#the warrior picks a village (worthy?) of protecting | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

solastia · 3 years ago

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Say You Won’t Let Go | 5

Pairing: Namjoon x Jimin x Seokjin

Word Count: 6,721

Warnings: Violence, referenced omega abuse, minor character death

Author Note: My lack of battle knowledge shows, I'm afraid. I kinda rushed through it because I couldn't figure out how to make it sound interesting lmao. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter of a story that is taking way too long to write! I'll try to get the next one out faster, especially since I know y'all just want to see what goes down during Jimin's heat.

PLEASE don't fill up my comments with nothing but, "OH MY GOD YOU UPDATED!" Y'all guilt trip me worse than my mama

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

A light mist showered over the training grounds, making the ground beneath them soggy. He knew if anyone would slip in the mud it would be him, so he watched the ground with careful eyes as he walked around assessing his troop’s progress.

Namjoon cracked his neck as he silently watched his villagers learning to defend themselves. He knew that if this really turned into a war they would be at a disadvantage, as they’d admittedly gone a bit soft. It had been nearly a hundred years since the last big tribe war, and they’d focused on advancing their village rather than fighting for more land.

He turned towards the direction that would take him home, sniffing in vain for some hint of his mate. He knew he wouldn’t be able to smell him this far away, but it didn’t stop him from wishing.

When his thoughts weren’t taken over by worries, they were occupied by thoughts of his sweet little mate. His Jimin, who was no doubt at home going crazy with worry and stress. He had no doubt that Jimin would do his best to protect their people, he just hoped someone was looking out for him. He’d try to do everything himself if someone didn’t force him to delegate.

He probably should have made some sort of arrangements for Seokjin as well, he thought sheepishly. He hoped the man would be doing alright in a village where he knew literally no one. He was also relieved when he realized his thoughts of the man no longer felt influenced by alpha instincts or needs of any kind. His claim was settled and he was free to consider the man with a rational frame of mind.

Truthfully, there was nothing much for him to consider. The omega seemed nice enough, and sure he was attractive, but Namjoon felt nothing when he tried to picture the man naked to assess his reaction. Well, nothing beyond the guilt that he felt knowing what another omega looked like underneath him. He’d always been a one-person man and it just wasn’t in him to consider even trying to force himself to think of Seokjin romantically. Friends, maybe. Sure.

Besides, his Jiminie was a needy little thing and wrung every drop of affection that was in Namjoon to give.

He smiled again, his thoughts once more on his mate. How he adored the man. He had been perfectly content to live out his days without pups and pass on his title to one of his nephews. Sadly, it appeared as though his mate had been correct in thinking that their childless state posed a challenge that others couldn’t pass up.

Theirs was a fertile land that they’d been cultivating for several generations now. It was almost unheard of for packs to truly settle in one spot, but they had been lucky enough to find such a lush land to call their own. Good soil, healthy and plentiful game, clean rivers and lakes - even their huge mountain was worthy of envy, as it provided so much protection and resources. The friendly human village that was always happy to trade with them was something to go to war for all by itself.

He sighed and turned his attention back to his men, observing their progress. Yoongi was a brutal trainer - merciless and always seeking perfection. Normally, he wouldn’t have given him such free reign but he’d decided that his right hand’s brand of tough love was what they needed the most at the moment. They didn’t have the luxury of time.

He’d sent a messenger to the Kim’s tribe, figuring him marrying into them should provide reason enough for them to send him more warriors. He had no faith that a message to get there and forces sent in enough time to help them with a battle if it came to that - it was rather a backup plan. In case they should fall, perhaps the sent warriors could at the very least save the pack they’d left behind.

The sound of feet running through puddles reached his ear and he swirled around to catch one of his scouts rushing towards him. The man was running so fast he couldn’t stop in time to prevent him from slipping into the damp ground. Namjoon reached out a hand and hauled the man up, narrowing his eyes as they met the frantic ones of his best scout.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“They’re here!” The man panted. “They didn’t go through the western forest as we thought. We suspect they went downriver instead. They’re already here, Alpha.”

Namjoons’ heart dropped right to his stomach. They weren’t ready. They weren’t…

Gentle hands pried his fingers from his hair and Yoongi’s sharp eyes bored into him. “Joon?”

“They’re already here. They’re…” He turned to his scout. “Where exactly are they, Yuen?”

“I spotted them setting up camp next to the cliffs.”

“Shit,” Yoongi hissed. “That’s only a twenty-minute walk from here.”

Namjoon hung his head, reaching up to rub his suddenly aching eyes.

“We have no choice but to be ready. Yoongi, Round up the men. Collect three of your best to be added to our personal party. We move out the moment you’re ready.”

Yoongi nods briskly and turns to roar orders. Namjoon spots Jungkook and waves him over. The younger alpha jogs to him and Namjoon grabs his shoulders.

“You are not going to like this, but…”

Jungkook interrupts him, “I’m not staying behind.”

“You are ,” he nods firmly, Jungkook’s mouth opening again to argue. He shakes his head, effectively shutting him up.

“I’m not going to make you stay right here, just in the back of the men. If things go south, I need you to be ready to run back to the village immediately. I’m not saying this because you’re weak - in fact, if I could I would have you up there with me and Yoongi because you’re better than both of us. It’s because I trust that you would be able to reach the village before any of our enemies could get there and save our people. Save our mates.”

Jungkook bows his head and softly asks, “You really think it’s going to go that way?”

Namjoon shrugs. “Dunno, Gukkie. I’ve certainly never dealt with this any more than the rest of us have. I just figured our best chance of survival is to expect the worst and hope for the best.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? You’ll stay back there?”

Jungkook nods then shakes his overly long hair with a grin. “Besides, your other option is probably Yoongi and it would take him two years to power walk back to the village.”

“Brat,” Namjoon chuckles fondly, pushing the man away from him. “Help him get everyone going.”

Jungkook nods and runs off, plowing into Yoongi’s back instead of stopping properly. Namjoon shakes his head and turns to sniff the air again in vain. He missed Jimin fiercely.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

Once assembled, their party made good time reaching the cliffs. Namjoon decided their best course of action was to simply walk up to the outsider’s camp and demand answers. In fact, their leader most likely expected that since Namjoon would be well within his rights to do so. They were “visitors” on his land, after all.

Once their camp came into view, Namjoon paled, momentarily stunned. They had brought so many warriors, all of them painted and well-armed. This was definitely no negotiation party.

He forced himself to calm and pulled his shoulders back, bringing himself to full height and allowing his scent to permeate the air around him until even his own men were gritting their teeth against the blatant demand for submission. He gathered Yoongi and several of the warriors that he’d picked to surround him and strode forward.

He noticed several scouts and lookouts stand to attention but they made no move to stop him, nor to run back to their camp to inform their leader. Either they were in too much shock or…

“Ah, there you are, pup.”

A man stood in the center of their camp surrounded by several burly warriors with axes strapped to their backs. The man himself was armed with a massive club strapped to his hip and a bow on his back. He was stocky, not in very good shape, and was probably around the same age as his father. His scent indicated he was Pack Alpha, but it was sour, tinged with age and some sickness underneath.

“You are the Yang Alpha, I presume,” he inquired with as much politeness as he could manage.

“Indeed, my boy. Come join me by the fire. I’ve come for a little…chat.”

“You will speak to him with respect,” Yoongi growled, his hand tightening on a dagger strapped to his thigh.

The Yang Alpha chuckled, waving them forward. “What a loyal little beta you have there.”

Namjoon simply nodded and waved Yoongi down. He could tell what sort of man this was already. Nothing he said was going to have much of a difference. He already thought he was superior to them simply because of his age - and perhaps his warriors who have no doubt seen many battles.

He followed behind the Yang guards as they led them to their central fire and sat on the offered log. Yoongi stayed standing at his right and his other guards gathered behind him.

The Alpha proceeds to act like they weren’t even there, picking up his meal that he must have set aside earlier and tearing into a chicken leg. Namjoon startles at that for a moment, trying not to let his worry show. Unless this man’s war party traveled with a bunch of chickens, they had been in Namjoon’s village. Someone had snuck in and spied on them, and now he was eating the stolen chicken right in front of him like a taunt.

Namjoon clears his throat, willing his body to appear unbothered.

“I’m sure you are aware of why I’m here. State your business on my lands.”

The Alpha belches and licks his fingers clean, smacking his lips with satisfaction. He tosses the bone into the fire and only then does he see fit to look at Namjoon in the eyes.

He raises an eyebrow, his lips curling in a mocking smile.

“Ah, pup. No need for aggression. I’m simply here to look out for my neighbors,” the man shrugs nonchalantly. “I’d heard of your… troubles even across in my land so I thought I should come and lend a hand.”

“And what kind of hand do you think we need?” Namjoon asked, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in his tone.

“Ah, well. At first, I thought I’d give you one of my daughters. I have far too many of them anyway and their mothers were all certainly fertile as rabbits,” he smacks his tongue against his teeth and sighs. “Then I got a real good look at this land. Fertile soil, steady water supply, a village full of hard little workers.”

Namjoon’s jaw clenches as he waits for the inevitable. “Uh-huh…”

The alpha shrugs again and drawls, “And then I thought the best hand I could lend is my own. You’re a young pup and I’m sure you’re trying your best, but with a land like this to protect and your line unsecured, well…” he waves around. “Half of these warriors are my own sons. My line will be secure for hundreds of years. Figured I’d do your people a favor.”

Namjoon grits his teeth, wiling his alpha down. He desperately wanted to just lunge and tear the man’s throat out, but he knew he needed to be smarter than that.

The other Alpha snaps his fingers and bellows for wine. A moment later the scent of omega hit Namjoon’s unsuspecting nose. Why would the man have omegas in his war party?

The omega was male and jogged towards the Alpha with a full cup of sour-scented wine, and somehow doesn’t trip despite his eyes never leaving the ground beneath him. Namjoon felt his anger somehow grow further when he took in the state of the omega - the way his ribs poked out as though it had been far too long since he’d seen a good meal, the bruises that mottled his skin from head to toe, the state of his wrapping that barely covered him and was hardly in good enough shape to be considered a cleaning rag. The omegas scent was muted, as though the body was trying its best to protect itself. However, it was still enough for Namjoon to catch the hint of bright citrus hiding behind the muted emotions. He’s never seen an omega treated in such a way. They were to be protected and cherished, not treated as though they were even lower than the chubby dogs sitting on either side of the Alpha leader.

Suddenly, he noticed that Yoongi had gone deathly still at his side and he glanced up, noting the stricken expression on his second’s face. He knew full well that Yoongi hid a bleeding heart underneath all his gruffness, but he didn’t think this was what that was. Yoongi began to growl and he watched in disbelief as the omega’s nose twitched and he slowly glanced up to stare at Yoongi in wonder.

“I see your beta has his eye on my bitch. Reaching a bit far there, eh? Even a male omega is too high above a beta ,” he laughed cruelly, spitting out the designation like a slur.

Namjoon observed the pair curiously then turned back to the alpha. He figured his best bet for getting out of here safely was to distract the man from what he thought was happening.

“What are your terms for leaving without a fight?”

The man guffawed, a bit of spittle flying in the air. “No fight? Impossible, my boy. Unless you were willing to sit there and let me end you here and now, of course.”

Yoongi managed to tear his gaze from the omega long enough to growl at the man. The alpha simply sneers and grabs the omega by his hair and tugs him down to his knees in front of him. He runs his hands through the tangled auburn locks, silently mocking Yoongi.

“What, have you imprinted on him? Is he your precious little mate? Too bad. He’s mine. In fact, I’ve been thinking about breeding him since my last bitch is about to burst. Gotta give the new pup a friend, eh?”

Yoongi’s hand tightened around his dagger and pulled it halfway out of its sheath before Namjoon was able to place a restraining hand on his arm. He shakes his head and Yoongi lowers his hand, near-silent growls vibrating his whole body.

“I can see that there is no peaceful solution to be had with you, therefore I’m issuing you an official challenge. I will give you this evening to pack up and leave. If not, we will meet you at dawn and it will be a fight.”

Namjoon stood and placed a comforting hand on Yoongi’s shoulder, squeezing gently to urge him to fight his instincts. The man may have been a beta, but he was more alpha than many born to it.

He observed helplessly as the omega watched them leave, first soft whimpers then omega keening the further they got. The sound broke even his heart - he could only imagine how Yoongi felt.

They left the camp with Yoongi ahead of him and guards surrounding them both. He stared at his best friends overly straight back as he marched forward - no sign of the normal casual slouch that he was practically known for.

“Hyung, I doubt they are going to leave. There’s going to be a battle and I promise you that we’ll get him out. Do you trust me?”

Yoongi’s shoulders release the tiniest bit of tension, though not enough. “I hear you, Joon. I just…I can’t believe I finally found them. I found my mate and they…Joon. Did you fucking see him? He’s so beautiful but they…they hurt him. And he’s so scared. I’m a fucking beta and I could smell how terrified he was, that’s how bad it was. Who does that to an omega? A fucking monster, that’s who. You shoulda let me gut him, Joon. I coulda fixed it all right there.”

“And then his entire war party would have descended on us immediately and we would have been wiped out.”

Yoongi grunts and hangs his head.

“Hey, Joon?”

“Yeah?”

“Could you scent him?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell me.”

“Well, it was a bit muted cuz he’s been traumatized I think. Can happen when a body is trying to protect it…but underneath it all, he kinda smelled like those oranges you always carry in your pockets.”

Yoongi snapped his head up to stare at him in wonder. “Really?”

“Yeah. If I can smell it that well even though his body is trying to mute it, it’s probably going to be strong enough for even you to scent when we get him well again.”

“Yeah?” Yoongi was smiling like a dope, and Namjoon chuckled silently. It was a new look for his friend but it suited him. Yoongi finally finding his mate was at least one good thing to come out of all this madness. The man had long ago resigned himself to living without one despite everyone assuring him that it would happen eventually.

Namjoon sighed and watched the sun lower itself on the horizon. The symphony of oranges, reds and blues usually brought a smile to his lips, but this night it merely made him anxious.

“Yoongi, make sure every man we have is alert tonight. Lookouts especially, but I don’t think anyone should sleep tonight.”

“You think they are bastards enough to attack in the middle of the night…” he pauses and curses, answering his own question. “Of course they are. I’ll let everyone know.”

Namjoon nods and faces the horizon again.

They’d make it through this - they had to.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

They’d put out the fires hours ago and simply waited. Many of the men that weren’t as proficient with weapons had shifted already, preferring to rely on their wolves in battle instead. Namjoon had chosen not to. He wanted to be standing tall and meet the old bastard face to face when he cut him down for threatening his people and upsetting his mate. Because of pathetic Alphas like this one, his mate had felt worthless enough to demand they add another to their home - to his bed - just to protect their village. He was furious that Jimin had been proven right.

Yoongi silently stalked towards the large rock that Namjoon perched on, his black form blending into the dark of the night perfectly. He jumped up and settled next to him, his ears standing tall and following every sound. He slightly bumped against Namjoon, a familiar motion that made him sigh.

“I’m good, just...angry. We haven’t bothered anyone in at least a hundred years. We have no desire to go around stealing land and killing people. Yet, just because we haven’t been able to have a pup we are suddenly deemed weak and unworthy? It’s so old-fashioned and just...barbaric. Because of this way of thinking I had to hurt three people - myself fucking included - by adding another person to my marriage just for his potential ability to breed. What happens if he can’t have pups either? What the hell am I expected to do then?”

His breathing is growing more erratic the more upset he gets and he clenches his fists tightening, whispering all of his hurts into the night.

“I...Yoongi...this has been so hard for me too. I know that everyone feels bad for Jimin and like, he’s been trying to keep it together in front of me, but I’m hurting too. I’ve never wanted anyone besides him. I’ve known since I was a kid that he was the love of my life. And like, every time we got pregnant I was both elated and terrified because it hurt me to lose the pups....but I was always afraid of losing him more. It just got worse and worse every time he lost them. That last time when I got home...he was laying on the ground surrounded by blood...I thought that was it. And if he died, I would follow him, Yoongi. Pack or not.”

The beta whines quietly and rubs his nose against Namjoon’s shoulder.

“Having Seokjin around is hard now, too. I’d forgotten about how strong the alpha instinct is to mark when you complete the ceremony. I had this idea that I’d...I don’t know. Hand him a cup full of jizz or something and let him take it from there,” he laughs self-deprecatingly. “I don’t feel anything for him besides curiosity and I hope that we’ll be able to be friends at least. I just...I feel so bad and guilty. And I just…” Namjoon sniffled and wiped at his dampening eyes. “I don’t even know if I’m making sense right now, hyung. Everything is so scrambled up there and now I have this...fucking war shit. I’m tired and I just want to go home and nest with Jimin.”

A tiny lick on Namjoon’s cheek was his only answer, but it was enough for now. He laughs softly, wiping another stray tear.

“Thanks, Yoon. Love you too.”

He sighs and leans back, staring up at the stars above him. He really was emotionally exhausted. When all of this was over - if he even survived it - he was making his father take over for a while while he took a nice vacation. He decided the least his village could do for him after everything he’d sacrificed recently was not bother him while he got his life with his mate back on track.

Yoongi suddenly stiffened next to him, bringing him to attention. He heard it next - a rustle of leaves and the occasional crunch of someone stepping on an acorn or some other debris.

They were here.

He could see them now, the red and gold eyes of the shifted warriors stalking through the trees. He sniffed the air, waiting for the leader to make himself known. Even as his own men threw themselves in front of him, effectively blocking any foolish enough to attack him directly, he waited…and waited.

He wasn’t showing up.

Namjoon lowly growled at the cowardice of the man. He was brave enough to trek across the land and try to steal from his pack, but fighting his own battles was asking far too much, apparently.

At his signal, his men leap forward and attacked the foreign warriors. There was no need for frills and banners - he simply wanted them gone. Yoongi was still sticking close to him, but his nose too was searching the air for the absent leader.

Namjoon bellowed his rage as he watched some of his people fall, the enemy ruthless with their kills. Hundreds of warriors fought in the makeshift battlefield, the ferocious growls and pained cries imprinting themselves into Namjoon’s nightmares for years to come. Jungkook was thankfully following instructions and staying as far from the front line as possible, but still managed to make a few kills. Trusting that the boy was safe for now, he throws himself further into the fray, his skills with a sword untried and rusty but enough to fight off shifted warriors for now.

Suddenly, Yoongi howls and leaps away from him, running forward at a speed that Namjoon didn’t even know he had in him. He cursed and shifted to follow behind, fearing that Yoongi had seen Jungkook in trouble or something equally horrifying. His confusion grew as Yoongi sailed right past the battlefield and kept going towards the enemy camp. He tried to bark orders to stop so he could get an explanation, but Yoongi either didn’t hear him or refused to obey because he only went impossibly faster, his sleeker form streaking through the trees and making it difficult for Namjoon’s wolf to keep up. While he was the biggest wolf the village had seen in years, he lacked any sort of agileness or grace. Usually, it wasn’t that much of a problem, but Yoongi charging into an enemy camp without backup would be.

When the cliffside camp finally came into view, Yoongi went charging past the guards and Namjoon was still a few leagues behind, having already tripped three times and leaving dirt and twigs clinging to his platinum-hued fur.

Nearly panting with effort, he too ignored the threats of the guards and trotted to where Yoongi stood growling at the Yang Alpha. The man had the omega they’d seen earlier held to the dirt-packed ground with a foot on his back, the rotting wrap that had been his only piece of clothing nowhere to be seen. There was a group of leering men standing around in a circle around the scene like it was simply entertainment. The rest of the pack continued with their duties all around the camp like this was a usual occurrence. Namjoon averted his eyes to give the omega some respect, keeping them glued to the offending alpha instead as he and Yoongi slowly shifted forms.

He unfurled and looked down his nose at the flabby alpha, towering over the now raging man. His fetid breath swirled in the air as he cursed Namjoon and Yoongi for their interruption.

Namjoon rumbled and stalked closer, uncaring of his nakedness as he postured. He had nothing to be ashamed of after all - especially next to this failure of a man. This man who bullied and abused omegas, who attacked peaceful packs unprovoked, who didn’t even have the balls to join the fight he had started.

“I was waiting for you, Yang. You were nowhere to be found. You aren’t backing out, are you?” Namjoon asked in a mocking tone, drawing the alpha’s attention to him and away from the beta who was now guarding the omega from view.

“Hardly,” the old man guffawed, vile spittle flying. “I thought instead it would be amusing to breed my bitch while his mate was being gutted. Poetic.”

Namjoon felt his growl rise to the surface like molten lava. “Instead, you are going to die.”

“Sorry, pup. Not this day.”

The old alpha waved at the group of warriors that had been standing around like spectators and they quickly shoved the man behind them and faced Namjoon.

There was nothing pretty about the way he fought his way through them. He simply forced his way through to the alpha with a brutal viciousness he didn’t even know he possessed. Two of the men were bashed together with so much force he was almost certain he broke them. Several others were shredded with half-extended claws and his canines. Before he knew it the ground around him was littered with bodies and only one remained between him and his prey.

“Please,” the man - no, he was practically a boy. No more than fifteen he thought. “He told me to watch. I didn’t want to. I didn’t even want to come here. He’s…”

“Shut up, you sniveling whelp,” the alpha grunted and shoved a dagger into the boy’s heart from behind.

Namjoon reached forward and caught the boy as he fell, staring into the bewildered eyes of the youth as he died in his arms. He lay him gently on the ground next to the other men and stared at the alpha with disgust.

“He was your own son , you monster!”

Namjoon’s eyes whirled to meet the hate-filled ones of the omega, who was now free of his bindings and glaring at the Yang alpha like he was a maggot he’d just found in his meal.

“He was weak,” the Yang alpha grunted derisively. “Was always telling me he didn’t want to fight or breed. Useless whelp wanted to be a healer like his bitch of a mother.”

The man seemed to suddenly realize he was out of shields when he peeked over at Namjoon then ran straight for the omega. Yoongi had begun to leap forward to block him, instead, the omega pushed him away and let the alpha grab him.

“What are you doing?” Yoongi’s voice was filled with hurt and confusion, and Namjoon didn’t blame him one bit. They were trying to save him - save everyone. Why would he let the crazed alpha have him?

“It’s alright. I belong to him. Don’t I, alpha?” the omega crooned, his voice like liquid honey.

“That’s right. You and everything we see are mine. It’s all mine,” the alpha nearly whispers as he pulls the omega’s back to his chest, wrapping an arm around his waist.

Namjoon could see it now. The madness lurking behind the alpha’s near-crazed frantic eyes. There was something wrong with the man, and he suddenly remembers the sour scent when he’d first met him.

The omega releases a loud purr and allows the alpha to bury his face into the crook of his neck, his scent suddenly pouring out as if he’d just popped off the cap. Namjoon observes with trepidation as the omega seems to be slowly making the Yang alpha walk backward, his eyes locked with Yoongi’s as he allows his scent to fill the air for the first time in what must have been years.

“Omega, what are you doing?” Yoongi asks pleadingly, his hands out towards the man even as tears begin to fall from his eyes. Namjoon knows his friend must be overwhelmed right now - he was just able to fully scent his mate for the first time, as well as any alpha or omega would have.

“It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay,” he croons soothingly, petting the alpha still buried against his neck. “I’m going to make it all better.”

Namjoon has a horrible feeling in his gut as he finally notices how close they are getting to the edge of the cliff. There was nothing on the other side but a rocky ravine and if they should fall…

“Omega, come to me now,” he growled, trying to infuse as much alpha voice as he could into the command.

The man’s eyes glazed over slightly, but he squared his shoulders and shook his head. Namjoon was amazed at the man’s strength.

“I’m going to end this now.”

The omega suddenly turned in the alpha’s grip and placed both of his hands on the man’s chest.

“This is for my mother, for me, and for every other life you’ve terrorized.”

With a firm push, he sends the alpha tumbling off the cliff edge. The garbled yell as the scent-drunk man finally realizes what is happening to him reaches their ears, but neither Namjoon nor Yoongi go to watch the scene. Namjoon certainly didn’t want to have that image in his mind. The omega, however, stands there staring in silence, until a final thud signals the alpha’s fate.

He turns and faces the remaining members of the Yang pack as they all stare with expressions varying between horror and satisfaction.

“According to your own rules that state anyone who defeats pack alpha takes control, I am now leader of the pack. My first and only orders will be that anyone who wishes to leave the pack may do so now without fear of retribution. Everyone else will go back to the main village and stay there, never to come this way again. And finally, I am stepping down as leader immediately and leaving it to Kwon Jiyong.”

A quiet mild-smelling alpha that Namjoon had hardly noticed before glanced up sharply at the claim.

“Me?”

“Yes,” the omega nodded decisively. “You are one of the few that actually treats everyone well and has been strong against the corruption of this pack. You did what you could to help even when you were one man against hundreds. I don’t know how many times you’ve tended my wounds when alpha said to let them fester or snuck us food when we were being punished yet again. No one else here is more worthy of the title than you.”

“I…” the alpha gulped, staring nervously at all the gazes now on him. “I’ll do my best.”

The omega nodded and strode through the crowd with as much grace as a king of old, and seemingly uncaring of his nudeness or the battered state of his body. He walks right up to Yoongi and places his hands on his hips, cocking his head as he studies the beta.

“I’m Jung Hoseok,” he finally says with a tiny smile.

“I’m Min Yoongi,” he murmurs back, unable to tear his eyes from the omega.

The omega’s smile grows and his scent is once again swirling around them so strongly Namjoon is almost embarrassed. At least the man smelled good - mostly like the little oranges that Yoongi always ate, but with a few deeper notes that brought to mind a bright summer’s day. It was so strong that it was a good thing the man seemed to have a handle on muting it when he needed to, but he knew that it was a blessing for Yoongi. He could actually scent his mate - something he’d never believed he could do. He would be able to scent his mate’s emotions and health, bond properly...Namjoon nearly wanted to cry he was so happy for his friend.

Yoongi snaps his eyes away from the omega and suddenly starts to look around, frantically searching for something.

A tall beta quietly walks up to them and tears off his long crimson tunic, standing in nothing but worn leather wrappings. He offers it to the omega with a shy quirk of his lips.

“It’s clean and has no scent, so it should last you until you find something better.”

The omega seems to gladly accept it and throws it on immediately, the fabric nearly reaching his shins.

“Thank you, Seunghyun,” Hoseok grins and the beta slinks back away as quiet as before.

“He’s not one of the ones that hurt you?” Yoongi grunted.

“No,” Hoseok shakes his head, sighing. “He’s a craftsman - makes and repairs our weapons. Jiyong will probably make him his right-hand man.”

The three of them stand there awkwardly for a moment as the remaining members of the war party seem to ignore them for the most part and begin preparations to leave.

“So,” Namjoon clears his throat. “Are you coming with us or staying with them?”

“Oh,” the omega blushes, glancing at Yoongi. “I was waiting to see what he wanted. Do you...want me to come with you?”

“YES!” Yoongi blurted, then cleared his throat and jammed his hands into his pockets. “I mean, sure. If you want. Whatever.”

“Great! Let’s go!” Hoseok laced his arm with Yoongi’s and tugged him along, leaving Namjoon - their pack alpha, mind you - trailing behind. Namjoon snorts to himself, thinking that his friend was about to have his life turned around more than he’d ever thought possible.

“Wow, you smell so good,” Hoseok suddenly purred, making Namjoon wish he could be anywhere else.

“Uh, that’s nice of you to say, but I’m beta. I don’t…”

“I can smell you, and I’m pretty sure you’re aware we’re mates so it’s probably because of that,” Hoseok chuckles, leaning down to take an exaggerated sniff of Yoongi’s neck.

The beta glanced up at him warily. “Yeah? What does it smell like?”

“Mmm, like fall.”

“What?” Yoongi scrunched his nose and even Namjoon leaned closer curiously to hear the explanation. He’d certainly never been able to scent Yoongi, and he’d known him all his life.

“Yeah, like...cinnamon and pine and maybe a hint of something else. It’s nice. Comforting.”

Yoongi’s shoulders went rigid and he fell silent. Years of studying his best friend gave him that the knowledge that the man was trying not to cry. He wanted to stop and hug him, but he also really wanted to hurry back to their own camp and put on some clothes.

Jungkook came running through the trees to meet them, thankfully bearing a bag full of clothing they always kept around for after a shift.

“Hyungs! Someone from the Yang side came through and stopped all the fighting. Said their alpha was dead and pulled everyone out. What happened?”

“Jung Hoseok here saved us all,” Namjoon reached up and grasped the omega’s shoulder, squeezing gently. Hoseok dropped his head shyly and blushed at the claim.

“Really? How?”

“Pushed the fucker right off a cliff,” Yoongi grunted with amusement. Hoseok squawks in dismay.

“Shit, that’s so cool. Are you coming back with us? My mate is a badass omega too - he’ll love you.”

“Yes,” Namjoon answered for the pair as they remained silent. “Hoseok and Yoongi are true mates. We need to get them back to the camp before their instincts take over. I’d also like to have a nice big meal for the evening to celebrate our victory and get some meat on his bones. Have a few of the men head out to hunt, please Gukkie?”

“On it, alpha!” Without another word he ran back the way he’d come, leaving Yoongi and Namjoon to quickly dress and continue their trek at a slower pace.

After a few more minutes of walking, Namjoon glanced over at Hoseok, studying him curiously.

“You know,” he finally says after a while. “You seem to be taking everything pretty well right now…” Namjoon was genuinely amazed at how strong this omega seemed to be. He’d just killed someone, left who knows how many years of abuse behind, has to be starving and cold - and yet he’s just grinning as he walks with Yoongi, swinging their linked arms like he hadn’t a care in the world.

“Oh, believe me,” Hoseok chuckles. “I will be having a panic attack later, I can promise you that. There will be tears and crying and I probably will keep myself behind doors for a while,” he shrugs and glances over at Yoong with a fond smile. “I think I’m mostly alright at the moment because my omega is thrilled our mate is here. Kinda running high on pheromones and hormones right now.”

“Gotcha,” Namjoon shakes his head. “We’ll plan on the two of you...bonding...tonight, but we’ll have to pack up and head home tomorrow. It’s going to take a lot of work to get the village running smoothly again.”

The moment the camp is in sight Namjoon breathes a sigh of relief. If he was being brutally honest, he hadn’t thought he’d see it again. Hadn’t thought he’d get to go home. But here he was and he was just so ready to get to his mate again.

“Alpha.”

“Ah, Jackson. Good to see you’re alright,” Namjoon smiled brightly at a favored member of his inner circle.

“Thank you, alpha. Good to see you lot make it out alright too. Just wanted to update you before you found your bed.”

“Great. You two go on ahead,” Namjoon gives Yoongi a friendly tap on the back. “Get your mate fed and seen to by our healers before you do anything.”

“Shut up,” Yoongi mumbles, his cheeks nearly scarlet. Still, he grabs the omega’s hand and tugs him towards the central fire where the men are already prepping food for the evening meal.

He turns back to Jackson. “Report.”

“We have twenty-three men wounded, ten were killed. Arrangements have already been made to send the bodies home and we are doing what we can with the wounded. Most of their injuries can wait to be dealt with until we can take them home to healer Lily. A warrior came from the enemy encampment and informed everyone that the Yang alpha was dead and called the men back before we lost too many of our own.”

Namjoon sighs and thanks whoever would listen. He nods, “Thank you, Jackson. Go find your own rest. We pack up and head home tomorrow.”

Jackson grins and spins around, running back towards his personal group of friends. Namjoon sighs wearily and makes his way towards the tantalizing scent of roasting meat. He’d barely sat on a log before someone is shoving a bowl of food into his hands and he begins to eat automatically, just wanting the chore to be done so he could go to sleep. He stares at his friend Yoongi talking softly with his new mate while they fed each other bits of food like the disgusting saps he’d always suspected his friend would be.

One more night and he could start the journey home.

I’m almost there, Jiminie. I’m actually coming home to you, love.

#bts #bts fanfic #bts fanfiction #abo #omegaverse #solastia #say you wont let go #bts abo #alpha namjoon #omega jimin #omega seokjin #polyamory au #poly!bts

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mortallyclearwonderland · 2 years ago

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Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness - "Hall of Lame"

Episode 16 Season 1

Synopsis:

Po has to find an awesome trophy for the Hall of Heroes or risk being humiliated in front of the entire village at the upcoming Warrior Festival. During the search for this, Po comes to the aid of Han, whose doll is being targeted by the soldiers of Jong Sung Jai Kai Chow.

Characters: We open up the episode on training straight out of Madagascar 3, jumping through a small hole. Monkey and Mantis made the jump and Po gives a reasonable explanation of how they could do it. (I imagine Crane and Viper could easily fit through too.) Then Tigress says how she could do it by just believing in herself. And then Po smashes through it. The lesson about believing in yourself is never mentioned again. Not even a plot point about going through small holes.

Po runs around for a bit trying to find someone to fight and get a trophy. Meanwhile, a small pig boy is asking for help. Po finally listens and helps the boy find his doll.

Po says that now he's safe and he has to go look for a trophy, not a doll. Which fair I guess. But the kid guilt trips him by saying it was a gift from his father before he disappeared. Kind of weird that a kid asked the Dragon Warrior to help find his toy and not his father.

Po tells pig boy to stay, so he doesn't have to protect him and fight at the same time. But he doesn't listen. It's implied he saw his father, but instead of trying to free his pop, he's just in the camp touching shit for no reason.

A fight ensues, daddy pig is saved, Po falls to his fake death and he chose to save a doll instead of a dangerous weapon.

Po picks dolly as his trophy which is sweet, but not as much as it could've been. The Furious Five are disappointed because they don't know the story behind the doll and think Po just pull a random thing. Shifu congrats Po on learning what makes things truly worthy of being a trophy. And the episode ends.

With few rewrites this episode could’ve been good or even great. As it stands it mostly disjointed, annoying, and boring. There are some good moments but they are outnumbered by the bad. This is probably the second worst episode for me. I hate those pigs especially the kid.

Villains: Jong Sung Jai Kai Chow, that one villain with a long name and who does the slow clapping thing. He learns how to fight so I hope he might be a bigger challenge in the future. As of now he mostly uses his minions and manipulation. I like how Po knows he won't keep his end of the bargain.

#Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness #Kung Fu Panda #kfp #Po #Shifu #Master Tigress #Master Viper #Master Monkey #Master Mantis #Master Crane #Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness - Hall of Lame #Hall of Lame #Master Shifu #Jong Sung Jai Kai Chow

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kat-katsuki · 4 years ago

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Sunflower and White Rose | Bakugou Katsuki x Reader Part 4

Fantasy AU

Warning: Swearing (cuz Bakugou)

Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

tags: @ waffleareniceandfluffy @ the2ndl @ jazzylove @ bubblesmalfoy Thank you all for the support!

WC: 2.5k

"Let's go get our fucking blessings."

He picked two white roses from the sea of roses, and handed one to you. "For the future queen."

Time was running out, for the fire dance was about to begin. "But I don't have a fire dress." Your eyes sadden at the white rose in your hand.

Bakugou's eyes widened at you. He knew about your parents, how they got into an accident while hunting, fell out of the sky, and passed away. Traditional fire dresses are always made by the mother for their daughters. The idea was that the mother would pass down her wisdom, luck, and prosperity through the dress as a form of blessing, in hopes that the daughter would be able to find someone who will bond souls with her for eternity. "I have a solution. Come with me. We gotta hurry or we won't make it for the dance."

Oh no. Not again. Earlier you had to run with the best female hunter, but this was the best warrior. No way are you able to keep up.

Bakugou chuckled when he saw the horrified expression on your face. He picked you up in his arms, one hand supporting the center of your back and the other behind your knees. "Hang on to my neck," he whispered. Your face flushed with extreme heat as you shyly placed your arms around his neck as he instructed. Your fingers brushed against the beads of victory. Just what did you do to deserve this man? Perhaps you saved the world in your past life?

The dragon prince sprinted through the sea of roses. White petals flew into the air as he passed by. You carefully protected the two roses he picked, not wanting them to get destroyed by his superhuman speed.

He was faster than Ashido. Much faster, even with you in his arms. A cloud of dust trailed behind him as he dashed through the village, causing all the people he passed by to cough violently. "What was that?" someone asked as the dust cloud dissipated.

Midoriya was standing near the bon fire with Sero, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Ashido, waiting for the fire dance to begin. His friends told him about Bakugou, and their secret plan with you. "I see... That's great! (Y/N)-chan really likes Kacchan! I'm so happy for them!" Midoriya smiled. "I'm really, really glad."

"Are you not mad? Didn't you want her to be your partner?" Kirishima asked.

"Well, it's true that I like her, and that's all the more reason why I want her to be with the one she truly loves!" Midoriya said. "Plus, I'm going to be leaving soon to start my training as a knight. After I'm gone, she won't have any other friends in this village. That's why at the very least, I wanted her to find a partner that would treasure her for who she is. I'm so glad that person is Kacchan! I know he'll be great to her!"

"Izuku...." Ashido muttered, feeling emotional over the things he said. "Are you really leaving?" The green haired boy nodded.

"Dragon riders of the north, Holy Knights of the south. Although I've lived here most of my life, it's always been my dream to become one of the Holy Knights who serve the royal palace of the Musutafu Kingdom of the south."

"Right, Musutafu, that's where you're from, right?" Sero recalled. "Man now I kinda wanna go there just to see what it's like."

"We should totally go! After the festival is over, let's all go to Musutafu on an adventure!" Ashido exclaimed.

Suddenly, the bon fire shot up into the sky, and the sound of drums interrupted the conversation between the new adults. This was signal that the fire dance was about to begin.

"It's starting! Come on guys! Let's go!" Kaminari exclaimed as he started to drag his friends towards the bon fire, where all the young and new adults were gathering for the dance.

"Gosh, where is Katsuki and (Y/N)?! It's almost starting!" Kirishima tapped his feet worriedly.

The drum beats started getting faster. The elders walked over with bowls of face paint in their hands. Kirishima and Ashido stood still as one of the elders came up to them. She dipped her thumb in the white paint and glided her finger across their faces. Face paint is a symbol of adulthood. Before the fire dance, elders will paint the youngsters' faces as a coming of age ceremony. Once the face paint was done, they are officially independent members of society.

"You think they can make it?" Ashido asked Kirishima with her brows furrowed. She interlocked fingers with the red dragon, squeezing her lover's hand as they scanned the area.

"They'll make it." Kirishima squeezed back. It's their perfect prince they were talking about. There should be no reason for him to worry.

As the drums got louder and louder, faster and faster, the young ones all knelt around the bon fire as it rose higher and higher, as if reaching for the heavens. The shaman chanted in their old tongue, praying to the fire god to bless the young warriors of the tribe. Sweat dripped down the foreheads of the young dragons as they basked in the heat of the flames.

Sounds of beads clinking against each other echoed in the opening as the shaman waved his staff in the air.

Kirishima looked up when he heard sudden outbursts of gasps coming from all around them. The loud gasps interrupted the shaman's chants, and everyone lifted their heads to see what was going on.

Ashido's jaws dropped when she saw you. But that's-

"Is that-" Some girls in the tribe pointed at you in disbelief. "Why is she with-"

"Why is that failure walking with Prince Katsuki?!"

"Somebody tell me this isn't true..."

The older women clasped their hands to their mouths in disbelief when they saw the dress you were wearing.

You and Bakugou walked hand in hand, the bells on your golden ankle cuffs jingling every time you took a step. Bakugou couldn't take his eyes off of you as he led you towards the bon fire. A beautiful golden choker wrapped itself perfectly around your neck. The cloth piece on your breasts were in a sunflower pattern, and a thin golden cloth attached below it hugged your torso perfectly, accentuating your curves. The bottom of the golden cloth attached to another piece of the same sunflower patterned belt around your hips. Under the belt were long thin sashes that started out gold but slowly mix into red at the very end. You wore golden cuffs around your wrists, arms, thighs, and ankles, each with beads and bells dangling on them.

That dress...was the queen's gown.

Everyone in the village recognized that dress. It wasn't a traditional fire dress, but the gown passed down for generations, only worn by the queen on her wedding day.

When Bakugou brought you into his parents' yurt, Mitsuki and Masaru were shocked. "Old Hag, the golden gown!" Bakugou ordered.

"But I thought (Y/N)-chan and Izuku were..." Masaru pointed at you confusedly and then darted his finger outside the yurt.

"The gown! Now!" Bakugou shouted.

Mitsuki immediately understood his son's intentions. She grabbed the wooden case lying at the corner of the yurt and quickly opened it, revealing the beautiful treasure of the tribe. Before you could as anyone what was going on, Mitsuki shoved Masaru and Bakugou out of the yurt and stripped you down of your grey dress and helped you put on the golden gown only worn by queens.

"You are beautiful my dear," Mitsuki said to you once you were finished changing.

"Is it really okay for me to wear this?" you asked your queen.

"Katsuki has chosen you, so this dress will be yours eventually anyways. What difference does it make to wear it now?" Mitsuki smiled at you. She called her son and husband back. When Bakugou lifted the front curtain, he froze. Was that (Y/N)?! He didn't think it was possible for you to get any prettier than you already are, but there you were! Standing right before him, in that beautiful golden dress. His face instantly turned fifty shades of red as he tried to find the right words to utter. "Don't just stand there Katsuki. Tell her how stunning she looks!" Mitsuki rolled her eyes at her son.

"Uh- I- You-... Wow...." Bakugou tripped over his words. Seeing him all flustered made your face burn as well. Your ears felt so hot it was as if they were melting.

"Wow indeed. Now let me get the face paint," Mitsuki went outside the yurt. Masaru patted his son on the back, giving him a light push towards you. Bakugou stumbled right in front of you. His eyes traveled up and down your figure, taking in every detail and every curve. God you were sexy.

"C-Can we get married right now?" he asked.

"Eh?!" You exclaimed.

"I got the face paint!" Mitsuki said as she came back to the yurt. "Now kneel down you two." She mixed the paint with a stick as she and Masaru stood in front of you and Bakugou.

You fell to your knees obediently before your king and queen. Bakugou, on the other hand, crossed his arms rebelliously. "I'm not kneeling."

"Kneel the fuck down and receive your blessings!" Mitsuki growled as she kicked him behind the knees, knocking him down. Your eyes widened in shock as your prince fell down next to you.

Masaru and Mitsuki exchanged glances, grins spreading on both their faces as they dipped their thumbs into the paint. Masaru held Bakugou's chin up, and drew the first line down his chin. "The first line represents bravery. May you stand tall and fierce even against the most dangerous beasts," Masaru said.

"The second line represents freedom. May nothing stand in your way, nothing bind you down," Mitsuki said as she drew the second line on your face.

"The third line represents strength. May your powers bring you nothing but victory home, bringing honor to you and your loved ones."

You looked down. The paint felt extremely heavy on your face. You didn't know if you were worthy of such blessings. Noticing the look in your eyes, Bakugou took your hand in his. You glanced at him as he smiled back. His eyes told you to keep listening.

"The fourth line represents kindness. May your heart be pure, and your words be gentle." What? Your eyes widened as you looked up at Mitsuki, who smiled down at you while drawing the line on the right side of your cheek. Was kindness always a virtue of your people?

"The fifth line represents empathy. May you open your eyes to the suffering of others. Rule over them through understanding, not through fear."

These weren't virtues of dragons, but the virtues of kings and queens.

"The sixth line represents mercy. May evil, hate, and vengeance never find its way into your heart."

Your eyes began to water again, and Bakugou's grip on your hand tightened. These weren't just blessings of adulthood...

"The seventh line," Masaru began as he placed his thumb into the paint, then pressed it against the side of Bakugou's face, next to his ear. He then glided the finger across, over his nose bridge, all the way to the other side of his face. "Represents eternity. May your love last for all your lifetimes to come."

These were marriage blessings given only to the kings and queens from the previous kings and queens.

"Now go, the fire dance is about to start."

Here you stood, next to Bakugou, with your face painted. The six vertical lines represent virtues of the rulers. The horizontal line represents love and eternity. The shaman went back to finishing his chant as you and Bakugou knelt down by the fire beside Kirishima and Ashido. Kirishima smiled at Bakugou. You made it! His eyes seem to convey.

Fuck yeah, of course I'd make it, Bakugou smirked at his best friend.

Exclamations of disbelief wouldn't settle down, but that didn't stop the music from playing. All the couples took out the flowers they had exchanged the day before, and tossed them into the fire as offering to Hino and proof of their love. You and Bakugou kissed your roses, and gently tossed them into the fire. At that moment the fire burst into the air, and everyone gasped. Bakugou pulled you back so you wouldn't get scorched by the sudden eruption of flames.

"Everybody calm down! This is a sign that Hino has received your offerings!" The shaman shouted. He then looked towards Bakugou and you. "And he has given his blessings."

You and Bakugou smiled at each other. He pulled you in for a passionate kiss, and the two of you joined in on the fire dance.

Everyone knew the fire dance. It was the most sacred ritual of your culture. You and Bakugou tapped your feet as he held one hand around your waist. The new adults circled around the bon fire, dancing to the beats of the drums, following the rhythm of the music. Bakugou held his right hand up, and you pressed your right palm to his. The two of you circled around with your hands intertwined, then he pulled you back into his arms.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too Katsuki."

The dance ended with all the couples sharing a passionate kiss. Bakugou cupped your cheeks with both hands and pressed his lips against yours. You gently placed your arms around his bare torso, scooting your bodies closer until his stomach pressed yours.

His tongue gentle laced with yours, a fiery and tingly feeling traveling from the tip of your tongue all the way to the tips of your toes.

You could hear the horrified screams echoing throughout the village, but none of that mattered anymore.

As crazy as it is, the dragon prince has chosen the failure.

Legend says that when Hino fell in love with the mortal Nue, he broke the heart of countless beautiful goddesses in heaven. They could not believe Hino would choose a plain mortal like her, who'd eventually grow old and wrinkly, over eternal beauties like them.

It was said that the goddesses got so jealous of Nue that they each placed a curse on her. One goddess cursed Nue to be a coward. One goddess cursed Nue to be weak. One goddess cursed Nue to be forever alone, an outcast that will never fit in. Once the curses were placed, Nue was so sad that she turned very ill. Hino was so angered by the goddesses that he burned down all of their temples. He told Nue not to fear the curse, because he will be with her. No matter when, no matter where, he will find her in every lifetime, and he will love her, protect her, and keep her company so she will never be alone.

Fin~

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Also on AO3! A kudos or reblog would be greatly appreciated!

A/N: The pictures are all not mine! Credits to their original owners. I really liked that design as a tribal gown! I found it on google images! Finally done with this story! Phew! Literally ignored all homework to finish this... Please lemme know if you liked it! Thank you so much to those who replied and asked me to tag! Thank you to those who reblogged! Thank you to those who followed me! Thank you Thank you! I will be making another post here on tumblr only about how I got the inspiration for this story, so lemme know if you wanna be tagged for that post as well!

#bnha fanfic #bnha #bnha fantasy au #mha #mha fanfic #mha fantasy au #bakugou #bakugou katsuki #bakugou katsuki x reader #bakugou x reader #bakugou fantasy au #sunflower and white rose

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intrepid-scribblings · 3 years ago

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Depths (Part 1)

Notes: Special thank you to that one Tumblr post about “What if the ocean was replaced by the forest where the trees get taller the deeper you go in” (source). [Insert Link to Eventual Masterlist Here]. [Insert link to a brief appendix here]

Warnings: Descriptions of blood and gore and violence typical of medieval warfare so if that’s not your deal you may want to sit this out.

Genres: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy

Summary: It blanketed the known world in a carpet of trees that grew ever taller the deeper you went in and forced what was left of humanity to fight for survival in a few remaining cities. Havenhold stands proudly as the central city of the four bastions of humanity that stand against The Forest. However their tenuous position will not last. Rienn - newly promoted Lieutenant of the Havenhold Guard - and Archmage of Havenhold - Halim - must work together to uncover the mysteries of The Forest and stop its spread before it destroys them all.

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Part 1

The signs of battle were still clear even a week later.

The preceding days had seen no meaningful rain to wash the blood from the ground and walls, no cool weather to stave off the heavy stench of decay that settled over the small farm like an invisible fog. Tiny bits of armor and broken weaponry lay strewn about, being picked over by the haggard-looking peasants who stared at Rienn with a mix of suspicion and envy.

They dare not mess with the golden-haired warrior who wore plate armor emblazoned with the crest of the city they lived outside of, lest they face the wrath of the entire city guard. Word had gotten around that the guards rather respected their new lieutenant and would be quick to retaliate if anything were to happen to them.

A man in a leather jerkin leaned casually against one of the crumbling stone fences that surrounded the farm, a strange-looking spear leaned up against the fence next to him. As Rienn neared, they noticed the spear was actually a large quill, hewn roughly off at the base. He grinned as he noticed them staring, “You like it?” he asked gruffly, his words almost slurring together though he didn’t appear to be drunk, “Ripped ‘er off the hog’s corpse. Nice and sharp this is,” he placed a loving hand on the spear, “No creature’s going to bother me or my family.”

“It’s … not bad,” Rienn said and then nodded to the farm where most of the damage was, “Were you there? When the attack happened?”

He nodded solemnly, “It’s my brother’s farm,” he said, “May the Fates deem him worthy of Rebirth into a good life.”

He bowed his head and drew a circle from his forehead down to his chest with his left hand.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Rienn said.

He grunted, “Thanks m’lord… and yes I was here, that beast fought like it was possessed by a demon. It was as big as a bear...”

Rienn raised an eyebrow, “What kind of bear?” they asked, crossing their arms.

“A normal bear you’d find in the woods I suppose… but regular woods, not …” he looked over his shoulder at the forest beyond the farm, “Told him not to build so close to The Line…”

He shook his head and scoffed, “As if there’s anywhere else to build.”

A light wind kicked up, doing little to dispel the heat of the summer day and only served to bring the sickly-sweet stench of decay over to where Rienn and the man were standing. They both barely batted an eye at the odor. Sweat trickled down Rienn’s forehead and they swiped at it before it could get into their eyes.

The man looked to Rienn, “So … what are you and your fancy guards going to do about this? Call it another ‘unfortunate risk’ of living out here?”

“We’re increasing patrols,” Rienn said automatically as if reciting a written statement. Perhaps they were.

The man certainly didn’t look convinced, “So you and your brutes can spy on us common folk? Keep us in line?”

“So we can keep you safe and creatures from that,” Rienn stared towards the trees beyond the farm, “Away.”

The man glowered at Rienn and said, “You know what’d keep us safe? Letting us stay inside the city walls.”

Rienn shrugged, “Not everyone can fit - we’d be overcrowded.”

They didn’t sound convinced or convincing. In the back of their mind, they had the image of the city towering over them on the small mountain it sat atop. Sure it wasn’t as large as the cities that used to dot the landscape but certainly, it could fit a few hundred more people inside its walls…

“Right,” the man almost rolled his eyes, “You keep telling yourself that as you go back to your warm bed tonight behind the city walls, guard,” he pushed himself off the fence and grabbed the quill spear, “You really want to help us? Strengthen The Line… I may know little about magic but even I can tell that either it’s weakening or the Forest is strengthening. Neither is good for the future of us down here or your precious city up there.”

He walked away, leaving Rienn alone to stand among the carnage.

Rienn walked through the farm and took a look at the blood-soaked field and what was left of a giant carcass. Most of the meat had been cut away by the more hungry denizens of the villages that lay outside of the city walls. All that was left was a skeleton and its quill-laden skin hacked away from it. No one had any use for the leather and Rienn couldn’t tell if anyone else had the same idea the man had in taking a quill away as a spear.

They turned around and walked back towards the base of the mountain, through rather ramshackle-looking wooden shacks and some more substantial wattle and daub houses. As they neared the city, the buildings became more and more well built and maintained, stone houses began to appear. Then they reached the large, whitewashed stone walls of the city.

The gates were wide open, guards flanking each side of the massive gate, watching as people streamed in and out of the city with their wares. As Rienn stepped inside the gates and in the shade under the thick stone walls they felt a chill as the air temperature dropped several degrees. A wind seemed to be blowing past them and out into the hot summer air just beyond the wall.

“Lieutenant!” a guard greeted Rienn as they passed by. Rienn nodded to the guard.

“Ganther,” they said, “How goes your shift today? No trouble at the gate?”

He shook his head, “None so far. I didn’t know you were heading out of the city today.”

“Just taking a walk, wanted to see where the Captain and His Highness took down that forest hedgehog last week, barely anything left of that thing but bones and quills,” Rienn said.

“We were lucky to make it through that fight with no losses,” Ganther harrumphed, “Still got several men out of commission for the next few weeks.”

Rienn frowned, remembering the blood and the farmer’s brother, “No losses in our garrison,” they said, “But several of those villagers died before we could make it there.”

Ganther said with a shrug, “Shouldn’t have built so close to The Line.”

“Perhaps…” Rienn said uncertainly, “Reminds me … I need to talk to Halim - Archmage Halim.”

Ganther nodded, “Have a good day Lieutenant.”

Rienn found the archmage sitting atop one of the tallest towers that made up the wall surrounding the city. Looking rather bored with their posting, the guards up there didn’t seem to pay the stout and bespectacled young man much mind. Rather they scanned the fields and forests below the city with wary eyes.

The city sat atop a small mountain, shielded in an alabaster wall, a white island above a sea of dark green forest. The forests surrounding the city were massive in both scope and scale, covering all the land as far as the eye could see. The trees in the forest grew progressively taller and taller as one walked further in, to the point that the tops of the tallest trees rivaled the height of the mountain the city sat on.

Rienn knew in their childhood before the city had been built, they would come up to this mountain top and see the flat plains the towering trees now dominated. To go into the deepest depths of the forest now would be to walk into a dark world of giant horrors. They frowned at the sight and then turned their attention to the people on the tower.

The guards wore a uniform of sorts, a chainmail hauberk under a dark green and light blue tabard. Their nasal helms had cheek guards and a full aventail to protect their necks. Their stern and unyielding appearance was a stark contrast to the man who now leaned on one of the crenels, using it as a desk to hold his notebook as he sketched the scenes below. His loose and long dark hair framed his brown face and blew behind him in the light breeze.

His leather-bound notebook was thick and well worn but his light blue robes were immaculate, well-tailored, and clean.

The guards on the tower immediately stood to attention as they walked in, “Lieutenant.”

They gave a curt nod to the guards before turning their attention to the man who had apparently not noticed the visitor, they cleared their throat loudly before saying, “Halim!”

The man started, turning around to see the lieutenant there with a stern expression on their face.

“Thought I’d find you up here,” they said, “Though you really shouldn’t be …”

They gave a meaningful glance to the guards who suddenly became very busy with their interest in the landscape around them. Rienn had known Halim since he had stumbled into their city in the first years of construction. He had helped strengthen these walls, helped develop the sigils that warded off some of the more substantive threats that came from the Forests, and in the years that they had known each other they had become close.

“So who’d you bribe this time? Athred? Genneth?”

“Neither,” the man said, “Though you wouldn’t need to worry about bribery if you paid your guards more,” he broke out into a grin, “But why’d I need to resort to bribery when my best friend is the lieutenant?”

“Because said best friend told you that under no circumstances were you to be up here without my permission,” they crossed their arms, “Given what may happen to me if the archmage were to tumble off a parapet in an accident.”

The man rolled his eyes, “As if I’d be that foolish. King Oderan may think of me as an absent-minded academic but I do pay attention.”

“Ri-ight,” the lieutenant didn’t seem very convinced as they leaned against the merlon, staring out over the forests that surrounded the city. Their forehead crinkled, their worry-lines standing out on their pale skin.

“It’s been qu-,” Halim started to say.

“Shush,” the lieutenant said quickly, the guards within earshot shuffled nervously at their posts, “That word is forbidden.”

“Ohhhh, you can’t tell me that you believe in that old myth?” Halim argued, “As if saying q-,” he hesitated as the lieutenant fixed him with a withering stare, “Fine … ‘the q-word’ … summons trouble.”

“Why tempt the fates?”

“Fine, there’s been no sign of activity from the forests in several fortnights,” Halim said, looking back to the lands outside the city walls. The late afternoon sun cast an orange glow on the treetops, the sunset off to their left side in the west.

The lieutenant nodded, “And we’d like to keep it that way. How has your research gone?”

Halim looked annoyed, “Nothing of this makes sense - ever since the Eruption the forests and animals have been growing at a rate that challenges both contemporary scientific and magical theories!”

“While we’ve been pushed further and further into our last bastions,” Rienn scowled at the forest below, “Our patrols had to help a farm fight off a hedgehog the size of a bear last week.”

“I thought you said things had been …”

Rienn fixed him with a look.

“... non-noisy.”

“Compared to what we’ve dealt with in the past, that was only slightly out of the routine,” Rienn said, “But it’s becoming more and more routine as the seasons wear on… The villagers are worried about the state of The Line.”

Halim scoffed, “As if they would know anything …”

Rienn raised an eyebrow at their friend.

“... being untrained in the arcane arts like I am,” Halim continued, “I’m confident in the ability of The Line to hold - after all … I was the one who drew it, cast the proper anchoring spells, drew every single one of those runes that grace the perimeter. It will not fall and no one should have anything to fear from the Forest.”

A commotion at the front gate, which the tower overlooked, caught everyone’s attention. Rienn peered over the side, eyes locking onto the banner one of the knights held aloft. The image of a golden half sun emblazoned on the red fabric that fluttered in the wind.

“They’re from Westhold,” Rienn said.

Halim squinted, he was unable to make out many details in the dimming light but he recognized the garish red and gold robes from even way up on the tower and even more so, felt the immense power emanating from the individual.

“They have a mage with them,” he said, “a powerful one at that.”

He wondered if it was the archmage, Inge, but that meant ... he hurried to the stairs, “Where has that scatterbrained assistant of mine gone off to?!”

She was, in fact, waiting attentively at the bottom of the tower, fidgeting with a scroll in her hands. Her black hair was tied in a tight bun with not a stray lock out of place and she wore robes similar to Halim’s though less intricate in design.

“Sir,” she handed him the scroll which he took and read over, eyes narrowing.

“When was this sent?”

“Early this morning, after you left,” she said.

He stared at her, “And you didn’t come to tell me?”

“You were at the top of the tower all day,” she said matter-of-factly, “... I wasn’t allowed up there.”

Rienn couldn’t help but smirk at the indignant expression on Halim’s face, “By gods if you told them you were with me …”

“You’re not supposed to be up there either?”

“And you couldn’t have just handed the message to one of the guards?”

“The message clearly said that it was only for the eyes of the archmage and his associates, while I consider myself an associate - I do not consider the guards as such.”

The archmage sputtered, “We’ll talk about this later, just … take this as a lesson Zhen - you can bend the rules once in a while…”

Zhen smiled ever so slightly as she said, “I know, I just would prefer not to.”

The archmage stalked away towards the castle where his study was, “Need to get ready to receive Inge … what type of tea did she prefer again? Did she even like tea? Or was it that bitter drink she liked?”

Rienn followed closely behind, “Is there anything I should know?”

“Know?” Halim looked at his friend with confusion.

Rienn looked at his scroll, “The missive you’ve received, is there anything I should know? If there’s any threat to our city the captain-”

“No, no,” Halim cut them off but immediately looked guilty at his rude answer, “Sorry, I … Inge is a powerful archmage, even more powerful than I. I’m just very concerned about making a good impression on her. There’s nothing in this letter that would concern the safety of the city, just theories on what caused the Eruption, King Oderan and the rest of the council are meeting with her tomorrow.”

“So why the secrecy?” Rienn raised an eyebrow. They neared the castle, the walls cast a long and dark shadow over them and the air chilled.

Halim sighed, “People fear that which they do not understand, which can lead to some … messy situations. Magic is a complex field filled with theories that mortal minds were not meant to understand and only those blessed with the ability to study the arcane gift can even begin to scratch the surface of its inner complexities,” the archmage started to ramble.

Rienn crossed their arms, face betraying no emotion, “Above my station. Got it.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply you were somehow lesser for not being a mage, I just … I,” Halim trailed off, trying desperately to find the right words to say as his face grew red in embarrassment.

“Relax friend,” Rienn said with a laugh and patted him on the shoulder with a strong hand, “I am comfortable with my station. I don’t need to be an archmage or even a mage to be powerful,” they placed their hand casually on the hilt of the sword at their side, “Trust me.”

Rienn left to the barracks to help organize the perimeter patrols for that night while Halim ascended the steps to his study and residence. Zhen was already there, brewing a drink that smelled full and slightly nutty, Halim felt his mouth begin to water at the aroma that filled the room. His eyes lit up in recognition.

“Coffee! That’s what Inge prefers to drink! Coffee! Zhen, you are a lifesaver.”

“I know sir.”

Rienn ascended the battlement later that night, one last sweep of their solo patrol before they turned in for the night. The guards nodded at the lieutenant as they passed by. Rienn noted a lone figure on one of the walls, looking towards the west over the Forest. They cautiously approached, though the guards seemed to pay the figure no mind, Rienn was suspicious of anyone that wasn’t a guard hanging out on the battlements after dark.

The clouds parted, revealing the full moon that illuminated the world in a milky white light. The gold embroidery in the figure’s red robes seemed to shimmer in the moon’s bright light. Inge, Archmage of Westhold was a fair-haired woman with fine features. She stood slightly taller than Rienn though her build was thinner, more lithe. Her pale skin almost glowed in the moonlight and her light brown - almost golden - eyes exuded warmth.

Rienn stepped beside Inge, staring at the same patch of forest the archmage of Westhold was staring at, “You shouldn’t be up here m’lady,” they said.

“Your archmage said that you would be fine with it,” Inge raised an eyebrow at the lieutenant.

Rienn sighed, “Of course he did…”

“I can leave,” Inge said, “If I’m not allowed up here.”

Rienn said, “You can stay up here for a few more minutes,” they leaned against the wall, “As long as I’m here.”

“Thank you …,” Inge trailed off.

“Lieutenant Rienn,” Rienn introduced themself, “Of the Havenhold Guard.”

Inge smiled, “Well Lieutenant Rienn, you have a well-fortified city here, I shudder to think of the fate of any creature that would dare attack you.”

Rienn replied, “Havenhold itself hasn’t been attacked since the early days after the Eruption. A few smaller creatures have made it across The Line to attack the outlying villages.”

“Ah,” Inge smiled softly, “I’ve heard of your fabled magical defense against the Forest. Halim’s solution is quite famous amongst the mages.”

“The Line’s been holding the more dangerous creatures at bay … and we fortified the city well but haven’t had a real test of our physical defenses yet,” they felt at ease around this woman who radiated such power and confidence.

Inge nodded, “Well Lieutenant, I suppose I should take my leave now - early council meeting tomorrow.”

“Of course, Archmage,” Rienn bowed respectfully and then turned to a nearby guard, “You there, Grendar is it? Escort Archmage Inge back to her quarters.”

Inge waved off the guard, “Oh no need, I can find my way back just fine.”

“M’lady I must insist,” Rienn said, “The walls can be rather treacherous to navigate in the dark.”

For a moment, Rienn could have sworn they saw a look of annoyance crossed Inge’s features but it was quickly replaced by a pleasant smile, “Of course Lieutenant. Grendar…”

“M’lady,” the guard bowed respectfully before escorting the archmage off the wall. Rienn stared skyward for a moment before looking back over the Forest - leaves looking almost silver in the moonlight.

‘Mages, always stubborn as donkeys.’

The next day dawned still and hot, the sun shone weakly through a thick layer of haze as it rose above the horizon and cast an orange glow on the land. Rienn wiped the sweat from their brow as they took a few hearty swigs from their water skin. They hoped for a breeze or any kind of relief in the courtyard where they watched the recruits train but the air remained stubbornly calm. Idly they looked up to the tower where the king was meeting with the council and wondered if they could steal Halim for a moment and make him conjure a wind.

They smirked to themself, imagining the uproar that would cause, and banished the thought from their mind as they yelled at a pack of recruits to start another drill.

High above in the tower, the air was just as stifling - the windows had been opened to catch any whiff of a breeze but none came. Three large tables sat in the council room, forming a large “U”. At the center of the “U” was a map of the world, built into the floor. Servants with forked sticks stood at the edges of the room, ready to hand them to whoever at the council table needed them at the moment to move around the figurines that dotted the map.

At the center of the map was the city, Havenhold, surrounded by the dark green that was the forest. Three lines radiated outward from Havenhold like spokes on a wheel, the safest routes for travelers to take, one line meandered its way northward towards the table at the bottom of the “U”, where the king lounged in a large chair, resting his chin on his right hand as he stared down at the map.

He was an aging man, with more silver in his hair than gold. His face was horrifically marred, four large scars etched their way diagonally across his left eye, down his nose, and through the right side of his mouth. Because of this scar, the right side of his mouth was permanently downturned into a pained scowl. His left eye, somehow having survived whatever attack left the grievous scar, stared out at the council table through a drooping eyelid.

He whispered something and the woman at his right stood up, she was dressed as regally as he was, her crown was silver instead of the gold one the king wore.

“Both King Oderan and I, Queen Adelia, would like to welcome Archmage Inge of Westhold to this council meeting,” the woman said, her voice ringing out clear and loud over the room. She wore her authority like a cloak, chin held high as she spoke, her raven black hair was half up in several intricate braids that held back the loose portions of her hair.

Inge bowed deeply to the couple, “Thank you, I am honored and humbled to be in the presence of such a great king and queen.”

She continued, “For who was it that led humanity out of the dark after the Eruption? Who traveled to the heart of the event itself and brought back our only hope of countering this magic? It was you, King Oderan. We owe you a great debt.”

Oderan looked rather flattered at her speech, Adelia’s eyes slightly narrowed but she said nothing. He spoke again and Adelia spoke for him.

“You have a way with kind words as you do with magic Archmage,” Adelia said, “Now let us discuss the business which has brought us all here - the matter of The Forest. General Liu...”

A middle-aged man with a long beard stood up.

“I hear you have a report for us?” “I do Your Highness,” the man said bowing respectfully to the king, “The scouting parties we’ve sent into the Forests have come back with troubling reports. Animals, larger than the ones we’ve fought before, are gathering closer and closer to the Line and our settlements. Prince Jaloc and Captain Aelder were on patrols a week ago when they came across a porcupine the size of a bear attacking a farmer near the Line. I fear that the creatures grow emboldened - something has them on the move.”

“‘Fear’ General?” a woman spoke up from across the tables - apparently not afraid to speak out of turn. She was younger looking than Liu, her brown hair was tied into a tight bun. Katerin’s most striking feature was her stormy blue-gray eyes that peered out from her tan and round face. She spoke slowly - as if she were still unsure of the language she was speaking - and her accent was almost as thick as the woodlands that surrounded them and forced her to move to Havenhold from the northern lands all those years ago.

The man looked momentarily annoyed, “Yes, Katerin, ‘fear’. Or do you not remember the last time Havenhold was attacked by the creatures of the Forest?”

“I remember it very clearly,” Katerin said, “and I remember the defenses we put up to protect ourselves - defenses I designed and have full faith in that it will repel another attack.”

Liu scoffed, “Hubris.”

“It’s better than sitting around in fear, General,” Katerin said. She and Liu obviously rarely saw eye-to-eye. As science advisor to the king, she and the general held equal positions of power in the council, and her aggressive attitude towards the Forest compared to the general’s more cautious approach saw them butting heads more than once. Adelia looked annoyed at the derailment of the general’s report but her husband sat quietly, watching the bickering continue with an unreadable expression on his face.

Liu scowled, “I don’t sit around in fear, m'lady. We’ve increased our patrols in the eastern sector,” he said, “I’ve also put forth a list of my best soldiers for an expedition.”

A murmur went up in the council chambers.

“An expedition?” Katerin raised an eyebrow.

“Archmage Halim and I have been talking,” Liu said.

“A dangerous pastime,” a fiery-haired man chuckled from his seat at the end of the table. A few people laughed before Liu began to walk around the table to the map in the middle of the room. As he did so, he grabbed a stick from a waiting servant and used it to point towards a spot in the north-eastern half of the map where a large tree was depicted.

“Another expedition to the Heart,” Liu said.

Another murmur, louder this time, and people kept talking.

“The Heart? What could we possibly gain?” “Suicide, absolute suicide.”

“Has General Liu gone mad?”

The King stared out at Liu, his brown eyes staring fiercely at the General as he whispered to his wife. Adelia repeated what he had said, “General Liu, whatever you think to find in the Heart better be worth the sacrifices that will need to be made. You remember the last time we ventured that far into the Forest, just after the Eruption… and you remember what we nearly lost - what we did lose in that expedition.”

Adelia fell quiet and the king reached out and squeezed her hand.

“I remember it all too well, King Oderan, and I wouldn’t be asking to put forth this expedition if we didn’t have good reason to believe it will provide clues to the source of the Eruption. Perhaps even a way to reverse the effects,” Liu said, “Halim?”

Halim stood up, “Your Highness, I was not there for your first expedition into the Forest but the tales have traveled far and wide of your triumphant gains and tragic losses. I can’t imagine what you and Queen Adelia have been through. However, Archmage Inge and I have been in correspondence for the past few months and have devised a way to potentially stop this … this curse from spreading across our land. I believe it may work.”

Inge nodded, “He’s right, we can stop this if we send out a strong enough force and penetrate the Heart of the Forest. With our combined magics, it may be possible for us to seal the source away or even stop it entirely.”

“And what is this source that you speak of?” Katerin asked.

Inge and Halim looked at each other, “Well we’re not quite sure yet,” Halim admitted.

“We’ll know it when we find it,” Inge said confidently.

“And how many men will have to die before you do find it?” Adelia asked, “And what response may the Forest have to this transgression?”

“‘Response’?” Inge repeated, “With all due respect Your Highness, it sounds as if you believe these creatures to be organized in some sense? Capable of fielding an army and launching counterattacks?” she scoffed.

“You may jest Archmage but I know what I saw when I ventured into those cursed woods years ago,” Adelia spoke, her husband’s eyes glaring out at the Archmage as he whispered to the queen, “They may not have a kingdom you and I may recognize but there was something there, something sinister, and controlling.”

He stood up with great difficulty, waving off his wife’s attempts to help him as he continued to whisper.

“I will consider your proposal for an expedition and let you know my decision by morn tomorrow. This council meeting is adjourned.”

With that he turned around and left through the door behind his chair, the queen following dutifully behind.

As Halim left with Inge, he heard someone call out his name. Katerin stood just outside of the doorway, “Do you believe Halim? Or do you know?”

The science advisor approached the archmage, “You said you believed your plan may work but how do you know? What proof have you?”

“Inge and I have come up with some theories,” Halim said.

Katerin looked almost offended, “You didn’t consult with me about these theories, Halim,” she said. She was a fellow council member and also responsible with Halim for uncovering the secrets of the Forest. The fact that the Archmage hadn’t even thought about talking to her…

“With all due respect Science Advisor, this is a matter of the arcane,” Halim said curtly, “Not to be explained by science.”

Katerin’s eyes narrowed, “You believe science can’t provide explanations for the arcane, that I have nothing to add to your theories?”

Halim nodded, “Precisely. Science and magic are not of the same cloth, they are two separate fields. I don’t presume to invade your field and I expect the same courtesy from you Katerin.”

The scientist glared at Halim, one fist clenching and relaxing as she took a moment to collect her thoughts, “Archmage Halim,” she said calmly, “I respect your authority on the arcane. I also would like to posit that we are on the same side, despite the differences in our respective fields of study. We all want to stop the spread of the Forest, to be able to defend ourselves from the creatures that lie within, and provide safety for our future generations. I would appreciate in the future some more communication between you and me about our theories, as I have extended the same courtesy to you unless you haven’t been reading any of my missives.”

Halim made a mental note to check with Zhen on the missives he’d gotten from Katerin.

“Now I have to go and practice my field of study away from any … arcane influences,” Katerin’s voice dripped in sarcasm, “Good day to you and Archmage Inge.”

She turned around and stalked away through the still crowded hallway. The fiery-haired man from the council chambers, having seen the whole thing, coughed awkwardly to hide a laugh as he turned to study a particularly interesting banner that hung on the wall.

“Rienn!” the voice cut through the din on the training yard. Immediately some of the recruits stopped to look at who was approaching, a few broke out into grins.

The lieutenant turned to see an imposing woman in plate armor walking towards them, “Just the lieutenant I wanted to see!”

Rienn immediately stood at attention, “Captain!”

Captain Aelder was older than Rienn and stood about a head taller, she wore her long brown hair in a braid that looped around her head like a crown. She had broad shoulders and a broad smile that never seemed to leave her face - even in the din of the fiercest of battles. Her attitude never failed to encourage even the most demoralized of troops.

“Come, Lieutenant, let’s take a walk,” Aelder said as she motioned for Rienn to follow, “I want to know how you’re doing with your first week of service.”

They walked out of the training yard and into the main square of the city, the city walls didn’t afford much of a view of the sky but Rienn had better visibility than in the training yard. Clouds were building around them, “I don’t need to be Halim to know it’s going to storm tonight,” they said as they looked at the billowing cumulus.

“Aye,” Aelder agreed, “Hopefully it’ll provide us relief from this heat. But I didn’t ask for a walk to discuss the weather, I want to know how you’re doing.”

“Fine, Captain,” Rienn said, “I’m doing fine.”

Aelder didn’t look convinced, “You looked unsure about my decision to promote you to Lieutenant, do you still have doubts?”

“No … well,” Rienn paused, “I mean, yes? I just … I don’t know what you saw in me, Captain. I’m now second in command of the garrison here.”

Aelder smiled patiently, “I know you are,” she said, “I know you to be a great warrior - but I also know you have great leadership skills, Lieutenant, and in time - with proper tutelage - you can become an amazing captain.”

She slowed her pace, stopping so she could look Rienn in the eye, her expression was solemn. Rienn looked at their captain with concern, they had seen Aelder with that serious of an expression outside of battle only a few times in their career, “Ma’am?”

“I’ve talked to General Liu, given my reports of the patrols along the Line,” she said, “You and I both know how drastically the situation has changed over the past weeks. More and more attacks from large creatures, the magic is leaking into the settlements at a rate we haven’t experienced since…”

“Since the Eruption,” Rienn said. They shuddered, remembering those first months as Havenhold - barely a village surrounded by wooden palisades - fought for survival as the Forest encroached and threatened to swallow them whole. Only Halim’s arrival and the return of the First Expedition were able to stop the Forest at the Line and help Havenhold become the city it was today. However from what Aelder was saying, if The Line wasn’t holding back the magic … did Halim know? And why were they only just hearing of it now?

Aelder nodded, “I can’t say much,” she said as she leaned close and lowered her voice so that only Rienn could hear, “but you may be called upon for a special assignment. And when that day comes, I need you to be ready for it.”

Rienn raised both eyebrows, confused and surprised, “What do you mean?”

“Keep your voice low,” Aelder said, “None of this is set in stone and I don’t want to risk giving anyone more hope than they should have. Rienn, I was asked to put forward the names of the best warriors under my command and you’re near the top of the list. General Liu and I need more than good warriors though, we need leaders, and people we can trust. In those categories, there’s only you.”

Rienn was quiet, they weren’t sure what they could say or wanted to say for that matter. They knew they were good but surely there were better fighters in the garrison. For their captain to say they were near the top of any list both flattered and frightened them at the same time. What could they say to that? Well, the only thing they were concerned with aside from the protection of Havenhold…

“Captain,” Rienn said - eyes narrowed in determination, “I won’t let you down.”

Aelder smiled at her Lieutenant, “I expected no less from you Lieutenant,” she said, “We’ll have much to go over but you must return to your duties with the garrison and I must meet with the general. Tomorrow morning I’ll call on you for more personalized training.”

Rienn returned to the training courtyard, their mind filled with thoughts as they drilled the recruits. The rookie soldiers noticed their Lieutenant’s distraction and one or two tried to get away with being slightly lazier in their shield wall formation …

“Padun?”

“Yes, Lieutenant?!”

“You do like your friend next to you, Jasim, correct?”

“Yes, Lieutenant!”

“You should lift that shield higher then. Come on! Square your stance! That’s it. Now your friend won’t get stabbed in the face by an enemy spear, there you go!”

As they trained into the evening, a storm billowed up over the mountain and the first raindrops began to fall. A cold wind blew in from the west and darkness fell with the setting sun.

Halim barely got any sleep that night, between the sheets of rain and hail pounding on the roof, the blinding flashes of lightning blazing through his window, and the howling wind that caused the tower to sway ever so slightly. He felt a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach and he wasn’t quite sure what was causing it.

‘For the sake of the Fates above,’ he thought as he finally got up in frustration to brew a cup of sleep tea, ‘I am a storm mage!’

This was his kind of weather. He should feel right at home!

Instead, he felt anxious. There was an energy in the air that wasn’t caused by the storm and he felt it on the very edge of his senses. It was as if someone were lurking in his periphery, just out of sight, and every time he tried to turn to catch the interloper - they’d quickly disappear.

Sighing as he sat down with his cup of steaming hot tea, he took a few deep breaths. He needed to calm down and focus, meditate, and then perhaps he’d figure out what was awry. As he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, he attuned his senses to his surroundings. The rain was coming down as heavy as ever, the occasional hailstone hit his study window with a loud smack, thunder cracked loudly overhead and he could see the bright flash of the lightning through his eyelids. The tower swayed as a gust of wind hit and beneath his feet, he could feel rhythmic vibrations as if a giant were walking nearby.

Wait.

What?

His eyes flew open and as he stood up to go to the door and alert … well everyone … someone sounded the warning horn from a perimeter tower. Even over the din of the storm, he could hear the drone of the horns as the alarm went up from each tower and eventually someone rang the alarm bell on top of the main keep.

There was a huge crash, louder than any thunder in the storm, and the sounds of yells and screams. Halim rushed to the window and cursed, he couldn’t see a damn thing in this torrent!

He heard the guards running outside the study door, their chainmail clinking noisily and echoing down the stone halls. The archmage ran to the door, opening it as a guard ran past, “What’s going on?!”

“I don’t know! But those horns were from the western towers!” the man yelled, “Stay in your room!”

Down the hall, he heard more guards shouting orders, “Protect the King and Queen! Where’s Prince Jaloc?!”

Halim went back into his room, turning towards his desk where his staff sat propped up against the wall. As he turned, he saw something glow out of the corner of his eye. Not just something…

It.

He walked over to the thing that was shrouded in cloth and removed the covering, revealing a giant, umber acorn that sat atop a pedestal. It was shimmering a greenish hue that glowed brighter with each passing moment.

As Halim hovered his hand over the large seed, he smelled the musty scent of dead leaves, felt a cool, humid breeze on his cheek, and faintly heard the rustle of the wind passing through the canopy overhead. He blinked and he was back in his study, the feeling of an interloper just out of view was back.

“It calls to its Mother and Father.”

He spun around to see Inge standing at the doorway, an unreadable expression on the Archmage of Westhold’s face as she slowly walked into the room, “It calls to home.”

Rienn was on the southern wall when the attack happened. They were knocked flat along with the majority of the guards on the wall when the west wall was slammed into by a massive force. They shook off their disorientation as they stared blearily into the rain, lightning fractured the sky in a brilliant flash that illuminated two dark antlers towering over the western wall. They could just make out the top of the head of the stag before it dipped its head for another charge.

They stood up quickly, breath fogging in the cold air as they started to scream orders, “Everyone! To arms!!! Keep your eyes peeled! We might be attacked on this wall as well!”

They began to sprint towards the western wall and from what they could make out in the downpour - it was still intact. As they approached the corner tower, they saw Captain Aelder being supported by a fellow soldier as she continued to shout out orders.

“Captain!”

Aelder turned to face Rienn, a pained grimace on her face, “Go back to the south wall Lieutenant! I’ve got it handled here!”

“But-”

“Go!”

Aelder waved Rienn off, she wasn’t allowing for any argument on her order, “Where are the ballistae?!”

“Still loading another salvo!”

“Load faster! We haven’t much time before that thing charges again!!”

Rienn could faintly hear the sounds of gears turning as the four massive ballistae that protected the western wall were reset for another salvo. The engineer in charge of the ballistae turned to Aelder, “We can’t aim well in this rain and dark Captain, I’m not sure how effective this is going to be…”

“Well,” Aelder said in a pained huff as she looked at the damage the deer had caused to the wall and the looming form in the darkness, “That thing’s about as big as the damn mountain we’re sitting on - can’t be that hard to miss.”

Rienn made their way towards the gate on the south wall, below they could see the torch lights from the guards that were on patrol and dozens of villagers who were trying to get in. One of the soldiers was pounding on the portcullis like a madman, his panicked voice barely audible, “For the love of everything let us through!”

Rienn yelled, “Open the gate! Let them through!”

“Are you sure?” one of the guards at the gate, Rienn recognized him as Ganther, asked, “The western wall is close to here…”

Rienn raised an eyebrow, “And you think a massive deer is going to be able to even fit through the gate? Our soldiers are out there - as are the people we’re supposed to be protecting. I’m ordering you to open the gate.”

Ganther nodded, running to the winch to pull up the massive portcullis. As he did so, two more guards grabbed the gate doors and began to pull them open, boots slipping on the wet cobblestone and mud. One of the guards opening the gate had grabbed onto a segment of wood, the material seemed to morph under his hand and he started to scream as the gate came alive in his hands. The wood warped and twisted, engulfing and crushing his hand and arm, the door rooted into the ground as the wood had come back to life as a tree.

The last thing he saw before the wood swallowed him whole was the horrified expression on Rienn’s face. All around Rienn, anyone who had wooden weapons was suddenly affected by the strange phenomenon. Spears shafts exploded into poles of thorny branches that impaled their user’s hands and arms. Bows warped into vines, strangling the archers that tried to shoot with them while their arrows grew into saplings that rooted their blue corpses into place.

Rienn quickly cast their wooden kite shield aside as it exploded into a ball of thorns, they needed to gain control of the situation but they weren’t quite sure how. They stood frozen in place as they saw humanoid shapes emerge from behind the terrified villagers who were still at the gate. The figures were taller and lankier than the average human, they glowed with an unnatural green energy and Rienn didn’t need the benefit of a mage’s education to know that these were likely responsible for whatever was happening to their gate.

Said gate now was two massive oak trees, rooted firmly in the entrance courtyard, blood leaked out of crevices in the bark.

The lieutenant heard someone ask them for an order and they couldn’t answer, they stood staring at the figures and the gory scene around them - transfixed, hand resting limply on the hilt of their sword. A particularly loud clap of thunder crashed overhead and they flinched as shards of stone fell around them. They blinked, confused.

‘Since when does thunder explode into stones?’

They looked up to see the top of the tower where Halim resided had blown completely away. The rain began to slacken and the full moon peeked out between ragged clouds. The shadow of a bird passed overhead, landing on the remnants of the tower before flying off. On the western wall, Captain Aelder - barely clinging to consciousness - watched as the deer staggered forward. It was bleeding profusely from the wounds the ballistae had caused. She knew, however, that it wasn’t the ballistae that stopped the deer.

Everyone could hear its bones creaking and cracking as it slowly collapsed under its own weight. Whatever magic from the Forest had kept it alive through its attack had left it now as it encroached on the human’s territory. Both the deer and the Captain fell to the ground at the same time.

“Captain!”

Rienn, meanwhile, sprinted through the halls of the castle and up the half demolished tower.

“Halim!!! Halim!!! Gods damn it all!! Answer me Halim!!!!”

Zhen staggered out of the rubble, dragging a bruised and battered looking Halim with her, “Damn good thing I perfected that shield spell, sir,” she said.

“Damn good thing,” Halim agreed tiredly, he looked at Rienn - distressed, “Rienn … it’s gone. She took it.”

“Took what?” Rienn asked, “And who’s she?!”

Halim swallowed, his voice cracking as he said, “Inge, Inge took the Seed - the giant acorn the First Expedition brought back from the Forest. It’s gone,” he repeated, sounding angrier with every word, “She took it.”

#fantasy #dark fantasy #my writing #original writing #original story #Story Time with Em #forest #Depths Story

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whatifxwereyou · 3 years ago

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Ashes Chapter 3: Cracks in the Glass

Pairing: Liu Kang x Reader

Something is very, very wrong with Liu Kang. It's more than grief. You don't know if you can fix it but you certainly have to keep it from getting in the way of your work.

A/N: I'm loving this grief-stricken drama bullshit I've come up with. It's ridiculous! Hope you guys are having fun with it, too! As always, open to suggestions for shenanigans to input. Much love. Your comments and likes are always appreciated.

First Chapter << Previous Chapter Next Chapter >> Chapter Index

You awoke to find that Liu Kang was already waiting on you. He’d always been an early bird. You and Kung Lao had been known to sleep entire days away. You showered, packed up your things, and got on the road. The hike would take nearly the whole day as long as you kept walking and didn’t get lost. With any luck you’d reach the spot marked on the map by the evening. If there was nothing there then you would have to rest and then hike back the next day.

You had faith that there would be something there but Liu was skeptical. You were in a place in your life where you had to believe that most people were good and wanted to help each other. Liu Kang tried to prove you wrong the whole damn hike.

It was awkward. Of course, it was awkward. Why wouldn’t it be? You made occasional conversation about the wildlife and how different it was from China but each topic quickly fell flat. He wanted to say things that he knew you wouldn’t want to hear. You disappeared inside your guilt. Then every conversation was you snapping at each other. Your map followed no clear path and you argued about which way to go. You’d called each other out and apologized a few times but it didn’t make the trip any easier.

As the sun began to set and the trees thinned out, you stopped. There was something else there. You had a good sense for that kind of thing. It felt like you weren’t alone but you couldn’t decide if it was people or animals. Either way, something was amiss.

“We don’t have time for another break, Y/N. It shouldn’t be far from here.” Liu Kang was tired despite his objection. He just wanted to snap at you.

“Shut up.” You hurried to catch up with him and grabbed his forearm as you caught movement. You nodded toward the tree to your right. You weren’t alone. Someone was watching you. Liu set down his bag behind him and you did the same. A rock whizzed by you, and you ducked out of the way. A dozen masked men and women ran out from behind the trees, cloaked and armed with sticks.

You turned so your back was to Liu’s and waited. With a yell, one of the masked warriors came at you. You knocked them to the side and ducked another blow. Then, wheeling back, you kicked another in the back of the neck and to the ground. Then you rolled over them and subdued them. They were being non-lethal so you would be too. It felt to you like they were protecting something.

You could hear Liu Kang fighting behind you and you swept the feet out from beneath another warrior. Then you ducked around Liu to grab the wrist of a man who reached for him in his blind spot. You stepped behind the warrior, twisted his arm back and flipped him to the grass. You yelped as you were suddenly grasped around the middle and tackled to the ground. He’d barely gotten you down when he’d been lifted off his feet and thrown back by Liu Kang. Liu stomped, grasped the air before him and filled it with the fire of his impressive arcana.

You leapt to your feet, out of breath but no worse for wear. Clapping your hands together, you rubbed them and then with a fluid twist of both wrists you used your ink arcana to summon two escrima sticks and then twisted them artfully. Ink spread up your arms and to your shoulders like armor to protect you. Then you stood back-to-back with Liu. There were double the warriors there had been to start with. “You okay?” Liu stole a glance at you behind him. You did the same and caught a scrape on his arm.

“Yeah. You?”

“Fine. You ready?” He gestured to the warriors who had you vastly outnumbered. With a swing, you allowed the sticks to disappear and changed your stance. You were going to make a run for it. It’d been years since you’d fought side by side with Liu Kang but now it felt like you’d practiced together every day since then.

“Enough.” The warriors surrounding you relaxed their stances. Then just north of where you stood, several of the warriors made a gap between them. An older woman walked through the gap, face stern. Her eyes were dark and kind and you didn’t feel threatened by her. With a wave of her hand, the warriors stood down and some even walked back through the forest. You exchanged a worried glance with Liu. “You have passed our test and are welcome here.” Her long brown, but graying, hair was pulled into a ponytail. She turned away and gestured for you. “Follow me.”

“Why attack us if we’re welcome here?” Liu was aggressive and you widened your eyes in panic. It was one thing to fight you on everything, but another to fight every stranger. Oh no. The woman stopped walking but the warriors left, presumably toward a village nearby.

“To test your might, young man.”

“It’s okay, Liu. Whatever this place is? It’s secret and important.” That was your not-so-subtle way of telling him to calm the hell down. You touched his forearm as he continued his aggressive stance and much to your surprise, he shoved your hand off. You stumbled. He picked up his bag and yours and then shoved it at you without looking at you. You took it and held the jade circlet close to your chest. Kung Lao would have smacked the back of his head for being such a jerk.

“Please. Follow me.” The woman requested again. You did as she asked and so Liu Kang, with a haughty sigh, did the same. The trees thinned as you walked and as you suspected, there was a small village hidden beyond. It was old but well loved. It reminded you of Raiden’s Temple in a way. Different, obviously, but it had a similar vibe. The buildings were wooden structures and the warriors who had defended the village were now busy about town, mask-less. There was a big bonfire in the middle of the town but it was only smoldering now. Several people were setting about cooking over it.

If you hadn’t been attacked moments ago then you never would have found them threatening. Liu’s posture suggested that he didn’t agree with you one bit. The woman led you to a house on the other side of town and up the stairs of her porch. She opened the door and led you inside.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, thank you.” You had always been taught it was rude to turn down tea. Especially when you’d intruded on someone’s home.

“No.” Liu, who was usually polite, seemed to have lost that part of himself.

“Please, sit.” The woman gestured to the wooden table near her small kitchen and she set about boiling water and pouring tea for the two of you. Liu was uncomfortable and sat on the very edge of his chair. “What brings you to our village?”

“We have come from the Shaolin Order of Light in search of a man. I am here on behalf of Lord Raiden. The man we seek has a dragon mark and is known as Nightwolf.” Liu’s tone was all sorts of off. He’d been good at this once, you remembered that. Very good at it. He was going to get you kicked out at this rate.

“Why is it you and your Lord Raiden seek this man?”

“We believe…” You began since Liu was coming off rude and were surprised as he interrupted you. You even stuttered a little. You gritted your teeth and forced a smile but it took every instinct in your body not to snap at him for behaving like this.

“Our reasons are only for him to know.”

The woman studied you and so you unclenched your jaw and tried to act natural. “Nightwolf lives in solitude to commune with the Gods and spirits of nature. He is not to be disturbed except for matters of great importance.”

“This is a matter of great importance. I assure you.”

“I’m afraid that I must be the judge of that, young man.”

“Then you’re useless to us.” Liu stood from his chair and you covered your mouth in surprise.

“Liu, this isn’t… you can’t just… uh… calm down.” You decided to try to mediate instead of snap.

“We don’t have time to play games, Y/N.”

“She’s not being unreasonable. I’d want to know if it was me. And you would too. Don’t…”

“Fine. Then you figure it out.” Liu left without another word and you watched him go. You ran your tongue over your teeth and tightened your expression, holding back a thousand frustrating things you wanted to express about how he’d handled that so poorly. The woman made your tea and then sat across from you, a sympathetic smile on her face.

“I apologize.” You bowed your head respectfully. “Do you mind if I take a moment? I need to make sure he’s okay. I’m really sorry about this.” This was going so poorly. Raiden would have smacked both of you on the back of the head and told you to get your shit together, but far more eloquently.

“It’s no problem.” The woman, much to your surprise, seemed amused. “I’ve instructed my people to have a space set up for the two of you to stay as long as you require.”

“I’m so grateful for your understanding. He is too even if he doesn’t act like it.”

“Of course.”

“Oh.” You took a sip of the tea quickly. It was bitter and different than what you were used to at home but not bad. “Thank you for the tea. I’ll be back for it.” The woman laughed and nodded toward the door as if telling you to go. You then rushed out the door to follow Liu who was walking out of town through the trees. You caught up to him and grabbed his arm to make him stop. “What is your deal? You’re usually much more respectful than this. I expect this kind of behavior from Kung Lao, not you.”

“We’re wasting our time. Even if we told her the truth, who is to say that she’ll think we’re worthy of it? I’m tired of being pushed around. We’ll find him on our own.”

“This isn’t a waste of time, Liu. We just got here! You can’t be mad at them for protecting themselves! You don’t know what their lives are like here. We intruded upon their home, and they acted accordingly. This woman has been exceedingly kind since we were allowed in and has given us more information than anyone else. That’s valuable. You have to at least give it a chance.”

“What kind of information, Y/N? Some nonsense about solitude and communing with the Gods?”

“Says the monk who lives in a temple where he communes with an ancient god every day.”

“You know what, Y/N?” He began, raising his voice. You braced yourself for the rest of the fight that was coming and had a feeling it was going to get ugly and fast. Much to your surprise, he didn’t continue. Instead, he took a breath, looked you over, rubbed the back of his neck and walked away, dismissing you with a wave. What the hell?

“Liu?”

“Don’t follow me.” He scolded back at you. You stood staring in shock. He was not himself, not at all. You were worried about him. Closing your eyes, you prayed for him to find peace. Kung Lao’s death had broken him. And you had surely made it worse. That was probably why he’d avoided you. It was why you’d avoided him. Then again, you were grieving too. Neither one of you were your best selves right now.

You missed Kung Lao.

What would he have done in this situation? He would have followed Liu Kang and annoyed him until either they fought or he’d talked. You didn’t think that you had it in you emotionally to do that. You knew what was bothering him and there were no words that could fix it.

You made it worse. You had to remind yourself of that. He needed to cool down and you would let him have his peace.

Next Chapter >>

#liu kang x reader #self insert #reader insert #liu kang #mk liu kang #mortal kombat movie #mortal kombat 2021 #ludi lin #liu kang/reader #liu kang x you #liu kang/you #fanfic #fanfiction #angst #romance #death #tension #grief #beauty through ash

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dmsden · 4 years ago

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Carfax Hargrimm’s Lost Tomb

Hullo, Gentle Readers. We’re going with one more spooky adventure for Halloween. And this time, we’re pulling out all the stops. This adventure is a bit of a reversal of a standard D&D adventure in a way, as the goal is to return a treasure to a dungeon. It is intended for 5 characters of level 5.

Background: Carfax Hargrimm was a knight loyal to the Margrave of Calengard 200 years in the past. He quested often, but he had one flaw - he fell in love with the wrong woman. He loved the Margrave’s daughter, and, although she loved him too, they loved chastely and from afar. The Margrave saw this growing affection, but he didn’t believe Carfax to be worthy of his daughter’s hand, so he sent him on increasingly dangerous quests. Carfax overcame all obstacles, and his popularity grew, until the Margrave began to believe Carfax sought the crown. He sent the knight out on one more quest, but, this time, he sent an ambush party to do away with him. Carfax was outnumbered, but he and his loyal retainers fought bravely, if futilely. He was slain, and his body was returned to the Margrave.

When he was searched, the Margrave found a letter written to his daughter. It was a letter full of loyalty to the Margrave, glad that he was being given another opportunity to show his mettle, and hoping that, someday, they could be wed. The Margrave realized how badly he had misjudged his loyal knight, and he was full of sorrow. He abdicated in favor of his daughter, who ruled wisely as Margrave for many years more. She had the bodies of Sir Carfax and his loyal men entombed in a secret location so that they would never be disturbed.

The adventure begins as the PCs are encamped for the night. They probably hear someone crashing through the undergrowth behind them, and they soon find themselves embroiled in something spooky!

“Room” 1: The Campsite: The figure crashing through the underbrush is Landyn Humphries, a halfling with bandit stats. He staggers in and begs the PCs to protect him. It’s possible, of course, that they accidentally (or purposefully, depending on your PCs) kill him before they get a chance to figure out what’s going on. In this case, they’ll find he has a small cameo brooch showing a beautiful woman’s profile. They’ll also find a journal that can be used to give the PCs an idea of what’s going on (see below).

Pursuing Humphries are 15 zombies. They will relentlessly crash through the undergrowth, attacking anything in their path. They are trying to recover the cameo, compelled by the will of the lord they served in life, Carfax Hargrimm.

“Room” 2: What’s Going On Here?: Humphries will beg them to help end the attacks. He at first claims to be innocent, but an Insight check quickly shows there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Landyn is terrified, and uses of Persuasion, Intimidation, and Deception may all be useful for getting him to spill the beans. He will finally admit that he was a fence for a group of adventurers who recently decided to plunder a local tomb...that of Carfax Hargrimm. A History check will tell Carfax’s sad story of love, loyalty, and betrayal, or Humphries can tell some of it.

Humphries tells them how the adventurers have been killed one by one, and how the last told him that he’d had a dream that only the cameo’s return to the Tomb and an apology being made to Hargrimm’s shade will send the undead back to rest. He’s not an adventurer himself, but he’ll promise them 4,000 gp and a potion of supreme healing if they’ll undertake this for him.

If the PCs have killed Humphries, the journal can provide much of the above information, but they will need to make Survival checks to track the zombies back to their place of origin. Obviously, they won’t get the reward he promised them either. If they’ve touched the cameo, however, the journal will make it clear that the undead will start to hunt them.

“Room” 3: Tomb Guardians: After locating the Tomb, they’ll find an entrance tunneled into the rocks. There is an empty room full of empty sarcophogi (where the zombies were...there are 15 of them if anyone thinks to ask). They’re all stone and carved in the images of noble warriors. A pair of locked stone double doors beyond leads deeper into the cliff face, and runes around the entrance ward undead from entering...which is also, ironically, why the undead inside haven’t been able to leave in search of the trespassers who stole the brooch.

Standing, as if in effigy, are four suits of armor, each holding a longsword at rest position. If anyone touches the inner door, they animate, becoming four animated armors and four flying swords. They will attack ruthlessly, but, if the door is opened (via magic or picking the lock), they will all collapse in a heap of tangled metal.

“Room” 4: The Master of the House: Beyond the door is the burial chamber of Carfax Hargrimm and his two most loyal henchmen. Their stone sarcophagi are all open, the lids pushed aside. Inside, Carfax is sitting on a stone seat, his men flanking him. Carfax has the statistics of a revenant, and his two men are mummies. He is furious with the grave robbery that stole the symbol of his lost love, Arianna. He wants to rage and destroy everything he can, but he pauses if someone is returning the cameo to him. “Explain to me why I shouldn’t kill you, that wretched little rodent you’re protecting, and the entire village where he lives for this desecration.”

This is a skill challenge, where the PCs must gain 8 successes before having 3 failures. If they fail, Carfax’s rage overcomes him. “I will hear no more of your lies. Defend yourselves!” He will attack until he is destroyed, but this won’t stop him, as he will rise again, and more undead will come...unless the cameo is placed back in the sarcophagi and a sincere apology is given. If they succeed, Carfax is assuaged and will return to his rest. Some skills that could be useful include:

History: To recall the name if his true love and the details of their doomed romance. Mentioning specifics about this will make him sorrowful, but they will remind him that he was a good person, who was loved by a good person, and that he doesn’t wish to do evil.

Persuasion: This could be useful if the PC talks to him about unfair punishments or misjudged deeds, things that he has personal reason to not over-react about. It could also point out that Humphries is not the one who stole the cameo, and that he’s making efforts to make right what his cohorts did.

Deception: This could be used to convince him Humphries is dead, and they are returning the cameo in his place. This might make him think that there is no more reason to continue his quest for revenge.

Intimidation: This is likely useless. It’s difficult to threaten the dead, especially if they know they can return, again and again.

Insight: This could help read Carfax, to note that he is still a being of nobility, honor, loyalty, and love. He may be acting the enraged, wronged figure, but he is a good person at heart.

Performance: There are several songs about the love and betrayal story at the heart of this situation. A bard or other character may perform one, showing Carfax that his legacy lives on.

“Room” 5: The Escape: Once Carfax returns to his sarcophagus or is destroyed, the Tomb begins to bury its secrets. The PCs have three rounds to escape as it begins to rumble and crumble. If they linger to search for treasure, they will regret it. Each round after the third, the PCs must make a Dexterity saving throw or be hit by falling rubble for 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage. Those who fail may become entombed along with the former undead.

Humphies will make good on the reward, and he will thank them for their aid. If the PCs fought Carfax, the Revenant could return again as something to plague the PCs for many nights to come.

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lordrethandus · 3 years ago

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Daily Writing Challenge 2021 Day 15

Memory ( @daily-writing-challenge )

World: Final Fantasy

The rich smoke from the burning incense swayed and danced into the air. The soothing scent of ginseng tea from yesterday’s supper still lingered, with more brewing on an open flame in her black charcoal teapot. Pictures of those Miqo’te children adorned the corner of her apartment near her desk, so she could look upon their bright eyes and round cheeks with glee whenever she wanted. It was the first day the clinic had been relatively quiet in weeks, and her shift was blissfully uneventful. Yet still she was restless despite a peaceful evening, exhausted despite getting extra bells of sleep, and somber despite the smiles and cheerful demeanor she was surrounded with. Tonight was different -- she was still stuck in the past and haunted by memories of her husband; she still didn’t know if he was even alive or not. But tonight her nostalgia and heartache were for a different man, from a different time.

Her father’s armor sat in silent vigil to protect her from vengeful spirits as she slept. Beneath the scaled helm and behind the iron oni mask was an empty space, a hollow shell, a fading memory of a man she once feared and still respects to this day. The incense was burning for him and him alone. Lord Hidekore Daisho was without equal, and although she’s lived through forty-four summers, she still felt like nothing more than a sniffling child kneeling in her father’s shadow. He wanted more for her than marriage, she thought. He knew the dangers of training a woman in the ways of the Samurai but that didn’t stop him from trying; after all, she was his only child -- like it or not his legacy lived on through her.

Fluid in his movements and malleable like water, flowing, swaying, and drifting around his opponents to strike when they least expected. Mizuna has only seen him fight seriously once -- when the Dotharli savages invaded her village and threatened to slaughter everyone if they weren’t stopped. Even far beyond his prime and with a weak knee her father sliced through them like the wind passing through the water reeds; his unique style, unwavering will, and insurmountable patience is what earned him the nickname the Bending Reed in the first place.

With a gentle sigh and one last minute devoted to prayer, Mizuna rose to her feet and opened the large cardboard box her hired help brought into her new home. She ran the fingernail of her thumb across the masking tape keeping the top sealed, squeezed her hands into the crevice, and pulled the lid wide open. Staring back up at her was polished tamahagane armor, shipped all the way from Doma using one of the last special favors she had left. She reached inside and lifted the breastplate with a single hand. Surprisingly light, even for an old crone like her; hopefully she would never have to test its durability. Mizuna slipped out of her pajamas and spent the next twenty minutes fastening on this armor until she was clad in black leather and nophica-green steel. Perfectly snug in all the right places, yet still giving her plenty of room to move about her apartment freely. Then she turned back to her father’s armor. Resting in his hands was his old katana -- a masterwork blade folded sixteen times that was worth more than everything she has ever owned. Combined. Simply touching it here and now felt like an affront and disservice to everything her father tried to teach her. Her fingers carefully wrapped around the blue pearl hilt, she closed her eyes and held her breath, then pulled it free from its sheath.

Shwiiiing!

It glided from the sheath like a smoldering blade through melting butter. She held it aloft to inspect it further -- still perfectly straight, still perfectly balanced. It was easily the finest blade she had ever held, a peerless weapon for a peerless warrior. Yet the longer she gazed at the katana, the less she felt deserving of such an heirloom; she knew she could never compare to the likes of anyone practicing in the Ashen Wolves. She was too inexperienced and she no longer had the decades to devote to training. “I’ll make you proud, oto-san.” Mizuna mused, inhaling as she twirled the blade by rolling her wrist, before pressing her thumb against the dull side of the sword and sliding it back into the sheath with a soft click.

It was decided. Mizuna would pick up the sword and learn how to defend herself with her father’s sword until she found someone worthy of inheriting it when she finally passed.

In the following morning the incense had burned its last. The sparse candles around the shrine for her kids had long gone out as well, leaving the only source of light in the paper lanterns along the wall. A chilling wind swept over Mizuna as she slept, caressing her cheek as she stirred but didn’t wake. The wind traveled from lantern to lantern until her apartment was plunged into darkness. Her father’s armor remained in its vigil, staring at the door. When the wind passed through the old helmet, it made the faintest of raspy sounds.

“... you already have...”

#dwc2021 #day152021

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prettywordsyouleft · 4 years ago

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Forsaken | Part 7

Summary: As one of the Forsaken, Jinyoung had no right to covet anything as his own. When he stumbles across you standing in the middle of the village he had plundered, the memories of old make him risk it all, clutching at the past in hopes for a better future.

Pairing: Park Jinyoung x reader

Genre: warrior au / star crossed lovers / angst / romance

Warnings: death, kidnapping, cursing, a myriad of emotions - this is a really sad love story.

Index: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15

Jinyoung urged the sun to go back down. He didn’t want the new day to arrive and yet it had done just that, blinding him whenever he looked up to curse the heavens.

He had been reluctant to do anything this morning.

It had been a brief slice of paradise, he realised. Since the last raid, orders had been to stay on the low. And then right before tattooing you yesterday morning, Mark had found him and slipped him the messaged received through the radio.

They were expected to plunder another region with one week as the timeframe.

It was foolish, on his behalf, to get so wrapped up in you. The highs and lows of having you here had distracted him from his usually clear focus. And after sharing his body and becoming one with your heart and soul, Jinyoung wondered if this was how you felt when you had your rebellious stage as a teenager. Back then, he hadn’t understood your defiance towards your parents and their rules. Now, he could explicitly.

He wanted to crumble the note within his hands, pretending the radio never picked up the order. Yet, too many of his men knew of what was expected here. BamBam and Yugyeom were stationed in the radio tower most days and would have passed on the message to Mark. It was fruitless to deny the order’s existence.

Could he object fulfilling it, however?

There was a growing moral concern within him now that you were at his side. Numb, he had followed orders for the past decade in hopes it would somehow lead to a way out of the army. He knew it was hopeless, and yet that was how he had processed it.

You brought out a different side within him. Jinyoung wanted to scrub his hands clean of his sins. Although he couldn’t change the past, he wanted to keep the blood from his hands so you didn’t have to clean it off for him.

Being an honest man when he was a seasoned warrior would be impossible and yet he wanted to try.

“Mark told me they’re readying the horses for the trip out,” you murmured after stepping to Jinyoung’s side, holding a hand over your eyes to keep the bright light out of them.

Were you trying to comfort him right now, knowing full well he was about to take the lives of others? Jinyoung closed his eyes guiltily. He didn’t want you to see him at his worst again.

“I don’t hate you,” you announced a moment later, stepping in front of him and rearranging the protective armour to his outfit. Your expression was grim as you fussed over him. “I can’t hate you.”

“It’s okay. I can do that in your stead.”

“I’ll send a prayer to those who cross paths with you all that it ends quickly.”

Jinyoung turned his head away from yours, blinking back his emotions. He hadn’t cried over the cruelness of this world in years. Now you were rendering him into a bubbling mess. Stepping back from you, Jinyoung shook his head.

“Don’t do anything. I don’t want you involved in this.”

“I am though. I know that people will lose their lives by the man I love. My lack of stopping you means I am now a part of this too.”

Static filled his mind, buzzing away whatever you were saying to him now.

He didn’t need to you see him off like some housewife sending her husband off to work. This wasn’t a job worthy of such a send-off. In fact, the longer he stood near you, the more repulsed Jinyoung became, wanting to get away from you immediately.

He strode over to the stables as quickly as he could and mounted his stead, patting its neck before kicking it to charge forward. His men scrambled to follow after his hasty departure, keeping up with the race he had made it into until some miles away from the base.

There, Jinyoung sucked in a deep breath and expelled it shakily. Jackson glanced in his direction and groaned. “Some leader you are.”

“Shut up.”

“Can’t even tell the woman you love that you’ll miss her whilst on the road,” he continued and ignored the seething expression Jinyoung shot him. Jackson shrugged. “If I ever find someone to love, I’ll make sure she knows it every day.”

“Do make sure she’s aware she’s lying with a man who has sins stacked up so high that the heavens above won’t ever grant him access beyond those pearly white gates.”

“You think she can’t cope with who you are? Y/N isn’t like that.”

“What would you know? It was me who spent years at her side, not you.”

“Whilst you’ve been brooding like a petulant child, I’ve spent some time with her. I’ll have you know, Jinyoung, she’s far easier to talk to than you are.”

Jinyoung merely grunted in response.

“When you love someone, you have to accept all of them. You might not agree, you might hope for change and you might shoulder some of their guilt.”

“That’s what I don’t want.”

“For Y/N to be a strength for you?”

Jinyoung scoffed. “She’s my weakness.”

“She could empower you if you let her. She’s accepted who you are. She loves you regardless. You’re the one with the problem. If you keep acting like a tortured soul and open a door just to slam it in her face again, she’ll find it hard to remain at your side.”

“Did I sign up for an advice session, Lieutenant?” Jinyoung questioned sternly and Jackson’s concerned expression turned sombre.

“No, you didn’t.”

“Let’s focus on the task ahead, shall we?”

“What’s love like?”

Jinyoung looked over at Jaebum and frowned. “Why are you asking me?”

“Because you’ve clearly experienced it.” Jinyoung made no effort to react and Jaebum nudged him. “With that girl from the village.”

“She saved me, it wasn’t love.”

“How do you know what is and isn’t love?” Jaebum pointed out and Jinyoung laughed at the boy’s ludicrous way of asking a question, only to throw it back at him when he didn’t respond the way he wanted him to.

Although Jaebum was by far the easiest company Jinyoung had within this wretched camp thus far, he found the man beyond frustrating at times.

“I’m not answering.”

“He looks like he’s suffering from heartbreak,” another voice crooned and Jinyoung glanced at Jackson and rolled his eyes. He wasn’t fond of him much, either.

“What’s heartbreak like?” Jaebum wondered, peering at Jinyoung for obvious signs. “He looks healthy enough; surely his heart still works fine.”

“It’s losing someone who makes your world brighter,” a quiet man spoke, everyone at the wooden table turning to look at Mark. He sighed heavily. “It’s when the life leaves your eyes because you’re too far away from their bright light they live within.”

That Jinyoung could relate to. Without you, the world did seem dull in comparison. However, he wasn’t about to tell any of them that.

“What? Yet the sun is out right now!” Jackson exclaimed, dodging the hand that Mark threw out towards him exasperatedly. They laughed together and Jinyoung smiled lightly.

It hurt without you, but at least he wasn’t alone.

It was a gruelling five days and when the men returned to the camp, only the younger ones seemed in good spirits.

Jinyoung was exhausted, and after dismounting his horse he led it to the stables where the gypsy ladies began untacking them.

“You’re back, Commander.”

“Make sure the bathing house has hot water for us in an hour,” he instructed and Trudy reached for his wrist.

“Don’t be alarmed when you look around the camp.”

“What?” he asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

Trudy smiled weakly and tapped her hand gently over his. “Y/N cleaned.”

Darting away from the woman, Jinyoung took the entrance to their camp through the hillside from the stables, hurrying through the earthen corridor to the other side. On first glance, nothing seemed to be out of order.

And that’s when he realised it, everything was glistening.

“Oh, thank god you’re back,” Youngjae greeted with a relieved tone. “She hasn’t stopped.”

“Y/N?” Jinyoung questioned distractedly as he continued to survey the area, and the man nodded. “She did all this?”

“At first, she organised the entire kitchen. Then the bathing house she scrubbed until her hands bled. I tried to stop her, to make her rest, but then she was up in the middle of the night rearranging the seating foyer and the supplies shed. She climbed the ladder and dusted off the cobwebs in every crevice and I have no idea what she’s gotten up to in your home, Jinyoung.”

“Thank you for telling me,” he replied as he marched towards the areas Youngjae had spoken of. The kitchen was indeed void of any clutter and mess and Jinyoung began to run through the camp towards his house, thumping down the stairs from the side door and then flung the final door open, heaving as he took you in.

You were reading at his desk and twisted around to look at him miserably. “Oh, you’re back.”

Yanking off his armour and letting it drop to the floor with a thud, he moved to your side, pulling you out of the chair and holding you as close as he could. “I missed you.”

“You... you did?”

“Every day, every hour, every minute,” he confessed and you began to cry, clinging to him tightly.

“I didn’t know what to do without you!”

“I know.”

“I hate cleaning but it was all I could do to pass the time.”

“I know,” he repeated soothingly, breathing you in to calm some of his nerves down.

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

“Only a graze, I’ll be fine.”

“Did you… are they…?” Jinyoung hummed weakly in answer.

“I did what was expected of me.”

“I don’t have any idea what to say,” you told him honestly and Jinyoung choked on his emotions, your head jerking back to look at him, reaching to wipe the tears now falling from his eyes. “It’s painful for you.”

“I want to leave before the next order,” he announced and you nodded in agreement, gripping him more tightly.

“We can do that. We’ll get it organised. Jaebum was here whilst you were gone, taking things he felt was needed and storing it in the old shack on the boundary line.”

“I need to go and wash off everything,” Jinyoung mentioned, once spent with his emotions, and glanced at your linked hands. Dried blood now sullied your once clean ones and he sighed at the sight, his fears now a reality.

He wasn’t as scared as he had been on the morning he left. Jackson, even if he had bothered him at the time, had been right.

You were trying to accept all that came with him. Although you were eager to escape, Jinyoung knew you wouldn’t go without him. You would stay here and endure it all for the rest of your life if that was what was needed.

He rested against you, feeling vulnerable and small in comparison.

“Do you need me to help you go to the bathing house?”

“And see all the rest of the men using it, I don’t think so,” Jinyoung replied sternly and you giggled.

It was amazing how such a small bright sound like that could liven him up so easily.

Staring at you again, Jinyoung realised he had loved you from the day he stole that compass from you. You had laughed at him then too, the sound embedded in his mind, the source of your light.

Now that you were back, he didn’t want to cast you into darkness. He wanted you to shine as brightly as you once had. If that meant allowing you to shoulder his burdens along with him, then he would do it.

And he knew that a meeting with Jaebum was in order as well.

It was time for phase one to begin.

_________________

Part 8

[GOT7 Masterlist] | [Main Masterlist] | [Request Guidelines]

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cherr-e · 4 years ago

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𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 | based in 18th century Korea - JOSEON.

❝ You were never meant to live for love, ranks and hierarchy mattered the most. Prince Lee Taeyong was at the top of the hierarchy, he was the youngest out of four brothers. He knew he was not made for the throne and lived his life away from the epicentre of Joseon, in peace with his poems and music. Yet the son of his father’s respected friend peaks his interest in what he would later on define as love. ❞

DISCLAIMER ⚠️ this is an alternate universe of the ship OLIYONG. this is a piece of fiction, and does not refer to any location or individual throughout this mini-series from start to finish. this is not a historical or documentary work and is purely made for entertainment.

[...] means a soundtrack that would sound nice in the scene, similar to a movie.

masterlist | episode one:- we’ve become part of the past.

The petals of cherry blossoms swayed underneath the hands of the wind, it was the end of another spring which meant Prince Taeyong had to attend to his seasonal visits at the main palace. The place where he spent most of his childhood and teen years, trapped and lost. His brothers busy competing to become better than the other and that was why he had now resided to the countryside. Away from his royal duties, and only payed respect to his father.

A few days and he’d be home again, busy humming along to his poems and music while he played to the young children of the small village he resided in. “How long will you stay here?” His right-wing man, Taeil, spoke up after throwing back a shot of rice wine from the local bar they frequented in Hanyang - the capital of Joseon. “I don’t really know, probably for two days. There’s nothing interesting about my family’s lives. Same old shit, brothers fighting over who’s the better royal. Don’t even get me started on their wives.” Taeyong rolled his eyes at the thought of those evil gossipers. They probably wondered why he wasn’t wed yet, making up rumours that he would bed men of the countryside.

Well he did have an open opinion towards love, but at the same time believed love was for the weak. It was something his family would use against him, if he ever felt that emotion begin to wrap its fingers around his mind - he would push it to the ends of the earth and forget it in his tattered books. “You’re dozing off again.” Taeil munched on the anju served with the alcohol - “I’m already thinking of heading home.” Taeyong sighed, his eyes shining with sadness and regret. This was how it was with every seasonal visit, he was reminded of how boring his life was. A life many strived for, but he felt like his opinions did not align with society. Not anymore at least.

An hour had passed, Taeil taking it slow with his alcohol yet his superior had downed two bottles of rice wine and soju, forgetting about the busy day ahead of him tomorrow. The royal prince looked sad whenever he was drunk, the walls he built around himself after all these years tumbled after a sip of alcohol. A lost young frail boy, with big shining eyes that yearned for a new life - his face was clean-shaven, sparse from any form of facial hair. He looked more like a young naive boy despite being in his twenties and having his fair share of problems.

[ ... lover’s first ]

“Let’s head back to the palace Taeil-ssi.” Taeyong slurred, cheeks pink and puffy. “I’ll pay for the alcohol. Wait for me at the entrance.” Moon Taeil smiled softly while his friend scurried off to where he would stand, but the sound of a loud performance had dragged his tired body towards the buzz of the street. Like a moth to a flame. He was enraptured by the sounds of Hanyang at night, lost in the midst of crowds, he was normal and he probably looked like a useless drunkard to others. It was the buzz of the night that drove Taeyong’s adrenaline, he swam in the crowd. Wind hitting his face as the cold night began to dance between the people. Soon, droplets of rain had fallen on his face - pitter patter they fell. Droplets became a light drizzle, some of the crowds ran to seek shelter and the business men sprinted to protect their stands from getting wet.

Being lost in the crowds brought euphoria to his melancholic soul, losing concentration of reality lead to him slipping on the wet floor and bumping into a taller large build. Papers and brushes scattered across the ground, soaking in the water from the skies. Taeyong helped pick up the mess he created, apologising quickly as he repeated “sorry” a billion times. The artist grinned, finding the younger man’s drunk state slightly amusing.

“You draw well.” He handed the artist the last painting. “Thank you.” The man had a deeper voice, slightly rough with an accent hidden at the end of the two words he spoke. “You sound like you’re not from Hanyang.” Taeyong pointed out, the rain still continuing its assault on the strangers “you could say that.” He smiled again, this time it made Taeyong’s heart pick up its pace.

The stranger was a very handsome man, who looked to be in his mid twenties, the tan skin and accent meant he was probably from a place further east but the hanbok he wore looked to be made of the finest of materials imported from China and made by well-known tailors who served the rich. It was dark purple, the sleeves and trousers black - disagreeing with the season that had just recently arrived in Joseon. Taeyong pondered, the artist looked like someone who did not conform to society as the colours he wore did not represent summer at all. Despite the smile and the kind demeanour the stranger had shown off to the Prince, sad souls recognised one another because the sleepless nights lay beneath their eyes, and the colours of summer did not break their cries.

Kim Minjae grabbed his soaked painting from the delicate hands of the drunkard in front of him. The drawings were most likely ruined, but it wasn’t like anyone was going to view his work - he was the son of one of the highest ranking war generals in the country, he was trained to battle for the worse. Not to paint foolish moments he found appealing that weakened a part of his soul, he hated being talented in the arts.

“I’ll be off then.” Minjae chuckled, and Taeyong nodded his head - he wanted to ask for the artists’ name, but he kept quite and stepped aside. “It was nice meeting you Mr Drunkard.” He spoke one last time, and Taeyong watched as the man drowned in the ambiance of the night. The rain still continued, and Taeyong was soaking wet yet he felt very high. That buzz of adrenaline, it was still swimming in his bloodstream, his heart reached to his ears, was it excitement? Curiosity because to that tall man? The rain and alcohol?

He was hoping the reason for his body to be so awake was of something stupid and not because of that broken artist. The last thing he needed were feelings for a sorrowful stranger.

“I heard the servants watched you come in late last night.” Minjae halted at the sound of his father’s stern lifeless voice. He cleared his throat and said, “I went out for some air and got carried away a little bit,” he remembered the table manners he had learnt a few months back. Never eat when conversing with someone older than you.

“Did you draw anything?” General Kim picked up rice with his chopsticks and chewed on it slowly. He never looked his son in the eye ever, Minjae did not know why, He preferred looking at nature instead of his stupid useless son. “No father. I haven’t drawn in a long time.”

His father grunted in acknowledgement: “well done.” They sat in silence, the sound of utensils hitting against the expensive bowls and plates. Breakfast always consisted of a silent father, Minjae still did not why his father had shown up a few years back in the countryside he grew up in. The expensive clothing, the sleek black horse and the small army that were behind his father - it was a different world to Minjae then, he was used to ragged clothes, playing with the country kids and singing along to their lullabies, drawing whatever he found pretty and appreciating small things. That life was over now, and he had a new future - a better one.

“His Majesty, the King would like to meet you today, he wants to see how well you fair off on the battlefield and has invited us to sparring with his sons. All four of them. Do well.” General Kim stood up from the table, the servants bowing as he passed by them. Kim Minjae stopped chewing, and threw his chopsticks on the table - not a single goodbye, like its always been.

The journey to the palace was slightly embarrassing, he wore the finest of clothes his father had brought him - a light blue hanbok with white trousers and white sleeves. He looked soft, happy even from the exterior which only mattered to the king. The commoners marvelled at his looks, he was slightly shy at the compliments and the fawning girls. He was not used to this, he hated being underneath the spotlight - the centre of the crowd.

Now his father and Minjae bowed down to the King in front of them, he wore his red and golden robes and smiled at the sight of Minjae. “He looks strong Manshik-ssi.” The King had a hoarse voice, like death was just around the corner, a long grey beard that reached mid-way to his neck was adorned on his face, wrinkled skin that had aged over the years.

Minjae lifted his head up after the King had ordered him to and he gave a smile, “it’s a pleasure to meet you, your Majesty.” The King chuckled, and turned to his sons. “These are my four sons, if I see you worthy today you may be defending Joseon with them one day.” He spoke proudly, and waited for the warrior to introduce himself.

Taeyong was gobsmacked, annoyed maybe, he wanted to curse the skies. Scream even but he was curious, “It’s a pleasure to meet you all your Royal Highnesses, my name is Kim Minjae and one day I wish to be your loyal consort and friend in the nearby future.”

[ ... the artists’ lullaby ]

“Minjae. Kim Minjae was the artists’ name,” the professor turned to his students after writing up the name on the large chalkboard. “He was one of the greatest artists of the Joseon period, you could even say he was ahead of his time with the portraits and drawings of nature. Instead of following fellow artists, with inspiration from the Chinese, his work resembled European art.”

He clicked his projector remote and showed the countless pieces that Minjae hated, “historians say that he hated his art so much after becoming rich, and despised whoever viewed his art. Apart from one, the fourth prince and son of King Do-hun. Lee Taeyong. Some say they were close friends while others believed they were lovers, the poems Taeyong wrote after he had met Minjae were self-explanatory.” The class chuckled, and the professor smiled.

Minjae and Taeyong’s love had become part of history.

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the-hilda-librarians-wife · 4 years ago

Text

Love and Honour - First Half

x x x x

Summary: All her life, Johanna had dreamed about serving the royal family as their guard. Now, as she finally reaches her goal, she finds renewed admiration for the Princess Regent, and the feelings might not be as one sided as she imagined.

Notes: The title of this fic comes from a lovely song from Celtic Woman. It’s instrumental, so if you’d like to play it as background music while you read this, that would work really well! Those are the ~vibes~ I want for this fic. Also, no I don’t know how a medieval castle or society worked, but I know there was sexism and homophobia so I just decided to throw any realism out of the window. Guess I just made up a little system, I hope it makes sense but the focus is on the sapphic pining anyway so...

Read it on ao3: (chpt1) (chpt2)

(The “First half” is made of the two first chapters, which have too much of a theme shift between them to be the same chapter but I still think they should be read together. Thus why I am posting them all in one go)

First chapter

The golden dusk sunbeams were reflected by the royal palace’s walls, in a way the Johanna had to squint in order to look at it as their wagon approached it. After years of intense training at the Sparrow Fortress, their group was finally ready to begin their duty as soldiers for the Princess Regent. Alongside her in the wagon were only the strongest and most skilled of them. Most soldiers would be sent to villages all around the kingdom to protect them, but this group, these people who stared slack jawed at the imposing castle, were the ones who had earned the duty of the palace’s guards, even if some of them would continue in their path to become warriors. Johanna’s heart sped up the closer they got to the castle. Her dream was finally coming true.

The wagon that was carrying the soldiers crossed the gates that led to the palace, followed shortly by a smaller wagon that brought whichever possessions they had. In the most recent years, it was said that those gates were always open. The Princess made a point of it, insisting that they mustn’t cut themselves off from their people.

There were a few people waiting for the soldiers in the courtyard, among them a woman that gave off a strong air of confidence. She stood up straight, even under the weight of the armor she was wearing, her kind face framed by short, already grey hair.

“Welcome, new soldiers!” She said when they were all standing side by side in front of her, like the older soldier that had been guiding the wagon instructed them. “It is an honour to meet all of you. I am Lady Ravena, the head of the royal knights. Surely, you have all been well prepared at the fortress to attend to your duty and know what to expect already. That being said, we’ll leave the delegating of tasks for tomorrow morning, and now these gentlemen will guide you to your new rooms. After you are settled, I invite you all for a feast at the grand dining hall, courtesy of Her Highness! The admirable Princess Regent is anxious to talk to you.”

The courtyard broke into murmurs at the idea that they would meet Princess Maven on their first day at the castle. At least, that’s what Johanna imagined they were saying, as she couldn’t imagine anything more mention worthy than the opportunity to be close to the wisest woman in all the kingdom. Since the moment her father had become too tired and sick to rule and she had taken on his duties, the kingdom had been swarmed by tales of her, resulting from the peace and prosperity they had found under her rule. To serve her would be an honor; to meet her, a gift.

When each soldier had picked their luggage, the servants led them inside the castle. Perhaps to cause an impression on them, the path they made to the soldiers’s quarters passed through the entrance hall, the ballroom, and the throne room. It was easy to imagine them filled with noblemen, alight with celebration, but even with no special event happening the palace buzzed with activity.

As they followed the servants through the corridors, Johanna paid attention to the other soldiers she saw. They were all older than her, and had serious, focused expressions. Some of them opened a smile at group of new arrivals, but most didn’t.

When they arrived at the palace’s wing dedicated to the soldiers, there was a robust man waiting for them by the door.

“So this is the new blood you’ve got for me, eh Lady Ravena?”

“They look promising, don’t they Erik?” Ravena chuckled, coming to the front of the group. She’d been walking behind them the whole time. “Soldiers, this is knight Erik Ahlberg. He’ll be responsible for watching you and making sure you do your jobs.”

“I suppose you’re thinking it’s not an heroic duty, that of mine.” He said with his booming voice, completely unprompted. “But I am only in this position because after I valiantly gave all of me to defend this kingdom, I was no longer able to fight like I did when I was young. And so I was granted with this function of-“

“Your tale is fascinating, Lord Ahlberg, and I’m sure the soldiers would like to hear it sometime. However we need to hurry now! They need to settle in quick, we’d hate to leave Her Highness waiting.”

Erik was crestfallen at Ravena’s callout, but Johanna tried to hide a smile. Something about the man seemed too exhibicionist for him to be at such a solemn position, and the head of the knights seemed to think so too, judging by the way she clearly had to contain herself from rolling her eyes even though her voice was calm.

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

He opened the door and they were led to a spacious common room, with a crackling fire at the hearth. Erik explained that to their right, the door lead to the area where they would be able to train, while to their left a series of corridors branched, and that’s where they would be living. The higher up you were in the ranks, the better off you were, but seeing as they had just arrived all of their rooms would be shared. They were then sent off to find a room that had a free bed and settle down there, advised that if a room’s door was closed, then it was already full.

The rooms closest to the common and training area were all already filled to their maximum capacity, and Johanna had to walk for a while before she found one that had the door open. When she did, she peeked inside and realized that there were two beds, parallel to one another and one of them occupied. The woman sitting on the corner bed had dirty blond hair and, Johanna realized, an eye patch. Figuring that she must be one of the warriors that already had enough experience to be drafted when conflict struck and that she should be as respectful as possible with her, Johanna tried to come in quietly. It was no use.

“Don’t bring anyone here.” The woman said without lifting her gaze from the parchment she was reading. “Don’t arrive here late or drunk, or I’ll lock you out. And don’t try to make small talk. This way we won’t have problems. Got it?”

Johanna nodded and stuttered in agreement. It was a very cold welcoming, but she was determined not to let that put her down. The woman was probably tired after a long day working.

Putting her bag on her bed, she began to store her possessions in the wooden chest by the foot of the bed. This was the first day of the rest of her life, and no grumpy warrior would dim the light of success she felt shining in her heart.

_#_#_#_

It was soon clear why the soldier had been adamant about telling Johanna not to come back to the quarters drunk. There certainly was an abundant flow of mead and wine in the grand dining hall that night.

The new guards barely filled a whole table, but the hall was bursting with soldiers. While a part of the army lived in the Sparrow Fortress, the part made of the warriors that were still training and the higher ranks, including the knights who usually came from noble families, remained at the palace during times of peace. There were also many other guards like Johanna, whose sworn duty was not to attack any enemies of the kingdom, but to protect its residents. She was reasonably sure that every single guard in the capitol was there.

A wooden platform had been built on top of the stone floor, and judging by how the table her group had been directed to was the closest to it, Johanna assumed that was where the princes would be for her speech. With that in mind, she picked the seat that would allow her the best view, and stood up straighter when the musicians suddenly stopped playing. Ravena climbed into the platform, calling for the attention of all in the hall.

Johanna could swear she felt the princess’s presence before she even saw her, even though logically she knew it was probably because Lady Ravena announced her presence and the sensation was caused by anticipation. But in her heart, she had felt when the princess entered the hall. The air seemed to become lighter, more fragrant, like she’d suddenly been transported to a meadow of lavender under a clear night sky.

Gracefully, the princess climbed the short steps to the platform, looking as if it didn’t bother her in the least that every eye in the room was locked on her. She was wearing a dark blue satin dress, with silver lace trim and flower patterns. On her head, she wore a veil that matched her dress, and was held in place by her tiara. No matter how many diamonds there were on her crown, Johanna found that her eyes shone much brighter.

“Good evening, soldiers.” She greeted gently. Her voice was heavily accented, even more than that of the other people from the capitol that Johanna had met, her consonants a little too strong. It was absolutely charming. “It’s my pleasure to be in your presence tonight. As you all know, today we were graced with a new group soldiers who are here to continue on their path. Whether your stay at this castle is brief, and you’ll soon return to the Sparrow Fortress to join our army, or you came to join the ranks of our royal guards, I’d like to welcome you to our palace, I can not thank you enough. You are noble and brave people, and without you this kingdom would fall into ruin. The sacrifices you each made to be here have not gone unnoticed, and in the name of all my people, I thank you for your service.”

She spoke to the general audience even though her words were directed at the newer group, looking at the back of the hall while she talked and occasionally fixing her gaze somewhere else. She successfully made all of them feel like they were being honoured, showing that she very clearly had been prepared to know how to speak before a crowd. But for a second, while there was a pause for them to take her words in, the princess’s gaze fell on Johanna, who noticed it immediately. Her face felt hotter at having someone of her station notice her, and though she tried to school her features into looking calm, she was sure her eyes had widened. It felt like her serene eyes could stare right into her soul, like she knew exactly what was going on inside her mind. And then, before continuing, the princess smiled, a delicate lift of the right corner of her lip. Involuntarily, Johanna returned it, though it must have looked more like awed gaping than a smile.

The speech continued after that, touching yet concise and straight to the point. She seemed to value getting her message across over dragging her speech for as long as she could. The group’s anxieties were softened by her welcoming, and their spirits were lifted. Listening to the Princess Regent reminded them of why they had chosen to dedicate their lives to protecting this land.

She was soon done, and Ravena thanked her with a curtsy. The music and chatter returned as soon as she was down from the platform, and she was escorted out of the hall by two guards who were on duty in that moment.

The night continued on, but Johanna’s mind was kept trapped inside the moment when their eyes met and everything that hadn’t been right in the world clicked into place.

_#_#_#_

She had insisted that no reward was necessary. After all, Johanna had done nothing but her duty, and any other soldier in her place would have done the same. The princess, however, wouldn’t hear a word of it, claiming that the woman who saved her from that ferocious dragon should have her courage recognized.

And thus she found herself standing at the doors of the throne room, the Princess Regent herself waiting for her inside. She walked the length of the room with her head held high, and kneeled before the princess. As she felt the clank of a metal sword touch her shoulder softly, she forced herself not to look up. It was only when the princess called her name that she got to her feet.

“My brave savior, in admiration of your feats, I declare you a knight.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” She said, taking in how the princess looked in that moment. Her face looked happy and calm, and she wasn’t wearing a veil. That was weird. She couldn’t remember ever having seen her without a veil on. Everyone always said that this was one of the princess’s quirks, always wearing a piece of cloth over her hair at all times. What colour was her hair again? Black. Her bangs were raven dark, and so was her hair. Yes, that was right. As the princess said nothing more, Johanna continued.

“I am at your service if there’s anything else at all that I may do for you.”

The princess nodded.

“There is another honor you might give me.”

The princess stepped forward into the new knight’s arms, and leaned her face closer and closer…

Until Johanna woke up, alone and completely disoriented from waking up in that place for the first time.

Her room wasn’t bright, but there was enough light coming from the window for her to know that the sun had already begun to rise. She looked to her right. The eyepatch warrior was still sound asleep.

Sighing, she swung her legs to the side of the bed and put her feet on the ground, ignoring how cold the floor was. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep, she began the process of getting ready for the day, as silently as possible so as not to wake up the warrior.

It was hard to ignore her dream, but she tried to push it to the back edge of her mind. Admiring the princess was one thing, developing feelings for someone she’d only seen once, and was far above her station, was unbecoming of the noble person she tried to be.

Still being unsure of how everything worked in the castle, Johanna was cautious as she tip toed out of her room and walked through the corridors, finally finding the common room. It was completely silent except for the crackling of the flames in the fireplace, and empty save for one knight that had been sipping on tea and gazing at the sky’s colour gradually changing outside. She lifted her eyes to the newcomer when she noticed Johanna.

“You’re up early, I see.” Ravena said, with a touch of warmth to her voice. She must have known what it was to be scared on one’s first days at the palace. “How did you spend the night?”

“Very well, my lady. Thank you.”

She got up and walked closer, still holding her cup. “That’s good to know, you have an important day ahead of you. But there still is some time until Erik gives you all your tasks, so tell me, are you hungry?”

Coming to think of it, Johanna realized that she was. She’d been too excited the night before to eat much. A part of her told her that she shouldn’t say so, because maybe Ravena was trying to test her resilience, but her face seemed too open for that to be it.

“A little, yes.” She admitted. The kindness in Ravena’s face didn’t fade for a moment, and she simply nodded.

“I need to return this to the kitchens.” She lifted her cup to show what she was talking about. “Why don’t you accompany me? Breakfast won’t be served for some time, but they will think nothing of it for you to grab something to eat early.”

Johanna waved her hands in front of her in a negative gesture, her eyes wide. “There’s no need, My Lady. I’m sure you could ask one of the servants to do so, and I don’t want you to go all the way to the kitchens just to go along with me. I will wait.”

Looking amused with her, Ravena shook her head fondly. She’d heard promising things about Johanna’s skills from the knights who had been her superiors at the fortress, but she was coming to notice that the woman had a kind heart as well.

“I don’t like to disturb the servants, if I’m being honest. And the walk to the kitchens is no big circuit, you’ll see. No need to be embarrassed, Johanna, I’m here to help you.”

She walked to the door of the common room and held it open for the younger guard to go through first. Johanna thanked her politely, and then fell into step beside her as they left the soldiers’s wing behind.

“If it’s alright to ask, my lady, how do you know my name?” Johanna questioned as they walked along the corridor. The palace showed every sign of being the center of a prosper kingdom. Servants ran around even this early in the morning, lanterns lighting up every corner that the sun still didn’t, and beautiful tapestries gave it all a blast of colour. The scene became even more impressive when it was taken into consideration that that area of the castle was dedicated mostly to servants.

“I just realized that it must feel weird for a stranger to know your name.” Ravena chuckled. “I receive reports from the knights responsible for the training of new soldiers, including the progress of the recruits. They would talk about you often.”

Not knowing how to react, Johanna uttered a nervous “oh” and pretended to be distracted observing the corridors and memorizing the way to the kitchens. She hoped very hard that the reports Ravena had received had been favorable to her, but since the knight didn’t elaborate, Johanna wasn’t sure.

At least she didn’t look like someone who had just delivered a criticism. They both fell into comfortable silence that was only broken when they were greeted by servants, that were usually gone too hurriedly for them to do anything more than nod in acknowledgement.

It wasn’t long before they heard heavy footsteps coming their way, walking down the stairs that spiraled down a smaller tower, hidden by a wooden door from any passerbys. The door was swung open by a tall man in full armor, and behind him two other guards also followed. They weren’t dressed like other guards they’d seen on their way, or that Johanna had noticed the day before. Their armor seemed more well kept and sturdier, and unlike most soldiers, these had capes and wore helms. A deep purple and just big enough to be eye catching but not to present any trouble should they need to fight, the capes had the royal coat of arms embroidered on them. It was a small detail, but the thread that had been used for the golden part of the emblem was shiny enough for it to be noticeable.

The trio greeted knight Ravena and then continued on their way. Johanna had to force herself not to look over her shoulder to catch one more glimpse of those imposing figures.

“Who were they?” She asked, certain that those had been no ordinary guards.

“They are part of the Princess Regent’s guard, you see. They’re the ones responsible for keeping her safe at all times. These three just came out of their night shift, the guards that take morning duty had left just a few minutes before you showed up.”

Johanna blinked. No one had ever told them that there was a division in the guard specific for the princess, though that might have been easy to guess. She was struck by the mental image of herself, wearing that exuberant armor and standing guard on the princess’s door, making sure no harm came to her in important events, being the first to take action should any danger befall her…

Maybe her dream hadn’t been so far-fetched and unbecoming after all.

“That sounds like a very solemn duty.” Johanna commented, trying not to sound too eager. She had barely just arrived there, it would do her well not to forget her place. “How does one become a member of her guard?”

“Oh, it’s no easy task. The King handpicks the best soldiers to protect his daughter. He can’t rule anymore, but he likes to make sure princess Maven is being taken proper care of.”

Johanna grimaced, aware that impressing the king was nothing short of an Herculean task, and was about to look away to try and pretend she had only been curious about it when Ravena put a hand on her shoulder.

“But don’t let that discourage you if you think this is the path you want for yourself.” She tried to comfort the guard with a gentle tone. Lying to her and saying the way to the higher ranks of the military was simple would do her no good, but discouraging her was the last thing Ravena had in mind, especially since she had a feeling the Princess herself would be interested in having someone like Johanna in her personal guard. “It wouldn’t be easy, and it would take some time to get there, but it’s definitely not impossible.”

Smiling at Ravena for a moment, Johanna tried to keep that spirit on her mind. Really, it was more than fair that only the most skilled soldiers could protect the Princess Regent, and she thought she wouldn’t quite feel at ease if she knew anyone less than perfectly ready was keeping their princess safe. Johanna didn’t know if Ravena’s advice had been supposed to be taken as her blessing for her to pursue a place as the princess’s guard, but that’s how she decided to take it.

“Have you ever been in her guard?” Johanna asked, genuinely curious for a moment, before she realized how rude the question could come across. Upon doing so, she gasped and brought her hands to her heart.

“Forgive me, I hadn’t meant to be insulting!”

“It’s quite alright.” Ravena chuckled. “I was offered a place in the princess’s guard, but I never took it. Didn’t seem like a very interesting job for me.”

“Why?” Johanna frowned as she tried and failed to imagine a better job in that whole palace than to defend the pedestal of the kingdom itself, not to mention how much of a fascinating person she was.

It looked as if the woman lost herself in a memory for a second as she stared straight up ahead, a glimmer of something Johanna didn’t understand on her eyes before she answered.

��My dear, I’d try to protect the princess no more than I’d gift a poet with a rhyme.”

_#_#_#_

Ravena had been right, the kitchen staff had had no problem with giving her food early, especially since there were kitchen servants still having breakfast themselves. The two soldiers sat down with them and Johanna helped herself to the simple yet rich foot that they had spread out. The knight stayed with her, both to make small talk to one of the cooks, a grumpy little man who she seemed to have a good rapport with, and to help Johanna on her way back to the common room since it was highly unlikely for her to already have the path memorized.

When they did go back, they could hear Erik’s strong voice even behind the closed doors. The group that had arrived with Johanna the day before was standing in front of the knight, and a few other soldiers were lying around the common room, either returning from night duty or getting ready for their morning one.

“There you are! We were waiting for you to begin.” Erik said, not exactly kindly, to Johanna.

“It’s okay, she was with me.” Ravena assured him, making him pause for a second, trying to make it not seem like he had been about to chasten her.

“In that case, we can proceed.” He gestured for Johanna to stand near her peers. “The two of you will patrol the ground floor, in the North wing. The night shift, mind you. There is currently only three guards in that area during that time, they’ll explain you the details better. In the meantime, get rest, you’ll need it. You! I heard your strength is archery. Right after breakfast you go to the citadel, your job will be protecting the wall and warning if there’s anything suspicious in sight. Once again, the guards who work there will be able to answer any doubts.”

One by one, he told them their duties, explaining to those of them who had come to the palace for a period of training before becoming warriors that they would have to help around the castle, with tasks such as aiding the blacksmith with weapons and helping at the stables before a knight took interest in mentoring them. While that didn’t happen, they were advised to train as a way to both get a knight’s attention and to keep their skills sharp. This one counsel was extended to the guards, as he said it wasn’t just because they already had their jobs that they could stop training.

“Are there any doubts that can’t wait?” He asked when he was done, looking awfully bored with that whole ordeal.

“I have one, sir.” Johanna spoke out as politely as possible, and Erik looked at her like he had forgotten she was there. “I didn’t receive a duty.”

“Oh. Yes, Lady Ravena told me she had something in mind for you.”

Upon hearing her name, Ravena excused herself from the conversation she’d begun having with another knight to turn to her.

“Yes, I do! Lord Alfur requested an increase in his protection, something about a family feud over a real state contract… since your performance at the Fortress was so outstanding, I thought we could trust you with this duty.”

“Ha! What hogwash. That family feud is not going to cause anything, anyway. Lord Alfur sure is a funny man.”

Ignoring Lord Erik’s comment, Johanna grinned and curtsied to Ravena in thanks. She could hear other soldiers whispering about that duty being given to a newcomer guard, because hogwash or not Lord Alfur was an important person in the palace. The man was the private tutor of the Princess Regent’s protégée. It was a bright beginning if she wished to join her guard, eventually, and an accomplishment in its own. She couldn’t wait to write home about it.

“If everybody knows what to do, let’s leave. Breakfast should be served at the great hall any time now and I’m sure you are all very busy.” Erik said as he left the common room himself, being followed by a number of soldiers. Ravena said her goodbyes as she also walked off to attend to her duties elsewhere in the castle.

Everyone left, leaving Johanna all but alone in the common room. Guarding Lord Alfur certainly was promising, but she thought of what Ravena had told her. If she wanted to ever be a part of the princess’s guard, she had to be the best, and she couldn’t settle down just because she’d had luck on her first day. And if she was to be the best, she figured there was no better moment to begin.

So she walked to the right side of the soldier’s wing, where there was a staircase, leading to the individual quarters of the knights and higher ranked guards and warriors, and two doors. One of them was locked, and the other lead to the outside.

The air was still cool, the sun’s warmth not having settled in yet. The sight in front of her was that of an open field until the fortress that surrounded the palace erupted from the ground. She could hear the sound of horses somewhere to her left, meaning the stables couldn’t be very far, but that particular area outside the soldiers’s wing had to be reserved to training, for there were no servants passing by even as the castle began to wake up.

There was another door right by the one she’d come through. It had to lead into the same room that had been locked, but she tried anyway, and this time it opened. It was a dark ambient with little air, the scent of metal and leather very strong. Clearly it was where they stored their weaponry. The light that came in through the door allowed her to take a good look, and she realized that they had less weapons than the Fortress had had, but they were all high quality.

They did look like training weaponry, however. There were fake staffs and swords made of wood, and arrows with no cutting points. Figuring that if these were the weapons used in battle and if the soldiers were not allowed to use them for other purposes, then the door would be locked, Johanna grabbed one of the staffs and closed the door again.

The staff wasn’t a very popular weapon on their land. That fighting technique had been brought by foreign warriors and only few knew how to use it, but Johanna had fond memories with it. Having grown up in a rural village, it was easier to find staff-looking objects than a sword. Her mother had caught her spinning a broom many times, pretending to fight invisible enemies.

She found a deserted area, in front of another tower that she wasn’t sure whether it belonged to the soldiers’s wing or to another, and began warming up. First just spinning the staff and thrusting it forward, getting used to its weight in her hands. Then, she moved on to more complex tricks, whirling backspins and lunging kicks. She wasn’t sure if it was the heat, but it suddenly felt like she was being watched. It wasn’t unpleasant at all, but it was weird. There was no one near her, as far as she could tell, but she still felt the weight of someone’s gaze on her head, and it made her determined to do her best, in a calm and concentrated sort of way. Like she had something she wanted to prove to the invisible gaze.

The feeling was gone after a few minutes, curiously at the same time that she did notice someone watching her. However, she was sure that if someone had been looking at her before, it wasn’t the same person as now. Being near Erik Ahlberg didn’t bring her peace at all.

“What are you doing?” He said, coming from the same way she had, minutes before. He must have just gotten out of the breakfast hall and gone out to train as well. That conclusion couldn’t be right, though, because the man was carrying no weapon, but Johanna was in no position to ask him what his plans were.

“Training, sir. My duty only begins at noon.”

“Training! Ha!” The thought seemed to amuse him for whatever reason, and he brought one hand to his belly as he chuckled. “It’s your first morning in this palace, what brings you to be ‘training’?”

Frowning, Johanna tried to think of an answer. As her superior, she had imagined that knight Erik would encourage training, not frown upon it. And did there really need to be a reason for one to practice their skills?

Erik noticed her confusion, but taking it for artfulness he smirked at her.

“Come on now, don’t be shy. People don’t do more effort than absolutely necessary unless they want something. So what is it you want?”

Not entirely comfortable with the situation, Johanna shifted her weight between her feet. The way he worded it made it sound like something bad, but she would be doing her best even if she wasn’t seeking to rise in the ranks, wouldn’t she? Her path had been chosen because she loved it, becoming the best soldier she could was not just some show of slyness.

“I hope to be skilled enough to one day join the Princess Regent’s guard.” She admitted, monitoring her voice so it wouldn’t sound like a confession. It was nothing to be ashamed of.

Her answer made him laugh even more, and he bent over with his deep chuckles. Johanna just stood there, unsure what part of it was so hilarious but certain that this was not good for her.

“You want to join the Princess’s guard?! You, who only just got here, already having delusions of grandeur? Child, do you know the kind of soldier that joins her guard?”

“The best kind, I was told.” Already feeling her spirit being drained, she struggled not to stutter.

“The best of the best. Knights, highborn warriors who were trained for this duty ever since they were children. A little guard like you has no chance, trust me.”

He looked pleased about delivering her bad news, and it made Johanna certain that he was not the kind of person she wanted to associate herself with. Still, he was a knight while she was just a guard, and she owed him her respect.

“Surely, if one works hard enough-“

“Yeah, save the inspirational garbage.” He cut her off, crossing his arms smugly. “You don’t need to believe me. Take a walk around, look at other soldiers training. You’ll see just how high up one can be and still not make it into the higher ranks. Maybe then you’ll learn a little humility.”

With his head held high, he walked past her to continue on his way to wherever it was he was going. Johanna took a deep breath and got in position for a corkscrew slam, and even though she was aware it was wrong, she knew exactly which form her next imaginary fiend would take.

_#_#_#_

Johanna returned to soldiers’s wing that night considerably less optimistic than she’d left. And it wasn’t because of her legs being sore from standing up for hours, or because of disappointment at the guard who shared that shif with her for all but pretending she wasn’t there the whole day. Those were things she expected and knew about when she chose that path. Rather, Johanna was upset because she had a growing feeling that Lord Ahlberg had been right.

When she had arrived at the door of Lord Alfur’s office to switch places with the guards that had been at his service during the morning, the noble had already been inside, waiting for his pupil so he could restart their lessons. Johanna didn’t get to see the princess’s protégée, but few minutes after she took her place at his door she heard muffled voices coming from the inside, and that’s how she had known the girl had arrived.

She didn’t remain there for long. After two or three hours, the room became silent again, and soon Lord Alfur himself opened the door.

“I wish to go to the library.” He informed. “Would the two of you be so kind as to accompany me?”

The lord was a slim man on the tall side. His hair was so blond it looked white at times, and though he was skittish and peculiar, anyone who spent some time with him could tell he was a person filled with knowledge.

“I heard that the king is going to choose a new member for the Princess Regent’s guard very soon. Do you know anything about that?” He asked as they began walking to the castle’s library.

The casual comment caused Johanna gasp discreetly, turning her head to the lord even though she knew it wasn’t proper to do so. He noticed her with the corner of his eye, but if he was offended, he didn’t say anything.

“I find that unlikely, my lord.” The knight that had been working with her answered, speaking for the first time that afternoon. “There aren’t any soldiers in the castle skilled enough to be trusted with this job. None that haven’t already been in her Highness’s guard, at least.”

“Oh! You’re probably right. I should pay less mind to the servants’s gossip.”

The guard’s answer threw Johanna back. During the morning she’d seen all sorts of soldiers training by the field, each more impressive than the last, and yet they didn’t have what was needed for that job? With time and effort, she knew she could match the abilities of those soldiers she’d seen, but being better than them? To keep her hopes up sounded like deluding herself.

As soon as she was in her room, she removed her armour, sighing as the weight of the metal was lifted off of her body. There were two stands in her room, and she put her armour in one of them. The other was empty; the eyepatch warrior still hadn’t arrived from her duty.

After making sure that the armour was in its proper place, she threw herself on her bed, feeling drained not only physically but emotionally as well. This shouldn't matter so much to her, but somewhy it did.

She didn’t remain in her room for long. Soon the air felt too stale and heavy in there, and she changed the clothing she’d been wearing under the armour for a red cotton dress, warm and soft enough to be comfortable yet proper for a stroll in the palace, not much unlike the dresses the servants wore. She considered for a moment taking a piece of parchment and coal with her to sketch something, but parchment wasn’t cheap and she knew her mind wouldn’t be in it. It would be better for her to wait for a moment when she would be able to dedicate herself properly if she wanted to make a drawing.

Bare handed, Johanna left her room and walked to the outside of the castle through the door in the common room once again. The sun had already set, so even though there was no wind it was cold, but not enough for it to be a bother. She walked left this time, in the direction where the stables were, looking for nothing in particular. Her only hopes were that she’d find somewhere peaceful to hide from her thoughts.

Her thoughts were soon turned elsewhere, however. She stopped on her tracks with surprise when she noticed a garden just ahead of her. There were bushes of roses, violets and marigolds, all extremely well kept and colourful even in the dark. It didn’t go for very long or had many decorations, which made her certain that this was an area focused towards the servants rather than the royal family. It was just big enough to surround the stone bench at its center.

Johanna settled down there, hugging her knees into her chest and looking up at the stars. They weren’t as bright as they had been in the fortress, the light coming from the castle and the capitol that was just beside it blocking some of their shine. It didn’t stop her from finding them gorgeous and trying to remember the constellation names that her mother had taught her when she was a child.

Looking up as she was, it took a while before she noticed she wasn’t alone. There was a girl watching her from the rose bushes, still a kid and wearing simple clothes, her pants and boots tainted by dirt. Probably the daughter of someone who worked at the castle.

“Good night, young miss.” Johanna greeted, trying and failing to keep the weariness out of her voice.

“Oh, you don’t look like you’re having a good night at all.” The girl pointed out, walking closer. “Forgive the intrusion madam, but why do you look so miserable?”

Johanna chuckled mirthlessly, bringing her gaze down to the violets near her left. “It’s nothing to be worried about, rest assured.”

When she looked at the girl again, she was stricken by the absurd impression that her hair was blue. She squinted, and the more she looked the more her mind told her that the young servant’s hair was cyan, a shade close to the morning sky. It was gone when she blinked, and her hair returned to the light shade of brown she had seen at first.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, but I truly have nothing better to do. Go on, I wouldn’t want to know there’s a sad person in this castle that has no one to talk to.”

She’s a funny little girl, Johanna thought, feeling herself smile despite her low mood. She supposed it would do her some good to share her worries with another person, and what harm could it bring? She had done nothing wrong, there would be no consequences if her wish to join the princess’s guard became gossip among the servants.

“It’s my first day at the castle, you know?” The girl sat down beside her when she began speaking, looking up at her with an encouraging expression. “I arrived yesterday with the new batch of soldiers. I always wanted to be a guard at this castle, but when I heard the Princess speaking… she just made a big impression on me, I suppose. So when I learned that there is a specific division of guards to serve her, it sounded like the perfect job. But today… today made me realize that this is impossible for someone like me. The soldiers who get chosen for this duty are so many levels beyond me. Mostly they are highborns who were trained to protect the royal family since ever. I’m just a farm girl, you see. But I’ll be fine, I already have the job I always wanted, I just shouldn’t have gotten my expectations so high.”

“Sounds like an awful lot of trouble to go through just to protect the princess. How do you even know she’s as interesting as you think she is? Appearances can be very deceiving.”

“It’s not just appearances!” Johanna protested. “I’ve admired the princess since she rose to her father’s throne. It’s not only about how she looked or spoke. I remember when the eastern regions had a crisis with their plantings, she was able to solve it and maximize their production in barely no time at all! In every village arts and research have been encouraged where before our rulers hadn’t cared about them at all, and believe me when I say the results have been extraordinary. Not to mention her compassion. One time my great aunt told me she’d never seen as little hunger in our village as now, all because of how Her Highness pays attention even to those who can’t cater for themselves.”

For some reason, the girl looked pleased, and even impressed with her answer. She hadn’t been accusing the princess, Johanna realized. She had only wanted to hear how she would defend her.

“Well… if you’re such an admirer, you’ll probably like to know the princess is going on a diplomatic mission in two weeks. She was invited to mediate the making of a treaty between Cirillan and Freith, I believe, those two have been at the brink of a war for years now. The point is, she always takes at least one of the newer soldiers on these missions, in order to… see their skills for herself.”

“Truly?” Johanna lifted her eyebrows in surprise. It seemed way too lucky for that to be real, not to mention that the girl sounded quite well read for someone of her station.

“Truly! I’ll give you a tip, even. Most times, when a soldier gives her a-“ The girl was silent for a beat, but she hid it as a quick pause for air. “A token of their loyalty, she is more likely to pick them. I’d do that, if I were you.”

“Okay…” Johanna nodded slowly, wrapping her head around that information.

“Oh, and don’t tell anyone I said this. The, uh, token thing is supposed to be figured out by the soldiers themselves, and this mission she’ll be going on is completely secret, alright?”

“Wait!” She turned to the girl abruptly, not accusingly but still wary. “If it’s secret, how do you know about it?”

The girl shrugged. “She told me, of course.”

“Pardon me if I’m being rude young miss, but why would the Princess Regent tell you something like that? Do your parents or yourself work directly for her?”

The girl’s eyes widened, and her mouth formed a perfect circle. She chuckled as she looked down at her clothes, realizing what the guard must have taken her for, but then her laughter gained strength until she had to try and stop herself so as not to be impolite.

“Forgive me, I just realized I never introduced herself! She told me all that because I’m her ward.”

Though she was sitting down, Johanna nearly fell backwards on the floor, the information hitting her like a punch to her face. She remembered vividly the gossip that had spread through the fortress and the villages when the Princess Regent had taken a protégée. There were all sorts of theories as to why she had gone through the trouble of taking in a child, especially when she was so young and there was still much time for a match to be made and biological heirs to be produced. No answers had come, but people stopped questioning after some time. As long as they weren’t hungry, the people weren’t really interested in what Princess Maven did. All these memories came flying back to her as Johanna looked at the girl, slack jawed.

All this time, she had been talking to the future princess herself.

“Lady Hilda!” She exclaimed, hastily dropping down on her knees in front of her. “Forgive me, my lady, I had no idea!”

“Hey, hey, it’s alright! You didn’t do anything wrong, and I’m the one who asked you why you were unhappy. No need to kneel down, either. I’ve always found this a little weird.”

Johanna stood up on her feet immediately after she said that, her heartbeat suddenly quick. A servant’s daughter could do nothing against her with that information. The princess’s ward, on the other hand, could ruin her life with a snap on her fingers. Her only relief was that the child didn’t seem at all malicious, and nothing she had said sounded like she was interested in sabotaging her.

“You… do still look like you’ve seen a ghost, you know. I assure you you have nothing to worry about! Maven won’t hear a word about all this, my lips are sealed.”

“R- really?” Johanna stuttered, feeling uneasy despite any assurances.

“Of course! I’ll keep your secret as long as you keep mine.”

Second chapter

The glass was cold under her fingertips when she touched it, considering opening the window so she could have a better view of the field beneath the tower.

Everyone in the castle knew that it was in that tower where the princess spent most of her time, her office being in one of the tallest rooms in it, so people never lingered nearby. Because they were not comfortable about being where their ruler could see them so easily or because they didn’t want to block her view, Maven didn’t know. The fact was that at that very moment, there was someone there.

Maven recognized her as the guard she’d noticed the night before, a part of the new group of soldiers who had just arrived at the palace, which explained why she wasn’t aware that that specific part of the courtyard wasn’t commonly used by anyone. The princess firmly believed that she hadn’t come to that place in an attempt to show off to her. That soldier didn’t strike her as the type to do so.

She was going through fighting formations and techniques, Maven realized. The princess watched with interest as she held her staff with both hands and upheld it on her left shoulder. Swiftly, she swung it, her whole body following the twist, until she finished in a wide stance, her upper body lowered to keep her balance and the staff being held behind her back. Then, she went back to standing up, taking a deep breath before she got into position again. The rays of morning sunshine lit up her hair, making it look like bronze at times. Maven was distracted by how pretty it looked on her, not paying attention to the stance the soldier had taken, with one tip of the staff pressed against the ground. Because of that, she gasped in surprise when the soldier jumped, supporting her weight on her staff and extending her left leg in a kick.

As she came to the ground again, she didn’t even waver or lose her balance in the least. The soldier was certainly very skilled, especially for someone so young. She couldn’t be much older than Maven herself, the princess thought.

Her attention was taken away from the training guard when she heard an amused giggle behind her back.

“Looks like the great Princess Regent is falling for someone.” Hilda teased her. Given that Maven hadn’t noticed her before, she assumed the girl had just arrived. Subtlety had never been her strong suit.

“Where would you get that idea from?”

Looking like she’d just gotten hold of precious information, her ward walked closer to look out of the window, not missing it when Maven tried to block her view.

“For starters, you’ve got that look on.”

“I don’t have a look.”

“Yes, you do.” She insisted even as the princess crossed her arms stubbornly. Maven could pretend all she liked, but Hilda knew well enough that she wasn’t angry, and most importantly, that’d there was something going on. “It’s the same look you get when you look at a new book or a good poem. Besides, Ravena told me you sounded very curious about one of the new guards when she talked to you after their welcoming… did you at least get their name?”

The princess turned her face away from Hilda, slightly annoyed at Knight Ravena for having told this to her ward. She’d done nothing wrong, not really, but she really should have worded that differently when talking to her ward. Everybody knew that the girl had the tendency of letting her imagination get the best of her.

“I was interested in Johanna because she seemed eager to do right by her duty. That’s a precious quality to have in a soldier.”

“Aha!” Hilda exclaimed, looking like she’d gotten Maven to admit she was in love even though the princess had just informed her that her interest in the soldier didn’t go beyond how good of a guard she was. “So you did get a name!”

“Oh, honestly.” Maven groaned. “Hilda, shouldn't you be with your tutor right now? Lord Alfur must be waiting for you for your lessons.”

Hilda nodded. She’d just come into Maven’s office to wish her a good day before she began working, planning to run to class straight away, but the opportunity of pointing out that she looked on the brink of lovesickness had been too good to pass.

“Fine, but this discussion isn’t over!”

After running to Maven to give her a hug, Hilda hurried out of the room, leaving the princess shaking her head in exasperation and trying her best to ignore the twinge of truth to the girl’s words.

_#_#_#_

Save for when they sat down for their meals with the king and queen, the two of them didn’t see each other during the day. It wasn’t uncommon for that to happen. As the Princess Regent, her duty often filled her days with never ending yet crucial tasks, and that only made her cherish this moment even more.

She knocked before entering Hilda’s quarters, receiving a cheerful “come in” from the inside. The girl had already tucked herself into bed, and the room smelled like oranges and oak from her soap, which told her that Hilda had just come back from one of her strolls through the woods. She always liked to take a bath after doing so.

Once inside, she lifted her veil from her head and folded it over one of the arms of the coat hanger by the door. After spending the whole day wearing it, it felt good to take it out even if just for some moments, and she ran her fingers through her hair briefly.

“How has your day been, Hildie?” She asked gently, as she took her usual seat in the armchair by the side of her bed. Ever since she’d taken the girl in, when she was a small child and could barely speak yet, she’d made a point of keeping up with the little ritual of reading to her every night. In the beginning, the only purpose of it had been to form a bond between them strong enough that Maven didn’t have to worry about a plot to overthrow her when Hilda got older; she was a firm believer that every single ruler that got backstabbed by their successor could have prevented their fate simply by being a decent enough parental figure. But with time, their relationship came to mean more to her than she could have expected and that moment became one she looked forward to every day.

“Very good! What about yours?” She restricted herself to saying. In reality, she felt like laughing victoriously. That morning, she’d left Maven with the certainty that what she felt towards the new soldier was more than just some admiration. All that had been left for her to do was find out how Johanna felt about the princess. With that in mind and having been told by Ravena that that one specific guard would be assigned to Alfur, she’d asked her teacher to casually mention an opening in the princess’s guard and watch her reaction. He hadn’t been very comfortable with the idea of telling a lie, but after some insistence he budged.

Hilda hadn’t even needed to wait for her next meeting with him to get a hint of how Johanna felt. Instead, she’d had the luck of being able to all but get a love confession from her. There had been no doubt left that there were feelings on both sides, even if Maven did hide them better, and Hilda thought she’d done quite a good job of coming up with a plan on the spot. Granted, it was reckless to divulge secret information around, but she didn’t think the guard would spread anything about the mission around. It wasn’t like she had anything to win from it.

“Oh, it was interesting.” Maven told her. Truth be told, she’d spent the day feeling distracted because of her conversation with Hilda in the morning. It would be ridiculous to claim to be growing feelings for someone she had never even properly met, but she had accepted that there was a reason why her ward’s comments had stuck with her. There was nothing wrong with admiring someone’s attitude and beauty, she thought when she allowed herself to admit that she did admire the soldier.

They shared some more words on how their days had gone. What Maven had done for the kingdom, what Hilda had learned from Lord Alfur, and whatever else they wanted to share, until they eventually came to the reason Maven visited her every night.

“Very well.” She said, opening the book she’d brought along with her on her lap. “Today I wanted to tell you the tale of the pink river dolphin. It comes from a land in the south, I’ve always found it very interesting. How does that sound?”

“Lovely!”

At her consent, Maven began reading her the story. It was short, but enough to make the girl’s imagination run wild. No matter how many tales she heard, she thought she’d always be amazed at the magic they had.

“Goodnight, then.” Maven sighed after finishing, getting up from the armchair. “Good dreams and don’t let the faeries whisk you away.”

“Wait!”

The princess lifted her eyebrows as she stopped on her tracks to give Hilda her full attention. Usually at the end of the story she was sleepy enough to not say anything else to her.

“I’m curious… you haven’t yet picked the guards to come with you on your way to Freith, have you?”

After years living with Hilda, Maven had gotten used to all sorts of weird questions, but this was still unusual enough to catch her unprepared.

“No, I have not. Why?”

“Nothing!” She answered way too quick for it to be a truth. “I just think you should have some time to reflect well on your decision, is all.”

She squinted at the girl, whose only reply was to try and make her own face as angelic and innocent as possible.

“Alright, if you won’t tell me what you’re planning I’m sure I’ll figure out soon enough.”

After grabbing her veil from the coat hanger again, she was gone to her own room.

#I beta read this so fast there must be a ton of mistakes #sorry kgjhfjhgj #hope yall enjoy it anyway #fic: l&h #my fic #sketchbook ship #sketchbook ship hilda #hilda librarian fanfic #johanna hilda fanfic #sketchbook ship fanfic #hilda's mum fanfic

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safetytank · 5 years ago

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“Running Away To Join The Dalish”

we see this crop up a lot in the games, with varying levels of permanence/success depending on the character (Wynne’s apprentice Aneirin, Feynriel (temporarily), Zevran, Felassan(?) etc.) but like, there’s gotta be way more of a spectrum of experiences that would be fun to explore

- so you’re a city/rural/enslaved non-dalish elf in Thedas, and your life objectively sucks

- tracking down a dalish camp alone has to range from “it’s chill, i live out in a little village in the hinterlands, it’s just like tracking a big herd of deer” to “i’ve literally never left Denerim as long as i’ve been alive and am now wandering around the Brecilian Forest with a duffel bag full of Ye Olde Kraft Singles”

- if you’re lucky, u live out in one of those remote areas where a camp would feel ok settling down in the nearby woods for a bit, & running away is as easy as “hey guys i see you came in to trade with us very cool very cool would you happen to be taking applications at this time please say yes please please please please please”

- what’s the expected ratio of “omg yes! :D come with us and embrace ur heritage da’len! :D” vs. “ew no fuck off flat-ear” in clans, & what are the factors for or against u pleading your case? does this particular keeper prefer child converts bc they pick up the culture more easily, or are adults with useful trade skills the hot commodity? are they down if you wanna bring your whole family bc they’ll finally get some genetic diversity into the clan bloodlines? would a crueler keeper demand you leave your children/spouse/elderly parents behind to prove your dedication? are u subjected to tests or refusals you’re then supposed to overcome to show how badly you want to join?

- (obvs, being a mage is probably several points in ur favor regardless of any other factors)

- (at what point are u let in on the whole “yeah we started the 3 Mages Per Clan rumor for safety reasons, it’s not actually a thing we do bc that would be dumb as hell lmao”)

- is having fought/killed someone a yea or a nay on your application? does it showcase ur ability to harden urself and do what must be done to protect urself and ur loved ones and therefore makes u worthy of training as a warrior, or are u a dangerous criminal that shouldn’t be allowed into a peaceful clan that minds its own business? can u plead ur case if it was circumstantial or self-defense? if it was a human? if the knowledge of what you’ve done torments u in the middle of the night? if ur willing to undergo some rite of redemption before ur allowed to be considered a clean slate rather than a violent liability?

- are there general guidelines for how long ur “probation” period is if they finally let u join? how many months or years do u spend at the bottom of the social totem pole, being given the extremely unglamorous grunt work & mucking out a whole lot of halla pens before u prove you’re not gonna peace out bc the nomadic lifestyle just isn’t for u? at what point are u allowed to partake in the more spiritual aspects, begin learning the language, speak to other clan members as an equal? at what point are u allowed access to the fragments of history they hang onto so tightly, beyond the folklore and stories they tell their kiddies before bedtime? at what point is it implied you’re allowed to start thinking of what you’d like for your vallaslin?

- what’s the New Convert procedure if ur clan picks up a newbie right before the 10-year Arlathvenn? are u like “ok we can’t really leave u with a sitter so just stay in the wagon and don’t embarrass us while the grown-ups are talking”

- if ur clan picked up someone new and found out they were kind of a dickhead (or, if they weren’t but ur keeper walks the line between “pragmatic” and “a bit of a sociopath”) would u bring them along to the Arlathvenn anyway as a trading pawn in order to barter for someone u liked better?

- what happens if ur traded to another clan that decides they don’t actually like u all that much and leaves u to fend for yourself in some wildly unfamiliar part of the continent? what happens if you’re caught up in some sort of inter-clan pissing contest & how well u assimilate will either honor or shame the clans involved? Are u expected to parse and navigate the slight differences in theological interpretation between clans all by yourself? Do they take it real goddamn personally if ur like “but in clan XYZ they told me--”?

- what’s the surprise turnaround when ur knowledge of shems comes in handy at a crucial moment & prevents some terrible disaster from befalling ur new fam? what’s the value of ur external perspective shedding light on what are still extremely insular communities? what’s the moment u whip out some newly-developed skill or piece of trivia/news they hadn’t heard of due to their disconnect from everything else in Thedas and the whole clan goes :OOOOO

- at what point is stealing a halla for a joyride considered Fun & Wacky Clan Memories and not Incalculably Disrespectful, i must know

#dragon age #dragon age: origins #dragon age 2 #Dragon Age: Inquisition

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leagueimagine · 5 years ago

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Aatrox headcannons for a fem! Reader who’s missing an arm from an old injury but she’s still a spectacular sword master?

Aatrox was, of course, causing chaos in a nearby village of the one you live in, and to protect it, you and other warrior decided to take care of the darkin, with little or no hope it would actually work.

And surely, you all lost, but you noticed that Aatrox keep his sharp eyes on you, watching your every movement as you hold your sword high at him, you’re not going down easily, he laughed.

“What happened?” He pointed at your arm, and that got you a bit surprised, he’s really happening what happen to your arm. “You’re more worthy than those idiots.” He hisses as he eyed the others. “You may be useful to me.”

It was NOT your first option to make a deal with a Darkin, but you agree if he leaves your village alone and doesn’t kill the others, Aatrox agree with your terms as he picked you and set you on your feet as if you’re a small child. “Come, there is nothing else to kill here.”

You’ll notice Aatrox arm as well and notice it’s the same one you lost, one day he’ll reach down at your shoulder and just like magic glowing red energy involved you and settle on a ‘new’ arm, you are surprised and he grinned. “It’s a gift.”

#aatrox #aatrox x reader #aatrox league of legends #League of Legends #league of legends headcanons #league of legends headcanon #league of legends imagine #league of legends x reader

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alwaysahiccupandastrid · 5 years ago

Text

(Some of) My Favourite Quotes from the How To Train Your Dragon movies

��This is Berk.”

“There’s Fishlegs, Snotlout, the Twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and...*voice crack* Astrid. *cue heart eyes*”

"You sir, are playing a dangerous game. Keeping this much raw... Viking-ness... contained?! THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!" // “I’ll take my chances.”

"Well, between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't you think?"

“Excuse me, barmaid! I’m afraid you’ve brought me the wrong offspring - I ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms, extra guts and glory on the side! This here? This is a talking fish bone!”

"It's not so much what you look like, it's what's inside that he can't stand."

“You need to stop all...this.” // “You just pointed to all of me.” // “Yes, that’s it! Stop being all of you.”

"Oh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife, or their mug. No, not me. I manage to lose an ENTIRE DRAGON?!"

"Oh, man! I should've gone first! 'Cause I was thinking, you know, we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough... Bread-making Vikings? Or small-home-repair Vikings?"

"Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it."

“Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain, love it."

“What’s the first thing you’re going to need?” // “A doctor?!?”

“Get back to bed, ya overgrown sausage!”

"Toothless? I could've sworn you had... teeth."

“Ha! It’s like the size of my- AHHHH!”

“I AM HURT, VERY MUCH HURT!”

"Everything we know about you guys is wrong."

“SON OF A HALF TROLL, RAT EATING MUNGE BUCKET!”

"Uh, you're right, you're right, you're right. I'm through with the lies. I've been making... outfits. So, you got me. It's time everyone knew. Drag me back. Go ahead. Here we go."

"OW! Why would you DO that?!"

"That's for the lies! And that's... [Drops the butt of her axe on Hiccup's groin]... for everything else!"

“Da-da-da, we’re dead!”

“And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile.”

[Punches Hiccup] "That's for kidnapping me... [Kisses him on the cheek] That's for everything else."

“They’ve killed hundreds of us-!” // “And we’ve killed thousands of them!”

“You’re not a Viking. You’re not my son.”

“Three hundred years and I’m the first Viking who wouldn’t kill a dragon.” // “...First to ride one though.”

“I wouldn’t kill him because he looked as frightened as I was...I looked at him, and I saw myself.”

“So? What are you gonna do?”

“I knew it. I’m dead.”

“That’s for scaring me!” // “What, is it always going to be this way, this-?!” // *kisses him* // “I...could get used to it.”

“THAT’S MY FUTURE DAUGHTER IN LAW!!!”

"Oh, what? You want an apology? Is that why you're pouting, big baby-poo?"

"Well try this on! [hugs him, tries to wrestle with him] Oh, you feeling it yet? Huh? Picking up on all of my heartfelt remorse?"

“He's down! Oh, and it's ugly! Dragons and Vikings, enemies again! Locked in combat to the bitter--[Toothless pins Hiccup] --AAHHHhhhh..."

[After Toothless licks him] "You KNOW that doesn't wash out!"

"So, what should we name it?" [Toothless scratches his armpit] "Itchy Armpit it is."

“Son, we need to talk!-“ // “Not now, dad, I’ve got a whole day of goofing off to get started.”

“What you’re searching for isn’t out there, Hiccup - it’s in here. Maybe you just don’t see it yet.”

(Slow motion) “Oh my 😏 me likey... take me...!”

"I don't know. It's kind of hard to wrap my head around, to be frank. It's not everyday you find out your mother is some kind of... crazy, feral, vigilante dragon lady." // “Well...at least I’m not boring!”

“...he got me back. Right, bud? You couldn't save all of me, could you? You just had to make it even. So,..peg leg!”

"Never take a toy from a dragon. Don't you know anything?"

“This is why I never married - this, and one other reason.”

“You’re as beautiful as the day I lost you.”

"That's your mother?" // “Well, now you see where I get my dramatic flair!"

“May the Valkyries welcome you and lead you through Odin's great battlefield. May they sing your name with love and fury, so that we might hear it rise from the depths of Valhalla and know that you've taken your rightful place at the table of kings. For a great man has fallen: A warrior. A chieftain. A father. A friend.

“He always said you’d become the strongest of them all - and he was right.”

“You have the heart of a Chief and the soul of a dragon”

“A Chief protects his own.”

“It wasn’t your fault, bud...they made you do it...please, you’re my best friend...my best friend.”

"Yeah! Take 'em down, babe!"

“Now do you get it? This is what it is to earn a dragons loyalty!”

“He’s challenging the Alpha!” // “To protect you!”

“See..I told you it was in here.” (Punches his suit, making his wings sprout up)

“The Chief has come home!”

"This is Berk. A bit trampled and busted and covered in ice, but it's home. It's our home. Those who attacked us, are relentless, and crazy. But those who stopped them, oh, even more so! We may be small in numbers, but we stand for something bigger than anything the world can pin against us. We are the voice of peace, and bit by bit, we will change this world. You see, we have something they don't. Oh, sure, they have armies, and they have armadas. But we... we have... OUR DRAGONS!”

“Ohhh I know you’re a demon, no human legs are that skinny!”

“That’s really just a nitwit who forgot to fire proof his butt.”

“Astrid, I had him right where I wanted him.” // “And now he’s right where I wanted him.”

“I thought this was supposed to be a stealth mission?” // “Yeah, they always start that way.”

“Mmm, gorg-e-ousss...Watch the hair!”

“Hang up those saddles and get married.” // Tuffnut: “The M word.” // Ruffnut: “Gross. Unless it’s me.”

“Marry him, please. You’re the only one with any sense around here. With you wearing the pants, there’s still hope.” “Wow, Gobber! Not awkward at all!”

“Hiccup...this is Berk, son. It’s our home.”

“Even Night Furies?” // “Especially Night Furies.” // “Those are scary!”

“Well, we could just take Gobber’s advice and tie the knot. That should fix everything! But hey, if you’re having doubts about yours truly, I’m sure Snotlout is still available.” // “He only has eyes for your mom.” // “OH, playing dirty now, huh?” // “You asked for it...looks like there might be a wedding after all...”

“Okay okay; you win! You always win!” // “You knew what you were getting into.” // “Uh-huh, right.”

“It’s more like a Bright Fury-.” // “A Light Fury!” // “...Yeah, yours is better, probably...”

“Bud, what’s gotten into you? What is all this slobbering and panting?” // “Isn’t it obvious? He’s in love!” // “Trust me, relationships are nothing but pain and misery. (*Astrid lightly hits him*) Ow... What did I just say?!”

“Show these nay sayers, of which there are many, that you are more than just a malnourished runt with bad hair, strange teeth and a twig for a neck.” // “You're-you're really bad at pep talks.”

“I'll give him a piece of my mind. And by mind, I mean fist!”

“Did you miss the part where we almost died? Have you seen my house?”

“Look, I know this is our home - my father left me to protect it. But Berk is more than this place. WE are Berk! The people, the dragons! I say Berk is wherever we go!”

“We have to fight for their freedom.”

“Furies mate for life, you see.”

“Ah don’t mind him - it’s not your fault you have the body of a Norse God. I myself have that same problem.” (Tries to flex, back cracks painfully)

“Who died and made you Chief?” (*everyone groans/Gothi hits him*)

“Can we lose the whole honking goose thing? It’s hard to imagine wedded bliss with that going off every minute.”

“I’ll go with you, for protection-.” // “(quickly) NO...(pause)...you’re far too important here.”

“Oh, now you can draw!”

“Save it for your girlfriend! Go on, get out of here!”

“About that leg...lose the limp, no ones gonna marry that.” // “I have a prosthetic leg!” // “Yeah, and I have a parasitic twin but you don’t see me limping around about it!”

“I feel like how Ruffnut feels every day: dumb.”

“Odin be spanked!”

“I try to avoid looking at her because she gives me acid reflux.”

“If they’re stuck with Ruffnut, I’m more worried about them.”

“I know what you're thinking. You've never had a prisoner this hot.”

“Oops, you let the dragons out! They’re gonna get you, no this ones gonna get you...!”

“Now that’s a king.”

“Dad? Are you gonna get us a new mom?” // “I don’t want another. Your mum was the only woman for me. She was the love of my life. But with love comes loss, son. It’s part of the deal. Sometimes it hurts, but in the end, it’s all worth it. There’s no greater gift than love.”

“Well, you’re right. You’re back to where you started. But I was the first to believe in you, and I have watched you doubt whether you’re worthy ever since. I am the person I am today because of you. I never told you that but it’s true. You’re the bravest, most stubborn, determined knucklehead I know. Toothless didn’t give you that, Hiccup. He just made it...” // “Easier.”

“So what are you gonna do about it?” // “Probably something stupid.” // “That’s the Hiccup I know.”

“You’re right, bud. It’s time. I was so busy fighting for a world that I wanted, I didn’t think about what you needed. You’ve looked after us for long enough. Time to look after yourselves.”

“Oh, Stormfly...my good girl.”

“So long...you big ugly beast. I’ll miss you.”

“Go on, bud. Lead them to the Hidden World. You’ll be safe there. Safer than you could ever be with me. It’s okay. I love you too. And I want you to be free. Our world doesn’t deserve you. Yet.”

“Go, Toothless...Go.”

“There were dragons when I was a boy. Ah, there were great, grim sky dragons that nested on the clifftops like gigantic, scary birds. Little, brown, scuttly dragons that hunted down the mice and rats in well-organized packs. Preposterously huge sea dragons that were twenty times as big as the big blue whale. Some say they crawled back into the sea, leaving not a bone nor a fang for men to remember them by. Others say they were nothing but folktales to begin with. I’m okay with that.”

“He’s not going to eat your father!”

“Legend says that when the ground quakes, or lava spews from the earth, it’s the dragons, letting us know they’re still here, waiting for us to figure out how to get along. Yes, the world believes the dragons are gone, if they ever existed at all. But we Berkians, we know otherwise. And we’ll guard this secret until the time comes when dragons can return in peace.”

#i wish i could put the entire scripts of all three films tbh #httyd #how to train your dragon #httyd 3 #how to train your dragon 3 #httyd 2 #how to train your dragon 2 #hiccup horrendous haddock iii #hiccup haddock #astrid hofferson #hiccstrid #snotlout jorgenson #valka haddock #stoick the vast #stoick haddock #ruffnut thorston #tuffnut thorston #quotes #fishlegs ingerman

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