#we have conquered this city!”
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Heists!
F: And there’s an entire scene, which I love, which goes by in about, what? Three pages? Where, once they’ve crossed the river and they’re invading this city, and the whole point is that someone has discovered that Emhyr is under sex/romance pollen and has kidnapped Geralt to hold as hostage, and they’re going to get him back. And there’s this scene where Emhyr gives like three orders and they keep going— and you’re in Ciri’s point of view, which is really effective because you can’t be in Emhyr’s point of view. Which I think we’ve talked about lots before. If you’re writing the Machiavellian mastermind, it’s much less effective if you’re seeing what he’s thinking.
A: Yes.
F: So you’re either seeing Geralt’s point of view or Ciri’s point of view through the entire fic. And this entire series from Ciri’s point of view, you just see him give like three different orders that just seem a bit weird, and then two pages later he turns up in front of this thing and is like, “As you can see, we have conquered this city!” and suddenly the three orders that he made make sense.
[M cackling delightedly]
F: Because he is literally bluffing his way into invading an entire city with a very small force, and you see it all fall into place.
A: Yeah.
F: That’s where you’re just like, “astolat...why.”
A, sobbing: Whyyy?!?
F: How?!
M: He orders the ships in the harbor burned and the main square torched, but not actually fighting with the troops who are stationed there. He kind of just goes around all of the fires.
F: And then he finds some extra horses and puts some people on the extra horses, so it looks like—
M: So he’s running around like, it’s like Birnam Wood has come to Dunsinane, you know?
A: That’s exactly what it’s like, actually.
M: And then he’s like, “As you can see, if your eyes are sharp, my ships are coming to reinforce me,” and everyone is just like—
F: Then he just gestures to this cloud of smoke.
M: Yeah. [laughs]
A: It’s so good.
M: Ciri is just sitting there with stars in her eyes because, you have to understand, she is an imperial heir but she doesn’t really know her father. She’s been on the road stabbing zombies for most of her life. And is like, “Why can’t I stab it?” And Emhyr is like, “Because politics.”
#writing POV#Machiavellian mastermind#As you can see#if your eyes are sharp#my ships are coming to reinforce me#and everyone is just like—???????#Then he just gestures to this cloud of smoke.#And this entire series from Ciri’s point of view#you just see him give like three different orders that just seem a bit weird#and then two pages later he turns up in front of this thing and is like#“As you can see#we have conquered this city!”#suddenly the three orders that he made make sense.#Be The Serpent#SerpentCast#The sex pollen fanfic episode
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While being undead is mostly downsides, at least you can visit that city in the Negative Energy plane. Bunch of towers built inside a giant metal sphere that drifted into the plane after their homeworld died then all the survivors died in a zombie apocalypse. Not a single living resident left and all the politicians are liches and vampires squabbling for power with a vampiric minotaur making all the factions shut up and get along while he encourages planar research in what is probably a bid for ruling the universe. It's probably a riot in there. Like dead evil Sigil without the philosophy, and it's a ball instead of a doughnut on a stick.
Unless an undead villain has a holiday home there I am not impressed.
#I have no idea whether Heart of the Void ever cropped up outside of the Manual of the Planes 3.5e but it sounds delightful#It should have its own DnD setting#Like Vampire: We Don't NEED a Masquerade or something#...I imagine it's kind of a cross between VtM WtO and a MtA chronicle set in a Horizon Realm that's somehow suspended in Oblivion#In the Divorce Timeline Vel moved in there and Astarion's Very Deliberately not invited.#No point being a pair of vampire divorcees if you're not being extremely petty about it#Have fun conquering the human city from the shadows Clueless I'm going to start a civil war for territory with ancient horrors on the Plane#babbling#edgelord hours
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something something the illiad shows us the losses communities takes in order to support great men and that's why it's the end of the age of heros to show hey this is why we don't have them anymore as they transfer from mythic history to contemporary history something something
#achilles wishing everyone would die so him and patroclus would conquer troy together + letting the greeks die bc he is offended#hector and the trojan royal family not even thinking to just let helen return in order to save their city#agamemnon letting plague run rampent bc he wants a girl#idk its like most people skip over the everyday men in the epics to focus on like 10-20 specific people#but i think an ancient greek hearing this would have understood like oh these people suck and abuse people like me#thats why we dont have them anymore#thats why we CANT have them anymore#i think they understood these figures (literary or historical) as critiques#i dont think they thought it was okay odysseus lost 600 men and then came back to kill like 100 more#thats crazy thats a significant part of their population#anyways#tagamemnon#the illiad
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speaking of liah it's time for another kotor update. i'm currently on manaan and have once again been roped into solving a murder mystery
#el plays kotor#so many murder investigation quests in this game... im not complaining i enjoy them. but idk if liah does#but also yknow manaan is a strictly neutral planet right. that allows both republic and sith presence in ahto city#and some of the selkath speak in favor of the sith which would be believable if the sith weren't so cartoonishly mean and evil all the time#one selkath said sth like 'the republic is stagnant and oppressive and the sith are the change we need'#meanwhile the sith threaten ppl on the streets. conquer and destroy planets. etc#like... you can't just have characters say this stuff and then show only evil & mean sith. and not show any of the republic's flaws...#characters like this selkath just sound stupid instead of like someone with a hot take that is worth discussing#but also during my investigation into the murder i found out that the republic has been withholding information regarding it...#idk... maybe we will see the republic's shadier side... maybe there will finally be some well written grey morality in this game...#also possible that i'm just stupid myself and have simply missed any displays of the republic being shady and oppressive. hm#anyway!! i've also been playing fields of mistria a lot these past couple days... got it as a little bday treat...#it's been nice so far! i like the villagers and am already crushing on ryis and valen aha#my only complaint is that time seems to go by much faster than in sdv?? i hope they slow it down a little
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goodness gracious i hate talking to people who think that nature is some small part of life. like you can just tell that 90% of the pile of shit aspic they call a brain is occupied with things only humans do and experience. like did you actually know that humans are animals that fit into the ecosystems they exist in? and aren’t a separate entity from all other life we know of?
there is no man vs. nature. bugs aren’t evil. we should not have the power to wipe out a species just cuz it’s annoying. eating animals is not morally wrong, even though it is morally difficult. can you guys get a fucking grip and realize that we belong to the earth just like our other life forms.
this is brought to you by the disgusting amount of people who look down on me for defending mosquitoes. and hating lawns. like i’m sooo radical because i understand numerically and logically that bugs and other animals and plants and fungi will always outnumber us and deserve a place on this planet, not because humans decided it but because nature decided it by creating them.
nature is not a hobby, or an interest. it is everything that exists. it surrounds us. don’t get me wrong i love video games but like people who aren’t on the level of consciousness where they realize how truly narrow our modern way of living is are like, the enemy and so painfully boring.
#nature#forest#ecosystems#natural world#i am of course always ready to educate people about why we can’t wipe out any one species#but i am not talking about the misinformed in this post#but the willfully ignorant people#who think humanity conquered nature in the Industrial Revolution#like no! actually#you are making sure we are losing#every day#because so many people live in cities#and have never truly seen the stars
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tags 4 / ?
✦ this is our world now and i think we can do better. || finn collins
✦ i will avenge my ghosts with every breath i take. || clare cousland ✦ the juxtaposition of chaos and fury. || margo hawke ✦ with fire in her wings she dares the stars to fade. || sahar alami ✦ am i not allowed to have regrets? || jowan ✦ you can fascinate a mage with mac n cheese. || angus hawke ✦ you can't just hope for the best. you have to try. || nelaros ✦ she's a butterfly with bullet holes. || thea carlisle
✦ defender of the earth. || rose tyler ✦ let's show them our hearts. and then show them theirs. || godric ✦ golden child; lion boy; show me what it's like to conquer. || garrett alden ✦ once upon a time people were talking to graves. || judy alvarez ✦ it's a danger pretty here in night city. || val skinner ✦ wake up samurai! we've got a city to burn. || victoria iordanescu
#✦ this is our world now and i think we can do better. || finn collins#✦ i will avenge my ghosts with every breath i take. || clare cousland#✦ the juxtaposition of chaos and fury. || margo hawke#✦ with fire in her wings she dares the stars to fade. || sahar alami#✦ am i not allowed to have regrets? || jowan#✦ you can fascinate a mage with mac n cheese. || angus hawke#✦ you can't just hope for the best. you have to try. || nelaros#✦ she's a butterfly with bullet holes. || thea carlisle#✦ defender of the earth. || rose tyler#✦ let's show them our hearts. and then show them theirs. || godric#✦ golden child; lion boy; show me what it's like to conquer. || garrett alden#✦ once upon a time people were talking to graves. || judy alvarez#✦ it's a danger pretty here in night city. || val skinner#✦ wake up samurai! we've got a city to burn. || victoria iordanescu#tagdrop
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Kento took a step forward when he notices that his blonde hair is slowly getting to a pale silver. The roots shining as he intently stares at the first few streaks in the mirror. A slight frown of surprise crosses his face as he runs his fingers through it, almost trying to see if they are real, contemplating the significance of this unexpected change.
“Remember we’ve got 2 potential homebuyers coming today after 3. Did you want to move anything around before then?” You spoke gently as you walked towards the bathroom noticing Kento look at himself. “Ken?”
His strict and rigid lifestyle had shaped his existence for years, but this moment marked a stark contrast to the strict regimen he's lived by. It's as if his hair was reflecting the toll of the pressure and stress he's endured.
It's a jarring sight, a symbol of the transformation he's undergoing.
“Did you notice these? The grays?”
You reached up, catching the close shave of his undercut and smile at his reflection. “We’re on each other practically every 2 seconds. Of course I noticed.”
“And you said nothing?” Eyebrow raised, Kento turned to you and kissed your palm. “Big fan of old man Kento?”
“Pffft, please.” The chuckle you let out was a slice of life to him. “I thought you were hot when you were 26 and I still think you’re hot at 44. You’re becoming a silver fox.”
He laughed but he was completely preoccupied by this new found piece of himself.
He was aging.
“Stop thinking, baby.”
“I’m not, honey.”
You squint. “Let me reiterate. Stop overthinking.”
You wrapped your arms around his waist from the side, resting your head on his chest. “When did we get to this point? I qualify for silver fox status after what feels like we just finished school.”
You bring your fingers up the back of his head and gently graze his scalp. “Years of wisdom and achievement via your roots. I have a few of my own sprouting at the center of my head. You’ve conquered a lot in life. I think it looks great on you.”
These hints of aging didn’t represent a loss of youth, but rather a testament to the years of life he'd lived and survived. Evidence of a journey filled with memories and growth. He starts to see the gray hair not as a symbol of decline, but as a badge of honor, a mark of the wisdom and resilience he's gained along the way. He kissed your cheek and lifted you up.
“A house, putting a kid through college, buying property on the beach,” He helped you onto the bathroom counter and smiled. “The grays are like a trophy.”
“A trophy, exactly, Mr. Nanami. Though I feel like we are missing a big key factor here.”
“Hm? What’s that?”
You leaned in, gently kissing his jawline. “You’re totally a DILF now. I have the hottest dad in this city.”
#jujutsu kaisen#jjk#nanami kento#jjk nanami#nanami x reader#nanami x you#nanami fluff#kento nanami x reader#kento x reader#nanami kento x reader#Kento x you#Lu.logs
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each man's mad desire
General Marcus Acacius x F!Reader
Rating: Explicit
Summary: Marcus Acacius is a conqueror. You invite him to conquer you.
Word Count: 3.8k
Tags: marcus fucks a nymph, predator/prey, knifeplay, blood, thigh riding, rough sex, sorta consensual-non-consent? Reader very explicitly wants him and invites him to hunt her down. Marcus has an unfashionably huge dick.
A/N: I swore I wasn't going to write for another character from an unreleased film, yet here we are. I loved studying Classics, so there are easter eggs within for those familiar with mythology. "Nymph" is more Greek than Roman, but it's also the better-known version of the word. Barcinus is a completely made-up cognomen for him (from the Latin name for Barcelona). Ichor is a Greek concept, but too delicious not to borrow here. Big dicks really were considered unattractive - it was a sign of barbarism to have a big penis. Title from Book IX of The Aeneid. Painting is 'The Charmer' by John William Waterhouse. (ao3)
The battle is won, the men are settled, and General Marcus Acacius is restless. He wears the efforts of the day in the blood and grime and sand coating his skin, the ache in his muscles. The city is retaken. The barbarians have been slaughtered or captured. He knows he should rest.
And yet, he wanders.
The camp is close by the beach. As he walks, the sound of the army behind him fades away, drowned out by the sound of the sea. The inviting aroma of the campfires and roasting meat is replaced by the smell of salt. There are sentries out here, somewhere in the night. He pays them no mind; he wishes to be alone. Grass turns to sand underfoot and still Acacius walks on. At the edge of the sea, he pauses briefly.
Across the Great Sea, to the east, stands Rome. It’s veiled by darkness and distance, but he turns to look for it anyway. He misses it the way a loyal son misses a beloved father. Word of a great victory will travel before him, the whispers moving faster than any army can.
When he returns home, he hopes he will be warmly welcomed. Those seeking to ride his skirts into Imperial favour will doubtless fall over themselves to praise him, at least. They will preen and flatter, and he will nod humbly and thank them.
“The Gods were with me.” It is always his answer, when asked of his victories. It is a clean answer. Men praise him for his piety; they do not imagine the lives he has sacrificed, the atrocities he has committed, the horrors of sacking a city. The Gods were with him; he does not have to speak of loosing his men like feral dogs upon innocents, of slaughtering barbarian sons so they cannot grow up to seek their vengeance on Rome.
Acacius turns and walks down the beach, leaving the camp behind him. The silvery light of the stars and moon light his path along the coast. He simply enjoys being away from all others, the crash of the waves and his own footsteps the only noise he can hear. The ground to his right begins to rise, soft grass yielding to rock. He has no sense of how long he has walked for when the beach before him suddenly ends. The shoreline curves sharply inward, creating a rocky inlet.
He has no desire to turn back now. Perhaps the path reemerges on the other side. He follows the curve of the stone inward. Ahead, he can see the path sloping down towards the waterline, leading towards the dark mouth of a cave. The tide is coming in; the water at the entrance to the grotto must be at least knee-deep.
Acacius is turning to leave when he notices her.
The inlet in the rock forms a pool at the entrance to the cave. Even in the silvery moonlight, the water looks beautiful and clear. It should not surprise him that a maiden might come to bathe there, away from prying eyes.
For it is a maiden that stops him in his tracks, fixes his boots to the stone. Her back is turned to him; she is perched atop a rock, her bare feet dangling in the saltwater of the pool. Now that he is aware of her, he thinks he hears her singing over the sounds of the waves, a melody he does not recognise.
An honourable man would depart. Acacius can only see her back, but she must be noble. Her dress is so white it is almost blinding, even in the starlight. Her feet are bare, but he spies a pair of finely-wrought sandals on the rocks beside her. Certainly a noble lady then.
His mind is made up to leave.
And at that very moment, she turns.
***
You had not expected to be discovered. Perhaps you might have toyed with him if you had. You could have disguised yourself as a maiden in need of assistance, a princess cast ashore by a shipwreck. There are endless amusements to be found among the mortals.
Yet he has stumbled upon your grotto quite by accident, and from your first glimpse, he intrigues you.
Marcus Acacius Barcinus.
Something whispers his name to you; you know it as soon as you see him, just as you know he has dark hair threaded with grey. You allow a smile to play on your lips.
To his credit, this man does not move. Confronted with something so nakedly celestial, other men have lost their minds. What is it for a man to look upon the face of the divine? They do not always survive it. This one seems strong. He may yet survive you.
“Hail, noble General,” you start, turning in your seat on the rock so you may face him more directly. He is a handsome one. His lovely dark eyes drink you in from head to toe.
“You know me?” He manages after a moment. Not mad then, not yet anyway. You laugh, and he seems startled by the sound.
“I do.” Sliding off the rock you step into the water, your stola clinging to your skin. “General Marcus Acacius Barcinus, son of Gaius Acacius. Your piety is known.” He is always attentive with his sacrifices. You can smell the burning flesh and spilled wine dedicated to the heavens from here, in honour of his latest victory.
You take a few steps towards him. He’s still atop the rocky crest, almost looking down on you. You near the base of the slope, your skirts drying the moment they leave the water, and halt again. The mouth of the grotto is to your back; you can hear the lap of the waves echoing against the rocky walls.
“And which noble goddess do I have the honour of addressing?” He asks. You have many names, too many to sift through. A mortal wrote you into a poem once; you give him the name the poet gave you.
“I had not thought ever to look upon a nymph before.” There is something in the way he says it; a tone of disbelief colouring his voice. It’s as though he expects to wake up in his tent at any moment. In the dark violet light of twilight, the blood on his skin looks brown and rusty. You can almost taste the iron on the air.
“Are you content merely to look?” You ask him, a sly smile on your lips. You already know he is not. This man is a conqueror, and he is looking at you with all the intensity and desire of a man set upon conquest. He does not speak for a long moment. Perhaps he is afraid of offending you, of saying the wrong thing and finding himself transformed into a pig or sea foam.
You walk a little closer to him, emerging from the water. Closer now, the smell of him drowning out the salt of the sea. He reeks of man, of blood and sweat and such pure vitality you nearly stagger. He’s so breathtakingly alive. If all mortal men are thus, you understand why your sisters seek them out and take them to bed, even bear their children.
“I admire a man who knows how to take what he desires. A conqueror in all things,” you continue, feeling the warmth of his gaze as he watches the sway of your hips. Once you are an arm’s length away from him, you reach out. You cannot help it. He’s such a marvellous specimen of manhood, the kind that ought to be honoured with a kingdom or a divine son or his form traced in the stars.
He does not stop you when you rest your palm against the leather of his cuirass. It’s warm to the touch, whether from the heat of his body or a day of the sun beating down upon it. The black leather has a gilded woman’s face across the front; Minerva perhaps. It gives you pause. If he values Minerva and her strategies above Mars and his frenzy, he may not enjoy your games.
Nevertheless, you will not let the tastes of mortal men unnerve you. He watches you as you undo the knot at one shoulder, and wordlessly reaches to help you. Together, the two of you free him from his heavy armour. As he sets it down gently against the rock, you nearly choke on him. You can hear the thrum of his heart, smell the salt of his sweat, the iron in his blood.
You have never starved. Yet this conqueror of men is like being blessed with a feast and realising for the first time that you have been dying of hunger all your life. Freed from his heavy leathers, you step so closely to him that your glimmering white dress brushes against his filthy red tunic. You reach out to cup his jaw, enjoying the way his skin feels to your touch.
He swallows thickly, his lovely eyes searching your face.
“I want you.” He says it simply, though you know it must have taken courage. Men have died for such insults before. You let a smile curl around your lips.
“Mars himself had my maidenhead. I do not submit easily to the advances of men.” Standing on tiptoe, you lean in until your lips nearly touch the shell of his ear. “If you want me, you will have to take me.”
It’s all the prompting you give him before you turn and run.
You run down the beach, back the way he came. You have more powerful kin who could outrun him with ease, if they chose. Minerva could be a continent away in moments, if she chose. You do not have their same powers; you might be fleeter of foot than a mortal woman, but you cannot transform yourself into a swan and fly back to the heavens.
Behind you, you hear Acacius’ feet pounding against the sand. The noise blurs with the roar of his heartbeat, thumping harder as he chases you. You run faster, pulling your skirts up with one hand so they cannot tangle around your legs. It has been far too long since you felt this exhilarated. Off in the distance, you can see the lights of his camp, the torches and bonfires burning brightly in the twilight.
You lose yourself to the chase, paying the distance no mind as you race down the beach. Sand flies up beneath your bare feet, gritty under your toes as you run. Something in you wants to turn around, to see if the handsome general is still close behind you. You can hear him well enough to know he is behind you, but not well enough to gauge the distance.
You don’t look. You only run.
Even though you had invited the hunt, desperately hoping to be caught, the hand that catches your waist surprises you. He seizes you by the waist and tackles you into the sand, pinning you beneath his muscular bulk. The feeling of being trapped sends a perverse thrill racing through you, something warm stirring in your belly.
Though he has caught you, you do not give in so easily.
You thrash underneath him, trying to throw him off you. Acacius is unyielding. His large hands grip your arms; his knees squeeze at your sides. You get one arm free and bring it up. You’re not sure what you intend to do; you don’t want to break him. Scratch him, perhaps? You never get the chance to find out.
Before you see him move, he seizes your arm and pins your wrist beneath his foot. One hand flies to your throat; the other draws a dagger from its sheath and holds the point against the swell of your breast.
For a long moment, you cannot breathe. The large hand at your throat squeezes just enough to threaten a loss of air. The foot on your wrist makes the delicate bones there grind together on just the right side of pleasure-pain. And oh, the blade at your heart. The tip pierces your skin and you don’t know whether to scream or cry or vomit from the shock.
You have never been so still in your life.
When has anything mortal ever pierced your skin? When has anything mortal managed to cut through the skin of your kith and kin? You have vague memories; bandaging Mars’ side after the great spearman Diomedes struck him outside Ilium. You watch in horror and awe as a bead of ichor seeps from the pinprick wound. Mars has made you bleed before, but you never thought a mortal might draw your glittering, golden blood.
You look up at him, your conqueror. He is panting hard, but his face shows no exhaustion; only determination. His eyes are nearly black with desire, and his lovely black and grey curls are damp with sweat. Gods, you want him. You want him to hunt you down as he would a deer, to throw you down and take you like some common mortal whore.
Watching you closely, Acacius eases his grip on your throat. A man used to gauging the weakness of his enemies has seen right through you in turn. He knows you do not need air to breathe. He knows he has done something astounding in the knife at your breast. He holds it steady as he reaches beneath the skirts of his tunic, pulling at the strings of his underthings. He pulls it free with a grunt and discards it beside you in the sand.
Free from its confinement, his manhood pushes against the skirt of his tunic. Something low in your belly twists in anticipation, slick coating the insides of your thighs. Your blood feels as though it’s boiling beneath your skin as Acacius grips the fine cloth of your stola in one filthy hand.
“You are the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes upon,” he tells you, in all sincerity. You tremble underneath him as he pushes your skirts up around your waist, another bead of ichor welling up around the tip of the blade.
You gasp as the metal shifts, and his eyes flick to your face. Almost lovingly, his hand wraps around your throat again.
“Do you yield?” When no reply is immediately forthcoming, he presses his advantage. The hand at your throat and foot at your wrist push harder; more glittering blood beads at your breast. The surface tension finally breaks, sending the blood dripping down towards your neck.
“I yield.” In an instant, he relaxes his hold. The foot on your wrist disappears, as does the blade. The hand on your throat remains, tipping your head up so he can kiss you. He kisses like his master, Mars; hard and demanding. You return the kiss with bruising intensity, nipping at his lower lip. It seems only fair that you make him bleed a little, in turn.
His beard prickles against your skin, and you answer it by sliding your hand into his curls and pulling roughly. Acacius groans against your mouth, crushing himself closer to you and forcing your legs apart with his knee. His muscular thigh presses against your bare cunt, the pressure sending liquid fire dancing through your body. You rut up against his thigh eagerly, your slick smearing against his skin.
Acacius notices your movements, breaking off the kiss to stare at you. The raw lust in his eyes makes you keep going, rocking your hips desperately against him. His thigh flexes between your legs, and you groan loudly. Without taking his eyes off you, his hand drifts to cup your breast, tantalisingly close to the tiny wound on your unblemished skin.
“Are you going to stab me again, slayer of men?” You ask him, tauntingly. You wouldn’t mind if he did.
“No, dear mistress. I’ll watch you debase yourself on my thigh.” Oh, you want to keep him. Your sisters have kept mortals before; you remember well the fuss around sweet Hylas, cunning Ulysses. Your conqueror finds your nipple through the fine material of your dress, the flesh stiffening beneath his fingers as he toys with you.
Your hips roll easier, faster as you sink deeper into your pleasure. Every glide becomes slicker as you soak his skin. It’s been some time since you’ve so blatantly sought your own pleasure, and you welcome it back eagerly. That familiar tension is coiling tightly in your belly and sends you spiralling higher with every movement.
Acacius watches you with fascination. His own pleasure is forgotten for the moment, though you suppose he is enjoying this. Something divine rubbing against him like a cat in heat; no man alive would believe him if he told them. Your breath comes in short, sharp gasps and you clutch at Acacius’ wrist to ground yourself. He’s so solid and warm to your touch; his vitality is unlike any aphrodisiac you have ever known.
It’s not long before you come with a cry, your nails digging into Acacius’ skin as you shudder against him. The fire in your belly burns through you, the heat of it radiating out to your fingertips. It leaves you boneless beneath your conqueror. He seizes the advantage, pulling your legs wider apart to slot his other leg between them.
You struggle. Why not? It amuses you to make him manhandle you into place. He pulls your legs wider with one hand. With the thumb of the hand at your breast, he presses just below the cut. The burst of pain makes you hiss. Cowed, you let him pull your legs apart, his eyes feasting on your cunt. You must look a mess, swollen and soaked.
Acacius lets go of your leg and pulls up the hem of his tunic. He’s big, unfashionably so for his countrymen. Beads of fluid leak from the reddened tip, and he swipes them away with his thumb. He settles himself between your thighs, and you gasp when he notches the blunt head of his cock against your entrance. Without warning or reprieve, he forces his cock inside you.
You throw your head back against the sand, stars exploding against your closed eyelids as you dance along the knife edge of pleasure and pain. A deep groan rumbles out of Acacius’ throat as he presses deeper, working against your tight muscles to seat himself within you. He’s unrelenting, his length thick and twitching as it fills you.
There’s no other word for it; you wail up at the star-strewn sky, pleasure flooding through you. Your body feels too small to contain the fire being stoked inside you, deep in your core. You pull at Acacius, nails clawing, dragging him down to kiss you. His lips meet yours in a messy crash, all tongues and teeth as he finally seats himself fully within you.
He barely allows you a moment to adjust. He retreats almost fully, his cock nearly leaving you completely, before sliding back in with one fluid stroke of his hips. You’re shaken by how willingly your body accepts him, colouring any pain with so much pleasure you barely notice the discomfort. His hand finds your throat again, squeezing just enough to make you feel lightheaded.
Acacius’ incursions become sharper, harder, as he finds his rhythm. Your hands slide under the hem of his tunic to clutch at his back, your nails leaving behind tiny red crescents in his skin. Every breath you take is shared by him, your mouths so close together you can taste the wine lingering on his tongue. The two of you move together, your moans melting into one another as you fuck like animals in the sand.
It doesn’t take him long to send you over the edge again. Bliss wipes all words from your mind; you can only lie there and let your release crash over you. The ichor in your veins feels like it’s singing. Acacius looks down on you in awe, and it only drives you higher. You want to keep him. The Heroic Age is too far past; the world is lacking for heroes. Perhaps you and Acacius can make a few; handsome, strong boys, half-god children who reflect their father’s divine favour.
“Would you give me sons, Acacius?” You ask, breathless at his onslaught. Your foreheads are pressed together still; you cannot see the look on his face. He groans sharply, his hands clutch tighter at you. Is that a yes? What greater blessing to a pious man than a son born to a goddess.
He certainly shows no signs of stopping. He fucks you with the same vigour he fights with. You feel like you’re floating, high above your own body, lost completely to pleasure. Jupiter himself could command you to stop, and you’d be unable to obey. You grow restless beneath him. His hand has slackened around your throat, so you lean down to lick a line across his neck. The taste of salt and iron explodes across your tongue, so delicious that you have to force yourself not to sink your teeth in.
Acacius grunts above you, forcing you back down against the sand. His hips are stuttering; a sign that he’s close to his own release. You want to cry, want to prolong this as much as possible, but you know he has limits. Your sisters have pushed mortal men too far before; you will not make the same mistake, not with so delicious a playmate.
Instead you spur him on. Your nails dig harder into his back, making him groan sharply. His short, desperate thrusts make your eyes roll back into your skull as he touches something deep and private within you, unknown to anyone else.
“I- I must-” He starts, words failing him as he chases his release. You pepper his face with kisses, nip at his kiss-swollen lips.
“You must,” you agree. “I want you to fill me up.” You’re both breathless, barely any air between your bodies to breathe. One of your hands slides into his curls, pulling at them. You guide his head down until your lips are at his ear again.
“I could give you a son,” you whisper. “But only if you finish inside me. Claim me; mark me as yours. Conquer me.”
He tips over the edge with a loud groan, his hips stuttering as he comes. You can feel his cock twitch inside you as he does, filling you with his seed. Perhaps something might catch; he seems virile enough. You cradle his head against the crook of your neck as he catches his breath, his body heavy as he relaxes on top of you.
“Noble Acacius,” you murmur fondly, stroking his curls. “Marcus. What do you make of your new conquest?” He is quiet for a long moment. The crash of the waves fills the silence, the tide drawing closer. Soon, the two of you will have to move.
“I shall never know another victory like it.”
Taglist:
Tagging some people who might be interested: @iamasaddie (per their request for Acacius filth) @avengersfan25 @misscharlielulu @apenny4thots @its-nebuleuse
#general marcus acacius#marcus acacius#marcus acacius x reader#marcus acacius fanfiction#gladiator 2
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I love the comments on this video about how card game-focused Yu-Gi-Oh’s worldbuilding became over time.
“Ironically, despite Kaiba's attempt to redefine Kaiba Corp as a game company instead of arms manufacturing, he turned Duel Monsters into the world's weapon.”
“Can we take a moment to appreciate how customer friendly Kaiba's products are though? In the finale of GX Jaden dueled Yugi, who was wielding a duel disk that was roughly 10 years behind his own model and they were still compatible”
“This video doesn't even mention the time in GX where Kaiba fired trading cards into space that were designed by children so they could be bombarded by space rays and gain superpowers. The more you follow this series the more you realize that it's also the story where a supervillain successfully reshapes the world in his image, died beloved, successful, unrepentant, and accomplished all his goals, except for the only one that really mattered: beating someone in a card game.”
“Kaiba didn't just change an entire city's way of doing things, or even the entire world for that matter. He literally changed how villains try to conquer the world. He's so influential that villains are still playing his game.”
“Something else that is both hilarious and terrifying in 5Ds: the cops play Duel Monsters to catch lawbreakers. In fact, the rules of Duel Monsters are so immutable to the law and order of Neo Domino City that the bikes called Duel Runners are able to remotely hacked by the police to force a duel, and losing that duel shuts down your bike. The rules of Duel Monsters sit above the police in terms of hierarchy, since if they could hack Duel Runners to force a duel, they could probably just shut down your bike remotely. I like to imagine Kaiba is sitting on his capitalist throne saying "If a criminal can beat you in a duel, then what authority do you have to catch them", and just forces the police to adapt to his survival-of-the-duelist world that he made.“
“Without card games, people like dartz would be invincible“
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Brennan: I have strong beliefs in the real world, but it's very important to me, I think that we don't make-- when you make or tell stories that are trying to shortcut to prove yourself right, that's sort of a definition of propaganda, I think. So, showing this, there was a lot of complexity. Prime Deities are allying with the Betrayers, that seems pretty fucked. Aeor seems pretty fucked too. That's a totalitarian state that is killing, it's kicking gnomish women off of ships, and it's killing followers of the gods. But also, that city is filled with some people who follow the gods, but it's also filled with people who don't, who are good and don't deserve to die. But those people are in a city that, probably, if it kills the gods, wants to conquer Exandria. You're doing the math of gods mostly want to just be alive, but Aeor's bad, so you should stop Aeor. But how bad is Aeor? It's the last hope of mortaldom, but it's a pretty totalitarian hope of mortaldom, but you did, padip, padap.
And it's the horror of making moral choices with too much power in a moving world with everything horrifying around you.
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Chemical Override (bonus chapter 2) - August!
Ewan Mitchell x actress!reader
a/n: this sweet one is set just before they broke it off (or rather, before the reader stomped all over his heart) in part five!
series masterlist ▪︎ main masterlist
August! (... slipped away into a moment in time)
It's a fine morning, albeit lazy, you and Ewan having done nothing but lay in bed and talk and cuddle.
Granted, you did a lot more than talk over the course of the night. And this continued in the morning, with Ewan gently coaxing you out of sleep in need.
He's been insatiable, not that you can blame him. You two are finally together, after months of dancing around each other, your friends in eager anticipation to see how the 'will-they, won't they' dynamic will culminate.
They'll be pleased to know that it all led up to the best date you've had so far, followed by a night of bodies burning for the other, marking their territory in the throes of pent-up desire.
Ewan was sure he would remain the gentleman, merely driving you back to your hotel and calling it a night.
But you had invited him upstairs for a nightcap. Maybe some tea, as the Brits do. Needless to say, the tea was quickly forgotten, along with any reservations he might have about simply having you.
The haze of it hasn't subsided. Clad in nothing but undergarments, your limbs are tangled with his under the sheets as you watch the newly released New York foods video he did with Tom a while back.
"Baby?" you say, running your fingers through his hair as he has his head propped on your thighs. The screen plays on, showing the lads thoroughly enjoying some New York City hotdogs.
"Hmm?" he responds, his voice hinting at how soothed he feels from your touch.
"You're such a baby."
"What?" He twists his neck to shoot you a look of betrayal. Adorable.
"I bet those chips weren't even that spicy," you say, rolling your eyes. "I would have devoured those jalapeño chips."
"They were spicy!" He leans against his forearm, which he quickly positioned on your thigh without thinking, causing your muscle to spasm from the sudden weight.
"Ahhh, Ewan!" you wriggle your legs. "Get off, get off..."
"Shit!" He bolts upright, immediately kneading the flesh with his palm. "Sorry, baby. Here, where does it hurt?"
You sigh audibly. "Oh, you." You narrow your eyes at him playfully, trying to look all tough, but apparently he takes it as a cue to press his lips to yours.
It's warm, a bit sloppy, your breaths stale from wine drank over the course of the night. And you don't mind at all.
He croons in your ear, "How do I make it up to you?"
"It's fine, I was only kind of messing - "
"Come now, darling, anything."
He gazes at you, awaiting an answer. In the background, you hear his voice saying, The Fuegos... I didn't like them, as the video comes to a close.
I saw your eyeballs sort of pop out your head a little bit, Tom says in response.
This is going to be fun, you think, smiling evilly to yourself.
Rising to your knees on the bed, you loudly declare, "Today, my love, you will conquer your fears and eat my favourite spicy food."
"Nooo!" He shakes his head right away, already plotting how to get out of this predicament. "Baby, please make me do anything else. I can't handle my spice!"
"My mind is made up."
"What if I do that thing that made you scream last night? When I buried my tongue insi - '
"Ewan!" Your face reddens, but you carry on. His face will soon have the same reaction, but for different, more savoury reasons. "I mean, I would like that but - "
"Alright, let's go baby, spread your knees - " he nods, desperate to placate you and your challenge, but also eager to get down to business.
You shuffle away when he tries to pry your legs open. " - I said I made up my mind! We're eating spicy food. We gotta eat anyway, I'm starving."
He groans, collapsing back on the bed. He runs his hand tiredly over his face, mulling it over. As if he actually has a choice. He wants to do this for you, seeing as how excited you're getting.
"Get up, ol' sport," you crawl on top of him, perching above his stomach. "We're gonna go get the goods."
"Hmm," he sighs contentedly, one look at you more than enough to quell his worries. For now.
"Okay, darling," he relents, then his eyes flash in mischief. "But before we get out of bed... how about I do that thing anyway?"
There is not a single chance in the seven hells that you could ever say no to that.
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An interesting spread is laid out on the round dining table in your hotel suite.
Your stomach growls in anticipation, while Ewan is stiff as a board as he sits beside you.
"I'm hungry, aren't you?" you nudge him, but he only moans, throwing his head back in his chair.
"What if I'd already eaten? I can skip this?" he tries.
"And what the hell did you eat?"
He smirks, and even though his answer won't save him from what follows, it renders him gleeful all the same. "You," is his reply.
That prompts an eye roll, but you shake your head at him fondly. "What should we start with, baby?"
"Water."
"Come on."
"How about the strawberry milk?"
"Okay, then I'll pick." You clasp your hands, surveying the options. "Let's start with something easy." You settle for the bowl of Flamin Hot Cheetos and place it right in front of him.
You help yourself to a few pieces, before noticing that he hasn't moved a muscle, so you take one and bring it to his lips. "Open up, handsome."
"Mmmm," he tilts his head away on instinct, but he gives in after a second. He makes a face as the snack crunches in his mouth. "Not... bad, I suppose.... Urghhh - " he coughs a little, making you snicker at him between bites.
"That's not spicy at all," you say. "At least, it's nothing compared to what we'll have next."
The chicken wings are an unnatural bright red colour, covered in hot sauce and dotted with flecks of chili. You lean down and take a whiff, your nose scrunching as the strong hint of spice hits your senses.
Your placating smile does nothing to ease Ewan, who only looks like he is regretting his life choices on the spot.
"O-kay, dragonblood. Time to breathe fire," you remark in an attempt to inspire some confidence in him. Didn't he take pride in playing a Targaryen dragonrider? Surely some part of him would want to overcome the big, bad opponent that is known in our world as spicy wings.
"Breathe fire?" he exclaims. "That does not make me feel any better!"
"Do it for Vhagar, my love. Do it for Vhagar."
"I'm doing this for you," he corrects, before gingerly taking the smallest bite of a wing. He waits for the impact, confused when nothing unpleasant occurs.
So he bravely takes another, heartier bite.
Big mistake.
His hand gravitates to the glass of water, and he chugs it down like a lifeline. His once pale face becomes the same hue as the fiery culprit.
"Fffuck, ba...by," he hiccups. "I didn't like that at all."
You have a bite, wincing just a little when it hits your throat. It wasn't too bad, so you tell him to calm down.
He complains anyway, "I think I just saw my life flash right before my eyes."
You chortle at that, which unfortunately makes some of the spice travel up your nose. "Oh god!" You instantly take a huge gulp of milk. "Don't make me laugh!" you say, when the heat dies down.
"See?" he cries out in vindication. "Why must we torture ourselves, darling?"
"The food's tasty," you counter.
"Yeah, but is it worth the price?"
You grip his shoulder, dramatically saying, "We have to keep going, soldier."
"No."
"Yes."
"You won't break up with me if I refuse, will you?"
You pause, making it seem like you are seriously deliberating it. "Maybe."
"What?!" His expression takes on a more real sense of alarm.
"I'm kidding," you giggle, nudging his leg with yours. He leans his head against your shoulder, responding with, "You're mean."
"And you're dating me. What does that say about you?"
He lets out a weary laugh, "That I'm just really in love, I guess."
That almost makes you give up on the challenge entirely. You could just let him eat the pepperoni pizza you have saved as the actual meal. But it wouldn't hurt too much to tackle the grand finale. The final boss. Maybe it will even get his taste buds to crack and cross over to the dark side.
"Baby?" Here goes everything.
"Hmm?"
"It's time for the spicy ramen."
He sighs a true sigh of defeat and acceptance. "If I survive this, you have to swear you're never letting me go."
"That's your bargain? Easy, baby."
His blue eyes bore into yours. His cheeks are still red and he's still sniffling from the spice, but his sentiment holds weight. He shrugs, before his arm reaches out for the bowl of ramen, making it known that he has already accepted his fate.
You slide the glass of milk closer to him.
"Try not to get it on your lips as much as possible," you advise him, growing worried as the ramen pack did warn that it was '2x Spicy'.
You cringe inwardly as a forkful of noodles enters his mouth. He drops his arm, chewing slowly, and finally the food gratefully slides down his throat.
"Mmm," he clears his throat, trying his hardest to remain calm. His forced, blank expression is even more alarming than the alternative.
"Ewan?" He turns his head toward you, slowly. And you see the full extent of the damage. His eyes well with tears, and his breathing is shallow from an even more congested nose.
"I'm okay," he wheezes, trying to maintain a show of boldness for your sake. "I can do this."
"You don't look okay." You shake your head at him, as his face takes on an even deeper shade of red.
A pained grunt escapes him. "Maybe a kiss will make it better."
A cursory glace at the ramen sauce staining his lips compels you to protest without a second thought. "How about no? You've got it all over your lips."
"Darling, who cares? You're going to eat them too!" he says, scandalised.
"But I've got a technique. I don't let it touch my lips so it doesn't burn!" You inch away as he leans in.
"So you won't kiss me?" He uses his baby blues against you, eyes bright and shimmering as he pouts in disappointment.
"You don't need a kiss." He tries to grab you, making you stand from your chair to get away. With your palm outstretched, you implore him, "Baby, just drink your milk."
"Then I get a kiss?"
"Fine. Then you get a kiss."
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Tom calls you a few days later, his tone animated from the moment you pick up. "Would you look at that! I didn't think I would get a hold of you lovers. Thought you'd be busy doing somethin' else, if y'know what I mean."
"It's noon here, Tom," you reply matter-of-factly, stretching your legs out on the bed.
"So? I reckon Captain Big Balls over there has got it in him."
"Wow," you let out an amused exhale. Tom always did have a way about him, being a Manc and all. "Well, he's in the shower right now if you wanted to speak to him."
"I'm surprised you're not in there with him, love! You guys are all over the news, bloody hell. Even out here, everyone's buzzin' about the hot new couple from House of the Dragon. And no, it's not Matt and Fabien."
You smirk at his last remark, "Are you sure it's not Matt and Fabs?"
"Positive," he says. "But we never know what could happen. Anyway, how in the hell did you convince him?"
You rack your brain for what exactly he could be pertaining to. "Convince him to do what?"
"To create a bloody Instagram profile, that's what!"
Your mouth falls open, and you quickly put him on speaker so you can scroll to the aforementioned app. Sure enough, it doesn't take long for you to sift through your new follower notifications before you find him.
His username is on brand - straightforward and no-frills - just ewanmitchell . Already verified with a hundred thousand followers and counting. In his following list, however, there is only one - your profile.
If the papparazzi pictures and tabloid stories and fan encounters hadn't convinced everyone yet, likely this will.
Ewan, notorious not only for his charisma and pure talent, but also for being steadfast in staying off social media, has sent the entirety of Ewan Nation into a tailspin with his profile.
Icing on the cake - he only follows you.
"You see, this is what convinces the public that you two are not PR," Tom says. "Because Ewan would never, ever get on the socials for just anyone."
"I didn't even know he made this. I haven't been online in quite a bit."
"Been busy, huh?" he asks.
"Yeah."
"Doin' a lot of stuff out there?"
"I guess."
"Like Ewan?"
"Tom, I'm going to lynch you when I see you."
He only laughs, having gotten his desired outcome from prodding at you.
The bathroom door slides open, and Ewan steps out with nothing but a towel haphazardly wrapped around his waist.
"Who's that?" he mouths at you.
"Tom," you answer loudly, prompting Tom to greet Ewan from the speakerphone.
"Aemond the Fierce!" he bellows, the long-distance call doing nothing to stifle his personality. "I always knew you had it in ya. Ever since you laid eyes on her during the table read, I knew it was only a matter of time."
Well, isn't that a revelation. You had thought it was just you harbouring a crush in the beginning. "The table read, really? I just remember being so nervous," you say.
"I thought you were attractive," Ewan admits, scratching the back of his neck. "And you were reading your lines with such passion that I... "
Tom interrupts, "He ran over to me and told me to show him your social media."
"Not just that, I - "
"He wanted to see whether you had any pictures with a boyfriend or something."
"Alright, alright." Ewan snatches the phone from your hand, as if that will keep Tom from exposing him even more. "How are you, mate?"
"I'm good, lad, and yourself?"
Ewan glances at you, seeing that you've gone back to reading a script, your brow furrowed in concentration.
A smile tugs at the corners of his lips.
"I'm great. I'm happy."
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"Over here! Over here!"
"How's your evening going, you guys? How are you enjoying LA?"
The papparazzi needlessly try to make small talk and they flash their cameras in your face. You and Ewan barely have time to grimace at each other once you get inside his car. The restaurant where he took you to dinner hadn't been crawling with paps when you arrived. Someone must have tipped them at some point.
Ewan instinctively reaches for your hand when you've driven some distance away from the restaurant, a breath of relief exiting his lungs.
"That's Hollywood for you, baby," he says amusedly, putting on his best standard American accent.
The car speeds through the streets of LA. Heading to Mount Hollywood, you have the famous Griffith Observatory set as your destination.
You have always wanted to go, and it only took one mention to Ewan before he planned it for your next date.
It doesn't take long before the observatory's iconic structure comes into view. Its white domes seemingly gleam under the night sky, a sentinel watching over the city of Los Angeles.
Stepping out of the car, you take in the scene in awe. The resulting look on your face lets Ewan know he made the right choice in taking you here. He'd take you here everyday if it meant seeing you in a spell of childlike wonder.
The observatory itself is just a bonus.
The outer balcony stretches like a vertice into the vastness of the city, a sea of lights glistening down below. It seemed to sprawl on endlessly, a labyrinth of hopes and pains and dreams.
You stand there, drawn to the view like a moth to a flame. The evening breeze dances through your hair, and your face is aglow from the illuminated city.
Smiling widely, you turn and find Ewan lingering just behind, watching you.
"Come and look at this, my love," you wave him over.
He wants to capture the moment, so he does. He subtly points his camera in your direction. Your profile is partially visible, with your face turned out into the horizon. Your silhouette stands before a mosaic of the shining city.
But it's you that has his attention. You that pulls all of his focus into the frame.
He never thought he would have much use for a public social media profile like the one he created on Instagram, but hours later, as you're sound asleep beside him, he finds purpose for such a thing.
He uploads the first ever photo on his profile - the one he secretly took of you at the observatory.
Too conscious to think of a caption, he doesn't type in any, content to let the photo speak for itself.
Putting his phone away, he presses a soft kiss to your forehead and falls into blissful slumber.
Ewan hadn't been aware of the phrase breaking the internet, and he's in for quite the rude awakening.
Even so, he doesn't let it faze him.
You're in shock when you discover the amount of comments under the photo, well past the twelve thousand mark when you wake up. Positive, negative, and everything in between.
Almost unheard of for an Instagram debut.
His reaction?
"At least everyone knows that you're mine now. What's wrong with that?"
You can vote here on the reader's hotd character name!
Taglist: @sprinklesprinkle888 @namelesslosers @skymoonandstardust @valyrianflower @luckyfirebasement @omgsuperstarg @elissanatok @callsignwidow @sinistersnakey49 @darkwriteracademia @yyrzmomo @queenofshinigamis @luvaerina @shamelessblazecrown @mirandastuckinthe80s @elleinex0x0 @pierrotlu @aegonswife @strangersunghoon @lunampacheco @writer-ann-artist @gaiaea @of-swords-and-words @ateliefloresdaprimavera @m00n5t0n3 @helaenaluvr @peachysunrize @annie-ruk @luvly-writer @ananas26t @athenafaes @lovelyteenagebeard @mamawiggers1980 @moongirl27 @katherine93 @barnes70stark @justbelljust @cloudroomblog @somestufftoday @esposadomd @girl-in-the-chairs-void @insideyourimagination @hotdismylife @vyctorya @wildrangers @livcookesgf @dracaryxzs @aemondwhoresworld @aisselasstuff @onlyrealjoy (continued in comments)
The sad, angsty bits will be saved for the next proper chapter! What happens to Ewan's Instagram then? What happens to him?? 🥲💔
I was going to include the double date idea, but alas, my ideas ran dry.
I've got nothing but love for all of you that have followed this story to this point! If you've got scene requests, just let me know!
#ewan mitchell#ewan mitchell x reader#ewan mitchell imagine#aemond targaryen#chemical override#ewan mitchell fanfic#hotd
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kinktober: frottage
tags: frottage, making out, secret relationship, targaryen incest [aemond/rhaenyra's daughter], immense pinning by aemond
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“Where is Aemond?”
“I do not know your grace,” Larys replied. Remaining calm in the Queens frustration. She had been hunting for her middle son for hours, and he was no where to be found. “I have checked with the guards and sentries, and no one has seen him leave by Vahgar or horse.”
“So, he must still be in the city.” Alicent deduced. Hoping he was still in the castle as well. “The conclave starts soon, and we need…a united front for the court.” The plan to weave her family’s place to the crown was to start today. First, but claiming Driftmark back from Rhaenyra's brood. Then, with them illegitimized, start making the case that Aegon should be king. “He knows how important today is. How could he do this to me?!”
“The prince is nothing but a servant to duty.” Larys assured her. He may not see eye-to-eye with the prince, at least with the one he had left, but the Lord did respect that he seemed committed to his family and their goal. “I’m sure he will come out of hiding eventually.”
In a further, deeper part of the castle, indeed hidden away from all those who had not truly explored it, Aemond laid sequestered with his maiden. Marveling at her beauty in the low light between kisses. Beads of sweat forming at the back of his neck from the warmth of the candles in the small space and their hot, panting breath. Bucking against each other with soft gasps & grunts in the nest he had built for them
“We have to go.” His lady insisted. For the umpteenth time, yet neither one of them had made a legitimate effort to move.
“No, no. Not yet.”
Aemond didn’t want to go back to the ‘real world’. A world where his family and hers were fighting. Where the rift between them seemed to grow every day. Separating them. Lines in the sand now a chasm that seemed impossible to overcome.
He also knew what was to happen today to Rhaenyra's bastards, and that she might not forgive him for his part in the plot of disinheriting her brothers. Aemond wanted to stay here a little longer, where she wouldn’t be mad at him.
“People will be looking for us.” She told him as he moved to her neck, which was freely given.
“They’ll never find us.” It had taken him years to find this place and even then it had been difficult to remember where the opening was until he had committed it to memory.
“Oh yes. Because you’re so clever. Ow!” His lady yipped but then moaned when he bit at her neck. A true Targaryen. Wanting a little pain with her pleasure.
“We should just leave and never come back.”
He’d made the offer before. To take their dragons and ride until they reach new land. Conquer it like their ancestors. Build a new kingdom, instead of being stuck in this conflicting one.
Yet, every time, she just laughed it off as a joke like she did now. Not realizing the seriousness of how much he wanted to leave, and never come back, and just be the two of them in the world. “You would miss the tarts too much if we left. Come on. Let’s get going.”
Aemond finally let her go, though disappointed about it, and let her right herself.
In the right light, her mused hair and clothes looked like she had been riding. No one would think where Rhaenyra's Targaryen jewel had truly been. In the arms of her scorned, much less beloved uncle. His cock throbbed in his breeches. Desperate to make her truly his, but he would not take such liberties. Aemond would not tarnish their jewel nor besmirch her honor. He loved her too much for that. That’s why he wanted her to run away with him, so they could be together. Growing up in a world beloved & adored, she does not see that her parents will never allow them to marry. Never allow them to be happy. Their jewel will be given to someone politically inclined to help secure her mother’s place on the throne, and Aemond would be unhappy & unfulfilled.
He would join the Watch before he call anyone but her wife.
Righted and upright, Aemond tucked a lock of silver behind her ear. Marveling at the affection reflected in her eyes. “Will you see me later? After the conclave?”
“Of course.” She told him. Her earnest something he wanted to hold on to. “Here, or somewhere else before dinner?”
“Here.” Where he could pretend. And if he spoke his words sweet enough maybe she would take him up on his offer to finally run away.
They exit their nook and depart. Her back to her family and Aemond to his. His mother found him readily enough, given how frantically at this point she had been looking for him, and asked where he had been.
“Day dreaming.” Was all he told her. It was a peculiarly enough answer that it halted all further questions from his mother and left him to get ready for the meeting.
After today, his daydreams where all he might have left. Let him keep them for a little while longer at least.
#;ask and ye shall receive (request answers)#;pen & paper (fanfiction)#aemond targaryen#aemond one eye#book!aemond#prince aemond#house of the dragon#hotd#aemond x reader#house targaryen#hotd imagine#hotd fanfiction#aemond targaryen x you#aemond targaryen x reader#house of the dragon imagine#game of thrones#game of thrones scenarios#got imagine#got scenarios#imagine#scenarios#hotd smut#house of the dragon smut#female reader#larys strong#alicent hightower
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waves
pairing: surfer!bf x THICC!male reader
summary: oh, how i need a tall, curly headed goofball…
notes: HOPE MY LOVELIES ARE DOING WELL. trying to get through my requests, but this was a personal one of mine. slowly but surely y’all! as summer is coming to an end, it was SO necessary for me to feed my hot girl delusions at least a couple more times. also, enjoy the new style i have been experimenting with!
song rec: they. - diamonds and pearls
album rec: sabrina carpenter - short n sweet (my girl sabz ate so hard with this project, i just wish it was released in early aug so she could’ve rly CONQUERED summer 2024) THEE POP PRINCESS!
brief background:
your boyfriend was raised with a silver spoon; he’d never had to work a day in his life and everything he ever wanted, he got. well, everything except you. throwing money to impress people had worked on all of his other childhood crushes, but not you, which made him all the more determined to prove to you he wasn’t just some fuck boi the media painted him out to be. his family owned the richest resort in the carribean, and had hotels in every mega city worldwide. but wherever they travelled to, your man was never too far from a beach. call it fate, but the sea would always lead you back to him. it was where he first laid eyes on you; reading a very lengthy novel as you laid on the sand, watching your friends play in the water. after their surf practice, your mutual friends introduced the two of you and you were SMITTEN - but you couldn’t show your interest too soon. he too was whipped, and didn’t take nearly as much effort to hide it, practically drooling whilst staring at you. his mates would constantly ridicule him for his dazed expression around you, and he could never hear the end of the new nickname ‘bambi boy’ you gave him because he looked so cute when he was flustered. after weeks of regular conversation and a couple walks on the beach, he officially asked to be your boyfriend and you said yes.
when it came to finally introducing you to his family, they loved you almost as much as he did. he was the youngest of six and so he got the privilege of this. his parents especially were wishing y’all would stay together. they believed you were the perfect match for their goofball of a son.
core memory sfw:
the first time he said ‘i love you’ with TRUE meaning; you were always worried that you were just one fuck away from being forgotten, but your man made sure to constantly affirm his love for you. he brought you the biggest bouquet of your favourite flowers, and stood outside in the pouring rain, playing a mixtape he’d made for you. it was genuinely a scene out of a film, he was your knight in shining armour (a hawaiian shirt and matching shorts) and it was then that you knew that you guys were endgame.
core memory nsfw:
to say your bf loves your body is an understatement. the way he’s hooked on your body, some might say it’s borderline unhealthy. he’s so handy and keeps his hands on your ass all the time. whether it’s a spank, watching it jiggle as you walk away from him, or a full on grip as his pulls you onto his dick, he’s a man that would gladly die between your cheeks. one time during dinner you wore a wrap skirt paired with a tank top, paired with a thong that was peeping out enough to make your man’s eyes pop out of his head like a cartoon character. as his jaw dropped, practically salivating at the sight of your body moving closer to him, you picked it up and giggled, stroking his chin endearingly. for the entire meal he was practically sat right next to you, breathing in your luscious skin. ‘boy, you better calm down, we have company.’ you giggled. ‘fuck bby, how can you say that when you look good enough for me to eat?’ he whispered into your ear, trying not to bring too much attention. before you knew it you were face down, ass up and your thong was pulled to the side, as he used it as a pseudo leash keeping your pussy bouncing on his cock.
your favourite thing about him: his oddball nature.
as much as it can annoy you that he’s always cracking jokes, leaving no room for respite, your bf never fails to bring joy to your life. as the life of the party he’s always bringing that much needed energy to the dull world of his mostly corporate family. whether it be seeing you hollering at some unhinged thing he’d said, or watching him (ironically) fuck the smile onto your lips, you can tell that comedy is who he is, and you wouldn’t change your weirdo for anything.
his favourite thing about you: how artistic you are.
almost impossibly, it makes your boyfriend fall in love with you even more seeing your creativity flourish. you’re always making him jewellery out of the shells and stones you find. he loves to wear them, it gets you going when you see the necklace you made for him swing back and forth as he fucks into you. or when you feel the cold of his rings and bracelet on your waist as he holds you in position to fuck you even harder. he’s so proud of you.
his insta post: mostly just him showing off his good looks (we love a cocky man around here) and his beach flix.
surfer!bf my face is his favourite seat.
y/n: that big dick is a very close second though.
tinashe replied: @y/n, you a nasty girl fr.
sabrinacarpenter replied: @y/n girl, need you on that bed chem remix. about to do some damage…in a good way x
your insta post: almost always pictures of your creations; you like to keep your relationship with him private, that’s YOUR man, and you can get very possessive.
y/n feel free to add to your pinterest boards.
surfer!bf: baby you’re so talented ����
viviennewestwood: so excited to see your next collection!
surfer!bf: i love you.
y/n replied: @surfer!bf aw, i love you too babes!
plans for the future!
being with one of the greatest surfers in the world, definitely came with some amazing perks.
marriage:
oh, he’s 100% thought about it, and would definitely be the one to propose. the free spirit in him doesn’t need a piece of paper to prove that he loves you, truly. But would totally be your husband if you let him x
children:
your surfer!bf ABSOLUTELY WANTS TO HAVE A FAMILY WITH YOU! sees himself as the best father and y’all would have the cutest kids ever.
tag list:
@gayaristocrat
@multireese
@malereadermaniac
@lysanderplume
@ghostking4m
#gay#bottom male reader#smut#gay male#gay reader#male bottom#male x male#gay love#gay smut#male bottom reader#male x male fluff#male reader#bottom reader
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gunshots, gods, & getting fucked (b.e.)
warning: SMUT SMUT SMUT! gun usage, violence, bank robbery, mention of cops. fingering, oral, strap-on usage, pet names, praise.
your hands gripped the steering wheel tight, your knuckles were turning white. your eyes scanned the dark and empty road for any sign of flashing lights.
you were growing bored, but you had to stay focused.
the radio was playing the faintest of tunes, you mouthed the lyrics as you looked into the void, only being illuminated streetlamps.
and then there was an alarm.
your eyes flicked to the bank’s entrance as the car’s engine sprung to life. your eats started to hurt at how loud the alarm was.
you thought she was more careful than that.
you saw your raven-haired partner sprint out the doors, the duffel bag she was carrying looked like it was about to burst open.
she swung the passenger door open, practically leaping into it.
“drive!”
you didn’t waste a second before your foot slammed onto the gas. you drove off, your tires screeching as you took a hard right at the end of the street.
“what the fuck, bils?!” you asked her, frustrated. “you said you wouldn’t set it off!”
“yeah, look. sometimes things go wrong.” she scoffed, “anyways, i have the money. it’s up to you now, baby. get us outta here.”
you chuckled dryly. of course she managed to sweet talk you despite nearly butchering the whole operation.
“you look so fucking pretty behind the wheel.” billie grinned at you, she lowered the mask she was wearing and leaned over to press a kiss to your neck.
“enough, tiger. i need to focus.” you elbowed her softly, she laughed softly and leaned back in her seat. “save it for when we’re in the clear.”
it was like the universe was trying to be funny. just as you said that, you heard sirens getting closer to you.
“fuck.” you hissed, looking in the rearview mirror. you saw a cop car tailing you, you changed gears and the two of you jolted forwards as the car sped up.
billie leaned forward and popped the glovebox open, pulling out a pistol. she grabbed an ammo magazine from the middle compartment and loaded the gun. she pulled her mask back up and turned around to gauge what she was dealing with.
“hold on, we might not need it.” you warned her. billie tended to have, what they called, a trigger finger. she got a little too excited to sport the gun in her hand.
you saw her blow a raspberry as she slumped back in her chair. you found her cute like that.
you made a sharp left, turning into a busier road. you made risky swerves, cutting in between available spaces when you could. then you turned a random corner, spotting an alleyway.
you quickly parked in it, killing the engine. you signaled billie to be quiet, your eyes never leaving the rearview. you saw as the cop cars sped by quickly. you gave it a few seconds before turning the engine back on and reversing back onto the road.
you made sure to keep the car quiet as you made your way to the bridge that allowed you to get into the next city over.
three cop cars managed to spot you just as you entered the bridge, quickly speeding after you.
“jesus billie.” you groaned softly. “made yourself a bit of a threat there.”
“luckily, i have the best getaway driver ever.” she poked your shoulder.
“i can only do so much.”
you conquered any gap that you were allowed. but you saw in the distance that oncoming traffic was starting to slow down as more cars started to pile onto the lanes.
the three cars behind you managed to take over all the lanes, one on each. you couldn’t back out now. you started to sweat a little, worrying that you might not make it out fast enough.
and then you spotted it.
a huge semi-truck, it’s shadow was hiding the cars beside it.
you squinted slightly and managed to read its license plate.
BRT 365.
you almost called it a victory, but you weren’t out of the woods yet.
as you were about to make your move, one of the cop cars bumped into your rear. it sent you and billie forward a little.
you looked over to her to make sure she was okay, but she was only frustrated. you could tell she was getting close to scratching that itch, and you needed more time.
“hey bils.” you called after her, grabbing her attention. she turned to you and raised her eyebrows in anticipation.
“give ‘em hell.”
she licked the top row of her teeth, donning an almost sinister smile. she cocked the gun and rolled her window down. she elevated herself and stuck her head and arm out the window.
she pointed the gun directly at the cop car’s wheel.
“fuck you.” she said as she fired, hitting the tire dead on. you watched in the rearview mirror as the car veered off to the side and crashed into the bridge.
the driver of the car fumbled with the radio, most likely signaling that you were armed.
the other two cars were nowhere to be seen, hidden behind layers and layers of other cars. you saw your chance.
you lined the car up with the underbelly of the semitruck, spotting it’s mechanism that you & its driver built yourself.
“watch this.” you said to billie. you swerved into the underside of the truck, latching onto the mechanism.
the metal platform started to lift the car up into the truck, you turned the engine off to make it easier.
when you were completely inside and the bottom of the truck closed itself off, you exited the car.
“that was some mighty fine timing, charli!” you called out to the woman behind the wheel.
“thank me later, we’re nearly back at the safe house.” she said, her thick accent was reassuring.
you leaned against the car, your arms crossed over your chest as your girlfriend rounded the car, standing in front of you.
“look at you, pretty. proper criminal.” she said, her hands finding their way to your waist. she yanked you forward and connected your lips in a deep kiss. it was immediately heated, you knew successful missions like this turned her on like no tomorrow.
you giggled softly and put your hands on her shoulders. “nice shooting.” you pushed her backwards slightly, she groaned at the loss of affection.
you smiled to yourself, making your way to charli’s passenger seat. billie still set off the alarm, so you had to deprive her just a little bit.
—
you hopped out of the passenger seat once you reached the safehouse, smacking your hand on the side of the truck twice. you made your way back to the car as charli opened the back.
you drove out of the truck and parked the car in the garage.
“we’ll dump it tomorrow night, we just have to let the police cool down their search.” you said, shutting the car door behind you. billie took out the duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder.
she reached for your hand as she walked towards the back door entrance to your safe house. you jogged a little to grab it, intertwining your fingers together.
“i’ll see you guys next week. night, night!” charli called after the two of you, mounting her motorbike and driving off. you waved after her and so did billie.
as you two made your way to your shared bedroom, billie howled in excitement. she tossed the bag on your bed and unzipped it, turning it over and emptying it right on the bed.
“fuck yeah, baby!!!!” she exclaimed, whooping and turning to hug you. she lifted you a little and spun you around. you laughed and whooped just the same.
she set you down and grabbed your face with both her hands, “my fucking princess, you and your cars are a fucking supernova.” she said, smashing your lips together in a fiery kiss.
you wrapped your arms around her neck, pulling her closer. she set her hands on the back of your thighs and you jumped, wrapping your legs around her waist. she turned 90 degrees and set you down directly on the cash.
oh, this was interesting!
she nearly tore off your pants, not even bothering to take your other clothes off. she planted your feet on her shoulders as she knelt down in front of your already dripping cunt. you could head your heart pounding in your ears, this turned you on a little too much.
“fuck baby, does robbing a bank turn you on?” she chuckled, running a finger up and down your opening. “or was it the getaway?” she asked, tilting her head.
you nearly let out a whimper as you shook your head. “no…” you answered.
“no? what was it then?” her piercing eyes looked up at you from where she was.
“you shooting that gun… that was so fucking hot.” you confessed, your hips rolling on her finger. she let you continue that motion, you were the reason she got away. she had to reward you for that.
“oh really? you flatter me too much…” billie smirked, her gold teeth flashing in the light of your bedroom. her finger hit your clit, you hissed at the contact, your hips bucking upwards.
“billie, c’mon, please?” you begged her, you needed her to make you feel good.
“i suppose so, because you’ve been such a good girl. my fucking supernova.” she said, leaning down and diving into your pussy.
she pressed her tongue flat against your clit and shook her head quickly. you were leaking all over the cash, you knew it would ruin some of the bills. but you didn’t care, and neither did she.
you let out a sharp moan as she put two fingers in you. she was devouring you like she was a woman starved, lapping at your arousal like it was the only thing she could ever eat again.
your thighs tightened around her head, you could tell she was enjoying it. she loved being suffocated between your thighs.
her fingers pumped in and out of you quickly, she wanted to please you too. she curled her fingers inside of you, coaxing another moan out.
you felt a white-hot flush run through your body and settle in the pits of your stomach. it didn’t take long for you to give her a warning.
“billie— oh fuck, i’m gonna cum!” you cried out to her, your hands gripping the sheets and the bills that laid on top of them.
you thanked whatever otherworldly presence was looking out for you that she didn’t stop. she gave you silent permission with her eyes, those fucking eyes.
your back arched as you reached your climax, and she lapped everything up. she refused to leave anything behind.
when she was done, she walked off to the closet, and you knew exactly what she was after. she came out with a black silicone cock sitting perfectly strapped around her waist.
you felt yourself gush at her stance. you sat up, backing up into the bed and she climbed on it to hover above you.
the wads of cash followed the two of you, sinking into the mattress until it was under your back.
“you’re already so wet, don’t even need to use lube.” she said, mockingly. “does my cock make you this wet, princess?” she pouted, asking you.
you nodded quickly, your hands caressing her cheeks as she lined the tip of her cock with your hole. she turned her head slightly to kiss the palm of your hand.
as she slowly entered you, you let out a series of whines, trying to adjust to being stretched out.
“yeah, you can take it, baby. you can take it.” she said, pushing it further into you until the gap between your cunt and her waist was basically non-existent.
your eyes squeezed shut as you wriggled a little, allowing yourself a couple of seconds to get used to the size. you opened your eyes slowly to see billie’s empathetic ones, she was so sweet even in times like this.
even after all the crimes she’d committed, you had no doubt that she loved you more than the life she led.
“ready, baby?” she asked you as you met her eyes. you nodded in response because if you tried to talk, it would only come out as moans.
she thrusted into you, hard. pulling out almost all the way then bottoming out completely. you cried out in pain at first, but then it became pleasure just as quickly.
“fucking…” she mumbled, “good girl. fucking good girl, taking it so good for me.” she said through thrusts.
your eyes rolled into the back of your head as your mouth hung open. her hand found its way up your shirt, squeezing one of your tits through your bra. your back arched into her hand.
“oh my god, you’re so pretty. you’re so fucking sexy.” she said, studying your face of pleasure.
“fuck, bils!” you screamed out, your nails digging into her cheeks. she didn’t care about the pain, she just loved making you feel good.
she started to pick up her pace, her hand joining the fun as she used her fingers to draw circles on your clit. you squealed as your body jolted, your tits bouncing with every thrust.
“fuck.. fuck… fuck…” the curses stumbled out of your mouth with each thrust. that rush of pleasure went straight through your body again.
“gonna cum, princess?” billie asked, you started to tighten around her cock, making it harder to continue her movements. you could only whimper out a soft ‘mmhm’, but that was good enough for billie.
“okay baby, why don’t you cum for me like the good girl you are, yeah? c’mon, you can do it. cum like a good girl.” she coaxed your second orgasm out of you.
the pleasure was building up from everything she was doing. the hand on your clit, her cock fucking into you and making you see stars. your body tensed up,
and then you released.
“billie!” you cried out, your body relaxing as you came on her cock, your arousal forming a ring at its base.
she kept thrusting into you, helping you ride out the crashing wave of an orgasm you just had. and then she pulled away, plopping down on the bed next to you.
“hey baby?” she spoke to you.
“hm?”
“i’ll only ever fuck you like this now.” she said.
“what do you mean?”
“i’ll only ever fuck you like we’re gods.”
—
author’s journal
pooookie nation!!!!! it’s been a while since i came out with something for billie and i had this sudden burst of inspiration to write this.
this one in particular is for @dandelions4us <33 i told u i’d come thru with this babes!!
going insane for crime billie now WOOF WOOF BARK BSRK
& also i hope u all enjoyed this you filthy animals
kisses xx
#billie eilish#billie eilish x reader#billie eilish x female reader#billie eilish x f!reader#billie eilish smut#billie eilish fic#billie eilish one shot
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do we need to like. talk. about how grrm taking so long to complete asoiaf means the original subversion of daenerys targaryen's character has been basically lost.
because aside from the show massively fucking the ending up, you also have to consider the seismic shift of the perception of fantasy as a whole since asoiaf hit the mainstream and since more intersectional perspectives and deconstructions of white saviorism have risen in prominence.
like it's a good thing that we're collectively critiquing and sideeying dany's storyline for the questionable, orientalist and often outright racist elements, and that the girlboss dany idea is being challenged. but uh guys. take a look at grrm. do you really think he was setting out to write a paul atreides style deconstruction of white saviorism with dany. or is it not more likely that he put those things into his story by mistake and didn't realize those problematic elements were there until decades later-- especially since girlboss feminism didn't fucking exist when he started writing asoiaf. is it not more likely that he missed the points he was trying to make about dany being a foreigner interfering in eastern politics and the white savior vibe her story sometimes puts off is completely accidental.
people do not seem to realize what the climate of fantasy was when grrm was writing asoiaf in the 90s-00s. the moral grays and grimdark elements of modern fantasy were in part popularized by asoiaf. grrm wasn't subverting the idea of dany being a good ruler. dany being a good ruler was the subversion.
daenerys targaryen is a deconstruction and subversion of the almost comically evil sorceress-queen antagonist of a fantasy novel that would never be written today.
think through what dany looks like from the outside:
she's the daughter of the mad incestuous king who terrorized westeros only a generation ago, and she's back to get his throne for herself.
she's going to make her arrival by invading from the Savage East and killing the one true lost heir, the son of the prince everyone loves and wishes were king, who was raised among the people, who's a boy, who practices the faith of the seven and will marry a westerosi lady. and she's going to destroy the shining city that he's going to rule from.
she rides a black and red dragon that spits black and red fire. she has two other dragons with her and used blood magic to hatch them. she killed a house full of warlocks, has prophetic dreams, talks to mysterious sorcerers and witches and is linked with magic.
she comes from a family of incestuous, weird-looking, magic-using, dragon-riding conquerors who are the last survivors of an empire that conquered half the world and decimated and enslaved an entire continent by using dark magic, dragons and horrifying experiments. and her family in particular is infamous for having a tendency to go insane.
she's so beautiful men are throwing themselves at her. she dominated one husband and killed another. her dragon set poor sweet quentyn martell on fire when all he was doing was trying to honor a betrothal agreement. she has sex with both men and women where she's in control of the encounters. she had a sexual relationship with her brother. she 'bewitched' the most powerful warlord in essos with her sexuality, convinced him to kill her brother for her, took over his following, and will come to westeros with control of the most deadly cavalry in the world who are already considered to be 'savages' -- and her association with them has already started rumors that she fucks horses because she's so insatiable.
she's infertile and sacrificed her one pregnancy (gasp, the Firstborn Son!) to hatch her dragons.
kinslayer allegations: her brother, her son, and her (fake) nephew. even her mother, to an extent.
she has very tanned skin, spooky silver hair (that's very short) and purple eyes, a tyroshi accent and wears revealing clothing that would scandalize westerosis.
she's the savior figure for a Foreign Religion that's spreading in westeros and competing with the faith of the seven.
she's either the savior figure for the 'barbarian' nomadic raiders, or the mother of their prophesized savior.
she's leading an army of foreign (brown) slave soldiers, sellswords and 'barbarians.' she's being advised by foreigners. her handmaids aren't Nice Noble Girls-- they're nomadic horsewomen who are stereotyped as unmannered and promiscuous.
and the westerosis in her camp are the ones westeros hates: pirates that just destroyed oldtown, westeros's beloved center of trade, faith and knowledge. specifically euron, who wants to marry her. the dwarf that killed king joffrey and escaped and is now back because he wants to burn down king's landing. an ugly westerosi lord from backwater bear isle who was banished for selling slaves. a westerosi knight who refused to accept the king's wishes for him to retire and ran off to serve the opposition... and probably marwyn, a controversial maester.
she destroyed the essosi economy, has sacked multiple cities, turned the ruling class out of their homes, crucified a bunch of nobles, and will probably burn the volantene tower full of nobles on her way west.
she's a woman, specifically a teenage girl, who has power in her own right, who wants to claim more of it. and who has no more powerful man to answer to.
daenerys is the embodiment of everything westeros hates and fears to such an extent that even if she does everything right, or doesn't do anything at all, westeros will never accept her.
we spent five books following dany off on her own in essos because that plotline's all about giving you context before she arrives: here's the Evil Queen's backstory, so by the time she does what she does, the reader completely understands and empathizes with her, even if they disagree with her actions. and when all our heroes hate her, and she decides to strip them of their power like she did in essos with the slavers, we don't know what to do.
the subversion is: what if our view of this evil antagonist is xenophobic and sexist, and all the things we're scared of her for were taken out of context or twisted to villainize her. what if the foreign culture she's from isn't evil, and what if her slave army is actually freedmen who chose to follow her, and she opposes the legacy of slavery her family sources their power from. what if she's 'mad' because she's understandably angry and upset, and not ~craaazy~. what if the nobles she was killing deserved it, what if the system they depend on was evil and deserved to be destroyed. what if our system that we've been fighting to preserve isn't much better and needs to go too, even if People We Like are in charge of it. what if she's a teenager who doesn't always make the right decisions, especially when much older adults with their own motives are manipulating her.
the subversion is: what if the evil sorceress-queen who's going to invade our wonderful fantasy realm and bring all her big bad scary changes with it is a complex person with good intentions who actually has a completely legitimate reason to burn it all down.
so if dany genuinely does go evil when she gets to westeros... there's no subversion anymore because the trope is played straight. therefore, she won't. but it won't even matter. we'll know that dany isn't a monster, but nobody else will see her that way.
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What do the Fifth House actually do?
Sure, yes, ghosts and tradition and the Heart of the Emperor, and Watchers Over the River - but none of those things give you the kind of assets that mean you can dress your cavalier in a coat that "probably cost more than the Ninth House had in its coffers" for a dinner party.
It's made clear very early on that the Fifth are a power to be reckoned with. When they first receive the letter about the Lyctoral pilgrimage, Gideon assumes it would be on the Third or Fifth. Harrow, meanwhile, has frequently-repeated anxieties about the Ninth being subsumed by the Third or Fifth, to the point that she worries that the anniversary party invitation may be an attempt to wipe out the other Houses. Teacher describes the Fifth's relationship with the Fourth as "hegemonic". The Fifth loom so large in the cultural imagination, they even inform the name of the made up porn magazine that Gideon offers to Crux.
The links between the Third and the Fifth that both Gideon and Harrow make seem to reflect both the fact that these two Houses have particular power and influence, but also that they frequently cooperate. Judith writes about the close cooperation of the Second, Third, and Fifth, a relationship which becomes a source of tension as the scions seek to establish authority after the Fifth are murdered. Judith says:
“The Fifth are dead. I take authority for the Fifth. I say we need military intervention, and we need it right now. As the highest-ranked Cohort officer present, that decision falls to me.” “A Cohort captain,” said Naberius, “don’t rank higher than a Third official.” “I’m very much afraid that it does, Tern.” “Prince Tern, if you please,” said Ianthe.
Which makes it sound as though Abigail might technically have been considered the highest ranking person at Canaan House (likely because she was head of her House and not an heir in waiting like Judith or Coronabeth), and that following her death there is some question as to whether the Second or the Third should take control, but notably no suggestion that anyone else might.
We know what the Second do: they are the leaders of the Cohort and the Bureau, the military and intelligence that forms the core of imperial expansion. Most of the information that we get about the other Houses talks only about their cultural or ritual roles in the empire - we get very little in the way of gritty details of what happens outside of the Dominicus system.
We know a little bit about what the Third does - according to Tor they are cultural trendsetters and players in soft power, but the one detail we get in GTN itself is revealing: when Gideon imagines her glorious future in the Cohort, one of the assignments she considers boring is the prospect of being "in some foreign city babysitting some Third governor." Which makes it sound rather like the Second are conquering the planets and the Third are then running them. But the books are even lighter in details about what the Fifth do, beyond ghosts and manners.
However, there is one suggestive detail: an important topic in HTN is stele travel - the necromantic FTL used by the Nine Houses. And Mercymorn, in describing a stele, specifically states that Fifth House adepts are required for their construction. Which rather makes it sound like the Fifth have a monopoly on the manufacturer of the technology required for FTL travel. Now that in and of itself could be the basis of their enormous wealth - selling aerospace tech to an ever expansionist military is probably quite lucrative.
But there's another element of House imperialism that only gets mentioned in passing that doesn't seem to be entirely accounted for, which Judith describes in As Yet Unsent:
"Their other line of attack is the business contracts. They claim that the services asked of them by the Emperor were set down in lifetime contracts by previous generations, who assumed the contracts would be terminated upon the Emperor’s death."
There are obviously some unanswered questions about the imperialist project of the Nine Houses - both Augustine and Coronabeth question quite why it works the way it does - but from the above it sounds like in many respects it functions exactly as you would expect an empire to: as a vehicle for the exploitation of others' resources.
Perhaps the Cohort themselves administer these business contracts. Perhaps they fall under the purview of the Third House planetary governors. But if you're exporting resources from the living planets of your empire to the mostly desolate planets of the Dominicus system, you're going to need some FTL ships and a whole lot of bureaucracy.
And if there's one other detail that we get about the Fifth, it's that there is something significant about the political power of their bureaucracy. As Judith puts it: "Quinn himself is a Fifth House bureaucrat with all that entails."
Are the Second, Third, and Fifth so close and so powerful because they form the bedrock of the empire: the conquest, control, and exploitation of planets beyond the Dominicus system?
#the locked tomb#tlt#abigail pent#magnus quinn#judith deuteros#coronabeth tridentarius#the fifth house#the third house#the second house#We regret to inform you that spreadsheets dad is maybe running the necromantic East India Company
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