she loved him ‘til [her] dying day’, she can never forgive and has no choice but to haunt him.

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exile - Edward in New Moon

I think I’ve seen this film before And I didn’t like the ending You’re not my homeland anymore So what am I defending now? You were my town, now I’m in exile seein’ you out We always walked a very thin line You didn’t even hear me out (You didn’t even hear me out) You never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs) All this time I never learned to read your mind (Never learned to read my mind)

Edward leaves in New Moon because he believes he and his world are too dangerous for Bella, exiling himself indefinitely. They had ‘always walked a very thin line’ as he tried to be with her without harming her, and he literally ‘never learned to read [her] mind’. Now he’s left and can’t do what he wanted to do, i.e protect her (’what am I defending now?’).

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august - Jacob

Salt air, and the rust on your door I never needed anything more Whispers of “Are you sure?” “Never have I ever before”

Back when we were still changin' for the better Wanting was enough For me, it was enough To live for the hope of it all Canceled plans just in case you'd call And say, "Meet me behind the mall" So much for summer love and saying "us" 'Cause you weren't mine to lose You weren't mine to lose, no

Your back beneath the sun Wishin' I could write my name on it Will you call when you're back at school? I remember thinkin' I had you

Bella and Jacob start spending time together in the ‘salt air’ by La Push beach fixing beaten-up motorbikes (’rust’). Jacob knows Bella isn’t interested in him but lives in hope (’to live for the hope of it all’) and by the time the Cullens come back he’s convinced he could win Bella’s loyalties (’I remember thinkin’ I had you’). It doesn’t take place in summer, but it is a brief, intense fling that lifts Bella from her Edward-induced winter, and Bella calls Jacob her personal ‘sun’. In the end, though, Bella tells Jacob that there was never really a choice between him and Edward; it was always going to be Edward (’You weren’t mine to lose’). 

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invisible string - Alice & Jasper

And isn't it just so pretty to think All along there was some Invisible string Tying you to me?

Something wrapped all of my past mistakes in barbed wire Chains around my demons Wool to brave the seasons One single thread of gold Tied me to you

Alice woke up as a vampire with no memory of her past - all she had was her psychic abilities, which were an ‘invisible string’ leading her directly to Jasper. On Jasper’s side, he was living a brutal life training newborn armies until Alice found him and ‘wrapped all of [his] past mistakes in barbed wire’, putting ‘chains around his demons’ and leading him to a better life. You could also interpret it as his journey to chaining his inner monster that wants to kill humans when he goes to live with the Cullens.

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epiphany - Carlisle

Something med school did not cover Someone's daughter, someone's mother Holds your hand through plastic now "Doc, I think she's crashing out" And some things you just can't speak about

Only twenty minutes to sleep But you dream of some epiphany Just one single glimpse of relief To make some sense of what you've seen

This song describes the experience of medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Carlisle was a doctor during the last major pandemic (Spanish Flu in 1918), which is where he turned Edward. A religious man, he searches for an ‘epiphany’ from God while he grapples with the decision to consign another person to a life of vampirism and tries to understand whether or not he still has a soul.

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mad woman - Rosalie

Do you see my face in the neighbor's lawn? Does she smile? Or does she mouth, "Fuck you forever"? And there's nothing like a mad woman What a shame she went mad No one likes a mad woman You made her like that And you'll poke that bear 'til her claws come out And you find something to wrap your noose around

They say “move on” but you know I won’t

I'm taking my time, taking my time 'Cause you took everything from me

Rosalie is filled with anger and bitterness over her murder. She’s cast in a bad light particularly because she’s an angry, ‘mad woman’ but she explains that her murderers ‘made her like that’ when they ‘took everything from [her]’, and in return she ‘[took her] time’ when killing them to make sure they knew she was coming.

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cardigan - Bella on Jacob

And when I felt like I was an old cardigan, under someone’s bed  You put me on and said I was your favorite  You drew stars around my scars But now I’m bleedin’

Bella was destroyed after Edward left, feeling that he’d taken most of her with him and was just discarded like an unwanted toy (’I felt like I was an old cardigan, under someone’s bed’). Then she started hanging out with Jacob and his friendship (’I was your favorite’) started to heal - or at least disguise - the hole in her chest (’You drew stars around my scars’). But then he left, too, when the werewolf transformation happened, which left her ‘bleeding’. It turned out she wasn’t really healed, she’d just been papering over the gap with Jacob’s love.

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illicit affairs - Edward & Bella as tragic fated lovers

Tell yourself you can always stop What started in beautiful rooms  Ends in meetings in parking lots It’s born from just one single glance but it dies and it dies and it dies A million little times 

Leave no trace behind, like they don’t even exist

When Edward first becomes enamored with Bella and wants to get closer to her, he convinces himself he can always stop - but he can’t. The more time he spends with her, the more doomed he is. When Bella gets hurt because of him, first in Twilight and then in New Moon, he disappears in hopes of keeping her safe and hides all the presents he gave her (’leave no trace behind’). 

And you wanna scream Don't call me "kid," don't call me "baby" Look at this godforsaken mess that you made me You showed me colors you know I can't see with anyone else Don't call me "kid," don't call me "baby" Look at this idiotic fool that you made me You taught me a secret language I can't speak with anyone else

A dwindling mercurial high A drug that only worked the first few hundred times

And you know damn well For you, I would ruin myself A million little times

This part is Bella’s response. When he left, he took away this entire paranormal world he’d introduced her to (‘You taught me a secret language I can’t speak with anyone else’), leaving her to think she’s gone insane because not only has she lost the love of her life, all traces of an entire extra world have disappeared. She wants him to stop patronising her by saying she’ll move on like mortals do (’Don’t call me kid, don’t call me baby, look at this godforsaken mess that you made me’). Desperate to get some sense that he’s still there, she starts doing risky stunts like motorbike racing and jumping off a cliff (’A dwindling mercurial high’). Like she told him in the meadow scene in the first book, she is willing to die for him, and we see in New Moon that he feels the same way (‘you know damn well / For you I would ruin myself, a million little times’). The only way for them to stay apart would’ve been to never meet in the first place.

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seven - Rosalie on her childhood friend Vera

Please picture me in the trees I hit my peak at seven Feet in the swing over the creek I was too scared to jump in But I, I was high in the sky With Pennsylvania under me Are there still beautiful things? Sweet tea in the summer Cross your heart, won't tell no other And though I can't recall your face I still got love for you Your braids like a pattern Love you to the Moon and to Saturn Passed down like folk songs The love lasts so long

Before I learned civility I used to scream ferociously Any time I wanted

Rosalie fondly recalls her human life and her best friend Vera, who had the normal life she never got. This ‘love lasts so long’ even though Vera is dead by now because Rosalie still remembers her, even if her human memories are fuzzy and she can’t necessarily ‘recall [her] face’. Also, Rosalie was always valued only for her beauty, but maybe she ‘hit [her] peak at seven’ because her beauty hadn’t yet started overshadowing her personhood and she was still able to ‘scream ferociously’ at that age instead of being the girl and young woman who had to learn ‘civility’ and be married off to a rich man.

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hoax - Bella in New Moon

My only one My smoking gun My eclipsed sun This has broken me down My twisted knife My sleepless night My winless fight This has frozen my ground Stood on the cliffside screaming, "Give me a reason" Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in Don't want no other shade of blue but you No other sadness in the world would do  My best laid plan Your sleight of hand My barren land I am ash from your fire  You know I left a part of me back in New York You knew the hero died so what's the movie for? You knew it still hurts underneath my scars From when they pulled me apart

Bella’s ‘eclipsed sun’ has disappeared and left her ‘broken’, ‘sleepless’ and believing she has no way to win him back. She literally goes and stands on a ‘cliffside’ before jumping off just to see a hallucination of his face - Edward, a mythical creature, is the ‘only hoax she believes in’. Even though he’s hurt her and broken her heart, she ‘don’t want no other shade of blue but you’. He thinks he’s saving her from harm by leaving, but the scar from James still bothers her, i.e. his leaving cannot protect her as the damage has been done (’You know it still hurts underneath my scars’) and now Edward has just added emotional scars that ‘pulled [her] apart’ and left a gaping hole in her chest.

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peace - Edward & Bella in Breaking Dawn

I never had the courage of my convictions As long as danger is near And it’s just around the corner darlin Coz it lives in me No, I could never give you peace

Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?

Throughout the series, Edward has been afraid to get too close to Bella for fear of hurting her (’danger is near’, ‘it lives in me’). Now he finally has to accept that she’s not going anywhere and value her choice. Even after he’s no longer a threat to her directly, their life is full of challenges like the Volturi. It’s impossible to guarantee her safety, and she doesn’t want him to - she wants to be in his world as an equal. He comes to terms with the fact that it’s okay if he can ‘never give [her] peace’.

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[rwbyconversations]

100 Follower Special- The Scattered Leaves of Autumn (or: Why Amber is Awesome)

First off, I’d like to thank everyone who made 100 followers possible (it’s 120 as I write this). For a blog I really just started on a whim, this thing has taken off. I’ve got a post that’s racked up over a thousand notes in under two days, I’ve dipped my toe into serious analysis and felt my mind fracture as I imagine a RWBY fan ask the question “What’s your favorite ship?” 

So to celebrate, I thought I’d do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time now, and that’s tell everyone how much character Amber is given in six minutes, one fight, and one line of dialogue.

First off, required listening is this loop of the music that plays at the beginning of Amber’s scene. This is, in my opinion, the best instrumental Jeff and Alex have ever produced for the show. It has this haunting, almost ethereal quality to the violin, a soft vocal element that almost feels like it’s part of a dirge for both Amber and the happier times of Volumes 1 and 2. After all, Chapter 7 is where the tone begins its radical shift in preparation for the Fall of Beacon and one of three major points of no return for the show (the other two being Yang crippling Mercury and Pyrrha vs Penny).

We’re introduced to Amber after several still shots of a field with a gloomy cloud cover, setting the stage for what’s about to go down. She’s alone with nothing but a horse and a bag for company until in the middle of nowhere (likely in Vale given the scenes with Adam are immediately before and after the Black trailer) she spies a lonely child with a wrecked bicycle, crying her eyes out.

And what does Amber do? Get off her horse and give the kid an apple while flashing a reassuring smile. Amber is kind, gentle, nurturing and cares for children.

But she’s also razor-sharp. She immediately notices the dust that Emerald kicks up (”Not a foot out of place,” Cinder warned them), and once the illusion vanishes, Amber immediately leaps back and gets her horse to run off. Her cloak is removed, staff out, she’s combat ready in the time it takes to blink.

We get a quick look at how Amber fights, and it seems that she’s fond of hiding in plain sight when it comes to power use- she casually blocks Emerald’s gunfire with her Maiden powers and uses her powers to augment the Dust crystals (wind and fire, I believe) embedded on her staff. Alternatively, Amber is more lax in using her powers in public since this is a brazen attempt on her life and she cares more about staying alive than preserving Ozpin’s masquerade. Regardless, Amber likely fights like this as a way for her to use her powers in public without causing a scene, as thanks to the widespread abilities Dust can provide, Amber kicking up a gust of wind or firing off a flamethrower blast isn’t out of the realm of possibility- just look at what Weiss and Hazel can get up to with their usage of Dust.

But when Mercury arrives and powers through her flamethrower, Amber takes off the kid gloves. At this point, she’s realized that they’re trying to take her powers and they’ve landed a serious hit on her. So she decides to let them see properly what they’re up against.

And we as an audience get to finally see the real power of a Maiden while a choir begins to resonate and then in comes Jeff Williams with a guitar to shake the damn earth.

This was the audience’s first glimpse at just what a Maiden can do, and it’s a masterful first showing. CRWBY have stated that Amber’s fight was meant to showcase that Maidens could use all four elements and weren’t bound to one (unfortunately the fanbase didn’t get the memo, considering that M&K have had to say this three times now). One of my personal favorite moments of the fight comes from Amber improvising a flechette storm out of leaves that she flash-freezes and fires at Emerald and Mercury. Amber’s power is shown easily through one simple shot, where she looks almost disdainfully down at Mercury and Emerald as they fire desperately at her, not even bothering to deflect the gunfire. 

Amber also showed how quick thinking she was after Cinder knocked her down. Before she sees CEM running towards her, we hear the trademark sound of Emerald’s Semblance and Amber gasps at that. She’d heard it earlier when Emerald set the trap, and after Emerald appears she immediately realizes it; Emerald has an illusion Semblance. And based on her behavior later in the fight, Amber subscribes to the Tamora Pierce school of combat.

But first Amber has to deal with Cinder and Mercury. And despite both of them flickering in and out of visibility thanks to Emerald, Amber proves why Cinder had to stack the deck so thoroughly to beat her.

Because she kicks their asses. Even without her staff or using her Maiden powers, and even outnumbered as she is, Amber wins every 1v1 close quarters encounter in the back half of the fight, mostly using raw CQC to wipe the floor with them (you know what they say about never bringing a knife to a fistfight). Mercury only lands a few hits on her when she’s distracted with Emerald, and every time, Amber makes him pay dearly for it. Let me remind you at this point that according to Qrow in Volume 4, Amber only had a year’s training with her Maiden powers. She was a natural-born prodigy. 

Even after Cinder breaks Amber’s Aura (and you guessed it, it wasn’t through direct combat, she had to wait for Amber to be distracted before she could do even that), she still keeps fighting like a determined little spitfire, blowing CME away. Amber uses this chance to finally get rid of the thorn in her side and immediately wastes Emerald with a fireball. And despite needing to limp on her staff, Amber slowly but surely makes her way to where Emerald fell, and before Emerald can pull any more tricks, Amber goes in for the killing blow. Rather than waste time on Mercury or Cinder, Amber used her head and went for the person who could cast illusions. With Emerald out of the way, it would have been much easier to neutralize Cinder and Mercury. It was also personal at this point; Emerald had ambushed her, manipulated her conscience and used her own morality as a distraction. Amber had no more mercy left for Emerald, and had she been just a second faster, Emerald’s skull would have been split wide open.

But she wasn’t fast enough. Based on where it looks like she got shot, Cinder’s arrow struck Amber in the spine or may have even pierced one of her lungs. Her eyes widen for a second, mouth struggling to say anything or maybe even breathe, and then Amber falls. She put up a hell of a fight, managed to beat around three very talented fighters, but Emerald’s Semblance was the trump card in Cinder’s deck. Add in some dastardly sneak attacks, and Amber ultimately never stood a chance.

And at this moment, her eyes widen as that realization settles in. That she is about to die, in a random field, to a bitch in a red dress. She tries to stay defiant as Mercury and Emerald grab her arms, but once the parasite bursts out of Cinder’s palm, Amber loses it.

Amber doesn’t scream bloody defiance at Cinder, doesn’t curse her name or provide a quip. Amber is terrified when she dies, shaking in abject fear, which makes her suffering even more tragic and ultimately realistic. She wasn’t just some hardened Huntress who stared death in the face. Unlike Pyrrha, she didn’t get a cool one-liner. Amber begs for mercy and is horrified in her last conscious moments. She was already gone by the time Qrow came to save her, and when she finally started to regain consciousness however many moons later...

There wasn’t a bright light at the end of that tunnel, unfortunately. After months she’s emaciated, pale from the lack of sunlight, and scars still riddle her face. And just as something may come of her suffering, Cinder plunges an arrow into her heart, and Amber dies in a cold, dark vault that serves as her tomb. She got no burial, no grave to mourn at, while Cinder stole a power she never deserved.

To conclude, Amber is one of my favorite characters in RWBY and I can only hope I did a good job covering why. In a lot of ways she laid the groundwork for Sienna Khan’s fandom in volume 5- a dark-skinned woman voiced by a big-name VA who only really had one scene before their tragic demise, but dominated that one scene and made it their own. Amber in six minutes shows multiple facets to her personality- a friendliness and willingness to help children, a smart and ruthlessly powerful fighting style that lets her draw on Huntress and Maiden training, a lack of mercy to those who cross her, and perhaps most human of all, pure unadulterated fear. She dies scared and alone, looking into the amber eyes of a monster, which only makes the tragedy of Amber’s short life all the more painful.

Thank you for reading. 

[writinanon]

Commission For Wafflii

So here is my first commission work and it’s for the lovely @wafflii, this was a 5000 word fic for the Fae AU we have set up. I hope that you guys like it.

Now then to thank my Patrons: Thank you @wafflii and @azm0n for supporting me. Please go over to patron and consider supporting me there. There isn’t much yet but I hope to get a little more life over there too.

On to the commission

  They had been planning this assault for weeks, almost a month. It had been so terribly boring to sit around and not do anything, to lay low and keep up the appearance of being within the Valley and not here in the Mountains. Listening to Jacob’s teeth grindingly painful beratements of Eli, not being able to challenge him. To tell him he was wrong and not even half the man Eli was, not even counting the fact that he could turn into a horse.

 “Don’t look so upset.” Mercy’s melodic voice floated over her, a tempering firmness within it. If it weren’t for the Faerie, Dakota was certain that she would have flown off the handle weeks ago and gone to punch Jacob in the face personally. “With this blow we’ll have his Armory. We’ve taken everything but that from him. He has nowhere to run. This will be his end. You and Ben may decide if it is Death or Imprisonment that awaits him.”

 “Death is too kind for him.” Dakota snarled and the blonde Fae chuckled, looking out over the nighttime landscape.

 “I’m to understand that laws have changed since I’ve been away from the Mortal World, and jumping straight into beheading is no longer the accepted method of justice.” She uncurled her too long fingers and flickers of light floated before them. They shifted color, swaying and flying around them as thought they were fireflies of all colors. “Be at peace for this moment Dakota. You have to learn to be an unbiased judge if you want to continue your service to the law.”

 “I… I know it’s just so – so hard! Eli is such an amazing person. To hear him slandered so terribly is just frustrating.” She poked at the fairy lights as one floated gentle before her. It was warm and shifted from a soft amber to a bright purple.

 “I struggled with that aspect of my position as well.”

 “You did?”

 “Yes. Does this surprise you that much?”

 “I mean you’re always so noble and regal. You are a Prince. Slash princess.” Dakota shrugged and looked over to her friend. Mercy smiled, her pointy teeth poking at her lip. Those infinite eyes were focused and thought they continued to swim like pools of mercury they also gave her a sense of comfort.

 “I was not always so. When I was younger. Much younger. Long before I had earned many of my titled. When my Father still lived. I never really wanted to learn what it was to be King.”

 “What made you change your mind?”

 “Hm? Nothing. I learned my place in this world. I don’t have much of a say. I will be King, once Oberon is dead. And if I wanted to be a better King than he, I had to shape up.” She turned and looked out towards the lights she had created. Dakota watched her face, the dim light of the moon made her usually ethereal glow even more bewitching. She carefully reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her pointed ear. Her skin was so warm. “Careful little one or my General might get the wrong impression.”

 “Huh?” She blinked feeling her face get hot.

 “Oh child.” She sighed, a light huff of laughter in the same breath.

 “Whatever you think is happening between me and Eli, just stop it. He’s my friend. He thinks I fight good.” Mercy raised an elegant eyebrow before she shrugged and moved away, stepping back inside the Den.

 “If you say so.” She hummed and Dakota huffed, chasing after her to assure her friend that whatever she thought she saw, was wrong.

  Mercy settled into a chair across from Eli. The servant to her mother was used to her unnerving stares, unlike so many of his men, and had grown up protecting her. He was used to her intimidation tactics. Still she could tell the smirk upon her face was causing him distress.

 “Has there been a change in plans, you Grace? Have you decided to make a strike early?” He asked her, feeling his way around the conversation.

 “No. But I thought you perhaps might want to.”

 “What? Has there been new information? Why wasn’t I informed. Wheaty is young but he’s usually reliable.” The Kelpie was up and pacing. The Prince rolled her eyes and propped her feet up on his desk.

 “Oh, noble Knight.” She stressed his title and that got his attention. “I meant that you might seek to correct the mistake you’ve made with the Deputy Rook.” That got him to spin on his heel and look flustered.

 “What mistake?” He mumbled. It was so uncouth, so unbecoming. He seemed to forget all his decorum when thinking of Dakota.

 “I mean that she is under the assumption you have no desire to Court her.”

 “My courtships are…”

 “As your commander they are. And as your Ward they are my Mother’s.” He froze, face draining and becoming ashen.

 “You… You haven’t spoken to her, have you? You have not told of my indiscretions to the Winter Queen?” He sounded so fragile, so young. Like he had all those years ago when they had been captured. When Mercy earned Breaker of Chains. It pulled at her heart that he thought his feelings, his love was something that should be pushed aside. That her Mother would not approve, would reprimand him for this. Perhaps a light chastisement about letting it drag on but she would never punish him for finding love. She pulled her feet from his desk, the heavy boots she wore making a loud thump as she stood and he stopped his nervous stammering and fidgeting.

 “I have not told my Mother anything, yet. But Eli. It will only be more difficult if you allow these feelings to linger, unresolved.”

 “We’re in the middle of a War, your Grace. Now is not the time for such declarations.” He informed stiffly.

 “Men.” She muttered and looked at the map. “Why do you have to complicate everything? War is dangerous, as you well know. There might not be a second chance to tell her.”

 “I will not let that happen.” He growled and his eyes turned black before resettling. He gave a small knowing smirk. “And you won’t either.” A soft scoff and Mercy left his office, searching for her little humans. She located Ben first.

 “Hey.” He smiled. His soft brown eyes were far less wary now. That was good. Mercy slid her hands onto his shoulders and then up his neck to cradle his face in her palms.

 “Should this friendship of ours ever turn romantic, please for the love of all the Powers have given us, don’t pussy foot around.” He blinked in shock and nodded slowly. They stayed like that for a long moment before she released a tense breath and moved forward, letting her left hand linger on his shoulder before fully departing from him. He did not follow but that was fine. She needed to see to the wolves that she was rehabilitating anyway and seeing them always bothered her Wards. She would not subject them to the animals that had hunted them, that they bore scars from, without hard reason.

  The night of the strike came. Things had been happening all according to plan, even with the introduction of Iron into Jacob’s weapons his Hunters and remaining Judges were falling to the Militia. He was barking orders and snarling. Seething that he had so easily been lulled into compliance. He was not without his defenses and his new traps were thick and heavy with the accursed metal, but they were winning. The North would be free of the Seeds by the end of the night, stragglers easily handled by the Militia and then they could turn their sights South.

 “Mercy!” Dakota called over the din of the battle. She shot one of the Hunters attempting to sneak up on her as Mercy dug her knife into a Peggie’s throat and used their firearm, to shoot several others, before aiming towards the supports of one of the Armory’s defenses.

 “Yes Dakota?”

 “I think I have an opening!”

 “If the next words are, but I have to blow something up, please rethink this.”

 “What are we blowing up?” Ben yelled over to them as he reloaded his rifle and took aim once ready.

 “Nothin!” Eli and Grace snapped at them with harsh frowns.

 “Once we have that Iron Gate out of the way…”

 “That’s what I wanna blow up!”

 “Well now, there’s an idea.”

  The fighting outside was distant, and muffled still from the smoke of the explosion. Dakota grinned and Mercy returned it before flicking her wrist and killing a soldier.

 “No distractions now Mare.” She teased gently and they moved forward. Mercy had put on her strange tunics and chainmail instead of her usual bright skirt, hiking boots, and loose linen top. It made sense to Dakota, Mercy had insisted that she and Ben wear mail, scoffing and sneering at their flack jackets, and it was light and easy to move in. Because magic, had been Mercy’s reply when they asked her how. The brunette nodded and focused. They needed to get to the heart of the Bunker, activate the self-destruct, and get Staci out. There wasn’t time to be distracted, especially not with the goal so close to them. They slunk along the hallways, carefully dispatching their foes.

 “I’ll admit.” Jacob’s voice came over the loudspeaker. “I underestimated your new little friend and her freaky powers.” Mercy bristled at the disrespect. Dakota looked around trying to pinpoint where the next attack was going to come from.

 “But I’m not going to allow this to continue.” Suddenly the doors swung shut. They were divided and Dakota pounded on her door, music was filling the room she was in, and so was bliss. She opened her mouth to scream but the world swam before her. All she saw as she hit the ground were dirt boots.

  Eli was held in place by iron chains. He yanked and struggled but they did not move. He was trapped. He glared at Jacob.

 “A horse. Once I have my pup back under control, I’m going to make her see how much better a wolf is to a horse.” The redhead hissed and Eli was tempted to comment, but that would be showing the extent of his powers and he doubted that the eldest Seed had done his research. The Kelpie only needed a chance, to hit him with Glamour. Then, oh then, Jacob Seed would be his devoted slave. Eli would lead him down to the waters. Would coo softly to him until they were too deep. Then, then he’d wrap his hands around the taller man’s throat and push him down, down, down, deep into the mud of the lake bed. He could feast for hours upon Jacob Seed. It would be a pleasure.

 “Any many that takes the choice away from a woman, is no man.” The Princess’ voice cut in, sharp as glass, and twice as menacing.

 “I figured you’d be the first one to arrive.” Jacob rounded on her, like a feral dog. Eli thrashed and his Princess spared him a glance, focused on her enemy but assuring that she would be fine. They charged each other, Jacob pulling a different knife form his usual red one. Eli’s eyes widened. That knife reeked of iron. But not just any kind of Iron, Cold Iron.

 “Well someone has been reading.” Mercy mused as she eyed the knife with apprehension. Her own iron weapons would stand up against it but that would easily cut through her mail. It would burn her harshly as well if it were to make contact with her skin. She was on the backfoot.

  Mercy winced as the knife sliced into her cheek but held it away, clenching her sharp nails into his weak human flesh. She snarled, showing off her rows of well-maintained teeth. He snarled back at her but the effect was lost because all he had were weak human teeth. She’d make him eat them. And after she’d make him eat his knife. She kicked him away from her.

 “Not so high and mighty, now are you?” The room they were in was locked against magic and while she was working on burning through those seals it was dividing her concentration, a dangerous thing.

 Dakota felt like she wasn’t in control of her body, she moved mechanically. Her mind was fuzzy. She vaguely remembered these halls. Train. Hunt. Kill. Train. Hunt. Kill. Train Hunt Kill. Train hunt ki – Something was different. The room at the end wasn’t empty like it usually was. She was raising her hands, aiming at someone. No not a person, a horse. He was beautiful. Dark cherry wood colored, with snowflake like splatters of white mixed in. Big brown eyes widened. Her finger was over the trigger.

 “Ota!” The muffled yell made her hesitate. “Dakota Diane Rook! You will not shoot that Kelpie!” That commanding voice was familiar. She lowered the gun and looked towards the voice only to see a woman. Long blonde hair fell in a messy braid down her back. There was blood weeping from a black cut on her cheek. She was glowering at the redheaded man before her.

 “I’m disappointed in you Pup. We’re going to have to work on your training. You only have one master.” He growled and she felt her insides clench in disgust. She bared her teeth at him. Her mind slowly becoming less and less hazy.

 “She is not my slave. She is not my servant. She is not my pet. She is the Deputy and she will see your end.” Mercy’s voice was strong and clear. The threat of her words ringing around the room. She and Jacob clashed and Dakota shook her head.

 “Eli!” She ran to him. She noticed his skin was burning and there were black blisters all over him from the chains binding him. “Shit. Shit I need bolt cutters. Hang on a little more please.” She implored with wet eyes as she realized what was in the room. The wooden table was broken and there were smatterings of blood. Judging from Mercy’s cheek it wasn’t just Jacobs. Dakota balled her hands into fists but she needed to focus. Eli needed her, Mercy didn’t. She didn’t want to risk shooting the chains but she had a knife with her. If she could find a weak link, she could free him.

 “Don’t worry about me.” Eli managed to grind out, lowly so that Jacob couldn’t hear. He sounded pained. “Stop Jacob.”

 “No. Mercy can handle it. You need me.”

 “I do. But not right now. Please she –” A yelp paused their conversation. Both turned their head and Mercy was barely holding Jacob’s knife away from her heart, the blade running through her hand. She lunged forward and sunk her teeth into his shoulder, ripping a chunk of flesh from him and causing him to stumble backwards. Knife still imbedded into her hand she panted and looked at the grievous wound. Dakota realized Jacob was going to his gun and rushed forward. She didn’t think, all she could see was a red revolving appearing and then there was a thunder clap. Then silence. The world was still as Mercy caught her with her uninjured arm.

 “Dakota?” The Faerie murmured softly, stunned expression on her face. Dakota felt a burning pain start to radiate from her abdomen, it didn’t feel exactly like her stomach but she couldn’t really tell, it hurt so badly. “Little Mare!” The panic in Mercy’s voice was distant and strange. Mercy never panicked. She worried, she huffed, she needled, she nagged, but she never panicked.

  Against the rage of a Royal the warding that Jacob had managed to put up was like tissue paper. The Fae’s only goal was to string the man up. H head hurt her Ward. Human laws were thrown out the window. Someone under her protection had been hurt and there was hell to pay. She wrapped the growth of Summer around him, silencing him as the vines penetrated his body and raised it to the sky. He would sustain the crows. Any and all who saw would know whom he had wronged. She let the sharp splinters of new life stab into him. And then she pulled them back. She allowed the creep of Winter to sharpen those branches. The cradle of roots and bark held him aloft. When his flesh was finally stripped, she would allow Summer to hold again and would keep his bones in eternal green.

 “You Grace.” Eli’s strained voice sounded and with a flick of her wrist she touched the chains, allowing the cold’s crippling touch to rust and take away his bindings. “Dakota.” He sounded so mournful. Had she not told him? She looked down at her young Ward. She was panting, unconscious. She was bleeding still. The warmth of Summer was holding her wound but would it be enough? Mercy did not know the healing magics, she was a fighter. Potions and salves. Those were her domain. She nodded and picked up her Ward.

 “She will live.”

 “You Grace.” Eli sounded defeated.

 “I have said it, it will be so.”

“Dakota!” Ben’s voice pulled them from their staring match. “I asked you to stop this!” He wailed, unwilling to attack for Mercy held the girl.

 “I know. I am sorry. I will pay penance for this.” The Prince assured her other Ward and moved forward. The fighting had stopped with the appearance of Jacob’s body. She glanced up as saw his eyes move down to her. She glared and turned away. She would not concern herself with him. She carried Dakota to the Den and laid her down on a medical cot. She let the human medics care for her as she prepared the potions and salves that she knew. They extracted the bullet, it was not copper but iron. That was how it punched through the mail. It had not been a clean wound but it had not hit any of her organs, by some small miracle. When they were done, she rubbed the salve into the wound, soothing the young woman as she whimpered and cried out from the sting.

 “Do you have to do that?” Ben snapped.

 “It must sting to work.” She answered softly and said nothing more as she continued her work. She stood and then turned and took Ben’s arm. He tried to pull free but she looked gravely from him to her General. “This is a conversation for the beloved alone.” He allowed her to pull him from the room and shockingly followed her once she released him. They looked to where the others were.

 “We still have to destroy his bunker. Ben said as they looked toward it. In the distance she could see other bodies joining their master. Any who tried to pull him down would suffer his fate. There were a few groups of Whitetails around them. She nodded and looked to him. She reached into one of her enchanted pockets and pulled out a bottle filled with a swirling orange and yellow and gold liquid.

 “Summer sun.” She said and handed it to him and they began to hike back towards the bunker.

  Eli knelt beside Dakota. She looked so pale and fragile like this. Her hair was torn from its messy ponytail. He hesitantly reached out and brushed his fingers across her cheek. The burns in her skin hurt, he could feel trails of blood but those didn’t matter. Nothing mattered.

 “Mercy was right. I’m a fool.” He whispered, anguish in his voice. He trailed his hand down to hers and grasped it tight. “I love you. I love you and I want to forsake my duties for you. If it means that I never have to leave your side I will cross to Ironside. Even if it means I must face the wrath of Winter and Summer, if it means I can never see my Lady again. I would throw it away for you.

 “You mean everything to me. You are my sunshine on a cold winter’s day, warming my face. You are the warmth of merry drink. You are the beautiful good of my life. Please, I cannot lose you. You must pull through. If only because the world will suffer so much without. I am selfish and a monster. I wish only for you to stay with me. For us to find a Lake together, for you to let me have you and keep you safe. But you are a free spirit. You are determined to help others, not hide away from them. The world needs you Dakota. So please. Please you must come back to us.” He confessed. He was greeted by silence. He knew, he knew this was not a movie, a game. This was life. Though the Fae could force miracles this was not one of those times. He entwined his fingers with Dakota’s slack ones and allowed his tears to fall. Why was his Lady always right?

  Dakota came back to consciousness slowly. She was vaguely aware of the soft bed below her, the warm blankets on her, the hand gently holding hers, a thumb stroking over her inner wrist, and then she inhaled sharply. She was up with a jolt, that had her cringing and trying to grab her stomach.

 “Hey!” Eli snapped at her, their hands still connected. “You just started recovering from a gut shot! Lay back down.”

 “Eli? What happened? Where are… Are we in the Den?”

 “Yes. Mercy brought you back here. We’ve patched you up but it was pretty touch and go there in the beginning, watching for infection and fever. But you’ve cleared the worst of it. If you stay in bed and don’t aggravate the wound, you’ll pull through with no major side effects.” He gently pushed her back down.

 “Where’s Mercy? What happened with Jacob? Are you okay? What about the chains? What about Ben?!”

 “I’m fine. I let the healers look me over after I… After we got you settled. Ben is fine, untouched, and Mercy is all but healed, she’ll have a scar on her hand and cheek but she’s not letting that slow her down. She and Ben destroyed the bunker. And she… Killed Jacob.”

 “Good.” Dakota breathed and settled back into the soft bed. She looked over at Eli and he was looking at her strangely. She felt like something had shifted between them. “Eli?”

 “I have to tell you this. This was too close a call. I can’t… No, I won’t let this War continue without you knowing.”

 “Tell me what? Eli is something wrong?”

 “No. No, nothing’s wrong Kotie.” He reached out and gentle grasped her cheek, running his thumb over the apple of it, just below her line. The soothing contact put her at ease. “I love you.” She felt her breath catch in her chest.

 “Eli? Are you…?”

 “I love you Dakota Diane Rook. I want to Court you once this is over. I want to live with you for the rest of my life. I have never truly felt this way, this connected to someone like this before you. I have had my past romances. I will make that no secret. But they pale in comparison to you.” His big brown eyes were so earnest and loving. She reached up with her free hand and touched his hand.

 “Are you sure? I mean I mess up a lot. I always run head first into danger and I never have a plan! I drag Mercy along with me and I make your life a headache!”

 “It’s adorable that you think you drag her Ladyship anywhere.”

 “I can so drag Mercy places.” She pouted and he grinned at her.

 “Oh, my little Mare, no. No, you can’t. But that’s okay, because the Princess cares dearly for you.”

 “I’m not little.”

 “You’re right you’re the perfect size.”

 “I think I’m going to gag.” Both turned to see Wheaty in the doorway. Behind him was Mercy and Ben.

 “Just because you can’t get a man doesn’t mean I should have to hide mine away.” Dakota muttered with a glare. She felt Eli tense a bit and look to her.

 “Your man?” He said hopefully, eyes wide and smile broadening with every passing second.

 “My man.” She confirmed and pulled him close for a chaste kiss.

 “Wonderful. Now that, that’s settled I’m going to check your wounds and we’re going to have lunch.”

 “Oh yum.”

 “You get broth.”

 “Boo! No, I want a sandwich.”

 “You’ve been unconscious for five days and only been drinking protein fluids and magical potions. You get brother.” Mercy stated and her eyes shimmered. “Don’t make me use your Name.”

 “Eli defend me.” She whined and he laughed, ruffling her hair and moving away slightly.

 “Afraid not love. She’s still the Boss.”

 “Damn right.”

  Dakota had healed well; the salves and potions had sped her healing time but it had still taken a full month to recover from her wounds. She was able to get up and was causing in no time compared to how humans are usually after a gunshot wound.

 “We’ve got a County to free!” She said and nodded.

 “We’ve discussed this. With Jacob’s death we should avoid contact with Joseph and John. It would make the most sense to go after Faith now.” Mercy murmured as she continued to look over the garments of clothing that several of her handmaids were presenting her. Dakota was sitting on her large bed and flopped back, making a raspberry.

 “I don’t like her. Shouldn’t we be focusing on the people? You know we came after Jacob first because he was their supply of soldiers.”

 “If you think that Joseph and John won’t or can’t continue to arm their followers, I would like to turn your attention to all of the capture parties we have to outrun whenever we’re near the Valley.” Mercy glanced over at her before laying something down. “Now up. The seamstress will be here soon and I think I’ve finally found the right kinds of fabrics for you.” That got the brunette to blink and she turned cerulean eyes to the Faerie standing over her.

 “Why do you have a seamstress coming?”

 “Because we need your measurements. You obviously can’t wear these because they’re for me and, well. You a touch shorter than me.” The seven-foot-tall woman laughed and Dakota huffed, pouting, crossing her arms and glaring at the fabrics that Mercy had laid out. The skirt was a deep purple, almost looking black. But what really caught her attention was the fact that it looked like real stars were stitched into the fabric. The glimmered soft blues and whites and reds. She reached out to touch it and it felt like a spiderweb, soft but weirdly strong. A small woman bustled into the room with a much taller man following her.

 “Ah, Adella, Berach, welcome.” Mercy inclined her head and smiled at them. It was good to see the seamstress and her long-suffering student. Berach would probably never get to start his own shop. But he didn’t seem to eager to ever leave Adella, he merely liked complaining and prodding her to ‘join the times’ despite them using the most modern and up to date techniques and styles.

 “Your Majesty.” Both bowed and then looked at Dakota, who was fidgeting nervously on the bed.

 “Um hi?” She waved a bit and Mercy smiled, pulling her to her feet. “But why?”

 “You can’t meet the Queen of Winter in that.” Mercy answered and Dakota blinked in confusion. Adella and Berach set to work right away. The brunette pouted and sputtered as she was turned this way and that. The strangest measurements taken of her while Mercy leaned back at watched. The pair of tailors nodded and muttered, poking and prodding Dakota.

 “There’s nothing else to be done!” They cried and then set to work.

 “What the hell does that mean?”

 “It means we’re gonna have to clean you up. Really good.” Dakota blinked big blue eyes at the unmoved Faerie.

 “Nope.” She attempted to run to the door.

 “Dakota Diane Rook, you will march into the bathroom and you will allow my attendants to bathe and pamper you.” Mercy smiled and Dakota looked down at her body as it betrayed her. She looked at Mercy with a horrified whimper.

 “Please, have mercy?”

 “Though I am, I have none.” The Prince flopped back onto her bed and decided to take a nap until one of her handmaidens fetched her.

 “Should we do her makeup, my Lord?”

 “A nude palate, she doesn’t like color.” Cereza nodded softly and lead the small army of attendants into the bathroom to begin their work.

  Dakota blinked at the tall woman that stepped through the doors. She was regal and held a near dangerous air about her.

 “Queen Titania and her Consort Queen Mab!” Announced the crier. Everyone around them stood, even Mercy. She bowed low to her mothers, her familiar glittering star studded dress flowing around her like the dark blue folds of the universe. It didn’t slip Dakota’s notice that her skirt and Mercy’s dress were styled similarly, though Dakota’s stars looked more realistic, and made of the same materials. She shifted and looked down at the silk shirt they had made for her. It was sheer but wrapped in such a way that her chest and stomach weren’t visible. It was also a dark purple, though not nearly as dark as her skirt, with a satin hem on it that was much paler, running more like lavender.

 “Mercy.” The tall sever woman murmured, her long dress was a deep royal blue, there were glittering stones along it. It made her pale skin look even paler but something about it was familiar. Dakota blinked, realizing that Mercy’s dress was a similar color and though it wasn’t nearly as poofy, it was clearly similar in tone and style.

 “Mother.” Mercy greeted and stood from her bow. “Mom.”

 “Oh, baby look at you!” The woman with the tall woman cheered and rushed to Mercy. Her bright red dress had trailings of flowers behind her. Her skin was warm and sun kissed, her eyes the same bright shining silver as Mercy’s, and she had the same dark blonde hair.

 “Would you join us for a private dinner. I would like to introduce you to my Wards. And Eli has a request.”

 “Of course, honey. That would be wonderful, right Sun and Stars?”

 “Yes, my Sublime Love.”

  Eli asked to be released from his duties. Dakota gaped in shock. She didn’t think he would have to do that. She didn’t want him to lose his job!

 “This is the one?” Titania mused, raising a familiar intrigued eyebrow. Mab beamed happily.

 “Oh Elijah I’m so happy for you! You’ve done so much for us since you’ve been squired, protected our little girl so faithfully!” And suddenly she turned on Dakota. “You’re Dakota yes? Oh Mercy talks of you at length. She never mentions how beautiful people are! You glow with warmth and sunshine! Truly a Summer Childe!” She chattered away while Dakota blushed and looked from Mercy to her Mother. Titania was staring before nodding.

 “I suppose given Mercy’s good word I can allow this. However.” Her eyes pinned his. “You know the Laws.”

 “I know but I –”

 “There will be no need for concern. We’ll discuss it in privet.” Mercy cut in and Dakota and Eli looked to her. Ben looked determined and his eyes flashed silver before settling back into brown. Titania and Mab nodded and the cheerful environment returned. Dakota felt something giddy bubble inside her stomach. She and Eli could be together.