#niamh - neev

[rooksgambits]

been reading neve's name phonetically all this time so it bugs my ass the way they actually pronounce it.

[wolfie170]

Wait, is Indri's apprentice called Niamh? They kept calling her "Neef" and I was like, "What is that?"

But is that just what it sounds like when Americans try to say Niamh?

[sim-berry]

Zelda: "Oh my god, Niamh, I didn't know you were a guitar player! And a singer!"

Niamh: "Ha...yeah, I am. I learned to play when I was about five."

Zelda: "Oh come on, don't be embarrassed. You sounded so good. What was that song- Teardrops on my Guitar, right?"

Niamh: "T-thank you. It's just that no one's ever complimented my playing and singing before. I'm...a little shy about it, I guess."

[mariacallous]

Last year, the lead singer of The 1975, Matt Healy, managed to offend a whole lot of Gaelgoirí (Irish speakers) when he appeared to mock a fan’s name – Dervla – at a meet-and-greet.

Healy isn’t alone, though, when it comes to anglophone bafflement at Irish names. A recent study based on an analysis of Google searches revealed the words that British people have the most difficulty pronouncing. The names Aoife, Saoirse, Niamh and Siobhán occupy places in the top 10.

And it’s not exclusively a British problem: I always cringe watching US talkshows where the host quizzes their Irish guest (usually Saoirse Ronan) on the pronunciation of their and other Irish names.

I’ve heard every possible variation of my own name from non-Irish people. It’s not uncommon in Ireland; in secondary school, there were four Niamhs in my class. But I rarely come across an English person who is familiar with it, despite the proximity of our two countries.

In case you don’t know, it’s pronounced “Neev” or “Nee-av”, either is perfectly acceptable. The prefix Ní means “daughter of”. My surname is trickier, and has even tripped up a few Irish people; it can be translated as Herbert, and is pronounced “her-a-vard”.

When I was living in London, I quickly learned that saying Niamh at the counter in a coffee shop or over the phone to make a booking simply wouldn’t fly. This led to the invention of what I call my “Starbucks name”. Anything easily pronounceable with a simple spelling would do. Mia, Sophie and Rose were among my common aliases.

Speaking to others reveals a litany of similar experiences. Aoibhe Ní Shúilleabháin, a designer and teacher, spent two years at college in England having her name mispronounced and disrespected. (Her first name is pronounced “Ay-vah”.) More than one lecturer resorted to calling her “blondie”.

She tells me: “I was asked to say, ‘Three hundred and thirty three trees’” – a tongue-twister that does the rounds on TikTok – “more often than I was asked to repeat my name.” She recalls the lack of interest when she attempted to explain that Irish and English are different languages with different pronunciation rules.

Clearly, the sensitivities at play here are rooted in history: Ireland was colonised by the English and our national language was all but wiped out. A language revival began in earnest in the 19th century, but it’s never quite recovered. Ireland’s most recent census shows that about 40% of Ireland’s population can speak Irish. The English destroyed our language once before, so every little throwaway comment and scoff at our names hurts a little bit more – and ultimately becomes just tiresome. A handful of people even remark, “Oh! I didn’t know Ireland had its own language,” when I tell them about my name.

Writer Darach Ó Séaghdha is all too familiar with these difficulties. (The “rach” in Darach is pronounced like “Bach”, he says.)He hosted a podcast called Motherfoclóir, a podcast about the Irish language and culture, and whenever there were guests on with Irish names, “inevitably the episode would turn into group therapy”. There was one bad experience, he recalls, when he was told that his surname “looked like a wifi password”. But he decided to give his children Irish names, too. It’s a common trend, he says, “because parents with Irish names have been battle-hardened”.

Like the others I spoke to for this piece, writer and director Rioghnach (think “Ree-nock”)Ní Ghrioghair believes that a sense of superiority among English speakers is to blame for the constant mistreatment of Irish names. But she’s defiant. “We are going to scrutinise the British for any transgression regarding the pronunciation of our names,” and other things, she tells me, like British media claiming Irish actors as their own during awards seasons.

There is no easy crash-course I can give to you on the pronunciation of Irish names, but you can always try out “how to pronounce”-style websites (which themselves can be contested). But the simplest and most reliable solution is perhaps just to politely ask an Irish person – and listen attentively to what they say. I may have accepted that English people are very rarely going to get my name right on the first go, but I appreciate a well-intentioned effort. Just don’t laugh at it, please.

[etherealstar-writes]

I WANNA BE YOURS | WOSO X READER | PT 17

pairings: woso x reader

summary: in which you're accidentally added to a random group chat, not knowing they're all actually famous footballers, and obliviously end up having many of them competing for your love and attention.

part: seventeen

part one here

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

Y/N PROTECTION SQUAD

lotte has anyone checked on y/n lately?

lessi no why? what's up

lotte i feel like she's been trying to ignore us and the groupchat is quite dead that itself should be ringing some bells

niamh last time i saw her was when we went to nandos together a week ago but i could tell she was feeling a bit down, and these past few days she keeps saying she's busy or tired whenever i try to make plans with her

charli same here

leah wait you guys went to nandos again?!

steph that's what's concerning you the most rn omg? nandos? and not my child?

kyra i think we should revoke leah's privileges to be in this chat tbh raise your hand if you agree ✋

niamh ✋

lotte ✋

lessi ✋

charli ✋

katie ✋

steph ✋

georgia ✋

ona ✋

ella ✋

viv ✋

leah EXCUSE ME?! ALSO SINCE WHEN WAS VIV PART OF THIS GC?!

kyra see that just shows how uninvested leah is in this gc she isn't worthy to be part of the y/n protection squad

leah kyra istg you're gonna catch these hands the next time i see you

steph oi you won't lay a hand on my children not on my watch, williamson

kyra thank you mum 🥰

the REAL karate kid guys have we noticed that y/n's disabled comments on all her posts lately?

viv the fans and media can be quite toxic i won't be surprised if they caught up to her

niamh sent a few screenshots

kyra oh.

lotte no wonder she's been trying to avoid us she's most definitely seen all those tweets

katie i'm gonna fight em 😈

kyra i'm joining you 😈

niamh count me in 😈

georgia me too 😈

lotte guess i'll see you all on the battlefield

steph the battlefied it is

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

THE NATIONAL DIVING TEAM

brightness why are we at war in twitter rn

sam the skippa HELP this is so entertaining

rusty metal @ the imposter aka y/n ❤️

meado y/n you need to see this

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ what is happening

mccard y/n protection army reporting for duty

meado

willybum DAMN YES STEPH

rusty metal i need more popcorn for this

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ stop you guys tysm i'm crying

the REAL karate kid you see those are the more .... civilised ones and then there's kyra's ones

pest don't be shy show em 😈

the REAL karate kid

willybum KYRA 😭😭

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ thank you kyra 😈

pest you're very welcome y/n 😈

kie ONA WHO TAUGHT YOU THIS 😭😭

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ PLS IM SO PROUD OF YOU ILYSM HAHAHA

pest our teachings have paid off

ona they sure have pookie 😈

rusty metal STOP 😭😭 you two are banned from teaching her slang

pest it's not our fault you're a grandma

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ okay but genuinely thank you so much everyone you guys really didn't have to back me up there but it truly means a lot to have your support i love you all so much 🥺😭❤️🙏

pest we love ya too y/n ❤️

mccard ❤️

stephy ❤️

neev ❤️

cha cha ❤️

elton ❤️

meado ❤️

viv ❤️

ona ❤️

rusty metal ❤️

the REAL karate kid ❤️

stairway ❤️

willybum ❤️

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

[writers-potion]

Do you have any nicknames? Not stereotypical ones like “honey, sweetie”, but ones that maybe a character won’t like at first but grows to love??

Character Nickname Ideas

Hmmm this is actually a tricky one to answer.

Each character will have their own set of cultural backgrounds, quirks, strengths, weaknesses and relationship dynamics, which can all contribute to a nickname.

Here are some common things writers do for nicknames:

Shorten their given name. Mireya becomes Rey. Christopher becomes Chris.

Alter their given name. If you add a “y” sound, it implies the person using the nickname thinks of the character as young or childlike. So Alexa becomes Lexie. William becomes Billy.

Base their nickname on a physical trait. This can be straightforward or ironic. The large man is Tiny. The pretty girl named Honor is Bell/Beauty.

Pick a personality trait. School kids might call your main character Sassy Cassy. The con man might be called Prince Charming because of his smooth-talking skills.

Base their nickname on their profession or an accomplishment. So many characters are called Doc, Prof, or Chairman.

Base it on Monsters: ie. Balrog, Loch, Golen, Orthros, Baal, etc.

Base it on Mythology. Lots of authors have used names from Greek/Roman mythology, and readers have loved it!

Here are two personal examples:

Use initials. My name is Junhui Lee, and those who aren't familar with Asian names struggle to pronoun it correctly. So I just go by "JH"

In Korean culture, (1) people's names are usually three chracters: ie. Jun+hui+Lee and (2) We put surnames in front, not at the back of our names: ie. Lee Junhui, not Junhui Lee. Close friends would address each other as "surname + first character of the given name". So my friends would call me Lee Jun.

A character not liking their nickname

Doesn't necessary mean it has to be a funny nickname. They can dislike it because they somehow feel like only their parents/siblings call them that, or they feel childish, or the tone in which the other person says it is too teasing.

Depends on the origin and meaning behind the nickname. Was it made up by bullies in primary school and its just happened to stick? Was it given to them by their late grandparents? The anme

That said, here are some examples!

Vivienne: Vivvy, Vienne, Viv, Vee

Niamh: Nia, Neeve, Iya

Athena: Ath, Thea

Hazel: Haze, Zelly, Elle

Bloom: Bee, Bloomy, Blommer, Bloo

Coral: Cora, Coralie, Cori, Coral-B

Alaric: Larry, Lars

Ulysses: Ollie, Ulie

Adin: Ade, Ad, Bin, Dinny

Nicolas: Nick, Nico, Nicky

Daniel: Dan, Danny, Dannyboy, Niel

Adreil: Ad, Adri, Riel, El

Louisa: Lulu

+ this list because I've been trying to come up with nicknames for my bloothirsty character...

Steelshot

Crank

Rigs

Skinner

Skull Crusher

Wardon

Zero

Ironclad

Iron Heart

Billy the Butcher

Mr. Blonde

K-6

Hell-Raiser

Harbinger

Finisher

I hope this helps :)

[jadesnapart]

"I am Niamh...I hail from a world overflowing with the power that you call the Boundless Chaos..."

Another FE Cipher commission, Niamh (pronounced 'Neev') is one of the original characters in the FE TCG. Thank you to the client for another card!

[geniemillies]

Yearning for Spring || Tamlin x Oc MasterList

Summary: It was always doomed from the start. Before the fall of the Spring Court, before the horrors of Amarantha's reign, and before Tamlin could even become High Lord. Fate played its hand long ago and brought them together, the string loose and the bond one-sided. Choiceless and caged, Niamh bears the weight of this secret as a heavy burden, this cursed bond she will take to the grave, condemned to only dream and yearn for spring.

A/n: The first chapters of this story is a very.. very long prologue for their meeting, centering around Niamh (pronounced Neeve) throughout the events of pre-acotar to acowar in Hybern’s setting, showing her side of the story, her struggles and her yearning. I'm attempting to expand/rebuild the world of Hybern, give it the story it deserves because I am baffled that the main villain location of the first books are never further built, and the people are depicted as cartoony villains. Like. The entire land, everyone is born evil. No no. Justice for Hybern. So I will be trying to write Hybern, The King, add actual people, lives and struggles, and might also write a new future. But don't worry there is.. a lot of yearning. It's in the title. The girl is fighting for this man- So if you are interested in Hybern, I have plenty of world building for the place in this fic (so much so that I think I'm obsessed)

Tags and warnings will be added accordingly in every chapter.

— Chapter List

Ch1 – Ch2 – Ch3 – Ch4 – Ch5 –Ch6 – Ch7 – Ch8 – Ch9 – Ch10 –

[hallasimss]

Niamh Ó Dálaigh (they/them, 26), Head of the Internal Audit Department for @kashisun's Simblr Office. their resting bitch face is to scare your ass so you don't commit fraud under their watch tyvm

— half Afro-Indo-Guyanese (mother) half Irish (father) — grew up just outside of Dublin. the accent is thick — Hozier's album dropped on Friday and they've already booked an appointment with their tattoo artist to get the Gaeilge verse from De Selby (Part 1) printed on their shoulderblade — is fluent and will curse you out in Gaeilge, English, Guyanese Creole and Aili Gaili if you provoke them. do not provoke them — the next time someone mispronounces their first name as 'nee-AHM' instead of 'NEEV' despite having been corrected beforehand they're going to commit acts of unspeakable violence. lack of Anglicization is not an excuse break free from the colonizer mindset — calling them 'Ni/Nee' for short is a criminal offense and also grounds for acts of unspeakable violence — studied business and accounting in university. almost chose law but decided against it at the last minute — plays cláirseach and steel pan in their free time. watches @rainymoodlet's Kiss Me in Komorebi religiously on the weekends. have placed bets on the contestants. they won't say which ones — once sang the entirety of Humors of Whiskey + The Rattling Bog at double speed while drunk. that was also part of a bet — best friends with @browntrait's Jesminder Bheeda. has a chapter in her upcoming cookbook dedicated to them. cameos on the blog sometimes. helped name the baby but if you ask for details before they're actually born it's an automatic audit for the nerve alone — 6'4", mainly leg, still wears heels most days. doors in the building were previously adjusted for @crsentfairy's Aesir Dhillon so it's a walk in the park where height's concerned — yes they have a boyfriend, apologies to those asking. yes there is a rumor that their ex also works at the company. yes said ex does not come within a 5 floor radius otherwise HR will be hearing the complaints — why would you drink coffee when cocoa tea Irish breakfast tea and strong masala chai exist. not necessarily in that order per say but. that being said if there is none available they're taking the coffee black no sweetener. the only time you use sweetener is in caife Gaelach anywhere else you're a f*cking coward — broke a man's nose outside a pub after he catcalled them. he didn't sue bc they threatened to break his nose again after surgery if he tried. the surgery cost a pretty penny btw — you hear any noise from their office that's just them playing the Ram-Leela soundtrack on loop since it came back to Spotify after how many godforsaken years. you hear any noise in between that then those are the ads. they don't pay for Premium that's a corporate scam — leaves work on time if there are no ongoing audits. they do not subscribe to the culture of the Grind — they're the one who passed on the budget discrepancies under @vhsmage's Hamda Farrah to the higher-ups. final report came with a note to add her perfume as a separate category by itself. as far as company gossip goes there hasn't been a problem in that regard since — goes down to Guyana at least once a year to visit with extended family. usually times it around Carnival, Holi or Diwali. will take PTO for all three. do not attempt to contact them once it is turned in, that will gain you an automatic audit on their return

[tenebris-metallum]

Oh i just realized I forgot to post this!! Niamh the Irish Elk (Megaloceras)!

She's in the prehistoric animals furry polycule thing I've got going on with Moby and Dahlia.

Niamh is somewhere on the aroace spectrum, she's queerplatonic with Moby and good friends with Dahlia <3

She's also a native Irish (Gaelige) speaker, but she also speaks English.

(Her name is pronounced "Neev")

[athenathewise12345]

feeling shaken today because an irish person told me today that the name niamh is pronounced neev

[frekkicreative]

Jack (the goblin) and Niamh (Pronounced as 'neev') swap styles!

[etherealstar-writes]

I WANNA BE YOURS | LIONESSES X READER | PT 6

pairings: lionesses x reader

summary: in which you're accidentally added to a random group chat, not knowing they're all actually famous footballers, and obliviously end up having many of them competing for your love and attention.

part: six

part one here

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

yourusername: a little photo dump

yourbestiesusername: i'm really proud of that first pic i took of you, i'm coming for your career

↳ yourusername: oi photography's my thing, go find another career

lucybronze: this is cute. you are really beautiful! ❤️

↳ yourusername: OMG NO WAY TYSM!! you're amazing ilysm!!

↳ lucybronze: thank you! @ yourusername

usera omg. the REAL lucy bronze commented on your post!!

↳ yourusername i am not okay rn

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

THE NATIONAL DIVING TEAM

the imposter

YOU GUYS

GUESS WHAT OMG

the REAL karate kid

what happened?

lotte

is everything alright?

the imposter

NO EVERYTHING IS NOT OKAY

neev

you're kinda scaring me now

the imposter

i know i'm not a woso fan yet

bcuz i'm still incredibly uncultured

and literally don't know anyone yet

elton

yeah we know

the imposter

BUT LUCY BRONZE COMMENTED ON MY POST

I AM SCREAMING

the REAL karate kid

WHAT

neev

WOAH WOAH

hold on

stairway

that old grandma can actually use insta??

rusty metal

OI

that is so rude and offensive!

to that old grandma ....

the REAL karate kid

SHUT UP

rusty metal

the disrespect children have nowadays

unbelievable

well i'm glad she made your day y/n <3

the imposter

thank you!!!

i'm gonna go thrive in my happiness for the

rest of my life for a celebrity noticing me

peace out

lotte

well i'm glad she's happy

willybum

i need to up my game now

the REAL karate kid

me too

stairway

y'all are such simps

neev

says one of the simps herself

stairway

shut up niamh

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

THE NATIONAL DIVING TEAM

brightness

you know

i just remembered that y/n is still in here

and we don't know like anything about her

at all

door knob

oh yeah

we only know her name

the imposter

i literally only kinda know your names

and that is it

neev

she got a point there

the imposter

honestly i don't get why i'm even still in this chat

not that i'm complaining

stairway

you've been fun to talk to these past few weeks

unlike most of the people on this group chat

who simply decide to ignore their notifications

elton

yeah fr

i didn't feel the need to make a new chat tbh

the imposter

i'm honoured?

elton

you should be

the imposter

uh okay ...

well

i'm 22

i'm a pro photographer and media editor/manager

and uhh i live in london?

idk what else to say tbh

stairway

photography's so cool!

the imposter

thank you!

earpsy

is toone being 10x more annoying

because i'm sick or?

the REAL karate kid

nah she's just that annoying

elton

now that is just rude

willybum

she has an encylcopedia on

how to be annoying

elton

STOP SAYING THAT WORD

wait

guys

neev

oh no

willybum

today on stupid stuff toone is going to say!

elton

oi! i'm not stupid!

the REAL karate kid

you literally thought germany started with j

elton

I WAS UNDER PRESSURE OKAY

anyway as i was about to say

isn't it crazy to think that the money you have

has probably been or could be in like

a stripper's bra or underwear at some point

the REAL karate kid

why does your brain function this way 😭

stairway

wait a sec-

....

she has a point

neev

STOP 😭

that is ALL what i'm gonna think about now

the imposter

never touching cash again that's for sure 😭

willybum

donating all my cash to the trash now

lotte

oh my days

why

just why

meado

WHAT DID I JUST READ 😭😭

part seven here

[starstruckunknown-princess]

Black Rose

Summary: The fateful night in the Spring Court as told by Tamlin’s younger sister, Niamh. 

Pairing: Rhysand x OC (Niamh, pronounced ‘Neev,’ no physical descriptions)

Warnings: Slap, discussion of murder, implications of sex

Notes: Hey y’all! This is my first time posting for the ACOTAR-verse. Let me know what you think! Reblogs/notes/likes are much appreciated!

Part 2

Two pairs of wings, one pair smaller than the other, both ink black and unmistakably Illyrian, hung over the mantle in her father’s study. 

Niamh couldn’t breathe, her mouth gaping in horror at the sight. A spring thunderstorm raged outside, rain pelting the tall windows and thunder rumbling. Lightning flashed, casting perfect shadows of the wings on the wall behind them.

“Do you see,” her father’s voice hissed from behind her and she whirled around to face him. He sat in one of the plush chairs, swirling a glass of blood-dark wine, Tamlin stood behind the chair, his eyes downcast in shame. “Do you see what the Night Court gets for humiliating us?”

“Hu-wha…Father, what have you done?” she choked out, mouth dry as a desert. He’d had Tamlin wake her from slumber and bring her to the study, now she knew why. To stare in sickening awe at the wings of her ex-future in-laws. 

“They were supposed to be that bastard Rhysand’s wings,” her father explained as if he were simply talking about the weather, not the murder of two innocents, “but I thought this would send a better message.”

Niamh gulped; she knew she didn’t want the answer to the question, “What message is that?” 

“That the Spring Court is powerful. That the Spring Court has sharp teeth and jaws that snap and that no one defiles the princess of the Spring Court and gets away with it.” Her father’s emerald gaze burned her like acid. He rose to his feet and prowled toward her, towering over her like a great redwood. Niamh couldn’t help but tremble slightly; her father’s wrath was usually reserved for her older brothers. She had rarely seen it before tonight, which made his quiet, simmering rage all the more terrifying. “Do not lie to me, girl. You’ve made yourself worthless to me, especially since the Lord of Night changed his mind on your betrothal. How am I going to marry you off now?” 

Niamh’s gaze landed on Tamlin — he was the only one she’d told, the only one she felt she could confide in about her relationship with his friend. They were friends, how could Tamlin have betrayed both his sister and his best friend in one fell swoop? 

“W-we were…we were betrothed,” Niamh offered weakly. 

The sting of the slap bloomed and the room tilted in her vision before the sound hit her ears. She toppled over, barely catching herself in time to not hit the edge of the hearth. Her eyes began to water while her cheek burned. She felt a trickle of blood run down her cheek, racing the tears down to her chin. Tamlin was by her side in a moment, steadying her until she shook him off. 

Her father’s voice was steady and deep, like the roar of magma underground. “You will remain confined to your room until your mother and I decide what to do with our whore of a daughter.” 

With that he winnowed away, leaving his two youngest children to stare at the wings above the mantelpiece. 

“Niamh, I-”

“How could you?” she demanded, interrupting her brother, “How could you tell him?” 

“I didn’t know it would-” Tamlin tried to reach out to her, his own hands shaking slightly, but Niamh threw him off. She rose to her feet and shoved at her brother’s chest.

“But you did, Tamlin, you did know! You knew because I told you in confidence, because I begged you not to say anything!” 

“You also know what Father is like,” Tamlin defended. “He was angry about the betrothal being called off, of the humiliation that brought on our court. He’s been waiting for a chance at a power play against the Night Court, and I hoped if he knew about you and Rhys he would have the upper hand that he wanted. I thought that meant forcing along the marriage or an alliance, not this!”

Niamh scoffed, unstoppable tears falling down her face. “Your pathetic desperation to gain Father’s approval got two innocent females killed, Tamlin! Are you proud of yourself?” Tamlin opened his mouth but Niamh held up a hand to stop him, “I don’t care. I won’t hear any more bullshit justifications. Besides, I should be getting to my room; wouldn’t want Father to be angry with me.” 

She made sure to ram into Tamlin’s shoulder on her way past him, even though she knew that due to her smaller stature it wouldn’t affect him much, if at all. Still, getting the last word was a small vindication that helped tamp down the rising tide of guilt. 

When she reached her room, she used her ability and grew a thick bramble of black roses over the door. She made sure to wrap the handle in particularly thorny stems so that anyone trying to enter would think twice about it. 

Alone with her thoughts, she moved toward her window and sat on the sill. The rose garden went on for acres upon acres and was so peaceful at night. She wished she could wrap herself in that peace because she knew she’d gotten all the sleep she would that night. Every time she shut her eyes, she saw the wings and her chest clenched painfully. 

Rhys’s mother and sister had been nothing but welcoming during Niamh’s betrothal tour of the Night Court, introducing her to the various leaders of Illyrian camps and making sure she was comfortable. His mother had offered tea and biscuits and warmer gloves and very much behaved like Niamh’s own mother, doting on her during her entire stay. His sister joked and gossiped with her, along with their cousin Morrigan, and the three young females had formed what Niamh had thought to be the beginnings of friendship. 

Her heart ached at the memories. Her heart ached when she thought of how Rhys was feeling, what he must be going through. She wished she could see him, even though he most likely hated her now. Her heart ached for that, too. 

Soon after she sat down it felt as though her ears filled with cotton. Not that she minded; it was easier for her to zone out. An hour or so later, the feeling had disappeared just in time for her to hear a knock at the door.

“Go away, Tamlin,” she said, not bothering to look over her shoulder until she heard the splintering of wood and a crash. She jumped up, assuming a defensive stance.

Light from the hallway framed a distinctively Illyrian set of wings, as ink-black as the ones in the study, though still attached to a tall male form. The ruins of her door lay between them, and the tension in the male’s posture screamed fight.

He took two long-legged steps into her room and she gasped at the sight of him, illuminated in the moonlight from her window. His blue-black hair was disheveled, pupils in his violet eyes were near pinpricks, and his golden skin was paler than the last time she’d seen him. Something had changed about him, but it wasn’t until the sweet-scented tang of magic hit her nostrils could she tell what it was. 

“High Lord,” she whispered, a hand coming to cover her mouth. He reeked of the blood that stained his black clothes — the blood of her oldest brothers, her father — but also of power, heady and intense. She couldn’t help but fall to her knees and avert her gaze. 

His footsteps approached, slowly working his way toward her. Niamh remained still, expecting a killing blow and a quick death. Instead, Rhysand reached down and gently guided her chin upward so she could look at him. 

“Did you hear anything?” he asked, voice low and surprisingly gentle. She saw his pupils return to normal size as he regarded her with concern, sweeping over her form while she still knelt in front of him. 

“No,” she answered breathlessly. “Rhys, I’m-” 

“Don’t. It’s all over now. Tamlin and I are High Lords.” 

Tears sprung into her eyes for the second time that night. If Tamlin and Rhys were High Lords, that meant both of their fathers were dead. Two families almost completely annihilated within the course of a day. 

“Just make it quick, Rhys, I know I don’t deserve it but please,” she whispered, closing her eyes and letting the tears fall. Again, her expectation of brutality was met with the gentle touch of his fingers. This time, the pads of his thumbs wiped away her tears.

“Sweetrose,” he said, crouching down so they were closer, “I’m not here to kill you. I’m here to take you with me.” 

She searched for words; none came. Too many questions buzzed through her head, like bees in a hive. Try as she might, she couldn’t catch one long enough for it to form a coherent thought. 

Rhys half-smiled, and she felt his presence in her mind. The bees calmed. He was good at that. One by one, he answered her questions. 

Yes, I’m sure I want you in the Night Court.

No, not just because you’re Tamlin’s sister.

Because I love you. I want you.

I wanted to marry you. Still do.

It’s not your fault.

None of this is your fault.

I love you. I love you. I love you. 

Once her mind calmed, he slid out of it as smoothly as he entered.

“Come with me, Sweetrose,” he asked, rising to his full height and extending his hand down to her. He was offering her a choice, something she wouldn’t have if she stayed here with Tamlin as High Lord. She knew in her heart of hearts that her brother loved her, but he wouldn’t hesitate to marry her off for his own benefit. If she stayed, she would never have true freedom. 

She reached up and took Rhys’s hand.

[irlcats-bracket]

BRACKET TWO

first of all, don't forget our finalists! #catfight one finals!!

now then. you wanted the second bracket, you get it.

REGARDING MISSING PICTURES

Cow's submitter said they don't have any

Ash's link is broken

John Henry's link leads to a deleted (renamed?) blog

Trapper's link is not set to viewing for all who have the link

Please send me their pictures in dms or askbox! Otherwise i'll just draw them in paint.

First round of second bracket starts wednesday. you have some time for preparation

Names under the cut

Iku vs Alucard vs Ezekiel

Little Whiskers vs Summer

Mr J vs Adora vs Zoe

Go Kitty vs Pumpkin

Lily vs Mimosa vs Casper

Gansey Harlot IV vs Emrys

Tirgito vs Autism Thumbupemoji vs Jasper

Cow/Trikie vs Ash

Yankee vs Sogwa vs Maru

John Henry vs Bumper

Peeker vs Pegle vs Holly

Street Friend vs Morticia

Bear vs Puffy Many Nicknames vs Niamh (Neev)

Sparkles vs Sammy

Lyovushkin vs Harvest "Harvey" Loaf vs The Phantom Havoc

Trapper vs Mr Crinkes

[nothanksehh]

When We Meet Again- Chapter 1

Being a rider with a powerful signet usually means you are exempt from being a professor at Basgiath. Only a rare few actually enjoy the task of training the young minds and dealing with all the bullshit that comes along with that. So when Niamh volunteered for the open position of Classified and Rare Signet Professor more than a few people were surprised. What they don't know is that seeing Brennan and Naolin die during the Battle of Aretia nearly killed you, too. No one is quite sure how you are alive, seeing as Marbh and your dragon Eilduaine were mated. Brennan's last words down the bond were a plea for you to protect his sisters. And you will do anything to make sure that last promise is never broken.

Notes:

Please note that this is a slow burn and will have raunchy chapters and themes. There are also themes that go along with The Empyrean series, death, harm, and really bad shit to come. I have taken the time to generate an image of Niamh, Brennan, and Smachd as I have aphantasia and can't see shit up here. The images of these characters are shown for those who would like to see that visual. If you do not support people using AI to generate images of characters please do not give me any grief about it. This is cross-posted to my Ao3 Niamh is pronounced NEEV. Eild is pronounced Aisled. Eilduaine is pronounced Aisled-Wayne.

Chapter 2

I dream of him often. 

I thought that Brennan and I would be together until our last moments. Eilduaine seems to echo the sentiment down our bond. Living without the one person who knew me inside and out is nothing compared to what Eild lost. Mated dragons are supposed to die together, one life lost for the other. The riders follow with them, that's the cycle.

The Battle of Aretia was cruel and hard-fought. More lives than necessary were lost. The sounds of war echo around me as Eild dives for another soul. The only thing I hate more than the fucking griffin riders is having to kill those that were fellow students at Basgiath with me. It makes me sick. But the orders were given. 

Brennan fights alongside me, a rock of resolution flows along our bond. He is there one minute and gone the next but I know he will be fine. 

"This bond we share will be a great asset in battles to come," Eild's words were always a comfort. I will know if something goes wrong with him. I found so much comfort in the knowledge that I would never have to exist without him in this world. 

"We will follow each other to the next life, I promise Niamh."

Fucking liar.

The dreams make me relive them too often for me to ever forget. 

Me holding Brennan as Naolin works to funnel life back into him. Eild snapping at anyone who attempts to get close to Marbh as he fights for his own life. Brennan being too weak to say anything out loud. Him solely using our connection to speak those blasted last words. 

"Nia, please look out for my sisters. Mira and Violet will be crushed, but you have to make sure that they survive. Don't let them do anything stupid."

My tears flowing uncontrollably as I watch Naolin's work fail him slowly. 

"Let my family know I love them. Don't... don't ever forget how much I love you, Nia."

Feeling that bond go dark and then sever, Eild's scream of loss, there are no words for that moment. Or the ones to follow. 

Naolin dying. Tairn's roars. Eild fading. 

No one paid enough attention to the rebel behind me, getting knocked unconscious by the pommel of a sword is the last thing I remember, that last flicker before I wake time and time again.

I wake in a sweat. My body aching, no doubt from the tossing and turning that nightmares bring. 6 years have passed since that awful fucking day. Every day since has been hell. I wish I were dead with Brennan more often than I would care to admit out loud. If I am honest, I don't even think I have had time to grieve his loss. Upon waking after the battle I was told of the outcome and that I had been in a coma for weeks, recovering at Basgiath with the aid of the healers. As soon as they had deemed me recovered, they shipped me off to Samara. Being sent to the front was hell in itself, but it did allow me to be able to rise in the ranks quickly. There was nothing else on my brain other than being there for Mira when she graduated and got sent to her station. The only way that leadership would listen to my requests was if I was high enough in rank to even request to transfer. 

So I worked hard, determination pushing me past limits that should have existed for me. But I was extremely successful. And I followed Mira from station to station. 

God did she hate me for "babysitting" her, as she liked to put it. But I knew that she was secretly grateful for the company, the small reminder of Brennan that shadowed her. We had finally gotten a good rhythm when we got word that Violet was to go into the Riders Quadrant. Mira and I had been so sure that everything would be fine and she would be safe with the scribes. 

Wrong again. 

Leaving Mira was hard. She was so much like Brennan that it gave me a small bit of peace when I was around her. She was a great person once you got to know her. Her secret heart of gold that she only showed to those she was closest with. 

The Professor of Classified and Rare Signets position being open was great timing. Being a Major made me a shoo-in for the role, that paired with my signet and they were practically salivating when I put myself in for it. The only one who questioned anything was General Sorrengail, thank god it wasn't in front of leadership. Being back at Basgiath for the first time was surreal. The General caught me right as I was dismounting Eild, escorted me to my quarters to drop my things, showed me to the classroom that I would be teaching in, and then locked us inside. 

"I want you and I to be on the same page when it comes to this position, Major Leannan," she said, "You are here because your experience in this position will be invaluable. You, however, have not fooled me as to your true intentions in returning. I am aware of your need to shadow Mira wherever her duty might take her. I am aware that you are doing this for Violet so that you might be able to uphold some sort of vow that you have made. And I will make you aware that should you attempt to remove Violet from this quadrant to spare her, you will no longer be required to hold any future vows. You are smart, so I am sure you understand what I mean. I have made an agreement with Xaden Riorson that he will ensure Violet is well-guarded this year. You will make sure that he is held to this. Do not interfere in her education or training here before threshing. Should she survive and manifest, I expect you to personally train her. You will not let her know what I have said. Do not disappoint me, Major."

And then she turned around and left. It was not surprising that she would know what I was doing. Nor was it a stretch that she would want me to train Violet should she bond a dragon and manifest her signet. It just meant that there were now conditions for my survival again.

And after watching Violet cross the parapet, it was going to be one hell of a hard year not intervening.