#thee achilles

[thee-achilles]

how i see myself (libra rising w jupiter in the 1H)

vs how others see me. (cancer mc with saturn in 10H and moon in 11H)

[lavena]

Captain Marvel head cannon again.

Thinking of all the, JL travel through Caps psyche for one reason or another, but instead of Billy's memories they get Marvels, so all of the past incarnations (which billy has had to witness too) at their lowest point.

Let's just say a champion is not given these powers and set free, they must learn where such power comes from.

So in this case they see Wisdom be found through betrayal

Strength found through destruction

Stamina through suffering

Power through sacrifice

Courage through loss (very very specifically a situation like Patrolucous and Achilles. Love, family, soul mate dies and courage is found through the loss of all you hold dear)

Speed through negligence

These are all just ideas of what they could be, really riding on the idea of the JL seeing captain, or someone so opposite of the captain find the one they love dead in a war, and just screaming in agony, getting up and doing what Achilles did. ( destroying damn near all of an army single handedly, then, without care for themselves, no food, no breaks, brutally enforcing a barrier and dragging a dead body behind them one person stacked behind the other, line in the sand but the line is blood and the sand is a battle field) just something so horrific and heart breaking that the JL may never be able to look at the cap as soft ever again

And for the new folks these are the powers specific to patron Solomon (wisdom), Hercules (strength), Atlas (stamina), Zeus (power), Achilles (courage) and Mercury (speed)

[ordinarily-unordinary]

Book recs please

YA Greek mythology book recs pretty please(I've read daughters of Olympus(Hannah Lynn), Circe (Madeline Miller), and the graphic novel for the Iliad(Gareth hinds) I've also read most of the riordanverse books) Also can someone tell me what chapter the r@pe thingie with patroclus in TSoA is so I can skip it (I'm triggered by that kinda thing)

[hella1975]

saw a zuko edit to achilles come down on tiktok and thought of you 🙏🙏

as you should ❤️

[black-is-beautiful18]

No cuz let’s talk about it. When it comes to the book community, y’all are some of thee most anti-intellectual people I have ever seen. We say address problematic writers and the themes they put in their books and y’all say “It’s just a book! Let people read what they want!” Y’all get on the internet complaining about long paragraphs and saying y’all skip paragraphs and dialogue as if that makes any sense. Y’all can barely grab ahold of the themes of racism, grief, generational trauma, or the experience of being Black at a white institution in LegendBorn because you’d rather focus on the 5% of romance as if romance can’t also be political. Yet somehow you refuse to read books by Black and Brown authors cuz they’re “too political.” It can be right there in your face and you’d still use the excuse that reading is your escape so you don’t have to pay attention to those things when those things literally drive the book along with the characters. Percy Jackson is about a boy trying to dismantle the system of the gods cuz they got a bit too much dip on they chip and it literally almost always leads to their own children dying. Not to mention they suck as parents too. I’ve yet to read The Poppy War but it’s based off of an actual war. It’s historical freaking fiction. Rin literally sees a chance to have control over her body and takes it. Don’t think I don’t remember y’all being mad about that either. Y’all love The Song of Achilles as if it’s also not about war, touches on the romantic relationship between Patroclus and Achilles after historians have tried so hard to deny that they were in fact lovers, and let’s not forget the misogyny littered throughout the text that’s either there purposefully or the fault of the authors own biases. Like y’all are dumb and you don’t care.

[angelsdean]

it's kind of baffling to me that the fandom that has 91w as one of their popular fics (and so so many other war AUs) also has so many people who don't seem to understand what the phrase "brothers in arms" actually means and that it has literally nothing to do with seeing each other as literal Siblings and that being "brothers in arms" AND having romantic feelings for each other are not mutually exclusive things.

"brothers in arms" simply means: men who serve together in a conflict, especially war (which destiel literally did. many times.) and also, "By extension, brothers in arms are men who share a very close, strong relationship." which destiel literally does have a very close, strong relationship. a profound one, even! also, achilles and patroclus anyone?? literally thee definition of "brothers in arms" AND lovers.

[incohorace]

I saw a man this morning Who did not wish to die; I ask, and cannot answer, If otherwise wish I. Fair broke the day this morning    Against the Dardanelles; The breeze blew soft, the morn's cheeks      Were cold as cold sea-shells. But other shells are waiting      Across the Aegean sea, Shrapnel and high explosive,      Shells and hells for me. O hell of ships and cities, Hell of men like me, Fatal second Helen,      Why must I follow thee? Achilles came to Troyland     And I to Chersonese: He turned from wrath to battle,     And I from three days' peace. Was it so hard, Achilles, So very hard to die? Thou knewest and I know not— So much the happier I. I will go back this morning From Imbros over the sea; Stand in the trench, Achilles,      Flame-capped, and shout for me.

— I Saw A Man This Morning, by Patrick Shaw-Stewart

(context and some incoherent opinions below)

CONTEXT: Shaw-Stewart was a British soldier in WWI. His only poem, ‘I Saw A Man This Morning,’ was written in a period of rest before returning to fighting and was published posthumously. He was killed in battle in 1917.

this is one of my all-time favourite poems. like, it lives rent free in my head and sometimes i just recite it to myself and go insane the repetition of ‘hell’ in the fourth stanza and then its echo in the name helen?? like omg? and those last two lines – ‘stand in the trench, Achilles, / Flame-capped, and shout for me.’ SCREAM i struggle to form coherent thoughts about this poem but yeah it’s pretty awesome

[bikananjarrus]

the pipeline of “i chose her because i couldn’t imagine we’d ever be friends” to “hold on, seaweed brain. you’re not getting away from me that easily” is going to be sooooo satisfying. like 12-year old percy ‘clown energy’ jackson doesn’t even KNOW that in four years time annabeth is literally going to become his anchor to the mortal world, his actual achilles heel. thee best friends to lovers story of all time methinks

[the-goddess-of-annoying]

I would like to hear about how the arranged marriage of Achilles's parents fucked him up.

basically Achilles doesn't know how to cope with the fact that he's human

i should preface this by saying that i'm going off of the Achilleid for a lot of this. the Achilleid was written centuries after the Iliad, and by a Roman, but i think Statius's Thetis would explain a lot about Homer's Achilles.

okay so when i say "arranged marriage" what i mean is Zeus wanted to have sex with the Nereid Thetis but then found out that there was a prophecy that she would bear a son greater than his father, so he went "shit okay can't have that, who's a mortal that i like-- hey Peleus! wanna marry a goddess?"

so. Thetis is a goddess married to a mortal. Thetis did not want to marry a mortal. she didn't choose this, and she was not prepared to have a mortal son. she has no idea how to cope with the fact that her son will someday die, and she has raised him to be equally maladapted about his own mortality. she sees the fact that she was forced to marry a mortal man as monumentally unfair both to her and to Achilles, because if she had had a child with another god instead, then Achilles would be a god. she likes to remind him of this.

(like. at one point in the Achilleid she carries him across the ocean in the middle of the night while he's asleep, and when he wakes up and goes "where am i??", her answer begins "If, dear lad, a kindly lot had brought me the wedlock that it offered, in the fields of heaven should I be holding thee, a glorious star, in my embrace, nor a celestial mother should I fear the lowly Fates or the destinies of earth. But now unequal is thy birth, my son, and only on thy mother's side is the way of death barred for thee")

(her answer finishes along the lines of "now put on this dress". we never hear her actually tell Achilles where he is. although presumably he finds out at some point over the course of the next year)

and this is why, when Agamemnon offends him, his response is to get Zeus to help the other side in order to punish Agamemnon, even though that's going to affect way more people than just Agamemnon. it's way over-the-top for a mortal, but it'd be a perfectly reasonable and measured reaction for a god (which Thetis believes Achilles should be, so of course she agrees with this plan and goes to Zeus for him). divine wrath baby

[rfallfish]

I've seen people talk about the song "Achilles Come Down" as though the main interpretation of it should be that it's literally about the Trojan War. This gets into tricky situation, because more than five people have decided that the two minor singing parts are Patroclus (who is trying to get Achilles to take care of himself) and Ulysses (who is trying to get Achilles to go back to fighting).

This interpretation falls over itself because it doesn't take into account the fact that Patroclus does try to convince Achilles to fight again. It's in Book 16. He calls Achilles "unpitying" for his refusal to fight on.

"Let Greece at length with pity touch thy breast, Thyself a Greek; and, once, of Greeks the best! Lo! every chief that might her fate prevent, Lies pierced with wounds, and bleeding in his tent: Eurypylus, Tydides, Atreus' son, And wise Ulysses, at the navy groan, More for their country's wounds, than for their own. Their pain soft arts of pharmacy can ease; Thy breast alone no lenitives appease. May never rage like thine my soul enslave, O great in vain! unprofitably brave! Thy country slighted in her last distress, What friend, what man, from thee shall hope redress? No: men unborn, and ages yet behind, Shall curse that fierce, that unforgiving mind. "O man unpitying! if of man thy race— But sure thou spring'st not from a soft embrace, Nor ever amorous hero caused thy birth Nor ever tender goddess brought thee forth. Some rugged rock's hard entrails gave thee form, And raging seas produced thee in a storm, A soul well-suiting that tempestuous kind, So rough thy manners, so untamed thy mind.

[thee-achilles]

having jupiter in the 1H vs having saturn in the 10H

[one-girl-swaying-alone]

guess now who holds thee? not death, but love.

“King”, Florence and the Machine/ “Caught”, Florence and the Machine/ “The Rage of Achilles”, Giovanni Battista/ “We Used to be Friends”, Searows/ Sonnets from the Portuguese 1, Elizabeth Barrett Browning

[biblicallyaccuratethespian]

woe. gwiles/ghostflower web weave be upon thee.

Talk to You by Ricky Montgomery | Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe | suente from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig | soufrise from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig | Orpheus Mourning the Death of Eurydice by Ary Scheffer | All I've Ever Known (In Spite of Herself) from Hadestown | Battle Cry by The Family Crest | falesia from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig | Unkown / Nth by Hozier | Alone Together by Fall Out Boy | Marigold by Mother Falcon | heartworm from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig | The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

[sheepstiel]

jenson achilles, geekiest guy ever and thee original deangirl: i'm here to cool it this nerdy event up

[moeitsu]

The Tie Which Linked My Soul To Thee

Summary: A fisher of men and A strange encounter.

Ao3  Wattpad Masterlist - All Chapters Ch.1 Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7 Ch.8 Ch.9 Ch.10

Tags: Arthur Morgan/Original Female Character, Widowed, Original Character, Mutual Pining, Slow Build, Eventual Smut, Eventual Romance, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, High Honor Arthur Morgan, Friends to Lovers, Child Loss, Trauma, Canon-Typical Violence, Arthur Morgan Does Not Have Tuberculosis, Arthur Morgan Deserves Happiness, Chubby Arthur Morgan, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Ch 2 - The Snow Is On The Grass Again

The chill of May lingered as Kate set up camp near the riverbank, where patches of snow still clung to the ground. With the water icy cold, bathing was out of the question, but she found comfort in the soothing melody of the flowing stream. Nearby, Lorena grazed peacefully as Kate hummed a tune and cast her line, hoping for a catch to satisfy her hunger.

It had been two weeks since her stagecoach heist with Arthur and Hosea. Since then, Seamus hasn’t given her any more dubious tasks, and she hasn’t seen the two men either. She went back to being a ranch hand for a bit until she told Seamus it was time she moved on again. She followed the river south until she found a suitable spot to set up camp for the night. 

It was a beautiful sunny day, but still chilly enough for a jacket. "It's cold, but at least the fish don't seem to mind," Kate remarked to herself as she felt a strong tug on her fishing line. With a flick of her wrist, she hooked the fish and began reeling it in, “Cmon now don’t fight too hard,” she mused to herself. 

Lorena whinnied for attention "easy, girl," Kate murmured, as she made a noise behind her again. "Let me pull this in first." Suddenly, the quiet scene shattered as Lorena squealed in fear, her hooves pounding the ground. Kate's heart raced as she spun around, spotting a small copperhead slithering toward her mare.

"Sh-shhh, it's alright, it's just a snake," Kate reassured, her voice trembling slightly. But Lorena, in a state of panic, bolted downstream. With a grunt, Kate abandoned her fishing pole and chased after her horse. "Lorena! It's okay, girl, you're alright!" she called out, her voice echoing over the rushing water.

Though reluctant to admit it, Kate knew this wasn't the first time Lorena had been spooked. Usually, the mare's restlessness signaled impending danger, but snakes remained her Achilles' heel. It was a fear Kate couldn't rid her beloved horse of, even if she tried. Not that she ever would.

As they rounded the bend of the river, Kate lost sight of Lorena, but the mare's hoofprints remained etched in the sand. With a silent prayer, she pressed on, hoping her companion hadn't ventured too far.

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━

"Think this spot looks good, Uncle Arthur," chirped the little boy from his saddle as they neared the riverbank's edge.

"I think you’re right Jack. Let's give it a shot and see if we can reel in some fish," Arthur replied, guiding Belle to the sandy shore and helping Jack dismount.

Taking the smaller fishing pole from Arthur, Jack asked, "Where should we stand?"

"Right by the shoreline, just follow me," Arthur directed, leading Jack to the water's edge. "See those ripples? That's where you'll want to cast your line. Just aim for that, and you'll snag 'em."

“I wanna try!” He exclaimed impatiently while Arthur baited their lines with cheese. 

"Okay kiddo, watch me. Hold the line over your shoulder like this," Arthur demonstrated, guiding Jack's movements. "Now, swing it forward smoothly, using your wrist, not your elbow."

Jack mimicked his uncle's actions eagerly. "Like this?"

"Exactly! Well done, Jack. Now, all we do is wait for a fish to take the bait," Arthur said proudly, as Jack beamed up at him, standing closer by his side.

As Arthur watched Jack with a mixture of pride and guilt, he realized how long it had been since they'd spent quality time together. Since their escape from Blackwater, life had been a whirlwind of tasks assigned by Dutch and taking care of the camp, leaving little room for personal time. He was about to leave camp again when Abigail asked if Arthur would watch Jack for her. Dutch would most likely make a comment about it later, but at the moment he couldn't care.

After a minute of peaceful silence, Jack looked up at him again with a curious expression. "Uncle Arthur, can the fish see us?"

Arthur chuckled at the unexpected question. "Well, not exactly like how you see me. It's a bit blurry for them, I reckon," he replied, scratching his head at the complexity of explaining fish vision to a four-year-old.

"Oh, okay. Can they hear us then?" Jack fired another question.

"Pretty much the same, I suppose," Arthur replied with a grin. "They can hear us, but not as clear as you and I can hear each other. Why all the questions, Jack?"

"Do fish talk?" Jack pressed on, undeterred by his uncle's attempt to change the subject.

Arthur smiled and shook his head. "Well, Jack, do other animals talk?" he countered, hoping to steer the conversation in a different direction.

Jack paused for a moment, pondering the question. "Hmm, nope. Can't think of any," he admitted.

"Exactly. So, no, fish don't talk," Arthur affirmed, looking down at Jack, who seemed lost in thought, gazing at the grasses behind them.

"Uncle Arthur, I'm bored," Jack suddenly declared, breaking the silence.

Arthur let out a quiet sigh, realizing his attempt at fishing with his young nephew hadn't been the most thrilling activity. "Yeah, I figured as much," he muttered to himself. Louder, he addressed Jack, "You know what? Why don't you go explore? Just stay close to me, alright?" But before Arthur could finish his sentence, Jack darted off toward a nearby pool of rocks.

As Arthur continued fishing, lost in his own thoughts, he heard the loud approach of hoofbeats. Instinctively, he jumped to intercept the approaching stranger before they could draw too close to him and Jack. To his surprise, the horse charging toward him was unmistakably Kate's, riderless and wild.

"Ain’t that Kate's horse?" Arthur muttered to himself in disbelief, raising his hands in a futile attempt to calm the agitated mare. "Easy, girl, it's alright," he murmured soothingly.

Jack, drawn by the commotion, hurried to join Arthur, his eyes wide with excitement. "Whoa! Where'd that horse come from?" he exclaimed.

"Stay behind me, Jack. She's spooked, and I don't want her to accidentally harm you," Arthur cautioned. As he tried to assess the situation he recognized it was indeed Kate's horse but was unable to recall its name. Peering down the riverbank where the horse had emerged, he found no sign of its owner.

With gentle words and a steady hand, Arthur coaxed the horse into submission, finally gaining control of the reins. "What kinda trouble you in, girl?" he wondered aloud, stroking her snout.

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━

As Kate followed the hoof prints of her mare, she rounded another bend in the river and finally spotted her beloved horse. "Oh thank god," she murmured, letting out a relieved sigh. Right before realizing there were two figures accompanying Lorena—a burly man and a small boy, both appearing to have been fishing.

About to call out her gratitude, Kate stopped as the man turned, revealing himself to be Arthur, the same man from the stagecoach incident. Surprised yet somewhat pleased to see him, memories of their previous encounter flooded back, particularly their pleasant conversation during the ride back from Carmody Dell. They had talked about their horses and she knew Lorena was in good hands with him.

"Mr. Morgan! I can't thank you enough. I hope she didn't cause you any trouble," Kate called out, jogging to meet them. Arthur looked up at the sound of his name, visibly relieved at her arrival, replied, "Miss McCanon! I was a little worried when I saw your horse come through here without you."

"She got spooked by a snake, that's all," Kate explained, petting Lorena affectionately. "She's a bit dramatic, though," she added with a hint of amusement.

As a small face peeked around Arthur's frame, Kate smiled warmly, realizing it must be his son. "Your horse is very pretty, miss," the boy remarked shyly. 

“Thank you, would you like to pet her?” She asked with a smile, the boy nodded, “she’s a little shy so just go slow, let her come to you.” The child looked up at Arthur and only approached once he nodded a go ahead. 

"Getting tired of Seamus' dubious stagecoach business, I take it?" Arthur teased, prompting laughter from Kate. Their banter flowed effortlessly, she found Arthur refreshingly different from most men she encountered. He had a playful and protective aura, with a bit of something else that made her incredibly intrigued. Or maybe it was just because he was handsome.  

Kate smiled and shook her head with a laugh, “not quite. Just about time I move on I guess. I was only passin’ through. I see you’re still here enjoying the countryside though, haven’t given up on robbing stagecoaches yet?” She teased back. 

Before Arthur could respond, the boy blurted out, "Uncle Arthur and my daddy robbed a—" Arthur swiftly intervened, diverting attention away from the boy's revelation.

"Kids have wild imaginations," Arthur chuckled nervously, steering the conversation back. "So, um, where are you heading? Camping around here?" he inquired.

So Jack is his nephew, Kate smiled to herself, these two were adorably entertaining, her heart panged slightly at the memory of what her life could have looked like. Her grief still makes itself present in the cracks of her being even after all these years. "Just going west, no place in particular. My camp is just downstream," she replied, gesturing in the direction she came from. 

Jack tugged on Arthur’s sleeve and motioned for him to bend down, with a slight roll of his eyes he kneeled down to his level, “can we invite her back to camp?” The boy whispered not so quietly. 

“Jack you can’t go inviting every stranger you meet back to camp,” he spoke sternly, “you know we’re on the run, we gotta be safe around here.” He added quietly, the boy looked up sadly but nodded in understanding. Arthur entertained the thought of inviting Kate back to the camp, he knew she was taking on odd jobs and constantly on the move. Maybe it wouldn't hurt if she stayed for a few days. He would never admit it, but he was a little disappointed they didn't cross paths again in the two weeks since the heist. 

“Ah, hell, why not” he breathed, turning back to Kate, “It’ll get pretty cold tonight, winters still not through in these parts. My camp is up on Horseshoe overlook,” he took his hat off bashfully, “If you’d like a warm fire, and some good company, you're welcome to join us.” 

As Kate was about to respond to Arthur's invitation, the rhythmic thud of hooves interrupted them. Two men in detective uniforms descended toward the water, casting a shadow over their gathering. "What a touching and complex circumstance we have here," one of the men remarked as he dismounted, while the other leveled his rifle at Arthur. Sensing danger, Kate instinctively stayed close to her horse.

Protectively, Arthur positioned himself in front of Jack as the man approached. "Arthur, is it? Arthur Morgan?" he inquired, his tone heavy with accusation. 

"Who are you?" Arthur countered, his voice tight with tension. 

"Yes, Arthur Morgan," the man echoed, “Van Der Linde’s most trusted associate, orphaned street kid seduced by that maniac's silver tongue. And matures into a degenerate murderer.” He finished. 

Arthur's tension escalated, leaving Kate astounded. She harbored suspicion that there was more to him than met the eye, but the revelation of being wanted for murder caught her completely off guard. Despite the shock, she found herself even more intrigued by the supposed outlaw.

“I’m agent Milton, and this is agent Ross,” he gestured to the other gentleman holding the rifle. “We’re with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. It's nice to finally meet you,” he looked over at Kate and added, “and you as well miss. Who might you be?” 

"Madeleine McCanon," Kate responded, opting for a false name to distance herself from whatever was about to unfold. Agent Milton pressed further, questioning her connection to Arthur.

“Do you know this man?” He inquired, but before she could answer he continued, “because we sure know him.” His tone, that of a detective accustomed to authority, carried a hint of arrogance, as if he relished the prospect of confrontation.

“Oh do you?” Arthur said coldly. 

“He’s a wanted man, Miss McCanon,” he said, turning to face her, “There's five thousand dollars for his head alone.” Kate glanced a look at Arthur but made no sign of her surprise. 

Arthur chuckled, "Five thousand dollars? For me?" He glanced around casually. "Can I turn myself in?" he quipped.

Agent Milton's expression remained stern. "We want Van der Linde. A man matching his description robbed a train belonging to Leviticus Cornwall a few weeks back."

Kate's memory jolted as she recalled reading about the robbery in the paper. It was carrying money to fund a new oil rig off the Wapiti reservation. Thousands of dollars were stolen, but none of the passengers on the train were injured. 

“Ain't that a little old fashioned nowadays?” Arthur attempted, trying to sound innocent.

“Apparently not,” Milton deadpanned, “this is my offer Mr. Morgan: You bring us Van der Linde. And you have my word you won't swing.” 

“Oh, I ain't gonna swing anyways agent Milton. You see, I haven't done anything wrong, aside from not playing the game by your rules.” He argued condescendingly. 

Milton's tone grew sterner. "I appreciate this society." 

“You enjoy being a rich man's toy!” Arthur snapped back. 

“You people venerate savagery, and you will die savagely,” Milton emphasized. 

Arthur's voice dripped with defiance. "All of us are gonna die someday, agent, some sooner than others." 

With that, Milton turned on his heel and walked toward his horse. "Good day to you, Mr. Morgan," he said as he departed. "And if you know what's good for you, Miss McCanon, stay far away from this man. Unless you want to end up dead like his friend Mac Callander."

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━

Arthur cursed under his breath, " fuck ." He turned to face Kate, Jack looking between them, unsure of what to do next.

Feeling like a complete fool for inviting Kate back to camp, Arthur realized he had just given away Dutch's whereabouts and Milton exposed their crimes to her. He had hoped she would be safe for a night or two at camp without knowing their true identities, but now, with everything at stake, he wrestled with the decision. The lives of his gang were paramount, but involving an innocent woman in their mess weighed heavily on his conscience. He would never force her, but with everything at stake now he hoped she would still come back with him. Or else she might go inform the authorities of their whereabouts.

“So, railway workers from the North huh?” Kate questioned, breaking him from his thoughts. 

“If you’ll let me explain miss-” he started, unsure what was about to come out of his mouth. 

With the revelation of Arthur's true identity and the dangers it presented, Kate found herself torn between fear and curiosity. While her instincts screamed at her to flee from these outlaws, there was an inexplicable pull towards Arthur. Despite the fear gnawing at her, she couldn't shake the connection she felt with him. There was something in his eyes, a vulnerability masked by his tough exterior, that resonated with her own struggles.

"I'll come with you," she said, her voice steady despite the uncertainty swirling within her. "I've never been one to shy away from a little danger, and besides," she added with a wry smile, "I've always had a knack for finding trouble."

Arthur looked at her, a mixture of surprise and gratitude flickering in his eyes. He knew the risks she was taking by choosing to stand by him, but he also couldn't deny the feeling of relief that washed over him.

His gaze softened and he bent down to lift Jack up onto his saddle, “well, it’s getting late. Want to head back with us?”he asked, settling himself in behind the boy.

Kate nodded and answered, “I’d be happy to. Let me grab my things from camp and I’ll meet you back here,” she replied, gracefully mounting Lorena. 

With those words, she cantered off downstream, disappearing into the fading light.

“Why did those men ask where Uncle Dutch is?” Jack questioned, his voice tinged with innocence.

“Because… well, those are disagreeable men. And they want to hurt Dutch.”Arthur explained, his tone grave.

“Like they hurt Mac?” Jack's voice was small, filled with concern.

Arthur hesitated, then replied, “Ahh don't worry about Mac, I’m sure he’s alright wherever he is. They were just trying to scare us is all,” he patted Jack's shoulder reassuringly., “the world is full of disagreeable men. That’s why you got all of us, to protect you from folk like them.”

“Is that why you invited Miss McCanon back to camp, to protect her from the bad guys too?” he asked innocently.

Arthur chuckled, masking his uncertainty. "Uh, yeah, something like that," he replied, the corners of his lips twitching. He wasn't sure why exactly he invited Kate to stay with him, sure, he didn't like the idea of her being alone in the cold. But why did he care? Something about the woman intrigued him, and it wasn't just her pretty horse.

Unexpectedly, Jack's voice piped up again. "Uncle Arthur, what does 'fuck' mean?"

Arthur's laughter bubbled up, realizing the boy listens more than he cares to let on. "It means your mother will slap me if she hears you say that word," he joked, relieved for the distraction.

At that moment, the steady beat of hooves announced Kate's return.

[goest-and-fuckest-thyself]

Patroclus, 🍀

It has been many lifetimes since we have met once again. I thought, maybe, Briseis would’ve been my fate this time round. Though, now that I have gazed upon you, known you; I realise who you are.

In this lifetime we have been confused, my affluence in our first meeting being exchanged for your abuse and suffering. I would know it again, simply to comprehend your torture in our life before.

You do barely know or comprehend my soul in this life, how I would love you the same as I did before. Yet, I wait for your remembrance of our times in the ether, our energy and souls melding into one; for you to recognise my soul as your own.

I cannot say that I await you patiently; for I do not. I beg, plead, and pray for your return to me, knowing that in this life, we shall once again be separated by The Fates.

Oh, to know you once again, when I see our shared light in your eyes, without the prejudice of your forefathers, or the skepticism of your mind. Patroclus, I would once again give my soul for you, to await at the banks of the Styx for your preferment.

I shall forever be drawn to thee, my dearest friend. Though you have thirsted for the spoils of honourable life and death, I now hope to be enough to quench such thirst.

I love you. In perpetuity.

Achilles ✨