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missadangel · 3 months ago

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The Heart of Rome (Marcus Acacius x OC)

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I. Heal the Heart

Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, nescio. Sed fieri sentior et excrucior. I love you and I hate you. Why I do this, I have no idea. But I feel it happening and I’m in agony. [Catullus]

Following the conquest of Egypt and its incorporation into the Roman Empire, there was a growing interest in its ancient culture. Over time, many in Egypt began to express a desire for greater autonomy and control over their own affairs. Dissatisfaction with Roman control over Egypt became part of the Egyptian psyche.

This is precisely why, immediately after the death of Emperor Septimius Severus, preparations for revolt began in Egypt. His emperor sons Caracella and Geta were already doing little else but quarreling with each other, drinking and having fun, watch gladiators fighting and feeling proud of themselves. Even when they were informed that their subjects in Egypt had revolted, they continued to do what they were doing. They didn't care about anything but themselves and their daily activities.

The Egyptians were aware of this, of course, they knew they could not be a strong soldier like their emperor father. They were quite sure that the day would come when they, with the help of the Greeks, would put the Roman governors in Egypt to the sword. After all, they had been making preparations since the death of Severus. There were Jews among them too, all of them insistent on establishing the sovereignty of ancient Egypt, but there was one thing they did not consider or pay much attention to.

General Marcus Acacius.

They say, you can feel the ground shake when he walks on it. He makes his opponents feel certain of their own death at the very moment he draws his sword. A daring commander with few who could stand up to him. It is unclear whether this is an exaggeration or not, but it is still rumored that he cut a lion in half in the Colosseum.

A beast in every sense of the word.

More than that, he is a leader who manages his legions very well and spur them on to achieve success during the war, a man who has not yet tasted a failure, well-earned the title of general in every way.

Since it was obvious that no one else could succeed in suppressing the rebellion, he was immediately sent to the region with the intervention of his Empresss Julia Domna, the mother of the two emperors.

Just like she guessed, he had succeeded in putting down the rebellion, of course, no doubt, as soon as his name rang through, the rebels, along with all the inhabitants of Egypt, have knew that they already defeated.

Some were forced to surrender, those who resisted and fled were found and killed by the Roman soldiers, but not all. The general didn't kill the surrendered ones, he took them as captives which was pretty fair for a beast. In contrast to him, the ones who fled were not, they were so desperate that they didn't know what to do and they started attacking everything and everywhere like rabid dogs.

They even attempted to violate the laws of war and mapped out a plan to kill the General and his soldiers, and even all the medics, in the night at their camps. It was a suicide mission, but they were on the verge of success.

'Has anyone seen the General? He's not in his tent!' A burly soldier strode in, holding his sword which was covered in the blood of the rebel he had just killed. He looked through all the tents one by one, moving quickly and with a concerned look on his face.

The clinking of swords echoed in the darkness as the soldiers cut down the last remaining rebels to death with their swords.

Soon, the soldier ran to his General, relieved to see him, but he was wounded in the abdomen moments ago. As he gently pressed his hand to his injury, a small amount of blood emerged, shining like rubies under the moonlight as it dripped from between his strong fingers onto the grass. His attackers were no longer alive, they were all lying on the ground, were literally cut to ribbons. They attacked him in his sleep when he was wearing nothing but his tunic, catching him off guard. He nodded to the soldier, demanding assistance as his white tunic transformed into a crimson hue. He had been wounded many times before, countless times, but this was nothing like before and was undoubtedly the worst injury he had ever sustained. ‘I think, I… got…,’ he groaned, it hurt much even when he speaks, feeling like beneath the wound his blood was boiling. ‘…poisoned.’ These were the last words spilled from his lips before his enormous body slumping to his knees, collapse altogether to the ground.

The woman with waist-length with black hair was dragging you along with her as she walking across the meadow, you were struggled, couldn’t control your feet, as if the ground was sliding under. She had her hands outstretched at her sides, even though her back was turned, it was not difficult to see her smile by the sunlight reflecting the curve of her chin. She abruptly ceased her movement and bent down to gather a few herbs in a meadow. She plucked them, gathered them in her palms, and kissed them. You heard the whispers between her lips and the harmony of the wind rippling through your ears. It was clear that she was blessing these herbs. When she turned to you, you staggered backwards, hypnotized by her face, so beautiful, mesmerizing, her eyes hypnotizing yours, it was impossible to look away, no escape from them.

Perhaps even more surprising than anything else was that her face and eyes were identical to yours. It really was truly astonishing. She handed you the plants like they were rare jewelry. You could see her arms shone in the sun, and her skin looked like fine marble. It was impossible to believe that it could be human skin; it must have been that of a goddess, but why did her face resemble yours?

'Heal the heart, child,' her voice sang through the meadow like a gentle breeze. You couldn't move your lips, but she heard you anyway.

‘Heart?’

A warm wind blew, and the silhouette of the woman came closer, startling you. Her hazel eyes were turning green under the sun. As she slightly opens her lips, you locked your eyes on them and waited eagerly for the answer.

‘The heart of Rome,’ almost whispers, ‘Serve it,’ a little loud now like commanding, ‘Heal it...’ again whispers then gently puts the herbs on your hand.

A strong wind blew, and the silhouette of the woman danced with the wind. The sunny sky burst into a starry night as the wind embraced the silhouette and rose to the sky, to the stars. You felt the ground under your feet, but your eyes were drawn to the enchanting sky.

As the wind finally gave way to the silent night, you looked at the herbs you were holding in your hand. These kind of herbs you were used to seeing almost every day, but what you were not used to seeing was that they were sparkling like diamonds between your fingers. It was as if you could feel their healing power on your skin.

Abruptly, you heard the voice again, echoing across the meadow. Your ears were once more caressed, blessed, but this time, the words were different.

‘Cure him…’

You barely heard your name being called and your body was shaking, slowly opened your eyes, you saw a familiar but worried face.

‘Wake up, please, you need to get up now,’ the concern in the man's voice brought you back to reality, the effect of the dream disappearing like a cloud of dust between the stone walls and dissipating into the air.

‘Uncle?’

You had rarely seen this face of your uncle who had taken you in when you were an orphan, who cared for you, protected you and raised you well more than any other father or mother ever would.

You sat up from the firm mattress you were lying on, ‘I thought we were travelling tomorrow night?’

‘No, no, that's not why I woke you up,’ he put your big dark cloak over your head. ‘You need to hide.’

You were startled to hear shouting and footsteps coming from outside the wooden door of the room. This was not the sort of noise you would normally expect to hear in this Valetudinarium (hospital, clinic) at this late hour.

‘What is going on?’ You rub your eyes with your fingers, trying to figure out the situation.

Your uncle tucked your hair deeper into your cloak.

'The Roman soldiers are gathering all the medici (psychians). I have to go with them.'

'Roman soldiers? I thought they left after they put down the rebellion, and slaughtered thousands. Besides, they already have medici with them why they-?'

He grabbed you by the shoulders, his anxiety evident.

'Some rebels with indigestion murdered all the medici in their tents, and then-'

A soldier's voice was heard from one of the nearby rooms. You both turned your heads in that direction, startled, and then looked at each other again.

'General, they targeted him. They attacked him in his sleep. He got them, but he got poisoned. They want me to save him.'

‘Poisoned? But Uncle, he might already be dead, if you won’t be able to cure him they'll blame you or punish you and-’

‘Don’t think about it now, go and hide, as a woman you are not allowed to be here remember? You have to hide and wait for my return.’

The soldiers' voices were heard very close by.

‘No, I'll come with you, if it's aspis (venomous snake in Nile region) venom we'll use the same techniques as before, like we did with the boy last time, it would take too long to make an antivenom on your own, let me help you.’

‘It's too dangerous for you my dearest, to go among the soldiers, even if you wear these men clothes, we can't hide the beauty of your face, dear.’

You strode over to the cauldron in the fireplace and ran your hands over the soot that had accumulated underneath it.

‘It worked before,’ you said, rubbing a little soot on your cheeks.

‘Only at the market. This time it's more dangerous. I'd never forgive myself if I couldn't protect you there.’

‘Don't worry. I'll be back here as soon as we've finished with the antivenom. I know all the paths and shortcuts very well now.’

Suddenly a soldier burst in, kicking the door angrily, you shuddered.

‘You two! Get out, now! We don't have time!

‘We're making sure to collect all medical supplies, sir,’ he turned to you. ‘Come on, boy, don't dawdle!’

You nodded without looking at soldier, grabbed all medicine bottles.

‘You'd better hurry!’

As soon as the soldier left the room, your uncle moved swiftly to the corner and opened the small wooden chest. He took out a cream-coloured envelope of slightly worn paper, sealed with a wax seal bearing the emblem of Septimius Severus.

'This is…'

'I was going to give this to you tomorrow as I promised last time, but there's no time now. If anything happens to me, you will open it. Everything about your true family is in here.'

You took the envelope from him with shaking hands. The previous emperor himself had sealed it. You wondered what it meant.

Your uncle grabbed your shoulders and shook you, making sure you understood how important this letter was.

‘No one should ever see this. Do you understand me? No one! After you open it, hide it. Do not let anyone see it. But don't lose it, hide it like your life depends on it, you'll understand why.’

You nodded firmly and swallowed hard. You tucked the letter into the bag hanging around your neck and hid it at the very bottom under the medicine bottles, making them rattle in the process.

‘Aya, you’re going to have to choose,’ he looked at you before leaving the room.

‘Choose what uncle?’

‘To run or stay. It’ll make sense when you read the letter,’ he checked the hall and grabbed your wrist. You were so confused but you had to think about this later.

'We have to get out now, soldiers are outside, quick!'

The soldiers had gathered all the medici they could find in the army headquarters, near the tents. There were seven of them yet were unable to find a solution to the General's injury. When it was only you and your uncle who were next, a burly soldier, who was of a higher rank than the others, approached you two. You kept your head down, avoiding eye contact. Everyone was in a rush, with almost all of them mobilized to save the general's life. Your gender didn't matter to them, for now. As you were about to follow your uncle into the tent, the soldier stopped you by raising his hand.

‘Only the medicus.’

‘My aide, sir, let him in. He's as expert as I am.’

As your uncle is their last hope, he let you in, but did not follow you inside, stands guard outside the tent. The General's squire was standing right next to him, he looked at you with tears in his eyes. It was a heartbreaking sight. The sorrow had taken possession of everything inside the tent, and you could feel it right down to your bones.

The General was lying on a mattress in the west corner of the tent. He was unconscious, but you noticed that his lips were moving, like murmuring. You moved forward to look closer to see his face, which you had been so curious about.

His face was exactly as you had imagined, and yet not. He had many scars, as if he had been born with them, his light brown skin embracing them. His moustache and beard were partially grey, his nose and chin perfectly shaped, as if the Prometheus had spent more time shaping this man. His face was stunning, and it made your heart beat fast. You had never felt this way about any other man, well you never had an opportunity to do though.

You were somewhat disappointed to see his eyes closed. You were curious about what they might look like, and you were eager to see what he would look like when he opened them. When you found yourself wanting to touch his face, you were a little surprised. For a moment, you forgot why you were there. Your uncle had already picked up the sword with which General had been wounded and was examining the blood on it. You went over to help him, keeping one eye on the general, lying there with his imposing body and half of the white tunic he wore dyed red.

Your heart constricted with pain, and the dream you had came vividly to mind.

‘Cure him.’

‘We need to check his wound!’ You were startled by your uncle's loud voice, squinting at you, you felt ashamed.

As your uncle beckoned, you approached him, seeing the wound was not deep but the skin around the cut starting to get pale from the venom and the edges curling inwards.

‘He doesn't have much time, let's start making the antivenom now,’ he swallowed, the wound was really getting worse, you had to cure him no matter what.

Maybe, you thought, this is why the Gods showed you this in your dream, they warned you in advance that your life depends on it.

The process of making the antivenom took slightly longer than anticipated, but you persevered admirably. Your uncle cleaned the wound to neutralize it while you were perspiring from the fabric of your clothes. Once the antivenom was finally administered, your uncle applied the antidote carefully to the wound but he was exhausted, fingers are shaking so you helped him even you were feeling so tired too. Your eyelids were almost closed but you managed to complete your duty perfectly.

The soldier from earlier came into the tent to check the process, you bowed your head, and stepped back.

'We've cleaned the wound, once its neutralized, applied the antidote. We just need to wait now,' your uncle informed him, wiping sweat off his forehead. 'We need to give him some time, and make sure he drinks water soon to avoid dehydration.’

As the solider checking the wound you turned your head to look at the squire boy who was sobbing just ago, already fallen asleep. Poor boy, you thought.

The soldier ordered you to leave the tent and wait outside.

You felt your arms and legs go numb with fatigue and collapsed to the ground, sat cross-legged, trying hard to stay awake. Your uncle was same but he still struggled to sleep. In the end, he couldn't control his eyelids.

You woke up to the sound of the soldiers shouting and arguing. You turned your head, couldn't make out what they were disagreeing about, but they were making a lot of noise.

'You better go in and make sure the General drinks some water. He needs to stay hydrated,' your uncle said in firmly, watching the soldiers probably keep an eye on them.

The tent was empty except for the General. The soldier from earlier was outside, reassuring the other soldiers. You approached to check him. His forehead was covered in sweat, his body was fighting with venom. You quickly grabbed a damp cloth and pressed it gently on his forehead. Then you touched his lips with your thin, fragile fingers. You felt something intense growing inside you. As a secret medicus, you have touched the face and other parts of the body of many men and women to cure them. However, touching this man's face and lips was never like touching others.

You took a deep breath to pull yourself together. This was nonsense.

You made his lips crack open and dipped a rag into the fresh water in the copper pot. You pressed it against the general's rather dry, pale lips, squeezing it through his mouth.

After repeatedly doing this, you decided you had enough. Just before you withdrew your hand, the general's strong hand grabbed yours with a firm grip. You were surprised and moaned in pain, opened your hand with pressure, and the rag fell to the ground.

You swallowed hard, your heart racing as you looked at his face. He opened those eyes you had been so curious about and looked at you with a cold, calculating gaze, squeezing your wrist so tightly you felt it would break in a minute. You stifled a scream and moaned in pain, 'Sir, I'm here for help.' You sounded almost as if you were crying, and suddenly he moaned in pain as well, throwing his head back and closing his eyes, the effort drained him. His chest rose and fell rapidly as his breathing quickened.

When he finally released your wrist, you threw yourself backwards for dear life, rubbed your wrist with your other hand and stroked it, praying to the Gods to take the pain away. You could have sworn to Jupiter that if he had squeezed your wrist any harder, you would have heard a cracking sound coming from your bones.

How could he possibly be so strong even when exhausted, so close to death?

As the pain receded, you took a deep breath and forced yourself to calm down. Your thin wrist was painted the red like poppies, as if the shadows of his fingers were engraved on your skin.

You glanced timidly over your shoulder, he was still lying with his eyes closed, but you had just made a terrible mistake, he heard your voice, must have noticed you were a woman, and only the Gods knew what he would do when he came to his senses.

You had to leave immediately, wrapping your wrist in a clean piece of cloth and tucking the sleeve of your dress into it so that the bandage wouldn't be visible. When you came out of the tent, your uncle grabbed your arm and pulled you behind the tent.

‘Uncle, the General seemed to opened his eyes for a moment and heard my voice, he might remember when he awakens,' you said in a whisper, hoping no one have heard you.

‘Gods have mercy upon us,’ he glanced down, murmuring, then grabbed you by shoulders. “Time to go, you need to leave now. Go by following the path through the woods. Soldiers having a disagreement about something, I think they found out-‘

‘You, medicus, come here,’ one of the soldiers shouted at your uncle.

Your uncle gestured to you with his eyes, saying ‘go now’,

'You too!' you gasped as you realised the soldier waving his hand at you.

'Sir, he should stay with the General...' your uncle stepped in front of you to protect you.

'I said come, both of you, now,' he wasn’t asking, it was a firm order.

As you took tentative steps towards the place where the other soldiers were forming a circle beside your uncle, your heart began to beat as if it were going to burst. These were the soldiers who had just fought, and you wondered if they hurt each other, but you could not see anyone hurt or wounded.

On the contrary, they looked at you curiously, only at you.

‘That's nonsense, Dimitrus, this boy can't be a girl,' said one soldier pointing you with a small knife in his hand.

Your uncle was standing next to you, his fear having come true, his face taut with worry.

As the soldier, who you guessed was named Dimitrus, approached you, your uncle took a step in front of him, but the soldier easily overpowered him and pushed him aside. The soldier looked at your body from top to bottom. You bowed your head and clenched your fists. Your heart pounded in your chest as your breathing quickened. He yanked down your hood of your cloak with his big hands, other soldiers came nearby for a better look.

Your hair was tied up at the back of your head, and the soldier's grin widened when he noticed. He drew his dagger from its holster, and when you saw your uncle's worried face behind the soldier's formidable arm, you began to pray to all the Gods.

He grabbed your bun with his hand and cut the hairband with his dagger, your golden-brown wavy hair falling over your shoulders. The soldiers laughed and whistled. Dimitrus looked at them with a cocky smile and turned back to you.

‘Such a long hair for a aide boy, eh?’

'A girl, indeed,' said one soldier, looking at you with disbelief.

‘I told you I could smell a woman a mile away,’ he laughed, his voice booming.

'Please,' you demanded, feeling unable to do anything else. A feeling of despair took control of your whole body.

‘What is going on here?’ The burly soldier approached and noticed your new look, looking at you in astonishment. Dimitrus grabbed you by the hair and pulled you towards him. He then grabbed your chin and turned your face to Octavius.

'Look at her. You don't even know that the medicus brought a girl with him, Octavius?' And you're the general's right-hand man!’

You struggled to move your body, but he was so strong.

‘Hey, I can't see her face clearly!'

You closed your eyes tightly as someone threw wine on your face. Dimitrus wiped your face with his big fingers, rubbing roughly.

'Gods, no ordinary beauty,' looking at you like a hungry wolf, then smells your hair making you feel nauseous.

You tried to look away, but your eyes met your uncle's desperate gaze.

‘That's enough, Dimitrus, let her go, is this what you all thinking while our General lies there like that?’

You rushed to your uncle's side as his hands released your hair.

‘He's already dead, I've never seen anyone get up after being poisoned,’ he says as if he was looking forward to his death.

Octavius drew his sword with a schwing. ‘How dare you! Say that again and I'll cut your tongue off!’ he growled.

Dimitrus' followers drew their swords as well. Octavius looked at each of them with anger and disbelief. He has been betrayed.

‘You filthy rats! I'll kill you one by one!’ He waved his long sword at them.

Dimitrus grabbed your uncle by the collar, 'Start with this one. Who knows what he gave the General instead of medicine?'

‘Yes, he must be punished!’

'Punish him, Octavius!'

They were all yelling at him by raising their swords, you were thinking a way out but there wasn’t any.

‘If you won't, I will,' Dimitrus pointed his swords end at your uncle.

‘No!' you cried but your uncle stopping you with his hand.

Then, as Octavius raised his hand and was about to lunge at him, Dimitrus plunged his sword through your uncle's stomach, the poor man groaning in pain and falling to his knees, and as you ran towards him, he drew back his sword, his blood splashing in your face with the force of the draw. Your body began to shake and you felt paralysed as you watched his lifeless body fall to the ground.

'Dimitrus!' Octavius roared, ‘You've gone too far! What do you think our general will do to you when he awakens?’

You collapsed to your knees in shock, your body rigid and still, your face expressionless yet tears streaming down your cheeks.

'General? You failed to save him, you let that medicus get into his tent, you must share his fate! I will tell the emperors that this is your fault! And I think we should put the general out of his misery-'

Suddenly, an axe emerged from nowhere and plunged into Dimitrus' chest deeply. His body reeled back, shaking, then fell to the ground lying backwards, dying in a pool of blood as everyone looked at him in astonishment and panic. Blood gushed from where his chest had been split open, and when he stopped breathing, laying there as his eyes remained wide open.

They turned their head to see who had thrown the axe and they were shocked once again.

The general could barely stands near his tent, his eyes filled with rage, his gaze blazing with fury. Octavius ran to his side quickly.

'General! Thank Gods you're finally awake!’

'What's going on here, Octavius?' his voice was like a roar.

‘Sir, Dimitrus and others have attempted to mutiny.’

Acacius gave the other soldiers a deathly stare and they immediately kneeled down with their swords upside down.

'No, sir, we did not.’

'Forgive me, sir, it was Dimitrus doing.’

'Sir, please forgive me.’

You closed your uncle's eyelids with your fingers as they all begged for forgiveness. Your back was turned to the General, you didn't care if you live or die, you didn’t care about anything. You felt your whole life was already over.

'If any of you ever dare to do anything like this again,' he walked near Dimitrus’ body and pulled the axe from his chest roughly, you startled by the crunching sound coming from his bones.

'I Marcus Acacius, will make sure that he meets the same fate as this scum!'

He put them all in their place, they all nodded in fear and stood up with his gesture, bowing their heads though couldn't look him in the face.

'Now get ready, we must sail at dawn!'

‘Yes sir!’

All of them sheathing their swords, spreading around in rush.

Acacius staggered a little as they gone at his sight, his wound still hurting but he tried hard not to show them.

Octavius touched his arm, 'Sir, the Gods have spared your life but please rest a little longer.’

'Who is this man?’

You were certain he was talking about your uncle, even though your back was turned to him.

'The medicus who cured you, sir, Dimitrus got mad and killed him because he thought he couldn't save you.'

'As if we haven't lost enough medici tonight. He was wrong obviously. This man managed to cure me. I'm standing thanks to him,' he turned his head to Octavius. 'Make sure this man's body reaches his family. Let the governor know about this. They should fulfil all ritual arrangements.'

Octavius nodded, "Yes sir, I will."

Then both turned their gaze to you. 'What about this one?'

Your body was petrified, you felt the time of execution has come, you’ve never expected the last moments of your life to be like this.

‘I think this was his aide or slave sir, Dimitrus found out she was a woman, that medicus was hiding her, sir,’ he bowed his head in shame, you swallowed.

Acacius' pain returned, he groaned in pain, Octavius grabs his waist gently, "Sir, please rest, you need to get your strength back.’

'Sir!' Acacius' squire came and put his arm under his.

It was time for him to turn his back to you.

‘Since her master has died, take this girl to the other slaves, I don't want any more chaos or mishap,’ he said in a firm voice.

You wiped tears from your eyes with the back of your hand as their footsteps faded away. Two soldiers came and grabbed your arms, lifted you off the ground while the others carrying your uncle’s body. When you turned your head, glancing over your shoulder, saw the General's curly grey hairs and his well-shaped nose before he went into his tent.

Your body was filled with rage.

What you heard was only a heightening of your pain and a deepening of your hurt.

A slave? How could he say that? The one who cured him was now worthy of being a slave?

As the mid-morning sun began to reflect on the walls of Rome through the haze that filled the

harbour, the capital was preparing to experience one of the most active days in its history. Everyone who noticed the navy ships approaching the harbour from afar, citizens, subjects, foreign mission chiefs, tradesmen, civil servants, porters, all filled the entrance of the city. They were waiting to welcome General Marcus Acacius and the glorious Roman soldiers. On the deck of the large ship at the forefront of the fleet, the General sighs deeply as he looks out over his city, thanking Mars for his triumphant and healthy return.

It ten days to get from the port of Alexandria to Rome, a very difficult experience for you, travelling with captives called slaves. Most of them were Greeks and Egyptians, and the fact that the streets of the Roman capital were filled with shouts of joy was of no interest to them. On board the ship they were constantly told that the slave market in the capital was a very prestigious place, that the young girls would be well brought up by certain families, that they should stop crying, that they should pray to Jupiter to make the wealthy families could like them and buy them with high prices.

But you were not like those slaves, you were not a prisoner of war, nor was your family enslaved or poor. Your uncle was a renowned and esteemed medicus. He was a member of an affluent family. He and his wife found you on the banks of the River Nile when you were three years old. That is what they told you. The gods had not blessed them with a child, so they loved you as much as their own. You knew he wasn't your real father or uncle, but you were very happy with your life and didn't ask too many questions until he told you about that letter the night before the night that ruined your life.

As an orphan, you were brought up well by your uncle, learning all about Egyptian medicine, performing countless surgeries at his side, bringing many people back to life -including the general himself- and learning enough to become an expert. But, no one could call you as medicus because you were a woman, yet your talents were too great to be ignored. No matter who you told on this ship, no one would believe you, and even if they did, there was nothing they could do about it.

As you looked out through the small cracks between the planks of the ship, your eyes travelled over the seemingly endless sea. You couldn't stop thinking about the dream you had that night.

‘Cure him.’

Wouldn't it have been better if you haven't cure him? Perhaps your uncle would still be alive. Maybe you wouldn't be sitting on this ship now, resigned to your fate, wondering, worrying what will happen to you. Is this your reward for healing the great Roman general?

That man ruined your life, and you only did yourself a disservice by saving him.

Perhaps the gods were testing you, but what was the lesson?

You looked at the shadow of the General's fingers under the piece of cloth you had wrapped around your wrist. The color was that of violets caressed by moonlight days ago. Now, it is unmistakably that color, doesn’t hurt much anymore.

As the ship rumbled into port, you realized that it was time to accept your fate. In the dark and damp bilge of the ship, you and a girl close to your age called Decima took turns using the same swing as a bed, you liked each other very much and in desperation you became confidants. She was in her early twenties, beautiful yet you were in your late twenties, ahead of her in beauty. Her father was a rebel, probably killed by the General's men, and she was taken as captive. You told her almost everything except the letter that you’re hiding in your bag.

As soon as you stepped into the harbour, the discrimination began, the general and his men moved in the other direction, while the trader man of slaves were standing in front of you ordered you to move somewhere else.

You frowned as you saw his face in the distance over the shoulders of the people in the crowd, he looked very healthy, his body had managed to overcome the venom of the past few days and his wound has healed. You remembered how you had spent hours with your uncle trying to cure him, how you had struggled for hours to make the antidote while your arms and wrists ached with pain.

The General's face lit up with a warm smile as he waved his hand at his citizens, you were surprised to find that all your anger has vanished for a moment.

You turned your head away, looking at him would only cause you pain. He didn't look at you because he hasn't seen your face yet -well not clearly-, furthermore, you’ve never met face to face, to him you’re just a slave nothing more. Octavius however, recognised you from a distance. He was the only one who has witnessed your hard work. He was an honorable men, didn’t like to see you among the slaves, yet he has nothing to do, it was his General's order.

In the evening of that day, after the slaves were taken to the baths and then to the slave market for sale, you and Decima were taken by the slaver man to a separate cell. From outside, one could hear the sounds of a lively market, where slaves were being sold one by one. There was a great deal of interest in these new slaves from Egypt.

Slaver man appeared at the door of your cell in the market with a man over your age looks wealthy. Decima immediately stood up, but you did not. The slaver gestured with his hand, turning Decima around in the center and showing her arms, face and feet, squinting at you meanwhile.

‘Look at these strong and beautiful young girls, sir, I wouldn’t show you any poor slaves, they are both virgins, and they are very beautiful, the great Venus has bestowed her beauty on these girls. They would fetch a lot of money if they went to the market, but I thought I would show them to you first sire.’ He was blandishing much, but the man's eyes were locked on you.

‘Doesn't she have any manners? Why doesn't she stand up?’

‘You're right sir, she must be a bit sick from travelling, she will,’ he gestured to you with his hand, ‘Come on, get up, girl.’

You rolled your eyes and got up, he squeezed your arm hard to warn you first, then did everything what he had done to Decima, opening almost every part of your body for the other man to see. It was incredibly disgusting, you felt like an animal being sold at the cattle market.

‘The other one is younger, but this one is so beautiful, a rare one,’ he said, grabbed you by arm, looking at you hungrily. ‘How much do you want for this one?’

Your eyes meet with Decima in a silent exchange, as it was time to go your separate ways.

‘Eight thousand sesterces, sire.’

He pursed his lips, thinking, his fingers touching your hair mean while you were closing your eyes, praying for a miracle.

‘Ten thousand sesterces!’

A familiar voice of a man echoed through stone walls. You all turned your heads to that direction.

‘General Marcus Acacius offers ten thousand sesterces for this girl!’ Octavius’ imposing body appeared, he came towards them with his armor making a sharp noise with every step. He threw a big coin pouch to the slaver, who caught it with a big smile on his face.

‘Sold, of course,’ he was counting the coins with happy face.

Then Octavius firmly grabbed the other man's arm that was still touching you, lifted it, and pushed it away. He frowned.

‘This girl belongs to General Acacius now, sir, you must not touch her,’ he warned him gently but firmly.

As the general entered the city in his chariot, the people shouted his name. He waved his hand to them, and the streets were filled with a great enthusiasm as everyone gathered to honour the general and his soldiers. The chariot carrying him soon passed under the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus and turned towards the Curia Julia, the Senate building, where the emperors must have been waiting for him. The general's smile faded. He was tired and not looking forward to seeing them, but he would not go to his villa before visiting the emperors.

As General strode purposefully up the marble stairs, Geta and Caracella leapt down from their golden imperial thrones in excitement. As soon as Geta saw him, he opened his arms wide.

‘How can I reward Rome's greatest general?'

'By letting him catch his breath first,' Caracella smiled widely.

Acacius stopped in front of them and nodded, 'Emperors.'

'We have been eagerly awaiting for your arrival, general,' Geta clasped his hands together, looking at him with admiration.

'Speak for yourself, brother. My legs ache from sitting for so long,' Caracella said, then laughed loudly. 'But it was worth it, indeed!'

‘Indeed!’ They both laughed once more, but Caracella looking at his brother a bit strange way.

It was hard to tell if Caracella wanted to embrace Geta or if wanted to take his life right then and there. The relationship between the two of them was quite distorted.

The general rolled his eyes, he was used to these two whiny emperors half of his age bickering at each other all the time, he sighed in frustration at having to put up with them when he could easily take both their lives with a single stroke of his sword. Unfortunately, this unpleasant situation had only just begun.

‘We heard that you were poisoned, how did it feel?’ Geta looked at him with wide eyes and smile.

The news must have reached the emperors before the general had even boarded the ship.

'Painful, your highness,' Acacius stated, a shadow passing over his brown eyes as he remembered the pain again.

'I'm sure it was, it must have been an interesting experience.’ Caracella crossed his arms; smiling just like his brother.

‘Cobra or viper?’

‘Aspis, highness, the viper type.’

‘Oh, I won!’ Geta jumped for joy and gestured to Caracella with his hand, imitating a snake.

Caracella ignored him looking at the General.

‘The rebels must have quite a sense of humour, poisoning a Roman General carrying Medusa on his chest with a snake, quite ironic,’ he touched Medusa on General's armor with his index finger.

Acacius frowned while looking at him, ‘They certainly do, they murdered all our medici mercilessly, fortunately the great Asclepius sent his help, my men brought another medicus from city was able to cure me, it is thanks to him that I can stand here in front of you, highness,’ Acacius remembered the memory when he was unsure whether it was a dream or not but he could not get out of his mind the fingers that touched his lips, the owner of those hazel eyes that came to his aid when his throat was dry from thirst. But it couldn't be medicus he thought, it had to be someone with thin fingers, someone with beautiful eyes he had never seen before. Maybe, since he was too close to death, it was a dream or a goddess has appeared to him, he couldn't be sure.

The first thing he remembers is opening his eyes and grabbing her wrist with his survival instinct. He thought it was a strange looking young man in a hood, maybe another rebel had come to kill him again, but then he heard her voice and thought his goddess had come to heal him. He was in so much pain and seeing hallucinations that he couldn't tell if it was a dream or not. But couldn’t get rid of those thoughts since days.

The emperors didn't seem to care much about the medicis the general was talking about, or how he had recovered, and Acacius seemed bored as they continued to joke with each other.

‘Mother,' Geta ran to her as he noticed the Empress approaching, extends his arm for her.

Julia Domna took his arm as she coming towards Acacius, whispering something into Geta’s ear, without taking her eyes off the General.

‘My lady,’ Acacius nodded to her.

Domna's smile was like Caracella's, you could never guess what she was thinking.

‘General, how good it is to see you return triumphant once more. Rome salutes you, and I embrace you,’ she approached him with open arms and put her hands Acacius’ board shoulders.

Caracella sat back on his throne, a bored look on his face.

‘My Lady, the honour is mine,’ the general said, bowing his head.

‘We shall sacrifice 1000 bulls to honor our triumphant mother!’ Geta clapped his hands excitedly, ‘Let's have a great feast tonight!’

‘Highness, let's give the General some time to rest, he must be tired from the battle,’ Domna removed her hands from the General's shoulders but kept her eyes on him.

Caracella let out a high, shrill laugh that echoed through the white marble columns. Geta sat on his throne and scowled.

‘Marcus, walk with me,’ the Empress turned round, gestured to him.

Acacius sighed, he didn't want to be alone with her, but he had to. Domna walked ahead of him, hands clasped behind her back, he followed her slowly.

‘My sons are glad to see you again, even if they have no idea how fortunate they are to have you serving them.’

'It is my duty to serve Rome.’

She paused and smiled, watching the water in the pool shimmer in the sunlight, the glow reflecting off her bright skin, her expression was difficult to read.

'I think you have a talent for survival.’

She sounded dissatisfied. 'After all, you trained under Maximus, you must have learned a lot from him.’

He looked away, 'I owe where I am today to the remarkable fighting skills he taught me, he was an honourable man, the greatest general Rome has ever seen,' Acacius' eyes were fixed on the great Temple of Venus between the eastern edge of the Forum Romanum and the Colosseum.

Domna looked at him with a feeling between admiration and concern.

‘He, like you, lived to serve Rome, even if he had to kill Commodus,’ she said, and even little children could catch the obvious implication in her voice.

Acacius held his ground, his eyes roaming the curves of the statue of Venus.

‘But unlike him, you are loyal to the emperors, I can be sure of that, can't I?

He turned his head towards her, but did not look at her. His eyes were now on the two spoilt emperors who were talking animatedly to each other between the columns. 'As long as Rome is prosperous for all her subjects, I will be loyal to them, my lady.'

Domna laughed loudly, 'Ah, that's why I want you in the Senate, how long will you refuse?

'I am only a soldier, politics is not my business, nor should it be. Consuls in the Senate -'

‘Those old foxes live in abundance and do nothing, the person who has done Rome the greatest service should be in the Senate.’ Domna glanced over her shoulder at her sons. 'I am concerned that Macrinus has no equal in the Senate and that Caracella dominates him, perhaps if you are in there, you will gain his trust.’

'Your Highness...' He looked at her shaking his head as no.

Domna looked at Acacius, this time with a serious expression on her face, 'For the sake of Rome you must be especially careful with Caracella, as her mother even I find it hard to get my way with him, he is not like Geta, he is a hard-headed child.’

Acacius looked at Caracella whose back was turned, of course he knew this very well, for a moment he thought that he was the real threat to Rome, not the enemy soldiers or the others.

‘Anyway, you should go to your villa and rest, you will have time to think about this alone,’ she said with a forced smile, then turned around to go to her sons.

After praying in the temple of Venus, Acacius walked out, and as he descended the steps of the temple, he felt a stinging pain where his wound had been, the poison had completely gone from his body, but it had left its trace behind.

Octavius was lost in thought as he has leaned against the side of the carriage waiting for him, quickly stood up when he noticed him.

‘Sir.’

‘I see you don't miss your home, as you're still here,' Acacius said as he descended the last step. He got into the carriage and climbed in to sit beside him. Acacius was quite tired so he lay down on the seat, the fact that he felt so comfortable with Octavius was because of their long friendship, he was his most trusted man, more than just a friend, like a brother.

'Are you going to tell me what's troubling you?’ Acacius covered his face with his arm, but he could feel the tension in him.

'Sir, the girl.’

'Oh, I see, a girl? Have you fallen in love with a girl?

'No, that's not it,' Octavius felt embarrassed as he remembers your face. 'That poor girl, It doesn't seem fair that she should be with those slaves, sir, you are an honourable man, but-'

Acacius lifted his arm from his face and looked at him, the cart swaying as it moved along the stony roads.

'The girl that medicus hid? Why do you care so much for her? Is there something I should know?’

'After all, they worked so hard together to cure you, perhaps you should have at least let her go home.’

‘Together? What do you mean?' Acacius sat up, his eyebrows furrowed.

Octavius bowed his head.

'Sir, I made a mistake, it was my fault for letting them into your tent, I don't know how I could have been so careless even after the assassination, forgive me...'

Acacius raised his hand.

'Slow down, we will talk about your mistake later, you are saying that girl entered my tent and cured me? How?’

'I didn't look closely at her face and I didn't know she was a woman maybe because of her outfit but I made a terrible mistake, I should’ve known, forgive me sir.’ He bowed his head once more but it made Acacius more angry.

'You haven't answered my question, Octavius,' his voice was loud.

'Yes sir, she did her best to cure you, sir, the girl and Medicus worked hard to produce antivenom all night.’

Acacius was surprised when he realized that he hadn't dreamed that night. He was glad to learn that the owner of those eyes was a real person. But then he thought that she might be on the slave market by now, about to be sold to someone else.

‘Stop the carriage!’ He yelled.

The coachman immediately did as he was told and pulled hard on the horses' harnesses, the horses howling and stamping their hooves on the ground.

'Sir?' Octavius raised his eyebrows in surprise.

'Go and find the girl, I want to see her at my villa tonight, do you understand? Acacius tossed him a pouch full of coins.

Octavius smiled, ‘Yes, sir.’

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the20thangel · 6 months ago

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The Dragon and The Raven a Benjicot (davos) Blackwood x Targaryen Oc Fanfiction

Davos (Not Bloody Ben, but the fandom likes him) Blackwood has a hold of me! So I decided to FanCast the actor Kerian Burton as Benjicot in the fanfiction of Benjicot Blackwood/ OC Targaryen. I hope you all enjoy. (Can also be found on A03 under the same title.)

Disclaimer: I am rusty on my writing, so please, I ask for kindness when reading; remember, this is written in good fun, and because I am keeping hope, Kerian is brought back as an actual Benjicot!

Keep up with the story: masterlist

“House Blackwood and House Bracken have engaged each other, which is being called the first battle of the war, the Battle of Burning Mill.”

Stated Maester Gerardys as everyone in the throne room sat in tense silence, looking at their Queen. Queen Rhaenyra looked back at her council, knowing how at state this battle had come. The realm is officially at war, on one side, the Blacks and the other Greens. House Blackwood had declared for her, while Bracken for her usurper of a brother. On the other side of the war table stood Prince Jacaerys with his younger sister, Princess Aemma, while Jacaerys was born with brown hair and eyes. Aemma was graced with Velayron's white hair, although not as coily but with looser curls like her mother’s, with violet eyes and a slight tan to her skin. Her face was uncanny to her namesake, so much that her kingly grandsire wept when he first held her. She was the proof that her mother and father, Laenor Velayron, could produce heirs to the realm and dissuade any rumors from the greens… that was until her beloved brother Luke was born.

Aemma knew what this meant; if House Blackwood and Bracken had engaged, each declaring to be fighting for either faction, there was no turning back; war was here. Aemma snapped out of her thoughts to her mother, asking about the casualties.

“Both sides have suffered significant losses, my Queen. Samwell and Davos Blackwood, as well as Amos Bracken, have all fallen,” Gerardys explained, his voice carrying the weight of the news as he rummaged through his notes.

“Benjicot Blackwood, Davos’s Twin Brother, is now Lord of Raventree Hall, and he has reaffirmed his father’s and brother's claim of declaring as you Queen Rhaenyra, the true ruler of the seven kingdoms.”

“House Blackwood has excellent numbers for soldiers; this will benefit our cause, your Grace. Once Prince Daemon takes Harrenhall and has House Blackwood stationed there, the rest of the Riverlands will soon follow to showcase our true power to the greens.”

Aemma’s grandmother, Princess Rhaenys, stated as she entered the throne room. Rhaenys paused at Aemma to grace her with a smile and a quick hug before sitting beside her mother. Aemma noticed the lack of greeting towards her brother, remembering that she was their grandmother’s favorite among her mother's children. Most likely, it was due to looking the closest to Ser Laenor.

Nevertheless, Jace did not seem to notice, “We should thank them, Mother, to show them how much we appreciate their support,” exclaimed Jace before continuing. “I will go to Raventree hall personally, and -”

“No! No, Jace, I need you here as my heir,” rebuffed Rhaenyra. Aemma’s heart pulled, knowing ever since Luke, their mother has been grieving and fearing that more of her children will be taken from her. That is why she had made the difficult decision to send Joffery, Aegon, and Viserys to the Vale. Ensure the youngest are safe from the horrors this war is to bring.

“We will send a raven thanking Lord Benjicot for his pledge. Now, is there anything else that we need to discuss today?”

The lords all scanned each other before shaking their heads no. With that, each stood and left the hall individually, leaving only Jacaerys, Aemma, Rhaenys, and Rhaeynra in the room.

“Rhaeynra, what Jace said is true; we should show appreciation to House Blackwood, especially after they lost so much for our case,” argued Rhaenys while Rhaeynra looked down and played with her rings, showing off her nervousness.

“We will, as I stated, a raven will be sent to them and-”

Aemma moved forward to her mother, “ Muna, as much as that is a good idea, I feel a simple raven will not be enough. If Jace cannot go, then let me.”

Rhaeynra stood up from her seat and took Aemma's face into her hands while shaking her head.

“ Absolutely not; I will not be sending you, my pearl, where Aemond or worse, Aegon can capture you… my heart will not be able to take it.” Whispered Rhaeynra, tears welling up in her eyes.

Aemma closed her eyes and exhaled. She understood her mother’s worry, but she had the blood of the dragon and is the rider of Sliverwing, Good Queen Alyssane’s previous mount. She was raised by the Rouge Prince and the Queen who Never Was. She knew how to fight; how could her mother expect to find more allies if she hindered her decisions due to her fears?

“Muna, I am the princess of blood. We need to bring in our allies. It's true that Jace is your heir and needs to be by your side. So let me be the protector of our family and invoke the creed of Belon the Brave. If our allies, especially House Blackwood, see that someone is personally sent to thank them for their support, they will never have thought of betrayal in their minds.” Soothed Aemma as she took her mother's hands into her own—Violet staring at Violet.

Aemma could see her mother wavering, for Rhaeynra knew her daughter’s words speak truth. Her daughter had a natural charm inherited from her father, but behind those sweet words and charming smiles hid the cunning nature her daughter had learned from Daemon. Aemma was indeed both Leanor and Daemon’s daughter.

Rhaeynra sighed before nodding, “Very well, Aemma, you will go to Raventree Hall with my message, food, and medical supplies to help replenish House Blackwood… Please be safe.”

Princess Aemma bowed to her mother and left to ready herself and Silverwing for the Journey.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upon reaching RavenTree Hall, Aemma wanted to weep; as she walked around, so many bodies littered the hall to be prepared for burial. Aemma stopped at a lanky young man with brown hair, his face covered with blood, wearing proudly the red and black colors similar to her own house. Looking at him made Aemma want to cry; he reminded her so much of Lucerys, her sweet brother taken from them by her kin-slaying uncle.

“ Davos Blackwood, my princess.”

Broke Aemma’s staring, as she flushed with embarrassment at being caught staring, which could be seen as rude, especially her being a guest. Aemma turned to its owner's husky yet shy voice and breathed sharply as she stared at the young man before her. Who looked almost exactly like the young man she was just staring at.

The young man was looking down at the body for a second before raising his sight to Aemma and bowing to her before speaking again.

“That is Davos Blackwood… he... he was my twin brother.” Aemma realized now that Benjicot Blackwood was speaking quietly with great sadness as she could again relate, her wound of losing a dear brother being opened again.

Aemma could only give a small smile in hopes of soothing the ache as she greeted the newly appointed lord of Raventree Hall.

“Lord Benjicot, my mother and I thank you for receiving me into your home, especially in this trying time; I wish to express sorrow for the loss of your father and twin brother.”

She could see more and more people stopping to stare at her and Benjicot, wanting to hear their conversation. Benjicot himself returned a shy smile to the princess.

“Thank you, my princess-”

“Aemma.” Stated the princess before continuing, “ You may call me Aemma, but I fear I will grow tired of hearing ‘my princess’ so much.”

Benjicot stared at Princess Aemma for a second before changing his smile to more of a smirk.

“Very, Aemma. Thank you for your condolences. I ask you to call me Benji or Ben. It seems only fair.”

Aemma returned her smile, feeling more confident than before, and returned to staring across the hall. Benji followed her sight, seeing his twin in the masses and understanding that the princess truly understood his pain. For she also had lost a father and brother. With a newfound ease, he asked the princess to join him for a tour of his hall, not wanting to be stared at by his people and not wanting to stay too close to his brother, for it hurt too much to look at him still. Asking for an arm to be hooked around his, he began his tour around the hall. As they walked out of the hall, Benjicot was greeted with a Dragon’s Shrill and a laugh that sounded as sweet as wind chimes. Turning, he saw Princess Aemma unhook her arm from him and gracefully sprint to her dragon, Sliverwing. Weary of the dragon, he soon followed the princess and came close enough to hear her speaking High Valyrian.

“Lykiri, issa dōna hāedar,” Aemma whispered as she petted her dragon, knowing Benji was staring at her.

What she didn’t see was the awestricken face Benjicot had. He had always heard Valyrians were considered higher to men and closer to gods. He never really believed it until now. The Princess, still in her riding leathers and loosely braided pale white hair, seemed like a beautiful warrior angel. She was known as the Pearl of the Realm for a reason. When Aemma turned to him, Benjicot could not help but feel his cheeks blush as those violet bejeweled eyes stared at him.

“Have you ever come into close contact with a dragon before?” Asked Aemma, although she already knew the answer.

Benjicot shook his head no, “ Never, my princes- um, Aemma.” He quickly caught himself as Aemma graced him with another laugh.

“Would you like to? Come meet my Silverwing.” Aemma took hold of his hand and pulled him closer to her until her body flushed to his as she raised their intertwined hands to Sliverwing’s snout.

The She-dragon huffed at the unfamiliar scent near her princess before calming to the soothing voice.

“Shh, Sliverwing, Lykiri, sweet one, we mustn’t scare away our host.” Whispered the princess; she guided Benjico’s hand to rub her snout. At the same time, she was using her other hand to soothe the dragon to be calm.

In awe of touching a dragon, Benji asked, “What does that mean… lykiri?

Aemma giggled at his accent while saying the High Valyrian word and turned to him, unbeknownst how close her face was to his: " It means to be calm or calm down. I must say how impressed I am with your bravery in being so close to a dragon, my lord.”

Benjicot, in turn, winked at the princess before teasingly replied, “Only because I have the Realm’s Pearl guiding me, and I thought we agreed to skip our titles, my princess.”

Aemma blushed at the teasing and realized how close they were to each other; just a slight lean, and they could kiss. Benjicot had a certain attractive charm; he had a boyish charm to his face, but a devilish smirk and his lanky build helped him appear taller. Aemma's musing was quickly cut short with a slight cough, and Aemma’s face flushed bright red as she and Benji quickly separated each other to see a Queensguard sternly looking at the pair.

Aemma, embarrassed, quickly schooled herself before returning to business, much to the brief disappointment of Benjicot. Alas, he knew better. She was the crown princess; he was just a lord, not even lord paramount. Nevertheless, he was grateful for the food and medical supplies she and her dragon brought to his land and people. If his house continued to support Queen, which they would, they would need the support to replenish themselves after the battle with those lousy Brackens. Then, much to Aemma’s disappointment, Benjicot was called away to finish establishing himself as the new lord. Stating they would see each other at the feast later this evening. The Princess sighed but allowed her dragon to fly off while she was guided to her chambers to prepare for the feast.

As she was walking, Her guard cleared his throat. “ Forgive me, my princess, as it may seem too forward of me, but your mother asked for you to come here to give a note of gratitude and supplies and return with loyal allies, not allies and a marriage proposal.”

Aemma gasped in shock, “ Ser Lorent, that was hardly any grounds for a marriage proposal; my mother and I haven’t even had that discussion yet.”

Then, a bit childishly, she slammed the door on her knight's face as she entered the quaint chamber. Sitting down on a chair in front of a mirror, Aemma began to unravel her braid and change her hairstyle to a more Valyrain-looking war braid. Her mind returned to Ser Lorent’s comment as she unraveled her hair. She indeed some took liberties from the Blackwood lord without thinking much of any consequences. Especially since she was of age to be married, which discussion has not come up because Lucerys' death took precedence. However, she knew she would have to marry sooner rather than later, mainly because of the war. She did not want to be used as a bargaining chip for allies, and she knew her mother would never force her. But the princess was not naive to think she had the liberty to marry for love. She previously thought of giving her hand to Cregan Stark as gratitude for being the first to support her mother. However, the cold was a little too much for her, and she couldn’t connect with the wolf of Winterfell, unlike Benjicot Blackwood, who had made her laugh more than twice about meeting him. Being married to him didn’t seem too bad, and she could still wear her Targaryen house colors.

Quickly shaking her head from thoughts, she heard a knock on the door. Ser Lorent was right; she wasn’t here to make marriage proposals. As she opened the door, she was greeted by the lord of blackwood, who gave her a dazzling smirk and asked to escort her to the feast hall. That smirk caused her to flush; remembering her previous thoughts, Aemma tried to school her features before returning her smirk just like her kepa Daemon taught, but she knew she had failed when Benjicot chuckled. Instead of taking insult, she reveled, knowing that she had brought a laugh out of him. As they entered the hall, she could see many staring at her with awe, with a few looks of lust from the young men. She expected this, being given the name the Realm’s Pearl; she knew she was beautiful, but instead of letting it turn her vain, she always tried to make others see that not only did she have Valyrian beauty, but she was also a dragon rider warrior like those of Old Valyria.

As the feast went on, Princess Aemma did her best to use her quick-witted charm to appease the people in the feast hall, although, like her kepa Daemon, after a while, she grew tired and wanted to breathe fresh air. After confirming with her knight, she quickly stepped out to catch the cool breeze when she heard whispers. Curiosity taking the best of her, she quietly walked closer, ensuring she would not be seen. There, she heard Benjicot's voice arguing with an older man and woman.

“I understand my position, but it is hardly weak; I am the lord of House Blackwood, and if need be, my Aunt Alysanne is my heir. I do not need to marry so soon, especially if we are to join the queen to war!” Snared the new lord at the older gentleman.

The older man sighed in annoyance, “ Yes, since we still follow the Old gods, there is nothing wrong with having Alysanne as your heir, but your position is not secured, my lord. Should you and your lady aunt perish, we risk losing our house to those craven Brackens. Being married will ensure your future wife carries your heir to secure the future of our house.”

This only grew Benjicot more agitated, and replied angrily, “ I will not be a bargaining chip just to secure my house’s future, and I will not marry just to have my future wife feel like a broodmare.”

Alysanne sighed, looking at both hotheaded men, and tried to intervene, “You and the princess seem to grow close. Why don’t you discuss with her any potential ladies she may have as her or her mother’s ladies-in-waiting? Therefore, you open up the discussion of marriage without feeling too drastic or rushed. While I remain as your heir?”

Both men did not entirely agree with that plan, but it was better than anything they could try to agree with. Reluctantly agreeing, the three blackwoods moved back to enter the feast hall without noticing the princess.

Aemma slowly returned to her seat; the newly appointed lord also had the same problem she would soon have, understanding their duty but not wanting to be a bargaining chip. The princess returned to her seat and took turns speaking with a few people before Princess Aemma decided it was time to read her mother’s letter as the feast continued. With two sharp taps of Ser Lorent’s sword on the table, the hall quieted as the princess addressed the people. She felt faint; she had never had to speak in front of so many people before, especially those who just lost family. With a quick scan of the room, she saw Alysanne Blackwood give a short, simple smile; then, her violet eyes locked on a certain dark-eyed lord, gracing her with his charming smirk, and gave a nod of encouragement.

Exhaling, she opened her mother’s letter and began to read, “My good people of Raventree Hall, I thank you for welcoming my daughter, Crown Princess Aemma, into your home. As my heart grieves for the loss of Burning Mill, I want to express my gratitude for your honor and loyalty to me as your queen. My mind is at ease knowing I have such loyal subjects, and with your help, I know we can take back my birthright from the green false king. To show my gratitude, I have sent my daughter on her dragon to bring supplies and food to help replenish House Blackwood. With her dragon, she will lead and guard the able soldiers to Harrenhall, where Prince Daemon, the Knights of the Vale, and the men of the North will eagerly await you. You all have my utmost respect and gratitude, your Queen, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, First of her name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, protector of the realm.”

As Aemma finished her mother’s letter, she started hearing applause and cheers for her mother, which swelled her heart to see people genuinely supporting her. Looking back at Benji, she could see him smiling and nodding in approval, which only made her think back to the conversation she overheard. After a moment, she raised her hand to still the cheers, and people quieted down, wanting to hear what the princess had to say next.

“I thank those here today for coming out and supporting my queen. My heart is filled with the warm welcome I have received here at Raventree Hall. To know such fierce and loyal people are willing to fight for my mother, your queen, fills my heart with gratitude-”

Someone in the back stood up and cheered, “To Queen Rhaenyra and Her Crown Princess, The Realm’s Pearl Aemma Velayron!”

Prompting more to stand and cheer, the princess let the people cheer and then, after a while, again asked for quiet.

“I thank you all for your cheers. To show my gratitude for everything, I propose, should your Lord Blackwood accept, my hand for marriage to create a strong and secure alliance between Houses Targaryen, Velaryon, and House Blackwood.”

Gasps were heard all over the room, and a sharp clank from her knight's sword fell to the ground, but all of that did not matter because the princess only wanted to hear and see one reaction. That of Benjicot Blackwood, who stood up to meet his princess gaze as his smirk fell off his face and slowly replaced with a genuine heartwarming smile, his eyes lighting up like they haven’t all night. He slowly walked to Princess Aemma, taking her soft, sunkissed hands to his, staring at her doe-like violet eyes, and kissing her hands.

“It would be my honor to be your husband, my dear princess,” he whispered as her smile grew, knowing she had made the right decision.

#hotd season 2 #hotd spoilers #davos blackwood #benjicot blackwood #bloody ben #Benjicot Blackwood/oc #fanfic #ao3 fanfic

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elizabethsproctor · 6 months ago

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then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, by the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, “though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” i said, “art sure no craven,"

Davos Blackwood x Bracken OC Davos is the eldest son of Lord Samwell of House Blackwood and the scourge of all the knights and squires of House Bracken. Though he thinks himself a knight and concerned with duty and honor, he spends most of his free time with his own squires, tormenting all the Brackens that they happen upon. Celeste Feathers is the bastard daughter born of Amos Bracken and a Summer Isle whore. At the chance of a higher dowry for her daughter, the baby was sent to live with her father in the wet and windy Riverlands until a husband was chosen for her. Though the two had a chance encounter as children, they have only heard stories about each other in the meantime until one fateful day near the boundary line in the forest. wc: 4k chapter: 1/?

tw: hinting at sa

"Since when do the Bracken's send their women past the boundary stones? And so close to sunset at that? Miserable and ignorant old bastards. You're in the woods, my lady, or do they not teach you maidens about the dangers of crossing into Blackwood territory?"

Celeste turned around sharply, not expecting to have heard the voice of another that late into the evening, but she knew the danger at once.

"They teach us fairly well, good knight," Celeste said, feeling her hip to see that her dagger was still sheathed. "The assize permitted this land to my house. You know that." She searched the young man's face, trying to decide who he was before determining that he was the lord's son. She took a few steps back, prepared to run if he would accost her.

Davos grinned, the dim light of the setting sun catching his canine teeth.

"Assize." He mocked, mimicking the girl’s high tone. "What a perfect, little Lady you are... If not, you certainly speak the part like a good little highborn."

The young lord took a few steps forward, his hand upon the pommel of his sword. The blade had been passed down from his father to him not so long ago, and it felt like a boast.

"You're quite a feisty little minx, aren't you?"

Celeste tightened the grip on her dagger and stared the boy back in his eyes. "You don't scare me, Davos," she said with fervor. "And you don't have your squires to applaud you, little pup. Back down, and I may forget your insults."

She knew she didn’t have much ground to stand on, but she wasn’t sure that Davos knew that. The sun was sinking, and she had been out adventuring. In truth, she wasn’t sure where the boundary lines ended and began within the woods, and she knew, in truth, that even if she told anyone within her court that Davos had maligned her, she would only be punished in return. Why was she in the woods? Alone? At night?

Celeste was but only the bastard daughter of Lord Amos Bracken and a woman from the Summer Isles. She was sheltered, but treated well… as well as a bastard would be treated, especially one with a deep caramel complexion and a stature that rivaled other men her age. It was clear she was different, and though no one had ever said anything to her face, not even her father’s wife, it was evident by one look into the reflection of the river.

Davos' cocky grin faltered for a brief moment as he noted the dagger at her hip, and her determination. He was not used to people, particularly women talking back to him, and he felt a strange stir in his chest.

"Is that so, Lady Celeste?" He mocked her tone once again. "You're a bit of a vixen, you know... I admire your confidence, though you might want to be more careful of who you talk to like that. After all, you're far from the safety of your little stone towers... Not to mention you're alone."

"I am alone, Davos, but you are also alone with me," Celeste shrugged, not daring to meet the boy with a grin, as he would mistake it for kindness. She looked over his face. It wasn't one she had seen for some time up close. She wondered if he remembered her from when they were younger. A small scuffle past the boundary line. Davos had been breaking up a fight or perhaps cheering one on between a Blackwood and a Bracken, and Celeste had come tumbling in to break it up herself, and shockingly, Davos had called for order-- no blood to be splattered on the lady's 'pretty yellow dress'.

She had balled her fists. The dress was orange. He had known that.

That had to have been ten years ago, and had they grown in that time! He was handsome, a pair of crooked teeth and shaggy hair. Still as annoying as ever, as annoying as the squires of House Bracken spoke of him being, but she had only seen him from a distance after so many years, but she remembered him. No one else had the radiating cockiness that he did.

"What, good knight? Will you retrieve your father to deal with me? Twenty lashings for reprimanding his puppy?"

The young Blackwood lord's eyes widened for a moment, and the smirk he wore wavered for the briefest of moments as he noted the familiarity in her gaze, and it suddenly clicked into place. That fiery little girl in that stupidly orange dress, back before the wars had started. He couldn’t have forgotten that it was her, but it had slipped from his mind that it had even happened. He had been knocked on his ass… so many times. Gods, he could practically remember the angry look on her face!

"That seems excessive, wouldn’t you say?" He chuckled, taking another step forward. "After all, it is just us... and I'm curious."

"Curious about what," Celeste retorted, noticing Davos closing the gap. She did him the favor and stepped forward as well, only about a yard between them. It was far enough that she could step back and run if he retrieved his knife.

Davos tilted his head to the side as if he was studying a particularly curious animal, and stepped even closer, until the two were almost chest to chest.

"Merely that a fine young lady such as yourself would be so boldly passing the stones." He said, his smirk returning. "I'm quite surprised your father hasn't locked away that feisty tongue of yours."

Celeste shook her head slightly. If only the man had tried. It was known about the castle that Celeste had… masculine proclivities. She liked to climb and hike and sneak away when the maidens did their work, and perhaps that had done little to endear her to the ladies of the court. But what she had gained in the meantime was courage and diplomacy. Neither of these things granted her a stick between the legs however, and she was still looked down on, perhaps even further for her attempts to raise herself up.

"Ah," she snickered for the first time, pointing a finger to his chest. "Would you prefer to have found me if I was a fine young man?" It was a joke on his sexuality, something to menace him. Celeste was beautiful, but strange to the men in the realm. At least that far north. They often looked at her as if they could not touch her, and maybe because of her father, they couldn't.

"I'm surprised your father hasn't put down his rabid dog, Davos. Let me go. This conversation bores me. Will we go back and forth on who has the better wit or will you send your hounds to strike me down for crossing the boundary? What do you wish for? The sun is sinking."

Despite the fact that every fiber in his body was burning with the desire to knock her on her ass for her insolence, Davos' only outward response was an eye roll.

"You little-"

The young lord took another step forward, and in a surprise move, gripped her hip and backed her into a large oak tree.

"I've a better question for you, you little minx. Does your father know that his little princess is prancing alone in the forests, so close to nightfall?"

Celeste felt her feet trip beneath her as the boy pushed her onto the tree. He had already been taller than her, but now he hovered over her by a great amount. She straightened her back again, getting as close to eye level as she could, her cloak tugging on the bark behind her back.

She was confused, though exhilarated, but fear began to pulse through her body when she felt how strong he was compared to her. There was no way to run if he truly threatened her.

"I am not hopeless," she spat out. "He needs not know about my actions, because he knows I am a weapon in my own right. You should unhand me, Davos. I might forget this," she squirmed.

"A weapon are you? Is that so?"

Davos chuckled as he watched as the young girl squirmed, and leaned in closer to her, using his free hand to grip the other side of the tree, trapping her completely. He was close enough to her now that he could feel her breath on his skin.

"Is this how you're going to defend yourself, Lady Celeste? Squirming and wiggling like a little fish on a hook?"

"You're craven," she shook her head, looking at the boy and shaking her head. "The sun is setting, and they'll be looking for me before they even think of you."

The grin on Davos' face only widened further, and he leaned his head down so his mouth was mere centimeters from the shell of her ear.

"And who is 'they', my lady..?" He asked her in a low voice, his breath warm as it cascaded over her skin. "Surely you don't think that I'd let you go so easily, do you?"

"You're as stupid as you are ugly," Celeste said, pushing against the boy's chest though he hardly budged. She couldn't believe his audacity, but at the end of the day, he had more status than she did. He was a man. And legitimately born.

"Do as you wish, but don't waste my time, you moron. I'm not scared. Release me or get on with it."

Davos chuckled at her attempt to push him away, and instead pressed closer against her, caging her against the rough bark of the tree. His hand slid from her hip to her waist, and he leaned in even further, his body pressed against hers.

"Ugly..?" He repeated the word as if it was a curse, his eyes narrowing. "And I'm the stupid one, eh? You've sure got a mouth on you... No wonder nobody wants you, little minx."

Celeste hadn't been looking at the boy for some time, but at his words, her brown eyes sunk back into his gaze and a flash of vulnerability played on her face. The rest had just been banter... but how could he know that? Or say it? It wasn't true.

She thought for a few seconds then scoffed. "You're set on making this personal," Celeste tilted her head back onto the tree, catching the sunlight, knowing it would soon be gone.

"I could knee you in the most private of parts at this exact moment and end our tryst, my lord. Why toy with me?"

Celeste thought about her mother in the Summer Isles and wondered if she would ever see her. Everything could be taken away in a second due to the Blackwood boy, but it had never really been given before, had it? Soft, white beaches and cyan water for the cold, damp wet of the Riverlands for less than her weight in gold, and who would marry her? Perhaps she didn’t care that Davos had her in that position. Was it not what she deserved for not knowing her place?

Celeste sighed, her cool breath brushing against the boy’s nose.

The young lord chuckled once again at her defiant demeanor, admiring how his words had gotten under her skin. He had not expected the flicker of vulnerability he had briefly seen in her eyes, though he filed the information away for future reference.

"You could do that, couldn't you..?" He mused, his hand on her hip tightening its grip. "But you won't, will you? If you were truly not scared, you would have already."

"I don't wish to maim you, Davos. I know a great man such as yourself would lose every birthright given to you if you had no balls in which to populate the Riverlands," she gave a small and annoying smirk and pushed against his chest again. "I'm no villain."

Davos couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped his lips. Damn it, she really was sassy. Her insolence was not something he was used to, and he wasn't sure if wanted to knock her down a peg, or pin her against the tree and kiss her.

"Damn it all.."

He muttered under his breath, his hands moving to circle her petite wrists, pinning them above her head against the trunk of the tree.

"You're doing this to me, you know that? All bark, no bite."

"I'm sure you will do what you will,' Celeste said, looking at her hands above her head and realizing there was not much else she could do at the time being. "But answer me a question first. Truthfully."

Davos chuckled as Celeste finally seemed to realise that there was no escape from his grip, and he leaned in so his face was directly in front of hers.

"A question, eh? I'll answer truthfully, depending on the question." He told her, his gaze flicking from her face down to her chest as her top strained against the position he'd put her in.

"Just now. You said 'no wonder nobody wants you'," she lifted her chin, recognizing she was showing her insecurity to someone who could surely use it against her. She did not want to look weak however, she made eye contact with him all the while. "What would come upon you to say that? What whispers have you heard across the river, puppy?"

Davos was a little surprised at her sudden display of genuine feeling, and for a moment his own words seemed tasteless and callous. He had said them purely in an attempt to needle her further, not to actually hurt her.

He leaned his head down so their faces were almost touching, and his voice was low as he responded.

"Perhaps I knew what someone of your position must keep themselves up at night regarding..."

His gaze wandered back down to her chest, where it lingered for a moment before flicking back up to her face.

".. or I am no fool, and I hear the lads of both houses talk."

"The lads of both houses," she snickered, her arms shaking under the pressure of her wrists. "The lads of one of those houses are beneath me. My father's knights," she rolled her eyes, almost in disbelief. "Does no man pledge fealty in this age?" She could feel hot tears of vengeance, sadness and irritation on her eyes. She should have been much more upset that the boy had her in the most uncomfortable and unfortunate positions, but instead she could only think of how grateful she was to him for telling her what she had always suspected: that she would never truly be accepted in the riverlands, not even in her father's home.

"Well, Davos," she said finally, looking at the boy with a shrug. "Thank you for that. My trust in you is now without question." Silence.

Davos' eyes widened at her response, and he could immediately see that his words had had a much greater effect than he'd imagined. A frown tugged at his lips as he realized he'd made her cry. He'd never wanted to see a woman cry in his life, and the thought that he had made this strange, sassy little girl shed tears twisted a knife into his gut.

"I-"

He struggled for words for only a moment, and his grip on her wrists loosened, though he did not let her go completely.

".. I did not intend to upset you, Celeste."

She stared at him without saying anything for some time before a frown appeared on her lips as well. As brave as she was, she was still young, childlike even. A woman masquerading as someone free, a foreigner masquerading as someone home, and a bastard pretending she wasn't the embarrassment of the Riverlands.

It was moments like these that brought her back to earth; the fantasy was exposed. She could not defend herself or her honor nor would she ever be able to. It felt right to acquiesce to his hands, and she and Davos both knew, even if she told others of his misdeeds, no harm would come to him. She was nobody.

"Do you remember me from when we were children?" She said with some sentimentality, her head drooping.

When she spoke again, a wave of nostalgia washed over Davos as he was transported back to those carefree days of childhood, so many years ago. The memory of her yellow dress and the smirk on her face was so clear in his mind.

"I do," he murmured, the tension between them lessening slightly. "You came tumbling out of the trees, in that ridiculous yellow dress, and broke up something I shouldn't have been participating in."

"The boys were older," she said, only suddenly remembering. She had been so brave, a small smirk spread onto her face. Of course, Davos and her had been little as well, but he was a lord. They bent the knee to him.

"The dress was orange," she said, shaking her head. "You knew that. A cunt even then, you were."

Hearing her speak of her childhood act of bravery, and the confidence in her voice when it had happened, sent a strange pang stabbing through Davos' chest that he had never felt before.

When she corrected him on the color of the dress, he chuckled softly, and rolled his eyes. "Of course I knew it was orange, you imbecile. I just said it was yellow to rile you up. I've always liked riling you up."

Celeste felt her stomach turn. Perhaps she shouldn't have felt that way. Flattered by his words. Flattered by him remembering her from all that time ago, spending the extra time to bother her. To even take note of her. She got such little attention, and when she did, it was scorn, though occasionally, and a glimmer in her father's eye and gifts from her mother every few years. She knew her father loved her, but how could he possibly dote any affection upon the proof of his infidelity? He loved her in secret and carved small trinkets for her, smiled while she was scolded for playing with her brother's arrows.

All that though, all those small grievances, or tiny reminders that she was, indeed, alive, were overshadowed by the attention that an enemy had the ability to dote. Anything was better than apathy, and had he, really, gained as much by teasing her then as he did not, with the print of his cock nearly embedded into her gown? She shook her head at the boy and laughed.

"Let me go, Davos. There's no reason for this."

The laugh that escaped her lips sent a shiver down Davos' spine, and he realized that he liked hearing her laugh, even if it was at his expense.

He shifted slightly, slowly releasing her from the grip he had her trapped in against the tree with, although he didn't completely drop his hands from her.

"No reason for this, eh?" He repeated, his tone holding the same cockiness from before. "If I let you go, what's to stop you from running back to daddy?"

"I will go home, it's growing dark, but," she thought for a second, but the second couldn’t have been filled with anything intelligent or worthy. She looked at his hands on her waist. She took a gulp and sighed. "I can meet you here again... overmorrow. If you'd like it."

Davos tilted his head slightly as she spoke, his fingers drumming gently against her hip until she mentioned meeting again the evening after next.

A smirk slowly spread across his face and he stepped forward, closing the gap he had created between their bodies when he had released her.

"And how do I know you will come back?" He wondered, his tone mocking. "For all I know you could run straight to daddy and tattle on me."

"I might run home and tell on you," Celeste shrugged. "What would be the difference? Do you think they'd raise an army in my name? Why do you jest? You've already humbled me enough this evening, you don't think?"

"Tch,"

Davos scoffed at her response and rolled his eyes once again. He could not deny that he had been having too much fun riling her up, and he was almost reluctant to see her go.

"You're a strange little vixen, you know that? One second you're defiant, next second you're giving in and agreeing to meet me again."

"I guess I could be planning to bring my half-brothers along with me to slay you where you stand and put your cock and balls in my hand as tribute," she said, only inches away from his lips. She smirked.

Davos' eyes widened for only a moment before an almost maniacal grin appeared on his face.

"By the Gods, I knew you were feisty, but I didn't think you were that much of a savage."

He chuckled heartily and leaned in towards her, his nose almost touching hers.

"You wouldn't harm a hair on my head, little vixen. I know you like me too much for that."

"Like is not the word," Celeste said, pulling her head away from the boy and placing it as close to the edge of the tree as possible to avoid accidentally kissing him. She wouldn't mind it, but on her own terms.

She wanted a night to think about her decisions. The blood under her skin was fooling her; he was her sworn enemy, a snake, and a wolf in sheep's clothing, but he had told her the truth when no one else in her life had ever dared to begin. And his crooked, crooked teeth. They were so reminiscent of their childhood encounter, it made her heart twinge in nostalgic pain.

"I will see you in two nights, Davos, and if I'm not here," she gestured behind her with her head. "You do know where I sleep."

Davos pouted slightly as she pulled away from him, not letting their faces touch like he had intended. He wanted to close that last final gap between them and pin her back against the trunk of the tree, press his body into hers and taste those sweet lips.

He was sure she wanted it too, underneath all of her insolence.

"If you're not here, eh? And what is to stop me from sneaking into your room and... forcing you?"

"Guards. And knights. And townspeople by the hundred. You think they don't know your houndish little face?" Celeste shook her head, the sun only a few minutes from setting. "You had your time to finish me here, and you wasted it with your petty remarks, doggy. You will see me or you won't, but this opportunity is gone. I must go."

Davos bared his teeth at her mocking tone, but he knew she was right. He had had her trapped against the tree, he could have done whatever he wanted, but instead, he had used his time taunting her instead.

"Very well," he said finally, and he released her completely, taking a step back. His eyes raked across her figure before they met her eyes again.

"I expect to see you here tomorrow night, little vixen. Don't keep me waiting."

"Two nights," she repeated. "I said two." The forest floor was already growing dim as she backed away, starting a small jog before the boy could grab her again to argue. She needed time to think, and perhaps some time for him to want her.

"Two nights!" Davos called after her as she started to dart away. He knew he could easily reach out and tug at the hood of her cloak and pull her back to him, but he decided to let her go. For now.

He stood there, under the tree, long after she disappeared from his sight. There was a strange feeling bubbling in his chest that he had never felt before, and he spent the rest of the night trying to figure out what it was.

#hotd #house of the dragon #benjicot blackwood #davos blackwood #got #game of thrones #tasnc #hotd fanfic #got fanfic

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the-fiction-witch · 4 months ago

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I Like Him P2

Media - House Of The Dragon Character - Oscar Tully Couple - Oscar X Reader Reader - (OC) Jaerra Targaryen [Daughter of Daemon Targaryen & Rhea Royce] Rating - 15 Word Count - 1119

Jaerra followed her father and Lord Oscar out into the fallen godswood of Harenhall where the riverloads had gathered below a cold grey sky. She sat on a large piece of stone that littered the courtyard, as Daemon paced Oscar pacing around him going to toe to toe with Daemon.

"In the deepest darkness comes the dawn... a new lord... a new beginning," Daemon explained, "Let us put all the old unpleasantness behind this,"

Tension bubbled as lords looked between each other,

Oscar spoke up, "Be Welcome my lords, and you have my thanks for answering my summons," he explained his voice raising as he spoke finding his firm voice large enough to address the crowd of lords, "I know I am not the man my grandser was... but I hope to begin well and go on from there."

"Well said." Daemon added, "One thing is clear, the river men honour the old ways and abide by tradition, here then is tradition Grover Tully is dead, Lord Oscar raised up in his place, and you have been summoned here to swear anew your fealty to him. And as his bannermen answer his call!"

"And what would that call be?" a River lord asked,

"In his wisdom, he has pledged his house and yours to me," Daemon answered before Lord Oscar could speak.

"Lord Osacar, for generations we have been guided by the judgement of your forebears, why now should we follow a boy younger then my own sons? When you will align with one... who will desecrate the innocent to reach his aims." Lord Piper asked,

"I did only what was necessary! My lord." Willem Blackwood spoke up, "And I now deliver to you the traitor Amos Bracken and his son."

"No more a traitor to his lands than you Willem Blackwood!"

"I take to heart your words, lord Piper." Oscar broke up the fight before it began, "And I agree, I am young... and I have no love for Daemon Targaryen," Oscar glared at Daemon, briefly his eyes met Jaerra and he went to speak but he continued on, "he has dishonoured himself and the crown with his... comportment here. Nevertheless having so little experience to guide me... my best course is to defer to the oath my grandsire sword to King Viserys when he named Rhaynera Targaryen his heir, I see no reason to cast aside loyalty... no matter how loathsome I... may find her representative the prince."

"King." Daemon glared,

"Consort," Jaerra added,

"Mind your young boy." Daemon glared at Oscar ignoring Jaerra's comment,

"Will you have our army or not?" Oscar asked making his way to Daemon,

Daemon didn't answer,

"I am in the end a Riverman," Oscar said as he walked away, "And the word of my house stands, even if ... some people are unworthy of it."

"Your lord Oscar is bold. But he is... perhaps not wrong, I may have been a touch... enthusiastic in pursuing my aims." Daemon explained as he paced once more. "But don't allow my failings, to keep you from supporting... an upright...man."

"My lord Oscar we honor the old ways, as Prince Daemon says, and the old ways call for justice to be done." The lady of a house spoke up,

"Yes. Justice has been done." Willem protested, "They who bent the knee to the usurper have been brought to heal! And now we unite... before our liege lord and our king consort," Willem pulled his sword and bent the knee offering his blade,

Oscar moved closer and held his hands to the man's offer, "I accept you as my vassal Lord Blackwood... but" he moved away, "I am lord paramount of all river houses, and there is... only one punishment for the crimes you visited upon your neighbours,"

"I did only as his grace, the king! Commanded of me."

"True... but he laid bare his base desires. But you did not have to pursue such savagery," Oscar explained, "You did it. Because you wanted to."

"Our young lord speaks truly," Lord Piper added,

"Seize him," Oscar commanded,

And the Harrenhall men came and took Willem Blackwood by the arms,

"You can't fucking do this... your grace commands them. I have only served you!"

"If his grace wishes to show contrition for his acts and to prove himself deserving of our banners, he must now rectify his grievous error." Oscar explained, "Denounce your crimes," he tells Willem, "And dispense justice."

Willen argued and tried to fight his way out,

"Oh dear..." Lord Strong muttered,

Daemon took a moment to think, and Jaerra watched him closely as he began to move and draw his sword,

"You're grace I've been faithful!" Willem begged,

But with a fast and simple swing, Willem's head was removed from his body, Daemon made his way inside with Lord Strong following, and the river lords slowly left to make their arrangements. But Oscar loomed longer.

Jaerra pushed herself off the rock and made her way over to him, "You handled them..."

"Have I just sent my lords to die?" He asked,

"...Yes," she nodded, "But that's war."

"True," He sighed, "I should have done it..."

"Done it?"

"Given out the sentence."

"Daemon is the one who doomed him long before you did,"

"...I- I admit, I have... not..."

"Look." Jaerra told him, "Long and hard, he is not the first man put to the sword in this war, and he shall far from be the last. Grow used to it now."

"You speak as if you have been to war a thousand times, we have been lucky to be born with only peace."

"Daemon is my father," She reminds,

"That is enough of an answer," He chuckled, "Forgive me, Princess-"

Jaerra scoffed, "Even calling me lady is a formality. It is not needed My Lord Tully." She nodded before she made her way towards the doors,

"Jaerra!"

She turned on her heels, "Yes Oscar?"

"... I find your father loathsome. Utterly so." He explained,

"As many do," she chuckled,

"But... truly, that does not extend to you." He said, "Not even slightly"

Jaerra smiled, "Thank you, and know that I to have no such feelings for you, I think we somewhat think the same of my father."

"I... I must ask, are you remaining here?"

"I am," she nodded, "I shall remain until my queen demands me elsewhere,"

"I- I hope she doesn't demand you, too soon."

"Neither do I," Jaerra agreed, "You shall remain?"

"Yes. With my men." He nodded, "I will set up tent with my men,"

"A tent?" she chuckled, "Should the lord not be in the castle?"

"I thought it may be mess damp in the tent." Oscar joked,

"You may be right," Jaerra laughed, "But not proper for a Liege lord to tent with his men. I will see what can be found for you Oscar."

"Thank you Jaerra," he nodded,

She smiled and headed inside the castle.

Tags - @llynx7

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libraryofloveletters · 1 year ago

Text

The Heart Loves Spain

pairing: Christopher Leclerc x Sofia Sainz (OC!)

summary: rumours swirl when Sofia and Christopher are both spotted in Spain, posting things a bit too similar to be a coincidence.

author’s note: finally bringing back the daddy & me + three series :) this is a soft launch of the kids' relationships lmao

all photos are from instagram and/or pinterest :) // daddy & me + three masterlist

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sofiasainz55 added to her instagram story.

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christopher.j_leclerc added to his instagram story.

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sofiasainz55

liked by christopher.j_leclerc, emleclerc, charles_leclerc and 832,549 others

sofiasainz55: casa para el verano. (home for the summer)

view 388 comments

user4: whos the boy from your story!!!!!

gabriel_leclerc: okay hot girl

comment liked but sofiasainz55

charles_leclerc: très jolie chérie (very pretty darling)

↪️sofiasainz55: merci oncle charles! (thank you uncle charles)

user2: ^screaming!!!!

landonorris: I’m telling your dad you went out with a boy

↪️sofiasainz55: who said I went out with a boy 🙄 there is no boy in this post

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christopher.j_leclerc

liked by youruser, sofiasainz55, gabriel_leclerc and 678,395 others

christopher.j_leclerc: te amo 🇪🇸

view 483 comments

sofiasainz55: cool post bro

↪️christopher.j_leclerc: thanks bestie

user9: ^oh? odd way to interact if you’re a couple

comment liked by emleclerc

user16: ELOISE CONFIRMED THEIR RELATIONSHIP??? 😩

user5: not Chris thirst trapping like his dad used too

user44: for someone who says that he and Sofia aren’t anything, it’s funny that he posts/dates a girl that looks just like that

georgina.r_: did you bring me anything from home?

↪️sofiasainz55: just a stank ass attitude 🙄

↪️christopher.j_leclerc: how are you gonna talk about me under my own post?? thats so disrespectful

↪️gabriel_leclerc: get the stick out your ass chris

user2: obsessed with this friend group honestly. 🤣🤭

—

sofiasainz55 and christopher.j_leclerc

liked by charles_leclerc, carlossainz55, adrian.albonooo and 1,244,535 others

sofiasainz55: summer of love 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

location: málaga, spain. // tagged: christopher.j_leclerc

view 843 comments

emleclerc: the secret is finally out I can breathe again 🫠

↪️youruser: you really are your father’s child

comment liked by calrossainz55, pierregasly

user4: I FUCKING KNEW IT!!!!111!!!

oli1verstappen: my favs (just sof) 😚

↪️sofiasainz55: love youuuuu

↪️christopher.j_leclerc: again I’m being bullied

↪️oli1verstappen: I didn't comment that!!

↪️gabriel_leclerc: I commented that from oil’s account 🤭

user6: now if you have babies, is it gonna be leclerc-sainz or sainz-leclerc ????

↪️anthonygasly_: I vote second one but what do I know 😗

landonorris: you’re too young to date🙄

↪️sofiasainz55: you’re too old to be cyberbullying me 🙄

#daddy & me + three series #charles leclerc #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc x you #f1 instagram au #f1 social media au #f1 smau

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moseslikellamas · 5 months ago

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♱𖣂 Redfork Menace ♱𖣂 pt.11

Benjicot Blackwood x Bracken!OC

Summary - Shanda begins to see the depth of Benjicot Blackwood.

Warnings - fem!reader, suspense, mentions of violence, adult language, period typical misogyny, condescension, adult language, complicated family dynamics, feud behavior, misplaced rage, feelings of guilt, manipulation, benjicot brainrot, Kieran Burton fancast.

Word count - 2k

If you’re thinking wow there’s no plot. Thats because I’m great at delaying. But if you’re thinking girl get a grip, there is a reckoning coming for Benji. He’s just playing 4d chess rn. I was listening to this song while writing this, if you want the vibes. It is a cliffhanger bc I have work agony.

Shanda was pacing in front of her window. All she ever did was pace these days. Back and forth like a caged animal. She wondered when she would rub a hole through the stone. She’d overheard something she wasn’t supposed to.

“…burned through the night. Amos sent a letter blaming us of course.”

“Do we know who cou…”

The guard who had definitely not been where he should’ve had wandered back and intercepted her. He hadn’t even asked how she had gotten out of her room. Blackwood guards truly were incompetent. She doubted he’d even mention she had been out. The snippet was enough to snap her back to reality. Something had happened back home and her father was accusing the Blackwoods. Nothing new there but it was the implication that struck her. Had her father written to lay blame on them? Why hadn’t any of them tried to contact her?

If she didn’t get out of this castle soon she was going to start climbing the walls. She had never had this much free time to sit and think. She was stewing in her own thoughts. So she paced to give herself something to do physically while her mind turned in pointless circles. The first point being she hated Benjicot Blackwood. Hated him with a deep and ugly passion that burned dark and slow inside of her. She wanted to end him and ruin that horrible triumphant expression he always wore. The second point was that she was a filthy hypocrite who couldn’t hold onto any brainpower when he invaded her space. Underneath that burning hatred was a simmering flame of desire that spiral out of control in his presence. So she went round and round in a cycle of anger and shame.

Then she would wait for him to show up and start the cycle all over again. She’d immediately blocked his words from her mind. She couldn’t bear to think about it. He’d struck her low by bringing her mother up and she wished she could talk to her mother. But on second thought maybe not. Her mother would’ve seen through her in an instant and would not allow her to lie to herself. Okay, then what should I do? She asked herself, pausing in her hurried pacing to stare outside.It was almost sunny, the overcast clouds covered the sky but they were thin allowing light to shine through. He’d exposed her weaknesses and was playing her way too easily. She needed to find something to use to her advantage, maybe she could find a way to sway him into giving her what she wanted most.

Information was the most valuable currency and she was so in the dark she might as well be beneath the ground. She knew whatever he did tell her would be slanted of course but that didn’t mean it wasn’t worth hearing. She would just have to buck up, she couldn’t stand around blushing forever.

***

“She just stands around blushing. It’s quite cute I must admit.” Ben said to his aunt, staring dreamily off into space.

“You know there’s more to marriage than staring at each other right?”

He shot her a questioning look. Surely she didn’t mean…? Alysanne snapped her fingers at him.

“Think with your brain, Benjicot! Your wife will help you run this place, have you tried to get her interested in the house duties?”

He frowned. How was he supposed to do that when the girl couldn’t look him in the eyes?

“She’s timid.” He said defensively.

“You’re a pig. Give her space to breathe, you’ll find most people think better that way.”

“Mm. I don’t think we want her thinking that clearly. She might remember we’re ‘mortal enemies’.” He smirked thinking of her trying to convince herself of that fact by reminding him of the feud he was still actively fighting. When he wasn’t with her he was bloodying Brackens across the borderlands with impunity. It was almost the perfect life and it would be perfect when she was his wife. A scheme Alysanne was reluctantly a part of mostly because she couldn’t think of a good way to stop him. He’d set too much of it in motion without her knowledge. Alysanne wasn’t involved with borderland guard rounds.

“I gave you less than an inch, Benji. Just do guard duty and figure out whose crossing onto our side of the river.”

“I did both Aly.”

“You started a fiasco because you can’t keep your dick in your pants! And you had better hope that this little plan of yours works or you won’t have to worry about fighting in a war. Because I’ll kill you in front of Elmo Tully and save us all the trouble!”

He shrugged, grinning at her. “It’ll work. She’ll do fine at her duties. Stone Hedge is literally burning without her. Seems she does all the management there anyway. Having her will cripple them immensely.”

“I just want you to think about the consequences of your actions before you act, Benji.”

“Acting is so much fun though, dear Aunt.”

“One of these days it's going to backfire on you, Benjicot! Mark my words.”

Ben was already walking off though, he’d come to update his aunt on the affairs in the Borderlands and ended up with a scolding he promptly ignored. He needed a bath, so he headed up to his chambers. But paused outside of Shanda’s room. Ear pressed against her door he could hear the scuff of her shoes brushing the stone floor. She was pacing again. He fought back a chuckle.

He had her exactly where he intended. Flustered, confused and ashamed. There was no shame in his eyes over the attraction situation but she would not be able to look her family in the eyes. And that would play into his hand perfectly. Lord Tully would pick up on her nervous energy in a second and try to flay her open for answers. The conflict in the borderlands was trying to escalate but Ben had strict instructions for the guards to pull back if they couldn’t downgrade the fights to fists only. Killing a Bracken wouldn’t reflect well on him now, with her so wound up, looking for a reason good enough to condemn him for. He pushed the door open.

***

“If you need some exercise we could always start wrestling again.”

Shanda whipped her head around, glaring at the heir before continuing to pace, ignoring him. He was covered in blood. Splashes of it coated his shirt, staining it dark brown. Whatever messed up idea was running through his head did not concern her. She should be worrying about her brothers and sending curses through the sands of time to condemn the Blackwoods to generations of misery.

“Would you care to take a walk with me? I was thinking of swinging by the library. Could be a good opportunity for you to get out of this room.”

She stopped pacing then. She would kill to see what books the Blackwoods had stashed in their library. She might not worship the old gods like them but she recognized the value in preserving old information. And those who did worship the old gods had a reverence for the past while others did not. How he could be so infuriating one second and then so thoughtfully sweet the next was mind boggling. She didn’t know what to make of his constantly switching moods. But she did want to go to the library. She just wished she’d thought to ask Alysanne to take her instead.

“Wouldn’t you like to clean up a bit first?” She replied, folding her hands in front of her. She squared her shoulders, trying to steel herself for his answer.

But Benjicot was strangely normal about it, just nodding. Then disappearing without a word, only to arrive minutes later hair dripping. For a torturous moment her mind conjured the image of him sliding in a tub, chest smeared in blood. And she had turned a shade of bright red before shaking the image away. He didn’t comment on her face if he’d noticed. Just offered his arm and led her from the room. The halls of Raventree were a maze of twisting walls, which is why she’d been unsuccessful in sneaking out.

Everytime an incompetent guard left his post, she would slip out of her room and try her odds. But she always ended up lost and would lie if asked about it. That’s how she’d heard about the conversation concerning Stone Hedge. The halls never seemed to end though and the heir took her a different route every time they went anywhere, deliberately misleading her.

They walked in a relatively relaxed silence. She was anxious but then she was always anxious these days. She yearned to be in her own room again. She wanted to hug Martyn until winter came and knock Royce over the head. Instead she sighed and kept walking.

“Care to share your thoughts?” He asked, his voice was soft and low in the empty halls.

The sound of it made her stomach flip.

“You wouldn’t like to hear them.”

“I want to hear anything you have to say. Good or bad.” He said firmly.

She didn’t believe him. There were plenty of things she could say that would set him off in some manner. But she was enjoying the calmer mood so she didn’t say anything at all. Just walked in calm silence until they reached the library. The doors were a strong wood, carved with the visage of a weirwood tree. It struck her as eerily similar as the image of the stained glass window in the sept at Stone Hedge. But she didn’t get to admire them long before Benjicot had pushed them open.

She was greeted with shelves that stretched much higher than she’d ever seen and at least three times as large as the one at Stone Hedge. She knew why the rumor was the Blackwoods had stolen Raventree from them. She was envious enough of the library she would take up the cause, true or not. She’d forgotten about the man beside her as she stepped in looking up in awe. Normon would have to triple his citadel book stealing if they hoped to have half of this much valuable information.

“Come over here.”

She turned around to see Benjicot at a table, motioning her over. Reluctantly she walked over to see what he wanted to see her. He was bent over some map sprawled out haphazardly. Upon closer inspection, it detailed all of Westeros. It was incredibly detailed.

“Where’d you get this?”

He looked up from his hunched position to answer. “I made it, of course.”

That shook her up a bit and she touched the gold leafed edges, rubbing the paper in between her fingers. It was too beautiful and delicate to have been made by him. She let her eyes scan over the whole of the map before they fell upon her house. Without meaning to, she ran her fingers over the image of Stone Hedge.

Then she looked back at him. He was looking at her already, predictably. “It’s impressive. I didn’t know you could hold an ink brush that delicately.” It was a backhanded compliment but the nicest she’d ever verbally been to him.

“You don’t know a lot about me. Why don’t you have a seat?”

He pulled a chair out for her and she eyed him skeptically. He was being too polite again and then usually precipitated a hand around her neck. But she sat anyway. She watched with a careful intensity as he grabbed various books from the shelves around them. She could see the ripple of his back muscles every time he reached up to grab a book.

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mrzpooki · 4 months ago

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Hello! Hello! Just 2 question ummm what was the ever first oc you made? Also what do Amelia’s parents look like?

Hi hi!

So my first oc was Amelia but I do have plenty of first ocs…mainly Z! Full name Elizabeth Z Amos! Back in my high school days, She was an inspiration of JTHM where she likes to drink slushy and kill peoples…but after many years she went through so much changes!

So Amelia and her sisters had a mother, no father…her mother was the ruler of the Celestial Kingdom/Heaven: Her mother Stella created Amelia and her sisters from the star…

#ask pooki #two questions #originalcharacters

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reverendazmx · 8 months ago

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prompts suggested by my friends

#azmx ocs #ocs #my ocs #doodles #oc: amelie #oc: father amos #oc: lianne #oc: bonnie

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kiruvry · 5 months ago

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proper termina oc refs :] for mine and my friends' gay little cast. i love my weirdos!!!!!!!!!!!!

#fear and hunger #fear and hunger termina #f&h #f&h2t #fear and hunger 2: termina #kiruvry ocs #matyas jezek #amos dvorak #father dvorak #kit #cw nudity #cw sh #termina 1st round

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kawareo · 6 months ago

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guilt and pain for the ask meme

guilt: What is your OC guilty about? How do they handle their guilt? Do they try to avoid guilt, or do they accept it?

Pre-tadpols, Strike feels the most guilty about kind of everything he's doing that goes against Father's wishes (caring about Orin, daring to like things outside of the cult dogma, almost every moment he spends thinking about or with Gortash, having his own name, ect ect) but he self-punishes, prays, and keeps promising Father that soon, soon it will all be worth it.

Post-tadpols, he doesn't exactly feel guilt, as he has also never felt it before in a way that isn't directly connected to Bhaal, and after the lobotomy, he doesn't remember any of it. In general he feels more... hollow, when he knows he's done something that he should feel guilty about.

pain: What's the worst pain your OC has ever felt? Do they have a high pain tolerance?

He spent a year under Kressa Bonedaughter's care, full of daily torture, but he doesn't remember that much of it so he's actually not that bad about it. Strike also has a very high pain tolerance and when he's conscious, he does enjoy getting hurt to a degree.

Worst pain he's ever felt though was the few times Bhaal completely took over his body and mind in a ceremony (think of how Bhaal speaks through Sceleritas during that one scene). That was at the peak of Strike's worship and still, it was the most horrific feeling he's ever experienced, and only extreme cult brainwashing let him keep pretending that he believes this is Father's love. (if you read Unsaved, that was what happened when Amos left!)

#answered asks #ask game #bg3 #the dark urge #oc strike #durgetash #durge

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souurcitrus · 3 months ago

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Marvel character birthdays. Earth-18104.

Did I fucking write an entire list of births for marvel character for my AU? Yes, I did, because I have a thing for list and numbers and timelines.

Well, here we go. The birth dates are based purely on their first appearance, the stories they are in, and to make sense of thir physical age (like, why Kitty Pryde still looks so young after so many years), with some canon birthdays, like Cannonball's. Also, not all marvel character are here, mostly are X-Men.

After each name there's a few letter indicating if the caracter is a OC of mine (OC); if they were a mutant depowered on M-Day (DP)/ if they were lost in time so they age is different than what it's supposed to be (LT), for example Magik; if they died and came back (P), like Doug Ramsey;

In this universe the Snap happned, like in Infinity War, and it lasted six years (between 2004/2010), so if a name has (S) in the end, the character should be six years younger, since they didn't age during this time.

The list, not complete:

80,000,000 BC -

• Ego, the Celestial, the living planet.

3,621 BC -

• Ozymandias, Apocalypse’s servant. S

• Shaan, Empeor of the Okkara Kingdom.

3,605 BC -

• Kailash, son of Emperor Shaan, king of the Okkara Kingdom. OC

3,600 BC -

• Etana, daughter of Emperor Shaan, Guardian of Okkara. OC

3,597 BC -

• Adnah, daughter of Shaan, princess of Okkara. OC

3,594 BC -

• Apocalypse, member of the Akkaba Tribe, child of the dawn.

3,569 BC -

• Uma, daughter of Kailash and Nayra, princess of the Okkara. OC

3,560 BC -

• Queen Ayla of Okkara, second daughter of Kailash. OC

3,555 BC -

• Amos, Etana’s apprentice and Ayla’s husband. OC

3,527 BC -

• Queen Meiran of Okkara, daughter of Ayla and Amo. OC

3,480 BC -

• Odin Borson, the All Father, king of Asgard. S

1,034 BC -

• Queen Iva, youngest queen of Okkara, descendant of Kailash. OC

980 BC -

• Zevida, Prince Acaz’s wife. OC

978 BC -

• Prince Acaz of Okkara, son of Iva, descendant of Kailash. OC

956 BC -

• Vidar, son of Odin with the giant Grid.

950 BC -

• Eden, or Genesis, queen of Okkara.

944 BC -

• Isca the Unbeaten, descendant of Kailash, Genesis' sister.

939 BC -

• Prince Ranaan, only son of Acaz, descendant of Kailash. OC

924 BC -

• Khalid, first Horseman of Famine, Apocalypse's oldest child.

923 BC -

• Bracha, first Horseman of War.

921 BC -

• Adora, first Horseman of Pestilence.

919 BC -

• Amon, first Horseman of Death, Apocalypse's youngest child.

914 BC -

• Princess Ivana, daughter of Prince Acaz, descendant of Kailash. OC

908 BC -

• Aster, only daughter of Etana, descendant of Shaan. OC

902 BC -

• Kefira, daughter of Khalid, the Horseman of Famine, Apocalypse's grandchild. OC

890 BC -

• Omar, son of prince Raanan, grandson of Acaz. OC

882 BC -

• Princess Zara, daughter of Queen Ivana, descendant of Iva. OC

880 BC -

• Amin, husband of Princess Zara. OC

852 BC -

• Queen Milena, daughter of Princess Zara and Amin, first ruler of the New Kingdom of Okkara. OC

• Ethel, son of Kefira, grandson of the first Horseman of Famine, founder of the Akkaba Clan. OC

820 BC -

• Hela Odinsdottir, legitimate heir to the throne of Asgard.

725 BC -

• Balder, the Brave and Hoder, twin sons of Odin and Freyja.

720 BC -

• Honir the Hunter, son of Odin and Freyja. S

706 BC -

• Aldriff Odinsdottir, heir to the throne of Asgard.

705 BC -

• Tyr Odinson, God of War and Heroic Glory in Asgard. S

564 BC -

• March 31 - Thor Odinson, the God of Thunder.

563 BC -

• May 17 - Loki Laufeyson, God of Mischief. LT

100 BC -

• December 11 – Gladiator Kallark of the Imperial Guard, heir to a line of Strontian warriors.

968 AC -

• July 2 - Xu Wenwu, first owner of the Ten Rings. S

1005 -

• Thanos, son of Sui-San and A'Lars, the Mad Titan.

1008 -

• Eros, Starfox, prince of Titan, Thanos' younger brother.

1154 -

• September 4th - Bennet du Paris, Exodus. S

1237 -

• Queen Damaris, the Eternal, queen of the New Kingdom of Okkara. OC

1316 -

• Yao, the Ancient One, Master of the Mystic Arts, Sorcerer Supreme. S

1393 -

• Queen Lilith of the Kingdom of Okkara, daughter of Damaris, the Eternal. OC

1430 -

• May 26 - Vlad Tepes Dracula, King of the Vampires. S

1485 -

• November 14 - Elsa Santiago, head of the Black Circle, Apocalypse's servant. OC S

1556 -

• Amahl Farouk, the Shadow King. DP

1571 -

• October 1 - Ch'ah Toh Almehen, known as Namor, first king of Talokan. S

1618 -

• September 8 - Ogun, the red demon.

1620 -

• October 6th – Deianeira, the First Pillar of the Inner Circle. OC S

1665 -

• September 21 - Selene Essex, Lady Sinister. OC S

1666 -

• June 6 - Agatha Harkness. S

1677 -

• Queen Delilah of the Kingdom of Okkara, descendant of Queen Lilith. OC

1713 -

• Odelia, descendant of Etana of Okkara. OC

1728 -

• Hadiza, daughter of Odelia, descendant of Etana. OC

1747 -

• Wallace Worthington, ancestor of Warren Worthington III.

1760 -

• Samara, distant descendant of Etana of Okkara. OC

1761 -

• Elizabeth Shaw, ancestor of Warren Worthington III.

1764 -

• June 25th - Amélia Smith, apprentice to Agatha Harkness, member of the Inner Circle. OC

• September 18 - Raven Darkholme, Mystique. S

1773 -

• December 10 – Vincent, father of Tereza Márquez, the Bear. OC

1779 -

• March 11 – Salomé, mother of Tereza Márquez, the red witch. OC

1789 -

• April 13 - Beatrice Carvalho, Lullaby, the Second Pillar of the Inner Circle. OC S

1800 -

• February 26th – Antônio Cavalcante, head of the Mercs for Money. OC

1801 -

• June 6 - Theodosia Salazar, Inferno, the Third Pillar of the Inner Circle. OC S

1805 -

• Silas Burr, Cyber.

1807 -

• December 5th - Francine Cavalcante, head of the Mercs for Money. OC

1808 -

• September 13th – Helena, daughter of the Bear and the Red Witch. OC

1809 -

• December 14th – Cecilia, daughter of the Bear and the Red Witch. OC

1813 -

• November 11 – Hector Márquez, brother of Sanguinária. OC

1815 -

• August 19 - Tereza Márquez, the villain Sanguinária. OC

1817 -

• February 11 - Luther Creed, Sabretooth's older brother.

1819 -

• May 3 - Victor Creed, the villain and mercenary Sabretooth.

1820 -

• January 22 - Clara Creed, Sabretooth’s sister. S

1822 -

• April 30 - Saul Creed, last son of the Creed family.

• July 23 - Dulce, last daughter of the Bear and the Red Witch. OC

1834 -

• Margaret Slade of the high houses of Clan Akkaba, Apocalypse's descendant.

1843 -

• July 3 - Jonas Graymalkin.

1850 -

• Kabar Brashir, member of Clan Akkaba.

1856 -

• Jack Starsmore, great-grandfather of Jono Starsmore, member of Clan Akkaba.

1858 -

• August 19 – Irene Adler, Destiny. S

1860 -

• August 4 - Hamilton Slade, eldest son of Margaret Slade.

1866 -

• May 15 - Fredrick Slade, second son of Margaret Slade.

1874 -

• December 3 - Chester Phillips.

1881 -

• Queen Aisha of the Kingdom of Okkara, descendant of Queen Delilah. OC

1882 -

• September 5th – Dog Logan.

1884 -

• September 1 – John Howlett Jr.

1885 -

• July 2 – James Logan Howlett, The Wolverine.

1888 -

• February 29 – Tomás Santiago, Praga, son of Elsa Santiago, the Fourth Pillar of the Inner Circle. OC

1893 -

• Henrietta Ferguson, great-grandmother of Clarice Ferguson. OC

1901 -

• Warren Worthington Sr., Warren Worthington III's grandfather.

1905 -

• Phineas Harton, the inventor of the first synthezoid Torch.

• April 13 - Sebastian Shaw, Black King of the Hellfire Club. S DP

1908 -

• May 6 - Nicholas Joseph Fury, or Nick Fury Sr. S

1911 -

• October 31 - Amos, known as the Wolf. OC S

• May 9 - Agnes Cully, also known as Whitney Frost, Madam Masque.

1913 -

• Dr. Truett Hudson, Weapon Plus Project scientist.

1917 -

• August 15 – Howard Stark.

1919 -

• Gustav Ferguson, Frederick Slade and Henrietta Ferguson's son, descendant of the Akkaba Clan. OC

1920 -

• July 4th - Steve Rogers, the first Captain America.

• Princess Cal’syee Neramani, Deathbird, member of the Shi’ar Royal Family. S

1921 -

• April 9 - Margaret "Peggy" Carter.

1922 -

• February 8 - Adriana Soria, Black Queen of the Hellfire Club.

1924 -

• Ali, husband of Queen Malika of Okkara. OC

• Princess Xandra Neramani I, member of the Shi’ar Royal Family. OC

1925 -

• July 27 - James "Buck" Barnes, Winter Soldier, the White Wolf. S

1926 -

• Dr. Bolivar Trask.

• May 18 - Umbra, the Fifth Pillar of the Inner Circle. OC

• Majestor D’ken Neramani, former of the Shi’ar Empire.

• November 5 - Adam Brashear, Blue Marvel. S

1927 -

• Ivan Petrovitch, agent of the Red Room.

1928 -

• December 8 - Phillip Master, Puppet Master. S

• Dottie Underwood, the first Black Widow.

1929 -

• October 24 - Eric Brooks, Blade. S

1930 -

• June 7 – Queen Malika of the Kingdom of Okkara, descendant of Queen Aisha. OC S DP

• August 3 - Thomas Raymond, the superhero Toro.

1931 -

• May 4 - Cain Marko, Juggernaut.

1933 -

• July 2 - Max Eisenhardt, also known as Erik Lehnsherr, Magneto. DP

• Valentina Allegra de La Fontaine. S

• Elaine Ferguson, Gustav Ferguson's wife, Clarice Ferguson's grandmother. OC

1934 -

• Alexei Shostakov, Red Guardian, agent of the Red Room.

• October 27th – Amélia Voght.

1935 -

• July 31 - Dr. Moira MacTaggert. S

1936 -

• David North, Maverick.

• Majestrix Lilandra Neramani, ruler of the Shi’ar Empire.

1937 -

• July 15 - Charles Francis Xavier, Professor X. S DP

• Melina Vostokoff, Iron Maiden, agent of the Red Room.

1940 -

• Warren Worthington Jr., father of Warren Worthington III.

1942 -

• July 4 - Jason Wyngarde, Mastermind. S DP

1943 –

• August 29 - Gabrielle Haller. S

1944 -

• January 1 - Isaiah Bradley, Captain America.

• Wong Kan, Sorcerer Supreme.

• Maybelle Reilly Parker. S

• November 2 - Dr. Stephen Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts. S

1946 -

• Donna Strange, Stephen Strange's younger sister.

1947 –

• Adrian Toomes, the Vulture.

• Daken, Akihiro, Wolverine's son. S

• General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, the Red Hulk. S

• Agent Phill "Cheese" Coulson.

• Dr. Olivia Octavius.

1948 -

• Victor Strange.

• November 9 - Nick Fury Jr., director of S.H.I.E.L.D., also called Marcus Johnson. S

1949 -

• Heather McNail Hudson, member of Alpha Flight, Vindicator. S

• Yondu Udonta, leader of the Ravagers.

1950 –

• Frank Anderson, agent and director of Damage Control Department. OC

• October 1 - Thomas Cassidy, Black Tom, Black Bishop of the Hellfire Club. S

• James MacDonald Hudson, member of Alpha Flight, the Guardian.

• October 10 - Janos Quested, Riptide, White Knight of the Hellfire Club.

1952 -

• January 16 - Sean Cassidy, Banshee. S

1953 -

• Jacques Duquesne, Swordsman. S

• Sara Wolfe, Master of the Mystic Arts.

• Captain Maria Rambeu.

1955 -

• February 15 - Suzanne Chan, Sway, member of the first X-Men. S DP

• Norman Osborn, Green Goblin.

• Everett Ross. S

• Carol Danvers, Car-Ell, Captain Marvel.

• Agent Melinda May, the Calgary. S

1956 -

• Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin. S

• August 21 - Vienna Adamsen, member of the first X-Men formation, Petra.

• October 29 - Armando Muñoz, member of the first X-Men formation, Darwin.

• November 15 - Francis Castiglione, or Frank Castle, the Punisher.

• Lord Shingen Harada, head of the Yashida Clan, crime lord of Japan.

• Sandra Rossi, maternal aunt of Clarice Ferguson. S

1957 -

• Daimon Hellstrom, ruler of hell.

• Eugene Judd, Puck, member of Alpha Flight.

1958 –

• Dr. Curtis Connors, the Lizard.

1959 -

• Madison Jeffreis. S

• Flint Marko, the thief Sandman.

• Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich, former member of the Russian mafia, the Rhino.

• Eric Ferguson, descendant of the Akkaba Clan. OC

1960 –

• Angelica Rossi, mother of Clarice Ferguson. OC

• Kyle Richmond, the hero Nighthawk. S

• Elektra Nachos. S

• Prince Zakai of the Kingdom of Khado, son of Queen Malika and King Ali. OC S

• Ravenna Hellstrom, known as Satana. S

• Kenuichio Harada, illegitimate son of the head of the Yashida Clan.

• Yuriko Oyama, the assassin Deathstrike.

• September 12 - Greer Grant Nelson, the heroine Tigra. S

1961 -

• February 1 - Gamora Zen Whoberi Ben Titan.

• Richard Rider, Nova Soldier.

• James Braddock Jr, the Monarch. S

• Bernard "Barney" Barton, Trick Shot. S

• Brock Rumlow, Crossbones. S

• Virginia "Pepper" Potts.

1962 -

• April 10 - Victor von Doom, Monarch of Latveria.

• James Rhodes, War Machine.

• Sharon Carter, Agent 13. S

• May 4 - Marc Spector, Moon Knight. S

• May 31 - Benjamin Grimm, member of The Fantastic Four, the Thing.

• Roger Grey, Jean Grey's older brother.

• July 13 - Dr. Bruce Banner, the Incredible Hulk.

• Dr. Jane Foster, member of the Valkyries. S

• Natalia Alianovna Romanoff, Black Widow, the Red Death. S

1963 -

• June 5 - Dr. Henry Pym, the first Ant-Man. S

• July 8 - Dr. Reed Richard, leader of The Fantastic Four, Mister Fantastic. S

• Simon Wrath, Damage Control Agent. OC S

• Tony Masters, Taskmaster.

• Lillian Crawley Jeffries, Diamond Lil.

• November 3 - Queen Sarala of the Kingdom of Okkara, daughter of Queen Malika. OC

1964 -

• Sara Grey, Jean Grey's older sister.

• Barbara Morse, Agent 19 or Mockingbird. S

• Ophelia Sarkissian, called Viper, Hydra assassin and Kraken's student.

• Nebula, daughter of the Mad Titan.

• April 30 - Anthony "Tony" Stark, Iron Man.

• Johnathon "Johnny" Blaze, Ghost Rider. S

• Miguel Santos, Living Lightning.

• September 17 - Carl Lucas / Luke Cage, Power Man.

• Perla Riviera, Damage Control Agent. OC

1965 –

• Agent Maria Hill, Director of SHIELD.

• March 19 - Sam Wilson, the superhero Falcon and second Captain America. S

• April 10 - Matt Murdock, the vigilante Daredevil. S

• June 15 - Dr. Susan "Sue" Storm, member of The Fantastic Four, the Invisible Woman.

• Robert Reynolds, the Sentry.

• Sharon Ventura, member of The Fantastic Four, Marvel / Thing. S

• Dr. Helen Cho, famous geneticist.

• Esther Alencar, Master of the Mystic Arts. OC

• Agent Jessica Drew, Arachne. S

1966 -

• February 15 - King T'Challa, son of King T'Chaka of Wakanda, the Black Panther. S

• Baron Helmut Zemo, Heinrich Zemo’s son. S

• Danny Rand, the hero called Iron Fist.

• June 22 - Graydon Creed, the son of Mystique and Sabretooth.

• August 9 - Alicia Reiss.

• August 20 - Janet van Dyne, the Wonderful Wasp, president of the Avengers. S

• November 13 - Jennifer Walters, the lawyer also known as She-Hulk.

• November 24 - Agent Clint Barton, the first Hawkeye.

1967 -

• February 26 - Ororo Munroe, Storm.

• Callisto, leader of the Morlocks. S DP

• Agent Jimmy Woo. S

• Delphine, one of the mercenaries of the Cavalcante house. OC DP

• Patricia “Patsy” Waller, Hellcat.

• Kazuo Oyama, Lord Deathstrike.

1968 -

• January 3 - Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.

• Dane Whitman, the Black Knight. S P

• Darren Cross, Yellowjacket.

• Narya, Snowbird. S

• Liam Grey, Jean Grey’s older brother.

• Fukushima Yukio, Mariko’s bodyguard.

1969 -

• Mariko Yashida, daughter of Shingen Harada, head of the Yashida Clan.

• Yelena Belova, one of the Black Widows, called White Spider. S

• Wendell Elvis Vaugh, Quasar. S

• Simon Williams, the superhuman Wonder Man.

• Quentin Beck, Mysterio. S

• Angelo Unuscione, street fighter known as Unus, the Untouchable. DP

• Luna Nguyen, daughter of Celestial Ego, known as Mantis, Celestial Madonna, first Guardian of the Galaxy. S

1970 –

• Walter Newell, Stingray.

• Frankie Raye, daughter of inventor Phineas Horton, the heroine Photon.

• Kelsey Leigh, Lionheart. S

• Maxwell Dillon, Electro. S

• Laynia Sergeievna Petrovna, Dark Star.

• Wyatt Wingfoot.

• Dra. Kavita Rao.

• Kevin Brashear, Adam Brashear's first son. LT

1971 -

• Vanisher.

• February 11 - Wade Winston Wilson, the mercenary Deadpool.

• August 18 - Scott Lang, Ant-Man II.

• Elizabeth “Betsy” and Brian Braddock.

• SWORD Director Abigail Brand. S

1972 –

• April 21 – Shiro Yoshida, Sunfire. S

• Laura Dean, Pathway. S

• Jesse Aaronson, Bledam.

• Julia Carpenter, Madam Web.

• Astra. S DP

• August 6 - Jonathan Storm, member of The Fantastic Four, the Human Torch. S

• Sharra Neramani, Xandra’s Neramni I daughter, member of the Shi’ar Royal family.

1973 -

• Max Brashear, second son of Blue Marvel.

• Bonita Juarez, Firebird.

• Zhao an Jhimon Tang, Auric and Silver.

1974 –

• June 20 - Emma Grace Frost, The White Queen. S

• July 2 - Dr. Henry Philip McCoy, Beast.

• September 1 - Edward “Eddie” Brock. S

• September 17 - Birdy, Sabretooth's assistant.

• Elizabeth Twoyoungmen, Talisman.

1975 -

• April 25 - Lorna Dane, Polaris. S

• Dr. Adrienne Brashear, daughter of Adam Brashear.

• September 3 - Jean Gray, Marvel Girl, host of the Phoenix. S

• Calvin Rankin, known as Mimic. S

• Frederick J. Dukes, Blob. DP

• Dominicos Ioannis Petrakis, Avalanche. DP

• Raven, from the Kingdom of Okkara, descendant of Kabar Brashir, member of Clan Akkaba. OC

• November 5 - Warren Worthington III, descendant of Clan Akkaba, the Archangel. S P

1976 -

• Julia Grey, Jean Grey's younger sister.

• March 3 - Scott Summers, Cyclops, leader of the X-Men.

• Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler. S

• White Noise and Black Light, Cal’syee Neramani’s children.

• August 31st - Monica Rambeu, the superhero Spectrum. S

• Jefferson Davis.

1977 -

• Siena Blaze.

• Remy Lebeau, Gambit. S

• Theresa Cassidy, daughter of Banshee, known as Siryn. S

• May 5 - Robert "Bobby" Drake, the superhero Iceman. S

• St. John Allerdyce, Pyro.

1978 -

• January 9 - Alexander “Alex” Summers, Havok. S

• Aaron Davis, the criminal called Prowler.

• Mortimer Toynbee, Toad.

• Felicia Hardy, Black Cat. S

• Joanna Cargil, Frenzy. S

• Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Anti-Venom. S

• Jonh Proudstar, Thunderbird. S DP

• November 11 - Piotr Rasputin, Colossus. LT

1979 -

• James Arthur Madrox, student of Moira MacTaggert, known as Multiple Man.

• Gwendolyne Stacy, daughter of NYPD Captain George Stacy.

• Arlette Truffaut, Murmur.

• Tyrone Johnson, Cloak.

• Heather Tucker, Tempo. S

• Catarina Oliveira, teacher and X-Men called Coral. OC

• August 12 - David Haller, son of Charles Xavier and Gabrielle Haller. S

• November 14 - Anna-Marie D'Ancanto, Rogue. S

1980 –

• Harold "Harry" Osborn.

• February 13 - Alison Blaire, famous singer Dazzler. S

• February 28 - Ruth Aldine, Blindfold. S

• Mary Jane Watson, famous actress.

• June 05 - Peter Parker, the first Spider-Man

• Valeria Toomes, Vulture’s daughter. S

• Tandy Bowen, Dagger.

1981 -

• Gaveedra Seven, Shatterstar.

• March 17 - Julio Richter, Rictor. DP

• Christopher Bradley, Bolt. S

• Russel Ferguson, descendant of the Akkaba Clan. OC

• September 13 - Jonothon "Jono" Starsmore, Chamber. DP

• Vance Astrovik, Justice.

• October 17 - Sam Guthrie, Cannonball.

• Angélica Jones, Firestar. S

• Kyle Jinadu.

• September 28 - Danielle Moonstar, Mirage. DP

1982 -

• February 19 - Everett Thomas, Synch.

• May 7 - Bruno Alcântara, Lock. OC

• June 28 - Amara Aquilla, Magma.

• August 07 - Gabriel Summers, Vulcan, ex-Majestor of the Shi’ar Empire. S

• August 12 - Julie Lee, Jubilee. DP

• Lilli Stephens, Ghost Girl.

• September 23 - Xuân Cao Manh, Karma. S

• October 13 - Monet St. Croix, Penance. S

• November 3 - Roberto da Costa, Sunspot. S

• November 12 - Russel "Rusty" Collins, Firefist.

• December 11 - Paige Guthrie, Husk. S

• Kara Killgrave.

1983 -

• February 28 - James Proudstar, Warpath.

• March 06 - Sally Blevins, Skids. S

• Elizabeth Guthrie.

• April 17 - Kitty Pryde, Shadowcat. S

• August 14 - Angelo Spinosa, Skin.

• September 07 - Rahne Sinclair, Wolfsbane.

• Lucia Callasantos, Thornn. DP

1984 -

• Shingen “Shin” Harada II, New Silver Samurai. S

• May 13 - Tabitha Smith, Boom-Boom.

• June 12 - Kyle Gibney, Wild Child.

• September 07 - Jeanne-Marie Beaubier, Northstar. S

• September 08 - Jean-Paul Beaubier, Aurora. S

1985 -

• February 10 - Clarice Ferguson, Blink. LT

• February 07 - Amiko Kobayashi, Midnight. S

• 18 de julho - Sarah Rushman, Marrow.

• 11 de julho - Peter Quill, o Senhor das Estrelas.

• 02 de outubro - Douglas Ramsey, Cypher. P

1986 -

• Derry Campbell, Roger Grey’s daughter.

1987 -

• Gailyn and Joseph Grey, Shatter-Box, Sarah Grey’s children. S

• August 30 - Illyana Rasputin, Magik. LT P

• Dominic Ferguson, descendant of Clan Akkaba. OC

1988 -

• William Connors, Curtis Connor’s son.

• Joelle Guthrie.

• Heather Cameron, Lifeguard, Deathbird’s illegitimate daughter. S

• Julian Grey, Julian Grey’s son. S

1989 -

• Davis “Davey” Cameron, Slipstream, Deathbird’s illegitimate son. S

1990 -

• Keemia Alvarado, Flint Marko’s daughter.

• July 5 - Claudette e Nicole St. Croix, M.

• Arthur "Artie" Maddicks. DP

1991 -

• Dorian Leech.

• Melody Guthrie, Aero. DP

• Ava’Dara Naganandini, Warbird Class Deathbringer.

• Bekka Wallis-Grey, Roger Grey’s daughter.

1992 -

• Joshua “Jay” Guthrie, Icarus. S

1993 -

• Kindra Grey, Julia Grey’s daughter. S

1994 -

• Rachel Carpenter, Julia Carpenter’s daughter.

• Jebediah “Jeb” Guthrie. S DP

1995 -

• Chase Stein.

• Takeshi Matsuya, Wiz-Kid. DP

• December 29 - Nadia Trovaya Pym, Wasp. S

1996 -

• Alex Wilder, leader of the Runaways. LT

• Nico Minoru, Sister Grimm Sorcerer Supreme.

• Karolina Dean.

• Julne 29 - Kate Bishop, Hawkeye II.

• Gertrude “Gert” Yorkes.

1997 -

• Cissie and Lewis Guthrie. S

• Alex Powers, Zero-G.

• July 3 - Billy Kaplan, Wiccan.

• July 3 - Tommy Shepherd, Speed.

• Christian and Christine Cord, Radian and Tatto. DP

• August 12 - Theodore Altman, Hulkling, ruler of the Skrull/Kree alliance.

• August 13 - Franklin Richards, Powerhouse. S

• October 31 - Barnell Borhuk, Beak. DP

• Vincent Stewart, Redneck. DP

• December 9 - Angel Salvadore, Tempest. DP

• Dean Boswell, Dummy. DP

1998 -

• February 19 - Kenji Uedo.

• Eli Bradley, Patriot.

• June 07 - Noh-Varr, Marvel Boy.

• Doreen Green, Squirrel Girl.

• Kirika Yashida, Logan Howlett and Mariko Yashida’s daughter.

• March 19 - Quintavius "Quentin" Quire, Omega. LT

• Dallas Gibson, Specter. DP

• Callie Betto, Dryad. DP

• Sofia Mantega, Wind Dancer. DP

1999 -

• April 11 - Hisako Ichiki, Armor.

• April 20 - Cassie Lang, Stinger.

• Kevin Ford, Wither.

• May 23 - Julian Keller, Hellion.

• David Bond, Hijack.

• Julie Powers, Lightspeed.

• October 16 - Sooraya Qadir, Dust.

• Jennifer Takeda, Hazmat.

• Gabrielle and Michael Diwa, Galura and Herald.

• November 09 - David Alleyne / Prodigy. DP

• Brandon Sharpe, Striker.

2000 -

• Maxwell Jordan, Quill. DP

• January 10 - Cecily Kincaid, Mercury.

• January 15 - Amadeus and Madame "Maddy" Cho, Brawn and Insight.

• Mary-Margaret Grey, Julia Grey’s daughter.

• Cindy Moon / Silk.

• February 13 - Santo Vacarro, Rockslide.

• Brian Cruz, Tag. DP

• Sidney Green, Onyxx. DP

• Cecília Flores, Marbles. OC S

• Edward Tancredi, Wing. DP

• Kutsuna Yukio.

• Madeline Berry, Veil.

• Ken Mack, Mettle.

• July 20 - Eloise "Ellie" Phimister, Negasonic Teenage Warhead.

• Jonhathon Gallo, Ricochet.

• August 2 - Laura Kinney, All New Wolverine.

• Laurie Collins, Wallflower. DP

• Robert “Robbie” Baldwin, Speedball.

• October 14 - Laurie Tromette, Transonic.

• Anastasia Kravinoff, Kraven.

• Noriko "Nori" Ashida, Surge.

• Joshua “Josh” Foley, Elixir.

• Eric Gitter, Ink.

• Nick Shelley, Flubber. DP

2001 -

• January 28 - Alisa Tager, Cipher.

• Jack Powers, Counterweight.

• Humberto Lopez, Reptil.

• Jeanne Foucault, Finesse.

• Paras Gavaskar, Indra.

• April 14 - Megan Gwynn, Pixie.

• Sarah and Jessica Vale, Network and Preview. DP

• May 20 - Nezhno ABidemi, Gentle.

• Lazaro Kotikash, Kidogo. DP

• August 13 - Gabriel Cohuelo, Velocidad.

• Hong Liange.

• Molly Hayes, Power Princess.

• October 10 - America Chavez.

• BlueKelso, Buestreak.

• Alani Ryan, Loa.

• Ava Ayala, White Tiger.

• November 14 - Eva Bell, Tempus.

2002 -

• Kevin Masterson, Thunderstrike.

• Hiro Takachiho.

• Cam Long, Tiger.

• Michiko Musashi, Turbo.

• Rebecca Marchand.

• Robert ‘Glob” Herman.

• Andrea Margulies, Rubber Maid. DP

• Aura Charles, Aurora.

• October 27 - Teon Savko Macik, Primal.

• Mark Sheppard, DJ. DP

• Crosta.

2003 -

• January 2 - Benjamin "Benji" Deeds, Morph.

• February 11 - Victor Borkowski, Anole.

• February 16 - Iara dos Santos, Shark Girl.

• Benjamin "Ben" Hamill, Match.

• Katherine “Kate” Powers, Energizer.

• April 31 - Roxanne "Roxy" Washington, Bling!

• Emery Schaub, Butterball.

• May 17 - Nathaniel Carver, Hindsight.

• Shela Sexton, Escapade.

• June 6 - Martha Johansson, Cerebella.

• Ernst.

• Joseph and Josephine Bricklemoore, Tri-Joe and Squid Girl.

• Nicholas "Nick" Gleason, Wolf Cub. DP

• September 12 - Hitoshi Yamaguchi, Juggernaut 2.

• Hope Abott, Trance.

• Carl Aalston, Rain Boy.

2004 -

• Kareem, Red Dagger.

• February 05 - Kamala Khan, Miss Marvel.

• February 13 - Fabio Medina, Goldballs.

• March 14 - Huang Lin, Nature Kid, Nurture, Armagedon.

• Joaquín Torres, Falcon II.

• Bruno Carelli.

• Alaya Anderson, Beehive. OC

• Hayden Scott, Onyx. OC

• April 8 - Idie Okonkwo, Oya

• Victor Alvarez, Power Man II.

• Juston Seyfert, Sentinel.

• May 12 - Prince Kubark, Gladiator Kallark’s only son.

• May 30 - Trevor Hawkins, Eye-Kid, Argus.

• Robert “Robbie” Reyes, Ghost Rider.

• Jimmy Santini, Batwing.

• July 23 - Micaela and Vinicius Montenegro, Charge and Escape. OC

• Michela Ladak.

• Jean Paul Roche, Monarch. OC

• Antonio Florencio, Tarantula. OC

• César Gomez, Phantom. OC

• November 03 - Julian Angelo Creed, Menace. OC

• Lana Baumgartner, Bombshell.

• December 17 - Manuel Enduque, White King.

• December - Valéria Richards, Brainstorm.

2005 -

• Aña Corazón, Araña or Red Spider.

• January 10 - Miles Morales, Spider-Man.

• Rayshaun Lucas, Patriot II.

• February 27 - Jiang Mei, Sprite.

• Riri Williams, Iron Heart.

• Brielle Brooks, Bloodline, Blade’s daughter.

• Markos Argyros, Icarus.

• March 3 - Kade Kilgore, The Black King.

• Isabela Ladanza, Vindicate. OC

• Maximilian Fawley, Spitfire. OC

• Serafin Cocci, Dazzling. OC

• Tiana Toomes, Starling.

• Abigail Boylen, Cloud 9.

• Amka Aliyak, Snowguard.

• Fernanda Rodríguez, The Locust.

• November 28 - Christopher "Chris" Muse, Triage.

• Monica Sellers, Static.

2006 -

• February 20 - Samuel "Sam" Alexander, Nova Cadet.

• Bentley 23.

• Joshua Engelhard.

• Christopher "Chris" O'Leary.

• Jamie Rogers, Catamount.

• Rosie Rodriguez.

• Julie Harrison.

• June 9 - Wilhelmina Kensington, Dollhouse.

• June 28 - Hunter M. Creed, Rescue. OC

• Jacob Williams, Natural or Brother Nature.

• Leonara Eng, Tech.

• Alice Campbell.

2007 -

• Zoe Laveau, a girl from a long lineage of magicians.

• Megan Ogawa, Kappa

• April 2 - Maximilian von Katzenelnbogen, Dr. Fankenstein.

• Despair, Dessy, daughter of the demon S’ym, student at Strange Academy.

2008 -

• Tong, Turg, Mik and Korr, the Moloids.

• Qureshi Gupta, Pinpoint.

• Alvi and Iric Brorson, sons of the Enchantress.

• Doyle, son of the terrific Dormammu.

• Albert Dallas, Mukus.

• Sojobo-Tengu and Karasu-Tengu.

• April 15 - Felipe Barbosa, Bolt. OC

• Emily Bright, student at Strange Academy.

• Ricardo Sancho, Scorpion Boy.

• Ziggy Karst.

• Germán Aguilar, student at Strange Academy.

2009 -

• Mayday Parker, Spider-Girl.

• February 27 - Sophie, Phoebe, Irma, Celeste and Esme Cuckoo, The Stepford Cuckoos.

• Kaelynn Alexander.

• Gulag, a young frost giant, student at Strange Academy.

• Eleanor “Ellie” Camacho, Deadpool’s daughter.

• Davey Madrox, Multiple Man’s son.

• Natasha Repina, Cosmar.

• Shaylee Moopeddle, a half-fairy young girl, student at Strange Academy.

• Maxime and Manon.

2010 -

• Rebecca Lance, Echo. OC

• Gabby Kinney, Honey Badger.

2011 -

• 16 de abril - Judy Cuckoo, Mastermind. OC

• Curse.

• Desmond Ochoa-Diaz, Fauna.

• Lunella Lafaytte, Moon Girl.

• Dylan Brock and Sleeper.

• Jo-Venn Grimm.

• N'Kalla Grimm.

2012 -

• Norman Harold Osborn, Harry Osborn’s son, Red Goblin.

2014 -

• Jonas Vision.

2015 -

• Danielle Cage.

• January 23 - Hope Summers. LT

2016 -

• William Nelson, Tigra’s son.

• Gerald Drew, Jessica Drew’s son, Black Mamba.

2017 -

• April 05 - Evan Adel, Genesis.

• April 23 - Broo, the Broodling.

2019-

• Shogo Lee, Jubilee’s adopted son.

• Benjamin "Benny' Parker.

2020 -

• Vivian “Viv” and Vincent "Vin" Vision.

2022 -

• Vivianne Vision, or Viv .2.

2023 -

• Billie Mariana Morales, Rio and Jefferson Morales’ daughter.

2064 -

• Miguel O’Hara, Spider-Man.

4 notes · View notes

elizabethsproctor · 6 months ago

Text

then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, by the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, “though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” i said, “art sure no craven,"

chapter ii

tw: nsfw (sex!), mentions of sa

It took Celeste the night, and the next night, day, and day after that to get her thoughts clear. She could still feel Davos's body on hers, and she wondered if anyone could see the scourge of her betrayal on her face, on her wrists where he had grabbed her. She had considered that, by day two, everything coercing her thoughts into horrible actions was fueled by lust but on the day that she was meant to meet him, she started to consider that she really wanted to see him. And he her. He had agreed, and she had made no promise of what would happen, but she was excited. Celeste was determined that she would stand her ground and say a million and one things that the boy would have no rebuttal to, or maybe they would talk about history or... perhaps he wouldn't even show. She shook her head. That wasn't an option.

She was overwhelmed with the thought that he was across the river, waiting for her and thinking of her. Her annoying and conceited enemy, likely stroking himself to her insults. It was enough to giggle about, but she maintained her composure. Celeste knew it was wrong for multiple reasons: she wasn't meant to venture from the castle by herself nor was she meant to fraternize at all unless her maidenhood be called into question. Especially not with a Blackwood. But he had been oddly gentle with her... as if she was someone that he could take care of.

Celeste had always thought that the two houses could find their way out of war, and she surmised that maybe, in his youthful pliability, she could get Davos to hear her side.

Though she had set the time aside to think, her thoughts had not settled on one single opinion. She had promised to meet him however, and her word was her bond.

After supper on the second night, Celeste trekked into the forest, trying to find the same spot that she had met Davos before. It was around a fifteen minute walk, and she was sure that she had overshot it before she caught a glimpse of the boy's red cloak. Scoping the scene before she let a branch crunch beneath her weight, she approached him silently, her hand behind her back.

"I brought you a gift. A peace offering."

Davos had spent the past two nights eagerly anticipating her arrival. He had tried to occupy himself with training, drinking and whoring to pass the time, but every hour of the night, his mind would flit back to the image of her, pressed up against the tree, her body writhing against his.

When she finally crept out of the woods, he felt his heart begin to thump faster in his chest. But, he hid his excitement behind a cocky grin as he watched her approach.

"A gift, eh?" He mused, raising an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

She removed her hand from behind her back to reveal a linen, a pastry inside with a berry and cheese custard. A desert that she had taken before the remains returned to the kitchen for the servants.

"Dessert," Celeste said. "My gift for granting me safe travels when last we saw each other. I know asking you to refrain from debauchery comes at a cost, sweet Lord."

She handed the linen and pastry over to Davos and took a few steps back. "You can keep the linen. It's one of the few without my house's sigil knitted into its fabric."

Davos chuckled softly as he accepted the gift from her, holding it delicately in his hands.

"Safe travels?" He echoed with a smirk. "I suppose that's one way of putting it. I was rather tempted to have my way with you, right there against the tree."

He looked down at the package, his grin widening when he saw that it was a pastry. He wasn't one for sweets usually, but something about the fact that it was a gift from her made it more enticing.

"I guess you do truly like me."

"It could be poisoned," she said quickly with a shrug, her cloak flowing in the wind.

Davos chuckled again as she shrugged and mentioned the possibility of the pastry being poisoned. He raised his eyes to meet hers, his smirk unwavering.

"I doubt you would go through all this trouble just to kill me, little vixen." He said, holding the pastry up for a moment. "Besides, I'd rather risk some poison if it means a chance to lick your berry custard from my lips."

Celeste frowned and rolled her eyes, briefly reminded that Davos was just a boy and his jokes were senseless. "It's hard to imagine that you're highborn and educated when you speak like an Iron Islands jailer... give it a taste, why don't you?" She pointed to the pastry in his hands.

As she frowned and rolled her eyes, Davos couldn't help but grin wider. He enjoyed getting a rise out of her, watching her try and maintain her composure beneath that cold exterior.

"Iron Islands jailer?" He repeated, his smirk turning into a sly smirk. "Is that supposed to be an insult?"

He looked down at the pastry again, holding it up towards his mouth.

"I don't know... what if it is poisoned and you just want to watch me die from it, all because I won't... what was the phrase.. refrain from debauchery."

"We can have it together," Celeste suggested, walking towards Davos and placing her hands within his. She tore a corner off the dessert and placed it into her mouth, never breaking eye contact from him.

"It's worthy of you. I've built up a resistance to the poison within the berries, but you should be fine. A bout of dysentery is usually all that men will suffer," she smiled, a bit of berry staining her teeth before she licked them and smiled, nodding at the dessert, insisting he try it once more.

Davos raised an eyebrow at her suggestion, watching her as she approached him and placed her hands atop his. The feel of her skin against his sent a shiver down his spine, and he found himself holding his breath for a moment.

When she leaned in and tore off a corner of the pastry, he watched with a mixture of fascination and trepidation as she put it into her mouth. Her words about the berry's potential poisoning made him hesitate for a moment, but the sight of her stain her teeth in berry juice pushed him over the edge.

"Well, if you say so," he murmured.

She grasped his hands again and moved them slowly, still holding the dessert, to his mouth until the pastry grazed his lips and he had hardly no other decision than to bite into it.

"This is the part where you bite, puppy."

As her slender fingers guided his hands towards his mouth, Davos felt a stirring in his chest. He couldn't tell if it was excitement or trepidation, but he found himself unable to tear his gaze from hers as she moved his hands closer and closer to his mouth.

When the pastry finally made contact with his lips, he couldn't help but grin at her comment. "Puppy, eh?" He murmured before taking a bite.

The taste of berry custard flooded his mouth, and he chewed slowly, savoring the flavor before swallowing.

"Was that so bad?" Celeste asked, stepping away after she'd lowered her hands from the boy's.

She returned to her former spot, a higher vantage point in the wood, above a dry ravine. She sat on the ground, her knees close to her chest as she looked up at the young man, the evening sun playing on his hair as the trees shimmied above them.

"Must I anticipate an ambush or did you come here alone?"

Davos watched as she stepped away, taking her place on the edge of the ravine. The sight of her, knelt down, her knees drawn up to her chest, was almost enough to send his thoughts spiraling in all kinds of directions. He cleared his throat and shook his head, reminding himself to concentrate.

"No ambush, little vixen," he replied, his eyes never leaving her. "I came alone, just as you asked."

Celeste began again: "I asked you for nothing other than to join me once more," she said emphatically. "Which you did. Why?"

Davos chuckled as she corrected him, his smirk returning to his face. "Fair enough, you didn't ask for anything else. But I came, didn't I?"

He stepped closer to the edge of the ravine, looking down at her. "As to why I came, well... I suppose I had to see you again. There was a debt to be settled between us, remember?"

She furrowed her eyebrows as she looked up at him. "I owe you nothing. You know that."

He chuckled again, his smirk growing wider. "Oh, but you do, little vixen. You owe me for my good behavior that day. If I hadn't been on my best behavior, you might have ended up with a few... bruises."

Grinding her teeth, Celeste looked over her shoulders and at the tree she had, not long before, been pinned against. She wasn't sure if sorrow became or irritation, but she knew she wouldn't let him put her in that position again. She had come willingly.

"I wonder," she said, hoping he would implore her on what was on her mind.

He noticed the way her gaze flitted towards the tree, and he knew exactly what she was thinking. A sly smile crept across his face, and he decided to indulge her.

"Wonder what, sweetling?” He asked, taking a step closer to her. “Do you wonder what might have happened if I wasn't so good to you? What I might have done to you if I had just let myself take what I wanted?"

"No," Celeste shook her head, leaning back onto her elbows, making sure to convey to him that she was not afraid and did not have to guard herself.

Before she spoke, she wished away the migraine that was moving behind her eyes. He was startlingly full of himself.

"I wonder: are you so often rejected by the maids that you think the only way to bed a woman is to force her hand?"

Celeste sucked her teeth, as if to spit on him if he lunged at her. She had built him up in her thoughts during his absence, but she saw him for what he was. A criminal with a title.

"You told me that I was the one that no one wanted. Are we here again to revel like two damaged dolls thrown into the trash?"

As she spoke, Davos felt his smirk falter for a moment. Her words were like a punch to the gut, hitting him right where it hurt. He had never really thought of himself as being rejected when it came to the maids - he had always seen it as just... a game, a challenge. But her words brought him up short. Was it really true? Did he really have to resort to force because he couldn't win a maiden's affections?

He shook his head adamantly. "That's not true," he protested. "I could have any woman I wanted, whenever I wanted."

"Perhaps that's true, and perhaps the most fun part of it for the maidens is to act as if they don't want it. To act like they don't enjoy being pressed against a surface by someone much stronger than them while they fight against them and beg them to stop because the maidens know that without their dignity, their virginity intact, they're worthless, but deep down, they really want it, and they're hoping someone like Lord Davos Blackwood comes and takes it from them, ruining them for all other men," she said this all in flaming spite before jumping, taller than a man because of her place on the ravine.

Davos felt a pang of something deep in his chest as he listened to her words, her voice dripping with spite. He couldn't quite place what it was - anger, perhaps, or defiance - but he didn't like the feeling.

He clenched his fists by his side as he looked up at her, his mouth set in a hard line. "You don't know anything about women," he shot back, his tone harsh. "Or about me. I don't need to force myself on women. They come to me willingly."

"You don't force yourself? That's rich. What was two nights ago? Or your threats to hurt me today? Just for fun? Just a game?"

Stepping closer to him so that the sun would be hidden behind her, she began her diatribe. Possibly an attack on all knights, or maybe simply Davos, but he had made her sick to her stomach. Had they not shared a glint of something special the night before? She shook her head with deep scorn.

"You're small and not worthy of my time. Or a Lord's high seat. More than this, I don't think you would be able to handle a woman seeing you for how pathetic you truly are, so you debase her first. You're a bully and bad at it, Davos."

As she stepped forward and began her tirade, Davos felt a surge of anger and frustration coursing through him. He clenched his fists tighter and gritted his teeth, his body tensing as she continued to pour out her venom.

Her words stung deep, and he felt his pride and honor being trampled under her feet. He didn't like being called weak, especially by her. He wanted to reach out and shake her, to knock her off her high horse and show her who was really in charge.

"You don't know me," he snapped back. "You don't know anything about me."

Celeste moved close enough to the boy that her cloak lapped at his own in the wind. She squatted down, nearly at eye level with him, though a little lower. "Do you have your wicked way with women, Davos, or was I special? Is the future Lord Blackwood just a petty criminal taking what isn't his?"

As she moved closer, Davos could feel the heat radiating off her body, her cloak mingling with his own in the cool evening air. He clenched his jaw as she squatted down, their heads now at eye level with each other. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as she uttered her words, her voice dripping with scorn.

He wanted to lash out at her, to grab her and shake some sense into her, but he knew better. He couldn't let her see how her words were cutting into him.

"You're not special," he snarled, his voice low.

Celeste smiled, her heart sinking in her chest. "No, I didn't think so," she said, standing slowly and wiping her hands off on the tights beneath her tunic. She turned to walk away.

Davos felt a pang of guilt as he watched her turn away from him. He felt as though he had said too much, lost control of the situation. He took a step forward, almost involuntarily, as if to reach out and stop her.

"Wait." The words came out before he had fully thought them through, and he cursed himself for sounding so desperate.

Celeste stopped walking but did not turn around to face him. She had no desire to-- if he wanted to say anything, now was his chance, or she would leave with a worse taste in her mouth than she'd had before.

Davos took a deep breath, trying to calm the raging storm of emotions within him. He knew he had to say something, anything, to make her stay, to repair the damage that had been done.

He stepped closer to her, until he was standing directly behind her. He could feel her body tensing, as if she was prepared to bolt. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, gently, almost hesitantly.

"I didn't mean it," he said softly. "You are special. I was just... being a fool."

She turned her head ninety degrees, making note of Davos in her peripheral and sighed. "Being the member of a great house is a heavy burden, Davos. We cannot continue to squander what we've been given just as our fathers and our fathers before them. These small, petty things diminish us.. our character. I want to live in peace eventually... you can't go around hurting your lieges. Those women have fathers and brothers who fight for you and are willing to die for you," she finally turned to face him entirely. "The repayment you give them is poor."

Davos felt a pang of shame as she spoke, her words hitting him like a blow to the gut. He knew she was right, and it pained him to admit it. He was the eldest son, the future lord of his house, and he couldn't just go around acting rashly, like a spoiled child.

He swallowed hard, his eyes meeting hers as she turned to face him fully. He could see the disappointment in her eyes, and it stung him more than he cared to admit.

"I know," he said quietly. "I know. I just... I can't help myself sometimes."

"Then you're impetuous like a child," Celeste said with a shrug. "What can be done with you? Mad dogs have their necks broken," she said, tilting her head.

Davos gritted his teeth at her words, his pride smarting at her description of him as an impetuous child. He wanted to argue, to defend himself against her accusation, but he knew that she was right.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to keep his temper in check. He knew that he couldn't let her see how much her words were affecting him.

"I'm not a mad dog," he ground out, his voice low and dangerous.

"Then you must do better for yourself and for the people that serve you," she wrung her hands and stepped away from him again, but only to size him up. For the first time, she was no longer scared of him. "I had no misgivings about your tendencies, I knew you were a villain, but I had thought before that perhaps we were kindred spirits which was folly in and of itself. You are my sworn enemy, but for a second when we last spoke and you told me about what you had heard about me in passing," Celeste looked away wistfully. "I was mistaken, I'm afraid. We shouldn't have met again."

Davos felt a pang of disappointment as she stepped away from him, her eyes studying him as if he was some sort of exhibit in a cage. He wanted to reach out and grab her, to hold her close and make her see that he wasn't the heartless brute she thought he was.

Her words about kindred spirits struck a chord in him, and the memory of their last conversation came rushing back. He remembered how vulnerable they had been with each other for a mere moment. He did not want to let the fear that he would never have that again begin to grow in his chest.

"I'm not your enemy," he blurted out, his voice desperate.

Looking at the linen still in the young man's hand, Celeste frowned and shrugged. "I cannot tell east from west with you, Davos. What do we do here now? We are not enemies, but I cannot call us friends, and I fear the treatment you'd give me as a maid. Perhaps there is nothing for us."

Davos looked down at the linen in his hand, his mind racing as he tried to think of a response to her words. She was right, he knew that. They were not enemies, but they were certainly not friends either.

He clenched his jaw, his pride telling him to just let her go, to forget about this whole encounter. But there was something inside him that wouldn't let her leave, something that wanted to hold on to the chance that she might change her mind about him.

"We could... be friends," he said finally, the words coming out weakly.

Celeste sighed, calming her cloak in the wind. "Can I trust you?"

Davos felt a pang of guilt at her question. He knew he had not earned her trust, not in any sense of the word. But for some reason, the thought of her not trusting him made his stomach twist into knots. He wanted her trust, more than he cared to admit.

"Yes," he said firmly, looking at her with a serious expression. "Yes, you can trust me. I won't hurt you. I swear it."

Celeste took a weary step towards the boy, reaching for his hand to shake, as if to guarantee their truce but the shake became a slow grasping of arms as if it were to become a hug, but she allowed herself to be wrapped up in his arms once more, hugging him tightly as though they had just avoided their greatest battle: losing something so new and fragile so early. She listened to his heart beat.

Davos was surprised when she stepped closer to him, reaching out to take his hand for what he had assumed would be a handshake to seal their truce. But to his even greater surprise, she instead pulled him into an embrace, her arms wrapping tightly around him. He could feel her breath on his neck, her body pressed against his, and he found himself closing his eyes and holding her tightly.

He could feel his heart racing in his chest, the sound deafening in his ears. For a moment, everything else faded away, and all he could focus on was the feeling of her in his arms.

They held each other for a few seconds before Celeste looked up at the young man, her chin in his chest as she looked into his eyes and impatiently and irrationally, she hoped he would kiss her. In a depraved way, she envied the girls he must have taken advantage of, because at least they had had him. She could only imagine what his plump lips would feel like against her own or on parts of her body, and though she tried to push this desire deep down, she couldn't, but was it her fault? He had been the one to ignite her desire.

Davos looked down at Celeste, his eyes meeting hers as she looked up at him with an expression that he couldn't quite read. He could feel her body pressed against his, and he found himself drawn to her, like a moth to a flame.

He could see the desire in her eyes, the way she looked at him, and it stirred something deep inside him. He wanted her, he knew that much. And he couldn't deny the way his own body was reacting to her closeness.

Slowly, hesitantly, he leaned down and brought his lips to hers, in a gentle, exploratory kiss.

It was a contrast to how he had treated her the day before. He held her tightly but kissed her lightly, almost the way one would kiss the forehead of a child to sleep. Perhaps she would ruin it all, the innocence of that pink and blue sunset, and perhaps she was impatient, but Celeste quickly placed her hands on the sides of Davos's face and kissed him deeply, fiercely and with a hunger that was not friendly.

Davos felt a pang of surprise as Celeste suddenly grabbed his face and deepened the kiss, her lips pressing against his with a hunger that he had not been prepared for. He pulled away abruptly and looked the girl up and down, incredulously.

“Why denounce me then pull me in like some sorceress,’ he pulled his face from the clutch of her hands, his brow dressed in confusion. She was beautiful but he could see the cunning energy behind her eyes and could not stand to be manipulated for even a minute more. “Why come back if you think me a miscreant, Celeste?”

"Your threats felt more like invitations, you don't think?" They had both come back, hadn’t they?

"An invitation, you say? And what kind of invitation would that be?" He pressed himself closer to her. "Perhaps one to play a game of cat and mouse?"

“If you be the mouse, my lord.”

“Today you bite and I run, you take it?”

They stared at each other for a few seconds before he let go of her gently and took a step back, extending his hand towards her. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards a deeper part of the forest.

She wasn't sure why she did it, but she did. Celeste took the boy's hand and followed after his long strides. He was a villain, a menace, an enemy to her house, but at times he could seem quite gentle. She was coy, acting oblivious to what could happen but followed after him quickly as they retreated further into the woods, past the spot she was familiar with.

They came to a clearing and Davos turned back to her, pulling her closer to him, his body pressing against hers as he tasted her, his tongue exploring her mouth as if he was trying to memorize every inch of her. He could feel the heat radiating between them, a fire that threatened to consume them both.

His hands cupped her face, as he spoke between feverish kisses: "I had every right to you, Celeste. You were on my family's land, and I was merely protecting what is mine, but I did not come here to argue with you today about propriety or dignity," he said, his voice growing softer.

“Then what,’ she began, flushed. “Surely you did not think I would give so easily,’ but this was in contrast to what her hands were doing. She had begun to undo her cloak and release her hair from her braids. “Such as a common whore.”

“A common whore,’ the boy laughed, taking a step back from the young woman as her cloak dropped to her feet. “You’ve acted as one. Running around the woods with no knights to protect you, then you talk about honor. No respectable lady would have been here in the first place, and even a first class whore wouldn't have come back after being shown the danger of it,’ he sighed with a chuckle before beginning to undo his own cloak and casting it on the ground for the two to lay upon.

“You say this in jest,’ Celeste muttered, half-serious and half-offended.

“Of course,’ Davos said, sympathetically, remembering that the viper, herself, was capable of offense. He crossed his arms, still feeling the pressure of her lips on his. “I do believe you want this, Celeste. I will make it gentle for you.”

She bit her lips in trepidation, unsure of what to do as her heart raced.

"Help me," she asked, placing his hands on the strings of the back of her gown, a thin corset that he could undo quicker than her.

Davos felt a pang of excitement as he realized what she was asking him to do. He gently placed his hands on the strings of the back of her gown, his fingers working quickly to undo them as she had requested.

He could feel the heat radiating off her body, and his own heart was pounding in his chest as he pulled the strings loose, the fabric of her gown loosening around her body. He couldn't help but let out a soft, appreciative noise as he saw the bare skin beneath the fabric.

As he removed his hands from her back, Celeste looked down as the dress fell down around her feet atop the cloak. She still had on a thin undergarment, but beneath that, she was naked. The boy knelt down, his face resting on her torso as he undid the less of her tights and pulled them down roughly but without injury, as one would do having not practiced decorum before.

Celeste knelt down in front of him, a quiet wind whistling through the forest. She didn't know where things would go from there, but something in her wanted to show Davos what it felt like to be wanted, and she did want him. She thought that he must have wanted her to, the way his eyes searched her body.

He couldn't help but stare at her, his eyes taking in every inch of her, the curve of her hips, the gentle slope of her neck, the heat radiating between them. He ached to touch her, to run his hands over her skin and feel the softness beneath his fingers.

"I'm not sure now," she said, placing her hands on his arms. Her nipples hardened in the chilling air, and she knew she didn't have much time to spend with him. "I've never done this before."

Davos felt a pang of realization when she spoke, the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes, and it dawned on him that this was uncharted territory for her.

Falling back into his thighs, he put his hands on his waist and allowed his eyes to meet hers once again. He wanted to take care of her. "It's okay," he said softly, his voice low. "I won't hurt you."

Celeste bit her lip and nodded, holding onto him tightly as they kissed again, his hands trailing over her body before they slipped underneath her garment and landed around her round butt. He made small circles with his hands around each perfectly crafted cheek. After a few seconds, one of his hands slipped forward, caressing the outer lips of her precious spot. He felt her shiver underneath him. Pulling away from the kiss, he searched her eyes.

“Have you never been touched?”

Celeste shook her head. Davos moved his hand to his mouth, licking his fingers generously before touching her again, this time from in front, allowing his fingers to slide past her lips and onto her ripening pearl. Her hands were on his shoulders, and he felt her tense up when he touched her. They stared at each other in silence before the boy began to make generous circles around her sensitive spot to which she whimpered.

“Do you like that?”

The girl nodded shyly. Davos used his other hand to touch her chest before moving his hand to her neck, feeling the warmth grow as her entire body blushed. He returned to a position erect on his knees. Slowly, he pulled her undergarment over her head, revealing her smooth skin and soft body. Only her boots remained, but they would stay, it would take too much time to remove them.

“You’re beautiful,’ he murmured, his eyes taking in every inch of her body. He began to kiss her neck, his hands roaming over her curves before he moved to lay her down on the cloak. He kissed her ear and whispered abruptly: “You’re being very brave.”

Celeste rolled her eyes and smiled, before a sudden feeling of vulnerability washed over her. She hadn't expected to give in so easily, but she could not clear her thoughts. He was right. Why was she there if it wasn't because she wanted to feel his hands once more upon her body and his gentle weight atop hers.

Davos could sense her hesitation, but he was determined to make her feel comfortable. He leaned down to kiss her again, his hand moving to cup her breast as he did so. "Relax," he whispered against her lips. "I won't hurt you."

He trailed kisses down her neck and chest, taking his time to explore every inch of her body. He moved his hand down between her legs, teasing her gently with his fingers.

Celeste felt Davos's hands between her legs, a rush of electricity going up her back. The feeling was new to her, and the sudden wave of pleasure made her frown in embarrassment, her entire body growing red.

"Yes," she whispered, almost shrinking into herself as his fingers circled her clit before they made entrance to her moistening hole. Celeste clenched tightly, still unsure of the new sensation and suddenly disappointed that she had waited so long to be pleasured. She broke eye contact with the boy, her eyes rolling backwards.

Davos could sense her embarrassment, but he didn't want her to feel ashamed. He continued to tease her with his fingers, moving them in and out of her slowly as he watched her reaction. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, his lips brushing against hers.

He continued to pleasure her until she was gasping for breath, her body writhing beneath him. He leaned down to kiss her again, his hand still moving between her legs. "Do you want more?" he asked softly, his eyes searching hers.

Celeste kissed the boy back, bringing his bottom lip into her mouth and sucking gently as she allowed her arms to move around him, pulling him closer. She had never been this close with anyone before in her life, and a sense of trust washed over her. She stopped for a second, a burning in her chest and wondered how many other women must he have bedded, deflowered? She couldn't reconcile her fear with her lust and dramatically exhaled, pulling away from the kiss, her head flopping on the ground as she searched his lustful eyes. He asked her a question.

"What do you mean?"

She felt the girl pull away from their kiss, and he dropped his head into the nape of her neck, slightly annoyed but patient. She seemed to be done with his fingers inside her, but when he moved them back to her throbbing clit, he quickly felt her body twitch and knew she was still in the mood for... something.

She moaned out a question and he looked her over, her breasts, then her soft belly and the uncut down above her womanly parts. Truly a woman, in all senses of the word.

He moved his hand from her wet parts and picked her hand up to place atop of his growing bulge, lifting his head to make eye contact with her.

"Do you want to feel it, my lady?"

Celeste's hands pandered with trepidation over the boy's bulge, unsure of what the correct answer was. She bit her lower lip and nodded, retracting her hand slowly as she saw him begin to remove his belt.

Davos watched Celeste's reaction with a small smile as she hesitantly touched his bulge. He leaned in closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Don't be shy."

He continued to remove his belt and pants, revealing his hard member. He took off his tunic and searched the girl's eyes again before taking Celeste's hand and placing it back on his member, guiding her movements as he moaned softly. Davos then moved his hand to Celeste's waist, pulling her close to him as he kissed her again, deeply and passionately.

As the kiss deepened, Davos began to move his hips, grinding against Celeste's hand as he pleasured himself. He broke the kiss and looked at Celeste with lust-filled eyes.

"You really haven't done this before, huh?"

Celeste's heart was racing as the two kissed, she could feel the blood pulsing through his cock, and she could only imagine what it would feel like inside of her. He was bigger than she had expected, but after all, what had she expected? She began to feel the boy pushing himself in and out of the grip of her small hand, pleasant moans escaping his lips.

When he broke their kiss, she pulled away in surprise. "No, am I doing something wrong?"

Davos chuckled and shook his head, "No, no. You're fine." He leaned in to kiss her again, his hands roaming over her body as he did.

As they kissed, Davos moved his hand back down to the girl's wetness, feeling that she was even more soaked than before. He couldn't take it. He broke the kiss again, looking at her with desire in his eyes as he whispered, "I want you. Do you want me too?"

He waited for her response, his fingers tracing circles on her inner thigh.

"Yes, yes," Celeste nodded, still feeling his stiffened member in her hand.

Davos leaned in to kiss her again, his hand moving back to her wetness. He rubbed her clit with his thumb, eliciting a moan from her lips. He laid back onto the cloak, the girl hovering above him. He grasped at her breasts once more, softly but surely.

"I want you to ride me. It won’t be difficult,’ he led the girl up and onto his hips, rubbing his hand down her side. “I’ll help you, okay?”

His cock was at attention as he watched Celeste straddle him. He guided himself inside of her, groaning as she took him in. He could tell by the look in her eyes that he would have to take her slowly. She placed her hands on his chest and did her best to find a rhythm, but she was a novice, he knew this. Though it was difficult to concentrate with how wet and tight she was, Davos managed to guide the girl's hips up and down his shaft, her soft weight massaging his balls each time she came down on him again. He caught a few glimpses of her mouth, slightly agape each time she felt him reach inside of her, but he could not watch her for long if he wanted to last more than a few minutes. Moving his hands from her hips to her chest, he allowed Celeste to take control again and though her bounces were shallow, he smirked at how quickly she was learning, her beautiful breasts bouncing lightly.

When he began to toy with her nipples, moans began to escape from her lips. Davos squeezed them tightly before massaging them with his fingers, but it wasn’t long before he began to feel himself tense up.

“Go slower,’ he told the girl, and she listened. Instead she ground into him deeper and pulled up slower, the only noise around them being the wet sticky snap from her wetness peeling away from his hard cock. Davos pulled her close to him for a kiss, his arms wrapped completely around her as he began to thrust vigorously, the girl moaning them whimpering pathetically into his mouth. Their movements became more frantic, both of them lost in their desire for each other. Davos let out a low growl as he felt his orgasm building.

With a thrust and groan that had been built up, he felt himself release inside of her, his liquids slowly seeping from her and onto his thigh. Davos sighed, shaking, holding the young woman tightly in his arms. He moved his hands to her hair, massaging her scalp as his heartbeat slowed. From the corner of his eye, he saw her orange cape on the ground and shook his head. He couldn’t believe that only three days ago, he hadn’t even known what her voice sounded like. Now: he had been her first. He felt a sense of pride, but he knew now that things would be different. He would be partial to someone he should have never spoken to.

Davos kissed the girl’s forehead before repositioning himself so that he was spooning her naked body as she lay face down, her eyes closed.

“Are you okay?”

Celeste nodded silently, allowing herself to be caressed by the boy. The birds flew above them. The sun was on the horizon and they hadn't much time.

"When will I see you again?"

He looked down at her as she spoke, his fingers lost in her hair. He knew they didn't have much time left, and he wanted nothing more than to stay there with her removed from all the difficult questions they both had to ask themselves.

"Soon," he said softly. "I'll make sure of it."

Celeste sighed and turned over. She leaned forward quickly, wrapping her arms around her legs. "Of course," she said, rolling her eyes at the vague response. Of course she had been bed, and now she felt as though she would not see the young man again. She grabbed her under garment and tights, standing up to put them on, her back away from the boy.

Davos watched as she stood up and began to dress, her back facing him. He could see the tension in her movements, the way her shoulders were stiff as she pulled on her undergarment and tights.

He felt a pang of guilt, knowing that he had caused her frustration with his vague response. He could see the disappointment on her face, and he knew he had failed to reassure her.

He stood up as well, grabbing his own clothes and beginning to dress.

Celeste put on her gown, not worrying to tie it, as she didn't want to ask for help. She fastened her cloak tightly so that the give in her waist wouldn't be apparent if she were to encounter someone she knew. Searching the ground to ensure none of her belongings remained, she hesitated for a second to see if there was anything left to be said between the two.

Davos finished dressing as well, his eyes on her the whole time. He could see the uncertainty in her movements, and he knew she was hesitating, unsure of what to say or do next.

He took a step towards her, his gaze on hers. He wasn't ready to say goodbye, not yet.

"Celeste," he said softly, his voice hesitant. "Can I ask you something?"

"My lord?" she said, the darkness beginning to settle on their faces, their emotions growing harder to read.

Davos took another step towards her, his eyes on hers in the gathering darkness. He took a deep breath, unsure of how she would react to his question.

"Will you meet me again? Somewhere secret? Somewhere we won't be seen."

Celeste looked around her in shock, she wasn't sure if he could see that emotion, however. "I don't know of a place other than this. It wouldn't be safe...' she pandered. "I would fancy seeing you somewhere other than the shade of the forest. I'm not sure how to make this wish apart of our world though." She frowned.

Davos could hear the hesitation in her voice, and he knew that finding a secret place to meet would not be easy. He thought for a moment, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a solution.

"I have an idea," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "There's a secluded spot not far from here. It's hidden away, and no one ever goes there. We could meet there."

"Ah,' Celeste said aloud. "On Blackwood land, I'm sure of it." She shook her head. "Then it's not safe for me."

Davos felt a pang of frustration as she rejected his idea. He knew it wasn't safe for her to be on Blackwood land, but he couldn't help the desperation in his voice.

"It's safe," he said firmly. "I can ensure your safety. No one will see you, no one will know. Just trust me."

The sun was set, a few dying embers in the sky, and Celeste knew she would have to guide herself back by the moon. She was lucky, for once, that they hardly looked for her.

"Where shall I meet you? And when?"

Davos felt a sense of relief wash over him as she agreed to meet him again. He smiled, feeling a wave of excitement at the prospect of seeing her again.

"Tomorrow," he said, his voice low. "At midnight. Meet me at the riverbank, not far from here. Do you know where I mean?"

"I know," she responded. "I will meet you,' Celeste promised, stepping towards Davos in the dark. She could not make out his expression but she saw the shape of his face. On the tips of her toes, she grasped his face once more and gave him a parting kiss. "Bed no other maidens in the meantime, my friend,' she joked before slipping away.

He returned her kiss eagerly, feeling her soft lips against his own before she pulled away. He chuckled at her joke, a hint of a grin on his face.

"There are no maidens other than thee," he shouted into her retreating direction. "I'll be waiting for you, Celeste. Midnight, by the river."

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#davos blackwood #hotd #house of the dragon #benjicot blackwood #game of thrones #got #tasnc

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