#piercing gold coast

[comicaurora]

What other mythological creatures would be fun in space? If the answer is "most of them?", Then limit the scope of the question to what becomes *more* fun in space?

Still "most of them," unfortunately.

Deep in the bowels of a derelict, drifting hulk, so battered with cosmic rays and space debris all sign of its original function have eroded away, something that could have been human roams the labyrinthine halls. Who knows what terrible crime or tragedy spawned it? It is huge, and hungry, and terribly, terribly alone. All anyone knows is that the drifting hulk that screams to the void in a hundred looping distress calls is to be avoided at all costs, for the maze is deadly and its lone prisoner even deadlier.

An enchanting woman knocks on the porthole with a broad smile, hair flowing in beautiful curls and mouth moving soundlessly in the boiling vacuum. She seems unaware of the inch-thick tempered plasteel, or perhaps unaware of its necessity for the mortal and the fragile within. As she stares unblinking, whispers begin to crackle over the ship radio, half-parseable snatches in many voices - surnames, stardates, coordinates. The knowledge is so, so tempting.

The astronaut is standing just outside the airlock. The sun is starting to sink behind the lunar horizon, cutting razor-sharp shadows across the silvery dust. He's been standing, patiently, for over four hours. The crew in the lander are huddled as far away from the door as possible, unconacipusly avoiding the astronaut's cold and vacant bunk. They had buried him, after all, three rotations ago, the special kind of dead you only get after decompression-induced exsanguination. And yet here he stands, looking better than ever, a healthy blush in his cheeks clearly visible without that bulky reflective helmet in the way. His eyes catch the setting sun strangely, almost red.

Space is an ocean, they say; the analogy is imperfect, and yet persistent in its poetry. The seafarers of old coasted along the surface of a vast and unknowable deep and called it sailing, and the spacefarers of the new frontier do the same. They speed between the stars or cut through wormhole gates for the occasional shortcut, skimming the three-dimensional surface of the vast four-dimensional space that wormholes can only tentatively pierce, and they are satisfied. But there are strange shadows in the stars, twisting and slow - distortions that ripple out from the hyperdepth and mostly pass without incident, barring the sensitive instruments left screaming in their wake. Nobody has ever seen the four-dimensional leviathans that cast these three-dimensional shadows. At least, nobody who's come back.

They call it a dragon because it flies and it's the scariest thing they've ever seen. It doesn't do it justice. If anything, trying to give it a familiar name only highlights its horrible uncategorizability. It flies, yes - or at least it undulates through atmosphere, seemingly irrelevant to its own mass. It has a golden hoard and breathes poison and fire, or rather the nuclear furnace that boils in its sinuous belly vomits out great gouts of poison fire that leaves stone and flesh as glassy slag and metals fused into radioactive gold. The land all around its lair is blackened and sick, a vile caldera of strange-colored swampland and twisted, fungal trees. In the absolute terror and devastation of its wake, the colonists fall back on old, bad superstitions and offer it a girl…

The sorcerer took out his heart long ago, they say. This is true, but inadequate. His true body is shattered in closely guarded pieces to protect himself from a total death; the form he presents is only a projection of his will onto and through the nanite colony his machinations spawned, a body crafted by the immortal mind and will of one who sacrificed everything to be deathless. His heart is concealed in a small life support capsule in a long-forgotten laboratory in a satellite orbiting the moon of a quarantined colony world; his nervous system wires itself through the vast, organic computer that has taken the place of the planet's core. Backups of backups of backups, redundancies laced through every stolen system. He knows there was a purpose to this, once; a goal to all this sacrifice beyond a simple extension of life. He will never remember who he wanted this for. To be truly deathless, one cannot have a heart.

It's retroviral, they think. No other form of infection could've rewired her cells this fundamentally. It's irreversible without gene therapy, but at least she isn't deteriorating, they say. At least she's holding together while they look for a treatment. She can feel it, though, no matter what the medic says; sub-cellular or not, she can feel it boiling under her skin, sharpening her teeth, burning out from the site of the bite on her arm. And she can feel, with absolute certainty, the planet's two satellites slowly shifting into opposition with the sun, right through the windowless walls of the quarantine pod. She doesn't know what she'll become when the moons are full, but she doesn't speak her suspicions. A part of her - perhaps even a part that's always been there - is very, very eager to find out.

A colony was here once, a long, long time ago. Terraformed and everything, but those were the early days, before they realized you needed a magnetosphere to keep all that air and water from being wicked away by the solar wind. The loss was so gradual it didn't make sense until over a century later, and there wasn't anything they could do for them long-term - wrong kind of core for a polarization op. They did evac, of course, but the priority was low - and it was centuries deep into social development. Everybody on that world had been born there, and some of them didn't want to leave. Way I hear it, some of them insisted on staying - strongly and violently - and the folks in charge eventually got tired of losing troops in a dessicating backwater that was gonna solve itself in less than a century, so they just fudged the paperwork and washed their hands of the whole thing. It's near airless now - stopped being a viable colony world nigh on thirty years back when the last of the ice vanished. But that's not why we steer clear. We don't land there because the locals didn't have the decency to die right, and it can be damn unsettling to catch their shadows sneaking across the sand. They're drawn to ships, you know? Poor bastards still think they can leave.

[chibipeachu]

Beauty & The Shadow Man | Aleksander M.

A/n: Happy holidays! I've been working on this for a bit now, so i do hope you all enjoy reading as much as i've loved writing this!! Please send feedback! Wc: 9.6k (semi proofread) Warnings: Blood, cursing Pairings: aleksander morozova x fem!reader

“Once upon a time, there was a rich merchant, a brave and kind man, who after losing his beloved wife, lived on for the good of his six children.” The storyteller flipped the page. “Three boys, three girls, who filled the house with laughter and chatter.” 

Giggles coming from four children, laid across from the maiden. “Sounds a lot like you four!” She joked before going back to the page.

“The man had a fleet of three ships, the siren, triton, and the largest, leviathan.” The children scoot upwards to look at the drawings of the boats. 

“They were stuffed with the finest wares in the land, from jewels, to fabrics and mead. One evening while on their way back to port, a violent storm had appeared. Lighting tore their sails, snapped their masts, the bottom of the ocean sparkled with the jewels and golds that were swallowed up forever.” The children frowned.

“Gone within the month, the merchant and his children were forced to leave their home.” She flipped the page once again.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You rolled your eyes as you listened to your siblings complain about moving to the countryside and having to give up their best valuables. 

Your shoes quietly clacked on the wood as you made your way towards the statue of your mother, your father had made after her death. You sighed as you knelt down and placed flowers in front of the statue. 

“There mother, we have to start a new life...” You sighed as you stared at the statue. “There you are y/n.” You turned to face your father who smiled sadly at you and the statue. “Would she have liked the countryside?” You asked, hugging your father as you both admired her one last time. “She would’ve loved it..” He kissed the top of your head. 

“Then, I'm sure I'll love it too!” You smiled as he guided you both towards the carriages filled with the belongings you were able to keep. 

It was hard to get used to the countryside for a few weeks before you fell into a routine. You tied an apron around your waist before walking up the stairs to your older sister’s bedroom and began knocking. “Get up you two, it’s your turn to help in the garden!” You kept knocking.

“Marie has fallen ill, we’ll take our breakfast in bed..” Anne, the oldest, said, opening the door, her skin dewy with sweat. “Absolutely not, you two are going to help in the garden!” You scoffed and marched in.

Marie laughed and fanned herself. “I’d rather die..” You rolled your eyes and dragged her upwards into a sitting motion. 

“Too bad, I'll come back if you both aren’t down in two minutes.” You threatened, walking into the garden, you walked over to the laundry line and hung the wet clothing. 

“Defeated, pierced by arrows, the young man left the battle, taking refuge in the forest.” You glanced up and smiled as your brother, Thomas, sat in the empty carriage seat, writing a story in his notebook.  

“How’s it going?” You motioned for his notebook, he sighs and tosses it to the side. “Horrible, too realistic.” He scoffed, making you smile as he walked over and helped pin the clothes to the line.

You both turned as your father cheered from his horse, riding up to the cottage with a wide smile. You both walked over towards him.

“Gather everyone, I have some news!” He cheered. 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“They were happy to see me at the shipping offices, Dumont was charming, his eldest daughter married a count!” He updated, looking at his two oldest daughters.

“It could’ve been me!” Marie sighed. “But the big news is, the mermaid, which was your mother’s favorite ship, has been found!” You looked shocked at his new, leaning forward to hear properly. 

“She was drifting off the coast, and brought back into port.” Your father announced, 

“And the goods onboard?” Your brother questioned, “Intact!” Your siblings cheered, knowing they could return to their typical uppity lives.

“Children, I think we’re saved!” he chuckled as they cheered, not noticing your somber attitude. “Lets go pack our bags! No, we could burn them out here!” Anne clapped, happily.

“I feel tingling, I'm alive again father!” Marie ran over and kissed your father’s cheek.

“We can’t go back into town in this statute, you need to visit the shops, we need to make a list!” Anne squealed as she and Marie ran for parchment. 

“You can come to town with me, show off my successor to dumont!” Your father told Henry, the oldest. 

“I won’t let you down!” They both smiled. “At last, the young man's enemies were defeated, the young man returned triumphant, cheered on by his people!” Your family all smiled at thomas’ ending.

You quickly walked outside to tend to the garden while your sister’s wrote down a list.

Your father noticed as you walked away. He quickly followed and sighed as he watched you quietly pick the vegetables. “What’s the matter with you, are you sulking?” He asked, watching as you dug up a pumpkin. You stood up and faced your father.

“Clearly, if a girl is sad, she sulks, if a girl is happy, she’s mad!” You ranted to your father, placing the pumpkin in his arms and you collected the fruits. 

“Well what do you want us to believe, everyone but you is happy.” He sets down the pumpkin before squatting down next to you.

“I’d like to stay here longer. I like the countryside; it’s peaceful, no judgment.” You sighed. 

“We came to this house to bury our sorrows, our lives aren’t meant to be here..” 

“We both know what will happen, Henry will go back to the thugs he calls his friends, Marie and Anne will go out every evening to find husbands and you’ll be tied to your work again..” You sighed, standing up.

“Y/n, one of these days we’ll go our separate ways, even you will grow up and want to move away.” Your father explained.

Before anymore could be said, your sisters interrupted with the paper.

“Don’t forget a thing, Marie can’t bare it!” Anne sighed, swatting flies away. Your father nods before turning to you. “And what do you want?” He questioned, you sighed and glanced over the garden before deciding. “A rose, I can’t seem to grow any here, no matter how hard I try too!” He nods at your request.

“Very well, I shall return with the items.” Your father walked towards his horse where Henry stood, waiting for him.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“The men arrived at the port to find problems with their wealth; the father has signed the riches over to pay off the family’s debt.” The children gasped.

“Oh no!” The little girl sighed.

“The father had stopped his son from lashing out on the innocent dumont, the eldest stormed off in a fit of rage, leaving the father to follow after him; while searching the father had stumbled into one of the past suitors who pinned after the youngest hand in marriage.”

“Orion Kingsley, highly respected for his time in the war, though now he was considered amongst the town's thugs.” The children’s interest peaked as the illustration showed the man. 

“Is he gonna take his daughter away?” The youngest gasped at the thought. “Well, we’re still in the beginning so who knows.” The storyteller shrugged.

“He questioned the father about his youngest and offered to take her off his hands for a hefty amount but the father refused and continued to try and find his son.”

“After hours of searching, the father left defeated. He let his horse trot to the cottage while he had dozed off for a bit; Somehow while he slept the horse had taken a wrong turn and the pair ended up in front of an abandoned palace.” The storyteller laughed as the children tucked themselves under their blankets tighter.

“The doors eerily opened up by themselves. The father walked in cautiously, he made his way to a dining hall, on the table laid a lavish dinner of all sorts of food, the candles lit up showing the table covered in goods, the man quickly dug in, starved from the ride.” 

“Once the man had finished his dinner, he noticed a corner of the room had lit up, it was a huge chest, he opened and to his surprise it had all the things he needed from the list, minus the rose. The father took the items and made his way out of the palace but stopped as he spotted roses leading to a garden, he quickly walked over and plucked one from the ground, and BOOM!” The storyteller slammed the book, scaring the children.

“A giant soldier jumped in front of the man, the father scrambled, as he went to run away he bumped into a dark figure that towered over him.”

“He yelled at man for being selfish, for the man's punishment he was to return before morning and stay there till his death; A life for a rose..”

The kids gasped.

“If you do not return to me by sunrise, I will go after your family, one by one and I will save your youngest for last, since she is most dear to you! The beast threatened the man..” The storyteller showed the drawings of the man cowering under the beast.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“A story of a beast and a rose? It doesn’t make sense.” Thomas questioned. “How do you explain that? It’s real isn’t it!” Your father motioned over to the chest with everything.

“It’s all our fault! It’s all our fault-!” Marie repeated, Anne smacked her arm. “We’re not the ones who asked for a rose.” Anne motioned towards your frozen state, beside your father.

“It’s no one's fault!” Henry argued back. “Enough! I have no idea who that beast is but I know I must return to the palace in a few hours..”  Your father sighed, staring at the rose on the table. 

“What will he do to you?” The youngest son, Flynn asked. “I have no idea, he said a life for a rose..” You didn’t need to look up to feel your siblings stare, silently blaming you.

“And if you don’t return?” You questioned. “It’s over for all of us…” You all stared at the rose on the table, not knowing what to do next.

The next day had arrived, all of your siblings stayed up to see your father off for the last time, you sulked in your room.

A knock brought you out of your thoughts, in walked your father. “Y/n..” He started, “I know what they all are thinking..” You stared out your small window. 

“What do you mean?” Your father asked. “Mother died, giving birth to me..” You turned to face your father. “I won’t let them blame me for yours too!” Before your father could realize your words you quickly ran out of your room, locking him inside by placing a chair against the knob.

“Y/n! Let me out, Y/N!” Your father called out, Henry looked between you and your siblings who rushed upstairs to let your father out. 

He hesitated, not knowing where to run after. You grabbed your coat that hung up by the door. “Don’t forget me!” You called out before running to take your father’s horse. 

As you rode off, you heard your father call out for you but got stopped by your brothers. 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

As you approached the woods, you leaned down to the horse. “A life for a rose.” You watched as the horse's pupils dilated before taking off into the forest. 

You tried to shield yourself as he passed through sharp branches, you had managed to gain scratches on your arms. After a bumpy ride you had finally arrived at the abandoned palace your father had stumbled onto.

You hopped off the horse and walked to find the entrance of the palace, while exploring you took note of the amount of overgrown vines there were covering the building and a statue in the fountain. As you walked up the steps leading to the doors.

The big doors opened in front of you. You hesitated before walking in, the doors shut making you jump before looking around.

You followed the vines that lead up to stairs, on the top of the stairs was a door that had a bridge leading to a room, you walked into the room and looked around, the ceiling was covered in rose vines, the four bed posts were covered as well. 

You looked to your left and saw a pond of water in a cove looking area. 

“A life for a rose..” A voice spoke out of nowhere, making you look around for the source. 

After failing to do so you walked over to the bed that had a fur blanket on top, you ran your hand through the fur. You looked up and stood shocked, a lavender dress with swirls embroidered into the fabric. You reached your hand out to touch it but pulled your hand back.

You avoid looking at your scratched up hand, you sighed before turning to the water and walked over. 

Swirls appeared in the water, you leaned closer and dipped your hand into the water, within moments, you pulled your hands out to see them healed, no traces of scratches. 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“The girl was ready to die with the first strike of the bell, as she looked around the beasts palace, a noise echoed through her body; Her heartbeat.” The drawing in the book showed a girl in the middle of a ballroom of sorts, in a lavender dress with jewels across her neck.

The second drawing showed the girl lifting a curtain, behind her stood a beast in the shadow on the fabric.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You quietly walked into the dining hall and looked around for anyone and held your breath as you heard footsteps behind you.

“My name is y/n, i’ve come to exchange my life rather  than my father’s..” You explained to whoever stood behind you. “Seat yourself.” The gruff voice spoke.

You noticed two chairs, one on each end of the table. You walked to the chair near the fireplace and sat down, not looking up to your now captor.

He walked behind your chair and spoke, “Eat, when you have regained your strength, you will be able to walk wherever you want on my domain; but when night has fallen I forbid you to leave the palace,” He told you, leaning in as you picked up a sliced potato.

“If I must die, let it be now.” Your eyes watered up. “You’re braver than your father; Each evening at seven bells precisely, you must be here, do not think of escaping. The forest will close in on you.” You agreed, shakily.

As you listened to his terms, you looked towards the silverware gasped, a scared and bruised hand was next to your plate. You turned to look at him but he was nowhere to be seen, scared you ran back to the room for the night. 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“Shall I stop?” The storyteller questioned, looking over at the children. 

“No!” 

“We need to hear what happened next!”

“I can’t possibly go to bed now, she barely met the beast!”

“Read more please, it’s sad she’s all alone, poor girl.” The storyteller chuckled. “It’s true she was all alone now; As she walked up the stairway, the girl understood for the first time, she was spending the night away from her family and home. What she did not know was that, living in the palace, the beast had servants living in the palace, she didn’t know but they were going to be very helpful.” The kids perked up.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You sighed as you walked into your bedroom and placed the candle by your bedside and laid down on the bed, it was surprisingly soft and comfortable, it hadn’t taken much time before you fell asleep.

You woke up in your dream, you watched as two girls stared at themselves in a mirror and laughed as a group of hunters returned.

“They’re back!” One cheered. “Shouting, excited and dirty.” The other sighed, you watched as the pair walked over to the men.

You watched as one of the girls smiled and ran towards her husband and kissed him, his friends quickly approached and grabbed him from her. 

“Take your dirty hands off her!”

“Woah!” 

“Ah yes my friend, no stag, no prize for you!” One of them chuckled. The man's wife scoffed, “Are you still after that stag?” The man nodded at his wife. “I’ve hunted it for years, but I know I'm near, luda.” She sighed. “What better trophy, after you?” He grins at the woman.

“He plans on using the cut on the stag.” Luda’s eyes widened at the news. “Ay! I’m thirsty, let's get a drink!” The man’s wife sighed before following the group.

You watched as the room around you changed, it was the room you were staying in but without the rose vines everywhere.

You watched as luda got her hair brushed by a servant. “I mean, he could’ve come back and spent some time with me. I’ve had it.” She sighed, you looked over as the doors opened up. The man from earlier walked in, nodding as the servant excused herself and left the room.

He walked up behind the woman and kissed up her neck, she sighed and turned to look at her husband.

“You smell of game...” He pulled away and stared down at the woman, he picked her up and carried her to the bed and placed her down before kissing her once more.

“My love, I have something to ask of you..” You watched as he sat up to listen to his wife. “I want you to stop hunting that beast.” He paused before sighing.

“What for?” He questioned. 

“I’ve had enough, I've been lonely while you’ve gone hunting..here, without you..” She played with the kefta he wore.

“Agreed, but on one condition.” She nods at his words. “Give me a child of our own.” She smiled softly at him. 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You woke up, as you went to wipe your eyes of sleep; you jumped at the sight of a scarred man by your bed, you did a double take but by the second glance he was gone. 

You quickly sat up and looked around the room, a new dress sat in the corner. A turquoise dress with a gold belt. You slowly rose out of your bed and walked over to examine it.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“The girl waited for hours in her room before leaving. She feared seeing the beast jump out from the shadows. But her curiosity was far more stronger than her fear. She wanted to explore the grounds that she is now bound too.” The kids listened as the storyteller flipped the page, only a few yawning before shaking themselves awake.

“A deer had caught her attention, it stopped and stared back at her, almost as if it wanted her to follow, luckily she did so, the deer guided her to a secluded garden, a stone statue in the middle of it all. She walked closer and brushed away the rose petals that had fallen on to the statue’s face.” The storyteller flipped the page to continue.

“To the girl's surprise, it was the same woman as she had seen in her dream, “luda” as the people called her.” The kids gasped.

“The girl froze up as you noticed the facial features were the same. “Luda?” she called out, stood back and stared as if luda rose from the stone; Some years or centuries even, another woman had lived, loved and died in the cursed palace.” 

“Why me? Why do you haunt my dreams?” The girl asked, shaking at her discovery. Without a second thought the girl ran back to her room and waited til dinner with her mysterious jailer.”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“You’re late!” You sighed and sat down in the chair, staring at your hands. 

“Do you like your new dress?” He asked, pacing behind her chair. “Never come into that room again.” You said coldly, he scoffed. 

“May I remind you who makes the rules here?” He said, walking to the chair across the table and sat with his back to you.

“You watched me sleep!” You scoffed at him. “Enough, eat.” He commanded. 

“You’re not eating?” You questioned, picking up your fork. “I said to eat.” He sighed.

 “May I speak or am I suppose to eat in silence like a child?” You inquired. “That’s what you are, an arrogant child.” He remarked. “A child that you watched sleep.” You said before taking a bite of your food.

“You talk too much!” He hissed.

“I know it pleases you, that I'm filling the emptiness..” You smirked into your cup. He scoffs. 

“I do have a question though...whose place is this?” He sighed. “Everything here belongs to me.” 

You both went back and forth. “Resist me all you want, but you will be mine!” He stated before storming out of the dinning hall. You rolled your eyes at him.

After dinner you made your way to your bedroom, you jumped as a figure stood in your room, a woman with ginger hair.

“Who are you?” you asked, slightly confused. “Um, you aren’t suppose to be back early...i’m genya i’m a servant to your kidnapper..” She introduces herself to you, holding something behind her back. 

“How do I know you're not lying to me?” You question, ready to throw the candle if need be. “Uh, you traded places with your father!” She said, holding her hands up to show she was innocent and didn’t mean any harm.

“I just came by to leave you this, I saw on your father’s list he had perfume.” She handed you a tiny bottle of perfume, you looked at the bottle and shook your head and handed it back. “My sister’s requested that, i only asked for a rose but you see how that ended..” You awkwardly chuckled before walking to your bed and sat down.

“Is there anything you’d like to keep you entertained, trust me i know how boring it gets here..” You both chuckled. “I like reading, if that helps..” Genya nodded at the information you had given her. 

“I should probably let you rest now, but i’ll keep that in mind..” You nodded and waved as genya walked out of your room.

Once she was gone, you got undressed and slept in your underclothing.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You looked around and quickly realized, you were in another dream, you looked around to see a ball room filled with people. You watched as luda reached out for the man’s hand.

“My friends, today is a great day, the palace will finally have an heir.” You watched as the people around you clapped at the news. The music started to play, luda and her husband both started to dance around the ballroom. 

“What are you thinking of?” Luda questioned.

“The first time we met, by the river.” He smiled. “You were by the edge, undressing.” Luda snickered as her husband got flustered. “You were about to drown.” He quipped back. “I swim better than you!” She teased, you watched as the pair smoothly continued.

“And if we went back to our room?” He smirked, luda sighed. “Don’t forget your promise.” “Which one?” She gave him a stern look.

“The stag, aleksander.” You perked up, finally knowing the husband’s name.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Once you had woken up you got dressed in a new gown, today it was a dark blue, with long sleeves. Once dressed, you noticed a book on the vanity. You walked over and picked it up.

It had a piece of parchment on the front.

‘Thought you’d like to read, one of David's favorites.’ 

(David is another servant to him..) - Genya 

You smiled down at the note and looked through the book and took it with you outside.

After a few hours of reading on the steps, you got up and looked around the palace some more. 

You smiled as you saw red hair hide away as you turned a corner, you walked closer and tapped Genya's shoulder.

“Thank you for the book! I love it so far!” Genya smiled at you. “I’m glad, sadly the books are the only escape for those of us trapped here..” You nodded as you both walked up more steps, your attention was directed to a group of others laughing as they cooked or messed about. 

“How many are trapped here?” You asked, genya sighed. “Several, stuck here to deal with his temper..” She motions for your kidnapper.

“But ignore that, most of us are used to his temper, we actually were excited when we heard a lady had entered the palace.” She gently bumps your elbows together.

“Well if he chooses to keep me alive, i’ll gladly spend time with you all here, seems peaceful away from him.” You both chuckled.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

For once you were earlier than him to the dining hall, you sat quietly sipping on porridge. 

As the bell rang out you heard rushed footsteps into the room. You kept your eyes low and watched as the bottom of his coat trailed behind him; He walked over and stood behind your chair. “I’d like to apologize for myself last night, You were right...you do fill an immense emptiness..Do you like my gifts?” He asked, raising a hand towards you.

He sighed when you didn’t respond. “Why don’t you answer me?” He questions.

“I miss my family..” You answered. He scoffs before moving towards his turned chair.

“Forget them! They’re gone, you live with me now” He stopped, besides your chair. 

“It may be helpful for you to turn your back on the past but I can’t.” 

“What do you know about me?” He waited before answering. “Nothing!” “Nothing, you’re right..” You sighed, placing down your spoon.

“I’ll make you a deal, a few hours with my family..” You trailed off. 

“And for what?” He questioned. You stared at your feet. “A dance; in exchange you let me see them..” You proposed, thinking back to your dream.

He sighed. “You’re treating me like a beggar.” 

“I can lead if you’re afraid.” You offered, he scoffed and with a wave of his scarred hand, your eyes were covered by darkness.

Being somewhat of a gentleman, he guided you to the abandoned ballroom and walked you both to the middle before letting go of your hands.

You did a slight curtsy and held up your hand. Unbeknown to you he bowed back before taking your soft palm in his and placed the other on your waist.

You prayed to the saints you wouldn’t step on his feet or your dress, saints know how embarrassed you’d be. 

You quietly moved your other hand up to place it on his chest, perfectly aligned to his heart. 

The two of you waltzed around the ballroom, your gown brushing away stray leaves on the floor. You leaned in closer to him. “You lead.” Without a beat he started dancing with you once more.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

“The girl felt as if she had stepped back into the dream as they waltzed around.” The kids smiled and got closer as the page showed an illustration of a pair dancing and with the girl blindfolded with some kind of shadow thing.

“They’re in love!” One of the children declared with a grin. 

“Not quite yet; For the first time since being taken away the girl felt at peace with him, as he moved them around she gently laid down her head on his chest, his heart fluttered at the sight of the girl.” The storyteller grinned.

“Does she love him yet?” Another questioned. “Let’s keep reading, shall we?” The kids nodded.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Do you think you could love me?” He questioned, making you snap your eyes open and turn to face him.

Pushing him away, you huffed. “We made a deal…keep your promise..” you stepped back.

Unbeknown to you, he stepped forward towards you. “It’s been a while since I've had to promise something.”

Being upset, you let out a scoffed. “You dress yourself in fine clothing to cover up that you’re just a cruel and lonely beast that disgusts anyone!”

You could hear his footsteps leave the room, leaving you alone with a blindfold of darkness.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

It wasn’t till hours later that genya noticed your absence and while searching the palace that she helped guide you to your room for the night.

Once you knew genya was gone, you got up from the small vanity and opened the door and walked out to the hallway and explored.

As you roamed the palace, you had noticed as you approached the south wing, it had gotten messier.

You could hear two voices coming from a room.

“Just let her breathe for once!” It was genya.

“I have to kill her genya..” 

“..you what?” Genya let out a gasp at his words. 

Before you could hear more, you slowly backed away. Your blood ran cold as your back touched a wooden frame, you turned your head to look and froze at the portrait.

It was an old painting of luda and aleksander with their faces slashed out. The poor couple must’ve had the same fate..

You swallowed the scream you desperately wanted to let out and ran to the main hall where you had first stepped foot in.

As you stepped outside you quickly found your horse. After hopping on you had hoped for a way out of the hell you had been trapped in.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

A frantic David brusted through the doors making genya jump.

“What’s the matter david?” 

David panted, clearly frantic at his news. “She’s left the palace..” 

Genya snapped her head towards the beast who clenched his jaw before storming down to the main hall to find you, it was impossible for you to escape him now.

As you rode your horse through the frozen over lake, you panicked as growling came behind you, with a single glance you felt your hands start to shake, volcra. 

Without noticing your horse bucked you off, making you fall onto the ice, you were too panicked to hear it cracking under you.

As you went to block yourself from a volcra that came sweeping down, a slash cut it in half.

You watched as dead volcra dropped around you. 

You gasped as your savior straddle your legs, your eyes widened, it was aleksander…he was much more scarred then he was in your dreams. 

“Now you know who I am;” He leaned in closer towards your face.

“Tell me again, how i disgust you.” You panted, trying to catch your breath as he leaned forwards, his eyes drifting towards your lips.

As he reached your lips the ice beneath you broke, dropping you into the freezing water.

Unlucky your dress had only weighed you down, you closed your eyes that felt heavy.

Aleksander sighed and quickly reached his hand into the water and pulled you up by your bodice.

He quickly took off his winter cape and wrapped you up and carried you back to the palace.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“The beast gently laid her down on her bed, demanding his servants to help aid the girl.” The children gasped as they listened.

“Is she gonna be alright?” The smallest of the group asked, clutching onto the blanket sprawled out on their lap.

“Possibly?” The storyteller grinned.

“Possibly?!” The oldest squawked.

“You all should really get to bed now…it is pretty late…” The storyteller teased the children by closing the book and stood up from the chair.

“NOW!?” 

“WHAT?”

“NO!”

“I won’t be able to sleep!” Their protests made the storyteller laugh before raising their hands in surrender and sat back down.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You groaned as you opened your eyes to see the beast’s back towards you.

Due to the shock, you had a hard time recalling the moments before, you shook your head as Aleksander's face popped into your head.

You did manage to spot genya with the beast, the pair talking in hushed tones.

Genya smiled soft;y at you, noticing how you sat yourself up a tad.

Genya motioned in your direction with her chin.

You grasped the blanket in shock, it hadn’t been your memories clashing together, it really was aleksander in front of you.

“Leave us be for now genya..” The redhead nodded before leaving the room after placing down some more books.

Aleksander turned to you, if you hadn’t looked up at him, you wouldn’t have noticed the tint of concern in his dark eyes.

“How are you feeling?”

“Alright..” You mumbled back.

“That’s good..” He said as he rolled up his shirt, you let out a soft gasp at his forearms.

They had long open scratches on each arm, it was from the volcra..

“Thank you for saving me..”

Aleksander scoffed, moving his hand to hold pressure to his wounds, he had directed his attention to you that the painful stings were hardly there for him.

As he sat down on the vanity chair, you slowly moved from your bed and walked over to the pond of water and grabbed a cloth from the side and soaked it before ringing it out and walked over to aleksander, who had zoned out, his jaw still tensed.

You gently took hold of his arm before dapping the cloth onto the wound.

Aleksander hissed and went to yank his arm away. You huffed and tugged it back before dapping the cloth again.

“That hurts!” He hissed, in pain. His face closer to yours.

“If you stay still, it won’t sting as bad!” You hardened your features and stared at him, keeping the same distance.

Aleksander sighed and stuck out his other arm for you.

After re-soaking the cloth, you softly dapped the outside of his scratches. You both stayed silent. “Thank you again..” You spoke softly, watching how much pressure you placed on the wound.

“You’re welcome..”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

As the week passed, aleksander had genya and healers constantly check your health after the incident; in a panic aleksander had placed you on bed rest, in case you had harmed your bones somehow.

The days you had spent lounging in your bed, reading or talking with the others.

You perked up as the door creaked open, aleksander walked in, carrying in two plates of food. You had taken note of how softer he had become with you being injured, for a peculiar reason it had warmed your heart a bit.

“What’s for tonight?” You questioned, placing your book off to the side as aleksander handed you a plate and sat down in front of you.

“Lamb with potatoes..your favorite..” He joked.

You lifted your head letting out a small laugh.

“Yeah, love when it's scalloped too..” You teased, making aleksander grow a tiny smirk before taking a bite of his food.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Aleksander stood on his balcony, watching as you and David strolled through the garden, occasionally stopping to feed the birds.

He watched with a small smile growing on his face as you fell into the snow from bumping into David's side a bit too hard.

He froze as he noticed his own expression, genya glanced over at him. 

“I think I wanna do something for her..but what?” Aleksander questioned. 

Genya smiled at his words. 

“Books.” Genya trailed off.

Aleksander sent genya a confused look. “She likes books, and I believe you have just a room for her.”

He grinned back at genya before nodding to himself.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“Close your eyes…” You gave aleksander a weary look as you closed your eyes.

“Don’t bump me into anything please..” You pleaded, making aleksander chuckle before gently taking your hands and guided you down a hall. “I’ll try, very big on the try..” he grinned as you scrunched your nose up.

“I wanted to show you something..” He led you inside his library. 

He left you in the middle of the room before moving to open the long curtains, you scrunched up as the light hit your face. 

Aleksander glanced around the room before nodding to himself, he turned back to you and smiled.

“You can open your eyes now.��� 

Slowly you blinked your eyes, lifting your hand, trying to adjust your eyes to the light.

You gasped as you looked around you, it was a filled library. 

“Oh my, it’s beautiful..” You admired the room, glancing everywhere.

“Then it’s yours, you can visit it anytime you want.” You glanced over to aleksander and gave him a smile.

“Thank you, this has to be the nicest thing someone’s done for me!” 

Aleksander watched you explore the room with a subtle smile on his face.

“She could be the one..” Feydor smiled at Genya, who leaned against the doorway as you led aleksander to a bookshelf.

“I hope it’s her, he looks happier with her near..” Genya smiled.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“Aww, he cares for her now!” The oldest girl grinned.

“A whole room?! For herself?” The youngest sat on their bed, mouth opened in shock at the drawing of the room.

“The girl and the beast slowly grew closer, even developing feelings, they would constantly be found in the library, the girl reading to the prince often. The girl had realized her new found feelings one day while the pair had gone on a walk through the palace grounds, the beast had given her his kefta to help keep her warm.” The storyteller smiled as the children were in awe of the story.

“The Beast had gladly accepted an invitation to have a dance with the girl. Each had spent hours preparing, knowing it'd be the night their feelings for one another would change. The girl had worn a beautiful ball gown chosen by genya.” The drawing on the paper had shown the girl in a black ball gown and her hair done.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“You clean up pretty well..” You teased aleksander as you walked down the steps into the ballroom.

“Well, you look beautiful in that dress. Genya has good taste..” You both smiled, aleksander bowed before you, in return you curtsied back before placing your hands on his shoulder and in his palm, letting him guide you both around.

You watched with a smile as the bottom of your dress swung around the floor.

You both looked at each other as you both danced around, you occasionally helped him with the dance.

“Just don’t get my toes.” You teased as he pulled you closer. “I’ll try to avoid them..” He chuckled, glading you both towards the big window where the moon hung perfectly.

You both stopped, your eyes going to the lit up sky, while Aleksander's eyes went to your bright eyes.

You glanced over and blushed as aleksander stared at you with a loving expression. You both leaned in closer to one another.

Holding your breath as you could feel his breath on your lips, both of you closing your eyes as you leaned in further.

You both stopped as a bunch of whispers came from the doorway. You both pulled away, chuckling and feeling flustered.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Aleksander stood in the corridor of the library and watched as you sat peacefully in front of the fireplace, reading and occasionally stopping to get a sip of tea Genya had brought you earlier.

As footsteps approached, you glanced up from your book and smiled at aleksander. “Hello, care to join me?” He nodded at your words, sitting down beside you.

“What’s this story about?” Aleksander questioned, scooting closer to you. 

“Maiden in the tower, it’s about this young girl who was kidnapped as a child, by this lady who was secretly thousands of years old. The girl had just found out she’s apparently her kingdom’s lost princess..” You explained the story as you turned the page to continue on.

As you read the reunion of the maiden and her family, Aleksander's eyes wandered from the page to the side of your face that held a bit of sadness.

He hated seeing you like that, knowing it was his fault you were separated from your family. Your eyes continued to move downwards across the page.

Aleksander sighed and placed his hand and lowered the book, gaining your attention.

“Y/n,” Aleksander sighed as he cut himself off.

“Yes?” You questioned, tilting your head a bit.

“I’ll let you return to your family on one last deal..” Your eyes widened at his words.

“What kind of deal?” You questioned, scooting closer to him.

“Promise you’ll never forget about me, I truly wished I had met you under different circumstances..” Aleksander sighed, placing his hand on your cheek, making you lean into his hand.

“I won’t, you were the first who put up with my “childish” self..” You teased, a few tears spilling from your eyes, realizing this was your goodbye. 

“Here, this is for you.” He handed you a small necklace with a small rose on it. You smiled at the necklace and put it on, before pouncing forwards and tackled him into a hug.

“I’ll always remember you aleksander.” You hugged him, making the beast grunt at the strength of your hug, he wrapped his arms around you one last time before letting you go.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You could hardly contain your enjoyment, after months of being apart, you’d finally get to be with your family, it did pain you to leave the palace and everyone behind.

As the horse trotted up to the house, you noticed the boarded up windows, you hopped off your horse and walked closer to the house.

Once closer the door swung open, revealing henry. He tugged you inside the house before hugging you.

The sound of the door had alerted the other, making them rush to see what had happened. “y/n..” Thomas said in disbelief.

You smiled and took off Aleksander's kefta and hung it on the coat rack. Unbeknown to you each of your brothers eyed your dress but stayed quiet.

Your eyes drifted towards the messy table, covered in maps, old food and weapons.

You scoffed and turned to your brothers. “Look at this mess, what are you doing with those weapons?” 

The youngest let out a scoff.

“Ask henry..” Tristan sighed, looking over to the oldest who huffed at him. “Be quiet and go back to your post.”

“My post?” He questioned.

“HIs post?” You looked at your brother with wide eyes before shaking your head.

“So, you’re playing general now, are you?” Tristan egged on.

“Enough, just go back over there.” Thomas sighed, stepping between the pair. 

“Stop taking sides, you big coward!” Thomas scoffed and went to swing but you and henry stopped both boys.

“Look at yourselves!” You called out to the pair, making them stop. “Here, y/n, follow me.” Henry said, walking up the stairs.

You followed shortly behind. Once on the top of the stairs, Henry gestured towards your sister's shared room.

You nodded and opened the door quietly. 

“I just know they’re going to sell us to dirty sailors to pay Henry's debt!” Anne said, groaning hidden behind their loveseat.

“We’ll just say we don’t know how to clean-!” Marie tried reassuring her but the pair froze as they heard your footsteps.

Marie’s eyes popped over the seat and quickly widened at the sight of you. 

“Anne…” Marie gasped out.

“What?” She whispered back, peeking her eyes over the seat too.

“it’s y/n’s ghost, she’s come back to haunt us!” Marie cried out. 

“Maybe we’re dreaming still?” Anne questioned, watching you intensely. “It’s not a dream, i’ve come back with one last message..my dear sisters i loved you both truly.” You played into their frantic state.

“Even dead, she’s pretty..” Marie whispered out. 

“I wanted you to know, i alway thought about you two..” You slowly walked closer to them.

“We thought about you everyday too!”

“It’s Anne's fault, she made me take your room..” Marie pointed subtly to the oldest sister.

You gasped and jumped on the loveseat in front of them. “You what?!” They screamed and jumped back.

You chuckled and looked at the both of them with a smile, “Where’s father?” You questioned, looking in between them.

“...since you left, he’s gotten incredibly tired, hasn’t woken up since..” Anne updated you.

You quickly rushed across the hall towards your father’s room.

You gasped as he laid in his bed, deeply asleep. You walked closer and held his hand.

“Father..I'm home now, you can wake up now..” You whispered to him, but nothing happened. 

You let your tears fall, you carefully laid your head beside his on the other pillow and cried as you hoped he’d wake up.

While you fell asleep upstairs, Henry picked off a golden shank button on Aleksander's kefta. “This is worth hundreds, i could sell this and rid us of my debt!” Henry smirked, placing the button in his pocket.

“Not that, I forbid you!” Tristan protested, standing in front of the door. Henry sighed and looked at Thomas, who looked away. Henry pulled the button from his pocket.

Henry nodded to himself and tossed the button and caught it, he swiftly punched Tristan, making him pass out, Thomas quickly caught the younger brother and dragged him away from the door, they both left him laying on the ground before walking outside.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You looked around and quickly spotted a glowing stag across the lake from where you stood.

“Look at her glossy coat..” You jumped and turned behind you to see the same group aleksander had hung out with in previous dreams.

“It’s finally her time.” One smirked, aleksander scoffed and raised a hand.

“She’s mine alright.” They all stepped back as he watched the animal move around before moving his hands.

The stag froze and looked in his direction before sprinting away.

Aleksander groaned before quickly chasing behind it.

You watched as the animal ran and was caught in the palace garden. You watched as aleksander stood in front of the others and hopped off his horse and walked closer to the animal.

He quickly raised his hands up and used the cut, at the moment it all had clicked in your head. 

You watched as the stag laid on the ground, aleksander approached the stag and quickly froze as the animal revealed itself, there laid luda, a severe cut on her stomach.

You gasped at the sight. “Luda!” Aleksander yelled, running towards her.

She laid on the ground, she slowly raised a hand up to his face and gave him a tired smile. “You didn’t know any better..aleksander.” She shakily inhaled.

Aleksander weeped as his wife died in his arms. “I didn’t mean for this to happen..” He held her close.

You noticed how the sky quickly turned gray and stormy.

“Saints, forgive him, for he didn’t know.” You watched as aleksander’s friends where attacked by volcra, you turned around to face aleksander and luda and watched as volcra started to swoop down and attack him, earing brutal scars to his face and exposed body.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Thomas and henry stood in the snowy forest, waiting for orion to arrive to make a deal.

“You are betraying y/n..” Thomas paced back and fourth.

“I’m saving us, she’ll understand.” Henry’s expresson was stoic as he looked around the forest.

Before thomas could say anymore, Orion rode up on his horse, his men following shortly behind.

“What are you doing here, I thought we were meeting at your little shabby shack.” Orion smirked at the brothers.

“I brought my handsome men for your sisters..” He motioned towards his men which were known as the towns laziest drunks. 

“I have a deal to make with you.” Henry dug the button out of his pocket.

“No more deals with you..” Orion sneered.

As orion and his men went to leave, henry moved towards them more.

“I’ll give you my sister..” Thomas froze at his brother’s words.

Orion turned to face henry, a smirk on his face. “Which sister are you talking about?” 

Henry swallowed harshly, “Y/n, my family’s youngest.” he cringed as orion let out a joyus laugh.

“Perhaps, your sister could pay your debt.” 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You woke up sweating, you looked around the room and saw your father still asleep beside you, yelling came from the bottom floor.

You quickly got yourself together before walking odwnstairs and froze at the sight of orion who sat comfortably on the small couch, his filthy hands admiring your previously worn kefta.

“Ah, my bride is awake.” 

Your blood ran cold at his words. “Bride?” You questioned. 

Henry walked towards you, moving form where he stood against a wooden pole. 

“You are to be orion’s bride to pay for this family’s debt.” henry gently grabbed your arm, you quickly yanked yourself away from him, orion scoffed and stood up from the couch and stepped closer to you.

“I refuse!” You backed up and bumped into thomas who had a stoic look on his face as he pushed you into orion’s arms.

“Not your choice!” Orion snarled in your ear as he brushed back your hair, making you cringe.

Thomas’ eyes grew wide as a glow from your necklace lit up before dying down to a slight glimmer.

“The forest..” a gruff voiced whispered, making you looked around the room and noticed the lack of orion’s men inside and out.

You took a deep breath before elbowing orion’s nose before running to your horse outside.

“That bitch!” Orion groaned, following you outside as you rode off into the forest.

You shuttered as you rode deeper into the cold forest. The sounds of horses flooded your ears as you glanced up and saw orion and his men.

In a panic, you leaned into the horse’s ear and whispered. “More than life itself.”  You leaned back and watched as the pathed opened up, you ducked as the horse sped up and ran through the prickly tress and frozen land.

As you approached the front, you eagerly hopped off your horse and ran to aleksander who stood outside the palace doors, almost if he was waiting.

He held you tightly as you huffed, tired of the journey back.

“I’ll keep you safe.” He told you, a scared hand brushing over the back of your head in comfort. 

“There she is!” A voiced called out, making you jump as an arrow missed you both. Aleksander quickly lead you into the palace, you noticed the amount of people in the entrance, waiting for aleksander’s command.

“Looks like we have un wanted visitors, take care of them.” He commanded, leading you towards your room.

As you climbed the stairs to your room you caught a glance of aleksander’s grisha opening the palace doors to face the visitors.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“As the beast lead the girl away, gaston had managed to slip through the doors and followed the trail. Outside the palace, saffin commanded grisha to attack two men who approuched the stairs but pleaded for them to give mercy, the two men had kneelded and whispered a name that struck saffin’s soul.

Saffin had froze and got a look of the men and saw the similar features the two shared with the girl, she quickly allowed them to pass into the palace, once in the brothers soon found gaston’s trail.” The storyteller spoke, pausing to flip the page.

“I hate gaston!” The youngest girl pouted in her bed, arms crossed as she listened.

“Is he going to kill the beast?!” 

The storyteller chuckled before shrugging at the children.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

As you and aleksander walked into your room, you gasped as a knife deeply grazed aleksander’s side.

You looked behind his shoulder and saw orion not the far behind. 

You quickly knelt down to aleksander’s side to help aid his wound.

“You’ll be alright we just need to get you to the-!” You gasped as orion held you against himself, a blade against your neck. “Let her go.” Aleksander rasped out as he held his side in pain.

“What are you suppose to be? A lion? A kitten?” Orion taunted, holding the blad closer, the steel pressing into your neck. 

“I’ll kill you if you harm her.” Aleksander warned, you gasped as orion move you and himself into a corner of your room, using your body as a shield aleksander off. “Useless threats..” Orion chided aleksaner.

Before the pair could argue the door opened to your brothers, tristan and thomas who held their weapons in preperation. 

“Y/n!” Tristan said, frantic as he noticed your positon, being used as a shield to a beast.

Thomas pointed his weapon towards aleksander which made you thrust forward but was jerked back. “Don’t, he tried to protect me from orion!” You groaned as orion nicked your throat, making a droplet of blood fall to the floor.

A red rosed blossomed from the bloodstain, you looked at aleksander who’s eyes followed the blooddroplet before lunging at orion, pushing you away and into your brothers side.

You hit you head on the floor but you looked in time to see aleksander use the cut on orion, who before being killed thrusted his blade into aleksander’s stomach, making him crumple over.

You quickly scrambled to aleksander’s side as he laid on the floor, holding his stomach.

“No, no, no, this came happen.” You whispered to yourself as you placed his head into your lap. 

He coughed, blood staining his teeth, you sobbed as he let out a ragged breath. “You can’t die, you can’t..” You cried as he slowly raised his hand to your cheek and smiled as he brushed hair away, aleksander wanted to make sure his last moments were of his last love.

You watched as his breathing slowled down and his eyes got heavier. “Aleksander?” You tapped his cheek twice but no response, you fell forward and weeped.

In the corner of you tears, you saw a trail of glowing light leading toward’s the small pond of water, quickly connecting the dots you lifted yourself up and turned to your brothers who watched in pity as you cried for your lover.

“Help me, please.” You pleaded, thomas and tristan quickly tossed aside their weapons and helped lift aleksander into the pond, you placed your forehead against the edge and pleaded to the saints as he was submerged. The glow surround aleksander’s body.

Your brothers watched in shock as aleksadner’s scars slowly washed off under the water, his wounds began to heal closed. 

Aleksander slowly opened his eyes and looked around in shock, he was alive once more.

He smiled softly as you whispered for him to be healed, he leaned closer. “I believe we’ve missed dinner.” 

You gasped at his voice, quickly raising your head and smiled as he looked back at you, healed from any scars. “You’re alive!” You cried out, hugging him tightly, not caring if your gown got wet.

“Always alive for you.” He grinned, embracing you tightly.

On the outside, the palace overgrown look had started to vanish, the garden being washed over by a wave of light, genya looked up and smiled as she saw the vines on the palace vanish, you had broke their curse to the palace.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You smiled as you and aleksander stepped out onto the ballroom floor, surrounded by other couples.

“Certian as the sun,

Rising in the east

Tale as old as time,

Song as old as rhyme,

Beauty and the beast”

You smiled at aleksander as you both danced. “What is it? Do i have something on my face?” He quickly rised his hand to wipe his beard, making you smile and laugh.

“Is it bad, i want to have your scratched up face again?” Aleksander’s eyebrows rose up at your words.

“Oh? Is that how it is wife?” He snickered, drawing you in close to kiss your cheek.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“They couple had gotten married and had a huge wedding, y/n’s sisters had found husbands amongst aleksander’s grisha, henry had apologized to y/n and aleksander which after a few years they made up. Tristan had taken up being a guard for his sister, and thomas had gone on to write books, several for his children and nieces and nephews!” 

“It’s over?” The youngest boy questioned. 

“Sadly, but I say they lived happily ever after..” The storyteller grinned at the children.

“Genya looks like ms saffin from the book!” a flicker of the lights made the kids turn to the door where you stood with a grin.

“Bedtime check, goodnight munchkins!” You grinned as your nieces and nephews all said goodnight to you and genya before settling down, as you closed the door you heard them talking about the story to each other as a bedtime talk.

“Thank you again genya!” You thanks the woman who smiled and shook her head. “I have to get practice for the newst member.” SHe winked at you before walking to her quarters.

You quietly walked towards your bedroom on the top floor, You quietly opened the door and smiled at the sight.

“Mommy!” Your little boy squealed flinging himself at you from the bed. “My loves!” You smiled as aleksander walked into your bedroom his hands behind his back. “What are you hiding?” You questioned, making aleksander grin as he pulled out a red rose and handed it to you. “Fresh from your garden.”

“Thank you but i believe the garden full of roses are enough of your affection for me.” You teased, kissing aleksander.

As you and aleksander slid into bed with your son in between you all talked for a bit before he asked for a story. 

“Alright, i’m a bit rusty so apologiges but, once upon a time there was a rich merchant.” You smiled at the story and snuggled into the blanket as aleksander sat up to tell the story to your son.

[jaidens]

He Got That Boyish Look That I Like In A Man

pairing [s] : daniel larusso x reader

warning [s] : nothing! | this really sucks 😭 I just wanted to release something cuz I've been lacking on yall

a/n [s] : requests are open! [ALSO! should I challenge things? like flufftober??]

Whenever your job offers you a raise to become an Automotive Director of Engineering for the dealership in Reseda, California you take it without warning. In an attempt to get away from slushy winters in the small state of Connecticut, you moved swiftly to a small apartment with lovely neighbors and a new life. You had been to California on some vacations with family, but living here had never crossed your mind.

You walk into your office that smells like fresh paint and cleaner, and set your books and purse down on the dark-oak table. The company had hired some individuals to work for you, which felt weird to say, as you used to be the same person. Your assistant walks in with a tap on your glass door, and she walks in. “Hey! I’m Shannon. Anything you need, I'll be across the hall. I've already started on the connections with Toyota and Nissan!”

You smile at her and shake her hand that she was holding out for you. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Y/N L/N, but I assume you already know that!” You laugh and let go of her hand to hide any awkwardness and anxiety you had about being in such a high position.

“Okay well, I'll see you! And, someone has already set up a meeting with you!” Shannon says before walking away and shutting the door behind her.

You rub sweaty hands against your clothes and turn on your heels. The air-conditioning rumbles on and you wrap the small cardigan you had brought around you and begin staring at the paperwork that was placed in front of you. You start the work: scribbling works and many, many signatures with red pens and black pens. A knock is gentle against your door and you look up, and see Shannon and a very recognizable man standing there in a Navy suit and a smile on his face.

“This is Mr. Daniel Larusso. He owns Larusso auto parts and he said he wants to speak with you,” Shannon says, pushing her glasses up her nose and walking away.

The name sends a shiver down your spine as you hear it, and the face is suddenly very recognizable. The fateful summer vacation of 1986, fifteen-years old and young, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

You're sitting on the bench near the beach in a swimsuit and a big t-shirt, peeling through the boom. you had brought to your family vacation. Your family is on the beach setting up the tent and towels all across it to mark the place on the beach. The warm sun heats your skin up as you lay against the bench and continue flipping through your book that suddenly becomes boring.

A tan boy emerges from the water in orange trunks and black hair slicked back with salt water. An older and shorter man follows him up the coast and talks to him. You stare at him with your eyes following each of the tan’s movements. He notices your staring as he stares right back at you, eyes piercing into yours deliciously. His smile exposes his teeth and he knocks his head to the side and waves at you. The older man slaps the side of his head and scolds him.

You laugh at him before he tells the older man something then jogs over to you. His warm skin is a bronzy, and you swear there were twinkles of gold mixed in his skin shining against the light. “Hey, I’m Daniel. What are you reading?” The New Jersey accent rings out and you can't help but feel warmer.

“Oh some dumb romance. My name is Y/N, it's nice to meet you Daniel. Is that your Grandfather?” You cover your book up subconsciously to attempt to not get embarrassed, and point at the older man who seems weirdly angry next to the old car from the 40s.

Daniel shakes his head in response. “No, no. That’s Mr. Miyagi, he's my karate sensei. Is your book good?” He asks and you nod at his explanation, showing him you agreed.

“Yeah, my book is pretty good. You like karate? That's pretty awesome.” You tell Daniel and stare into his eyes. They're a soft, dark brown with a puppy-look inside of them. He looks your age, as he gets thrown a West Valley High soccer shirt that's bigger than him as he shrugs it on over his shoulders.

Daniel leaves with the older man after inviting you to the beach for a party held by the Football team and Cheer Team. You showed up in a baggy sweater and a pair of shorts. Daniel waved at you whenever he saw you, as he kicks around a soccer ball impressively on his two legs. You walk over to him and he laughs and kicks the ball over to you, and you catch it and throw it back to him with a shared laugh with him.

He sits down in the sand and you scoot closer to him. You're handed some hotdogs and sticks to cook over the fires made on the beach. You start one and hold a conversation about where you're from, why you were visiting, etc. The conversation was long, and filled with laughter and glances held longer than usual. Daniel handed you a drink and you declined, and he didn't drink as well.

You and Daniel just talk; it feels quite amazing. You haven't had a conversation like that in a long time, but everything falls out and you let your hand fall into his as you star-gaze further away from everyone else who was drunk and half-a drink away from throwing up on the beach. You almost find yourself staring at him more than the stars, admiring him underneath the full moon and stars. He looks beautiful both times: morning and night.

How are you supposed to leave Reseda and not think about Daniel when you leave back to Connecticut?

“I’m Y/N L/N, nice to see you again.”

[uzumaki-rebellion]

“The Offering” Part 2 of 3 (A Namor of Talokan Fic)

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Summary:

Lebadi has embarked on a two-year secret love affair with K'uk'ulkan on the high seas with a Wakandan houseboat she purchased for their clandestine hook-ups. All is well until their union is discovered.

NSFW. Smut. 18+. (6,254 words) Namor x Black Female OC

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"Baby, baby, baby… "

Evil Needle & Sivey—"Baby"

He liked to kneel before her and kiss her belly button first.

The indentation on her lower stomach seemed to be his activation button for Lebadi and she loved to stand over him, weaving her fingers into his soft black curls that crowned loosely around his scalp, still moist from the sea. The tip of his warm tongue dipped in and out and when he kissed the skin around her belly piercing, his dark brown eyes never left hers.

That was his way… always.

Touch. Kiss. Gaze up at her. Kiss again. Lick. Stare deep into her soul before sucking and tasting again, lowering his head to her sopping folds that plumped and bloomed open, revealing the sticky pink entrance to paradise. She learned over the two years of their forbidden courtship that he used those dark eyes to claim ownership of her. Every part of her. Cloying… fiery at times, and oh, so sensual, the sloe-eyed gaze of K'uk'ulkan demanded obedience. Submission.

She gave in.

The loss of will had her leasing a small houseboat in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Staying on the water was the only way to keep their liaison a secret from her world. He couldn't come on land without alarming her people, and she couldn't go down into his depths either, so they were forced to meet in the middle far off the Umkhombe Coast.

Anticipating his arrival was always the best part of their unions. She'd dance seductively on the deck, playing the erotic sounds of her favorite joot band, a style of Wakandan music that mixed instrumental sounds with dubbed vocalizations that played with the human voice in strange ways to evoke a hypnotic, romantic mood. Draped in a sheer azure cover-up with nothing else underneath except for a gold-hooped belly chain with matching bracelets on her wrists, Lebadi cranked up the swirling sounds and gyrated her hips with the syncopated rhythms. Tapping her bare feet on the deck with her arms dancing in the air, she snaked her body with sultry rolls of her hips to tease him from the sea.

Sipping on honey wine, she'd grab a handful of a mixture made from dried flower petals, spiced herbs, and brown sugar to rub against her shaved mound so that the scent of her juicy pussy was added. She called it her love offering and sprinkled it into the ocean, helping to entice his arrival sooner.

It always worked.

Humming and swiveling her loose hips, her eyes followed the line of the horizon illuminated by silver moonlight, waiting for the waters to part as her offering sank below the surface.

There!

A ripple breaking the tranquil ocean that grew into a wave rising to the starlight, his taut form bursting through a mountain of dark liquid, wings fluttering… behold… K'uk'ulkan. He flew high above Lebadi's line of sight, floating gently on a balmy breeze toward her, his dashing eyes never leaving her face.

Lebadi danced, twining her arms with slow sinuous motions that gestured for his company. When he landed next to her, she parted her sheer covering and fingered her folds, sharing glimpses of her wet arousal glistening like dew on a gossamer web across her fingertips.

"Namor…" she purred.

He closed his eyes and his nostrils flared, taking in the sweet odor of her swollen folds.

Down he went, on his knees, clasping desperate fingers on her graceful hips.

"In yaakunaj…" he murmured, sliding a fat wet tongue across her stomach before pushing his entire face into her pussy.

"Show me how much you love me, then," she replied with breathless abandon.

"Ch'ujuk," he whispered.

Sweet. That's what she tasted like to him. She kept that pussy sweet and delicious, like a ripe mango, eating plenty of fresh fruit and honey before traveling to see him.

Hot kisses slathered her clit with saliva and his mouth wasted very little time becoming reacquainted with what belonged to him. He sucked and licked her delicate parts, tracing wet silhouettes with an artful tongue tip. She gasped out loud, holding back her release until he told her she had permission to do so.

Standing up, Namor peeled off his skintight shorts, and she helped him unfasten his choker necklace. Tossing it on one of the bolted chairs set up for deep-sea fishing, he led her into the interior of the boat where the luxury stateroom awaited their in-depth union. He slid his fingers on the pearl clasps of her cover-up and pulled it off. Slanting his head to align his mouth with hers properly, his warm belly rested upright against hers, turning their bodies into writhing, serpentine creatures yearning to become one flesh… one being.

The interlocking of their tongues breathed life into her clit and it came alive between her thighs, thumping a staccato rhythm that made her pussy throb in anticipation for deep-rooted dick that would take her far beyond her stimulated senses.

Lebadi dropped to her knees and engulfed his thickening length into her greedy mouth, slurping his dick like it was the last bit of nourishment she would ever have between her full lips. Her neck worked his girth as it stretched her lascivious mouth, making her cheek and jaw muscles exhausted from handling such a thick erection. She made his dick shiny and licked around the head where pre-cum spilled all over her tongue. Namor tasted like the sea and promises of something smoky and rich that she couldn't get enough of. He threaded his fingers through her textured hair, twisting into the heavy locs securely before yanking her head back so her eyes stayed fixed on his face. Fisting his dick, he pressed it against her painted lush mouth, forcing her to lick away the spewing of clear arousal that had his lips twisted up with pleasure.

The man his people called K'uk'ulkan hated surface dwellers.

But he loved her.

The cognitive dissonance was never lost on Lebadi, even with all the libidinous, erotic things he did to her wanton body. She became a willing concubine under his magic touch. He was unpredictable. Dangerous. Irresistible. Their forbidden love was an addiction she couldn't be without. They were both from cultures that prided themselves on secrecy and discretion. Being practically invisible to the rest of mankind kept their people safe… and yet, they chose to be reckless with one another. It made their love illicit and delicious.

His fingers grazed against her cheek as a clap of thunder boomed above them.

"K'iibal cháak," he said. "The thunder… it will bring a strong rain."

"There was a ring around the moon. It won't rain until three days from now," she said.

He sniffed the air.

"Sáamal," he said.

Tomorrow. It would rain sooner than what the gauzy, reddish ring of light around the moon told her. Rain meant poor weather on the water, no lazy day of sunshine, and swimming with him in the open ocean.

He lifted her in his arms and placed her lovingly on the berth they would share. His dick pointed at her with a raging hardness that needed careful tending. She parted her thighs and used her fingers to push open her folds for him. The thick vein on the top of his erection showed the severity of his need. His slit wept pearls of pre-cum onto the berth. His regal bearing looked mystical in the low candlelight she had illuminating the quarters. He crawled onto the bedding and wedged himself between her legs. Gripping the heft of his dick securely, he twisted his fingers under the thick ridge of his frenulum and pushed the wide tip against her slick opening. Her pussy throbbed, letting him see the pink entrance wink open. The sight of it excited him more, and he held his slit closer to her as sizzling ropes of thick cum shot all over her, drenching her folds. It was so hot that she hissed with the intense feeling, wanting more. He gave it, cumming all over her clit, drowning it with a whiteness as creamy as icing on a cake. Namor groaned out loud and aimed his release toward her stomach, where warmer streaks painted her dark brown skin, pooling into her belly button before turning clear and messy all over.

Lebadi whimpered and played with his cum across her vulva. She spanked her glossy folds and Namor growled with pleasure deep inside his throat. Fingering her pussy, she licked his cum off of each fingertip like it was a sugary glaze. He dipped his finger into the sticky heat and traced it along her lips until she swallowed it all. Pushing her legs open wider, he parted the curtains of her inner lips and penetrated the deepest part of Lebadi, forcing the whimpers of happiness to ring in his ears, ushering a pleased smile to his face that lit up his eyes as well. He cradled the side of her neck and pulled out, swiftly thrusting back in again to make sure he hit her spot just right and she clawed his back to let him know he made it.

Linking her ankles around his waist, she panted as he stroked her walls, seeking new pleasure points to rub against, plucking out heavy moans from her mouth. At one point, she couldn't even close her lips, the delicious tugging against her clit weakening her hold on his shoulders. Arching her back, she sought his right earlobe and bit the pointed tip that was so sensitive to the touch. Namor groaned and pistoned his hips faster, the soft wavy pubic hairs of his groin mingling with hers until everything was frothy and wet with sweat and her slickness. The friction caused her to pee a little from the pressure inside and out, but her lover didn't care. He accepted all offerings from her body, everything became lubrication and a sign that he was putting in the necessary work to please her.

The churning water outside couldn't create more waves like the ones he made between the joining of her thighs, fucking her until she was cross-eyed and the cultivated coils in her thick hair flattened. His lips tilted up at the corners like a crescent moon then, pleased with her breathy sighs and pleadings for more until a strange shadow clouded his dark eyes. He stared at her primrose pink opening surrounded by the rich raven brown of her vulva, adoring the contrast of colors her body created compared to his sun-drenched sienna brown. Licking the pebbled nipples on her breasts, Namor thrust forward and cried out her name, his orgasm transforming his face into such sublime beauty that Lebadi wept under him, breaking apart all over his sturdy length.

His warm sweat fell onto her and cooled within seconds. He stayed inside of her pussy, filling it with more cum until he was satisfied that she was sated from clenching all over him.

Namor rested his head on her breasts. His breathing became soft as she fingered his hair. They fell asleep together just as light raindrops fell outside, making a gentle patter on the houseboat's roof. Both of them had been wrong in predicting the weather. No matter, though. Their entangled bodies basked in the afterglow of lovemaking.

The rain splattered harder on the roof.

Lebadi woke up with Namor still asleep on her chest, looking all serene and cozy while she listened to the rainfall outside. The houseboat rocked on the water and she wondered if they should move more inland to avoid larger waves.

His body had cooled on top of hers, and she reached for a thin blanket to cover them.

She stopped.

They weren't alone.

The shadow of a person stood across from them in the stateroom. The candles had burned out, and the moon had shifted its position in the sky, making it difficult to see who watched the forbidden lovers sleep. Lebadi shook Namor awake and his senses went into overdrive immediately. He rose from the berth, blocking her body from the intruder.

"Ba'ax ka beetik?" said a muffled woman's voice in Namor's language.

Namor picked up a small lighter and held it against the wick of a large yellow candle resting on a small wooden dresser. He spoke to the woman with an irritated tone.

"Táan in chan weele'—"

"Jach u yoojel tuus," the woman replied.

Namor flung a dismissive wave of his hand to the stranger and she lunged for him, coming into the light. Most of her face was covered with what looked like a green and blue turtle shell. Her skin was a pale blue color, too, a sharp contrast to the dark wet hair that hung past her shoulders. She had eyes like Namor's. Intense and angry.

"Ko'x!" the woman shouted, grabbing Namor's arm.

He shoved her back and Lebadi jumped out of the berth, grabbing for a pair of panties and a tank top lying across a chair.

"Is this your wife?!" Lebadi screamed, more embarrassed than angry.

Namor lowered his head before shaking it.

"She is not my wife… eetbak'el… same family… my cousin. Namora."

Namora tilted her head and stared at Lebadi with narrowed eyes. Her voice sounded guttural and mean.

"Bix a k'aaba teech?" Namora spat out.

"Do not answer her," Namor said.

Lebadi held her own name on her tongue as Namor commanded. Namora took a closer step, and she moved behind Namor for protection.

"I can't tell you my name," Lebadi said.

"Ma' tu na'tik," Namor said.

"She doesn't understand for real, or are you just saying that to fool me?" Lebadi asked.

Namor grabbed Namora's arm and pulled her outside onto the open deck while still naked, sliding the door shut behind him. Lebadi waited on the berth and listened to them argue. Their passionate voices raged with loud aggression for over an hour. When silence prevailed, she opened the door and stepped out to check on him. The rain had tapered down to a light drizzle, despite the grouping of menacing gray clouds at least a mile away in the sky.

Namora sat on one of the fishing chairs and Namor sat next to her on the other one. Lebadi reached into a cooler near the sliding door and pulled out two bottled waters. She handed one to Namora.

"Uk'ahech? A k'át uk'ul?" Lebadi asked, hoping she pronounced the words 'thirsty' and 'drink' correctly without starting a war of words between the cousins again.

Namora shook her head and waved her hand.

"She can only drink underwater. She can't breathe up here," Namor said.

"Oh," Lebadi said.

She put the bottles back in the cooler and stood near Namor.

"Is everything okay? Why is she so upset?" Lebadi said.

Namor reached for her hand and threaded his fingers with hers. Namora jerked her head away as if the show of affection disgusted her.

"What is going on?" Lebadi asked.

Namora reached for a reed-thin necklace that looked like it was made from an abalone shell. She blew on it, but no sound came out that Lebadi could hear. His cousin dashed from the chair, leaping onto the upper edge of the vessel with her arms bowed to dive into the cold depths. Namor flew so fast that he caught Namora in mid-air before she even touched a curling whitecap. The wings on his ankles carried them high above the houseboat. Lebadi watched Namora struggle in Namor's powerful grip.

In the water, a blast of air from a blowhole caught her attention. An orca with a massive dorsal fin circled the houseboat as the Talokanil fought above it. Namor dropped Namora into the ocean with a loud splash and the orca swam to her.

"Namora!" Namor shouted down to her.

Namora threw one arm around the dorsal fin and pointed at her cousin with the other.

"Sáamal!" Namora shouted and the orca dove under a wave, allowing the sea to swallow them up.

A crack of thunder boomed, and bright swords of lightning clashed together, brightening up the sky, and transforming her lover into a deity lost to the world floating above her. Lebadi rubbed her arms as a fresh shower of rain poured down. Shaking her damp hair, she returned to the stateroom and changed into a warm robe. She used a towel to dry her tresses that clumped up into tight spongy curls. Namor met her in the small kitchenette and watched her make a fresh cup of ground Jabari Mountain coffee. She offered him some, but he turned her down, studying her face for a long time.

"Why did she come here? And why did she mention tomorrow?" Lebadi asked.

"She has seen me like this before."

"Like what?"

"In love."

Lebadi mixed sugar in with her coffee and sipped it with her back against the stove.

"So I'm not your first surface dweller girlfriend?"

"You are."

"Have you been married? Have children?"

"You never asked me things like that before."

"Because this has been a fun fantasy while we were alone. Someone knows about us now… and I realize we are really strangers. Fuck buddies."

Namor slid his hand around her neck and brought her lips to his, sliding his tongue out before they connected. He sucked on her probing tongue and did the same to her lips, forcing waves to tumble in her stomach. His kisses were always slow and demanding. The man knew her weakness with him. She pushed him back.

"I want to know more about you, Namor. Will we just hook up on the ocean every three months when you make time for me?"

"We are not what you say… fuck buddies."

"Answer my question. Have you ever been married?"

"I have."

"What happened?"

"She died."

"Did you have children with her?"

"I did. They died too."

"How?"

"They grew old and died."

Lebadi blinked her eyes a few times and tilted her head as if that made the understanding easier.

"What do you mean? How old were they?"

He moved away from her and lowered his head, contemplating his answer.

"Namor?" she said.

"My wife lived to be ninety-eight. My daughter eighty-one… and my son… seventy-nine."

"I don't understand, you… you're close to my age. How do you have children older than you?"

"Lebadi… I have lived for nearly five centuries."

Lebadi laughed and threw up her hands, turning away from the bullshit. A warm hand slid up her thin robe and held her shoulder. Namor turned her to face him.

"I am telling you the truth—"

"You told me you were a mutant. That explained the wings and your other abilities… but now you're an immortal?"

"How do you think I know your language and so many others? There was a time when your people were not so secretive."

His eyes challenged her to doubt him. She couldn't. He could fly. Breathe underwater. Had the strength of many men, and could summon creatures from the deep.

"My people named me after an ancient god. They believe I am the return of him and I have cared for them like they were my very own children. I have lived many lifetimes under the deepest parts of the sea and lost more than one family. Colonizers have brought pestilence to my people… stolen land… destroyed so much. They continue to do so, all over the world-"

"If you hate surface dwellers so much, why come to me? You could've left me alone after that first time we met."

"I could not forget you… could not keep you from my mind. Your people are like my own. They want nothing to do with the outside world, and that makes you different."

"What are saying? You want to live a lifetime with me, too?"

Lebadi held her breath inside her chest. She curled her hands between her breasts and Namor cuddled her in his arms, peppering her face with tiny kisses.

"Namora is angry because she doesn't want me to hurt anymore. She has been alive long enough to know my last wife and the pain it caused me to lose her. After my first wife passed, I stopped having children. I had two more wives after her, and I made a vow to take care of my people and never have a woman again. Until you. My love for you clouds my eyes every day that I am by your side," he said.

Lebadi's eyes welled up, and he kissed away the tears that dropped like rain onto her cheeks.

"You are worth the pain… teech k'abéet ti'teen—"

"I need you too, but this is so much to take in all at once," she said.

"Tell me you love me."

She pressed her forehead against his.

"In k'áatech," she whispered into his parted lips.

The edges of his mouth ticked up into a smile, and he spanked her backside, making it jiggle. He rubbed on her bottom, lifting and separating the round mounds in his hands, squeezing them to enjoy the softness.

"Take this off," he said, fingering the top of the robe.

She undid the belt, and he circled her waist, lifting her up on her toes, his warm naked body evaporating the rain from his skin as it absorbed her heat too.

"Namor, what happens tomorrow?" she said.

"Namora will come back."

"For what?"

He walked her backward on her toes toward the stateroom. She pressed down on her heels to stop him.

"I don't want to talk about that now. Let me love you, Lebadi… your skin is like honey in my mouth, I want to lick all over your body…"

He nuzzled the side of her neck where fleshy immortal lips sucked and kissed chills down her spine and into her toes.

"Let me love you," he said.

She gave in, as he knew she would.

His morning loving was as good as his nighttime lust.

With her head down and her ass up in the air, he took her with long strokes from the back as she rested her head on a pillow at an angle where she could watch his face. His lips quirked up with tension and his right palm pressed down into her lower back. Her pussy squelched and became a gushy ride. Namor slapped her rump hard and used his right hand to palm her left ass cheek as he glared down at her throwing it back on him with frisky twists of her waist. He glanced at her face as if to question what right she had to have a pussy that good on his dick. She arched her back further, and he cursed at her with words that were too filthy for him to translate into Wakandan.

"Fuck me…" he panted.

"I know you like that," she grunted, shifting her hips and widening her thighs to let him sink deeper.

His fingers slid to her hips, and he gripped the supple flesh to anchor himself. He gave quick thrusts that just rested at the entrance of her pussy and she pouted, needing all of his thickness to make her feel full and stretched. Her toes lifted and teased the feathers on his ankles at the quill, which was highly sensitive to touch like the tips of his ears, stimulating another part of his erogenous zones that she liked to play with on his body.

"Fuck my pussy… s'good baby…," Lebadi moaned as she bit into the twisted, sweaty sheets.

Namor teased her entrance until she whimpered his name and he plunged into her, cumming while he did. He drenched her walls, then pulled his fat dick back out and ejaculated onto her ass and back before stretching her out again. His cum painted her walls with creamy warmth. He reached around and played with her clit, two of his fingers strumming a love language that only her stimulated nerves could translate. It was enough of a conversation to have her walls throb back with an answer. She squealed with pleasure and he laughed with obvious delight.

Afterward, they went for a swim.

The sky had cleared up enough to let a few rays of sunshine peek through. He dived below with fish netting and left her alone on the boat for an hour, returning with swordfish, shrimp, and mussels for them to enjoy at lunch. He cleaned and prepared the seafood. She seasoned and cooked it. They ate with their fingers and she showed him how to eat sticky yellow rice balls with a soft fermented flatbread that she made the day before. Namor liked the sour, porous texture of the bread, stuffing it down his throat with the fish tea she made from the swordfish.

Later in the afternoon, they moved the houseboat to another area when the water became choppy and unpleasant. Sleeping nude on lounge chairs, Namor watched her skin darken into a rich mahogany hue. He made her lay on top of him so he could run his hands all across her back and ass, fingering her pussy from behind until she came all over his hand with a sticky release.

Lebadi took a nap inside the stateroom for a few hours. She needed to recharge from a day of lovemaking and eating well. Waking up alone, she found several loose mothers of pearls wrapped in a large seaweed leaf fresh from deep sea oysters. Smelling the odor of good cooking, she rose naked and joined Namor in the kitchenette. He stirred a thin soup of clam meat that she liked for dinner. Holding up a spoon for her, she tasted it.

"Good… ooh, and hot," she said, waving her hand in front of her open mouth to cool the soup on her tongue.

The sun was low in the sky, announcing a gorgeous sunset that saturated the ocean backdrop with blazing red and deep mauve.

"Oh, shit!" she said, rushing back to the stateroom and changing into a short azure blue tunic over a bikini bottom. She dug into one of her travel bags soon after.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She strode back into the kitchen, clutching a small sachet of her annual offering to Mama Wati. Bypassing the beach and surfing with friends again in Birnin S'Yan that year, she wanted to honor the mother of the sea with Namor by her side.

"Come," she enthused, tugging on his hand to follow her.

Lebadi prayed over the small bundle before untying it and dropping some of the mixture into the sea. She gave the rest to Namor, and he sprinkled it with amusement.

"This god brings you joy?" he asked.

"She does."

He touched her hair, which had shrunk up into tightly coiled spirals from the seawater. She twirled a thick lock of hair and stretched out its length, letting it bounce back into place.

"Children in Wakanda who are born with extra curly hair, like me, are said to be children of the sea. My grandmother was a child of the sea, and so was her grandmother before her. I come from a long line of Mama Wati babies!"

Namor leaned over and kissed her cheek, then held her face with both hands to kiss her longer. She was about to wrap her arms around the nape of his neck when the houseboat listed to one side, knocking them off balance. Namor flew with her a few feet above the deck to keep her from falling. The surge of water lifted the boat and brought it back down roughly, and from Namor's arms, Lebadi witnessed a pod of humpback whales breach the surface and rock the houseboat even more.

"K'uk'ulkan!"

Namora called to him as she pulled herself up onto the back of the closest whale. Namor put Lebadi back on the houseboat and two tall Talokanil men climbed onto the boat, giving her menacing looks. Namor barked orders to them and the men stopped moving, watching their god fly onto a whale to confront Namora. There was no reasoning with Namora and she leaped onto the boat and grabbed Lebadi by the throat, tossing her far over the side. The icy splash punched into Lebadi's back as the dark waters covered her face. She held her breath, watching the light from the surface fade from dark blue to rising ebony the deeper she went down. Flailing her arms, she tried to swim back to the surface, her lung capacity helped by her years of surfing and having giant waves crash over her before she could get more air. Her loose tunic floated above her, tangling her arms and covering her face. She pulled it off and pushed her arms to her sides, swiping away the weight of water crushing her.

Kicking her legs, Lebadi's ascent was thwarted by another Talokanil woman below her, who grabbed her ankle and dragged her further below. Seconds later, Namora was upon her, her hands choking the life out of Lebadi. Bubbles rose out of her mouth and she became woozy from the lack of oxygen in her lungs. She almost blacked out to the haunting, melodious sounds of whale song, until Namor fought off his cousin and the other woman to drag her away. Lebadi noticed a great number of his people holding spears and hugged up close to the whales, using them as living ships to travel on.

Namor burst through a wave and flew Lebadi to the houseboat. The rage on his face frightened her and he screamed at his people. Most stood on top of the whales wearing the same breathing apparatus Namora had to use above the surface.

Namor pulled Lebadi behind him and faced his people. Rapid-fire conversations ricocheted around them as she tried to pick out any words that she knew from being with Namor. It was clear to her that the posse revered him even as they pressed to retrieve him, but his actions upset them. She upset them by claiming his heart.

Namora had a pleading quality to her voice, and it softened Namor. He kept glancing back at Lebadi, and the longer his people spoke to him, she could see his body language changing. His shoulders slumped, and a light went out of his eyes. The voices grew louder, more incessant, and Namor threw his head back as if the stars above them had all the answers he needed. Then… they started singing to him.

Even the whales emitted sounds that Lebadi could feel flowing across her skin above the surface. The haunting melodies of the Talokanil mixed with the vibrations of the sea creatures they rode upon brought Lebadi to her knees. She wept from the pure beauty of it.

Namor looked down at her with a torn expression. Namora climbed back onto the boat and held her hands before him like the wide maw of a shark about to attack. The others made the same hand symbol toward him.

"Líik'ik Talokan!" Namora said.

Namor closed his eyes and Lebadi felt a trembling soul shift inside of him. Namora nodded her head and the other Talokanil on the houseboat dropped back down into the water. Namor sauntered over to Namora and held her face. Only their eyes spoke in a secret language they knew. He stroked his thumb across Namora's forehead and slowly flew up into the sky alone, raising out his arms.

One by one, the whales and the sea dwellers departed.

Namor came back to her side, and she knew.

It was over.

His people came first and she would become a lost footnote to the seductive antics of a foreign god who wanted to fuck a Wakandan woman for fun.

She ran from him, hot tears spilling in fat drops onto her arms as she wailed and beat her fists on the berth. He tried to comfort her, but she thrashed her body to get his hands off of her.

"Get out!" she shouted, burying her wet face. Snot and copious tears clogged up her nose and throat.

He wouldn't leave her side and stroked her back.

"You said I was worth the pain!"

"They are my children."

"I am your woman! They can have you forever, but I only get this one lifetime, Namor! Just this one!"

He pushed back the springy curls on her forehead. His soulful eyes bled into her spirit and she covered her face to hide all the pain that soaked her heart. Namor spooned around her and she wilted. Crying and pleading meant nothing. His duty to his own came first. Always.

They slept curled into one another. By daybreak, he was gone.

Lebadi ate leftover shrimp and rice for breakfast and tossed all the uneaten food into the sea. She started the quiet engine of the houseboat and programmed it to take her back to the Wakandan coast, where she would leave it at the marina rental space she kept for the past two years. Leaving the seaside was the best thing for her sanity.

Returning inland for good would help her forget.

Lebadi couldn't believe the message on her kimoyo beads.

Her former college roommate, Okoye, stared at her.

"Well, did you make it or not?" Okoye said.

Sitting inside an artsy café together, a table full of half-eaten shredded beef and coconut curried rice between them, Lebadi stared at the formal rejection of her application to the Dora Milaje corps.

"I was rejected," Lebadi said.

"Why?"

Okoye's voice went up an octave as she swiped the floating image of the document.

"I failed the physical apparently," Lebadi said.

"How? You seem fit to me… wait… what is that look for? Did you already know you would fail?"

"Not when I applied, but…"

"But what?"

Okoye nudged her wrist with her hand.

"Talk to me, Lebadi. We were supposed to tag-team in this thing."

"I know," Lebadi said. "I just failed. You'll have to become a Dora without me."

"Rhino shit! You always wanted this. We went to school purposely cultivating our education to prepare us. You did an internship in the palace for Bast's sake!"

Okoye lifted a finger to her lips.

"Call them and ask what happened. They have to give you specifics."

"No, they don't. I'm not qualified. I'll find something else to do."

"Like what?"

"I can be an executive assistant to a senator, or maybe a personal assistant to a Council Elder," Lebadi said.

Okoye's kimoyo beads glowed a neon blue.

"Dammit, I have to go. I'm picking up W'Kabi from his mother's house. His hovercraft was fixed at the shop finally."

"When is he going to buy proper transportation? He's had that hovercraft since he was in high school."

"You know how stubborn he is. He'll have that thing until he's an old man," Okoye joked.

She touched Lebadi's hand again.

"Do you want to go out for drinks later? Talk some more? I feel terrible about this news."

"No, go on and spend your evening with W'Kabi. I'll call you later if I find out anything more."

Lebadi didn't bother to stand up. She let Okoye bend over and kiss her temple before she dashed out to give the love of her life a ride to the bike shop. When Okoye was out of the café, Lebadi tapped her kimoyo again and swiped the second page of the form letter for the Dora Milaje corps. There was a listing of categories that could be checked off to explain why a candidate was rejected. The one that prevented her from becoming a Dora Milaje for that recruitment cycle was smack dab in the middle of the page.

Pregnancy.

Lebadi sighed and paid for the food by swiping her kimoyo beads over the dishes and stood up. The thick-layered skirt and jacket she had on barely concealed the baby bump sprouting from her middle. Four months along and she was already showing. Fatter in the face, too.

Walking alone in the downtown area of Birnin Zana, she turned her head to look over at the double palace. Okoye would get through Dora Milaje training easily. Her father was a lieutenant in the military and a decorated pilot. It didn't hurt that her mother was an interpreter for King T'Chaka Udaku either. The dream was for Okoye and Lebadi to protect royalty and travel with the king. She rubbed her belly and sighed. There were plans in place for her to live secluded in Birnin S'Yan and work discreetly as a monorail operator until the baby was born. No one knew she was carrying the seed of a foreigner, a mutant king who once said he loved her, but left her anyway. They had been careless with sex, and now she faced a daunting future.

What kind of child did he put inside of her?

Part 3 Finale HERE!

A.N.:

There will be a part 3! I’m working on several fics at once so be ready! And once I fnally see “Wakanda Forever” y’all in trouble!!!

Reminder:  I switched up the spelling of the actual Mami Wata to Mama Wati to give myself space to reshape my ancestor’s actual African/African Diaspora spiritual water being into a fictional Wakandan one.

[passionateseadruid]

broken beyond repair?

Summary:

It had been 65 years since you died and six months earlier you'd killed your husband. About 67 years ago you'd married the man who'd come to be known as Vox.

Notes:

Okay a few things: It has a slow intro but I promise it get's good. Not historically accurate also it takes place 2022 (Hazbin Hotel I'll say takes place 2024)

Cw: Abusive relationships, older man/younger woman, misogyny (well, it is from the 50s), pre canon, Vox’s (theorized) human name, also Valentino is mentioned.

Your parents smile at you as you look over the ticket to the set of JacxBox News. JaxcBox has several different television/radio shows but your favorite by far was the news channel. Now, don't get it twisted, the news is boring as hell (even back then (Back now?)); But the host has a sexy voice and the pictures of him in the newspaper made him look like an Adonis.

"Thank you Mama! Thank you Daddy!" You hug you parents (specifically your father).

"Molly Mayberry's parents had the idea to send you two girls to the see the live show." Your mother explains to you. Molly Mayberry; heiress to the Mayberry country club. She's been your best friend since you were five.

Your parents both worked to be able to afford the private school you went to, raising scorn and mockery from the rest of the community. See, you weren't rich but you were determined to change that. Someday you were going to marry a banker or a stock broker and you'd be able to set your parents up in a nice home maybe somewhere on the coast, and when they'd grow old you'd get them the nicest nurse your future husband's money could pay for.

"You mind if I call Molls? She's gonna be so jazzed." They nod and you flop down into the couch. You dial her number on the rotary, and hear it ring. "Hey! My parents just told me! So what are we gonna wear? Are we gonna match?" 

"Who cares about that! My daddy says we can use his new blue fliptop! Hummy and Angie are going to be so jealous when we see them at tennis." Angie "Hummy" Drew and Eliana Pheen make up the rest of your little clique. Hummy is a sweet girl but she isn't very bright (at least that's what everyone else says); she's often humming to herself as a way to calm herself or focus her mind on the task at hand. Her parents have tried everything they can to "fix" her, with no shortage of funds coming from her fathers jewelry company. Eliana on the other hand is the strongest and tallest girl in the graduating class of '53; her dad was a world-famous tennis player for the national Spain tennis team in his youth and won gold for them in the 1936 Olympics. Her dad had to take her mom’s last name when he came over to live here.

"Sounds like a jam."

"I know! I'm gonna meet Vincent Audire! Now don't be jealous when he absolutely falls for me." Molly giggles. She was the leader of your guys little clique and if she liked a boy the other girls weren't allowed to pursue him. Your pretty sure that every time you liked a guy she tried to snatch him away. Your not sure why you were friends. 

"He'll just adore you." You say supportively, despite the fact that it breaks your heart.

"Duh! Who wouldn't."

////////////////////////////////////////

It was a few days later and You and Molly sit in the audience and watch as the news is being recorded both on film and over the radio.

Vincent was a handsome man with dark, almost jet black, hair. He had there piercing blue eyes and a stunningly white smile. Your heart skips a beat every time he looks over at you two. Before the show he even winked in your direction. Of course Molly's sure it's for her. Why wouldn't it be. She's the one dressed to the nines in jewelry and a nice cherry red wiggle dress. She lent you some accessories to go with the dress you'd converted from an old poodle skirt Molly gave you into a petticoat. 

After the show was over Molly sent you away to "get her something from the snack table in the lounge" so she could go cozy up to Vincent.

It didn't work apparently because he shows up in the lounge 50 seconds after you finish scooping something up for Molly. 

"Hello sir." You smile at him.

"Hey doll. You come with that lady in the slim red dress? You two are rather young aren't you?"

"I don't s'pose so sir. We graduated just last week. Neither of us really fancy College. Molly's father prolly' gonna make her go to Radcliffe to meet one of those Harvard men. She's far more interested in you though sir."

"Oh really? What about you doll?"

"Me?" You ask surprised. "Well I s'pose I won't gonna go to college. I'll just marry one of Molly's father's friend's sons. Be a cute lil housewife, for a handsome rich man." You bat your lashes at him.

"Well that's probable for the best. Being a trophy wife suits someone of your skillset better than a housewife."

"And what do you mean by that sir?" You hesitate to ask. Oh if Molly saw you now she'd rip your head off.

"No one's being fooled by the botch job done on your dress. An old poodle skirt to a petticoat? You'd be better off using that pretty face of yours to please your husband." He ran one of his warm pale hands against your cheek. His knuckle feels alien yet comforting against you. "Doll. You wouldn't happen to be free tomorrow night would you?"

"I am."

"Would you want to go to my favorite restaurant with me? We could meet earlier and go get you something presentable."

"I'd love that, sir."

"Please Doll. Call me Vincent." He kisses your knuckles and walks off. "I'll meet you on boardwalk by the pier at noon." he says looking back. You nod and rush back to Molly with her snack.

////////////////////////////////////////

The next day he brought you around to a few fancy shops and bought you a tiki dress for dinner. He brought you out to this cute little Hawaiian Restaurant.  

Later that night as he was walking you back to your front door he leaned down and kissed you straight on the lips.

"How forward of you Vincent!" You blush. He chuckles and hands you the bags from the shopping trip.

"Here's my number. Call me tomorrow to set up our next date doll." He kisses your cheek and walks back to his car.

"Okay. Have a good night Vincent."

After your second date he asked you to go steady. He takes you out every weekend. This went on for a while and your friend noticed.

"Alright, what's going on?" Molly asks almost annoyed.

"I'm going steady with a boy." You smiled dreamily.

"Hm? What's he like?" Hummy bounces her leg as she asks interested.

"Get your head out of la la land and focus on the game!" Eliana shouts from across the court.

"Don't see why you're upset. You two are winning." Molly snarks. "She's right though. I wanna win this game."

"Molly, no one's ever won against Eliana." You point out.

"Papa has!" Eliana exclaims.

"Oh thank you Eliana, for correcting me that the only person who's ever beaten you is the world famous tennis champion who taught you." You roll your eyes.

////////////////////////////////////////

It had been about six months of going steady and no one has been aware of it. But one day he went on the news channel, his smile slightly forced as he announced that in about two months he'd be taking two weeks off to go on his honeymoon. He called you onto the set with him and introduced you to the world.

You don't fail to notice the tight grip he kept around your shoulder. You don't think that he's all to pleased about what you told him just the night before.

Neither was Molly when she saw you on the news channel that evening. She was screaming, throwing things around her room, and according to Hummy she even assaulted one of the help. 

You haven't seen Molly since you went on TV, but that wouldn't last long. She found you when you were out one day with Vincent.

"HOW COULD YOU!!" She charges at you and your Fiancé's bodyguard, Parker, steps in to protect you.

"Go back to the car Vincent I'll be there in a moment." He rolls his eyes but does as you say.

"You tramp! You knew how much I loved him!" Molly cries as tears stream down her face.

"I'm sorry Molly, but Vincent wants me."

"You... you really are dense! He doesn't want you! He wants an easy girl. He'll have his fun with you but in the end rich men will marry the daughters of other rich men."

"That's where you're wrong. I'm having his baby, that's why he put this rock on my hand."

She screams. She goes to pull on your hair but Parker steps up and in between the two of you. He escorts you back to the unpleased man in the black car.

////////////////////////////////////////

A year later you were living with a baby boy who absolutely adores you; and a husband how tosses you around like a used sock.

So here you sit. In the kitchen of your husband's mansion, feeding your beautiful baby; seeing as the help having the day off. 

Your husband Vincent isn't exactly the nicest man. You have no idea what happened to him. The day before you told him you were pregnant he was buying you flowers and dresses, taking you out for dinner and spoon feeding you 100 dollar parfaits. then the second you told him his mood shifted.

Molly was right, you know that now. Vincent wasn't the marrying type. However, if you'd gone public with the news of your pregnancy his carrier would be over. He had no choice but the marry you.

"Hello Junior, how's my big man today?" Vincent asks, ruffling the boys black locks. As much as he now hates you you're glad to see he holds no resentment towards his son. It almost made up for the times he'd get drunk and throw things, complaining how you'd ruined his life (though thankfully there were no mentions of his son in those arguments), or all the nights he'd leave you cold and alone in bed, coming home with tacky shades of lipstick all over him. Yes he loves his son, but his wife on the other hand...

"Doll. Where's my drink? I told you I wanted one an hour ago." His demanding voice cut you out of your thoughts.

"You're not getting a drink. I'm done being your servant." You mumble, gritting your teeth.

He rolls his eyes and snorts, "Okay. Doll get me my-" He cut himself off as he felt a searing blinding pain in his side. He looks back at you, the silver knife in your hands now stained with crimson. He pushed you to the floor and headed into the living room. He tripped as you locked the door to the patio and closed the blinds.

"Honey... let's..." he pants, "lets talk about this, okay? You don't have to do this. I'm... I'm so sorry. Look love, you don't have to worry... I won't tell anyone. We'll say a tripped and fell onto a blade in the garage. I still love you, doll."

You grab the whisky from the drink you were supposed to fix him and splash it all over him.

"For what it's worth, I'll always love you Vincent." You tip the TV over on him and watch as it shorted out and caught fire. You quickly grabbed your son and the two emergency bags you'd packed the night before for the two of you and snag the keys to the car. You'll get the hell out of dodge, wait for the fire to spread and come back to put on the helpless wife routine.

////////////////////////////////////////

You s'pose karma has a was of coming back to bite you in in the ass.

Only six month after you'd killed your husband your old friend Molly broke in and stabs you. Luckily Junior was away with your parents for the weekend.

////////////////////////////////////////

When you awoke in hell you woke up to simple jabbing pain in your arm. "Ow." You see a few kids poking at you with forks. they had gray skin and black eyes.

Instinctually you pulled a needle out of your hair and pointed it at them. You hit it straight into the ground which caught the attention of some adults. 

Some of them came up to you and you grab one and held the needle to their neck. "Everyone stay back, or the creepo gets it!" About five minutes later of you holding this man hostage and demanding safe passage to a safe haven a tall woman popped through the small crowd that formed. 

"What's going on here?" She asks clearly unpleased.

"Where am I? Who are you? What's going on?" You ask voice breaking as you speak, from fear or frustrated tears you're not sure. 

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that? You come to my town and start making demands like this, threatening my people."

"I don't want to! Those kids were poking me with a fork! I just... fear and adrenaline overtook me and now we're here. I just want to go home! I just want to see my baby boy again." Tears flowed from your eyes. 

"Tina, Tommy! We do not play with or pick at our food. And we also do not eat living people. 'Kay darlin', just let Frankie go and we can talk." You did as the taller woman asks. 

You still held the needle out just in case. "Darlin' I'm an overlord. A measly needle won't do you much good. The names Rosie. From what my people told me you got fast reflexes, and an itchin' to stab. We could use someone like that here." She wraps her arm around you. "You poor, poor thing. It's gonna be okay. Let Aunty Rosie take care of this mess. I'll explain everything to you but you gotta come with me. There are eyes and ears everywhere."

"You can say that again." She giggles at your little comment.

"Alastor will just adored you."

////////////////////////////////////////

It had been 65 years since you died and you'd been working for Rosie every day. You'd met Alastor on a handful of occasions and only briefly had conversations with him when you saw him. He was a nice enough fellow, albeit a bit spooky. Anyway back to your job for Rosie. You'd get requests from the cannibals and you'd go out and get them the meats they requested. Your Demonic power allowed you enhanced battle reflexes and speed as well as seeing where to get tools for different modes of murder and the steps to kill in different ways. Yes it was morbid but it kept a roof over your head and the sinners always grew back so it's not like it was really hurting anyone. While you hadn't sold your soul to her she basically owned you and protected you. It was nice to have someone who actually cared for you.

But that all came to a stop when you saw an add one day while walking back with your freshest orders. VoxTek with their signature slogan "Trust us... with your safety." The man on the screen, the voice telling you to trust him...

"Oh Vincent, what happened to you?" You stood there almost entranced as a voice called out form behind you.

"You happened to me." He placed his hands on your shoulders and you spun around and elbowed him in the stomach. "Oof! Okay doll, I see you wanna play rough." He hoisted you over his shoulder and Teleported you both through a street camera to a nice looking building.

"Valentino and Velvette are gonna kill me. Val especially."

"Let go of me!" You squirm and tried to hit him with your needles in your hair but neither make a dent.

He threw you onto a bed and paced back and forth in the room. The bed itself was nice. Prussian blue silk sheets and rose red and royal blue comforters sat on top of the bed. 

"This is bad." Vincent, no, Vox paces back and forth. "This is really bad."

'You can say that again.' You think as you look around the room to see if anything can help you escape. You could take the comforters and sheets and wrap them around his head or his neck. You could...

"This is all your fault!" He shouted at you.

"My fault?! How is this my fault?!"

"You just had to stab me and end up down here didn't you!"

"Are you seriously going to blame me? Firstly We got together when I was 18 and you were 33 the blame should not be on me in that situation, and secondly You were the one who plopped down and took me back here!"

"You could have refused!" He defended. 

"I did! I said I didn’t want to go with you when you kidnapped me!" You retorted.

"I meant every time we had sex! Every time we kissed! You weren’t complaining when you got a nice dress out of it! What, you think I wanted you to stab me? I begged you not to, I said we could talk, I told you I still loved you and would forgive you!" He grabbed your arm.

"Oh you loved me? Did you love me when you hit me? Did you think of me when you were fucking those prostitutes with that tacky orange lipstick? Were you jumping for joy on the inside while scowling at me when I told you I was pregnant? Did you ever love me or did you just love my holes? Huh? Did you?" You push and hit his chest. 

He grasps both of your hands. "Of course I did! But you just made it so hard!"

"Oh did I?" You asked sarcastically.

"Yes, you did! If you hated it so much why didn’t you leave?"

"It was the 50's Vox! If I asked you for a divorce I'd never be able to see my son again, I wasn't willing to lose him!" Tears form in your eyes.

"But you were willing to loose me?"

"I really don't believe you were ever mine." Tears fully streamed down your cheeks.

"Oh and you're such a saint? The woman who said she'd always love me turned her back on me and tried to flee to live with the best friend of my greatest enemy."

"I said that I'd always love Vincent, not Vox."

"Are you Fucking kidding me? We're literally the same person!"

"Oh really? Vincent wouldn't hurt others to get what he wants."

"It's Hell babe." He rolls his eyes.

"Vincent wouldn't have kidnapped me." You point out.

"Vincent also wouldn't want his ex-wife to be able to spread rumors about him and ruin his image. Neither does Vox."

"I had a good thing going "Vox"! I had a job and I haven't thought of you once!" You screamed at him.

"Yeah well I'm more well off than you could ever imagine. I have a wonderful Boyfriend and we have a wonderful platonic friend who lives with us!"

" Okay, we worked out our problems, I won't spread any rumors about you and your harem or whatever. Can you please let me go now? I really don't care who you're fucking. It was till death do us part remember?"

"I can't let you go. What if you tell someone. I'll need some insurance."

"What do you want then?"

"I want your soul." He grins sinisterly.

"What...?"

"Think about it. You could continue to hunt people. Do whatever you want. Go wherever you want. Fuck whoever you want. Of course you wouldn't be allowed to live with any other Overlord especially not one that's so close to Alastor, but I'd let you live as far away from me as possible (I'd probably prefer that in all honesty). You could even continue to work for your little girlfriend. I'll get you all set up on the other side of Pentagram City and protect you should anything bad happen. After all, I am far more powerful than your little girlfriend. All this and all you have to do is keep your mouth shut and give me your pretty little soul." He circles you like a shark looking to attack it's prey. "And should you refuse. I'll throw you from the balcony and have someone pick up your splattered remains off of the ground to do it over and over again."

"I can have freedom and ALL you ask is to have me soul in you possession and for me to never speak of you again?"

"Correct... Doll." He chuckles darkly, holding out his hand.

"Deal."

Notes:

I left it open ended in case I ever feel like making a part 2 I also am looking into getting a banner.

[cyberphuck]

ROYAL ASSASSIN ABRIDGED: PART ONE My friend Razz wants to understand my shitposting about Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy, but they don’t want to actually have to read the books, so I’m summarizing it for them (and you)! When we last left Fitzy-Fitz, it was a really fucking long time ago, sorry, I stopped going to church and learned to chainsmoke (and this book is LONG, I mean it’s LOOOOOOONG, so I kept avoiding getting started on Abridging it, lmao). You can brush up on the frankly insane amount of different characters here at the Royal Assassin Cast of Characters post, or find the links to the rest of the Farseer Trilogy Abridged series here at this link here.

- Fitz awakens one fine October morning in a bed at Jhaampe hospital, where he's been recovering from being poisoned and poisoned and bludgeoned and kicked and drowned. At first he was having eighty seizures a day, but now that it's down to only twenty-five seizures a day, he and Burrich figure it's high time for the two of them to skedaddle before they get snowed in.

  Then, exactly like that scene in Attack on Titan where Eren reaches for a spoon and accidentally turns into a Titan, Fitz drops a spoon and accidentally turns into a seizure. It's a lot less cool. He wakes up hours later back in the same damn hospital bed with Jonqui the King's Sister and now healer sitting beside him.

  "This sucks," he whines.

  "Time heals all wounds, Pull-Out Fail," Jonqui says sagely.

  "Shut the fuck up. I'm fifteen and obviously know a lot more than you about healing, and I've decided I'm never going to get better."

  Burrich strides healthily into the room with a swanky new skunk stripe in his hair where his skull was recently cracked open. "What-ho, Lil Accident, are you ready to go back to Buckkeep?"

  "No. Everybody's gonna make fun of me. You go back without me."

  "So long as you wear that collar," Burrich says solemnly, "I must follow you."

  Fitz touches the black collar with the word DADDY on it in gold letters. "The way you followed my father?"

  "Yes."

  "Was it like, a sex thing?"

  Burrich, who has enough hidden piercings to set off a metal detector at twenty paces, asks, "Are we going back to Buckkeep or what? I'm getting kind of bored sitting here watching you do the Harlem Shake."

  "Also, I heard that Molly's candle shop was foreclosed on and she had to go live with relatives in a town that's about to be raided by Vikings," The Fool says from under the bed.

  "Gosh, I wish I could talk to King Shrewd or the Fool or find out what's happening to Molly," Fitz sighs, then sits up as the room fills with the wavy lines and harp glissando of a dream sequence.

  "Wake up, King Shrewd," the Fool says. He's sitting on a chair, not under the bed or in a hay bale for once, and Fitz finds it extremely disturbing.

  "Fool? What are you doing here?"

  "Oh, King Shrewd and not Fitz, I have to be here because you're sick and old," the Fool fools. "Here, let me fluff your pillows and feed you soup."

  "This is so weird," Shrewd-Fitz says. "I feel like... oh, the Skill line is ringing. What? Vikings are viking Siltbay so late in the fall?"

  "You know, it's creepy when you talk to yourself like that," the Fool mutters.

  But Shitz (Shrewd-Fitz) is already on a Skill video call, watching the Red-Ship Raiders pulling up onto the coast. Vikings run through the town, viking everything in sight. The raiders are wading through blood up to their knees, people are running around headless and on fire, it's awful. The raiders aren't even stealing anything-- they're just wrecking stuff, which anyone who's been to a Raiders game can attest to (go Cowboys).

  "Fool," Shitz says. "You can see the future, right?"

  "This is a weird time to reveal that particular nugget of information, but sure. Let's see... ah, yes. I see a bard who can't fucking read the room trying to find a rhyme for 'dismembered child.' That is not something Jaydee made up, it's a real line from the book."

  "Thank you, Fool, that's extremely fucked up," Shitz says. "Oh wait, who's this on the video call... It's Molly! Oh SHIT, it's Molly and Vikings are going to vike her!"

  But Molly wasn't called Molly Nosebleed as a kid because she's a trembling little violet. A Viking tries to vike her and she stabs him to death, whirls around and shouts "WHO WANTS SOME, MOTHERFUCKERS?!"

  Then a house falls on her.

  "Oh god, oh fuck," Shitz says, panicking. "Fool, use your future vision and tell me if Molly's okay!"

  "A bunch of women died in a bunch of horrible ways," the Fool says. "Do you want me to list them?"

  "No," Shitz says, and so the Fool doesn't spend two pages describing the graphic sexual assault, murder, and maiming of a bunch of townsfolk. Shitz sits back in his bed. "Run off and let Verity know Siltbay is being viked."

  Ever loyal, the Fool cartwheels down the stairs. Then Shitz sighs and says, "Man, being old sucks."

  "Yes it does, so quit your fucking whining about your little seizures and come home," Shrewd says, and ends the Skill call.

  The next morning, Fitz-Fitz packs up his stuff and heads out with Burrich and Hands to make the long boring trip back to Buckkeep.

The return to Buckkeep sucks especially hard because they have to take the 99 instead of the I-5 like last time, and Fitz is getting carsick. Along the way they keep having to stay in incredibly sketch Super 8s, which wouldn't be that bad (free soap and free weird smells!) but Burrich and Hands overhear someone standing out in the hallway talking loudly on their phone about how much King Shrewd fucking sucks.

  "Yeah he keeps raising taxes to 'defend our country' or whatever but Vikings are still viking the beach towns as much as they want," had said the Buckboi in the hallway. "You know who rules, though, Prince Regal!"

  "What towns did Buckboi say were viked?" Fitz asks.

  "A town no one cares about," Hands answers solemnly, "and the one where Molly had a house fall on her."

  After that incident, Burrich decides that they're gonna make the rest of the trip using surface streets and driving through people's yards. "If Regal finds out you're out here, he'll send someone to kill you," Burrich explains. "Verity's definitely not gonna protect you."

  "Is that because he consistently sees me as a tool first and a family member and human being second?"

  "Look," Hands interrupts. "I see Buckkeep-shaped lights in the distance." They ride up to the gates, which are guarded by a kid who was born a thousand years too early to be the squeaky-voiced teen working at the drive-thru. “Halt,” he squeaks. “Who the fuck are you?“

  Burrich scoffs. ”Who the fuck are YOU?“

  ”I asked you first!“

  ”I asked you sec—“

  ”All right, all right, who's holding up the line?“ The last book had a rich and exhausting cast of random extras murmuring in the background, but this one used all of their budget on talking CGI wolves, so they had to fire most of them and give almost all of their lines to Blade, The Guard Captain. His job is to appear at important moments and say things like 'hear, hear!' and 'how big WAS she?' “Holy shit, it's Burrich! Twitter said you and Chivalry's Post Nut Regret were dead!”

  “It's called X now,” Fitz says, emerging dramatically from the shadows.

  “Oh.” Blade says, while four of the other guards die of secondhand embarrassment. “H-hi, Chivalry's Pos... I mean... Fitz. You uh. Did you have a nice trip? Hey, you... did something with your hair, it looks... it looks good!”

  “Prince Regal was going around telling everyone I was dead, wasn't he,” Fitz says flatly.

  “Sometimes I can still hear his voice,“ Regal sighs from somewhere in the castle.

  ”What? No. What?? No! What?! No!“ Blade laughs as six more guards thud to the ground. ”No, of course not! It was just, you know, like, you know. YOU know. You know. I didn't really believe you were dead, I did retweet the link Regal posted but I commented with 'big if true,' so it wasn't really...”

  Fitz smiles. “Ho ho ho, Captain, don't worry your sweet little tits about it. Everyone falls victim to misinformation from time to time, and I accept the apology I assume you were about to provide me. Do carry about your business.”

  Halfway up to the stables, Burrich pulls Fitz aside. “Listen, Lil Accident, we're not at Grandma's house anymore,” he hisses. “You can't talk to people like you matter or Regal's gonna get his panties in a knot about it.”

  “And then he'll choke me,” Fitz agrees.

  “What?”

  “With his knotted up panties.“

  ”I'm also still alive,“ Hands offers after a long silence. ”Fitz, you're too weak and pathetic to wax your own horse, let me do it.“

  ”But...“

  ”Come on, Fitz, let Hands, my new favorite child, take care of the important work.“ Burrich takes Fitz's arm. ”Now go on up to the castle, that collar is making everybody question their sexuality.“

  ”What's a sexuality?“ Fitz asks, just before he's shoved into the castle, screen door banging behind him.

  Inside, Fitz looks around and notices that the place looks cleaner than it had before he'd left on the world's worst road trip. All the beer cans and ash trays have been cleaned up, someone's taken down the band posters and put up tasteful watercolors of succulents, and the 'NICE COCK' that had been scrawled above the toilet has been replaced with 'live laugh love.'

  ”Wrow,“ muses Fitz as he passes a sign on Verity's door that reads 'IF THE WARSHIP'S A-ROCKIN', DON'T COME A-KNOCKIN'. ”I'm kinda gonna miss the crusty sock smell. Good thing my room still reeks like teenaged boy.“

[metalupyourazzzz]

Siren // Orm Marius

Orm Marius & my OC, Cora

Description: Cora is a young girl living off the coast of Amnesty Bay, Maine. She's known Arthur for years after he saved her when she washed ashore. After years of being tangled with the League of Assassins, Arthur comes knocking on her door, Orm in tow. He comes with news: David Kane is intent on destroying the world, and he needs her help to stop him.

Set during Aquaman 2

Status: Ongoing

Rating: Mature(some blood and gore, maybe some smut)

Can also be found on Wattpad: metalupyourazzz

Chapter 1: Take it Off

Years ago

A beach outside of Maine

Arthur stood on the white sand, panting.

“Again.” Vulko commanded, hands laced behind his back, “You’ll never claim the throne if you do not have proper training.”

“This is bullshit,” Arthur cried out, “I just want to meet my mother, my brother. I just want to see Atlantis!”

He shifted his weight, twirling his trident gently, scraping the end in the sand.

“Patience, my young prince, everything good happens with time,” Vulko stated, pacing around, sand kicking up behind him.

Arthur began to speak, when the waves crashed, and something washed ashore.

Someone.

He ran over to the huddled lump and the first thing he saw was the bright green of her eyes. She wasn’t breathing, yet her gaze pierced through him like a knife.

“Vulko?” He whispered as the man stood grimly beside him.

She started coughing, salty water spewing from her mouth, and she rolled over. She had a large gash in her forehead, and she slowly stood to her feet.

“Where am I?” She asked hoarsely, blinking the salt from her eyelashes.

“Don’t worry,” Arthur cooed, “You’re safe.”

Today

09:00 hours

Amnesty Bay, Maine

Cora wasn’t sure what woke her up first, the sunlight peeking through the thin, filtered curtains or the loud knocking on the door. Grumbling slightly, she peeled back the heavy blankets on her bed, and sat up, rubbing her temples. She hoped it helped rid last night’s tequila before she answered the door. A soft yawn escaped her lips as she picked up her phone, groggily scrolling through the 16 missed calls and various texts, all from the same number.

“Arthur Curry, you’re the reason I drink,” she mumbled to herself as she pulled her long blue locks up into a ponytail, quickly combing her fingers through her unruly bangs.

Stepping out of bed, she grabbed the nearest shirt and threw it on, padding across the cold wooden floors to the door. Slowly opening it, she stood somewhat dumbfounded on who stood on the other side.

“Hey squirt!” The tall Hawaiian yelled, picking her up in a tight hug, spinning her before setting her down.

“Arthur, always good to see your face,” she said through a forced smile, his loud voice cutting knives into her head.

“The place looks good,” he remarked, doing a 360 around her dinky studio. He looked a lot different than she remembered. He was more muscular, his hair was longer and more blonde, and he had a ridiculous spandex suit on. His eyes weren’t their normal brown, they glowed a dark gold color, and he had rings and bracelets adorning his arms and fingers.

“Arthur, what are you doing here?” She asked, walking over to her kitchen, pouring a steaming cup of coffee, “Last time I saw you, you had less clothes, and you were less…all of that.”

She finished her sentence with a small motion to his attire and big smile, “You still with the JL?”

He shrugged her questions off, “We are here, because we need your help.”

“We?” She questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Arthur motioned to the door, and that’s when she noticed the other man standing there. He was shorter than Arthur, and from what she could tell, a lot different. He had no shirt on, tweed pants that hung low off his hips, and sandy hair that covered his face, alongside a rugged beard.

“Arthur why is Rob Zombie in my apartment?” She asked.

Arthur snorted, and she could’ve sworn she saw the other man roll his eyes.

“That’s my brother, Orm.” He whispered to her.

“Oh, the righteous douchebag that tried to kill humanity, gotcha.” She whispered back, before she turned to him, “C’mon sunshine let’s get you cleaned up.”

“Arthur if you haven’t forgotten we have better things to do.” The man said, “We have to meet my supplier.”

Cora raised her eyebrow, looking between the two. She shook her head, grabbing a chair and kitchen scissors, “Sit.”

Orm looked at her skeptically, “You’re surely not using those on me.”

“It’s either that or I shave you bald take your pick,” she snapped. He immediately sat down, and she draped a blanket over his chest.

“You still have suits here?” Arthur asked, thumbing through her record collection. He picked one up, and blew the dust off of it, setting it into the record player. Soon the hard melodies of ‘take it off’ by KISS started drifting through the room. The slow snipping of the scissors mixed with it as she worked on Orm’s unruly hair.

“Yeah, I’ve got supplies as well. The League brings me some every so often. I think it’s just an excuse for Talia to keep an eye on me.” She replied, letting out a small laugh. She gently pushed a lock of Orm’s hair out of his face as she worked on the front of his hair. His piercing blue eyes met hers, and she flicked her gaze back to what she was doing.

Soon enough, his hair was at a reasonable length, no longer covering his eyes. He was watching her as she moved, with a grim expression.

Filthy surface dweller, he thought to himself, touching me like I’m a peasant. Treating me like a peasant.

She moved quickly, shaving off his beard, leaving no trace of the torture of being locked in the Fisherman Kingdom. As she worked, she heard a small crash, and something tinkered across the floor, and Arthur picked it up.

“Cora?” Arthur asked, quietly. She looked over to see him holding a crown. One that brought her almost to tears. She dropped the scissors she was holding, and they skittered across the floor.

“A-Arthur, I can explain.”

She barely got her sentence out when he was standing in front of her. His once happy expression was turned to a grim one. His face contorted into an angry frown, as he put the crown almost against her. She trembled as she looked up into his eyes. The fire in them terrified her, it reminded her of the one wearing the crown. The day she never wanted to remember. The one that brought chills down her spine every second she thought of it.

“Cora.” Arthur whispered, voice shaking in anger, “Why the hell do you have my father’s crown?”

[melestasflight]

For the holiday prompts, could I please request 🌄Sirion and "still hope may seem bright"? Thank you! <3

still hope may seem bright

Idril stands at the edge of a rocky outcropping whose body has half-sunken into the water and stares into the Great Sea. She can feel the coolness of heavy water droplets against her bare ankles as the waves crash against the rock, again and again, in a steady rhythm that is most welcome for her unruly thoughts.   

The water here at the feet of Sirion’s bluffs deepens quickly, only a few steps of shallow sands, and then a sudden abyss opens, housing the massive coral reef that gives life to the Bay of Balar. Idril pierces the depths with her gaze, letting herself be enthralled by the sea forest beneath the surface.

Flung about by the waves, pulled by the currents, tossed this way and that by the entire power of the sea, the seagrasses sway in the tide. Fish, big and small, and critters and crawlers of all sorts wade between their tall green bodies, feeding on them, hiding between them, using them for survival. Flung, and pulled, and tossed, the grasses choose not where they go, the most vulnerable beings in the sea though all life starts with them.

Idril sees something of herself in these simple plants of the sea for she also has been tossed around from one land to the next, pulled by currents much larger than herself, uprooted time and again from each place she has called home. Here she stands at the edges of Beleriand, by the sea after so long, yet not of her own making. How Idril had longed for the sea during her first years in Gondolin, for there is something of that scent when the algae bloom, of the ways salt crystals form along the skin, that never truly leaves someone who has known them. 

Now that she is returned to the gentle embrace of the coast, Idril has little strength left to rejoice. Questions weigh heavily upon her, of the hurts her people still carry, of the favors she must ask and has nothing to offer in return, of dark winter nights that are soon to find them, of kingships and crowns. She still owes an answer to Ereinion on that last matter and has promised to deliver it before nightfall.

The sea breeze picks up to snatch at Idril’s tresses, tossing them around playfully and bringing with it the lilt of cheerful laughter. It is a most familiar sound, most beloved, yet one she has not heard in close to a year. A very long year. 

Idril’s heart chases this sound desperately and her eyes follow down the beach to where Eärendil runs to Tuor, hands overflowing with shells and pebbles. The treasures fall out of his small palms and he must pause to retrieve them from the sand before sprinting, the merriment spilling from his lips again. Tuor laughs too, though quietly, its resonance lost between the coming and going of the water. Their bright heads shine brilliantly in the afternoon light and when they are joined, Eärendil’s gold next to Tuor’s early silvering, it is as if the Sun has met the low Moon.

The sight is so beautiful and soothing, almost a dream, as something Idril’s mind must be conjuring to find a temporary refuge from the questions that give it no peace. A vision or no, Idril dares not interrupt and remains watching how Eärendil offers the gifts to his father with a beaming smile, how Tuor falls on his knees to receive the offerings, how they both touch and turn each shell as if examining a most remarkable jewel. Tuor explains something with utmost care and puts a big round shell next to their son’s ear. Eärendil listens, and then his eyes open wide and he shrieks with delight. 

The laughter reaches Idril’s ears again, clearer and brighter this time, and it is as tangible as the cold water beneath her own feet. This is not a dream. Her boy laughs again, for the first time since Gondolin.

The tears that come then are not the familiar murky streams of grief but of a heart opening itself to hope again. Idril lets the water flow out of her, fall down her body, and mingle with the spray of waves until she is one with the Sea. Still hope may seem bright, Idril believes, if Eärendil keeps laughing like this, if Ulmo’s waters keep their steady rhythm. 

A decision settles in Idril's heart. She will not rule, her head will bear the weight of no crown in Beleriand. She will be like the seagrasses. Stand tall for her people against whatever comes, be the home they have lost, guard them, and nurture them, and then, when the time is right, let the currents take her where they will.

Idril gives thanks to Sea and turns away to deliver her answer to the one who shall now be a High King to their people.

For ghosti.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to drop me a note/kudo on AO3. It makes my day!

[tristennedarkmorn]

They anchored just off the coast of Khaz Algar, close to where a good chunk of Dalaran had landed ashore. While whatever was left of the city on land was well protected, the bits that exploded into the surrounding waters were ripe for the picking. 

Perfect for a salvaging job!

Perhaps not the most respectable course of action, but they did plan on turning over any important looking heirlooms or personal items still intact and not ruined by the sea. But surely no one would miss some gold or valuables thought lost to the depths. They weren’t the only crew with this idea, but given they were typically larger in numbers and more experienced, it wasn’t difficult to chase away most of the other vultures.

“So we can finally stop pretending that Khaz Algar doesn’t exist now? Thank fuck.” Ryland mused as he leaned against the deck rail, glancing below to watch over some of the crew down in the water.

Red simply smirked and exhaled a cloud of smoke up towards the sunny sky. Of course any sailors would know about this place, but the pirate’s code was strong in them. You don’t speak of treasures no one knows about. “Just wait til they find out about -”

“Where is Taric?”

Red hummed and gestured towards the shore, “He’s off picking flowers, you know how it goes with him. He’ll likely want to stay in the city to study with any herbalists and alchemists he finds there. Plus I don’t think he cares to be anywhere near the crash site right now. There’s a lot of general confusion and unfinished business among the dead here.”

The ‘Darkmorn gift’ had allowed both Red and Taric to see and speak with the dead, and while Red was able to block them out when necessary, Taric had the unfortunate ability of always being ‘half in, half out’ of the veil. He understood his nephew’s need to get away from it. Large-scale traumatic events were always the worst for him, especially when still this fresh. Ghosts lingered, and always had many questions that would have difficult answers.

“Are you going to help?” Ryland raised a brow in question.

Red rested the cigarette back between pierced lips, inhaling deeply to stall his response. “I probably should. There’s a lot of ‘missing person’ reports that could easily be cleared up. It’s always a bit of a toss-up though. Some people like to hold onto hope, and the truth would devastate them. On the other hand, closure can be a relief, no matter how difficult it is to hear.”

“You don’t have to do it, you know.”

“I know, I’d want to know though. I think Taric will come around eventually. He just needed some time doing his own thing for a while.” He rubbed his hands down his face and stubbed his cigarette out on the bottom of his boot. That was enough of that, while it wasn't a topic he spoke of often, the crew were well aware of his abilities and it was obvious that it was difficult to block out in this specific location. “I’m gonna go into the city for a bit and see about grabbing a copy of the list of missing persons.”

@rylandfalkov @taricdarkmorn @felonous

[katerinaaqu]

Calypso the Beautiful Goddess

So after I made my sketch of Odysseus the other day as you can imagine I couldn't help but also add Calypso, the beautiful goddess (or the One with the Divine Look) or Fair-Tressed Goddess of Ogygia! So this is how I imagined her to look like or at least tried to! Hehe!

My first description of hers can be found to my story Survivor's Guilt and Survivor's Duty (Part2):

"Odysseus weakly looked up to see a magnificent woman. She was tall and slender with dark sun-kissed skin and dark hair carefully arranged in braids adorned with gold and seashells which cascaded down her back like a cape. Her face was heart-shaped and completely clear and pore-less; looking more like the magnificence of marble rather than flesh. Her large almond-eyes had the color of rich honey and her lips were full and shaped like a shell. Odysseus was stunned by her beauty and much more by her soothing voice."

My description was massively inspired by the amazing Vanessa Williams who enrolled the role of Calypso in The Odyssey (1997)

Since sources place her isle in various places, including Gozo island in Malta or to the coasts of Tynisia I wanted to enroll this information to the character's design. While I was drawing I also drew massive inspiration by the beautiful face of Aaliya from the Queen of the Damned for this pore-less skin as well as the skintone of hers which I found simply perfect for Calypso.

I wasn't sure how to achieve that beautiful look Vanessa had and incorporate the multiple braids that I imagined for Calypso so I gave her an extra bun and in a way it works given that I imagined Calypso having very long and very rich black hair.

Her makeup was inspired by Egyptian contexts especially the Malachite over the eyes and the khol around them. The rest of it was inspired by the Queen of the Damned as well as my random details. I know I am not very good with blending I know! But I did try to see how her makeup would work. For her lips I also wanted this classic coral/red shade.

For her dress I didn't have something specific in mind. I did have some images of mycenaean dresses as well as some classical egyptian shapes from New Kingdom but I ended up with a more simple design, partially also inspired by the color I make her wear in the second part of my story.

I was thinking about giving her accessories like jewelry but I wasn't confident I would do it properly so I just gave her a piercing to her ear or something similar and just imagine she wears her bracelets or rings for this one! Haha! Anyway drawing hairstles is also not entirely my forte but I am quite satisfied with this one. Could be worse! XD Some of the beads I colored to resemble corals or something but yeah! Hehe I was apso inspired for her seashell by the classical seashell Cypraea

Hope you like it!

My other sketch with Diomedes can also be found here. Again sorry guys ain't very good at drawing and my marker-pen has a very bad tip so it was a bit hard to ink the lines but I enjoyed making that one!

[thereader-radhika]

Malayadhwaja Pandyan in Mahabharata

Pandya, who dwelt on the coast-land near the sea, came accompanied by troops of various kinds to Yudhishthira.

This Pandya king is addressed by two names in the epic - Malayadhwaja and Sarangadhwaja. 'Malaya' and 'Saranga' both mean "sandalwood" and the name is derived from the Tripuranthaka aspect of Shiva, who made Malaya mountains (named for the Sandal trees that grow on it) his yoke during the burning of the triple cities. He is a very fascinating character.

During Yuddhishtira's Rajasuya, Pandya and Chola monarchs brought gifts which were accepted, but they were not allowed inside.

And the Kings of Chola and Pandya, though they brought numberless jars of gold filled with fragrant sandal juice from the hills of Malaya, and loads of sandal and aloe wood from the Dardduras hills, and many gems of great brilliancy and fine cloths inlaid with gold, did not obtain permission (to enter).

Discrimination! Discrimination!

His country was annexed by Vrishnis at some point and his father was killed by Sri Krishna himself.

It was he [Krishna] that slew King Pandya by striking his breast against his . . .

He yearned for vengeance and trained under the renowned teachers of that era for that purpose. Even if he couldn't have killed Krishna, he was capable of causing great damage, as we can see later. But he listened to good counsel and gave up his revenge fantasies for the greater good. Very admirable indeed.

The mighty Sarangadhvaja . . . his country having been invaded and his kinsmen having fled, his father had been slain by Krishna in battle. Obtaining weapons then from Bhishma and Drona, Rama and Kripa, prince Sarangadhvaja became, in weapons, the equal of Rukmi and Karna and Arjuna and Achyuta. He then desired to destroy the city of Dvaraka and subjugate the whole world. Wise friends, however, from desire of doing him good, counselled him against that course. Giving up all thoughts of revenge, he is now ruling his own dominions.

One can even say that Malayadhwajan became a karmayogi before Krishna advised Gita to Arjunan, by not chasing personal glory and fighting selflessly for the people who were consistently bad to his clan.

Praised as "hardly inferior to Indra on the field of battle" and "followed when he fights by numberless warriors of great courage", Malayadhwajan led one of the 7 akshauhinis of the Pandava faction and fought valiantly until the 16th day of the battle. I don't understand what was he doing with those Pandavas who wouldn't let him or his father (I not sure about the timeline) enter the Rajasuya yajnasala.

On the 16th day, as he was destroying Karna's army which "began to turn round like the potter's wheel", Ashwatthama challenged him to one-to-one combat. When he fought Ashwatthama, Karna destroyed the army that surrounded him and Ashwatthama destroyed his chariot, as his arrows were unable to pierce the King himself. The epic says that Ashwatthama was quite excited by this fight and didn't slay Pandyan when he got an opening because he wanted to fight for some more time. Malayadhwajan climbed a stray elephant and threw lances at Ashwatthama who narrowly escaped with his beautiful crown shattered. This infuriated him and he killed the king, his elephant and the final six warriors that followed their Lord.

At this, Ashvatthama blazed up with exceeding rage . . . and took up four and ten shafts capable of inflicting great pain upon foes. . . with three the two arms and the head of the king, and with six he slew the six mighty car-warriors, endued with great effulgence, that followed king Pandya . . .

@celestesinsight @willkatfanfromasia @sambaridli @harinishivaa @sakhiiii @whippersnappersbookworm @favcolourrvibgior @sampigehoovu @ambidextrousarcher

[the-kr8tor]

WHAT A COMPLIMENT OMG- CALLING ME IRL PIRATE HOBIE? DONT GIVE ME AN EGO KATY I AINT THAT GREAT Daily Hobie HC! If we can have fae hobie we can hobie thats a literal dragon okay hush Hobie likes watching you tell the story of how you two met, always going along the lines of the typical soldiering on into a deep dark cave with treasure and other shiny things, guarded by a big scary dragon.. When in reality it was far from that. Hobie was just laying along the coast of a beach when you found him, looking pretty peaceful in the shallows as he looked at the seashells that were washed upon the shore at night. He wasn't a fairly large, towering dragon, just towering over you, but still daunting. I mean, it's a creature infamous for being..well, 'evil', as some would say, yet here he was looking like a dork as he waddled awkwardly on the sand. His wings, instead of being batlike, were covered with shimmering feathers, and more frill-like spikes than anything. He had piercings and a few spiked, hand(claw?) crafted accessories on him. His tail flicked from side to side as he huffed at the sand in between his talons, still unaware as you snuck up behind him. The moment he heard your soft breathing, he looked straight at you, meeting your gaze abruptly. Surprisingly, you weren't as terrified as he thought you'd be. You were still obviously scared, but mesmerized by the way his frills bounced so expressively with every movement, even flaring out in irritation at times when sand would get uncomfortable between his claws. Hobie was cautious around you, opting for a small hello, and moving on. He watched you as you sat down, simply observing him. Hobie figured you were still just shocked, so he didn't care much that you were watching. In fact, he might've thought the extra attention was amusing more than anything. Eventually, you came up to him again, holding a good amount of gorgeous shells you found for him. With a goofy, toothy grin, he holds out a small leather bag, filled to the brim with shells. You watch as Hobie's frills flattened back as you laugh, finding it oddly contagious as he tries to keep his composure..however, he manages to let a few giggles slip as you try to shove the shells you found into the overflowing bag. After that incident, you've found him flying to your place, which he somehow found, more often. He'll usually gift you little trinkets, or just ask to hang out if you're free. Funnily enough, when you invited him in, he was able to fit in the house, despite being a pretty decent-sized dragon. Eventually, Hobie just became something of the house as time went on, and the two of you got close. You'd lay against him instead of the couch while watching some boring rom-com that has him huffing and puffing all over the place, yet still trying to be quiet since he's letting you sleep under the warmth of his wing. At this point, Hobie's joking around about how you've been using him more as a bed than your own..however, whenever you try sleeping on your own bed, Hobie lays his head on your chest like a dog, blowing air on your face until you come use him as a bed because he claims to be better. (He is) -🐦‍⬛

HAHAHHAHAHHA you kinda are! Bc you play a pirate on stage and you literally spar with a sword!

Daily Hobie hc!!

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! CUTIES!!!! He's like a giant cat but with wings and talons!!

I imagine his scales/frills changing too depending on his mood! Oh his eyes would look so amazing too!!! Like a bit of gold and red 😍

Ooohh imagine he can turn smaller if he wants to and you always find him in your cupboards resting inside a teapot or a bowl!! Also also when he particularly wants to be near you in that form he'll curl himself around your neck, draping himself on your shoulders or even weaving himself around your wrist while resting his face on your palm!!

[adickaboutspoons]

Because metatext is my jam, I decided to transcribe the text opposite Frenchie's log-drawings from 1x3:

As near as I can make out (Lucius, I have some Notes on your penmanship, dear), with some help from outside sources (more on that later), the text reads as follows: "Inspired of the thought of gold riches we were anxious to resume our voyage as soon as possible. We sent our letters home by the Dale she Sailed on the 26th inst. She takes also the US Minister to Chile who I understand has been recalled. We would have beat the whole fleet. We had a fair opportunity of viewing the beautiful Mountain Scenery along the route which for grandeur magnificence and wildness exceeded anything of the kind it has been my lot to behold before. And further back from the coast range the lofty Andes, raising their bold peaks and piercing the clouds with their Snow capt summits. Contrasting beautifully with the dark foliage of the mountains. Truly a sight to behold.

6 AM [    ] Cloudy, Weather mild, Light Winds and Variable. We dropped anchor in harbor opposite the city of Valparaiso about 12 M. Making the Passage from St. Catherines to this place in 53 days and from New York including 14 days stoppage at St. Catherine’s in 121 days. Valparaiso lies in Lat 32° 51’ South, Long 77° 14 West. We had a beautiful sail along up the coast this morning going at the rate of 10 to 12 Miles and Hour under a full spread of Canvass. 6 Other vessel going in at the same time, giving us a fair trial of our Barks Sailing qualities. And I must say she did her part nobly. If the chase had been of a few hours longer duration I think we would have beat the whole fleet."

Now. Unfortunately, we can't really use this to draw any conclusions about the show. You might have noticed references to the Andes mountains, which run up the western edge of South America and are not visible from the Caribbean. And Valparaiso. Which is a coastal city in Chile to the northwest of Santiago. Somehow I doubt even Stede managed to sail quite THAT badly. Back to that help from outside sources? When the geography wasn't matching up, I googled "We sent our letters home by the Dale" and it turns out the text is kind of a hodge-podge of extracts from the Diary of Alexander Van Valen from 1849-50 chronicling his voyage aboard the Heinlia voyaging from New York to San Francisio around Cape Horn for the purpose of prospecting for gold. Really all I can make of this as having any significance relating back to the show is something, something David Jenkins School of Historical Accuracy, something, something Historical Remixing in order to fabricate the story's text, something, something the show's text is NOT history, and history is NOT the text of our show.

[hettiesworld]

Jeremy Renner

Coast

I'm Just Ken

Oodie-Boogie

Every Woman (Female OFC) | She's a Fire (sequel to Every Woman)

Music Sounds Better With You - 1 | 2 | 3

I... Don't Like Coffee (Female OFC)

Incredible Eyes

Trouble (Sheriff!Jeremy)

Imagine: Attending a Jeremy concert without knowing it's him...

Run To You (professor!Jeremy) - 1 [DISCONTINUED]

bad idea right? (Female OFC)

Jeremy song fics masterlist

Clint Barton

I Need Therapy

Hide and Seek

Rise Up (Clintasha)

Mike McLusky

Sacrifice (male OFC)

Come as You Are (female OFC)

Chris Evans

I Recommend a Daddy

Pity Party

Lessons in Love

Other Jeremy characters

Unnamed [renamed it No Lie] (William Brandt)

Runaway (You and I) (Jerry Pierce) - 1 | 2

The Riddle (Penn) - 1 | 2

Waking the Witch (Non-Vampire!Penn)

I Am The Law (Brian Gamble)

The Bodyguard (William Brandt)

War and Peace (And Love) (Sergeant James) - 1 | 2

Kids (Mark "Dags" D'Agastino)

Misc characters/actors

Band of Gold (Lance Tucker)

Orange Juice (Ransom Drysdale/Charles Blackwood) - 1 | 2 [DISCONTINUED]

Walking on the Moon (Ian Donnelly/James Mace/Chris Beck) - 1 [DISCONTINUED]

Perception and Mischief (Loki Laufeyson) - 1 [DISCONTINUED]

Soldat? (Bucky Barnes/Clint Barton)

Knowing Me, Knowing You (Jake Jensen)

When The Party's Over (Ransom Drysdale)

Invisible Touch (human!Vision)

S Is For... Something Else? (Andy Barber)

Quarantined (Avengers cast) - 1 [DISCONTINUED]

Unnamed (Charles Xavier)

You Got Me Twisted (Ransom Drysdale)

Say So (Colin Shea)

Class Fight (Kyle - The Perfect Score)

Tainted Love (Jake Wyler)

The Distance (John Doe - Twisted Metal series)

Asks

Will Brandt headcanon - Patching each other up after a fight

Chris Evans headcanon - Taking care of you after a rough day

Hansel headcanon - Going on a witch hunt with Hansel

Fic request - Jeremy and the reader on a Zoom call in quarantine

Ransom headcanon - Falling in love for the first time

Fic request - Cornelia Street (Steve Rogers)

Ransom headcanon - Mean daddy with naive!reader

[ranger-ribbons]

dropping off food for them during a stressful day + Samurai Rangers; Spike, Bulk & the Rangers when Ji isn't around (because fuck that guy)

Oh, same! I live for Ji slander. He literally took a morpher that wasn't hit to take because "the team has to choose him." Nah, fuck that. Anyway! Here ya go!

~

Bulk glances around as he peaks around the corner. The Shiba house is one Bulk knows well from repeated visits here when the asshole who watches the house isn't around.

Determining the coast is clear, Bulk nods. "Alright, Spike," he says. "Let's go."

Spike pops around the corner looking around himself. He grins, chewing loudly on his ever-present stick of gum. With a quick giggle-snort, Spike comes out from behind the corner, arms laden with food galore. Antonio, their contact for the current Ranger team, had texted them that it had been a long day and the battle was difficult. Bulk, who's been helping protect Rangers since the first teams, knows exactly what this means.

He'd made plenty of food for the Rangers.

Quietly, he heads up to the door of the Shiba house and knocks, quick and light. A man with spikey hair and dark eyes opens the door. He wears a white shirt and a plaid black-gold-and-white overshirt. His jeans are dark and the bandana around his neck is colored with grey and gold. He smiles. "Hola, mis amigos," he greets.

"Hey," Bulk replies. "Brought a little of everything. Hope that's okay."

"More than!" Antonio Garcia assures excitedly. "None of us feel like cooking and I'm only good with fish, so this?" He takes the box Bulk holds in his hands and cracks it open. It's meatloaf, the aroma wafting out over the yard. Antonio hums, appreciative. "This is fantastico!" he says.

"Antonio, who's at the door?" shouts someone inside.

Bulk panics, thinking it to be the asshole- Ji Watanabe. It sounds awful, truthfully, but Bulk finds that Ji is horrible. Bulk's worked with a lot of Ranger teams before and no mentor has ever been as terrible as Ji. Bulk resents the man for a lot of things, but not the least of which for taking away a Ranger's morpher. Even Zordon hadn't done that to the original Green Ranger. Bulk hopes he never meets Ji- for Ji's sake, if not Bulk's.

"Dinner!" Antonio shouts over his shoulder. "Come help me get it inside!"

The door creaks open and Bulk is shocked and saddened to see bumps and bruises and cuts and bandages on the face of a boy who couldn't be older than Spike. Shaggy hair that hung in his blue-green eyes and a piercing, hundred-yard stare. "Oh," he says, instinctually polite. "Welcome to the Shiba home."

Bulk offers a short bow, a dip of his head, in hopes that he's seen as respectful of the Samurai line. "Thank you," he says politely. "I brought food for you and the team."

Jayden Shiba smiles, seeming just... tired. "Thanks," he says. Holding out a hand, he grabs a few Tupperware bowls from an awe-stricken Spike and begins to head inside. "Come on in!"

Antonio gives them sunny smiles, bright and optimistic in the way only a Sixth Ranger could be, and backs up. "Come on in, I'll show you to the kitchen."

Bulk could find the kitchen blindfolded if he so chose to. Still, he follows Antonio with Spike on his heels. If it helps the Rangers, Bulk will do anything and if all he can do is drop off food when their asshole mentor isn't around, then Bulk will do everything he can and more.

[only-lonely-stars]

Hair As Gold As Straw (Chapter 1 - Yearning for Freedom)

[Prologue] // [Chapter 1 of 9 - you are here!] // [Chapter 2 of 9] – (FFN) (AO3)

Part of the @ninjago-fairy-tale-au!

Summary:

Once upon a time, Princess Vania of Shintaro lived in an ivory castle in an ivory city. Her father, King Vangelis, kept her safe in her tower, where no one could hurt her and she could not hurt herself... until the day when she ran away. A Colania Snow White retelling.

Chapter summary:

Princess Vania, knowing only her gilded cage, begins to explore... and to dream of adventure.

Princess Vania of Shintaro lived in beautiful ignorance in her ivory kingdom. Servants and guards waited on her, and her people showered her with love. She was given accolades and taught all the lovely things of the world– literature, poetry, music, theater. She was educated in the highest manner, too, with great levels of mathematics and philosophy. She lived as all would dream to.

However, Vania found herself continuously restless. Despite all the opportunity availed to her, she found herself awash in boredom. Life had no meaning; she could not leave Shintaro, no matter how she wished. She was a princess, shut away– forced to live in beauty, yet hidden from all the smaller things in life. Even her people's gift of flight was denied to her, for fear that she might hurt herself. She only had access to her wings when she was allowed, and never freely.

Vania dreamed of freedom and of open skies, but most of all, of adventure. When she was a child, she asked her father if she would be allowed to leave Shintaro one day.

"My child," the king answered, "one day in the future, when it is possible to assure that you will always be safe no matter how far you go, you may explore to your heart's content, but not today. You are not old enough, yet."

Such was his continual answer: "someday when you are older, but not today."

-----

When Vania was seven years old, she snuck out of her bedroom late at night. It was the night before her eighth birthday, and she was unable to sleep. She took her dolls and toys into the throne room of the castle to play in the moonlight, pretending to be queen.

As she played, she did not see a dark-skinned creature approach her. It touched her shoulder, and she cried out in fear. When she turned, she saw it running away to behind a column, where she could not see it. After a minute, it peeked its head out, looking to see if the coast was clear. Vania was frozen.

After a few minutes, she approached the creature. "Hello?" The creature shied away, and she pressed, "who are you?"

It stepped out into view, showing off its short stature and purple skin. Its ears were pointy, like Vania's, but they were tilted back and already pierced. It wore simple, ragged clothing.

"I am Gleck."

"Hello, Gleck," Vania said. "I am Vania."

"Hello," it said. It fidgeted with a locket necklace that it wore.

"Are you okay?" Vania asked the creature, and it nodded. "Why are you here? Do you not have a home?"

The creature shook its head. "I have a home, but we are forbidden from coming up to the surface." It shied away again, like it wanted to run.

"To the surface? Do you live underground?" Vania asked it.

"Yes. You live on the surface?"

"Yes." Vania hugged her doll tightly to herself. "It's my birthday."

"What is a birthday?" Gleck asked.

"I was born today."

"You do not look like a baby."

Vania laughed. "No, I was born today, eight years ago."

Gleck paused. "I was also born eight years ago, but I don't know the day." He seemed to relax.

"You don't know your birthday?" He shook his head, and Vania frowned. "That sounds awful."

"We do not have 'birthdays,'" Gleck said.

"Do you want to share?" Vania asked. She held out her doll. "Today can be your birthday, too."

Gleck took the doll hesitantly. "Is it a good thing?"

"Yes!" Vania said. "It is good."

"...Okay." Gleck smiled. "Today can be my birthday, too."

Vania and Gleck played for a while that night, until the sun came peeking over the horizon. He disappeared from the Castle, and Vania did not see him for several days. When he next appeared, they played again, and for several years they made a habit of it. However, it did not last.

One fateful night, Gleck came to visit Vania in her room. However, not more than a few minutes later, her father's knock came at the door, and he entered and saw Gleck.

When King Vangelis saw the creature, he was full of rage. He cast the creature out of the castle, telling him never to return. Vania was likewise told never to speak to him again, if he ever came back. A new guard named Hailmar was posted at her door, and she was unable to ever leave at night again. She and Gleck were separated on that day, and she lost her closest friend forever. As the winter snows began to fall, loneliness was not far behind.

-----

Over the years, Vania's restrictions became ever tighter. She left the castle less and less, always being told that it was not safe outside Shintaro. Her father became distant, being wrapped up in work and obligations. The seasons turned, and even the pure white snow that fell on the city did not bring her comfort, like it had before.

One of the few shining lights in Vania's life was her personal guard, Hailmar. He was a young man, with ivory skin like all Shintarans (although less so than Vania) and rich brown hair that showed itself when he rarely took off his helmet. Hailmar made himself Vania's friend, and as she grew up, he took care of her needs and protected her. Many a time, he would play her games with her, and he would tell stories about the outside world.

Vania's favorite of Hailmar's stories was one he told her about the outside world: Ninjago. He spoke of an order of ancient knights, ninja, and samurai, trained in their respective arts. They were Ninjago's protectors for centuries, guarding the people from evils of all manners. Some of them rode dragons, or harnessed the powers of the elements, but all were honorable and lovers of peace. However, their order was lost a long time ago, and memory of them was slipping away as they became legend.

Vania adored hearing about the knights. When she would play with her dolls, she would pretend that they were these protectors, and she told and retold herself their stories. As she grew older, her dreams of them shifted from faraway protectors to adventurers, and she dreamed of going on one. She would meet a knight who would sweep her off her feet, and together they would ride a dragon to unknown worlds, full of adventure and danger.

-----

One day when she was sixteen, Vania asked her father again when she might be able to leave Shintaro and visit Ninjago. Unbeknownst to her, that day her father had flown into a terrible rage after receiving unfavorable news, and he assailed her with it, speaking terrible things. He shouted and lectured, telling her about how she was ungrateful for everything he provided for her. He sent her to her room, stationing Hailmar outside with the express orders not to let her leave for any reason until he came back.

Vania cried for hours in her room, unable to compose herself. Her father, never before treating her this way, had shocked her, and she was unable to cope.

After she regained her composure and reconstituted herself, it was evening. However, suppertime came and went, and she was left undisturbed. She asked Hailmar when supper might be, and he answered that he had orders not to let her out until her father came back. She went to bed hungry that night.

When morning came the next day, Vania was still undisturbed. The day passed with her remaining inside her bedroom. At some point, another person had come to her door, and she burst out hoping it was her father, but it was only Hailmar being relieved of duty by another guard, betraying her loneliness for his own needs. She excused herself back to her room, and it for many hours she waited for Hailmar to return, eventually falling asleep to fitful dreams.

Vania awoke in the middle of the night to being shaken. She saw Hailmar, standing above her with a bag.

"Your Highness, you must wake up!"

"Hailmar?" Vania asked. "It is the middle of the night. Has my father returned?"

"No," he said. "Your father has shut himself in his room for all but meals, saying you are unwell. He intends only to return when he receives news that you have begged for forgiveness, to teach you a lesson. You must leave."

Vania got up, filled with dread. "What? My father would not do that."

"He already is, Highness." Hailmar gave her the bag. "Dress yourself in your most practical clothes, and prepare yourself. You must leave the castle."

"Where will I go?" she asked. "I know nothing about Shintaro, or Ninjago for that matter!"

"You will find somewhere, I am sure. Be swift." Hailmar put the bag on her bed and left the room, taking the post in front of her door.

Vania dressed herself quickly, her mind racing. She looked in the bag to see some travel essentials; a knife, rope, a blanket, a torch, and food and water enough for several days. Once she was ready, she came out to see Hailmar.

"Am I to eat this food now?" she asked.

"No," he said. "We will take a detour through the kitchens, and then will go out through the gardens. There is a side door there, near the mines' grate."

After Vania had eaten her fill, he escorted her to the gardens. After saying farewell, Hailmar went back to take his position in front of her bedroom door. He would trick her father, telling him that she had run away in the night. Meanwhile, she would be safely away where he could not find her.

Vania looked between the door and the grate. Where would she go? She had met Gleck all those years ago, and although everyone told her that she had imagined him she knew that he was real. On the other hand, she could go into the city, and look for a compassionate family to keep her safe. She could also leave Shintaro for Ninjago, and see if she could find the knights the stories spoke of if they were real. However, nothing seemed as familiar as Gleck, and she had missed him sorely for years…

After a few minutes of deliberation, she stepped to the grate. It came off with a little bit of tugging, and once it gave way she snuck into the tunnels below the castle.

The tunnels were cold, seeping into Vania's bones. The darkness was immense, lit only by the torch she carried. Moisture dripped from the ceiling, and the rocks cast menacing shadows, but she continued on. Eventually, she came to a great cavern, lit by stalactites that were covered in bioluminscent moss. Ladders were leaning against them, and small purple creatures were scraping the moss into buckets. They chattered amongst themselves, until one of them spotted Vania and fell off his ladder. She gasped.

"Are you okay?"

The creature stared at her and pointed. "A Shintaran! They have invaded the caves!"

"No!" she protested. "I'm not here to hurt you!" She watched it get up. "I know what you are."

"You do, do you?" another asked. "You know of the Geckles? What kind of Shintaran are you?"

"I used to know one of you," she said. "His name was Gleck."

The creatures muttered amongst themselves, and one of them came up to her. "Who are you?"

"Prin- Vania. My name is Vania."

"Very well, Vania," it said. "I am Grendle. We will take you to the Geckle Parliament so you may state your business… unless you are one of the Munce?"

"What's a Munce?" Vania asked. The creatures began muttering again, but Grendle held up his hand.

"Silence!" He turned to Vania. "Very well. Come with us."

Vania followed Grendle and the other Geckles through the caverns. The air became colder and colder, and she shivered. Eventually, they came to a great pair of doors, which towered over all of them. Vania stared up at them, and she felt small, already regretting leaving home for this cold, unwelcoming world.

Grendle knocked on the doors. "A stranger has come into the caverns and must come before the Parliament!" he cried.

"Bring him in!" another voice called from inside.

The doors creaked open, and the other two Geckles took Vania's arms, pulling her inside. Once she entered, doors slammed shut behind them.