#the dragon double feature

[taylor-titmouse]

kinktober 20: scream

The local village stopped sending knights years ago.

[smitten-miqitten]

Holy shit the improved facial expressions make sassy Solas SO fucking hot. Screw being diplomatic, Rook is going to have to sass him at every opportunity.

My Lavellan made the right choice idc. My heart is aflutter. It's bad.

How can I play my Rook as uninterested, I'm not strong enough 😭😭😭

[schlock-luster-video]

On October 10, 2015, Enter the Dragon and The Street Fighter were screened as a double-feature on TCM Underground.

[malikselfindulgence]

I gave up on the flowers but SELFSHIP-VEMBER DAYS 1-5 PROMPT SUNFLOWER !! I am many days late but whatever . Marek is commonly symbolised as a sunflower also so this was Perfect 4 me. Marek uses he/she pls remain respectful of this !

List under the cut :3 !!

[the-zapped-part-timer]

Penn Zerothon Day 14

The Ripple Effect🌀

My Ramblings:

~The Characters~

Penn Zero:

Boone Wiseman:

Sashi Kobayashi:

Rippen:

Larry:

Dimension(s):

Forms:

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

Where Dragons Dare🐲

My Ramblings:

~The Characters~

Penn Zero:

Boone Wiseman:

Sashi Kobayashi:

Rippen:

Larry:

Dimension(s):

Forms:

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

Rip-Penn🧪

My Ramblings:

~The Characters~

Penn Zero:

Boone Wiseman:

Sashi Kobayashi:

Rippen:

Larry:

Dimension(s):

Forms:

[spiritsong]

going to draw astarion me thinks

[chibigrimmreaper]

now for dear rhaenyra here this is the list of outfit nicknames! i specifically tried to match them with alicent's, given they're the leading ladies for the fashion trends of their respective political factions

Yellow Childhood Friend Dress

Heir's Tourney Dress

Heir Dress

Rhaenyra's First Wedding

Rhaenyra's Second Wedding

the Black Queen

the Dragon Queen

All of Rhaenyra’s redesigns

One of the best parts of these redesigned series is the ability to look at the character's costume arc and compare it with their costume journey. Seeing the things that remain the same, the things that change in small ways over time, and things that take a specific style change. Things that the character has made a conscious decision to say with their personal style. If I have done my job right, you'll see what I see.

Also I love to hear your thoughts on the tv shows costumes, my redesigns, and what you think about season 2! <3 So share away!

I am the artist! Do not post without permission & credit! Thank you! Come visit me over on: instagram, tiktok or check out my coloring book available now \ („• ֊ •„) /

https://linktr.ee/ellen.artistic

[lizzybeeee]

DATV Spoilers - The Story We Lost

Posted earlier that I was compiling a list of lore/story threads that have been dropped with DATV's handling of Southern Thedas. The sheer number of things means that I've made this into two parts - this one focusing on all the story threads that have been effectively dropped.

Spoilers for the game ahead, of course.

If you've played the game then you'll know that Southern Thedas - everything from the past three games - was basically swept away by the blight.

A double blight should have catastrophic consequences for the entirety of Thedas, I don’t deny that, it’s nothing short of a mass extinction event – the absolute worst case scenario for all of Thedas.

However, waving away the fact that Southern Thedas - specifically every area you ever traveled to and interacted with in previous games – is gone, devastated by the blight, in a codex entry and line of dialogue makes it abundantly clear that BioWare is attempting to clean the slate so that they can move forwards with the game series with no ties to the previous ones.

The Warden, Hawke, and the Inquisitor effectively accomplished nothing.

As I put it in another post: I never expected them to consider every decision in game outside of the three options they gave us, but I certainly didn’t expect them to go scorched earth on the possibility of ever seeing the results of those decisions either.

How the lore has been handled in this game, summarized to “the elves did it” and “there’s been a shadowy organization in the shadows pulling the strings on everything” is absolutely devastating to the franchise.

The lack of care with which this was treated just bleeds, “There, we’ve answered all questions and finished with this era of Thedas. Moving on now.” At the same time, this destruction absolutely obliterated whatever story threads remained from the first three games.

Could BioWare bring these threads back? Yes, I suppose. But it doesn't change that it was so carelessly thrown aside in the first place.

If they didn't want people to care about their decisions and the impact they made on the world, perhaps they shouldn't have made that a feature of all the previous games.

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

Story Threads/ Plot Points that were dropped:

Limited my points to what was in the Dragon Age Keep and what points were brought up frequently in codex entries, conversations, etc...

Edit: I never expected all of these points to be answered in DATV - this is just a list of what was effectively brushed to the side through very bad handling of lore and story.

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

Dragon Age: Origins

What is the line of succession in Ferelden?

Things are looking very grim for Ferelden's succession and the Theirin/MacTir line if nothing is done. And nothing was done. The entire plot of DAO literally culminated in resolving this issue, yet no one seems to have learnt a thing from it?

- Anora ruling alone is unmarried with no heir - Alistair ruling alone is unmarried with no heir - Ruling together they have no heir - Alistair and a Cousland Queen have no heir - Anora and a Cousland King-Consort have no heir

The only potential candidate that can fit into several of those world states is Kieran.

Fergus Cousland, according to lore, is the second closest to the throne that is confirmed to be alive in DAI - potentially the brother in-law to the King/Queen of Ferelden.

Ferelden's succession with Alistair as King hinges on whether or not the Warden was able to cure the blight. Alternatively, it is hinted that he may be more resistant since he has dragon blood in him from Calenhad.

The potential implications of Kieran being the bastard son of the King of Ferelden.

Kieran being used as a political pawn to depose Anora using the Theirin bloodline.

DAI took away whatever destiny Kieran had with the Old God soul – that didn’t mean that BioWare had to take away everything else too. Regardless, it doesn't matter. Outside of Redcliffe, the rest of the land has fallen to the Blight - it's unlikely that any of this will ever be brought up again.

2. Did the Warden find a cure?

Unknown. Irrelevant.

Ferelden ended up blighted. Denerim fell. If Ferelden rises from the ashes, it will be without any sign of their influence. Any mention of them will likely be their title alone - no mention of their accomplishments.

3. General Questions about the Landsmeet

What happened to Anora if Alistair is named King? Who rules the teyrnir of Gwaren following the blight?

What happens to Alistair if he's exiled? We know Teagan finds him in DA2 but what happens after?

If Leliana becomes divine does that mean that Connor Guerrin is potentially an heir to Redcliffe?

4. Companion Plot Threads

Morrigan's sisters - the many daughters of Flemeth.

Shale's quest to reverse the process of becoming a golem.

Whatever the hell Nathaniel Howe was going on about when you run into him in DA2 in the blighted thaig.

What, if anything, Avernus leaned from spending a literal age or two studying blighted blood.

5. Zevran's Crusade against the Crows

RIP Zevran's one-man crusade against the Crows and their child slavery ring.

DATV messed up immensely by portraying the Crows as more of a ‘found family’ rather than the horrifically abusive organization it was set up to be.

The very same organization that preys on the weak and disenfranchised - honing them to be tools for the nobles/powerful of Thedas - are now the heroic freedom fighters of Antiva.

The literal decade he spent hunting down the Crows and their leaders is up in flames. No mention in DATV whatsoever.

Wasted a perfectly good opportunity to have a schism in the Crows, with Zevran at the helm of kicking out the antaam, taking in Crows who are are sick of what's happening.

6. The Dwarves of Orzammar

The impact of Bhelen/Harrowmont's reign - ruthless progression verses strict traditionalism

The rumours of an uprising of the casteless dwarves in DAI

Will we ever hear of noble House Brosca or Queen/Lady Rica? Nope.

Will we ever hear of the son that Aeducan can have with Mardy? Nope. (RIP Duncan Jnr - I still love you)

The Anvil of the Void and potential links it may have to the Titans.

No more fine goods direct from Orzammar

The entire caste system has been simplified by Harding in DATV to effectively be: 'surface dwarves' and 'deep roads' dwarves.

7. The Magisters Sidereal / Awakened Darkspawn

According to a codex in the Descent: one went mad, consumed another, and the final magister fled into the Deep Roads.

Corypheous + Codex Magister + the Architect (most likely) = 4/5 magisters remaining? Possibly?

Reminder that it's hinted that there's an eighth Old God that was struck from the records of Tevinter.

The Architect and his Awakened Darkspawn.

No, it was all the elves. They're all dead now anyway. Thanks BioWare.

8. The Guardian and the Urn of Sacred Ashes

"Where did you come from, where did you go? Nobody in Thedas will ever knowwwww."

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

Dragon Age 2

Dragon Age 2 was pretty self-contained, with most things being tied up in Trespasser or DAI. The worst of the plot points abandoned relate to the companions in the game and the lack of closure/answers about them.

General Questions:

Kirkwalls, apparently, endless line of 'provisional' viscounts and constant political instability since Varric ran off to go after Solas.

According to DA: Absolution the Red Templars are still in Kirkwall...yet the show is set after Trespasser - when Varric is viscount? When he mentions that they threw a parade when getting Meredith out of the Gallows?

Aveline, Varric, Merrill and whoever remains of the Kirkwall crew apparently just allowing red templars take over the Gallows?

What happened to Petrice if she lived?

What happened to Feynriel if he went to Tevinter?

If Hawke lives following DAI - where are they?

I have a whole list of lore that's also been brushed over: the Sundermount, Corypheous, the Band of Three etc... I decided to put them in Part 2 since I feel they fit in more with 'lore obliterated' rather than 'abandoned plot points'.

2. Companions

Merrill's Eluvian:

Merrill spent years fixing an eluvian with a piece of string, a potato, and some gum - managing to actually do it.

And it meant nothing.

Eluvians are now a fast travel hub - all mysticism and awe at this marvel of magic are completely gone. Whatever sacrifices Merrill went through to save her sliver of elven history is meaningless.

Imagine if Merrill's eluvian aided in the fight against Solas - if having it intact gave you an advantage against him. Imagine Merrill weeping as Bellara fixes every other single eluvian in ten seconds with her magical omnitool.

Fenris and Slavery in Tevinter:

DATV utterly trivializing slavery in Tevinter is abominable.

Disregarding everything Fenris went through, everything he ever fought for, and making it something barely touched upon in DATV is insanity.

You wouldn't know there was slavery in Tevinter if the Shadow Dragons didn't drop a line or two about it.

Fenris' entire story of going to help free the slaves is diminished because no one wanted to show the ugly, dark side of Tevinter in DATV.

DATV has retroactively made this choice for him to be so unfulfilling.

Where is Anders?

What happened with Sebastian's crusade against Anders? Was he ever captured? Was he executed? Are you telling me that no templars ever pursued this man fanatically after what happened in Kirkwall?

Does his fate vary if Hawke was friends/romanced him?

Varric appointing a new Viscount’s Keep healer called ‘Banders’ who just happens to sleep in the same room as Hawke and their children call him ‘daddy’ lmao

Does his fate vary according to who is Divine? Vivienne hunts him down, Cassandra puts him on trial, while Leliana pardons him?

How does he react to Leliana abolishing the Circles? How much does he weep when the rebellion fails and the mages are destroyed? This man instigated the starting event for DAI and drove most of DA2's major plot and he's just...gone.

The Hawke Siblings:

From DAI we know that Warden Bethany/Carver are safe, but what happened to them if they're in the Circle?

Give us Knight-Commander Carver and First Enchanter Bethany Hawke, you cowards! Have them dismantle the Gallows and be the shining examples of human decency we know they are.

What happens to them after DAI and the Mage/Templar War is concluded? In a world that can embrace or reject them - how do they find their place?

Varric

Trespasser gave him a satisfying conclusion - he's viscount, he's in his shit hole of a city, he's surrounded by the people that he loves and cares about. He has the chance to truly build up Kirkwall after all the shit its gone through.

It just feels so bitter, so meaningless, that they gave him the end that they did in DATV. Varric should never have been the one to go after Solas - the only reason it was him was because he's a popular character in the franchise and was used to draw interest.

Why not Cole?! Who was literally mentioned in Trespasser as being on hand to help his friends - who has the ability to get through to Solas in a way no one else could?

No proper send off - no acknowledgement from those who loved him as to his fate...Varric was reduced to a marketing gimmick to draw people in who wanted to see if he died or not.

Isabela

Isabela's story was brought to a close in DAI - she became an admiral, got a fancy hat, helped the Inquisition, and kept in contact with those she loved/Hawke if defended from the arishok.

Imagine bringing her back in a terrible outfit, having the most sex/gender positive character misgender another person, and making her part of the group that steals cultural artifacts from others.

The tomb of Koslun and Aveline would like a word with you?!

The entire Lords of Fortune group is also extremely bland? No commentary on the ethics/effects of colonialism/cultural appropriation - because confrontational topics/ideas are not allowed in this game. Just like topics of slavery/indoctrination.

Her entire character just seems to have regressed from DA2. Why bother having her cameo in the game if she's not going to meaningfully contribute/comment on whats happening?

Edit - Thanks to bunnyiscthulhu for reminding me that Isabela's mother sold her into marriage...yet she does nothing when Taash's mother is outright forcing them into a life they don't want. Isabela, who believed that everybody should be free - that no one should be forced into a life they don't want, just...lets it happen to another person?

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

Dragon Age: Inquisition

What's going to happen to the Red Lyrium that's popped up across all of Thedas?

Ferelden, Orlais, Kirkwall - all areas are reported to have red lyrium on the surface.

What happens to the Red Lyrium in Suledin?

DAI speaks about how they can never stop the spread of red lyrium, only slow it – animals, insects, organisms - whatever life is in the ground is all susceptible to becoming blighted by red lyrium. Suledin Keep in particular was utterly devastated by the Red Templars - what happens to life there?

2. What happened to Corypheous' Inner Circle?

What happened to Samson? How long did he live *if* he’s given the chance to help Cullen? Can something good come from his cooperation?

What happened to Calpernia?

Looking at previous concept art for DATV she was a companion - freeing slaves, gossiping about Samson & Corypheous. Just...what a waste. Any potential insight we could have gotten into Corypheous is gone.

3. The Mage / Templar War:

How does the world vary if you conscripted vs allied with either?

How do the remnants of what faction was not chosen fit into this new world?

How does the world deal with abominations and weird magic shit now? Is an alternative to the Order made if it's wiped out in DAI?

How is Cullen's templar clinic doing? If the templars still exist, how is Divine Victoria changing/adapting the Order to better support mages/templars?

4. Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts:

How do Orlesian politics reflect who was made ruler?

Is Gaspard looking to expand into Ferelden once more? Are the elves being brutalized under his rule like they were by his chevaliers? Does he do away with the grand game like he threatened in DAI?

How does this differ if Briala has collared him? How do his supporters feel that Briala has his balls in a vice?

Do Celene and Briala stay together? Do things improve for the elves and for the culture of Orlais at large?

Do improvements for the elves mean that Solas' arguments to his elven agents are less persuasive?

If Florianne is alive what the hell is going to happen to her? How quickly does she fall on her blade after being forced to wear flat shoes for the rest of her life?

How quickly does shit fall apart if you get all three to cooperate lmao

Friendly reminder that DATV sets up that all of Orlais, except for the Winter Palace has been overrun by the Blight - and that a coup from the Venatori is inevitable, likely resulting in any ruler dying.

5. What is the line of succession in Orlais?!

Why does every noble family in Thedas have no contingency plans for if their head of government dies?!

Part of why we needed to resolve the leadership problem in DAI was because there was no clear, direct heir if Celene died!

Celene has no heir Gaspard has no heir

Florianne planned to frame Gaspard, murdering Celene herself, leaving no clear heir to the throne - Orlais was already in a civil war, the council of heralds/nobles would have all campaigned in their own interests...that was why this was so important!

Orlais shortsightedness and pride in their nation being the greatest in Thedas led to them almost falling in a single night!

6. Here Lies the Abyss:

What are the ramifications of having the Warden's exiled verses remaining in the south?

Trespasser literally states that there's a schism in the Order because some Warden's believe they should touch grass more often and not listen to some bloke up in Weisshaupt for what they do down in the south.

Perfect opportunity to have the wardens remaining in the south mean something! Greater numbers in the south means that there's a greater chance of holding against the blight - while greater numbers in the north can effect if Antiva/Tevinter end up blighted in the first attack!

How does public perception towards the Wardens/King of Ferelden change when they learn they were exiled for committing human sacrifice to demons?!

Give us a warden coup and First Warden Alistair / Blackwall, you cowards!

7. The Well of Sorrows:

What was the point of drinking Mythal's bathwater?!

It's been set up as something that changes you. Bound to Mythal forever?!

Retroactively, Solas feels like he's going mental about nothing! One of the few times he ever breaks - he begs you not to - and...for what? Nothing.

DATV does not acknowledge that in the slightest. Such a waste and disappointment of what was made out to be an impactful decision in DAI.

Imagine if the Inquisitor drinking from the well made us forced to fight against them during the fight with Solas - imagine if Solas, in a world state who hated the Inquisitor, used them as a puppet! Just like the envy demon in DAI - and no one notices until its too late. Imagine Mythal herself, wanting Solas to go through with his plan - (or one of the other evanuris) using an Inquisitor/Lavellan he loved as a puppet - imagine the horror he feels as another one of his friends is reduced to nothing more than a mindless slave of the evanuris once more. Imagine the devastation as he watches Lavellan lose all sense of self - perhaps swaying him to, maybe, not go through with his plan?! Imagine having Cole come back to help save the Inquisitor - or Solas begging Rook to save them.

8. DLC Implications:

What happens if Hakkon is not slain? What happens to Southern Ferelden and the Avaar?

How does the rest of Thedas react to the truth of what happened at Red Crossing and the Dales? How do they react to learning that Inquisitor Ameridan - First Inquisitor and leader of the Seekers - was a dalish, elven mage?

What happens if you do not save the mines in the Descent DLC? How badly is Orzammars economy crippled? There are already rumours of riots occurring within Orzammar - it this enough to push the caste system over the edge?

9. Elven Uprising and the War with the Qun:

The elven uprising that was implied to be occuring all over Thedas as a result of years of oppression, systematic abuse, and Solas’ influence? What happened to it?

Where are the agents of fen'harel?!

It was set up that Solas was planning to use this rebellion as a smokescreen for his plans - the elves, all rebelling for good reason, rallying to his cause while Solas planned to restore the world that once was. The rest of Thedas would only see an elven uprising, not knowing the true face behind it until it was too late!

The war between Tevinter and the Qun?!

Everyone conveniently forgetting that the Qun literally attempted to assassinate every noble family in Thedas? Why was there no exalted march because of this? This should have destroyed any accord between the chantry and the qun. There would absolutely be blood for this – Tevinter could have attacked the Qun and all of Southern Thedas would have applauded - no one would have differentiated between extremist qunari and the normal qun, especially not after Kirkwall.

The implication at the end of Trespasser that we could convince Solas to abandon his plans? Him saying that he welcomed giving us the chance?!

The difference that the Inquisitors friendship, love, or hatred could have in either convincing Solas to take another path or damning him to go ahaead with his plan, no matter the cost?

Have our decisions in previous games matter! How we treated the elves - if we worked to better their lives or 'put them in their place' - can be used to convince him that the world can change! Have the ripple effects of these decisions be seen when the elven gods return, blighted - does the world turn against the elves, hardening Solas, or does the world defend the elves from those who would blame them?

Why was Sandal in the Crossroads?! Where is Bodahn?!

10. Divine Victoria!

How does the world of Thedas change with Leliana, Cassandra, or Vivienne at the head of the chantry?

How does Tevinter react to having a mage divine?!

Do relations change between both nations because of this?

Leliana allowing elves, dwarves, and even qunari to join the Chantry! Leliana also allowing members of the chantry to get married if she's romanced by the warden.

What happened to the Seekers? Are they being rebuilt?

Does the chantry inform the masses, the rest of the mages, that they can CURE tranquility?!

If either Leliana or Cassandra was romanced - what are the implications that may have on the chantry?

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

No wonder the writers insisted that none of the past choices would have an impact on Veilguard - they literally went scorched earth on everything we ever did.

Ferelden is blighted - any legacy of the warden is gone.

Kirkwall is destroyed - any impact Hawke had is gone.

The hard won peace/order of the Inquisition was rendered meaningless since every single place that you went to and helped is now destroyed by the blight.

Orlais' ruler will likely be assassinated by the venatori who are plotting a coup with the nobles - making whomever you chose obsolete.

AND IT WAS ALL THE WORK OF THE MAGICAL ILLUMINATI FROM ACROSS THE SEA???

[nord-ronnoc]

Points of Light | Episode 55 | Oracle of War | Double Feature

[taylor-titmouse]

NEW YEARS SALE! 12/30-31!

Ring in the new year with all of 2023's book releases! Dragons and princesses, wicked wizards, haunted houses--and more! You can get five steamy illustrated novellas at 40% off. Get all five for $15, that's two free!

House of the Risen King, a dare in the dark gone wrong! Roger Crenshaw: The Dogs at Duskfall, a dream trip through time and memory! The Dragon Double Feature, two tales of passion with dangerous dragons! The Dragon Double Feature 2, another two tales of dragons in love! The Tenebrous Tower, a day in the life of a wicked wizard and his erotic experiments.

Fill out your collection, or try something new! Either way, don't delay--this sale ends with the coming of the new year!

(these books are intended for adult audiences!)

[brutalgamer]

BG's Game of the month for July 2023 is Pikmin 4

Nintendo’s Pikmin 4 took our Game of the Month vote for a July that was a little extra-slim in the new release department.

[wolfleblack]

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons Review

Although the Double Dragon series has been around since 1987, I’ve never played a single game in the entire series. I tell you this so you can understand how I’m approaching Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. I’m a newcomer here, one who loves a good brawler, sure, but isn’t here to compare this latest entry to its ancestors. Nope, I’m here as a lover of Streets of Rage 4 and TMNT:…

[idkyetxoxo]

Jacaerys Velaryon - Family Legacies

Summary - Amidst the chaos of war, two childbirths unfold. A mother's potential agony and a new mother's fear collide, as life and loss intertwine in a moment that will define their family's legacy forever.

Pairing - Jacaerys Velaryon x reader

Warnings - Childbirth, mentions of a potential stillbirth (doesn't happen)

Word count - 2101

Masterlist for Jacaerys • House of the Dragon General Masterlist.

My hand flew to my mouth, stifling a gasp as short, rapid breaths escaped me. One hand pressed against my trembling lips, while the other instinctively cradled my swollen stomach. Tears blurred my vision as I stood frozen, watching my mother-in-law writhe in excruciating pain.

The air was thick with the coppery scent of blood and the low, desperate cries that echoed through the stone walls. Every sound seemed magnified, each breath a struggle against the weight of the scene unfolding before me.

"Someone, get her out!" Rhaenyra cried, her voice thick with tears and agony. She moaned and groaned, her body drenched in blood—blood that shouldn't have been there.

"My sweet, you shouldn't be here. Not like this," she insisted, her words strained yet filled with concern. 

Elinda, her handmaiden, approached me, gently urging me to move, but I remained rooted to the spot, unable to tear my gaze away from the horrific scene unfolding before me.

My heart ached as I watched Rhaenyra scream and thrash, her strength faltering. 

Even in her torment, she was desperate to shield me from the brutal reality of what she was enduring, knowing how close I was to my own childbirth.

"But you... I—" I stammered, my voice weak and trembling. 

Panic surged through me, immobilizing me as I tried to process the fact that Rhaenyra Targaryen, one of the strongest women I had ever known, was suffering like this while I stood there, on the brink of giving birth myself.

"Jace, get her out!" Rhaenyra commanded sharply. I flinched as I felt strong hands grasp my shoulders, guiding me away with firm insistence.

"Come, my darling," Jace murmured softly, trying to comfort me as we walked, his voice a gentle anchor in the storm of emotions swirling inside me. 

I struggled to steady my breathing, each step feeling like a monumental effort.

Jace's eyes flicked between me and the door, torn between the duty to his mother and the terror of losing me. His hands tightened on my shoulders, a silent plea for strength when his own was crumbling.

"Jace, it hurts," I whispered, the words barely audible. 

He nodded, rubbing my shoulders soothingly, but I suddenly stopped, gasping as a sharp, searing pain shot through my abdomen.

"My love, please," he urged, but I doubled over, a pained expression contorting my face. 

A warm, wet sensation trickled down my legs, and I instinctively stepped back, horrified as I looked down to see a growing puddle of water staining the cold stone floor.

The pain hit like a tidal wave, crashing through me with relentless force. My vision blurred, every nerve aflame, as the corridor spun around me. I was drowning in it, barely able to surface long enough to grasp Jace's hand.

"Jace..." I gasped, my voice quivering with fear. 

His eyes widened in alarm, the gravity of the situation dawning on him as worry etched itself deep into his features.

Jace's expression shifted from concern to sheer panic as the realization hit him like a crashing wave. His mother was suffering through the agony of a violent birth, and now, here I was, on the verge of giving birth right in the midst of it all. 

The horror of the situation was almost too much to bear.

His hands tightened on my shoulders as he tried to usher me away, his voice strained and urgent. 

"We need to go, now," he said, his tone a desperate mixture of fear and determination. 

Yet, I couldn't move. My legs felt like they were made of lead, my mind a whirlwind of terror after witnessing the horrific scene with Rhaenyra. 

I clung to him, my voice breaking as I pleaded, "I don't want to do this, Jace. Not after what I just saw. I'm scared... I'm so scared." 

The panic in my voice was unmistakable, my body trembling violently against his.

"Please, my love, you have to be strong," he urged, though his own voice wavered, betraying the turmoil raging inside him. 

He was trying so hard to be my rock, to guide me away from the chaos, but I could see the fear in his eyes—the fear that he might lose both of us, his mother and me, in the same tragic moment.

I shook my head frantically, tears streaming down my face as I gripped his arms. 

"I can't... I don't want to go through this. Not like this," I sobbed, my mind flashing back to Rhaenyra's agonized screams, the blood, the horror. It was all too much, too overwhelming, and the thought of going through it myself now was paralyzing.

Jace's heart broke at my words, but he knew there was no other choice. 

He pulled me closer, his voice trembling but resolute. "I know you're scared, and I am too, but we have to keep going. For our child. You're strong, stronger than you know."

But his words couldn't reach the depths of my fear. I shook my head again, my body still recoiling from the trauma of what I had just witnessed. 

"No, Jace, I can't... I don't want to lose our babe... I can't do this," I cried out, my voice filled with desperation.

He swallowed hard, tears of his own welling up as he realized the depth of my terror. His mother's agony, my impending labour—it was too much, too cruel. But he knew he couldn't let fear paralyze us both. 

"We'll get through this together," he promised, though his voice was thick with emotion. "I won't let anything happen to you or our child, but we need to move. Please, trust me."

With trembling hands, I finally let him guide me, though every step was weighted with dread. 

The images of Rhaenyra's suffering haunted me, and I could feel my own body betraying me, the labour coming on faster than I could control.

As we moved away from the chaotic scene, I clung to Jace, my heart pounding with terror. I didn't know if I could do this if I could survive what was to come. 

All I knew was that I had no choice but to try.

The pain intensified with every passing moment, waves of agony crashing over me as I was led to a room away from the horrors of what I had just witnessed. 

Jace remained by my side, his hand never leaving mine, his presence the only thing anchoring me to reality as fear threatened to consume me.

Every contraction felt like fire ripping through me, and with each one, my mind flashed back to Rhaenyra's anguished screams, the blood, the sheer brutality of it all. My terror was palpable, a suffocating weight that made it hard to breathe. 

I clutched Jace's hand, my knuckles white, and looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes.

"Jace, I'm so scared," I whispered, my voice trembling as tears streamed down my face. "I can't stop thinking about what happened to Rhaenyra... What if—"

"Shhh, my love," Jace murmured, his voice soft but firm as he gently wiped the tears from my cheeks. "Don't think about that now. Focus on our child. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."

He knelt beside me, his face inches from mine, his eyes filled with an unwavering resolve. Despite his own fear, he was determined to be my strength. 

"You're doing so well, and I'm so proud of you," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "Just breathe with me, okay? We're going to get through this together."

But the fear was relentless, gnawing at the edges of my mind. 

"Jace, I need to know... What happened to Rhaenyra? Is she... Is she okay?" The question slipped out between laboured breaths, my heart clenching as I awaited his response.

For a moment, Jace hesitated, his jaw tightening as he struggled with the right words. 

Then, his expression softened, and he nodded, his eyes filling with a mixture of relief and sadness. "She gave birth to a girl. Visenya. She's alive and well."

A wave of relief washed over me, momentarily easing the terror gripping my heart. 

"Visenya..." I whispered, closing my eyes as tears of gratitude joined the ones of pain. "Thank the gods..."

Jace squeezed my hand, his own eyes glistening. "Yes, my love. She made it through, and so will you. You're almost there."

The labour grew more intense, the pain almost unbearable, but Jace never left my side. He held my hand through every contraction, whispering words of encouragement and love, his voice the only thing keeping me grounded as I fought to bring our child into the world.

Hours felt like days as the ordeal dragged on, my body exhausted and trembling, but Jace was there every step of the way. 

When I screamed, he held me tighter. When I thought I couldn't go on, he reminded me of the life we were about to welcome.

Finally, with one last, excruciating push, I felt the pressure release, and the sound of a baby's first cry filled the room. 

Relief flooded my body, overwhelming and all-consuming. 

I collapsed back against the pillows, gasping for breath, tears streaming down my face a handmaiden carefully placed a tiny, wailing bundle in my arms.

"It's a boy," she announced softly, and Jace let out a choked sob, his hand trembling as he brushed back a damp strand of hair from my forehead.

"A boy..." I repeated in awe, looking down at our son, his small face scrunched up as he cried. 

He was perfect, his tiny fingers grasping at the air, his cries strong and healthy. My heart swelled with a fierce, protective love that drowned out the lingering fear and pain.

Jace leaned down, pressing his forehead to mine, his voice thick with emotion. 

"You did it, my love. You brought our son into the world." 

He kissed my forehead, his tears mingling with mine as we both gazed down at our newborn child, our hearts overflowing with joy and relief.

In that moment, all the terror and anguish melted away, replaced by the overwhelming happiness of holding our son in our arms. 

Despite everything we had endured, the horrors we had witnessed, we had made it through. 

It was just us, our tiny miracle cradled between us, a beacon of hope that pierced through the darkest night we had ever known.

Our family was safe, and as I looked into Jace's tear-filled eyes, I knew that nothing else mattered. We were together, and our son was here, healthy and alive. It was finally, blissfully, a moment of peace and happiness.

As we basked in the quiet joy of the moment, one of the handmaidens, her voice gentle and filled with reverence, asked softly, "Have you chosen a name for him?"

Jace and I exchanged a glance, the unspoken weight of the question hanging in the air between us. 

We had talked about names before, but now, holding our son in our arms, the decision felt monumental, as if his name would set the course of his life, binding him to his heritage and the legacy of those who had come before him.

I looked into Jace's eyes, searching for the strength we had shared throughout this ordeal, the bond that had carried us through the darkest moments. 

With a trembling voice, I whispered, "Lucerys."

Jace's reaction was immediate. His breath hitched, and his eyes filled with fresh tears as the name resonated within him. It was a name steeped in memory and pain, a name that honoured his lost brother, Lucerys Velaryon, whose life had been tragically cut short. 

The grief he had carried for his brother, the guilt and sorrow that had haunted him, now found a place in the hope and love he held for our son.

He nodded, unable to speak, his throat tight with emotion. 

Instead, he pulled me closer, his tears falling freely as he held our son, cradling him as if he were the most precious thing in the world. 

In naming our child Lucerys, we had not only given him an identity but had also woven him into the fabric of our shared history, a history marked by loss but also by enduring love and resilience.

"Lucerys," Jace finally whispered, his voice cracking with the weight of the name. 

In that moment, the room seemed to hold its breath, the significance of the name settling over us like a benediction. 

Jace's tears fell onto our son's tiny forehead, and he smiled through the pain, through the joy, knowing that our son would carry the name of a beloved brother, a name that would forever link the past and the future, binding our family together in a legacy of love, courage, and hope.

"Our Lucerys."

A/n - Ok I was all set to dive deep into the angst and heartbreak, and I nearly made everyone suffer for it but I couldn't bring myself to go through with it. So yes, both babies live, because I have that power here and maybe I cried at the ending who knows (I did I miss Luke 😔)

[sea-lanterns]

THE DRAGON'S BRIDE

synopsis: (dragon! AU) you were sacrificed to become the dragon's bride.

featuring: ningguang, yanfei, ganyu, xianyun, kokomi, ei

rating: 18+ smut (men and minors dni)

warnings: sub! afab fem reader, transfem characters (all of them), arranged marriage, hemipenes (double c.o.cks), double pene.tration, an.al, monsterfu.cking, size difference, size k.ink, mating cycles, ruts, marking, hum.ping, hand jo.bs, mat.ing press, rough s.ex, breeding, unprotected s.ex, creampies, womb tattoos, fu.cking in middair, not proofread.

art credits: the ancient magus bride

Every twelve years on the year of the dragon, the people of Teyvat offer sacrifices to Celestia’s most powerful beings; the heavenly dragons. Born with the power to bestow good fortune or destruction, the people of Teyvat have started a twelve year tradition, where they must sacrifice the best riches, treasures, food and gold they can, to honor these ancient beings, in exchange for another twelve years of success. 

However, on this particular year of the dragon, all the dragons residing in Teyvat have strangely rejected the people’s treasures. Worried that they might be facing a twelve years worth of bad fortune if they failed to please their dragons, the people of Teyvat asked the dragons, "Why did they reject such plentiful treasures?” 

The answers that were given were simple, yet heartbreaking.

“I wish for a bride. The most beautiful maiden in your region. I want her to be mine.”

Never had the people of Teyvat sacrificed a person before to the heavenly dragons. It terrified them beyond belief to wonder what would happen to the poor maiden who was chosen to become the dragon’s bride. But, in order to ensure another twelve years of plentiful success, the villages all across Teyvat began picking out the most beautiful woman they could find in their region, and that beautiful woman just so happened to be you.

Dressed lavishly in bright red silks, gold-clad jewelry, and chains binding your wrists together, you were left at the entrance of the dragon’s lair. The veil of your bright red wedding gown had covered most of your face, but underneath the fabric, a solemn expression of defeat wore down your face, tears running down your cheeks as you never expected that your wedding day would end up being sacrificed to a dragon. 

A gush of hot air emitted from the entrance, and heavy footsteps began approaching you while you stood there and sobbed. The red veil of your wedding dress obscures your vision, as you see the silhouette of a big, monstrous, hefty dragon begin moving towards you from within the lair…

Too terrified to keep your eyes open, you welded them shut, wishing for your death to be a quick and painless one. However, the moment you felt your veil be lifted up by gentle hands, your eyes flitted open and widened at the sight you saw: 

A beautiful, tall, draconian-looking woman, smiling softly at you before wiping away your tears.

NINGGUANG

The moment you two had met, Ningguang had transformed into her human form in order to make you feel more comfortable. Yet despite looking more human-like, she kept traits of her true self, such as her elegant horns, a golden, shimmering tail that protruded from her tailbone, and patches of gold scales that littered her skin in some areas. The human side of Ningguang was a good two feet taller than you as well, with sharp, red eyes that bore deep into your own, yet held a sort of softness with the way she gazed longingly at you.

On the night of your wedding day Ningguang’s eyes were angered at the sight of your wrists bound in shackles underneath the sleeves of your dress. Convinced that you were probably beaten at some point and treated like a prisoner before being wed to her, Ningguang tore those chains off in a fury, kneeling down in front of you and holding your small hands within her claws… You didn’t expect such tenderness from the tall, draconian-looking woman, yet your wife had taken the liberty of looking up at you, showing the respect she had for you as she kissed your bruised wrists with her lips. 

“I will not let them hurt you anymore.” She whispered under her breath, and from that day on, you lived with Ningguang as her prized bride, realizing just how much she cared for you in comparison to the people of your hometown. Accepting her warm embrace, you spent your days as her wife being spoiled beyond belief by Ningguang and all her riches. The dragon woman loved to adorn you in the softest silks imaginable, have her jewelry draped across your beautiful body as she kept you curled up against her in her nest. It was clear that Ningguang truly loved you with all her heart, and she was intent on keeping you “marked” with her, till the very end of her immortal life. 

Several months had passed of this pure, domestic bliss, until one day, Ningguang began showing signs of entering a rut; a mating period for dragons that gave them the urge to mate. Having sensed when your body had become the most fertile, Ningguang gently nudged your face one night with her nose, humming for her beautiful wife to wake up as she needed to tell you her needs. You were aware that her mating period would be nearing the days of your marriage, however you didn’t expect it to occur in the middle of the night when the both of you were sleeping!

Nevertheless, not wanting Ningguang to spend the rest of the night pent up until you could please her in the morning, you managed to stir yourself awake and sleepily drag your hand down the robe on your dragon wife’s body. Seeing that she was already quite aroused judging by the sight of the two tents stirring underneath her thin clothes, you dipped your hands down to give them a stroke, gently massaging her two cocks while you looked up at her for her expressions. 

Breathing heavily, Ningguang stared down at you with those sharp, yet comforting red eyes of hers. “Undress me properly, dear.” She spoke in an authoritative tone, a smirk pulling at her teeth before she flips over to tower over you with her body. Because she was so much taller than a regular human, she loomed over you like a dark shadow, eyes glowing a fiery red, as she helped you slip off her robe and reveal her slim, yet well toned body. 

Agile that she was, your wife quickly made work of pulling your nightgown off, kissing your neck and letting her two cocks drip their precum down to lubricate your thighs. Just like her body, lithe and slim, her cocks were just the same; on the slimmer side, yet still quite long with the way they hit against your cunt during your intense make out session with your lover.

Using her long fingers to massage your folds and get you wet enough to take both her lengths, Ningguang leaned down to whisper into your ear, unable to contain herself as she practically purred. “Such a good wife…so wet and warm for me…” She chuckled darkly at the way you got even wetter at her praise, your wife deciding that you were ready and pulling your legs closer to her so that they could wrap around her hips. In one swift move, Ningguang pushed the first tip in, spearing open your folds as her second cock rested just above your pelvis, still dripping precum onto your skin while she got you to adjust to her first penetration.

It’s no secret that dragons were big, strong creatures, yet when it came to their dick size, they surely put humans to shame. At the feeling of being stuffed full by just one of Ningguang’s cocks, you felt as if you were being engulfed by her entire body, your wife grunting and biting your neck as she slowly thrusted her hips into you at a slower pace. Each drag of her hips left the ribbed texture of her shaft rubbing wonderfully against your walls, making you whimper softly into your wife’s ear as she eases her way deeper into you, forming a small but noticeable bulge in your stomach. 

Hours would go by of Ningguang just folding you in half. Breeding you, fucking you, just claiming you as hers over and over again as she filled your womb with her seed. It seemed that your wife could go on for even days, but at one particular orgasm, something felt different. As she shot yet another hot load through your womb, you felt a sudden burning sensation on the skin above where your womb would be. At your surprised yelp for help, Ningguang stopped her movements and immediately opened her eyes, staring down at you before gasping at the mark that had appeared on your skin.

A womb tattoo had appeared, an emblem unique to Ningguang’s status as a dragon, as it showed that the rut had successfully claimed you as Ningguang’s mate. Too happy to even care about the sex at the moment, your dragon wife immediately peppered your face in kisses and wrapped her long tail around your body, still sheathed inside you whilst she trailed the mark with her fingers. 

“Bounded forever by this mark, I promise you will be spoiled beyond recognition, my love.” She whispered, wanting to be as close to you as possible, as your body had long accepted being the dragon’s mate a long time ago. The matter of her sex drive was no longer on the mind of the insatiable dragon, but the thoughts of actually having a future with you, was all that Ningguang needed to think about to satisfy her needs.

YANFEI

A dragon of morals and righteous principles, Yanfei was a dragon that intimidated you with how upright and intelligent she was the first time you met her. Upon first meetings, Yanfei had chosen her human form to greet you at the front entrance of her lair, her stature standing about just one foot taller than you, and having patches of green scales that littered her smooth skin.

The moment Yanfei laid eyes on you, the dragon woman immediately tensed up when she lifted up your veil, breath caught in the fiery dragon’s throat, as she never expected her human bride to be this beautiful. Her expression was quite adorable to say the least, a blush adorning the dragon woman’s features as she wiped away your tears that were streaming down your face. “Please don’t cry, my bride. Let me get those shackles off of you. You’re my wife, not my prisoner, I can’t believe they’d hurt such a beautiful thing…”

Though Yanfei was a dragon of morals and the law, it was evident that despite the calm exterior of her expressions, Yanfei was practically bubbling with anger. If she could, she would head down to your village to burn everything to a crisp for treating you so horribly, but because that was considered “unlawful” in her eyes, she settled for just having your abusers scorched to a cinder, while you were kept protected in her lair.

Of course, she’d never tell you she’d do that outright. Instead, Yanfei just keeps you in the safety of her den, surrounded by a library of law books from every time period and region of the world. When you showed even the slightest interest in reading one of the books from her massive collection, your dragon wife’s tail began wagging with how excited she was to show you and teach you the ways of the law. Whether or not you were genuinely interested in learning about the law is up to you, but it was worth it to see such a high and mighty dragon get so giddy and seat you in her lap, reading to you all the different laws she could find while stroking your stomach affectionately. 

Domestic life with your dragon wife is quite the pleasure if I do say so myself. Yanfei often spent her time with you curled up in her nest, one hand on your stomach while she spooned you from behind with her long tail wrapped around your thighs. Sometimes the two of you would get frisky with each other as Yanfei had a surprisingly high libido, but it usually only ended up with Yanfei fingering you from behind, or you giving her a small handjob while you read law books together in the safety of her nest. It never usually escalated from that, however things started changing around the springtime of your marriage…

This time, what usually was your “cuddling time” had turned into more of a “humping time” as Yanfei started to get more turned on when the seasons changed. Sensing that a rut was on the horizon, Yanfei whispered into your ear that it was time to claim you as hers once and for all, grinding her erections against your rear while breathless whimpers left her lips.

Eager to please your horny dragon wife, you turned around in her grasp and palmed her stiffie through the thin fabric of her clothes, adoring the way she growled with pleasure under her breath, suddenly pinning you down due to the draconian instinct of wanting to breed you right away. When you let out a surprised noise at her sudden string of dominance, Yanfei’s bright green eyes flickered with desire, steam leaking past her teeth with how hot her breath was, and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t the least bit turned on at how hot this all was…

Fangs protruding from her teeth, Yanfei marked your body from your neck, all the way down to your tummy. With your clothes now strewn off, you got to see the mouthwatering sight of Yanfei’s two cocks just dripping with need, eager to slot themselves inside you and breed their wife silly with their warm, hot, seed. After a bit of prep, your dragon wife slowly slid herself in, her cocks a bit smaller, but on the girthier side when it came to actually fitting herself in.

With each thrust, Yanfei grunted and practically lifted your hips off the bed to fuck deeper into your cunt, serpentine tongue lolling out of her lips, as she couldn’t help but groan at the feeling of a tight, human pussy clenching so desperately around her. She wasn’t used to this, but hell did it feel so good. Pounding her hips into your thighs and purring at the way her cocks made a bulge in your stomach from how deep she was going inside of you. 

It wasn’t long before your dragon wife finally reached her high, shooting her hot, thick load into you and successfully breeding you for the very first time. You felt the burn of a womb tattoo successfully mark itself on the stomach of your body, and at the blissful sigh of pleasure, Yanfei cooed before kissing the mark with her lips and carefully nibbling on it to show her love. A lovestruck expression on the young dragon’s face, as she was extremely pleased to have her bride finally marked down for herself.

GANYU

One of the friendliest dragons that resided in Teyvat, rarely anyone is afraid of the dragon named “Ganyu.” The first time you met, Ganyu took on a very gentle and mature form that gave her the appearance of a beautiful, petite, woman. In fact, everything about her was beautiful. From her form, to her lair, to her whole personality as well. Never in your life had you encountered such a caring and gentle “beast,” as Ganyu made sure that you were very comfortable on the first night of your wedding day.

When you first entered her lair, you were astonished to see just how homely it was. Ganyu had taken up the precaution of setting up human-like furniture for you. There was a lavish bed instead of a nest, paintings that adorned the walls instead of crystals, and even a nice, luxurious bath in contrast to a dragon’s usual hot spring. It seems that your new wife was very well prepared in ensuring your utmost comfort, and just seeing how she fidgeted nervously, hoping for your approval, was enough to have your heart beating at how romantic this dragon could be.

Even Ganyu’s dragon form wasn’t terrifying to say the least. While you’ve heard of dragons who were as big as islands, capable of obliterating villages in one, foul breath, Ganyu was quite the fluffy little dragon. She took on the form of a very soft and cuddly creature, just a giant ball of fluff that oozed such warm temperatures. As her wife, you had the luxury of curling up next to her dragon form every night to sleep with, and your dragon wife made quite the wonderful pillow if you did say so yourself.

All in all, living with your dragon wife was a surprising dream come true. She was gentle, protective, soft and sweet with the way she cared for you during your marriage. Domestic life with her was like living on cloud nine itself, but things started to change when springtime rolled around, as you found your wife starting to act more…distant for some reason. 

Several times throughout the night, Ganyu would get up from her slumber to go somewhere in the woods and then come back. When you finally confronted her about this, she blushed and nervously admitted that the reason she kept leaving so often in the night was to “relieve” herself of her sexual frustrations. It had struck you then and there that it was Ganyu’s mating season now, and the poor woman had been spending her ruts alone as she didn’t want to freak you out or make you feel uncomfortable!

Ohhhhh poor Ganyu. Even as you were talking, there was a small tent beneath her clothes. She was just so aroused and pent up, but even then she thought about your comforts rather than her own instincts and lust. When you told her how you would be more than willing to help her out, that was all Ganyu needed to hear before excitedly pouncing on you and pinning you down on the bed. Too excited to control her own strength.

Admittedly, Ganyu didn’t seem like the type of woman with a big size. You were wrong. The moment those robes came off, you were met with the sight of two, girthy, hemipenes. Not long at all, but very thick in circumference. You could barely wrap your fingers around them when you tried to give her a hand job, and poor Ganyu was in awe at how small human hands could be in comparison to a dragon’s size. She was terribly worried for your pussy when she realized just how small you were, but the huge difference in your size was one of the biggest factors in turning her on in the first place.

Oh, Ganyu was big. It took almost a half hour of prep but somehow she managed to squeeze both her cocks inside of you. One in your pussy and one up your ass. It was extremely uncomfortable at first, but Ganyu was (as always) super patient and understanding, almost immediately wanting to pull out the moment you showed signs of discomfort. When you wanted to carry on however, oh; she was so smitten. To see her human wife being so determined to take her two draconian cocks, wanting to make dear Ganyu feel the relief she’s been waiting for, oh it made her feel over the moon with how much she loved you…

After a few more minutes of praise and sweet kisses, Ganyu would start to move. She was so startled at how tight a human could be during the mating process, yet she wouldn’t lie and say she wasn’t the least bit turned on. In fact, as she slowly began to move, your tight holes squeezing her so blissfully, Ganyu began letting out breathless moans before thrusting a bit faster into your body. Each push of her hips felt like heaven to you the more you got used to it, and soon you found yourself cumming over her cocks several times throughout the mating process.

When Ganyu finally reached her first climax, cum gushing through your womb, the seal of your mating ritual had finally appeared on your tummy. A sign that Ganyu was your forever mate, bound by your love, and the moment Ganyu saw that you had been claimed, she practically cried tears of joy. “You’re mine…you’re actually mine…!” She couldn’t help but laugh, leaning down to kiss your new womb tattoo. “Thank you for allowing me to be your wife, my human bride…”

XIANYUN

A dragon of the sky, who lived high up in the mountains where no man lived, was a dragon that very few people have ever seen with their own two eyes. A mysterious yet elder dragon of the heavenly dragons, Xianyun was the one you were chosen to be a bride for, and waiting so high up the mountains for her arrival almost made you lightheaded with how little oxygen there was in the first place. Already stress-ridden with the thought of being a dragon’s bride on top of such low oxygen levels, you were on the verge of passing out while waiting for your wife, nearly toppling over if not for the gentle hands that cupped your face.

Upon feeling someone lift up your veil and caress your cheeks, you remember looking up and seeing a mature looking woman with piercing blue eyes. You were too weak to do anything, say anything even, but the moment you locked eyes on your dragon wife, she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on your lips, breathing out a cold, whispery breath that brought air to your lungs. Now filled with the oxygen you needed, your wife wiped the tears from your face and let you rest against her, muttering under her breath. “Human mortals are such delicate creatures. Can’t even breathe properly when the altitude is high…”

Though it sounded condescending, Xianyun placed a kiss on your forehead and brought you into her domain. It was clear that despite her disdain for the humans of this mortal realm, she had a soft spot for the delicate beauty that was you. Her bride to be as she wanted to make sure that you were comfortable in her homeland above the mountains. She cared about you so much in fact, that even after kissing you to give you a spell that’ll allow you to breathe at high altitudes, Xianyun summoned an eternal wind current to regulate the oxygen levels of the mountain. All for you, and only you. 

Your dragon wife was a cold one. She gave off a blunt, almost bitter vibe that elderly women seemed to give off. Yet you knew she loved you underneath all that cold exterior, curling up around you with her long, lithe dragon body in bed, feeding you medicinal herbs whenever you got sick, and even bringing you with her on her travels by allowing you to ride her back as she flies. Although she didn’t show it much, you were her most precious lover, and throughout her immortal life, she has never been so infatuated with a human woman like you before…

It wasn’t long before the seasons changed, and your bond with Xianyun grew deeper. Though still somewhat cold and blunt, you saw her begin expressing more shows of affection. Wrapping her arms around you and stroking your thighs with her clawed fingers, you realized that Xianyun began getting more friskier than normal, something hard and firm pressing up against your rear whenever she hugged you from behind. She was not ashamed at the slightest, whispering under her breath into your ear, “My wife, I wish for a family of our own. As I am entering the mating season of this year, please give me the honor of breeding you with my kin.”

Ah, Xianyun. Only she can make something like asking for sex, very romantic yet awkward at the same time. Though you laughed at how she phrased her request at first, you gladly obliged and let the dragon woman take you to bed, letting her maturity and experience guide you for the mating process. Xianyun was no virgin, after all she was an immortal, however; she found your inexperience absolutely adorable, as she slowly stripped off all your clothes and took in the breathtaking sight of her human wife before her. 

She never found humans to be that pretty, but the sight of you was just too gorgeous to take in. Immediately once your clothes were off, Xianyun’s two lengths began to rise with need, erect and aroused with how vulnerable you looked under her gaze. You were just so…small. So small and cute under the shadow of her body, and Xianyun was eager to dig in. Breath hitching when she moved herself forward, sliding her cocks into you while groaning with pleasure.

Like her daughters, Xianyun was on the bigger side, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to take you all the way to the edge, gently massaging your hips as she slowly thrusted forward. She grumbled deeply about something like how she wanted you to bear her children, wanted to see your belly all pregnant with her hatchlings, it was just too much for you to bear and you found yourself gripping the older woman with need. 

Upon feeling your hands holding onto her so desperately, it was like a switch had been flipped in your wife. She immediately pushed you down into a mating press and began thrusting at an even faster pace, dragging the rigid veins of her cocks in and out of your hole(s), and making you melt in her arms from the overwhelming bliss. 

With one last growl, Xianyun slammed her hips further into you and pushed your knees up to meet with your stomach, filling your cunt with hot loads of her cum and making you bear the mark of Xianyun’s sigil. It burned in a way that felt pleasurable at your climax and the moment Xianyun spotted it, a smug smirk appeared on her face before stroking the lines of the mark with her claws. “Looks like this mortal body has accepted me as a suitable mate. I hope I have met your standards, my wife…”

KOKOMI

Chained to a rock near the beach of the seas, you were left to be the bride of the divine sea serpent; Kokomi. Though she was a very gentle and understanding dragon to the people of Watatsumi Island, she was capable of forging wars with other dragons from different regions, making the oceans shake from how brutal her battles were. You were very much scared for your life to even meet such a strong beast, and as you were left chained to the rock, waiting for your future wife, you felt your heart rate spike when you saw the waves part ways for the legendary sea serpent to take what was hers.

Shimmering pearlescent scales with fins that waded through the water, Kokomi emerged in her sea serpent form at first, coursing to a stop when the water grew too shallow. She transformed into her human form to walk the rest of the way, her clothes nearly translucent, glittering under the sun’s rays as she slowly waded towards you with  a gentle look in her eyes. “Oh, you must be my bride,” she whispers softly, a curious yet amused tone taking on her voice. “What a very cute human…you’re even smaller than I imagined.” 

Even when she was a dragon, her voice was soft and gentle. She patted your head gently before tilting your head up to meet her gaze, dragons were always bigger than humans after all, even in their human forms. “No need to be so scared, it’s time to go home, my bride. I hope you have a strong grip.” She quickly slashes the shackles off of you and eases you onto her back, beginning to waft back out to the waves and transform into her sea serpent form while you clung to her neck for dear life. Kokomi was a very fast swimmer after all.

After the quick introduction to your future dragon wife, you found yourself living amongst Kokomi within a huge, hidden grotto that resided behind a waterfall. Life with Kokomi was…quite intriguing to say the least. Due to being a sea serpent and living near the water, it took some time for you to adjust from living on land, to living somewhere that was almost fully surrounded with water! Your diet mostly consisted of fish and other various seafoods that Kokomi managed to hunt, though if you were unable to eat any of them, it surprised you to say the least to see that Kokomi would go out of her way to buy human foods from a nearby market, in order to satisfy your needs. If you needed anything, literally anything at all, you didn’t even need to leave the safety of her lair, as Kokomi would do it for you. Even though she was considered a “higher deity” in Teyvat.

Life was peaceful with Kokomi as your wife. She made sure to spoil you with everything you could ever ask for, and soon you found yourself falling in love with the gentle sea serpent. As the months slowly passed by and your love only blossomed even further, you began to notice signs of Kokomi getting more antsy as the seasons changed. She’s told you about this before, about how dragons (specially sea serpents) enter a rut-like process once every few months, but you didn’t expect it so soon. Nevertheless, you were fully prepared to help your wife ease up all tensions and stress, and the two of you set out to prepare for your “love making” in a special place…

Clothes stripped off before you could reach the sacred grounds, Kokomi took you to a hidden lagoon where sea serpents often took their mates to claim them for the first time. Seeing that it was not occupied at the moment, Kokomi helped ease you into the warm waters of the lagoon, guiding you to the middle before pressing her agile, lithe body against yours, causing her two cocks to rub up against your thighs.

She cooed softly at you before planting kisses along your neck, admiring the way your soft, human skin felt underneath her own. Kokomi was entranced, massaging your thighs to get them to open up, before whispering in a hushed tone into your ear. “This might hurt, but I promise I’ll go slow…” giving you one last kiss before sliding herself inside of you…

By no means was Kokomi huge, but two cocks was two cocks and you felt yourself being stuffed to the brim. As she slowly sheathed herself inside of you all the way down to her base, Kokomi let out an exasperated gasp before gripping your hips tighter from behind. She was blushing madly from how good you felt, all tight and warm wrapped around her, and she was beginning to get delirious from just how good your holes were, gripping her so needily. 

Her thrusts were shallow, yet addictive. Pounding into you quietly as the water sloshed around you with her soft movements. This “dangerous” sea serpent that people had told you stories about was currently whimpering into your ears out of pure ecstasy. Trembling while she fucked you from behind, as trails of precum leaked from both her cockheads to further stimulate your senses. Thanks to being a sea serpent, her body was naturally very slippery and wet, so fucking you deeper and faster was no hard order for Kokomi to do. 

So many dirty, wet squelches filled the air alongside your moans of blissful pleasure. Kokomi was getting close, whining behind you before finally ejaculating her seed into your womb. At the sudden sensation of the sea serpent’s cum filling your crevices, the mark of Kokomi bore itself onto your stomach, causing your wife to smile with pride at how you easily accepted her as her “mate.” “Well would you look at that, it seems like it only took the first try for your body to recognize me as a suitable companion,” Kokomi chuckled. “Well, who says we should just stop here, my love? Raise your legs a bit higher, I want to breed you some more…”

EI

Unlike the other dragons, Ei was a dragon that was given sacrifices every twelve years, not in exchange for good fortune or success, but so that she wouldn’t get angry and destroy the villages with her rage. The people in your region were deathly afraid of Ei for the sole reason that she could wipe out their entire population, so when she asked for a bride this year instead of the usual treasures they offered her, they basically sent you on a deathbed to meet your inevitable fate.

Knowing that you were sent to a brutal tyrant of a dragon to be her “bride,” you had accepted your death a long time ago. Waiting idly in front of the dragon’s lair, you braced yourself for a whole world of pain when you saw your “wife” begin to approach you. With tears streaming down your face from how terrified you were of dying, you nearly screamed when Ei suddenly lifted up your veil, eyes paralyzed with fear as you met the cold, dark eyes of your wife. When she raised her hand to get closer to your face, you expected a hard slap. However, what came in contact with your cheek was a soft, gentle touch that felt juxtaposing to how large and battle-stricken her hands were. 

Rough calluses was the first thing you felt against your cheek, and then the feeling of Ei’s large fingers wiping away your tear-ridden face. It was the complete opposite of what you had expected the dragon woman to do to you, but you were too afraid to comment on anything when she took you inside her lair to get you away from the cold. 

Life with a tyrannical dragon wife was very…unique, to say the least. She was not as sweet, or gentle as any of the other dragon women, but she showed how much she cared for you with acts of service rather than physical affection. Though quiet when expressing her love for you, Ei would always feed you the best and biggest portions of her hunt whenever you two sat down and ate together. Ei would make the thunderstorms quiet down when she saw that they were bothering you in your sleep, and she would even cease the storms entirely if that was what you wished. 

Not only that, but your dragon wife was fiercely protective over you. The other dragon women would be territorial, sure. But Ei was on a whole different level. Anything that threatened you, her bride, would be faced with the full wrath of one angry, tyrannical dragon wife, and the thing (or person) that threatened you in the first place, would be blasted to smithereens by her thunderous breath alone. Though she was very violent and quite scary at times whenever you witnessed her destruction, you knew she cared deeply about you and that’s really all that mattered. 

Alas, as the seasons changed, not even the stoic and tyrannical dragon was immune to the mating cycle that all dragons went through in a year. She tried to keep it to herself so you didn’t have to find out, but it was near impossible as Ei would constantly have a massive boner under her clothes, every time she woke up with you right next to her. Unable to take it anymore, she quietly requested for you to “mate” with her, in order to satisfy her instincts, and you being the sweet little wife that you were, agreed since you didn't want her to suffer on her own through such an intensive rut.

Ei was big. Like, very big when she first disrobed herself in front of you. Her tall stature was very lean, athletic, strong, and that corresponded with her dick size as well. Lean, tall, and strong. You found yourself salivating a bit when you saw just the sheer size of her, a bit intimidated, but very turned on to have her all to yourself. 

Your wife wanted to be gentle. She saw humans as the most fragile thing in the world, so when she lifted you up into her arms, your naked body pressing against hers, she blushed for the very first time, realizing just how big she was in comparison to you. At the recognized size difference, her two hemipenes twitched to life, erect and swollen to stuff themselves in your cunt, while poor Ei was left gaping at how turned on she was. With her strength alone, she slowly slid you down to fuck you in middair. Your legs dangled helplessly over her thighs as you whined from the burning stretch, a small bulge forming under the skin of your tummy from how engorged Ei was when fucking inside of you.

Eyes landing on the small belly bulge, you felt Ei growl with predatory instinct, keeping you held tightly against her while she pounded into your holes. Each thrust left you bouncing helplessly in the air, clinging to Ei’s broad shoulders while her cocks dragged their ribbed lengths in and out of you like a toy. The feeling of it was just too much, leading you to orgasm multiple times in just under an hour, and the wetter you got, the easier it was for Ei to go faster, harder, deeper. It was all too much for your small human cunt to handle, and the deeper she went, the more you clenched down.

It took a while, but when Ei finally reached her first climax, boy was it a big one. Your entire lower body shivered as she spurted ropes of hot cum deep into your womb, your legs trembling as she burned her way into your body with her seed, and making a large womb tattoo engrave itself on your skin. As the mark appeared, Ei showed signs of pride and ownership, growling under her breath before biting your neck lovingly to seal the deal. “Mine…” was all she said in that dark, husky tone of hers, as she continued to pound her way into you for another round of mating.

[writingwithcolor]

Naming International POC Characters: Do Your Research.

This post is part of a double feature for the same ask. First check out Mod Colette's answer to OP's original question at: A Careful Balance: Portraying a Black Character's Relationship with their Hair. Below are notes on character naming from Mod Rina.

~ ~ ~

@writingraccoon said:

My character is black in a dungeons and dragons-like fantasy world. His name is Kazuki Haile (pronounced hay-lee), and his mother is this world's equivalent of Japanese, which is where his first name is from, while his father is this world's equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. He looks much more like his father, and has hair type 4a. [...]

Hold on a sec.

Haile (pronounced hay-lee), [...] [H]is father is this world’s equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. 

OP, where did you get this name? Behindthename.com, perhaps?

Note how it says, “Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. Check marks indicate the level to which a name has been verified.” Do you see any check marks, OP? 

What language is this, by the way? If we only count official languages, Ethiopia has 5: Afar, Amharic, Oromo, Somali, & Tigrinya. If we count everything native to that region? Over 90 languages. And I haven't even mentioned the dormant/extinct ones. Do you know which language this name comes from? Have you determined Kazuki’s father’s ethnic group, religion, and language(s)? Do you know just how ethnically diverse Ethiopia is? 

~ ~ ~

To All Looking for Character Names on the Internet:

Skip the name aggregators and baby name lists. They often do not cite their sources, even if they’re pulling from credible ones, and often copy each other. 

If you still wish to use a name website, find a second source that isn’t a name website. 

Find at least one real life individual, living or dead, who has this given name or surname. Try Wikipedia’s lists of notable individuals under "List of [ethnicity] people." You can even try searching Facebook! Pay attention to when these people were born for chronological accuracy/believability. 

Make sure you know the language the name comes from, and the ethnicity/culture/religion it’s associated with. 

Make sure you understand the naming practices of that culture—how many names, where they come from, name order, and other conventions. 

Make sure you have the correct pronunciation of the name. Don’t always trust Wikipedia or American pronunciation guides on Youtube. Try to find a native speaker or language lesson source, or review the phonology & orthography and parse out the string one phoneme at a time. 

Suggestions for web sources:

Wikipedia! Look for: “List of [language] [masculine/feminine] given names,” “List of most common [language] family names,” “List of most common surnames in [continent],” and "List of [ethnicity] people."  

Census data! Harder to find due to language barriers & what governments make public, but these can really nail period accuracy. This may sound obvious, but look at the year of the character's birth, not the year your story takes place. 

Forums and Reddit. No really. Multicultural couples and expats will often ask around for what to name their children. There’s also r/namenerds, where so many folks have shared names in their language that they now have “International Name Threads.” These are all great first-hand sources for name connotations—what’s trendy vs. old-fashioned, preppy vs. nerdy, or classic vs. overused vs. obscure. 

~ ~ ~

Luckily for OP, I got very curious and did some research. More on Ethiopian & Eritrean naming, plus mixed/intercultural naming and my recommendations for this character, under the cut. It's really interesting, I promise!

Ethiopian and Eritrean Naming Practices

Haile (IPA: /həjlə/ roughly “hy-luh.” Both a & e are /ə/, a central “uh” sound) is a phrase meaning “power of” in Ge’ez, sometimes known as Classical Ethiopic, which is an extinct/dormant Semitic language that is now used as a liturgical language in Ethiopian churches (think of how Latin & Sanskrit are used today). So it's a religious name, and was likely popularized by the regnal name of the last emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (“Power of the Trinity”). Ironically, for these reasons it is about as nationalistically “Ethiopian” as a name can get.

Haile is one of the most common “surnames” ever in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Why was that in quotes? Because Ethiopians and Eritreans don’t have surnames. Historically, when they needed to distinguish themselves from others with the same given name, they affixed their father’s given name, and then sometimes their grandfather’s. In modern Ethiopia and Eritrea, their given name is followed by a parent’s (usually father’s) name. First-generation diaspora abroad may solidify this name into a legal “surname” which is then consistently passed down to subsequent generations.

Intercultural Marriages and Naming

This means that Kazuki’s parents will have to figure out if there will be a “surname” going forward, and who it applies to. Your easiest and most likely option is that Kazuki’s dad would have chosen to make his second name (Kazuki’s grandpa’s name) the legal “surname.” The mom would have taken this name upon marriage, and Kazuki would inherit it also. Either moving abroad or the circumstances of the intercultural marriage would have motivated this. Thus “Haile” would be grandpa’s name, and Kazuki wouldn’t be taking his “surname” from his dad. This prevents the mom & Kazuki from having different “surnames.” But you will have to understand and explain where the names came from and the decisions dad made to get there. Otherwise, this will ring culturally hollow and indicate a lack of research.

Typically intercultural parents try to

come up with a first name that is pronounceable in both languages,

go with a name that is the dominant language of where they live, or

compromise and pick one parent’s language, depending on the circumstances.

Option 1 and possibly 3 requires figuring out which language is the father’s first language. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned national ubiquity of Haile, you will have to start from scratch here and figure out his ethnic group, religion (most are Ethiopian Orthodox and some Sunni Muslim), and language(s). 

But then again, writing these characters knowledgeably and respectfully also requires figuring out that information anyway.

~ ~ ~

Names and naming practices are so, so diverse. Do research into the culture and language before picking a name, and never go with only one source.

~ Mod Rina

[the-ancient-dragons]

LeafWing Study!

Featuring the colours of Roridula, a character from a possible future project. She's named after a carnivorous plant :)

Details, explanation, and more art below. Otherwise, next week are the SeaWings. See you then!!

More Tribe Studies

Here is the first time I'm showing my full-body headcanon LeafWing design. I remember being disappointed that they didn't have four wings, and when I learned that technically the SilkWings/BeetleWings were the only tribe with four wings?? (The HiveWings got them only for being an offshoot of the BeetleWing tribe, but I still couldn't cope, lol).

I am not up to date on WOF lore so while you can correct me, please keep that in mind XD

I simply had fun designing them after lead-mimicking insects and geckos. I wanted to keep as much of the original design as possible while serving more of a leaf mimicry design. So the four wings work in tandem with the enlarged tail sail to make the whole dragon look like the end of a branch. They would do this formation on specific trees, otherwise they keep all 4 flat along their tail to look like one leaf. They have the extra frills on their legs so they can do a standing version of this if they're caught off-guard.

All of this would serve the purpose of visual camouflage. I read on the wiki that the Poison Jungle had extra large fauna and I ran with it. Perhaps in the past the jungle stretched farther, or the megafauna had access to more of the continent. Either way, the LeafWings had to hide, and they learned how to do it quite well.

The last thing I did was double the back sail and move it to the sides, so it doesn't look like a discount SeaWing. Sorry, but I wanted a more unique silhouette. That back spine design was already used for the SeaWings and I thought a smooth back would serve their camouflage better. They use their double frills to make their necks look thicker when they pretend to be a single leaf. I'll post some sketches of LeafWings camouflaging sometime!