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lovelylunarwriting · 5 years ago

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Yangyang Prince!AU

Yangyang’s known around the kingdom as less of a prince and more of “the king and queen’s child”

He’s just not the princely type??? He 10/10 looks like a prince and -33/10 acts like one

While some royalty just have that "aura” about them,,,, Yangyang does not

But that’s not a bad thing! He’s incredibly approachable as a person

Not a soul would dare to address him as anything but “Prince”, though, for fear of him overhearing and being like “excuse me what the fuck did you call me”

While the country itself adores the prince and his natural personality, the king and queen take issue with his “lack of royal precedent” and hold him to a ridiculously high standard.

He doesn’t seem to let this dampen his spirit, though. Whenever local newspapers ask him about it, he always says “I’m firstborn and in line to the throne. There’s not much they can do about it regardless if I keep filling the courtyard fountains with soap so that they bubble. Who doesn’t like bubbles?”

Deep down though it takes more of a toll on him. In his eyes, it’s like his parents are saying he isn’t good enough to be king one day.

The reality is that they’re just worried that being in charge of the nation will stress him out like it has them, and they want to prepare him the best they can.

To prepare him for his eventual role, they send Yangyang into the nearby villages to meet with traders from other nations who want to open up shop in the many marketplaces.

Yangyang’s nation is known for their vast and varying markets because they’ll let just about anyone open a business as long as a member of the royal family approves it.

They go about doing this in two ways:

One, they can request an audience with the king and queen and they’ll write up a contract. The king is pretty much there for show, the queen is really the one who’s built this trade empire.

Or, two, if the person is in a rush they can schedule to meet with Prince Yangyang in town and plead their case to him. If he thinks it’s an extenuating circumstance, they essentially get a “Prince Fast-Pass” and receive an immediate audience with the king and queen.

For example, he had one woman who was a refugee from a war-torn nation across the continent and she came to their country to open up a shop to provide for her and her four kids. Yangyang was like “that sucks, I’m sorry. Do you wanna talk to my mom about it?” and personally escorted her to the palace.

You have been in this market for a h o t minute though. You got your audience with the king and queen when you were like,,,, twelve?? And you’ve been selling your family’s farms produce ever since.

One of your parents would’ve gone to the audience but there was a Very Serious Ladybug Problem going on with the tomatoes so they sent you instead (the queen was surprised but you presented a fair argument for the business,,,, she had no reason to say no)

So you set up your market every week, Monday through Friday. The weekends are for helping around at home (and sleeping off the work week, of course)

This season’s harvest hasn’t been nearly as plentiful as the previous. It’s not that there’s a shortage necessarily, just that the last season’s harvest was abnormally abundant.

Which of course means you’ll have to sell pretty much all of it to get a similar profit to last year while keeping the same standard prices (raising the prices wouldn’t be fair to your loyal customers)

“Guess there goes my Saturdays, then…”, you mumble to yourself, deciding to open up the extra day in order to sell every single tomato, carrot, and head of lettuce even if it kills you.

The first Saturday of the season comes and goes with no trouble, and so does the next.

But the third week. That’s when you notice him.

The pickpocket in the bright yellow shoes.

He weaves his way through the crowd with elegance and ease, reaching out here and there, plucking items from stalls, pockets, and displays, slowly putting them in his pockets.

You find yourself entranced, staring at him slip through stall after stall.

That is until he steps up to yours.

He glances up, making eye contact with you, and flinches.

Apparently your glare was most apparent than you’d intended.

You don’t say anything though and neither does he. He just smirks at you and makes his way to the next stall.

Your eyes follow him and you see him swipe a pair of earrings off the man’s table to your left.

You might’ve said something but:

1.) That particular jeweler is a creep to the women in town so he deserves to be robbed in your opinion, and

2.) If you snitch on some thief, that only makes you a target to whoever the thief is associated with. You don’t know if he’s got some thuggish friends and you’re not looking for a fight.

That is unless he decides to try and steal from you. Then he better be as good as fighting as he is pickpocketing.

After this initial encounter, you honestly forget about him.

That is until a few months later, when you spot a flash of bright yellow in the massive crowd on another Saturday morning rush.

You fumble to make change for the person buying three dozen heads of lettuce, trying to find his distinctly soft face in the sea of people.

At first you think you’ve lost him, until the lady buying out all your lettuce moves one of her bags and you see him snatch an apple from the barrel in front of your table.

Blinding hot rage sparks its way down your neck and shoulders, and without even thinking you shove the change into the woman’s hands and slide over the table.

The crook looks behind him just in time for you to grab him by the collar and drag him into the nearest alley.

The shock in his eyes is clear and although he tries to fight back, he can’t break your hold.

You shove him up against the brick wall of the alley and ask him one very important question.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?”

He kind of just makes a weird gurgling sound though because your knuckles are pressing into his trachea.

You loosen your grip a little and look at him expectantly.

“I’m the Prince-”, he starts, but you cut him off because listen you might not be rich but you’re not stupid.

“Bullshit. And you can keep that apple, but you better hope I never catch you stealing from me again”, you say, throwing him by the front of his shirt even further into the alley and storming back to your booth.

Once you gather your bearings, you think about the encounter.

You can’t pinpoint what it is that pisses you off so much about this guy in particular. There’s always been thieves in the market, it’s practically part of the system at this point.

But there’s always been one thing about the thieves that made you understand in a way, why they steal.

They almost always steal food and it’s because they need it. For themselves and probably their families. And you can’t find it in yourself to fault them for that.

But this bright-shoed bandit? He looks like he’s never missed a meal in his life. He’s got full cheeks, tan skin, toned muscles, and is missing that look of sheer desperation that’s in the eyes of all the thieves you’ve encountered thus far.

The only thing in this boy’s eyes is arrogance. And something else you can’t quite identify yet.

Sunday passes and you try to relax, but remembering that encounter just irks you.

Mom: “Y/N,,,, what are you doing”

You: “I’M GONNA GO PLOW THE FIELDS”

Mom: “Why would you do that by hand?? We have an ox for that??”

You: “Because I’m pissED oFF okaY”

It’s not until Monday that you hear the townspeople gossip like crazy about something that happened at the Sunday Market.

Even the vendors are talking about it instead of the usual small talk with customers.

“Did you hear? The prince rode into the marketplace on horseback yesterday”

“Hear? I was there! He made such a big scene!”

“Apparently he was looking for someone but he didn’t even know their name”

“Typical Prince Yangyang- he’s always up to something crazy. He’s such a lovely sight though~”

This goes on for hours and towards the end of the day you swear if you hear one more thing about “PriNcE YaNgyaNg anD hiS goRgEous faCe” or “PrinCe YanGyaNg aNd hiS sTeaMy mUScleS”, you might actually just close up shop and leave early.

At first it was interesting, but everyone’s repeating the same thing for h o u r s

Except for the man you’re currently selling tomatoes to.

“Yeah it wasn’t hard tah miss him with those bright ass shoes ah his”

Your whole body jolts and you drop the change the man just set in your hand.

Apologizing, you scramble to pick it all up and drop the coins on the table.

“What do you mean ‘bright ass shoes’, sir?”, you ask, your demeanor becoming physically tense.

“You know the kid loves collecting those new kinds ah shoes, right? ‘Sneakers’ or whaddeva ya call em? They’re all the rage in the next kingdom ovah, he musta gotten em imported from there-”, the man drones on and on, whilst you continue to panic.

“Sir please, what color were they?”

“Oh they were yellow like you wouldn’t believe! Brighter than the sun itself, and- hey! Where are you going?”

You hand the man his bag of tomatoes, grab what little produce is left and close down shop. If the prince comes back again today he could have you thrown in jail for treason for the way you spoke to him.

Everything's in the horse-drawn cart and you’re pretty much ready to go until you remember you left the change on the table.

Cursing to yourself, you abandon the cart for a brief moment and rush back to grab the money, but right as you reach for it, someone grabs your wrist.

Without thinking, you twist their arm around and pin them face first into the table.

Some of the coins fall off from the sudden impact and as your eyes follow them down…. you notice the man’s yellow shoes.

You quickly release him,,,, this thief,,,, the prince

As he slowly turns around, you contemplate whether you should request execution by hanging or guillotine….

But when he sees that it’s you, he just starts laughing.

Not like a maniacal “aha I’ve got you noW peasaNT” kind of laugh like you’d expect though. A genuine laugh from this boy.

From this p r i n c e

All instincts are telling you to bolt and just move to a different marketplace but,,,, you wanna know what this guy’s deal is.

Curiosity getting the better of you, you talk to him.

“Your Royal Highness”, you say in a sarcastic tone.

“Ah, so you believe me now? What’s changed?”, he asks and his voice sounds like honey. For some reason you’d expected him to be harsher.

“Your prance around town yesterday has been all anyone’s talking about today, Prince of Thieves”, you explain with disinterest dripping from your mouth.

“Prince of Thieves? I am prince of this nation, I’ll have you know”, he says and there’s that look in his eyes again that you can’t quite pin down.

“Then act like it”, you say with a certain degree of malice, and storm off to your horse and cart, leaving the money behind. It’s not worth it to grab it.

His eyes widen and he just stands there for a moment before chasing after you.

“Just- wait a minute!”, he shouts, running up behind you and putting a hand on your shoulder.

You grab his wrist, pulling him forward onto your back, and then flip him over onto the ground.

Once he’s down, you pin him down with your hands on his wrists and a knee on either side of his hips.

“I don’t care that you’re the prince. Your title means nothing to me. I care that you’re a thief. You steal from people who actually need money to live, and why? For the thrill of it? Grow up. If you want people to call you Prince then you better start acting like one”, you lay into him, letting all your frustration with him out at once.

You expect him to get angry with you. Maybe even yell. But he just looks,,,, sad. A little defeated, if anything.

“That’s not why I came here”

“You’re right, let me get off you so you can go pickpocket my customers”, you say, standing up and brushing the dirt off your pant legs.

“No, I came here looking for you. That’s why I came here yesterday, too”, he says, getting up and stepping between you and your horse. “Please, I need your help”

You take a deep breath in and out.

“My help with what exactly?”

“You fight like no one I’ve ever seen before. I need you to teach me”, he explains.

“Isn’t that what you have the knights for?”, you ask.

“They go easy on me. They’re worried if they hurt me while practicing, they’ll be fired by my mom”

“I don’t see why they’re concerned about hitting you in the face. It’s practically all I can think about right now”, you say nonchalantly.

“Wow okay- I could’ve gone without knowing that. But what do you say? Will you teach me? You’ve already showed me like three moves, just,,,, not on purpose I guess”

And for some reason,,,,, maybe because you’re lowkey worried he’ll actually have you hanged,,,,, you say yes.

You tell him it’ll have to be on Sundays and that he’ll have to come down to the family farm because “there’s no way in hell I’ll fight you that close to the queen’s wrath”

When you meet with him that Sunday though, he’s actually,,, quite charming??? And very polite to your parents, who were extremely surprised to see the prince on their front step (you might’ve forgotten to tell them about it)

This begins a routine of Prince Yangyang dragging you out of bed at dawn to spar with him in the barn out back behind your house.

The first few times he’d leave in the afternoon saying he “didn’t want to take up too much of your time”

But every time he leaves,,,, you find yourself missing his company.

Listen, he was an ass at first and he’s still an ass but it’s growing on you.

So one day, you ask him if he’d want to stay for dinner. And to your own shock, he immediately agrees.

He banters back and forth with you, makes jokes with your dad, and flatters your mom.

He’s got all of you around his finger and he’s not even trying to. He’s just being himself.

Now every Sunday he still wakes you up at dawn, much to your dismay, but he stays the whole day instead.

You spend the day together sparring, trying to knock each other into the pond, having lighthearted conversations, and getting the produce ready to go to market the next day.

To you, he stopped feeling like a prince a while ago honestly he never felt like a prince to start with but still

He’s your friend Yangyang that you throw into hay bales while teaching him self defense

One of those nights, the two of you are laying on the roof of the barn looking at the stars, when he says that he’d better head back to the castle.

“Can I ask you a question first?”, you ask, sitting up to face him.

“You technically just did”

“Oh shut up, you know what I mean”

“Hit me with it”, he says, closing his eyes and tilting his head back towards the speckled sky.

“Why do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Why do you steal from the marketplace?”, you finally ask, after silently wondering for months at this point.

“I don’t anymore”, he answers somewhat defensively, opening his eyes to look at you.

“Okay, then why did you?”

“...”

“...you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want….”, you say somewhat resigned.

Over the past month or so, things between the two of you has felt,,,, different.

You’ve been closer than ever, and talk to each other like you’ve known each other for years.

You’d be lying if you said you weren’t falling for him.

But it feels like he’s got a barrier built up between him and the world.

Everything fiber of your being aches to shatter it. For him to feel like he can trust you, even if he can’t trust anyone else.To be special to him the way he’s special to you.

“I needed to do something to break out”, he says after some silence.

“Break out of what?”, you ask, trying to be gentle.

“Out of the box my parents are desperately trying to cram me into. I know they want what’s best for me and the country but,,,, it’s just so much pressure. I needed to do something else- anything else, even if it was stupid”

You scoot over to him and he sits up. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pull yourself closer to him.

At first he just sits there, stunned, but then tightly returns the embrace and buries his face in the crook of your neck.

The two of you stay like that for who knows how long, with him getting everything off his chest and you quietly listening and running your fingers through his hair.

From that night onward, the two of you are practically inseparable.

Neither of you have said that you’re an item,,, and for a while you were like “am I making this shit up or does he like me”.

But one day, he’s sitting behind your booth in the marketplace (like he usually is. You’d think as a prince he’d have more to do,,,), eating all of your apples, when he taps you on the shoulder.

“I’m in the middle of a sale”, you snap, and turn back around to the customer.

When you finish, you turn around and he hands you an apple that is just,,, seeping with juice.

“Yangyang,,, w h y”

“Flip it over!”

So you do, and he’s carved “for my beautiful s/o~” into the side of the apple.

You can’t help but smile at his literally sweet gesture.

But you also can’t help but make direct eye contact with him and bite straight into the carved part of the apple.

The look of horror on his face made your day.

He’s got a habit of making your day everyday, though.

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nehraa-asaaranda · 6 years ago

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Companion Asaaranda

Name: Asaaranda

Race / Class / Specialisation: Qunari Warrior Berserker and Reaver

Gender Identity: Female

Varric’s Nickname for them: Stormy

Short bio: Here

What would their companion tarot card look like?

Recruitment mission: Capturing lightning

How do you get it? When you first get to Val Royeaux after your confrontation with the chantry clerics you will find a group of guards and ladies gossiping. “I told you this place had gone to the dogs” “First the Grand Duke lets that Ox set up shop in his city now (insert derogatory term fitting Inquisitor here) heretics are claiming to start an inquisition!”

A Dwarf walks past them “Talk talk talk and you people still have no idea what's going on.” She walks past them to the Herald “I'm Veronica Varen With the Silverite Smithery in Verchiel ran by Asaaranda head armorer of Verchiel. We have a business proposal for you inquisition folks. You'll have to come by Verchiel to get in on it though. Moving house is too dangerous in this climate without a solid promise. See you lot when ya do!”

Where? Her recruitment mission takes place in Verchiel.

Description: You come into Verchiel a prosperous city under duke Gaspard. It aesthetically seems to have a heavy leaning towards military power than ornamentation. When you come to the forge you see a tall Qunari woman arguing with some Templars. As you approach you hear the woman say “I've already told you. You can pick up the commissions I've finished and have your investment back on the ones I haven't but I'm not making weapons for either side until this whole mess is cleared up.” The Templars shake their heads and walk off with a cart, a horse, and some weapons.

Where they would be in Skyhold / Haven:

At Haven, they can be found wandering between the mounts and the armory.

In Skyhold she can be found in the blacksmith. She expresses her delight at having a place for herself away from Harret's scrutiny. You can also find Lorin and Veronica wandering around there once you finish her quest.

Getting to know them: in her first couple conversations, you can get to know about her time under the Qun and why she left.

Starting Tarot: The tower- her starting card shows her facing away from a falling Qunari fortress.

Personal quests:

Quest 1: The cry of my people

Quest 2: Forged by storm

Quest 3: Roaring thunder

Small side mission: The cry of my people

Asaaranda asks you if you would be willing to help Vashoth as they are being used as scapegoats in this time full of hysteria. In this mission, you have to find and defend Vashoth being attacked by various people in Crestwood and the hinterlands.

After you get the people down to a low hp there is an option to finish them or try and reason with them. (Does not always guarantee the won't just keep taking and have to be killed anyway)

Asaaranda approves of killing them and highly approves of trying to reason with them. Companion quest: Forged by Storm Asaaranda will mention that here is a lack of sophisticated tools at her disposal and that she misses her old forge.

It will also give the option to contact her old crew through the war table which will allow you to go and visit them again reopening her recruitment area. They express interest in where she is now and say that they miss her and things aren't working the same without her even if the pay she sends home is great. You can either ask them for advice or invite them over. (If you invite them they stay here rather than in Val Royeaux and that will grant major approval)

This will unlock a mission to collect stormheart to use in a Skyhold upgrade for her that will give a larger forge and an updated lyrium forge for the tranquil to make more advanced runes.

The effects will be seen on the field. The camps will now have weapon racks and some soldiers will be equipped with enchanted weapons. (Here companions will invite themselves to Skyhold regardless) Tarot card change: her tarot changes to the star. It shows her forging on an anvil as water flows from her work into a pool.

Romance quest: Roaring thunder

Asaaranda's romance quest is opened after you have flirted with her multiple times and you have gained enough approval.

If you have flirted and managed to gain her approval she will approach you in your quarters. She’ll tell you that one of the “Bas” traditions she had encountered as she left Pa Vollen and traveled through Rivain is the lover's knot. A braided thin cord with two round knots that hold a cutting of the lover's hair intertwined. (She mentions that eyelashes are used as a substitute in case of baldness) Cut into two pieces and wrapped around the lover's wrists. The search ability will alert you of an item to be found. After searching you will find a cutting of her hair left on your bedside table.

Should you accept you will need to get gurgut webbing to create the lover's knot. And then you can invite her out, you will meet her in the Gazebo in the chantry gardens and give her the gift. Tarot card change: Courage shows her in a flowing dress walking side by side with a Tiger towards a green light with a hand reaching out.

How to get their approval: Straightforward decisions and following through, helping the needy, respecting other traditions, fighting dragons and wyverns, Siding with Briala through Gaspard or just Gaspard

How to get their disapproval: If you say you will do one thing and then do another, claiming to be the Herald, disrespecting people's beliefs and sacred grounds, Siding with Celine

Are they romanceable? Yes

Orientation: Bisexual, likes Non-binary and Female partners.

If you are smaller than her you’re cute. If she likes your personality a lot your attractive and if you can kick ass you’re hot.

Race gate: No race gate

If they can be romanced and are not, will they begin a relationship/relationships with other character(s)? If so, who?

If Leliana was not romanced and is softened Asaaranda will express interest in her and there may be some rumors of courtship happening but Leliana keeps it quiet for the most part. The inquisitor has the choice to encourage and help this pairing or dissuade Asaaranda.

If those conditions are not meet or the inquisitor dissuades her, Asaaranda will begin a romance with Veronica and they will be married in trespasser.

Who are they friendly with?

Cassandra is a close friend, she finds a familiar comfort in her presence and they enjoy the same pass times (yes that includes books)

Varric’s stories become a great escape during even the most grueling of missions and she offers her own back.

Though you might not expect it Vivienne’s Wisdom on magic is greatly valued during this time as she tries to learn more on the subject but is also assured safety as she learns

She respects Blackwalls honor and dedication. She finds his presence to be warm and doesn't mind spending time with him even if just in silence. Her opinion of him does not change after revelations.

Iron Bull (conditional read below) She tries to help him learn how to be a true Tal-Vashoth and the find they have much in common through this.

Who do they dislike?

They dislike The Iron Bull until after his personal quest IF made Tal-Vashoth (then she will become good friends with him). If reaffirmed as a Qunari she refuses to speak to him and avoids him as much as she can.

Sera She doesn't understand how she thinks. If she fights for the “little people” why does that not seem to include those discriminated against like the Dalish, Mages, and those of different religions just because you don’t agree with or like them. She also finds her disrespect infuriating. It doesn't matter if you believe something different, be kind.

Solas’ way that he uses magic and thinks that his casualness should be normal sets her edge. She manages to stand him for the most part. And can be convinced to be more amicable with him.

Mages, Templars, Other?:

Asaaranda will vouch for the Templars as a stronger military force and will admit she knows little to nothing about mages but is wary of it. Regardless of choice, she will give Great approval for free allies and Disapproval for them chained.

Something to make them leave the party: An alliance with the Qun will cause a scene where she will want to leave. Her personal quest will have to be completed and you have to have extremely high approval in order to get her to say.

Special Events:

Imprisoned at Redcliffe: How is your companion holding up in Redcliffe, being slowly infected with red lyrium over the course of a year? When Asaaranda is found she speaks mainly in Qunlat and broken common. She is eager to fight and no longer fears death but instead wants a quick and worthy end.

At the Winter Palace: Does your companion enjoy the party, any special events with them at the Palace?

Asaaranda stays in the trophy room and has a few comments on people whose ornamental weapons and metal works she made. She fiercely supports Gaspard or Briala being put into power behind him. There is a dance scene with her if you are romancing her.

In the Fade: Your companion’s reaction upon entering the Fade? Archdemon’s taunt, and Inquisitor’s response? Epitaph on their grave?

Asaaranda is stoic but a bit freaked out about the place. She checks to make sure everyone is ok and immediately urges to find a way out as quickly as possible.

Asaarandar will mention that the fearlings look like ben-hassrath when the inquisitor brings up the “spiders”.

Her tombstone says “Qamek”

Trespasser: What is your companion up to two years after Corypheus’ defeat? Any special events with them over the events of Trespasser?

Asaaranda has opened a business on the outskirts of the Val Royeaux market. Her now bolstered reputation has made this possible. (More to add later if I feel like it)

Fighting Style

Asaaranda is a Reaver and a Berserker. Her attacks focus on doing as much damage as quickly as possible.

#darp #dragon age rp #headcanon #Asaaranda

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j-eliasepp · 7 years ago

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Hot Guy Cold Guy: Chapter 4: Scene 1

By: J. Elias Epp

Illustration by: Fnming

(I don’t own any rights to the picture and am only using it for my hobby writing purposes)

Skah was thrown to the floor of the prison cell. He stumbled and caught himself from crashing into the stone wall. The solid wood door slammed behind him.

Skah winced and held his stomach where the bandages were from his fight with Yuko. It had taken a lot of effort not to show how hurt he really was while traveling. That crazed Yuko character didn’t know when to stop.

The sound of an angry lowing came from an iron-grated window near the ceiling of his cell.

Skah pulled himself up to the ledge of the small window and looked through the gaps into the prison yard. The window was at ground level and a cart was parked in front of it, keeping the sun out of the cell. Two guards were attempting to pull Chase out of the prison’s gate unsuccessfully.

“Chase! Just go lie down in the straw will you?” Skah yelled.

The ox slowly turned, dragging the guardsmen with him to where a few horses were stabled. Chase found the empty stall, and still dragging the guardsmen, backed into it and lay down.

Disgusted, the guardsmen threw the ropes down and walked away. Chase flicked his ear amusedly.

Skah let himself down from the window after seeing Chase was alright. He inspected his new quarters. There was a wood board cot and a bucket. Oh, and the window. He nodded.

“Not bad.” He told himself.

He gently sat down on the cot and unwrapped his bandages to look at his wounds. The one on his side wasn’t much more than a small cut. The one in his stomach, however, was the real problem.

When he had moved to pursue Yuko, he felt his wound spread. It felt like his stomach was cracking. When he looked down after Yuko ran off, he found that was actually true. Cracks had spread out from the puncture point like a crumbling stone. Chips had even flaked off.

He had spent almost an hour thawing himself before he felt he could move again. He had used his sword to speed the process and had burned himself as well. Then he had to steal some clothes in town as the cracks and puncture point started bleeding.

He shook his head. Yuko had landed a more critical blow than he thought.

He removed the last bandages and revealed the healing cuts and burn blisters. He pursed his lips, then grinned wide. It would make one awesome-looking scar.

There was a clacking of keys at his door and it opened. Two guardsmen came in with swords drawn.

“Lie down!”

Skah raised his hands and complied.

The guards glanced nervously at the bizarre wound, then advanced into the room.

A man followed after them. He was dressed simply, but fashionably. He had graying hair and was carrying a bag.

Skah eyed the man. “Here to cast demons out of me?”

A guard came in with a stool and then left. The man put his bag on the ground and sat on the stool. “You’re no demon.” He said simply. “I’ve helped burn demons before and you don’t look like one.”

A light came into Skah’s eyes. “Maybe I’m a demon in disguise!”

The man thought a moment, then nodded. “We’ll find out.” He took something from his pack, a smaller bag, and took out a pinch of powder from it. “Open your mouth.”

“Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.”

“I could put this in your eyes, ears or nose if you prefer.”

Skah opened his mouth.

The man reached out his hand.

Skah clamped his mouth shut.

The man sighed. “Don’t be a child. Take your medicine.”

“I can smell what that is. Its poison.”

The man sniffed it. He glanced at the guards and cleared his throat. He put the pinch of powder back in its bag and rummaged some more in his sack. Finally, he pulled out another bag, much like the first. He mumbled something about labeling them.

Skah grinned. “If I were a demon, raasdom weed would take care of the problem, but we’re trying to find out if I really am one, remember?” Skah eyed the new bag. “That had better be dried thut-ajen sap. Sap doesn’t make my stomach hurt.”

“Thut-ajen! I only reserve that for the worst cases!”

Skah shrugged. “We’ll be doubly sure then! Both me and you.”

The man nodded sagely and returned to his sack. He brought out a glass vial with a cork stopper and a translucent amber powder inside.

“Hold on!”

Skah looked at the man.

“How do you know all this?!”

“I’ve been accused of being a demon many, many times. I’ve become an expert!”

The man shook his head and took a pinch of the powder out.

Skah opened his mouth and let him sprinkle some in. He swished it around in his mouth a little, then nodded. “You have some good stuff.”

The man grunted and started cleaning up Skah’s wound.

Skah winced. “Why am I getting treatment? Normally-”

“We don’t care if you die in prison.” The man finished. “However, the royal family has requested to see you, so, we keep you alive by necessity.”

Skah grinned. “Oh, this sounds like fun!”

The man shook his head.

“Do I get to-”

“No.”

“When do I-”

“Can’t say.”

After a few moments of silence, Skah looked at the man. “Can I call you Raas?”

“No.”

Author’s Note:

One part of writing this story organically is the difficulty of including an overarching plot. I have the basic ideas for Skah and Yuko’s motivations and it is from those I am going to pull where the larger direction of the story turns.

All in all, I’m writing this story for fun and I hope you all have just as much fun reading it!

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carlandchelseawedding2019-blog · 6 years ago

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Places to Eat

Portland is an unbelievably diverse city for culinary experiences and the best part? It’s all “relatively” cheap! Here is a list of a few of our favs:

Kachka - $$$ - Our favorite restaurant in town. This incredible Russian restaurant has been through a couple of iterations in its infancy but its dizzying array of speciality meals and creative treats means it will always come at #1 for us.

Must Try - Herring Under a Fur Coat, Dumplings, Horseradish Vodka

Similar - Kachinka (Kachka’s sister restaurant that is more bar casual food), Kargi GoGo

Lardo - $ - The most venerable of all the vast amount of Portland Sandwich shops. Lardo is a true Portland success story having started as a humble cart and now amassing a multi state empire of gooey porky goodness.

Must Try - Banh Mi, Whatever the Chefwich for September is, Fried Chicken, Dirty Fries

Similar - Stacked Sandwiches, Bunk (multiple locations)

Tusk - $$$ - Vegetable forward food with a healthy bend towards our friends in the middle east. Anticipate a line and like any “nice” restaurant in Portland try and make a reservation and if you can’t then expect to wait.

Must try - Salads, Beets, Hummus

Apizza Scholls - $$ - Best pizza in the city (has been rated by some as the best on the west coast). In a town that was become somewhat of a pizza enclave (link) Apizza Scholls sits as the highest apple in the tree. Thin crispy crust, the perfect ratio of sauce to cheese (ask Chelsea’s brother Alden) balanced by delicious toppings.

Must Try - Apizza Amore, Amatriciana

Similar - Scotties Pizza, Ken’s Artisan Pizza

Hat Yai - $$ - Fried chicken like you’ve never experienced. This uniquely southern Thai restaurant offers up what is possibly the best bang for your buck in all of Portland. A bit of a drive depending on where you are staying it is worth the trek!

Must Try - Fried Chicken, Curry Roti, seasonal veggies

Similar - Reel M’ Inn

Por Que No? - $ - A sometimes controversial place (there are real rules that certain people don’t enjoy, looooooong lines, and no burritos) but this is where you will find the best tacos in Portland. Veering between painfully traditional and over the top new school styles in both preparation and ingredients, Por Que No? will fill a hole in your heart you didn’t even know existed.

Must Try - Anything

Similar - Tight Tacos, Los Gorditos

Bollywood Theatre - $ - Even though my Indian friend Ravi says no self respecting Indian would ever eat here (they serve beef) it still has to be included on the list due to it having what is possibly our favorite dish of any spot in Portland. Gobi Manchurian. Order it. Don’t look at what's in it. Bite into it. Think to yourself, “damn that’s a wild take on fried chicken.” Realize quickly that it’s not in fact chicken but cauliflower. Repeat. A funky interior and fast casual service amounts to a must try spot.

Must Try - Gobi Manchurian, Vada Pav

Similar - There are lots of fun “fast casual” places in Portland; XLB

Pine St Market - $ - A family friendly cafeteria style food hall in inner downtown Portland. This place will satisfy any cravings you or someone in your party could have. Burgers; got em. Ramen; in spades. Bi Bim Bap; yep. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner; nightly.

Toro Bravo - $$$ - To die for Spanish food. Go 15-30 minutes before they open, wait in the line, sit down, decline everything but the drinks menu, order the chefs tasting menu, then lean back and enjoy the feast that will await you.

Must try - Other then the chef’s tasting menu? The Paella

Similar - Ox

Han Oak - $$$ - Do you like Korean food? Do you like going to a place that is the hardest ticket in town? Better make that reservation RIGHT NOW. Seriously. A three to four month wait for a reservation is standard but if you can somehow get in the food is heavenly. Melt in your mouth dumplings, BBQ beef fit for a kween, and lettuce wraps worth that three month wait.

Must try - Anything

Matt’s BBQ - $ - Everyone coming in from out of state will roll their eyes at this. Good BBQ in Oregon is like saying there’s a good burrito in Kentucky. Well, so say you actually take a flyer on this place and decide to go. Damn thats a long line and who is the guy wearing Coke bottle glasses? This place is strange. First bite? Ohhhhh myyyyyyyyyyy

Must Try - The Whole Shebang (and then a nap followed by the meat sweats)

Similar - Wait, Portland has other good BBQ? Not that we’ve found…

Canard - $$ - Most likely the newest restaurant on this list it is not one to miss. A mashup of traditional French food with almost an Americana like drive in diner. This place represents where the Portland food scene is headed next.

Must Try - Oeufs on Mayonnaise, Steam Burger, Clam nachos

Similar - OK Omens

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