#the queen is dead after 2 hours from coronation

[teenagecriminalmastermind]

blue blood, chapter 2 (an aemond targaryen x team black daughter fanfiction)

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chapter 1: prologue

chapter 2: the bells.

Daella Targaryen is in King’s Landing when the bells begin to ring. 

She was to depart for Dragonstone the morning after her siblings, the dinner party having caused an acrimonious end to their visit. Yet the following morning, as she makes her way to the Dragonpit, she hears the ringing of the bells, something she never has before but something whose significance she was made aware of. A royal death. More specifically, the passing of a regent. 

Viserys I is dead. 

The Keep seems to be abuzz with orders, nearly falling into chaos, and she hears rushed orders for a coronation. Coronation? Her mother is on Dragonstone. And then the pieces click, and a cold like the waters of the North washes over her, her face blanching. They intend to usurp her. Aegon Targaryen will be crowned King at the Red Keep, and they will usurp her mother. She has to do something. She must do something. She looks around for the Princess Rhaenys, asking staff and servants where the woman could possibly be. 

“In her chambers,” someone tells her, scurrying away before she can get any more information out of them. “They have put her under guard,” a woman tells her warily, looking around before she drops her voice to hushed tones, urgency in her words. “Princess, you must leave. They are keeping the Princess Rhaenys captive in her quarters. They do not want any interference with the coronation. Flee at once, before they find you and do the same.”

She nods, holding the woman’s hands fervently in her own as she thanks her for the warning. Daella pulls up the hood of her cloak, head down as she skulks down the corridors. She has to do something, anything to stop the Greens from stealing her mother’s birthright. Going to the Council chambers will be futile and put her in more danger. She cannot go find her aunt for the same reason. And then she has an idea, so reckless it would make her father proud and make her mother have a conniption.

She quietly makes her way past doors, looking for the one she suspects the King’s body may be in. With the body she surmises will be the crown. And they cannot have a coronation without the crown. At least, not the Crown worn by the last reigning monarch. Several doors are ajar, and no one seems to be in them. She lies in wait for what seems like hours, waiting for the guard to leave what she guesses has to be the antechamber with the body. Sneaking in with the palace distracted helps, and she hastily pulls the crown into the pouch that lies beside the wrapped body, a pang of regret in her heart as she looks at what was the former King. 

It was never supposed to be this way. He was supposed to see her mother be crowned, his daughter the rightful Heir and Queen to the Seven Kingdoms. Instead, chaos and war has fomented in his wake, and she must make haste. 

She has to leave. Leave, before anyone realizes what has happened. 

She makes her way out of the room with slow, quiet measured steps, keeping the pace as she makes her way into a corridor used only by the staff of the castle, taking off running as Daella clutches her hood in one hand and the pouch in another, racing to the Dragonpit. She shoves the crown between her riding leathers and her riding armor as she quickly gets to Baelon, soothingly patting his snout as she gets the dragon to slowly walk out before they take flight. The enormity of her actions are dawning as she hits the sky. 

Daella has just stolen the Crown of Jaehaerys, in the middle of a coup. 

She cannot directly go to Dragonstone, because they will immediately come looking there. No, she has to go and deliver warnings to some of the loyal vassals first. She sends a raven home the moment she arrives at Duskendale, letting them know of her safety and the ongoing usurpation in King’s Landing. She is aware that Duskendale are loyal to the crown, and to the sworn heirs, and well she will be gone before the Greens get word of her presence in the first place.

Once her parents are informed, she quickly goes to the castle’ Great Hall, greeted by Lord and Lady Darklyn. “Princess Daella,” Lady Darklyn greets her. “What brings you here?” She looks around for a royal guard, the absence of whom seems to perturb the older woman. 

“My Lord, My Lady,” she bows in respect to them before quickly turning and looking around. “May I have a word? In private? It is rather urgent.” Lord Darklyn’s brows furrow as he nods, ushering her to a room by the side, guards posted outside the door. 

“What is it, Princess?” Meredith Darklyn says in a tone that seems to be trying to convey calm but she is understandably unsettled, eyes trained on Daella. 

“My Lady, my mother, the Princess Rhaenyra, has been usurped.” She continues, taking a deep breath. “The Greens have ordered that the Late King’s second child Aegon Targaryen be crowned in place of my mother, who is the rightful heir to the Throne. I come here to warn you to be on guard and to have you reaffirm your loyalty to the sworn and rightful Heir.” For a long moment her heart sits in her throat, wondering if she should be worried for her safety, her hand itching towards the hilt of her sword. And then Gunthor Darklyn looks directly at her, hard eyes set, mouth a thin line. 

“Worry not, Princess. We are no oathbreakers,” he tells her. “We shall come to the aid of your mother Princess Rhaenyra. Long live the rightful Queen.”

She nods fervently, thanking them for their loyalty and their continued allegiance to the crown as she quickly departs. She does not have much time. She must get to the Stormlands, to House Baratheon and House Fell if she is to secure the support of the most powerful members of the area. They shall need the Stormlands as an outpost, for it is too close to Dragonstone to be lost as an ally. Baelon flies at a near breakneck pace, his black wings taking her to Storm’s End as fast as he can. She lands the dragon near a craggy outcropping, letting the beast hunt while she makes her way to Castle Felwood.

Lady Fell is understanding, grateful for Daella’s warning and ready to be on guard if the Greens make their way to that part of the Stormlands. 

She waits overnight at Castle Felwood, ensuring Baelon and her are both well-rested before they head to Storm’s End. Borros Baratheon should not be a difficult ally to win. His father Boremund was an ally to the Crown and cousin to Princess Rhaenys, but the rumors of Borros’ fickleness are not ones she can ignore or dispel from her mind. And when she gets to Storm’s End, all the confidence gained from the prior day dissipates with the storm that is brewing overhead as Vhagar’s silhouette looms in the distance. 

Aemond Targaryen is here.

Aemond is incensed at Lucerys’ audacity.

First, the boy had the gall to walk away from his crimes unpunished, and now has the pluck to show up here, message in hand, asking Borros Baratheon to ‘remember his oath’ as if the man is a mere hound to be whistled up for Rhaenyra’s whims. 

Aemond had been trotted out as the prize pony, “to show the lovely Baratheon girls what they shall win for their loyalty”, his drunk brother had proclaimed to his small council. He would do it, if it meant holding the realm together. “If I do as your mother bids... which one of my daughters will you wed... boy?”

Lucerys, to his credit, does not lie or swindle his way through this exchange, openly stating that he is already betrothed to another. Perhaps the boy has some integrity. More than his siblings and his mother, that is certain.

“So you come with empty hands. Go home, pup. And tell your mother that the Lord of Storm's End is not some dog that she can whistle up at need to set against her foes.” Aemond is pleased with these words, but there is still one matter that needs attendance. “Wait,” Aemond calls out, “my lord Strong.” The boy turns back, confused. “Did you really think that you could just fly about the realm trying to steal my brother's throne at no cost?”

Lucerys seems to be on guard, but still seemingly unaware of where this is exactly headed. Well, he shall find out soon enough. “I want you to put out your eye. As payment for mine,” he announces. “One will serve. I will not blind you.” He just wants justice. He is not some sadist, no. Just a man looking for his pound of flesh. 

Lucerys, to none of Aemond’s surprise and all of his anger, denies his rather reasonable request. 

“Then you are craven as well as a traitor,” he says coolly. He grabs the dagger, lunging at him with a snarl upon his lips. “Give me your eye or I will take it, bastard!” he roars, being barely restrained by the Baratheon guards. Borros gets to his feet, yelling for this skirmish to be stopped in its tracks, too keen a follower of guest rules. 

“Take Prince Lucerys to his dragon,” he orders, the boy escorted to safety. 

A man rushes over to the Stag, whispering something in his ear as he hands him a piece of parchment, and Aemond is on his way out, his mind set on getting his justice tonight when Baratheon calls out for him, stopping him in his tracks. “This message is for you, Prince Aemond.” His brows furrow, turning around as he slowly walks back. 

“Speak,” he orders the man, staring directly into his eyes. He hands him the paper, which Aemond unfurls as he reads the singular line penned in his mother’s handwriting, his anger slowly breaking through the glacier it has been contained under. The fire of his rage threatens to consume him as he reads it over and over again, hands shaking as he crushes the sheet in his fist. 

Daella stole Jaehaerys’ crown.  

That impertinent girl. That impertinent, audacious bastard thief of a girl. How any of the castle guards even let her out of her room, let alone let that little witch skulk around the castle and get her hands on the crown is beyond his understanding. As if her little innocent facade was something no one else but he was able to see past.

How long would it take for people to learn that Daemon Targaryen’s daughter was just as conniving and underhanded as her blasted father? 

His feet take him to Vhagar at a hurried pace, his body moving of its own accord as the anger threatens to consume him whole. Lucerys and his dragon are gone, but he sees the girl and her black dragon aloft in the sky, making their way away from the island, and his restraint snaps. 

“Vhagar, sōvēs!” He roars as he mounts the dragon, the beast slowly and decidedly taking flight as the dragon swoops ahead, the latter’s shadow looming over Storm’s End like an omen. It does not take long for the beast to catch up to the smaller dragon, wings flapping ominously as it lurches further, her jaws snapping. 

No matter how hard she may try, he will catch up to Daella Targaryen, and he will retrieve what she has stolen. “Come down, my lady,” he tries to keep his voice level as he calls out, “and hand over what you took, else I shall force you down myself.” And he will do it. That girl, in her endless audacity, replies over the storm, her voice carrying through the thunder and the rain. 

“I suppose I shall simply keep going.” 

He shakes his head, knuckles tightening around his saddle as he looks ahead, the weather echoing his increasingly volatile bad mood. “Then you shall suffer the consequences of your choices,” he gives her one final reminder. She only decides to speed up further, and he keeps following, the game of cat and mouse now giving him a different form of exhilaration. “Baelon is a fine beast, my lady, but he is no match for Vhagar.” 

“Vhagar is old,” she responds. 

“And she will still devour Baelon for breakfast,” he responds. “Come down, or be forced down.” The thunder rolls and flashes ominously, neither party getting the upper hand in this weather at the present moment. “You will come down, ” Aemond orders, “or you will face mine and Vhagar’s wrath. Give back what was never yours, and I shall take it back to its rightful home.” 

“The crown was never yours to begin with,” she yells back. Oh, this girl. 

“It was stolen,” he says, his voice losing any patience and kindness it had before. “You are a thief, and you stole from me and the Realm, and now you will suffer your actions!” he roars. 

And then, that impertinent girl turns around and laughs. 

[bipabrena]

The King of the Ashes (Aegon II-centric Helaegon fic) Chapter 2

Praying to the gods, old and new, to release him from his suffering, Aegon is sent back to the morning of his coronation. He is still weak, he still does not know how to rule. But he has one weapon: information. And with information, comes power. He now knows how to learn.

Being burned and usurped by his brother has left him with no love or patience to spare, for anyone. Everyone he thought he could trust betrayed him, and so he will pay their cruelty twice in turn.

Read here.

1

Aegon was adrift in darkness. The pain in his body dulled, but it remained. Yet, the worst of it wasn’t the burns or his bones. 

It was his head.

It felt as if it were spinning. Shadows danced before his eyes, shapes forming and dissolving in the blackness. It was dizzying, he felt he would faint. 

The darkness gave way to the sky, open and cloudy. He saw everything, clear as day, but he did not feel it. He did not feel the wind, nor the warmth of the sun.

The darkness flickered again, and when it shifted, Aegon saw dragonfire light up the sky. A second shift, and Sunfyre was beneath him, his golden scales glistening. He plummeted, and Sunfyre cried. He cried. Aegon heard it all, but muffled.

Soon enough, he found himself crying with Sunfyre as one. He wished for this to end, for him to feel the pain again; the burns, the shattered bones, he wished for it to be given back to him, if only it meant he wouldn’t have to hear his golden love suffer like this.

His vision shifted again, and he saw the nursery. He saw Helaena, slumped before Jaehaerys’s crib, screaming her heart out as she rocked his headless body. 

They came and went, again and again, and Aegon felt he would go mad. He saw a storm, figures beneath the dark clouds. Dragonfire, the gleam of steel. So much, all at once.

Aegon opened his mouth to scream, but all that came out was a strangled gasp.

He tumbled through the darkness. He saw dead, the living. 

And then, he heard whispers. 

King of ashes… 

His world twisted and churned, the whispers yammering in his skull.

"A child of six, torn asunder... her blood on the hands of kin."

A young girl, and a mob, their faces obscured, their hands reaching and tearing. The child screams, mingling with the roars of the crowd. 

"A queen of sorrow, lost to despair... her final flight from a tower’s end."

A high tower, familiar, he had seen it; but where? He could barely make out the shape. It was blurry, so blurry, all of it.

"A storm of fury, a pit of death... the winged ones fall, and a legacy ends."

Flames erupted around him, and roars, human and beast, rang in his ears. He saw the shadows of arrows, spears, and hatchets upon the concrete walls. 

"A king of ashes, poisoned and broken... his realm in ruin, his bloodline ends."

Aegon jolted awake with a violent inhale, filling his lungs with air until he no longer could. He panted, eyes wide and unblinking on the ceiling. His vision, it was fuller. He wasn’t blind on his left side.

He lay still, chest rising frantically, disoriented. 

And then he noticed it.

No pain. There was no pain. No burning flesh, no throbs of shattered bones–just the dull ache of exhaustion. He looked down at himself, dressed and covered by a blanket. He looked around the room, finding that it was dark outside. Almost midnight, most likely.

He slowly pushed himself up as he realised these were not his chambers. Or, rather, not anymore.

These were his old quarters. Not his real chambers, the ones he was meant to share with Helaena before, but rather the quarters he often elected to sleep in when he returned to the Red Keep late at night, after hours of drinking and whoring. 

He swung his legs over the bed, and his knees buckled. He let out a cry as he looked at his left leg. 

Healthy and whole. He was driven to his opposite knee, and he held his leg as tears formed in his eyes. He then touched his belly, and lifted his shirt, to find no burns. His left side was as perfect as the right one.

Immediately, he bolted to the mirror.

His eyes blew wide. He looked at his face, his hair.

He was perfect. He was healthy. 

His mouth moved, but all that came out were little cries. He touched himself, as if to confirm the reality of what he was seeing. 

“The gods punish me,” his voice quivered. “They play tricks on me.”

Panic set in, his breath quickening as he spun around the room. His gaze fell upon a flagon of wine. The familiar craving surged through him, and he lunged for it, his hands shaking as he poured the liquid into a goblet. He downed it in one motion, and nearly poured himself a second before deciding to drink straight from the flagon. 

He chugged, but the taste felt bitter and foul on his tongue. He dropped the flagon, clutching his stomach as it retched violently. He stumbled back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. 

Wine, it had always been his refuge, his escape, and yet now it was tainted. He gagged. 

Aegon fell to his knees. He clutched the edges of the table to steady himself. He lost his balance as he completely emptied his stomach’s contents. He vomited until all that was left were gags, and he could hear it again.

"A king of ashes, poisoned and broken... his realm in ruin, his bloodline ends."

“Poisoned.”

“Poisoned.”

“Poisoned.”

He held onto his stomach and screamed in pain. He collapsed on the floor, and welcomed the cold.

He panted, and slowly stabilised his breaths.

Aegon settled his palm on the floor. He stroked the cold tiles. “Gods… have you heard me?” he whispered. “Have you ended my pain? Or have you extended it, by playing tricks on me?”

He began weeping. 

The door burst open, and Aegon gasped, trying to push himself up, but failing, falling back down from his hand slipping on the spilled wine. He hit his cheek on the floor.

It was Aemond, he panted. Aemond was here to murder him.

“My Prince, we heard screams!” two White Cloaks approached him.

“No!” Aegon cried when they reached out to touch him. He recoiled from their grasp, squeezing his eyes shut. He did not wish to die, not again. 

The White Cloaks held onto him, one arm each, and they pulled Aegon up.

“I beg you, Aemond! Not again!” he cried. 

“My Prince, what’s wrong?” Ser Arryk asked. He helped Aegon sit.

Aegon recoiled, hugging himself with one arm, and protecting his face with the other. 

He remembered the flames. He could still hear Aemond’s dracarys . He could still see him tower over him, pressing onto his burnt flesh as he inquired what he remembered.

His voice juddered, his body trembled.

“I’ll fetch the Grand Maester,” Ser Erryk told his twin.

Ser Arryk’s eyes swept the room. He saw the remnants of the flagon scattered on the floor, and the spilled wine.

Aegon was just drunk again, he told himself. He always was, according to Erryk. Yet, never before had wine driven him to such panic, nor had it ever left him looking so vulnerable, as if harm might befall him at any moment.

Ser Arryk stepped back to give Aegon some space.

Had the Prince been harmed on his ventures? 

“I beg you, Aemond! Not again!”

Ser Arryk frowned warily. From his understanding, Prince Aemond had retired to his chambers after the dinner. He had not been with Prince Aegon.

What happened, then? Surely the Prince hadn’t been harmed. If something had happened to him, Erryk would not have omitted that. Erryk had never liked Aegon much, disapproving of his drinking and whoring, but never would he dare voice this disapproval. He was still Aegon’s sworn shield, and he would never allow any harm to come to him.

That is, unless tonight had been one of the occasions the Prince had ordered Erryk away. Aegon did often like to be left alone for his ventures.

Ser Arryk offered Aegon water, but any time he spoke, Aegon would recoil further, hugging himself tighter, tucking his chin further into his chest. His shaky hand remained up in attempts to guard his face.

Ser Erryk arrived moments later with Grand Maester Orwyle, who was alert, but still blinking himself awake.

Maester Orwyle was careful in the way he approached Aegon, as if he were a cornered animal.

“I beg of you, don’t,” Aegon cried. 

“My Prince, it is I, Orwyle,” the Maester said calmly. “You are safe, no harm will come to you.”

Aegon blinked rapidly, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

Orwyle? 

Grand Maester Orwyle had nursed him. He had worked tirelessly, along with the other maesters. 

“Please,” Aegon whispered, “no more pain.”

Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk exchanged a wary glance. 

Orwyle stepped closer. “You have my word, My Prince. You are safe here. No one will hurt you.”

Aegon slowly lowered his hand. His gaze darted around the room, settling on two familiar faces. He saw the Cargyll twins, at last. He frowned. Aegon was certain he was not drunk enough to see two Arryks. 

So, why was Erryk here? He had defected to serve the bitch queen. 

“My Prince,” Orwyle stepped in before Aegon could question whichever one Erryk was, “you are unwell. Perhaps something in the dinner made you ill. I can brew something for you.”

It’s then he at last noticed how they had been addressing him.

He was no prince. He was the King now!

Aegon’s mind raced to grasp the situation. “What dinner?”

The twins were puzzled, but Orwyle was more successful in hiding his confusion. “The dinner with your family, My Prince. King Viserys had to retire to his chambers, but it’s possible you might have fallen ill, too.”

Aegon’s brows creased. His head snapped to the Maester. 

His father? His father had been dead for over a month. 

His mouth slowly opened. “The dinner… before Father died,” he mouthed to himself as he slowly lowered his gaze to the floor. “I’m… back?” 

The twins exchanged another glance.

“You have been through a great ordeal, My Prince,” Maester Orwyle said, not judging him for what Aegon imagined might look to everyone like a psychotic drunken episode. “But you are here now, unharmed. I will prepare something to aid in your sleep.”

“No, no!” Aegon shook his head. Larys had said milk of the poppy dulled his senses, he could have no more! “No, I…”

The realisation struck him.

If he’s back, then…

“Sunfyre…” he mumbled, and then his eyes widened. “Jaehaerys. Jaehaerys,” he rose to his feet. 

His son must be alive!

Aegon sprinted from his chambers. He raced through the halls until he reached the nursery. He pushed open the doors, and two nursemaids jumped from their seats in fright. They bowed to him.

But all Aegon could focus on was the crib before him. 

He slowly stepped towards it, and fell to his knees.

“Jaehaerys,” he whispered, leaning to the sleeping boy. He reached out, gently lifting his son. 

The boy stirred, roused from his sleep. “Mother?” is the first thing he said.

Aegon placed his ear on his chest. 

One, two, three.

Steady heartbeats.

Tears welled in Aegon’s eyes as he stroked Jaehaerys’s throat with the tips of his fingers. He then hugged his small body. 

Jaehaerys now understood he was woken not by his mother, but his father. “Father?” he mumbled sleepily.

“My little son,” Aegon said. He wept openly, not caring about the nursemaids, or the Cargyll twins that had followed him. 

Jaehaerys reached out to touch Aegon’s tear-streaked face. “Why do you cry, Father?”

His voice was so soft, so small. He was real, he was alive.

“I’m just happy to see you,” Aegon whispered, his cries ceasing. “Forgive me,” he pulled away. “Go back to sleep.”

Jaehaerys was confused. He rubbed his eye as Aegon tucked him back in. “Sleep well, Jaehaerys.”

Aegon looked at the nursemaids, now embarrassed. He averted their gaze, and walked past the twins. 

“Grand Maester Orwyle will bring you something for your ill, My Prince,” Ser Erryk said. 

Aegon walked fast. He felt lost. He was disoriented, he didn’t know what to do. He wished to go to the Dragonpit to see Sunfyre, to hold him and kiss him and confirm that he was unharmed, but he couldn’t afford to waste time. The ride to the Dragonpit would be long.

If Jaehaerys was alive, so was Sunfyre.

He stopped in the middle of the hallway, the twins stopping behind him. They exchanged glances over the Prince’s bizarre behaviour.

Aegon touched his forehead. 

His head hurt. 

“The, um…” he shut his eyes, tapping his forehead. He then turned to look at the twins. “Arr… Erryk,” he looked between the two, not knowing which one was his sworn shield. “The dinner. How long ago was that?”

“Three hours ago, My Prince,” the twin on the left answered. Aegon looked at him.

“And what did I do after the dinner? Might you refresh my memory?” 

“You said you’d nap, My Prince. You told me to rouse you at midnight.”

“For what?” Ser Erryk looked around. He then looked at his brother, and Aegon exhaled with frustration. “It matters not if he’s here, speak.”

“... To go alone to Flea Bottom, My Prince.”

Aegon sighed hard. Of course that he was there. He remembered now, he thought. News of Viserys’s death had reached the White Worm, she had hidden him, then sold him out.

This meant he still had hours to spare. But his brain felt like mush. He was tired, he had a headache, and even though his body was no longer broken, he still felt he hadn’t rested in weeks.

His father would die soon. His traitorous mother had insisted Viserys proclaimed him King. 

He had to confirm it for himself, but a witness or two wouldn’t hurt. Ser Erryk defecting to the bitch queen was a loss to them, although perfectly manageable. It would make little difference.

Princess Rhaenys was another matter entirely. She was still in the Red Keep, waiting for the Silent Sisters to ready Vaemond’s body, but what could he tell her? To accompany him to visit her cousin? She had made her support for the Blacks clear enough; she was on Lucerys’s side to inherit Driftmark. Her granddaughters were betrothed to the bastards. The woman was a lost cause, most likely.

He would take the twins, only. He needed to hear what Viserys told Alicent. Even if Ser Erryk listening resulted in nothing, at a minimum Aegon still needed to know.

“I wish to… see my father,” Aegon spoke reluctantly. “Accompany me.”

They followed him, and Aegon wondered what this meant. Would things continue as they had, before he returned to this point? Or was this a new event? What if Viserys wasn’t in bed, or didn’t pass tonight? 

He stopped by the door, acknowledging the Kingsguards guarding it. “I wish to see my father,” he spoke up. 

“His Grace is resting, My Prince,” the right kingsguard said. 

“He had to be carried away from the dinner, I’m concerned about his state. Don’t deny a son’s wish to see his ailing father.”

The kingsguards exchanged looks. They nodded, stepping aside as they bowed their heads.

Aegon quietly walked into the grand chambers, the ones that had been his just moments before this witchcraft. When he saw that the twins stood outside, he ushered them in.

They hesitated, they were confused, but they had to obey their Prince.

Aegon slowly treaded towards the bed. He could hear laboured breathing, and moans of pain. “Father?” he called out.

Read the rest of the chapter here.

[liyanin]

Well, fuck guys. Unless Kayden magically appears and save us all Idek how we're gonna survive this. Lol

[horizon-verizon]

Alicent's fans keep lying about her acting as regent when it’s pretty clear that the one doing the ruling whilst Viserys is bedridden is Otto. He allows Alicent the illusion that she is in on it but it’s made clear that she is not. She didn't even know the Council was plotting behind her back to put her son on the throne.

What power Alicent had and what has she done for the realm ?? It’s actually name one thing she did in over two decades besides pushing for male primogeniture. Ah yes, she wore a a green dress, no pre-marital sex, no brown hair, no queen regnant, trying to maim a child, can't manage without her father HE WOULD BE PARTIAL TO ME, and her servants refuse to help her or obey her unless she show them her feet.

The thing is anon, that the shows’ ages do not match the book/original lore's ages and people don’t know/care about 🔗 the different types of Queens. 

By canon/original lore, Alicent was 18 when she married Viserys. Rhaenyra was 9 when Alicent married Viserys.

So it's hard to keep track of how old the characters are in the show without doing some research.

Alicent is pregnant with Helaena around 3 years after the events of episode 2, and Viserys says Aegon is 1 1/2 or 2 in episode 3.

This article says it is 10 years between episodes 5 and 6.

And from 7 to 8, it’s been 6 years, as Rhaenys remarks on how long Corlys has been gone.

That would make Alicent’s Aegon (Aegon the Elder) 18 by the time of his coronation. One, far past his canon, societal, and cultural age of majority (which is 16). Two, by canon/original lore Aegon was born in 107 A.C. and was coronated in 129 A.C., confirmed in the book. So he was 21-22 when coronated in the original lore.

So either way, Alicent would have never been the Queen Regent and making decisions for him by custom and right, because her son would have been in his majority. 

So, yeah Alicent of the original lore/canon lore/book was a lot more determined and decisive--using whatever at her disposal and planning for a long time to manipulate things for herself and her son for after Viserys’ death. Much more competent that HotD Alicent.

In the book, she purposefully makes way for Aegon’s coronation by going against tradition and the monarch’s-word-is-law precedent by seizing the small council with Otto and Criston Cole:

Long simmering, the conflict burst into the open on the third day of the third moon of 129 AC, when the ailing, bedridden King Viserys I Targaryen closed his eyes for a nap in the Red Keep of King’s Landing and died without waking. His body was discovered by a serving man at the hour of the bat, when it was the king’s custom to take a cup of hippocras. The servant ran to inform Queen Alicent, whose apartments were on the floor below the king’s.

Septon Eustace, writing on these events some years later, points out that the manservant delivered his dire tidings directly to the queen, and her alone, without raising a general alarum. Eustace does not believe this was wholly fortuitous; the king’s death had been anticipated for some time, he argues, and Queen Alicent and her party, the so-called greens, had taken care to instruct all of Viserys’s guards and servants in what to do when the day came.

(The dwarf Mushroom suggests a more sinister scenario, whereby Queen Alicent hurried King Viserys on his way with a pinch of poison in his hippocras. It must be noted that Mushroom was not in King’s Landing the night the king died, but rather on Dragonstone, in service with Princess Rhaenyra.)

Queen Alicent went at once to the king’s bedchamber, accompanied by Ser Criston Cole, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Once they had confirmed that Viserys was dead, Her Grace ordered his room sealed and placed under guard. The serving man who had found the king’s body was taken into custody, to make certain he did not spread the tale. Ser Criston returned to White Sword Tower and sent his brothers of the Kingsguard to summon the members of the king’s small council. It was the hour of the owl.

(Fire and Blood; The Blacks and the Greens)

AND

Grand Maester Orwyle opened the meeting by reviewing the customary tasks and procedures required at the death of a king. He said, “Septon Eustace should be summoned to perform the last rites and pray for the king’s soul. A raven must needs be sent to Dragonstone at once to inform Princess Rhaenyra of her father’s passing. Mayhaps Her Grace the queen would care to write the message, so as to soften these sad tidings with some words of condolence? The bells are always rung to announce the death of a king, someone should see to that, and of course we must begin to make our preparations for Queen Rhaenyra’s coronation—”

Ser Otto Hightower cut him off. “All this must needs wait,” he declared, “until the question of succession is settled.” As the King’s Hand, he was empowered to speak with the king’s voice, even to sit the Iron Throne in the king’s absence. Viserys had granted him the authority to rule over the Seven Kingdoms, and “until such time as our new king is crowned,” that rule would continue.

“Until our new queen is crowned,” someone said. In Grand Maester Munkun’s account, the words are Orwyle’s, spoken softly, no more than a quibble. But Mushroom and Septon Eustace insist it was Lord Beesbury who spoke up, and in a waspish tone.

“King,” insisted Queen Alicent. “The Iron Throne by rights must pass to His Grace’s eldest trueborn son.”

(Fire and Blood; The Blacks and the Greens)

[fanficimagery]

Hell Takes Riverdale pt. II

Imagine moving to Riverdale while your father has some business to attend to. While there, you meet some people you find yourself growing attached to. (In which the other three most important serpents accept Y/N and shit goes down).

You can find part one right HERE.

Words: 12.9K Author’s Note: Violence. Somewhat.

For the next couple of days, you're a little bummed that no one other than Jughead texts you to see what you're up to. You respect your friends' decision to distance themselves, but it still hurts. And not even Jughead's words of assurance are enough to ease your mind.

Your mood sours even more when you and your dad are visited by the Plague Kings who are rather pushy and wondering about when their Queen will return to finally marry a Prince of their choosing. Lucifer managed to make you bite your tongue, answering their questions with questions of his own and annoying them enough that they returned to Hell rather quickly.

"I am not marrying Caliban, dad," you tell him. "The only reason they're pushing this marriage is because they don't like a woman in charge. You have no idea how close I am to just putting Lilith in charge in my absence."

Lucifer chuckles. "Fret not, darling. As soon as Riverdale sees the error of their ways I will be returning to Hell to reclaim my throne." You frown and your dad's smile turns genuine, not a hint of mockery in his tone or expression. "I wanted you to rule Hell, but you've seem to have found your footing here on Earth."

"Dad.."

"So I'll reclaim Hell and leave you with Riverdale. All I want for you is to be happy, my darling daughter, and if those in Riverdale give you that happiness, then who am I to take that away and make you rule a place where your subjects would see you dead rather than on the throne?"

"I don't know about that," you mumble. "The only ones speaking to me right now are Jughead and FP."

"The others will come around. Trust me. Especially little miss Pinky. She's been yelling at the boys to get their head out of their asses."

"Yeah? If that were the case then she would have visited me herself with or without the boys."

"Give them a bit more time. It's like FP said- they're a loyal bunch. They just need to wrap their minds around a few things."

"If you say so." You watch as your dad fiddles with his cufflinks. "Well while you're out ruining lives, I'll be downstairs in the theatre. I don't feel like going out tonight."

Lucifer chuckles. "Sweetheart, you haven't been out in the last few nights. Or to school for that matter, but I get it. Shall I tell your friends where you are if they ask?"

"I don't care, dad. Tell them whatever you want."

Before your dad can leave, you head downstairs to the basement where you set up a movie theatre in your free time. Closest to the stairs, a kitchenette of sorts was installed so you didn't have to go far for snacks, a projector hung from the center of the ceiling and was pointed towards the back wall where a large white screen was installed. There's a large sofa in the middle of the room, which is larger than a king sized bed, and a speaker in every corner of the room so you can really enjoy whatever movie or show you watch.

After turning on the projector and searching for something to watch on your laptop, you settle down in the middle of the sofa and snuggle down with a blanket and pillows. You're watching a show where each episode is about a different murder mystery and you're two episodes in when the doorbell rings. You groan and remain laying down, hoping whoever is at the door goes away, when it rings again.

Pausing the show, you roll out of your haven of comfort and trudge upstairs. You yank open the front door upon the third ringing of the bell and not even the sight of three faces you'd been longing to see is enough to pull you from your funk. "What?"

Toni's eyebrows raise at your tone and the two boys grin at your pouty expression. Sweet Pea reaches forward, tugging on a loose strand of hair. "And to think you're the daughter of the devil. You're as adorable as an angry kitten."

You slap at his hand, exhaling loudly as the three of them chuckle. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Can't we visit our friend?" Fangs shrugs. Your expression softens just so at the casual mention of him calling you their friend. "It's been a few days. We missed you glaring the Ghoulies into submission at school."

"That and we might have overheard your dad telling FP about some demons demanding you return to Hell and marry some douchebag prince," Toni says. "No way are you running off and getting hitched before you tell us what the hell that is all about."

You glance between all three of them and, seeing as they're trying, you decide to let them in. "If you're going to stay, shoes come off. We're going to be in the theatre."

"Theatre?" Sweet Pea wonders.

Finally grinning, you step back from the door and gesture them inside. Seeing that you're in socks, Toni readily kicks off her boots. Fangs shrugs and does the same, and Sweet Pea sighs before toeing off his own boots as well.

Afterwards you lead them down into the basement and choke down a laugh when Toni gasps at your setup. "We've been having sleepovers and movie nights at my trailer when you had this beneath your house?!"

"Well to be fair, I couldn't bring any of you over because I couldn't risk anyone from Hell popping in while I had you over." Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs all tense and you crawl onto the sofa to get comfortable. "But they've been chased away for now so there's no worry." Slowly but surely your friends crawl in, but only Toni is brave enough to sit directly next to you. Fangs stays on Toni's other side while Sweet Pea lays across the end of the sofa. "So any questions before I restart my murder mystery marathon?"

"Well you can start with these plague kings or whatever the hell your dad was talking about," Sweet Pea says. "What's their deal?"

You sigh, dragging a blanket to cover your lap. "So the thing is," you start to tell them, "the throne was never meant to be mine. Lucifer had his sights set on his first born daughter since she's a witch-"

"Witches exist?!" Fangs exclaims.

"Yep. So do a lot of other things," you muse. "I'd stay away from Greendale if I were you." His eyes widen, but Toni and Sweet Pea merely chuckle. "Anyway, my sister was supposed to take after my dad, but she refused him. She was raised to believe Lucifer was the ultimate evil and she didn't want to follow in his footsteps."

"So when do you come in?" Toni asks.

"About a few years ago," you admit. "When my sister refused him, Lucifer sought me out since I'm only a couple hours younger. He brought me into the fold, showed me and told me everything I'd need to know, and I accepted. I learned all about the ins and outs of Hell, learned exactly who is who, but since I'm still half mortal none of the higher ups don't exactly accept me. My coronation almost didn't happen, but it did and now the Plague Kings have been hounding my dad to marry me off to some prince Caliban since he was quite literally made in Hell."

"Well you aren't going through with it, are you?" Sweet Pea asks.

"Ugh. No," you scoff. "I was meant to rule a lot longer than what I have, but no one could have guessed that I'd get attached to a couple of snakes here in Riverdale." You glance at Toni and nudge her arm. "So as of right now, my dad is closing up a few deals before he reclaims his throne down in Hell and I'm left up here in the mortal realm to do as I please. I'll still be obligated to visit Hell, but my main residence will be here."

"And you're okay with that?" Toni asks. "Giving up the title of queen, I mean."

"Of course. I spent many years not knowing who my biological father was and living life like a normal mortal," you say. "I have quite a few perks now, my dad has made a mortal his best friend for the first time ever, and I- I like it here. I like you guys."

"Aww," Toni coos. "You're giving up a throne for us?"

"I guess so." You glance between all three of them. "So are we going to watch something or are we going to play twenty questions all night?"

Fangs glances around, spotting your laptop and pulling it into his lap to search through Netflix. "If we're watching something, we're not watching murder mysteries. Riverdale is weird enough."

Sweet Pea huffs. "You got that right."

"Fine. Pick whatever you want."

Fangs and Sweet Pea settle on the Conjuring much to Toni's dismay and your amusement. You and Toni prop up a mountain of pillows at your back while Fangs uses Toni's thigh as his pillow. Sweet Pea snags a pillow of his own, laying on his side and shoving the pillow between his arm and head as he faces the screen. You turn out the lights, Fangs hits play, and you watch the tale unfold about a haunted house that terrorizes a family. There are a few eerie moments and jump scares that startle all four of you, but only you and Toni roll into each other giggling while the boys swear at you.

Then after the first movie ends, everyone takes a pee break and you lead Toni into your room so she can find something more comfortable to wear seeing as they plan to watch a couple more movies. When you get back down into the basement, you smile as you realize the boys have made full use of the kitchenette and have snacks and drinks waiting for you all on the sofa, and the Conjuring 2 waiting to be played. When the boys complain about the unfairness of your comfort clothes, you tell them you can grab them pajama bottoms from your dad's dresser for them. They hesitate and Toni rolls her eyes, telling you to grab some pants for them. And a little while later, after the boys have changed into the cotton pajama pants, you can't help but laugh as they boast about wearing the devil's pants.

As everyone finally settles down, the boys join you and Toni at the sofa's backrest. You and her are in the middle with Fangs on her other side and Sweet Pea on yours. The lights turn out again, the movie plays, and you soak in the closeness of your friends. Halfway through the boys collect the bowls and trash, and take it to the kitchenette. You and Toni stretch out then, laying on your sides in the middle of the sofa with you cuddling her from behind as you face the screen. The boys coo and Fangs dives in front of Toni so she can cuddle him and Sweet Pea hesitantly slides in behind you. You grin at him over your shoulder and then try to focus back on the movie.

"Is this okay?" Sweet Pea murmurs, his large hand squeezing your hip.

His lips brushing the shell of your ear makes you shiver. "Mhm." You pause to clear your throat and lean back a little bit until the back of your shoulder hits his chest. "If, uh, if my dad shows up just ignore his orgy comments."

He chuckles. "What?"

"Apparently orgies are common down in the pits. Everyone's been waiting for the Queen- soon to be Princess again- to have her first one, but I don't think I'll ever be ready for that."

"What!?" The movie is paused and Fangs immediately turns around, Toni grunting but turning as much as she can as well. "You're gonna have an orgy?!"

"What? No!" You laugh. You gulp when you feel Sweet Pea squeeze your hip again. "I just said I don't think I'll ever be ready for that."

"Think being the key word," Toni muses and you groan.

"Well if you agree to one, in Hell or Riverdale, think of me. I'll join." Fangs winks at you and Toni laughs.

"Screw it. Count me in too."

You giggle, shaking your head at them. "Guys, you were literally scared of me days of ago because of who I am and now you wanna have sex with me?"

"Well not with you exactly," Fangs says. "Don't get me wrong, you're hot, but someone's already called dibs and-"

"What?" You frown.

Fangs eyes seem to widen then, momentarily darting over your head. "N-Nothing. Nevermind." Toni giggles at his rambling. "But yeah, orgies. Woo."

Having heard enough, Toni pushes Fangs' forehead away from her so he'll turn around. "Can we table the topic of orgies for now? Let's get back to our movie."

Fangs grumbles but turns around nonetheless and the movie resumes.

You get through the second movie with no problem, but before a third could be chosen a loud crack of thunder interrupts the tranquility of the basement.

"Shit." Sweet Pea is the first to rush off the sofa, followed by Fangs and then Toni. Everyone scrambles upstairs and the front door is thrown open, and all three groan at the drizzle that will no doubt turn into a full blown downpour in no time. "We need to move our bikes."

"The garage," you tell them. "Bring them into the garage." Your hurry towards the kitchen where there's a door that connects to the garage, hitting a switch that opens up the door. You step down, watching as your three friends drive their bikes into the safety of the garage so the rain won't ruin their leather seats. "All good?" You ask as they turn off the engines and dismount.

Another crack of thunder has you flinching and hugging yourself. Sweet Pea eyes you warily and you offer him a feeble smile. "You good?" He asks instead.

"Mhm. I'm just- I'm not a fan of thunderstorms."

Toni grins. "Seriously? You see demons on the reg and you're afraid of a little lightning and thunder?"

"I know. It's dumb. Can we go back downstairs now or do you need another change of clothes? You guys can spend the night if you want so you don't have to drive on slick roads."

"We're hardly even damp," Toni tells you. "We're fine."

You flinch yet again when the thunder cracks, louder now, and Sweet Pea chuckles at you. You frown at him, walking back into your house after hitting the switch to close the garage. The others follow you and you head back down into the basement, readily climbing under the blankets.

"Aw. Don't worry, Y/N. We'll protect you." As Sweet Pea crawls back in, he pillows his head on your chest and wraps an arm around your stomach.

For some reason, being weighed down seems to calm you so you lay one hand on his arm over your stomach and the other around his back to let him know you were okay with his position. Fangs grins at you and Toni smiles warmly, her eyes darting between you and Sweet Pea before the two of them settle down on your other side.

Apparently Fangs has taken it upon himself to pick what you're watching and you're so wrapped up in the fact a thunderstorm is raging outside that you don't mind his choosing of the Fast and the Furious. Then during the second movie in that series, the boys have apparently fallen asleep and you know you'll be joining them soon.

"I think I've figured it out."

Toni's voice startles you and you quickly run your fingers through Sweet Pea's hair, gently scratching at his scalp to calm him back to sleep. "Figured what out?" You mumble.

"That serpent you had your eye on." You freeze and she quietly giggles. "It's Sweet Pea, isn't it?"

You mull over her words for a moment until you exhale softly. "Yes, but I'm pretty sure being the daughter of the devil killed any chance we could have had."

"Are you kidding me? That boy is head over heels," Toni says. "Yes, your true identity threw him off a little, but I mean look at him! He's wrapped around you, head on your tits." You can't help but giggle, frowning at Toni when Sweet Pea stirs yet again. "Shut up. You're gonna wake him up."

"You two are adorable. He's not as aggressive when you're around and I've noticed tonight you smile a little bit brighter when it comes to him. I give you guys a couple of weeks top before someone makes a move."

"You're delusional, Topaz. Get some sleep."

She smiles at you. "Just you wait and see, Morningstar. And besides, you didn't see his face when we were talking about orgies. If looks could kill, Fangs would be dead right now."

"Mhm. We'll see."

Over the next couple of weeks, the three friends of yours seem to be at ease with you once more. Jughead was always at ease with you and your dad, so it was a relief when Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs started loosening up as well. There were times, however, when Sweet Pea and Fangs would straighten up whenever your dad walked into the room and that highly amused you every single time.

Your basement seemed to become hangout central and Jughead often joked that it was a shame everyone knew about it now. Which then led to Fangs and Sweet Pea ganging up on him for keeping it a secret.

You, Toni, Jughead, and Sweet Pea find yourselves at Pop's one day while Fangs went to visit a family member. You and Sweet Pea are practically sitting thigh to thigh on one side of the booth with Toni and Jug across from you. Toni, to this day, hasn't let you live it down that you have a crush on her longtime friend and it seems Jughead has now noticed it too. It also doesn't help that Sweet Pea is oddly rather touchy and has taken to slinging his arm across your shoulders whenever you're near- something which sets your heart racing every single time and fighting off a telltale blush that threatens to bloom.

"Alright," Jughead muses as Pop delivers your milkshakes, "so we were meant to celebrate the good news together, but Fangs isn't here so we'll just have celebratory shakes instead."

Your brow furrows. "Celebrate what?"

"You haven't heard?" Toni wonders. "Y/N, your dad bought Sunnyside Trailer Park." Your eyes widen and your friends chuckle at your expression.

"He visited my dad a few weeks ago and was appalled at our living conditions."

"Oh no," you mumble. "He was rude, wasn't he? I'm so so-"

"Actually," Toni interrupts, "he wasn't. "Either the devil has seriously gone soft or he's always been this amazing person because not only did he wipe out rent for everyone in the park, but he's also having the trailers renovated. My grandpa is seriously so happy to have his porch and the leaky roof in his bedroom fixed."

"Oh." You allow yourself to relax. "That's seriously really cool of him," you say. "I wonder why he didn't tell me?"

"Y/N!" Your attention is quickly diverted to Veronica Lodge as she marches up to you, milkshake in hand, and Archie trailing after her as he quietly tries to direct her elsewhere. "What the hell is your dad playing at?"

You frown as you stare up at her, Sweet Pea's arm tightening around you as he tries to pull you closer to him. "Excuse me?"

"Every bank account under my family's name, personal and business, has been frozen. Care to explain?"

It takes a moment for her words to sink in and when they do you hold back a snort that wants to break free. Your father was very vindictive. "I don't know what to tell you, Veronica. I don't put my nose where it doesn't belong. Maybe you should take a page out of my book and stay out of it."

She scoffs. "Please. Daddy has eyes everywhere. We know you're in the thick of things as well. You're not fooling anyone, Y/N. You're exactly like your mafioso father."

"Mafioso? You think my dad is part of the mafia?" You giggle. Toni, Jughead, and Sweet Pea share your amusement. "Oh Veronica," you coo, "the only mafioso in this town is your crooked father. And at that he's not very good at it, is he?"

Before anyone can even blink, the strawberry milkshake in her hand is being up-ended on your face. "Ronnie!" Archie is quick to yank her back, stepping in front of her as Sweet Pea growls and moves to stand up.

But since he's stuck between you and the wall, you raise your arm closest to him and drag him back down by his wrist. With your free hand, you wipe away some of the milkshake from your cheek with your forefinger and pop it in your mouth, sucking it clean. "Delicious," you purr. Grabbing the offered napkin from a still shell shocked Jughead, you wipe more of it out of your eyes. "Hate me all you want Veronica, but your family won't be crawling out of this hole your father dug. Enjoy the luxuries you still have while they last because the Lodge's are done." Veronica huffs, stomping away in a fit of anger. You smirk, chuckling as the other few patrons sitting around stare at you in shock, picking up more napkins to clean your face and shirt when you notice Archie Andrews still standing by the booth. "Yes?"

He shoves his hands in his jean's pockets, staring off in the direction his girlfriend left before looking at you yet again. "All I've been hearing for this past month is what a horrible man your father is." You blink at him, wondering where he's going with this. "So give it to me straight, Y/N. Does my dad have anything to worry about with your dad?"

And oh. Okay. Now you understand why he stayed back and why he's worried. Your father basically ruined the Lodge's, but Archie's never been terrible to you so you decide to ease his mind. "Mr. Andrews has nothing to worry about," you tell him honestly. "Apparently my dad's on the track of doing several good deeds for the town of Riverdale and FP told my dad all about Fred Andrews' hard working nature. He only wants to help those he thinks deserve the help. No strings attached."

"It's true," Jughead tells his friend. "Mr. Morningstar bought Southside High and got jingle jangle out of the halls."

"He bought Sunnyside and wiped out our rent," Sweet Pea says. "There's a crew coming in that's going to start hauling out all the junk and fixing up our trailers."

"In the couple of months that Mr. Morningstar has been here, he's purchased and cleaned up the southside rather than tearing our school and homes down and building over it," Toni tells him. "Could you say Hiram Lodge would have done the same for us?"

Archie shifts uncomfortably under everyone's gaze and you say, "Hiram and my dad had business dealings going back to before we were born. He royally messed up and my dad cleaned it up." You then offer him a faint grin. "My dad is not the horrible person you've no doubt heard about from your girlfriend and her family. Keep that in mind."

The redhead nods. "Thanks. And uh, I'm sorry about Veronica. I tried to stop her."

You shrug. "No harm done. The clothes can be washed. You and me are good, but if your girlfriend steps up to me again I won't be settling things with words."

He huffs a small laugh. "Duly noted." He then glances at the occupant across the booth from you. "See you around, Jug."

As soon as Archie takes his leave, your three friends all converge on you.

"Are you okay?" Jughead immediately asks.

"Girl, you have been blessed with the patience of a million people because I would have lunged across this table if it weren't for your calm demeanor," Toni says.

"I was so close to shanking her," Sweet Pea mumbles.

You snort and swat at his chest with the back of your hand. "It's just a little ice cream, guys. No biggie." You pull at your shirt, nose wrinkling. "I'm just going to go clean up in the bathroom. I'll be back."

"Oh hey," Toni climbs over the back of her seat, hopping out of the booth behind her to meet you, "I have some clothes in my bike's bag if you're interested."

"Yeah. Just bring it to the bathroom."

You head to the bathroom, not caring a bit about your clothes and instead turn on the water at the sink to wash off the stickiness of the ice cream that stayed behind on your skin. Toni appears not a minute later, clothes in hand, and you readily strip out of your jeans right then and there. She doesn't bat an eye and tosses you the pants first.

When you catch them, you give her a deadpan stare which she laughs at. "Leather? Seriously?"

"Put them on, Y/N."

You grumble all the while, putting one leg in and then the other, you almost falling a couple of times as you drag the leather up your legs. Toni is no help, she laughing at your misfortune and then at your exasperated, "Fucking hell. How do you breathe in these?" She tosses the shirt at you next and you glare when you see all the mesh involved. "My tits are gonna be out."

"No they won't. There's material sewn in so there no nip slips. You'll just be showing off the perfect amount of skin."

"I hate you." You strip off your shirt, turning around and stripping off your bra as well. You pull the long sleeve shirt on, frowning when you realize there's only a single band of material that wraps around your breasts. Everything else is see through. "I seriously hate you."

"Yeah well you're about to hate me more."

Toni quickly grabs up your discarded clothing and books it out of the bathroom, you lunging after her. She laughs as she makes a break for the exit and you freeze right before you can enter the main part of the diner. Through the windows you can see her stashing your clothes in the bag on her bike and you mumble threats at her as she re-enters the diner, walking towards the boys.

You've worn a couple of risqué outfits in front of your friends by now, but the shirt makes you feel really exposed. So after gathering your wits, and wishing you could just disappear in a swirl of flames, you march out from behind the wall and towards your friends. Sweet Pea is the first to see you and his eyes widen before they glance up and down your form. Jughead and Toni turn around in their seats, Jug's eyes widening before he laughs and Toni snapping a few photos on her phone. You pout at them as you cross your arms over your chest. "I'm ready to go now. Toni's clothes and I do not mix."

Sweet Pea seems to snap out of his stupor long enough to stand up and shed his jacket, then draping it over your shoulders. You exhale in relief and quickly shove your arms through the sleeves, smiling up at him until Toni coos and your gaze darts to her. If looks could kill, your friend would be seriously maimed.

"So are you guys ready for the Whyte Wyrm?" Jughead asks. "Fangs texted that he's on the way there right now."

"Sure, but we're swinging by my house first so I can get back into my own clothes."

"Do we have to?" Sweet Pea's voice rumbles directly above you. "I'm kind of into this look you have going on right now."

You freeze and glance upward, reaching out to poke his chest. "Don't press your luck, Sweets. Now come on. You're driving me."

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckles and follows after you.

Jughead and Toni watch as their friends leave, grinning at the sight of their friend swamped in Sweet Pea's serpent jacket. "Is it just me or is Sweet Pea seriously sweet on the devil's daughter?"

Toni chuckles. "That's nothing. You should see the way they sleep when we spend the night down in the theatre. You would think Y/N would be wrapped around him, but nope. Sweet Pea uses Y/N as his personal pillow and practically glares Fangs to death every time Lucifer brings up orgies."

Jughead's laugh falters. "O-Orgies?"

"Yeah. Apparently they're part of the norm down in Hell. I'm pretty sure Lucifer is gonna give Pea a heart attack one of these days if he keeps mentioning Y/N having her first one."

He shakes his head, chuckling. "Life with the devil and his daughter just keeps getting weirder and weirder."

"Preaching to the choir, Jug."

You're at home, alone for a change, and making yourself something to eat. Every now and then you just needed a day or two for yourself to decompress and it was something that your new friends seemed to understand. Especially since the Ghoulies started to push back, something having changed within their ranks and making them that much more cocky, and you had your hands full with them. But thankfully, they couldn't reclaim the school.

You manage to eat at least half a plate pasta when your cell rings, the unknown number making you frown. You take a sip of water before answering.

"Hello?"

"Y/N?" Toni's voice wavers over the line. "You need to get down to the hospital."

"Hospital?" You sit a little straighter in your seat. "What happened?"

"It's Jughead." She says. "The Ghoulies and Penny beat him. It's not good, Y/N."

The blood in your veins runs cold. You mind blanks before rage seeps in. "They what?" You seethe.

"FP's a mess. And they also stabbed Fangs, but it's nothing serious. And Sweet Pea-"

"What did they do to Sweet Pea?"

"He's fine." She's quick to assure you. "He's the least injured with a busted lip and bruised eye. He's more pissed and worried about Jug and Fangs right now."

You can feel your body trembling. "Toni, is there anyone around you right now?"

"No. The payphone was down some deserted hallway."

"Good. Give me a few seconds and I'll be right there." You hang up on her, pushing up from your chair and rushing down the hall to put on some shoes. You forgo any type of jacket, your cable knit sweater and plaid skirt just going to have to do. You inhale and exhale deeply, closing your eyes and concentrating on Toni. Once you feel like you've sussed her out, you will yourself to be taken to her and the telltale whoosh of flames lets you know they've done their job. When your eyes open, Toni's staring wide-eyed at you. "Take me to the boys."

Toni numbly nods, turning around and rushing down the hall. You're fast on her heels, your rage still boiling beneath the surface. Especially when you're led to the waiting room where your dad casually sits in a chair and FP paces in front of him. Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper are a few chairs down, and Sweet Pea is not far from them.

You completely pass up your dad and FP, heading straight for Sweet Pea. When he sees you, he attempts to stand but you catch his face in your hands and gently cradle it to examine his wounds. "What happened?"

"Ghoulies," he mumbles. His hands come up to wrap around your wrists, trying to smile reassuringly at you, but then flinching when his split lip stretches. "And Penny. She's back and out for your blood."

"She's dead," you murmur.

Sweet Pea's eyes widen. "Y/N-"

"Don't." You meet his gaze and you can see the concern there. You offer him a feeble smile in return, leaning down and pressing your lips to his forehead. "She will not get away with touching what is mine. She's dead."

As you pull back to make sure he understands you're being serious, you see him gulp and tersely nod. You drop your hands and step back from him, and he's quick to stand. Towering over you, he reaches down and grabs your hand within his own. He seems almost nervous about his move, but you merely squeeze his hand in response and lead him towards FP. Your dad stands as you pass him this time, joining you, Sweet Pea, and the elder Jones in the corner of the waiting room.

"I am so sorry, FP," you tell him.

He glances at you, eyes red-rimmed as he smoothes his hair back with one hand. "Not your fault, kid. I should have known Penny wouldn't have been kept at bay so easily. Or that she'd sit idly by as Lucifer took up Ghoulie territory."

You shake your head at him. "Penny doesn't know what we're truly capable of- she only thinks we're good with our fists and blades. She doesn't know that by touching my boys, she just signed her death certificate."

FP blinks at you as Lucifer chuckles. "Ding dong the witch is dead."

"So dead," you quietly seethe. Glancing up at Sweet Pea, you say, "I need you to take me to where they're laying low."

"I'm not taking you directly to them. It's you they're after, Y/N. Penny knew the only way to make you a loose cannon was to attack those closest to you."

"I am not a loose cannon, Pea. I am focused." You squeeze his hand. "I've never been this focused before, but if you won't take me I'll just get my dad to suss her out and you'll miss all the action."

"We'll take you," FP says. "I wanna be there for her downfall."

"And the Ghoulies," you tell him. "Whoever laid a finger on the boys are all going down."

Sweet Pea sighs. "You're gonna be the death of me." Lucifer full blown smirks and FP cracks a grin at the serpent in distress. "Fine. We'll take you, but you're riding with me."

And if they didn't think you were serious before, they know now seeing as you didn't make a joke about riding with FP like you normally would have given the chance.

Toni steps up to the group then, FP grasping her by the shoulder and leaning in to murmur, "Stay with Jug. We'll be back." She looks at you, but you subtly shake your head and she takes a seat in one of the waiting room chairs.

Hand in hand, you and Sweet Pea stalk out of the hospital with FP at your side. Lucifer decides to hang back as well, saying he's just going to check on Jughead as soon as he can and jumpstart the boy's healing process.

On the back of Pea's bike, you hang on to his waist and let the wind whip at your face and hair. Your rage at Penny and the Ghoulies has overcome you, that not even the sting of the cold air or cold drizzle is enough to faze you. It's about a ten minute ride to the clearing and by the time you get there your rage has made you eerily calm. The bikes are shut off and off in the distance, just beyond a bridge, there are several barrels emitting flames. As you climb off, FP and Sweet Pea stand on either side of you as they glance around your surroundings.

"Whatever you see, let it happen. I won't be responsible for what happens if anyone tries to interfere with what I'm doing."

The both of them mumble their acknowledgements and then you're walking. The clearing seems void of any life, but then the blonde bitch you watched Maze beat down and threaten over a month ago saunters out from between the trees. And she's not alone. About ten to fifteen Ghoulies come out from between the trees behind her and spread out.

"Tall Boy?" You glance at FP and follow his gaze, frowning at the semi-familiar Serpent standing with Penny Peabody.

"Told you going after the Jones kid would bring the little bitch out." Tall Boy chuckles and Penny looks like Christmas has come early.

"What the hell, man?!" Sweet Pea shouts. "You sent the Snake Charmer and her junkie little lap dogs after us? Serpents don't betray Serpents!"

"That's rich coming from you, boy." He huffs. Tall Boy points at FP as he says, "He teamed up with outsiders and practically lets them have free reign of the Whyte Wyrm."

"And don't forget he let his little lap dogs take me out of town and cut me up," Penny says. "But now I'm back, better than ever, and I'm out for blood. That," she points directly at you, "little bitch's blood to be exact."

Sweet Pea steps forward in your defense, but you grab his arm and pull him back. FP steps up to your side again, clearly not letting Tall Boy's betrayal go. "So what? Say you do take out Lucifer and Y/N. What is that going to solve? You're out Tall Boy. Exiled. You have no home here. Not anymore."

He shrugs. "Well then I guess I'll take out their king and rule the Serpents myself."

"I'd like to see you try." Everyone glances at you, your too calm tone seeming out of place for the current confrontation taking place. "Let's go, Tall Boy. You and me. Right here, right now."

"Uh, Y/N?" Sweet Pea says.

You step forward, gaze set on the Serpent in question. "What's wrong, Tall Boy? Are you afraid of a little girl?"

Tall Boy, Penny, and all the hopped up Ghoulies laugh, and you step forward. Tall Boy meets you halfway, grinning. "As soon as I'm done with you, my boys are gonna carve up your boys and then I'm gonna make a quick trip down to the hospital and finish what we started with Jughead."

"Oh Tall Boy," you mockingly smile. "Shut the fuck up."

He lunges forward to grab you, but you're quick to duck into a crouch and send your fist flying into his groin. You slide to the right and kick in the back of his knee, then sweeping his legs out from under him. You slap a hand down on his forehead, Tall Boy's screams resonating around the clearing as he convulses beneath your hand. You glance up and meet Penny's gaze head on. Her eyes widen and you sneer at her, and then you look back down at Tall Boy as you release him.

"Exile is too good for the likes of you," you say as he tries to scramble to his feet. On his forehead, there appears to be three claw marks branded there. "So I want you to run like the hounds of hell are after you, Tall Boy. Because they will be." As if on cue, eerie howls rip through the air and you slowly stand tall. Everyone tenses and glances around, but only Tall Boy seems to be staring at something that only he can see. You glance over your shoulder, grinning as two hellhounds step out from the shadows and brush up against FP and Sweet Pea. The two of them freeze and shift to the side, and you beckon the hellhounds closer to you. They stand at your side, under your palms, and you grin at Tall Boy. "Run, Tall Boy. My babies are hungry."

The hellhounds snarl as Tall Boy turns around to run and you click your tongue a minute later to let the hounds loose. Tall Boy can be heard screaming deep into the windows and you smile innocently at Penny and all the Ghoulies. A Ghoulie steps forward, taking Tall Boy's place next to Penny. His wild and curly hair hangs to his shoulders, and black coal is smeared across his eyes which seem a little too wide for any sober person.

"One down," you muse. "Who's next?"

"What the hell did you do to Tall Boy?" Penny seethes. She steps forward and you smile at her.

"Penny, Penny, Penny," you tut. "You're in no position to be asking questions." Your smile drops as your gaze hardens. "You should have listened and stayed out of Riverdale."

"Who the hell do you think you are, little girl?"

"Why I'm the queen of hell, of course." You smile innocently as lightning suddenly forks across the sky and everyone ducks on instinct. Penny and her ghoulish companion look up before they glance warily back at you, and you smirk. "Now kneel." A moment of silence passes before Penny and her friends laugh. Your smirk drops. "I said kneel!" You snap your fingers and everyone standing across from you falls to their knees. They glance around wildly, not knowing why they listened.

You stalk forward, your feet unknowingly leaving behind smoldering prints and lightning flashes ominously across the sky. "You mortals never listen," you seethe, your voice changing and sending chills down everyone's spine. "And now I'm going to finish what Mazikeen should have done the first time around."

Penny spits at your feet. "Screw you. You don't have what it takes to play with the adults, sweetheart."

"No?" You walk forward until you're just in front of Penny, reaching out and walking your fingers along her forehead until she jerks out of reach. "I command a legion of demons, sweetheart," you mock her. "You have no idea what I'm capable of." Penny opens her mouth to no doubt spew some idiot bullshit and you sigh. "Bored now. Bye bye, Snake Charmer." You shove your palm against Penny's forehead, smiling as a glow emits from your palm and seeps into her head.

Her mouth gapes open as she screams, her own eyes and mouth slowly emitting the same glow from your hand before her screams die out and she falls back. Dead.

Her ghoulish companion stares up at you in fear. "What the fuck are you?"

"Don't you listen, Malachi?" You sweetly coo. His eyes subtly widen at you knowing who he is.

"Queen of Hell. Yeah, I got that," he says. Suddenly his resolve seems to harden. "But what you don't seem to know is that you messed with the wrong ghoul. You see, I overthrow royalty." Before you can blink, his arm is raising and you see the glint of a blade a second too late.

The sharpened metal is embedded in your gut and he laughs cruelly.

"Y/N!" Sweet Pea and FP yell.

But you merely stumble back a single step, glancing down at the knife before you grab the hilt and yank it free. Dropping it, you look at Malachi from under your lashes. "That was a very stupid move." He snorts, but before he can say another word you reach forward with both hands and twist his head violently to the side.

As you glance up at the rest of the Ghoulies, you're met with fearful stares. You want to make each and every one of them suffer, every single face staring up at you guilty for having taken part in putting Jug and Fangs in the hospital. Stalking towards the first Ghoulie, you ignore their whimpers and press a single finger to the middle of their forehead. "Death is too harsh at the moment for the lot of you," you say. The Ghoulie beneath your finger screams before passing out, he falling limp to the ground. "So live your life to the fullest," you say as you touch the next one, "because the moment you cease to live, your soul will be dragged to Hell where you'll be tortured over and over and over again." At the next Ghoulie, you chuckle. "You really shouldn't have touched what was mine."

One by one, the Ghoulies fall unconscious under your hand. The clearing is littered with unconscious junkies, and by the time you turn around FP and Sweet Pea are a lot closer than they were earlier. FP is staring at you like he can't believe what he's just seen, but Sweet Pea's gaze is set on your abdomen where your blood has soaked through your sweater. You glance down, pressing your hand to your wound and then bringing your hand away soaked with blood.

"Oh. Well that's not good." You stumble backwards, but hands are quick to catch you before you can fall. Looking up at your savior, you smile shakily at the boy who had quickly won over your affections. "Hey Pea."

"Hey." His own smile is shaky as well, but the concern is clear as day. "You put on quite the show there, babe. What the hell did you do to the Ghoulies?"

"N-Nothing. Just branded their souls for a f-future trip down to Hell. And I made them forget what they'd seen here so they can't tell anyone."

FP comes up to your side then, grinning. "Smart move, Morningstar. Now come on. Let's get you to the hospital. We need to get you checked out."

Your teeth chatter as you nod. "O-Okay."

You gasp as Sweet Pea literally sweeps you off your feet, one arm beneath your knees and the other supporting your upper back as he walks you towards his bike. Instead of reprimanding him for the sudden movement, you lean your head against his chest and let your eyes fall shut. Gosh, you're so sleepy.

"Hey. Y/N, wake up."

"M'tired."

"I know, babe, but you still need to keep your eyes open."

"Five more minutes."

Sweet Pea sighs. "If you don't open up your eyes, you're gonna miss a shirtless FP."

Your nose wrinkles and a moment passes before you crack open one eye. "You're a dirty rotten liar, Pea."

His upper body shakes with his quiet laughter. "Did you really just open one eye to see if I was telling the truth?"

"I'm injured. Don't mock me."

"You're right. I'm sorry," he muses. "Now come on. I really need you to open your eyes. You need to be alert so you don't fall off the back of my bike."

You groan. "Fine. But when I fall asleep at the hospital, you're not allowed to wake me up."

"Deal."

The steady beeping of a machine is what wakes you, your eyelids feeling too heavy to open. You try turning your head the other way, but the beeping continues and it makes you frown. You manage to flutter your eyelids open, blinking a few times until your vision focuses. The first person you see is Sweet Pea, the boy in question sitting in a chair with his head tilted back and mouth agape. You can hear faint snores coming from him and it makes you smile.

You turn your head the other way, smile blossoming at the two sleeping figures of Toni and Fangs.

"So Sleeping Beauty finally wakes." The gruff voice startles you and you have to pick your head up to see where it's coming from. Across the room from you, in a bed of his own, is a severely bruised Jughead who's eating a cup of green jello. "The bed remote is to your right if you wanna sit up."

You turn to your right, spotting the remote hanging from the bed railing and make a grab for it. Figuring out which button is which, you press the correct one to lift the upper half of your bed. You cringe as you do so, head throbbing suddenly. "How- how long was I out?"

"According to my dad, you've been out for three and half days. I woke up two days ago so I heard all about the craziness that went down the night I was brought in."

"Oh." You glance around, frowning. "Do, uh, do you know where my dad's at?"

"He's been in and out. The three stooges around you haven't given up their seats since you were put in here, so he said to call him when you woke up. I texted him while you were ogling Sweet Pea in his sleep."

"I wasn't-" You pause, sighing as Jughead chuckles. "Whatever." Glancing around again, you say, "What does a girl gotta do to get some food in here?"

As if on cue, the door bangs open and both you and Jughead flinch. Toni, Fangs, and Sweet Pea all startle awake. In walks your father, bags from Pop's in hand, and behind him FP walks in with two trays of drinks.

"You," Lucifer points out, "darling daughter, have a lot of explaining to do."

It's then your friends notice that you're up and awake, and you brace yourself as Toni and Fangs practically climb atop your bed.

"Will you be careful, you dumbasses!" Sweet Pea barks. "She just woke up."

"She just woke up," Fangs mocks him, earning a punch to the back.

You laugh, flinching when Toni's arm lays across your abdomen. Thankfully she notices and quickly readjusts her position, not moving from your side. Fangs, however, gets pulled from your other side and Sweet Pea carefully takes his spot. He maneuvers his arm so it's behind your and Toni's heads.

Glancing up at your dad, you accept the bag of food he holds out to you as he asks, "When exactly did your powers fully manifest? FP and Sweet Pea told me what they witnessed, and a sudden show of power like that is what kept you asleep so long. As well as the blood loss. You completely exhausted yourself."

You shift nervously under everyone's sudden gaze. "I, uh, it's all been slowly manifesting over the past couple of weeks. But then hearing about Jughead, it kind of sped up the process in one fell swoop and well.. FP and Pea saw how that ended."

Lucifer tuts. "You're lucky you didn't kill yourself. You know better than to use so much power while still untrained."

"I know," you mumble. You make quick work of digging into the bag that's resting in your lap, pulling out a burger and unwrapping it. You immediately take a bite, groaning as the taste explodes across your tongue. "Can you lecture me later? I feel like I can eat ten of these."

Your dad wrinkles his nose. "Your mortal side is showing. Swallow before you speak."

"That's what he said," Toni mumbles.

You choke on your food and Sweet Pea immediately starts hitting your back in a panic. Eventually your airway clears and you glare at Toni who's smiling innocently at you. "You're a bitch." She laughs, but then your attention is stolen by FP whose handing you a drink. You grin gratefully at him as you suck up some ice cold Cola through the straw. "I hope I didn't leave you a mess to deal with."

"You didn't." He smirks. "I put in an anonymous tip to sheriff Keller about some Ghoulies who'd looked like they overdosed. I also might have told him they were also the ones involved with Jughead's beating. They ain't getting out anytime soon."

"Good."

Everyone makes themselves comfortable around the shared room, FP sitting next to his son's bed while Lucifer sits next to yours, but Toni and Sweet Pea have you squished between them on the bed while Fangs sits in an empty chair.

You manage to eat three burgers, two cartons of fries, and siphon down three cups of Cola when you notice all eyes are on you. Immediately you can feel the flush burning up the sides of your neck and up to your face. Leaning back, you push the rest of the food away and curl in towards Sweet Pea as the room's occupants start to laugh.

"So are you gonna share those burgers or you gonna wolf down every single one?" Jughead muses.

"Don't mock me. You're lucky I even left anything." Fangs chuckles at your pout and gets up, grabbing up the bags from your lap. He takes a burger for himself before walking the food across the room, and you grin as Jughead immediately digs in. FP can only shake his head at his son as Jughead groans in delight. "So," you say as you glance at your dad, "what happens now?"

"Now you heal," Lucifer says. "However, when you're all better we need to take a trip to Hell." Sweet Pea tightens his hold around your shoulders and you quickly glance up at him, smiling softly to reassure him everything would be fine. "I'm just about done with business here on the mortal plane, so we need to transfer roles back down in Hell."

"Ugh. Do I have to stay for the party? Your creepy minions are gonna try to bed me again."

"Well if you'd show up with a consort on your arm you wouldn't have that problem."

You frown. "You know damn well if I show up with a mortal in Hell it'll be chaos."

"But what fun chaos it'll be," Lucifer smirks.

"Hold up," Toni says. "Consort?"

Your dad's smirk widens and you sigh. "For some reason, dad wants me to take a boyfriend. Or husband. He's not picky."

"What!?" She laughs.

"Yeah. He's got his money on Sweet Pea just because he's tall and intimidating." Sweet Pea suddenly chokes and everyone in the room laughs at him. You grin at him, poking him on his side. "Relax. There are no wedding bells in any of our immediate futures. And besides," you say as you let yourself relax into Sweet Pea's side once more, fatigue suddenly overcoming you, "the elite of Hell only approve of a wedding if it's officiated in Hell. And quite frankly, no one I choose will ever step foot down there if I have anything to say about it."

"Wait. Hold on," Jughead says. "Are you saying you can get us in and out of Hell, and you haven't done so?"

FP scoffs. "Don't even think about it, kid."

You grin at Jughead's affronted expression, letting your eyelids fall shut. "We are not taking field trips down to Hell. Now everyone shush. M'sleepy."

It took you a few days before your dad deemed you well enough to visit Hell, making sure you did not show any form of vulnerability in front of the others. So you rested at home during the day and spent your evenings entertaining your friends who wanted to know all about Hell and how long you'd be away. But the truth was, you didn't even know yourself.

So when you and your dad finally left for Hell, you hadn't anticipated just how long you'd be there. You did anticipate, however, several demons being happy over the transfer of power. And that several others would swoop in in hopes of courting you. All of which you happily declined.

Your dad's coronation lasted a full day and you lost track of time after the second day of partying. You caught up with what few companions you actually had in Hell, ate, drank, and danced. It felt like only a couple of days had passed before you decided you'd been there long enough and sought out your father, only for him to happily send you on your way with promises that you'd visit every month. You had waved him off before going back to your rooms to change into regular clothing, and then let a swirl of flames whisk you away.

Reappearing in your house, you glance around happily until you notice it's not quite as you left it. The lights and TV, which had been turned off prior to leaving, are now on and the more you linger in the same spot it's easier to hear the noises coming from the kitchen. Quietly heading in that direction, you stop short at the sight of FP and Jughead preparing what appears to be their dinner.

"Um, hi?"

Jughead and FP's attention immediately snap to you, and Jughead quickly rounds the kitchen island. "Y/N, you're back!"

"Of course I am." You laugh as he wraps his arms around you, returning his embrace as you grin at FP over Jug's shoulder. "I told you I'd be back as soon as possible."

Jughead pulls back from you, hands on your shoulders as he keeps you at arm's length. "I know, but we thought you meant like three days tops, not two weeks!"

"What?"

You look at FP and he nods. "Sorry, babygirl, but he's telling the truth."

Your mind briefly short circuits at the nickname and you glance at Jug, smile slowly blooming. "Your dad called me-"

"Don't."

You laugh as FP snorts, shaking his head at you. "Only joking. I haven't done that in two week apparently," you say. You reach up to pat one of Jughead's hands on your shoulders and he releases. Walking over to one of the stools lined along the kitchen island, you take a seat. "And besides, you know I have my eyes on a certain tall Serpent friend of yours."

"Speaking of which," FP then says as he leans across the counter across from you, "you better text him. He's been bugging us nonstop to see if we heard from you or not."

"I will." Jughead offers you a bottle of water which you accept. "I just- I need to decompress for a little bit. Socializing in Hell kind of took it out of me."

"Well you can always join us for dinner." Jughead looks so hopeful that you actually feel a little bit bad turning him down.

"Sorry, JJ. I've been eating nonstop for days. I kind of just want to sleep it off."

"Oh. Okay sure."

"But before I head upstairs, can I just ask what you guys are doing here?"

Jughead looks like a deer in headlights at the question, so FP takes over. "Lucifer wanted us to keep an eye on the place while you were gone. Said we could crash here if we needed to and our trailer went under renovations two days ago."

"Oh. Okay." You smile at them. "Well you guys are always welcome here no matter what and just because I'm back it doesn't mean you have to leave. I welcome the company," you say. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sleep my dad's coronation off."

"We'll keep your return under wraps, but if anyone stops by we won't lie to them."

"That's fine," you tell Jughead.

After drinking some more of your water, you decide to head upstairs. In the privacy of your room you decide to quickly change into some sleepwear before crawling into the comfort of your own bed.

Sleep finds you fairly quickly and you're not quite sure how long you've been asleep when you're suddenly awoken. The sky is completely pitch black outside your window and the house is eerily quiet. You figure it must be very early morning so it's no use getting up now, but just as your eyes close once more the sound of a chair creaking has your eyes flying open.

On your stomach, you immediately push yourself up until you're sitting on your knees and glancing around your room. "Hey. Hey, you're okay."

Your lamp clicks on and you cringe away from the sudden brightness, only to slowly open your eyes and be met with the concerned expression of possibly your favorite Serpent. "Pea?"

He grins. "The one and only."

"What are- what are you doing here?" You crawl towards the edge of the bed closest to him, sitting down so your feet touch the ground.

"Stopped by for some dinner earlier and Jughead told me you were back. FP took pity on me and let me stay until you woke up."

"So you- you watched me sleep?" Sweet Pea's smile slowly falls as yours grows. "That's kind of creepy, Pea."

"Well I didn't- I didn't know-"

You quickly lean forward, one hand gripping the armrest of the chair to hold you up and the other cradling the side of Sweet Pea's face as you angle it towards yours. You gently brush your lips against his just to test the waters before you pull back just an inch, your eyes fluttering open to gauge his reaction. Sweet Pea blinked owlishly at you before his eyes darted over every inch of your face, lastly settling on your lips as his hands came up to cradle your face and bring you back in.

Smiling against his lips, you allow him a moment of control, letting yourself get briefly carried away in one another. You nip at his bottom lip and when he groans you peck the corner of his mouth before falling back onto the edge of your bed. You lick your bottom lip before biting it sheepishly, eyes shining at a clearly distracted Sweet Pea.

"I'm not gonna lie. I've been wanting to do that for a really long time."

Gathering his wits once more, Sweet Pea scoffs. "You mean to tell me we could have been doing this since the beginning?"

"Well yeah. But I didn't wanna come off as easy."

"You.. easy? Yeah right," he chuckles. Slowly, he sobers up. "But, uh, your dad's not gonna be a problem. Right?"

You shake your head. "Nah. Believe it or not, Lucifer's a cool dad. He doesn't care what I do or who I do it with so long as it's consensual."

He seems to blanch just a little. "Of course. Always."

"Then we're good." You flash him a small smile as you scoot back into bed, tossing the blanket over your legs. "Now will you come to sleep rather than watching over me? I wasn't lying when I said it was weird." Sweet Pea readily stands to strip out of his jacket, laying it across the chair as he toes off his boots. When he starts to walk to the other side of your bed, you say, "Feel free to sleep sans jeans, but only if you're wearing underwear."

Sweet Pea smirks at you as he slowly unbuckles his belt, sliding it out of his jean's loops before tossing that on his jacket as well. You roll your eyes as he unbuttons his jeans and lets them fall, haphazardly kicking them aside before crawling into your bed.

"If that was an attempt to seduce me, you're really terrible at it." He laughs as he lays on his back, you grabbing his arm and picking it up so you can lay close to him. You're on your side, head on his shoulder and arm around his waist. "But you still get an A for effort."

"I wasn't even trying, sweetheart. If I was to seduce you, you'd know it."

"Mhm. I'm sure. Now close your eyes. I have a feeling everyone's gonna be here later on."

          - - - - - - - - - - 

"Do- do we wake them?"

"No, you idiot, let them sleep."

A sigh. "This is going to be a regular thing now, isn't it?"

You slowly smile, the voices of Fangs, Toni, and Jughead waking you up. "You're damn straight this is going to be a regular thing." Your eyes open and you grin. "I'm going to be climbing this like a tree every chance I get." The chest beneath your cheek rumbles with sleepy laughter. You yawn, stretching at Sweet Pea's side before slowly sitting up. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten," Jughead says. "Dad was going to wake you for breakfast, but he saw you and Sweet Pea and figured he'd let you sleep."

"FP is officially my second favorite Serpent," you say. With his eyes still closed, Sweet Pea smiles and you roll your eyes at his smugness. "I hope you guys have nothing planned. I just want to relax and go to school like a normal person for a few days. I'm all partied out."

"Whatever you want, girl." Toni tells you. "We're just glad you're finally back."

"You and me both."

Over the next few days, your group of friends grow used to the fact that you and Sweet Pea have officially become a thing. Neither of you are fond of the terms boyfriend/girlfriend since it sounds kind of juvenile, but you don't correct anyone when they use that particular label. As far as the two of you are concerned, you are his and he is yours, and that's enough for the two of you.

Another change that seems to have happened is at the Whyte Wyrm, your presence being a great deal more tolerated. You know no one other than a select few knew of your true heritage, so you figure one of your friends name dropped the pet name Princess and now the other Serpents boldly greet you as such, especially FP who takes great delight in calling you that once he realizes you find it annoying.

You're happy you don't have Queenly duties niggling at the back of your mind and that you can just be as normal as you can be with your friends. There are a few instances in which your powers come in handy, but you don't use them as often as you thought you would. Then as the days slowly progress and the weather turns chillier, you find that Sweet Pea is a constant presence in your home. His trailer had been updated, but while he's grateful for it he much prefers coming home to you and your house.

You and Sweet Pea are sleeping down in the basement, the lounging sofa being more comfortable for him to sleep in since he was so tall. You've already ordered a new bed, but for now the two of you happily camp down in the theatre while you wait for your bed to come in.

The doorbell ringing pulls you from your dreams and an arm tightens around your waist. Sleep starts to pull you back under seconds later until the doorbell rings again and you quietly groan.

"Don't answer it," Sweet Pea mumbles. "They'll go away."

You press back into his chest, yawning and willing yourself to fall back asleep. But whoever's at the front door is insistent and the doorbell rings for a third time. "I'm going to smite them," you grumble. "Smite them and then blissfully come back to sleep." Sweet Pea chuckles at your threat, but though you're getting annoyed for having had your sleep interrupted you don't actually do anything about it.

Seconds seem to pass and when the doorbell doesn't ring again you let your body start to relax once more. Sweet Pea curls even more against your back and you chuckle softly at the fact that one of the Serpent's most intimidating secretly loves to cuddle.

And then just as you're fully relaxing and being pulled back under, there are footsteps coming down the staircase. "I knew I'd find you guys down here."

You and Sweet Pea both groan, Jughead's amused laughter making you open your eyes and glare at the teen in question. Betty Cooper is standing just behind him, glancing around your home theatre in wonder, but you bite your tongue on questioning her presence since you know full well that she and Jughead were more stable than they've ever been.

"If you know what's best for you, JJ, you'd walk away."

"It's three in the afternoon, Y/N. You should have been awake hours ago."

"We had a late night."

"First off, ew." His nose wrinkles at you and Sweet Pea, and you, Sweet Pea, and Betty grin at Jughead's comment. "And secondly, dad sent me. We're having a meeting."

Sweet Pea seems to take those words seriously and you whine when he moves to get up. He chuckles, quickly kissing your temple and then turning to crawl out of the comfort of the sofa. You sigh. "And why, pray tell, is my presence needed?"

Jughead smirks. "You'll see."

His vague answer is enough to get you moving, you grumbling all the while. On your way upstairs, you hit Jughead with your shoulder and then smile innocently at Betty while telling her to help herself to whatever's in the kitchen while you and Sweet Pea get ready.

You and Sweet Pea take the quickest showers you've ever taken, separately, and meet Jughead and Betty in the kitchen. Sweet Pea is pulling on his jacket and you're tying your hair up into a ponytail, grinning at Jughead who has a plate of sandwiches in front of him. "So what's the deal, Jones?"

He shrugs. "M'just under orders to bring you to the quarry."

You glance at Betty and she chuckles. "I just came along for the ride. Jughead's actually dropping me off before you go to the meeting."

"I feel like I should be scared nervous, but I'm actually excited nervous." You muse. "I mean, daddy Jones-"

"God you're so gross," Jughead groans. You wink at Betty as Jughead turns to Sweet Pea. "How are you okay with your girl fawning over my dad?"

"Because everyone, including FP, knows it gets under your skin and it's fun to watch your squirm."

You look at Betty and grin. "Have I told you about the time FP called me babygirl?"

"And we're leaving!" Jughead is quick to latch onto his laughing girlfriend's wrist, tugging her out of the kitchen and towards the front door.

You turn towards Sweet Pea, wrapping your arms around his waist as you lean up on your tiptoes to play a chaste kiss to his lips. "I absolutely adore you. Now come on. Let's go see what the boss wants."

Sweet Pea pecks your lips twice more before you fall back flat on your feet, then making your way towards the hall closet. Inside, you pull free a jean jacket and quickly pull it on while Sweets grabs both your helmets. The two of you head outside to see Betty already hanging onto the back of Jughead. You and Sweet Pea readily climb onto his bike, you tucking yourself as close as you can to his back while he follows Jughead towards Betty's house.

Then once Betty's hopped off and heading towards her front door, Jughead signals for Sweet Pea to follow and you're on your way once more. The part of the quarry Jughead leads you to is not familiar to you and you're surprised to see the entire Serpent clan hanging around. And as you climb off the bike, waiting for Sweet Pea who takes your hand and then starts leading you towards your friends, you glance around to take in your surroundings.

A wooden walkway leads down to a boathouse just on the water, trucks and motorcycles parked all around. There are a couple of tapped kegs and barrels of fire scattered about. Between two wooden poles, a Serpent banner hangs just behind some stacked wooden pallets that FP hops up onto.

FP whistles, gaining everyone's attention. "Listen up now!" Some music that had been playing is lowered and everyone turns towards their leader. "I know some of you have recently had your opinions about the way I was running things with the Serpents." Some people boo and FP chuckles, instantly calming them. "Our image has never been as clean as it should have been and certain events led a few of us to make decisions that could have had repercussions against all of us." Some very brave individuals glance at Jughead and you glare at them until they look away. "But then an old friend of mine swooped in and changed everything." At this, some nervously glance at you.

"Some sixty years ago, the very first Serpent meeting took place on these same river banks. So I find it fitting that we meet here to introduce a new snake to the den." Everyone cheers this time, including you, though your amusement falls when FP meets your gaze head on. You freeze. Surely he's not talking about- "You all know about Penny, the Ghoulies, and Tall Boy attacking three of our own- my boy included. What you don't know is that girl," he points directly at you, "that girl right there is who took a knife to the gut avenging us. So Y/N Morningstar, come on up here."

Sweet Pea, Jughead, Toni, and Fangs start the whooping and hollering until the rest of the Serpents all join in. You're gripping tight to Sweet Pea's hand as he starts to drag you towards FP's platform, you nervously grinning at the Serpents who part down the middle to give you a path.

At the makeshift stage, Sweet Pea then nudges you up there and you chuckle nervously as you stand next to FP. He smiles at you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders to keep you close while addressing the crowd again. "The Morningstars, while some of you were against it at first, helped clean up the Serpent image and helped improve the Southside when even our own mayor had given up on us. They've been a tremendous help to us and it all started with an act of kindness from one of the Serpents which then led to my release. So with that said, Jughead will you come on up and do the honors?"

You look out at Jughead, brow furrowing as Toni smirks at you while handing a duffel bag over to the boy in question. He unzips it, pulling free what looks to be a cherry red leather jacket. He holds it, scrunched up in one hand, as he makes his way to the platform. "What's going on?" You mutter.

FP releases you just as Jughead takes his place by your side. He's smiling as he inhales deeply, letting out it loudly before addressing the rest of the Serpents. "When Lucifer left, he asked my dad and I to look after his precious little princess." You scoff, punching Jughead's arm much to everyone's amusement. "And I know some of you are going to say that that's why we've decided to welcome Y/N into the Serpents, but the reason why we're welcoming Y/N into the fold is because she earned her place. She took a knife for us and got rid of our enemies once and for all. I don't know about you, but to my dad and I that makes her worthy of being a Serpent."

Sweet Pea is the first to whoop, followed by the rest of your friends and the crowd of Serpents lingering about.

"So what do you say, Morningstar? Will you don the Serpent jacket and put the fear of the devil into any person who dares smear the name of your brethren?" He asks while grabbing the cherry red jacket with both hands and shaking it open.

You smirk at him, already stripping out of your jean jacket. "As if you even had to ask."

You toss your jacket to Sweet Pea and stand in front of Jughead, placing your arms into the sleeves one at a time. It fits perfectly, Toni's doing no doubt, and you laugh openly at the roar of applause. Turning around, you hug Jughead and then walk over towards FP to offer him the same embrace.

"Who picked the color?" You ask.

"Who do you think?" He muses.

"Dad."

FP releases you with a grin, nudging you towards your friends. "Go on. We'll be celebrating tonight at the Whyte Wyrm."

You offer him one of your genuine smiles instead of the teasing one you usually reserve for him. "Thanks, FP. For everything."

"No problem, kiddo. Now seriously, go. Go have a burger and a shake at Pop's with your friends."

As you turn to hop off the platform, Toni is the first to wrap you up in a hug. "Welcome to the club! You're seriously lucky you didn't have to do the dance."

"I'd have seriously gouged someone's eye out if anyone suggested I do the dance to earn my place."

She laughs and then Fangs takes her place, you hugging him back. Then finally Sweet Pea is standing in front of you and he laughs as you jump into his arms.

"Happy, princess?"

"Ecstatic," you muse as you wrap your legs around his waist. His hands find your ass, supporting your weight as you quickly lean in to kiss him. More cheers erupt all around you, you and Sweet Pea smile against each other's mouths, and Jughead gags behind you. Pulling back, you lay your forehead against his. "Wanna grab some food or go properly celebrate at home before tonight's party at the Wyrm?"

"How about we hit up Pop's for burgers to go, burn off some calories before consuming them right back in the comfort of our own home, and then go to the Wyrm?"

"I like the way you think, Pea. Let's go."

You kiss him once more, Toni cheering you on as Sweet Pea carries you off.

"Just please don't contaminate the basement!" Jughead yells out. "I actually like it down there!"

You wave him off over your shoulder, grinning at Pea. "Who's going to tell him he's a few weeks too late? Me or you?"

"I wanna tell him when he least expects it. Probably when he's laying on the sofa and being a little shit."

"Deal."

[poormeowmeowcollector]

Two Kings And One Guard

Relationship: Every Asgardian and Jotunn from Thor 1 with each other, mostly Thor & Loki, no slash

Warnings: angst, whump, trauma, possible war mention… I’m still working on it

Summary: The Jotnar attacked the palace, and Thor wants – needs revenge for ruining his coronation. But Heimdall does not allow Thor to use the bifrost

Notes: Ideas were taken from this post by @woodelf68 and that post. I am still working on it so please bear with me.

Chapter 2: The Casket

Warnings: Language, caps, and the results of war.

Notes: who am I if I don't traumatise everyone in this fic?

First Chapter | Last Chapter | AO3 | Next chapter

"Mother, with all due respect, I am going through an identity crisis, and you want me to rule a planet?" Loki asks for the fourth time, staring right into Frigga's eyes.

"More like a big city, and it'll only be until your father wakes up," she repeats.

"Do you fucking hear yourself?! This is the throne of Asgard, not babysitting my cousins from Vanaheim! And Odin could wake up in a century for all we know!" they snap, immediately regretting it when Frigga frowns at them.

"I will pass the tone and hideous language only because you are shocked. And, practically speaking, your father is sleeping, and your brother is exiled. Who do you think will rule Asgard? Do we pick the first random person we see and crown them?" She joins the yelling match, but Loki doesn't flinch or step back.

"YOU'RE THE QUEEN!" Loki screams, meeting her unbothered straight face.

"So, you want to stare into Odin as he sleeps for who knows how long?" She raises an eyebrow. Loki opens his mouth, then closes it, Frigga smiling with satisfaction.

"Fine, I'll take the throne," Loki signs and walks out, Heimdall waiting outside the door. "Did you listen to it all?" They ask.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, the dead could listen to your yelling," he answers, making Loki smile a bit.

"Being raised by Odin has that effect," he scoffs, watching a slight grin form in the keeper's lips.

"You need a first command. Something worthy of history books," he announced. Loki can assume that crying in their bedroom isn't really what Heimdall means, but they have an idea.

~~~

"Your Majesty, with all due respect, which you know is none, have you lost your fucking mind?!" Sif screams as she follows Loki to the Bifrost, the Idiots Three behind her.

"No, I know exactly what I am doing," Loki answers calmly, carefully holding the leather bag.

"Loki, how do you even plan to survive in there?" Volstagg asks. Loki is about to open his mouth, but Heimdall glares at him.

"Trust me, you will see," Loki smirks, listening to a familiar scoff.

"Ah yes, the snake demands trust," Hogun snarls. Loki takes a deep breath and shoves the bag on Fandral's hand. Then, he punches Hogun hard enough to break his jaw.

"I wanted to do that for too long…" they sigh as they take back the sack from a now flustered Fandral. "And Fandral, I need your metal sword, not your fleshy one. Learn the difference," he scolds, making Sif scoff.

"Didn't know you can be bearable," she remarks, her hands crossed in front of her.

"Didn't know you can turn down the hate," Loki answers, still going down the bridge with the Warriors behind them.

"What's in the sack anyway?" Fandral asks, the first to consider that question.

"My broken childhood," he snaps, feeling Heimdall regretting every decision that led to this point.

~~~

Their boots were diving in the snow after every step, the wing freezing whatever part of their face was exposed. Yet, as Sif and the Warriors Three were shivering, Loki only looked stressed. Sif could guess it's a warming spell or something.

How could she imagine Loki was trying to keep the illusion when his body was demanding Loptr to be free?

They were walking on for almost an hour when they saw the ruins of a huge palace. Heimdall was not overdramatic, they were left to rot in the garbage Odin left behind. Loki saw the guard, a Jötunn big enough to cover the door, holding a rusty sword.

"We are here to see the king, and come in peace," Loki announced.

"Peace and King of Asgard are two things that are never seen together," the guard answers.

"The new reign will surprise you, then," Loki whispers, using his High Jötunn instead of the Allspeak. The guard stares, but backs off enough to let them through.

The throne room was not in a better state than the exterior, but one could barely see that in the darkness. And, above the nearly destroyed base of a throne, two red eyes glow in the darkness.

"If you seek to play war, leave," Laufey's voice echoes in the whole room, low and intimidating, but not from someone nearly as old as Odin.

"We seek a chance for an alliance, King Laufey," Loki answers, their voice a whisper compared to the king's laugh.

"What alliance will have one side bathing in gold and one side starving?" he asks, leaning closer to the Asgardians. His face is now visible, blue and with the same marks as Loki, his horns plastered on his head to replace the missing hair. But he does look half of Odin's age, did he fight the war when a kid?

Loki smirks and gets his hands in the sack. "That's exactly why I'm here, father," they drop the spell as they speak, revealing their form and the Casket in their hands. The room lights up, Laufey's open mouth and glassy eyes visible without any shadows.

"Loptr? He kept you alive?" He managed to ask, voice shaking. Loptr smiles and nods, tears streaming down.

"LOKI, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?" Sif screams. "HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN KEEPING THAT A SECRET?"

"Em… two hours?" Loptr frowns, this time making Laufey gasp.

"Are you telling me that he had the audacity to steal you and didn't even bother to tell you that?! That's it, the fucker is dead!" Laufey snaps and stands up, a sword made of ice already in his hand. Cyan chains tie him back to the throne, and Laufey smiles.

"You have seiðr. Jötnar haven't possessed that gift in centuries," he points out, his voice having an odd tone, almost proud.

"The queen of Asgard herself taught me," Loptr explains, watching as the murmurs and whispers around the Jötnar spread and reach Laufey.

"You became a master of magic? At such a young age?" He asks, yet not a single spec of irony or taunt. He knows Loptr is his son for a few minutes, yet is already proud. Loptr nods, holding back any idea of tears.

"Thank you, dad. But we need to talk about the alliance. The idea is, you get the Casket back and bring Jötunnheim back to its former glory. The only rule is that you must not use the power to harm unless on self-defense with no other solution," Loptr says, lifting the casket more.

"A question. The Casket was taken away on our mission to inhabit the frozen parts of Midgard, in order to expand without occupying a land of the mortals and help them with the realm heating up. Do you consider that a move of offense?" Laufey asks, scanning Loptr. So that's why the war started, the Jötnar tried to do what Asgard did but better.

"The way you described it, no. But, if anything becomes violent, I will know," they inform, stern and serious, just as Odin had taught them. Laufey stands up again, this time expending his hand towards Loptr. Slowly, Loptr hands over the Casket, and Laufey sets it aside to the floor.

“The Casket will go to the Temple of the Ancient Winds, where it belongs. And, judging by your height, you had not had a ceremony. May I welcome you with one? Also give you the righteous right to the throne, for after my death?” he asks. Loptr can’t believe how fast Laufey is to trust them, and can’t see any string attached. They smile, holding back tears.

“Thank you for the offer, but I am afraid I cannot stay for long. I still have to manage Asgard’s throne, and my friends won’t be able to stand the cold any longer.” Loptr answers.

“I can make the ritual short, then. We can have a feast later, when there are enough resources. But I believe your ceremony should be the first action the Casket should do, as a way to honor your return,” Laufey insists, managing to touch Loptr so effortlessly. Is it a trap? And why is trusting this man so easy? Loptr ends up agreeing, and Laufey gets the casket again.

“Wait, will I go bald? Because every singe one of you is bald…” Loptr asks.

“Only magicians have hair, is a way to recognize them. Like a sign that they’re not to be fucked with. Since you possess the talent without the Casket’s magic, you don’t have to shave,” Laufey explains, barely holding back a laugh. Loptr assumes they have to catch up to all that.

Laufey creates a table of ice in the middle of the room, and places the Casket on top. He instructs Loptr to place their hand on the Casket, and then he starts muttering some incantations in an ancient language of the Jötnar. Loptr can feel their very bones freezing before warming up again and getting longer, thicker, stronger. Soon after, they were a little taller than Laufey, and could feel that cold in their bones setting, but being painless. It mixed itself with the tingling of their seiðr, the two different yet same energies dancing together.

“That’s Frostbite. It makes you immune to any cold and gives you the ability to freeze everything and generate ice and snow. Usually, you would need at least a year of training, but since you mastered seiðr at such a young age and your time is limited here, I trust you can manage while on Asgard,” Laufey explains with a proud smile. Loptr nods, ready to bite a farewell to Laufey.

“Wait, we came here to deliver a heart of a planet, and we won’t see it being placed?” Sif argues, glaring up at Loptr. Laufey chuckles at her demand.

“I assume your friends can hold for long enough,” he takes the Casket. Loptr looks at them for a moment, casting a warming spell on them before nodding. Laufey guides them to the ruins of the temple, Loptr and the Warriors Four behind him.

“Is that where Odin won?” Sif whispers when she notices the marks of a battle. Laufey draws a deep breath.

“Yes. He pinned me down right on that hole in the ground, threatening to unleash the Bifrost unless I surrender. And he stole Loptr from that rock, on the back,” he tries to keep his voice steady, but Loptr can see his face turning ashy for a moment. They know Odin is cruel when fighting, but seeing what that man leaves behind. It makes you realize who is the real monster between the two kings.

Laufey sighs, and holds the casket a little tighter before placing it on the altar. Loptr can feel the same cold magic surging from the Casket and expanding until it covers the whole planet, the ruins fixing themselves and the cold being more overwhelming yet not as hostile. The Warriors four stare at the sky, northern lights filling the pitch black sky and lighting up the darkest corners. Loptr stares too, mesmerized by the images, the feeling of magic emitting from everywhere.

They want to stay forever, but they see the Warriors Four shivering like leaves. "I believe your friends can't last for long," Laufey whispers. Loptr nods and bites their dad a farewell and a promise to return when they have the time.

~~~~~

Taglist: @lucywrites02 @electroma89 @the-emo-asgardian @rorybutnotgilmore @hybrid-in-progress @weirdfangirl2416 @darkacademicfrom2021 @nicoistrying @twhiddlestonsstuff @kozkalovesloki @thewindandthewolves @gaitwae @leucoratia

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

Let him go, pt.2

Summary: When Nick decided to keep Y/N out of the loop regarding Lucifer Morningstar, he never imagined one of his worst fears would come to life - to lose her.

Warnings: ANGST

Word count: 2.2k

Part 1

“I can go in there.” I spoke up, annoyed sitting on the sidelines and being kept out of the loop. If Nick had anything to do with it, I’d have ended up either dead or in the church with the rest of them. I was lucky not to be at the Academy when the hunters came, even luckier I had found a pastime with a riveting Summoning and Bounding literature masterpieces.

“No. Not gonna happen.” Nick waved me off, not bothering to spare me a glance and I scoff.

“Why not?” Harvey raised an eyebrow, eyeing me with interest. He definitely had questions.

“Yeah…Why not?” Folding my arms across my chest, I tilt my head to the right ever so slightly with the faintest, coldest smile I could muster.

“Because I don’t want you there.” Nick’s lips press together and I roll my eyes, but Sabrina was faster than me with her reply.

“I’ll go. I was baptized with holy water, remember?” She smirked, shrugging my way.

“So was I.” I raise my hand, stating it a bit too bitterly. Jealousy isn’t easy, especially not when it’s between two women who greatly respect each other.

“I am half angel. I reckon I have a good chance to stop them.” Yet my mouth keeps moving as if I want to say YOU’RE NOT THAT SPECIAL SPELLMAN, but I don’t say it. I don’t, but I can sense someone’s in my mind, probing for answers. Usually I’d assume it’s the Weird sisters, but this is Ambrose. I just know it.

“NO. They despise nephillims more than witches!” Nick raises his voice, turning to me with a hostile look in his usually loving eyes. The hostility doesn’t come from anger or hate, it’s not animosity, rather worry. It’s fear. “I will.” Sabrina repeats with a sigh, glancing between Nick and me. His eyes remain on me, lips pursing as the eye contact breaks and I finally feel like I can breathe. “You’re not seriously gonna let her go alone, are you? It’s a suicide mission.” Harvey’s eyes wander to me, pleading. He wants me to go, especially after he heard of my roots – a half witch is usually less than impressive, but a half angel with witch blood is unseen. Well…until I appeared. “You don’t seriously think I tell her what to do, do you?” Nick smirks, shrugging it off. He watched them leave, his back turned to me and I felt uncomfortable for the first time since I’ve met him. Nick had let his girlfriend go, yet asked me to stay.

“I couldn’t…I can’t risk you. You’re all I have in this wretched life and if something happened to you, I don’t think I’d survive it.”  

His words aimed for my heart and I flinch with the sheer intensity of the truth hidden within each, emotional syllable. It was the first time he had made me feel as if I matter since Sabrina came along. I felt loved. I felt needed.

It didn’t last.

A week later he and I parted ways.

Nick stayed true to his word, giving me space to breathe and he had his hands full with the new Sabrina and her wish to convert the coven into a church per her father’s view. She wanted to make a difference and while I agreed with some of the teaching, I didn’t fall prey to her charm. Something didn’t feel right and while I was expertly kept out of the loop, I had time to realize how much of my life revolved around Nick.

What little I had left of him felt as if it never existed.

I can’t lie and say he didn’t reach out a few times. It wasn’t a face to face talk, but I did get a few messages on my arm – a little secret we used to have. An enchanted pen to talk in class, when he was away for holidays. It was our way to always stay in contact and from what I’ve learned, he had given our secret away when he made the same pen and gave it to Sabrina. I was no longer our thing. It was just a thing.

“You really should be more careful with your thoughts.” Ambrose Spellman settles beside me, a small smile playing on his lips as if he isn’t here to reprimand me for the distasteful thoughts I’ve had about his cousin.

“Stop peering into my mind and you won’t be as insulted.” I shrug, turning my attention back to the book I’ve been studying. I have always been one of the best students at the Academy. I’d go as far as to claim I’m at the same level as Nick, if not better.

“You do realize Nick is miserable without you.” Ambrose leans on his elbow, smirking once he notices I closed my eyes. “He’s always talking about you. I’m genuinely concerned Sabrina will spell his mouth shut.” He chuckles, looking around as if to make sure we’re alone. “I mean, there’s an apocalypse happening and in an hour, yet he’s still only interested in threatening everyone not to tell you a single word about it.”

Snapping the book shut, I sit up straighter and turn to Ambrose. “What, in the name of Satan, are you talking about?!” The smallest of smiles appear on my lips, assumptions of it being a well-crafted lie making my heart remain steady. However, the smallest inkling of it being a truth thrashed my usually peaceful mind.

“Sabrina’s father, aka Satan, wants to make her his queen and from what I’ve realized, it is happening tonight and we made plans to trap the dark lord but I have a feeling it might not be as easy.” Ambrose pauses as he notices me pale and I’m sure I’m barely keeping a straight face at this point. “Everyone’s in it, but you. Even the mortals.” Ambrose leans back, having set the bait and he knows this will be the reason why I engage.

“We’ll be waiting. You might want to pop in for the coronation.” Ambrose raised both hands in mock surrender as if he didn’t just drop a major bomb my way. He made his way out of the library while I grabbed my bag and frantically searched for the pen.

CORONATION?!

No response.

NICK!!

No response. I know he sees it. I know he feels it. But if he knew me, he knew it would only provoke me. Just because we lost each other doesn’t mean I don’t love him – as a friend, as a woman. I need him, even if he doesn’t really need me back. He may think he does, but he doesn’t.

I am the one who needs his whispers and smiles. I’m the one who needs promises sweet as the touch of his hand. I was a slow dying flower, turning sour and untouchable when he found me. He saved me. And ever since then I’ve needed the darkness, the sweetness and even now I need the sadness and weakness coming from loving him. I need his voice to lull me to sleep, his fingers running through my hair, the tender touches that brought me peace.

I need him. It was dark enough, he saw me, he had me – he just didn’t want me. He made his choice and I know what that choice brings. He’ll do anything for Sabrina. It’s who he is, how he always wanted to love and he will risk everything.

At the end of the day, I’m the one who has nothing left to lose. He has everything to live for. I love him enough to let him go…to protect him while I do it.

With a snap of my fingers, a long, blood red dress wraps around my body. The lace weaves around my arms into long sleeves, the silk falling down to my feet. A slight chill runs down my spine as wind dances along my uncovered back and I smile – the dress is perfect. With a sigh, a spell the only earthly possession I care about onto my neck, the pendant with his initials resting just above my low-cut decollete.

“So you always have me close to you.” Nick smiles widely and my heart stops. He’s so beautiful. I wonder if he knows that he’s more than just a body though. He’s beautiful, inside and out. And he’s gifting me jewelry, something I’ve never had. How did he know?

Struggling to keep my tears in, I smile, looking down on the half a heart pendant. “I love it.”

I love you. I wanted to tell him. I did. I wanted him to know and to hell with it, but I couldn’t. To be so brave, to tell him what weighs on me is to risk losing him. He’d be uncomfortable around me if he didn’t feel it and I couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not ever.

Instead of waiting for an invite, I followed the screams.

“Lanuae Magicae.”

Transporting myself into the ballroom wasn’t the plan, but I had to hurry. And I was right to.

“Well played, Spellman.” I hear Nick’s voice, instinctively looking for him and it seems as if he had felt me too as he turns to me, our eyes meeting. The surprise passing his features made my lips twitch, wanting to smile. It’s inevitable – Nick always makes me smile. But our reunion is cut short, the prison they tried to hold Satan in falling apart and I step back, looking to Nick in a panic, but he’s looking at her. He always is. “You try and try to defeat me. I am the Great Satan that no prison may contain!” Ignoring how handsome Lucifer is, I close my eyes and swallow thickly. Opening them again, I look at him and every time I look at him I know. I know he’s never going to be mine. But I can make sure he has his happy ending. “I can’t restrain him for long.” Sabrina warns and I take a step closer while Nick speaks. I always believed he’d be back to me – that we’d become more in time and we’d work out. We’d be the couple everyone envies – the power couple. I always wondered how he looks at me with so much love and tenderness but holds not romantic feelings. “There’s nothing stronger than an Acheron.” Nick exclaims, panic written on his face, fear rising in his eyes and clouding his judgment.

“Incorrect, Mr. Scratch. The mightiest prison is the first one, created by the False God. The human body. Flesh and bone. The strongest and most sacred bindings in nature.” Lilith explains, her own fear evident as she looks to Lucifer who was ready to kill everyone in the room. “It has to be me.” Sabrina says and I hear him scream “No” as he used to do for me. He doesn’t want to lose her. He can’t. He’d do anything for her and I’d do anything for him. “I’m the best binder and conjuror since Edward Spellman. If anyone can keep Him trapped, it’s me.” He exclaims, but I shake my head and look back at him only to see anything but certainty in his eyes. He feels like he must do it.

“No.” I step forth, determined – more than he is. “I am the best binder and conjuror.” Smiling, truthfully, I speak before he can interrupt me. “You love her. I love you. This is a testament to how much. Don’t forget me.” I plead, keeping my eyes on him as his lips quiver and shock paralyzes him. “Carne teneantur tenere tenebrasque.” I begin without so much as blinking. I don’t want to miss a single moment of the last time I will ever see him. Nick is trashing against someone. They’re holding him back. He’s muttering something and I can’t understand what, my focus must remain untouched. “Palatium, carcere…” And my mind darkens.

Gasping, I find myself on the sidelines, my body no longer mine to control as I leap toward Sabrina only for my eyes to close with Ambrose’s spell. “A sleeping spell. Well done.”

I think to myself, keeping an ear out to the outside. I can hear them, but it’s distant.

“You’ve made a big mistake, little nephillim.” Lucifer appears and I roll my eyes at him.

“Shh.” I point up, telling him to listen which only insults him.

“HOW DARE YOU TELL ME TO SHUT UP?!”

“Gah, you’re annoying.” I groan, casting a spell to bind him but it doesn’t work.

“Really thought you’re in control? Think again, little one!”

“Shit!”

What I didn’t know is how they decided my fate after I’ve fallen. “What happens now?” Sabrina asks, watching Nick crying over Y/N’s body, calling for her, muttering spells like it would make a difference. “You won’t like it, I’m afraid.” Lilith frowns, a sincere look of compassion in the borrowed eyes of Mary Wardwell.

“You’re not touching her!” Nick growls, his eyes focusing on her pale face and dark red lips – his favorite lipstick from the past times she’d asked for his opinion. He always chooses maroon. He won’t be able to again.

“She’s not going to Hell with you. I will make an impenetrable room at the Academy.” Nick promised, his heart aching and breaking at the sight of his necklace resting on her chest. She wore it – even now.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.” And that’s when Nick fell asleep too.

PART 3

[lilith-of-rivia]

My Queen

Masterlist

Pairing: Geralt X Reader

Word Count: 3,727

Warnings: Angst, death, swearing

Summary: After Y/N’s paarents are killed unexpectedly, she is forced to become the Queen of her country. During her sorrow an old friend come to her cornitation, Geralt of Riva. She hires him to avenge her parents.

[This one is honestly a bit sad, because the reader goes threw so much in such a short amount of time. I really hope you enjoy this. And thank you to everyone who has liked/reblogged my last story. It truly means the world to me.]

Luthia Empire

~ 2 months ago~

“Y/N! I know today is going to be one of the hardest days, but you must do this. If not for people. Do it for your parents. Luthia needs you princess Y/N.” It was Persilla, the princess’s best friend.

“My parents haven’t even been in the ground for 48 hours and everyone not only wants me to become the queen but also start searching for a king. I am barely 20 years old.” Y/N’s voice was harsh and ragged her throat hoarse from crying for 2days straight. Her eyes were red and puffy.

Her mother would kiss her nose while wrapping her hair up into its protective bonnet to hold her curls into place while she dressed. Her mother would put a cooling blue oil that she never shared the recipe for, and rub it on her daughter’s under eyes, the cold allowing her swelling to go down….but not this time. Queen and King Rudhal had died but three days prior. They were in a caravan on their way to a far-out town in their empire. Two Alghouls; mates, ambushed the caravan. No one was found alive. After three days of hearing nothing on either side of the kingdom, the palace sent out scouts, who returned and delivered the heart-wrenching news to Princess y/n. Now not even two days later she was being prepared for her coronation.

The door to the princess’s room opened slowly, Persilla walking to her friend, her hands going to y/n’s shoulders. She squeezed them reassuringly, kissing her friend's [hair color] hair.

“I’m so sorry y/n...this isn't fair I know that but the royal court needs a Queen. You won't be doing this alone. One of Aretuza’s finest will be at your aid.” She whispered as her friend stared at the wall across from her bed.

“I’m already here.” Y/N knew the voice. It belonged to Tissaia de Vries. The woman who also advised her parents for many years, when she was a babe.

Y/N sat up in her bed wiping her eyes looking at the woman she saw as another mother. Tissaia’s eyes were red from crying as she took in the news of the loss of the king and queen. Tissaia sat down on the other side of y/n and helped wipe her eyes.

“We are going to turn you into the queen that you are. And tonight at the coronation feast, if you wish you may drown your sorrows in ale. As for your duties, do not begin until tomorrow.” As Tissaia spoke she led the Princess to her vanity, looking at her in the mirror.

While Persilla went to get her gown, the new one her mother was giving her for her betrothal. The gown was a lovely blue and plum. It had hand-stitched and beaded flowers all over it. And long sleeves made out of a light vale like material. Y/N couldn't help but cry as she saw the gown, the one her mother knew she’d love. Tissaia quickly wiped her tears before handing her a cup full of a blue liquid.

“Drink, it’ll calm your nerves and help you feel better. You won't have to worry about crying for the rest of the night.” Y/N looked at the liquid and quickly drank it. Tissaia was right, she no longer felt sad, but she didn't feel happy. She just felt content with not being okay.

After about two hours, the princess was dressed in her makeup and hair done. Tissaia took her tiara and placed it on her softly curled hair that rested gracefully on her shoulders. Her eyes; the same color as her father’s, bright blue, nearly gray if the time of day was right, no longer red.

Tissaia and Y/N sat at the top of the long stairwell. Y/N could hear the bustling grand hall, full of her people. And some lords and their suitors to witness the coronation. Tissaia’s hand was holding the princess’s. The princess had a small fake smile on her face but no one would ever know it was fake.

“Are you ready my dear?” Tissaia asked. Y/N squeezed her hand softly and nodded.

“No, but let's do it.” Tissaia nodded to the announcer and the curtains opened.

“Now introducing Princess Y/N!!!” The crowd erupted in applause, everyone on their feet as Tissaia walked the princess to her place next to a minister.

“Y/N Rudhal, do you promise to do everything for our people and only for the people. So help you, god? Do you promise to always be there for the sick, injured, or people in need? Just as the king and queen did before you?” Y/N was now turned to face the subjects before her, her eyes roamed the room seeing many familiar faces, people she had known her entire life.

Her eyes landed on a tall man standing near the back of the room, in a dark blue and green suit. His hair was a striking silver and white. It was tied back, half up. His eyes met with the princess. Her blue eyes staring into his golden ones as she cleared her throat.

“AS your queen I assure you that I will do everything in my power to protect my people. To make it known that we are none to be taken advantage of. As your queen, I will do everything in my power to be just as loving and caring for my people like my mother and father. I will make the tough decisions for you and only you. I will serve you, my people.” Her voice was steady, assertive. Her mother would have been proud of her. Her posture is perfect, her voice trained and warming like a Queen should have. The crowd erupted in cheers and claps. Some people cried as they watched the little princess become a woman.

Y/N turned to the minister as he spoke a prayer in their native tongue and then her mother's diamond crown was placed on her head. The announcer took place at the base of the steps again.

“Now presenting Your Royal Highness Y/N Rudhal!!” Once again the crowd erupted in cheers. But Y/N was not as happy as she thought she'd be on this day.

The party had now been going on for nearly 3 hours and had no intention of stopping anytime soon. The Queen had downed a tanker of sweet apple ale every hour, Tissaia was sat by her side, her hand in the Queen’s. Many lords and knights had come to pass their condolences onto the Queen, in hopes for a dance. But the Queen hadn’t left her perch.

Y/N’s eyes were fixated on her now empty tanker when the man she had locked eyes with approached the royal table. The men around her became stiff and tense. Their hands were closer to their sheathed swords. Y/N looked up and met those golden orbs again. The man bowed his head gracefully, the Bard next to him doing the same. This man was no stranger to the Queen, in fact, her father always spoke of the mighty wither. And how sometimes he wished out kind one had more monsters because “I’d love to hire out the best. Help support the hunter in his endeavors.” He had passed through her kingdom many times, sometimes coming to the royal dinners with his bard when her mother hired the man to sing.

“My condolences, your Highness.” His voice was tough, stoic. But Y/N could feel the sorrow for her in his voice.

Taking a long drink from her now refilled tanker the queen dabbed her lips with her napkin, before standing, for the first time that night. She bowed her head to them both, walking (stumbling every now and again) around the table and in front of the two men who again, bowed their heads. The Witcher reached for her hand and gracefully brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the back of her palm. Her face went red but she tried her best to ignore it. The men who protected her now moved closer to her. She placed her hand up to the guards and looked at them, annoyance clearly ached on her face.

“My nights, please, for the love of God let me be. You have done none of this to any of the other men who have approached me tonight. When in fact many other men have been known to be more violence against women.” The guards looked down and stepped back again knowing she was right. Her eyes went back to the Witcher, who was smirking softly. A small thin smile crept its way to her lips. The first real smile she had shared that night. Her eyes went to the bard and she smiled at him.

“Would you mind playing some of your music for this grand party? The bards that are here are quite boring. I wouldn’t mind hearing the songs of your endeavors with the white wolf.” The bard smiled brightly at her, bowing his head.

“It would be my honor, your Highness.” He took off towards the men who had instruments and started playing.

“Walk with me.” The queen began walking away from the witcher, not being far behind her. She walked through the crowd of smiling drunk people till she got to the balcony entry. The guards pulled the doors open and the two went through them.

The deep sigh that left the queen's lip was that of pure sorrow. Her walls are now coming down, being away from her people. The cool night's air crisp on her cheeks. The tonic Tissaia gave her had worn off many hours ago. The tears began to stream down her silky soft skin. Her hands were on the cool railing as she looked over her kingdom. Lit up and parties all over in honor of her coronation.

“My parents have been dead less than a week, barely in the ground for 48 hours, yet here everyone is. Partying, getting drunk.” Her voice was shaking and cracking as she spoke. The witcher was now by her side, his hands behind his back as he looked over the kingdom with her.

This wasn’t the first time they had met. The man had been her escape from the royal household for many years. Training her in sword fighting, hand to hand combat and healing. Her mother was never fond of the idea but she never said anything. Letting her daughter release steam a few times a year with The Witcher. The young queen would be lying if she said she didn't feel something for the man. But she was one of hundreds.

“I’m sorry, your Highness.” He barely spoke, she knew that. Unless it was to educate the girl on how her feet were not properly placed, or how she needed to tuck her elbow more.

She turned to him, her face wet with tears and eyes red again.

“You have to kill them, Geralt.” She went to wipe her nose with the back of her sleeve when he caught her hand, placing a white handkerchief in her hand. She laughed softly, knowing how her mother always trained her to never wipe her face on her sleeve. She always trained her to not cry when in the presence of others. She had failed already.

“Kill what your-“

“Y/N. You know my name. You’ve used it. Or even that stupid nickname you always had.” Geralt chuckled softly leaning on the railing as he watched the crying queen.

“Spoiled little princess.” They both said the nickname at the same time. Causing that small smile to spread on the queen's lips again.

“I don't think that nickname is fitting anymore, my queen.” His voice was smooth. She was happy being with him. There was no pity in his face, he didn’t look at her like some broken toy like everyone else had been. He looked at her the same he always had.

“You have to find those blasted Alghouls and bring me their heads. I will pay whatever it is you desire. However much. If you fancy a new house, a new sword, a horse, all of the above. Whatever your price. I will pay.” She brought the handkerchief up to her eyes dabbing the tears away again as she spoke. Her eyes on the witcher. He stood tall again, placing his hand on her arm.

“Coin is fine, my queen. I will find them. But It May take a while. They are the hardest to hunt, especially at this time of year. Winter is approaching.” His thumb rubbed soothing circles on her arm as she closed her eyes. Wanting nothing more than to cuddle into his strong chest.

“Do you remember when my father would tell you he wished we had more monsters because he wanted to support the mighty hunter?” Y/N asked laughing softly.

“How ironic. Now the only time my blood has hired a witcher is to find the monster who killed more than half of my family.” Her voice broke again. This time the witcher didn't watch as she cried. He placed his hand on her lower back and pulled her into his broad chest. Holding her close. His other hand stroking her hair softly. Her sobs were muffled into his chest. Her body shaking.

“What am I going to do?” He didn't respond. He just let her cry. He held her. The only person who didn't try to wash away her pain or make her pretend to be okay. He just held her while she cried.

After a while the queen pulled back and wiped her face again, laughing softly. Her fingers softly touched the soft fabric on top of the Witcher’s chest. The blue shirt was covered in dark tear spots.

“Sorry about that.” He laughed softly. Looking down at the shirt. His hands now came up as he coupled her face in his hands. His golden eyes looked deep into hers.

“I will find them. And I will bring their heads on posts to you. I will avenge your family.” His thumbs stroked her cheeks as she sighed leaning into his hands. A weight was lifted from her shoulder. For the first time since her parents died, she had finally been able to cry until she couldn't. And wasn't shushed or told to hide it.

There was a soft knock on the door, Y/N’s head turned as she looked to her door to the grand hall. Tissaia was standing at the door.

“The coronation dance of Luthia is about to begin. Your people cannot start dancing until their queen does.” She spoke softly. Looking at the queen who was in the arms of a Witcher. Y/N looked at the witcher.

“Care to dance, White wolf?” Geralt nodded, and they turned.

She hooked her arm in his as he led her inside the grand hall, into the crowd of men and women as the song started to play. They bowed to one another. His hand went to her hip, while the other took her hand. They stared at each other, eye to eye as their feet worked in rhythm to the song, the movements flowing for both of them. Geralt led the queen along the dance floor, her dress flowing gracefully. Her crown catching the light of the moon, sending sparkles all over the hall. Soon her subjects followed everyone dancing in rhythm.

The night had come to an end. The Queen bid farewell to her people and thanked them for their condolences and prayers before she turned to head to her room. The witcher leading her. He hadn’t left her side all night. She needed someone who wasn't going to pretend she was okay. He knew she wasn't. He cut her off when she hit her 5th tanker of ale. And was there to wipe her single tear many times.

They rounded into her wing of the castle and stood outside her chamber doors. Y/N was a bit drunk, leaning onto the man for support. His hand wrapped tightly around her waist keeping her upright.

“Come love lets get you in bed.” It was Persilla. She was next to Y/N. She smiled softly at Geralt as thanks for being there. Y/N turned and looked at Geralt.

“Will I see you soon?” She asked, threw hiccups. Geralt chuckled, stroking a strand of hair behind her ear. His lips pressed to her forehead softly.

“You will see me soon, My Queen. Send for me if you need me before I return. I will be as fast as possible.” With the soft gesture of love (even if Geralt wouldn't admit that’s what it was) he left the Queen. Her face burning red.

~Present~

“Please my queen, we have no crops. The Griffin has prohibited the ability to get water to our crops. We need it gone. Many of us haven't eaten in days.” The man from one of the lower eastern cities had come to beg for Queen Y/N’s help. A Griffin had been causing terror to the people of the small town and caused them to halt production on crops.

“The White Wolf should return soon, when he does. I will pay him to take care of the Griffin. Until then,” The Queen motioned for one of the members of the royal court to come over.

“Send a group of soldiers with this man back to his town, help move his people out and into the royal gates till they can go back to living without fear. Give them food and water and shelter.” The man's face beamed at the Queen's words. He dropped to his knee in front of her, his hands together.

“Oh thank you, my Queen, thank you.” She smiled and helped the man stand as he walked out with the member of the court. Tissaia was watching from the side, a proud smile on her face.

It had only been two months since her coronation, but the young queen was doing better than anyone had ever expected. She grieved her parents that night but then put her people first. She had done exceptionally well. Even so much so, finding her a king was no longer a top priority.

“My Queen!” One of her guards ran into the throne room slightly out of breath as he pointed to where he came from.

“The Wolf, he's back.”

The queen wasted no time in running out of her throne room, her guards on her heels. She burst through the door to the courtyard. There in front of her was, in fact, the White Wolf, and Jaskier his Bard. In his hand were the heads of the two Alghouls she had hired to kill. Her hands clasped over her mouth. The witcher placed the heads by her feet and bowed to her as did Jaskier.

“Your parents have been avenged, my Queen.” The queen lost all her training at that moment. She leaped into the man's arms. Her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as she hugged him as tight as she could. Her eyes burned with tears. Geralt’s hands wrapped tightly around her waist as he held her to him. Embracing her in every way he could.

She pulled away from him only enough to look at him. She whipped her eyes before turning Tissaia who handed her a sack of coins.

“There are three thousand orins in here” She plopped the bag of coins into Geralt's free hand, his other hand on her waist. His eyes nearly popped out of his head as Jaskier choked on his spit.

“My Queen I cannot take that much for the job.” Y/N placed her finger on his lips silencing him.

“You avenged my parents for me. Take the coin.” She was beaming at him. He placed the sack of money onto his belt and hugged her again.

“That smile suites you, my Queen.” He whispered into her ear as they embraced.

“I have another job for you, Geralt if you'll take it.” She said as she pulled away, and they began walking into her caste. Her hand on his arm as they walked.

“Hmmm. Already?” He chuckled softly.

“Yes, a Griffin. Terrorizing some of my people in the lower eastern corner of my kingdom. They will be moved here, for the time being, so they are safe. No rush. Take your time from the long hunt. But if you choose to stay here, you will always be paid well.” She was looking at him as they walked to the same balcony they had been on not two months before. His hand now rested on the small of her back.

“I don't mean to be crude, your highness, but the monsters are not why I will be staying.” His words made her blush as they looked over the frost-covered Kingdom.

“You are a very forward individual Geralt of Rivia.” Y/N said with a small laugh as she turned to face him. His hand came up to cup her face.

“I came back to not collect the coin you promised, but to make sure you were okay.” She leaned into his warm hand.

“I’m doing better than I thought I would. Every Queen needs a hunter, a smith, and the protector of her people. I am choosing you Geralt. If you take my offer you have a place to sleep here. You will always be fed, have the best weap-“ Before she could finish her thought, his soft warm lips had been placed on hers, silencing her rambling. Her hands went to his neck as she kissed the man back. They stayed there, engulfed in each other’s kiss for a while before Geralt pulled away. Stroking her lips with his thumb.

“You are the reason I am here my Queen, as long as you are here I do not need another reason.” She beamed at him, kissing him again.

“Then so be it, you are now the Witcher of the Luthia Kingdom.” He pressed his lips back to hers again, her hands now deep in his white hair.

“As you wish, my Queen.”

[shih-coulda-had-it]

2 and 27 nanakikoooooo

2 (Royal AU) & 27 (Sick/Injured) | Nanahiko

//

Different fantasy AU than the one where Toshinori is the One who Would be King, but definitely still fantasy AU. The Dread God Usurper is just a hoity-toity title for AFO. And for the reader’s information, Sorahiko and Nana are in an arranged marriage, yet had never met before this night.

//

Their flight from the castle was only successful because no one had expected the heiress to co-opt an escape with the visiting mercenary. Of course, it was also likely because the guardsmen were distracted by the undead, surfacing from the earth, under the thrall of the Dread God Usurper.

Somehow, this was not Shimura Nana’s top priority.

“Hey,” she said sharply, jostling the mercenary’s head from where it had dipped onto her shoulder. Nana had commandeered the man’s horse, so she had the reins, but as she couldn’t just leave him, he had sat behind her and (presumably) guarded their backs. Nevertheless, Nana wasn’t about to show gratitude like that.

He murmured something in return, groggy. Nana discerned the words ‘arrow’ and ‘hurts.’

“I’m sorry, you’ve been shot by an arrow?”

“Hn,” he answered, and Nana felt his weight suddenly shift sideways. She hastily reached backwards in an attempt to prop him up; chancing a glance backwards, Nana saw a broken arrow shaft sticking out of his shoulder.

She shrieked.

“Quiet,” said the man. Fortunately for him, the garbled plea was comprehensible enough that Nana managed to put a lid on it and prevent them from being thrown.

“How long has that been there?” Nana demanded, and turned her attention to scouring their surroundings for any safe haven.

The castle was the center of the capital, a sprawling city that boasted zero walls, a rigorously-maintained waterworks and sewage system, and more roads than the city patrol knew how to deal with. The Shimuras’ lax approach to securing the heart of their kingdom was a character flaw, only balanced by the fact that Shimuras were rarely holding court, instead choosing to personally tend to the borders.

One positive consequence of a roaming royal-in-disguise: every innkeeper did their utmost to present their businesses well, and at a bargain price, in the hopes that they would have the repeat honor of hosting royalty.

Another positive consequence: there were many, many inns.

Some of which would not be averse to bloodied men. Or women in bloodied dresses.

“Milady,” the man slurred, and Nana startled at how close the rumble was to her ear. “Wha’s happenin’?”

“Did you forget the past hour?” she asked, incredulous. She spotted several men, still merry (because who, who could have fled from the castle yet and alert the capital that it had fallen besides her and her companion?) and drunk, slipping out of a door spilling warm yellow light.

Nana nudged the horse over to the establishment’s small set of stables, wrinkling her nose at the smell. By the grace of the gods, she thought in relief, seeing several vacancies.

“Okay, down we go,” she said, and she watched the man sluggishly brace himself against her and slide off his horse. Once both of his feet were planted on the ground, Nana followed suit.

“Don’t run off with my horse.”

“I have absolutely no plans to do that,” Nana lied, and coaxed the man to release his grip on the saddle. He made a wounded noise when pushed away, but did nothing to stop Nana from stabling the horse.

Did nothing but stare, Nana corrected herself, freezing in the act of pulling out her coin-purse from between her breasts.

“What,” she said defensively.

“What?”

And then he tipped forward. Nana caught him, grunted at the weight, and resigned herself to lugging him inside. Though the innkeeper was cleaning up the messes of his previous customers, she was swift to pass the chore off to a maid and speak with Nana.

“Do you need a healer, m’lady?” she asked, wiping her hands on a rag.

“A room first,” Nana decided. She readjusted the arm slung over her shoulders and winced at the pitiful whimper. “Hot water and clean rags too, please. Anything you can spare for bandages. I’ll pay for the expenses.”

“Alright.” Blissfully, no questions were asked. After giving additional instructions to the maid, she fetched an oil lamp and said, “Follow me.”

Nana dragged her companion up a flight of stairs, until the innkeeper opened the first door to their left, holding it open and allowing them to step over the threshold. It was a cramped space, minimally furnished. Nana nearly tripped upon seeing the single bed.

“Need two?” asked the innkeeper.

“Ah,” said Nana. She plunged past her hesitation; the Usurper was infamous for his Hunts, and anything Nana could do to cover her tracks would be beneficial. Leaning in conspiratorially, Nana whispered, “The single is fine. It’s just that, he’s a rather large man, isn’t he?”

That earned her a grin. “A large man’s a large target.”

“As we unfortunately learned,” she agreed. The innkeeper waited for Nana to deposit the man onto the bed, face-first, and then exchanged a handful of coin for the key and light. “I’ll take a plate of dinner as well, please.”

“Any for him?”

“If he wants to eat, he’ll have to wake up first.”

Nana saw the woman out, and finally turned her attention to the man. He was tall, sturdily-built, with awfully soft-looking silver hair and a prominently-curved nose. And he was blearily awake, watching her through half-lidded eyes, the pale irises barely catching the yellow light.

“Did you want something to eat?” she asked, approaching the bed and surveying the damage.

“Something to drink,” he said hoarsely. “How bad is it?”

“Pretty bad.”

He laughed into the pillow, and it was humorless and despairing. It eventually petered out into a low curse, then an unsteady statement. “This… was not how I wanted to be meeting you for the first time.”

Nana blinked. “I didn’t realize I was expecting you.”

“Oh. That’s a comfort.”

“You can’t stop there,” she said, poking his uninjured shoulder. “Who are you to me, mercenary?”

“‘Mercenary’?” the man echoed in disbelief. “No, I’m - ” His breath hitched. There was a shadow at the door; Nana leapt up to retrieve the basin of hot water and rags (and an unasked for knife), and ushered the girl away. She didn’t want an audience for this next part.

“You’re…?” Nana encouraged. She set the supplies on the floor.

“Sorahiko. Sorahiko from the Yamanashi Kingdom. I was here because - because - ”

“Prince Sorahiko,” she corrected, reeling just a little bit. Nana recognized the name, even if she couldn’t quite place the degree of importance. Was he a valuable trading partner? An ally? “You’re the Torino scion!”

“Soon to be deceased,” he muttered.

“Aw, don’t be like that.”

“I have an arrow sticking out of my shoulder, and I don’t think even a warrior-queen is trained in the healing arts,” Sorahiko snarked. The burst of sarcasm faltered. “Did you really not recognize me?”

Nana, though feeling guilty about the earlier plan to rob him of his horse and supplies, was not about to be guilt-tripped by a sad small voice. “I hadn’t paired faces to names yet,” she said, defensive. “That’s usually a thing that happens after the coronation.”

“It really isn’t,” he told her.

“Well, I guess we’ll never know, considering what’s happened.” Nana exhaled sharply, then steeled herself. “That was the Usurper back there, did you notice?”

“Hard not to.” Sorahiko stirred, winced, and dug his face into the pillow. His words came out muffled: “He’s supposed to be a folktale boogeyman for bullies. What’s he doing, coming for your throne?”

“I’m glad you asked. Can you keep a secret?”

They breathed in silence for several seconds, the tension thick. Then, Sorahiko snorted and turned his head; Nana saw his profile outlined against the pillow, the wry curve of his smile.

“Dead men tell no tales. That’s how the adage goes.”

“You’re not dead yet,” she said, exasperated, and tapped into the power of One for All for strength (to hold Sorahiko down), for grace (to remove the arrow with as little damage possible), and for mercy (to heal the wound). Sorahiko cried out, one hand clawing at the sheets by his face, the other flailing backwards in an attempt to dissuade her.

Nana held on. The affair took less than a minute, and by the end of it, Sorahiko’s entire frame trembled with the aftershocks, and Nana’s skin felt tingly, charged with static electricity. She tossed the arrow shaft aside and picked up the knife.

Perhaps it had been meant for surgery.

She used it to slice his shirt in half. Mutely, Nana waited for Sorahiko to process what the hell just happened, and wiped away the crusted blood. She pressed hard against healed flesh, distantly registering his warmth.

“Oh,” Sorahiko breathed into the bed.

Nana eased up on the pressure. “I don’t know why the Usurper wants my power,” she admitted. “But he’s not supposed to have it.”

Slowly, he sat up. Trying to look regal, Nana assumed, although that was difficult with his shirt in pieces and that - that awestruck expression.

“So?” she asked nervously.

“Let me help you,” said Sorahiko. “He can’t have known we’ve made contact. Come to Yamanashi with me, and let me help you figure out what you need to do.”

She stared at him. “What if - what if it takes forever?”

“Then it takes forever.” A new kind of determination surfaced on his face, and Nana was taken aback at the fluttery feeling in her stomach. “Even if Yamanashi proves unsafe, and you need to run from kingdom to kingdom, just let me go with you. Whatever your task is, it’ll be easier with two.”

“You’ll have to rough it.”

Sorahiko snorted. “I’m not some spoiled whelp, drowning in ruffles and lace. Queen Shimura - ”

“Call me Nana,” she replied, faint, and extended her hand. He mirrored her; they clasped each other’s forearms instinctively, and Nana’s mouth curved into a slight smile that he returned. “I hope you’re not shy, Prince Torino.”

“Call me Sorahiko,” he shot back.

[boat-dock]

“Snapshots” chapter 3

Guess who’s actually being productive and writing over her holiday break!! I hope y’all enjoy this chapter and as always all feedback is appreciated and enjoyed

@schese

Chapter 3: “Far From Angelic” 

The royal wedding is happening in Scotland while Millie is home in Texas for the holidays, this is the longest they’ve been apart since they’d started dating and Millie finds that she is missing her girlfriend more than she anticipated.

Millie’s alarm tore through her peaceful sleep at the ungodly hour of 2:30 am. Groans came from around the room as she flailed blindly to turn it off. Every ounce of will power she had was used to drag herself from bed and into the sticky Texas air. Even during December it was still hot.

Without thinking she shoved Lee awake and loudly told Jude and Darcy -who were on the other side of the room still asleep- to get up and come downstairs. Things were strange with Jude still but they were getting better. Going away to Scotland had done her a world of good, well that, and the gorgeous princess she’d fallen for. She’d been emailing back and forth with Flora every day since she’d come back home and Flora had gone back to Edinburgh for the wedding. 

The wedding. That was the reason for her being up before the sun. This morning over a thousand miles away Prince Alexander was getting married and it was being broadcasted live all over the world and she and her friends were going to watch it.

They crawled down the stairs and crammed onto the couch, Darcy was asleep again as soon as she sat down. Lee started flipping through the channels searching for the program they needed. In the kitchen, Millie could hear her aunt Vi moving around making them breakfast and hopefully coffee. After clicking down the brightness Millie checked her phone to see a yellow notification.

A Snapchat from Nicola. They had exchanged social medias after their brief meeting but they had never reached out and on a day as hectic as this one she was confused as to why she would.

The video was from hours ago, that would be early even for the people in Scotland. She clicked it and the video that played brought a grin to her face.

Familiar golden hair and eyes appeared along with a dazzling grin. Her girlfriend’s makeup was done elegantly but her hair was still down and she seemed to be wearing some kind of silk robe. Behind her a cluster of makeup and hair people moved throughout the room. “Hello love!” She sang, giving a small wave. Ears perked up around the room and her friends leaned in closer to watch the video. “ I know you’re still asleep but I just wanted to say I miss you and I wish you were here.”

Millie’s heart skipped a beat and she is filled with an overwhelming longing for her girlfriend. They’d only been dating for a few months but she missed her like a missing limb now that they were apart. Long distance was not going to be easy.

A distant voice comes through now from somewhere beyond the phone,” Who are you talking to?” then Daisy’s face appears over Flora’s shoulder, with a champagne glass in hand. Next to her Lee leaned his head on her shoulder, letting his eyes start to drupe shut again.

“I’m sending a message to Quint,” Flora started, then backtracked,” Millie,” so that the others know who she is talking about.

“Hi Millie,” Daisy smiled, “I’m jealous that you’re still asleep right now” Millie chuckled as a voice that she couldn’t make out and was definitely in a different language got Flora’s attention.

“Got to go darling, time for hair,” she blew a kiss at the camera before it turned black.

She halfheartedly raked her fingers through her hair as she started to send a reply. “I am awake,” she announced as a form of greeting. “And so are all of my friends, well most of my friends,” she glanced around and to say they were awake would be a definite white lie,” and we are ready to watch this wedding.” Somewhere along the way someone’s legs ended up in her lap, they were all piled on top of each other so she didn’t know who they belonged to.

 “You look beautiful by the way,” Millie stifled a yawn and offered a sleepy smile. “And you need to remember to thank Nicola for letting you use her phone to talk to me,” it wasn’t a secret that Nicola didn’t not want to be in Scotland for the wedding and she was sure that Flora wasn’t making it any easier.

The sounds from the kitchen were getting louder and were followed by an amazing smell. Jude perked up beside her at the aroma and the tell tale beeps of the coffee pot. Despite this Millie kept talking,” I hope everything goes well today and tell everyone hi from me,” in the middle of her talking Vi’s voice sounds from the kitchen.

“Pancakes!” She calls and the formerly dead tired kids around her launched themselves from the couch effectively knocking Millie over and kicking the phone out of her hand.

They were beating her to breakfast. If she didn’t get there soon all the coffee would be gone, but she had to finish off this video before going. Slightly breathlessly and disheveled, she pulled the camera back to her face and breathed,” pancakes gotta go,” then threw the phone and bee lined for the kitchen.

After devouring their breakfast and downing their coffees they all made their way back to the living room and settled in front of the tv. Crowds of thousands lined the streets and cheered, waving flags and throwing flowers, as a line of cars drove through. Millie knew that somewhere coming up behind them was a carriage carrying the bride but all she could think about was that in one of those cars was Flora.

Beside her, her phone dinged with another message from Nicola.

The video started with Flora smiling at her while Seb took a swig from a small silver flask. “I want pancakes so bad right now,” she whined, but Millie almost didn’t hear a word she was saying.

Millie’s breath hitched in her throat. With her hair up in a dramatic updo and a tiara gracing her head, her girlfriend glowed like an angel and it was enough to stop Millie in her tracks and make her mind go blank.

Anyone who knew Flora knew she was far from angelic, but today she looked the part and no doubt she had been instructed to play it without fault. In the eyes of the media Flora was a rebellious party girl who lived for attention and drama, and they honestly were not wrong. That was what she had thought of the young princess when they first met, and she might have thrown in a few more explicit terms, but now after getting to know her there was a different side to Flora. It was hard to pinpoint the change. Her jabs became friendly instead of pointed and her smiles became genuine. She had chipped away at Millie’s defenses until she fell hopelessly head over heels for her.

She knew that Flora had wanted Millie to be at the wedding with her and had even gotten permission from the queen for her to come, but Millie had to decline.

She had been looking forward to going home for Christmas to see her friends and family since she left for school and it wasn’t fair to any of them if she decided to stay in Scotland over the holidays. Besides what would she do at a royal wedding besides stick out like a sore thumb.

“Roomy Quinte!” Seb exclaimed, obviously already quite tipsy despite how early it was and how important a day it was. “Welcome to the party.”

Millie grimaced and Flora shoved him away, but she seemed unconcerned. “I”m glad you’re up. We’re about to reach the church now so I will not be able to talk for a while, but I’m glad to be able to see you before we go.” Millie wasn’t sure how or why Flora still had Nicola’s phone but she really hoped that she remembered to thank the young girl, who had given up so much of her time to making sure everything went off without a hitch.

“That is enough Flora,” came the stern voice of her mother from behind the camera and for a split second Flora’s face hardened with rebellion before she skillfully pacified, determined not to cause any issues.

It wasn’t for her parent’s benefit but for her brother’s. Flora adores her older brother and this was one of the biggest days of his life -second only to his inevitable coronation day- and the pressure of it all was overwhelming. She was going to do everything she could to make it easier for them.

With a tense obviously fake smile, Flora said to her,” talk later my love and wish us luck.”

The screen clicked to black and Millie turned her attention back to the tv.  The cars had finally reached their destination and she caught half a glimpse of Flora and her finally exiting the vehicle before the video switched to the golden carriage adorned with flowers carrying Ellie and her father. Her face was covered in a large veil and Millie couldn’t get a clear look at her, but she could see the delicate lace that lined her arms.

She’d only met Ellie briefly, but she knew that she was kind and deeply in love and Millie’s heart warmed for her. Across the room aunt Vi shot her a look as Flora came back on screen and Millie blushed before rolling her eyes.

She knew that look and knew that when they were alone they would have to talk about it. Aunt Vi liked to pry and she had been suspiciously quiet on the topic of her dating a Scottish princess.

She had always had her future planned out, get a scholarship for college, then get into an amazing doctoral program for studying geology and a princess with an attitude problem didn’t fit into that plan. A future with Flora was a future that she had never imagined for herself but now as she imagined it, no matter how strange it might be it was what she wanted.

[argylemnwrites]

Fight or Flight - Chapter 3: Adjustments

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Riley Liu)

Book: The Royal Heir (canon divergent from the end of book 2)

Word Count: ~4300

Rating: PG-13 (brief language)

Summary: Two hours since The Walker Absconding

Author’s Note: Let’s see what’s happening at the palace, shall we? This series follows the Walkers, their friends, and Cordonia as a whole after they flee the country with their daughter during Barthelemy Beaumont’s attempted coup. To catch up on this series, check out it’s masterlist, linked here.

Liam let out a heavy sigh as Drake’s phone once again went to voicemail. It’s not like he expected anything else at this point. But it still was disconcerting.

Across his office, Hana locked eyes with him, shaking her head slightly, one hand holding her phone to her ear as she tried Riley yet again, her other hand gently massaging Maxwell’s shoulders. Maxwell sat on one of the couches, clutching a glass of water in his hand. He’d barely strung a sentence together since Barthelemy had revealed his plans. Liam was sure it was a shock, watching his father act in such a way, particularly when Barthelemy had to have known his plans would put him in opposition to one, if not both, of his sons. Bertrand was talking to his father now, apparently, and Liam had no clue what the result of that conversation would be.

Unfortunately, Liam hadn’t been able to provide much comfort to Maxwell. There were too many other factors he needed to address at the moment, as much as he would have liked to be there for a dear friend. Thankfully, Hana seemed to clearly understand this, and had taken to not drifting far from Maxwell, initially guiding him to a chair and sitting beside him at the table as Liam and Barthelemy had debated the finer details of Conventus Nobilis, taking his hand and rubbing his back, and not straying from him much since that point.

Of course, that first discussion had not gotten either side anywhere. A new royal line could only be established through a reigning monarch’s decree, as he had done with Princess Bridget, or through a Conclave, which was tightly regulated as to how and when it could occur. Liam felt confident of that fact. And while the head of a high noble house could submit him or herself for consideration to become monarch during a Social Season, that didn’t mean that anyone could just assume the role of regent after a no confidence vote. After such a vote, the next-in-line for the throne should serve as regent until the next available window for a Conclave. At least, that was how Liam understood the bylaws.

The issue was that this left a 10 month old as queen-regent, so she would need an acting regent during her own regency. It was messy and unclear and probably significantly up for debate who should serve as regent for Queen-Regent Bridget. Hence, Liam and Barthelemy retreating with their camps to different areas of the palace and attempting to find legal scholars who would be able to argue their side’s case. This whole debacle would most certainly end up being adjudicated.

At least, Liam wanted to be discussing this all with a legal team. It’s where his focus at the moment should be. A High Court judge could be procured at any moment for an emergency hearing, and Liam needed to prepare with someone who could clearly articulate his interests. But instead, he was frantically trying to track down Drake, Riley, and Bridget.

It had taken maybe a half hour for Liam to realize that the three of them hadn’t ever returned to the hall. Hana had pointed it out as they had made their way to his office while Olivia went to brief the team of lawyers on call for palace interests, one arm wrapped around Maxwell, keeping her voice low. There were very few palace employees Liam felt he could trust entirely, so he’d only informed Stefan, his assistant for the past two years, that the palace needed to be searched for the Walker family. Stefan had been with him since his coronation and had always been discrete and loyal. Plus, he’d informed Liam that he intended to resign at the end of this Social Season to take a job in the private sector that would allow him more free time to spend with his aging mother, so Liam could see no possible motivation for him to be playing both sides.

The search of the palace undoubtedly would have gone faster with more people, but Liam suddenly found himself in a world where he trusted very few of those around him. He’d never seen himself as paranoid before, usually trusting the people he worked with and had hired. But much like when Riley had been targeted during the Tariq photo scandal, he wasn’t sure who or how many meant him and those closest to him harm at this point. It was unsettling, frustrating, and patience-testing.

At first, Liam had figured that Drake and Riley were upset at the implications of everything for their daughter and had stepped out for some privacy at the overwhelming news. But when Stefan had returned, stating that he had not been able to locate the Walker family, Liam feared the worse. Sure, it was possible they had decided to return to Valtoria to discuss their next steps as a family, but in that case it would have been wiser to stay and hear exactly what had unfolded. Liam had to consider the fact that part of Barthelemy’s coup might have involved capturing or threatening Drake and Riley. He just wanted to hear from them, learn they were alright. But both of their phones just rang and rang endlessly before going to voicemail. Clearly, they were either unable to reach their phones, or unwilling to talk with him or Hana.

In his heart, all Liam wanted to do was storm down to the room where Barthelemy, Adelaide, Landon, and Kiara were plotting and scheming and insist upon answers as to where his friends were, demand their safety. But he couldn’t do that. For one, he had no idea if Barthelemy had anything to do with their disappearance. Additionally, he didn’t want to give their lawyers ammunition if they hadn’t realized the Walkers were missing. Liam knew that the fact that he had no idea as to Bridget’s location would be used as further evidence of his incompetence as king. He was just going to have to find Drake and his family himself.

Letting out a sigh, Liam sank down into his desk chair, dropping his elbows to the surface and holding his head in his hands. He honestly wasn’t sure what steps to take next at this point. Should he keep frantically calling Drake, or did he need to acknowledge he was very much at a dead end there? Would sitting down with his legal team be a better use of time, or would he be too distracted by the whereabouts of his friends to focus appropriately? That didn’t even touch on the hurt that was sitting deep in his soul at the thought of losing the crown, a title for which he’d worked his entire life to be worthy, even before he thought he might ever hold that title.

“Liam?” Hana’s voice cut through his thoughts, causing him to jerk his head up and lock eyes with her, now sitting on the couch with Maxwell.  “Could Riley, Drake, and Bridget be hiding out in your mother’s secret room?”

While Liam wasn’t convinced they were still at the palace, he saw the wisdom of her question. Perhaps they had decided to go gain some privacy in a room that nearly no one knew about. He nodded gently. “It’s certainly a possibility.”

“I could go look and see if they’re there. That way, you could return to focusing on the matters pertaining to… to your reign.”

“That would be wonderful, Hana. Thank you.”

Hana gave him a timid little smile and nod before she stood, but as she made her way to the door, Maxwell spoke for what had to be the first time in the past hour.

“I’ll go with you, Hana.”

“Oh, Maxwell. Thank you, but you don’t need to do anything,” Hana said, “I’m sure this is all stressful enough for you.”

Maxwell just shook his head, “We have no idea what happened to Drake, Riley, and Bridget. If someone is kidnapping Liam’s supporters, you shouldn’t be wandering around the palace alone.”

Hana’s eyes flew open wide. “You really think they were kidnapped?”

Maxwell glanced over at Liam, making eye contact briefly before giving a little shrug and shaking his head. “No really. But I think it’s a possibility.”

“What do you think happened to them, Maxwell?” Liam asked, glancing down at his phone to make sure he didn’t have any new notifications.

Maxwell was silent for a moment, but when he spoke, he sounded resigned. “I think they fled. Can’t say I blame them.”

Liam nodded slowly. It was a fear he’d had as well. He couldn’t picture Drake taking such steps on his own, but he was less certain about Riley. And it did feel possible that Riley could have convinced Drake it was the best course of action.

“So, if they fled the palace, where did they go?” asked Hana, her fingers playing with the ends of her hair nervously. “We took a limo here from Valtoria since it was the start of the Social Season, so it’s not like they had their car.”

“They’re in Lythikos.” Olivia’s voice surprised Liam. She apparently caught Maxwell and Hana off guard as well as their eyes were wide as they twisted to face the back door to Liam’s office. “Or rather, they will be soon, presuming Ray makes good time.”

“What are you talking about, Olivia?”

“Riley was flipping out completely,” she responded with a shrug as she strode into the room and sank down onto the couch opposite Maxwell, crossing her legs with a dramatic flourish, “She was planning to just make a run for it on foot, so I sent her to my driver and told her to head to my keep. Then I sent Drake after her. I figured we’ll all end up there to plan our next steps anyway.”

“So they’re all safe?” Hana asked.

“I have no reason to believe anything else.”

Liam scrambled to process everything Olivia had just revealed. It was reassuring that at least someone seemed to have an idea where they were, but something about the entire situation still bothered him. “If that’s the case, then why have they been ignoring our calls?” 

Olivia’s eyebrows shot up at that, but it was Maxwell who responded, “Because they aren’t going to Lythikos.”

“Then where-”

“Oh, I have no idea where, but I am guessing they are trying to get out of Cordonia.”

“Why the hell-” Olivia started, but Liam held up a hand, stopping her rant before she could really get going.

“Why would you say that, Maxwell?”

“When those photos of Tariq and her surfaced, she wanted out of Cordonia. Like really badly. It took a lot of effort for Bertrand and me to convince her to stay.”

“But surely it’s different now,” Hana added, frowning, “She has a full life here. This is her home.”

The corner of Maxwell’s lips quirked up as he gave Hana a little half shrug. “All I’m saying is that Riley’s instinct was to run then, and it might be the same now. And Drake isn’t exactly great at saying no to her.”

A silence fell over the room, everyone processing Maxwell’s words and determining how likely they believed them to be true. It hurt, thinking that his best friend and his wife, someone Liam considered a friend as well, might have left him to fend for himself to deal with an attempted coup, but Liam couldn’t deny that Maxwell’s hypothesis felt like a very reasonable explanation for Drake’s absence and radio silence. But Liam couldn’t bring himself to verbally agree with Maxwell, to admit that the person he trusted most in the world had likely left him in the midst of a terrible predicament. After a few seconds of tense stillness, Olivia pulled her phone out, frantically scrolling down her screen.

“They haven’t answered for Liam or me,” Hana said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder, but Olivia shrugged her off quickly.

“They might be ignoring everyone, but Ray won’t fucking ignore me,” she growled out.

“Olivia, wait,” Liam said, trying to figure out his best approach as quickly as possible.

“Are you kidding me, Liam? They might be trying to leave the country!”

“I know. In fact, it seems increasingly likely that is the situation here. But we need to think this through fully before we dive into any course of action.”

Olivia stood up at that, stalking over to Liam’s desk and leaning over, placing her hands flat on the surface, her scowling face towering over him. “You realize what happens if they cross the border with her, right?” her tone was dry, harsh, and demanding.

“Yes, I do indeed comprehend what’s at stake here.”

“They’ll be guilty of kidnapping. The reigning monarch has legal custody of all direct heirs who are minors.”

“Correct.”

“Kidnapping the heir to the throne is fucking treason, Liam.”

“Yes.”

“On what planet is letting them get labeled enemies of the state in our best interest?”

Liam glanced past Olivia, to Maxwell, just sitting there with his eyes closed and his head bowed, and Hana, her jaw slack and her eyebrows so high they were completely hidden by her fringe. He let out a sigh before returning his eyes to Olivia’s. “In a scenario where Drake and Riley have different goals than we do.”

“Are you saying what I think you are, Liam?” The fire in her eyes was scorching, but Liam held his ground.

“Not exactly, but to a certain degree, yes. My priority needs to be on preventing Barthelemy from staging this coup. If Drake and Riley are focused on something else, perhaps we should let them do what they need to do at this point.”

“But, Liam-”

“No, Olivia. If you call your driver and get their location confirmed, I will have to act on that knowledge. If I know the details of a plan to kidnap Cordonia’s heir, I will have no choice but to charge them with treason and attempt to bring them into custody or risk lending credence to Barthelemy’s claims that I am an ineffectual king. My ignorance here is better for everyone involved.”

Olivia huffed, but she dropped down into one of the chairs on the other side of the desk, leaving her phone sitting on the surface and throwing her hands up in mock surrender. “Fine. I’ll wait, Your Majesty.”

The tension in the room was nearly unbearable, Olivia’s anger, Hana’s worry, and Maxwell’s dejection all nearly palpable. But Liam didn’t know what else to do. Confirmation that Drake and Riley were fleeing Cordonia was information that would only hurt his case. And honesty, the longer Drake and Riley had to get where they were going before someone was forced to take action was probably better for them as well.

“So…” started Hana, clearly trying to break the uncomfortable silence, “what do we do now?”

Liam swallowed, before he started sorting through some of the documents he’d gathered while they were waiting for Stefan to search the palace. “Now, I focus on the legal matter of protecting my title and discrediting Barthelemy’s claim. If you need to focus on other matters, I understand, but I ask that you leave my office if that is the case.” He hadn’t meant for his words to sound quite so harsh, but the truth was that at this point, he had no time or mental energy to devote to Drake and Riley and their family. It seemed likely they were safe. It just also seemed likely that he couldn’t count on them as allies anymore, a reality he didn’t feel quite ready to accept.

No one moved toward the door, but three sets of eyes stared at him, cautious and unsure. He let out a little breath and shook his head slightly, which seemed to calm Maxwell a bit, at least. Not able to afford wasting any additional time worrying about the conduct of two adults he had no control over, Liam glanced to Olivia to redirect the topic of conversation. “So, you spoke with the palace legal team?”

She paused for just a second, staring at him intently before she responded, “I did. They’ve gathered in my assigned quarters for the Social Season to start devising a strategy.”

“Were you able to pull Rashad aside and ask if he’ll lead the team?” Unwilling to announce everything that was unfolding to all the nobles gathered for the start of the Social Season, Liam had taken Olivia up on her offer to discreetly organize the palace lawyers on retainer and to find Rashad amongst the mingling crowds and inform him of the situation. It’s not that Liam didn’t trust his standard legal team, but he thought Rashad’s position as both a lawyer and a member of the nobility might give him some unique insights.

“I spoke to him, but he politely declined. He’s served as legal counsel for both you and House Beaumont before, so he thought this would be a dicey area when it comes to conflict of interest.”

“Fair enough. I suppose-” 

A knock on the door cut off Liam’s reply. After a moment, Stefan stepped into the office. “Your Majesty, Duke Bertrand Beaumont was hoping to have a word.”

Liam nodded. “Just give us one minute, Stefan. Then you can send him in.” As soon as Stefan closed the door behind him, Liam addressed the three people still left in the room. The only three people at court he felt he could trust at the moment.

“Not a word of our suspicions regarding Drake, Riley, and Bridget to Bertrand. At least not yet. Maxwell, are you okay with that?”

Maxwell gave a small nod, but his face looked grim. “He’s not gonna side with our father, Liam. I hope you know that.”

“I have hope that will be the case as well, but I’ve already been caught completely off guard several times today, and quite frankly, even one time was too many. We play things close to the vest for the moment, alright?”

Maxwell nodded again, and after several tense moments, the door swung open again as Stefan allowed Bertrand into the office.

“Your Majesty, if I may apologize profusely for the conduct of House Beaumont.” The words were spilling from Bertrand before the door was even shut behind him. “I had no idea my father intended such traitorous actions when I allowed him more involvement in-”

Liam raised a hand, stopping Bertrand’s inevitably lengthy apology. “Thank you, Bertrand. I appreciate the sentiment, but I do not hold you accountable for your father’s crimes.”

A little sigh escaped Bertrand before he continued, “Thank you, Your Majesty. I wanted to offer my assistance in blocking my father’s attempted coup.”

“How so?”

“I believe that an argument can be made that he is not the proper or official head of House Beaumont. I formally and officially took over duties with his illness years ago, and even though he has resumed some of those duties over the past several months, he never reclaimed his title as Duke of Ramsford.”

Olivia’s eyes widened at that, tilting her head towards Liam. “That could work, couldn’t it? If Barthelemy never had the authority to call Conventus Nobilis-”

“Then any votes called by the body might not be legitimate. Bertrand, would you mind going to speak with my legal team? They will presumably want to clarify some information, but this could be very helpful.”

“Of course,” Bertrand said with a little nod. “Where would I find them?”

“They’re in my quarters,” said Olivia. Bertrand nodded and stiffly turned back toward the door he’d just come through. Before he left, Liam called out to him.”

“Thank you, Bertrand. We’ll be just a few minutes behind you. Would you mind sending Stefan in on your way out?”

Bertrand nodded in acknowledgement before opening the door. Within seconds, Stefan was entering the room.

“You require me for something else, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, I need you to start reviewing staff files on anyone who was hired to work at the palace over the past seven or so months, ever since Barthelemy Beaumont took a more active role in managing his family’s estate and lands.”

“Of course,” Stefan said with a curt nod, “Anything else?” Liam kept his focus on him, ignoring the blistering stare that was coming from Olivia.

“Prioritize the files of any employee who has any connections to Ramsford. You should use my private quarters for this research. Do not tell anyone what you are doing.”

Stefan exited the office, ready to take on his task. Liam stood from his desk, collecting his stack of documents he’d started reviewing regarding the last Conclave from several hundred years ago. “Alright, let’s all go join Bertrand.”

Hana and Maxwell both nodded and moved towards the door, but Olivia remained seated, grabbing Liam’s wrist and stopping him in his tracks.

“Are we not going to talk about your little mission you just gave your assistant?” she asked, quirking up an eyebrow.

“Olivia, I need to make sure I am not surrounded by snakes.”

“But Liam, don’t you think-”

Bzzzzrt… bzzzzrt

Olivia’s argument was cut off by Liam’s phone vibrating on his desk, the name “Drake” glowing at the top of the screen.

Everyone in the room just seemed to stare at the phone for a few seconds. Liam swiped to answer the call and quickly flipped the call to speakerphone, placing a finger to his lips as he did so. He was going to need to be very careful about the way he approached this conversation.

“Drake, are you alright? Are Riley and Bridget with you?” he asked, bracing his hands along the edge of his desk.

“They’re with me, and we’re all okay.” Drake’s words were a massive relief in some respects, a horrible confirmation in others. “What’s going on with you guys? Were you able to stop Barthelemy?”

“Not yet, we’re trying to find a judge to conduct an emergency hearing. Where are you? Are you in Lythikos yet?”

There was no immediate reply, Drake’s pause seeming to stretch on for a lifetime. His tone was clipped and gruffer than before when he finally broke the silence. “No, we aren’t in Lythikos.”

“Drake…”

“I’m so sorry, Liam. I really am. But we had to-”

“Stop!” cried out Olivia. Liam shot her an annoyed look, but she wasn’t paying him any attention, just staring at his phone.

“Olivia? Is that you?” Drake asked.

“Yes. I’m actually here with Liam. Now, we can’t talk long. We have to go meet with the lawyers, but before we do, I just thought I should confirm that you know that taking Bridget across the border would be seen as kidnapping, right? You don’t have legal custody over her, so to take her to another country would be treason. So, why don’t you think about that and I’ll give you a call back in a little bit and we can talk about this again, okay?”

There was another pause, shorter but somehow tenser this time, before Drake replied, “Okay.”

“And Drake,” Olivia said, her bright red thumbnail tapping rapidly against her chin, “if neither of you answer when I call back, I’ll have to call Ray and confirm that everything is going according to plan. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.”

“Good, we’ll talk soon.” And with that, Olivia reached across the desk and swiped to end the call.

“What was that, Olivia?”

“That was me preventing Drake from giving you information you’d have to act on,” she said as she crossed her arms across her chest. “You still know nothing of their whereabouts other than that I sent them to Lythikos and they haven’t arrived yet.”

“Olivia…”

“Is my statement inaccurate?”

Liam drew a hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose as he slammed his eyes shut and let out a sigh. He was so sick of the constant scrambling and adjustments, everyone just frantically acting with their own agendas. “No,” he finally breathed out, “no, your statement is accurate.”

“Perfect. And that’s all you need to know. You said it yourself - your priority needs to be finding a legal angle to fight Barthelemy. You and Maxwell go take care of that; Hana and I will stay to talk with Drake and Riley, and we’ll tell you if there is anything you should know.”

Liam locked eyes with Olivia, very aware of her careful phrasing. It was a somewhat creative solution. If Olivia and Hana were the ones to get the information from Drake about the plan he had for his family, Liam had the ability to deny any further knowledge. And Olivia’s veiled threat to Drake would have been easy for him to comprehend - stay in Cordonia and head to Lythikos as planned, or face a treason charge. Even if they were already across the border, they could turn back now with no one knowing they had technically left. But the whole situation was dicey at best. It could all backfire so easily and dramatically.

“You’re playing with fire, Liv. You know that, right?”

She nodded solemnly. “I do. But someone needs to take care of this, and you need to focus on keeping your crown.”

Liam gave her a sharp nod, “Let’s both do what we need to do, then.” Grabbing his phone and his stack of documents, he joined Maxwell at the door. “Come on, Maxwell. We’ve got a coup to stop.”

Permatag:  @walkerswhiskeygirl   @riley--walker  @bebepac @ravenpuff02 @oofchoices @octobereighth @drakewalker04 @kimmiedoo5  @mfackenthal  @thequeenofcronuts  

The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir: @ao719 @mskaneko @katedrakeohd @jovialyouthmusic @marshmallowsandfire @axwalker @kingliam2019 @sirbeepsalot @texaskitten30 @princessleac1 @ladyangel70 @dcbbw @yaushie

Drake x MC: @drakeandcamilleofvaltoria  @iplaydrake @gibbles82 @drakewalkerisreal @notoriouscs  @drakesensworld @drake-colt-lover-99

Fight or Flight: @masterofbluff @burnsoslow @bobasheebaby @shz256 @iaminlovewithtrr​

[talkfastromance4]

For Your Eyes Only-- bodyguard!ashton [Chapter 12+Epilogue]

I can’t believe the end has finally come. I first posted this story on December 15, 2019 and was the first chaptered fic I posted (and now completed.) Thank you to those who have read and kept up with this story. It’s very near and dear to my heart. I’m sad that it’s ending but I’m so, so happy with it. Thank you again for loving Ashton and Alouette with me as I made my own fairytale💕💖

Word Count: 4582

Warnings: mild smut near the middle

Masterlist

Chap. 1 || Chap. 2 || Chap. 3 || Chap. 4 || Chap. 5 || Chap. 6 || Chap. 7 || Chap. 8 || Chap. 9 || Chap. 10 || Chap. 11

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. *copyright listed below*

• • • •

The palace has been abuzz with excitement and planning once again as Alouette’s coronation is approaching only a few days away. Queen Helene arrived a week ago to go over the plans for the ceremony. Every day has been filled with meetings on final decisions for the flowers, dress fittings and any other last-minute preparations. 

Alouette is eating lunch while reviewing the itinerary of coronation day when there was a soft knock.

“Come in,” she says distantly.

“Is that how you greet your best friend?”

Alouette jumps out of her chair at the sound of Neva’s voice and races to hug her tightly, both squeal in delight at being in each other’s presence again. Neva’s birthday seems so long ago and with everything that happened since then, Alouette couldn’t be happier.

“I didn’t know you were coming today!” Alouette exclaims, still hugging her close. 

“Ashton arranged it,” Neva laughs and draws back so she can inspect her best friend. “How are you mi alondra?” (my lark)

“I’m good,” Alouette nods with a small smile. She drops her hands to Neva’s, squeezing tightly. “A little nervous about the coronation but I promise, I’m okay.”

“Good. Two things, I need to see this ring!” Neva lifts Alouette’s left hand and ogles at the sparkling diamond that fits so perfectly on her finger. “Oh, it’s gorgeous. Ashton did well. And secondly, I need you to tell me everything there is to know about you and Ashton. How did this all start? When was your first kiss? How did he propose? Tell me all.”

Alouette informed Neva of everything that has happened over a whole pot of tea. She first began with her kidnapping and how she had the thought of Ashton that kept her alive. Neva held her hand the whole time she discussed what happened to her. Aside from Ashton, Neva is her closest friend who she tells everything to.

Her favorite parts were telling Neva about the best moments she and Ashton have had.

“I wish I could have been here for you too,” Neva tells her sadly, tears in her eyes. “My manager wouldn’t let me take time off, no matter how many fits I threw.”

“It’s all right, I had Ashton to take care of me,” Alouette smiles, “and besides, you’re here now for one of the most important days of my life. Apart from my wedding.”

They talked for hours until Ashton came in the room stopping their discussion. 

“Hello, Neva,” Ashton smiles standing next to Alouette’s chair.

“Hi security man,” she grins. “Congratulations on the engagement.”

“Thank you,” his smile remains then touches Alouette’s cheek with his fingers to get her attention. Her blue eyes meet his. “It’s time for your dress fitting.”

“Not your wedding dress fitting, right?! I wanted to go shopping with you,” Neva frowns.

“No, it’s for my coronation dress,” Alouette answers with a soft chuckle. “We haven’t even picked a date yet, with what’s going on in preparation lately.”

“Good, because I am going to make sure your bachelorette party is to die for!”

Ashton exhales loudly at her choice of her words.

“You know what I mean,” Neva recovers innocently at Ashton. She smiles and bats her eyes for good measure.

Alouette laughs then takes Ashton’s hand rising from the chair. “I’ll see you later for dinner, Neve.”

“Bye lovebirds!” she calls behind them.

Alouette slips her hand in Ashton’s easily, since their engagement she’s been loving how open they can be with their affections towards each other. The best part is no one looks at them strangely because of it. Ashton gives her hand a gentle squeeze as they reach the staircase to the third floor. 

Her heels and his boots clack on the tile as they ascend, the stairway is quiet and Alouette senses something is on his mind. 

“Are you okay?” she asks, giving his hand a gentle pull. He sighs in response. 

“Are you sure you want me to be a knight?”

Alouette halts on her step and Ashton stops on the one below her, his hazel eyes stare into hers and she can see the doubt in them. 

“Of course, I do. You have all the qualifications, you deserve this honor, Ashton, especially after what you’ve all done for me. Loving me aside,” she adds to lighten the mood, but he still has a crease between his brows. 

“I don’t know a thing about being a royal. What if we’re at an important dinner and I use the wrong fork? I could jeopardize something very import--”

Alouette stops his rambling by grabbing his cheeks and pressing her mouth against his. He responds enthusiastically, his hands grip her waist and she pulls away. Ashton chases her lips for more, but she strokes his cheek with her thumbs. 

“Whatever silverware you use isn’t going to be a problem. You aren’t going to jeopardize anything, and I’ll be by your side the whole time, okay? We’re in this together,” she gives him one more soft peck and they continue their ascent to her dress fitting.

•••••

It’s the morning of her coronation and Alouette is woken in the best way possible. Ashton sprinkles the skin of her shoulder that’s exposed from her baggy night shirt with kisses. He makes a trail from below her ear along the curve of her neck to the tip of her shoulder. It’s the spike of her goosebumps that wakes her, a smile already on her lips.

While Ashton’s lips move back up to her ear, his hand is slipping beneath her night shirt, his skin hot on her belly while his fingers tickle up to her breasts. He kneads her flesh tenderly, but the action elicits a small moan from her lips. A sound that Ashton will always fall in love with as if it were their first time.

Alouette twists around capturing his lips in a feverish kiss. They both make quick work of removing his boxers and her panties, both craving the closeness the other can satisfy. Ashton swipes his middle finger up her slit and she gasps into his mouth. With his finger still teasing her, he works his mouth down her body using his other hand to push up her shirt.

Ashton licks the underside of her breast, loving the soft moans she makes as he continues lower and lower. Alouette spreads her legs open, her body flinching when Ashton presses the pad of his finger against her clit and her moan has increased in volume.

“Shh, my lady,” he hushes dragging his lips over her core. “Can’t have you waking the whole palace.”

“I—ohh!” She moans long and slow when he inserts his finger and kisses her clit.

Ashton is every form of gentle, pulling and curling his finger in and out of her just as her moans are soft in response. He licks at her in a savory manner, his tongue rolling and flicking over her bud. He hums against her when she places her fingers in his hair, brushing it away from his forehead. Her back arches and her toes curl when her body heat rises, and Ashton quickens his actions.

He knows she’s close, so he removes his mouth so he can quiet her moan with a kiss while his fingers continue to work her over. She’s bucking her hips against his palm.

“Please, please,” she whimpers around his mouth. “Need you.”

She fumbles in the drawer of her nightstand for a condom and rips it open hastily while Ashton kisses her neck. She rolls it over him delicately and Ashton removes his finger grabbing hold of himself. He pushes against her entrance before sinking in inch by inch. Alouette drags his mouth back to hers as they both moan in pleasure. Their bodies roll together as he pumps into her with desire, their fingers interlocking and breaths turning ragged.

For a moment, she forgets that she is to be Queen in a few short hours and that every eye will be on her. For this moment, it’s just Alouette and Ashton, two people desperately in love. She sighs his name and he breathes her in as they come together, a true force to be reckoned with.

“I have something for you,” he kisses her cheek after they’ve caught their breath and he slips out of bed. She watches him pull out a box from his trousers that are thrown over the chair at the foot of her bed and he sits next to her again. “Happy coronation day.”

Alouette sits up and opens the box, gasping when she sees what’s inside. Perched in the center sat a swan pin made completely out of diamonds. She gasps.

“Ashton, it’s beautiful!” her fingers trace over the small diamonds faceted along the slender neck, then she glances up at him, “you need to stop spoiling me with gifts.”

“I’ll be your husband soon, it’s part of my husbandry duties,” he grins, and she pokes his dimple.

“Then I shall spoil you with gifts!” she giggles and falls on top of him.

He holds her fingers to his cheek so he can kiss her palm. “You already spoil me, Alouette,” he says.

His hands then roam over her bare back under the shirt and he feels her scars. He pulls her closer just as there’s a knock on the door.

“Miss Alouette! It is time to get ready!” Rosa calls from the outside of the door.

“Just a minute, Rosa!” Alouette calls and gives Ashton a kiss. “I’ll wear this pin today, thank you, I love it.”

“You’re welcome,” he hums, and they clamber out of bed.

They dress quickly and when Alouette is in her robe, Ashton opens the door. Rosa and Alouette’s other maids’ bustle in with her dress that’s secure in the white bag. No one has seen it except the designer and her ladies. Ashton tries to sneak a peek when a make-up team comes in and hair stylists.

“Calum, Michael and Luke are waiting for you downstairs,” Sydney tells Ashton. She’s always on top of keeping everything in order and on a timely fashion.

“I’ll see you soon,” Alouette smiles at him.

Before he can be shooed out by Sydney, he sneaks a quick kiss to Alouette’s lips. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she giggles, he pinches her cheek lightly and leaves the room.

Alouette listens to Sydney rattle off the time slots, where and when to enter the hall and reiterates part of the oath that will be spoken. Alouette listens while keeping her gaze on her eyes in the mirror while her hair and make-up is being done.

Her stylists twist her hair into an elegant chignon so that the Regent’s Crown will fit perfectly atop her head. All her ladies help her into the dress. It’s blush pink in color with lace appliques and a cape that can be added near the back at the center of her lower back. Her jewelry is added last, simple pearl earrings and a diamond necklace.

Rosa places the swan pendant Ashton gifted her with and took her hand, tears in her eyes.

“I’m so proud of you, my lady,” Rosa smiles.

“Thank you, Rosa. Thank you for everything,” Alouette squeezes her hands and gives her a tight hug.

“Princess,” Sydney says, “it’s time.”

•••••

Alouette stands outside the large oak doors while the small orchestra in the balcony plays a beautiful ballad and then the doors open and she’s walking gracefully down the aisle. Her guests, Princes and Princesses, Kings and Queens, other dignitaries, friends, family, and some of her people stand on either side of her.

She passes the television crews that are all along the back of the hall. Reporters are writing furiously in their pads; everyone is at apt attention.

Alouette has been trained not to look at their faces, to keep her face forward to where the Archbishop Belisario is standing with the orb and sceptre that she will be holding. She keeps count of her breathing, feeling very aware that all eyes are on her but when she spots Ashton off to the side near the front, and their eyes meet, she instantly relaxes.

Queen Helene is already sitting in her respective throne off to the left, when she catches the eye of her granddaughter, she winks and smiles proudly.

As she walks by the guests, she hears them whisper quietly to one another as she passes because of the back of her dress. One request she had was that the back would be see through, so that her scars would be seen. She wanted to show her people that as Queen, she is fierce and tenacious. She lifts the skirt of her dress when she reaches the four steps and rises carefully to the throne.

Alouette twirls around so she’s facing the congregation and Archbishop Belisario comes to stand next to her just as the music fades away and she takes her seat on the throne. The seat is plush and soft beneath her and the Archbishop speaks his prayer over her.

“Welcome all to the coronation of Princess Alouette. I give thee, the orb of Peace and the sceptre of Longevity,” Archbishop Belisario hands each item to Alouette.

She holds them proudly, the weight is heavy, but she keeps her composure, chin held high.

“Madam, is your Majesty willing to take the Oath?”

“I am willing,” Alouette answers proudly. She keeps her gaze focused on the stained-glass panes near the back of the hall. It’s an array of colors with the center of it being a large tree with plenty of green leaves.

“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of Chadria, according to the statutes in parliament agreed upon, and the respective laws and customs of the same?”

“I solemnly promise so to do.”

“Will you, in your power, cause law and justice and mercy to be executed in all judgments?”

“I solemnly promise so to do.”

The Archbishop removes the crown from Queen Helene who has risen from her chair and he places it atop Alouette’s head. The weight is lighter than that of the orb and sceptre, but she feels the weight, nonetheless. It holds the weight of her power, of her reign over her beautiful country. Alouette stands, wearing it proudly as the ceremony comes to a close.

This is the big moment as she takes her first step forward to declare the last part of her Oath now as Queen. She clears her throat softly and shifts her focus from the stained-glass window to her people.

“The things which I have promised, I will perform and keep. So, help me, God,” she speaks with authority and her voice doesn’t waiver. She takes one step forward.

“Presenting, Her Majesty, Alouette Jolene Iduna; Queen of Chadria,” Archbishop Belisario concludes and the hall erupts in cheers and applause.

Alouette smiles proudly, eyes gazing over the people in front of her, her people. She sneaks a glance to her left where Ashton is clapping proudly as well, a large smile on his face. The Archbishop takes the orb and sceptre from her so she can take her first walk as Queen. Her grandmother approaches next, kisses her cheek and then Alouette descends the stairs once more. The orchestra plays Chadria’s anthem and this time, as she passes, the people bow or curtsy to her and the doors open once more as flashes from cameras announce her exit.

•••••

Three days after Alouette’s coronation is Ashton’s knighting ceremony, her first act as Queen. In those three days she has aided Ashton in the ceremony and has had a white suit made for him to wear. It will be broadcasted just as her coronation was. Guests filled the seats with Luke, Calum and Michael sitting in the pews off to the right, they sat in the same spot for Alouette’s ceremony.

The Herald stands at the podium waiting for the time to start and he clears his throat into the microphone. The room falls silent and Alouette squeezes Ashton’s hand in assurance as the Herald begins. Next to the Herald on plush red velvet pillows are the Knight’s chain, the Sword of Nobility, the white belt of Chivalry, and the sword Ashton will be presented with as his own.

Victor, who is also a knight, stands near the objects with a page boy to help hand off each one as the ceremony commences.

“In days gone by, there have existed many orders of knighthood which recognized the skill and honor of their members. From the knights of the round table to present day, it is in their duty of service and of the noble ideals of chivalry embodied by their Queen, did these orders achieve this highest rank. Members of this Order of Chivalry are mighty warriors, but also were skilled in the arts and have given their time to the benefit of the common weal.

“As such, they have been recognized as Peers of the land. Our Majesty the Queen will now begin the knighthood. The Crown calls forth Ashton Fletcher Irwin to come before the Court and company here today.”

Ashton and Alouette stand, they step forth in front of the podium and Ashton kneels before her, his hands clasped together in front of him. When he looks up at her, she smiles radiantly at him and he can’t help but smile back.

“Ashton Irwin, have you undertaken to accept the accolade of Knighthood that has been offered to you?” she asks, her voice echoes throughout the room.

“I have,” he responds.

The Herald holds the chain above his head to showcase it to the crowd and Victor steps forth.

“This chain has been passed from knight to knight throughout the ages of our kingdom. Let it now pass from knight to knight again,” the Herald says and hands it to Victor who holds it tenderly between his fingers. “Bring forth the great Sword of Nobility.” The Herald is handed the sword from the page boy.

He presents it to Alouette who accepts it delicately in her hands, letting the tip of the sword hang a centimeter above the floor.

“Ashton Irwin,” she begins, eyes on him, “you have been deemed fit for this high estate by your peers and have indicated your willingness to accept this honor from my hand. Do you solemnly swear by all that you hold sacred, true and just, that you will honor and defend the Crown and Kingdom of Chadria?”

“I will.”

“That you will honor, defend, and protect all ladies, and those weaker than yourself?”

“I will.”

“That you will be courteous, honorable and loyal of the Chivalry?”

“I will.”

“That you will be charitable and defend the poor and helpless, that you will be brave and never avoid dangerous paths out of fear?”

“I will.”

Alouette lifts the sword, the tip hanging precariously over his right shoulder. “Then having sworn these solemn oaths, know now that I, Queen Alouette Jolene Iduna of Chadria dub you with this Sword of Nobility and by all that you hold sacred, true, and just . . . Once for honor—” she touches his shoulder with the blade then moves back and forth on each shoulder each time “—Twice for Duty . . . Thrice for Chivalry. . . Arise, Sir Ashton Irwin!”

Alouette hands the sword to the Herald who then hands her a white belt with red jewels encrusted on the buckle as Ashton rises. She holds the belt in front of him.

“Accept this white belt, symbolizing the purity of your honor, the sign of the Order of Chivalry, and of your knightly rank and station,” she says and ties the belt around his waist. Then she is handed the Knight’s chain holding it before Ashton. “Accept from my hands this chain, passed from knight to knight, for each knight is a link in the honor of our Kingdom. It symbolizes your fealty to Crown and Kingdom. Take this chain and swear.”

Ashton grasps the chain in his hands, right below Alouette’s and looks to the Herald who will tell prompt him what to recite. He fixes his gaze to Alouette after the Herald begins speaking.

“This day do I render homage and fealty to my Sovereign Lady, Alouette Queen of Chadria who will, from this day forward, be my Liege Lady. I will remain true in all ways, serving you faithfully. . .” Ashton can’t help this is just as intimate as a wedding ceremony will be when repeating his vows, “this do I swear by my belt and chain and by my honor and by the high ideals which I hold as a Knight of this land. So, say I, Ashton Irwin.”

“I accept your homage, fealty, and pledge to you that from this day forward until the end my reign you are my Liege man that I will honor your order and defend your rights as a Peer. I will protect the trust that you have placed in me, mighty with justice, tempered with mercy,” Alouette speaks then holds up the chain from his fingers. “Accept this chain, which will symbolize your duty and your bond as Liegeman in fealty to the Crown of Chadria. Never forget the burden of this chain.”

She places the chain around his neck and then a sword is pulled from its sheath by the Herald who holds it in front of Ashton. It’s beautiful and sharp with ruby jewels encrusted on the pommel and guard. Ashton’s eyes widen, he was told he’d be getting a sword, but he didn’t think it’d be this exquisite or grand.

“Accept this sword,” Alouette begins again listening to the prompting from the Herald, “which will symbolize your prowess at arms. Remember this: the sword of the Chivalry should be drawn only in defense of the land, or in front of those weaker than yourself. Wear it with care. Wield it with mercy.”

Alouette points to the sword as the Herald presents it to Ashton who takes it in his own hands examining it quickly before Victor places it back in its sheath. Alouette smiles at Ashton and lifts her hands in the air, motioning him to stand. He rises slowly, eyes fixed on her.

“Arise, Sir Ashton, for you are now a knight of Chadria,” she declares, and he faces the crowd.

“For Sir Ashton Irwin,” the Herald declares, “hip, hip!”

“Hooray!”

“Hip, hip!”

“Hooray!”

“Hip, hip!”

“Hooray!”

Ashton is welcomed in glorious applause and Alouette can see how hard he’s trying to keep his composure. His mouth is quivering from trying not to smile and she admires him proudly. He looks magnificent in his white uniform, his silver chain and white belt. She takes his hand in hers and can’t resist to kiss his cheek.

He truly is her knight in shining armor.

•••••

THREE YEARS LATER

Alouette’s dogs are barking as they prance and run joyously on the palace grounds. They’re chasing younger children and trying to capture the bubbles that the small ones are blowing into the spring air. Rosa is setting up the food table with help of the maids in waiting while Ashton and Alouette watch fondly from their bench.

Calum is off to the side with his shades covering his eyes surveying the area while Michael and Luke are playing with the little ones. Other forms of security are around the perimeter of the grounds. After Alouette became Queen there were more candidates wanting to aid in her safety, especially after Ashton was knighted.

He made sure each one that applied would be a good fit, not just with him but with Calum as well since he became head security guard after Ashton left his post. He still made sure to have an oversight of all security details, he’s a man of habit, but he’s been loving his married life with Alouette.

Their wedding happened about a year after her coronation and his knighting ceremony on a beautiful spring day much like this one. Clear blue skies with a cool breeze that felt nice in the warm sun. Ashton cried as he watched her make her way towards him, she looked like an angel.

Everything about her was soft and delicate, her hair pinned loosely around her face with a tiara on her head, lace flowers covered her bodice and the swan necklace he gave her sparkled in the sunlight. Both of their voices quivered as they recited their vows and when he kissed her for the first time? He thought he’d burst from happiness and the love he felt for her.

Their first year of marriage was adventurous. It wasn’t much different from when he’d travel with her before but now, he was her right-hand man, standing the forefront with his Queen and his love. He counseled with her late at night going over new laws or funding’s that needed review. They’re a team, a solid unit, and the people of Chadria even call him ‘Prince Ashton’ on accident but he fits the role perfectly.

There’s a loud squeal to their left that they both have grown accustomed to and could spot from a mile away. Their daughter, Penelope is running towards them in her pretty pink dress. Her dark blond ringlets bouncing behind her until she finally crashes into Ashton’s legs.

“Hello, my love,” he greets her and lifts her into his lap just as Luke comes to a halting stop. He was chasing her and is clearly out of breath.

Penelope cuddles into Ashton and Alouette smiles fondly at her little princess. She’s perfect in every way but especially today since it’s her first birthday.

“Why were you chasing her?” Ashton asks with a smile; Luke is still panting heavily.

“She stole my earpiece,” Luke huffs.

“Penny, did you take something of Luke’s?” Alouette asks her sternly. Penelope turns her head to her mother, a mirror image. She nods against Ashton’s chest and he chuckles, kissing her blond head. “Can mommy have it, please?”

Alouette holds her hand out, palm up. Penelope hesitates but when Ashton nudges her quietly telling her, ‘go on,’ she drops the small earpiece into her mother’s hand.

“Thank you. It’s time for cake, no more stealing little princess,” Alouette scolds but pokes her in the dimple, the same one that is present in her father.

Penelope smiles and the small family rise from the bench and make their way to the table where Rosa is. Alouette hands Luke his small equipment with an apologetic smile. Alouette’s grandmother and Pete are seated in one of the chairs, party hats on their heads. Flowers are scattered about the table and Neva is helping one of the little girls into her seat, the ring on her finger sparkles in the sun.

Alouette smiles at her when Michael comes up behind her, holding onto her waist and whispers something in her ear that makes her laugh. Not too long after the celebrations of the coronation and knighting, Neva and Michael got to talking and now they’re engaged to be married in just a few short months. They’re both Penelope’s godparents.

Neva looks up and smiles at Alouette while they take their place next to where Penelope will be seated in front of her cake. It’s a small one-layer cake with cloying white buttercream frosting and intricate flowers placed all over it. Luke and Calum join behind Ashton and Alouette who are kneeling behind Penelope in her chair.

Once the birthday song has been sung, Penelope digs right into the cake putting the piece she grabbed right in her mouth. Chocolate crumbs fall on her dress, the frosting smears on her nose which causes everyone to laugh. She looks to her left at Ashton’s smiling face then smears her little hand over his mouth.

“Mm, thank you my love,” he chuckles trying to lick off the treat. Penelope giggles then claps her hands, cake flies onto Alouette’s dress.

She laughs it off and looks to Ashton. He’s smiling back through his chocolate smile and grasps her hand in his. He leans over their daughter’s head to give her a sweet frosting kiss.

When cake is finished and Penelope is all cleaned up, she’s sitting on a blanket in Helene’s lap while Pete reads all the little kids a story. Helene brushes through Penelope’s hair gently as they listen to the story of a princess who fell madly in love with one of her royal guards.

“Do you think she knows this is about us?” Alouette asks Ashton. His arms are wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder as they listen to their own story which was a gift from Neva who had a friend that wrote children’s books.

“She will when she’s older,” he nods then interlocks their fingers together over her stomach. “I’ll tell her everyday how I let my guard down for her mother.”

“And I’ll tell her how I showed my heart for your eyes only.”

• • • •

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[leahazel]

7KPP Fictober 2020

[Tiny fic fragments for the first twelve prompts since I'm so far behind the curve. The character is Marguerite Niarin of Corval, a court lady who's cunning, callous, and in love with Princess Gisette.]

1. Rise

Marguerite hates mornings, which makes keeping secrets harder than it would otherwise be. Not that it's ever easy to keep a secret in a castle packed with hundreds of servants, when one is rarely if ever truly alone. It would still be easier to keep gossiping tongues from wagging if Marguerite didn't have the wretched habit of falling asleep in Gisette's bed, and then being too sleepy to wake up early in the morning and slip back to her own room, undetected.

Gisette can't bring herself to mind too much. After the second time they get caught by a nosy maid, she solves the problem with a bribe and a promotion and even manages to get a new spy out of the whole ordeal.

2. Shade

It's high summer, and the city is sweltering. Outside the walls, along the banks of the river, the wind makes the heat is more bearable. Gisette likes to go riding along the river and insists on taking Marguerite along with her, even after seeing her dismal riding skills first-hand. Riding at night is out of the question, so they brave the summer heat together. When the sun becomes too intense, they seek out shelter under one of the trees by the riverbank.

Gisette wears a veil to protect her fair skin from the sun, which Marguerite can't help but tease her about, telling her she'll grow up to be just as vain as her mother. Secretly, she's just glad that Gisette knows how to take care of herself.

3. Weave

Gisette writes letters, and Marguerite lounges in the window seat and watches her at work, never asking to whom she writes or what plots she might be weaving. They attend the same parties and salons, where Gisette sweetly introduces Marguerite as her future sister-in-law. Later, in the carriage ride back to the palace, she'll spill all the sordid secrets that polite company won't tolerate to hear.

She knows that Marguerite has her own webs to weave, and knows that she shouldn't ask what they are, or how she accomplishes them. Marguerite never writes letters. She dictates all of her correspondence. There can't be very much secret in it if she's willing to repeat it aloud to servants, Gisette tells herself over and over again.

4. Gold

She shuddered when Marguerite told her about her mother's red-and-gold wedding dress. She never would have thought of Gisette as a superstitious person, but apparently being wed in widow's weeds is one line too far to cross. Reluctantly, Marguerite abandons her grand fantasies of fashion.

The mercer sees her downcast face and pulls out a bolt of cloth from the bottom of his cart. For the lady from Corval, he says. Special price.

Her eyes light up at the sight of it, the gold-on-gold embroidery and the opal shimmer of shot silk. It looks like the sort of cloth the Empress of Corval would ban her ladies-in-waiting from wearing for being too gaudy and attention-seeking. She can't possibly leave it on the shelf, and she doesn't even care about the price.

5. Worn

When the first letter from her mother arrives, the envelope shows obvious signs of creasing. She presents it to Gisette without comment, waits to see her reaction. Her fine, arched brows draw together as she examines the paper and the handwriting, turning it over and over in her hands. She doesn't ask about the creasing, but she does look puzzled.

She offers to read it aloud, and Marguerite accepts, citing an imaginary headache. Resting her head in Gisette's lap, she listens to the rise and fall of her voice and thinks about how much better this is than letting her maids read her letters to her. She doesn't think about whose hands the written words passed through, after leaving her mother and before reaching her. There's no point in that, not when there's nothing she can do to change it.

6. Transient

Gifts of flowers, she'd always thought, are rather silly. Her mother adores them and fills every room she can get to with enough fresh flowers to make the air inside heavy and sweet. Servants are constantly occupied with secreting away the wilted bouquets and replacing them with fresh ones, and all before the Queen can see and lose her temper.

Once or twice, she thought about mentioning that maybe the floral perfume isn't quite the thing for the headaches her mother often complains of. Today is one such day, as she watches a maid laden with dozens of violets, and the room takes on a cloying atmosphere, like sitting inside an incense censer. Gisette bites her tongue and turns her eyes back to her book. She can tell Marguerite about it, later.

Like the flowers soon to wilt, the Queen's good mood won't last very long. No need to cut it down prematurely.

7. Exalt

The wedding and the coronation will take place on the same day, and Marguerite is as tense is nerves as she is alight with anticipation. Gisette can't blame her. She's waited her whole life for a chance at a crown, and here one is finally within her grasp, and at such a low price to herself. Once she'd wedded, she'll be Crown Princess, fourth in precedence, ahead even of Gisette herself.

The loss of precedence doesn't bother her, any more than the idea of her brother being heir over her. She does her best work quietly, from the shadows, after all. Not like Marguerite, who needs the glitter and light of the throne. They're still in this together and she knows the wedding won't change anything between them, not when it's the two of them, alone together. She's not jealous. She's not jealous.

8. Reticence

On the days leading up to the wedding, Gisette is increasingly quiet. Not the watchful quiet that Marguerite most associates with her, but a still, sulky silence that bothers her. She can't pretend she doesn't know why, although they don't talk about it openly, even in those rare hours during which they have complete privacy. She can't pretend she's looking forward to her wedding night, either, but she doesn't mind the thought as much as she thought she would.

Then again, it's not like she can say that to Gisette.

9. Renown

The nobles gossip that the Crown Prince has married the most beautiful woman in the world, and Marguerite preens, like a girl who has been told all her life that she'll never be anything but a great beauty. Gisette recognizes the signs. She's seen them in her mother, and part of her wishes she could have brought her grandfather to reckoning for it. Her father is a lost cause.

She wondered who said it to Marguerite. Her father is long-dead, and she's read enough of her mother's letters to know that Lady Solange has nothing in common with the Queen of Revaire in the mothering department. The Empress of Corval, perhaps, she thinks. A spiteful former lover, looking to wound. Perhaps the Arlish princess she mentioned befriending. Arland is not exactly known for valuing women for their intelligence.

10. Surrender

Marguerite feels soft and small when she rests her head in Gisette's lap, eyes closed, and listens to her read. It's a familiar ritual that started with letters and eventually drifted to include selections from Gisette's private library. It helps that Gisette finds history as tedious as Marguerite herself does. Her favorite books describe complex military strategies or the grisly exploits of notorious pirate captains.

It's an odd backdrop for this moment of vulnerability, but they are neither of them ordinary women.

11. Hidden

It's during one such moment of vulnerability that Marguerite finally reveals her secret. She describes begging her mother to read her stories, long after she was too old for it. Recounts the tutors who threw their hands up and quit, despaired of teaching her even the most rudimentary of scholarship. She talks about training her maids to take her letters, and how she conceals hidden meanings between the lines, without ever touching the paper herself, and or the hours she spent perfecting her signature, painstakingly drawing it out over and over, until she could do it with her eyes closed.

One by one, the pieces click into place, and Gisette realizes that Marguerite doesn't know how to read.

12. Temperate

In public, Marguerite is a model of temperance, never drinking anything stronger than watered wine. Spilled wine spills secrets, she says. The King scoffs, but the Queen praises her habits persistently. Her headaches became less severe, she insists, when she reduced her wine-drinking.

Marguerite exchanges a meaningful look with Gisette, and turns subtly to look at her husband, to see if the message is sinking in. It's a long, tiresome road to make any real change in her behavior, but marriage is a long commitment, as the Empress so often lectured her on, in the days leading up to the Summit. With time, good habits will rub off on him, and neither the Crown Prince nor the Queen need to know what she does in private.

Gisette does, of course. There's very little that Gisette doesn't know about her, anymore.

[swanqueeneverafter]

Sins of the Past Pt.17

Storybrooke. Sheriff's Station. (Grif sits alone inside one of the cells while Hook and David talk in the Sheriff's office.) David: "I'm the one who caught him, so I should be the one who gets to talk to him first." Hook: "That's all very well and good, mate, but you're not the one who's wife and daughter are missing. In fact, they're both sitting outside this office. So why don't you go and be with your family because lord knows I would if I could!" Rumplestiltskin: (Leaning in the door way:) "Do you really think he's going to tell either of you anything? Even if he did there's no way of verifying the information." Hook: "Rumple's right. Lily and Mal don't have that kind of time." David: "Then what do you suggest?" Rumplestiltskin: "A simple truth serum ought to do the trick. I believe I still have a vial or two knocking around in the shop." David: "Great, get it. Ordinarily I wouldn't approve of such measures but Grif's our only lead and he's not talking. (Rumple nods and leaves to fetch the serum. Sighs:) I'm sorry, Hook. Of course you should be the one to interrogate him. It's just..." Hook: (Nods:) "I know, mate. Powerful as she might be, your daughter's being hunted. Speaking as a man who's face has been on his fair share of wanted posters, I know exactly how she feels." Bullpen. (Snow watches David and Hook shake hands from afar.) Snow White: "Oh, look at them, two concerned fathers." Regina: "Yes, they're a credit to all men who re-enter their daughter's lives when they're in their late twenties. Now can we please concentrate on what our next move is? If Lily and Maleficent weren't in the dungeons of Camelot, where could they be?" Elsa: (Standing by Lily's desk:) "We don't know they weren't there. (Turns to face them:) Guinevere said Morgana had separated the prisoners as much as possible. The dungeons are vast." Emma: "Well it's not like I can go in there with a search warrant." Snow White: "You're not going anywhere near Camelot, not with two sorceresses out for blood." Regina: "Hey, if it comes to a magic fight, I think we know who'd win. But yes, Snow's right, we can't go back to Camelot right now. If possible we need to face them on neutral territory." Elsa: "You may not be able to go, but I most certainly am." Regina: "And what are you going to do, sing them into submission?" Elsa: (Ignoring this:) "Whenever one of our allies names a new leader, it is customary to send an envoy with words of congratulations. Well, as Queen of Arendelle, I can think of no one better suited to formally welcome Morgana." Emma: (Knowingly:) "And to snoop around her dungeons." Elsa: "Precisely."

Cave. Location Unknown. (Lily continues to pace inside her cage, slamming her hands against the walls as Balinor, her captor, calmly watches. The sound of hoof beats is heard outside. A man, dressed all in black, drives a horse-drawn carriage with a cage in the back. Stopping at the mouth of the cave, the man jumps down and walks slowly towards them.) Aredian: "Did you miss me?" Balinor: "Where have you been?" Aredian: "Dealing with this one's mother. She's proving to be much more... spirited. We were right to keep them separated." Lily: (Shaking the bars of the cage:) "If you've harmed her in any way I swear I'll-" Aredian: "How does it feel to be in a cage? It's where you belong, you know. In a cage where civilised people can come and stare at you. Along with all the other freaks of nature." Balinor: "Aredian, please. I don't like this. Why must we wait so long?" Aredian: "I have not yet been able to procure a buyer for our latest stock. Apparently in these parts, dragons are to be feared, revered and respected. (Scoffs:) Tolerance of magical creatures is almost as dangerous as the beasts themselves. Unchecked, it spreads like a disease. It seeks out the young and the old, the weak and the able, the fair and the foul of heart alike. The people of the realms have grown lazy, Balinor. They’ve grown idle. They stand on the brink of dark oblivion. (Putting his arm around Balinor:) It is up to us, my friend, to remind the world that man is superior to these creatures in every way. The thought that these half-breeds can be considered our equals must be extinguished. (Slapping him on the back:) Now, I’ve had a long journey, so what’s for dinner?” (Lily watches their interaction carefully, taking note of the power dynamic between her two captors. Storing away the information to use to her advantage, Lily decides to bide her time until the chance to escape presents itself.) Wonderland. (Ella and Will hurry through the forest. Since the early hours of the morning, they've been tracked.) Ella: “Someone's following us.” Will: “By the sounds of things, I'd say several someones.” (They duck down behind some bushes.) Ella: “Do you recognize them?” Will: (Peering out:) “They work for the Caterpillar. They're Collectors.” Ella: “What are our options?” Will: “Well, basically, we could die, or we could run.” Ella: “I don't particularly care for the first one.” Will: “Me, neither. Left or right?” Ella: “Left.” Will: “Okay.” (They run. The Collectors right behind them.) Collector 1: “Where'd he go?!” Collector 2: “After him!” Collector 3: “He's getting away!” (Will and Ella run, jumping over tree branches and along uneven terrain. Will tosses a knife at one of the Collectors, taking him down and causing others to trip over the fallen man.) Collector 2: “He’s getting away!” (Will and Ella hide inside a large tree trunk.) Will: “I'm the one they want. We should split up.” Ella: “We should stay and fight.” Will: “Or, better idea you stay, I go. (Stands and calls out to the Collectors:) Oi! Over here!” Ella: “Will, no!” Will: “I'll be fine. I know these woods like the back of my hand. (He immediately turns and falls over a branch. Jumps back up:) I'm fine! Meet you back in Tulgey.” (He runs off, the Collectors following hot on his heels.) Ella: “Will! (Clasping her necklace:) It's okay, Mother, This is just a detour. I'll be with you soon.”

Storybrooke. Sheriff's Station. (Hook stands arguing with Grif.) Grif: "For the last time, I don't know what you're talking about." Hook: "You're a terrible liar." Grif: "Why would the Queen let me in on her plans? I'm just a lowly soldier." Hook: "You know more than you're letting on." Grif: (Smiles:) "Do I?" Hook: "Where are my wife and daughter you son of a bitch?!" David: (Stepping in:) "Hey, Killian, easy. I know you're upset but don't let him rattle you." Regina: "You could let me talk to him. I can be very persuasive." David: "Oh, no. Using a truth serum is one thing but I won't allow the use of torture." Regina: "Won't allow? I’m sorry, I don't remember you rejoining the sheriff's department." Emma: "She's right, Dad. You're not a cop anymore." David: "Maybe not, but emotions are running high here and I'm not about to leave that man alone right now." Regina: "So you don't trust me, is that it?" Emma: "Dad!" David: (Defensively:) "That's not what I meant. I just think someone who's not prone to flying off the handle might be useful at this time." Regina: "And you chasing a man down in your pickup truck was being level-headed was it?" Emma: (Standing between them:) "All right, let's just take it easy." David: "I agree. Look, Snow's already taken Maria for the afternoon, why don't you two go and enjoy yourselves for a few hours?" Emma: (Shrugs:) "We are still technically on vacation." Regina: (Motions toward Grif:) "What about him?" David: "Rumplestiltskin will be back soon with the potion and we'll know for sure if he's telling the truth. I'm just going to be here to make sure Hook doesn't do anything he'll regret." Hook: (Glaring at Grif:) "Trust me, mate, I won't regret it." Emma: (Trying to keep the peace:) "See? sounds like a plan to me. Killian? I know this isn’t too much of a comfort right now, but I wouldn’t worry about Maleficent. Robin said she personally saw Mal kick three pretty powerful witches out of the bar not too long ago. I think she can handle two without too much problem. ‘Gina, shall we?” Regina: "All right. (Walks over to David so they are face to face:) But make no mistake, I'm leaving because I want to, not for any other reason." David: (Knowingly:) "Of course." Regina: (Keeps her eyes on him for a long moment before turning to leave:) "Come on, Emma. Let's go home... (She takes Emma's hand and, pivoting on her heel, speaks into Emma's ear while looking at David:) and see if I can't make you call me 'Daddy'." (Turning scarlet, Emma gives one mortified glance backwards while allowing herself to be lead out of the station.) Wonderland. Grendel's House. (Amongst the wreckage, the Grendel sits alone at the dining room table. He doesn’t even move at the sound of footsteps coming towards him.)

Morgause: (Now standing before him:) “Good evening. You're looking well. Just like I left you. Although, (Looks around:) what happened here?” Grendel: “Bandersnatch attacked.” Morgause: “Did you kill it?” Grendel: “No.” Morgause: “Who did?” Grendel: “I had guests.” Morgause: “Guests? More than one? Tell me who. Tell me who, and I can help you.” Grendel: (Slowly looks up at her:) “You can bring back my wife?” Morgause: “Perhaps.” Grendel: (Stands:) “But that is impossible.” Morgause: “There is no such thing as impossible.” Grendel: (Hesitates:) “It was a young woman. And a man.” Morgause: “Who was this man?” Grendel: “She called him ‘Knave.’” Morgause: “Thank you for your honesty. You've been of great assistance.” Grendel: “Now... You will reunite me with my wife?” Morgause: “With pleasure.” (Morgause draws her sword and stabs him through the heart. The Grendel falls to the floor, dead.) Camelot. Throne Room. (Aredian stands before Morgana with a proposal.) Morgana: "Dragons?" Aredian: "Yes, Your Highness." Morgana: "You wish for me to purchase dragons, from you?" Aredian: "Why, yes. Just think of the grandeur their presence will bring to your coronation. Really start your reign off with a bang." Morgana: "You mean send it crashing down in flames, more like. You are aware of my father's legacy? How he sought to rid this land of all magical creatures and those who wielded it?" Aredian: "I am, My Lady. I'm also aware of how you seek to distance yourself from that legacy." Morgana: "And you believe the best way to do that is to have fire-breathing dragons under my command?" Aredian: "What better way, Your Majesty? Let the people marvel at their new leader's supremacy. Queen Morgana: She who walks with dragons." Morgana: "You would have me show dominance over these creatures? To have them be seen as nothing more than pets for my amusement?" Aredian: "Well, I-" Morgana: "You disgust me. (Stands:) As Queen I seek to heal the wounds inflicted upon the people of Camelot by my father and his heartless nature. I shall welcome all those who practice magic, everyone who has ever been ostracized and belittled by those too blinded by fear and hatred. Camelot shall be a haven to every man, woman, child or beast." Aredian: "My Lady, if I have upset you then please forgive me. I merely-" Morgana: "Guards! (Two guards close ranks on Aredian:) These men will accompany you to wherever it is you are holding the dragons and you will release them immediately. (Aredian begins to protest:) If you do not, mark my words, you shall have me to answer to. Now go!" (Aredian glares at Morgana while he is escorted from the room.) The Enchanted Forest...Pub. (Henry and Richard enter.) Richard: “Oh, this place is fabulous! It's all men. A real gentleman's club. (Waving:) Hello. (To Henry:) Get used to the attention, son. This is what happens when you hit the mainland with King Rich.”

Patron: (To Henry:) “Haven't seen you around here before. Trust me... I'd remember. The Queen's gonna want to get a look at this one.” Queen: (From the staircase:) “I do!” Richard: “Oh, no.” (Dance music plays as the Queen emerges from behind several men.) Queen: ♪ You trespassed upon my kingdom ♪ ♪ And now you are in my sway ♪ (Descends the stairs assisted by two men:) ♪ Which basic'ly means, as the queen of all queens ♪ ♪ I'm going to make you pay ♪ Patron: ♪ Will we be throwing him in the dungeon? ♪ (Two men, dressed in leather, dance inside a very small cage.) Patron 2: ♪ Or tossing him to the bear? ♪ (A stout, hairy man lifts his tankard and winks.) Queen: ♪ Well, one thing for sure ♪ ♪ We'll settle the score ♪ ♪ And trust me, it's more than fair ♪ (Runs to stand directly before Henry:) ♪ Off with his shirt ♪ Men: ♪ Yeah! ♪ (Two men remove Henry’s doublet:) ♪ Strip him down ♪ ♪ Don't be shy, boys, go to town ♪ ♪ I'll bet that chest is heaven-blessed ♪ ♪ So firm and pert ♪ (The Queen is lifted back towards the stairs:) ♪ Off with his top ♪ Men: ♪ Yeah! ♪ (Henry’s shirt is stripped away from his body:) ♪ Let it fly ♪ ♪ Check that six-pack, it's to die ♪ ♪ Tell ev'ry Lance and Bruce and curt ♪ ♪ Off with his shirt ♪ Richard: “Oh, this is so fun! I want to fly like her, too. (Spreading his arms:) Someone pick me up.” (Instead, the men pick up Henry, carrying him to the bar, which they deposit him behind.)  Queen: ♪ Ooh, so now that you're in my power ♪ (The men flood the bar asking for drinks and Henry serves them:) ♪ We'll put you behind these bars ♪ ♪ And there you will stay, taking orders all day ♪ ♪ Till Mars is aligned with Mars ♪ ♪ And for our pleasure, we'll keep you waiting ♪ ♪ Who knows just how long you'll serve ♪ ♪ But, baby, you bet ♪ ♪ You're gonna get ♪ ♪ The punishment we deserve ♪ ♪ Off with his shirt ♪ Men: ♪ Yeah! ♪ Queen: ♪ That's the deal ♪ ♪ You're our beefcake happy meal ♪ ♪ Go on, you guys ♪ ♪ Just feast your eyes ♪ ♪ Until they hurt ♪ ♪ Off with his shirt ♪ Men: ♪ Yeah! ♪ Queen: ♪ Till the dawn ♪ ♪ Dig that lush pectoral lawn ♪ ♪ Drink in those lats and traps and delts ♪ And after that, who knows what else? ♪ ♪ So save some room, boys, for dessert ♪ ♪ Oh, off with his shirt ♪ Men: ♪ Yeah! ♪ Richard: (Tosses Henry his shirt:) “Put this back on. You'll catch your death.” Henry: “Well, I have had a blast. You know, I've never been to one of these places before.” Richard: “What, a pub? Oh, don't be stupid. You've been to a pub before.” Henry: (To Patrons:) “Anyway, uh, I'm gonna head out. Got to get him back to his kingdom. I've got to return to finding my one true love. She's, uh...” Men: “Awwww!” Henry: “Yeah, she's waiting for me, but thank you for everything. And thank you for not feeding us to the bear. Goodbye, Bear.” Bear: (Waves:) “Laters.” Henry: “Richard, vamos.” Richard: “Sí.” Queen: “Where do you think you're going?” Henry: “Uh...” Queen: “We just had our best night in years. You'll be staying here forever. Or at least until those abs go soft.” Henry: (Chuckles:) “But...” Queen: “Guards!” (Henry and Richard are surrounded by guards.) Richard: (Chuckles:) “At least Bear seems happy.” Storybrooke. Recent Past. The Dragon's Lair. (On a rowdy night at the bar, Emma, Regina, Lily and Zelena are having a girls night out.) Emma: (Downing a shot:) "Woo! Another round!" Barman: "Are you sure?" Lily: "Hey! You heard the Sheriff, another round!" Emma: "We are armed and dangerous!" (Emma and Lily break down into a fit of giggles.) A Short Time Later... (As their drunken state worsens, all four women find themselves laying on their backs on top of the bar, allowing the barman to pour shots directly into their mouths. To the delight of all the male patrons watching, the women begin dancing with each other on top of the bar.) Happy: "Yeah! Ladies, take it off!" (Putting their arms around each other, the four women stand in a line on the bar and proceed to can-can. The resulting kicks hitting Happy square in the face as he's knocked back and forth.) Much, Much Later. (With the bar mostly cleared out, Regina bursts through the doors, riding a motorbike with Emma on her back. Lily, waving her top in front of them like a red rag to a bull, sidesteps them at the last moment as Regina revs the engine and drives by. Zelena, for her part, has taken to sliding across the floor on her back under tables, with her bra on her head.)

The Final Straw. (With Lily looking on, though barely conscious, Emma pours a bottle of tequila over Regina's chest and is about to start licking it off, when she is grabbed by her hair and pulled upright.) Maleficent: "That's enough!" Emma: (On wobbly legs:) "Whassa matter? (hic) Jealous?" Regina: "Yeah, Mal... Jealous? (Chuckles, before falling off her bar stool. From the floor:) Whoopsie. Ow!" (Regina rubs her head, having collided with Zelena on her 10th sweep of the bar floor. Mustering all the patience she has, Maleficent picks up Lily's shirt from the bar and throws it to her daughter.) Maleficent: "Cover yourself up. And as for the rest of you, since I very much doubt you're going to remember this night anyway... (Suddenly, Maleficent grabs Emma and pulls her into a deep, steamy kiss. Releasing her after a long moment, Maleficent watches Emma stumble, a dazed expression on her face. Shrugging:) I'm sorry, honey. I just don't see what all the fuss is about." (With that, Maleficent walks away. Blinking rapidly, Emma stands confused and looks down at Regina who's also in shock. Before either of them can process what just happened however, Emma's feet are taken out from her by Zelena and she falls, landing in a Mills sister heap on the floor. Unable to get up, the three women soon find themselves drifting off to sleep. Halfway through pulling her top back on, Lily stumbles backwards, crashing upside down in one of the comfortable leather chairs by the fireplace before she too dozes off.) Wonderland. Present. Forest. (Will ducks down behind another tree trunk, in an attempt to evade capture.) Collector 1: "We must have missed him! You go this way! I'll go the back! Look along the bank!" (Will smiles at this, then hears sounds of men being beaten. Peering through the trunk, Will sees the Collectors all lying on the ground unconscious. Stepping out from behind the tree, he stares at the carnage.) Will: "Ella?" Anastasia: (Standing behind him:) "Did you really think that she could do this all by herself?" Will: "Bloody hell." Anastasia: "Hello, Will." Elsewhere. (Morgause stands talking to an unseen person.) Morgause: "I hear from the Caterpillar that you're one of his finest Collectors. Well I happen to have a very special job in mind for you." (Morgause's eyes glow as she casts a spell over the person in front of her.)

Storybrooke. Swan-Mills House. (Regina and Emma arrive home.) Emma: "I wish you wouldn't give people the wrong impression about our sex life. Especially my father." Regina: (Chuckles:) "He was asking for it, shooing us out of the station so the men could handle things. (Tossing her keys into the bowl beside the door:) I mean since when have they managed to solve anything by themselves?" Emma: "Well, that may be true, but I was referring to who calls whom, Daddy." Regina: (Scoffs, removing her coat:) "I was trying to make a point." (Suddenly, Regina feels a harsh slap to her backside.) Emma: (Whispering in Regina's ear:) "So am I. (Proceeding to nibble on the brunette's ear, begins unbuttoning her blouse:) I want you to walk to the living room while removing all your clothes. (Moving to Regina's other side to nibble her other earlobe:) If you don't do it in such a way that pleases me. (Another slap to Regina's behind:) There will be consequences. Do you understand? (Silently, Regina nods:) Now go." (On shaky legs, Regina begins to walk across the hall, removing items of clothing along the way. After a few paces, Emma begins to follow her, removing her own clothes as well. Peppering the relatively short walk with words of approval, Emma enjoys the sway of her wife's hips as she makes it to the couch. Standing in her underwear, leaning against the door frame, Emma watches as Regina turns to her for instruction.) Emma: "Sit. (Regina obeys. With a slight lift of her chin:) Show me. (When Regina reaches behind to unclasp her bra:) No. Not yet." (Regina nods and moves her hands down to her waist, lifting her hips to slowly ease her panties down her legs. Leaning back against the couch, Regina allows her underwear to slip down over her ankles and onto the floor. Smiling to herself when she hears Emma's footsteps coming towards her, Regina closes her eyes and waits patiently for Emma's next command.) Sheriff's Station. (Rumplestiltskin returns to the station holding a bottle.) David: "Is that it?" Rumplestiltskin: "The strongest truth serum there is." Grif: (Now worried:) "Drug me with whatever you wish, I still don't know anything, I swear!" Hook: "Well we'll soon find out." Rumplestiltskin: (Approaching the bars:) "I need you to drink this." (Rumplestiltskin opens his hand a little, revealing the luminous green substance contained in the bottle. Recognition dawns on Grif's face.) Grif: "There must be some other way." Rumplestiltskin: "I wish there was. Truly, I do. You told me you always dreamed of sitting at the round table one day. Well, now I'm offering you something greater. Your death will be the cornerstone of a great new kingdom. If you take this." David: "His death? What are you-" Grif: (Snatching the bottle:) "For Camelot." (Grif takes the potion. Gagging, he falls to the floor and disappears in a cloud of green smoke.) Hook: "What the hell was that?!" Rumplestiltskin: "Poison from the Agrabah vipers." (Before their eyes, Rumplestiltskin transforms into Sir Mordred.) Mordred: "Something your Mayor is very familiar with and would have prevented me from using, if you hadn't sent her away.” (With one last satisfied grin, Mordred disappears.)

[counterpunches]

This is going to be an utterly rambly mess of like three or four separate essays in one, but it’s only been like 24 hours and I have a lot of feelings and need to just get them out so here goes: (huge spoilers below, obviously)

Ultimately I think Frozen 2 comes down to having some really interesting ideas and things to say that ultimately didn’t entirely go far enough to succeed.

As satisfying and complete as Elsa and Anna’s relationship was in the first movie, I can’t help but feel a little bit of the opposite this time around. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for intertwined, co-dependent people becoming more healthy and independent and thrilled at the end note. I love the journeys the characters took, I just wish they actually showed it better. I didn’t believe it even though I agreed with it.

The catalyst of the movie hinges on Elsa’s sudden apparent need for more when this thought has never previously been expressed. We’re not given a reason enough to doubt Elsa wasn’t happy and didn’t have everything she always wanted.

Not that ‘show don’t tell’ is the single gospel truth from a storytelling point (there are ways to do the former very effectively through the latter) but the movie played the central character’s purpose and secondary tension to the plot as something only passably mentioned if at all. This new reason and purpose, the drive for answers and feeling like she never truly belonged wasn’t built enough to override and supplant her previously established central purpose and tension: Anna.

A few of the film’s other weaknesses play into this. 

I expected more of the Northuldra. I liked the few characters we saw, and I get that there’s a lot of material for the main characters to go through so cut for time, but if by the end the main lead gives everything up to stay with them, then you gotta build them up enough to match. If Elsa’s gonna stay in the north and not with Anna, then there has to be more of a pull for her. The Northuldra people aren’t magical themselves, but they do trust nature’s magic. So I guess, that means Elsa has to stay there? It’s only been 35 years since the mists fell, but they don’t even seem to know more about the spirits than Elsa herself had discovered. “This place suits you” isn’t enough to ditch her world that came before it. All the movie gives us is “Elsa’s the Fifth Spirit (which, WOW, I have a million follow up questions to that) and suddenly has a thirst for adventure and nature, so I guess that means she has to stay???” and we’re supposed to accept that as-is. But they have to give us more because if anything, this movie teaches us the importance of choice. We can’t control what happens, but we can control how we act and what we do about it. We can’t change the wrongs of the past but we can work to right the wrongs in the present. Elsa didn’t have to stay. But the movie is telling us ‘Elsa wants to stay and does’ and there’s no reason to back the weight of that choice up.

The confusion starts right in the beginning with ‘Into the Unknown”. 

Did Elsa wake the spirits, or did the spirits wake her? It’s not clear and the difference is important to Elsa’s drive throughout the rest of the movie. She sings happily with Anna in ‘Some Things Never Change’: I'm not sure I want things to change at all. These days are precious, can't let them slip away”

Then expresses similar concerns in ‘Into the Unknown’:  “if I heard you, which I don't, I'm spoken for, I fear. Everyone I've ever loved is here within these walls. I'm sorry, secret siren, but I'm blocking out your calls. I've had my adventure, I don't need something new. I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you.” This is THE previously established building blocks of Elsa’s character: she loves her family, happy being part of the world she shut out for so long, loves quiet books and being at home, and doesn’t need anything more than she’s got (which is more than she ever expected to have). 

But then, ten seconds later she sings “are you someone out there who's a little bit like me? Who knows deep down I'm not where I'm meant to be?” Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the phone. Since when has Elsa felt like she isn’t where she’s meant to be?? That Arendelle and her family wasn’t enough? That she’s never felt like she belonged there? Sure, an hour ago she was distracted during charades because she heard magic music calling to her. But losing a round of charades isn’t reason enough to feel like she doesn’t belong. The siren call seems to be a recent development and something that hasn’t been happening that long or hinted at during her childhood.

She seemed happy and content during ‘Some Things Never Change’, at the ending of the first Frozen, during ‘Olaf’s Frozen Adventure’, and ‘Frozen Fever’. So what the fork happened for Elsa to go from “I’m as settled as I ever want to be and don’t want to risk losing everything I finally have” to “I’ve never felt like I truly belonged and have always wondered where I came from” in the span of a single song?

The missing linchpin to this is Iduna, but more on her later.

Anna gets to love Elsa but we don’t get to see Elsa shower that same type of love to Anna. Let Elsa show Anna some darn affection! Anna cradles Elsa in bed the way their mother used to, soothing her to sleep. She rushes to her side in moments of danger. Elsa, rather characteristically, shows her affection and love for Anna by trying to protect her from danger, even if it means risking herself in the process. But even at the end when she rushes back on the water horse after saving Arendelle, she just stands there, arms outstretched, like the idiot she is. This isn’t the first movie, where it’s the first time they’ve touched since they were kids. They aren’t standing on the newly melted fjord after she discovers the key to her powers for the first time, shyly holding back. Why Disney didn’t have Elsa running into Anna’s arms saying “You did it, I love you,” is just ajkhgajksdhgasycsdmc so frustrating.

To Sporky’s point, sure - Anna’s coronation didn’t have the pomp and ceremony from the first movie, and we don’t know the reason why. Perhaps Anna didn’t want it to be a big deal, that’s why there wasn’t an audience Elsa and Kristoff weren’t present for the actual ceremony, I get it. But for Elsa not to be there at all? For such an important moment for Anna? There needed to be a small sisterly moment. Maybe Elsa giving Anna a pep talk before the ceremony, something that mirrors the one Anna gave her after the left the wreckage of their parents’ ship. What about an “Are you ready?” from the first movie being re-contextualized in an absolutely loving, adoring, supportive tone.Something. Let Elsa be a big sister. Let her be the one to run into Anna’s arms. If she’s trying to follow their mother’s footsteps, what a great place to start, being part of that bridge between Arendelle and the spirits. Let that relationship come full circle and lead to a healthy place. 

And poor Kristoff I felt was a little misserved. As Sporky said, the engagement should have happened at the end of act 1. He got a reindeer friend, yay! (Jason Ritter, great as usual) but I felt like his central conflict was ultimately...Anna’s about Elsa: Again, you're gone off on a different path than mine. I'm left behind wondering if I should follow. When you're gone I'm the one who sees you home. But now I'm lost in the woods and I don't know what path you are on. Where am I, if we're not together forever? Who are Elsa and Anna now if they’re not together forever? 

There are two outtake songs that were cut, which is a shame because they would have helped fill the holes of what’s missing and gnawing at my unsatisfaction.

‘Home’, for Anna, on the surface is a light song about Arendelle and the citizens within it. But lyrics like these: Wandering through the town with everyone doing all of their stuff, Somewhere in my heart I feel I’ve not yet done enough, For these people I know, this place that I love so, My home” sets us up beautifully for the Queen Anna endgame. Anna, who loves her home and loves everyone in it, still doesn’t feel like she’s done enough for them. She wants to give more: to them, to her home. It’s not just about Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf. Anna expressing this earnestness connects her to leading her people much more than the ending they give us presenting her as an alternative, the second daughter, the spare queen, the extra (which we know from ‘Just The Spare” outtake from the first film). 

Then the later lyric: I’m grateful for this castle and for everything we’ve got, especially my family. We’ve all been through a lot. I know how fragile things can be. If I lost them, I’d lose me’ (x) calls directly into Anna’s true solo, ‘The Next Right Step’ where she faces this exact fear - the fragility of the family they built. She’s in the dark cave, lost Kristoff, Elsa and Olaf presumably dead, fears losing herself and giving up. Instead she faces that darkness and does what’s right; despite her heartache, she gets up and saves both of her people: Arendelle and the Northuldra. ‘Home’ connects Anna’s fear of losing her family and her desire to give more to her people. It pairs off beautifully with ‘The Next Right Thing’: The life I knew is over. I can't find my direction, I'm all alone. The only star that guided me was you. How to rise from the floor when it's not you I'm rising for?”

“Home” is a perfect setup to the ending, giving Anna more agency to her crown and the happiness and solidity that she’s able to forge in a new arrangement once Elsa leaves. It connects Anna’s journey from the first film (“I’m not alone anymore”) and bridges it into the journey she ultimately goes through in the sequel. 

It’s a good song, a great one for Anna, but ultimate the plot doesn’t suffer without it, so I understand why it was cut for time even though I wish they didn’t. 

But then there’s ‘I Seek the Truth’. In it, Elsa sings to her mother, expressing the unease she feels as her power grows stronger, the questions she’s been feeling, the longing she feels for her mother, her role as queen. She seeks the past through her mother to find the truth of her magic and her identity through the pages of a book her mother left her with clues to the answers. “I seek the truth. What are you teaching me? I'm ready to learn, can't retreat once again. And so I turn to you back then. You left me messages and they hold the key. I need to know what they mean, to know who you want me to be.  How do I come from this land, with a power inside that I can't command? It's growing and speaking a language that I don't understand.” (x)

This, THIS song, perfectly sets up the central conflict of the film; Elsa expressing that she even wonders where her magic came from, who she is, what she was meant for, and what secrets her mother held. Without this song, we’re left with a gaping hole around it. The movie makes the Queen absolutely, vitally central to the plot and the girls' identities (and choices), (in a way that parallels the Father’s from the first film) yet she was somehow strangely absent from all of it. We’re left with a very unsatisfying shape to what’s missing. 

Why does she keep her identity as Northuldra a secret from her children and husband? What is served by leaving that a mystery? Wouldn’t it have been much more interesting if once Frohana made it through the mist, they saw Arendelle soldiers and people bearing the same pattern of the scarf that their mother used to wear? It immediately connects Elsa and Anna to these people much more than the drop later on. It wets their curiosity and plants that seed in Elsa about desiring connecting to the Enchanged Forest and wanting to stay instead of ruling Arendelle. 

I didn’t even realize during the first viewing that the second voice singing in Ahtohallan during ‘Show Yourself” isn’t also Idina Menzel- it’s Iduna dueting. The movie tried to intertwine Elsa’s journey with her mother’s past but ultimately fell short of both. The movie desperately needed a few more moments between Elsa and Iduna. The skeleton is there in ‘I Seek The Truth’ but without it, the movie doesn’t stand straight up. (Whatever, I know that doesn’t fully work but metaphors are hard and you get what I mean)

The ending was supposed to tie Elsa and Anna’s journeys as well as that of Arendelle and the Northuldra together. Others not me (hi helen) have already gotten into the complications of race and lack of stakes the ending presented, but yeah, it super bears repeating that Arendelle should have been destroyed. If anything it would have re-framed Anna’s journey (home about people, giving more to them) and the sisters’ past (rebuilding). That made zero sense. Let there actually be stakes! Were there any stakes? The people were safe. Either the town should have been still filled with people still to give Elsa a reason to save it or let it be destroyed and give Elsa and Anna a reason to build it back up together. Have the flag of Arendelle fly, finally earn it “standing for the good and the many” as they all sung in the beginning during ‘Some Things Never Change’. Let Elsa tell Anna that there’s still more she wants to learn about what it means to be the fifth spirit, so she wants to stay in the north and figure it out. 

Better ending: Anna, the idiot she is, is running around on the bridge she’s actively working on getting destroyed (pot calling the Elsa kettle black for running into danger without thought to her own safety THEY ARE SISTERS FOR A REASON). The dam successfully breaks, but Anna falls into the water. Our other heroine presumed dead. But no! The spirits awaken with the freeing of the waters. Anna’s courage to do the right thing frees Elsa from her frozen state. Elsa falls into the water, knowing instantly what Anna’s done. She also senses the danger and there are two choices in front of her - she can either save Arendelle or her sister, there’s only time for one. Obviously she chooses Anna and rushes to save her as she tumbles into the waters below. Arendelle falls. Elsa and Anna rebuild it together, maybe some of the Northuldra people help, along with Gale and the earth giants. Anna has her coronation, makes vaguely BSDM comments to Kristoff, which Elsa gags at. She says how beautiful Anna looks, so much like their mother, and their parents would be so proud. Elsa leaves, she waves her hand and threads some pretty ice magic jewels into Anna’s crown and says “See you for game night Friday?” and rides off on her horsey. 

Ok, so the gay thing:

They really doubled down on the queer analogy for Elsa. Yes, ‘Into the Unknown’ slaps but I mean, ‘Show Yourself’? Woof. What a gorgeous anthem that clearly parallels ‘Let It Go’ with a message of self-love, pride, and identity. Why didn’t they go further? I get it. It’s Disney. There’s the China market to content with, primarily. But that still leaves us with...its Disney. If ever there was a company that could affort to survive the right-wing and Chinese boycotts, it’s this one. “If Disney really believes in the kind of progressive representation it pretends to stand for, then its choices to barely depict LGBTQ people in its films — while simultaneously winking to let us know that, yeah, Elsa’s totes gay — are more than just irritating. They’re an abdication of the moral code the company vaguely genuflects toward having, in the name of higher profits.”x

I mean, Honeymaren was right there. I want to ship them, but it’s so thin that I can’t even get much further than “they talked like once and it’s an age-appropriate female who isn’t a family member.” Disney was never going to give Elsa a girlfriend, c’mon. But they could have at least given her a girl friend. A connection between the two of them would have made more sense for the ending as well - Elsa deciding to abdicate the throne and stay with the Northuldra. Give Elsa a more tangible connection to the place she chooses over Anna. The minimum they could have done without putting anything at risk would have been queercoding Elsa and Honeymaren, but there wasn’t even enough to give us that. But “where the queer subtext for the character in the first Frozen seemed mostly to arise by accident, it feels more intentional in this movie” and yet also deliberately given a wide berth so that they couldn’t be accused of going anywhere near it.  “To be clear, it continues to be subversive that Elsa is a character defined entirely by her lack of a love interest. I don’t want to discount Frozen 2’s emphasis on Elsa’s powerful independence.” Do I love single Elsa? Heck yes. Am I happy and pleased with that? Absolutely. Did Disney have a great opportunity to also have room for queerness should people want to look for it? Yup. 

So many unanswered questions!  -W H Y does Iduna hide her ancestry from the girls and even Agnarr? (Yes, I get that the first movie was intended to be a standalone film and the sudden success changed everything so retconning is necessary, but still). The actual timeline for their parents is also kind of confusing. Little Iduna saves Little Agnarr. She sneaks away with him to a strange land. They fall in love and get married I guess? When does she tell him who she is and where she came from? Does he ever find out who saved him? Why do neither Iduna or Agnarr seem to guess that Elsa’s powers came from the four spirits? Why do they take a ship to find answers that they seem to already have the ability to know the answers to? Nature magic is in Iduna’s people’s history and culture so what other answers were they seeking to find? Did they think finding out what happened to cause the mists would help Elsa control her powers? -where do the handful of Arendellian soldiers live for 35 years? Why are they still fighting the Northuldra when they are clearly outnumbered. Why do the soldiers and villagers go from hating each other to working together and being together no problem without a single word to each other? -Is Elsa still human? What does being a Fifth Spirit mean aside from retconning an identity crisis and a sudden thirst for adventure? What was the fifth spirit before Elsa took the mantle? What answers did Ahtohallan hold before Elsa & Anna’s grandfather decided to be a huge bitch? The Disney wiki says “Elsa discovers that the voice was the call of Iduna from memories of the past, and that her power was a gift from the magic of nature because of Iduna's selfless act of saving Agnarr, making her the fifth spirit who unites differences. Elsa wields her mother's mantle of the fifth spirit.”(x) Wait, what? Where was Iduna’s magic voice six fucking years ago when their boat went down and after dying presumably found the answers? If Iduna had the mantle of the fifth spirit before Elsa, why the fuck did she take a boat to the middle of death ocean to find answers she knew? Did she know she was the fifth spirit? Do the four spirits just choose a human to imbue magic powers with? I fully get I shouldn’t think about this too hard but making it the answer to everything in the movie makes it rEALLY HARD nOT TO.

Things I loved: -Olaf somehow being endearing and legitimately funny a whole second time -”I don’t want to stop you from being whoever you need to be, I just don’t want you to die trying to be everything to everyone all the time.” Hoo boy, Anna has had yelled that speech to Elsa a thousand times in her head -Elsa’s crying face in ‘Show Yourself’ -the entire ‘Show Yourself’ sequence was just stunning, honestly, visually and emotionally -”I didn’t mean to leave you behind, I just wanted to protect her/keep her safe.” (I forgot the whole line, sorry) Anna it is very sweet of you to say that to Kristoff but honey, you can’t get mad at Elsa for doing the exact same thing you just did like three times -Elsa and Bruni doing the head angle thing as they become best friends -fucking Elsa at charades. How have they been putting up with that for three years.  -QUEEN ANNA OF ARENDELLE -the concept of ‘do the next right thing’ I hate that such a golden message will likely get swallowed up and not given the credit and popularity it deserves -I’m sure there’s a lot more that I can’t remember but I’ve only seen it twice so cut me some slack

-the fact that it’s earth that’s the only spirit that Elsa doesn’t master before Ahtohollan. Interesting that she ‘fails’ there, freezing into the depths of the river, because she went too far alone without earth. She wins over Gale and Bruni, tames the Nokk, but she finds herself at the base of a glacier without earth under her feet. It’s telling, because of course it’is Anna. Anna has always been her rock, her earth, the thing that grounds her. It’s Anna who runs to the earth spirits and demand they follow her. It’s earth that Anna wrestles with to finish what Elsa started. Without grounding, without earth, there can be no balance. My darling fucking idiot girls.

[fairstarlights]

​Crowns and Thorns

Chapter Summary: An antsy King sneaks out of the castle and Patton and Logan lose their minds.

Chapter Warnings: N/A

Pairing: Logicality and mentions of Joan and Talyn 

Word Count: 5,761

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

-- Chapter 2 --

King Thomas stared out the window with his head in his hands, wondering what the weather was like. He hadn't gone outside today. Was it warm? Cool? It would be nice to open a window.

The sun had only an hour ago just entered the horizon but Thomas already felt like it had to have been noon by now. Well, it felt like it was still five in the morning, judging by how sleepy he was. Of course Logan and or Patton got him up at right at five per usual, he dressed and fixed himself up by five thirty, ate breakfast at six, then was briefed by Patton on some of the locals complaints from the previous day by six thirty. 

It was currently eight and Logan was pacing in front of the table Thomas was sitting at, book in hand and talking about the past relations with other neighboring kingdoms.

Thomas tore his eyes away from the window, looked down at his parchment paper, picked up his quill, dipped it into the ink and started scribbling some drawings. He wasn't all that great at it, but he was sure better than Patton to some degree. The guy's drawing abilities didn't have seemed to have developed past the age of ten. It was cute in its own way and Thomas had more than a few drawings from Patton in one of his many drawers in his vanity.

Thomas smiled warmly as he finished drawing his friends. Two friends he hadn't seen in several years. Lords Joan and Tayln from a few kingdoms over. Last time he saw them was when his mother stepped down when Thomas turned fourteen, they came at his coronation. He was now twenty. After they returned to their own kingdom, a few years later they left to go traveling, they hadn't been heard from or seen since.

He did try to find them. Several neighboring kingdoms sent out search parties. Months went by, then a year, then when two finally passed it was officially called off. Logan and Patton had never seen him so torn and broken. He rarely ate or spoke, refused to get out of bed. 

After a week of this Logan and Patton couldn't take it anymore, they forced him to do everything. It was a long seven months before Thomas started coming out of it and doing things on his own. Eventually, Patton started getting him to react again. Getting out of bed himself, dressing faster, smiles, eye rolling, a few word answers. A month later Thomas seemed to have completely back to his original self. Which seemed to concern Logan a bit but Patton seemed ecstatic, so he let it go.

“Thomas.” Thomas' head snapped up from his drawing to Logan, who looked unamused by Thomas' complete lack of interest, but not surprised. “Please, pay attention.” Thomas smirked and stretched his arms and sighed loudly.

“Logan. You know I love you and whatever you talk about during these long boring hours in the morning. Why wouldn't I hang onto every word you say? Please, continue for another hour while I longingly stare out the window wishing for some fresh morning air.”

Logan huffed, bookmarked his placed in the book and closed it gently. “Fine. We can take a short break. Stretch your legs, take one of the guards and go out for a walk in the garden.” Thomas beamed and stood so fast the chair nearly tipped backwards.

“Thanks, Logan, you're the best!” Thomas, took long strides towards the door but as his hand grasped the door knob the door flew open, scaring Thomas and making him stumble backwards before catching himself. The jolt caused his crown to shift to side of his head. Thomas blinked in confusion as he watched Patton run past him with a bag of something he probably bought from the market. He stopped in the middle of the room and looked around, apparently confused at only seeing Logan.

Patton shifted the bag under one of his arms and scratched the back of his head, “Well, hey, Logan! Where's Thomas? I figured Thomas would be here still bored out of his mind listening to ramble on about whatever lesson you talk about in here at this time.” Logan adjusted his glasses and then crossed his arms. “Did I just miss him?”

“No.” Patton blinked.

“So...” Patton started, sounding confused,“...did Thomas master the art of invisibility? Is he a magic user? I thought Thomas was against magic! What a shock this must be!”

Logan rubbed his eyes tiredly, “Patton, you nearly hit your King with the door.”

Patton spun around and saw Thomas standing a few feet from him. He smile returned and he ran over to Thomas, holding the bag up. “Sorry about that, Thomas, but I brought you some snacks from the market! A handful of some of your favorites.” Thomas took the bag and inspected the contents. It was some donuts, filled he assumed. A bag of assorted jelly beans, a few cookies and a muffin. He took out the muffin and closed the bag, smiling.

“Thank you, Patton, I appreciate it.” Patton beamed and then his eyes went up to Thomas' head.

“Thomas, did you know your crown is nearly off your head?”

“Uh-” Thomas reached up to fix it but Patton stopped him.

“No! I got it.” He adjusted it back to center and fixed his hair back into place. “There we go! You should be more careful with that, Thomas. The King can't go around looking unshapely.”

Thomas was silent for a moment before he laughed and nodded, “I know. I was actually about to go take a walk. I'll be back in a few minutes. Do you mind putting this in my room for me?” Thomas handed the bag back to Patton before turning and leaving the room, waving as he left.

Patton turned to Logan who was giving him and exasperated look. “What?” Patton asked.

“Next time, knock before you throw open doors.”

Patton smiled mischievously, “Does that mean I have to knock before I come into yours from now on?” Logan's face turned bright red and for a moment he seriously considered throwing the book at the man.

–

Thomas pushed open the doors to the garden as he took his last bite of the muffin. He really had to know where Patton shopped for him when he went to market. Hopefully, next time he could join him when he goes on another run if Logan would let him out of a lesson.

The morning air was cool and there was a slight breeze. The first thing Thomas heard when he stopped and listened was the tree leaves rustling. Then the birds chirping then the smell of the many different flowers. Looking around, Thomas took in the beautiful garden landscape. Spring time was his favorite out of all the seasons. 

It was gorgeous. Not only that but it was the one season his mother comes to visit. After she stepped down she moved to the country side and started a farm. They used to write each other often and he always looked forward to her visits. Unfortunately, his mother passed away two years ago. Her death was looked into, she wasn't even that old, but no foul play looked to be involved.

Thomas pushed his hair away from his eyes and stared up into the sky. “I miss you, Mom.” He stood in silence for a few moments. “Can you see Joan and Tayln from up there? Are they alright? Please, make sure they stay safe. I know I ask this of you every spring, I know there's a chance they may already be with you.” Thomas clenched his fists, his voices starting to shake. “I-I have to keep my hope alive for my sanity and for the Kingdom's sake. I can't go into that state again and worry Logan and Patton the way I did. That was selfish of me. I apologize. Again.”

–

The sun was high in the sky before Logan walked out into the garden looking for Thomas. He walked around for a few minutes but saw no sign of him. Odd. He had checked every other place in the castle that Thomas could have been hiding. It had been four hours since he had let Thomas go and there were no signs of him anywhere. Not that this wasn't unusual for this time in the season. It was only a week ago since the two year anniversary of the former Queens death.

Logan walked around the garden once more before he stopped and crossed his arms. Did he sneak out of the castle unnoticed again? Usually he leaves some sort of note in his room with some sort of apology and what time he would be back, but Logan had already checked the room. No note. About to turn around and head back, Logan heard a noise, he turned towards it. It was coming from behind a bush.

“Thomas? Is that you?” Logan approached the bushes carefully. “You know I don't like it when you randomly pop out of places and scare me. Did Patton put you up to this?” He stepped into the flowerbed and pushed past the bushes and looked behind them. There behind them laid Thomas, sleeping. It would have been cute if he didn't look so- distraught. Logan frowned, he leaned down and reached a hand forward to wake Thomas but stopped as Thomas spoke out in his sleep.

“Please- no...Joan, Tayln, come back.” Logan sighed and found a place to sit beside Thomas, not even thinking about the dirt that would surely stain this clothes. Thomas kept muttering in his sleep. About his missing friends, his dead mother, the pressures he was under every day. He kept saying apologizing. He was apologizing for not being able to protect his friends, to Logan and Patton, for not being able to help his mother and to his people. Logan took off his glasses and covered his eyes with his hand, trying to conceal the tears that were threatening to fall.

–

Thomas awoke later and slowly sat up. He blinked the drowsiness from his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it all back to one side. What time was it? He looked up at the sun and figured it was probably a few hours after noon. Everyone was probably wondering where he went. He should get back. Looking around, Thomas noticed his crown was missing. A wave of panic rushed over him before he heard a sound behind him. Still seated, he rotated himself around and saw Logan, asleep, sitting against the castle wall, legs stretched out with his crown in his lap and his arms protectively around it. Thomas smiled and crawled the few inches over to Logan's side. He shook his shoulder,

“Logan. Logan, wake up. We need to get back, I'm starving, I think we missed lunch.”

Logan opened his eyes and slowly turned them to the voice that woke him. He saw Thomas' smiling face. His eyes opened wide and he stood up so fast he stumbled forwards and almost fell into the bush. Logan was still clutching the crown and was very aware of that fact, so he made sure to not fall. Thomas laughed, propped one leg up and rested an arm on it.

“Have a nice nap?” Logan flushed, turned around and gave him a look.

“You're the one who took a nap first. It took me ages to find you!”

“Sorry, Logan. I didn't mean to sleep so long. It just kind of happened.” Logan sighed and walked towards Thomas.

“It's fine, but next time have someone accompany you. At least be somewhere in the garden while you walk around. Or nap behind bushes.” Thomas laughed and shrugged.

“Yeah. Okay. It would be easier if I had a personal guard.”

“Yes. But I would advise against that. You already have more than enough guards in and outside of the castle and you have Patton and myself. A personal guard is someone you need to trust with your life. You need they won't ever betray your trust and will be unconditionally loyal to you.”

Thomas sighed, “I know.”

“Here, this belongs to you..” Logan bent down and placed the crown gently back on Thomas' head. “Next time, maybe take a nap in the grass. The crown was dirty, you're now dirty. I am dirty. Let's go inside and freshen up. Then lets get us something to eat.” Thomas stood up, pushed his bangs out of his face and started walking, Logan beside of him. They waked in silence through the garden doors, through the hallways, and then when Thomas reached his room and was about to step inside he stopped and turned, Logan raised an eyebrow.

“Thanks, Logan.”

–

Thomas' rest of the day was normal. For some reason after ate his late lunch he was told by Patton that he had the rest of the day to do whatever he wanted. When he asked the reason Patton just shrugged and said that Logan told him to tell you. Thomas nodded and dismissed his friend. He definitely was not going to question Logan on his reasoning. If he wanted to give Thomas a day off, fantastic!

Being the King and all, Thomas didn't have many day's off or much time to himself. The staff and the guards seemed to be leaving him alone, instead of asking him questions randomly all day long about thing's he sometimes didn't know how to answer. Occasionally, he would make something up and it would turn out, other times he wouldn't know how to answer and he would say something about needing to 'seek counsel with Logan and Patton'. Sometimes he wondered if Logan and Patton would be better suited for running this Kingdom that he would be. Not separately, but together. They were fantastic when they worked together. They knew more about the Kingdom than Thomas could ever hope of knowing and he was born, raised and taught in the castle.

Logan and Patton were brought up with Thomas, but not in a brother or friend like way. They were never allowed to play together. They studied together, they ate together, sometimes they called, even refereed to each other by first names and saw each other in passing but that was about it. Once Thomas turned 9. He stopped seeing them in lessons, they ate in separate areas. In was lonely. Thomas didn't see much of them till his coronation when he turned fourteen. Logan was then seventeen and Patton was sixteen. They were immediately appointed as his advisers. Late he learned, they were being trained all those years to take those positions.

It was awkward at first. They all had changed so much, Logan seemed so much older, wiser and Patton seemed more uptight. They weren't close before but Thomas knew that this wasn't their usual personalities. The first half of the year Thomas almost couldn't stand it. King Thomas this, Your Majesty that, Your Crown, all the time, it was driving him crazy. When his mom left and and two more months went by and no one left to merely call him Thomas, he snapped.

He went into his morning lesson, dropped his books onto the table, grabbed Logan by his shirt and shoved him against the wall. Patton was also in the room and was completely dumbfounded by the usually calm King. Then Thomas started talking,

“Listen. I've put up with his long enough. I cannot stand it. I know we aren't close and we weren't exactly before, but we used to call each other by our first names.” Logan opened his mouth but Thomas held up one of his free hands and Logan shut his mouth, which infuriated Thomas more. “I understand you both have duties now, but that doesn't mean you can't be yourselves. Logan, you don't have to be so uptight about everything.” Thomas turned to Patton who looked terrified, “Patton, you used to smile and make jokes and have fun. Now you're...” He gestured generally at Patton. “That. Times have changed, I get that. I know I am now King. I don't expect you guy's to be perfect. You're only human but-” Thomas let go of Logan and rubbed his forehead, “Please, stop calling me King Thomas, or anything of royal title. At least when we are alone.”

There was a long drawn out silence and Thomas wondered if he scared them too much or went too far. After a few more minutes of silence Thomas grabbed his books and walked out of the room and back to his own room. About three hours later there was a knock at his door. Thomas didn't answer. The door opened.

“Hello?”

Thomas was sitting on the floor beside his overturned mattress, his legs drawn up, arms around them and his crown hanging from his hand. Logan looked around the trashed bedroom and then back to Thomas. He maneuvered his way around the mess and stood a few feet away from the sad boy. For once, Logan wasn't really sure what to say but he knew he had to say something.

“Your-” Logan caught himself, “-Thomas. I'm sorry. I know this has been a hard transition for you. It's been hard for all of us. We are all trying to adjust, we are trying to make it easier for you. I know Patton and I going away was hard, we didn't like it either but I think if you give us a chance to prove to you that we didn't abandon you. We had to go away so we knew how to better serve you when it was time for you to take the throne.

I know you said our personalities have changed, and that may be true but, give us some time to get to know you again. Patton is scared. Our teacher was not very kind to us and about the kind of information of what the future would be like for us personally with you as King. He had five years to fill Patton's head with whatever fear he could push into it. You did a lot of damage exploding in front of him today. It took me nearly an hour to calm him down.”

Thomas clenched his fists and put his head into his arms. Logan walked till he was in front of Thomas and then sat on his knees, laying a hand on Thomas' arm. “You're only starting out. You're going to be a great King, Thomas. Don't ever doubt that. You're going to make mistakes, you'll learn from them and grow. You didn't know about Patton, it's not your fault. You know now though, and you can do your best to correct it.” Logan stood up and headed for the door. “Don't worry about lessons for today. Take it easy, and figure out how you're going to win Patton's trust.”

It took a little over a year but with a bit of advice from Logan, Patton started coming around. He started smiling more often, cracking jokes. When the two year mark of trying to win Patton's friendship hit is when Thomas got his first drawing from Patton. It was a picture of, what he assumed, was Patton, Thomas himself and Logan all holding hands and smiling. Two months later Patton started bringing Thomas sweets from the market place.

Of course both each had their strong suits but now that Thomas thought about it, if he wasn't around, Logan and Patton would work themselves to death. Quite literally. They did have their own ways of having fun but to be honest, Thomas rarely ever saw them just, not doing anything. Even when eating meals. What was today, Saturday, right? This was unacceptable. If the, the King, could have a day off, his advisers could too.

Thomas took off down the hallway and towards a room he suspected one of the two to be in before he heard something interesting from some guards before rounding a corner. He pressed his back against the wall and listened,

“-you didn't hear that?”

“No, I don't read that stuff. It's just a bunch of gossip and rumors.”

“This is real! They found the letter to the King written by one them, but apparently it was just a random traveler who found it a long way from here.”

“That's impossible, they haven't been spotted for years, and all of a sudden someone just happens to find a letter from the Kings two supposedly dead friends? And it just happens to claim about a possible assassination attempt? Come on, someone is doing this for attention and no doubt it was the person who 'found' the note in the first place.”

“I heard from another guard the letter was taken to Logan and Patton themselves. They studied the signature at the bottom from other signatures. They confirmed it was Joan's.” Thomas' muscles seized up. They are alive. Or were. Are or were they on their way here? Why did they leave the note on the ground?

“Shh! You're way too loud! King Thomas has the day off and he could show up at any moment. If he found out about this he could go back into that spiral he had when he lost hope about Joan and Tayln the first time. The last thing we need is for the King to go into a depression when there's a potential threat lurking around.”

“Yeah, but that's why we are recruiting more guards tomorrow morning. If what the letter says it true and there is someone killing off royalty, it wouldn't hurt to have more security.” Thomas' heart was racing so hard now he couldn't hear anymore. There was someone actively after him. He was in danger. Thomas took a deep breath, backed up a few feet and started walking again, turned the corner and passed the guards he eavesdropped on. They saluted, Thomas nodded as them and passed them without incident.

He knocked on a door and waited. Logan opened it within seconds, it took him a moment to register that is was him and then he looked confused, “Uh- Thomas?”

“Yes, hi. Busy?” Logan shook his head and stepped aside. Thomas stepped into the library and looked around. Logan shut the door and stood with an eyebrow raised as he watched Thomas look around like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

“Thomas, are you okay?”

Thomas gave a hum in response but nothing else. “Don't mind me, just looking for something.”

“You're looking for a book?” Logan's voice had a hint of concern in it. “I did put some of your favorite books in your room earlier, just in case.” Thomas didn't say anything, instead he stopped in front of a shelf, inspected a few books and took one out. It was 'The History of the Crown – A Summary by Anthony Full'. Thomas pulled out a chair, sat down, opened it and started reading. Logan turned around and walked out of the library. He came back five minute later with Patton. Neither said a word for a minute.

“I guess I owe you five Q's.” Patton whispered in amazement, but didn't take his eyes off the reading Thomas. “Is he really reading that book?”

“It seems so.”

“Is he ill?”

“I haven't checked. Yet.” Silence. Patton walked over to Thomas and leaned against his chair.

“Interesting book?”

“Yeah, so far.” Thomas answered lazily. Patton nodded slowly, then smiled and jumped up.

“How about we go harass the cooks? I got the recipe for those cream filled donuts you like from the market, I'm sure they'd make us some if we really push them!”

Thomas shook his head, “No, not today. But, I do have an idea for tomorrow.” He paused, “We are getting new guard recruits tomorrow, right? Why don't we check them out before they come here?” Logan and Patton looked at each other.

“Uh...you want to watch the guards deem who is fit to sign up or not? I don't know, Thomas, it doesn't really seem like a great idea right now.”

Thomas shut his book, “Why not? Is something going on?” Patton smiled nervously and then quickly looked at Logan then back to Thomas.

“No! Of course not. It's just not a pretty sight to watch. Plus it happens pretty early.”

“Oh come on, I rarely get to go out anymore. I can go out in disguise or something. I'll be really careful!”

Logan decided to chime in, “It would not be wise at this juncture, Thomas. There's a lot going on inside and outside the castle. Right now we need you here.” Thomas slammed the book down onto the table and stood up.

“Fine.” He pushed past Patton, walked by Logan and stormed out the door.

Patton raised his eyebrows, “What was that about?”

–

That night, when he was finally left alone till morning, he knew what he had to do. If he was to have his own personal guard protecting him in the future, it was going to be one of the new recruits. He had to check them out now for himself. He undressed himself and put on some commoner clothes Patton had gotten him sometime ago for when Thomas would go out of the castle with Patton and Logan for some free time or to see how his people were doing.

He carefully took off his crown and laid it on the pillow on his vanity. He looked into the mirror and at his hair. That had to change. He took his hands and messed it up, making it look unkempt. He cringed a bit at the sight and quickly looked away. He took off any jewelry he had on and put it into a drawer. In that same drawer was a small bag of money, he pocketed it and looked over himself. This would do fine. He opened his window and looked out at his Kingdom. The lights were still on in many places and it went on farther than he could see. It was crazy he hadn't even seen all of his own Kingdom yet. Okay, back to business before it got too late.

He opened his closet door and pulled back the rug to reveal a trap door that lead under the castle and a semi complicated maze into the town. He took the lantern off the wall and a map of the underground. He lit the lantern and opened the hatch. Thomas looked down and saw nothing but darkness. Taking a deep breath, he closed the closet behind him and started climbing down.

Thankfully he had the map that should take him straight out from under the castle and lead back up into the edge of the forest and he should be able to find his way through town before sunrise.

– It took many hours but Thomas made it, he pushed open a gate that was right at the edge of the forest. He climbed out, blew the lantern out, set it down and pocketed the map. He could see the town from where he was at. He quickly made his way out of the forest and into town. It was already pretty busy and there were guards everywhere. Thomas made sure to keep himself small and his face hidden by other people around him but not make it too suspicious.

He walked for a few hours till he found the post where many people were gathered and there was a royal guard he recognized standing on a cart yelling at people to come join the guard. Thomas stayed a good ways back to stay unnoticed but close enough to where he could see recruits. Someone actually bumped into him,

“Roman, please, I know you wanted to do this, I know you've been training but maybe wait another year or two- sorry-” The poor tired and slightly angry looking boy said as he tried to keep up with his friend. They stopped a little bit in front of Thomas.

“Virgil, I told you early last year I was going to join the guard. I'm going to rise the ranks, I'm going to right beside King Thomas' side and the Kingdom's protecting him with my life. I told you that I'll come visit you when I can, I'm not going to die. People like me? We don't die.” Roman smiled confidently. Virgil looked unimpressed. Unimpressed wasn't really the word, it was more scared and angry. Roman started making his way through the crowd and Virgil followed.

Thomas didn't know what to think. Did everyone have that same kind of drive, confidence and ambition that this guy had? Unfortunately, the next events were hard to watch. The royal guard verbally and physically harassed everyone who tried to join. Some backed down sheepishly while others stood their ground, gained approval and boarded the cart. Soon, the guy from earlier, Roman approached the royal guard.

“You don't even look old enough to be joining the guard, what are you, ten?” Roman smirked.

“You look like you should be retired by now, did you leave your cane back at the castle just for us?” Thomas covered his mouth to hold back a laugh.

“You've got some guts talking to your superiors like that, little man.”

“Oh, superior? So I've made it already? That's great!” The royal guard stepped off the cart and got in Roman's face but the boy didn't back down, instead his smirk grew. He tried to push Roman to the ground but all he managed to do was make him stumble backwards. Roman stood upright and signaled the royal guard forward with his hand. The guard laughed and took out his sword. Thomas took a step forward, wanting to step in but held himself back, not wanting to out himself. He smirked at the irony of that statement.

Roman looked around and seemed to spot something. He ran straight for the guard, but just before he got to him he slid to the ground and went under the royal guards legs, ran for the cart and pulled out a thin practice sword. The royal guard froze as he felt the cold steel against his neck before he could turn around. It was quiet then- the royal guard laughed. He pushed Roman's sword away from him, then pulled it out of his hand and thew it to the ground, pulled Roman by his up to his face- “What's your name, boy?”

“Roman, sir.”

“Well, Roman, you better get on that cart and never try that stunt again.” He threw Roman to the ground and started calling out to other people in the crowd. Roman looked back at Virgil and winked and thew up two thumbs up. Virgil gave a weak smile and eventually gave a thumbs up back. Thomas decided he had enough. He should get back to the castle before people started worrying too much. As he made his way through the town/village he noticed a a huge amount of guards everywhere and couple familiar people, Logan and Patton. They looked extremely panicked and were talking frantically between each other. Thomas froze. He was in a huge amount of trouble.

Thomas looked around and discreetly walked between the two, grabbed their arms and pulled them through the crowed and into a narrow ally. Before Thomas could say anything he was punched in the gut. He gasped and dropped to his knees.

“Logan, wow! I know I kind of deserved that but that was kind of kind of a hard punch.”

“Thomas?!” Patton exclaimed.

Thomas slumped against the wall, clutching his stomach, “Uh... yeah.”

“Why-wh-what were you thinking?!” Logan yelled, his face red with anger but there were tears in his eyes. Thomas looked away. “We were SO worried! I went to get you up at four this morning because I felt bad for being so harsh on you last night, and that you never get to go out. Then I find your bed empty, your window wide open and I thought- WE thought-” Logan's voice shook, “Thomas, I would never say this to my King, so I am going to say this as your friend, but you are an IDIOT!” Logan turned away, wiping his eyes.

Patton remained silent, but he was openly crying. Logan took a deep breath then turned around, “You have no idea how much danger you're in right now-”

“You mean about the person who is going around assassinating royalty?” Logan and Patton stared.

“You...know about that?” Patton whispered.

“I know more than you think. I had to come down here to see these new recruits myself. I need a personal royal guard and I felt one of them were going to be it. I know that was dangerous. I know how I left thing's probably looked really bad and I did not think that though. I apologize. ” Thomas stood back up. Logan sighed,

“Thomas, this guy could come tomorrow or never. It could be a complete waste of time and security for yourself. You don't know any of these new recruits motives.” Thomas just shrugged, and looked back at the crowed of people.

“I just... have a good feeling about these people. One of them will be it. I can feel it.” Logan and Patton exchanged glances.

Logan took off his cloak and put it around Thomas, tying the front and pulling the hood over his head. “Patton, take Thomas back to the castle but don't let anyone know who he is. If anyone asks who he is, just say he is there on Thomas' request from a few days ago.” Patton nodded. “I'm going to take care of things here and 'look' for Thomas a little longer before you come back a few hours later with 'news' that Thomas is back. Hurry up and go before I punch Thomas again.” Thomas threw a small thankful smile at Logan as Patton lead Thomas out of the ally and back into the crowd.