#the dread wolf's mask is falling

[latenightdaydreams]

Perhaps you have plans for things, but can you please write part 2 of Viking! Konig? I'm so curious how would reader get used to her new life and her new husband

Husband upgrade🤭

Viking!König x Reader Part 2 (fem)

MDNI���

Part 1, Part 3

Master List

>cw: fem/afab, p in v, breastmilk

2.1k word count

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Two middle life blonde women gently help you out of the tub they were bathing you in. Small drops of water fall to the wooden ground beneath you. They speak in a soft tone, but in a language you cannot understand. They’re telling you how beautiful you are and how lucky you are to be König’s queen.

You’re seated in a wooden chair, drying off from the bath. One woman stands behind you and combs through your hair. The other leaves out of your view to grab something. You shiver slightly, being naked and wet.

“Vi varmer deg opp snart.” The woman’s voice is kind, and she stops combing your hair and caressing your arms, trying to warm you.

You don’t respond, not knowing what she said. In a weird way, her touch feels familiar and calming. With a simple nod of your head, she goes back to combing your hair.

The other woman walks in front of you, holding up a beautiful blue dress. Again, she speaks and you just gaze up at her. Her blue eyes are bright as she’s speaking. Your head pulls back slightly as the tension on your scalp grows from your hair being pulled into a long braid.

Once your hair was done, she stood you up to dress you. The indigo blue dress fits you tightly, extenuating your breasts and the curve of your waist. A woven belt placed around your waist and a necklace with a medallion of a wolf dangles for it. Leather shoes tied to your feet as you

“Hun er klar.” She exclaims as she sees you totally transformed into a queen. “La oss gå.”

You leave the small house, their arms wrapped in yours as your guild you down a pathway. Inside, you feel as though you are about to throw up. Your feet drag beneath you, dreading seeing König.

“I can’t” You try to turn but the women’s grip on you is firm.

“Du blir bra.” One speaks as she pets your arm.

König paced back and forth in his house waiting for Hilda and Thyra to finish cleaning you for him to enjoy. He walks shirtless and without a mask, exposing his sculpted body covered with battle scars, tattoos on his pecs, and scars on his face. His light blonde hair falls to his shoulder, some pushed behind his left ear.

His head turns as he sees the door open and you enter. The same worried look that has plagued your face this whole journey is still there. König walks to you and takes your hand, thanking the women and sending them on their way.

Worried or not, you’re still the most beautiful woman he has ever laid eyes on. You look as if a goddess decided to come live amongst men. He will never understand how he got so lucky as to find you. Your breasts are full and swollen with milk, he can’t wait to taste you.

“You look beautiful, Liebling.” The door closes, and it’s just the two of you.

“Please, I can’t stay here.” You instantly plead, voice shaking. “I need to go home.”

“You are home.” He looks down at your face, studying you in the low light. “Don’t be so sad.”

“My children—”

“Are safe at home.” His hands caress your arms up and down.

“I need my children here.”

“I’ll give you new ones. Stronger ones.”

König’s hands grasp yours and bring them to his chest. You look at his body, turning your head away to gaze at the ground. He lifts your chin to face him.

“How about you come with me? I’ll help you forget about your troubles.”

There was no room to protest as he grabbed your hand and led you to the large bed in the corner of the room. He sits on the bed and keeps you standing in front of him. His hands roam over the curve of your body. On the journey back he refrained from touching you so you could mourn your last life, but now- now you’re all his.

“Are your breasts sore?” He asks as his hands feel how swollen they’ve become after days away from your child.

You don’t answer, but just look him in the eyes. It’s clear to see that you’re too full to be comfortable. His hands squeeze slightly and the indigo fabric begins to darken from the milk he expressed. Thyra and Hilda got you all dressed up only for König to ruin you.

König grabs at the woven belt around your waist and slowly undoes it, pulling it towards him, and laying it on the bed beside him.

“Please stop, I’m a married woman.” You step back.

“You are. To me.” He wraps his arm around your waist and brings you closer.

“In the eyes of God, you’re not my husband.”

“God? Which one?” König teases as his hand runs down to rub your plump ass. “Here, in my land, you’re mine. Unless your old family comes to my shore and fights for you back…you’re mine.”

You just stare into his eyes and nod. Realistically, your husband will never come for you. He wouldn’t even know where to look. The memories of your life with him, with your children flashes before your eyes until a tap on your ass takes you out of your own mind.

“Let’s get you more comfortable.”  His voice is a soft whisper as he stands to get you naked in front of him. The last piece he grabs is your necklace, setting it down on top of your dress.

You stand naked. Your breasts are full and round. Body soft and curvy. A small white pearly bead of milk lingers on your left nipple. Between your legs is a soft patch of hair, he can’t wait to feel it rub against his face. All you can think about is how God will smite you for infidelity, you can only hope he understands.

“Look at you. Beautiful.”

König wraps his arms around you and places you gently on the bed, as if you were a delicate jewel he didn’t want to harm. He looks down at you as he finishes undressing. As he steps out of his pants, you can see his massive cock bounce, leaning down. He notices you looking at him, making him feel cocky.

“Big, ja?” He walks to you, parting your legs. “Let me show you how a real man fucks.”

Instantly, a blush forms on your face as you look at his blue eyes. His blonde hair falling forward as he looks down at you. You hate to admit that, compared to Callum, König is far more attractive. Your eyes travel all over his body, inspecting his tattoos as he moves on to the bed with you. He notices your gaze and smiles.

“It’s for my family name.” He whispers as he rests his large body next to yours.

“Oh.”

König moves his lips to yours, tenderly kissing you.  You don’t kiss back at first, and that's okay. He knows you’re nervous. His lips leave yours and travel down your neck, he lightly nips at your flesh. A small whimper leaves your lips causing him to smile.

Lifting his head for a moment, he moves his hand to your breast and squeezes. A fountain of milk begins to spurt out. König moves his mouth to your other nipple and begins to suck. He continues to squeeze the other to spray himself with it.

A mixture of relief and pleasure rushes over you. Callum has not touched your breasts since the milk came in, finding it repulsive. König acts like a starved man, as if your milk is the only thing that can save you. It’s…hot.

Milk begins to drip from the corner of his mouth, rolling down your breast. He slowly pulls away, licking his lips. “So sweet.”

König licks in between your breasts and over the other, cleaning up the mess he’s made. His hand slowly trails down your body and touches your pussy. The feeling of your wet folds between your fat pussy lips drives him wild.

“I can’t wait to bury my cock deep inside of you.” He growls as his lips kiss up your neck.

König moves his body between your legs, running his hands from your breasts down to your hips. He brushes his hair back and out of his face with one hand as he presses his cock against your entrance. You gaze up at him before he moves his hips forward.

“Wait.”

His eyes move to your eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“I- I can’t. My husband—” You were cut off by the euphoric sensation of meaty cock being shoved into your tight little cunt. A moan spills from your lips as your eyes go wide.

König grins looking at your reaction. He leans over your body to kiss the tip of your nose. “I am your husband now. Don’t forget that.” The words leave his lips as he slowly shoves the rest of his cock into you.

Your nails dig into his arms as you squeeze your eyes shut. König looks at your face, your mouth hanging open and eyebrows pinched together. His hips slowly pull back before pushing back into you slowly; enjoying the look on your face as he does. A small chuckle leaves his lips as he pulls away.

“My perfect queen.”

He grabs your hips, pulling your rear up slightly off the bed as he bucks forward into your tiny cunt. Your back is arched as his fingers dig into your ass. Loud moans leave your lips, loud enough people passing the home can hear the two of you.

“König, I- it’s too much.” You feel a tingle run over your body as a heavy pressure builds in your core.

He realizes that you’re about to cum, “beg for it.”

“For what?”

“To cum.”

“I- I can’t.” You feel shameful. Shame for having sex with someone other than Callum and shame for feeling this pleasure. You’ve always been taught to not give into this type of lust.

“It’s okay to let go.” He whispers in your ear as he leans over you, his arms on either side of your head. His lips meet yours, pushing his tongue past your lips. You open your mouth accepting him in as you mewl pathetically.

You turn your head away, desperately begging. “Please…harder.”

He grabs your head and forces his tongue back into your mouth. Moans leave your lips into his mouth as your legs tremble around his waist. His kisses begin to trail to your cheek and down your jawline as he feels your walls flutter around his cock.

“There you go.” His kisses travel down to your breasts.

König pulls out and stands from the bed, grabbing your legs and pulling you to him. His arms wrap around you and hold you up. One arm holds you tightly to his body as the other reaches down to line himself up with you. He pushes forward while lowering you slightly. A groan leaves his lips, your arms wrap around his shoulders.

His fingers grasping the supply flesh of your ass as his hips thrust into you; your tight little cunt squeezes his cock as he bounces you on his length. The lustful daze you’re in makes you gaze up at him as if you’re in love. The sound of your wet pussy and little pitiful sounds leaves your lips mixing. König glances down to your breasts bouncing. Everything is just perfect.

“Y/n…” He groans as his cock pulses, face scrunching with pleasure.

The next morning you take up to an empty bed. You rub your eyes and stretch, slowly stepping out of the bed. That’s when you noticed König sitting nude and watching you with a smile. Your eyes travel along his body before meeting his eyes, trying to sit in a way that conceals your body.

“Don’t try to hide your beauty, Liebling. It’s just us here.” He stands and walks over to you, caressing your face. Your braid is barely together and face flushed with an afterglow from last night’s activities.

“We have a long day ahead of us. You’re going to be introduced to my people as their new queen. They will be astonished at your beauty.”

You look into his eyes and nod. There is still a lingering sadness in your eyes, he is aware you miss your old life. It will take time for you to move on, but he knows you’ll be happier here with him. No longer are you poor and working the fields. Now you’re a queen.

Part 3

[heartfullofleeches]

You know the phrase "pulling wool over their eyes"? Something something sheep reader. I dunno it definitely fits in that universe but I'm very sleepy rn. Sorry if you've already mentioned itttt also happy late birthday!

"Can't see- I can't see!"

Darkness shrouds your vision- Clawing desperately at your face for freedom, thick patches of unkempt fur mask your eyes as light bleeds through. It surrounds you at all corners; face, neck, and shoulders binded with twisted fibers of hair. You can barely catch a breath as it consumes you entirely. Is this how you're meant to go out?

"Hold still, My Dear- I'd never forgive myself if I clipped those ears of yours"

Snip! Snip!

Clamping your eyes shut tight, your ears perk high at the snap of metal. Your nose twitches - brushed by falling curls as you fight the spell of dread and trepidation come natural to getting your hair trimmed. During the colder months, it's like you blink and it's back to the bushy length it was when you first moved into town. You hate asking the mayor for his help, but holding sharp objects gives you terrible tremors in your hands and knees.

"Thanks again for your help, Mayor.... Sorry if I'm bothering you...."

A sympathetic hand pats your shoulder as the mayor sets his scissors aside. "Nonsense, Sheep. It's my job to keep my citizens safe."

"Mayor....If it's alright for me to ask, what do you do with my fur afterwards? I doubt wolf fur has much value in these parts...."

"Would you believe I keep it all for myself?"

"Ah-... M-mayor..."

The mayor barks a laugh, broad antlers scrapping the roof of the ceiling. "Don't look so tense, it was only a joke."

[maliro-t]

The highlight of Veilguard for me is the relationship between Solas and Rook- and I don't know how to write about this on the internet without being acutely aware of other peoples' criticisms (such as there not being enough of it)- so I'll just say up top that I'm not actually intending this as a refutation of any of those. I just want to talk about my experience with the game and why I like it so much, which will probably make obvious where I disagree with some reoccurring critiques I've seen. *

The thing about Solas in this game is that he plays the role of the trickster perfectly. As much as Fen'Harel is a myth or a persona, and the stories we know of him invented or twisted, his role in Veilguard feels like it could slot in so, so easily with the myths, and in many ways directly parallels them. He is sinister and noble, monstrous and sympathetic, ruthless and compassionate, all at once. He spends the game trapped and humbled but can be almost gleefully condescending at times. He conflates outsmarting an enemy with being right, even as he plays the long-suffering martyr, tortured by countless mistakes. He falls easily into the role of advisor but is quick to note your foolishness. To sneer and declare the problem yours and yet still impose upon you an appraisal of your conduct.

But more than any of that, for most of the game, he's...passive. Dormant. He seems to make no moves, other than as a glorified consultant, despite starting as the main threat.

In Blood of Arlathan, when he finally rears his head again as major a player on the board, it's with a gallant offer of help. As an ally. He is exactly what you need, right when you need it, and you don't even have to ask him to be. And- because you don't have constant access to him, you maybe haven't even considered him an option!

He feels extremely intentionally sparing to me before this in service of a) making you think you're the one with power over him and b) causing you to forget he might contribute at all, so that when he finally does, it seems wholly benevolent. It comes in a moment where your goals are exactly aligned, and indisputably noble.

It's a waiting game. A classic of his, harkening back to stories we've heard time and again about Fen'harel and traps.

As Felassan tells it in the Masked Empire:

Fen'Harel was captured by the hunting goddess, Andruil. He had angered her by hunting the halla without her blessing, and she tied him to a tree and declared that he would have to serve in her bed for a year and a day to pay her back. But as she made camp that night, the dark god Anaris found them, and Anaris swore that he would kill Fen'Harel for crimes against the Forgotten Ones. Andruil and Anaris decided that they would duel for the right to claim Fen'Harel. He called out to Anaris during the fight and told him of a flaw in Andruil's armor just above the hip, and Anaris stabbed Andruil in the side, and she fell. Then Fen'Harel told Anaris that he owed the Dread Wolf for the victory and ought to get his freedom. Anaris was so affronted by Fen'Harel's audacity that he turned and shouted insults at the prisoner, and so he did not see Andruil, injured but alive, rise behind him and attack with her great bow. Anaris fell with a golden arrow in his back, badly injured, and while both gods slumbered to heal their wounds, Fen'Harel chewed through his ropes and escaped.

He goads his enemies into fighting each other for his benefit. Anaris, who had hunted him, succeeds with Fen'Harel's advice, exploiting a weakness he could only see with his aid. In turn, Anaris himself is left exposed. The victory goes to Fen'Harel, who has now dispatched two enemies at once and cleverly won his freedom.

He who was both Creator and Forgotten One. Who could walk amongst both as kin, and who in the end turned his back on them all.

Another tale:

The god Fen'Harel was asked by a village to kill a great beast. He came to the beast at dawn, and saw its strength, and knew it would slay him if he fought it. So instead, he shot an arrow up into the sky. The villagers asked Fen'Harel how he would save them, and he said to them, 'When did I say that I would save you?' And he left, and the great beast came into the village that night and killed the warriors, and the women, and the elders. It came to the children and opened its great maw, but then the arrow that Fen'Harel had loosed fell from the sky into the great beast's mouth, and killed it. The children of the village wept for their parents and elders, but still they made an offering to Fen'Harel of thanks, for he had done what the villagers had asked. He had killed the beast, with his cunning, and a slow arrow that the beast never noticed.

Felassan is everywhere in the Crossroads, in memories, in regrets, in notes that speak to a time you can barely fathom and traces of a friendship that is never once brought up by Solas directly (to my knowledge at least). I think Felassan serves a lot of purposes; he's a window into history, into Solas' mind and ideals, someone who challenges moments of ruthlessness but is loyal, an advisor who keeps Solas grounded even as he pushes him to become something larger than he is, a lingering notion of a loss that you can never really see the full scale of, and so on. And I think, too, that he's written carefully to be a meaningful presence from the rebellion without explicitly spoiling what eventually happens to him, which I wouldn't be surprised if was a legit consideration made for people who might go back and read the Masked Empire after dav lol- in the same way that Trespasser only really spoils the book if you already know what happens.

But for me, every note signed with his name is almost a tongue-in-cheek warning about what's to come. Felassan. A slow arrow, fired apparently mockingly into the sky, only to strike true when it's least expected. A solution executed with neither kindness nor explanation, serving first and foremost the interests of the one who fired it. Felassan's presence in the game ever so slightly encodes a reminder of who you're actually dealing with and what his core tenants are, whether as an ally or an adversary. You only know if you know, but it doesn't seem an accident to me that this reoccurring name of a general who shaped himself in honor of the Dread Wolf's unorthodox cleverness is so key to these traces of Fen'Harel's past, despite, again, never directly being discussed.

Anyways, to Rook. First, I gotta give a shoutout to Bryony Corrigan, whose voice I used for mine- she honestly made the game for me, especially in moments where I felt unsure of it. I love Rook, I love how they're written, and I love how they're performed. While a complete blank slate protagonist can be really fun, I find putting myself as a player in conversation with limitations given by the game really fun and interesting, and often surprising! And I do feel there's still plenty of flexibility.

My perspective on the relationship between Rook and Solas in Veilguard is specific to how I played of course, and I haven't seen other versions of their dynamic at this point to compare so I can't speak to them. But my experience was as such:

I didn't come into the game wanting to intentionally antagonize him. If he rose at me, I rose at him- and those moments of tension were really, really fun. But I tried to accept what he gave me with a fairly open mind. Skepticism, sure, but also the knowledge that ultimately, we both wanted Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain gone, and he knew them better than I did.

It was really gratifying, then, to see our rocky partnership evolve over time into what seemed like a genuine respect. But it didn't really feel straightforward to me either. For example, the conversation before Weisshaupt held a lot of weight for me: listening to him tell that chilling tale about undermining an enemy with persistent laughter and finding that 'Do whatever it takes to remove those who oppose you' was something we came out aligned on was.... There was an element of foreboding to that. Like, I had found myself actively trying to impress him here! And feeling good when it seemed like I had, but uneasy about how I had done it, even when I agreed with what I'd said.

And of course, after that comes Arlathan. Solas' big hero moment. This is the point in the game where our alliance finally felt comfortable to me. The conversation in the fade after was the first time that it really seemed like we were on even ground. And the game- not just Solas- told me here outright that I had earned his respect! After that, I didn't consider betrayal a possibility for a moment. Honestly, I barely even considered him an antagonist at all, because he had become a partner instead! I was expecting something clever down the line, but I wasn't worried about it hurting me. Our disagreements had been set aside, and the goal of his that I had initially opposed had been so thoroughly usurped I had forgotten that he was even pursuing it. And yes, that's perhaps naivety on my part, but I was so distracted by that not at all being the main plot that I forgot that it actually still was. Which is the whole point, right? He waits until your head is turned the other way to strike.

All this to say, my reaction when you kill Ghilan'nain and Solas uses the instability of the Veil to force you into his prison went beyond shock and confusion. It wasn't until well into his villain monologue that I was able to accept that he had betrayed me at all- having been thus far trying desperately to convince myself that the sequence I was seeing was Elgar'nan playing mind games in retaliation, and not actually Solas.

That prison moment is his Slow Arrow. You are Anaris to Elgar'nan's Andruil, the dagger the chink in her armor, and Ghilan'nain's death the golden arrow striking you in the back.

The wolf chews its leg off to escape the trap.

And I should say, I was coming at this all from the meta perspective of someone who loves Solas and empathizes with him and has never seen him as irredeemable or evil- and I, the player, who believed that all game and is ultimately satisfied with the resolution I got- felt hoodwinked as fuck in this moment lmao!!

There's a line in the prison that Varric has about it being easier for Solas to play the villain when he knows he's causing harm- so I do think he plays up his sinisterness here on purpose. But it's such a slap in the face coming straight off of "You have earned the respect of the Dread Wolf." A true and profound betrayal, at least for me.

And it doesn't stop there! His trickster maneuvers and half-truths aren't done until the credits roll. I love that when you meet again, he is nothing but apologies. He makes every concession- that Varric was a good man, that every victory in this fight has been yours, that he needs you and not the other way around, that he was wrong and made mistakes and betrayed people who never deserved it. And of course, we know from experience at this point that this won't stop him from doing it again anyways. But he never holds back from placing the blame on himself. Agreeing with you. Telling you you're right, and that Elgar'nan must be stopped. He only ever says things that are true. Things that are aligned with your point of view.

"[The veil] will never come down by my hand." Well, yes. Because it will fall on its own when Elgar'nan is dead. You won't hardly have to do anything at that point, Solas, will you?

It doesn't matter if Rook isn't falling for it, because if they don't accept his partnership, they lose! That's it! It's the same as it was at the start, but with the added sting of knowing it probably won't work out in your favor this time.

I remember before launch John Epler saying that Solas sees himself in Rook, which really echoes throughout the whole game for me. There are some ways you could say Solas seems opposite to Rook- and of course this can wax and wane depending on roleplaying choices, but the central conceit of Rook as Varric's recruit is that they are a specialist in being willing to act. And on the surface at least, that's kind of counter to Solas' Slow Arrow, right? Blunt force versus delayed gratification. But not entirely! Because every backstory we have for Rook revolves around a kind of heroism that is unorthodox enough to have left you ultimately punished for it. Like yeah, yeah, you saved some lives.... The optics were kinda bad though, so maybe you could go on a sabbatical for a while?

Rook is, from the start, an unconventional and unsung hero, admonished by some for ruffling feathers that they shouldn't have in pursuit of a noble goal. Not unlike Fen'Harel.

I find, too, that there's kind of a nesting doll of parallels around Rook and Solas as foils that the whole story hinges on:

We see Solas, his regrets plastered on every wall, each of them tied to Mythal. At every turn he seems to warn her that this is not the right path, but he follows her down it anyways, until he is left with nothing but an overwhelming need to fix what they have broken.

We see Felassan, who still wears Mythal's vallaslin on his face, challenging Solas' judgement and methods, but still standing by him through the rebellion, after the Veil, for however many thousands of years they slept. Ultimately, in the Masked Empire, the thing that makes him falter is his admiration for someone else's pursuit of freedom. His admiration for Briala.

"I suspect you'll hate this, but she reminds me of-"

Solas is Rook. Solas is Briala. Upstarts, flawed defenders, people who are made into leaders because of their willingness to fight for something. Who see injustice and cannot rest.

Solas is Felassan, the devoted general. One who pushes against his orders but cannot deny them. Someone who loves the cause, but more than that is dedicated to the person who champions it. A voice of reason who, in the end, turns away.

Solas is Mythal, a pragmatic leader, responsible for uncountable deaths. Someone who has relied on partners and power structures that have led her down a dark path, partners whose mistakes in their pursuit of power have become her own. Partners who in the end betray her.

Solas is trapped in his regrets because they are not all his. He struggles with having been failed and with how he has failed others, and in his mind the two become conflated. He carries these contradictory roles on his back- perpetrator and victim, betrayer and betrayed- and cannot see how to overcome them. He is ultimately freed by Mythal's absolution because the foremost factor in his crusade is not belief but guilt.

The ends have to justify the means, because there is no other way he can live with himself. And at every step, he is trying to redeem Mythal as much as he is trying to redeem himself.

He did not want a body, but she asked him to come. He wanted to give wisdom, not orders. I will always follow where you go.

He left a scar when he burned her off his face.

It was all for her. It was always for her.

Solas' duplicity is unending, but so is his devotion. And there is such an earnestness to a Rook, always betrayed, that sees and empathizes with that and uses it to free him.

* I will say that during the game I was definitely wishing you could show your hand to him a little more and press him about his memories prior to the endgame (and separate from this I have quibbles with the impact of some of those memory reveals- like wrt the delivery just not feeling as weighty as I would like. The payoff is absolutely still there in the end, it just felt to me like they were too nonchalantly getting a ton of info out that had to be established moving forward, despite these being like earthshattering reveals that people have Correctly (!!!!) theorized about for up to 15 years). That being said, in retrospect it would have lessened the impact of the finale to have pressed Solas about, for example, his relationship to Mythal prior to absolutely pulling the rug out from under him with it at the 11th hour. And additionally, it's a structural nightmare because you can uncover the memories at almost any point in the story, and you don't have constant access to Solas to chat with him about them. Which you shouldn't imo, in service to the story being told!! But it's also true that early on I found scenes with Solas super gripping, and scenes with my team often...not. And that was initially disheartening, but developed positively over time on all fronts once the game didn't have to worry about setting things up. So, I did wish for more here at first, but I've revised my opinion now that I can see the whole arc.

[razzzzberrysorbet]

So uhhhh this is my first post lemme know if you liked it or want more!

My Modern! Atwow Headcanons!!!!!

Includes: Neteyam, Lo’ak, Kiri,,Tsireya, Ao’nung +y/n ofc 💜

(I edited this btw so if you alr read this and it’s different that’s why 😉😉)

Neteyam:

Darker skin then lo’ak

He had dreads about shoulder length

Probably has his hair tied up alot

Baggy cargo pants + hoodie/baggy tee are his go to!!!!!

Can def see him thrifting

Not really a teachers pet but is very respectful and does his work! Is a fav amongst teachers

Is probably in a bunch of advanced classes

Can see him doing track in the spring and football in the fall

Puts his jersey in your locker so you can wear it when you go to his games!!!!!!

Can he him being pretty toned and lean rather than buff

Tall😉😉😉😉

Is such a sweetheart to everyone!!!!! He loves helping people, very nice person (mom taught him well)

Can see him working at a sneaker store + lifeguarding in the summer with Lo’ak

Skincare queen 🩷🩷🩷

He loves when you come over so you guys can do face masks and watches movies (bro needs to confess already)

Is popular at school but I feel like he would be oblivious to the fact almost the whole school knows him😭

If his class is close he will wait outside of the room so he can walk you to class!!!!(so nice)

Out of all his friends he probably talks to you the most

Is so smiley around you!!!

Is so oblivious to other people’s crushes on him it’s kind of annoying

Smells soooo😫😫😫😫😫😫

Lo’ak

Is a class clown for sure 😬😬😬😬

But he’s actually really funny!!

Is best friends with like all of his teachers

Def listens to rap or soul/funk

Sneakerheaddddd

WEARS NIKE TECH U CANT CHANGE MY MIND!!!!!!!!

Light skin

Keeps his dreads short

Can see him having sum blondes pieces tooooo

He is totally a “where my hug at” and “hey mamas” type😪

Screams “AYO WHERE MY HUG AT” from across the hall way sometimes Tsireya will run away from him😭😭

Basketball + Track 😛

Probably only keeps his grades up so he can keep playing sports….

Has many friends very popular!!!!!!

His snap score is like a million 🥲

Gaslights the teachers into thinking he doesn’t have his AirPods in

Is loud…..

Is a trash talker during 🏀 fosho and is extra with celebrating

Honestly has THE WORST diet but somehow is really fit?

Checks himself out and flex’s 24/7 💪 💪

Is actually pretty famous on tiktok????

Charlie Damelio who????😍😍😍

Kiri

Earth tones on her>>>>>>

Pretend to not to know lo’ak😭

Sleeps in all her classes yet is passing???

Room filled with crystals/incense

Has like 2 or 3 close friends

Wears waist beads !!!!

Wolf cutttt

Probably dyes her hair lot

Sassy queen

RBF for sure

Is such an artsy person can see her painting and sculpting

Has her 1,000 year old beat up converses 💀

Keeps trying to get you and neteyam together!!!!!

Not super popular or into popularity tbh

Her desks are always covered in random drawings

“🙄”go to face 😭😭😭😭

Tsireya

Is actually the sweetest girl ever!!!!

Such a girls girl

Def has a big sweet tooth and alot of candy

Gifting is her love language

Does very well in her classes!!!!! Can see her doing extra curriculars too!!!!!

I see her doing volleyball and dance w/you

You and her are besties for life!!!!!

You guys have been dancing together forever!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹

Does lo’aks makeup/ he pretends to not like it but is secretly loving it

She deff loves pastels and pink!

Omg her makeup and outfits are so cute!!!!

Loves matching with Lo’ak and you ofc

People pleaser to the max just wants people to like her🩷

Has 3 or 4 close friends but she’s honestly friends with everyone!!

You guys talk one time now she’s saying hi to you everyday 😭🥹🩷

Very girlie and feminine

Her room came straight from Pinterest

Polynesian baddieeeeee

Never ever excludes anyone makes people feel so loved

Cheers for lo’ak at his basketball games

Tries to convince you neteyam is crushing on you

Sleepovers with her 😚😚😚😚

Ao’nung

Um RBF much????

Since you and Tsireya are childhood besties that means you and Ao’nung have known each other for so long!!!

Whenever you are over in tsireyas room he will come in and flex in her mirror 😒

Basketball for sureeeee

Parents forced him into learning piano and hes actually so good???

Might not seem like it but such a caring brother

Oh no?? Tsireya forgot her lunch

Don’t worry! Ao’nung already brought it!

She needs money? He’s handing her his wallet while rolling his eyes “🙄🫴💳 “

He’s honestly so protective over you

Barely tries in class but is super smart

Probably wears muscle tanks to school-

Plays basketball with Lo’ak in thier driveway

Ok but his biceps….

Quiet but known 🩷

Is friends with neteyam but mostly for your sake

Sarcastic king

Lifeguarding + teaching swim lessons

Deffffff wears puka shell necklaces

He’s pretty tall and teases you for being short

Natural smirk 😫😫

Triangle method ummmm???????😧😧😧

Always offered to get you something whenever he goes out

“Hey im going to the gas station, want anything??”

Has all of ur baby pics😭😭😭😭

Plssss ur so embarrassed whenever he shows Neteyam

(Sorry if that was long lolll)

Y/n(you)

U and tsireya do/did dance together 🩷

Omgggg there are so many videos of you guys dancing

Straight A student cuz ur a baddie

Oblivious to neteyams fat crush on you?????

Jewelry Jewelry Jewelry

Ao’nung and Neteyam probably have ur bracelet on their wrists

Ur house is THE ultimate hang out spot

You and lo’ak do so many tiktok dances together 😭😭

You always cling onto neteyams arm when you guys walk together don’t let ao’nong see🫣

Unlimited amounts of clothes…….

Y/n ur literally so popular and you don’t know it!!!!

Helppppp you have guys falling to ur knees 🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️

Lip syncing queen?????

Everyone loves you you’re so sweet and genuine🩷🩷

Ur photo album is full of pictures of all your friends

Wearing neteyams jersey to his games (y/n how have you not figured it out yet????)

I see you working with tsireya and Kiri at the mall

Dancing your whole life your so good!!!!!

AirPods in 24/7

Girl you got so many boys wrapped around your pinky how to you do it??????

Weekly hangouts with neteyammm

Omggg k ur baby pics are all over tsireya and ao’nungs house like?????

You and the girls filming Grwms😭😭

U love kids and babies (tuk)

Um imma need that workout/makeup/skincare routine pls 😁😁🤲🤲🤲🤲

(You can totally change dance to whatever sport/hobby you want I just put dance cuz I love it!)

[vivemonroi]

Can we talk about Hallelujah and how it represents Solavellan? We've long considered Hallelujah as the hymn for Solavellan, but I never fully realized how deeply it might reflect their love.

I combined lyrics from Leonard Cohen’s version and Rufus Wainwright’s rendition to get a "full picture."

Content spoilers!

I imagine that it’s Lavellan singing to Solas, sharing how she sees him and his story.

Now I′ve heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for music, do you? It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth The minor falls, the major lifts The baffled king composing Hallelujah

The "baffled king" could represent Solas and his god-like status during the Evanuris era. Even with his power and knowledge, Solas could be seen as someone vulnerable, struggling with the burdens of his choices. This reflects his grandeur and his inner conflict, showing that despite his god-like status, he was still susceptible to doubt, regret, and even love.

Your faith was strong but you needed proof You saw her bathing on the roof Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you

Now that we know more about Solas and Mythal’s relationship, I think that the "her" mentioned is actually Mythal, and Solas was willing to do anything for her. This includes obtaining a physical body and standing by her side no matter what.

She tied you to a kitchen chair She broke your throne, and she cut your hair And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

But eventually, Mythal leaves Solas, who remains attached to her. She "broke his throne," meaning she pushed him to rebel; she made him cut his hair… and now the guy is bald. Clearly, this represents his betrayal.

The Hallelujah signifies the deepest, most sacred love — he still loved her, even then. But their relationship was ultimately toxic for both of them.

Maybe I've been here before I know this room, I've walked this floor I used to live alone before I knew you I've seen your flag on the marble arch Love is not a victory march It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Now Lavellan is singing about herself and her life before Solas. She was alone, especially after the Conclave and becoming the Herald of Andraste. The Dalish rejected her, and humans weren’t her people — much like Solas himself, upon awakening to a world that was no longer his.

With him, she discovers a love deeper than any she has known, she realizes that loving someone is not a "victory march." Her love for him is filled with pain and bittersweetness. It's hard to love him, yet she love him still.

There was a time you'd let me know What's real and going on below But now you never show it to me do you?

This is about the time they shared during the events of the Inquisition. He taught her about the Fade and the ancient gods, but after Trespasser, he vanished, concealing his true self beneath the mask of Fen’Harel.

And then there’s the line, “you’d let me know what’s real.” Remember what Solas said after they defeated Corypheus, just before he walked away forever?

“I want you to know that what we had was real.”

And remember when I moved in you? The holy dark was moving too And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

Both could represent the time they shared or her attempts to reach him after Trespasser. The "holy dark"— maybe the Blight?

You say I took the name in vain I don′t even know the name But if I did, well, really, what's it to you?

She didn’t know his true title, the Dread Wolf, a part of his very nature and ancient past. Yet she wonders: if she had known, would it have changed anything?

Now there's a different versions for Lavellan who want to save Solas and Lavellan who want to stop him.

The redeemed and happy version.

There's a blaze of light in every word It doesn′t matter which you heard The holy or the broken Hallelujah

At first glance, it may seem like the holy love, the holy Hallelujah, represents his love for Mythal, and the broken one for Lavellan. But I think it's the opposite: Mythal is a god, yet their love is broken; Lavellan is mortal, but her love for him is divine. Both of them have the power to redeem him, in different ways — one through letting go, and the other through allowing him to be loved.

I did my best, it wasn′t much I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch I′ve told the truth, I didn't come to fool you

The words point directly to Solas, she tries to convince him, that their love can find a way to endure. She isn't like Mythal, she accepts him, his nature. But he's afraid, he's not allowing himself to move forward.

And even though it all went wrong I′ll stand before the Lord of Song With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Even in the end, Lavellan still holds onto her love for Solas, with nothing on her tongue but their sacred love.

She is his future.

Now to the grim and sad version

Maybe there's a God above And all I ever learned from love Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you

He deceives her, and all that love has taught her is sorrow. Mythal' and Solas' history confirms that.

She remains steadfast, standing in his path, even if it means his end, because her love and his history taught her "to shoot at someone who outdrew you."

And it′s not a cry you can hear at night It's not somebody who′s seen the light It's a cold and it′s a broken Hallelujah

In this version, their love is doomed to be cold and broken. There is no light. She has given up on him, yet the suffering remains, deep and unrelenting. Still, it is a Hallelujah.

He is all alone, facing his most terrible fear. Yet he believes he deserves it and it's the only thing that can redeem him.

Thank you for reading this! I know I’m being delusional, but it helps me sleep at night.

[cottoncandybitchfuck]

Neverafter

“Because you were lied to does not mean that everything was a lie. Do not take the crimes of those who have manipulated us and put them at the feet of the world." -Cinderella

“The real friends, the ones that make miracles happen, the ones greater than any treasure you could find on any adventure, they see the wolf in you and love it too.” -Grandma 

“Purpose, true purpose is always down the scarier path through the darker part of the forest.”-Grandma 

"You are seeing something you absolutely should not see, the face of a divinity you do not worship, the smile of a devil you never believed in." -DM Brennan

“The face moves as though no expression of contempt can satisfy it.” -Brennan

“Real? I don’t give a shit. I don’t come from a nice story. I believe in you, and I believe in me, and I think we’re just real enough.” -Scheherazade 

“The thing that’s approaching you, It’s not as vast as what you perceived in the ink, but it’s closer to that than it is to you. And the problem with this thing is that unlike the things in the ink, it’s getting bigger, and it’s getting angrier. And it knows you.” -Brennan

“As the Gander and Goose have their powers within the realms of the Neverafter, times of shadow, times of plenty, the wolf is death which is endings. Which in a land of stories endings are perhaps the most important thing.” -The Fairy with the Turquoise Hair

“I met death, and death wants me to live! I don’t want to go back to my other story where I listen to my fucking elders!” -Ylfa 

“Gerard has already lived his story, and what happens after happily ever after is that more things happen, or I’m just going to be a two dimensional piece of paper.” -Gerard 

“Do you think that you found true love, or do you think you just found the first person that could turn you back into a prince?”-Rosamund

“Don’t learn lessons from my torment.” -The Gander

“Sometimes when you feel like your whole point is to be a helper, you just have to help at any cost, and that’s pretty unhelpful. Sometimes I didn’t have a good answer, and I should have just said that, and I’ll do better to just tell you when I don’t know.” -Cricket

 “You don’t get beginnings without endings, okay?” -Ylfa

“Some things simply are, and in time, all things will end. But if you fear that you have made a pact with something that cannot live within your heart, then what comfort i can offer is this. In no corner of the long ages of all the worlds that i have walked, have I ever for one moment felt the desire to devour everything.” -Big Bad Wolf

“Sometimes things are too late to be rewritten or undone, but there are more blank pages ahead of us, Little Red.” -Big Bad Wolf

“There is no story you can begin without making the promise of its ending, and only strange and very dangerous things try to make a story that never ends.” -Big Bad Wolf

“It is a deep and unsettling dread when you realize that you can, by taking charge, cause harm. It is an even deeper dread when you realize that in taking charge, you will cause harm. You will not make every perfect choice, and the fear that you will make some choice that does some wrong within the world is exactly what your enemies are hoping will stop you. So, we do as best as we can to do as good as we can, but not to let the Neverafter fall into the fate that the faeries intend for it.” -Snow White

“I think the story that’s happening now, I’ve come to learn, will maybe lead to something better. Because you’re right stories don’t just end.” -Gerard

“I don’t think you get love just by deserving it.” -Rosamund

“Everyone you ever knew who told you they would keep you safe as long as you behaved was already hurting you.” -La Bete

“All the finery in the world, is just a mask…” -La Bete

“Live your life without apology, little girl. It is never wrong to tell the truth about what you are.” -La Bete

“It’s never too late to decide who you want to be.” -Tom Thumb

“How convenient that in the moment of learning the lesson, you no longer need to have learned it.” -Brennan

“Because either all the bad things that happened to you were random, just chaos, hundreds and millions of choices of other people that just have nothing to do with you and your own story, or all the bad things that happened to you were destined to happen.” -Cinderella

[dragonagecompanions]

Could you write Solas' reaction to the Inqusitor killing him after the betrayal, but they stay by his side because they know he fears dying alone, and refuses to leave his side before he has passes away, and telling him that he's forgiven, and the Inky apologizes for not begin able to help him.

Obvious content warning.

It can't end like this, not now. Everything is falling into place, his power is finally returned to him. Everything is in his grasp to restore the world to what it once was, to the glory of Arlathan and the Elvhen. He gave up so much for this chance, for his people, for...

For nothing. Solas can feel the terrible, implacable burn of magebane in his veins, even as the blood weeps from the wound in his back. Fitting, really, after his own proverbial knife, and yet the architect of the Evanuris' downfall never saw this betrayal coming. In his arrogance he heard the request to reopen the eluvians to Val Royeaux as an admission of defeat. Had thought that the removal of both arm and anchor would render his friend helpless in the fight to come.

But too many have underestimated the Inquisitor in the last years. Solas was had no excuse, and yet he turned his back to them. Their cries of pain had masked the running foot steps, the drawing of the blade. It is cold comfort to see that pain in their face still, even as that struggle with one hand to keep his head cushioned on their knees.

"I just...wanted to fix my mistake."

"I know." The sorrowful compassion in their face should be infuriating, something he should spit on and refuse, but somehow the Dread Wolf does not have the strength for it. He is grateful for their warmth and company now, as darkness rims their vision.

"I know, Solas. But you can rest now. I won't leave you alone, not now."

Does his tombstone still stand in the fade, green light making mockery of his greatest fear? He'd thought it would be to stand alone at the end of all things, the world beyond his saving. He had not considered that it would be...like this. Gasping for air that cannot help him now, shivering for the warmth that somehow he cannot grasp. Can he blame them, for rendering onto him what he had planned, inevitably for them?

It hurts less now. They must know, for his friend simply holds him closer. The tears make eyes that have stared unfazed at every challenge somehow more and less shadowed, but knowing that his death is one more burden for them is not the vindication he might have hoped for. This was not what Solas wanted, not what Fen'Harel needed. He is failing his people, abandoning them this one last terrible time and he cannot even...cannot...

"'M s'rr'y..."

"I know. Wisdom is waiting for you, Solas. Go and join her now. Stop running, Dread Wolf, and be at peace."

When he is looking at a world they hope not to see for many years, when the blade finds its place in a still heart (even for a friend, the inquisitor has learned to be cautious), only then does the Herald of Andraste signal for their compatriots. They will bring their friend home, style him as a hero who returned to defeat the Qunari and save the Inquisition.

Ironically, this saves the Inquisition. A united south prepares to face the Qunari, but without the distraction of the Dread Wolf's plans Thedas as it is has a fighting chance. The Inquisition will champion the plight of elves in their martyred friend's name, so that perhaps where the Dread Wolf could not bring superiority Solas might usher in a new era of equality. The agents of Fen' Harel will mourn his loss, curse the Inquisition, but may ultimately join this effort--to surprising success

And perhaps, somewhere far from time and space and sorrow, a young dreamer and the spirit of wisdom who long was his companion, are reunited at last.

-Mod Fereldone

[confusedlucifer]

so yesterday at 1 am finally the credits rolled on my first playthrough of DA:Veilguard and left me with a lot of thoughts and feelings, and also a literal headache this morning like i was hungover. full game spoilers ahead!

i want to preface by where im coming from - my expectations for this game were basically zero. it took ten years to get here, with very publicized troubled development, the game being reworked at least three times, lay offs, leadership leaving etc. basically up until june this year i genuinely did not believe another DA would come out and if it did, it wasnt going to be very good.

i'm also a person who played DAI on release and didnt really enjoy it that much at first! of the first three DA games, i think its by far the weakest in terms of story and the cast of companions. i never cared about Solas one way or another and always was a bit meh on the shift of the story toward ancient elves and gods. nonetheless i have 500+ hours in that game and dearly love my Inquisitor.

so with the combination of these feelings, i was really wary of this game being too much a sequel to Trespasser and centering Solas too much, and the Dread Wolf title initially just confirmed this (and annoyed me) (i did not like the bald man sorry)

i think in general i came into it with the acceptance of what the game is - and isnt. after the initial reveals and marketing started, it was clear they are making an action game, not a full fledged RPG anymore. it was also clear its going to be a shift for the series. i had my worries about the story and companions seeming too nice and sanitized, which was basically confirmed for me after i started reading Tevinter Nights (which came out in 2020) where you meet a lot of the companions and factions and they are quite the heroic bunch. so i knew all this going into the game and kinda braced for it.

still... the beginning hours were rough. the start of the game just really wanted to bounce me off so badly with some of the worst and grating writing from the start and just the jarring transition from the formula of the previous games and into this new action game setting. suddenly i couldnt talk to my companions whenever i wanted, i couldnt get to know them freely. it was a lot to adjust to at first.

the combat, the visuals and promise of meeting the cast really tied me over and the writing for its part got generally better the further in i got. i remember especially as soon as i started to discover the two cities, especially Treviso, i really started to fall in love with the setting.

despite myself i also came to really like how Solas is in this game - now finally actually just Fen'Harel, mask off full on Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs figure, imprisoned and offering "advice" yet subtly lying to your face and manipulating you the whole time. in general imo he was handled really well all the way to the end, and i enjoyed the Crossroads quests, the memories of his rebellion, the Regrets and lore reveals/confirmations of theories that have been teased either since the beginning of the series.

and despite my initial apprehension to some companions i really grew to love all of them just within the one playthrough. which is not something i can say for the cast of Inquisition personally - i grew really attached to Dorian, Varric, Cassandra but the rest were varying levels of neither here nor there until subsequent playthroughs. Veilguard really makes you spend a LOT of time with these people. and they feel like people with their own lives outside of you, despite relying on Rook a lot for advice. i actually really loved seeing them develop friendships and relationships independent of Rook, it made the home base feel more alive. generally i loved each of their questlines, some were weaker but the real highlights for me were Emmrich and Taash alongside Harding (esp playing as a dwarf). i immediately loved Taash being younger and giving attitude compared to the rest of the more matured cast it created an interesting dnyamic, and being a nonbinary kid of a conservative immigrant parent myself their storyline hit me really hard. i really adored Davrin and the griffon storyline following up on the Last Flight which is imo one of the best tie in books for this series. and Bellara - girl im so sorry for bouncing off your personality at first. her personal quest and performance was so touching and surprised me a lot by the end how much i liked her, and how much depth she was given. Lucanis was a pleasant surprise for me but i think his questline could have been done a bit better overall, and same for Neve - who i was really looking forward to initially but her questline kidna fell short of my expectations (thought i feel that on another replay things might be different due to me nuking Minrathous basically)

(also i ended up going for Emmrich romance with my mourn watch dwarven warrior and when i tell you there were times when i absolutely yelled out loud at how much i was catered to. his story and Manfred are just. so so delightful)

the real drawback of this game is.. my god there is so much missing. it does not really line up with the Tevinter we have heard about. some of the factions (namely LoF and Veil Jumpers) are not really super relevant. some factions are sanded down (Antivan Crows), and although it can be explained away in the lore (we are dealing with just one house, not all of the Crows so theres some wiggle room) its still hard not to see these changes. we visit so many places but they become a bit one note, sometimes reduced to just set dressing. especially by the end of the game i really wanted to see more of Minrathous and Tevinter in general, but we get very limited, filtered view of it. and with the companions feeling so independent of you, it actually makes Rook feel kinda underdeveloped in comparison. it feels they forge better friendships among themselves than with you, which i do kinda miss having a sort of "Best friend" in these games ala Alistair/Varric/Dorian. one thing i really sorely wish they added was any sort of prologue of you actually meeting Varric before the events of this game, because while you are attached to him as a player, Rook doesnt really have a very good established relationship with him i feel.

but looking at it as a game that went through so many iterations and ideas and genuine hell to even be released... i understand the reason people are upset with some of these things and situation about Southern Thedas or not following up more directly from Trespasser. personally it doesnt bother me (as i mostly live in headcanon with my DA characters anyway) but i get how it would others. i just dont understand the feeling that the devs and writers who worked on the previous games are out to ruin your beloved universe. so much of this game screams to me "we dont know if we will ever get to make another one of these". all the places we go to, without any larger plot relevance, the lore reveals and theories, the questions answered etc so much if it just such a huge closing of a chapter on Thedas, because theres no certainty for us or the devs we will ever return to this world again.

i have.. so many feelings about it but honestly towards the end of the game, finishing all the companions quests, finishing the quests for Wardens and the Crows as well especially and then heading towards that finale... like idk maybe ill change my mind down the line, but right now it feels like one of the best executed endings in any Dragon Age game. the whole maybe like 4? hour long finale just really gripped me by the throat, even though i saw some of the twists coming it still affected me a lot. and im excited about the tease for potential future too - turning the gaze outside of the continent and beyond the ocean, again something that has been very vaguely teased since Origins (with the lore of Kossith initially fleeing south because of Something TM) with moments here and there throughout the games. i'm glad there's still more mystery in this world and ancient elves didn't eat all of it. i'm even excited for the prospect of shifting the series into a single protagonist series with Rook.

i do miss a proper epilogue (just like i miss a proper prologue) at the moment especially because they seem very firm on no DLC and with the future of the franchise so unsure. with all this feeling of closure on this really storied world, i would have loved some good old fashioned epilogue slides at least vaguely discussing the future of the different kingdoms and nations, any sort of reaction to what transpired in this game yknow. if we dont get a DLC or a sequel down the line, i hope at least maybe for more tie in comics or novels.

still very much feel like DA:O and DA2 are tonally a separate world from DAI + DAV, and its not a bad thing but its why i dont expect Veilguard to be anywhere on par with the first two games. this is where im at, excited to eventually replay the game with a different faction background and different choices once the dust settles and hoping time will be kind to this game despite its many flaws.

[mybrainismelted]

Kat 🤗😁 for the trope mash-up, how about 10 + 25?

Hi Evie! So 10 - Werewolf, and 25 - Body Swap/Body Sharing

Mickey had dreaded his 15th birthday for as long as he could remember. That was the day he would find out if he had inherited his father's curse. So far only Joey and Colin had turned, and they were actually happy about it, loving the thrill of the transformation, and the viciousness of the hunt. Neither of them seemed concerned that they were going to go the way of their father, having to be locked in the basement during the full moon so he wouldn't rampage. But Mickey knew better. If they didn't learn to control their wolf half soon, they would need to add more locked rooms in that basement. The night before his birthday, he slipped out of the house, knowing that soon his family would be looking for him, determined to follow in the path of their ancestors and make him sit through some weird ritual while they all watched, waiting to see if he would turn. Fuck that. He had learned a long time ago how to mask his trail to keep them from following him, and tonight he pulled every trick he knew. He did not want to be found, to be seen, to have anyone else know what was about to happen. They would know soon enough. He needed to find this out alone.

He broke into a house where he knew the owners were away for a few days, making himself comfortable, enjoying the clean space, the quiet, and the hot water to have as long of a shower as he wanted. He even managed to take a nap while he waited for midnight to arrive. He woke up in a cold sweat, body trembling, his skin feeling too tight, and shit. He knew what this meant. He didn't want this. He fought it with everything he had, tossing and turning, scratching at his skin, hoping that maybe if he could fight it off this one time, it would be over, and it wouldn't be real. "for fucks sake, would you stop fighting, this doesn't feel good for me either you know" came a disembodied voice in his head "you think I asked to be paired with a Milkovich of all people? But it doesn't have to be what you think" Mickey sprang to his feet, frantically searching for the source of the voice. He spun in circles, panicked that someone had found him, someone knew who he was, and what was happening. "relax. It's just me. Please, just stop fighting for a minute so I can show you, and then we can talk"

He didn't really understand why, but something about this voice was comforting, soothing, and familiar. Almost against his will, he finally did relax, letting his arms fall to his sides, and bowing his head. He felt a shivering, rippling sensation run through his body, and when it stopped, he felt his body moving without his control - like he was suddenly a passenger inside his own head. "what the fuck?" he tried to yell, but no sound came out. "ok, stop yelling, please" a voice said, the same voice that had been in his head a minute ago. And then he felt his eyes open, and he was standing in front of a mirror.... but what looked back at him was not a wolf, and not a hybrid, but another boy. Skinny, freckle-faced, and red-headed. "My name is Ian" he said out loud as Mickey watched in stunned silence from inside his own head. Or... Ian's head? What the hell was going on? "I can explain everything"

[dujour13]

9 Ship Songs

Tagged by @dragonologist-phd Thanks for the tag!! This was harder than it sounded at first for Siavash & Woljif. Some are from my wip sequel playlist.

Undisclosed Desires - Muse

I want to reconcile the violence in your heart I want to recognize your beauty is not just a mask I want to exorcise the demons from your past I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart

Talk – Hozier

I'd be the voice that urged Orpheus When her body was found (hey ya) I'd be the choiceless hope in grief That drove him underground (hey ya) I'd be the dreadful need in the devotee That made him turn around (hey ya) And I'd be the immediate forgiveness In Eurydice

Flatlands – Chelsea Wolfe

I want open plains And scattered trees I want flower fields I want salty seas I want flatlands Soft and steady breeze Bringing scents of Lined-up orchard trees Dripping heavy With pears and dancing leaves I want flatlands Will you go there with me?

Endlessly – Muse

Hopelessly I'll love you endlessly Hopelessly I'll give you everything But I won't give you up I won't let you down And I won't leave you falling If the moment ever comes

Sous ton Aile – Eiffel

Phénix Prends-moi sur-le-champ Couvre moi d'étincelles Et de ta clameur arque le ciel Prends-moi sur-le-champ Oiseau rare éternel Prends moi sous ton aile Sous ton aile... Fais couler la sève nue Des immortels Prends moi sous ton aile

Phoenix Take me now Cover me in sparkles And in your rainbow clamor Take me now Rare eternal bird Take me under your wing Under your wing Make the immortals' naked sap flow Take me under your wing

Wandering Star – Portishead

Please could you stay awhile to share my grief For it's such a lovely day To have to always feel this way

Teardrop – Massive Attack

Love, love is a verb Love is a doing word Fearless on my breath Gentle impulsion Shakes me, makes me lighter Fearless on my breath

Let Me Follow – Son Lux

You can break throw yourself away Leave it behind We come Undone And if you need to, you can break me too You can disappear Please just take me with you and you go Or let me follow Let me follow

Orpheus – Sarah Bareilles

Don't stop Trying to find me here amidst the chaos Though I know it's blinding There's a way out Say out loud We will not give up on love now No fear Don't you turn like Orpheus Just stay here Hold me in the dark and when the day appears We'll say We did not give up on love today

Tagging (no pressure!) @silversiren1101, @angrygoatwoman, @dmagedgoods, @dragonflytehanu, @spyridonya, @commander-lariel, @arrow90-art, @iwoszareba, @another-heroine, @rollofleaf, @iaspideus and anyone else who wants to do this!

[isabeauwolf]

Monsterhaul x Mary: She Wolf and the Beast AU

Prologue part 2: Inner Beast and Black Feathers

He was surrounded by a never ending void of black, then the candles on the walls lit themselves as his eyes scrunched shut from the bright light. Blinking twice and opening his eyes as he drank in the scenery before him, his beautiful and ancestral castle, his home was shrouded with darkness, and the statues of angels and cherub were replaced with demons, hellish creatures and other mythical monsters.

Kai's brows furrowed as he walked the halls he knew by heart, he swears the furniture and other inanimate objects were moving and alive.

His footsteps echoed, he swallowed the lump in his throat, he needed to find Eri, he needed to protect his little sister. The hair on the back of his neck rising and goosebumps crawling against his skin as he picked up the pace speed walking, then sprinting into a run, calling his sisters name.

Opening and closing ever unlocked door, finding it empty.

Where were the servants?

Where were his men and aids?

Where the hell was Eri?!

Any room that was unlocked, he pressed his hand against the door, activating his quirk, splinters of wood flying as he covered his eyes, blinking past dust and rooms that hadn't been used in years, nothing.

Empty.

His heartbeat thudded hard in his ears, covered in sweat and dust, his eyes burned as he quickly wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his coat, coughing and panting as he reached The West Wing, his parents shared bedroom reversed only for The King and his Queen. The one place they hold Eri to hide, if she was ever in danger.

Muscles aching and burning, his skin itching and covered in hives as he scratched furiously at his arms underneath his jacket, standing in front of the heavy door of the grand master bedroom. It was the last place for him to look, he prayed that little Eri was there, curled up and sleeping in their parents old room, no, his new room.

Hesitantly, dread and knots twisting in his stomach, dropping harder and harder with every passing second. Please, please, let Eri be inside… let her be safe, gods above, new and old… Kai never was a man of faith or religion, he saw no need in his life. He hoped this door was the right now.

Pushing the large door open, the heavy wood and hinges groaning and echoing through the door as he entered, crossing the threshold and scanning into the room. His breath caught in his throat when he saw a lump laying underneath the covers and familiar short pale blue-grey hair, the same color as their fathers.

Kai released the breath that he was holding and his shoulders relaxed, leaning against the doorjam and calming his breathing, pressing the heel of his hand into his aching and throbbing head, trying to lesson the growing migraine. The adrenaline slowly fading from his system as he shivered and shuddered, mouth scrunching up into a grimace as he opened his golden eyes. "Ugh, I'm filthy."

The lump underneath the blankets shifted and moved, the familiar childlike voice reaching his ears. "Big brother?"

Kai raised his head, a ghost of a smile curling his lips underneath his black duster mask. "Yeah, sweetheart, I'm here." He slowing walked towards the bed, sat down on the edge, reached out and placed his hand where her head should be. "Big brother is here."

Eri sniffed, poking one of her big ruby doll-like gems underneath the duvet. "It was dark and I couldn't find you. Everyone else is gone." She whimpered, sitting up and crawling into his lap, crying as big, fat and heavy tears falling down her chubby cheeks. "I'm scared, Kai."

Kai felt a pang in his heart as he held her against him, gently rocking her back and forth, shushing her. "It's alright now. I'm here, I'm here."

What the hell was happening?

Eri gasped in his arms, wheezing and gritting her teeth as if she was in pain, scrunching her eyes shut and holding him tighter, "Brother, it hurts! It hurts! Please make it stop!!!!"

"Eri?" Kai asked, eyes widening in panic. He hadn't activated his quirk, golden eyes searching for any sign of wound or injury, but he found none. His eyes must be deceiving him, Eri appeared to be getting smaller?

"Kai!" She opening wailed, terrified rubies meeting gold.

"Eri!" The young lord watched as Eri shrunk, smaller and smaller until she was the size of a doll. Her silver hair felt like the texture of horse hair, her face was doll-like and shiny yet smooth like the imported dolls made up of China that she loved to play with during tea parties, her nightgown and the texture of the tiny horn on the top of her forehead that she's had since birth remained the same.

A miniature copy of his baby sister in doll form, the doll opened its eyes and ruby red met his horrified and shocked face as he paled. "Eri?" He stuttered.

This wasn't a dream.

It was a nightmare and he was in hell.

A familiar feminine voice answered, "We've warned you, young lord."

Kai felt chills roll down his spine as the room chilled again, any semblance of warmth left the room. Fogging his breath and his teeth chattering as he felt the doll instantly grow still, watching her close her eyes, hearing her whimper and bury her hard head against his chest. His grip tightened without breaking her small and fragile body, the warmth gone and replaced with cold and hard porcelain. Tears wetting his shirt and soaking his dirty clothes, but he couldn't feel her heartbeat as his own drummed in his ears as he turned his head, shielding his sister from view.

He couldn't speak, he couldn't move.

🌹🌹🌹🐦‍⬛🌹🌹🌹

A knock on the door awaken Kai from his sleep filled with nightmares.

The young lord was covered from head to toe with sweat, panting and gasping as he ran a hand over his mouth. Golden eyes hazy as he blinked between the fogginess of half awake and half sleep, his throat was raw and burning as he shivered as the early morning chill creeped into the room.

Another knock echoed as he shook himself, running a hand through his damp auburn locks. "Come in." He coughed, reaching for the water pitcher beside the bed and poured himself a glass as Chrono came into the room. "What did you find, Chrono?" he asked, irritation in his tone and voice husky, still laced with sleep.

His body ached and protested as he gulped down the cool, refreshing water and poured another, downing it as well, nearly shamming it down on the nightstand. The throbbing in his head and muscles hurt as he gasped, clenching his eyes shut and gritting his teeth, muttering curses underneath his breath.

Chrono hesitated, he noticed his master and best friend wasn't feeling well. Lips forming a thin line underneath his own white surgical mask, instead chose to keep his questions to himself and report his findings as to not anger his lord any further. "There was a old book hidden away in your fathers belonging, burred deep within an trunk along with his journal." Pulling two books underneath his arms and offering them, "They appeared to have been placed there recently. Everything within the trunk was dusty except for these."

Kai's brows furrowed as he took both books with care. One was a red and gold tomb, old and yet new. The brown leather bound journal was in fact his fathers, he recognized it as a gift his mother had given him for his birthday years ago, and was surprised the heavy book was nearly filled. He knew his father often sat at his desk, writing away whenever he wasn't doing paperwork, playing shogi or spending time with his family.

Gently placing the journal beside him on the bed, lightly caressing the cool cover against his burning skin, felt pleasant and calming. His lips curled slightly, then returned his attention back to the red and golden book. His thin brows furrowed, he'd never seen this before nor had he recalled his father ever mentioning it.

He was hesitant, yet curious. What sort of knowledge and secrets did it hold between its pages?

Chrono knew that look, a gleam and sparkle in his friends eyes compared to Kai's usually bored and reserved expression. He shook his head as his lips pulled back into a knowing grin.

Once Kai's interest was peaked, the man would become obsessed, research and bury his nose into anything and every concerning the said subject with passion and madness until his curiosity was satiated.

Opening the red and gold tome, he could tell it was much older than he'd first thought. Flipping through the papers, gently and with care as he skimmed its contents until a two letters fell into his lap. Picking them up, he recognized his father's handwriting and immediately, reached for his letter opener in the nightstand and tore it open:

Kai,

remember the stories about the curse. I know that you are a man with no faith in the old or new gods, a man with a strong head on his shoulders and as stubborn as an old goat, but my son.... you must believe in the curse. The Enchantress has watched our family line for centuries, she is as old and ancient as these lands we live on, anger her and you will suffer for it.

I wish you well in your journey of finding you a wife. I pray she will be strong willing to handle your temper and overly strict nature, but remember to cherish her, my boy. May your marriage be filled with as much happiness as it brought your mother and me.

Best wishes, I'm proud of you, Kai

Your father.

He frowned and his heart ached in his chest. His gaze stared down at the second letter, his breath caught in his throat. It was... from his mother and addressed to him.

Picking it up, tearing it open with care and unfolding it, swallowing thickly. His mothers penmanship was neat and graceful, each stroke written with care compared to her scolding and over worrying nature.

Kai,

my beloved and sweet son. If you found this, then I am no longer in this world. Forgive me that I couldn't be with you when you need me most. Know that I still love you and your sisters. I will always be with you.

In case you don't heed yours fathers warnings. I will tell you a secret, my darling. The Enchantress helped me plant and care for the beautiful flowers I adore so much; she was my best friend during my early days in the castle with your father. My friend though generous, kind, and beautiful has thorns as sharp and deadly as my roses.

Oh, Kai. You may not trust my friend, but please, trust in our judgement, my son.

Look after yours sisters in my stead. Hold and hug little Eri for me.

You may not believe in love, but I never regretted my life with your father. He become my first love, my oldest friend and my heart.

No matter, what darkness and despair follows you. There will always be a light, even when you can't see it, my darling.

I love you, Kai, my smart and dutiful son.

With love,

your mother.

Kai shuttered as tears welled in his eyes, but didn't fall. His heart pounding harder in his head as he rapidly blinked them away.

Covering his eyes with the palm of his hand, running it down his face and sighed. Refolding both letters and setting them to the side, his focus back to the book, flipping more papers. It would take him time to translate everything, instead focusing on the illustrations of The Enchantress.

Flashes of his dreams returned to him.

The darkness. The empty castle. Searching every room until he found Eri and the witch appeared.

He inwardly shook himself as he closed it, rubbing his head. He had so much work to be done and less time to do it in. "Has The Undertaker prepared father's body to be buried today?" Kai murmured as he met Chrono's gaze.

"Yes, the doctor examined him last night. Everything has been prepared at your request, Overhaul." Chrono nodded.

"Has anyone told Eri?" Kai asked, pulling back the heavy duvet and sheets, swinging his legs over the edge and rising to his feet. Slipping on his red and gold robe as he went to the separate pitcher, pouring water into the porcelain bowl to wash his hands and face.

The sound of water splash filled the silence as Kai washed his hands and sweat from his face and neck. He inwardly sighed in content as he wiped his face and waited for an answer; drying his face with a freshly clean towel.

"No, sir." Chrono admitted, tidying the bed sheets and blankets out of habit before grabbing the book and journal. He looked at the letters and decided to place them back into the red book for safe keeping as he stood and turned to face his master.

The young lord met his friend's eyes in the mirror. Chrono was his oldest friend and closest confident now that his father was gone. "Hari do you believe in this curse father often spoke about?"

Hari blinked, pondering his answer. "Your father wasn't a man to lie, so I'd see no reason he should, sir. There must be some truth to it. Legends do often hold some matter of truth to them."

Kai nodded his head. He knew his friend spoke the truth, even after reading his parents final letters he couldn't believe them. Couldn't wrap his head around it. All his life he's only believed what he could see, what he could touch and destroy with his bare hands and nothing more.

With one final deep breath and exhale through his nose, he straightens and holds his head high. There was no need to think about it anymore or second guess himself as he made his way towards the bathroom.

It's been a long night and he needs another bath. Getting undressed, he sees his bath already prepared and ready, the smell of citrus hitting his nose. His lips curl slightly, then scowls when he notices rose petals floating into the water. Scooping them into his palm and overhauling them as he scoffed, reminding himself to inform the maids to stop putting roses in his bath.

Sitting down into the overly warm water, seething his worries and nightmares away, closing his eyes and relaxing before thoroughly washing himself.

He heard something outside his bathroom window. Opening his eyes and tilting his head, a tapping sound.

He paused, standing, carefully getting out of the tub, quickly drying himself, wrapped the towel around his waist and opening the window as he heard another set of tapping.

He saw a raven perched on the window seal. The black feathered bird, puffing out its chest and holding its head high with a small bell around his neck, attached to a red ribbon.

Kai's face remains impassive, but amusement twinkled in his golden gaze. "Barely gone a day and already my father sends a messenger to greet me." He mutters to himself. Noticing a note attached to its leg, eyeing the bird carefully for any sign of aggression. Carefully, he takes the note, unrolls it and reads it.

Good morning, my new king

I sent Zigfried to greet you this morning, my traveling companion. May he serve you well as he has to me. Should you need him, ring the matching bell attached to this note to call him.

I will meet you in the bathroom tonight.

Until then,

E

Kai stared at the note, the raven, the bell and then the note again, grimacing. "You have got to be joking." He grunted in distaste, "I don't want anything from you, old hag." Overhauling the note, picking up the bell and examining it, it looked like an ordinary bell on a red ribbon. He shook it lightly and the raven, straightened and caws, waited for his orders.

Smirking, he drops the bell outside the window, "Oops, I dropped it " he mutters and shrugs to himself, watching as the bird follows the bell as it falls further and further down to the ground, then quickly closes the window, shuddering and grimacing. "Damned dirty pest." Keeping his hands away as if they were contaminated, rewashing his hands.

He sighed, dipping his hand into the water. He scowled, it had already gone cold. Yanking his hand out of the tub, muttering and cursing to himself as he unplugged the drain and threw his towel into the dirty clothes basket. Redressing in the clothes already set out and hanging beside the sink: a black button down, black slacks, his brown belt, and white tennis shoes.

Kai opened his eyes and checked his reflection in the mirror. Same sharp golden eyes, same jaw, not a blemish in sight, except for the small dark circles underneath his eyes.

Touching his face, he activated his quirk and removed the dark circles without a hiss or grunt of discomfort, then rewashed his hands, brushed his teeth, brushed his short hair before slipping on his black duster mask and white gloves.

Exiting the bathroom and out of his bedroom, he walked down the hallway and into the dining room for his breakfast where Eri was happily eating scrambled eggs, bacon, a blueberry muffin and orange juice. "Morning, big brother." Eri chirped after finishing her mouthful and offering a bright smile.

Kai nodded his head, "Good morning, Eri." He sat down at the head of the table, unfolding his newspaper and glancing at the news as a servant poured him a cup of black coffee with a shot of espresso, placing down his own plate of bacon, an everything omelette and buttered toast.

Picking up with coffee, blowing on it and gently taking a sip, noticing an article about rouge villains taking residence in the town over. Raising a thin brow at the descriptions of the men, a man with burnt skin and scares, stapled, blue flames and black hair, and another with light blue hair and the power to decay anything with his hands. Have to look further into the matter the next time I go into town. he thought to himself.

Finishing their breakfast, Kai and Eri rose from the table, Eri nearly hopped out of her seat to go to her piano lessons when Kai called her name. Eri stopped in her tracks, tilting her head and blinked, "What is it?" Ruby doll-like eyes meeting his.

Kai swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, sighed and sat back down, gesturing for her to do the same which she obeyed, quietly. "Lessons are cancelled for today, Eri."

"Oh." Eri fiddled with her hands and pouted. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Kai reached over and lightly patted her on top of the head. His nightmare returned to him, feeling helpless to help his youngest sister, it was awful. Clearing his throat, he might as well get it done and out of the way. "Father passed away in his sleep last night. His funeral is today, we can pick up lessons tomorrow."

"Daddy's gone?" Eri's eyes widened, tears welling and spilling over. She leaped out of her chair and wrapped her arms around his side, burying her face into his chest as he embraced her, returning the hug as she sobbed her heart out.

Kai's heart ached, breathing through his nose underneath his mask. Waiting for her to calm down as he pulled her into his lap, gently rocking her back and forth. "I can't replace Father, but I will try my best, alright?" He mutters, wiping her tears with the back of his gloved thumb.

Eri sniffed and nodded her head as she leaned back. "Okay." Offering him a small smile.

Kai hummed, knowing exactly what will cheer her up. "How about I ask the chef to make beef and apple curry tonight for supper?"

Eri's smile widened. "Really?"

Kai chuckled, nodding. "Yes, if you eat all the vegetables. I'll see if he can throw in an apple tart with vanilla ice cream for dessert." Whispering, bringing a gloved finger to his lips as if they were sharing a secret. "Can you be a big girl for me?"

"Yes! Yes, I can." Eri nodded her head.

"No, backing out now. Or else I'll have to eat the tart all by myself." Kai shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

"I will, Kai, I will!" Eri cheered and raised her hands into the air.

"Good." He nodded, "Now, go brush your teeth and go play. The funeral is at noon. I have to go finish paperwork before heading towards the library. I'll be there, if you need me "

Eri slid off his lap, pushed in her chair and stacked her dishes before running off to go play. "See you soon, big brother!"

His smile dropped into a thin line. Leaned his elbows on the table, interlocking his gloved hands and leaning against his forehead, taking a deep, calming breath and slowly letting it out. Thin brows furrowed as he sat in silence, taking everything that had fallen into his responsibilities and shoulders, thinking about what needed to get done first.

Work on the pile of paperwork his father left unattended and piled up in his declining health, last touches on the funeral arrangements, and scower the library and begin his transition on the book.

Hardening his resolve, the young lord stood to his feet, shoulders back, head held high and his stoic mask of indifference in place as he left the dinning room unaware of the raven and The Enchantress watching him once more.

She held Zigfried's matching bell in hands, running her fingers through the silk red ribbon as the bird perched on her shoulder, cooing and rubbing his beak against her cheek. The woman giggled, petting him and stroking his feathers, "Yes, you have been such a good boy. It's a shame your new master is a stubborn brat." Rolling her eyes, clicking her tongue and shaking her head, frowning. "This won't do at all."

Waving her hand, a hand mirror appeared, flouting in midair. One of the many gifts Lady Yukiji had given her as a present in her youth.

The Enchantresses stared at the gift with fondness. "Oh, my old friend. May your son come to his senses before he makes things worse on himself." The winds and whispering coming from the forest were growing restless. "Time is running out. If he is to become the last Beast, he must open his heart to his new bride."

🌹🌹🌹🐦‍⬛🌹🌹🌹

After completing his hours for the day, Kai buried his nose in book after book, spreading them open and around him as he slowly translated the text.

Chronostasis had to physically drag his master out of the library so he could take another bath and freshen up, redress for the old King's funeral. With a huffing sigh, Kai conceited. His thirst for the book's secrets would have to wait.

He decided to wait and hold off on his coronation until he found a wife.

Right now, Eri needed him more.

He buried his father beside his mother in the ancient family mausoleum, generations of his predecessors, their wives and children were laid to rest here. His family crest is carved into the stoned marble above the arches, no matter how many times Kai saw it as a boy while passing he had always found it hauntingly beautiful; although, he never walked past the first or second level himself, paying his respects for his ancestors or mother, then left about his business.

A painted portrait of his ancestor and his beloved wife were hung among the wall, the supposed first "Beast" and his "Beauty" as he recalled. He supposed that his Lady wife was beautiful and easy on the eyes, even hundreds of years later he could see a gentleness and love in her soft gaze, and unlike the hardness Kai was used to seeing on his ancestors face within the portrait back within the castle; he did notice his hard golden gaze had softened when he stood beside his wife.

Kai had the chef cater the reception and told the servants and staff to help themselves as long as they had picked up after themselves. He hardly had an appetite, but made sure Eri ate. She picked at her food, but did manage to eat everything on her plate.

He decided to read her a story as he tucked her in for nap time. To his surprise, she wanted the classic Beauty and The Beast fairy tale, then again, he shouldn't be since it was in her current rotation of stories as of late.

If it was fate or irony, he would never know.

Either way, his sister passed out in thirty minutes. He couldn't blame her, it had been a rough day on her. Moving a lock of hair out of her face and away her horn, Kai stood and placed the book back on the bookshelf before closing the door and heading back towards the library.

He better hoped something interesting was within the books pages for wasting his precious time when Kai had better tasks to do.

Shrugging off his jacket and loosening tie as he sat back down in front of the accursed book, picking up where he left off. Tension left his shoulders as he scanned the text, glanced at another book, scribbled down the translation and repeated.

Hour after hour passing until it was time for supper. As promised, the chef had prepared his sister's favorite curry, rice, yeast rolls and an apple tart with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Eri cheered up and ate happily as she talked about the drawing she made for their father to bring to him the next time they visited their families crept together.

After supper, Eri followed him in the library as she promised to be quiet.

Kai glanced up from his work and his lips curled when he noticed Eri had fallen asleep, buried inside his jacket, a red crayon in one hand and her stuffed dog in the other. Chuckling, he picked her up, kissed the top of her head, whispered goodnight and handed her off to June. Who waited outside the library, quietly.

June was Hari's girlfriend and Eri's personal maid and bodyguard. The two love birds planned on waiting to announce their engagement after Kai took his own wife. Compared to Hari, June was more out going, flirty and loved to tease her lover, making him grow flustered and blush often.

It amused Kai since the woman approached Hari first, downright asking the poor man for a date everyday until he agreed. He may not believe in true love, but he hoped for the happy couple a successful marriage.

Kai passed many of the staff as they readied themselves for bed, bowing in respect and wishing him a good night which he returned with a curt nod.

Glancing at the clock on the wall as it chimed, headed towards his new room in The West Wing for his evening bath, with his translated notes in hand, he wasn't done, but it will have to do for now.

Reading them as he dried his hair, pacing around the room.

The first part of it was that godforsaken story and legendary curse again! Couldn't he go a whole day without someone, anybody not talking about this curse nonsense?!

Kai grit his teeth as the mention of "The Enchantress" as he stared at the illustrations of an old begger woman magically turning into a beautiful woman, pointing at his ancestor as he started to change and transform into the supposed Beast.

Magic? More like con artist!

He wondered if his ancestor was hallucinating the whole thing, half mad and delirious? His wife played along with it for kicks, unless she died as him own mother had. Except, he knew from the death certificate and date on his ancestors headstone and ashes along the family crept that both had lived until they were both in their eighties to see their great grandchildren before they both passed away in their sleep together.

Kai nearly crumpled the papers and overhauled them, instead, he shoved them into the red and gold book, slamming it shut and tossed it onto his desk. A frustrated puff of air leaving his lips. "This is ridiculous. This is madness and reality. The modern times and the twenty-first century, not the damned medieval times!" he muttered to himself and cursed.

A feminine giggle made him jump and begin to loosen one of his glove as he glared at the woman leaning against the closed balcony window, arms crossed. "I'm afraid it's all true, my King." She battered her lashes, grin widening. "Believe me, I was there myself."

The young lord snored, "Of course, you were." He remained rooted to the spot and on guard.

The Enchantresses frowned, "You were supposed to meet me in the ballroom an hour ago. It's bad manners to keep a lady and guest waiting, my Lord." She chastised him.

"You have no right or power to speak to me in such a casual manner, witch." Kai replied flatly, hint of aggression and offense in his tone as he tried to calm his nerves. Anytime this woman appeared, it made him feel uncomfortable, on edge and she knew it. "If that is all you have to say, get out." He waved her off.

Foot steps eched throughout the hallway of mirrors, towards his room. Eri burst in, sobbing and crying, running towards him. "Kai! Kai!"

Kai's eyes widened as he knelt, opening his arms and held her tight. His heartbeat quickening as a sense of deja vu hit him, snippets of his nightmare came back, then he shook his head. "Eri? What's wrong?" His brows furrowed. "Why are you out of bed? It's late."

Eri panted, hot tears falling down her chubby cheeks. "When I woke up to get something to drink. I called for you, Hari and June.... but no one came." She shook in his arms, trembling. "A clock, a feather duster and bird stuffed animal were talking, Kai. Honest!"

Now, he was ever more confused. "A clock, a feather duster and a bird stuffed animal?" Kai repeated. "What do you mean Hari is gone? And June?" Something wasn't right. He knew the pair would never abandon their posts to run away together, they were as loyal to him and Eri as they had to their parents.

Eri nodded her head. Ruby eyes blinking through tears as she noticed the woman behind her brother. "Who's that?" She asked, shyly. Glancing over his side.

"Nobody." He muttered grumply, standing to his feet with her in his arms. "Come, let's get you back in bed." Kai glanced over his shoulder, "Are you still here woman?" He growled, "I don't like repeating myself. Get out."

The woman held the same eerie brightly colored rose as last night between her fingertips. "I will ask again, my king." She began. "All I ask is to stay the night and for you to accept this rose, my gift to you. Do you want it?" She pressed, stretching out her hand and offering the flower to him and Eri. Her smile softening.

"My answer is still no." Kai snapped, gritting his teeth.

The room grew chilling, temperature dropping.

The air around them suffocating and pulsating, as it everything around them darkening.

Kai's and Eri's breath fogging as he pulled her tighter against him, trying to keep her smaller and fragile body warm, offering her comfort.

That sense of deja va growing stronger and stronger, he fully remembered his nightmare.

The witch must have hit him with hypotheses or some other kind of tricks.

Eri's teeth chattered, tiny hands gripping his shirt tightly and clutching her chest. "Kai..." Her face scrunching up, brows furrowed with pain. "What's happened?" She bit her lips, panting, eyes shut tight, trembling harder and gasping, sweating. Her body was growing hotter, burning up. Opening her eyes, mouth open wide as a strangled squeal left her lips, leaning forwards and finding her voice, muffling her screaming wails into his chest. "Kai! It's hurts! Make it stop! Please!"

"Eri?!" Kai overhauled a glove, touching her forehead and trying to activate his quirk as her horn started to glow an orange light. "Eri telling me were it hurts?" He asked panicking, turning and running towards the bed and gentle setting her down. Trying to find any wounds or injuries.

"Everywhere!" She whimpered, curling into a ball and hold onto his hand. "Big brother.... am I dying... like daddy?"

Kai's heart nearly stopped, shaking his head. "No. No, Eri you are not dying." He whispered, gasping. No. No. He couldn't lose Eri too. He didn't want to be left in this castle all alone. "You can't go dying before me, remember?" Swallowing down the lump and fear in his throat, chuckling weakly. "I promised that I would live to be one-hundred and twenty."

Eri bit her lip, nodding her head.

Kai watched in disbelief as his little sister grew smaller and smaller just like in his nightmare. Same doll-like eyes, hair, nightgown, everything.

No, his own personal hell and time loop. He needed to wake up! It was all a dream! Wake up!

He glanced over his shoulder. "What the hell have you done?!" Kai demanded, he was nearly hyperventilating, cradling his doll sized sister in his arms.

Golden iris' meeting icy blue as her hood fell, revealing her face.

Her hair and body glowing and appeared ethereal against the moonlight, teeth and nails sharpening as she growled and cackled. The double doors and windows outside the large balcony opened, gusts of wind spilling into the room, causing her hair and cloak to fly and twist around her. "You refused my gifts, disrespected me and I've been more than generous and patience with you my young king. Crushing my precious roses," she clicked her tongue, scolding him and stalking towards them.

Kai swallowed, his fright quickly turning into anger as he narrowed his sharp eyes. "Generous?" He scoffed and sneered, straightening his posture and challenging, "What have you done that is generous? Tell me witch?"

"Giving you time to grieve and accept my offer. I ask for so little and you threw it back into my face, you ungrateful, bratty child." She answered as wolves outside the castle howled. "Look at what your pride and arrogance has done, Kai. You've disobeyed your father's dying wish and my advice. Now you and everyone who holds you dear is cursed." She mocked, pointing at the doll cowering and sobbing in his arms.

He shook his head in disbelief as he glanced down at Eri. "No- I"

The Enchantress cut him off, pointing at him, "Yes, you. My lord, young King Kai," then gripping his jaw hard, forcing him to meet her gaze. "You. Your fathers only male heir are at fault and refuse to accept it."

Kai struggled, his eyes widened at her unnatural and inhuman strength. Anger and rage boiling in his veins, "Let me go!" He tried to shake her grip, use his free hand and push her off, but she quickly caught his hand before he could activated his quirk. "Get off me, this instant! You filthy, monstrous harlot!" He growled.

"Such a mouth on you, my boy." She laughed, yanking his mask off of his face, turning his face this way and that, examining him from head to toe as he shivered and shook, gritting his teeth in frustration and disgust. "Hmmm, yes. You are handsome enough, even when covered and dust and hives. But I'm afraid your handsomeness won't save you from the curse, never has." She let go as he fell back onto the bed, frowning, "Such a pity. I can see your inner beast, growing with anger, greed and heartless over shadowing your human heart, Kai Chisaki." Her smile returned, turning sadistic and wide, show off her overly razor sharp teeth, fur growing on one of her arms, wolf fur. "Let's meet him, shall we, my lord?" Curling a clawed finger, "Come on out, now." She ordered and cooed, sickeningly sweet.

A sharp pain and pang hit the young lord, his back arching off the bed in an unnatural way. He grunted in discomfort, gritting his teeth as his body heated up, growing feverish, every hair on his body standing on end as he gasped. His heart racing and pounding in his ears and chest, he though the organ would beat out of his chest, muscles bunching and straining as his clothes torn, beastly snarls and growls reverberation and spilling out of his throat.

Eri whimpered, "Why?"

"I'm sorry, my dear." The Enchantress stroked the top of her head, missing her horn. Her touch was gentle and motherly much like her older sisters touches. "Your brother didn't listen and must pay the price until the curse is lifted."

Hold out her hand, Eri watched as the same beautiful and glowing rose the woman offered to her brother glowed brighter and brighter, causing little doll to shield her eyes.

Kai's bedroom door opened against, a clock, a bird plush and a feather duster entered the room calling for their master and mistress. Three sets of eyes widened as they were blinded.

The young lords human and inhuman, bellowing roars of pain echoes throughout the halls of the castle as everything faded into blackness once more.

As Kai reopened his eyes, he felt different. His hearing and senses were sharper.

He looked in the mirror and the young lords eyes widened.

The young lord learned three things that night.

One.

Fairytales are indeed real and curses are much worse

Two.

He wasn't human anymore.

Three.

His father was right, which meant, he needed to find a wife who would love him in this accursed form.

But who could ever learn to love a monstrous beast like him?

-------- Ending of Prologue part 2 -------

Tag list: @fanofflames @slayfics @ijichikiyotakaswife @staitc-rj @madamebloodmoon @s-k-3-l-l-y @lostiolite @xxchisakislittleangelxx @x-kiwi-03 @chainslobber @inorganicone2230 @angelblueflame @nikki152006 @cherry-queens-blog @chisvki @metranart @fabled-lady-twilla

[digitalsatyr23]

Creatures of Arachnia (Cold Terrain)

A compiled list of different creatures that can be encountered in especially cold climates in Arachnia, from the snowy forests of Wyravaen to the glacial plains of Cayuvia. Some creatures are inspired and adapted from myth and legend, whereas others are unique to Arachnia. Read on if you're curious about its polar denizens!

Abyssal Wolf

Description: "This gigantic black wolf stands over 10ft tall from its front paws to its ears. It has cold, pupiless grey eyes that gleam with malicious intent. Its snout is long and the lines of its mouth make it seem like it could swallow a person whole. Its upper back is especially pronounced, with dense fur and muscle, almost like a grizzly bear, whereas its lower back and legs seem oddly thin by comparison."

Lore: Abyssal wolves are feared predators of the tundras. The stuff of dark fables and ghost stories, they are said to have originally been born in the seven hells, only to somehow make their way to the material plane. It is unknown if they are intelligent or capable of speech, but they do possess an unnatural cunning and measurable cruelty that far exceeds other wolves. Most disturbing of all, abyssal wolves seem to appear and disappear without warning. One moment nothing is there, but after the winds pick up, they simply appear, staring you down. Those who have proven themselves strong enough to take down these supernatural predators have learned their fur is magical in nature, able to mask their presence when exposed to snow and winds. But then… That would imply that abyssal wolves would possess similar abilities. If this is the case, then it's possible that an abyssal wolf could be watching you, and you'd never know…

Pale Mantis

Description: "Slicing clean through the ice, this oversized praying mantis has silvery blue chitin, large yellow compound eyes, and sharp scythe blades for arms. Standing well over 8ft tall, this creature has a long body, four thin legs, and two antennae. Between its large eyes and antennae, it also has three see-through bumps in a v-formation."

Lore: Pale mantises are cunning ambush predators that live in snowy tundras, mountains, and frost-covered forests. Their arms grow incredibly durable and sharp bone ridges, which almost resemble metal, and use this to slice apart their prey. Special pigments in their bodies that they can control allow pale mantises some level of camouflage, and they use this to blend in with their environment, sometimes mimicking trees or ice crystals. Their vision, hearing, and sense of smell are extraordinary, and it is likely that a pale mantis will notice you long before you notice it.

Yeti

Description: "This powerfully-built white-furred ape man has a round head, gleaming red eyes, sharp teeth, five-clawed hands, and three-toed feet. Almost all of its body is covered in thick, shaggy fur, though what skin can be seen is very dark. It wears a colorful, decorative sash around its waist, and steam billows from its nostrils."

Lore: Originally named "Migoi", these creatures of the snowy mountain peaks are said to be servants of Nyttania, the Goddess of Creation and Destruction. They are intelligent if rambunctious spirits that will take up residence on mountain tops in order to either protect sacred grounds or ward off travelers from entering dangerous caverns. Their fearsome appearance inspires dread and panic, and misunderstandings are quite common between yetis and mortals. During these altercations, a yeti might attempt to snatch up an attacker and stick them to their bodies, slowly draining their body heat until the person passes out - though a yeti is capable of healing any damage this does to a person. Indeed, yetis are knowledgeable of a great deal of divine and healing magic, and use purified water and large cauldrons in order to "cook" wounds and diseases out of a person. It is said that yetis can multiply asexually, with balls of fur falling off of them suddenly sprouting hands and feet. Though they are able to use magic right away, yeti children still take time to learn speech, and often will speak gibberish such as "Harumph!" when trying to communicate with others.

Frost Drake

Description: "This oversized predator stands around 8ft tall, and is about 20ft long from tusk to tail. They have four legs, with their front legs acting as their wings, with a thick webbing between their wrists and backsides. Their scales are pale blue and green, they have a yellow underbelly, their eyes are a fiery red and orange, and their large tusks, growing out the sides of their heads, are a pale yellow. Sharp ridges grow along its head and back, all the way to its tail, which ends in a thick bony club."

Lore: Frost drakes are a variety of drake that live in snowy mountain ranges and connected forests. Though capable of limited flight, they tend to use the harsh winds of the cold north in order to glide and conserve energy. When walking on all fours, the ends of their wings point upwards as they walk on their four-taloned feet. Distantly related to dragons, drakes are not capable of speech, and behave in much the same way a predator might, hunting, protecting its territory, and fending off creatures targeting its mates and young. A frost drake uses its tusks to deadly effect in combat, but their primary use appears to be for marking territory. These tusks are ground against several trees, leaving deep, easily visible gashes in the bark. If you happen to stumble into a forest with large gashes across each tree, you might have stepped into a frost drake's territory! It might gore you with its huge tusks, tear you apart with its sharp fangs, rip you to shreds with its claws, or even freeze you solid with its chilling ice breath. When they feel threatened, frost drakes fight with a reckless abandon, flailing with all their might to strike down their perceived foe.

Shantak

Description: "An eerie black beast with a smooth, rubbery hide, a hooked beak for a nose, six beady black eyes, and notably horse-like teeth in its gum-exposed maw. Its front legs are also its wings, tall thin spines grow across its backside, and it has a long slender tail. While easily 12ft tall, it keeps its head and long, thick neck lower to the ground, as if to stay at eye-level with you."

Lore: Shantaks are said to be beings from all across the Elsewhere. Legend speaks of these nightmarish beasts soaring across the stars and roosting in snowy mountain tops in foreign worlds. They only speak in Aklo, and their hot steamy breath smells of death and rot. It is easy to tell if a shantak has been in an area recently, for their bodies naturally secrete a slippery black slime, soiling the land wherever they tread. While their origins are as yet unknown, some (incredibly) brave scholars have managed to speak with shantaks in the past, presenting the creatures with food and… Other forms of bribery. Shantaks describe themselves as "travelers" and "lovers of new sights, smells, and tastes." They seem to prefer feeding on intelligent prey and see non-sapient creatures as beneath their palate. Sometimes described as "shantak-birds", their bodies are covered in countless small, smooth, and oily scales. They only mate with their own kind, and females (?) produce incredibly large eggs said to be rich in flavor. At least, that's how the story goes. The only man said to have eaten a shantak-bird egg mysteriously disappeared after writing about his experience.

Altero

Description: "This creature is shaped like a megaraptor, standing at around 6ft tall with snow white fur, yellow reptilian eyes, three-clawed small arms, thick legs ending in three-taloned feet, and a thick feathery tail. Though it appears reptilian in nature, it has swept-back deer-like ears, feathers growing along the sides of its arms, and great feathery wings."

Lore: Altero are cousins to dragons, being intelligent, cunning, and capable of magic. They build stony citadels inside snow mountain peaks. Like dragons, they're capable of shapeshifting and will sometimes take on the guise of other races in order to ease diplomatic ventures. Their size, intellect, and shapeshifting prowess has made them useful in the Xenshin courts of Wyravaen as courtiers. You might even encounter one on the docks to check you in should you venture to Wyravaen via ship! In their culture, rather than wear fancy crowns, the leader of a given clan has ownership over a large drinking goblet, often made of gold and other precious metals and gems. This cup is known in the common tongue as the Chalice of Authority. The quickest way to please an altero is to present it with a gift of gems, jewelry, or valuable minerals (such as gold, silver, or platinum). Altero tend to have a "posh" and proud personality. It's not to say that they view themselves above other races, but they do carry with them a strong sense of self-worth.

Ocean Wyvern

Description: "A truly gigantic creature that measures 80ft from nose ridge to tail tip, with a wingspan of 200ft. It has a smooth, pale lavender hide, two short legs ending in three talons each, and a long, flat, slightly round head similar to a fin whale. It has two small black eyes, a blowhole on its back, and its wings and tail seem reminiscent of a manta ray."

Lore: Ocean wyverns are one of the largest species of wyvern in all of Arachnia. Known to travel great distances by sea and air, they hunt by swooping down into the water and scooping up huge amount of krill, fish, and whatever else gets caught in its gigantic maw and baleen. Like other wyverns, they are capable of speech, though they tend to be a bit dimwitted, and their poor eyesight does not help this matter at all. Their large size has led scholars to question its capacity for flight, and the body of an ocean wyvern was found to contain unique organs that are still being studied, with one being unusually light for its size. Because of this, it is theorized that some form of gravity-resisting magic allows the creature the move the way it does. This may also explain another phenomenon that happens with these beasts. Due to hunting in the waters and flying away when they're satisfied, they have been known to accidentally carry off ships on their backs. The crew of these ships found that the ship stayed balanced on the backside of the creature, and the harsh winds did not blow anyone off of it. Ocean wyverns tend to be found in the cold north, though they sometimes migrate further south, circling around the edges of the Acid Sea in search of prey.

Googoo Bird

Description: "A large bird 20ft long from beak to tail feathers. It has a round, white feathery body, a stocky neck, and a beak that seems perfect for scooping up water and fish. Though it has wings, they appear to be too short to be used for flight. Its eyes are round and dark, and its beak is pale pink."

Lore: A species of flightless bird that hunts fish and (occasionally) other birds, such as seagulls. They bear a resemblance to albatrosses and are entirely peaceful, never attacking people despite its size. Their legs and webbed feet are incredibly strong, though, so one must take care not to anger a googoo bird, lest it kick you through a wall. Its name is derived from a sound they are known to make, which sounds like a rattling "goooooogoooooo". In the past, tribes of humanoids would ride these creatures as mounts in order to cross between islands or fish. Their main predators are large sharks (which googoo birds can kick away) and sea serpents (which googoo birds cannot kick away). Googoo birds travel in flocks as large as thirty, and when threatened, the flock will either flee or fight together, scratching, pecking, and kicking their foe to death. Googoo birds are used to the cold and can be easily spotted from snowy coastlines.

Marak

Description: "This deer-sized creature is covered in thick shaggy white fur. Moving on six three-taloned legs, it has a lithe and swift body, as well as a long, thin, fuzzy tail. It looks at once like a mammal and like an insect, with its four dark eyes, feathery-looking antennae like moths, and thick smooth chitin on its underbelly. Its head is notably round, with sharp fangs inside its mouth, as well as mandibles bordering its maw."

Lore: Maraks are a type of snowy forest creature that feeds primarily on frozen carrion. Scurrying about through the snow, it scavenges for food among the leftovers of larger predators, as well as the bodies of those who have succumbed to the cold of their homeland. Though they primarily walk on all six legs, they can actually stand up on their back four legs, grabbing and examining things with their front legs in much the same way a raccoon might pick something up. Indeed, maraks are known to find all manner of trinkets and baubles and take them back to their burrows for safe keeping. It is said that the larger their hoard, the more attractive they are to females - which are much larger than males, and a great deal more intimidating. Fertilized marak eggs are spread all throughout a marak couples' burrow, each being about the size of a human eyeball. Competition among marak young is fierce, and it is said that freshly born maraks will quickly fight and devour each other until only a handful of capable young remain. This sense of bloodthirst seems to leave them as they grow, for a fully grown marak is more curious and peaceful than creatures typical of the frozen north. This cannot be said if you threaten a marak's young or treasure hoard, however. Almost as if a switch is flipped inside of them, a marak will go from a friendly creature to a bloodthirsty predator in the blink of an eye. Because of this, it is highly advised to never go near mother maraks or marak burrows.

[archangeltwins]

Title: About Time Some Deliverance Is Due

Rating: Mature

Fandom: canon-divergence from NCIS: L. A., and my own headcanons

Characters: Charlotte O'Lear ( oc ) & Achilles 'Akhos' Laos

Triggering Content May Include: stalking, mentions of obsessive behavior, physical abuse and related injuries, violence, alcohol

“Achilles?” No answer.

“Achilles.” The winds from the mediterranean had turned cold, chilling Charlotte to the bone. A storm was approaching. Poor ventilation let a breeze into the building; a dingy, dilapidated thing.

“Akhos fucking Laos, would you answer me already? I know you’re in there!” Charlotte’s fist curled around her phone. Quick bodily shiver.

There was a moment of silence, then came a mumbled, groggy curse as the speaker’s own was lifted. Static crackled. A gruff tenor filtered through, ending in a yawn. “Char, it’s too damn early.”

“But A, just-”

“No. Not again.” He cut her off. No chance at bargain. “Supposed to be working?”

She hummed on her end, reply full of thinly-veiled snark. “Supposed to be answering the door, Mr. Laos? Refusing a guest is impolite.”

Goddamn it.

With a groan he rose, clad in shorts and sleeveless tank. The apartment he’d bought out was small. No luxuries. No affluent fixings. Alleys of native greece a good place to disappear. Running a hand through shortened thatches of dark hair, he paused to check the keyhole - one hand lax on the knob.

True to what she’d said, the brunette was standing in the hallway. He turned his head away, eyes falling closed for a mere second, the briefest of memories resurfacing.

No. This is not anything romantic. Something in gut told him otherwise.

Steeling himself, he banished it deep. The door swung open with a creak. Dim bulb above framed Charlotte’s face in a halo of golden light, backpack slung across one slim shoulder.

“Going to make me stand out here all night?” She teased, and he answered with a grunt.

“Considered it. Renault revoke your privileges?”

“No,” she says, sidestepping around him. Damn the lack of maneuverable space. And damn his tiny entryway.

He shut the door, lock clicking in place. “And that brought you back? Irony or coincidence?"

"Both.” Charlotte hardly glanced back when answering. Shrugging off her pack, it landed with a muffled thump. He arched a brow, arms folding over his chest.

“Elaborate?”

“Shadow’s haunting me again. He caught me in a pretty bad spot. Wasn’t deterred by the metal I flashed."

Akhos’ scowl deepened, a dark look passing over his features. Shadow was code for an especially obsessive ex from years back. "Went lone wolf because you thought it’d protect. Become anonymous. Didn't work?"

"No. It-it didn’t.” She finally admitted with a sigh, rubbing her nape beneath waves of dark curls.

He took stock of her reaction before striding to a kitchenette. Withdrawing two beers from the fridge, he tossed one to her. It was caught with ease. "Send in a report of behavior? Did he do anything to you?”

Charlotte hesitated, thumb circling the rim. Gaze downcast, no longer level with him. She chewed her lip. The cold prickled. Clock-ticks echoed. Silence was to be taken as an answer in most situations, but not this time.

“Char, did or did he not put hands on you?” came the dreaded question.

“A, it’s really none of your business - ”

The beer bottle came hurtling down on the table. Liquid sloshed, Akhos’ fingers tightened on the neck. His response was a growling bark. “It IS my fucking business! One day he’ll go too far and you’ll end in a ditch!”

Charlotte took to her feet, own bottle left unopened. Who was he to attempt a shot at any of her past choices? He had his own skeletons shoved in the closet.

Teeth were bared, masking a grimace. “I’m not some fragile flower, Akhos! I’ve bested others of our division! I am - I was - your partner! Your equal! You think I’ll break from just a few punches?”

“You’re slipping. You packed too light. You’re avoiding using core muscles to bend and sit.” He continued, motioning to the dirtied backpack. “Which means, you’re injured. I need to know where, and how severe before you fuck up beyond repair."

Damn him and his keen observances. Damn that ingrained intuition.

"Just, show me.” He said, leaving the table with one chair ajar. Not leaping to assist as his stubborn white-knightedness tended to make him do.

His expression was currently unreadable, leaving her wondering just what machinations lay beyond those calculatory blues.

But he cared. They’d changed from exhausted to attentive so quick it honestly spooked her. Must really hate injustice, or women-beating bastards.

Fingers curling beneath her shirt, she caved, lifting it high overhead. The discoloration drew Akhos’ gaze then, boot-shaped and peppering her stomach.

Bruises weren’t the only injuries. Stark red stripes had turned her into a human zebra, some oozing blood, cuts shallow. Non-fatal. Her jugular was ringed with blotchy pink, which he came to realize were handprints.

“Going to fucking kill him.” Charlotte heard him utter under his breath.

“Akhos, no. You can’t. You can’t and you won’t - ” She begins to protest, watching as he closes the gap. Hand lifting, his fingertips trace dark outlines across her ribs. Featherlight in evaluation, brows furrowed.

She sucks in a breath between clenched teeth.

“Thinking he could do this without consequence was first mistake. Taking frustration out on you will be last.” Akhos murmurs. Some are inflamed, and cause her to hiss at irritation. Any other time she’d push him away. The handprints are of least concern - not dark enough to bruise, light enough that they’ll fade.

“You’ve got two, possibly three cracks. And cuts - the type a switchblade leaves. Wanted you to heal, to scar. Carry reminders written in flesh.” He adds. “First aid kit’s in the bathroom - ”

“Narrow hall hugging kitchen. Ten paces inside and take a left.” Charlotte responds, with a pained grin. “I know, A.”

“Then rest, use pain relievers. No compression gauze. If you do get hungry, there’s microwavables.” He mentions, offhandedly waving towards the squat freezer.

“Sounds appetizing. Can’t wait.” She gives a hum of acknowledgement, interrupted by a wince. “What, not going to help a lady in need?"

"Distressed damsel? More afraid of you knocking me on my ass. Both know I’ll leave - whether or not you agree with methods.” He replies, downing what’s left of his beer.

“No gun. No knives. And no garrote, either.” Blossoming pain spread outward, adrenaline worn off.

Ten paces. This’ll be easy. One foot in front of the other, right? Drab beige wallpaper seemed to stretch, bright white spots dancing in her peripheral. Nausea twists her stomach in knots.

As she lets a shaky breath free, she faintly hears footsteps and then the door re-lock.

Well, damn. He did go.

"Asshole."

[assassinnovice]

Thought process

So i did a think, something i haven't brought myself to do in a long while.

I have this dragon Age Veil guard idea that's been racking at my brain and I wanted to share it will all of you. Let me know what you think, if I should proceed or trash it, but I like this idea. So here you go:

Name: Maya Lavellan (Former: Manar’Menyhert)

Age: 38 (28 before the explosion of the conclave)

Hair: Moon white

Eyes: Ocean Blue

Height: 5’ 6 1/2”

Weight: 128 lb

Preference: Magic and staff, Rift Mage

Titles:

The Keeper’s First.

Spy of Clan Lavellan.

Murder of Divine Justina.

Knife ear.

Heretic.

Dalish monger.

Inquisitor.

Belle of the Ball.

Liberator.

Dread Wolf’s lover

Mythal’s blood.

The Anointed.

Friend of the Stone.

She who was reborn.

Goddess of Hope.

Lady of Vengeance.

Past Live: Manar remembers how Mythal shaped her spirit form, treating her like a daughter, young, wild, and innocent. Manar was doted on my her mother, teaching her the secrets of what they are and what they could be and do.

But her visit of the Waking world, the Titans’ world changed everything, seeing how they were and what they can do. Manar was in awe of Titans and learned more from them.

Questions upon questions did she ask and the Titans were amused by the young spirit’s curiosity.

And when their permission, she gained a physical body. A body that match how her spirit looked. Stunning, beautiful, like a star that choose to walk among mortals.

It took time to gain an understanding of her mortal body, but thanks to the Titans’ help. She learned, and with her learning. She was gifted with their power. Their dreams.

Understanding their power and responsibility of what they do. Connection and forming the world with her mind, dream-scraping. She called it.

How the others Titans were not amused with her choice of words, but she loved it nonetheless. Which allowed her to form a bond with a High Dragon Queen and her days of learning to walk and live like a mortal only grew

But her days of bliss were short lived as her mother and the rest of her people were taking what wasn’t theirs.

That lead to a war between the Spirits and the Titans.

She still remembers how the ground shook and fire rained from the heavens. Seeing her people falling and the titans destroying everything in their wake.

She fight with the Titans in the hopes of regaining what they lost, but also wanted there to be peace between the two factions.

But watching her mother’s lover, severed the Titans’ ability to dream, it shook her to her core. To take away someone will to dream. It was a punishment crueler than death.

And to watch Elgar’nan declares himself a God and her mother stand at his side, it brought an anger that burned.

She was imprisoned for her crimes against the people, but not before she sent friend away, to stay hidden from her people, knowing their cruel knows no bounds.

Her mother tried to connected to her and convince her to work alongside her people, but Manar was stubborn in her decision. Something she gained from her time with the titans.

She was desired by many for her beauty, even the other spirits grew jealous of her beauty and the power she wield.

Manar was humble from her experience in the waking world. For she pitied her people, always wanting more and it never being enough.

Seeing the High dragons were forcibly taken against their will and bounded to the Evanuris, that gave them their power and everlasting life.

She took it upon herself to bound the dragon queen to her and she to the dragon queen. Both grained everlasting life, but if one should die the others is doomed to follow.

The dragon queen was grained an elvan body and they both were hidden for centuries, in the hope of gaining strength and enough time to slip into The Dread Wolf’s Rebellion.

Both wore mask to keep their identities secret and thanks to looking almost alike, everyone was convinced they were just twins.

The sweet and innocent spirit died and the Rebel was born, The Lady of Revenge. But she stayed trued to her nature and gave hope to those that had none and knowing who she is would attract the attention of the many.

She concealed her face within a mask and set out to ruin the rule of her people that proclaimed themselves Gods. The Evanuris.

In the first few years, she proved a throne wedge deep into the Evanuris’ side, worse than the Dread Wolf. Fen’Heral. Who was curious about the young rebel and her sister.

Becoming a figure of affection to the Dread Wolf, Manar’Menyhert refused to let her heart be swayed by Solas’s kind and gentle words. Knowing he would pull something to hurt her once again.

But as the years past, Manar’Menyhert and Fen’Heral became close friends, The dragon queen, Gineviesia kept reminding her who took the Titans’ ability to dream, who destroy their world.

Manar knew better, but her heart continuously yearned for the Dread wolf’s affection. But her heart began to understand the true meaning of heartbreak, having a letter sent to her from her mother, warning her of the Envauris attempt at releasing the blighted dreams of the Titans.

Both conflicted and concerned for the twisted dreams of the titans and her strangled relationship with her mother. She took the warning and visited her mother.

Only to be stop and watched helplessly as her mother was murdered by the Evanuris she ruled by for centuries.

She remembers how she screamed for her mother, reaching for her, only to be pulled away from room and taken far away. How her heart cried for her mother, seeing her mortal body crumble and bleed out on the floor.

Her need for revenged was great, but it was the dragon queen that grounded her, keeping her from losing herself and what she was. Hope.

So they both joined forces with Fen’Heral once more and needed a plan to trap the Evanuris with the very blight they dare unleashed. Sneaking her way into the Great Library and finding a way to seal away the blight, but a price was to be paid for this spell.

A price she deliberately withheld from the Dread wolf and only ever shared with the Dragon Queen. Knowing what Manar was planning, but agreed, it was a price that needed to be paid. No matter the cost.

Fen’Heral was angered that Manar’Menyhert dare take such a risk, but she would not be talk to like a child and protected like a damsel in needing of recusing.

She always followed her purpose, to give hope and help those in need, never believed she needed to become a God, helping others and protecting the people was all that mattered to her.

It was what made Fen’Heral fall for her, but he never wanted to ruin the friendship he gain from their relationship, even worse, he knew her true identity but knew she never forgave him for what he did to the titans.

But when they were preparing the final, an ambush happened to both Manar and Gineviesia, both fought valiantly, but did not survive, wounding Manar as the same life threatening wound on Gineviesia, both would not make it and so Manar separated her soul and body scattering her to the far eaches of the earth, keeping her safe and hidden.

Solas watched helplessly as Manar was dying on his arms, she confessed her feelings to him, knowing they would never be returned, and she returned to her spirit form, only for Gilgah’nan to try and destroy her.

Solas stopped her, but it was too late, her spirit broke into three parts and scattered to the far ends.

One to the Titans

One to the Elves

And the last to the mortal to experience the mortal from the seeds of her scheme she planned in Solas’s ritual.

And she experienced many lives.

The first few not happy, most of slavery and Tevienter’s role, but came Anrasate and her attempt to rid the world of cruel rulers.

She followed in her name and fought for freedom, feeling that small piece of herself again.

The next few were of living a noble’s life. Of wealth and comforts. The cruel schemes and playing The Game.

It was a lot of fun, but to see spirit watch and observe over mortal, almost made her feel young again.

Her next was of the lower class, people who were spit at and look down on. But they always found ways to live and carry on.

Manar heart swelled with Hope, feeling almost whole once again, people. Her people, find way to endure and press forward.

Those it was not want she thought would happen, it was a better alternative. But she always missed her friends, family, and her own mother, even those her relationship to her was strangled, she was still her mother in the end.

Knowing her life was coming to a close, she hopes in her next life, she can make things right.

___________________

Reborn after a few decades, Manar’Menyhert was now Maya Lavellan, a young girl with a gifted power, a gentle nature with a fierce temper.

She survived child birth as her mother did not. Her father blamed her for her death, thus, leaving her with Clan Lavellan.

Hurt by her father’s abandonment, the Keeper cared for her like she was his own. Taught her how to control her magic and to always think on her feet.

And thanks to her brothers, she had a playful jokester trait, her lost for the dance grew into a passion of her, but her gentleness did not protect anyone from her fierce temper as she was protective of the people she cared about.

For years, she trained in harnessing her magic, being witty with shemlan traders, and always staying a step ahead of the people that think that can catch her.

But for all the years of having a loving and accepting family of her clan, Maya always felt that something was missing, like she was incomplete.

Always yearning to find what she lost. But little did she know that change was coming their way when the Keeper tasked her with spying on the conclave of the Shemlan gathering of their most holy…

[zoeisabelladaily]

Aurora Vara

Dear Diary,

I awoke to the chilling sensation of a wolf’s breath on my face, its eyes gleaming with an unsettling hunger. My heart pounded with fear as I let out a piercing scream, desperately searching for Albert and Barrel, but they were nowhere to be found. With panic coursing through my veins, I bolted from my hiding place, only to find myself surrounded by a pack of snarling wolves, their menacing growls echoing through the darkness of the forest.

I ran blindly through the maze of trees, my screams falling on deaf ears as the wolves closed in on me with relentless determination. Every step felt like an eternity as I struggled to evade their relentless pursuit. And then, just as I felt the jaws of despair closing in around me, I stumbled into a hidden ditch, my body tumbling into its depths with a bone-jarring impact.

As I lay trembling in the darkness, my mind raced with fear and uncertainty. I knew that I had to find a way to escape, but the darkness seemed to swallow me whole, enveloping me in its suffocating embrace. It was then that I remembered the bottle of Naricula Exhumus tucked away in my bag — a potion said to mask one’s scent from predators.

With trembling hands, I fumbled for the bottle and quickly applied its contents to my skin, hoping against hope that it would be enough to shield me from the wolves’ keen sense of smell. And miraculously, it seemed to work — the wolves’ frenzied pursuit came to an abrupt halt, their senses confounded by the potion’s magic.

But my relief was short-lived as I realized the true danger of my situation. Trapped in the depths of the forest, I was at the mercy of its hidden perils, with no clear path to safety. And then, as if in response to my silent plea for guidance, I heard a voice — a soft, sibilant whisper that seemed to emanate from the very heart of the forest.

“I heard you, darling,” the voice cooed, its words sending shivers down my spine. “You are here to meet me. Welcome to Aurora Vara’s home.”

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled to comprehend the meaning behind the mysterious voice. Who was Aurora Vara, and what did she want from me? And then, with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I realized the truth — the voice belonged to a snake, a creature of the forest whose senses were attuned to the subtlest of movements.

With bated breath, I pressed myself against the cold, damp walls of the ditch, praying that the snake would not detect my presence. But even as I hid, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched — that the snake could sense me, lurking in the shadows.

As I cowered in the darkness, a sense of dread washed over me, threatening to engulf me in its icy embrace. I knew that I had to find a way out of this nightmare, but with each passing moment, the walls of the ditch seemed to close in around me, trapping me in a prison of fear and uncertainty.

And then, with a sudden burst of adrenaline-fueled determination, I gathered my courage and began to search for an escape route. The tunnels twisted and turned, leading me deeper into the heart of the forest, but still, I pressed on, driven by the desperate need to survive.

But just as I dared to hope that I might find a way out, disaster struck — the bottle of Naricula Exhumus slipped from my grasp, shattering into a thousand pieces upon impact. In an instant, the air was filled with the pungent scent of the potion, its magic fading away like smoke in the wind.

And then, as if sensing my vulnerability, the snake spoke again, its voice dripping with malice and hunger. “You smell really tasty,” it hissed, its words sending a chill down my spine.

In that moment, I knew that I was truly alone, trapped in the clutches of a predator with no hope of escape. But even as fear threatened to consume me, I refused to give up hope — for deep within the darkness, a flicker of courage burned bright, guiding me through the shadows towards the promise of dawn.

My heart pounded in my chest as the blind snake, Aurora Vara, loomed before me, her presence both mesmerizing and terrifying. With nowhere to run and no one to turn to, I braced myself for whatever fate awaited me in the depths of the forest.

As Aurora drew closer, her keen senses detecting my presence, I steeled myself for the worst. But to my surprise, she hesitated, her words tinged with uncertainty as she addressed me as Bella. Confusion swirled within me as I struggled to make sense of her cryptic words. Bella? Who was Bella, and why did she mistake me for her?

Summoning my courage, I spoke, my voice trembling with apprehension. “I am Zoe,” I declared, hoping to dispel the misunderstanding that hung between us. Aurora seemed taken aback by my response, her demeanor shifting as she considered my words.

For a moment, silence enveloped us like a shroud, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. And then, as if guided by some unseen force, Aurora’s gaze softened, and she spoke again, her voice filled with longing.

“I missed you,” she murmured, her words echoing in the stillness of the forest. And then, with a graceful motion, she reached towards me, a dazzling diamond glinting upon her brow. With a sense of awe, I accepted the precious gem, feeling its cool weight against my palm.

But as I held the diamond in my hand, something extraordinary happened — it began to melt, its crystalline form dissolving into a shimmering liquid that flowed into my veins like molten silver. A jolt of energy surged through me, leaving me breathless with wonder.

Aurora watched in silence as the transformation took place, her expression one of profound understanding. And then, with a gentle smile, she spoke again, her voice soft and melodic.

“They see,” she whispered, her words carrying a weight of meaning that I struggled to comprehend. And then, with a graceful gesture, she beckoned towards a hidden door, its wooden frame concealed within the dense foliage of the forest.

With trembling hands, I stepped through the threshold, my senses reeling as I found myself standing in a place that defied all logic and reason. Before me lay Maa’s house, its weathered facade a stark reminder of the life I had left behind so many years ago.

I stood frozen in disbelief, my mind unable to grasp the enormity of what lay before me. How was it possible that Maa’s house stood here in the heart of the forest, untouched by the passage of time?

As I crossed the threshold and entered the familiar confines of the house, a flood of memories washed over me, transporting me back to a time when life was simpler, and the world was filled with endless possibilities. But even as nostalgia tugged at my heartstrings, a sense of unease gnawed at the edges of my consciousness.

Sitting at my old study table, surrounded by the relics of my childhood, I struggled to make sense of the surreal events that had brought me here. Was this all just a figment of my imagination, or was there something more at play?

As the night wore on and the darkness enveloped me like a cloak, I found myself grappling with questions that had no easy answers. But deep within the recesses of my heart, a glimmer of hope burned bright, guiding me towards a truth that lay just beyond the veil of uncertainty.

And so, with a resolve born of determination and curiosity, I vowed to unravel the mysteries that lay hidden within the forest’s depths, for I was Zoe, and the spirit of adventure burned bright within my soul.

Yours in wonder and discovery, Zoe

[aidsyouinthinking]

Inktober dagger

Mental Daggers In sheep’s clothing, a self-appointed wolf attends masquerade that’s everlasting. Fearing no mask they naturally strut. Facade forsaken; someone contrasting! They glide weary, close; now into view, kinship; harmony: what they’ve been fasting.

At first walking tightrope across the ground, Absent minded, wire raise, up on high.

The air is thinner, mind nullify. Inhaling; gasping- too little: they come round. Wind will whisper, soon alerted to the sound, hysterical, fear struck, do not die! Heart a flutter not enough to fly, fear to breathe, look, or feel: the mind resound. Flailing turned falling, our person earthbound, undeluded; wire loose, mind did lie.

Like flipping a dagger it can be hard: The dread from hoisting self on own petard. But your poise and wit are skills trained with time: Keep twirling that dagger to their shared rhyme. Dropping the dagger, they are cut. The searing pain drives through them but they now feel how it is to bleed, and for which will hopefully lead: to realisation of no damnation; at worst stagnation: preform ablation.

------------------------------------------------------- This ones been in the oven for a few of days, wanted to make it juuuust right, though could be better, as is with any art. I've got some other ideas that I can illustrate and elaborate on, but the well is noticeably dry, not certain I'll be able to make a poem for each day, but making something at all is... well something :) Prob gonna make a poll after this for another favourite poem check in Anyway, may your next rest be at least longer than 20 minutes