#silly lil bunny lad

[beeshoesometimesdraws]

So that bigger project I was working on, yeah? Have some random progress screenshots

[stick-by-me]

Perfectly friend-shaped <3

New follower sticker for: @birdyverdie!

[junk-whunk-punk]

i'm just a freak in love with @celebrimbot 's OCs i can't fuckin exist with them on de same planet in de same world😩😩 ama slut for them ngl✌ im showboating oki✌

silly sketchlists w de ultimate super pup lil lad Farohîr and de ultimate tiny giant bunny Harnathir😌

aasssssSSSSSSSsssSSSSsSSssSSsSsSSSsssss💃🥂

[morganali-art]

I decided to sit down and sketch out all my WoLs (not including like, six other joke characters that I have) and I have come to the conclusion that someone should take the character creator away from me.

I got too many lil guys 😵‍

From left to right...

J'rhota Tia is just a silly orange lad - PGL/ROG main, a scrappy little fight boy. Means well, but very head empty. Constantly getting locked out of the Waking Sands, but unfortunately is the only one who can take down Ifrit without getting tempered.

Amelot Greywoode Lost an eye on one of her adventures - couldn't afford a glass eye to match her good eye at the time, so the one she wears under her eyepatch is slightly off colour. (Highlander, GLD)

Parasha Pasha - Tiniest gorl. Min height lala. My god, she's so small. 🥺💕 Ostensibly mains WAR/DRG, but really is a FSH main.

Sami'ra (Sameth/Bunny) Lavellan - ARC/ROG main, previously a Dragon Age Inquisitor. Yearns to keep the stories of his people as a historian, but in the harsh economic times post-calamity, adventuring better pays the bills and provides for his large extended family. Per his name, he is the youngest son in a Keeper family with an oddly large number of sons. Truth be told, not all are family by blood, though are loved just as well. Sam has quite the crush on a certain Lord Commander.

Cessalie Sombreterre was an orphan of Ishgardian birth, and made her way to Ul'dah at a young age to try and make her way in the world, eventually taking up adventuring. Ostensibly a BLM main, though dabbles in roguery and swordplay. Min height elezen. Amongst her people, she's so leetle 🥺💕 Marries into the Fortemps house.

Hazel Rah is my main lad, first boy I ever made. He was born in the Golmore Jungle. Though he misses his childhood home dearly, he was forever restless, and eventually left - spending some time in Dalamasca and other occupied territories, before travelling to Eorzea in the wake of the calamity. Young for a travelling viera, he's about 70ish years old. Before he came to Eorzea, his forest name was Rjel Fith. He loves to garden.

Clover Frith is Hazel's much older sister - she's around 200, though she's not one to keep count. She left the forest when Hazel was quite young, in his 20s or thereabouts. When they met up again decades later, she was taking work as a gleaner in Sharlayan. Though her forest name is long left behind, her last name was Fith.

Blackavar Rehw-Dvre was Hazel's childhood sweetheart. In my headcanons, he does not leave the forest at all until well after the calamity - the general upheaval and unrest making its way even unto the forest, prompting the Rava people to make the choice to send scouts far from home to investigate. As such, though he is confident in the ways of his home, he is very out of place in the wider world and is often mystified by the ways of outsiders. As far as appearances go, Blackavar actually has quite curly hair - so I imagine his hair is more like the catboy hair both J'rhota and Sam have. Alas, there's no perfect bun options 😞

Holly Huorlwesfv is a veena bunny who I created as a retainer and went "aw fuck, I did it again," and had to turn him into a real boy because I liked him so much. He doesn't yet have a lot of a backstory yet, but I named him after Captain Holly from Watership Downs, and so in my mind he looks quite a bit scrappier than he is. Ears are scratched up and tattered. A few more scars. He's a stoic bun, a former guard most like. Definitely a fighter. PLD main iirc.

Bitter Snow is my beautiful, purple, goth Roe. I did not mean to give her the same name as Yellow Moon's paramour, it happened completely accidentally. 👀💦 She's so pretty, I ought to play her more. Pretty sure she's a DRG main, I cannot recall.

[team-frightfur]

I honestly dont know much about go rush, but i love seeing you talk at length about it so #1, #12, #14, and #18 for yudias from the character ask meme

Thanks for the ask, Anon! I think Go Rush is actually worth getting into (as long as you have a strong stomach for comedy and ludicrosity. Like, some of those early jokes. Man.)

Warning for lengthy wall of text lmao.

Why do you like or dislike this character?

If you approach Yudias from a mature perspective, he's admittedly not great. He starts off as a Shonen Paragon Protag cut-out (ie he's not too bright, has unshakeable morals, and refuses to give up). Thing is, even though he's constantly offered opportunities to change, he never does because the process of changing, uh, wouldn't be family-friendly.

(For example, he's not really allowed to openly, obviously grieve Zwijo or doubt himself. Like, imagine the result.

Small Child: Maman, what's assisted suicide?

Mum: Hey! Konami! We need to TALK.

This isn't to say he doesn't grieve. he DOES! it's just very subtextual. His behaviour at the ninja theme park implies he's just given up on living, so what is there to grieve? The most he can do is keep Yuhi and Yuamu happy in the few days he has before he joins all the others (in death))

Ofc, any disappointment on that level is my fault for walking into a children's show with expectations. As a children's show protagonist, Yudias is perfect because his personality and attitude are just inherently funny and kind of adorable.

A lot of that cuteness is kind of cause of how autistic he is? Like I know every Yugioh protag is autistic as shit but I really do think Yudias is one of the Most Autistic. Yes, even more than Yusei. Fight me.

Like, he misses social cues constantly. This man hasn't heard of deception in his life. He survives three murder attempts only to blindly affirm his friendship with his would-be-murderer. He hyperfixates on Rush Duels, over-identifying with his monster cards to the degree that he mourns them like they're his own soldiers! He grieves them when they get tributed! He carries on the souls of the fallen! Also, he canonically comes from a civil warzone but he hasn't even heard of discrimination before!

His particular form of comedy is also a favourite of mine. I call it Kazuma Kiryu Comedy and it refers to when adults take silliness waaaaay too seriously. The joke is that they're not in on the joke. They can only give 100-200% effort on any given act. This isn't referring to Yudias playing DM, btw. This is referring to him putting his entire ass into that sheepgirl cosplay and turning Chupataro bi.

What a lad. Also he's gay.

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

I didn't have headcanons until approximately 3 seconds ago, but since you got me thinking, a few shallow ideas!

a. Yudias designed a bunch of 1600 atk 4 stars that all look like his friends (so their version of what Transamu Rainac means to him) and he keeps them in a little notebook.

b. Yudias never got catted, but if he were catted, he'd keep the lil bunny ears. They're like giant whiskers. He's also still a retired killing machine even as a cat.

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

Uh. Um. I'm not super familiar with aesthetics.

I know he sticks to a military uniform most of the time. Honestly, though, I'm pretty sure a Velgearian's clothes are like, stapled to their body. If not, then I can't see why Yudi would wear what he does. He's basically a pacifist. He wouldn't want to glorify war.

As for his other clothes, it's, like, a work uniform and school uniform. Y'know what, new HC. I'm starting to think he's never actually chosen his own outfit in his life.

I wanna give him a bunny Kigurumi.

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

I don't really know what it means to 'admire'. Frankly, I'm happy with my friends and fam (despite their foibles), so I can't be jealous of Yudias for any of his relationships. On the other hand, I do admire the drama woven into his relationship with Kuaidul and ESPECIALLY Zwijo. I would never wanna go thru that shit, though.

Thanks again for the ask!

[maraudersbutmuggle]

Autumn 2015. Part 1.

Content Warning: Unplanned Pregnancy.

Lily sat down biting her nails. She was very very nervous. If her suspicions were correct, her life would change forever. And not only hers, James' as well.

Lily took a deep breath and watched the results. There it was, positive. She was pregnant. This was the fifth test she had done in the past week. But five times certainly confirmed it.

"Fuck..." she murmured under her breath.

The soft knock on the door made her jump.

"Lily?" her mother called "Are you okay? Is everything alright? You've been there a long time"

Lily had been sick lately vomiting a lot. She told her mother that she had a bellyache. She thought perhaps it was only that. But not this. Pregnant.

Lily came out trying not to look pale or worried. "I think I ate spoiled biscuits" she chuckled Her mother's expression softened. "James is downstairs" she said "Maybe you shouldn't go out with him if you feel badly"

James. How was she supposed to tell him? He had a lot going on. Fleamont was sick. And James had to take care mostly of his family's company. James had given up his dream to become a professional rugby player to help his parents. Wasn't he sweet? Just the other day, James had been talking about whether or not Sponge Bob and Patrick were gay with Sirius. And now, they might have a baby. Fuck. Lily was nineteen. Just nineteen.

"I feel so much better" Lily lied and went downstairs to were James was.

James Bloody Potter. The very same wanker that asked her out and made ridiculous things for her. The lad she had hated (or thought she hated), was everything to her now. James Potter was everything to Lily.

As she climbed downstairs thinking on what to say or do, she stopped for a minute to admire him.

James was eyeing some of her mother's home decor. Just playing with them. Like a little kid. He thought no one was watching. James was so silly. He tried to grab one and almost dropped all of them. Lily's heart melted. How can someone be so adorable?

"Eheemm" she said biting her lip to avoid laughing. James put everything in order quickly and turned to look at her. He was flushed. Smirking like a fool, the kind of smirk he only got reserved for her. He rubbed his hair. Aarrg! James had no idea what that provoked on Lily.

"What are you doing?" Lily smiled "Nothing..." James said nervously "Sorry... Your house is nice. I was watching your baby pictures... You had bunny cheeks..." he snorted "I was just bit curious and..." Lily interrupted him with a kiss. "Mmm.... I don't know why was that about, but I am not complaining" James was beaming. Lily smirked before kissing him again. She loved the way James smiled when she did that. That's what James did. He made Lily do silly and bold stuff.

She wanted to kiss him all the time.

'That's why you are pregnant' Lily thought. Horny bloody bitch.

She had to tell James.

"Let's go for a walk, love" she said grabbing her boyfriend's hand. James nodded.

********************************

James talked happily about some silly stuff that happened with The Marauders on the weekend. How Peter got so drunk that he started yelling at the orange cones blocking their way. As if they could hear him. But Lily was not listening much...

Pregnant. At nineteen. Lily used to give the girls in Gryffindor pep talks about safe sex as a prefect. Even if she didn't practise sex herself. James was her first one.

Maybe it was at Halloween. When Remus and Sirius made this party at their apartment. Lily had drunk too much. And James had looked irresistible in that Vilma costume. It was Scooby Doo night. And they didn't use a condom. "I'm under the pill" she told him.

But fuck, turned out the stupid pill wasn't hundred percent effective.

And now Lily was at Uni, following her dream of being a journalist. With a possible baby in it's way.

Lily focused on James now. He was still talking about something, that Lily had no idea about. Lily smiled and James smiled back.

"Are you okay Lils?" he asked "Yeah" Lily lied James raised his eyebrow "I bloody know you, darling" he whispered.

Before Lily could answer, a footie ball came rolling towards them. A little kid running after it. James stopped the ball with his foot . The little boy was running and tripped over, letting out a gasp. James and Lily went to aid him.

"Are you okay, lad?" James smiled at the boy with such softness. Lily realized the boy must've been 5 years old or something, no more. The boy was about to cry. But James spoke kneeling in front of him. "It's okay lad, don't cry. Did you hurt yourself?" The boy shook his head. Lily kneeled down with them. "Then it's fine. You have no idea how many times I've tripped..." James continued "I've hit my face with the payment. BAM" he gestured. "Yeah" Lily added laughing "He can be very silly" The boy was looking at them amused. "Yeaah. That's why my nose is funny" James continued "I used to be very handsome" The kid laughed. "You wish" Lily joked rolling her eyes to entertain the boy. "He is very ugly, isn't he?" "Oi!" The little boy laughed even more. Lily's heart melted. And she could see James' as well. They could do this. They could be parents. "I'm James and this ugly girl is Lily" "You're ugly!" Lily pretended to be offended. James smiled. So as the boy. "What's you name?" He opened his mouth but before he could answer.

"Jonah! Jonah!!"

Lily saw a middle age woman came running towards them. "Mummy?" "I told you not to get far away!" she grabbed her son's arm. She looked angry. She eyed James and Lily as if they were going to hurt the boy. "He fell" Lily explained "We were just helping" "Thank you" the lady said reluctantly. "There you go, lad" James gave him his ball. "Thank you, sir"

James smiled. "Let's go Jonah. Quickly!" his mother said angrily. "Your father is waiting for us" Jonah looked sad again. But grabbed his mother hand and followed her. She was practically dragging him away.

James sighed "Honestly, if they don't want children why do they have them?"

'We're a having a kid James' she thought 'Do you want it? Do I want it?' But she didn't say anything, instead she said. "C'mon babe. Let's go for icecream"

Maybe it was the fucking pregnancy hormones. She craved sweet. And a lot of it.

*********************************

The next hour, Lily let James speak. She had a lot going on on her mind. Would James react well? Would he want to be a father? Right now?

"Strawberry or chocolate icecream?" James asked holding both cones.

"Chocolate" Lily grinned

"But..." James said raising an eyebrow "If you have to eat one for the rest of your life?"

"Why?" Lily was already devouring hers

"Hypothetically..."

Lily smiled. Sometimes James was so mature and serious. But others, he still acted like a kid. And Lily loved him.

"Easy..."

"Chocolate..." they both said at the same time.

James knew her too well. Lily laughed, and her boyfriend smiled deliciously.

"But you'll get tired of too much sweet eventually" James added

"That's why you order the sour ones" Lily took a bite from James' cone.

"And we combine them" James kissed her cheek.

James took out his phone and took a selfi of both of them. James made a silly face. He was so happy. Suddenly, Lily felt sick of all the chocolate.

"James... I need to tell you something" she interrupted. James stored his phone. He looked confused. "Okaay...." "What... What would you do if I..." Lily swallowed "If I had problem. Like a big, massive problem" James looked worried. "Is everything okay? What happened?" Shit. "No nothing bad" Is it bad? Or good? "I'm fine, everything is fine" During those times Lily knew that saying things like that brought the worst thoughts. "It's just..." "Lils, please you are making me worry" James said rubbing his hair. Why was he so handsome?

Lily took a deep breath. This was the time. "I'm pregnant" she said.

James' smile disappeared slowly. His eyes widened. And the strawberry cone dropped to the floor.

[diddlesanddoodles]

DUMPLING ch 39

(Chapter warning: Discussions of death and gore)

See bottom of the chapter for bonus art and a new addition to the Dumpling Playlist. 

Farris lead them out of the tent and into the kitchen camp and they were greeted by the absurd sight of all of the kitchen staff surrounding a group of seven or so humans, most of whom looked absolutely terrified, and then one lone human who stood outside the group was waving a sword in the air as he angrily shouted at Bart. “...WILL NOT LET ME THROUGH THIS INSTANT, I WILL RUN YOU THROUGH!”

“Through what? My big toe?” Bart asked with a laugh. He could not look less intimidated by the man if it had been a dust bunny shouting at him.

Farris let Nonna down and she snorted at the sight of them, calling out, “Riley, stop swinging that thing around, it’s not a damn toy! We’ve already made a piss poor showing and I won’t have you insulting these good people any more that you already have. Put that poker away and shut your gob or I’ll be telling your mother she needs to teach you better manners.”

The so name Riley turned to look at Nonna, eyes wide and disbelieving. “Nonna! You aren’t hurt are you?”

“I’m fine you great cow pie!” she snapped back at him and earning a few snickers from some of the kitchen staff. “Now do as I said and put that damn thing away.”

Riley tightened his grip, looking back and forth between the giants around him and then back to Nonna before looking up at Farris. “Tell your men to back away first.”

Farris regarded the little squire with a flat look, displeased at being given orders and especially by someone so annoying, but conceded by glancing at Bart and jerking his head. Bart nodded and began to usher everyone back to their tasks. “C’mon now, let ‘em be, lads. Back to work, the lot of ye. We’ve had our fun.”

Avery made a long disappointed whine. “Aw, come on now. I was this close t’gettin’ that lil’ fella in blue to piss himself.”

Riley watched the giants leave with suspicious and wary eyes, but once they were a comfortable enough distance away from the group of humans, he sheathed his sword. He turned his attention back to Nonna, but paused, eyes shifting to stare behind Farris where Yale stood with Nenani cupped in his hands. The man’s eyes widened and he shifted nervously for a moment before abruptly bending himself in half. “Y-your Grace!”

The other humans looked at Riley in surprise, following his trail of sight and when they all saw Nenani, they mimicked him and dropped into dramatic bows with mutterings of “Your Grace.”

Yale snickered, lowering his head to whisper to Nenani. “Princess Dumplin’...”

“Nooo...” She whined. Her face turned red with mortification when she heard Avery and Kol both add their own flamboyant your grace’s from across the yard. Farris glanced back at her with a raised eyebrow and she frowned back at him miserably. “Please make them stop...”

But he just grinned at her and shrugged.

“Well, you heard her,” Nonna told the group. “Stop with all that silly nonsense. You’re embarrassing the poor girl.”

Riley’s face made several jumps between conflicting emotions before finally giving a small bow and muttering an almost inaudible, “My apologies.”

Nonna nodded in satisfaction before turning to look up at Farris with a pleasant smile and patted his boot. “Thank you for help, Farris, you’re a peach. But I believe I can manage them from here.”

“As ye say,” he replied and stepped back, crossing his arms. Nonna looked up and waved a beckoning hand at Yale.

“Go on and let the girl loose, young man. We’ve come all this way so we might as well give her all these presents we’ve trudged up along with us.”

Nenani perked up. “Presents? For me?”

Nonna regarded her with a sly grin. “Well what did you think it mean to pay homage?”

Yale laughed as he let Nenani down and she hurried to catch up to Nonna as she reached the group of humans. Many of them were pulling the packs off their backs and rummaging inside, pulling out objects, some wrapped and some not. And though they all were still sending wary glances towards the giants who were still watching them all from their work stations, the humans seemed excited to be presenting their offerings. Nenani did not know how to feel about it all. It felt strange to suddenly be in the company of many folks her size, having become so accustomed to living among giants and even more so when they were throwing gifts at her.

But so long as they kept their your grace’s to themselves, she supposed it was all in good fun.

Riley stepped up to Nonna, bending to whisper something into her ear to which Nonna nodded. Riley was a tall young man, dressed in a long dark gray gambeson coat, and green trousers. He look only a few years older than Jae. The leather of his belt was oiled and shining with a silver buckle of intricate silver. He wore a short stubble beard and his hair was a fluffy mob of dusty brown and his face was set firmly into a scowl. His hand still rested on the hilt of his sword as he cast his gaze around the camp. They lingered on Farris and Yale and neither giant missed the way he was looking at them. Yale wiggled his eyebrows at him, daring the human to try something, but all Riley did was scowl back at him.

“Now, my girl,” Nonna said, gently taking Nenani’s arm and guiding her towards the group. “Most of these gifts are going to be things you don’t really need and never asked for...”

“Nonna!” Riley barked at the woman in indignation; momentarily turning his head from the giants.

“...but I can assure you that they were all made with love and care and the finest craftsmanship we possess.” Nonna finished, ignoring Riley. One by one, each of the group stepped up and held out their offerings with a short greeting. Thankfully they kept it informal. Among the gifts was a light green cloak with delicate embroidery along the bottom, a brass broach in the shape of a dragonfly, a roll of beautifully tanned leather, a ring with a polished purple stone, and a small wooden box inlaid with different colored wood to create a beautiful pattern on the lid like a string twirling in never ending loops and knots. They were all beautifully made gifts and Nenani stared dumbly at the pile, taken aback and oddly humbled.

“And Riley has one for you as well,” Nonna said, looking to Riley with a nod. The young man reached behind himself and unclipped something from his belt, pulling it out and handing to Nonna. It was a sheathed dagger. The leather had been dyed a faint green color and near the top, pressed into material was a familiar symbol; the Thorn guard crest. Nenani stared at it, feeling a strange nostalgic pull.

“But first,” said the old woman, her voice soft and oddly serious. Her eyes were searching and hopeful. “I have an important question for you; Where is Hayron?”

Nenani stared at Nonna for a moment, a sinking feeling in her belly, and then after a moment said, “He died. Or rather...he was killed.”

There was a collective noise of despair and the group of humans all looked heartbroken at the news. They all bent their heads and muttered something Nenani could not make out. It did not sound like the common tongue at all.

Nonna nodded her understanding. “I had feared as much,” she said, eyes incredibly sad. “When news reached us that you and your mother were alive, but no news of Hayron...”

She heaved a great sigh, suddenly looking her age. “It is a great loss. I would have very much liked to have been able to see your father one more time. So many things I would have told him. So many apologies I would have made. Your grandfather was never the same after he was forced to give his son up. It tore at him, terribly.” She looked up at Nenani and smiled sadly, regret and longing on he face. “How he wished he could have had a chance to meet his grandchild. This broach here, the dragonfly...”

She reached for the broach from atop the pile of offerings and pinned it to the front of Nenani’s thick wool dress. “...is the symbol of familial love. He had this made for me after my daughter was born and I’ve kept it all these years. The notion to one day give it to one of my granddaughters crossed my mind, but they fight over every little thing. So, when I heard you were alive...it seems only fitting you should have it.”

She rested a bony hand over the broach, over Nenani’s heart. Riley stepped up to her.

“Who killed him?” he asked. The young man’s eyes were intense everything about him was pulled taut with withheld rage. The hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightened and his knuckles were white. “Who killed Hayron?”

“His name is Aidus,” she said to the man.

“Aidus...I know that name,” Nonna said, looking pensive.

Something in the back of her mind gave her pause and she looked back to Farris. Almost as though she sought his permission to say anything more. He seemed to sense her apprehension.

“It’s up t’ye how much ye wanna share, lil’un,” he told her. “But I’ll say this: better fer everyone t’be knowin’ about that fucker. He ain’t gone after the tribes yet, but best not assume that won’t change.”

She did not want to tell them about Aidus being the one to have killed Thadeus and starting the war. It did not feel like something she could tell them. Who knew what sort of the trouble that knowledge would stir. But the rest...the rest she could. After seeing the pain on their collective faces at the news of her father’s death, she almost felt like she owed them the story and the chance to share her loss with someone who shared it was alluring.

“He was after Mama,” she explained. “But Papa tried to fight him off. Aidus killed him and stole my mother away. But she escaped him a year ago. She said he threatened to kill my little brother.”

There was a shift among the group.

“Brother?” Nonna asked.

“Mama was with child when she was taken,” she replied.

There were hushed murmurs among the humans and someone from the back asked, “We have a prince?”

Nonna waved them off with a hand, frowning at them. “Quiet you hens!” She turned back to Nenani with an expression of longing. “We had not heard of your mother bearing a son.”

“She named him Haiyer.” The old woman was silent for a long moment, her eyes frozen as they peered at Nenani. Then she rose a trembling hand to her face, covering her mouth as the emotion took her. “...Haiyer?”

“Nonna?” Riley asked, his nervousness forgotten as he went to her side, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Are you alright?”

She nodded, wiping at her eyes. “Yes, of course. I am all right, my boy. Don’t fret.”

Riley looked back at Nenani. “Why would this man do all of this? Kill Hayron and take the princess?”

“Aidus is the man who Mama was supposed to marry,” Nenani replied. “But she fell in love with Papa instead.”

Nonna gripped Riley’s shoulder as sudden recognition struck her and she gasped. “Tarliene’s eldest boy!” she cried, eyes wide. “The King’s advisor! His son was named Aidus! I thought I knew that name!” She turned to the man in blue, the one Avery had been trying to scare into wetting himself. “Pip, do you remember if Aidus was one of the Ruby order? They were the mages sent to Riftside, correct?”

“If I remember correctly, they were sent in as back up,” he replied. “I’m fairly confident that if the Aidus that her grace...er, my apologies. If the Aidus she speaks of is Tarliene’s son, then he would have been there.”

“Aidus was a fire mage. Vennor’s apprentice,” confirmed another of the humans. He was older and gray haired. A thin pale scar rang the length of face on his right side. He looked to Nonna. “He was a member of the Ruby Order. A highly skilled fire mage.”

Above them all, Farris snorted. “I’ve met ‘im briefly. And he don’t look a thing like any fire mage I’ve ever seen.”

“My apologies, sir, but you mistake my meaning,” the man explained. “It couldn’t have been him. I saw Aidus fall at Riftside. He and two others were thrown from the cliff by Prince Mourin.”

“Ye were at Riftside?” Farris asked, the gruffness easing a little and he regarded the scarred man with a kinder eye.

“Yes, sir. Infantry captain,” said the man and gestured to his face. “S’where I got this beauty. Courtesy of one a’ yer late King’s balista’s shattering our shield wall. The prince and a few others got through after the river was set on fire and they scaled the cliff. They killed all them mages there. Not sure who, but someone ‘em got in a quick hit before they fell and it cut through the Prince’s neck and he bled out. Every soul on that cliff died that day.”

“Ye say ya saw ‘im fall,” Farris said. “He could’a survived.”

“Unlikely. That cliff is nearly 150 feet and the river may be deep there, but there’s plenty of rocks to hit on the way down.”

“Well if he’s did die at Riftside, someone forgot to tell him he’s suppose to be dead,” Yale added. “He’s attacked the castle directly twice now. Tryin’ t’get to the lil’un. Somethin’ about usin’ her to get her Mum to come back to ‘im.”

Nonna chewed on her bottom lip, mulling over all that had been said. She shook her head. “What could he possibly be after? Silvaara is no more, why fixate on Princess Aine?”

“Obsession?” Yale offered. “Revenge?”

“No,” Nenani said, something in her mind abruptly making sense. Keral had told her once that the smoke mage problem was like a puzzle to him and suddenly she was aware of just how many pieces she had. “Not revenge. Something about the gold prophecy. He...I think he thinks...it’s about him. When killed my uncle, he said that he wanted to see the dead walls rise. And then when the wyvern attacked, the only thing he said was the gold prophecy.”

“What do you mean when he killed your uncle?” Nonna asked. “Halden died in Silvaara. Alongside Haiyer and the royal family.”

“...no he didn’t. Uncle Halden didn’t die in Silvaara,” Nenani said, shaking her head. “He survived. He and some others made it to the Southlands. Where Mama and Papa and I were living. After Aidus took Mama and killed Papa, he took care of me for years. But Aidus came back. He burned everything down. And killed him.”

There was a long silence.

“Nonna,” Riley said in a quiet voice. His eyes were red. “We must hold the last rite for them. Hayron and Halden. We owe them that much at least.”

“It will take a few days to prepare for the ceremony,” Nonna told him. She turned to one of people within their group. “Jerand, how long would it take you and your brother to carve a pair of effigies?”

“Two days at least,” said an older man with a round face and bushy brown beard. “Three would be better.”

Nonna nodded. “I will speak with Warrick when we return. Could be a week or so before we could manage something half way decent. We won’t find much in the way of flowers this time of year.”

“What do you mean?” Nenani asked.

“The last rite,” Nonna explained. “For when an oath bound Thorn guard falls in the keeping of his or her oath, they are given what we call the last rite. Or full colors. We would like to give you father and uncle their last rite.”

“Didn’t grandfather have to...I forget what it’s called. Make him not a Thorn guard anymore?”

“He was relieved of his duty,” Nonna replied. “Only death can dismiss you from your oath.”

“There will be lots to be done,” said one of the group. “And so soon after Gregis.”

“More funerals,” Farris muttered unhappily.

“And what of it, giant?” Riley snarled, whirling on the kitchen master. “Do you see us criticizing how you mourn your lost?”

Farris glared at the whole group distastefully. “Y’know how many funeral’s I’ve been to since the war ended, boy? Too many. Both Vhasshalan and human. More than half didn’t even have a body to bury or t’burn. Folks speakin’ of a dead fella they didn’t know, paradin’ and weepin’ with all the pageantry and bullshit they can muster. It was never fer the sake of those closest to ‘em. Most ‘a the time it was only fer show.” He pointed glared at Riley. “Just t’see who could make a bigger arse of themselves.”

Riley’s face turned a deep shade of red and he glared up at Farris, furious and incensed. “KEEP YOU TONGUE IN YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH!”

“Riley,” Nonna began, raising a placating hand towards him, but he shouted over her.

“NO! They were Thorn guard, Nonna. My brothers! And I will not stand here and be told my grief is nothing but for show! Least of all by a giant!” He turned back to Farris. “You speak of things you know nothing about.”

“Do as ye well please, but it’ll just be people weepin’ over a bonfire. Ain’t no bodies fer ye to burn,” Farris said and gestured to Nenani. “The lil’un’s been my ward fer months and she’s been mournin’ fer the both of ‘em fer longer than that. I’ve seen her tears and heard her cry out fer ‘em in her sleep. So excuse me if I don’t think ye have any right to sweep in and take ownership of a grief that’s rightly hers. Ye haven’t a right to it. Or her father. ‘Specially since ye all were the ones t’ave tossed Hayron out in the first place.”

Riley drew his sword, the metal catching the firelighte. “HOW DARE YOU –!”

Yale stepped up behind Farris, eyes narrowed and voice low and threatening. “Put it away, boy.”

There was the rushing of many feet and the rest of the kitchen staff stepped up behind Farris and Yale. There all glares and scowls and tightened muscle. But either the squire did not see them or did not care, too entrapped by his own anger. Nenani went to stand between them, suddenly afraid of the sudden escalation, but Nonna gripped her arm and pulled her back, pushing her towards one of the group of humans. “No, dear. Stay out of it.”

“But...” she began to protest, but Nonna shushed her.

“Stay out of it.”

“Aye,” Farris said to Riley, scowling. “Where were the lot of ye when yer King had him and his pregnant wife thrown out into the wilds like unwanted dogs? Ye sat at his heels and followed yer orders like good hounds even as one ‘a yer own was thrown aside. So don’t get all high and mighty on me with yer talk of oaths and shit.”

Riley opened his mouth to reply, but Nonna spoke over him, gripping his sleeve and rubbing his shoulder. “No, son. He is not wrong to say so. He is not wrong. And we know it. Haiyer certainly did and you know it too.”

“Nonna that isn’t what...”

“Not everyone shares the same view as to just what it means to uphold one’s duty. It is a hard line to walk. And one you must be prepared for if you ever want to take the oath yourself.”

“How can you bare such an insult?” Riley demanded, voice thick with emotion. “How he speaks of us? As though we do not grieve them at all. That it did not hurt to see Hayron leave and know we would never see him again. To see Father weep and pray to the Gods that they would be safe and beg for forgiveness. To watch war break out and destroy everything and never knowing if they were dead or alive. Now we have a chance to help Father’s spirit to finally rest. And this...fucker tells us that we are not entitled to our grief?”

“Haiyer is dead, son,” Nonna told him and not unkindly. “Confirmation of Hayron’s death does not change anything.”

“It does to me!” he said. “I may not share their name or wear his sigil, but they are my blood too! Don’t tell me how I should mourn them. I would have been there if I had been given the chance!”

“Then you would have died with him!” Nonna said, anger rising in her throat. “You were a child, Riley! You would not have made a bit of difference to that fight. The moment the keep fell, you would have just been another dead child laying on that marble floor in pieces!”

The young man’s face contorted with pain and he took a lumbering breath and howled, “BUT I WOULD DIED WITH MY FATHER!”

Nonna was livid. “And I would have one less piece of my brother and another dead nephew to grieve over.”

“I can’t just –!”

“Riley, that is enough!”

Riley sneered at Nonna and then turned his angry focus to the group of giants. “Do you know how he died?” he demanded of them. “Captain Haiyer? My father? He was the last one, y’know. The last of the guard left alive when your King tore through the keep. Just before he killed our King and his family. His sons and daughter. Their children. Babes still in their swaddling clothes. Popped their little bodies like goddamn grapes!”

Nenani felt ill as she listened to Riley speak. One of the men standing beside her put a hand on her shoulder, his eyes downcast and sad.  

“Riley,” Nonna said. “Stop this now...”

But he did not listen to her. He was delirious with anger and he gave a manic laugh. “You might’ve noticed your King came back missing his left pinkie finger. That was my father’s doing. Lobbed the damn thing from his wretched hand...just before the Blood King bit hit head off!”

Nonna stepped in front of Riley and backhanded him across the face, the sound of it echoing across the camp. There was a moment where no one said anything and even Farris looked caught off guard. Riley stared at the ground, his head still tilted to the side from the force of the hit.

“Enough!” Nonna said and turned to the group of humans. “Pip, Jerand; take him home and put him to bed like the insolent child he is determined to be. Rendlen, you go too. You’re paler than milk and I don’t need you fainting on me.”

Three of the men from the group stepped up, one of them putting a hand onto Riley’s shoulder and guiding him towards the back gate. Riley did not protest or say anything, just kept one hand to his face where Nonna had struck him. Watching them go, Nonna sighed a great heaving breath as though it came from deep within. When she turned to Farris, her eyes were filled emotion.

“I am deeply sorry for his behavior, Farris,” she said, forcing herself to stand a little taller, though it was obvious she was still agitated. “It was not my intention for us to disturb you all. I hope you can forgive our transgressions here today.”

“That boy’s gonna end up pissin’ off the wrong folks one ‘a these days,” Farris warned her.

“He has many demons,” she relied, seeming smaller. “And I am sad to say...he is not currently winning that particular battle.”

“Tell ye what, Nonna,” Farris said. His face was placid and without a scent of irritation or anger. But there was something else there. Pity. “When ye see Warrick, give him this bit of advice from an ol’ man whose wrangled his fair share of belligerent lads who just wanna be angry at the world and fer everyone to feel as miserable as they do; work the boy till he can’t stand up straight no more. Don’t give ‘im a moment’s peace to dwell on all that shit in his head. Put all that angry energy into something productive. He’ll figure the rest out himself. Might take a few months. Might take a few years. But ye have to break him to have any hope of savin’ him from himself.” Farris turned his eye towards Yale and grinned. He reached out and looped his arm around his assistant's neck and pulled him into a choke hold. “S’how I set this smarmy bastard straight.”

“Ah, Farris!” Yale growled, pushing at the kitchen master’s arms. “Come off it!”

With a chuckle, Farris released his hold and Yale stumbled back with a muted curse.

Nonna watched the pair and laughed weakly at that, nodding. “Thank you. I will.”

“He said that the Captain was his father,” Quinn asked and looked to Nenani. “So does that make that whiny lil’ wanker the Dumplin’s uncle?”

“Half uncle,” Nonna said with a nod and then paused, looking at Quinn askance. “Dumpling?”

“Aye,” Farris said, the whole lot of them sharing a grin. “S’what we call yer niece there.”

Nonna laughed and patted Nenani on the back. “Well, I suppose there are worse things to be called.”

“What do you mean, though?” Nenani asked her. “When you say that he’s my half uncle?”

She sighed. “Well, no sense in beating around the bush as every in the village knows. Riley is your grandfather’s natural born son,” the old woman replied. “A bastard.”

The word echoed in Nenani’s mind, bringing with it the voice of Lord Eldherst. Bastard. Only a bastard.

“Hayron never told you? Nor Halden?” she asked, seeing the look on Nenani’s face. “That they had a half brother?”

“Papa never told me anything,” she replied, brow furrowed and feeling hollow inside. “I didn’t even know my last name until a few weeks ago...”

The old woman’s head drew back and she stared at Nenani, scandalized. “Truly?”

Nenani nodded. “I...never knew about anyone. Or anything...”

“He may have been waiting for your tenth birthday,” Nonna said. “When you would receive your first rite.”

“My first...rite?”

“That’s right,” she said with a grin, holing up the green sheathed dagger. “When you would have been given your dagger.”

“Given her dagger?” Bart asked with a bemused grin. “What’s the bloody hell does that mean?”

“You may have noticed us lot in the Hill Tribes are a bit...well, let’s be generous and say superstitious,” Nonna explained. “We of the Thorn clans hold traditions very close as it is really all we have left of our culture. We are all Silvaaran, but we are also Thorn. Our place in the hierarchy of Silvaara kept us apart from either end of society. Neither peasant nor nobility. So the old ways were kept well and alive through the years. Our music, our stories, our language...”

“...language?” Nenani asked.

“Tier,” Nonna replied with a grin. “Gothe‘er than ule ore sei schlie.”

Not a word she spoke was familiar and she had never heard anyone speak in that way. Nenani stared.  “What does that mean?”

“I said that many of us still speak the old tongue. As for the dagger, it is the first of the rites.” She looked to Nenani and smiled, holding out the green leather sheathed dagger to her. “When one of our clan turns ten years old, a dagger is made from a piece of their father’s yearling sword and given to the child as their first rite. Your father would have presented this to you on your tenth birthday,” She smiled at Nenani, but it was sad. “...but as we do not have his yearling sword nor him...I am afraid all I have is a substitute and my old bony self. Riley was going to present this to you, but...well.”

Nonna held out the dagger to Nenani and as she reached out to wrap her hands around the dagger’s hilt, Nonna closed her fingers over her hand. Holding them, she looked into Nenani’s face.  

“When you turn fifteen,” she continued. “This dagger will be melted down again and turned into a yearling sword as your second rite. And finally when you are deemed to be ready, your are given your final sword and take the oath. The oath use to be to protect and guard the royal family.” Nonna tilted her head in a strange sort of shrug. “But since the war, we have broadened that oath to the Hill Tribe and to Vhasshal should the King ever call upon us.”

Behind them, she heard Farris huff a laugh. “Yer saying yer wantin’ t’show the lil’un how to fuckin’ use a sword now?”

Nonna turned her eyes to Farris and laughed loudly. “Goodness no! We’d never set her upon such a path nor is it expected of any of our children to do so. Only four of the young ones have taken the oath in recent years and seven more have their yearling swords, but most never progress beyond their dagger. These rites are more to persevere our heritage than anything. Do not worry Farris, we don’t mean to turn your ward into a soldier.”

Farris chuckled. “Was only gonna warn ye she’d make a right sorry solider. Sleeps late, doesn’t mind ye worth shit, and she’s easily distracted by small shiny things.”

“I do not!” Nenani shot back with a frown. Nonna pulled the dagger from the sheath and it glinted in Nenani’s eyes, drawing her gaze downward. Behind her, each and every one of the kitchen staff was laughing. Nenani whirled around, red faced and opened her mouth to defend herself.

Farris eyed her with a smirk. “Oh, aye. Ye do, lass.”

She stuck her tongue out at the lot of them and the just laughed harder. Nonna smiled and patted her cheek affectionately.

“Don’t feel too bad, my dear,” she said and leaned forward to whisper into her ear, “I’m quite partial shiny things too.”

BONUS ART: Riley. 

Author’s notes: The Thorn clan language is similar in sound to the Irish or Gaelic languages.     

NEW DUMPLING PLAYLIST TRACK: Thorn Guard Song.