#wip: TALES OF THE OAK AND LIGHTNING

[spideronthesun]

OC Ask Tag

Tagged by @mrbexwrites! Thank you a lot!

Passing the torch onto @concerningwolves @satohqbanana @melpomene-grey @alintalzin @angelfevr

@orphanheirs @authoralexharvey @cain-e-brookman

And here are the questions:

Who is the person your OC is closest to?

What's your OC's favorite season, and what about it do they like the most?

What's a completely random fact about your OC that no one suspects or you always wanted to bring it up in the story but never found a perfect scene to do it?

So, I've been contemplating on who should I select from my characters and I went with Nikolas! I've been talking about Adamas so much, yet I think I never mention his oldest brother nearly enough.

1) Who is your biggest role model growing up?

"For some reason, everyone always assumed that it's dad. There were days when I would seek out his validation since he always entrusted me with everything. I'd be the son he always comes to, and asks to help him. We always had a very strange relationship with each other, and to this day, I and my brothers talk amongst ourselves about this. He had his own unique way of showing love to all of us. Some of my brothers thought that I was more of a father to them than he was ever capable of being one when we needed him the most. However, the person I grew up looking up to was always mom. She was always there for us, and I often wonder if I made her proud with how I took care of my brothers. She used to always ask me to look after everyone if something were to happen to her, and sometimes I fear that I have disappointed her one too many times..."

2) What is a skill that you wish you'd spend more time on when you were younger?

"I don't know how to cook. I'm a terrible cook. I use so many spoons that Edvardas even once threw me out of the room. No one ever asks for my help because they know that even if I had the recipe sitting right in front of my nose, I would not be able to be of help in any way. I even once forgot that I left cookies in the oven and went to do something else, and 30 minutes later, Adamas came running to my room, screaming."

3) Savory or Sweet dishes? Why?

"Always sweet. This whole family runs on the sweets."

[spideronthesun]

Do you like to read stories about family secrets? Or the stories about the reluctant heroes, but struggle with the prophecy, leaving them with no choice but to save their family?

The core of the heart of Tales of Oak and Lightning is centered on family and love, and regardless of the challenges we face, we can overcome them together. I am currently still editing it, but I get really excited when I start thinking about querying it!

Adamas and his four brothers return to their childhood home in the rural countryside after thirteen years, uncovering a destiny hidden in the dense forest. Their mother's missing will reveals a prophecy about the brothers as the magical Sons of Oak. Determined to uncover family secrets filled with betrayals and sacrifices, Adamas meets Medeina, the protector of thunder, who explains their mother’s sacrifice for their chance at a normal life. Their bond is tested as the reappearance of an ancient god threatens to reveal the true cost of their mother’s bargain.

Let’s get to know your main story! Tell us a little bit about it!

[prince--kiriona]

Of Heather & Hares

yes i am writing folklore oneshots instead of working on my wip, what about it

You’ve heard her name. How could you not, when it is whispered so sweetly?

She is a warning, a ghost, spoken of in hushed tones. The story is different, always - a new face, a new name, the hundred thousand changes that any story must bear as it grows from rumour to tale to legend. 

The story is the same, always.

The bride, picking heather for her wedding. The fog, coming from nowhere to envelop her. The hours, or days, or months spent roaming the moors. The solitude that comes, only and always, from the cold silence of the mists.

Everyone knows how it ends. The screaming, broken wail, torn from her throat as she finds her never-husband’s grave. The terror of the village, her village, as the people laid eyes on a woman a hundred years dead.

Whether she truly wanted to marry the man, no two stories agree. But she ran, all the same. Abandoning his grave, the last piece of her old life.

Returning to the iron-grey of the moorland sky, the biting cold of the winter wind, the loneliness of the fog.

The prick of white heather.

Some say she grew hooves, with which to tread the deer-trails, and a snout to smell out food, and lived the rest of her days happily. Others, that she gouged out her eyes, too proud to watch as she became nothing more than an animal. Others still, that she wandered the hills as a ghost, human-shaped but mindless as the grass beneath her.

She was a wild thing now, a lonesome thing, hair tangled with the heather that had marked her doom, what remained of her gown hanging tattered and torn round her hips.

And you have run to her.

Storm winds whip around you, tearing the veil off your head at last. Freed, your hair streams with the gale, tangling beyond what any comb could fix. 

Your eyes stream too, tears mixing with the pounding rain. Your foot finds a rabbit-hole and your ankle twists, your delicate white slipper pulled down by the mud. Moments later, the other joins it.

And yet, you continue. Feet bruised and bleeding, hair wet and matted, white dress muddied. You continue. 

You have no place other to go.

How long have you been walking for? The hills seem endless, stretching as far as the eye can see, broom and gorse tearing at your skin as you trudge ever onwards.

You walk, and walk, and walk, until it seems as if there has never been anything else. As if you have never done anything but walk.

You fall. You crawl. You find a way to keep going, no matter how much pain sears through you.

And finally, you find it. The storm clears - slowly at first - then all at once, there is nothing.

You pull yourself up, pain like lightning shooting up from your feet and hands. But you know the sting of cuts and nettles, and they do not concern you. 

Far worse is the bone-deep exhaustion, the feeling that you could sleep for the next hundred years if you only had someplace to rest your head.

But you are at last where you mean to be, and so you drag your tired body onward, the only thing burning brighter than the pain the dogged determination not to die like this.

The heather is harsh on your bruised feet, and so, when you come to a stream, you gratefully sink your feet into its freezing water. Everything around you is cold, but the wind has stilled, providing you some small respite.

For a second, you almost feel at peace.

There is another woman at the stream. 

You do not know when she arrived. If she arrived. Maybe she has always been here.

She is young, too young for the white hair that spills over her shoulders and down to the ground. Everything about her is bone-white - her eyes, her skin, the antlers that reach for the sky like the branches of a lightning-struck tree. 

Her dress is long since gone, scraps of silk and taffeta torn away and wrapped around her horns as decoration, and she wears nothing but her crown, a twisted wreath of white heather and thorns.

She watches you, calm and unashamed, as she lounges by the bank of the river.

You explain to her why you have come - stuttering and starting, unprepared for the blank, serene, expectant gaze of the Queen of the Moor.

You finish, and her deer-like ear twitches, once, twice. She rises, and she towers above you, tall as an oak tree yet delicate as a reed.

You stand, trance-like, all thoughts of pain forgotten. She lifts your chin with a claw-like finger, the white flesh as chilled as the mist that surrounds you both.

She places a kiss on your forehead, lips even colder than her hands. 

She steps away, and you begin to shrink.

Your body contorts, bones twisting and flesh melting, fur sprouting from what once was skin. You open your mouth - to scream? To cry? You don’t know - but no sound emerges. 

And throughout it all, the Moon watches, the same serene gaze watching over you.

You wanted an escape, no?

Your ears elongate, your teeth twist, your eyes pushed sideways as your nose moves forward.

The fog drifts away, the clouds parting, the silver starlight cool on your fur.

No man may keep a hare trapped.

You twitch your tail, nose pricking up as you balance on your hind legs. 

You bound into the undergrowth, as the last memories of your life fade away. 

And above it all, the Moon watches, and smiles.

You’re welcome.

[typeaadventures]

Old Writing Meme

Tagged by @raiswanson and @sincerestaffect again. It’s like you guys think I’m a writer or something with all these games. 

The Rules:

1. Post a quote or short excerpt from your early days of writing. (I’m talking old fanfics, slash fics, original fics, etc., that are barely edited and have a ton of technical errors and misspelled words.) This is the cringe part. Don’t edit anything! Let it be horrendous. Don’t Panic.

Oh flipping heck, I forgot about this story. I forgot about this story so hard, but now I remember and I’m dying. This was my first proper novel, where I apparently reached 80,000 words??? what the hell ten-year-old-me??? I’m dying tho. This is from “Legends of Lazlor” about a young warrior who must go around finding five other warriors to hold legendary, elemental swords and stop a bad guy blah blah blah you get it. 

Now to begin my tale we must go to the main gate of the capital city, where we shall find one of the many characters in my tale. This young boy can normally be found daydreaming- what’s his name you ask? His name is Jonathan but we shall call him John. John is about fourteen and has shoulder long blond hair and green eyes with fair skin for he was usually sleeping in the shade. He normally he wore a red tunic with a light blue cloak over that had a golden crown on it. He had leather boots that his mother made and a sword of copper for the hilt and steal for the blade. John is the kind of person who dreams of better things in this case being the best knight in Lazlor and we have found him dreaming just that.

“John, John quick get up buddy it’s me Luke”

“ Luke uh what time is it?” John asked.

“ It’s time for your shift, you know 8:59” replied Luke.

“ WHAT! 8:59 why didn’t you come sooner I can’t get there in 1 minute!” screamed John.

“Well considering the fact it takes half-an-hour to walk over…” Luke was cut off.

“ THAT’S IT! I’ll ride Lightning there!” John was screaming once again when he said that.

“ Man, not even your horse can do that you’ll…” ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.  

“ 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9; 9! I’m late tallyho” and with that John was out the door, in the stables on Lightning bareback screaming

“ HI HO LIGHTNING, GO FOR-OR-ORTH!” and they were of.

“ Good luck buddy you’ll need it.” Luke said with a final look at the clock in the hall. It showed that it would be a fool’s errand, but John always seemed to pull through

2. Post a quote or short excerpt from one of your most recent works/WIPs. Something that you’re proud of. Something that you’ve written that makes you smile when you read it.

**SPOILERS**  K, I’ve definitely stuck this excerpt somewhere else before, but from Fallen Oak, Aisling fighting the Dragon is just forever something I think I’ll be in love with. It reminds me of my favourite kind of stories. **SPOILERS**

She looked up, and the dragon was suddenly before her: it’s eyes glittering, it’s jaw’s spread wide and its wings so monstrously large they blocked the very light from the sky. But she could no longer hear the dragon’s thunderous voice in her head; rather there was silence, much the same as she had felt when Caoimhe had visited her campsite. She could think of nothing and of no one, although she carried the vaguest sense that she had once had a dream which might now aid her. She felt no terror as she gazed up at Nrgwen, the beast who could swallow the world, and she did not think of how strange it was that something so much larger and more powerful than herself should look so very alarmed at her charred body and clumsy little sword raised in the darkness of the dragon’s shadow.

She thought only that if something miraculous could not save her, than something cursed could do no worse.  

 She saw the flashing of dragon fire, but it was dull in comparison to the sudden brilliance of her sword crackling in a great white arc as she drove it heavily into the mountain. There was a great rumbling—one which was not the dragon’s laughter—and the dead earth was suddenly pierced with great splinters of white light which raced up the mountainside like lightning bolts. There was another long, pain-filled moment in which Aisling stood in awe of as the mountain was turning into a spider web and the cracks illuminated the dragon’s silhouette as its mouth fell shut and it stumbled on the shaking ground. Aisling clung to the hilt of the sword with both hands, the scent of burning flesh reaching her distantly, as rocks began to fall all around them and a whirlwind was whipped up by the frenzied flapping of the Nrgwen’s great leathery wings. As the sound of the wind intensified and the rumbling of the mountain shuddering and crumbling all around them grew louder and the dragon’s roar filled the air once more, Aisling shut her eyes tight and focussed only on keeping hold of the sword as the pain from her tight grip on the hilt and the forest burning behind her and the strike of stones from the avalanche threatened to knock her unconscious.

 She heard Nrgwen’s last roar of rage cut unnaturally short before she herself collapsed, drifting blissfully into the arms of unconsciousness to the sound of a sweet voice singing a gentle lullaby.

3. Tag a writer you admire, anyone you think is amazing, new friends, followers, writeblrs, anyone who you’d like to know more about. If you think someone is a great writer and you want to see how they’ve developed their skills, tag them! Everyone started somewhere.

Again, I know I’m late to the party and most of you have been tagged already, so if you see this and feel like playing please do so! 

[spideronthesun]

Unusual Association Tag

Thank you so much for the tag @cain-e-brookman!

I thought it would be fun to let Robertas shine. He's the brother I get to talk about the least. And he deserves more love.

Seasoning: Cinnamon. Weather: An early March morning, when nature awakens to the warmth of the sun, and the tree catkins start to emerge. Color: Lime green. Sky: A beautiful blue cloudless sky with the sun hiding behind the roof. Magic power: Healing. Comforting his loved ones always comes natural to him. His smile's too precious. Plant: Chamomile. Weapon: A leaf rake. Social media: Definitely Pinterest and Instagram. Candy: Sour gummy worms. Fear: Losing his brothers or something bad happening to them, never finding love, being alone. Method of long-distance travel: These days he drives a car. When he was a child, he used to take the bus. Art style: Impressionism. Stationary: Pencils. Celestial body: Earth.

Tagging: @addomfarm-ogf-updates @satohqbanana @mrbexwrites @darkangel319 @alintalzin & anyone else who wants to do it!

[spideronthesun]

One Word Test - Tag Game

Thank you for tagging me @mrbexwrites (here)

Tagging @alintalzin @illarian-rambling @satohqbanana @addomfarm-ogf-updates & anyone else who wants to do it!

Rules: Chose one word, and only one word, that spoils your entire wip but the audience will have to read the book to find out why

I really really wanted to use the same word as Mo did but it feels unfair.

So, we are skipping on the word family for TOTOAL and we are choosing: LOVE!

It begins with love. It ends with love.

[spideronthesun]

WIP INTRO—TALES OF THE OAK AND LIGHTNING

GENRE | Urban fantasy - Baltic mythology retelling.

SETTING | A rural countryside.

STATUS | Editing / Planning to query in Spring-Summer 2024.

POV | Multi-POV 3rd Person.

THEMES AND TROPES | Found family, the chosen one, the reluctant hero, family secrets, the power of friendship, dealing with loss, paying the price, religious trauma, religion and devotion, friends to lovers.

WARNINGS | Death, fire, creepy settings, alcohol abuse, horror elements.

BLURB

In the heart of Lithuania’s countryside, Adamas and his four brothers return to their childhood home after thirteen years. Little do they know, their reunion unveils a destiny forged in the shadows of the dense forest. The pages of their mother's missing will reveals the prophecy of five brothers in magic as the lost Sons of Oak. Determined, Adamas embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets hidden within the family tree, filled with betrayals and sacrifices. He meets in his path, the protector of thunder, Medeina. She shares the secret of how their mother sealed their fates, making a deal where she gave up her powers in order for them to have a chance at a normal life. However, the strength of the brother's connection is about to be tested. The forthcoming reappearance of a god from the past may unveil the cost of their mother’s bargain struck long ago.

Leave me a comment if you want to be added to the taglist!

[spideronthesun]

Writer Questions

Thank you for tagging me @mrbexwrites ! (You can find her answers here)

Tagging @satohqbanana @addomfarm-ogf-updates @melpomene-grey @alintalzin & anyone else who wants to do it!

What is your absolute all-time favorite idea you’ve ever had?

I wish that I could reveal more since some of these ideas are spoilery. And I don't want to unveil them too much. At least not yet.

But I will give you a hint. I like Adamas doing a research for his article, as well as on his family tree, and where does it lead him to.

I also like inserting some of the Lithuanian language in my book, and also explaining the meaning behind the words. Makes it a lot of fun.

Is there a question you’ve been asked in the past that really stands out to you, and you still think about sometimes?

The one I heard a couple of years ago, when my story was in very early drafts, and an editor in a small press asked me why I don't write about my home country and explore our folklore more.

I still hope that I have her email saved somewhere. I tried not to delete it. I am keeping it in case I ever get published, so I can send her a personal thank you note.

Take this as an invitation to send me more asks about my story since I love to talk about it!

What is your favorite part of being a writer? What parts could you take or leave?

I like it because that's what I always enjoyed doing. I have been writing since I was basically a kid, and I always loved thinking about the characters in my head. I am very immersed into them and their lives. Even when I would be playing dolls, I would be weaving all kind of intricate images and stories into my head, and that seemed coming natural to me.

The only thing I don't like it is that I am too much of a perfectionist. It gets on my nerves sometimes. Because I will stay up late editing one chapter until I think it's good. Not even perfect. But good enough for me to come back a bit later.

What is your greatest motivation to write/create?

I do it because I can't imagine myself doing anything else in life. I really grew to love writing, and I don't know what would happen if one day I was not able to write. My love for writing is the biggest motivation.

I like it when someone compliments on my writing. As well as I like it when someone tells me they have enjoyed my characters. Makes me so happy and grateful.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?

Your voice matters and it is you. Fall in love with it.

Oh, and also I personally always say that while writing rules exist for a reason, you need to find something what works for you the best. You are the only person who knows how to tell your story.

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out writing?

You will be editing a lot. And also rewriting a bunch. So you really got to love your story and your characters because they will stay with you for a long time.

What is your favorite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you’d like and can!

My current WIP! Tales of the Oak and Lightning!

Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?

Edvardas. I think that a lot of people are going to be torn about him. Either they are really going to love him or despise him. Because he's so flawed and complex, and even in the end, he struggles a lot with himself and his identity.

He runs from his problems. He's always been the runner. He's so scared of everything, that he just denies everything he sees right in front of him. Even worse it is not only that he doesn't trust anyone around him, but he also doesn't trust himself in return.

He's very skeptical about magic, but he hates to disappoint others. And even worse it is that the magic treats him the worst. It doesn't help that he's constantly fighting it, and he doesn't understand how does it work.

If you, when you first started writing, met you now, what would younger you think?

The younger me is very impatient, so she would be wondering what's taking me so long, but in the same time, she would be really proud of me and how far I made it. But I know that we would get along. I would like to speak to her even now sometimes. I love how energetic and positive she was when we first begun writing. I wish I could hold her hand, and tell her that everything will be just fine and it will work out.

[spideronthesun]

Writemas Challenge

Day Fifteen

Well, hello everyone! Thank you for tagging me @melpomene-grey I invite everyone to check her beautiful story — it's truly worth it, you are going to love it! And I also have been tagged by @satohqbanana whose writing I am in love with and you are definitely up for some great storytelling!

I've been incredibly busy with this round of edits. I have been working on them nonstop, and I don't think that I am catching a break any time soon. However, once I saw these prompts written by @agirlandherquill, I knew that I had to do one of those myself!

I wanted to write something very sweet and wholesome. And also with a little bit of romantic yearning on the side to tickle your fluff bone!

"Trust me. Trust me. Trust. Me. That's all I ask of you."

Danielius stared at Medeina. It's not like he did not trust her. He always trusted her completely, as though his life depended on her. It was as if he couldn’t make decisions without her, as if she were his oxygen. There was an undeniable pull towards her from the very first moment they met. Have you ever experienced that feeling when you meet someone, that they’re destined to play an important role in your life? Well, this is what happened to Danielius.

At the summer fair, they bumped into each other, and the kite slipped out from her fingers. He caught it, the camera swinging around his neck. He was taking photographs of people that day; everyone seemed to be so happy, overjoyed when dancing in front of the stage, interacting with their friends and loved ones, and sharing a meal with one another. But he was missing something from his life, his own blue eyes empty, and bereft of hope. College made him unhappy, and he felt lost, without a meaning in life.

Medeina thanked him so silently that in order to catch her words he had to lean in closer, but it was her smile that he remembered the most from that day. How beautiful it was, lighting him up from the inside. His heart skipped a beat. He pressed the button on his camera to capture that moment, but his battery ran out, and he just ended up dropping it back into his backpack. It felt as if, at times, the memories were a powerful thing, etched into your very soul core. Shyly, she hid her face behind her hands, and that same night, Danielius learned Medeina had just moved to the new town and hardly knew anyone. Making sure she didn’t get lost amongst the strangers, he followed her around. Danielius held her hand in his to keep her close.

One night, as he looked out the window, he saw a couple of stars up in the sky. It brought back memories of how, since childhood, Danielius had always been told that the deceased eventually went on to become stars. Thinking it was his mother up there, staring at him behind the neighbor’s roof, he prayed with his hands clasped, and hoped that she could help him figure everything out. She sent Medeina to him.

He often found himself flipping through old photo albums, smiling at the pictures of his mother holding him, while wishing for a day when he would hear from her again. Though he could never remember her voice. But she always smelled of garlic and horseradish. And how she used to stroke his blonde hair as Danielius drifted off to sleep. Mom would tell him bedtime stories, and sometimes, when she thought he wasn’t listening, she would confide in him that he, alongside his brothers, were her most treasured possessions.

Danielius was so terrified that one day, he would wake up and not find Medeina by his side. He won’t have these days anymore where they spent rolling in the fields, with his head resting against her side, nestled under arm, as she was dressed in her blue linen dress that perfectly accented the beauty of her eye color. As she gently caressed his shoulder, they would both close their eyes, and they dreamed of their future together. At least he did. How he was going to build them a house where they could live together and dance in their living room to sixties music.

While some might argue that if he had lived eighteen years without her, then surely he could continue living without her now. No. Danielius had only truly begun to live when Medeina came into his life. He felt like he couldn’t imagine life without another thunderstorm, nor could he live without counting his blessings whenever she smiled at him, especially that little dimple on the left corner of her mouth. Sitting on the bench outside the local store, enjoying ice cream, and stealing bites from each other’s cones. Sometimes, he found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss her. Just as if she could somehow read his thoughts, she would smear some ice cream on the tip of his nose and then run away. And later laughing, like never before, feeling lighter and happier than he ever thought possible, at 2 am.

God, please, don’t let him lose her. Please, God, please. He will do anything.

“I do trust you,” Danielius finally said. “I’m just going to miss you.”

Medeina plopped down on the bed next to him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. It felt as if the sunset was taking the sun away along with her. No wonder the weather forecasts predicted two weeks of rain. “I will write you letters, and I will ask the dandelions to carry them all the way to you.”

“Everyday?”

“Everyday." Medeina nodded and laughed.

“And I want you to be careful out there,” Danielius said. “I don’t want anything bad happening to you.”

“I’m just going to visit my uncle!”

“Still,” Danielius said. “It doesn’t mean that I’m not going to worry about you.”

“I will be back before you know it. Promise me you won’t get into trouble.”

“Pfft, you know me,” Danielius said.

“Yes, I do,” Medeina said and bopped him on the nose. “Remember, only two spoons of sugar, not three!”

Danielius hugged her once more. These next two weeks would be hard. Each morning, he would wake up and peek under the window, hoping the dandelions had delivered a letter for him. Perhaps he could sweet talk the dandelions into eavesdropping on conversations. They’d inform him of when Medeina was coming back. Danielius planned to wait for her at the train station, holding a red rose in his hand. Just a flower for his most beautiful flower of them all.

He had it all figured out. Except, one thing.

He was unable to confess his feelings to her.

[spideronthesun]

Heads Up, Seven Up

Thank you for tagging me, dear @melpomene-grey !

Rules: post the last seven lines you wrote, then tag seven people.

I spent my whole Sunday editing and going through the pages, so this is the from the chapter I last worked on:

“So, what are we going to do?” Nikolas reiterated his concerns. “After all, everyone has to be content with whatever we decide together.”   Everyone stared at Edvardas. The tension was palpable, adding a burden to his shoulders. Edvardas wrapped his arms around Adamas and Danielius, drawing them in closer, and then invited the rest of the brothers in for a group hug. The five of them held each other tightly, as if they had been in a shipwreck. “I am only doing this for you, since you’re a lot more important to me than you will ever know.”

Tagging: @aalinaaaaaa @mrbexwrites @satohqbanana @alintalzin @cain-e-brookman

@concerningwolves @angelfevr

[spideronthesun]

OC Deep Dive

Thank you for tagging me lovely @mrbexwrites ! (here)

Rules: answer the following questions for your OCs

Passing the torch over to @satohqbanana @addomfarm-ogf-updates @alintalzin @cain-e-brookman @illarian-rambling

I did a lot of editing today, so I am going to put myself in Adamas' shoes. I worked the most on the chapters featuring him. Putting my answers under read more.

What uncommon/common fear do they have?

Drowning. It is not as if he is scared of water, but he doesn't go near it unless he is with someone else. He had an accident when he was younger, and he was never able to face it properly. He still doesn't know how to swim to this day.

Do they have any pet peeves?

No, in fact he's incredibly patient. He doesn't care if someone chews very loudly in front of him, or talks to him when he's studying. He will even give people a second chance when they mess up. And he won't hold it against them. Meanwhile, his brothers are full of pet peeves. Robertas dislikes it when someone plays music on a loud speaker instead of using headphones, Edvardas hates it when people talk shit about other people behind their backs, Nikolas doesn't like it when someone touches them, Danielius loathes being interrupted.

What are 3 items you can find in their bedroom?

You're definitely going to find posters on his wall, journals and notebooks on his nightstand, as well as a bottle of cold water every night.

What do they notice first in a person?

Their shoes. He sometimes struggles making eye contact when he's nervous. Please don't hold it against him.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how high is their pain tolerance?

4 to 5? It really depends. Burning his tongue with hot water or scalding his hand won't probably bother him that much. He will hardly notice that it even happened. But being punched does phase him.

Do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure?

Much to his surprise, he gets into fight mode. But he does hate confrontation and would rather not fight anyone. He hates it when someone in front of him starts fighting. Makes him nervous. But he will also defend those he cares about.

Do they come from a big family/are they a family person?

Both. He comes from a big family, as he has got four brothers, and he is the second youngest in the family. But he's also a family person. He's used to people coming and going in his life, but he will always welcome at the doorstep even if they decide to show up like five years later after not speaking.

What animal represents them best?

Bear. He also gives great hugs!

What is a smell that they dislike?

Alcohol. He's just not a big fan of anyone drinking in front of him. It makes him anxious. And he will probably end up spilling the drink behind your back.

Have they broken any bones?

Nope!

How would a stranger likely describe them?

Shy, silent, a little bit awkward, usually keeps to himself.

Are they a night owl or a morning bird?

Night owl. He doesn't even notice that he has stayed up until the sun starts coming out and he hears footsteps of someone getting ready to work behind the closed door.

What is a flavor they hate and a flavor they love?

Love - chocolate, because who doesn't love chocolate?

Hate - tomatoes.

Do they have any hobbies?

He likes to read and write in his own time. In fact, he's a journalist, so he has a very inquisitive nature about him, and he likes to work on his articles. He likes learning about the people no matter how weird they might appear to the outer world. He feels like he always learns something new from the people he interviews.

Boom, surprise birthday party! How do they react to surprises?

Happily! While he doesn't like surprises very much, Adamas is still very receptive to them, and he's more than happy to celebrate his birthday with his loved ones. He knows that a lot of thought went into preparations.

Do they like to wear jewelry?

Only bracelets. And a necklace his best friend gave him.

Do they have neat or messy handwriting?

Adamas has a neat handwriting. The messiest handwriting in the family belongs to Edvardas after all. No one can ever decipher what he wrote. Not even him.

What are the two emotions they feel the most?

Peace and curiosity.

Do they have a favorite fabric?

Uh... knits? He likes sweater season.

What kind of accent do they have?

He has aukštaitiškas accent, as he grew up in the north-east side of Lithuania.

[spideronthesun]

Writemas Challenge

Day Twenty-One

Guess who's back with another Writemas! Thank you for today's prompts @agirlandherquill (x)!

At first, I was not sure if anyone would be interested in this story, because it features characters that I have not discussed here before. But I promised myself that if I ever had the chance to write a prequel, these two would be the characters I'd choose. I've always wanted to explore their story more, and I'm so glad I finally got the chance.

"Run from me if you dare."

"Are we playing a game now?" Vilte asked. She had caught Laima, secluded behind the tree, staring at her a couple of times whenever Vilte would go for a swim in a lake. Every time she tried to talk to her, she would have been gone by then, only to come back every night. Their eyes would lock with each other's, and no words needed to be said. 

It was the first time in her life when Vilte felt something. A tremble in her heartbeat. A warmth on her cheeks like it was the kiss of the sun after a storm. She only knew who she was as she heard one of her sisters calling her by the name. She shook her head to erase her out of her mind, like she was a beautiful memory. But she couldn't. She had to go and see her.

One late night, Vilte returned to the lake and spotted Laima there, barefoot, filling a bucket with water. Her long, curly brown hair sparkled in the moonlight. It was like many jewels from the night sky, gathered atop her head like a headband. As Laima hurried away, Vilte followed her on her tracks, almost skipping in her steps.

"Don't you know who my sister is?" Laima continued to speak, without looking back.

As if that would have scared her. Did she know how many times she heard the same story over and over again? It was the words that the children liked to throw at you. Don't you know who my dad or mom is? Vilte tittered, her blonde hair framing her freckled face.

"Who?" Vilte continued to laugh. Her laugh sounded like a melody that danced through the trees. "Almost sounds like hoo-hoo. Owl's hooting. Get it?"

Laima looked back. An expression cold as a night. "That's my sister."

"You are sisters with an owl?" Vilte asked. "Well, you don't look like a bird to me. Your nose too short."

"You don't want to tell me you don't know Giltine?"

"Oh, her!" Vilte said. "Doesn't mean that I believe in what other people say."

"Don't pretend in front of me."

"Why would I do that?" Vilte asked.

Laima sat down on a boulder, dropping the bucket next to her, as some of the water splashed. around. There was hurt. Her sister was a wound that could never fully heal. "Have you ever wanted to run away from everything? Don't answer that."

Her eyes. Her eyes were like a well-composed symphony, resonant with unspoken depth. So many people had stunning eyes with such a dreamy gaze, but there was something special in Laima's stare that filled Vilte with delight when she turned to look at her.

"Is that why you suggested that I run? Because you are looking for someone to run away with you?"

"God, no!" Laima kept her hands in her lap. "It's just that I am so tired of everyone around me. Everyone seems to know more about my life than I do. My sisters are putting pressure on me to marry this guy...."

"Is he handsome?"

"I don't even like him!"

"Then why should you get married to him?" Vilte asked. She settled next to her with a grin, her crooked teeth glinting in the light. "Is he even a good person?"

"I don't know, I've never met him before, he's coming to court me next week."

"Oh, so like an arranged marriage? How awful!" Vilte sympathized with her. "Well, is he good at archery?"

"What?" Laima laughed for the first time, and Vilte lit up like a field of fireflies, a constellation of promises shining brightly. "How am I supposed to know that?"

"I could challenge him to a duel!"

"I don't even know you!"

Vilte took her hand, lifting it to her mouth and placing a tender kiss on her skin. "I'm Vilte. Now you know."

Time stopped for a moment. Laima's breath caught in her throat, and she nervously pulled her hand back, running her fingers across the spot where Vilte had kissed her. Looking around, she heard one of her sisters calling out for her, a lantern flickering in the distance. She jumped to the ground and took off running.

But, that was far from the last time they both had seen each other.

[spideronthesun]

What is the symbolism behind the title you picked?

The basic thing is that they are the result of their family tree. Their ancient bloodlines and connection to nature, the world around them and the magic contained in it.

It also signifies the main characters of the story. The five sons of Oak and their protector of thunder and lightning.

[spideronthesun]

Character Voice Tag

Rules:

Write a specific sentence in several characters' voices; you can also use a single action line to help, but the focus is on syntax!

This one is definitely interesting! Never had done something like this before! One can only hope that I understood the task.

I was tagged by @infinnative

Sentence: "I trusted you."

Nikolas: "I had faith in you."

Edvardas: "I thought you knew how important it is to me."

Robertas: "I know you would not do this. You are not that kind of person."

Adamas: "You gave me your word, and I relied upon it. And I know that you are not the type to break your word so easily."

Danielius: "My toes and fingers are sore from crossing them all weekend!"

Medeina: "It's not the first time that happens. I guess, a part of me, wanted to believe that there's someone out there who would keep their word. But guess mom was right when she told me that you can't trust anyone else in this world."

Your Sentence: "I miss you."

Tagging: @illarian-rambling @imbrisvastatio @rhyaxxyn @chargoeson @amaiguri @hyba

[spideronthesun]

Incorrect Quotes

Always wanted to do this one so thank you for tagging me lovely @mrbexwrites (Mavis is so awesome)

Tagging: @satohqbanana @addomfarm-ogf-updates @cain-e-brookman @motifenjoyer @storycraftcafe & anyone else who wants to do it!

Rules: Use this link to generate quotes.

Medeina: What's the scariest horror movie you've ever watched?Nikolas: IT. Robertas: Annabelle. Adamas: Paranormal Activity. Danielius: High School Musical. All throughout high school I was scared that everyone was gonna randomly get up and start singing and dancing, and I would be the only one who doesn't know the words.

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Nikolas: Why are you like this?? Edvardas: I used too much "No More Tears" shampoo as a kid and I haven't felt a single emotion since.

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Danielius: How would you like your coffee? Medeina: As dark and as bitter as my soul. Danielius, shouting to someone behind the counter: I need one vanilla latte with extra cream and sugar!

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Edvardas: Adamas, are you drinking… drinking hydrogen peroxide?! Adamas: It says H2O2! That means it’s the sequel to water!

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Nikolas: Might I make a suggestion you possibly won’t like? Edvardas: Do you make any other kind?

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Nikolas: We are not mad. We are just disappointed. Adamas: No, we are mad. Nikolas: Yes. We are. We are livid. But we are going to let this one slide. Adamas: No, we’re not! Nikolas: I am not a mind reader, Adamas!

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Danielius, in the hospital: Will you visit me when I get out? Edvardas: Lol nah, I hate graveyards.

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Danielius: What did you guys get in your yearbook? Robertas: 'Prettiest Smile' Nikolas: 'Nicest Personality' Medeina: 'Most likely to start a bar fight' Adamas: 'Least likely to start a bar fight, but most likely to win one'

[spideronthesun]

Siblings and Questions Tag!

Thanks for the tag @cain-e-brookman! (x) Oh, the fun I had answering those!

1. Who looks the most like Dad?

Nikolas. When he first started going to school, lots of teachers would not stop looking at him, because he reminded them of someone else. He thinks he and his father share a lot in common, even some of the drinking problems. Although he would never treat his brothers the way he had treated him or Edvardas. And since they only share the same mother, the other one would be Danielius. He's a carbon copy of his own father.

2. Who looks the most like mom?

Edvardas. He's got her eyes and nose. But Adamas is the one who is most similar to their mother in personality.

3. Who eats the most?

Danielius. There's a good chance that you might bump into him in the kitchen late at night, when he is trying to find something to snack on in the fridge. However, Robertas love to sneak bites off his brother's foods as well. He lives by the motto that sharing is caring.

4. Who has been in the weirdest situations?

Definitely Edvardas. Let's just say that he's always been a bit difficult. He used to storm out of the house and disappear for over a week sometimes. Causing his brothers to worry about his whereabouts because he would not bother contacting them. And ever since he was young, he would always find himself in trouble without even looking for it. He has some stories to tell.

5. Who sleeps the most?

Danielius. He goes to bed around three am and can sleep till noon.

6. Most stable romantic life?

I'd say probably Nikolas, since he was so close to getting married once, but he had ended it abruptly. He doesn't date around unless he's certain about a connection. Edvardas is a serial dater. He has had far too many partners over the years. Robertas had been in two serious relationships before, one of them being long-distance. Adamas never dated. And Danielius, well, he's still young. He's got his eyes currently on someone. But he's not sure about how she feels about him.

7. Worst habit of each one?

Nikolas has substance issues, so that makes him unreliable. Edvardas is hot headed, and tends to act before thinking. Robertas takes other people's stuff without asking. Adamas can be a bit far too independent sometimes, and he tends to go behind people's backs. And Danielius procrastinates.

8. Who's the most dramatic?

Edvardas. Come on, we are literally talking about the man, who had run away from his family the moment he had found out that he's got some mumbo jumbo super powers.

9. Who had a weird phase?

No one, really. Well, I don't consider most of the things weird. I do think that Adamas likes listening k-pop, and even today, you'd see him making new playlists with the songs that he had discovered recently. Robertas went through a goth phase.

10. Best cook of the family?

Edvardas. He works as a chef, and I can tell you that he is so good at it, that he would throw me out of the kitchen. And would ask me to stop using so many spoons because he doesn't understand what I am trying to make. His love language is cooking for people he loves.

11. Best memory together?

You know, there's too many of those. So many of the best memories stem from childhood where they were practically inseparable. They would always be playing together outside. They would go camping every summer. And after their father had gone to sleep, they would stay up all night around the bonfire, and tell each other scary stories. Probably with Danielius slowly drifting off to sleep and falling asleep on Rob's shoulder.

12. Worst memory together?

My dear friends, this is a spoiler.

13. Dream trip together

They don't really have anything in mind. But someone like Edvardas would probably want to go to hitch a ride and go somewhere. At least to take a temporary break from magic and just feel normal again. Remember what it is like to be a human without many responsibilities.

14. Would you rather not be able to shower for a month or have the same clothes for a month?

Nikolas would be most straightforward with his answer. Have the same clothes for a month. Edvardas and Robertas would be so baffled, they would end up getting into an argument. Adamas would be busy laughing at those two. Danielius would end up scratching his nose and think about it for hours. And would forget what you even initially asked him because his mind wandered off somewhere else.

15. Who's the older one?

Nikolas.

16. Role model?

Without hesitation, Adamas would always pick Nikolas. He admires his eldest brother far too much, and is thankful for how he kept the family together despite many struggles that they had run into.

17. Who usually has the worst ideas?

You know, it would be far too obvious if I answered Edvardas, right? So, let's go with Danielius for this one. He also has a tendency to think with his heart before using his brain. And while it is too much of a spoiler to give out why I am saying so, he almost got himself in trouble in order to save Medeina.

18. A GIANT insect is on the wall, who's taking care of it?

If it's a spider, Danielius is screaming and running out of the room, only to never be seen again. Or hiding behind Robertas or Nikolas. If it is a beetle, Robertas would pick it up and bring it outside, without much disgust. Usually the insects love him.

Tagging: @alintalzin @mrbexwrites @satohqbanana @addomfarm-ogf-updates @darkangel319 & anyone else who wants to do it!