#moon calls the ancients her parents at one point

[pocket-goat]

when and why did people start calling the Ancients "benefactors" instead??? did someone see that one line from Pebbles and decided it was a better name????? im so confused.

[bluelockmaniac]

👑 .𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍

ft. crown prince!itoshi sae x commoner!femreader x second prince!itoshi rin (only bc you are rin's fiancée)

🗡 synopsis. you were chosen to be the second prince’s fiancée for rin’s convenience, but fate had different plans when you fell for his older brother, the crown prince, instead. as you start hearing strange voices during your engagement ball, sae falls victim to alexis’ curse, which only your love can break. what happens when news spread of the crown prince's revival and rin finds out?

⛓ content warning. 13.3k (yikes)ノ royal au ノ classism ノ cheating themes & pdaノ⚠ rin is rude, offensive, & insulting ノ your parents & sis for plot are assholes ノ semi-arranged marriage (?) ノ reader is illiterate ノ narration heavy ノ reader gets called whore once ノ implied death & gorish description ノ implied stranglingノ animal murder ノ minimal implication of shorter readerノthe relationship with sae is highkey rushed now that i reread it.

notes. this took me two weeks+ to finish ahhh. i thank my past self for being obsessed with manhwas so muchh, and ty to rhymezone for saving my ass w/ the ancient poem. first time using capital letters when writing fanfics, only bc it's really long though, eeee.

In the Twilight of the Eclipsing Red Moon,

When Stars Align and Shadows Loom,

The Great’s Fate is Sealed in the Veil of Night,

By the Hand of One from Mystic Light.

But From the Dust of Forgotten Lands,

Shall Rise a Heart with Common Hands,

With Lips of Rose and Spirit Warm,

To Bring the Order, End the Storm.

A Crown of Old Shall Find its Grace,

In the Embrace of a Simple Face.

But Do not be Fooled, One Shall Not Bloom,

For This, Will Lead to One’s Gentle Doom.

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty,” your father stammered, “M-My eldest daughter has fallen gravely ill, and I fear she physically cannot journey to the Grand Empire of Aquaria tomorrow!”

The king’s eyes flared open in shock as the words reached his ears. His grip on the plush armrest of his throne tightened, the baroque carvings digging into his palm.

“What?!” He yelled, dismissing the fan bearer with a sharp glare before rising from his throne and taking two steps forward. His shadow covered large over your father’s trembling figure. 

“She chooses now, of all times, to be stricken with sickness? At a crucial time for our kingdom? Such insolence!” He descended three more steps and glared down at him. “Did you forget that His Imperial Highness has specifically requested a lady from your clan?”

“I—”

The king struck his scepter harshly against the floor, silencing the man. “All the other houses of your garbage clan bore only sons,” he spat, “She will go, and that is final!”

“Actually…” the commoner’s lips pointed upwards in a well-rehearsed smile as he placed a hand over his heart in false politeness. “I have another daughter. She’s eager— eager to fulfill her duty. She is twenty, two years younger than the prince, but still of age.”

King Orion arched an eyebrow and his mouth twisted into a sneer. “Very well,” he replied, waving his hand in disinterest as he returned to his throne. “Summon her.”

In truth, the king’s concern wasn’t with Aria, your older sister. He cared little for which daughter was offered up to Aquaria’s second prince. It was a political necessity, nothing more— a favour to His Imperial Highness, Prince Rin. Or more like a fulfillment of Rin’s rather odd request that came with a threat. As long as someone from your clan was presented, it mattered not to him whether it was your sister or some other sacrificial lamb for the slaughter.

At the call of your name, the guards creaked open the heavy doors, and you entered the throne chamber slowly. When you reached the foot of the throne, you lowered your body in a curtsey bow, your gaze fixed on the scarlet carpet that stretched beneath you.

“It is my greatest honour to stand before you, Your Majesty,” you said, though your indifferent tone made it clear to anyone listening that you longed for nothing more than to be anywhere but here.

But you knew the truth behind this charade. Aria wasn’t ill. She was the jewel of your parents’ eye, their pride and joy, shielded from the Empire’s gaze like a pirate’s precious treasure. You, on the other hand, were the forgotten one– the daughter they kept hidden, a mere shadow in their halls, easily discarded when it was convenient. To your father, you were a little more than a weight around his neck, an extra mouth to feed, a burden he was eager to rid himself of.

The king’s eyes scanned you up and down, his expression visibly souring as he took in the sight of your tattered ankle-high, brown dress and scuffed boots. Disgusting.

“Ugh,” he muttered under his breath, leaning on one elbow as he sneered at you. “She’ll do, I suppose. Pretty enough for their tastes.” He turned to his chancellor with a condescending wave. “Have the maids find something more… suitable for this one.”

The chancellor bowed deeply, “At once, Your Majesty.”

“Alright, you’ve packed everything, haven’t you?” your mother asked as she rubbed Aria’s shoulder comfortingly.

Your gaze drifted to the battered briefcase lying at your feet. You had stumbled upon it by accident, shoved into a forgotten corner of the dirty attic, coated in layers of dust and practically falling apart at the seams. With a sigh, you bent down to pick it up, nodding as it threatened to collapse.

“Yes,” you murmured, a bitter smile tugging at your lips, “There was hardly anything to pack, anyway.”

Your father scoffed, rolling his eyes as he wrapped an arm around Aria, who had begun to shed what you knew to be crocodile tears. The act was almost laughable. She suddenly broke free from their grasp and rushed over to you, flinging her arms around your waist with a dramatic sob.

“Y/N!” she cried, “Please take care of yourself– hic– I’m going to miss you so much!”

You hesitated for a moment before stiffly returning her hug. She was a liar, through and through, and you both knew it. 

Before the act could continue, the distant sound of hooves clattering against cobblestone paths captured your attention. Gently, you pried yourself away from her clutches, turning toward the approaching sound.

Your breath hitched. The Empire’s Royal Carriage was quickly nearing, and it was no exaggeration to say that its massive size dwarfed everything coming its way. It was magnificent, its gleaming white exterior and elegant navy blue designs that were above the huge clattering wheels. Silken curtains furnished the windows, embroidered with golden threads that caught the eyes of your greedy family. But what truly stole your attention was the shining silver crown perched atop the carriage, with Aquaria’s Royal Crest.

“Listen–” your father’s obnoxious voice cut through your admiration. He leaned close, his voice coming out in a hiss, “You better behave yourself, got it? If you mess this up, it’s not just you– it’s all of us. Understand?”

You shrugged off his threat with a nonchalant nod, “I’ll do my best.”

The sounds of the porcelain horses neighing were suddenly right behind you. They looked so soft, so immaculate, that you had to resist the urge to reach out and glide your fingers through their carefully groomed manes. But you knew better. This was no place for such frivolities.

The royal coachman descended from his designated seat and approached you. His right hand gracefully flew to his heart and he bowed slightly, his eyes closing for a brief moment.

“Greetings, my lady,” he said, straightening himself elegantly as his brown eyes met yours. He took your worn briefcase from your hand and placed it gently in the carriage’s wide storage compartment in the back. Then, he slid aside the long curtains and extended his hand toward you.

This was it. The moment you stepped into that carriage, you would leave this wretched life behind forever. No more grime, no more being hidden away like some shameful secret. You would be free– or at least you clung to the hope of freedom. 

Taking the coachman’s hand, you felt the fine material of your simple sage gown– one begrudgingly gifted by King Orion– brush against the spotless steps of the carriage. You could hardly believe you, of all people, had the privilege of entering something so grand, so expensive.

For one last time, you glanced back at your so-called family. They stood there, masks with feigned expressions of sorrow worn over their faces. But you weren’t fooled, and you certainly weren’t going to indulge them. Instead, a slow grin crept across your face and you mouthed a few words that served as a final act of defiance.

“Shitty lives for shitty people, I guess.”

“.... lady,”

“My….”

“My lady!”

“Hm…” You muttered drowsily, your eyelids slowly fluttering open to the sight of the coachman and several other servants peering in at you with concerned expressions. Startled, you shot upright, your hands grasping the seat beneath you. “Y-Yes!”

So far, you were off to a great start.

But now, as you finally stepped out of the carriage and beheld the regal palace before you, every bit of exhaustion from the long ride seemed to dissolve. The sight of it stole your breath and you tried to conjure up a word to describe it, but words escaped you. Beautiful, perhaps, though even that felt insufficient. Magnificent, maybe. 

There were towering stone sculptures and a large marble fountain in the center, its water elegantly cascading down like it was raining crystals. The front lawn was meticulously trimmed and maintained till perfection. The walls of the palace shined, built from pale limestone that you recognized from years of working with fire and sedimentary rocks. And at the peak of the palace dome, a lone flag fluttered in the breeze, proudly displaying the Royal Crest of Aquaria.

Your home now.

Yet, no lines of maids awaited your arrival at the main entrance, as you’d always imagined from reading those fairytale books you’d find tucked away in your attic. And there was certainly no sign of your supposed fiancé— His Imperial Highness, Itoshi Rin, the Second Prince of the Empire.

But then again, it made sense. You were just a humble village girl, after all— hardly worth the attention of someone as important as him.

The sudden neighing of a horse behind you jolted you from your thoughts, and you spun around. There, your gaze locked with the prettiest set of eyes you had ever seen— legendary teal irises framed by lashes so thick they casted a shadow on his cheekbones.

If the palace was magnificent, then he was simply breathtaking. 

Your heart stuttered in your chest as you instinctively took a step forward toward him, prepared to pinch fistfuls of your dress and bow down to him. 

He must be your fiancé, you thought. How could he not be? Those eyes were a symbol of royalty. His dark, reddish hair swayed with every blow of the wind, and the way an exquisite sapphire brooch shone against his royal attire screamed authority.

What did they call this phenomenon? Love at first sight? But then—

“Welcome back, Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince!” a unified set of voices suddenly echoed from behind you in greeting, and you whipped your head back to see every servant and the carriage driver on their knees, their heads bowed low, and their hands clutched to their chests.

Crown Prince? Your breath caught in your throat. The Crown Prince? In other words, the future Emperor of Aquaria?

His gaze left yours to briefly sweep over the kneeling palace workers, before he waved his hand dismissively. “Rise.” he ordered. His deep voice made you feel a sudden tightening in your throat, and you had the urge to obey though you weren’t even on your knees.

When his eyes returned to you, you flinched, every nerve of your body feeling on edge. You drew in a sufficient amount of fresh air and held onto bunches of your gown, bowing respectfully.

“G-Greetings, Your Imperial Highness,” you stuttered.

Sae guided his horse to a halt and swung his leg over the saddle, dismounting and landing on the grass smoothly. He gave the mare a gentle pat, and you suddenly felt conscious as he approached you in long strides.

He stopped just in front of you, eyes seemingly studying you. “You are?”

You swallowed nervously, daring to meet his aquamarine gaze. “Y/N,” you said softly, “The Second Imperial Prince’s fiancée.”

His eyes narrowed and he closed them fleetingly before opening them again. “I see… That foolish younger brother of mine.”

You remained silent, unsure of how to respond. Your sparkling eyes flickered to his mare standing patiently beside him for a moment too long. Her coat was as white as fresh snow, and it almost hurt your eyes the way the sunlight reflected off her.

He noticed. “Oh, her?” He nodded toward the horse, gesturing for you to come closer. “Go on. You can touch her if you wish.” 

Your eyes widened in disbelief, trodding towards him in excitement. “May I, really?”

“Sure, whatever,” he muttered nonchalantly, though his gaze softened slightly. He was more focused on observing the horse’s reaction to you.

With careful hands, you reached out and gently raked your fingers through her silky mane. A delighted giggle escaped your lips as the fauna neighed softly and nudged your hand for more of your kind attention.

“She’s beautiful,” you whispered, and he hummed in interest. You paused for a moment, glancing at the prince curiously. “What’s her name?”

“Celestia,” he replied, pulling on the horse’s rein before folding his arms over his chest. He watched you interact with the animal. “She rarely warms up to anyone, but it seems as if she likes you.”

Your eyes lit up with surprise and you smiled, your fingers still tangled in the horse’s mane. “Celestia is a beautiful name… It suits her. She’s as white as the moon.”

For a brief moment, the prince turned his head to the side, as if he was hiding something from your view. He wouldn’t admit it, but he’d trust anyone his beautiful horse liked. His fingers slipped through his tousled red hair, and though his voice slightly carried a tone of arrogance, it was also laced with something else. “Tch. Thanks. I named her myself.”

You laughed lightly, “How old is she?”

“Turning nine soon,” he answered, giving her a pat. “She’s the mother of a black stallion.”

Your eyes twinkled in awe, fists clenched in front of you as you beamed up at him. “She’s a mother?!”

Sae raised a brow, leaning back slightly. “You’re standing too close.”

“A-Ah, my apologies, Your Highness,” You stuttered, retreating several steps just in case. “I… I seem to have forgotten my place,”

“No, it’s quite alr—” He started, lifting a hand as if to stop you from backing away, but was interrupted by one of the pesky servants from Rin’s wing of the palace. “...”

“I-I apologize for interrupting y-your conversation, Your Imperial Highness,” She panted, bowing low, “But The Second Prince has requested his fiancée’s presence for a private audience.”

Sae clicked his tongue in annoyance, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer before he mounted Celestia. “I guess it cannot be helped. Fine, whatever.”

Your heart sank slightly, a wave of disappointment looming over your ethereal features. Your pretty eyes downcast and fists clenched lightly by your sides. You had hoped to stay just a little longer, either with the man you had mistaken for your fiancé or perhaps with the beautiful horse. You weren’t sure which had captured your fascination more.

You thought that, perhaps, if Rin was not unlike his brother, then marrying him probably wouldn’t be so bad.

Still, with a deep breath, you held onto your skirt and followed the maid. But just before you left, you glanced back over your shoulder at the First Prince with a smile so pretty it could coax the sun out of the sky and make even the stars envious.

“See you around, Your Highness!” You called out, waving your arm before turning around to trail after the servant woman.

Sae stood frozen for a heartbeat, his thoughts clouded by the ghost of that smile. Something stirred in his chest, something unfamiliar and probably unwelcome. He huffed quietly, silking his hand through his hair before muttering under his breath.

“Yeah… see you.”

Your heart raced as you stood before the polished double doors of Rin’s chamber. You swallowed hard in an attempt to calm your nerves. Your breaths came in shallow, like there was some sort of invisible weight pressed against your chest. 

Your hand hesitantly hovered mere inches from the door. You hadn’t even met the man and yet the tension was thicker than when you had personally greeted the crown prince.

The maid beside you fidgeted, clearly just as anxious. She stammered softly, “My lady…  j-just knock and wait for his word. I-I’ll take my leave now.”

You nodded, watching her scurry away so quickly as if she couldn’t wait to be out of the prince’s domain. You blinked in thought— if the servants in this wing were this jumpy around him, it didn’t bode well.

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your trembling fingers. After whispering a few reassurances to yourself, you finally raised your knuckles and knocked gently on the door.

No answer.

A few more seconds passed before you tried again, but this time you heard a deep, irritated voice call out.

“Enter.”

You gulped and planted your hands on the heavy door, pushing it open. The moment you stepped in, you held in your breath. The interior was extravagant beyond words– a room fit for royalty, as expected. 

Your enlarged eyes scanned the deluxe chamber, mouth unintentionally falling agape at all it held. But the awe immediately vanished as your gaze landed on Rin. The prince stood by a grand archtop window with his back to you, gazing down at the Aquaria Royal Gardens— which, to compare in size, were bigger than your whole village fit together.

He turned at the sound of your entrance, his sharp eyes immediately narrowing with a look of disdain. His voice was flat, yet annoyed. “Quit ogling and close the door behind you.”

It was an order, and you felt your body immediately move on its own. Your hands fumbled as you quickly shut the door, unable to keep the heat of embarrassment from rising to your cheeks. You lowered your gaze, focusing on the rosa aurora marble floor beneath you.

Rin’s eyes raked over you, his foot tapping on the floor impatiently. His eyes were just as icy as his brother’s, but where Sae had a certain aloofness, Rin’s coldness felt like a blade to the throat. He eventually crossed his arms over his chest and looked at you condescendingly, “No proper greeting?”

Your mind scrambled. “Ah..!” Your fingers gripped onto the fabric of your dress tightly as you bowed stiffly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Y-Your Imperial Highness,”

He let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing a hand over his face as if the very sight of you was an inconvenience. “Horrible posture,” he muttered. “Your etiquette needs a lot of work.”

Your heart sank further, and humiliation washed over your whole face. You straightened up and pursed your lips together tightly, the words sticking to your throat like superglue, afraid that whatever you’d say next would only make matters worse.

He remained quiet and turned around, walking to the large seating area in the corner of his chamber. You hesitantly followed after him, taking a seat right beside him on the burgundy plush.

He eyed you sideways, clearly displeased. “...Really?”

“Um…” You shuffled your feet awkwardly, the fabric swishing against your ankles. “Sitting in front of you would be presumptuous of me… How dare I make eye contact with someone as great as you, given my position?”

He rolled his eyes at your words. “How audacious.”

“Oh— Your Highness, you’ve got an eyelash on your cheek,” You started, instinctively reaching out to brush it away. But before your fingers could make contact, his hand snapped out, roughly swatting yours away.

“Don’t fucking touch me, commoner scum.” He hissed.

You immediately withdrew, rubbing your stinging hand gently. You bit your bottom lip to keep quiet. “I apol—”

“Go sit in front.”

You obeyed without question, your body moving on autopilot as you rose from the sofa, taking a seat across from him. If you hadn’t the guts to defy your parents, what made you think you could defy a prince? You didn’t even have the strength to be angry; you were too preoccupied with trying to hold yourself together under his oppressive gaze.

What followed was more of an interrogation than a conversation.

“Can you read?”

“No.”

“Write?”

“No.”

“Table manners?”

“I eat with my hands.”

“... Can you do anything at all?”

Your fingers twisted nervously in your lap as you swallowed thickly, embarrassment creeping up your neck. “I can make really good vegetable soup...”

“...”

The silence stretched out, and you could feel your self-worth slowly becoming nonexistent. After a moment, he stood with a sigh, making you flinch. 

You averted your gaze to the window and you tapped your foot anxiously against the floor. You realized you were swallowing thick lumps of nothing more than usual. All his questions were glazed with layers of dripping haughtiness and it hurt when you realized how useless and worthless you were as you answered each one.

“No, this is good,” He assured, almost to himself, as he began unbuttoning his white shirt. You looked up at him, confused.

“Good?” You repeated softly.

Rin approached you with his shirt halfway undone. He stopped just in front of you, leaning down with an expression so intimidating it sent shivers sprinting down your spine. “Do you know why I chose someone as lowly and pathetic as you, peasant?”

You rubbed your clammy palms together and paused. “I think I might have an idea,” You whispered.

“Oh? Continue.”

“You want to win the public’s favour, perhaps?” you guessed carefully, “because it shows a connection to those of lower status…”

He raised a brow, “Hm. You’re smarter than you look.” He admitted.

But his next words made your blood run cold. His hands found your shoulders, his fingers gripping onto them with not much force as he leaned closer. Your gaze ashamedly darted down to his peeking sculpted chest before flicking up to his eyes.

“After I’ve become emperor instead of that shitty brother,” he whispered, his breath hot against your ear, “you will bear my child. Then, I’ll find a way to get rid of you.”

Your whole body was trembling as soon as his hands left your shoulders. You could feel your teeth clattering slightly as you stared at the floor, unable to speak. You tilted your head up and watched as he slowly slid off an oval-cut sapphire ring, rimmed with shimmering stones of diamond, from his finger.

“Give me your hand,” He ordered impatiently.

You nodded immediately, extending your hand in front of him with starry eyes. Without a word, he slipped the opulent band onto your ring finger, careful not to make contact with your skin. You pulled away and admired the accessory— you’d be set for a thousand lives if you sold this heavy thing.

“Thank you…” You smiled softly.

“This ring is a royal heirloom, along with one other,” He warned, pointing to the Crest engraved in the gemstone. “Do. Not. Lose. It.”

Your heart pounded in your chest as you stared at the ring, nodding quickly, “Yes… I won’t.”

“Good. Now go. The maids will show you to your chambers. Be ready for your etiquette lessons tomorrow.”

You rose from the sofa shakily, bowing once more. The difference between this man and the one you’d met earlier was staggering, and you already had a not so vague idea on who you preferred.

“Then I shall see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Your Imperial Highness.”

Your eyelids felt heavy as you tried to open them. You blinked once, twice, three times– your vision blurred with remnants of sleep before gradually sharpening into clarity. But what you saw around you was anything but familiar. 

Gone were the days of waking up to dusty cobwebs and the cracks and crevices of a wrecked ceiling that you had grown used to. Instead, your eyes met a vast, polished quartz ceiling, glistening in the morning light. Above you was a fancy chandelier, its long golden-framed vines dripping with crystals, and glass trickled down from the hooks. 

You shifted beneath your plush cover and froze for a second, because this soft sensation was just as unfamiliar. No more prickly stacks of straw or thin, rough blankets. No, today, you had woken up in luxury.

As you sat up, memories of yesterday flooded your mind. Oh, right. You were absolutely shocked when you were first led to your room. You could say you were floored by its elegance– far larger and more lavish than any room you had imagined you’d get. Though it still paled in comparison to Rin’s personal quarters, it was hard to grasp that this space was your room.

You remembered indulging yourself in a little tour last night, exploring it in awe. There was a massive walk-in closet, filled to the brim with fine dresses and gowns of rich silks and satins. Accessories like cocktail hats, jewel-studded heels, and purses of gorgeous colours, all of which you couldn’t wait to try, filled the shelves.

The grandest thing you had ever owned prior to this was a ring made of a flower’s stem.

But as you rubbed the sleep from your eyes, you felt a shiver run up your spine. Your heart jumped as you realized someone was in the room, and you let out a small squeak, instinctively clutching the covers.

“So you’ve finally woken up, my lady,” came a gentle, slightly amused voice.

You blinked rapidly, your gaze locking onto a pair of soft amethyst eyes. The young woman standing beside you had ginger hair that fell to her shoulders in soft curls, her pale cheeks peppered with specks of pretty freckles.

“W-Who are you…?” You asked carefully.

The woman set a pair of fluffy cotton slippers on the floor beside your bed, then gave you a small curtsy. “Eleanor, my lady. I am your lady-in-waiting.”

You slid your feet into the slippers, still feeling a little dazed. Eleanor busied herself with smoothing the bed linens as though it were the most natural thing in the world. “Meaning..?” you echoed, sitting up straighter.

She chuckled lightly. “Meaning I’ll attend to your personal needs and assist you with your duties to make sure you are well taken care of.” She gave you a smile, “You’re new to all this, aren’t you?”

You looked down at the marble bashfully, nodding your head, and admitted softly, “Yes…”

“Haha, that’s quite alright. But let’s not waste anymore time! We have to get you ready for today!”

“... Huh?”

You were absolutely pampered.

The question constantly lingered— what had you done to deserve this? Probably nothing but you were thankful that you went in the stead of your older sister.

Just a short while ago, you had been treated to the greatest bath of your life, courtesy of Eleanor. She had insisted it was part of her duty as your lady-in-waiting, but it seriously felt like a ritual reserved for queens. She skillfully massaged your muscles and rubbed your scalp with rosewater serenade. And when her hands worked authentic vanilla lather across your skin, you smelled like a warm, freshly baked biscuit. An upgrade from your baths in the river.

Currently, you were seated on a leathered stool as Eleanor combed through your hair with care. The reflection in the mirror in front could leave you gushing over yourself for hours. Your gown was a waterfall of midnight blue silk with intricate silver embroidery. Your waist was still uncomfortable from the pressure of the tight corset, but the result was definitely worth it. 

A delicate web of pearls hung from around your neck, cool against your collarbone. You absentmindedly toyed with the silver tassel earrings as Eleanor finished adding the final sprinkle of silver glitter to your styled hair.

“You look absolutely breathtaking, my lady!” She exclaimed as she clapped her hands together to dust off the excess shimmer.

You smiled admiringly, turning your head left and right. “Thank you, Eleanor. I never thought I could look like this...”

You stood from the stool, walking towards the door before her voice stopped you in your tracks.

“Wait, my lady!”

You turned, watching as she carefully presented a delicate box etched with faint leaf patterns. Nestled inside were a pristine pair of white fine lace gloves that were long enough to elegantly reach the elbows. 

“His Imperial Highness the Second Prince has ordered that you must wear these whenever you are with him,” She said quietly.

“Ah. Thanks.”

You understood. It was slightly disappointing that your fiancé would go to such lengths to avoid touching you. Was the prospect of touching you truly that distasteful to him? But you shrugged off the thought and removed your heirloom ring before sliding the gloves on. You put back the ring on top. It wasn’t everyday you got to wear something this refined. Perhaps it would be everyday from now on…

But then, the memory of Rin’s chilling words echoed through your mind. “Then, I’ll find a way to get rid of you.”

Your heart clenched and you shook your head. As long as you did as commanded, you were sure you’d be fine.

“Let’s go, Eleanor.”

Your body tensed under the penetrating gazes of the countless servants. Their stares followed you as you walked down the Main Hall of the right wing, heading towards the heart of the palace.

They weren’t even trying to hide their gossip. Why would they? Servants here were no ordinary peasants, they were people of the lowest class of nobility. Sons and daughters of Earls, Counts, Barons.

“His Highness must be smitten,” one maid said, “Just look at her dress!”

“Isn’t she from the slums?”

“And she wears the Royal Heirloom on her finger!”

“So, the rumours were true, then?”

“I heard she thought she'd be marrying the Crown Prince.”

“Pftt, That’s embarrassing.”

The hushed whispers suddenly quieted down to zero, and you assumed it was probably Eleanor’s doing because you could literally feel her piercing gaze though she was trailing respectfully behind you.

“It’s alright, Eleanor, leave them al—”

The words died in your throat the moment you caught sight of him– the man you first encountered when you arrived at the palace. He was exiting the Council Hall, deep in conversation with what looked like an advisor or high-ranking official. Your heart skipped a beat as you instinctively lifted the hem of your dress and rushed towards him.

“Your Highness!” you called out, your voice chirpier than you had intended.

He turned at the sound of your familiar voice, his eyes widening just slightly in surprise. For a fleeting moment, it seemed you had embodied the grace of a princess… had your heel not caught beneath you. You stumbled, eyes squeezing shut as you braced yourself for the fall. But instead of tasting the cold, hard floor, a pair of strong hands caught you, steadying you by your waist.

“Careful,” he warned softly, his hands lingering for just a moment before falling back to his sides. “You’re not used to heels.”

You laughed awkwardly, but you could not hide the disappointment that washed over your expression as his hands left you. “No, it’s my first time.”

He paused. His eyes stayed on you for a moment longer than they should, taking in the way your dress perfectly complimented your figure. But he realized this, and his gaze quickly shifted to the golden deer emblem mounted on the wall.

“You… look different,” He continued, rubbing the back of his neck.

The hall suddenly felt hot, or maybe it was just the heat radiating from your face. You dipped your head, fiddling with your clad fingers. “Oh, do I…?” you sputtered softly, but you silently cursed yourself for replying in such an awkward manner. Of course you looked different!

“Ahem,” Eleanor chimed in, coughing into her fist dramatically. “Not to interrupt, but I hear some alarming footsteps…”

“If you slack off one more fucking time, I’ll display your decapitated head on a pike to serve as an example for your pathetic kind!” a voice yelled from behind.

Rin stepped out the Council Hall, his face an angry scowl as he finished lashing at the minister who scurried away like a frightened animal. His eyes then flickered towards you and his older brother, and his expression soured further.

He turned to look at your lady-in-waiting, speaking sternly. “I thought I told you to bring her to my study,”

“We were on our way, Your Imperial Highness,” Eleanor responded politely, bowing her head.

“Incompetent.”

Rin’s attention shifted to you, noticing the lacey white covering up to your elbows. Without warning, he inched forward and closed the distance between you, his hand snaking around your waist. You tensed as his not unwelcome grip pulled you closer, your palm instinctively flying up to settle on his chest. You looked up at him gently, hesitantly, but his eyes weren’t on you– they were locked on his older brother.

He eyed his brother suspiciously, “What are you still doing here?” He asked. “Shouldn’t you be preparing for your trip to Berlina?” 

“Berlina…?” You repeated in confusion.

“The Kingdom of Sorcery and Magic,” Eleanor quickly whispered into your ear, leaning in with her palm covering her mouth.

Sae’s expression remained indifferent, clearly unbothered. “Shouldn’t you be focusing on more important matters right now?” He let his eyes wander lazily towards your hand on Rin’s chest before he smirked. “Like… sharpening your embarrassingly inadequate swordsmanship skills?”

Rin’s face contorted in anger and his neck flushed a deep red. His grip on your shoulder tightened just enough to make you wince. “You bastard… You’ll regret this.” He seethed through clenched teeth. 

The Second Prince glanced back at Eleanor in disgust, “You’re dismissed.”

He looked back at you, noticing your extravagant dress, before furrowing his brows. “The dress you’re wearing is too fancy for a day with no important occasion.”

You glanced down at your blue gown and shrugged. “Eleanor chose it for me,”

“Who?”

“—I personally think it suits her just right.” Sae broke in suddenly, wearing a smirk on his face as though he found pleasure in annoying his younger brother.

Rin narrowed his eyes at him. “Who asked for your opinion? And what were you two talking about, anyway?”

The Crown Prince hummed, leaning against the wall behind him. “Let’s see. Well, I told her she looked different, and helped her up when she tripped on her heels.”

“Tch.”

“But be careful,” Sae’s lips twitched into a small grin, his gaze drifting to meet your eyes. “keep your eyes on this beauty else I might steal her from you. Isn’t that right, my lady?”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Your Highness, even if you joke around like that, I don’t think my heart can take it–” you whispered, and Sae chuckled lightly, though Rin quickly pulled you behind him.

“That’s enough, stay away from her.” He glared, barely affecting Sae. “Your little jokes aren’t funny.”

“Who said I was joking?” The eldest quipped nonchalantly, and Rin just rolled his eyes.

“Let’s go.” He exasperated, holding onto your wrist and dragging you alongside him.

As his hand guided you away, you looked over your shoulder, searching for a familiar pair of tourmaline eyes. Ones identical to those of your fiancé’s. But instead, all you saw was a broad back and auburn hair shifting as he walked away in the opposite direction.

Rin slammed his fist against the hardwood of his desk. That interaction seemed to have spilled gasoline to the blue flames in his eyes, which were already burning with rage. “That bastard thinks he can keep playing games with me!”

You remained still, hands folded patiently over your abdomen. The last thing you wanted to do was provoke him further.

After a tense silence, Rin let out a sigh and collapsed into the plush seat behind his desk. “It’s alright,” he began, his voice softening just slightly. His gaze locked onto you in a way that made blood rush quicker through your veins. “You’re my ticket to becoming the emperor—” He leaned forward. “I need you.”

Your breath hitched in your throat at those words, but you knew not to expect much. Still, you mustered a sweet smile. “I’ll do my best, Your Highness. You were mentioning today’s schedule…?”

He leaned back, propping his arm on the armrest. “Right. My father is holding our engagement ball next week. Every noble house will be there to congratulate us. In the week leading up to it, you will perfect your manners and court etiquette. Understood?”

You gulped hard as a huge bag of responsibility was suddenly thrown onto your back. A week? To not work on, but perfect everything?

“...Understood.”

—

“... After you master public speaking skills,” Rin went on, “you’ll focus on formal dining etiquette. I don’t want you embarrassing me by eating with your hands. Then, you’ll have dancing lessons and study Royal Dress standards. You also need to be familiar with Aquaria’s history, diplomacy, and customs– especially royal protocols and responsibilities, and….”

His voice continued on, listing task after task. Your head was spinning, and you thought you were going to faint and collapse to the ground. This wasn’t the fairytale you’d imagined. You signed up for the fun part of being a princess— the ballgowns and the makeup, and maybe kissing the prince. This was a chore, the kind that made growing carrots and potatoes seem like heaven in comparison.

“By the end of this week, I expect you to be flawless. I’ve brought in the best tutors for reading, writing, and everything else– all that easy stuff. Do not disappoint me.”

You nodded automatically, but not before adding an innocent thought that had slipped into your mind, in a slightly sarcastic manner. “Have you perfected your swordplay, though?”

Now the temperature in the room seemed to drop down to zero as he bore his narrowed eyes at you. You felt a cold shiver run up all your bones, and your knees weakened. “You think you’re funny don’t you? Do you really want to play this game with me?”

Your bravado crumbled. “N-No…”

“Then get some rest,” he ordered. “Your training starts this afternoon.”

You nodded and quietly turned to leave the study.

Six long days had passed by since your lessons began. Six mentally and physically exhausting days.

Your dance instructor was a strict middle aged lady with sharp eyes and an even sharper tongue, who worked you till your feet were bruised. She made you balance books and vases on top of your head as you marched back and forth, her shrill voice cutting you off whenever your posture was horrible, or when you mixed up the steps for a dance made for another song. Although you loathed her guts, you couldn’t deny the significant improvement of your poise.

The dinner etiquette lessons, however, offered a time-out from that hag. Yes, you learned the basics of formal dining– how to keep your elbows off the table, chew with your mouth closed, use the silver utensils correctly, and pat your lips clean with the patterned napkins. But, the best part, or reward, was tasting the delicacies they served. Truffles, lobster coated with butter, and tender lamb chops. And then there were the fancy desserts– macarons pumped with ganache filling, puff pastry, tartelette au citron, éclair au chocolat, and more.

All of which you had never dreamt of tasting in your life, you who had never tasted anything more luxurious than a loaf of bread.

You also learned how to read and write, not for the reasons you preferred, but good nonetheless. You had found a particular fondness for the history lessons, which were not tedious at all. You were focused at all times much to your mentor’s surprise. Learning about the Royal family’s reign— how they had ruled over neighboring lands for centuries, managing resources, trade, and finance— fascinated you.

But your ears always managed to tune in and pick up the subtle gossip rotating among the maids and servants in the halls and libraries, so you had learned a few things.

The two princes were locked in a one-sided rivalry. One was fighting crystal and pickaxe for the crown, while the true heir showed little interest in the throne he was destined to inherit.

Sae, the eldest, wasn’t just entitled to the crown by birthright. He excelled at everything– swordplay, defense, archery, and horseback riding for royal ceremonies or simple trips to cities. His skills were polished to literal perfection. Rin, on the other hand, was skilled, but not extraordinary. He always lived in the shadow of his brother.

Yet Rin’s desire to become emperor wasn’t merely a wish— it was a burning, desperate need, an ambition to prove himself worthy. To finally win against Sae.

Killing his brother, of course, was out of the question— such an act would be treason. Besides, Rin didn’t just want him gone; he wanted Sae to see the moment when he ascended the throne, to admit defeat, to acknowledge that Rin had bested him.

Rin believed that the key to winning favour with their father—the current emperor—and the people was to flaunt his achievements, which, to remention, were not as good as Sae’s. But his sharp tongue and cold demeanor made it difficult for him to win many hearts. Sae learned to place a mask behind his foul words, whereas Rin still struggled to.

And that’s where you came into the picture.

You weren’t just his fiancée; you were part of his strategy. He’ll show you off before the court and the public, showcasing to the world how he transformed a mere commoner, a peasant, into someone of worth. 

You came from a disgusting, needy village, yet now you stood in royal fits. To Rin, you were a symbol showing his ability to elevate those beneath him. A tool to gain the favour of the people. You could read and write now, you were beautiful, and in the eyes of the kingdom, you had the potential to become the empress one day— if, of course, Rin managed to seize the crown from his brother.

—

It was late at night, and the moon’s natural light filtered through your curtains. You moved to your huge window and brushed aside the rosegold-embroidered fabric as you peered down at the Royal Gardens. The view was similar to that of Rin’s, since your chambers were three spare rooms away from each other.

You were exhausted, but you always had time to admire the water spilling down elegantly from the angel sculptures’ stone lips, or the beautiful shrubs clipped into topiaries. 

But all the exhaustion you felt moments ago suddenly vanished when your eyes caught sight of someone unexpected. 

It was the Crown Prince. You had seen Sae around the palace during these tiring six days, and you’ve engaged in many small talks with him without Rin’s knowledge. Conversations flew naturally with him, he asked you about your life before the engagement, and though you were initially hesitant, you found yourself speaking openly with him. There was a strange ease to Sae that, oddly enough, only you seemed to feel.

You stared at him a bit too long, your gaze almost boring a hole into him, and he sensed it.

Pivoting on his heel, he made direct eye contact with you from below. A soft gasp escaped your lips, and you hurriedly pulled the curtain closed. But he could still see your silhouette, and when you peeked your head out slightly from the curtain, you could’ve sworn you’d seen him chuckle.

With a quick gesture of his hand, he beckoned you down to the gardens. Your pretty eyes widened, but you found yourself nodding eagerly with no hesitation. How could you refuse?

—

Panting softly between giggles, you rested your hands on your knees.

“I can’t believe you ran to meet me in your… nightgown,” Sae remarked, his lips curving into a subtle smirk.

You straightened and boldly stepped closer until you were only centimeters away from him. Your eyes twinkled in the moonlight, and you shone a smile brighter than la lune. 

Sae’s breath caught in his throat as your face came full view and he felt his body still. You were Rin’s fiancée– he shouldn't be looking at you like this. But the glow of moonlight was making it hard…

“... You’re beautiful,” the words slipped out naturally.

Heat flooded the sweet curves of your cheeks at the way he said it so casually, so suddenly. Your gaze dropped to the freshly cut grass, your fingers nervously tucking a loose strand of your hair behind your ear. 

“Thank you,” you muttered quietly, your voice barely above a hush.

Silence followed. But comfortable, nonetheless. Then, you noticed his hand, palm up and waiting in front of you. You blinked up at him in confusion.

“I am aware that I am in no position to do this, but…” He paused, “May I have this dance?”

Your eyebrows shot up comically in surprise, glistening doe eyes widening for the hundredth time tonight. Your heart was thumping so fast you thought it might burst from your chest, and you feared he might hear it.

It was risky, you knew that. If Rin were awake, he might have been watching from his window– his chambers were so close to yours. You knew how much he enjoyed looking from his window from the time you’ve spent together in the past week. But, he had dismissed you earlier to rest and this moment alone with Sae was tempting.

Hesitantly, your hand hovered over his before relaxing and letting it fall in his grasp. You met his gaze, and you shyly whispered, 

“I know we’re not supposed to be doing this… but I want to.” Your fingers intertwined with his, and you smiled softly. “May I have this honour, Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince?”

Sae glanced down at your hand weaved between his fingers. His brows furrowed in a frown, and a wave of panic washed over you. You literally felt your heart leap out of your chest. Had you overstepped your boundaries?

“I was only kidd—”

But instead of pulling away, he gently hooked his finger under the wristband of your glove, sliding it off your hand. You felt warmth bloom across your cheeks as he slowly removed the other glove too, making sure to leave his touch lingering on your bare skin.

“You don’t need to wear these ridiculous gloves to bed,” he said, “It’s unnecessary.”

Your cœur fluttered. “I… I just forgot,” you mumbled, embarrassed. 

He rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked into a smile as he clasped your now bare hand, while the other found its place on your waist. The fabric of your silk nightgown was thin, and his touch felt intimate, direct, and you could feel his fingertips pressing lightly against your skin.

He led you in a slow dance gracefully under the protective gaze of the serene moon, delicately spinning you before your arms naturally draped around his neck. His hand slid to the small of your back, pulling you closer. He looked so good, he smelled so good, his touch so gentle. You wanted him.

“Do you like these gardens?” He asked suddenly, giving you another twirl.

You nodded, lacing your fingers in his. “I do. It’s quiet. The palace can be… overwhelming.”

Sae raised a brow, “Overwhelming, huh? For someone like you, I suppose it would be.”

The words stung slightly, but there was no malice in his voice. You dared to meet the eyes you came to adore, “And you? Why are you here, Your Highness?”

He paused, then turned slightly. “I’m avoiding another council meeting. You’d be surprised how tedious it can be listening to old men argue for hours on end.”

You laughed softly, and for a brief moment, his eyes softened. He pointed toward a part of the garden in the distance. “Come with me,” he said simply. 

You followed, trembling as the Crown Prince led you with his fingers gently wrapped around your wrist. When you came to a stop, your breath caught in awe. Before you were roses of every shade– deep crimson, soft peach, porcelain white, and candy pink.

“They’re gorgeous,” you gasped.

“Right.” Sae bent down and plucked a single red rose from the bush, turning to you with a small, rare smile. “The red ones are my favorite,” he murmured, carefully tucking the rose into your hair.

You smiled sheepishly, gently patting the rose he’d placed. “They remind me of strawberry ja—”

“They remind me of blood,” he interrupted with a casual voice.

You blinked, startled by his answer. “R-Right.”

He chuckled softly, rubbing the area around his neck. “I can see why Rin chose you.”

You looked at him for a few seconds before quickly shaking your head. “He didn’t choose me, he just wanted any girl from our clan. My older sister was supposed to go, but I went in her stead. Besides, I’m nothing special… just convenient.”

“Convenient?” His gaze darkened slightly before his hand came up to rest on your chin. “...Don’t sell yourself short. You’re more than that.”

Your head quickly tilted down and you began to fiddle with your fingers, then with the simple lace adorning your neck. “Your Highness– stop saying things that make my heart, I don’t know, hurt?”

“Oh?” He placed his hands gently on your cheeks and you looked up at him lovingly. “That isn’t good for Rin, is it?”

You shook your head, “No, it isn’t. But he doesn’t make me feel this way.” You boldly placed your palms on his shoulders and stood on your tippy toes, and as soon as he leaned down slightly in approval, you pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

He tapped his forehead against yours and smiled. His heart was beating a bit quicker, and he found it dangerous. “Well, I’m afraid I must leave now.” He drawled.

Your heart sank a little, your ethereal eyes flicking down. You nodded slowly, “Thank you for your time, Your Highness.”

He looked down at you, his expression softening. Slowly, he lifted your hand to his lips and pressed a chaste kiss to your skin. “It was a pleasure, my lady.”

If he couldn’t hear your heart thundering in your chest one thousand miles per hour moments ago, then he sure could now. As he disappeared, you placed your hand over your chest, rubbing over the spot where he’d kissed.

It seemed like Sae had yet again bested Rin in a game neither had realized they were playing.

Tonight was your engagement ball, the grand celebration that would officially announce your impending marriage to Rin.

You were both in his chamber, dressed fully in fancy outfits. He wore an elegant white attire adorned with the brooch of Aquaria and a navy blue sash draped across his chest. You wore a pitch black gown embroidered with gold, matching gloves, and heavy golden jewelry that Rin had exclusively bought for you. 

The party had already begun downstairs, the grand ballroom filled with the most important guests from across the empire. But the grand entrance of the soon-to-be bride and groom had to wait for the Emperor’s speech, set to occur an hour after the festivities commenced.

“It’s a lunar eclipse,” you mused admiringly, leaning against the window. The moon, bloody red from the umbra, hung in the night sky ominously. “I’ve read about the phenomenon in the Royal Library. The stars look so close… they look like they could fall right into our hands.”

Rin rolled his eyes and walked closer to you, resting his hand on your further shoulder. He stared out the window in boredom. “How poetic,” he muttered sarcastically. “Even the moon is congratulating us tonight.”

You turned your gaze from the sky to him, your hand gently smoothing out a small wrinkle on his sash. “It’s time, isn’t it? We should head to the Ballroom.”

He grumbled in response, pushing your hand aside as if your touch was unnecessary. 

The intricate grandfather clock suddenly chimed loudly. Midnight had arrived.

Tick.

“In the Twilight of the Eclipsing Red Moon…”

Tick.

“When Stars Align and Shadows Loom…”

Tick.

A strange voice seemed to rise from nowhere. You flinched visibly, a shiver creeping up your spine as the tiny hairs on the back of your neck stood up. You quickly found Rin’s hand and grasped it tightly. 

“D-Did you hear that?” You shuddered, voice trembling.

He raised an eyebrow. “Hear what? You’re imagining things.”

You shook your head, swallowing hard. “No… I swear, I heard something– like a voice. It was…”

He scoffed, shaking his head dismissively. “It’s just the clock ticking. Don’t start getting all nervous on me now.” His grip tightened around your hand, but you doubted it was for your comfort. “You’re going to be on your best performance for me, Got it?”

You hesitantly nodded, your gaze lingering on the moon for a few more seconds. The red, eerie glow still haunted your thoughts. You reluctantly turned away, looping your arm through Rin’s to exit the chamber and enter the grandeur.

“Yes…”

“And I want to thank you all once more for attending tonight’s ball,” The Emperor’s proclamation boomed from behind the closed doors. The attention of every soul present was on him. “I would now like to announce the formal entry of The Second Prince of Aquaria, and his fiancée, a soon-to-be princess, Y/N!”

The large doors, decorated with orchids and bloody red roses, parted dramatically to reveal you and Rin hand in hand. The Royal Guards on each side immediately stiffened and raised gloved hands to their head in salute. 

The aristocrats hushed immediately and their eyes followed as you both stepped onto the red carpet, descending the grand staircase and heading towards the two thrones.

You halted just below the steps of the thrones, immediately lowering your head in a bow of respect alongside Rin.

“Greetings, Your Imperial Majesties,” you murmured, lifting your head as you learned to.

“... Thank you, Father, Mother,” Rin’s voice followed formally.

Your gaze shifted towards the Empress. You particularly loved her as her lovely crimson hair always seemed to remind you of Sae. Oh, speaking of the Crown Prince, where was he? You hadn’t caught a glimpse of him yet. 

You turned your head, eyes subtly scanning the room in search of a distinct redhead. And in the corner of your eye, you found him leaning casually against a balcony pillar, arms folded over his chest and eyes closed.

Your gaze softened at the sight of him before refocusing on the mob of aristocratic ladies and noblemen that had rushed to circle your betrothed as soon as the Imperial Greetings were over. They approached and offered smiles under snobby and vexing expressions, backhanded compliments under the guise of praise.

“Such a refreshing choice, Your Imperial Highness!” A brunette lady gibed, fanning herself with an elegant fan as she slyly smirked, “You’ve truly outdone us all in… originality.”

A Lord chuckled beside her, his laugh insufferably pompous. “I must say, Your Highness, I certainly admire you embracing such humble roots! A prince of the people! Ho ho ho!”

“I’m glad we have such a reliable prince who values all his subjects equally!”

“It is odd that His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince hasn’t found a lady yet.” One brought up.

An Earl added, “That’s true. He’s supposed to step up to the throne sooner or later. He needs an heir once he becomes Emperor.”

You squeezed Rin’s hand discreetly as he bit his lip in frustration at the mention of his brother. He needed to restrain himself at least this one time. 

“I appreciate your sentiments–” he began, but faltered for a split second. “No I fucking don—” You squeezed his hand again, giving him a gentle nudge, and he cleared his throat. “Your support is reassuring,” he finished with a strained smile.

As your fiancé continued chatting with the backhanded nobles, your attention kept drifting towards Sae, stealing quick glances every now and then. He had begun conversing with a group of higher officials and ministers, likely discussing Berlina, The Kingdom of Sorcery and Magic that he had frequented many times to strengthen the Empire’s growing alliances.

Loud enchanting music began to play from the orchestra and many already established couples began to dance in the center. Expensive and rare gifts began to pile at your feet, congratulatory offerings from various guests. Rin accepted them indifferently and reluctantly offered his thanks with as much enthusiasm as the stone sculptures that lined the ballroom.

“This jewel was found in the Ancient land of Topion and is thought to bring good fortune!”

“This exotic bird from Elakis produces gold everytime it sings!”

“This sword is forged by a legendary ghost smith whose body lives in the volcanic depths of Loo!”

You froze when Sae stepped forward as the next gifter, and it seemed like the entire room was also holding its breath. He approached, your widened eyes drifting down to the elegant box in his hand. He opened it, revealing an intricate necklace with shimmering, round pearls.

“An authentic pearl necklace crafted by the Merman Emperor of Eau.” Sae presented with his usual calm demeanor, making it hard to believe that he had spent days negotiating with the merman to create a necklace exclusively suitable for you.

Your mouth parted in surprise, and the words tumbled out. “Oh– thank you! It’s… beautiful.”

Rin rolled his eyes, gently fisting your hair and lifting it to expose your neck. “You didn’t have to do that,” He hissed through gritted teeth, looking at Sae with teal eyes that crinkled in hate.

Sae met his brother’s glare with a simple hum, fastening the beaded necklace around your neck. You bit your lip tightly as his touch lingered on your skin, looking down at the pearls that beautifully settled against your collarbone. “That would be disrespectful to you both, I’m afraid,” He said. “Even Our Father, the Emperor, has offered her pleasantries.”

Rin clicked his tongue and looked back at you, wrapping his arm possessively around your waist and pulling you closer to him. He pressed a quick kiss to your forehead, catching you by surprise. The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes at the gesture.

“Come on, darling,” Rin emphasized as he spat out the term of endearment, though he internally cringed and wanted the ballroom to rupture and swallow him whole. The pet name left a bitter taste at the tip of his tongue. “It’s time for our dance.”

You nodded, your lips parting to speak, but, “Of course, Your High—”

“The Great’s Fate is Sealed in the Veil of Night…”

That haunting voice again. Your ears were ringing. You quickly squeezed your eyes shut and froze in your tracks.

“...By the Hand of One from Mystic Light.”

“I-It’s the voice again!” You whimpered, hands flying to your ears in a desperate attempt to block out the sound. “I hear it!”

Rin scoffed loudly, glancing left and right at the guests who were exchanging confused looks. Sae, on the other hand, seemed out of it, with half-closed, bleary eyes.

“Quit it, you fool!” Rin cursed in annoyance, his patience snapping. He grabbed you by your shoulders and yanked you to his chest away from their judgemental gazes.

“Voice? I don’t hear anything,” a lady whispered.

“Neither do I,” someone else chimed in.

A voice snickered, “She said ‘again’.”

“His Imperial Highness must be marrying someone with auditory hallucinations.” The words stung as they left another noble’s mouth.

Then, in an instant, the ballroom plunged into darkness as the bright chandeliers went out. The ballroom was only illuminated by the glow of a large bolt of lightning, and a thunder rattled so violently it deafened you and shook the windows. When the bulbs flickered back on, a shrill lady’s voice pierced the silent room.

“T-The Crown Prince! He’s not moving!”

All eyes shot to Sae, who lay motionless and graceful on the floor, hand on top of hand. He looked calm, as though he was merely resting. 

You gasped in fear, hands flying to your mouth as you tried to stay balanced on your feet. Rin’s eyes in particular were the widest. The atmosphere in the room immediately shifted to terror as everyone noticed the ink-blue vines creeping slowly up his neck, thorn designs wrapping themselves around his throat.

“T-That’s… Alexis’ Curse!” The Emperor panicked.

You had read about it. Alexis’ Curse—an ancient legend of a wizard scorned by love. His heart had been shattered by the daughter of a shoemaker, Michelle Kaiser, who had chosen her Earl lover over him. She always refused Alexis’ advances, and the gifts he’d always present. 

Enraged, Alexis had cursed the Earl, condemning him to a fate of eternal sleep unless the one he loved kissed him to break the spell. The curse wasn't one of eternal youth, however—the body continued to age, to decay, until there was nothing left but ugly bones. 

But because Alexis had disposed of his inked body in his tower, the Earl had died alone, Michelle never finding him.

The curse had become a myth, that Alexis’ wrath was aimed at those of high status, warning them of the dangers of meddling with those beneath them. 

But the nobles’ faces were literally drained of colour because what had once been myth was now terrifyingly real, before their very eyes.

It had been a few weeks since the disaster during your engagement party.

They had sealed Sae’s lifeless body deep in a chamber within the Main Palace’s basement. You attempted sneaking in multiple times, but you failed– the entry was heavily guarded and there was too much risk. And besides, if slipping past your lady-in-waiting wasn’t hard enough, Rin had become increasingly possessive as the possibility of being promoted to Crown Prince rose. That is if he was elected as so in the Royal Committee Meeting.

He was proud enough that he’d permit small acts of closeness– letting you remove your gloves when in his presence, even sharing his chamber. So, you would never risk waking him up while trying to sneak into the basement.

You recalled the aftermath of the disastrous ball vividly:

—

“I never knew he was so pathetic,” Rin sneered that night, running a hand through his dark hair before resting it at your throat and squeezing lightly. “Falling in love with you? A commoner? He must be out of his mind.”

He chuckled as he released you, pulling you into his chest.

“The whole Empire is so stupid. They think he fell in love with someone else. But it’s better this way.”

—

Yet despite Rin’s actions, your thoughts remained with Sae. You’d spent the weeks caring for Celestia, his white mare, as well as tending to Rin’s black stallion which he had never bothered to give a name to. You learned from the stable workers that Celestia was the mother of the charcoal horse.

Tonight, however, a once in a red moon opportunity presented itself. Your fiancé was away on royal business in Yelund, negotiating financial matters with their government in place of the Crown Prince. You took this chance, knowing it was the only one, and decided to sneak out.

You left your chamber, clutching a cage with a rat you’d found in the servants residence. You made your way through the darkened corridors until you reached the entrance of the basement. You hid yourself behind a large stone pillar and took a deep breath, tossing a small block of cheese across the room as a distraction. 

The guards were alarmed by the subtle noise and quickly whipped their heads and ran towards the sound. You bit your lip in concentration— everything was going according to your plan. You quickly released the rat from its cage, watching it scurry across the concrete, and silently slipped into the Royal basement. You sighed in relief as you heard a guard's voice.

“Oh, it’s just a rat. Guards, get back into position.”

—

You slid off your heels so that your bare feet barely made a sound as they grazed the stone steps of the staircase. The basement wasn’t very illuminated if not for the dim candles that hung on the wall, and the stench was not horrible as you thought it would be. Instead, it smelled like preserved jasmine.

You were at the last step when you put your hand on the concrete wall, trying to catch your breath.

At the bottom, in the center of the relatively smaller room, stood a rectangular crystal glass box. Inside it, Sae lay perfectly still. The sight of him made your gaze soften and your heart clench as if it was put in a meat slicer. His skin was pale, but it was bolded, in contrast, by the inky blue vines tracing thorn and rose patterns across his body. 

His cheeks and ears were faintly flushed by a baby pink dust, and his lips looked so soft, so gentle, so inviting. Stray strands of his red hair lay on the cushion beneath him, his long lashes resting against his cheekbones.

You were aching as you approached the enclosure. Your fingers trembled as you pressed them to the glass, your breath slightly fogging the surface. Tears blurred your vision as they began to roll down your cheeks, and you leaned down to gently caress his cheek with your bare hand, feeling the coolness of his skin.

You sniffled and your palms went to rub your glossy eyes, before you straightened up and curled your fingers on the glass in a tight grip. He looked beautiful, you thought, with roses that matched his hair colour surrounding him all over.

“Your Imperial Highn— no, Sae—” you whispered, “I… I love you, too.”

You cupped his face with quivering hands, your thumbs rubbing sweet circles on his skin as you contorted your body awkwardly to reach him. The glass was positioned high, at your waist’s level, so you had to twist your body and bend to touch him intimately.

Sae remained unmoving, yet you had hoped that somewhere deep within his slumber, he could sense your touch, or the sincerity of your unsteady voice confessing your reciprocated love.

As you leaned in to kiss him, that same sharp voice that you always hear yet again cut through your ears, and you instinctively covered them with your hands for protection.

“But From the Dust of Forgotten Lands,”

Your heart thumped faster in your chest as you tried to shake it off.

“Shall Rise a Heart with Common Hands,”

Beads of cold sweat trickled down your temple— you could never get used to the voice, no matter how many times you’d heard it.

“With Lips of Rose and Spirit Warm,”

Your hands fisted at the cotton under Sae, inhaling deeply before bending down until your face was inches away from his.

“To Bring the Order, End the Storm.”

Your lips hesitantly hovered over his mouth before you fluttered your eyes shut and pressed them against his in a kiss. Your lips together were so soft, yet they weren’t moving against each other like a mutual kiss would. They locked seamlessly in a way that felt strangely natural, as if the pair were made for each other. 

Your lips lingered against his for a few seconds, and you wanted to relish the moment more, but you felt a subtle shift in Sae’s body. A faint flinch, almost imperceptible, ran through him, and the blue roses on his skin suddenly began to glow.

You pulled back before you could fully comprehend what was even happening, your lips just brushing his as you turned and sprinted towards the stairs. Fortunately, the guards on duty were in the midst of a shift exchange, so you assumed you had gone off flawlessly.

But not entirely.

A certain awakened man had caught a glimpse of your hair as it bounced during your escape.

The first light of morning stabbed your eyes, and they fluttered open abruptly as you realized Rin’s hands were on your shoulders, shaking you harshly. His face was itched in a deep scowl, his breath hot against your skin.

“What the fuck is all this about? This is what I come back to, you fucking whore?” He fumed venomously.

You blinked in confusion– your head was still fogged with sleep, after all. 

“W-What..?”

—

The usual tranquility of the whole palace was broken by hurried, squeaky footsteps and frantic voices. News of the Crown Prince’s revival had spread like wildfire through the Royal Quarters: the sleeping prince had defeated the curse and had awakened after only a few mere weeks.

The servants and maids rushed through the hallways, scrambling to prepare for what would be an unexpected audience. Gossips and rumours flowed through every corridor of the palace faster than the head maid brewing herbal tea in preparation for noble guests.

And in the Royal Gardens outside, hundreds to near thousands of noblemen and noblewomen who were alerted of the Sae’s revival gathered, dressed in their finest dresses and suits. 

Oh, you were so fucked.

—

“M-My lady, this isn’t good!” Eleanor cried as she ran into your room, “Hundreds of guests have arrived in the Throne room, and both princes are there too! His Imperial Majesty is now urgently awaiting your presence!”

Your hands instinctively wrapped around your abdomen, and you suddenly felt nauseous. Your body shook slightly, your teary eyes fixing themselves on the ground. You loved Sae, you really did, but doubt was gnawing at your organs. Kissing him felt right in that moment, yet you were starting to regret ever doing it. 

What if he didn’t want your help? What if your peasant lips had tainted him? What if he didn’t want you?

“I… I don’t want to go,” you hiccuped, walking around your room in circles. “I’m so stupid, I should have never—”

“No, my lady,” She interrupted gently. “You must.”

You gulped and nodded hesitantly. Rin’s anger lingered in your mind like salt and pepper— his eyes were boiling over with rage, his face tinted a deep crimson red. You had never seen him like that, and now, as you stepped into the crowd gathered in the grand hall, all heads turned to look at you in a way that made you even more uncomfortable.

But the Emperor, however, did not seem angry. Weird enough, he looked elated for reasons you couldn’t yet pinpoint.

As Eleanor had said, Rin and Sae were both present, standing opposite each other like the rivals they were. Rin was struggling to contain the way he was absolutely fuming, while Sae was blatantly staring at you with no intention of hiding it. Unlike the way you usually reacted to the Crown Prince’s gaze, you felt rather nervous, flexing and unflexing your fingers.

You pinched the fabric of your simple gown and bowed low, and the thin patterns of the marble floor never seemed so interesting.

“Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty,” you addressed. 

The Emperor nodded in acknowledgment, before turning his attention to Sae expectantly. “My son.”

“Yes, father.”

Before your wracked mind could process what was happening, Sae suddenly began striding toward you. Rin was a considerable distance away from you but he also furrowed his brows in confusion. A million thoughts started to run through his mind and he felt the unease creeping up his spine. Had they planned something behind his back?

Sae came to a stop in front of you, and your breath caught in your throat as you felt his arms, so muscular despite being under layers of hand-crafted clothing, loop around your waist and pull you close. Your face pressed against his chest, and your hands awkwardly hung near your sides despite being desperate to place themselves in places they’d beg to touch.

Loud gasps and surprised awes of the hundreds of uninvited, stunned guests echoed throughout the large room.

“Hey, what the heck–?” Rin suddenly snapped, biting down on his lip so hard that blood seeped out, the iron leaving a metallic taste on his tongue.

He didn’t like you, not really, but he had finally claimed something– someone that his older brother desired, and now it felt as though Sae was taking you from him. 

It irritated him to no end, the way Sae’s hand gently patted your hair and the way you sheepishly smiled into his suit like an idiot– who the heck did you think you were? How could you? How fucking dare you?

And more importantly, why was the Emperor fine with this? Why was he chuckling so carelessly akin to the circus’ fool? What was going on?

But your mind was already in Saturn. You were lost in the Crown Prince’s musky scent and the oh-so-delicate taps of his fingers on your head, and when you heard that voice again, you closed your eyes knowingly and smiled for the first time in what felt like forever.

“A Crown of Old Shall Find its Grace,”

“In the Embrace of a Simple Face.”

“Y/N.” Sae’s voice broke through your thoughts and the voices of gossip in the crowd died down instantly. He tilted your chin up gently, thumbs caressing your face sweetly before his hands found their place on your cheeks.

Your eyes darted left and right nervously, avoiding his gaze. He'd never called you by your first name before. You shook those thoughts away and met his gaze. “Yes…?”

“You know,” He started, “To break the curse, the feeling of love must be mutual…”

Your cradled head nodded in his hands in embarrassment, and you felt heat creep up from your neck to your ears. “I’m aware,”

“So?”

Your eyes widened and immediately snapped down to the floor, watching your simple heels shuffling softly. You couldn’t help the soft giggle that escaped past your lips, and you only hoped that no one had heard that. You looked up at him affectionately.

“I love you…” Your voice dripped like melted caramel on his tongue, so sweet.

He smiled– a real, genuine smile that no one besides you could see– and leaned down, whispering an “I love you too,” before sealing his lips against yours. The kiss was gentle, and you let out a soft sigh as your fingers curled onto the rich fabric, gripping onto his attire tightly. His lips were warm as they moved against yours, unlike the cold, unmoving lips that you had claimed a while back. 

When you finally pulled away, your eyes fluttered open, dazed with bleary eyes, little hearts seemingly etched into your pupils.

The crowd erupted into cheers and gasps, and maybe a few rolls of the eyes and glares from jealous noblewomen or daughters of Lords who had hoped to have Sae all to themselves, though you barely registered anything.

Why would anything matter, when you were here, openly in his arms?

“His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince is in love with his soon-to-be sister-in-law? This is hot news!”

“The Second Prince didn’t love her anyway.”

“He didn’t? But was it really a marriage of convenience, then?”

“No way, he must have been in love. What’s there to gain from a commoner?”

“But what could a village girl like her possibly offer the Crown Prince?”

The Emperor suddenly rose from his golden throne and stepped down the carpeted stairs, standing in the center. He cleared his throat and raised his scepter high in the air.

“I, the Emperor of the Royal Empire of Aquaria, officially dissolve the engagement between Y/N and the Second Prince, and announce the engagement between her and the Crown Prince!”

Rin’s eyes twitched. His fists clenched tighter by his sides, knuckles white and nails digging deep into his palms. He felt humiliated in front of so many people, but it is said that what goes around comes around. 

“Huh? But Father, she's—” Rin began, but the Emperor turned his head and shot him a threatening glare. 

“Emperor’s order.” With a voice that sharp, there was no possible room for argument.

You also stood frozen, mouth hanging open in disbelief as you blinked at the Emperor in the distance. But Sae’s fingers tipped your chin back up and his lips latched onto yours in a bold, open-mouthed kiss.

“Look at me,” he murmured as he pulled back slightly to look at you, his breath warm against your skin.

Your breath hitched, your gaze locking onto his. “Your Highness… I can’t believe this is happening,” You whisper-yelled in excitement, your hands waving around uncertainly.

He gently poked your cheeks. “You’ll take my last name since you don’t have one.”

You pinched yourself to check if this was all just a dream. If it was, you didn’t want to wake up. But it was all too real. The Crown Prince was now your fiancé. You were going to be the Crown Princess, and eventually, the Empress. And you were going to take his last name because commoners do not have the privilege of family names.

And despite everything, you strangely felt no deep remorse. You had slightly opened up to and grown fond of Rin in the past few weeks– he had those moments, but with you in his brother’s arms right now, you felt something different. You felt bad, but at the same time you didn’t. It wasn’t guilt. It was more complicated, but in the end, you didn’t dwell on it. You didn’t need to.

Rin stood in his spot motionless like a fallen angel’s statue, face hidden by a brush of his dark bangs. His eyes were fixed on the floor and his hands were clutching onto his pants like if he removed them hell would break loose.

His plan had backfired on him. Initially, he had chosen you, a commoner, as his fiancée to gain favour with the people, to appeal to the majority of Aquaria’s population, who were commoners themselves. It seemed like a strategic move at the time. His father, the Emperor, was known for his peculiar love for equality and would occasionally volunteer in villages, much to his dismay. Rin had believed marrying you would show his alignment with his father’s baffling… values, and would increase his chances of becoming the next ruler.

But no. His darn prodigy of a brother had bested him once again. Sae was better at everything: swordplay, horse riding, diplomacy, even winning nobles’ hearts. And now, his brother had not only fallen in love with his fiancée, a dumb commoner from the slums that he had chosen to boost his image, but also managed to make her fall heads over heels for him as well.

If that hadn’t infuriated him enough, he despised how his father wore that sickeningly proud smile on his face as he clapped his hands together, and how the couples were cheering and twirling like morons on the floor. While he stood stiff and awkward in the corner, insides seething in mixed emotions, hearing your stupid giggles and his brother’s irritatingly sweet reassurances of a better life with him. Sae had taken everything away from him, and it felt like salt being rubbed into an open wound.

But Rin hated his older brother, and he hated you too.

So on the night of your wedding, the chambermaid in your room let out a blood-curdling shriek, her face as pale as the moonlight that shone through the window. 

Cruel streaks of mulberry and plum bruises painted the delicate canvas of your neck. The once-pure white of your nightgown now blemished with spreading stains of deep cherryrose dye called blood, seeping through the fabric and into the silken sheets beneath. 

A severed porcelain horse’s head lay propped beside the body with vacant eyes, and scattered across the carpet were shattered remnants of a pearl necklace.

“But Do not be Fooled, One Shall Not Bloom,”

A dagger, its handle carved from true blue sapphire, was loosely wrapped between cold, limp fingers of a lifeless corpse sprawled across a river of red.

“For This, Will Lead to One’s Gentle Doom.”

© 2024 bluelockmaniac — do not repost, copy, translate, modify, etc my work on any platform !

[that-weird-thing-in-the-woods]

~{ So I was listening to “They’re only human” Death note the musical and this come out of the brain so here you gremlins go! }~

🌌🌙The Solar🌙🌌

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

If someone asked danny what he thought his life in the future would look like he would have said something like “Of course I will be an astronaut!” Or something to that effect

But what he did not expect was for him to have a protective and strong ass husband [Who is phantom and now the Ghost king and isn’t that something] with a little toddler who is 2 ( Dani who will be called dawn in this ) and a little protective toddler who is 4 (Dan who is called dusk) who he loves more than anything

And gain a ghost family who adores him (but for the price of another) who put up with his husband and adore him as well as spoil his Sun and Moon rotten

Now let’s see how this become as it has shall we?

====================================

Danny was having a bad day, first he almost miss class again [due to a mix of being to exhausted to get up on his on from fighting ghosts all night and with jazz being busy with college hunting so she couldn’t wake him up and his parents don’t even know what time he wakes up at for school]

Second Dash wouldn’t leave him alone and it was becoming hard to keep himself..well not really himself but recently he’s been feeling this that for a better word are not his to feel like when a ghost hit a bit to hard to feels rage and protectiveness wash over him anyway back to this.

Third Sam and Tucker were both out for separate reasons for Sam her parents had some kind of rich people thing to do and dragged her with them and tucker with his family were going to visit some relatives so yeah Danny had no one to hang out with.

Third apparently they had a test in English that nobody told Danny about so he knows he is going to fail that and some other things but it would get to long if we bought all that up but you get the point

So when Danny gets back home and all he wants to do is go to his room change into phantom and hug/chill himself out who is anyone to deny him [Like with the feeling feels that weren’t his, yeah he got the habit after a very bad day where his parents shot him in the back of the leg and it hurt bad so he hugged himself and apparently it was the right thing to do because he started to feel better! Not physically no it still hurt like a motherfucker but emotionally yes so he started to do that when ever he felt he needed comfort]

So Danny goes to his bedroom [not noticing the tall orange figure following him up] and closes the door [it was left ajar just enough for someone to look in] and changes into phantom but he hears the door open the door and he turns to see his dad looking at him

And the next thing he knows is a red hot pain coming from his side and blacks out

=====================================

It has been a week a long and painful week since his parents found out

After Jack [NEVER dad never again] he brought him down to the lab and tied him to a table and did…unspeakable things to him…have been doing this to him for a week

After two days Danny heard two more wails and he recognized the voices it was dan and Dani! [his children] and they were hurting them, Danny tired to get their attention to him to get them away from them but the damage was done and Dani and Dan went into their cores due to the damage but thank the ancients the cores were basically a undamageable and none of their weapons work on them

So that turns all their attention on him and how that would be their downfall [and the whole dimensions with them]

On day five is when Danny’s human “half” gives out due to no food or water and with the torture Maddie and Jack have inflicted on him it wasn’t really a surprise but what was when phantom and Danny unfazed and phantom was pissed they hurt Danny [his husband] they hurt Dani and Dan [his children] they weren’t getting of easy

So well they were fighting the now fully ghost Danny gets out from his restraints and grabs Dani and dans cores and pushes them inside him to heal them by essentially force feeding their cores clean ecto

Than phantom grabs him and pulls him fast to the portal and the go through and as they do they destroy the portal [not knowing that in doing that they let out all the built-up ecto and that essentially bombs the dimension taking everything with it]

And now that brings Danny here after healing and when the children cores got enough ecto that they could come out [as well as speed running a very loving relationship that is still going very strong]

And now Danny is very happy with his life now or well after-life

=====================================

~{ Now onto the DCU part! }~

When Damian got into a fight with father he expected to be benched as Robin for a few days or a week what he was not expecting was for father to assigned him to go and watch a warehouse that is known for not having been used for anything for longer than Damien himself has been alive [it’s due to a cult that hangs around there not that the bats know that]

So now here is Damien tide up in surprisingly good rope that he can not break free from in the middle of a summoning circle and waiting for the other to get here while the cultist surrounds the circle and start to speak in a language Damian does not understand and Damian doesn’t believe anything will happen

Until the summoning circle turns into a portal and Damian falls through as the others get there to help him

The last thing Damien remembers before he passes out is someone yelling after a while Damian wakes up in a bed…? A very soft large bed with a lot of space and as Damien takes in his surroundings he hears a door opening and as he turns his head to look he sees a tall man…? Woman? Person let’s go with that

They walk over to him and start cooing? At him and  fretting over him [✨Mom instincts✨] and stuff a few days? [time is weird Damian has found] and the person has started to bring him with them as they walk around [Danny wants the little child to get some air and cleaner Ecto] and he has met the person’s children who are named dusk and dawn respectively and they have taken him as their older brother he believes this is due to the person [who he now knows his name is Solar, it’s not just everyone calls him that due to his space obsession] calls him his Stars much like how he calls this children his Sun and Moon

And with meeting Solar with Dawn and Dusk it is a guarantee that Damien was to meet Solar infamous husband Phantom [who he has heard about from the whispers of some of the working staff] and it goes pretty well [not that Phantom can do shit to this child his husband has already taken him in as his own] so he lets the child stay for how long as he likes

Meanwhile with the Batfam

The Batfam are freaking TF out about where Damian is and is he safe OMG-

=====================================

~{ And that’s all I can really do with the DCU part I am very tired if you can’t tell and now onto the details! }~

Now for Danny outfit I’m thinking something like this

With this over coat

And for hair/hair ornaments

And for phantom you know the drill blue-greenish skin, white hair and pointy ears

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

~{ And that is about it! Sorry if the last part is weird I am very tired and sleepy anyway I hope you guys like this and see you gremlins later byeeee }~

[wolfwrenweek]

The prompts for the second annual WolfWren Week (Nov 11-15) have been decided! Our theme this year is Tarot Cards, meaning each day of the event will have prompts and a card to use for inspiration. Check out our full About & Rules for more! A text version of the prompt graphic can also be found below.

DAY ONE: November 11 The Moon | Lothal UPRIGHT: Illusion, fear, anxiety, subconscious, intuition REVERSED: Release of fear, repressed emotion, inner confusion

PROMPTS: “Are you following me?” I Can Make Her Worse Fighting as Flirting Touch Starved Eye Contact Vampire AU Sparring Hatefuck

DAY TWO: November 12 The Wheel of Fortune | The Eye of Sion UPRIGHT: Good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point REVERSED: Bad luck, resistance to change, breaking cycles

PROMPTS: "You want to kiss me so bad it makes you look stupid.” You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling “Why are you looking at me like that?" Soulmate Identifying Mark Bounty Hunter AU Force Bond

DAY THREE: November 13 The Tower | Great Mothers' Fortress on Peridea UPRIGHT: Sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation, awakening REVERSED: Personal transformation, fear of change, averting disaster

PROMPTS: "I'd let the world burn for you." “Don’t leave.” / “Please stay.” “I still hate you," "Good." Abandonment Issues Enemies to Lovers "I can help you." Sharing Clothes Injury/Healing Rebel Shin Cowboy AU

DAY FOUR: November 14 The Chariot | Thrawn's Star Destroyer UPRIGHT: Control, willpower, success, action, determination REVERSED: Self-discipline, opposition, lack of direction

PROMPTS: Put her canine teeth in the side of my neck To Be Loved Is To Be Changed “You came?” “You called.” "Going somewhere?” Trans Shin Hati / T4T Arranged Marriage Ancient Greece AU Body Worship Medieval AU

DAY FIVE: November 15 The Lovers | Sabine Wren / Shin Hati UPRIGHT: Love, harmony, relationships, values alignment, choices REVERSED: Self-love, disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values

PROMPTS: Shin through Sabine’s POV / Sabine through Shin’s POV “It's rotten work" "not to me, not if it's you" Accidental Co-Parenting/Co-Guardians Scissor Till The Cows Come Home Oh my god they were roommates… Florist/Tattoo Artist AU Shin Learning Mando’a Return to Mandalore Love at First Bite Domestic Life Post-Peridea

You can follow along with us on Twitter/X and Instagram as well 💚🧡 If you have any questions or concerns, our ask box is open! Don't forget to add #wolfwrenweek and #wolfwrenweek2024 onto anything you create as well! All the art featured in this post was created by the lovely @sapphicsparkles, don’t forget to go check out their other work too 🗡️

[hb-writes]

Drifting

Summary: Set in New Moon. Now that her family has drifted apart, Mia starts having nightmares.

Characters: Carlisle Cullen & Mia Cullen (OC)

Content Warnings: nightmares, loneliness, depression, new moon angst

Twilight (Mia Cullen) Masterlist

Mia’s throat felt tight—tight and raw and sore from trying not to cry. From trying not to alert her mother or sister to the fact that her breathing was off—whimper-laced and labored and accompanied by a relentless stream of tears dampening her face and pillow. 

And though Mia wished to keep it to herself, the effort she put forth seemed only to be making it worse, and more difficult to conceal, so she stopped trying to stop it. She stopped caring if they heard and just willed herself to breathe, one inhale and exhale at a time until the rhythm felt more natural. 

More manageable.

They all knew Mia wasn’t sleeping—or everyone who was left, that is. There weren’t many of them any longer—just her parents, Jasper, Alice, and her.

Edward had left them without explanation or notice. Mia thought that perhaps he had spoken with some of the others—their parents, at least—but he hadn’t told Mia he was going. He hadn’t given her the option of saying goodbye, and there hadn’t been contact between them since his leaving. 

Rosalie and Emmett’s decision to spend some time away from the family hadn’t arrived long after, the two of them packing up and leaving within a few days of their decision. Rosalie had joyfully proposed the trip as a recreation of their third honeymoon. They hadn’t had a solo-vacation in years. Now was the perfect opportunity. 

Mia hadn’t argued the point. She hadn’t had it in her to fight because by that point, Mia had already been sleeping fitfully, exhaustion tainting nearly every day that passed. 

Mia initially blamed her troubled sleep on the change in time zones, claiming that she was still on West Coast time. In a way, the words were true, with her heart still wishing she was actually back home. Wishing that she was still in Forks and things were still how they had been before Bella’s birthday. 

But instead she was in a town that she didn’t want to be in with the people she loved scattered across the world. Instead, she was trying to sleep in a house her body didn’t recognize as home, her heart and her mind forever drifting elsewhere.

And even though she had come to think of Forks as home, Mia knew home wasn’t really an actual place for her. Home was family and love. It was togetherness. And Mia would barely call this togetherness. 

Not with half of the family gone and those who remained busying themselves with distraction upon distraction.

Her father was working overtime to establish himself at the hospital. And because of the unseasonably sunny weather, he’d stuck to overnights which had him out of the house regularly for 12 hour shifts, arriving at the local hospital just as the sun, if there was one, was setting, and arriving home just as it rose.

Her mother had thrown herself into a new remodeling project, flipping a ancient, decrepit farmhouse a county over.

Jasper was studying at the university, passing his evenings in classes and staying overnight at the library that remained open 24/7. 

And Alice seemed to always be busy, always in front of a laptop screen with headphones over her ears, teaching herself some new coding technique that Mia didn’t even want to understand. 

They were each tied up in their own thing, but Mia had no interest in throwing herself into school or meeting new people. She had no real interest in reading any more either, though she spent countless hours sitting by the small lake on their property with her book open in her lap as she stared at the fallen leaves drifting on the calm water.

More often than not, Mia fell asleep there out by the water, the only restful sleep she seemed able to get. She didn’t dream when she napped, didn’t wake up in a cold sweat with her heart rate soaring. No, the dreams seemed only to come at night. Only in the dark. 

On some level, Mia knew the dreams weren’t real. She knew there was no reason to believe the pain and death she saw in her mind’s eye had actually come to pass, but without having them here—without being able to see and speak to them, the need to confirm had become so overwhelming that Mia couldn’t get back to sleep without proof, and even then, she often struggled, laying there awake until morning came. 

She offered excuses to Rosalie and Emmett when she called them in the middle of the night. “I just missed you,” she always offered. “When are you coming back?”

The answers were always noncommittal, and though Mia hated it, she didn’t really blame them. She didn’t want to be here either. Mia didn’t want to be enrolled in a new school. She didn’t want her family scattered across the world. She didn’t want her friends on the other side of the country, any contact with them expressly forbidden, but it all felt out of Mia’s realm of control. 

She was powerless in those matters, just as she was powerless to whether or not Edward’s phone went to voicemail in the middle of the night. She didn’t know where he’d gone, or if he’d kept his phone. She didn’t know if he’d ever be back. 

Mia wondered if Edward was taking anyone’s calls, but she didn’t dare to ask, too afraid of the answer, some part of her knowing it would hurt her either way. Either her uncertainty and fear would continue, or the sting of his ignoring her would overtake the pain of the uncertainty. 

“Is he okay?” she would ask her sister when the persistent echo of a particularly bad dream would force her from her bedroom in the middle of the night. 

Alice would always dutifully close her eyes, as if reaching out for some thread that could tie her to Edward, some inkling of his future. Mia knew her sister’s visions didn’t work in that way, but she willed herself to take some sort of solace when Alice opened her eyes and offered a small smile.

“He’s alright.” 

It was easiest when the dreams were about Alice or Esme. They were always home at night and she could simply seek them out, confirming with her own two eyes that they were well. They never pressed when Mia sought them out in the middle of the night, allowing her to cuddle up beside them until she fell back asleep, and not bringing it up once daylight returned. 

Mostly because they all knew what was wrong—if not precisely, then in a general sense—and Mia had been clear in not wanting to talk about it any longer, not unless the discussion would result in them returning to Forks together, as a family. 

Mia glanced at the clock on her bedside table before pushing out from beneath the covers. The sun would rise soon, and she pulled on a sweatshirt before making her way down the stairs. 

If Alice or Esme noticed, neither stopped her, or even made their presence known, so Mia slipped on a pair of shoes at the door before moving to the porch. She sat on the swing, eyes trained on the driveway as the sky became steadily lighter with each passing minute. 

Mia stood as Carlisle’s vehicle bypassed the garage and stopped directly in front of the porch steps, the car still running as Carlisle opened the door and stepped out. 

“You’re okay,” Mia said, the words barely a whisper as Carlisle closed the distance between them in less than a quarter of a second. 

“Of course I am,” he answered. Carlisle reached his hand out to touch her cheek, tilting her tired face as he looked her over. “Why are you awake?”

“I had a dream,” she answered. “Just needed…I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” 

Carlisle nodded, still concerned with the signs of exhaustion painted so densely in his daughter’s features. “Would you like to tell me about it?”

Mia shook her head, and Carlisle sighed, a sad smile gracing his lips. His daughter was strong and independent and determined, but she was tired. Weary and burned out in a way he’d never seen before. This move and the separation from those she loved—family and friends—had aged her, forced her to grow up somewhat quicker than she would have done otherwise. And it had set something of an emotional distance between her and the others, her walls built up higher and stronger now than ever before. 

And Carlisle had let her do it, and even now, he could feel her beginning to shift away from him. He could feel her wanting to escape, to run away to the safe isolation of her bedroom or the lakeside. He had allowed Mia to keep them all at an arm’s length, but he stopped her now, placing a gentle kiss to her temple as he fit his arm around her shoulder. 

“Let’s just sit then,” he offered just before a sob broke from Mia’s lips and she wrapped herself around his middle. 

Carlisle lifted her into his arms, moving them to the porch swing that had endeared him to the house in the first place, the feature reminding him fondly of the one they’d had in their home near Chicago, where Mia had spent a significant portion of her childhood.

It took several minutes, far longer than what was normal for the girl, but eventually Mia’s cries softened, shifting to deepened, steady breaths as the sun rose through the trees. No words passed between them as Carlisle rocked the swing, his proximity as he held Mia tightly in his arms more than enough as she drifted off to sleep.

Carlisle drifted too, though not to sleep. He drifted to memories of a different time—a simpler time—when the world was far gentler to the girl held in his arms, her nightmares less realistic, and her pains much simpler for him to ease. 

Twilight (Mia Cullen) Masterlist

[seleneprince]

File about Severus Snape's werewolf daughter (because she deserves it and I want to do it)

Name: Juliana Eileen Prince

Born: 30 August 1980

Blood status: Pureblood

Nationality: British with Italian roots

Also known as: Julia, Jules, Princess (by Draco), Prince Bastard, that viper (by Sirius Black), Snape's girl.

Species: Werewolf (since birth)

Hair: Ivory black

Eye colour: Onyx black with motes of grey

Family:

Severus Snape (father)

Unnamed werewolf woman (mother, deceased)

Eileen Prince (paternal grandmother, deceased)

Tobias Snape (paternal grandfather, deceased)

Boggart: Her father's corpse

Patronus: Snake

Affiliations: Hogwarts, House Prince, House Malfoy (she's practically one of them), wherever her father is.

House: Slytherin or Hufflepuff

Faceclaim: Jessie Mei Li (Shadow and Bone)

Trivia:

-She's half Asian on her mother's side.

-She's Severus Snape #1 defender and supporter. She adores her dad and will gladly fight anyone that insults him. She's not afraid of facing grown ass men is she sees them disrespecting him.

-House Prince has Roman-Italian roots, so Severus gave her a Latin name that means "woman of strong roots", and it can be abreviated to "Julia", a very common Roman name. Her second name is because Severus wanted to honor his mother but felt that it could be a bad omen giving it as first name. He doesn't want to accidentally curse his child to the same fate.

-She's only called Juliana by the teachers and her father. For everyone else she's mostly Julia. Jules is for friends only.

-To the public, she's considered an illegitimate child from House Prince, an ancient family of purebloods whose line was thought to be extinct.

-Severus wasn't going to ask the Malfoys to be the godparents because he didn't think they would want anything to do with a child with lycanthropy. They were furious at his reasoning and proclaimed that any child of his was considered family to them.

-So yeah Lucius and Narcissa are the godparents, because they wouldn't have it any other way.

-Because of this, Draco and Julia have been practically raised together and share a very close bond.

-He accepts Julia's condition but it doesn't apply for others like her. He's an hypocrite like his parents.

-She has her own room in Malfoy Manor because of how often she has spent the night there, thanks to her father's busy life. They also have a special room for her during the full moon nights.

-The only people that know of her condition are Severus, the Malfoys and Dumbledore.

-Remus finds out as soon as he interacts with her and he's flabbergasted.

-She's been learning Potions ever since she was old enough to hold a spoon. There's no way in hell Severus Snape wouldn't teach his daughter Potions.

-Despite this, her favourite subject is Care for Magical Creatures. She has a knack for it and connects with them better than with humans.

-Regardless of which house she ends up in, she'll be friends with the Slytherins.

-She plays Beater in the quidditch team. It's the only time she doesn't have to worry about her strenght.

-Ron is her favourite of the Golden Trio, but she's interested in Harry's trayectory.

-Really sharp and developed senses. Nothing ever escapes her. She also gets easily overwhelmed the days prior the full moon.

-She's a natural Legilimens like her father, which she found out after accidentally seeing one of his memories once. It was very uncomfortable for both.

-Severus has never told her the whole story with the marauders, only some pieces of it here and there. She knows it from the Malfoys and her own individual research (aka peeking into certain people's minds).

-Because of this, she dislikes Sirius and Remus a lot, specially the first. She doesn't see the point on hating James Potter if he's dead.

-One of the effects of her lycantropy is that she's naturally good with Dark Arts. Might be the only useful and painless thing her condition gave her.

-Her copying mechanism is dark humour, which she started to apply first with her lycantropy. She makes jokes about it and tries to take it with philosophy. She's not asshamed of it.

-She knows how to brew the wolfsbane potion but still prefers when her dad does it.

-At some point she has to share the Shrieking Shack with Lupin for the full moon nights. It makes an awkward experience for both.

-She goes by Prince instead of Snape to hide the fact that she's Severus' daughter. This was decided by Severus himself, to protect her from the danger of being associated with him. Julia isn't fond of this idea, but understands the reasons behind it.

-She doesn't really aprove of Draco's behaviour most of the time, but is too amused by it to stop him. If she really dislikes something he did, she'll play along in public but will chastize him in private. Kinda "I don't agree with you but I'll defend you anyway because we're supposed to be a team".

-She knows more than she should. Severus long gave up on trying to hide anything from her.

(In this AU, lycantropy has nothing to do with AIDs. It's a blood curse that happens to be contagious and, like all curses, it can be passed down to generations)

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for stealing jewelry and a few other items from my hoarder aunt?

This was a few years ago now, I wanna say maybe 2018? My dad has two sisters, Z and K. K is married to a hoarder and has some hoarding tendencies herself so their house and particularly their garage is a mess. Not biohazard levels of mess but for sure just dusty, dirty, and stuffed with with ancient unusable garbage. K and her husband don’t have any kids, they’re both in their mid-70’s and both are in pretty poor health, so Z flew down from Florida and asked my father and I to come help clean. We agreed and came down for a day.

I have a weird relationship with my aunts. K took care of their mother until she died, and until she died my father would be at his sister’s beck and call. He would frequently abandon his own family to go help K and his mother. I don’t blame him for this, he wanted to help his sick mother, but I do blame K for using him as free labor. He built the house K is hoarding in, destroying his body in the process. Now that I’m an adult I don’t really speak to either aunt, like I had no contact with Z since Z’s second wedding in 2013. K is much closer location-wise but I don’t speak to her either because she’s just kind of off putting. The last time I spent time with her we went shopping and she kept telling me stories of her miscarriage and how annoying her husband is and pointing to someone and loudly asking “you think that’s a man or a woman?” Like I understand we are family but K and Z are as close to strangers as family can get to me. This doesn’t even cover my mom’s opinion of them and their treatment of her. Both Z and K have a history of manipulation, deception, and are both very vindictive and ignorant. She hates them both to the point of paranoia. My sister and I have a similarly low opinion of them both, but we both are more tolerable, myself especially.

So we arrive and we clean, Z and I working together to throw away a bunch of shit and my father worked on installing a new dishwasher. I stumble upon this gorgeous hanging lamp that looks like a large full moon. I text my mom about it and she flips. “That’s mine,” she says, “your father and I found that on the side of the road one night when we were first married.” So I load it into my dads car because it’s so pretty and it belongs to my parents. “Hey, you better ask if you can take that” Z says and I flat out tell her that it belongs to my mom. She shrugs and we continue to work. I find another really cool set of hanging lamps and a solid wooden lamp base carved to look like a gazelle that probably belonged to K’s husband’s parents and I took those too, with no input from Z.

These items weren’t lovingly packed and carefully stored away. They were sitting in plastic bins stuffed with dozens of boxes disintegrated plastic gloves and tools that were more rust than anything else. Towards the end of the day we discover some jewelry boxes and I take those inside to go through with K. A lot of it was junky costume jewelry but there’s some incredible pieces including a pair of 14k gold hoops that look like rams heads, a cool brass ring with an enameled signet with the Sagittarius archer, and a huge silver heart pendant. I carefully set aside the items that I would like to take home and K didn’t say anything, either because she didn’t notice or didn’t care.

Finally when we got home I showed my mom all of the cool stuff I found and she kind of scolded me, saying I should have asked to take this stuff and I brushed it off by joking that this was payment for my cleaning services. She was very happy that I rescued her moon lamp though.

I’m wearing that chunky silver heart pendant today and am thinking about it again. K doesn’t have any children so the only people who would ever inherit this junk would be either myself or Z’s kids, but Z’s daughter is no contact with Z and Z’s son lives on the other side of the country. We own the property that K lives on, pay for the taxes on it and pay for the maintenance on it all without charging K anything, so even when she and her husband die my family is going to have to clean it anyway and I can assure you I would be the only person who would actually want to sift through the garbage to find cool stuff. I feel like I saved this stuff from the landfill. I wear the jewelry I took, we have that really cool gazelle lamp displayed in our living room, and my sister said she was going to use the hanging lamps I brought home for when she has her own home. But of course I technically stole all of it and for sure will not be giving it back, even if she noticed it’s missing. AITA?

What are these acronyms?

[ashbeneviento]

Donna Beneviento slight AU Fic idea that I had but have no spoons to fully write about myself but still wanted to share-

Throughout the game, there’s hints that point to Donna’s family taking root just outside the village long before Mother Miranda arrived. Her collection of books and the way her home is set up reminds me of Secret Societies or cults, along with the symbolism of hanging corn/animal mounts along the wall. So who’s to say the Beneviento’s weren’t some powerful cult Miranda took inspiration from AND also sought them as a threat? Or waited until the family birthed daughters instead of sons to fufill her plans?

After the events of her sister and parent’s untimely demise (or was it?) Donna, being raised by her family’s cult or secret society (prehaps even a coven, based on her Sun and Moon symbolism) hatched a plan. In the game, Donna’s spare bedroom upstairs showcases a book titled: The Decline And Fall Of The Demon King. This can be based off the real book, “The Downfall Of The Demon King” where the synopsis is: "In the beginning, four beings ruled the world. They call themselves Entities. These creatures use their immense power to protect mortals from beasts and nature itself. And in return, the mortals built cities and shrines around them. For centuries, the world was at peace, until the fifth Entity was born. They called him the Demon King. It is said that his power was so dark and fearsome he could end the world. Terrified of the Demon's King strength, the four Entities combined their power and imprisoned him for all eternity. With the Demon King defeated, everyone lived happily ever after. At least that's how it was supposed to go…”

Maybe the Beneviento clan always birthed two sons, the women always being married in. This would prevent the events of the “Fifth Entity” from occurring, and the four “Entities” happened to be relative to the original “kings” we see in the game. (Images found at the bottom of this post)

The original four families being Berengario, Lord Cesare, Guglielmo, and Uncle Nichola. Canon states this: “Donna Beneviento was born into the gentry of House Beneviento sometime during the 20th century, a family with ancestral links to Berengario, a man rumored in folklore to have been an ancient mutant who settled the region with three other houses from which the Dimitrescu, Moreau and Heisenberg families are descended.”

Because Miranda knew this, she hatched a plan to destroy the other three houses by eliminating the families, leaving one relative unaware of their family lore as a means to keep them loyal to HER and leaving the Beneviento’s for last, as they were beings who may have inherited mutations from Berengario. That’s why when Donna and Claudia were born, daughters instead of sons..the events of the fifth entity (Mother Miranda) set in, and she was the last to be adopted into her cult.

But Donna is obviously very intelligent, still aware of the “prophecy” because her family wasn’t destroyed until she was older (Miranda couldn’t use Claudia like originally planned because the cadou killed her). And by secretly letting the other Lords aware of said prophecy using her powers, they all hatched a plan to fake being loyal to Miranda and their deaths by Ethan. This is why the megamycete didn’t fully use Rose as a vessel because it couldn’t produce enough energy for Miranda’s ritual, and she was ultimately defeated. Donna, now even more powerful than before by “stealing” Miranda’s gift of the cadou was able to turn their deaths into an illusion.

I’d also like to think Angie uses part Donna’s cadou, part soul to be animated- and the other dolls are created using only the souls of her relatives which is why they don’t speak. They were already dead, meanwhile Donna was not, yet it caused her to die somewhat to be able to pull a ritual of “possession” for Angie. This is why her eyes are pale and grey, a mimicry of what happens to the eyes after death.

Her facade of being a reclusive and shy woman leads Miranda to believe the Duke would never do business or interact with her, and is the only Lord where he does not show up to in the game. The Duke may be an old friend to the Beneviento’s and helps the “four entities” to defeat Miranda, given his interests in obtaining such rare items such as their crystal corpses. He would have all the items needed to help transport them to a different place undetected. (Again, the crystal corpses are just hallucinations caused by Donna and they aren’t actually dead)

Some other ideas I had for this AU was that instead of feeding on blood, fish, or nothing at all.. Donna fed on souls. This would match her constant dark, macrbe energy perfectly. She’s close to the dead, her family is an ancient cult/coven..it all makes sense 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sure, there’s tea cups set about her house in game and even a kitchen.. and maybe she enjoys human food to an extent but her energy comes from souls. The way she gets this is by trapping poor unsuspecting villagers who disrespect her/are bad people into other dolls, transferring their “lives” into puppets to do her bidding while also feeding from them which is why she makes so many of them.

Anyways that’s my idea rambles, feel free to share your thoughts and if you happen to use this in a fic please tag me because I’m desperate to read it 🥲 I just have no clue how to flesh it out but really needed to get it out of my system lol

(Pics from “The Four Entities and Original kings” section of this post)

[linka-from-captain-planet]

wait by the light of the moon #2: Neve & Little Oil Lamp Girl - Stargazing

concept

Below the cut: a teen Neve, her little oil lamp girl, and the stars (yes it's angst | words: ~800)

In the highest spire of the Circle, Neve has peered into ancient astrariums: devices that pierce the heavens and show so many stars that one can imagine drawing pictures in them. The first astronomers named the pictures after the Old Gods and other figures from Tevene mythology, and called them constellations.

With the bare eye, though, only a few especially bright stars peek through the eternal cloud cover and neon glow of the city. Most people in Dock Town have probably never seen more than a few stars, let alone enough to make up a whole constellation.

Something hollow rattles in her chest—so it does, more and more often these days—but Neve pushes it down and points to a pair of anemic twinkles in the endless grey sky. "Titan's Mallet," she whispers, her lips brushing the shell of Dulci's ear. "Those are part of the handle. Look."

Neve stretches both arms out in front of them, thumbs and forefingers forming a diamond in the air between Dulci's face and the sky. She focuses—manages to focus, despite the excited wiggle in her lap—and taps the Fade, filling the space between her fingers with a dull bluish remnant of her own memory. The Titan's Mallet materializes in miniature, and she lines up the image with the two stars they can barely see as best she can.

Warm hands find her wrists, gently guiding the makeshift viewfinder into precise place. With her chin tucked into Dulci's shoulder, face against her neck, Neve feels the vibration of Dulci's awed coo more than she hears it.

Even at night, it's warm and humid toward the end of a Minrathous summer, so the contact between them is bordering on stifling. But Neve wouldn't pull away. They have so little time to be together, and even less of it alone. This little rooftop they found, accessible only because Neve can undo the ward on the ladder, is the closest thing to an oasis they've got.

It's unlikely that anything dangerous could come out of such a small Fade draw, but Neve reluctantly dismisses the remnant after only a minute or so. If Dulci is disappointed in the short trick, she doesn't show it; when she turns in Neve's arms, she's grinning, and the light from the buildings below dances in her amber eyes.

"Thank you," Dulci breathes, and Neve smiles back despite the guilty twist in her guts. While she, Neve, plays with ancient toys and rubs elbows with Magister spawn, Dulci works sunup to sundown at the fish factory to help support her family—five in a room—and studies on her own at night.

The rattle shakes her deeper this time, down to the spine, but Neve doesn't want to pull away. So she pulls Dulci with her as she leans over—Dulci giggles, brighter than the dingy stars above, in her ear—and reaches for Dulci's little oil lamp.

It's a dinky thing, more of a trinket than a serious tool. Neve felt like an idiot for buying it, weeks before she even gathered the courage to talk to the pretty girl she saw in a Dock Town window, carefully saving her candle stubs. If Dulci hadn't called out to her first, it'd probably still be sitting there on Neve's dormitory desk, empty, its unused wick curled up inside like a shed, desiccated snake skin.

Neve could relate. Being in the Circle makes her want to crawl out of her skin, too, but there hasn't been anywhere else for her to go. Even before her parents rode her coattails up to Midtown.

Two years in, and every day she's more and more sure that this, Dock Town, is her home. But all she's got left of it anymore is Dulci.

Sitting them back up, careful not to tip out the oil, Neve hands Dulci her lamp and wraps her arms tight around her. She's a smaller girl—a girl, and elf-blooded; Neve's father would kill her if he cared to know about anything but her studies these days—but she feels heavy and solid in Neve's arms. Like something Neve can hold on to forever, even though she's noticed that Dulci studies the Chant often for someone who's not chant-y, and even though she's noticed that Dulci's eyes linger on the Chanter's board whenever they stroll past, where in the next few weeks, a call for novice sisters will likely be posted.

Neve couldn't say she wouldn't understand. She chose a better life, a comfortable and more dignified, over freedom, too.

With a wave of her hand, the lamp's oil-soaked wick catches, throwing a pale light over their little oasis. With the flame burning so bright so close to her eyes, Neve can't see the weak two stars at all anymore.

But, now she can see Dulci clearly: amber eyes twinkling, skin glowing, hair shining, cheeks pink, smile radiant. And that hollow spot in her chest fills, swells, spills over.

It won't last forever, she knows.

But it's nice while it lasts.

[positivelybeastly]

From the Ashes Infinity Comics #15: Pygmalion, Part 1

So, for those who are not aware - Infinity Comics are online-only comics distributed through Marvel Unlimited, their subscription based app and browser collection of comics. Regarded as 'inessential,' but still very much canon, the raft of Infinity Comics coming out of From the Ashes have been quite good, but I haven't seen fit to comment on them for a bit, until now, because . . .

Let's go.

For those not aware, Pygmalion is a famous novel by George Bernard Shaw, detailing the attempt by a phonetics professor called Henry Higgins to 'elevate' a Cockney flower-girl named Eliza Doolittle.

Intrigued by a bet that he could pass her off as a duchess through careful schooling, he decides to take her on, and though he succeeds, she ends up feeling marginalised and overlooked, treated as an object of gambling and curiosity rather than an individual in her own right, and though the play is best known for the 'culturing' of Eliza Doolittle, it is as much about the arrogance of Higgins, who is a thoroughly unpleasant and rude individual, in thinking that he has any ownership over Eliza for his education of her. He may have 'created' her, but he does not control her.

The Factory that the X-Men are living in at present must have really good central heating for Cyclops to be wearing basketball shorts and a crop top that short.

Beast is currently investigating some kind of issue with Magneto's chromosomes - to put it succinctly, he appears to be ageing rapidly, and does not have access to his X-gene at present. This is a continuation of the storyline in the previous Infinity arc, which focused on Magneto.

Something worth noting - this is the first acknowledgement of the fact that though Hank's body may be of roughly the same physical age as his original, his mind is considerably younger, situated at some point in his mid 20s. For someone who was always the oldest of the original X-Men, this is fairly significant.

Also worth noting - Hank joins the ranks of superheroes who are actively seeking therapy for their problems! Good on you, Hank! And good on you, too, Scott, for suggesting it. Though, perhaps, given recent developments in the mainline X-Men comics, you should take your own advice . . .

The fact that Hank refers to himself as the only one left seemingly confirms that X-Force took care of the Beast clones who Beast Prime planted around various landmarks as part of the Ghost Calendars arc. Though they were defeated in their respective future timelines, I wasn't quite sure if they had been taken care of in the present as well. This seemingly confirms that they were.

Hank's therapist is Dr. Andrea Sterman, a supporting character from Jed MacKay's Moon Knight run, and a member of the Midnight Mission. Given that the writer, Alex Paknadel, confirmed on Twitter that he talked with Jed MacKay about making sure all the details for Hank's storyline would line up with the mainline X-Men book, I can only imagine this was done as a rather fun continuity nod.

Hank also refers to a Shi'ar warship, an avian alien race that the X-Men deal with on a regular basis. This makes sense, given that Hank was beamed aboard the Shi'ar imperial flagship during the events of Dark Phoenix Saga in 1981 - ancient history for us, but relatively fresh in Hank's mind, given his memories come from 1985.

Hank, naturally, does himself a disservice here. Dark Beast was, assumedly, abducted at a relatively young age from his human parents, and indoctrinated by Mister Sinister as something of a protege - a protege living in perpetual fear of his mentor. He probably didn't have a chance to develop any kind of moral code divorced from the social Darwinist hellhole that is the Age of Apocalypse.

That being said, Hank probably lacks that context, and Dark Beast is unique among Age of Apocalypse denizens, not just for his unerringly cruel nature, having never shown any altruistic tendencies (unlike, say, AoA Cyclops or Nightcrawler), but also for his resilience. He persists, even now - though last seen in Immortal X-Men #9 as a head in a jar, he has come back from the dead at least twice before, and it is unlikely he is gone for good.

Fun fact - his appearance here is based on the costume he wore during his scrap with Emma Frost's X-Men team in a confrontation with Spider-Man and the Lizard. Though the X-Men naturally encountered him after this point, it's fun that this appearance by Dark Beast is considered iconic enough to be the 'definitive' look for him by this comic.

Hank's final remark, about 'Henry McCoy plus time equals atrocity,' is a sentiment often repeated on social media boards, and it's interesting to see it being internalised by Hank himself, given his unique perspective on the events that created his future self and the other potential timelines the X-Men files likely refer to.

Mm. A lot to unpack here.

Hank's relationship with his X-gene has always been complicated, and the way he views it here, as essentially morphing him into a shape that he finds abhorrent, predatory, and beyond his control, is consistent with how Hank seemed to see himself during his feline mutation, which lasted from 2000 to 2013.

Though his feline phase is not referenced in this comic, beyond the 'over time, and with a little help, these became more pronounced,' (probably a reference to Sage's jumpstarting his secondary mutation) it assumedly would be in the files Hank has been using to catch up, and one has to wonder if he's been repeating some of the thought processes that made feline Hank such a uniquely neurotic version of the character.

It's also nice to see a canonisation of my long held fanon that Hank's X-gene is actively attempting to craft a form for him that is best suited for survival, a belief that Hank only hinted at back in Morrison's New X-Men, but which made sense, given the circumstances of his mutation in X-Treme X-Men.

That being said, Hank's own mind seemingly strays back to the night his furry mutation first manifested at the Brand Corporation in Amazing Adventures, where he flew into a berserker rage and nearly killed Carl Maddicks, which always seemed a little incongruous with how Hank was written in subsequent appearances in Avengers and Defenders, but which now seems to be retroactively made an expression of the brutality he was capable of during his feline phase.

The 'violent upheavals' Hank refers to here are likely his initial secondary mutation, and then his near-death experience when said mutation randomly destabilised in All-New X-Men. It could also be a reference to his numerous genetic troubles during X-Factor volume 1.

His opining that he found refuge in the life of the mind is very reminiscent of Hank's desire to find meaning in poetry, literature, art, humanity, in the wake of the changes in his body in both X-Factor and New X-Men. X-Factor #33 and New X-Men #117 both specifically reference his delight in the freedom to think, in opposition to the clouding of the mind that came with his Pestilence inflicted dumbing down, or his newly awakened predatory impulses.

Ironically enough, Magneto is, aside from Simon Williams, the character with whom this version of Hank has shared the most panel time and dialogue, between his conversations in X-Men and previous From the Ashes Infinity Comics. It would appear that Max's need for a cure for his condition are fostering a necessarily stronger bond than Hank and Max have ever shared before in canon.

Precisely where the rest of the team is during the course of these events is unknown. If I had to guess, it's possible this might be set during the events of X-Men #2, where the rest of the team was attending to a mutant rescue in San Francisco, accounting for the lack of availability of the Marauder and a reliance on an old Quinjet.

Quite how Hank got his hands on said Quinjet is unknown, though it's possible it might be a holdover from Hank's Defender days, where he would regularly borrow a Quinjet from the Avengers, for purposes ranging from actual superhero missions to attending Patsy Walker's wedding.

Though this Hank's memories originate in closest proximity to the Defenders, and though that team did enjoy some degree of notoriety under Hank and Candy Southern's stewardship, the Avengers have always been where Hank was most popular in-universe, and he has had a habit of using that association to smooth things over in mutant related books, such as in X-Factor volume 1 and the 90s X-Men run.

Unfortunately, mutant rights are in a more dire state than ever before, with things having seemingly gotten only worse for them since the 1980s, and it's likely Hank didn't expect this level of hatred from normal civilians.

I have, unfortunately, run out of images, so I'll be posting the last of this issue and my final thoughts and predictions in another post.

[hjgouldmusic]

How are the iterators in the urban AU?

The ones we know: Five Pebbles, Looks to the Moon, Seven Red Suns, No Significant Harassment etc.

they're basically like their normal selves but a lot more domestic in their focus. to the urbans, the iterators exist as regular beings rather than tools for some ultimate goal, so as a result the iterators feel a lot more free to express themselves and simply exist amongst their citizens rather than be obligated to complete tasks for them. that's why many of them choose to keep their puppets in their cities and interacting with the urbans rather than just staying in their chambers- a lot of them missed the comfort of civilisation but felt the ancients lacked the zest for life that the urbans now possess.

they are all still gargantuan supercomputers, yes, but with thoughts and feelings very similar to the urbans.

pebbles is very much invested in his city and the creations of his citizens, naturally as he has always had a fascination in the art of the ancients and civilisation in general. he's actually svarali's roommate, due to their prior history in the expedition program that later turned into a friendship of sorts. naturally because nothing happened with the rot, he lacks the guilt and emotional behaviour he exhibits in the game, and in urban is more of a chill albeit somewhat easily irritated guy.

by issue 1, moon's structure has collapsed naturally due to age and lack of maintenance, but her puppet lives in metropolis. baakhidè's adoption was a simple case of right place, right time, and moon has been her mother for some time. she loves to interact with the metropolis community wherever she can, and pretty much everyone has spoken to her at some point. the lack of a functioning structure doesn't bother her much, because she knows she wouldn't be using it much (as even when it was still standing, luna wasn't a very popular city)

sig has taken on his parental connection to kamani very eagerly. he's very similar to beralakk in that regard, in that even when he's doing other stuff, he's thinking about his loyal daughter. he lives in his city, called glade, but he's always sending out overseers to chat with kamani (because she has since moved to metropolis)

suns is with makoa'an like sig is with kamani but less parental and more friendly. they're still makoa'an's legal parent, but they see each other a lot more evenly. they're one of the few iterators still conducting experiments and stuff on the wildlife of their lower facilities (like lizards and stuff) as even back in ancient times, they had always enjoyed doing that stuff. they live in their city, named sol, but because makoa'an is both an expeditionist and a messenger, they see each other very often.

sliver is alive! her structure has collapsed too, so she lives with moon in metropolis. while she's still technically syrannik's mother, she and them have quite a distant relationship and only really ever interact when they see each other out and about. it's not that they don't like each other or anything, syrannik just has a bit of mental baggage that being with sliver for too long can cause to resurface at sometimes. she too practices a lot of spiritual exercises, and is generally like moon but more subdued and inquisitive.

chasing wind, as a gen 1 iterator, is a lot more calculated and cold in their behaviour. they live in their city, nimbus, and don't often interact with their citizens. instead, they coordinate the expedition program for the local group and so they dedicate a lot of their time looking through resources and stuff and finding what needs to be done through expeditions.

unparalleled innocence is still her usual drama-seeking self, however the significant lack of drama as a result of everyone liking the urbans does tend to irritate her at times. she lives in her city, named modesty, and also doesn't often interact with her citizens because to her, they operate too smoothly and there isn't enough infighting. she does have an inquizitive side, though and like suns runs experiments on her local wildlife.

and lastly pleading intellect! they're a lot more timid than is normal for an iterator, and regularly travel between their own city, carbon, and nimbus. their shyness is only between iterators though, and they quite like engaging with the citizens of both cities and exchanging knowledge with them. they have a close friendship with chasing wind, and harbour unrequited feelings for them (hence the frequent travelling to nimbus). they enjoy most all facets of urban society, appreciating the artistic side like pebbles and the scientific side like suns.

there are other iterators (one that will be very important to series 1 and another for series 2) but they will be discussed in due time :3 all i will say now is that not every iterator was on board with the creation of the urbans, and that the iterator coverage of their planet is a lot wider than some might think ;)

[thefirstknife]

The Observatory

I've been rotating a piece of the TFS CE lore in my brain so long I forgot to write about it. There's no transcript yet that I can find (I might do it myself tbh if nobody else does), but here's the scans with the whole text.

So, there's a lot going on in that CE, but the main gist of it is that the whole CE is written like a report from Eido. She investigated information about the Witness and the Collapse to try and help prepare us for our inevitable fight against it. Through her investigation, she found old Eliksni databanks that contain ancient records of past civilisations; main one being discussed is the civilisation that would eventually end up becoming the Witness.

There was a lot going on with them, shown to us through discussions between two specific individuals; they're only identified through code as HNW047622 and RS6243199. I'll call them HNW and RS. I've mentioned this before because we could see one of the pages in the preview of the Collector's Edition.

These individuals talked a lot and gave us insight into the Witness' civilisation. In short, they were super advanced and had something they described as the "Gardener's tools" which they apparently used to terraform other planets. They also talk about the concept of "the final shape" a lot and lead philosophical debates about its meaning and whether or not they have a responsibility to bring that concept to others in the universe. I'll probably go into their civilisation in-depth at some point, but for now I want to go off about something that appears to be a minor detail.

As part of their conversations, In the 5th image from the scans, they extensively talk about the final shape. The RS individual mentions something called "the Observatory." It is apparently some sort of a prediction machine. Full transcript of the relevant conversation and the rest of the post under:

[RS6243199]: I agree with you, in theory, but we do not exist purely in the theoretical. This suffering is already happening now, all the time, everywhere we look. Come see me, and I will show you the Observatory's readings. Such sights as we have seen, my friend, make me sick to my soul. [HNW047622]: I thought that the Observatory could only see possibilities. The future-branches of past visible-light readings. [RS6243199]: We have made improvements. The glass-minds*** trim the excess branches. What we see now are the strongest paths. And in the seeing, they become true. [HNW047622]: Then tell me what you have seen. I gain nothing from running from the truth, no matter how uncomfortable. [RS6243199]: Cities turning on themselves in a frenzy of self-destruction. Children offering up parents in superstitious sacrifice to bloodied gods. An entire people who would boil off their own atmosphere rather than let their neighbors enjoy fresh air! Great waves drowning worlds. Bodies which do not decompose, for everything, down to the very bacteria, has died as well. Machine-plagues carving their prediction-machines into moons. Your garden, destroyed. As the Observatory saw it, so it came to pass.

The footnote is a text from Eido:

*** From the context, some sort of computational assistant? There appears to be some etymological overlap with the names of Vex Minds. Something to investigate later, perhaps!

This made me instantly lose my mind when I was reading. Very early into Lightfall's release, I made a post about the Veil and the history of the universe. It's about some very peculiar similarities between a lot of prediction technology and caches of information that preserve ancient history and ancient civilisations and how they may connect to the Veil.

Mind you, this was before we knew a lot about the Veil; I wrote this pre-Veil logs and before it was confirmed that the Veil is linked directly to consciousness and memory. It was also before Season of the Deep which gave us Akashic Revelation: a lore tab in which a Guardian tries to go through the portal and experiences a vivid flashback of memory of his own pre-Guardian life. The name of the tab is important: akashic records is an esoteric concept for a supposed existence of a record of everything that has ever happened in the universe, past or present or future, human and non-human.

This is basically what I proposed in my post, before this lore tab, about the Veil; that the Veil or some source the Veil can tap into, is something similar to that. That all of the prediction machines are essentially pulling from this same source. In the post, I mentioned the OXA machine (the "black box for galactic civilisations" that allowed the Psions to see the future), Inspiral lore book (in which various civilisations and individuals left their records in the Darkness), the Device (the machine built on Vex technology by the Future War Cult in the Golden Age, led my Maya Sundaresh, used to displace consciousness and also see the future as used by Lakshmi-2), and even maybe the Sundial made by Osiris. I also mentioned how there's a possibility that even the whole scope of Vex prediction technology is somehow based on or tapping into this same source.

I am very amused at how I wrote: "It’s also interesting that Maya Sundaresh seems to be quite involved in pretty much every aspect of this." So true past me, that really is interesting! Her connection to the Veil and Lakshmi (and the importance of the Device and FWC) will later be revealed in Veil Logs. Almost like these connections were made deliberately, between all of these machines and the Veil.

With the benefit of new lore being released in the time since I made the original post, I am even more convinced that there's something going on here, and especially after TFS CE because the section I copied here mentions yet another incredibly similar machine: the Observatory of the Witness' species. It's not described in a lot of details, but from what we did get, it's quite unmistakeable that this is similar to things like the OXA and the Device.

The Observatory is clearly shown to be some sort of a machine that can see the future. Or, rather, as HNW says, it can see "possibilities." This matches what we've seen of the Device when Lakshmi-2 was using it; she was able to see different possible futures, futures that were getting increasingly narrow and biased to what she wanted to see. Identical formatting for using some sort of a machine to predict the future is shown as well with a Psion Ixel using... something (? maybe the OXA?) to do the same.

And again, the same formatting is used this season when a Psion Qorix uses her inate Psion abilities to project visions of the future into the minds of those present at Caiatl's War Council. It's worth noting that Psions have huge ties to Darkness abilities, as well as their entire species having been influenced by Nezarec to an unknown extent, but enough for them to share psionic/psychic abilities, an affinity to void, helmets that reflect his head shape and possibly more we don't know about. It's also worth noting that Nezarec was the one who was transporting the Veil on his Pyramid ship and lamented how Neomuni were not using it to its full potential. Nezarec may have used the Veil to influence the Psions.

This is important because these devices aren't exact, and the Observatory seems to share the same caveat. It shows possibilities, not certainties. Different users might see different things, painted by their own desires and experiences. However, there's something in all of these prediction machines that can lead to a real prediction of the future. The invididual RS mentions several visions, most of which are not specific enough to identify, but sound plausible given the sheer size of the universe; they must've happened somewhere at some point. There's one specific that we know: "great waves drowning worlds." And there's one mentioned by RS that also happened; the destruction of the "garden" made by HNW. This is mentioned in the beginning of the CE. HNW terraformed a planet, but that planet was later completely destroyed.

Even more interesting, the way the Witness' species used the Observatory seems to imply that they employed the Vex directly to help them manage this machine. RS explains that the "glass-minds" are capable of "trimming excess branches" and allowing only the "strongest paths" to be explored. Perhaps this was their way of not falling into the trap that the people using the OXA or the Device could fall into; by having the Vex monitor and manage this prediction machine, it stops the user from inserting too many personal variables. And yes, as Eido noted as well, "glass-minds" is a phrase that indeed shares similarity with the Vex and is almost certainly referring to the Vex.

This is incredibly interesting for a lot of reasons. First, as I've already mentioned, these sort of prediction machines are common throughout the universe and keep being mentioned. Different species at different times have been capable of creating similar machines for similar purposes. Inspiral also goes deeper into how species could use the Darkness to access memory and history through it; the Ecumene and the Qugu had these abilities and used them as part of their civilisation. Through Psions, we get a mix of these two things; the Psions have both tangled with prediction machines like the OXA, but they also posses seemingly inate Darkness abilities that function similarly. They can project futures and possibilities to others, they can merge their minds (and bodies!), and their old religion was based on ancestor worship. Emotions, memories, consciousness itself: these are part of Darkness and governed by the paracausal entity we know as the Veil. It seems like machines capable of giving insight into the past and future are connected to the consciousness of the universe.

Second, these things somehow always come back to the Vex. We don't know how the OXA was built, but the Vex could access it. The Device was build from Vex technology and so was the Sundial. The Observatory is very closely linked to the Vex as well; either built by them or simply being close enough to be accessible for the Vex to manage it. The Vex are more or less known for their manipulation of time, their ability to move through it and use it as a tool, as well as for their prediction and simulation machines and constructs.

And of course, this year revealed to us that the Vex, or at least a part of the Vex, have tried recreating the Veil in the form of Black Heart, but failed due to their inability to understand paracausality. However, it seems like the Vex are drawn to the Veil even outside of just the Sol Divisive, as can be seen from Neomuna. The Vex were a constant threat to Neomuna throughout its existence and the Vex have been trying to access the CloudArk, an alternate reality engine built on the energy of the Veil.

This season in particular has been fairly suspicious with the Vex as well, showing us a concerning evolution of the Sol Divisive and the Vex in general; their radiolaria emitting Darkness energy, Oracles appearing outside of the Vault of Glass and also resonating Darkness, their attempts to "merge with the Witness" and a strange message that seems to be implying they're still not done with reaching out to the Veil in the form of the Black Heart. I talked about this more here.

Are the Vex drawn to the Veil for a particular reason? Perhaps they unknowingly tap into something the Veil is responsible for, like prediction, through the simple fact that the Veil is the paracausal entity responsible for Darkness which is memory? For the Vex, memory could work outside of time; perhaps their prediction abilities are simply them being able to "remember" the future, because they can exist through and outside time.

There is also the even more mysterious possibility here that revolves around a few hints in regards to the Veil and the Traveler being a single entity at some point in time. If the Veil and the Traveler used to be one before becoming separated, this may be what Unveiling talked about through metaphor; the mythical Garden before the universe existed could've been this singularity that was just the Veil and the Traveler together as one. And as Unveiling also noted, in one of those parts of Unveiling that seem to be closer to the truth than others, the Vex already existed then. The reason they're so out of place in a universe of paracausality is because they appear to have come into existence before paracausality so it is foreign to them. They might remember the time when the two were one, therefore they still have an instinctual draw to the Veil; and honestly, to the Traveler too, given how close to it they've settled in our system. As the lore on Scatter Signal notes, someone told us that all Vex agree that "Sol is Salvation." It's where both the Veil and the Traveler are.

This is beyond speculative, but it's been on my mind since that first post well over a year ago because of how closely linked Darkness, the Vex and these peculiar prediction devices have been throughout the history of the universe; now added with one more, the Observatory, most likely the first one ever made (or found), by the species that would later become the Witness. I could be off on the exact nature of this connection, but I feel like there is some sort of a connection all the same. I also feel like they wouldn't have mentioned this in TFS CE for no reason, especially because we're clearly not going to deal with the Vex until after TFS.

Either way, the Observatory mention and description really got me spiralling into unhinged territory. It added such a specific little detail about something I've speculated about before and made it fit perfectly. I wonder if this will remain just like a little curiosity and background worldbuilding or if there's a more direct reason for including it; namely if this is more hints about post-TFS stuff regarding the Vex.

Until we know for sure, I will continue to believe that all prediction abilities and prediction machines are tapping into a single source; the consciousness/memory of the universe, produced by the Veil as a part of the inherent propery of Darkness. The Vex are key to this because they may be doing it in a very specific way given their relationship to time, the possibility that they existed in the universe before anyone else, and possibly because of their memory of a time when the Veil and the Traveler were one.

It could be also something simpler and not entirely interconnected. But I was very pleased to see yet another Vex-based prediction machine being introduced into the universe, adding to the existing ones that have been fairly relevant this year and mentioned several times like the OXA and the Device. Can't wait for TFS and post-TFS content to see if this is something we'll be exploring in more detail, especially as we start dealing with the Vex!

All this about a half of a single page of TFS CE. Girl help.

[xjulixred45x]

¿Adora sigue siendo she-ra en tu au de adora general galra? Y si es así ¿como encuentra la espada?

Hola hermana! La respuesta en español está abajo! Yep, she's still She-Ra, but in her own... peculiar way.

We all know that Lotor and his generals, while they conquered planets, left them independent, Adora grew up with that in this AU, so it wouldn't be crazy if, at some point when Adora is older, they arrive to Etheria.

Many aspects of Etheria remain the same, the war with the Horde, Hordak, Shadow Weaver, etc. but without Adora as we know her, some aspects change.

For example, Catra becomes dependent on Ronnie, Rogelio and Kyle instead of Adora, to cover up her disasters. She is more favored than in the original universe and that made her an even worse person. A backstaber in a nutshell.

When Lotor and Company arrive, they make a deal with the revolution/Angela that in exchange for partial control of their planet, they would get rid of Hordak. Here Adora meets Bow and Glimmer just like in the original, but with her new personality it will take a long time for them to trust her.

Anyway, when they have to make a coordinated attack with the rebellion, Adora goes with Ezor and Zethrid to wait for their signal, and while she's bored, Adora wanders around the forest a bit and BOOM, she sees the sword.

This Adora probably didn't even think about the possibility of the sword being magic, she just saw an ancient relic and wanted it for herself.

Adora took the sword with her into battle and fought very well! However, when they returned to the Bright Moon base, Angela noticed that something about the sword was... unusual. So she called Bow's parents to examine it.

And, indeed, it was She-ra's sword.

I like to think that Adora only figured out how to Transform into She-ra when one of the generals was in danger (most specifically; Narti) and that instead of screaming "for the honor of Grayskull" she screams "victory or death"

Her She-ra outfit looks more like the one from season 5 than the one from the first seasons. And she has her sword in physical form because she likes to fight even without transforming.

Lotor will probably decide to study the heart of Etheria and LightHope on his own (finding some way to dismantle it) and you can bet that Adora is ready to kick some Horde ass.

And nope, Adora from this Au is not with Catra. In fact I think she would kill her but that's a topic for another post.

____________________

(ESPAÑOL)

¡holi! sip, ella sigue siendo She-Ra, pero a su manera...peculiar.

todos sabemos que Lotor y sus generales si bien conquistaban planetas les dejaban su independencia, Adora crecio con eso en este AU, por lo que no seria loco que, en algun momento cuando Adora ya es mayor, llegan a Etheria.

muchos aspectos de Etheria siguen igual, la guerra con la horda, Hordak, Shadow Weaver, etc. pero sin Adora como la conocemos cambian algunos aspectos.

Por ejemplo, Catra se hace dependiente de Ronnie, Rogelio y Kyle en vez de Adora, para cubrir sus desastres. ella es mas favorecida que en el universo original y eso la hizo aun peor persona. una backstaber en pocas palabras.

cuando Lotor y Compañía llegan, hacen un trato con la revolución/Angela de que a cambio del control parcial de su planeta, se desharian de Hordak. aqui Adora conoce a Bow y Glimmer como en la original, pero con su nueva personalidad les tomara muchoas tiempo a los chicos el confiar en ella.

Total, cuando hay que hacer un ataque cordinado con la rebelion, Adora va con Ezor y Zethrid a esperar su señal, y mientras esta aburrida, Adora diambula un poco por el bosque y POOM, ve la espada.

está Adora probablemente nisiquiera penso en la posibilidad de que la espada fuera magica, simplemente vio una reliquia antigua y la quiso para si misma.

Adora llevo la espada consigo a la batalla y peleo muy bien! sin embargo cuando volvieron a la base de luna brillante, Angela noto que algo en la espada era...inusual. asi que llamo a los padres de Bow para que la examinaran.

y, en efecto, era la espada de She-ra.

me gusta pensar que Adora solo descubrio como Transformarse en She-ra cuando alguna de las generales estaba en peligro (mas concertamente; Narti) y que en vez de gritar "por el honor de Grayskull" ella grita "victoria o muerte"

su atuendo de She-ra se parece mas al de la temporada 5 que el de las primeras temporadas. y tiene su espada en fisico porque a ella le gusta pelear incluso sin transformarse.

probablemente Lotor decida estudiar por su cuenta el corazon de Etheria y LitghHope (encontrando alguna manera de desmantelarla) y puedes apostar que Adora esta lista para patear traseros de la Horda.

y nop, Adora de este Au no esta con Catra. de hecho creo que la mataria pero eso es un tema para otro Post.

Shares, reblogs and comments are very welcome!

[warrior-cats-rewritten]

Sol

You just had your birthday!

Sol is a HUGE tortoiseshell tom with thick fur around his neck like a mane, long tufted ears, a long tail with fluff on the tip like a lion's, and brilliant amber eyes.

Sol, originally known as Harry, was born near a junkyard to Cinders and Whispers. Whispers hated his mate, who only ever asked him to hunt for her and their oopsie litter. He belittled her constantly, and resented his children. They had a massive fight one day, he never had a new mate, or kits. When he left, he walked across a very busy road....

Cinders was left full of grief. She still loved her mate, despite everything he put her and her kids through. After a major depressive spell, she gathered up her children, and took them all towards the nearest human settlement, meowing at doors, begging an Upwalker to let her and her children in.

Finally, a woman opened her door, and immediately let the tiny family inside. All together. Cinders's old name was Flame, and she is a sunshine torbie with bright golden colors and a white mark on her head. At least, before things got bad. Her coat has dulled, and living alone with her kits for a while left her murky and stained. She looked more gray than anything, hence the woman renaming her Cinders. Cinders took to the name immediately, even after her pelt began to brighten again. Her kits are given names as well; Harry, Sunny, Foggy and Ivy. 

Harry became lazy, and whiny, and spoiled from their new owner. He became bossy with his siblings, and when they stopped wanting to take it, Harry cried to his mother that they were bullying him.

Eventually, Cinders catches him snapping at one of them, swiping at his sister Ivy and connecting his claws with his meek sister's muzzle. Cinders snapped at Harry, and chased him out...

Harry would soon find himself on Skyclan's borders, where he would cause problems with Leafstar and Billystorm's children, making an already bad situation much worse.

Leafstar finds out about him more through his mother, and finds just how dangerous he can be. She boots him out of Skyclan for it, permanently.

He wanders through the land, forcing others to occasionally catch food for him, coasting on the kindness of Twolegs. He wanders into White Hart Woods, or rather, what is left of it. A storm drives Harry into an old cave system, where, at its deepest point, lies an ancient chamber with the broken remains of The Moonstone. It calls to Harry, and, in what will be a horrible turn of events for the Clans, he finds himself resting on the Shattered Moonstone.

I cannot reiterate enough, readers, that you Should Not Do That.

His head is filled with knowledge, things he shouldn't know. Blackstar's Trial and his leadership ceremonies, and how to charm him. Firestar's sacred Prophecy about his Kin, and who their parents are. He knows that Russetfur will be mauled by a Windclan cat and that the Moon will cover the Sun. Harry has been overexposed to a much more raw, archaic place than any Starclan spirit can get to.

He had found The Sky Beyond The Stars.

When he wakes up, he renames himself Sol, after an old, dead god that has now been reborn. And he knows about The Moonpool, too. It's like a beacon to him. He heads down, bullying groups he comes across like Jingo and her friends, but when he reaches Thunderclan territory and tries to climb a tree, he falls... There's a horrible crunch, and Sol falls limp for just a moment...

His father Whispers has been haunting him, and he decides to finally put that spirit to use.

Sol gets up, shakes himself off, and feels just a little lighter before continuing his walk, deciding to stay off of trees. Eventually, he hears a small group of young cats nearby...

He recognizes Hollypaw, Jaypaw and Lionpaw. He is taken to camp, where he makes his infamous prediction. Squilf is nearly killed in the battle against Windclan, and, to be fair, it looks like Sol caused the whole thing. He had forgotten about the WindThunder battle, genuinely.

Firestar exiles him, his heart broken over his Terribly injured daughter, along with his friendship with Onestar having shattered. Russetfur was mauled, his grandson Jaypaw was nearly killed, and Blackstar is almost definitely going to lose a life over this.

Not to mention Lionpaw has just killed someone.

So... Yeah. Bye Sol. Go find a new home.

And Sol does. He knew that Blackstar would be vulnerable. He charms him, speaks to him in that new hypnotic way he has learned to do, like staring at a small mirage created by the sun's heat on the road.

He had been able to get Russetfur out of her comatose state, he said exactly what Blackstar had wanted to hear in a way he knew would get to him...

It is to let Sol help him. Guide him. When was the last time Starclan spoke to you? Gee, it's been a while. If they don't trust you anymore, what's the point of trusting them? Your deputy has been mauled by a Windclan cat who has seen no punishment over it... Seems despite your trials and tribulations... Starclan has abandoned you.

Perhaps it's time to put your faith in a new god.

The next stage is so fast, Lionblaze desperately works with the young new Shadowclan warriors, Owlclaw and Redwillow, to create a fake sign, and while it becomes real, Jay is off fighting with Sol. But now, Jay's got some warrior skills under his belt.

He is about to seriously wound Sol, when the slippery tom speaks once more.

"You look so much like your father. Well, your real one, anyway."

The shock of that statement is too much, and when Jayfeather tries to gauge how Sol is feeling (because, well... He could be full of crap) his mind is filled with the Sun god's horrible blinding light, physically paining him that the boy crumples like tissue.

"Interesting power you've got there. Mine came from the same place. There's another Sky out there. Beyond Starclan. There is more out there than you can imagine. Spirits, places, power... Did you know you I've died before?"

Poor Jay is left dumbstruck as Sol darts away, not to be seen again until OOTS.

From there, he meets a different fate. Hollyleaf's mind has changed about the code. It's important, sure, but also stupid in places. And it doesn’t account for this.

She kills him, the two fighting in a dusty clearing outside of Thunderclan land, his head smashed onto a stone. She gives him a burial, as a kind thing to do for a body no longer housing a soul. 

The Sun God has had its vessel destroyed, and will have to seek out a new one.

Sol enters the Dark Forest. Most cats dislike him, but he doesn't involve himself with Tigerstar's plans. He keeps to himself in a corrupted version of the dump/Skyclan's camp, an amalgamation fused together horribly that he calls his Sun Kingdom. It randomly grows dark, and cold, and laughter is heard from countless cats until it suddenly becomes blindingly bright, then back to normal. The whole thing is sun bleached and the place stinks of wet cardboard box.

A king sits alone upon his cold, sun bleached throne, decreeing his royalty to a crowd that doesn't exist, and only laughs.

The Sun's Rage is brewing.

[synergysilhouette]

Plotting out "Midnight Masquerade" (Disney Musical)

Make sure to check out my link for Disney's Resurgence era here.

Background

Following Disney's foray back into fairy tales (and let's assume success in the revived interest), they continue down a list of potential stories to adapt, eventually coming across the tale of "The 12 Dancing Princesses." Knowing that they can't take any chances, they nab Ron Musker and Ron Clements as directors, along with Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow as the songwriters (let's assume "Bad Fairies" has already come out and heightens their reputation) to emulate the radio sound they did with "Six" while still having musical theater quality. Disney believes that since they managed to create a phenomenon with "Encanto," which also circles on 12 family members, they have a good start. Originally, the film follows the story more strictly and is planned to be 2D, with 12 sisters, their father, and a war veteran who's roughly in his 30s-40s (the story stated that he "wasn't a young man"), but Disney runs into snags writing 12 siblings and wanting other characters, as well as the problem marketing an older male lead; if he was with a younger woman, it'd cause concerns with parents, but if his love interest was older, it'd be harder to sell her to girls and young women. So eventually the idea is altered, with the 12 sisters being condensed into 6 (NOT intentional to the songwriters' musical), the war veteran being changed into a young prince, and the art style being 3D as per usual these days (and Disney not wanting to get too comfortable since the last two films were 2D and a blend of animation, respectively). The film doesn't have a specific location, but while it was originally planned to be Victorian-inspired and influenced by Jane Austen novels (and rumors that a Latin American-inspired kingdom was considered, but no concept art exists for that), the finalized version is highly influenced by the Mediterranean--ironically, this, as well as the lead characters' designs, leads to comparisons to "The Little Mermaid." The magical land that the princesses travel to, however, is inspired by the land of Narnia. There was also apparent concept art leaked of the prince being depicted as Asian or mixed, but given that he has black hair and blue eyes, it sparked debate of the common trope of mixed-Asian characters (albeit usually female) being depicted with blue eyes, so while the idea of him being Asian was grieved for, the conversation simmered down quickly. The title of the film matches a Disney doll line, and they decide to combine the two, stating that several Disney characters make their way to the magical land at some point, making a "House of Mouse" situation.

Plot

Every full moon, the six princesses of Idala dissappear, and no one can figure out where they've gone. When a foreign prince takes up the task to find them, he finds that they've traveled beneath the castle through a portal to a world filled with ancient magic. However, while an intoxicating trip, he realizes that the king of the world is much more sinister than he lets on, and with time, the princesses will never be able to leave.

Characters

Alaric--Original names included "Solomon" "Wolfgang," and "Simeon," he is a wise and laidback prince who is visiting the Kingdom of Idala and hears about the king's sanity deteriorating since his daughters disappear once a month but no one knows where they go. To satisfy his own curiosity rather than for a reward, Alaric follows the sisters down a staircase in a conjoining bedroom that serves as a portal to another world. He is amazed at the colorful, dream-like quality of the dimension, and he has no desire to ruin the princess' fun, he reports what he finds to the king, but finds that the solution to the mystery is more difficult than he realized. The princesses often call him the cat prince due to his sneakiness, hard to read expressions, and occasionally mischievous behavior--plus he is a man of few words around the princesses, sometimes using hand gestures (NOT official sign language) rather than speaking. In fact, the first time the princesses heard him speak was when he was talking to himself. He somewhat perplexes them, because sometimes they'll find someone who said they had a long conversation with him, but he's tight-lipped around them, which he considers "payback" for the secrets they keep. Princess Calanthe calls him her "naughty kitty cat" (which makes him very bashful).

Calanthe--Originally named "Iris," the copper-haired princess in magenta is a middle child, the daughter of King Inachus, and often seen as unremarkable. Despite her intelligence and talent in various fields, this is nothing her sisters can't do, and Calanthe often feels powerless to her sisters who always defend her or rescue her from situations. She's bubbly and optimistic, often seen as naive in comparison to her more mature and "realistic" sisters. Due to the patronizing she's often faced, she occasionally has a snarky attitude amidst her usual upbeat personality. It was she who discovered the Land of Arkadia, an ancient land that stretches on as far as she can imagine. Something her and her sisters ponder is if the world exists independent of them, or if it is simply a form of magic that takes the form of their desires.

Dante--The older brother of King Inachus. When they were children, their father was killed by their uncle, who imprisoned them, though they were unaware of the true situation. When Inachus snuck out of the castle to explore the grounds, he discovered the truth, and he was rescue by a remorseful guard who worked for his uncle. Dante was believed to have been killed, but he managed to sneak away to the Land of Arcadia, and while he was originally a somewhat competent ruler, his trauma and lack of familial support led him to be a sadistic leader. He believes his brother has abandoned him, and lulls his nieces into a false sense of security to get them to forfeit their desire to leave and trap them forever. When inquired about why he doesn't just leave the land himself, he reveals that he never wants to walk the land his brother walks, and says that if Inachus dies from heartbreak, perhaps he'll consider step foot in Idala again. He often alternates between the youthful form he had when he came to Arkadia and an elderly form that best fits how he really looks now.

Songs

The World Below--King Inachus bemoans the fact that he has six beautiful and intelligent daughters, but once a month they disappear without a trace, distressing him greatly and making him fear foul play when they refuse to tell him of their whereabouts. The rumors of black magic has scared away potential proposals from foreign princes, so he has asked any man interested in solving the mystery, and he can marry the princess of his choice, but failure results in exile from Idala. Meanwhile, the princesses travel to the world of Arkadia, where a magical sprite guides and entertains them, none of the girls realizing the danger.

Send Me a Signal--Prince Alaric is invited by Inachus to try to find where his daughters are and if dark magic is at play. Before he officially accepts, the silent prince poses as a potential candidate for one of the princesses to marry, and spends most of his time in the library. As the princesses get used to his presence, they forget when he's around, and let their guard down when they go to Arkadia.

Next in Line--The princesses grow annoyed at their fathers' consistent invasion of their privacy, with the oldest considering passing on her crown to the second oldest, but she passes it on, and so on. Eventually they contemplate the idea of running away to Arkadia for a while to escape their responsibilities, but they realize that they can't all abandon their kingdom and their father, so they decide to save the conversation for another time.

Fantasy/Reality--Alaric and Calanthe have grown closer with time, and when he visits Arkadia with them, they become more aware of their feelings, though this opens up a conflict with the sisters (not just about Alaric, but he's the catalyst).

I Won't Forget This--In a mystical pool in King Dante's castle, Alaric, Calanthe, and two of her sisters see a vision of a young prince who survives an attempted murder and flees to Arkadia, and he grows up heartbroken over the belief that he was abandoned. (Fun fact: this was actually the title I was going to use for a song in my "Wish" rewrite).

Return--Dante is revealed to be Inachus' brother, and as he finally returns to Idala in order to give chase to Alaric and the sisters, he encounters Inachus, and they have a less than heartwarming reunion. With their treacherous uncle long dead, Dante only has Inachus to blame, who thought he had been killed.

I Need You (with elements of "I Won't Forget This" and "Fantasy/Reality")--After supposedly defeating Dante, Calanthe sacrifices herself to save Alaric. As Dante attempts to strip the life from her,n Inachus throws himself at his brother's feet, and he falters. The love between the brothers is still there, as is Alaric and Calanthe's love for each other. As the result of the shared love, Dante's spell is dispelled, and the family rejoices in their reunion. Dante returns to Arkadia, knowing that the family needs space for what he's done, but Calanthe vows to return to him for her and Alaric's wedding. The princesses realize that they can't run away from reality, and vow to take their responsibilities more seriously--though that doesn't mean their adventures in Arkadia are over.

Hope you enjoyed my idea! Lemme know what you think. "Weaver" may take a little more time to iron out.

[caradecema]

The Ghost And The Boy Scout

Part: 13

SUMMARY: Ghost isn't part of the league just a flirty mystery who helps when she feels like it, especially if Superman's around. Only Wonder Woman knows who she really is.

Batman? Annoyed and suspicious.

When her dangerous past catches up, ghost must drop the act, reveal her identity, and protect the league from what's coming.

So where between shadow-traveling and saving lives, she might just steal Superman's heart.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Over the Months of May's Pregnancy

The first trimester was rough.

May—usually so composed in the face of literal monsters—was taken down hard by morning sickness. And afternoon sickness. And what she started calling "are-you-kidding-me-it's-midnight" sickness.

Clark was doting. Too doting.

She'd try to sneak out for a shadow-travel or two (just to keep her edge sharp), only for Clark to appear in the mirror like a hovering golden retriever, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

"You said you were going to nap," he'd say.

"I was. Then I wanted Thai food from Bangkok."

"...You shadow-traveled across the globe?"

She'd shrug. "The nausea's less bad at sea level."

He'd sigh. Pick her up like she weighed nothing, and carry her back to bed.

Mid-Pregnancy – Cravings and Chaos

By month four, May was glowing—and irritated about it.

"It's the half-Kryptonian in there," she muttered, staring in horror at her reflection. "I look like I'm about to sing to woodland creatures."

"You look radiant," Clark said proudly.

"I'm going to hex your pillow."

Her cravings were... alarming. Clark walked in once to find her dipping pickles in fudge sauce and muttering to herself about Persephone and injustice.

He brought it up to Diana the next day.

"She's fine," Diana said without blinking. "My mother once craved roasted eagle and wine mixed with honey. I believe it's hereditary."

Clark blinked. "May's not full Amazon."

Diana just sipped her tea. "You're the one who knocked up a demigod."

Month Six – Baby Showers & Hero Surprises

Bruce refused to call it a "shower." He called it a "resource optimization event." But he still hosted it at the Manor, and every member of the League showed up—even Aquaman, who swam to Gotham for the occasion.

May was overwhelmed by the support, the laughter, the half-serious debates over who would win in a baby vs. Doomsday scenario.

("The baby," Diana said dryly. "It's May's.")

Hal gifted them a stroller with laser cannons. Barry brought baby booties he knit at superspeed. And someone (probably J'onn) gave them a tiny black onesie that said Born of Chaos and Sunlight.

Clark cried when he saw it. May pretended not to notice.

Month Eight – Nesting. Reluctantly.

May's instincts went feral.

She reorganized the entire house by moon phase. Clark walked into the nursery one night and found symbols etched into the walls with glowing silver chalk.

"Wards," May explained, perched on a stool with her swollen belly poking out beneath one of his flannels. "In case a god tries anything."

He nodded. "Do I want to know what that one does?"

She pointed. "That one'll turn Hermes inside out."

Clark blinked. "...Okay."

Final Days – The Quiet Before

It was snowing outside.

May lay on the couch, blanket wrapped around her, fingers idly stroking her stomach as the baby kicked gently beneath her skin.

Clark came in quietly, holding two mugs of cocoa.

He handed her one and kissed her temple.

"Scared?" he asked softly.

May sipped her cocoa. "A little."

"Me too."

They sat in silence a long while.

Then May looked over, eyes soft.

"You think she'll be more shadow or sun?"

Clark smiled. "I think she'll be exactly who she's meant to be."

They leaned into each other.

Two warriors.

Two survivors.

Two parents.

Waiting for the little star they'd made to arrive.

･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ.

The air shimmered around them.

Clark held May's hand, sweat on his brow, panic in his eyes—despite the fact that he could bench press planets. May was yelling ancient curses, shadows flickering wildly on the walls, the power of Olympus and Krypton surging like a storm.

And then—silence.

A soft, sharp cry broke the veil.

A girl. Wrinkled and perfect. With a tuft of midnight-black hair and May's stubborn little scowl already settling in.

Clark crumbled.

He didn't even try to hold it in—tears running down his cheeks, his arms trembling as he cut the cord and kissed May over and over, murmuring, "She's perfect. You're perfect. I love you—I love you so much—"

May blinked up at him, exhausted, half-conscious, but smiling like she'd swallowed a star.

"Big guy," she rasped, "you're crying on my forehead."

He laughed, kissed her again.

And then—

The shadows in the corner stirred.

Hades stepped out, robed in obsidian, his eyes impossibly deep. The baby quieted in Clark's arms, staring right at him, like she knew him already.

May smiled faintly. "You're late."

He approached, kneeling beside her like a father kneeling beside a daughter.

"I would not dare interfere with something so sacred," Hades murmured, brushing a cool hand across her hair. Then he bent, and pressed a kiss to her forehead, shadows wrapping her like a blessing. "You've carried life through death and back again. I'm proud of you, little flame."

May's eyes shimmered.

Clark said nothing—but nodded once to the god of the underworld, an understanding passing between immortal and near-invincible.

Their daughter yawned.

Her name was Elara.

And she would carry the legacy of both light and shadow.

Years Later – On a Hill in Kansas

Clark was in the garden, humming as he worked, Elara giggling in the distance with Krypto chasing butterflies around her.

Inside the barn, May knelt in the hay, face-to-face with a messy-haired little boy—her son, Orin, eyes bright with power and curiosity.

"Okay," May said, brushing his curls aside. "Let's try again. Small shadow portal. Small, Orin."

Orin squinted, tongue sticking out as he focused. A tiny vortex blinked open beside him and spit out one of Clark's socks.

May laughed. "Excellent. Very stealthy."

Orin beamed. "Can I do a big one next?"

She booped his nose. "Not until you stop teleporting yourself into the cookie cabinet."

From outside, Clark called, "He gets that from you, by the way!"

May yelled back, "Rude but true!"

Later that night, when both kids were asleep—Elara curled under a starlit mobile and Orin snoring in a tangle of blankets and toy daggers—May and Clark stood by the porch, arms around each other, looking out over their quiet, magical land.

"You ever think we'd get this?" Clark murmured.

May leaned her head on his shoulder. "No. Not once. And now I'd burn the world to keep it."

Clark smiled, kissing her hair.

Behind them, the stars shimmered like old friends watching from above. The gods had gone quiet again. The battles were distant echoes.

And all that remained was warmth.

A family.

A home.

A happy ending—earned infull.

To May she wouldn't have image she would get such a happy ending to her life. A husband who adore her, two children who were a perfect mixture of the two. Maybe the gods finally decided to giver her a happy ending or maybe they were allowing her a break before throwing her into another war or quest. But what she knew was she would love Clark and their children like it was her last day of freedom.

"Mom, look I'm flying" Elara shouted taking May from her train of thought as she looks up to see Clark guiding Elara. May gave her daughter a smile as she allowed the shadows to carry her to her side. "I see sweet girl" May smiled as she flew around Clark and Elara. "No fair! Orin shouted" May laughed. Gods how lucky was she?

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───