#witcheyedcrow

[eskelwolfed]

Ada @witcheyedcrow sent a meme: ❛  you want me, right? so hurt me, and leave them alone!  ❜

Eskel felt how the despair bubbled in his chest, and the shame he felt about being wounded, not fatally so, but enough to render him helpless for a while. Ada was unharmed, which was his priority—but as far as he knew she was just as helpless.

“Ada, no,” he groaned as he fought to get back up on his feet.

His whole body hurt and the blood pumping through his veins also squirted out of a deep wound in his side. He knew he would bleed out if he didn't heal himself. He had potions. But he needed to live long enough to kill the threat, save Ada.

He couldn't do it for Deidre, but he sure as hell would do it now or die trying.

“You run,” he told her, staring in her purple eyes, “and you will do it now.”

Eskel tumbled as he reached for his Chaos, the power he wasn't able to control. If he'd die saving Ada, at least he paid the debts. At first the ground only subtly started to emit smoke but the more Eskel pulled on the strings of Chaos, flames shot out of the soil, running and circling around the enemy. Eskel didn't even know who they were and he didn't care. He would only care enough to make sure they would never touch his child again.

He got dizzy, pulling harder on Chaos until the Frist figure ignited like fireworks and their body burst before Eskel had to do anymore.

He hadn't used fire magic in decades, it would be impossible to come out of this alive. He would set the world ablaze if that meant Ada would live.

“I told you to fuckin' run!” he barked, while now visibly struggling to stay upright. The pool of blood around him grew and grew.

[potestmagice]

@witcheyedcrow asked: ❝ i am the monster they all say i am. ❞ (this seems perfect for the Doctor)

"People can be quick to judge, but it's not always easy to see the truth that lies beneath the surface," the Doctor gently replied. "We all have shadows, moments of darkness that make us question who we are. But remember, it's how we rise above those doubts that define us. I've seen the best and the worst in the universe, and let me tell you something, Adelaide Rowe - you're far from being a monster. You have the strength to make a difference, to be the person you want to be. Trust me, I've seen it in your actions. And if you ever need a friend to stand by your side, I'll be there."

[fen-dwxller]

@witcheyedcrow liked for a starter!

❝ you never mentioned being an APOSTATE . ❞

kirkwall had its fair share of mercenaries and bounty hunters, both of which fenris was plenty accustomed with. being left behind hawke's DEEP ROADS expedition, he needed some way to make a living ; what else to do, than to do something he was already used to ? being someone's BODYGUARD ?

however, now he's beginning to REGRET accepting the contract.

the stench of burnt HAIR and FLESH was unavoidable as he loomed over the disfigured corpses, but that did not cause his gaze to falter from the woman. he feels deceived, BETRAYED , even.

what kind of mage is this one ? strong-willed, unwavering, like hawke ? or weak, like anders ?

[bladedwoe]

✿ if it's too soon for you to guess it can wait!

SEND “ ✿ ” FOR 2 HEADCANONS FOR OUR MUSES’ RELATIONSHIP.

1. I think Astrid actually feels a lot of sympathy for Adelaide just from her past alone. Like a weird motherly instinct in her, but of course it's more concealed and not acted upon as much as she would for those in the Dark Brotherhood. She can see a piece of herself in Adelaide, if her past situation was really extreme and how things could have been if her mother was more like Adelaide's father. So, while Astrid had more life experience than Adelaide did with her own controlling mother, Astrid actually has a big heart for those that deal with shitty, especially controlling parents from her past alone.

2. With the last headcanon in mind, Astrid may care more about Adelaide or be more soft to her than she normally would. Of course, Astrid has a reputation to uphold and this is just a business arrangement, but she might be less callous and cutthroat if she needs to be because of her sympathy for Adelaide. She will still prioritize the Dark Brotherhood first before anything else and her main goal is payment here, but Astrid can be pretty careless in these type of dynamics. With Adelaide, she might be a tad softer when it comes to that. So, even if it isn't a lot, I would say it's better for Astrid to have a little bit of softness and sympathy for your muse than the opposite.

[honorhearted]

Ada made a sound point. Perhaps Benjamin was being foolish in trusting her so implicitly, but in his line of work, he liked to believe he was a sound judge of character. This woman was far too damaged, too broken to betray a rarely given kindness, and of that he felt certain.

"For now, I think it'd be best if you didn't speak of your history," he said. "You can tell the truth: we rescued you from a monstrous man, and you're being kept here under Washington's protection. No one will question that -- not if our commander vouches for you."

The idea of Ada not having seen horses, the world since she was six was wholly upending. Benjamin's face grew awash with pity, yet he was quick to look away; he knew how unwelcome such sentiment could be. "Do you have any living family other than your father?" he asked. "Perhaps we could send word to them, letting them know you're in need of assistance? Because surely, after the war, you wouldn't wish to live alone..."

Benjamin, himself, had very few remaining family. The realization made his throat sting, and exhaling, he kept his gaze focused over the horizon.

"No one's ever only miserable," he softly allowed. "God grants us little kindnesses in life, even if it doesn't seem like it. Your exposure to warmth, to love is a testament to that. And now you're free..." He glanced her way. "And once the colonies are also liberated, I truly believe your life will finally begin. You don't have to walk this road alone anymore."

With a wince, Benjamin listened to Ada's depiction of her father's so-called philosophy. "He's wrong," he was quick to interject. "Although there are untoward men out there who would wish you harm, by a large, most people are inherently good. I only suggested womenfolk, because they would be far better equipped to teach you the proper customs than I would. Tragically, my knowledge of the fairer sex is rather limited. I am unmarried, I have no sisters, and my mother passed when I was very young." Sheepish, he lowered his eyes. "Still, I'm nothing if not driven, so if you have any questions, I'll do my very best to answer -- and if I have no answer, then I'll seek them out."

Swimming was done in the buff, which was another reason Benjamin didn't feel it sensible for Ada to explore such matters in mixed company.

Ada nodded, listening intently so that she wouldn't make mistakes later and lose the seemingly boundless generosity that was being extended to her. "Sounds perfect... but you speak as if I'll be allowed to go from tent to tent. I am... sadly, still, coming from a loyalist family. Will anyone trust that I am not here to spy? Far from me to wish to be kept prisoner, but will I not be attacked if seen wandering?"

He was modest, too, and it was so strange that Ada felt the whole situation was unreal. What a kind man. Even if of course she could give no indication of being anything but innocent, she promised herself to do everything in her power not to let him be hurt because of his kindness, as it usually happened to good people around her.

Outside it was much easier, everything felt more real - and yet still a fantasy, with all those smells and colors and bright lights - and she had no doubt that nothing could overwhelm her and drive her mad, not when she enjoyed it so much. "Since the horses?" she asked in surprise, eyes still studying the direction in which the stockade was, "We were still in London, we took the carriages to see my grandparents, so... I was six. Yes, six, the year we moved here... that was the last time I saw horses because after that they were only outside of the gate and I wasn't allowed to go that far. I remember them being giant... at least to my eyes. And I think... I think I remember having a happier time at my grandparents... I knew he wouldn't beat me there, and... of course this could just be something I dreamed about, but I do seem to have this memory of my grandfather just... picking me up and holding me. I don't... I don't think he knows about what my father has done, my father wouldn't have gone to such lengths to keep me from the rest of my family if his had approved."

She paused because really, she wasn't sure if she could call that a happy time, "I wasn't trapped inside the house then, if it makes you feel any better, that was only six years later. I could go outside, in our yard, until my mother died. I don't know if... I can call that a happy time... I've had happiness. There and then. My mother was... melancholic. My birth seemingly broke her, which is one of the reasons my father decided I was a product of evil. So I mostly took care of her, but there have been a couple of times in which she recognized me and acted as a mother. Those times were happy. And when Rose taught me how to write... And I've been in love," a little confession, with a glance at him that held no ill-feelings, "I made it work. The torture only started about five years ago. Before then, it was just beatings and punishments, nothing more."

He suggested more locations for her to see, and she couldn't have been more grateful. He seemed to know how desperate a prisoner could be for sightseeing, when trapped long enough. "I'd like to see it... I wouldn't... I don't know how to swim. But yes, of course, that would be... more proper if only women were there." She assumed that while her father had certainly been extreme in his ideas of what she could do when men were around, having wet clothes that would show more of her forms than she'd like was bad regardless. "I don't know what is truly inappropriate and what has been exaggerated by my father, as you can surely imagine, so I'll take your... guidance on the matter, but if I were to listen to him, no man should ever be allowed to touch me, not even to walk like we just did. Unless, apparently, it is to hurt me," she couldn't help but add bitterly, "It was an interesting philosophy, in which dancing is devilish but restraining me is fine, so I doubt I can trust my education on the matter."

[pagetreader]

𝚝𝚊𝚐 𝟷𝟶 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛.

𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚛. Purple, Pink, Red

𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍. Jaded by Miley Cyrus

𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘. Battle Symphony by Linkin Park

𝙸𝙸𝙸 𝚏𝚊���𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚜. Elotes, all the Chinese food, and there's honestly nothing like a thick slab of steak with roasted carrots/potatoes

𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚙. Well, this isn't gonna be short...Basically all over the dang East Coast (USA), Paris (France), London (UK), Santorini (Greece), Rome, Venice, & Florence (Italy), Merida, Yucatan (Mexico), All over Scotland, Dublin (Ireland), and a ton of places in Israel

𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚠. To actually clear out my drafts haha...

Tagged by: @charmedslugs (<3333)

Tagging: @honorhearted // @retrograderesemblance // @witcheyedcrow // @socialseasons // @laviexenrose // @emcads // @annastrxng // @anoseforrottenapples // @gunslingcr // @wiiaca // And really any mutual who wants to do this!

[damagedward]

𝐈𝐍𝐓����𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 :

𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕒𝕟𝕒 ℙ𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕠𝕟

ℍ𝕚𝕘𝕙 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕆𝕗 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕆𝕝𝕕 ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕚𝕠𝕟

♚ Literate & Descriptive

♚ 21+ Interactions ONLY

♚ Dark / Mature & Triggering Themes

♚ Crossover & OC Friendly

♚ Shipping : Existing / Planned not taking more on at present will post a call when / if changes

♚ AU Backstory with Canon elements

“ᴰᴼᴺ'ᵀ ᵀᴴᴵᴺᴷ ᴵ ᴰᴼᴺ'ᵀ ᵁᴺᴰᴱᴿˢᵀᴬᴺᴰ 𝕝𝕠𝕪𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕪 ᴶᵁˢᵀ ᴮᴱᶜᴬᵁˢᴱ ᴵ'ᵛᴱ ᴳᴼᵀ 𝖓𝖔 𝖔𝖓𝖊 ᴸᴱᶠᵀ ᵀᴼ ᴮᴱ ᴸᴼᵞᴬᴸ ᵀᴼ.”

̠H̠̠i̠̠s̠ ̠d̠a̠̠r̠̠k̠̠n̠̠e̠̠s̠̠s̠

Photo edits for profile by me please give credit if used 💟

#OOC NOTE : DamagedWard & RightfulQueenOf are my 2 users so expect to see them tagged on already existing accounts / edits / manips / tags elsewhere

Rules.Interactions.Headcanons.Solos.

Mergana : 🎶.

Morgana : 🎶.

Partners in crime :

@fatheredlegend

@merlin-emrys-wyllt

@manymusesbym

@dragnlordemrys

Family & Friends :

@magikborn

@witcheyedcrow

[smiletimeisrunningout]

MUSE’S LIFE EXPERIENCES (both modern and historical/fantasy)

Killed Someone Under Orders | Had Someone Killed On Their Orders (she usually does it herself) | Killed Someone In Self Defense (MAYBE in the modern verse) | Spared Someone’s Life | Invented Something | Been Hungover | Kissed Someone | Slow-Danced | Been In A Long-Term Relationship (or so she thought) | Had Sex | Had Sex And Regretted It | Had A One-Night Stand | Had A Threesome | Experimented With Their Sexuality | Had A Kid | Adopted A Kid (she initially helps with raising all the little children she brings to her orphanage) | Wanted To Have A Family With Someone | Done Something On Impulse They Regretted | Gone Traveling | Had A Bounty Put On Them | Eaten An Insect | Been Groped By A Stranger | Been Groped By Someone They Know | Been Dumped | Dumped Someone | Smoked | Gotten High | Flirted With Someone To Get Free Drinks | Put Someone In A Headlock | Won A Bet | Lost A Bet | Forgiven Someone Who Wronged Them | Indulged In Petty Revenge | Hallucinated |Has A Noticeable Physical Defect | Gotten A Noticeable Scar | Been Permanently Disfigured Through Injury (if her back counts) | Kneed Someone In The Groin | Had An Unattainable Crush (yeah, the man she loved who didn't love her back but implied he did) | Laughed Themselves To The Point Of Tears | Been Kidnapped | Been Brainwashed/Hypnotised | Had A Recurring Nightmare | Been Bullied | Bullied Someone | Experienced Survivor’s Guilt | Been Tied/Chained Up | Given Someone A Massage | Received A Massage |Been Backed Up Against A Wall | Shot Someone (in the modern verse) | Stabbed Someone | Saved Someone’s Life| Cheated On Someone | Been Cheated On | Been In An Open Relationship (not calling it a relationship, just recurrent friends with benefits) | Had A Friendship With Benefits | Been In A Queerplatonic Relationship | Had A Stalker | Been Betrayed | Been A Traitor | Been Possessed | Been In A Bar Fight | Been Thrown Out Of A Bar (modern verse) | Been Arrested | Broken Out Of Jail | Been To A Funeral| Been To A Brothel (not to use its services) | Had Surgery | Broken Someone’s Trust | Broken Someone’s Heart (not on purpose) | Had Their Heart Broken | Broken/Damaged Something Out Of Anger | Broken/Damaged Something Out Of Spite | Gotten A Piercing | Gotten A Tattoo |Used A Fake Name | Been Beaten Up | Been Tortured/Tortured Others (depends on your definition of it because there were no tools, just beating) | Been Abused | Been Blackmailed | Gotten Away With A Crime | Framed Someone Else For A Crime They Committed (in the modern verse to get some scumbag arrested) | Shared A Bed Platonically | Been In Love | Suffered From Sleep Paralysis | Been Forced To Flee Their Home |Learned A New Language | Joined A Rebellion | Fought On The Losing Side Of A War | Fought On The Winning Side Of A War | Become A Godparent | Become An Aunt/Uncle (her best friend Alexandra is like a sister to her even if she's the one she sees the least, so her twins are like nieces)

tagged by/no I've stolen it from @honorhearted

tagging: @fablewoven @surana (same mun as witcheyedcrow. listen I'm curious) @pagetreader @storyhaven @fantasywritten if you want! And anyone else who reads this!

[bladedwoe]

@witcheyedcrow

Now neither of us have a mother. I'm sorry to say this, but fuck her.

[eskelwolfed]

❝ you’re all I’ll ever need. ❞ (and I want you to know she means it but it would be said so casually, so normal)

Eskel could no more than blink, once, twice, then a huff. The heat rose up his spine and made his neck tingle. He surely was ... misinterpreting things. She didn't mean it like that, but he wanted it. So badly.

“You... you have your life ahead of you. You won't need me.”

He said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

[potestmagice]

Thread Tracker

Let me know if you still want to keep the following threads:

x - @ofmagicallonging x - @audaxbellator x - @lucidxxdreamer x - @audaxbellator x - @malumxsubest x - @imamxdel x - @siiinfully x - @siiinfully x - @siiinfully x - @lcstinthewoods x - @siiinfully x  - @malumxsubest x - @seekesotsibteadmist x - @entangledmuses x - @siiinfully x - @siiinfully x - @theonlyoneshere x - @seekesotsibteadmist x - @malumxsubest x - @lcstinthewoods x - @seekesotsibteadmist x - @seekesotsibteadmist x - @musesreunite x - @seekesotsibteadmist x - @xnxthinglastsfxrever x - @witcheyedcrow x - @realmyths x - @realmyths x - @seekesotsibteadmist x - @madderbythesecond x - @illbringthechaosmagic x - @malumxsubest

x - @createdbymightyscissors x - @malumxsubest x - @illbringthechaosmagic x - @seekesotsibteadmist x - @witcheyedcrow x - @siiinfully x - @masterwcrk x - @huntrcssqueen x - @siiinfully x - @ghostofwinter x - @whereisthatwritten x - @illbringthechaosmagic x - @playsroughly x - @playsroughly x - @siiinfully

[stellanimarum]

witcheyedcrow​:

"Yes, I know a few things about disappointed fathers,” she muttered bitterly, though she knew nothing of siblings. Didn’t seem like she was missing out all that much, though. “I can see why a noble father would be expecting his son not to be a… a bard, but for what it matters, I think what you do, reaching people with music is… far more important than most duties any noble may ever have.” Her eyes flickered in his direction, “And going against a father who can’t be pleased something is the only way to live.” At least the way not to become an empty shell, that was.

Ada watched with interest, and then shock, as he did magic. And with music, again, too. “You can hum magic.” She had no other way to express it, her eyes wider as she looked up at him properly, “That’s beautiful… and I won’t tell, I promise. I know how difficult to have or… to be suspected to have magic can be.”

"Yes, I can use a bit of magic through music. It's a rare gift, and I've learned to use it for various purposes, including healing minor injuries. And thank you for understanding about the dark fae blood. It's not something I share openly, but I trust you won't betray that trust."

He continued to pluck at his lute, the notes soft and soothing. "Magic can indeed be a double-edged sword, both a gift and a burden. But it's a part of who I am, just as your eyes are a part of you. We all carry our own secrets and stories."

witcheyedcrow​:

"Eighteen…” So young, yet already braving the word. She couldn’t imagine Thomas, if he had lived one more year, taking off to do anything, much less sing.

“Was your family… more… normal? Than mine?” she hesitated to ask, if only because she wasn’t sure of how to phrase it; but he had left when young, she didn’t know he had also been trying to escape.

“You know…” she started, collecting thoughts as she did flowers, “I don’t really… have expectations when it comes to people, so your… Geralt doesn’t seem all that different from you to me. A matter of perspective, I suppose… I didn’t even notice the eyes, I only noticed the hair… and the horse.” Now the last three words held a world of interest, because his horse was a thing of beauty and it had all of Ada’s secret attention. “But then… my eyes…” she glanced at him, violet eyes meeting his, “Don’t have much room to misunderstand others over their own. Are you fully human?”

“Painfully normal as far as noble families go. A father who is always disappointed in me for not living up to being his heir, a socially ambitious and haughty mother and a little sister...though she wasn’t too bad in comparison.” Jaskier replied watching her pick the flowers and listened to her speak. She was right, it was all a perspective game.  At the question his instinctive answer was to reply yes but also he wondered what that would do should she find out otherwise.  “For the most part, I’d like to think so...however...” He picked up some of the flowers she’d missed and plucked a few for himself. He hummed softly and they would wilt slowly and continued to hum as he drew the energy into himself and gently onto one of the smaller injuries on the other to attempt to heal it up. The magic was cool like a cold metal object on the skin.  “My blood isn’t. That is dark fae but thats a secret to most.” 

[pagetreader]

how do you need to be touched?

cautiously.

your teeth are bared, as they have been, your jaw aching for so long as growls slip free. you always have to defend yourself. you lash out in fear. you need someone who does not shrink back... a hand falling slowly to your shoulder, however briefly, in a reminder that you do not have to lunge. there is no danger here, now.

Tagged by

Tagging: @honorhearted // @retrograderesemblance // @annastrxng // @witcheyedcrow // @sharp-teeth-and-wide-grins // @emcads // @gunslingcr // @anoseforrottenapples // @johngravessimcoe // @sideburnsandmelancholy // @fasciinating // @aworldofyou // @paddyfuck //

[eskelwolfed]

If we're rp partners and you're not on this list, please pop in my DMs. Anyone who doesn't want to be listed, also please DM me and I'll remove you from this list. I keep this post mostly to organise my blog and replies whilst I try yet again to make a tracker work. I have not mentioned anyone just in case I flood someone's dash with notifs.

RP partners master post.

Morphy (bulwarkbolvirk)

Julian (witchered / viscountbard / multusmusae)

Alex (siiinfully)

bcbliophile

Tessa (tessastormrp)

ramblingsofamoonwatcher

wolfkcst

paramounticebound

witcheyedcrow

stanfordprepped

antithesederzeit

uncxntrxllable

storiesofthenight

mvtherslament

bcrntortured

fowardlion

usawfulfew

resignedworkaholics

wildwolfxstrangledwolf

kingofthemirkwoodelks

thegreateststrongbow + 1

EDEN (bhrathair + 1)

sylkshe

breakbcnes

heksery

adsagsona

sonoftartessos

potestmagice

assilat-vojjor

incissam

gezelligheiid

xxofloveandlossxx (?)

blxssed-and-forsaken (?)

papasourwolf

marvelouscreations

illbringthechaosmagic

ofmagicallonging

[eskelwolfed]

A quick and dirty RP policy guide

Bold all that apply to you and your blog. Italics if you’re on the fence about something. Either reblog or repost. Feel free to add anything I may have missed in the appropriate category, or recategorize something that is in the wrong place!

My blog is ______

Open to all

Semi-selective

Selective

Moderately Selective

Highly selective

Exclusive

Only going to RP with mutuals

Mostly going to RP with mutuals

Indie

Affiliated with a group

Spoilers free

Spoilers tagged

Spoilers mostly tagged

I will RP with ______

Any fandom

Most fandoms

Only fandoms I know

Only people in my fandom

OCs

OCs with no fandom ties

OCs who are related to/know my character in their backstory

Only one version of any particular character (it happened and will happen again)

People who have the same muse as me

People who do not have a rules page

Multimuse blogs

People in RP groups

Indie RPers

When RPing, I like to use _______

Paragraphs

Shorter forms of text

*Action*

Icons

Gifs

Gif icons

Formatted text

Whatever my partner is using

My own style regardless of my partner’s reply

I will ship with _______

No one

Anyone

Chemistry

Select ships

OCs

Others of my own muse

Crossovers with characters from different fandoms

Only one version of a particular character

One person in my main verse

Multiship, all ships independent of each other & main ship

One main/canon ship within my main verse

My blog WILL contain ______ in it’s content

Fluff

Light fluff

Angst

Gore

Violence

Smut

Blood

Torture

Shipping

Death

Dark humor

Cheating

Assault

I will follow ______ back

Everyone

Only some people

Most people

Only people in my fandom

Every RP blog

Only people I actively wish to RP with

People who do not post a lot of OOC

People whose posts I am comfortable with on my dashboard

To RP with me, you should _______

Follow back

Answer an open

Message me OOC

Message me IC

Make a starter

Answer my starter

Send in a meme

Like a starter call

Other:

I practice reblog karma with memes

I expect reblog karma with memes

I expect my rules/about to be read

I always read the rules/about before following/interacting

If you follow me, I want my triggers tagged

I expect all smut to be beneath a read-more

I am multi-muse

I do not wish for my OOC posts to be reblogged

I do not wish for my threads to be reblogged by those not involved

I expect post length to be matched

I expect icons/gifs to be used in a reply if I have used them

I don’t expect post length to be matched, but I will try to match your own.

I am patient when waiting for replies and expect the same courtesy.

stolen from @witcheyedcrow (post here).

[avictimofthejazz]

“Almost a big family.” Templeton tilted his head. “Maggie is my aunt, and Kelly is my sister. Everyone else here are friends… but they are nearly family. And Murdock and Hannibal are trusted to take care of everything in my stead. You’ll be perfectly safe with them here.” Secretly, Templeton agreed that the concept of a family taking care of each other was a beautiful idea. He had never really had that in his life, although he had come close several times in Ipswich. Of course, every time he got near it, some idiot or awful circumstance destroyed what he was trying to build. After a while, he had finally given up on trying… and now he was constantly looking for the disaster that would wipe out this home as well. Templeton knew it was not really right, but he could not help himself. He had lost his family too many times to grow comfortable in this situation just yet. The con artist noted the way Ada suddenly locked onto him with rapt attention. Something in her intensity discomforted him, and his smile grew awkward. Then he quickly looked down at the pie on his plate as a way to break away from her stare. He was never keen on people looking at him too closely. It made him feel translucent, a sensation that he loathed. Templeton grimaced as Ada spoke about her past. “It’ll feel real in time. The rest of it all… the ugly parts… they’ll fade away. Eventually they’ll feel like a bad dream, rather than living here feeling like a lovely dream.”   He finally looked up at her again, and shook his head. “You’re not taking advantage. You’re welcome here—Maggie wants you to become comfortable and enjoy your stay, however long that might last. Once you’re better, if you feel like a mushroom on a log, talk to Maggie or one of the other women in the house. They’ll find something for you to do.”

“Oh, I rather think we will not need any medical help.” Templeton assures her lightly. “Most of our tussles are quite mild. When it comes to us, Baracus is all bark and no bite. The most you’ll have to do is help someone straighten out their jacket in all likelihood. And the alcohol will not work on most of us—we generally do not drink too much.” He drank a bit, socially, and Hannibal was known to have a pint of ale now and again. Murdock touched very little alcohol though, and Baracus would not touch any of it.” Ada’s sudden, firm reply startled Templeton into looking up at her. Then he smiled faintly, “If you think we’re all perfect, I’m afraid you’ll soon be setting yourself up for disappointment. We are hardly perfect men—we are just trying our best as most humans are.” The rest of her statement is listened to with more care. “Then if I have any questions, madam, I will be sure to answer them. But I do not wish to make it feel like an interrogation. These kinds of discussions work better when they flow more naturally, don’t you think?”

Ada’s gentle observation about Maggie being firm set Templeton to laughing quietly. “That is a very generous meiosis, Miss Rowe. Maggie is a complete benevolent tyrant when she wishes to be.” He clarified cheerfully, scooping up another bite of the pie. “But it is all for the best, as I am sure you discovered when she sent you up to bed.” At her second question, he nodded. “Indeed. I have business interests in Philadelphia, so I spend a good deal of my time there. I do try to come out here, and check on my aunt and sister when I can, however. And Baracus’s mother of course because he usually goes with me. We trust that they are safe enough here, especially with my other friends staying, but we feel better if we visit regularly.” The excuse, based partially in truth as all the best lies were, rolled off his tongue easily. All the neighbors knew the same story—that Templeton and Kelly were Maggie’s devoted niece and nephew. After Jacob’s death, Templeton wisely took charge of his aunt’s affairs, and Kelly came to live with her. As for the rest of the house’s regular inhabitants, Hannibal and Murdock were Templeton’s friends. They were allowed to stay in the house, and everyone knew that Murdock had Templeton’s permission to court Kelly. Mrs. Baracus worked for Maggie, and Baracus was her devoted son—the pair were equally loyal to the household as a whole. Of course, none of them were actually related except for Baracus, and his mother, but the neighbors did not need to know that. The story they presented to the community was widely accepted, so why should he quibble? “If you are never given that chance, you merely grow used to it. Perverse, is it not? Our bodies simply adapt to what is trying to kill us, and try to pretend that it is normal.” He sighed. There was weight behind his words but, right now, he made no move to shed any light on the unspoken statements. “Sleep as much as you need. Maggie would not hear of anything less. You’ll get used to it in time, and you will find you have plenty more days of freedom to try new things in. Maggie will not let you leave until you are ready to do so, and she is confident that you will be fine on your own. With her children grow, she is keen to hen sit any other young person who comes within her circle.” Her explanation of why she paused only brought a frown to Templeton’s features, momentarily transforming them into something world weary. It also cracked his ever-present genial mask for a moment, allowing a brief glimpse at the tired, troubled young man underneath it. Then everything slipped back into place as if nothing had ever happened. “You’re no longer in your father’s house, Miss Rowe, and we are certainly not in a formal dining situation. There is no reason to wait for my permission. More likely than not, if you did then you would end up sitting the whole night since I would forget to give it. I do not really have a head for such matters. It is a chore enough keeping myself straight without trying to control the actions of others as well.” He cleared his throat with a mouthful of water. “You have nothing to fear though. No one will lay a finger on you here. Of course, I make no promises if you get caught between some friendly tussling match or something, but no hand will be raised in anger.” The largest danger he could foresee would be Ada innocently trying to intervene when Murdock goaded Baracus a bit too far, prompting the muscular blacksmith to go after his friend in a bid to tackle him into something. Despite the grim threats Baracus often made, they all knew that those fights were playful sparring between brothers more than anything else. If either man actually wanted to harm the other one, that would be a much more dangerous situation. “I know a bit,” he confirmed when she sought information about his knowledge. “At least what Maggie mentioned when you came to stay—but she is fiercely private of information regarding her patients. She only told us as much as was absolutely required so we would not startle you on accident. As you have likely already gathered, all of us can be a bit uncouth at times. She did not want us scaring you off.”