#please accept my peace offering great time dragon

[15-heidune]

Fanart for Dire Dire Docks by @dialga64bitz

[smolvenger]

❤️Happy Birthday ❤️

🎉🎉🎉I hope you have a wonderful day 🎉🎉🎉

Please can I request a little blurb with Prince Hal and "touch her and you die" 😻😻😻

Thank you!

Why hello there! Thanks, I got a manicure and went to a bookshop and ate Italian food so it was great! And here is the blurb!

Rain Within Doors (Prince Hal x fem! Reader)

Summary: When the king falls ill, your betrothed, Prince Hal, returns.

Word Count: 1923

Warnings: some sexual harassment but the a-hole is saved in time, I try to keep it close to Shakespeare. Angst and fluff. I stole a line from Game of Thrones because it fit (the Shakespeare histories WERE kind of the Game of Thrones of their time minus the dragons and excessive exploitation of women)

A03//My Ko-Fi//My Etsy Shop//Masterlist//Wattpad

Taglist: @asgards-princess-of-mischief @jennyggggrrr @five-miles-over @fictive-sl0th @ladycamillewrites @villainousshakespeare @holdmytesseract @eleniblue @twhxhck @lokisgoodgirl @lovelysizzlingbluebird @raqnarokr @holymultiplefandomsbatman @michelleleewise @wolfsmom1 @cheekyscamp @mochie85 @fandxmslxt69 @skittslackoffilter @mischief2sarawr

You waited anxiously and eagerly for your dear betrothed. He needed to hurry here. Things had all turned for the worse. 

Poor King Henry the Fourth was one minute at a table with all of you The Lord of Westmoreland arrived delivering the news of success in battle against Hotspur’s followers attempting to usurp the king. Everyone gasped. The lords who allied with Henry the Fourth were there- the Lord of Harcourt, Sir John Blunt, and others, all drooped their shoulders in relief. You, the younger two princes Thomas and Humphrey, The Lord of Warwick, and the King all smiled. The king shakily rose to praise Westmoreland

…then suddenly he began wheezing and fainted. 

Everyone gasped. Humphrey and Warwick met them on the grounds to give aid to the old king. Little Thomas cried for his father and you put him, your soon-to-be brother-in-law, in a hug, rubbing his back. 

“It’s all right, you know these fits happen often,” Warwick assumed, ever the voice of peace.

As the king came to, he was supported up. You were among the party to help settle him into bed. He asked the crown be placed on the pillow next to him with a raspy voice. And for musicians to play in the next room. Everyone complied.

You knew your betrothed had business in London. Even if it was in a bad place, he assured you it was nothing involving anything criminal (or whores) and that he would be back. The second eldest, Thomas, was dealing with the rebels with forces of his own and was on his way back.

“My lord, let me sit with you, so you need not be alone,” you offered, gathering a chair.

You had been sent here to marry the notorious Prince of Wales. Though you were nervous in this new castle, King Henry the Fourth was gentle with you. He welcomed you with a smile and open arms. The man who already considered you a daughter-in-law in his heart and the other princes saw you as a sister. He would let you dine with him and even play a little dice game with the family, smiling at you. Warmth on the face of the aged Bolingbroke- the lord who, long ago,  won the favor of the people so much it broke him out of exile and then thrust him into the role of king unexpectedly. Once Henry Bolingbroke, christened Henry the Fourth, wore shining golden armor as he rode on a horse. Paraded through the city as people threw flower petals at him.

Now how…weak he was! A shell of himself! Hardly the proud golden king anymore!

He reached out for your hand and you accepted it.

“Why-dear lady, I thank you. To think a pearl may be thrown to swine… to think my Harry should of all men be your husband…” he wheezed.  

“My lord, you must know- your eldest son has not….treated me poorly.” 

You didn’t know him well- the beautiful, fiery, mischievous, wild prince Henry- or Harry as called by his friends or family. Or Hal as those thieves and whores so affectionately called him.

This was to be a marriage for alliance and station, not of affection. When you arrived, you expected a frivolous, drinking, philandering Baccus. But Hal…. he was kind to you. He always smiled at you and called you sweet names. He was rumored to spend time studying in libraries more than drinking. One time, he found a romantic poem, copied it on paper, and gave it to you as a lover’s token. It touched you- who knew how he would fare as king but you felt he would make at least a decent husband!

“Just rest my lord, please,” you asked. The king indeed settled.

You walked out to the hallway to face the others. They peeked in and soon saw his eyes were closed, but he was breathing. The musicians in the next room played such calm, nearly dreamlike melodies compared to the anxiety storming inside of your being. 

Soon enough, the king settled into a deep sleep. You smiled a little- poor Henry the Fourth was a notorious insomniac, wandering the castle in the late hours from his racing worries. That should give him some relief and help with his sickness. 

But to think…here you were about to watch that old man die. Die before you could officially call him family.  

A couple of tears fell, and you walked out to the hallway staring out. It was a cold, bitter day. The winter chill stinging the glass window when you touched it.

But there was a sound- hooves.

When you leaned closer to the window, you let out a gasp. 

Hal was here in a long, beautiful black and red cape on a beautiful black horse as if he were about to rescue a damsel. And behind him a couple of others. You covered your mouth but felt a smile on your lips.

Picking up your skirts, you hurried down to the others in the outer hall. Warwick was hushing the two boys from talking too loud, to watch over the king in his sleep. 

“Humphrey! Thomas! He’s back!” you whispered.

“Who?” replied Thomas. 

They turned and then heard Hal’s voice asking for him. You and the others hurried there.

In the torch-lit hallway, your eyes feasted on Hal. The most beautiful man you had ever seen with the most deliciously fitted black velvet doublet, swooping off his cape with a gallantry that made your insides tingle.

He turned and went to you first.

“How now, My most fair lady?”

“Oh, much worried but cheered by your return, my lord,” you replied.

Hal’s eyes softened at you, then he looked at his crying brothers- Humphrey and Thomas.

“What- all of this rain in of door when it should be out of doors? How is the king?” Hal asked.

“ Exceeding ill” explained Humphrey sadly.

“Please be quiet, His grace is asleep,” warned the Lord of Warwick. 

Hal requested to see his father, and the lord of Warwick led him to the bed.

Everyone hushed and walked out to the other room, keeping quiet to give the king as much rest as he needed. Everyone worried. It was all so much- you needed some space.

With your heart calming, you went to one hallway, hugging yourself to look at how the moon shone over the winter evening through the windows. 

The Lord Harcourt went up to you. An older man with sharp cheekbones and a sharp chin, a pale face, and dark eyes. You only knew him as an ally and advisor to the king.  As you stood alone, staring out the window.

“Good evening, Lady Y/N.” he greeted.

“Good evening, my lord,” you replied. 

“You do look rather lovely tonight in the moonlight,” he complimented.

Already you felt uneasy. Alone with him, when all the others were fretting over the king. You began to take a step to return.

“You…you flatter me, my lord, thank you.”

Right as you turned, the lord reached an arm from his rich, velvet clothes and grabbed you.

“It seems a shame for such a fine lady to be wasted upon riotous Harry. I should have had you for my wife instead.”

“My lord, then wait until the king awakens and discuss it with him and announce you will-will-will court me openly like a gentleman,” you blubbered out, though you were starting to get scared.

He tried to sweetly, seductively brush your cheek but you had enough and swatted it away.

“Oh! The lady is a bit too cold, methinks.”

“And a lady is treated with respect, sir! My lord, please let me go.  I must attend on his majesty.”

“Your drunken oaf of an intended is waiting on him, who is going to stop!”

“But you are a fool! Please, let me leave!”

He backed you up until you were in a corner. Your heart pounded hard.

“Please- my lord, I swear, do not do anything that might insult my honor! I don’t want to-Please!” you cried.

“Then be not so fair and tempt a man to sin! And you have tempted me long enough. The one crown Prince Hal is deserving of is the Cuckhold’s horns.”

“Please, my lord- let me go!” you begged. 

To your horror, you felt a thin, clawlike hand reach for your leg under your skirt, then up, trying to lower your bodice to show your breasts. You squirmed, but one arm held you back.

“No, my lady. I want a see what I could be enjoying on our wedding night.”

He placed a hand over your mouth so you couldn’t scream. Tears welled up in you. 

With a free hand, though it shook, you slapped him hard. 

His hand dropped. He was shocked you were going to fight back. You tried to flee when he grabbed you back, ready to drag you off and force you to strip or do more when-

“Release yourself from the Princess of Wales right now!” threatened your intended.

Hal hurried in and grabbed the lord. He then took out his dagger, pointing it to your attacker’s chest. You jumped off and went behind Hal.

“What- my lord!” the lord was shocked that dishonorable, silly Prince Hal was capable of this. Then he scoffed. 

“She is not yet your wife-” he argued. 

“She is your princess and soon- your queen!” Hal reminded him.

The Lord of Harcourt pointed to where you stood and backed away behind Hal.

“She’s-she was trying to seduce me! The Lady is nothing but a common strumpet”

Hal punched him in the face. You let out a gasp. The Lord nursed his cheek. But Hal kept his dagger up at him. You heard footsteps and murmurs as the others went into the room. The younger Lancaster brothers staying by you loyally. The lords turned pale and slack-jawed.

“You are not welcome in this court until after our marriage. And then you will have to beg to be let in. And If you ever lay a hand on that sweet lady again, it will be the last time you have hands!” Hal barked at him.

The Lord of Harcourt shook and then relented, bowing his head. 

“Now, flee. Before I decide to persuade my father to behead you when he awakes.”

The lord fled into the shadows, a few attendants seeing him out. The others asked after you, but it was Hal who boldly embraced you. It was quite intimate for court protocol, but when had Hal ever done what everyone expected?

 “He-He frightened me.” you choked out.

“You need not be frightened, my lady, you’ll be safe. Did he hurt you? Do anything?” Hal questioned.

“He groped my leg, and tried to take my dress off, but no more. You caught him before more could be done. I-I -I promise you, Hal, I never intended to seduce him in any way! Do you believe me?”

Hal clasped your hands in his.

“Why would I not believe my dearest lady?” Hal replied.

Full of emotion, you leaned down and kissed them. Hal’s mouth opened a little and he smiled at you. He cupped your cheek sweetly. 

The party returned to wait on the king. You saw Hal was pale, but you kept your hand clasped in his as you walked back.

For as uncertain as this time was, no matter what the next day or hour could bring, you had each other and could endure it side by side.

[mizu-chin]

Yes My Lord "Nightly Comfort"

*English is not my first language, sorry for any mistakes*

The journey back to the Phantomhive mansion was silent. The incident in the forest had left everyone deep in thought. Ciel maintained his cold and determined expression, but his distant gaze betrayed the concern he felt. S/n watched the young master attentively, noticing the burden he carried.

Upon arriving at the mansion, Ciel withdrew to his room while Sebastian busied himself with his nightly duties. S/n also went to her room, longing for a moment of rest after the tense night. However, not long after, a gentle knock at the door caught her attention.

"Come in," she said softly.

The door opened, revealing Ciel in his pajamas, with an expression that mixed frustration and vulnerability.

"S/n... I... can't sleep," he admitted, his voice laden with emotional fatigue. "Can I... can I stay with you tonight?"

S/n felt a pang in her heart. Ciel rarely showed his weaknesses, and seeing him like this, so young and fragile, reminded her of how much he was still a child, despite all his responsibilities and sufferings.

"Of course, Ciel," she replied, making room on the bed for him. "Come, sit here with me."

Ciel lay down on the bed, holding the pillow protectively. S/n sat beside him, her presence providing immediate comfort. She gently stroked his hair, trying to soothe him.

"Would you like me to tell you a story?" she asked, recalling the many nights she had done the same for him, offering refuge amid the darkness.

Ciel nodded, his tired eyes shining with silent hope. "Yes, please."

S/n thought for a moment, trying to remember a story that could calm Ciel's mind. Finally, she recalled an old story someone had once told her.

"Once upon a time," she began, her voice soft and rhythmic, "there was a powerful family with a special bond with dragons. They were known as the Targaryens, and they ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. But like all great families, they also faced great conflicts. One of the greatest was the civil war known as 'The Dance of the Dragons.'"

Ciel, now with his eyes closed, listened attentively, the steady rhythm of S/n's voice calming him.

"This war began after the death of King Viserys I," S/n continued. "Viserys had two children who sought the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra, his eldest daughter, and Aegon, her half-brother. Rhaenyra was the rightful heir, but Westeros had never been ruled by a queen, and many would not accept a woman on the throne."

S/n went on, detailing the fierce struggle between the two sides, the aerial battles between dragons, and the devastation that followed. She described Rhaenyra's courage and determination, and Aegon's relentless ambition, painting a vivid picture of loyalty and betrayal, bravery and despair.

As S/n told the story, Sebastian patrolled the mansion, looking for Ciel. His concern grew with each passing minute without finding the young master. Finally, following his instinct, he headed to S/n's room. Opening the door, he found Ciel lying on the bed, almost asleep, while S/n, seated beside him, continued the story.

"...and so, the war of the dragons brought destruction to Westeros," S/n concluded softly. "But it also showed the strength and determination of those who fought for what they believed was their right. Rhaenyra fought bravely, but history was not kind to her. However, her spirit remained, reminding everyone that true strength comes from within, regardless of who sits on the throne."

Ciel struggled to keep his eyes open, trying to hear the end of the story, but the comfort and security provided by S/n were irresistible. Slowly, he fell asleep, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

Sebastian watched the scene, a slight smile curling his lips. He quietly entered the room, approaching the bed.

"He was worried," S/n whispered, looking at Sebastian. "He needed some comfort."

Sebastian nodded, his gaze softening as he saw Ciel's peaceful expression. "Thank you, S/n. He needs someone like you by his side."

S/n smiled gently. "He is strong, but everyone needs someone to care for them from time to time."

Sebastian observed for a moment longer before speaking. "I'll ensure no one disturbs us tonight. Rest well, S/n."

With those words, he left the room, closing the door behind him. S/n continued to watch Ciel, feeling a mix of affection and responsibility. She knew that as long as she was by his side, she would do everything she could to protect him and provide him moments of peace, even amidst the chaos surrounding them.

With one last look at the sleeping young master, S/n extinguished the candle beside the bed, plunging the room into the tranquil darkness of the night.

[ninjamelissajulien]

Notes on Wyldfyre's Voice Messages

out of EVERYONE in Dragons Rising, it's an interesting choice to have Wydfyre be the one to vent out her grief. And that's what this is.

Grief.

1: Why am I doing this?

The idea that Lloyd offered this idea, of sending voice messages [writing letters] to Kai [to the "deceased"] is a great coping method for younger children when dealing with loss. It's a hard idea to conceptualize when dealing with grief at a young age [since this is on LEGO Kids, its presumed for younger children]. "...why would I talk to someone who can't hear me?" parallels the idea of a child not understanding the idea of "the person you love is still around us, even if we can't see them." Its a way to talk without pressure, of getting everything off your chest without aiming it at a real person.

"I refuse to accept that you're trapped away from us and never coming back. I know you'll be back. You're probably on your way back right now." Again, another fascinating parallel to the loss/death of a loved one. In a personal connection - Last year (2023), I lost my grandmother to pneumonia after an 18 year battle with cancer. I was unable to see her before she died (long story), so, the last time I got to physically see her was between a half to a full year before she had died. While I was up at her house with my family, it felt like she was going to walk into the house at any time. I felt like I had no closure, even after the funeral/cremation. So, Wyldfyre waiting for Kai to come back is her way of saying she doesn't have closure. She's in denial. [Even though we all know our beloved Fire Ninja is coming back at some point].

"With you gone, no one understands me here." Kai was, honestly, the first one to really reach out and understand Wyldfyre from HER point of view. She grew up, literally, in the wild [Wyld]- so she is harsh, brash, crude, hot headed. Kai, at first, tried to teach her like how he was taught, but learned to adjust to her needs. He learned how to talk to her, how to connect with her, in a way that wasn't dehumanizing or insulting to how she was raised.

In relation to "Sora and Arin don't know what its like to lose a mentor like you"- Sora rejected her former mentor, seeing how La Rowe treated dragons, but Arin. Arin is stagnant. He's trapped in the rut of trying to find his family. He's dealing with loss, but he doesn't know how to grow from it.

2: So what now?

Wyldfyre is on Heatwave being taken to an unknown place and she is feeling excited and free again- only to be hit with the conflicting feelings of guilt, heartache, frustration, and sadness.

She's wondering about why she gets to enjoy the feeling of flight, the beautiful sky, the wind, etc while Kai is trapped. She doesn't know what's happened to him (like if he's okay other than being trapped), what he sees.

This is an interesting perspective into grief. Why should I get to enjoy this while the person I love (platonically) is suffering? Why do I get to see the sky while Kai is stuck?

Its interesting to note that Wyldfyre describes where she is as "peaceful". Right now, she's in a tumultuous state of mind, hence why Heatwave is taking her to a safer place.

"I feel bad looking at this beautiful sky and knowing that you might never get to see one again." This is such an excellent viewpoint of grief/survivor's guilt from a child's perspective. The pain in her voice of "It's not fair that you're gone, Kai."

"What did you do to deserve this? You were just trying to protect us." God, this is not only heartbreaking but, surprisingly realistic in terms of dealing with this kind of loss.

3: I am Rage

"where Fire Dragons come from all over... for a huge family celebration." Boy Lego really is making us and Wyldfyre suffer, huh. Its like each voice message resonates with a varying stage of grief.

1: Denial. 2: Depression/Despair. 3: Anger.

"Why did you leave us, Kai?" Lego, when I catch you Lego, when I catch you-

4: Desperate Measures

someone please send these to Vincent so he can respond to them as Kai :(

overall, I think this is one of the more interesting perspectives we've gotten in a long time. I do feel like they didn't fully capture Wyldfyre's nature, as she doesn't speak very eloquently. She's much more brash and blunt, but otherwise I think this is excellent!

[coffeewithcutcaffeine]

hello my darling lin 💞 i'm afraid i can't keep it to myself any longer, i must know all about your character tags, they're simply too intriguing 👀.

Ahhh, my loveliest Lizzie! Thank you so much for sending this ask my way, it was such a lovely and generous surprise to find in my inbox today! 🥹❤️ I have a lot of different tags for five separate works so, please, bear with me as I briefly try to elaborate on all of them skdskfjsksfjsk. I apologise beforehand for my seemingly endless rambles, though I hope it will turn out to be interesting nonetheless! 🥰✨️

VOIEVOD:

The majority of my tags come from my medieval magnum opus sksksk because numerous distinct characters are already detailed and elaborate in my mind — let’s dig into them! I do have to confess that some of these tags have yet to make a proper appearance, but I have prepared them in advance, just in case.

( oc: if i cannot move heaven i will raise hell ) — Vlad Dracula. This phrase is a well-known quote from Virgil’s Aeneid: “Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.” I have always felt that it perfectly encapsulates Vlad’s entire life — he is quite the prototype of a Machiavellian ruler willing to resort to more violent methods if needed (which we know very well from history, after all). Throughout the works, he repeatedly acknowledges his belief that he is destined for hell and expresses his willingness to sacrifice his soul for the greater good of his people. And he is also a very strong-willed and stubborn person who will always find a way to achieve his goals, whatever it costs him.

( oc: sanctuary ) — Cătălina. At first, I greatly hesitated to use this symbolism as I truly believe this remarkable woman is defined by much more than her role as the royal mistress and the mother of the voivode’s sons, and I try to depict that individuality of her character. However, this role does significantly influence her life and defines many of the decisions she makes. Throughout their relationship, Vlad sees Cătălina as his sanctuary because she accepts him as he is, loves him despite his perceived defects, and offers him a sense of belonging and peace. Sure, he loves that she keeps him on his toes, but this acceptance and the notion of having a kindred spirit give him the feeling of healing and safety. He can take off the many masks and let himself be exposed as he is, deep down. She also serves as a sanctuary for their sons, acting as the family’s anchor since they spend most of their time with her.

( oc: golden child; lion boy ) — Mehmed the Conqueror. His tag comes from the beautiful poem written by madzieloss on Tumblr, with the whole quote going, “Golden child, Lion boy; Tell me what it’s like to conquer.” I initially tried to use one of Mehmed’s poems from his diwan to make it a bit more personal, but this particular poem works perfectly because it encapsulates Mehmed’s whole essence — the Sultan of the Empire, the gifted child, the great conqueror. I also love using the recurring theme of gold and sun for his character. Gold represents the splendour of the Ottoman Empire, as well as his personal visuals (a lot of rich clothes and jewellery, the gilded Ottoman armour, his ginger hair and beard). Sun is the lovely little dichotomy seen in his character as it is both radiant and invigorating (his manners, generosity, education, intellect, aspects of rule), and merciless and blazing (his cruelty and the destructive sides of his politics towards other countries). Like the sun, he can either help grow or burn everything down.

( oc: the dragon ) — Vlad Dracul. I hate admitting that I could not come up with anything even remotely unique for Vlad’s dad as his moniker Dracul literally means “the Dragon” skdhskfskdks. However, the nickname was used for a reason, and we do not fix what isn’t broken in this house. The dragon’s role in medieval symbolism reflects a complex interplay between themes of heroism, morality, and the battle between light and darkness — on the one hand, the creature is seen as a protector and symbol of power, strength, and courage, but on the other hand, a dragon also represents a cunning and dangerous figure. He is called “the Dragon” both by people who admire him and despise him, so it shows the double meaning and the complexity of a ruler’s nature. At the same time, the meaning also spills over to his private life as he is both a figure of protection and (unwilling and unintentional) destruction to his family.

( oc: of burning martyrdom ) — Mircea Dracula. The eldest sibling is without a doubt the most tragic figure in the entire story, and I wanted his tag to reflect the tragedy and inevitability of his fate. He was killed at nineteen at the hands of his father’s enemies and in the cruellest way imaginable, and the “burning” part hints at some of the circumstances of his death. In his own way, he dies as a martyr because he dies refusing to give up his beliefs — and he is a martyr figure because the majority of his short life is marked with great struggles.

( oc: keeper of secrets ) — Alexandra. This tag is supposed to represent all the inner turmoil and complexities fighting one another inside Vlad’s younger sister. Because the two siblings share most of their personality and physical traits and are also close in age (there is a three-year gap between them), Vlad has always had a fond spot for his little sister and always considered her his little confidante — hence the meaning of keeping secrets. In return, Vlad has always been the brother who has granted Alexandra the most freedom and experience. She also keeps many secrets because there is a lot of her she has to repeatedly suppress inside of her — as I have mentioned, Vlad and Alexandra are quite alike, but Vlad’s personality tends to be accepted more while the same traits in Alexandra are often frowned upon.

( oc: cel frumos ) — Radu Dracula. My laziness shows here once again as that is Radu’s moniker, meaning “the handsome” or “the beautiful”. Radu has been given a fair share of horrible portrayals in media over the years, so I aim to further develop his character and show the varied aspects of his personality that are frequently overlooked. I initially tried to find something that would suit his complicated character but eventually settled on the nickname itself as it nicely shows the irony of his life and the most defining issue of his life — always being disregarded and reduced to only a sliver of his being.

( oc: cel mare ) — Ștefan the Great. (Or, as I like to call him, Fane.) There is no possible tag that would fit the famous Voivode of Moldavia and Vlad’s cousin (Vlad’s mother was a Moldavian princess) more than his own nickname, “the Great”. He is considered a national hero in both Romania and Moldova and undoubtedly earned his monicker through his actions.

OPEN HEART:

( c: i rise with my red hair and i eat men like air ) — Laura Levchenko. Her tag comes from Sylvia Plath’s poem called Lady Lazarus and, although I wanted to find a fitting quote from Lesya Ukrainka to represent Laura’s roots (that form a great part of her being), this one has the right amount of sharpness and edge fitting for my darling spitfire. Her fiery hair is undoubtedly one of her trademarks, and the quote also represents an independent spirit that will not be pushed down by being seemingly “inferior”. It also shows her own stance towards men, beginning with the painful experience with her dad and marking her whole life, as well as people who look down upon her.

( c: veni vidi vici ) — E.R. This is incredibly embarrassing because I was desperate to find something better for Ethan, something more fitting for his character… but there it is skdksfksldls. I do not think this quote even needs any introduction, so I will mention instead that “I came, I saw, I conquered” expresses the way Ethan achieves everything he sets his mind to, as well as the ferocity with which he pursues all his goals. When we compare his character to Laura’s, it might also imply the briskness with which he achieves certain things in life as a straight white American man — as opposed to Laura who is not only looked down upon for being a woman but also has to face a lot of xenophobia in her life. (You also want to re-enact the Ides of March on him sometimes but… I digress sksksk.)

CRIMES OF PASSION:

( c: this ghost sitting year after year upon my heart ) — Milena Rosa. This quote comes from Federico García Lorca’s play Yerma, in Spanish being, “este fantasma sentado año tras año encima de mi corazón”. I have to admit that I have yet to get myself familiar with Milena and craft her character in detail the way she deserves, but we know from canon that Jimmy’s tragic death greatly defines not only her own inner life (because she battles with all the demons his loss has inflicted upon her) but also the trajectory of her future career and the purpose she finds in her mission.

( c: bleeding sun ) — T.T. Trystan’s tag is from Lucie Thésée’s Poem, and the full quote goes, “Handsome as life and poison. Sun-blood handsome. Bleeding sun.” This was an instant fit because Trystan is undoubtedly the product of the environment he grew up in — Drakovia is both a place of beauty and vibrance, but we know its regime is bloody and deadly. Trystan will also never suppress the essence of who he is, and his character is both full of life and somewhat fierce (sometimes even violent) in nature. A lot of my worldbuilding for the story comes from my own experience as an Eastern European, and this little corner of the world is brimming with endless contradictions, so I tried to come up with something that would evoke that as closely as possible.

THE WAYHAVEN CHRONICLES:

( c: i am the sea and nobody owns me ) — Kimberley Cunningham. Kimble is my TWC newborn that I have only recently crafted into a character she should have been from the very beginning. Her tag is actually the legendary quote uttered by Pippi Longstocking which, apart from its fierceness, also fits Kimberley’s playfulness and carefree approach to life. She is a rebel through and through in every aspect of her life, which stems from the disastrous nature of her relationship with Rebecca. Her main objective in life is to do the exact opposite of what she is told, and she enjoys shocking people around her. But, just like the sea, she can be tempestuous and unpredictable, and some of her decisions can be quite destructive. Kimble ends up in the love triangle which kind of mirrors the rest of her life — initially harmless fun turns complicated and messy.

( c: a ribbon of loneliness ) — Sydney Brannagan. My poor baby Syd has been characterised through his melancholy since the very first moment, so I needed to find this little nugget that would instantly evoke his inner world. Then I found this quote by Jenny Slate that goes, “I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that there will always be a ribbon of loneliness running through who I am.” Loneliness runs through Sydney not only in the sense that he is such a sorrowful soul, but also because a part of him always feels so detached from others. All his life, he has felt like he has to prove his worth to his mother to feel accepted, and he also unconsciously builds a wall around him as the time goes by. In the professional setting, his personality does not stand out in any particular way — he is diligent and polite, some might even consider him a bit bland.

BLEEDING HEART:

I do feel like I need to give a bit more context for this interactive fiction beforehand, especially because there is only Chapter 1 out so far. The story is a retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula through the point of view of Mina Murray, and the first chapter already explores several wonderful themes I cannot wait to get my grubby little hands on! I have a very clear idea of who I want Mina to be, how she struggles in the setting and society she lives in, and how her personality drives her emotions and decisions. I do not know if my personal HCs will align with the story as it progresses, but there is nothing this user cannot tweak to her liking skdhskfjfksks.

( c: growing fruit around cyanide ) — Wilhelmina Murray-Harker. Mina’s tag is a part of a poem from a collection called Swallowtail by Brenna Twohy and goes, “Peach pits are poisonous. This is not a mistake. Girlhood is growing fruit around cyanide. It will never be your for swallowing.” Essentially, it encapsulates the conflict between who Mina seems to be on the outside and who she truly is on the inside. I have always felt like the Victorian times were one of the most suffocating periods for a woman to live in, and Mina always has to suppress a huge part of herself to somehow “fit the mould”, hence how she grows fruit around cyanide. Just like the society, her relationship with Jonathan also suffocates her — her engagement is a choice made out of reason, but she does not feel fulfilled with him in practically any way, which ultimately drives her into the arms of Dracula.

( c: the master of the night ) — Count Dracula. His tag is just the tweak of the quote from Bram Stoker’s Dracula: “Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!” Since he commands all the creatures and phenomena of the night, I have changed the bit to the “master”. I wish I had anything interesting to add to his character but, so far, I am waiting to see what he turns out to be like in Bleeding Heart — I know we are able to make him be the big villain or give him redeeming qualities, so I will wait and see which route will seem more fitting to me though I do play around with the idea of making Dracula more redeemable and a different character more villainous). Also, Count Dracula the Vampire has absolutely nothing to do with Vlad Dracula the Voivode in my fictional world — I know merging the two into one character is very popular, there is even one novel that did this that I absolutely love, but… not happening here lmao.

[mesillusionssousecstasy]

House of the Dragon 2x01 : Quotes

"- Starks do not forget their oaths, my prince." (Cregan Stark)

"- His Grace stood at this very outlook and watched as their dragons, the greatest power in the world, refused to cross it." (Cregan Stark - book canon)

"- Do you think my ancestors built a 700-foot wall of ice to keep out snow and savages? (Cregan Stark) - What does it keep out? (Jacaerys Velaryon) - Death." (Cregan Stark)

"- She is grieving. (Princesse Rhaenys) - The mother grieves as the queen shirks her duties. (Daemon) - The queen was wise to recuse herself. She has not acted on the vengeful impulse that others might have." (Rhaenys)

"- I'm afraid. (Helaena) - Don't be. They'd be fools to come with Vhagar protecting the city. (Aegon) - Not the dragons. The rats. (Helaena) - The queen is an enduring mystery... is she not?" (Aegon)

"- My letters to Rhaenyra. Has there been any answer? (Alicent) - An apology for her dead son? (Jasper Wylde?) - We must play the board before us. (Otto) - We do have need for a new Master of Ships. (Orwyle) - We could offer the title to the young Lord Dalton Greyjoy. (Tyland Lannister) - Aemond. What is your business here? (Alicent) - The king summoned me. (Aemond) - You do not have a seat at this council. (Alicent) - Aemond is my closest blood and our best sword. I welcome him. (Aegon) - Path to King's Landing is through the Riverlands. We must establish a toehold there, at Harrenhal. (Aemond) - The Riverlords will either declare for me, or they will meet Vhagar and Sunfyre together. And-and we can burn the blockade while we're at it. (Aegon) - Rhaenyra has dragons as well. (Alicent) - Mine are bigger. (Aegon) - If we lose the dragons to war, there'll be no calling them back. We must proceed cautiously. (Alicent) - No. Fat, old Lord Tully will either raise my banner or see his burn. We should fly to Riverrun. (Aegon) - You are the king, Your Grace. You must not put yourself at risk. And Vhagar is needed here to deter Rhaenyra from attacking in retribution for the death of her son. (Ser Cole) - Errors were made in the hours following King Visery's death. We mustn't compound them. You've already demonstrated your might, Your Grace. We must now favor patience and restraint. (Alicent) - I send ravens by the hour. Many and more houses will declare for you in time. History and precedent will come to your side." (Otto)

"- Our victory depends on the efforts of the smallfolk." (Aegon)

"- I find myself wondering do we pursue the same end? I must admit, there are days where I myself can't be sure. (Alicent) - I shall tell you mine. It's victory. And how would you define "victory"? (Otto) - Rhaenyra bending the knee and Aegon sitting the Iron Throne, in peace. As Viserys wished. (Alicent) - Well, if that's how you describe it, then we are aligned. (Otto) - Then be my ally. (Alicent) - I am. (Otto) - An ally would not repeatedly cut my legs from beneath me at that table of men! (Alicent) - I sit there and I feel your anger (Otto) - Frustration. (Alicent) - These critical days since Viserys's passing haven't gone to plan. (Otto) - That's not my fault. My sons both see you as the great example. The Hand to three kings. Aegon is ever-eager to prove himself and Aemond... Aemond is angry. Rhaenyra's son took his eye and was never punished for it. What he did, however vicious... (Alicent) - The caprice of youth. (Otto) - I could only hope. Aemond erred. But he is fiercely loyal. He wishes to please. And Aegon still heeds me in private, at least. But if you undermine my voice, both those boys will gros deaf to it. (Alicent) - I hadn't seen it that way. (Otto) - We only need to mind Aegon until the novelty of rule is spend. Once he tires of it, you and I can steer our cause to victory. (Alicent) - A fine strategy, daughter. But you must accept that the path to victory now is one of violence. (Otto) - I know it. But that does not mean it must be wanton. (Alicent) - No." (Otto)

"- You speak of highborn games. I am common-born. (White worm) - How long have you been selling secrets to Otto Hightower? (Daemon) - As long as he had gold to pay for them. (White Worm) - Who sent you fleeing from King's Landing in such disrepair? You put Aegon on the throne. (Daemon) - That was the Hightowers' conspiracy. I merely profited from knowing Aegon's movements. (White Worm) - But you delivered him. (Daemon) - He would've returned home eventually for gold and for respite, as he always does. I simply... simply sped the business along. (White Worm) - "Business" that ended with the theft of the queen's throne and the murder of her son. (Daemon) - You only blame me because your true enemies are out of reach. That was purely transactional. I held no loyalty to him. Certainly do not now. Otto Hightower was to me as I am to your noble ilk, fodder to be cast off. I possess nothing of value to you, Daemon." (White worm)

"- She was no agent of the Hightowers. (Erryk) - What is it to you? (Daemon) - A matter of honor. (Erryk) - Was it honor that made you stand by and watch as the Hightowers usurped the throne? You and your traitorous twin. (Daemon) - No, my prince. I'm shamed by it. That's why I abandoned the Kingsguard, and my brother and came here. (Erryk) - I don't care. You should've killed him yourself. (Daemon) - Arryk and I were named to the Kingsguard at just 8 and 10. And we swore the same oath: to defend the whole of the royal family. So what were we to do when they turned against one another?" (Erryk)

"- I want Aemond." (Rhaenyra)

"- Scheme with someone else, Daemon. I was once in your thrall, but no longer. (White Worm) - A transaction, then. Your knowledge in exchange for your freedom." (Daemon)

"- Lady Jeyne Arryn has pledged her support in exchange for a dragon to guard the Vale. And Lord Cregan Stark... has promised 2'000 men..." (Jacaerys)

"- I was also given to understand that you possess a unique knowledge of the Red Keep. (Daemon) - Maegor's tunnels. Great big rat's nest, it is. I know them better than the shape of my own cock. (Cheese) - Tonight, he's going to be your friend. (Blood) - you're to find and slay the Prince Aemond Targaryen. He has silver hair and one eye. Should be easy enough to find. But I understand he's quite good in a fight. You'll want to take caution. That's one half. You'll get the other when its' done. (Daemon) - Alright. What if we can't find him?" (Cheese)

"- We've wasted precious days in this war of quills and ravens. Words are wind. You should be leading the van, and I should be flying cover on Vhagar. No castle would dare to raise Rhaenyra's banner against us. We would bring the whole of the Crownlands to heel in weeks. (Aemond) - Well, mayhaps we could petition the king, privately, to send us out. (Ser Cole) - Rosby and Stokeworth, small castles right in the shadow of King's Landing. They would not want us for enemies. We could add their levies to our own. Our host growing as we advance. (Aemond) - It is a canny scheme. But moot. (Ser Cole) - My brother is hostage to my grandsire and mother, and they tell him that a war of dragons can yet be avoided. Tis inevitable. They must see that. (Aemond) - Otto fears to upset the order of things. And Alicent is simply angry. (Ser Cole) - Angry? She blames me for starting this war after she plotted with my father's council to usurp his throne. "Her Grace" speaks with two tongues. (Aemond) - She has a gentle heart. (Ser Cole) - And Rhaenyra is a cunning spider. (Aemond) - Long ago, she drew Alicent into her web... intoxicated her. It is not your mother's fault. (Ser Cole) - She holds love for our enemy. (Aemond) - That makes her a fool. Lord Hand. (Ser Cole) - Return to your post, Lord Commander. I must have a word with the prince. It would concern me, grandson, if plans were being considered beyond the ears of your king and his Hand. You have a zeal to act. I understand. I was young once myself... (Otto) - I only wish to serve my king and my house. (Aemond) - You and Vhagar are the greatest single power in the realm. If it wasn't obvious before, it certainly is now. But there are many pieces at play here... some of which you can't yet see. I promise you, Aemond, you will have all the vengeance that you seek, but you must keep a grip on your impulses. We both know that your brother cannot." (Otto)

"- It's the king. - To be loved or feared? - I need to be both. My mother and my grandsire mind me like some helpless duckling. (Aegon) - Well, you're the king. Who gives a shit what they say? - My brother, at least, knows his place. He's as loyal as a hound. I can set him and his dragon on my foes at will. (Aegon) - Keep your eyes down. (Cheese) - I need a style that demonstrates power and commande respect. No-no one knows what "magnanimous" means. (Aegon) - You could be "Aegon the Generous" then. That would charm the smallfolk. - I like that. (Aegon) - "Aegon the Dragonheart." - Better. (Aegon) - Is there more strong wine? - "Aegon the Dragoncock!" - Yeah, the untamable beast!"

"- If we're to kill a royal fucking prince, where do you think we're gonna find him? (Blood) - I got you in the castle. I thought the rest was your bit. (Cheese) - I could end you right here, take the rest of the gold meself. (Blood) - I just don't know my way 'round." (Cheese)

"- Set a trap. For appearances." (Cheese)

"- Who the fuck is she? (Blood) - She's the queen, she is. (Cheese) - "A son for a son," he said. (Blood) - Well, does she look like a fucking son to you? Over there. We need to get our head and get out. (Cheese) - They both look the same. Which one's the boy? Maybe that one.(Blood) - Well, look for a cock. (Cheese) - The mother knows. (Blood) - Do anything but what I ask, and I'll bleed the whole lof of ya. Which? (Cheese) - I have a necklace. It's of great value. (Helaena) - That's not a son. (Blood) - Wait. (Helaena) - It's the other one. She's not gonna give up the king's heir that easy. (Blood) - No. She's telling true. (Cheese) - Hold him down." (Blood)

"- Helaena! What's happened? They killed the boy."

[starburstslyther1n]

All Wounds Heal

Prologue

Fred Weasley/Slytherin!Reader

After transferring to Hogwarts in my fourth year and experiencing the Triwizard Tournament, I thought nothing would top that year. When my fifth year rolled around, I quickly realized how right I was, until a certain redheaded Gryffindor began to pay me attention and try his hardest to get to know me.

Word Count: 555

Warnings: voldy was defeated au, you’re in the same year as the golden trio, Umbridge is still here

A/N: this is just me writing something for the fun of it, I’ve read a few Fred fics and there doesn’t seem to be that many Slytherin fics so I decided to write one myself. If you have any criticism please be nice, I’m not a great writer or anything.

After my parents received the offer of a lifetime from their job to relocate to England, the only logical step for them was to transfer me to Hogwarts to remain close to them. So within a few months we had handled all the paperwork and bought a house in the Ribble Valley and made our move. We never imagined to be thrown into the end of a streak of terror caused by a dark wizard trying to come back to power. He was destroyed once more after the Quidditch World Cup. A few days after the wizarding world had began to settle back into peace, the headmaster of Hogwarts was at my house and sorting me. Once I was deemed Slytherin, he handed my acceptance letter and supply list before taking his leave.

With the start of the school year, I quickly made friends with others in my house and a Gryffindor girl named Hermione. Soon after the start of the year, the triwizard tournament was announced. My roommates, Astoria Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, and Millicent Bullstrode and I were quickly swept up in the excitement of it all. The year was a flurry of one amazing thing after the other for the first few months. Other schools arriving, most surprisingly with Viktor Krum making an appearance with his school and then being their champion, dragons at the first task, the announcement of a ball. The second and third task were less interesting to watch but the after parties in the Hufflepuff commons for Cedric were quite fun. The ball came and passed in a night spent dancing and mingling without a single care from anyone.

The tournament closed with Cedric winning the competition for Hogwarts and the largest party the castle had probably ever seen. When the time came for the other schools to leave, we all bid our new friends farewell and exchanged ways to contact each other and sent them off a few weeks before our exams. My friends and I spent our last few weeks together enjoying the end of year freedom together as long as we could before we returned home for the summer. While home, I received news from Astoria that the ministry would be appointing a new defense against the dark arts teacher for our fifth year. She spoke as if she was displeased with the outcome but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why, other than her father worked with the woman in the ministry.

Before I knew it, the start of my fifth year had come and I had boarded the train and set off. As soon as the welcoming speech began, I realized why Astoria had seemed so displeased with her. She was an utter toad dressed in pink. No one in the entire hall seemed to be entertained at all. Even Draco Malfoy, the most pompous of our year was uninterested in what she had to say. She seemed to be a nightmare. Thankfully she gave up speaking to us and the feast began. Once all bellies in the hall were full and the plates had been cleared, everyone was sent to their common rooms for the night to get ready for the start of classes the next day.

That first month went rather smoothly until Umbridge began to get emboldened by the increasing amount of power the ministry was giving her. We did not however, expect the storm to come with this power.

[raviosprovidence]

aaaaa please tell me about your projects

Sure thing!

As of right now I have 4 *Big Main Projects*. Some of them are connected, have spin offs, whatever. A lot have also changed, especially the older ones, from what they once were. I'll give the basic rundown of each.

Welcome to Wintercrest: In the sleepy town of Wintercrest, all sorts of mythical creatures live together in a sort of harmony. However, monsters, animal-like beasts from other dimensions have gotten lose and invaded the peace. Monster hunters, people with extreme skill and a knowledge of monsters, either kill or otherwise apprehend these beasts.

Aubrey, an 18 year old fire elemental, is the newest recruit for the monster hunters. She finds herself as an outsider, with nothing but her own wit and sometimes uncontrollable powers keeping her safe. But when monster hunters start turning up dead, fingers start getting pointed at everyone. Will she be able to solve the mystery with her new friends? Or will she just end up another dead hunter?

Heirs of Disaster: The dragon realm is in turmoil. With no Dragon Knight in the past 100 years, there hasn't been anyone to keep the peace. In the orila kingdom, Princess Amavirla is plotting out her plan for realm wide domination, and she'll achieve it by having the dragon knight themselves on her side.

Enter: Bri. A half dragon half lightning elemental high school student who has just moved to the town of Mirstone, which is only populated by dragons. All she wants to do is finish off the year and go off to college. But adventure seems to find her wherever she goes, and she can't shake the feeling that the voices she hears her head aren't just a random occurrence. Will she heed the call to adventure? or will she keep her head down and try to be a "normal teenager?"

Realms: Someone's gotta keep the realms safe from threats, and that's where these guys come in! The realm hopper society lives in their own little pocket dimension where they can travel to almost any realm possible. They keep multi-realm threats safe, and sometimes do other stuff to help out if things are too dangerous for citizens

During a routine adventure stopping a mad scientist, Willow, a cat shifter from Earth, gets her memory completely erased in a freak accident. All she remembers is her name, her species, and where she's from. Her closest co workers have of course taken her under their wing, helping her regain her memories and integrate back into her job. but as time goes on, and more memories return, things they are telling her aren't adding up. Will she seek out the truth? Or will she comfortably settle back into the routine she's learned?

Divine Rangers: this is my newest one so it's still very much in development, but I am very happy with it.

Thousands of years ago un the world of Agia, the gods roamed the earth. However, their petty squabbles and constant in fighting caused untold destruction unto the land. Thus, in order to let humanity thrive, they sealed themselves off in the godly realms. However, monsters from the godly realms seek to destroy humanity, as they are not powerful enough to destroy the gods. In retaliation, the gods grant one human each a portion of their power to become Divine rangers. They fight to protect humanity, and understand that with great power comes great responsibility.

Aster is a completely normal adult. She lives her life quietly in her small town of Saker Keep at her parent's mechanic shop, along with her group of friends. However, she has reached a rough patch with her relationships, finding it hard to maintain them and at the precipice of losing everyone she cares about. But one night, a goddess comes to her in a dream. The goddess claims to be Zoranaea, an unknown goddess who has been trapped in Chronun (a darker godly realm) for hundreds of years. She has finally learned how to access humanity, and wants to help the mortal world in any way she can. Aster accepts her offer, and becomes the flora ranger. Will she fully rise to the challenge and learn how to take control of her life? Or will Aster falter yet again and ruin what little she has left?

Feel free to ask about more! I don't have a ton of concept art but i should be getting some soon from a good friend.

[xxgotthedevilinsidexx-archived]

When Eric returned and began helping her with her hair she couldn't help but smile. It wasn't something you saw most men troubling themselves with. Nor was it something that most men could even do. She was highly impressed, but why shouldn't she be? Eric Northman had turned out to be everything she believed him to be and more. Every painstaking moment she spent over the years looking for him had been well worth it. She couldn't be more pleased. " Thank you, My Love. " Dany offered as he finished up the braid to her hair. Whatever he had in mind next she was well prepared and most eager to learn about the place he often visited when he needed to get away.

As they bolted from the bar and out the back pam could be heard swearing up one side of the bar and down the other. She could have sworn she even heard her call Eric a Son of a Bitch.

Despite the fact that she could fly on her own that could only be accomplished when she became a dragon. It was different and gave a new perspective to things as for once she saw the world below from a different view. Her arms held tight around his neck and her head remained rested against his should other than the few times he dared to be mischievous and those moments earned him a quick glance and grin from her. Her eyes were well-adjusted to the forcefulness of the wind when flying and her eyes were fine-tuned to see in the darkness. There wasn't a sight that hadn't gone unnoticed by her.

Soon enough she found herself upon her feet once more. Her eyes fell upon the building in front of her and at first, she felt a little confused as to why they had left one bar only to arrive at another. At least that's what it appeared to be to her from the looks of the outside and the rather diverse crowd out front. Not to mention it was rather loud, unlike Fangtasia. " I find great appeal in that. " She admitted as she gladly took his hand. This is what she wanted for her King, to live outside of human laws because he was above them. Which reminded her of that little outburst as they were leaving Fangtasia. She stopped Eric just short of them heading inside. " I have one request of you. When we return home I would ask that you have your Progeny take a knee to remind her of her place and that speaking to you or about you in such a fashion is not acceptable. Your home will not be your home when others see how your own Progeny speaks to you. Not to mention that was highly disrespectful to you and your beloved mother. " She spoke her peace on the matter and now it would be up to him and his discretion on how he proceeded. " Shall we go inside now? " The doors opened and the commotion inside only became louder. It reminded her of old celebrations in their time long ago. For now, they would forget about everything else and just focus on being here.

“Clothes are so passe.” Eric commented with a lingering, smug grin before disappearing. He had gone to his office, sifted through a small wardrobe–one he kept on hand for all his basement antics–and returned with a plain, black tee. His pale skin starkly stood out against the coloring of the shirt, and just like that, he was good as new, even if he just contradicted his own statement. “Away from all my troubles…” He echoed, mulling the thought over as he considered where that would be. Somewhere outside his sheriffdom, he imagined. He began to help her with her hair, fixing a neat, ornate braid as he observed her to often wear, because what they were about to do would undoubtedly ruin that beautiful look.

“Very well.” He didn’t wait for a response, only grabbed Daenerys, bolted them through an emergency exit, and took flight. Vampire superman? You bet, but if he got hit by a pigeon or a seagull, it’d hurt. It happened before. There was no way he could hear his Queen over the wind, but he did shoot her a grin from time to time as he did some particularly daredevil-like maneuvers. He might have even copped a feel.

Eventually, they landed outside of a rowdy establishment, no tourist trap like Fangtasia: bikers, shady characters, and plenty of scowls. It checked every stereotype on the list, but that was the point: it was a front. The supernatural community, becoming more exposed with each passing day, needed some sanctuaries outside the scope of human law; The Gorgeous Nightmare just so happened to be one of those. Eric gently set Daenerys to her feet, pushed one hand through his wild post-flight hair, and took her hand in his. She did not need his protection, but it was also intended to make a statement to all their onlookers. “I come here when I wish to get away.” He stated, glancing down at Daenerys. “It is rather lawless. Perhaps you may not find appeal in that, but it reminds me of another age.”

[theotheroccassionalfanficwriter]

CAN I JUST SAY THAT YOUR WRITING IS AMAZING????? Its so detailed with a great flow and filled with so much emotion I LOVE ITTTT!! You got me lying in bed tossing and turning with “in pursuit of knowledge” 🥰🥰 that’s my favourite one I really hope you continue it!

Can I request one of the upcoming chapter to explore more on how Zhongli and reader first meet and what are the other things they did that made him fall for them more and more each day? Zhongli doesn’t seem to be the kind that falls in love at first sight so I’m interested to see how the reader seems to have slowly crawled her way into his stone heart UGHHH ❤️❤️😩😩 It can be filled with fluff or with smut, up to you! Thank you so much ❤️

Thank you! You can keep on tossing and turning then with this! I also head canon that when it comes to love, Zhongli wouldn't fall in love at first sight but instead he'd be like a snail. The entire time I'm writing this I thought long and hard on how to proceed because I couldn't decide on a satisfactory way Zhongli would meet reader. I already knew that it would be a speed run of Enemies to Friends, and slow burn Friends to Lovers. So I wanted their first meeting to be seemingly unremarkable to Zhongli.

In Pursuit of Duty

Summary: The simplest of things can lead to the greatest moments of our life. Meeting you was Zhongli's greatest fortune.

There were a few mortals in Zhongli’s life, both as an Archon and on the few occasions he mingled with humans, that were able to capture his attention or even his praise. And in all of his life, mortal and divine, no one was able to capture his enmity in the way you did.

“Would it really matter what Rex Lapis thinks if we entered and fucked around the domain in Guyun stone forest?”

Zhongli blinked, aghast at your tone as Childe covered his mouth to stifle his laughter.

“What?” You asked the two of them as if you had not merely suggested tampering with the seals of Guyun Stone Forest.

“The entire place is home to the fallen gods” Zhongli reminded you “a graveyard for those who died in the Archon War”

“It’s been decades, they should be already on the reincarnation wheel at this point” You waved his worries off, sending Childe to another fit of laughter while Zhongli felt indignant “‘sides Rex Lapis is busy doing fuck knows what he probably wouldn’t even notice if one of the seals got messed with unless one of the dead Gods decide to fuck shit up”

Zhongli, who was very much Rex Lapis in disguise, very much noticed it and though he was the one who orchestrated this whole scenario, felt no less than pleased with the attitude you were having.

“The dead still deserve to be respected!” Zhongli insisted as he blocked your hand from reaching towards one of the seals.

“You stick in the mud! You make it sound like I’m defiling their graves or something!” You whined “Besides the Heavens must be willing if they had a stray seal plaster itself on my face!”

“It was a ruined seal. The divine powers had long since dwindled from it. Thus, the Heavens had no hand on it” Zhongli stubbornly insisted as he moved to block your path.

On the side, Childe was still laughing loudly.

“That’s it! Fight me you bastard!” You shouted as you took a few steps back and summoned the elements to form your weapon, a spear.

And really, it was almost funny in hindsight, how you would choose his weapon of all things. The one weapon he was best at among others but right now, in this moment, Zhongli had felt more than annoyed.

“Very well” His spear, dragon’s bane, at his side “I accept your challenge.”

There were a few opponents in his life that gave Zhongli a thrill of the battle. Ever fewer were able to make the gears in his head turn as quickly as it did when facing you, each strike of your spear was clearly aiming for his life, and yet the look in your eyes didn’t carry a single thought of murder.

It was frustrating. It was Confusing. It was, most of all, fascinating.

Fighting you brought him back to the days before the Archon Wars, where the Gods of Liyue were at a semblance of peace. It made him remember the joy of fighting someone your equal, it made his blood rush in a way that it had almost forgotten. And Zhongli was starting to see that beyond your heretical ways, behind your annoying mask of affability, was someone who can walk in the path of the divine.

‘No, you would walk in it for the sake of your knowledge’ Zhongli thought as he blocked your attack and moved his feet to kick you in your stomach.

“This ends here” Zhongli declared as he summoned a steele behind your back.

The sound of your back hitting it rang loudly in the air but the look on your face was something he would never forget in a long while.

You spat out blood, shakily standing up from your position, “You win this round! But I swear on Rex Lapis’ six pack abs I’ll find a way to replicate that fucking seal!”

And then you were gone in a spark of electro.

The peaceful sound of waves remained in the air that somehow hung heavy. Childe had stopped laughing and was looking confused as he mused, “That’s the first time in a long while I’ve seen them look like that.”

Zhongli paid no attention to his words and instead picked up the abandoned seal and returned it to its proper position.

“Interesting” Childe muttered, softly and slightly ominous to Zhongli’s ears.

What he found interesting was something Zhongli wisely decided to not entertain. He really hoped that today would be the last time he’d ever have to be in the presence of Childe’s...friend.

For his part, Childe had no regrets in introducing Zhongli to you, or rather having Zhongli experience the misfortune of knowing you. From the moment Childe had met you again, he knew that his life would be thrown out of whatever carefully calculated plan Pulcinella had made. And it was one he was happy with, if the rumors in Snezhnaya had him part of the chaos then you were chaos incarnate.

It was precisely the reason why Childe had brought Zhongli with him when meeting you in the Guyun Stone Forest.

“A friend of mine, an expert in the ways of the divine and assorted knowledge, would lend us their skills in challenging the...impossible, shall we say” Childe said on the way “Most of their thoughts are heretical, almost, but well no one has ever said it wasn’t effective in reaching the desired result.”

“Ah, a researcher from Sumeru then?” Zhongli had asked, the light in eyes glinting in interest.

“Of sorts” Childe answered because as much as you stayed in Sumeru, most of your knowledge had come from your own experiments and cases from clients seeking answers the divine could not give.

This was why you were almost heretical.

“I must warn you that for them the sacred can be profaned and the profane can be sacred” Childe added as they reached the shores of Guyun Stone Forest, and found you basking under the gentle rays of sunlight in front of the Domain.

Zhongli stared at you, the sight of you head looking up with your eyes closed as it felt the warmth of the sunlight. Geo crystalflies surrounding you as a light breeze had the ends of your hair fluttering in the wind.

“Who is that?” Zhongli asked.

“My friend, the infamous Xiézhihuā Mìngfù of Liyue” Childe answered.

In that exact moment, you slowly opened your eyes, lashes fluttering softly as you blinked. The wind blew and a rain of leaves fell on you, gentle and calm as you stared at them.

--

Like an ill-fated omen, Zhongli began to notice you on the streets of Liyue Harbor. Rumors and words of your deeds would reach his ears, on occasion some of your cases would be told in the tea houses.

“Miracle” a few bystanders would say.

“Heretical” the few devout traditionalists would mutter in hushed tones.

But all agreed that you were a genius. An innovator that brought changes like a storm. You gathered envy and admiration in your wake, foreign nobles and dignitaries seeking you out for consultations or to ask for your help. And yet, for all of your infamy and prestige, Zhongli often found you amidst the crowd of orphans or Liyue’s slum dwellers.

Sometimes, Childe was with you, other times it was Director Hu and her friends, the second young master of the Feiyun Guild and the exorcist. In one memorable moment, Yanfei. But more often than not you were by yourself, answering questions from children with a pleasant smile and mischievous glint in your eyes.

It was such a huge contrast from the one he first met that it made Zhongli pause and observe you from afar. Enough times that those around him would say, “No need for alarm, Mr. Zhongli. Xiézhihuā Mìngfù is honorable.”

It was those words that made him ponder. For all of your borderline heretical actions, miracle works that trespass on the Divine, the entirety of Liyue agreed that you were honorable.

It wasn’t until Childe had asked for his help did he cross paths with you again. Weeks of avoiding you to maintain peace were all for naught when he found himself in your presence once more. A jar of osmanthus wine on your hand and an ingratiating smile on your face, you offered it to him and said, “Osmanthus wine, I’ll give this to you so don’t be a stick in the mud!”

In his youth, he would have immediately brawled with you. But now, Zhongli settled for drinking a cup of tea with contempt as much as the act could convey. Your laughter, melodious, rang in the private room of Liuli Pavillion.

“Aiyo! What a tough crowd!” You said as you sat opposite him and placed the bottle in the center of the table, “Then shall we begin anew? My birth name is a secret, my courtesy name is a secret, my title is Xiézhihuā Mìngfù! Xié for Heretic, zhi for knowledge, and huā for flower!”

“What kind of introduction is that?” Childe teased as he began his battle with chopsticks.

“An unforgettable one!” You replied, sending a wink to Zhongli who merely pursed his lips.

“I am Zhongli, a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.”

You smiled and decided to leave the matter at that, somethings could not be forced. So you retreated and decided to just straightforwardly tell him your intentions.

“I’ve heard that Mr. Zhongli is knowledgeable in Liyue’s history.”

Zhongli could sense your sincerity, it placated him a bit, made the dismal first meeting a little bit better. So he tries because he is magnanimous and there was no reason to burn a bridge, “I am merely remembering what others have forgotten.”

He looked at you in the eyes, drawn to the way your eyes burn bright with curiosity. It reminded him of Guizhong so he shakes the thought away because the dead and the living must not be compared. But as the conversation grows long, the topics eventually shift from the job to everything else, Zhongli can’t help but notice your innate desire to help those who are unfortunate.

Somehow it made him understand why you were seen as honorable. It wasn’t until all of you were facing unknown danger did he realize what it truly meant when used on you.

The case you were asking was slightly connected with Childe’s job for you. The case was about the sudden deaths of several brides that were kidnapped and found dead at an abandoned temple. No one had reported it to the Qixing until one of the victims involved was a distant relative of a Qixing who was to be wedded to one of the Szehnayan Merchants.

Childe had taken the chance to offer aide, calling for your help as one of the known detectives of Fontaine. It had surprised Zhongli, and made him respect you but all of it was quickly thrown away when you had given him a cheeky wink and said, “I can even tell how big a man’s dick is.”

“Shameless” He had admonished and yet he was unaware of the small smile he wore on his face.

The investigation led the three of you to a small village in the mountain, with a local shrine that was dedicated to an old god that even Zhongli had never heard of. The three of you had pored over legends passed down by mouth, discussing and comparing with the records found in Liyue’s public library and scholars. Childe, through his seemingly endless funds, had paid for information on every victim so far that wasn’t in the packet given by the millelith. Zhongli, with his seemingly endless connections, had talked to everyone and anyone that had studied Liyue’s countless lores and legends. And you had talked with the family of the victims, investigating the crime scene and connecting everything that could lead to an answer.

That was how Zhongli found you, messed up clothes and tired eyes poring over documents in the middle of discarded papers that laid on the dark wood floor of your secluded residence in Minlin.

“Have you not slept?” Zhongli asked, frowning as he made his way towards you.

“Not yet” You answered as you got up and discarded the paper you were reading to go to your wide cork board that held all the relevant information you had, “I’m close to figuring out what sort of deity or demon we’re going to fight.”

“What about the reason?”

“Solved it ages ago” You answered carelessly, pointing at the left corner of the board.

Zhongli went over and flitted through the papers on that side until he found what he was looking for.

“A vengeful bride?”

“Mn” You replied as you removed a pin and replaced the paper with an old newspaper clipping “There was a record of a previous incident however the Ghost of that time was listed as defeated. The stories all claim that the ghost was of savage rank, and disappeared after letting go of their obsession.”

“Then it returned?” Zhongli turned to you, alarmed and visibly frowning.

“No.”

You sighed and rubbed your aching forehead, “This was a man made disaster that went out of hand, I’m sure that whoever started this is probably dead. Chances are the first death awakened a sealed something” You looked at him, eyes serious “I’m figuring out just how old this thing is and what exactly are we going to face.”

“...The older it is…”

“The harder it would be to defeat it. Liyue’s lands are drenched in blood. Old grudges mixed with new ones from the Archon Wars. With cultivation clans dying out and having a single yaksha around, the karmic cycle of Liyue is already out of balance” You revealed and Zhongli was amazed with your discovery.

“Is there anything Rex Lapis could do?”

“...Fixing the karmic cycle? None. Solving this? His dragon qi would only end up being corrupted or he’d be punished by the Heavenly Dao. Time has changed a lot of things, but the rule that the Gods may not interfere with the mortal realm remains true.”

Both of you remained silent, You stared blankly at your board while Zhongli watched you. The heavy air from your words made your heart heavy, and Zhongli could see it. The fear that lingered in your eyes, the firm determination to save lives.

It left a ripple in the calm waters of his heart. A small unnoticeable ripple.

“Is it worth it?” Zhongli asked “Is it worth betting on your life to save the common people?”

You smiled at him, almost pitying, “To an adeptus like you, the amount of times mortals would bet on their lives to save others must be few, but Zhongli...I am the sort to always think that the common people are worthy.”

At that moment, Guizhong’s words echoed in his mind.

“Let me help you.”

--

A red sedan trudges up the mountain path, intending to pass through the temple. Behind the bridal sedan was a short entourage carrying three chests of dowry. In front of the sedan, were two people beating drums to celebrate the auspicious day.

Zhongli, Baizhu, and the Fatui disguised as locals were on alert as it watched the ominous trees of the mountain road. You sat inside the sedan, meditating in lotus position. Chongyun and Xingqiu were waiting in the temple where the zombified bodies of the previous brides were found. You had advised Ajax to not participate in the inevitable battle. Ensuring the possibility that his abyssal powers would react badly with ancient powers. With all of the preparations, you hoped that the odds would be in your favor.

You sighed softly, eyes opening as you felt the air change. You readied your weapon as soon as you heard the sounds of fighting.

The door opens and you throw out a talisman. In a quick move you stepped out, geo shield forming around you as you began plucking the strings of the Guqin. You looked at your enemy and found your heart easing up.

What stood before you was neither an ancient deity or demon, but rather a ghost on the verge of breaking through the Malice Rank.

“Don’t fear! We can subdue this one!” You informed your party, as you played the Sound of Vanquish.

Vines subdued the ghost, wearing the red robes of a groom. The Fatui began surrounding the ghost. Nine stone pillars acted as the foundation of the seal, pulsing with geo energy.

You felt rather than saw Chongyun come close, allowing you to draw upon his yang energy to balance out the pure yin energy of the ghost. Xingqiu stood on standby ready to recite the incantation for parting in case the seal fails.

The final notes of the song lingered in the air as Zhongli walked towards you, eyes never leaving the ghost, “I thought it was a bride.”

“A minor mistake” You replied as you played Inquiry.

‘Who are you’

The ghost didn’t answer.

‘Who are you’ you repeated the question.

‘Kill me’ it answered.

Your hands stilled in the air. You sighed and looked up from the strings and found yourself staring straight at the eyes of the ghost. Stunned at the mixture of emotions in its eyes.

“...There is no need to surrender to despair, your soul can still be saved.”

The ghost gave a mocking smile, “So what? My Chang’er is gone. We can never meet again in this life or the next.”

Zhongli’s eyes widened at the implication, just as Chongyun let out a small gasp. You felt your heart turn heavy even so you soldiered on, there was a need to find out the cause of this tragedy.

“Then tell me, why did you kill those women?”

“They deserved it!” The ghost screamed in anger, “They killed her! They killed her like she was nothing! Chang’er was innocent! They knew she was innocent and still-”

“You could have reported to the Millelith!” Chongyun said.

Cold mocking laughter rang loudly in the air, in it you could hear the bitterness of defeat and anger.

“Would it have done anything when the person behind this is an official? You’re too naive, boy!”

You closed your eyes, took a deep breath and decided to shield Chongyun from one of the dark sides of Liyue.

“Are you really forsaking salvation?”

“Yes.”

Zhongli watched as you walked towards the ghost and asked its name. He watched as the ghost whispered its name and you nodded before raising your hands, your index and middle finger pointing towards the sky, while the rest were closed.

Light gathered on your finger tips, the air charged with spiritual energy that was not of Celestial origin. It was an ancient divine power that Zhongli used to feel before he ascended to the peak of cultivation as a dragon.

With one downward stroke, the light slashed through the ghost. The light was so blinding that Zhongli had to shield his eyes as he watched the ghost turn into dust, its soul scattering to the wind. Your back stood straight, your hair gently fluttering.

Even though you were expressionless, Zhongli felt the heaviness of your heart. Despite that your eyes remained strong, unyielding as righteousness burned in your eyes. He watched as you strode in Ningguang’s jade chamber, as you reported your findings.

He accompanied you in going back to the village where it all began as you read the Liyue Qixing’s edict. He watched as you went beyond what Childe asked and went to the unmarked grave of Chang’er, offering incense on the blood stained stones of the temple.

He went with you as you sat on the highest mountain peak in Bishui, looking at the horizon with a blank look in your eyes. He didn’t speak and instead poured you a cup of osmanthus wine and silently waited.

“...Sometimes, I wonder if I can remain in the path of righteousness” You spoke, “I can never understand the hearts of humans, how could they easily ruin someone’s reputation, ruin someone’s life because of greed? I can’t understand why there was a need to go as far as scattering the soul?”

You cried without any tears, and Zhongli remained silent, unable to answer something he had always witnessed in his long life.

“Have you changed your answer?” He asked as he stared at his cup of wine.

“No” You replied and Zhongli could hear the self-mockery in your tone, “Even if one day I find myself in unbearable pain, I’ll never stop believing that the common people are worthy of saving.”

You looked at Zhongli, solemn in your bearing as the sun disappeared in the sky “Zhongli, no one has the right to decide on the outcome of human lives. Be it human or adepti.”

Zhongli thought back to the case, the sad story of two lovers who parted eternally because of jealousy and greed. The greediness of an official’s son for a woman who had no affection for him, the jealousy of the ladies over the popular young scholar. The selfish righteousness of the village folk that stoned an innocent woman to death over ruined reputation.

Zhongli thought of his contract. He wondered for a moment what you would say to him if knew that he dared to bet on the safety of Liyue and its people.

He closed his eyes and drank the wine that still tasted as he remembered.

“I pray that your heart remains in paradise.”

You toasted him and smiled softly. Zhongli vowed to never forget how beautiful you looked in that moment, with the slight smile gracing your lips as you drank the osmanthus wine.

The moon was beautiful that night.

--

Zhongli watched from afar as Osial rose. His thoughts echoing to the oath you swore that day in Guyun. A part of his heart felt sad and yet in awe of what you had accomplished.

He watched as the Millelith, Adepti and Fatui worked together to evacuate the civilians. He watched as humans and adepti fought together to bring down Osial once more. He felt proud and relieved at the result, glad at the knowledge that Liyue had no need of him anymore and yet a part of him felt trepidation.

The knowledge that the Age of Archons was drawing to a close. He thought of you, a beloved child of the Heavens, who could boldly declare that the Gods can be wrong. He thought of the words you spoke that night.

He thought of the days he spent with you, the rare times he went along with your tricks and harmless schemes. The easy way the two of you became friends. You were the first person he had easily became friends with, he mused at how quickly his dislike of you melted into fondness.

The way his heart had pinched when you said he wasn’t fun. The elation from being one of the few people you found interesting. He thought all of this as he handed his gnosis, as he kept his reason a secret. He thought of this as he looked around Liyue that had no need of him anymore, he thought of you as his feet automatically walked to where you were.

He stood away from you, watching as you cared for the wounded and then silently left. He spent the aftermath ruminating on his decision, on his actions while silently watching your actions with Childe during the last week of his stay in Liyue.

He waited for you to come to him, and ask him the question he could not answer. He steeled his heart and yet when you came to him, you didn’t ask and instead began talking about your recent adventures, asking him of his days and Zhongli didn’t know what to feel.

He knew that you knew nothing then. That you remained unaware of the truth but he let himself believe that you didn’t mind. So he spent his days with you, silently caring for you, protecting you in his own way.

He let himself bask in your vibrant presence, allowed himself to savor the feeling of watching you walk the path of righteousness. He unknowingly and willingly let you walk inside his heart, step by step, with each moment you spent helping others.

The days spent by your side, knowing the parts of yourself that no one else knew was the closest he felt in being mortal. It was so easy to forget that you remained ignorant when he spent his time worrying about your ability to be where chaos was, when his heart was easily influenced by you.

But now, in the privacy of the Dwelling in the Clouds, Zhongli watched as you grew disappointed. Your soft laughter filled with heartbreak and weariness broke his heart for reasons he couldn’t understand.

He regretted not telling you the truth when he had the chance.

He hated how he had no right to wipe away your tears even though he had spent countless nights and days warming your bed.

“Zhongli, I hate how I can understand why you did it” Your voice was so soft “Really, as an Archon you are undeniably good, you are peerless in that regard.”

He closed his eyes and readied himself for your next words.

“But I can’t call you a good person. Human lives aren’t something you should bet on so easily, no matter how careful you are” Your disappointment, your grief, and your weariness were all visible in your tone and body language.

He remained where he stood, watching as you descended. Each step breaking his heart as he slowly understood what you meant to him. He cried silently as you disappeared below the clouds and slowly sank on the ground.

For the first time in his life, Zhongli didn’t know what to do. There was no one he could turn to. He dreaded going back to a cold empty house devoid of you. He feared going back to the days that were dull, to a time where you did not exist in his life.

Where the sound of your voice was not commonplace, or the comforting scent of your magic that lingered in the space you occupied.

Zhongli laughed, loud and unrestrained, mocking himself for his stupidity. He hated how he didn’t realize it sooner, if he did then perhaps things would not turn out this way. He cried with all of his broken heart as he remembered the loneliness in your eyes.

He drank his sorrows away and as daylight broke through the clouds, he stumbled his way home. To the place that was devoid of you who he loved.

He fell on his bed that still smelled like you and silently cried himself to sleep.

He was already missing you dearly.

--

You stared at Zhongli, eyes distant as he stood in front of your door. A distant part of you wondered if things could be fixed, if the two of you could move forward from this pain.

But the rest of you were waiting for further disappointment, you knew the bone-deep pride of Gods. You understood that there was a bigger chance that Zhongli would cease contact with you, no one can easily put down years of habit and thought as a god so easily.

And yet as Zhongli stood beneath you, looking up to you. You couldn’t help but hope.

“...I can’t apologize for what I did” Zhongli began, “I don’t regret doing it the way I planned but I regret that I didn’t think of another way to test my people.”

You remained silent.

“I asked you once if the common people are worthy, the truth is I don’t know whether I find them worthy or not...but with you…” Zhongli trailed off, he felt that his next words were heavy.

He was afraid of laying his heart bare to you. The deepest parts of him that he didn’t fully understand, “I know that your life alone is worthy. I am a being born from rock, gaining humanity through cultivation. My heart is made of stone, softened by the dust. I don’t know if I would ever understand what being human means and everything it entails…”

You stared at him, unmoving, silently and patiently hearing him out.

“But I know that the only way I can keep on being with you is by changing this stone heart. So please, let me walk by your side, protecting you and your belief.”

Zhongli bent his waist, solemnly asking for your forgiveness and acceptance. He heard your footsteps coming closer and swore to himself to accept whatever the outcome would be.

“Stand straight.”

He stood and then he found himself in your embrace, your familiar scent filled his nose and Zhongli gently and firmly hugged you back. He held you fearing that all of it was an illusion.

“Let me learn how to be good while staying by your side” He whispered.

“I was afraid” You replied “of how easily you can decide on the outcome of your people’s life and death.”

You hugged him tighter, “I know that you still have secrets that you can’t tell. That even as you live as a mortal, the consequences of your actions as an Archon is something you would live with for the rest of your life. So I won’t judge you for that but Zhongli, I can’t be with someone who can easily bet on other’s life.”

“I understand.”

He thought of your words in Qingyun Peak, your confession that night in Minlin. He thought of the day he met you. He thought of the words he said in that temple ruin.

Zhongli understood what it meant to walk by your side, to take the same path as you did. He knew that from this moment onwards he would never be able to untangle himself from you.There was no room for anything else in his heart that was filled with you. It would always remain with you even if one day his entire being ends up in the abyss.

‘As long as your heart remains in paradise, I don’t mind letting myself fall into the abyss.

[autumnslance]

FFXIV Write 2021 #4: Baleful

“It’s the damndest thing, ma’am,” the young dragoon said as Aeryn looked over the reports. “Ser Alberic looked over the reports, went all pale, mumbled something about needing some fresh air, and then just...left.”

“And you have no idea where he’s gone?” She asked.

The young elezen shook his head. “I...I am ashamed to say none of us thought to follow him for a moment, and by the time Clarisse stepped outside to ask if he was all right, he’d vanished. The sentries say he Jumped away.”

That made her raise an eyebrow. Alberic did not often employ the methods he taught anymore. “Two days ago, you said.”

The young man nodded. “We just...don’t know what to do, or where to go. We thought perhaps you might.”

“I’ll try,” she said, gathering the portfolio again. “May I take this?”

He nodded. “I made that copy just for you, ma’am.”

She smiled a thanks and stepped out of the barracks and into the cold, sunny streets of the Observatorium. The portfolio had been about attacks from remnants of Nidhogg’s Horde, old fighters who didn’t want to accept the peace and still fought bitterly against Ishgard and those of Hraesvelgr’s brood who allied with the city-state.

The main concern was the ringleader of this particular surge of activity; an ancient red dragon called Avengret, last active around the time Ferndale was destroyed and thought killed at the time. Apparently she had merely slept and recovered, and had awoken very recently. Not originally a member of Nidhogg’s brood, she had not been compelled to awaken right away when he called for the final verse of the Dragonsong War.

She was the best place perhaps to start, but Aeryn needed to know more. If she couldn’t find Alberic, then another source of information about Avengret was needed.

—-

Gullinbursti raised his head as Snowlight landed nearby. “Ahh, Aeryn; to what do I owe the pleasure?”

She smiled sheepishly. “I wish it were a social call,” she said apologetically. “I need help finding a wayward Dragoon instructor.”

“Oh?” He stretched, scales rippling in the sunlight shining over Bahrr Lehs. “I don’t know much about Dragoons. Tend to avoid them.”

“You know of Ser Alberic Bale?”

“The previous Azure, of course. A bane to us all during the war.”

“He’s gone missing; so far as we can tell, of his own volition. He received a report of one of Nidhogg’s generals, a dragon called Avengret who was thought killed at Ferndale but has resurfaced. I thought you might know of her since, well…”

“Since she is of Ratatoskr’s brood,” Gullinbursti said quietly. He looked off into the sky for several long minutes.

“I...don’t want to ask you anything that might harm your kin. I’m just worried for Alberic and what he might do.”

Gullinbursti seemed to recall she was there, suddenly looking into Aeryn in a way that almost made her fidget. Finally the old dragon sighed. “...Leave it, Warrior of Light.”

“Beg pardon?”

“Send someone else to find your missing man. This is not an adventure you should accept. Go home.”

“I promise, I don’t want to hurt one of you—”

“I would kill Avengret myself were she here,” Gullinbursti said bluntly. “She is a dangerous creature of honeyed words, the sweetness hiding the poison, distracting from her claws. The great love she once bore for mortals was twisted irrevocably when our mother died, and all she wishes is vengeance. Do not involve yourself.”

“You know I can likely face her; she can’t be more powerful than the First Brood.”

Gullinbursti growled. “There is more at stake than your prowess, Champion. Send someone else. Trust me.”

Aeryn grit her teeth. “I do trust you--but you must also trust me, Gullinbursti. And I can’t leave Alberic out there. If you don’t tell me, I’ll find another way.”

The dragon let out an exasperated growl-sigh, then shook his wings and roared. Moogles and Temple Knights around the plaza jumped and stared. Gullinbursti glared down at Aeryn. “Stubborn as ever! Very well. On the southern edge of Coerthas, in the Eastern Lowlands near where the hills make way for the Shroud, are the ruins of a small village. Hard to find, but you’ve always had a keen sense for the hidden. To the east, across the old sheep paths, is a ruined tower. You may find answers there. You may not like them.”

Aeryn frowned, but nodded. “Thank you, Gullinbursti.” She bowed for the elder, and then turned away.

Tarresson was watching, alerted by the dragon’s outburst. “Everything all right?” He asked as Aeryn returned to her chocobo.

“Alberic’s rushed off without a word, and now Gullinbursti is reticent to share what he knows of the dragon I think Alberic’s chasing.”

“Oh?” Tarresson raised a brow as he stroked Snowlight’s neck.

“Have you ever heard of Avengret?”

The former count let out a long, low whistle. “Afraid I have; I thought that bitch was dead--pardon my language. If Alberic’s looking for her…” Tarresson huffed. “She had some part of the Ferndale business. It could be that he’s seeking a bit of closure. Unfortunately, I cannot help with where to find either of them; I am sorry.”

Aeryn nodded and swung up onto the saddle. Tarresson grasped her arm. “If you must, return to us here; we’ll think of something. I’ve a bad feeling about all of this; please be careful.”

“Always,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze. He nodded and let her go, watching as she and Snowlight flew off.

————-

She must have come this way before, but the snowfalls made it difficult to tell.

The border outposts were of some help, in outlining the region and offering a warm place to stop, have a drink by the fire and check the maps. An old knight pointed out a watchtower she thought perhaps the one Gullinbursti had mentioned.

“Just beyond what little’s left of the village of Fawn’s Hollow,” she said. “Was a nice place once. Calamity saw the last of its few folks leave, though.”

Aeryn frowned, something familiar stirring. She shook her head. “Thank you, I’ll check into it.” She bundled up again and retrieved Snowlight, despite the chocobo’s protests to remain in the warmth of the outpost. They made their way across snowy fields and woods to what was left of the village.

A lump formed in Aeryn’s throat from an emotion she could not identify as she navigated the ruins of the village. This close to the Twelveswood, the snow was thinner, sometimes even melting entirely, so the shape of the old town was easy to follow. Most of the buildings were gone, burnt and broken in the Calamity or soon after, no one left to stop the flames. She found herself pausing before a low stone wall, the boundary of someone’s yard once perhaps. Her head whipped around at what she thought was the sound of a familiar laugh, but it was just the wind moaning through the old bell tower, the only part of the chapel to remain.

Shaking her head, Aeryn continued east, finding the hint of sheep paths even through the snow; flocks gone wild, and other animals besides, retained the habit and followed the old path.

Snowlight’s swift stride soon brought the tower into view. Ruined even before the Calamity, it was an older design missing the hallmarks of Dzemael construction of the last hundred and fifty years. Even with the fresh few ilms of snow on the ground, it seemed far too cold and quiet.

Snowlight warked unhappily, flapping her wings as Aeryn dismounted. “Shh, it’s all right,” Aeryn said, stroking the chocobo’s beak. “I feel it too,” she admitted, turning to face the entry she could see, a swollen old door, half off its hinges.

It took a good deal of effort before the old door budged, crashing from its place, the sound like cannonfire in the too-quiet woods. Aeryn winced and held still, listening for anything that might have come to investigate the noise.

Nothing.

She wasn’t sure if that was better, or worse.

Aeryn stepped into the ruin, Snowlight hesitantly following behind her, feathers puffed and ruffled. The entire tower seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something--or someone, perhaps. The halls had not seen habitation for some time, everything cold and damp, the air heavy with frosted dust.

The rooms opened into what should have been the center of the tower, but now exposed to the sky. There were signs it may have once been a dragon’s roost, but so long ago there was no trail here to follow.

Still, there were also signs the tower had been inhabited once, possibly by any heretics following said dragon. Avengret’s profile said she tended to gather followers, nurturing them into shock troops for the Horde.

As she searched, Aeryn thought of the nearly-mindless dragons that had thrown themselves at Ishgard’s defenders numerous times, scaly forms littering the Steps of Faith. She shivered.

Snowlight perked up and whistled, calling Aeryn’s attention to the entrance. There was the sense of movement and sound. Woman and chocobo dashed for cover behind fallen masonry, Aeryn’s rapier drawn.

A moment passed and a familiar red-clad figure stepped into view, confident despite his caution, his own rapier drawn and tail lashing. “I know someone’s there,” he growled.

“X’rhun?” Aeryn called back, a part of her smugly satisfied to see him jump in surprise as she stood from behind the masonry. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, my dear,” he said, laughing hollowly as he put away his sword and focus.

“I asked you first,” she teased, sheathing her own weapons as she walked over to him.

It wasn’t difficult to note the strain in his usually easy smile. “I’m here on behalf of Ser Alberic, in regards to my occasional work aiding the Holy See with their heretic reintegration project.”

“I’m looking for Alberic,” Aeryn said. “His students called me when he left abruptly a few days ago, and hasn’t been heard from since.”

X’rhun pinched the bridge of his nose and swore softly to himself in three different languages, all of which the Echo picked up and made Aeryn blush. “They weren’t supposed to do that; I doubt he thought of that, damned fool.” X’rhun let out an exasperated breath. “Well there’s no cause for alarm; Alberic and I are working together, and I assure you he’s quite safe. You may tell his students not to worry.”

“From everything I hear of this dragon he may be pursuing, ‘safe’ seems relative,” Aeryn said, crossing her arms. “You might even need an Azure Dragoon.”

“Well I’ve already got one,” he replied dryly. “I assure you, it’s naught we can’t handle. You can easily return to your latest round of saving the world,” he tried to tease, but her Echo still caught the unease he tried to hide.

“Rhun,” she said, quiet and flat. “What the seven hells is going on? First Gullinbursti tries to tell me to leave, now you’re doing the same. Alberic left without any word--and I get the feeling that was meant to keep me out of things, except an enterprising pupil decided to risk sending a message anyway. Please, just...tell me.”

He was quiet for a long moment, tail flicking behind him. “I wish I could,” he finally said. “But I made a promise.” He sighed. “It’s a complicated mess, my dear, and Alberic is taking it personally. Which is why I’m here to help him.”

“I’m taking this personally,” she snapped, hands balled into fists as she stepped closer. “This whole thing seems strangely familiar and everyone’s trying to keep me away and won’t tell me why and I swear if you just tell me to return to Mor Dhona—”

Snowlight kwehed in distress as she forced herself between Aeryn and X’rhun. Aeryn reeled back, looking from her bird to X’rhun, struggling to keep himself calm--though her Echo caught his whisper of concern as her temper had started to fray.

Aeryn covered her face with her hands. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“I know,” he said warmly, his hands on her shoulders now. “I’m not making this easy and you’ve already seen enough to make you curious. You’re concerned for Alberic, and rightly so; he’s a stubborn old knight looking into something dangerous. But I need you to trust me for now. I will tell you what I can, when I can--and I will try to get him to do the same.”

There was something he wasn’t saying, an unspoken line, but she wasn’t sure what. Aeryn let her hands fall and looked at X’rhun. “I do trust you,” she said. “But I’m not leaving. You don’t have to tell me anything, but I am going to help.”

He looked about to protest, then sighed again, shoulders slumping as he laughed helplessly. “I know there’s no dissuading you. Very well; I suppose we shall see what happens from here. Now, have you had the chance to explore this tower?”

She nodded. “There’s nothing of interest that I could see.”

“It’s been too long since she’s roosted here, and all her followers have moved to other locations as well,” X’rhun mused. “Let’s return to camp, then, and plan our next move--the sooner we put this place behind us, the better. It feels…”

“Like it’s waiting for her to return,” Aeryn said. “Like we’re being watched though there’s no one here. The place itself wants us gone.”

He nodded. “Just so. Shall we then?”

She followed him out of the tower, to where his own borrowed mount waited. Snowlight huffed in relief as they exited, shaking out her feathers.

Aeryn spared one last glance at the ruined tower as she mounted Snowlight to follow X’rhun. The old building sat still and dark, and she shivered as they rode away.

[thebmatt]

FFXIV Write 2021 Prompt #25: Silver Lining

Silver Lining – an advantage that comes from a difficult or unpleasant situation

The date had snuck up on him.

Dahkar rolled out of bed feeling grumpy and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why. He had no plans for the day, no diplomatic engagements that he would have to suffer through, no foes to deal with, no responsibilities he found boring. The day was his to do with as he pleased.

So why did the prospect of leaving his room seem so daunting, so pointless?

Something tugged at his mind, a nagging feeling that he was forgetting something. He looked over to the calendar on his wall, a simple one that Tataru insisted all of their rooms in the Rising Stones have.

Oh.

Oh.

It was the anniversary….of the day the man he loved died.

Shite.

He’d forgotten. With everything that had been going on, he’d somehow let himself forget that the worst day of his life was approaching.

He’d forgotten him.

No you haven’t

He groaned and flopped back first onto his bed. I’m really not in the mood for this, Fray.

Too bad. Whether you like it or not, I am a part of you, here when you need me. Right now, you need me.

He rubbed his temples. Can you not just let me be sad and lonely in peace?

Not if you are going to lie to yourself, no.

I’m not lying to myself. I haven’t thought about him in moons what with everything going on. I’ve forgotten him. I almost forgot the anniversary of the day he died. I claim to have loved him, and this is how I’m honoring his memory. I deserve this misery and you damn well know it

Are you done?

Oh will you just fuck off. You told me you didn’t think we’d ever talk like this again and here you are. lying to me.

I told you I didn’t know. I didn’t. I certainly didn’t think you’d tell lies to yourself thinking you needed to be miserable. As if that’s what he would want. As if ‘not thinking about someone constantly’ is the same as forgetting them. What a lode of shite, really. I thought we were smarter than this. Clearly you still need me.

Dahkar scoffed What the hells do you know about what he would have wanted?

Do you really need me to answer that? Or should I say ‘need us’?

Dahkar screamed in frustration, covering his face with his hands to muffle the sound.

Feel better?

No, but since you seem to have all of the answers, what do you suggest I do?

You’re being petulant, and you know it. My suggestions are still you knowing exactly what to do. But if hearing me say it will help you realize it, then fine. Get up, get dressed, go to his grave, leave some of those lilies, and tell him how much we love him and miss him. And then move forward. We both know he’d be quite cross with the idea of you holding yourself back from real happiness because of what happened to him. So accept it and let yourself love again already.

He sighed. For being my inner darkness, you’re weirdly romantic.

Do I need to drag us back to the Sea of Clouds so you can hear the moogle’s song again, or are you going to accept that because I remember it, you certainly do?

No, Gods no. Fine I’m going. And I’ll….think about the rest

That’s what you’ve already been doing.

Shut it.

A few hours later, Dahkar knelt at Haurchefant’s grave. While he still carried Nothung on his back, he’d eschewed the dark plate armor he normally wore as a Dark Knight, instead donning the mail of a House Fortemps Knight that he’d worn the Grand Melee with the Eorzean Alliance. It felt like a fitting tribute to the man he was here to speak to, even if it was so light he almost felt naked.

“Hey, Haurche. If you’re watching,I reckon you’re probably yelling at me. I’m sorry for letting myself be miserable with sadness. I know you don’t want me to do that. You’d probably tell me something like ‘You have so much love to give, let yourself do so!’. And you’re right. So I’m gonna try my best. There’s actually this girl in the Scions, she-“

The loud CRACK of a flintlock discharging interrupted his words and his side exploded in pain. He screamed and went down.

“Well well well, boys. Look what we got here. Another bleedin’ heretic comin’ to pay respects to his heretic kin.”

The voice was young, male, angry, but strangely somewhat refined. He rolled over to look at his attackers, trying not to cry out at the pain the act caused him. A group of elezen youths, four boys and a single girl, all well dressed too. The leader held a flintlocke, still smoking, pointed at him. “What…” he coughed. “What the hells are you doing? This is no heretic’s grave!”

“Oh it isn’t? Oh, well my mistake then. I thought this was the grave of that bastard Haurchefant Greystone, who brought outsiders into Ishgard that up and utterly destroyed the very foundations our great nation was built on! Now we have another bastard as our leader who let fucking dragons into the city and let the fucking commoners have a voice equal with their betters!” the leader spat, lowering his gun. His cohorts nodded or shouted agreements,

“Ah, I see.” Dahkar spat blood onto the snow, trying to get to his knees so he could at least defend himself. The shot was well placed, though, and he was struggling to overcome the pain of it. “And what might you plan to do if it was?”

“Well first, we’re gonna gut you and spill your blood over this place. Then we’re gonna dig that bastard up, shatter whatever bones he’ s got left in there and spread em around so the beasts can have em, and whatever’s left of you. Then we’ll shatter that stone and toss it in Witchdrop where it belongs. How’s that sound to you, heretic? Don’t answer, we don’t care.”

The group all drew a series of blades, knives and daggers, and slowly advanced on him. Dahkar tried in vain to get to his feet, or at least his knees, any position where he could try to draw his sword and defend himself, but the strain was getting to be too much, and he nearly blacked out. A splitting headache overtook him as he tried to block out the noise in his mind.

Noise that he belatedly realized was a booming voice

GIVE ME CONTROL. LET ME IN, DAHKAR. I CAN END THIS, GIVE ME CONTROL

“WILL YOU SHUT UP, FRAY?” he screamed. He seized the darkness within himself and pushed it out, as if trying to excise the voice from his head.

Miraculously, it worked. The yelling stopped. He sensed a growing pool of darkness nearby. Opening his eyes, he looked over. A pool of dark aether had gathered next to him. From it rose a shadowy form of a hyur, glad in black and blue, gold-trimmed armor. On his back was a Deathbringer made of darkness. The Shadow looked to him with glowing red eyes

“Neat trick” it said in his own voice.

The youths had began to back away, screaming threats or oaths. He used that time to reach into the Armory and summoned his plate armor. With a flash of light, it appeared on him, the damaged mail gone. The cuirass clamped down on the would, reducing the blood loss.

The shadow offered him a hand, and he took it, getting back to his feet and drawing Nothung.

“Don’t kill them.” he said to it.

“Mercy? They’d have shown you none.”

“They’re angry and stupid. Everyone should get one chance to move beyond that”

The shadow, Fray, laughed. Or Dahkar did. It was impossible to tell, and in the end it didn’t matter.

Both lept at the elezen youths, who screamed in terror.

[ushiwakatrash]

On your knees, King!

Bakugou x reader, Todoroki x reader

Fantasy AU

!Warnings!: Swearing, betrayal, lil dash of angst, shitty writing

Synopsis:

Bakugou is the esteemed King of the Kingdom of Barbarians and because he succeeded in ruling the lands that were once governed by the Yuuei Kingdom, an offering must be made for the peace of the people. As the so-called ‘black sheep’ of the royal family, the King of Yuuei a.k.a. your father, offered you--naming you the most precious thing he could give; but you know the truth behind his words.

PART I

Part 2 →

“All hail the Barbarian king!”

Chants roared throughout the fallen kingdom as the last palace on the hunt list fell to the hands of the barbarians. The leader of their army, along with his trusted dragon, stood tall as they basked in their hard-earned victory. 

The dragon who could shapeshift into human form kneeled at the foot of his master. “At long last my king, Yuuei is ours. This glory is because of you.” 

“There, you are wrong, Kirishima. This victory is ours. TO THE BARBARIANS!” the king cheered. His soldiers followed suit with their own cheers of victory but in the castle of Yuuei, a family shuddered in fear.

Since the king couldn’t govern all of the kingdoms he had conquered all at once, he usually appointed the royal family to do it for him but one wrong move may cost their heads.

That fear was enough for the other kingdoms to pledge loyalty, knowing how the Barbarian king would definitely hang their heads on the palace gates if they ever displeased him.

The same feeling emanated in the walls of Yuuei. They knew of the new King’s ways and now they were the newest set of prisoners of the Barbarians. The king however needs a token, one of the most worth in the former king’s possession.

Other nations brought forth their best quality gold, finest jewels, the smoothest cloths of silk, but only this kingdom had a princess--and that was worth more than any of those other gifts combined.  

(Y/n) was called a weight on the family name by her own kin. She was far from what you would call an elegant lady. During the daytime you would see her sparring with the knights. Other times she would go hunting with her commoner friends.

She knew her way with swords and weapons. She is also very skilled with the bow. One of their best knights, Iida Tenya, taught her to wield these things even if it was against his will at first.

She was the princess of the people and all the commoners adored her. Her family on the other hand frowned upon her actions calling it ‘unfit for a lady and a princess’ but she could care less. 

Raw strength was not a problem for this princess and accompanied by her smarts, everyone looked up to her. The royal family could careless for their people but the heart of (Y/n) was just like that of a commoner.

She knew of their struggles and accepted criticism they had which earned her the respect of almost all of the people. She sometimes would sneak out of the castle to give food to those who have nothing on their plates or give medicine to the sick.

The only person who knew this was her childhood friend, Prince Shouto. They were introduced to each other when they were young as political marriages often happened between royal families; they were engaged.

And because their kingdom had also fallen in the hands of the great King Bakugou, their engagement had been called of because even if they remained in their respective palaces and continued to govern their own land, they were royals no more.

She lacked finesse and grace but she never lacked in heart and compassion. She was the only princess born in a royal family and because of her attitude and crass behavior, the King found her useless and an embarrassment.

 What other way to get rid of her than to give her as an offering? Surely she would refuse the offer so the king had to plan on how to break the news on his only daughter.

The queen refused to give her daughter away but if they did not comply, all three of their heads will be chopped off from their body. It was the only way to survive in their lost kingdom.

The only lucky thing that they could happen to have right now is that their daughter would be at the age to marry. She was.

-- 

The sun was out and the weather was nice--the perfect time to catch a wild boar. The town folks will surely enjoy the meals that could be made with it. She reached for the red tooth that was attached to a slim piece of rope wrapped around her neck and touched it for good luck before hunting.

When she was only starting to get into hunting as a young girl, she wandered off to the woods by herself. That’s when she met a blonde with piercing red eyes. At fist he was hostile towards her but after a few more visits, they became friends.

He taught her how to skillfully shoot a pigeon with a bow, and they would have that bird for lunch. He taught her how to climb trees and distinguish poisonous berries from edible ones. 

One time, after they had finish catching fishes in the river to roast, he shyly handed her the necklace, telling the princess that it was a price from defeating a beast of the forest. In her state of happiness, she tackled the young boy into the hug and unknown to her, it was the first time he had felt affection.

She had no idea what was going on in the palace. She was busy finding food for the poor families she had recently talked to. A knight from the castle rushed to her, scaring the animals away.

“Why would you make so much racket in the middle of our hunt?! This better new you have better be worthwhile or I’ll have you running laps around the town!” the princess complained. 

“I am truly sorry, your highness but his majesty has summoned you in the throne room right this instant so we better get a move on and not let the king wait.” the knight swiftly said.

-- 

“My daughter, I have some important news for you. For all of our sakes and for our people’s sake, you are to be given as the token of our loyalty to the Barbarians.” the king stated with no emotions.

You scoffed at this. “Why me? You have tons of gold and brilliant stones! I do not get why it must be me that is given. How about what I want?! How about my say in all of this?!” 

“You will obey your father whether you like it or not! For once be useful to this family you ungrateful child! You will be given to King Bakugou and you will be taken as his wife. Resistance is futile because I have already sent the signed papers” the king stated, more aggressively this time.

“Are you fucking kidding me?! Is my freedom and happiness too much to ask from you? A loveless marriage for the sake of who, yourselves?! I doubt this is for the sake of the people. I’d rather die!” her voice started to shake.

“You will do no such thing as to kill yourself. Your wedding to King Bakugou is absolute and I will hear no further complains. Please my loyal men, escort the princess out of here.” 

“You fucking old man! Mark my words I will come back for you, not in joy, but to have you punished!” She screeched. 

--

The night was quiet for the sulking princess and no other thing could lift her spirits up other than to visit Prince Shouto. She snuk out of the castle once more and was warmly greeted by the guards in the Endeavor Palace. 

The ruler there, Enji, took care of business outside the town so only the princes and princess Fuyumi were in the castle. 

She was quickly escorted to Prince Shouto’s headquarters and she flung the door open and hugged the prince, finally letting the tears fall. “Shouto I am getting married to a man I don’t love! My father is the worst I fucking hate him. He is always against me!” 

Shouto understood the feeling of resent towards their father. That was the thing they both strongly had in common, dealing with the fathers they wish weren’t theirs. 

“It cant be that bad (Y/n)” Shouto said while trying to wipe her tears away. He cupped her face and asked “To whom are you to be wed anyway?”

The prince’s world stopped when he heard her answer. 

[turnthedirtintojoy]

I finished Rule of Wolves last night and although it was a thoroughly enjoyable read (as everything Leigh Bardugo writes) and an overall satisfying ending to the series, I do have mixed feelings about some of the choices that were made. And there were some VERY big plot holes. Some thoughts below the cut. Beware: spoilers.

Things I liked:

It was so nice to dive into this world one more (last?) time and to see all our beloved characters again (my Crow babies, Alina, Mal, Misha, Oncat...). Leigh’s writing was on point as always, and she really did a great job expanding this universe as well. We got to discover Shu Han and see a bit more of Fjerda, and this novel, I feel, has a lot more scope than the previous ones. 

Leigh’s main strength remains her characters. Nikolai was delightful as always. Zoya’s arc was absolutely amazing. Nina was still the badass waffle-loving pansexual queen we all love.

Rule of Wolves offers great representation with a diverse set of characters. I never really clicked with Hanne’s character, but their story was told with grace and subtlety, and I love that Fjerda now has a gender non-conforming Grisha ruler (and they don’t even know it). Zoya’s road to acceptance of her Suli origins was also a nice touch. 

I’m really grateful that we got a happy ending for most of the characters. Obviously I love that Nikolai and Zoya are endgame. Nina has found love and joy again. And although we only got a brief glimpse of the rest of the Crows, I like where they’re at (Wesper living happily, Kaz ruling the Barrel while Inej rules the True Sea).

Things I didn’t like:

So many plot holes and inconsistencies... 

1. Let’s talk about the Ice Court, this supposedly unbreachable Fjerdan stronghold. It takes a whole book for the Crows to break into it, and they literally have to blow a hole in the wall with a tank to get out of it. But in ROW, although it is specifically stated security has been reinforced since the prison break, people seem to come and go as they please. Nina breaks into the Drüskelle sector not once, but twice. Not to mention Magnus Opjer who mysteriously manages to escape with nothing but a bone dart. Sorry, I don’t buy it.

2. The ending to Nina and Hanne’s story makes absolutely zero sense whatsoever. Why would Nina choose to keep Mila’s face? Couldn’t Prince Rasmus just marry Nina Zenik now that Fjerda is at peace with Ravka? It would make sense as a political alliance for the Prince to marry a Grisha. I hate that Nina will have to live as someone else for decades. Also, are we supposed to believe that Hanne will fool everyone as Prince Rasmus? A large chunk of KOS is devoted to Isaak’s training and difficulties to impersonate Nikolai, a man he has known for years and with the help of his closest friends (Genya, Tolya, Tamar...). He barely scrapes it in front of nobles, but Hanne will somehow manage to pass as Prince Rasmus, a man she barely knows, in front of his parents? That seems highly unlikely... One would say improbable.

3. As much as I adore the Crows, their appearance feels a bit forced and doesn’t really work narratively. I loved the Ketterdam chapters (of course I did), but they don’t really belong in Rule of Wolves and feel out of place. First, why would Nikolai and Zoya go in person? Also, we are talking about a Demon King and a Dragon Queen with an army of Grisha at their service, and they can’t manage without the help of Kaz Brekker, a 19-year old gangster, to steal stuff? Once was cute, twice is pushing it.

4. Since when are there Suli settlements in Kerch? And if Kaz knew it, why wouldn’t he tell Inej? This makes no sense.

Apart from this gaping holes, there are a couple of choices Leigh made that I am not a fan of. I mean, why kill David? On his wedding day no less! Hasn’t Genya suffered enough? I usually like a good character death, but this felt needlessly cruel and and it didn’t really advance the plot or the character. 

The other thing that sort of bugged me were the two main romances which felt really dragged out. I love slow burns as much as the next person, but not every relationship needs to be slow burnt. It took almost two books for Nikolai/Zoya and Nina/Hanne to admit their feelings for each other while it was obvious to everyone involved that they liked each other since early in KOS. Leigh was trying really hard to find excuses to keep them apart until the very end and it kind of got tiresome at one point.

Finally, let’s talk about the Darkling’s storyline. COMPLETELY UNECESSARY. I mean he is by far my favourite antagonist in the Grishaverse (the other ones are a bit too one-dimensional), but bringing him back for so little was a waste of pages. I really didn’t like his arc: it felt forced and rushed and made very little sense. The blight storyline was solved in one chapter and didn’t really tie in with the rest of the story. Unpopular opinion but I also didn’t like that the Darkling had POV chapters. Kind of ruins the mystery of the character. I was fine with his ending (endless agony in exchange for Sainthood), but the fact that Genya, Alina and Zoya changed their minds five pages later kind of ruined the whole thing...

Despite its flaws, I still loved the book and devoured it in only a few days. I’m always sad when I finish a Grishaverse book and have to say goodbye to these characters, but thankfully we have the show coming out in a few days!

What did you guys think of ROW?

[dzamie-oc]

09 - Luminescent

See, I told you guys I’d make one minors can interact with. I’m not a fully lewd dragon!

Length: 2800 words Rating: E (contains a major character death) Summary: A wizard is sent to prevent disaster from befalling a kingdom. He decides that the nearby dragon, a creature so strongly associated with greed, must die. The dragon has no idea what's going on, but now it is glowing.

-----

Once, in a wonderful kingdom, the king felt troubled. He sought first the advice of his royal alchemist, who prepared a concoction to lift his spirits. Alas, the brew had only a fleeting effect; the king thanked the alchemist for her efforts, and sought instead the advice of his court wizard. The wizard, who grumbled as always for being called from his lavish tower, nonetheless put on a smile and conjured for the king fantastical illusions, and then cast a spell to relieve the ruler. Yet again, once the wizard’s efforts had concluded, the king once more felt troubled. Finally, the king sought the advice of the seers. The wise men beheld the king, and studied the court, and conversed amongst themselves. Finally, they approached him once more with their revelation.

“Your Majesty,” one said, “it would appear that a creature of greed has infiltrated these peaceful lands. If it is not soon dealt with, its corruption may spread - such corruption is the cause of your unease.”

“A grave danger indeed,” the king said. Other kingdoms had fallen to the foul temptation of greed, and he had done his best to learn from their downfalls. Once again, he called on the alchemist and the wizard for their aid.

The alchemist shook her head sadly. “Many apologies, Your Majesty, but I have sworn against creating poisons.” And the king already knew this, so she was given her leave to return to her duties.

The wizard stepped up. “Your Majesty, I have heard tell of a dragon settling in the mountains. Surely such a beast is the cause of this greed. By your leave, I shall slay it, and keep its head for my tower, to serve as a warning so another of its kind will not come again.”

This bravery impressed the king greatly, and the wizard was granted materials with which to travel to the dragon, and the town nearby. Several aides thought that his requests were too grandiose, yet, none of them had faced a dragon or used such powerful magic, so they did not speak up. And with that, the wizard left on his quest to slay the dragon and claim the beast’s head.

----

“Hail, mighty beast!” the wizard called, standing ahead of his attendants, “I come bearing a gift of a blessing!”

The wizard knew, of course, that he was no match for such a foe. In these situations, however, he knew he must be cunning. And so, when the dragon slinked closer, supporting its long, maned body on just four rather short legs, he spun a tale.

“As a show of good faith, o dragon, permit me first a spell for the two of us: once cast, neither may injure the other, be it by claw, sword, fire breath, or magical lightning.” The dragon bowed its head in assent, and so the wizard raised his staff. When he again set it down, it was so. Curious, the dragon raised a paw to the magic-wielding human. The wizard did not flinch, and when the creature batted lightly at his body, the beast’s paw recoiled as though it, itself, had been struck. It looked at its paw, nodded, and set it down.

“My magic is that of balance,” the wizard continued, “so there may be some minor curse to every blessing, as that is the way of nature.” This was, in honesty, only half false: casting a curse invited misfortune on the caster, yet a blessing would allow him to avoid such a fate. And, as he sought fortune himself, this was what he needed to do to best the creature. “Now, if you accept my gift, what form would you have it take?”

The dragon stared at the wizard for a short time, then spoke in the tongue of dragons, “prey is growing wise to me, and it is always such an undue burden on the herds and their families. I would be grateful if you could reduce how many creatures I must kill to prolong my own life.”

The wizard nodded gravely, then raised his staff. A dark beam shot from its end, and then one of light. It spun to inspect itself, yet found no difference, save for a greatly lessened feeling of hunger. When it turned once more to inquire, one of the wizard’s attendants gasped.

“By the stars! Its mouth glows like a candle!” she exclaimed. The dragon, confused, curled its head back to hold a paw before its muzzle, opened its jaws, and watched the orange-yellow light shine off of its scales.

“You should need eat merely one or two deer per week, great dragon,” the wizard explained, “and although I apologize for the curse, it is my sincere hope that the blessing outweighs it.” With that, he and his entourage took their leave to rest in a house near the nearby village. Once they were suitably far away from the dragon, he explained his plan, “of course, such a glow will scare off all prey. The beast will starve, and I will return with its head, to revel in His Majesty’s bountiful generosity at a job well done.”

This proved true, as, over the following weeks, the dragon found that his glowing maw would never fail to startle his quarry and ensure its escape. And so, after much thought, the dragon retreated to the darkest corner of its cave. When it heard the faint sounds of hooves or paws on the rocky floor, it opened its jaws and used the light, not as a warning, but as a lure. True to the wizard’s promise, too, it felt full after merely two wolves, and it was not until the following week that hunger struck once more, for one, single deer. And in the meantime, it busied itself observing its territory, and the nearby human town. So long as it allowed itself one or two days to feed, it was still able to do as it pleased.

And so, after an entire month, the wizard returned to the dragon’s cave. There, he did not find a corpse, or even a dreadfully weakened wyrm. Instead, it rested, curled like a large, maned snake, and regarded him with a thankful smile. “Oh, wizard, I must admit, I had not expected your spell to hold. Yet it has done as you promised, and I will surely remember your kind action.”

That his blessing had truly outshone his curse irritated the wizard, yet he could not let it show. “Friend dragon, if I may consider you such, that is wonderful news. I had returned to attempt to remove its effects, both good and bad, but if you are pleased with it, I shall offer a blessing anew, in gratitude for your own gratitude.”

The dragon’s face lit up, and not only for the magical glow from within its jaws. “Friend wizard, you are far too kind. Yet, this past month has enamored me of the workings of a nearby town. I speak only as a dragon does, and so fear they would flee at my sight. If it is not too much, could you grant me the ability to speak in the human tongue, that I may more closely observe them?”

“If it is not too much?” The wizard had to keep himself from scoffing at the mockery of his well-renowned and valuable skills. “Dragon, such a thing is child’s play - although, I must warn you that, once again, it will come with a curse.” And once again, the dragon dipped its head. So, with a beam of black and a beam of white, the entire dragon began to glow softly, as though every so slightly covered in fire.

It looked at its body with visible trepidation. “A high cost, o wizard, and yet-” It stopped suddenly, and put a paw to its muzzle. “Oh, it did truly work, and how splendidly I speak! Friend wizard, please, one of my scales in thanks; I have heard that it can be transformed into five and twenty times its weight in gold.” With that, it pressed a shed scale into his hand - gently, as it was still mindful of the very first spell cast - and set about thinking on how to still hunt with its new body.

Once again, the wizard left feeling certain of his impending victory. “To talk is a trifling matter,” he explained to his attendants that night, “no creature which is not already lame and collapsed will ever fall prey to it again, and surely, it will starve.” He held up the glittering scale given to him by the beast. “And to think on its scales... why, I could return with a heap of treasure for the king, and yet quietly keep a far lesser weight in scales for myself, knowing myself to have an even greater value...”

His first prediction rang true, as the very next week, the dragon found that, while some may approach a strange, glowing hole, none would venture near a glowing dragon. It was fortunate to find a deer whose leg had given out, yet knew such luck would not hold. So, it instead flew to the village it had observed, slithering through the air as a serpent does along the ground.

It was soon approached by wary soldiers, and so took a step back. “Hold, please, and hear my words. I have been subject to an unfortunate mixed blessing at the hands of a friend wizard. I bear you no ill will, and I entreat you, please, spare for me but one deer a week on which I may sustain myself. In return, I will gladly guard your livestock, or protect your merchants through the woods - none who wish either harm would dare approach with a dragon on guard. And, should some beast or bandit prove me wrong on this, I may sate myself on them and you may keep the requested deer.”

Its well-spoken plea fared well enough to gain audience with others, and soon the village elder. She accepted its proposition without hesitation, and the dragon soon found itself many friends with the farmers, whom it would often see in the fields, the oft-traveling merchants and their family, and even a number of others who simply wished to see what all the fuss was about with the new addition to the town.

After a month, again, the wizard sought out the dragon, and when he failed to find it, he sent his attendants to ask in the village, in case they had unwittingly pilfered his quarry. They returned well before expected, with news of a glowing dragon. So the wizard invited it to his temporary house, so as not to anger the villagers with his next curse.

“Hail, dragon, I see you have found the villagers well.”

“I have indeed; they are a friendly people and have accepted me eagerly.” It beamed at him, and not only with its magical light. “No longer am I solitary, and this is a greater gift than your first.”

“Well!” the wizard exclaimed, his face tight as he suppressed his aggravation, “as a tribute for your... profound luck, would you take a third? I understand my last curse proved, shall we say, substantial, so I shall not feel slighted if-”

“Your generosity knows no bounds, friend wizard,” it eagerly replied. It wiggled its entire body, shaking its mane about before settling into a more somber expression. “Although, my request is not so optimistically fueled as before. One of the town’s young has complained of pain in her back for weeks on end, now, and it disquiets me to see her suffer as such. Is it within your power to grant the power to heal? I will gladly bear a curse for such a boon - not merely to me, but to the town.”

He thought for some time on this - he could not include the feigned “balance” curse he had used to disguise his own intentions, but at the same time, surely it would not survive long enough to discover the depth of his deception. A black beam, and a white beam, and the glowing dragon was reduced to barely a man’s height from nose to tail. “A powerful blessing comes with a powerful curse, I’m afraid. I hope I will see you again, dragon,” he concluded, and left out that he would prefer the dragon not be alive to see him in return.

The long, yet now much shorter, creature snaked out of the darkness. It soon found the girl with the hurt back, curled around her, and, in a flash of light, healed her body. She hugged it tight, tears of joy in her eyes; its eyes, too, were wet, but it did not smile. It soon flew to the village elder, who looked concerned at the dragon’s new state: both its size and its tearful visage.

“I sought a blessing from my friend once more, to be able to heal. However, you see its cost.” It gestured to its diminutive body. “No longer am I fit to guard against bandits, and should a wolf happen along while I am about, at best it may take me rather than a cow or sheep. I thank you and your village kindly for all that you have done for me, but I will not burden you with my upkeep unduly.”

It turned to leave, but before it could leap into the sky, the elder spoke up. “Now you hold it right there, dragon! If you think we’d kick you out just because you’re capable of less now, we must’ve given you a horrible impression this past month, or else you weren’t paying any attention! We didn’t abandon Yosef when he broke both arms, we didn’t abandon Rivka when she fell deathly ill for two months, and we certainly aren’t going to abandon you just because you’re a mite smaller!” She grinned at the dragon, and it stared back at her and wiped its eyes with the back of its paw. “I may not know where or who you were before, but now you’re here and ours, and most importantly, you’re us.”

It took all its restraint to not pounce at her with a joyous hug, but even with its new healing power and smaller form, it figured it was best not to risk her health, barreling into her like that. And so the dragon remained in the village, playing with those out and about, running errands here and there with the great benefit of flight, and helping guide visitors and children safely to the village from the woods and mountain. And it was fed, and some people even offered it beds, while others lightheartedly accused them of trying to steal the dragon.

And one month passed again. The wizard cast a spell to point him to the dragon’s body, for surely it would be difficult to find, even glowing as it was. He was surprised to see the spell guide him to the village, and began to think of what to do if the villagers had taken it out themselves, and tried to steal his prize. However, this plotting was interrupted by a cheerful voice.

“Friend wizard! You have come to visit me, here?” The dragon scarfed down a bite of chicken, quickly told a nearby child, “don’t do that, I’m being a bad example,” and flew through the air to land in front of him.

Frustration and jealousy boiled over into rage. After an entire season away from his lavish tower, trying and failing to subtly kill the dragon, his temper snapped. “You stupid lizard!” he shouted, his face twisted into a snarl, “three times I’ve hit you with a curse that should have left you starving alone in the wilderness, and three times you’ve lived through it! By the king’s orders, I came here to slay a dangerous, greedy creature, and by the fates, I shall!” As he raised his staff, a wild wind whipped up around the two of them. Children were quickly ushered indoors, and the few villagers who tried to lunge in and scoop the dragon away from the apparent madman were tossed aside by the sudden storm.

“Wh- you... you weren’t trying to befriend me?” the dragon asked, shocked and hurt.

“Why would I do that?!” the wizard shouted, “I came here to end you, not see you flourish. Now die, foul vice, die!”

The wizard pointed his staff at the dragon. A bolt of lightning shot from the tip, crackling through the gap only a couple of feet across, directly at its snout. There was no time to talk. There was no time to move. The spell would hit the dragon squarely with every ounce of the wizard’s power.

And then, just like the dragon’s paw had, several months before...

The spell bounced back and slammed directly into the wizard’s body. He lifted several feet off the ground, then fell to the dirt, unmoving.

Miles away, the king felt his sense of unease suddenly lift. He smiled, and quietly thanked the wizard for doing what needed to be done.

[winryofresembool]

Things We Lost in the Fire, ch 24

aka Caleo uni au

Fic summary: Calypso starts studying at a new university, but to her annoyance her new flatmate is a loud mouthed mechanic who also likes to sneak his dog in whenever. But as she learns to know him better, she realizes they might have more in common than what she first thought. Eventually, even the darkest secrets come out…

Chapter summary: Halloween chapter, part 2.

A/N: Yay, an update! I think some of you are gonna be happy about the characters that are being introduced in this chapter... Also lots of Caleo dorkiness (and canon references) in it! And you'll get to see if you were right with your costume guesses :D

Also like I already mentioned last week, this is the last chapter that I have written so far (when I started posting this fic I tried to make sure I'd have at least 7 chapters ready so I wouldn't have to stress about deadlines... and here we are now) so it is possible that updates may slow down a bit, at least if the chapter wants to become long. But I am still /trying/ to keep up with the regular updates the best I can :) So worry not!

Now, enjoy and let me know what you think!! Ps. somehow we’ve managed to pass 50k words already :O

Words: 4040

Genre: romance & hurt/comfort

Warnings: none

previous chapter / AO3

…

“Hi, you guys!” Piper, who was dressed as Wonder Woman, greeted Leo and Calypso first when they arrived, gesturing for them to come in.

“Hello! I was afraid Argo II had decided to stop working because you guys are late,” Jason the Superman noted as he offered to take Calypso’s coat and put it in a hanger by the door.

“I’m not going to lie to you, Jason, that possibility did cross my mind as well,” Calypso said, casting Leo a meaningful look. “But no, not this time.”

“We’re only 10 minutes late!” Leo protested, checking the time from his phone. “I was busy finishing something… and Calypso took her time preparing herself as well. She probably did her wig for like two hours.” He gave her a not so serious side-eye.

“I did not!” Calypso said defensively. “Yeah, I straightened and combed and braided it but that took me maybe 15-20 minutes so he is highly exaggerating.”

“Don’t worry, Calypso, we know he does that a lot.” Piper smiled at her reassuringly. “Speaking of your wig, though, you look very cute! That hair reminds me of the style you had before my makeover. You’re dressed as the mythology Calypso, right?”

“Yes, I am,” Calypso said, pleased that Piper had figured that out so fast. “I thought it would be fun to be a bit self ironic for once. I haven’t really had a good reason to sew recently so this was a nice excuse to do that as well.” She made a small twirl to show the dress better.

“That dress really looks great!” Piper told her. “I would gladly commission you to sew me clothes; it’s so hard to find anything nice from the clothes stores these days. But Leo.” She turned back to him. “I see someone hasn’t bothered to get a costume. I wasn’t expecting that from you because you’re always so excited about them.”

“No, you got it all wrong.” Leo wagged his finger at her. “I do have it here, but as I told Cal, it would have been too difficult to wear in the car.” He dropped his bag on the floor, causing a loud thud as it hit the ground.

“Alright. Care to give us any hint what it is?” Piper asked curiously. “Seems heavy.” Calypso wondered if this was something they did every year.

“I’m just saying that it’s inspired by some movies that united us three,” Leo noted mysteriously. “But that’s all, you’ll see soon!”

“My mind is blank now,” Piper said. “Jason, what movies have we watched with him?”

“The first one that comes to my mind is Star Wars,” Jason reminded her. Suddenly both Jason and Piper’s eyes widened in realization. “Could it be?”

“Oh no, Leo you didn’t!” Piper doubled over in laughter when it occurred to her what Leo’s costume most likely was. “I can’t wait to see this!”

“I hope you took pictures with Festus!” Jason couldn’t keep his poker face either, and Calypso watched their reactions with confusion.

“Don’t worry, I will show them later.” Leo grinned, unperplexed by Jason and Piper’s laughter. “Now, where can I change?”

Piper showed him an empty room where he could get into his costume in peace, while Calypso started looking around the house on her own. Even though the place seemed rather fancy, Jason and Piper had managed to make it cozier with their personal objects. A lot of them had seen life and were worn but somehow they still fit in with the newer decorations.

As Calypso reached the living room, her focus went to the guests who had already arrived at the party. She waved at Annabeth and nodded awkwardly to Percy. Even though she and Annabeth were friends again, she wasn’t quite sure how she should act near Percy so ‘reserved’ felt the most natural reaction. She couldn’t help but smile a bit, though, when she registered their costumes: Annabeth had a Chiton just like her, although grey instead of white, with some silvery accessories and a beautiful owl shaped brooch over her chest. Perhaps the most impressive part of her costume was the Greek styled helmet that was used in battles and that hid most of Annabeth’s curly ponytail. Calypso was quite certain she was dressed as Athena, the Greek goddess that according to her was the one she identified herself the most with. Percy on the other hand was wearing sandals, shorts, a tropical shirt, and a belt with fishing equipment and he was holding a fishing rod in his hand. Calypso couldn’t quite figure out who he was supposed to be, other than some sort of fisherman.

“Hi,” Calypso greeted them as she got to hearing distance with them. “You guys look nice. You’re Athena, right?” She asked Annabeth. “Matches my theme, don’t you think?”

“Sure does,” Annabeth nodded, eyeing Calypso’s costume. “You look pretty much exactly like how I imagine the mythology Calypso.”

“Thank you. Coming from you it’s a big compliment.” She turned Percy. “I can’t figure out who you are, though. You don’t seem like a Greek god?”

“I am, though,” Percy replied. “I’m Poseidon.”

“Ooh, so that’s why the fishing gear!” Calypso realized. “But I don’t think the Greeks had tropical shirts quite yet.”

“No, you’re right in that.” Percy shook his head, smiling a bit. “But I’m basing this on the version in the Peter Johnson series. That’s how he was described in it.”

“I didn’t know you have read that too,” Calypso said, “But makes sense. Um, the Poseidon and Athena of the mythology hated each other, though. Not that it’s really my business, but I hope you two are doing fine…?” She asked a bit nervously, not wanting to be the reason for their issues.

“Oh yeah, we are,” Percy confirmed immediately. “It’s just an old joke – back when Annabeth and I were reading the Peter Johnson books I used to say Poseidon is my godly parent and Athena Annabeth’s, and that just kind of stuck with us.”

“Alright.” Calypso accepted Percy’s answer, turning her attention back to Annabeth. “By the way, where did you get that helmet? It definitely looks fancier than most of the plastic ones you see at costume shops.”

“My father collects these things,” Annabeth answered, lifting the helmet from her head for a moment. “I’ve told you he’s also a historian, right? Well, one of his friends wanted to make a replica of the ancient Greek helmets with some modern machines and dad bought this from him. I’m not saying this is 100 per cent accurate but it looks pretty cool, in my opinion.”

“It does,” Calypso confirmed.

“You came with Leo, right?” Percy asked then, to which Calypso nodded. “Where is he? I can’t wait to see his costume; he usually goes for something that is way over the top. Last year he was Hiccup from How to Train your Dragon and he had made a Toothless costume for his dog. I’ve also seen pics of him as Iron Man. Yes, with a full iron costume.”

“I can believe that of him,” Calypso chuckled, imagining Leo in the said costume. “He just went to change into his costume because apparently he couldn’t drive in it. He didn’t reveal what he was going to be, but it does sound like something extravagant.”

“I missed his costume last year but I’ll be sure to have a camera ready when he shows up this time,” Annabeth said happily. Calypso was relieved that the conversation was going this well; she hadn’t known what to expect beforehand because this was the first time she was in the same room with Percy since the ‘incident’. Talking with him now, though, made her realize that holding a grudge wouldn’t be smart and he seemed to think the same way.

“I just realized,” Calypso decided to change the topic, “that I’ve never heard the story of how you guys know Jason and Piper. So how did that happen?”

“It’s a funny story,” Percy started, smiling at the memory. “Jason and I used to be the captains of rivaling soccer teams when we were around 16. Well, one time Jason’s team was visiting us but we were playing in an arena that had just been renovated so I hadn’t been there before. I may have been a bit late from our team meeting and I was a bit lost so I decided to ask one staff lady where I was supposed to go. Somehow she got our teams mixed up and I ended up in the locker room of Jason’s team. Some of Jason’s teammates said that my expression was worth seeing when I realized the mistake but I dunno about that. The funny thing was that somehow the same thing had happened to Jason; he had also been late for the meeting because of traffic or something and he had gotten into my team’s locker room. Well, after the game we had a good laugh about it together and ended up talking about other stuff as well and noticed we have a lot in common. That’s how we became friends. When we moved into the same town, we started training together at least a few times a week.”

“Piper and I didn’t learn to know each other until Jason and she started dating a couple of years ago and they invited Percy to some party where I went with him. To be honest, I was a bit suspicious about her at first because we seemed very different but eventually we learned to respect each other’s qualities. And here we are,” Annabeth added.

“Those are some cool stories,” Calypso said. “It seems like a funny coincidence that somehow we all ended up in this city even though most of us are from somewhere else. Like Leo is from Texas, I am from Greece…” “Speaking of him,” Annabeth had to muffle his laughter with her hand, “I believe we are finally getting some answers about his costume.”

“Oh… my gods” was all Calypso could say when she turned to the direction Annabeth was looking at. “You’re really something else.”

Leo was completely hidden inside his costume, but Calypso could practically hear him grinning at their reactions. The costume looked very much like in the movies; golden (just painted, not real gold, because there was no way Leo could afford something like that) plating forming a droid with big round eyes and an ability to speak lots and lots of different languages: C-3PO from Star Wars.

“Holy shit, dude, that looks so real.” Percy gaped at Leo. “I’m starting to understand why you spent so much time in your room the past few weeks.”

“Why C-3PO, though?” Calypso asked once she managed to put her poker face back on. “Does that have some story behind it?”

“Because, duh, it looks cool!” Leo exclaimed with a mechanical voice from inside his costume. “I dunno, ever since I first saw C-3PO as a kid I thought it would be cool to be able to build something like that. And hey, his ability to translate like all the possible languages is pretty neat. Me? I just know 3.”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable in there, though?” Calypso asked. “That thing must be heavy.”

“Sunshine, I’m always uncomfortable. But this was a childhood dream of mine so I sure as heck am not backing off now,” Leo said with determination.

“A stubborn one, aren’t you?” Calypso stated. “Even I have to admit, though, that you have certainly done some thorough job with it. Hey, I should take photos before I forget! You don’t get to see this every day.”

The others dug their phones up as well and for a while Leo just made silly poses while they took pictures, clearly enjoying the attention his costume got. Eventually he started demanding that Calypso should join him for the photos but she was a bit hesitant at first.

Leo argued: “Come on. Greek mythology meets Star Wars? You don’t see a crossover like that every day.”

“Can’t argue with that, I suppose,” Calypso said and went next to him. “Well, do we have some kind of story for Calypso and C-3PO’s meeting?” she asked as Percy and Annabeth waved at them to look at the camera.

Leo considered her question for a moment. “Oh, how about this? C-3PO somehow ends up on Calypso’s island - because duh, Calypso is cursed so she can’t leave the island…”

“You seem to know surprisingly much about Greek mythology, just saying…” Calypso noted while trying to smile for the photos, resting her hand on the metallic shoulder.

“I told ya, Sunshine, you can blame tía Callida for that…” Leo reminded her. “Anyway, I imagine those two don’t really like each other at first because they’re so different but eventually they learn to respect each other’s skills; C-3PO can translate basically any language and Calypso is good at all kinds of handiworks, which is hard for a droid.”

“And? What happens after that?” Calypso asked curiously.

Leo considered it for a moment. “C-3PO doesn’t really wanna leave Calypso’s island but he has galaxies to save with his friend R2-D2 so he has to go but he promises to come get her afterwards.”

“Aw, Leo, that is kind of sweet,” Calypso commented, suddenly aware of the metal arm that had snuck around her waist. “Does he… does he ever return, though? Shouldn’t that be impossible?”

“For a human, maybe, but he’s a droid,” Leo noted. “Unfortunately during a big battle he blows up badly but the ever so faithful R2-D2 collects the pieces and finds someone who can rebuild him again. And boom, he makes it back and lives happily ever after with his goddess.”

“What’s the term you use when you enjoy a fictional relationship a lot?” Calypso asked. “Shipping?” Annabeth nodded at her. “I don’t know, Leo, to me it sounds like you ship those two. Isn’t that a bit weird?” “What, why would that be weird? I’ve seen people ship…”

“I see these two have gotten into a full on nerd mode again,” Annabeth said quietly to Percy while they were waiting for the flatmates to stop their bickering so they’d be able to take the photos. “Not projecting themselves into their characters, right?”

“No, definitely not,” Percy agreed.

Eventually Leo and Calypso stopped bickering and Annabeth was able to take the pictures. Even if Leo was mostly hidden by his costume, Calypso felt a bit self conscious about the fact that these were the first photos of them together. They did a few goofy poses because Annabeth and Percy told them to, but Calypso thought she probably looked more embarrassed than funny in them.

Once they were done, Leo went to Annabeth who was going through the photos and bowed his head a bit to see them better. “Hey, these do look pretty cool! It’s probably just the lighting but here you look like you’re blushing to some funny comment C-3PO made.”

“Show me!” Calypso yelped nervously and took the phone from Annabeth. When she saw it, she could immediately tell Leo was not wrong; she really was blushing. “Yeah, it’s definitely those candles in the background that do it… And I think it’s pretty warm in here, maybe all the people here heat this room…”

“OK, if you say so,” Leo said but Calypso imagined that he was looking at her suspiciously through his costume.

Trying to get the others’ attention to something else, she said: “So, who else has arrived so far?”

“Nico and Will. I think they went to get some snacks from the dining room,” Piper, who had just entered the room, answered.

“Leo told me that Nico is Jason’s relative, but what about Will?” Calypso asked her.

“Will is Nico’s boyfriend. This is the first time we’re meeting him but they seem very good together. At least he seems to have a grounding effect on Nico, and he actually listens to him, unlike most of us. Um, sorry, it’s a long story, one that I should probably save for another time. Nico may be a bit hard to approach sometimes but he is a very nice guy when you learn to know him. Just… been through a lot. I guess like many of us here. But he seems way happier now,” Piper said, and as if on cue, they could hear some distant laughter coming from the dining room.

“We should start a traumatized college kids’ club,” Leo attempted to joke, and the others hummed in agreement. Maybe she did belong to this group after all, Calypso thought. If only they knew, though…

“This just got cheerful,” Percy said, interrupting Calypso’s thought process. “Who’s up for blue candies? Get them before Will and Nico eat them all.”

“I heard that, Jackson!” Nico entered the room without a warning. “No offense to you or your mom but blue candies aren’t exactly my thing.”

“Hi, Nico,” Percy greeted him, seeming a bit flustered after Nico’s comment. “You haven’t met Calypso, right?” He pointed at her.

“No, I haven’t,” Nico took a quick look at her and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Alright, in that case, this is Calypso Astal. And Calypso, this is Nico di Angelo,” Percy introduced them to each other.

“Nice to meet you,” Calypso approached him, but he seemed to evaluate her for a moment before he took her hand.

“Likewise,” Nico said finally. “I think Jason has mentioned you a few times.”

“Oh. That’s nice,” Calypso said a bit unsurely, like every time she met a new person. The lonely years still had a toll on her, and even though she liked spending time with her friends, meeting new people was always a bit nerve wracking to her. “You’re his relative, right?”

“A distant cousin,” Nico answered. “Yeah, our fathers are related, but I have my mother’s last name and Jason has his.”

“I take it your mother has roots elsewhere, based on the last name?” Calypso asked.

“She was Italian,” Nico shrugged. “I lived there my first years too. But now I can barely remember those times.”

Calypso noticed the use of past tense, but she thought it was probably better to not ask about that in the middle of a party. “Oh. I’ve been to Italy a few times. I’m originally from Greece.”

“What brought you here, then?” Nico asked.

“Dad’s work,” Calypso responded in a tone that told everyone she wouldn’t elaborate on that topic more. It seemed to have become a habit to her.

“Anyway,” Leo, who had managed to stay quiet for a surprisingly long amount of time in Calypso’s opinion, stepped forward and cleared his throat. “Nico, a little bird told me,” he looked at Jason, “that your boyfriend is a Star Wars geek. Is that true?”

Nico took one look at Leo’s costume and his mouth twitched when he realized why Leo was asking. “He is, but don’t let him get started on it, or else he will never stop. Besides, he’s not my boyfriend, I prefer calling him…”

“A significant nuisance?” Will showed up from the dining room, carrying a plate full of food. “Don’t mind him, he just warms up a bit slow.”

“Yes, this is Will,” Nico sighed, addressing those who hadn’t met them before. “Sometimes he’s a nuisance, sometimes he can be quite OK. When he’s having a good day.”

“Same back at you, dear,” Will laughed. “Did I hear someone mention Star Wars, though?”

“You did,” Leo said, stepping forward so Will could see his costume better. Needless to say, Will looked beyond thrilled.

“Oh boy, here we go again,” Nico said quietly before Will even had time to comment on the costume.

“Woah, that must be the best C-3PO costume I’ve seen. And yeah, I’ve seen a few so I don’t compliment you for nothing,” Will assured.

“Thanks, man, I did spend quite a while with it,” Leo said, high fiving Will. “Glad someone here appreciates good things.”

“I still hope you’re not one of those fans who have only seen the most recent movies and not the originals,” Will noted.

“Heck, no!” Leo exclaimed immediately. “The original three for the win! Mom and I used to watch them a lot… um, when I was little. She was a big fan. But the newer ones just don’t feel the same.” Calypso had a feeling Leo had almost said something else, but he had changed his phrasing at the last moment.

“You have a pretty good taste,” Will said approvingly. Then he finally realized he hadn’t even asked Leo and Calypso’s names before getting into the geek mode.

“So, who are you two? I already met Percy and Annabeth earlier but I don’t think I know you guys yet.”

“I’m Leo Valdez, and this is my, um, flatmate, Calypso Astal,” Leo introduced. Calypso hoped there was a better word to describe their relationship than a ‘flatmate’ but at the moment it was probably the best and the safest option there was.

“Flatmates, huh?” Will repeated. “How did that happen?”

“I was in a hurry to find a roof over my head so I put in the application that I also accept mixed flats,” Calypso replied. “I didn’t meet Leo beforehand because, um, that would have been a bit difficult to arrange in this case, but it worked out OK.” Calypso noticed Leo was looking at her from the corner of his eye, and she realized she had never even talked about that option before. The truth was that she had had to plan her leaving very thoroughly so her father wouldn’t notice and she had driven to Indianapolis as fast as possible, with no time for second guessing.

“And my flat happened to have a room free because our boy Jason decided to move in with Beauty Queen,” Leo added to that story. “It’s really no stranger than that.”

“Oh, right, someone must have mentioned that you and Jason used to be flatmates,” Will recalled. “I just didn’t connect the dots.”

Jason had apparently finished welcoming the rest of the guests because he joined the group in the living room. “That reminds me, I don’t think I’ve asked you, Calypso, if Leo still leaves his dishes undone and if he has empty milk cartons in the fridge.”

“He used to do that?” Calypso asked with amusement. “After seeing his room that’s not so hard to picture, but no, he’s been pretty tidy in the common area. Although one time he bribed me to do his dishes for him in exchange for some of his food.”

“It was a good deal!” Leo protested. “You didn’t have to cook and you also got to taste some Valdez’ sizzling hot quesadillas so I’d say it was a win-win. Besides, you didn’t seem to have anything against that.”

“Alright, I will admit the quesadillas were pretty good,” Calypso conceded. “But a true gentleman offers them without even asking. Well, other than that he’s been OK,” she told Jason with a playful twinkle in her eye.

“I guess he really is able to change his habits, then,” he replied. “At least when the flatmate is someone he...”

Before Jason had time to finish his sentence, Leo intervened: “Folks, do we really have to be talking about my cleaning habits in front of people I don’t know? The first impressions are important, especially when it comes to Supersized McShizzle!”

“We’re just being honest, Repair Boy.” Calypso couldn’t resist booping his metal covered nose. Apparently she just didn’t know how to not cross the line with this boy, she sighed in her mind.

“Is that all? Where’s the feisty Sunshine I know?,” Leo said in a low tone, so the others could barely hear his comment, coming out almost flirty.

“Shut up,” Calypso answered equally quietly but held her gaze at him.

“Ahem,” they suddenly heard Piper’s voice behind them. “In case you’ve stopped with the flirting, I’d like you to meet a couple of people.”

Calypso turned to see the newcomers and as she recognized the Hunter badges both of them had attached to their shirts, something in her mind just suddenly turned off.