#valkyrd

[maimedaffair]

❛   i can feel you staring , you know. ❜ it's enough for the illyrian to pause &* peek over her shoulder at the redhead. an amused smirk curves her lips. it's not as if she can blame gwyn for this ------------ ever since ramiel , there's been a substantial change to emerie's physical health. namely : her wings were restored. it was something she kept to herself until now. too good to be true , she hadn't wanted to jinx it. but as she sits on the outer rim of the training area late into the night , her wings are fully extended to enjoy the wind. before , they hadn't been able to extend very much at all. truth be told , she hasn't tested flying just yet. nerves. hadn't intended to let anyone see this much yet either ----- if it had to be anyone , she's glad it's @valkyrd.

[gentlestaar]

[ … ] ⇢   @valkyrd ♡  𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝒶 𝓅𝑜𝑒𝓂 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃.

lips press together tightly, as silver hues bore into gwyn's gaze. it mirroring her own, her lip twitching slightly to see which would crack first. the other female is pink in the face, already suffering at velaria's hand. ❝ it has to be you! ❞

[deathsconsort]

“ you’re important to me. you hear me? you’re important. and that’s never gonna change. ”

it felt like a dam had broken inside her, she bit down on her lip to keep from sobbing as she flung her arms around gwyn and clung to her. the words were ones she didn’t realize she longed to hear. for so many years nesta has felt inconsequential, being made and starting a new life in prythian only amplified that feeling. time and time again she has failed where eventually it ate away at her, she allowed the wolves circling her mind to pounce and devour her fully because she had felt utterly useless. it was better to give up, to stop trying, rather than continue to fail. therefore, in the bloodrite when she had a chance to save her friends, to give them a shot at winning, she gladly stood under the pass of enalius with the intention of not surviving. it would be worth dying for emerie and gwyn.

and what she had done to gwyn…she was surprised the female still spoke to her. it was just another thing to add to her list of things she felt guilty for. this hug, the sobbing, it was reminiscent of their embrace on the mountain. when nesta believed it would be the last time she would see her friend. “thank you,” her words were muffled against gwyn’s shoulder, which was not damp with nesta’s tears. she repeats her words. nesta doesn’t bother to wipe the tears flowing freely down her face as she pulls back to look at gwyn. “you’re important to me too. it’s why i had to knock you out during the bloodrite. i couldn’t lose you.” a small hiccup sounded out of her. “gwyn, i don’t think you or emerie realize just how much the two of you mean to me. what the two of you have done for me.”

[starbind]

punches cassian REALLY hard in the arm for not sticking up for his mate better 😤

liiiisten...i'm BEGGING for gwyn to give him a piece of her mind lmao the man deserves it!!!

[loath3d]

the blonde grins widely as she sees gwyn approach, and it takes everything mor has to keep herself from squealing with excitement. they'd been seeing each other more often lately, a fact that has her feeling... proud of the priestess. excited for her, even. ❝ what brings you inside the house of wind at this hour? ❞ she'd been talking to cassian for a while, had been avoiding azriel, but was now about to leave when she'd come upon the other female. not to mention, it's nearly midnight. ❝ are you here for nesta? ❞

starter for / @valkyrd

[littlequeens]

starter for gwyn @valkyrd from margaery <3

❛ what is the night court like ? I don’t imagine it’s night constantly, though, I’m having difficulties imagining anything else. have you been living there long ? ❜

margaery asks her escort, breaking the silence of the last few minutes. that was where she was being ushered under her fathers command. velaris, the city of dreams. she could hardly believe it! very little was known about the night court, and when it’s high lord and lady had tentatively opened their boarders for trade and alliances, her father had leaped at the opportunity to send his only daughter there as a ward for the next year. to watch, listen, learn. the carriage rolled along the dirt path quietly, the beautiful hills of the spring court rolling by through the window. she’d never left her court before, and while it was easy to imagine how other seasonal courts might appear, she couldn’t help the curiosity that bubbled up inside her regarding the solar courts.

[youfought]

❛ travel is never without risk. ❜ @valkyrd

"nothing in this life is ever without risks, i've learned."

bow and quiver rest on your right shoulder, as you turn to glance at the priestess, the valkyrie, the woman who looks behind wavy auburn hair covering clear eyes. you know little about gwyneth berdara, other than what nesta has told you- which is not much, for nesta is reserved of her friend's life, and you respect it. still, what you know is enough to understand why she would be aprehensive of such a long journey. you wonder, for a moment, how can someone withstand being locked behind a barricade of books for days and nights, when does fear become your own prison, one you covet and craddle.

still, gwyneth looks like she wants to spread her wings into the world, and you smile as you offer a curt nod of your head, "i know you must think i have lost my head. perhaps i have. but i need to do this. if the high lords won't lift a fucking finger to help their people, then i will. just like you and nesta want to do."

in another life, you think, gwyneth would have made a fine archeron woman, "once i have reached sangravah, i will send you a letter. it...uh, it may not be written by me, because i'm not particuarly good at that yet," not that you will ever be, most probably, "but i'll let you know if i found the children," your smile dares to become more than a mere tug of your lips, and you take the valkyrie's hand, "until we meet again, gwyneth, please, take care of my sister."

[rosmoure]

@valkyrd asked for a starter from this meme.

soft brown eyes are upon the woman, a small tug of her lips she's smiling at her gently, the wire poking at her delicate skin, causing some blood so spill out of her index finger. a sigh releases from her lips, after the 4th time. "would you do it for me gwyn?"

[skjaldaer]

"you are strong," your voice denotes a certain amount of pleasant surprise; the sword drips on the blood of an enemy prisoner, slaughtered by the redhead, trickling to the dirt and mixing with the mud of the storm.

"you are also an exceedingly vicious warrior" you hadn't expected it, perhaps blinded by your hubris, you had underestimated the girl. Perhaps a sense of familiarity strikes upon you right now, creating a resemblance between the two of you. You have also been underestimated far too many times - shield maidens are warriors, a queen is a weapon...but nobody truly forgets what's between your legs, "you've proven me wrong, and i seldom am," a bow of your head shows your respect for the other woman, and you lean back against the rotten trunk of a tree, "watch those feelings, though. you fight with your heart burning - try not doing that next time." @valkyrd

[youbloom]

"oh! i knew your hair would look really beautiful with these flowers," you smile, wide and bright as you step back to admire your handywork. the white lilies weaved through the valkyrie's auburn hair hum and chirp with content - they feel at ease close to the other fae, you can tell.

"i may have overdone it a bit with the lilies, though, but i think it was worth it," you laugh, bringing a finger to your lips to study the long braid coiled around gwyn's head. usually, when the flowers are plucked from the ground, they cry as they know their lives run shorter now. however, the lilies seem to not mind being braided into gwyn's hair. you assume it is because of the woman's kind energy. nature knows to recognize a good soul.

"do you like it? oh, please say so! i think you look stunning!" @valkyrd

[f1ameheir]

❛   by gods . . .   ❜ her voice was near breathless when it sounded in response to the other. lost in another world as she explored the breathtaking library velaris held home to , aelin seemed to all but forget others lurked in the shelves. aelin collected herself , fixing the books that dangled from her arms from the fright , before looking back to the auburn haired girl before her. ❛   you scared the hell out of me.   ❜

@valkyrd liked for a starter

[deathsconsort]

@valkyrd

how can things change so drastically in such a short amount of time? one moment she was blissfully happy with her mate, excited to tell him they were expecting. she saw their future so clearly, the two of them ruling the dusk court together, their friends by their side, and them spoiling their baby with so much love. it was perfect and more than nesta could have dreamed for herself, so it shouldn’t have crushed her the way it did when that future crumbled right before her. whenever things seem to be going well and she’s happy it never lasts long, something always happens to ruin it.

however, there was one blessing; the fact that she didn’t tell cassian about her pregnancy before he made his decision. she still didn’t know all the faerie laws, didn’t know if any existed for such a situation, nor did she care. she didn’t know if she would have been stuck there in the night court or if rhysand would have forced her to stay because she was carrying cassian’s baby. not that she’d listen to him, but it would have made things more complicated. and there was no way she was going to tell cassian about the pregnancy in an attempt to get him to go with her, she couldn’t stand the thought of him only agreeing because she was pregnant.

upon rebuilding the dusk court and setting up the valkyries, as well as welcoming people to live within the court, nesta had been keeping her pregnancy hidden. using her magic she is able to disguise her scent, not covering it up completely but just enough to alter it so no one can detect she’s with child. thankfully it takes a good few months for a bump to show and when it started to it was small enough for her to cover it with looser fitting gowns and blouses. the last thing she needed was someone finding out and gossiping about her, then somehow getting to the night court. a visit from cassian was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

nesta was nearing six months now and it was beginning to be impossible to hide her bump or how easily tired she became. she knew this day would come, but she still didn’t know what to do or how to tell her friends, if they’d react badly or think her a horrible person for keeping it a secret from them and the baby’s father. nearly every night since becoming high lady she contemplated her plan, lying in bed wide awake as the thoughts nearly suffocated her. and still she doesn’t have the faintest clue on how to go about it.

her best plan had been to invite gwyn to her chambers for a girl’s night, slumber party included if she wanted to end up sleeping in the same room with her once she told her the truth. maybe it was cowardly, but she didn’t want to tell emerie and gwyn together in case the reaction wasn’t one she’d hoped for. one of the wondrous things about this palace was that it was alive in the same way the house of wind was, whether they’re connected or just similar was unknown to her, but it gave her comfort. it had laid about a bunch of sweet treats for them, books ( some of which were questionable smut ), tea and juice, materials for bracelet making, and a table filled with things for manicures. nesta wore an oversized fuzzy sweatshirt and pajama shorts, knowing it probably looked a bit ridiculous since it was still summer.

they were a little over an hour into their girls night when nesta finally conjured up enough courage…if gwyn was going to get mad at her and leave she’d rather her do it now rather than when they’re too deep into it. they sat on nesta’s bed while making bracelets, nesta now better at braiding the string than she was when gwyn first taught her. “so..” she started. her eyes didn’t stray from the bracelet she was working on. “there’s something i’ve been meaning to tell you and i waited so long because i didn’t know how to tell you or anyone. i still don’t. and i’m afraid of what you’ll say. but i know it’s impossible to keep hiding it.” nesta blew out a big sigh and looked up from her bracelet to gwyn. “i’m pregnant…nearly six months pregnant.”

[rhysie]

" sorry, i thought i saw you doing something suspicious. " — @valkyrd

the scent of dust & old books fill his scents, his posture tense as he rifles through shelves desperately. it's clear rhysand doesn't know exactly what he's looking for, couldn't even dare to ask for help — anything, that could give him answers: how to save feyre, how to save the babe. death looms over his shoulders, nearing closer & closer as her stomach swells. for once, he's rendered absolutely helpless. every healer has given him the same answers, & every time he had to try his hardest not to completely shatter in their midst.

all he has left is to search old texts — however few & far between they are. which lead him here, barely holding himself together, a swirl of shadows subconsciously looming around his figure as to spare the priestesses from seeing him like this. it's only his search hits a wall that the fog falters, hand running through his hair, so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed gwyn there. with an inhale, rhysand's gaze softens, head dipping down in greeting. he can be on edge anywhere else, but here ... here, he'll regain his composure, lips flickering into a polite smile that doesn't quite meet his eyes. " ah, not to worry. feyre has me searching for a romance novel, embarrassingly enough. perhaps you have some recommendations? " he'll admit: not his best lie.

[fightfirst]

Nesta had always prided herself on being above most idle things. Gossip, unnecessary news, baseless chattering and the like… However she couldn’t deny the little twinge at the corner of her mouth when it came to talking to Gwyn and Emerie and the inevitable gossip they found themselves falling into. Oftentimes Nesta had lost herself in the balance of being happy to have found a sisterhood among the valkyries and feeling gut-wrenching guilt for abandoning the sisters she had in blood. The twisting and tugging back and forth that could give her a physical headache if tempted never seemed to ever go away. Sure, it quietened and subdued… but it was always there.

“So.” Nesta began, eyes scanning the library for any listening priestesses or visitors that may be within earshot of them. Only continuing once she was certain they were more or less alone in their conversation “Have you… talked to him again?” Talked perhaps not quite being the correct word but it is the one she chose to use instead of the word she was sure would make @valkyrd look like a deer in a hunter’s crosshairs. She couldn’t ask Gwyn in the middle of the library if she’d eaten Azriel’s face again without the poor girl going beet red, so she had to be clever about it all. It was so contrasting to her and Cassian… There was a quiet part of Nesta that wondered what it must have felt like to have been so new to this whole world. She never gave herself the chance to be, if she even remembered it at all. "Please tell me you have at least actually spoken to him?"

[yousought]

also i always got the idea that az was drawn to potential partners he felt could "protect" in a way? Like with mor's backstory and now elain... i think it stems from his self loathing, his desire to not feel like a monster or a killer... but tbh may also stem from a bit of hubris on his part? Like he immediately wants to fall into "silent knight protector role". And i feel that with gwyn it won't be like that, which is why i always thought them a good match, even with just a few hints yet. With gwyn, they feel like true equals, whereas with mor it felt like he put her above himself, and with elain he put her beneath himself as weak so he can be her "protector".

[dayqyeen]

* an independent portrayal of 𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙣 penned by sugarplum. low activity, story driven, & slightly canon divergent. est jan 2024.

traversing the themes of the loss of self, repression in all its forms, morbid depression, the intersectionality of choice and fate, childloss, found family, & the reclamation of autonomy.

this blog follows the theory that elain was pregnant with graysen's baby when she was submerged in the cauldron, which resulted in its loss. please proceed with caution is discussion of miscarriage is upsetting to you.

i have zero interest in elriel. i detest the way azriel treats her and canonly? she is quite sick of being coddled ( and stripped of her accomplishments ) too. i'm willing to explore their brief flirtation but it will always culminate in her choosing her own path with more than a little resentment towards him there.

themes of self harm and suicidal ideation will be present throughout and will be tagged to the best of my abilities.