#you wouldn’t think the evil dark lord would be such a caring father

[lya-dustin]

Like a father would

some spoilers for my Gil-galad x oc fic I sang of leaves of gold. no real knowledge of the fic is needed for this one shot.

this is the au where gil galad jumps after elrond(like we had hoped he'd do in the series)

gif by @lasaraconor

He loves Elrond like a son, despite his behavior towards his herald these past moons, Elrond will always be a son to him.

There was no need to think of his own safety as he threw off his cloak, crown and the guards seeking to stop him from jumping after him.

They wouldn’t die, the tide had risen enough to keep them from hurting themselves on the cliff as they dived into the Lhûn. It was not a difficult swim to Mithlond and once both reached Círdan, he would explain to his herald and former ward why they needed those rings.

If Elrond had seen the condition Gil-galad’s wife was, he would have not done what he did.

Erinti, so full of life and capable of raising entire forests with her hands, going mad from her fever with her hands as black as the rot in eating away the Great Tree. Her condition had been weakened by childbirth and then Sauron entered her girdle and poisoned her through the blight of the Great Tree. She would perish before they even reached Valinor for all the healing arts they have are of little use to an Ainur.

The rings were her only hope. The mithril had shielded the sapling and its kingdom from the balrog’s darkness in Khazad-Dûm and would surely cure her along with the tree and keep their kind from having to leave Middle Earth in Sauron’s hands.

“Why did you come after me?” Elrond asks panting as they reach the beach by Círdan’s home. They are tired from the swim, in his desperation to reach the boy Gil-galad had barely noticed how spent he was until he tackled the boy into the wet sand. “Do you want these blasted things so badly you risked your own life for them?”

“I came for you!” the king doesn’t take the rings to prove he put his foster son’s life over the fucking rings. “Did you think I would simply let you jump off a fucking waterfall when I swore to your father I would never let any harm come to you?”

The boy is taken aback by his words, Gil-galad hardly curses, tries his best not to let his temper get the best of him and yet he’s frayed at the seams because a thousand years of peace is not enough. Why couldn’t the orcs finish Sauron off? Why couldn’t Ulmo just drown him in his mortal form instead of letting Galadriel of all people find him?

“I am sorry, I did not know what else to do.” Elrond apologizes as they gathered their bearings and hesitantly reached to take the rings from where he’d tossed them away from his king and foster father.

“I am sorry I pushed you to your limit.” The king tears off the outer layers of court clothes that he hadn’t even had time to remove as he swam after his errant ward. “If you had allowed me to explain, you would understand why I know those rings are our salvation.”

Círdan’s guards would come soon enough along with the Lord of the Gray Havens and something to dry off with. As a young boy, Gil-galad had not cared about ruined clothes or his hair out of place, but the moment they placed that crown on his head he ceased to be Rodnor son of Orodreth and Gilher of the Falathrim and became Ereinion Gil-galad, the High King of the Noldor.

“And still now you refuse to even consider they may be tainted with the Deceiver’s evil. I should let Ulmo decide their fate.” Elrond grumbled, still covered in wet sand and yet he agreed to hear his reasoning.

“Celebrimbor promised me he would keep him away from his forge while he and his most trusted smiths crafted them in secret. He, like I, know a mortal cannot survive an injury like that after several days on horseback.” Gil-galad tried his best to assure the half-elf the rings could not contain any of Sauron’s evil because the fiend has no idea how many rings were made or even how they look like.

But the young man was not convinced, so the king brought up the effect Sauron had on the things he touched. The older elf knew far too much of the nature of the Maiar through his wife and having shared his some of his youth with Elwing as well as Eärendil. “You have Maiar and human blood; you would have become his thrall before you even left Eregion if he had been involved in their making.”

Or worse, died from the exposure if he had not chosen the fate of the Eldar.

Gil-galad had sensed it in the air when he arrived in Eregion, something amiss and then when he was brought Halbrand he knew that thing had served Morgoth from the faint smell of rot around him. And then he arrived home to find his wife’s fair face flushed with a fever hotter than flame and muttering in Black Speech as the Master Artificers did their best to control the rot the tree had infected her with. Gil-galad refused to leave her side unless he had to and now her life rested in Elrond's hands.

“You said it is a risk you need to take.” Elrond does not agree with his reasoning but does not say anything against it. “That they could be our last hope.”

“She is dying. If the mithril healed the rot from the leaves, it will heal her.” At last he admits how dire it truly was. The king had tried to shield everyone, especially Elrond, from the truth even when Erinti counseled him against it time and time again. “She tried to heal the tree once more and the Blight poisoned her. They tell me she will not survive the journey to Valinor even if we left tonight.”

The young elf is silent as he tries to wrack his mind for the right answer to this. There was too much risk, too much at stake if the rings contained any drop of Sauron’s essence in them, but there was no other choice for them.

“Her life is in your hands.” The king doesn’t wish to guilt him into setting aside his distrust of the things, and yet he resorts to this last method. It has worked when he’s needed Elrond to care for himself especially after Elros died in his advanced age. As terrible as he will feel for doing this, they truly have no other options left.

“What if---” Elrond cannot make the words leave his mouth and swallows that question they both fear the answer to.

What if it does not work?

“Then I will remain in Middle-Earth and hunt down Sauron myself before I fade and join her in Mandos.” He understands Galadriel’s need for revenge, Gil-galad has never forgiven the Enemy nor its minions for the destruction of his family and his people. The last King of the Noldor would use the last strength of his body to avenge his beloved Lothíriel.

“The dwarves are not the only ones known for their stubbornness. Finwë’s line is cursed with it too.” Círdan arrives with his retainers and receives them warmly.

Both Noldor relax and even smile as they greet their beloved mentor. A change of clothes, advice and perhaps a meal would be welcome before he returns to Lindon, Elrond could stay if he wishes, he’s merited a reprieve away from the chaos Galadriel has brought to them.

The Lord of the Havens had raised Gil-galad when he was just a boy who had not wished to leave his elder sister in Nargothrond, he was a father to him the way Orodreth barely had the time to be. He had taken Elrond in during the War when the sons of Fëanor had no choice but to put them out of harm’s way despite their Oath.

The wisest of the elves even if Galadriel believes her husband to be greater than his kinsman.

“We have come to seek your council, old friend.” Elrond rises, dusts himself off and offers the king a hand. At least things were more or less good between them once again.

“A matter of great urgency, I am afraid.” The king is relieved to know that Círdan would not need to bring up his Daeron was a twat and Rúmil a drunkard speech Gil-galad had heard enough times as a boy.

Elrond had his heart in the right place and would come around even without that speech, the king knew the young man just as well Círdan knew him. Knew him like a father would.

[the-ferocious-kittyrose]

This is an old fic from my RE Village phase in 2021 that I found buried in my drafts. Its unfinished, but I decided to share it.

-

-

-

Karl meets his siblings

(Also I don’t care if I get the canon lore wrong. My house, my canon.)

Karl was “adopted” by Mother Miranda when he was sixteen years old, and needless to say, he was none too pleased about it. He’d been tortured and experimented on, his family murdered, and now he was stuck with this horrific new “family” he wanted no part of.

He still remembers the day Miranda had introduced him to his new “siblings.” The sun was just starting to rise, the light reflecting on the frost covered grass like glittering stars, it was almost pretty, but he wasn’t exactly in the mood to appreciate it at the moment. Instead he stared down at his boots as he silently walked behind Miranda, her dark ominous form gliding through the morning fog. She looked like a damn demon, but at this point he doubted any demon could hold a candle to Miranda.

Miranda lead him to the entrance of the Cathedral, a heavy black door bearing Miranda’s winged sigil. The doors opened with a groan as they approached, and he felt a chill run through his body, there was something evil about this place. Miranda stepped forward into the dark hall and Heisenberg followed.

They walked in silence, until Miranda spoke, “Today is a grand day, my child.”

He bit his tongue and tried his best to suppress a scowl.

‘My child’

He clenched his fists.

“Today you will be join your siblings and take your place with your true family. I assure you, there could be no greater honor.”

Karl grimaced, he was pretty sure he could think of many ‘greater honors,’ cleaning a horse’s stall with his tongue came to mind. He took a deep breath trying to calm himself, he was lucky the Cathedral was primarily made from wood and stone, or the entire thing would’ve come down the second Miranda mentioned his ‘true family,’ though that may be preferable to what was to come.

Karl just gave a slight nod to Miranda’s words as he lead him to a large blood red door. He tensed as Miranda placed her cold clawed hand on his back, lightly pushing him forward as the doors creaked open.

As he crossed the threshold, he felt the weight of four intense stares lock on him from the dusty pews. If he was being honest, he was miserable as fuck, but he wasn’t going to let these fuckers see that. With his father gone, he was the new head of House Heisenberg, the lord of the god damn iron tower! He had to be strong, show no fear, if he didn’t he’s pretty sure his father’s ghost would show up and murder him. He took enough shit from Miranda, his new “siblings” wouldn’t get the same pleasure.

He held his chin high and sauntered forward, like it was just a normal day at the market. His eyes scanned the decrepit room, only briefly looking over his audience, as if he couldn’t care less that they were there.

The first person he recognized was Lady Alcina Dimitrescu. Heisenberg was never particularly interested in politics or noble bullshit, but even the most uneducated village fool knew how influential and absurdly rich the Dimitrescu family was. Alcina looked to be around twenty, with pale white skin, but the thing that stood out most was just how fucking massive she was. From what he could see he guessed she had to be around seven feet tall. As he passed, she eyed his shaggy hair and messy clothes with a sour judgmental look.

‘She’s gonna be fun to deal with,’ Karl thought to himself. ‘Nothing better than a spoiled rich girl.’

The next thing to catch his eye was the thin hunched over figure with slimy gray skin and a mouth full of rotting yellow teeth. With his leathery skin and thinning greasy hair Heisenberg couldn’t even tell how old the figure might be. He also found it difficult to put a name to the figure. His best guess was that it was one of Lord Moreau’s sons, but that bastard had somewhere between 30 and 300 sons and Heisenberg would be damned if he was gonna bother learning all those names.

As he walked further, he heard shrill high pitched giggling coming from right beside him, he whipped his head around to find the source and found nothing. He looked around confused when he saw quick movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked down and saw the creepiest damn puppet he’d ever seen, and that’s ignoring the fact that the fucking thing was laughing and moving on it own!

“What the fuck!” He stumbled backward, nearly knocking Miranda over. The doll’s shrill laugh grew louder, now accompanied by a deep gurgling laugh Karl assumed must’ve been the slimy freak, even Lady Alcina covered her mouth to suppress a chuckle. His face was hot with embarrassment and anger and he turned to face the freaky doll, who was still laughing and skipping in circles around him.

Karl growled and clenched his fists, “get the fuck away from me!” He yelled as he reared back and kicked the freaky doll as hard as he could. It let out a long high pitch shriek as it flew a good 20 feet back before hitting the stone wall with a hard thud.

Just then, Karl heard a small gasp from the pews. A small girl he hadn’t noticed before ran up to the doll and scooped it into her arms as it muttered angrily. No wonder he hadn’t noticed her before, the girl was dressed in all black from the head down, even her face was covered by a black vail.

‘Who the hell is this?’ Karl thought to himself. This kid couldn’t be any older than twelve, what the hell was she doing here?

“Donna!” Miranda’s voice boomed through the cathedral and the little girl jumped. “I warned you to control that thing!”

‘Donna?’ Carl thought for a moment, then it clicked, Donna Beneviento, the doll maker’s daughter. The kid was somewhat of a local legend, well... maybe not a legend, more of a scary story passed around by board fools with nothing better to do.

The Beneviento family was always strange and secretive, and when Lord Beneviento’s second daughter was born rumors swarmed like flies. Beneviento hadn’t let anybody outside the estate actually see the kid. For years the girl never left the house on the hill, even when her family would come down to the village, she would stay behind, hidden away behind locked doors. Eventually it came out that the girl had some sort of facial deformity, apparently one of Beneviento’s maids had let it slip at a tavern and word spread like wildfire.

Suddenly she had sunken holes where her eyes should be, her lips had rotted away to nothing, she had a bloody hand where her tongue should be, and so on, and so on...

A few years later, Beneviento’s eldest daughter was found dead. She had fallen down the well in the basement, hit her head and drowned. But apparently no one thought to check there because it took a fucking week for someone to find her, and sadly that person was young Donna. Beneviento and his wife must’ve taken the death pretty hard, as less than a week later they threw themselves from the top of a waterfall, leaving poor Donna behind.

But luckily the ever so gracious and loving Mother Miranda swooped in to fix everything.

Karl cringed, remembering the horrific torture the witch had put him through, what sort of sick freak would put a child through that? Especially one that has all been through so much...

Donna turned to Miranda, ducked her head, and whispered a quick apology. She clutched the doll to her chest and ran past Karl, back to her seat.

Miranda’s cold gaze followed her and Karl’s stomach churned.

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

A Whisper of Death by Darcy Burke

Raven & Wren #1

Delightfully deadly delicately detailed introduction to a series I look forward to following avidly.

What I liked:

* Miss Matilda “Tilda” Wren: twenty-five years old, lives with her grandmother, father was a detective and taught her his skills, caring, responsible, not close to her mother, supportive, inquisitive, bright, capable, rather intrigued with Hadrian

* Hadrian Becket, Earl of Ravenhurst: thirty-years-old, politically active, wealthy, nearly killed and his case swept under the rug, suddenly has a new “ability-curse”, wants to find out why he was attacked, hires Miss Wren to investigate, is intrigued by Tilda

* The slow growth of the potential relationship between Raven & Wren

* Some of the supporting characters that I wouldn’t mind seeing again

* That the writing felt “of the period” as did the characters dialogue and behavior

* The descriptions that engaged all of my senses

* The plot and sub-plots, pacing, setting, and writing

* That I was invested in the characters, story, and outcome of the murder mystery

* Knowing that justice was served…eventually

* That there is another book in the series to look forward to

What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* Thinking about how evil and harmful some of the characters were

* Thinking about the divide between the classes and genders during this time period

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to the author and Oliver Heber Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

After being viciously stabbed and left for dead, Hadrian Becket, Earl of Ravenhurst struggles back to health only to discover he is cursed with a vexing ability to see visions he can’t explain. Terrified he may be going mad, he must keep the disturbing skill secret. But when it proves helpful in tracking his would-be killer, he has no choice but to embrace the newfound power. The retrocognition leads him to the house of a man recently deceased, where he encounters the clever and intriguing Miss Matilda Wren—who may be able to help him solve the many questions raised by the attack. The death of Tilda’s cousin has left her and her beloved grandmother in a precarious financial position when she discovers their investments have gone missing. Between the lost money and the mysterious Lord Ravenhurst’s incessant queries, Tilda begins to wonder if her cousin may have been murdered. Desperate to determine what happened, she’ll exhaust every possible line of inquiry to stave off destitution. For a price, Tilda agrees to work with the earl to uncover the truth, though she suspects he’s hiding a dark secret. As their investigation grows, so does the body count, but can they trust each other enough to expose the puppet master pulling the strings? Or will the villain’s malevolent machinations end with more than a whisper of death?

[princeblack]

It startles him a little each time, the way she talks about him. To Bee, he isn’t just a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, ancient Pureblood royalty with status and money to show it off. She talks about him like he’s just another person, not something to gossip about like the rest of the school. Ernie Macmillan once said that Regulus was only ahead of the class because he was a secret minion of You-Know-Who, along with the rest of the Black family ‘and that Sirius Black in Azkaban’. It was true to an extent, but what Ernie didn’t understand is that Regulus isn’t a threat to him or the school, instead wanting to follow the Dark Lord’s greatness to protect their world and make it better. But what would Ernie know about that, when his family didn’t care about mixing with the muggle world? Regulus is used to being misunderstood, gossiped about and envied. He’s used to turning heads in the corridors, making girls and boys alike watch him. But what he isn’t used to are Bee’s gentle blue eyes, gazing past every surface level he has and into his very soul, as if she can see everything that’s there and she cherishes him for it anyway. He’s never felt so safe… comfortable. And it should be ‘wrong’, according to his mother. 

“Your father is missing out, too,” he points out gently. “Maybe it doesn’t seem like it because you look up to him, but he’s a fool. You’re the most interesting and beautiful girl at Hogwarts… everyone knows it and he should be proud.” He looks away, green eyes sparkling with a sort of sadness for their lost time. He wishes he hadn’t wasted so much of it settling for Daphne all to impress his mother, afraid that Bee wouldn’t want him. How could she, when her house mates like Ernie talked so poorly of him? He never understood why people were so rash to think the Dark Lord was completely evil, as if people usually worked like that. All Regulus knew was his family, and they looked up to the wizard, praising his ideas about keeping them safe from muggles and protecting their family power. Regulus never thought of power as bad— their magic was sacred; something to cherish and be respected. When so many of their ancestors were lost in the witch hunts, it was all he could do to help make sure that never happened again. But how, he wasn’t so sure anymore… Bee’s mother deserved to be in their world just like she did, so what was the answer? If Voldemort lead them, would he protect them from the dangers of muggles that feared them? Or would he kill every last muggleborn, like Emma Diggory? The thought hurts him even more than the thought he’s unworthy of Bee, just like Ernie seems to think.

“I’m not saying Cedric isn’t great, but you underestimate how special you are. Do you even know how many people want you? Even other boys in Slytherin…” Sure, Bee is the quirky girl who is obsessed with creatures, but she’s also the hottest in the school and everyone seems to notice. Regulus can’t blame them, but he does get jealous, wishing he could shut them up because she’s only his. Even if she doesn’t know it yet. “Of course, I’d hex them if they tried to be with you…” He pouts a little, thinking about Dean again. “You don’t understand how much I had to hold myself back from hurting your ex– he didn’t even know what your allergies were.” It brings a disconcerted frown to his lips, hating that she was anything less than worshiped by that idiot.

One thing bothers him about what she says… about how he doesn’t need his family truly, and blood isn’t everything. He’s done everything for them and it’s almost impossible to imagine not having them in his life– what would it be like, for his mother to hate him so much she burned his face from her wall? Even the thought made his chest ache, tears stinging his eyes. He didn’t want to be alone… And Bee deserved more than to deal with him, a Death Eater, when she had so much life ahead of her that wasn’t tied up in a cult or an old, complicated family like his. “I’m top of my class and a Prefect and still don’t have peoples’ love, really… I’m not even sure my own girlfriend likes me. I’m just a tool for them, maybe with a pretty face. What if I have no one in the end, without my mother and father?” His chest aches because he wants her to say she’ll be there for him; love him. But he knows how much of an ask that is, especially when she doesn’t know the full story. Hell, he was fake, too– fake to Daphne, and everyone around him but Bee. How could he expect anything from others besides what he gave them?

The fact she cares enough to wish happiness for him should be enough; that the most beautiful girl in his world wants him to be happy. But it’s not. He needs her in ways he never could’ve anticipated… It’s a desire he can’t ignore any longer, regardless of what he’s doing to Daphne because of that. Maybe he doesn’t deserve anyone, with the way he’s been acting, but he doesn’t care. His heart wants what it wants, and if Bee wanted him too, why couldn’t he have her?

“They’ve been talking about you?” Regulus asks, brows furrowing because even the thought of Pansy and Daphne speaking about Bee makes him angry. “Saying what things, exactly? Is it because of me?” His special treatment towards the Diggory was obvious, with it being apparent to probably everyone in the school how badly he wants her. What he doesn’t expect is for it to have hurt her, seeing him kiss Daphne. He was so sure she had moved on from him, and yet watching her with Dean had ripped his heart from his chest. “I didn’t know that it was hurting you,” he says honestly. “I never wanted to hurt you.” He frowns, hating that he did and hating himself for it. “But my heart was broken, thinking you didn’t care…”

Only Bee could feel sorry for Mrs. Norris like he did– another reason why it felt like they were meant to be. Why was everyone else so determined to hate the cat because of Filch’s actions? “I wish you would do that for me… Maybe I’ll become an animagus and hope that my form is a cat. I would rather lounge in your lap and be fed sardines the rest of my life than face the rest of the world.” He wishes he could hide away with her; his only real safe space. If that’s even what she wants with him, after all of this.      

She looks beautiful, how he walks to the railing and tilts her head back, immediately looking at the stars overhead. Hogwarts is the most beautiful place on Earth, with a view of the sky and mountains that was unbeatable. The Forbidden Forest is something special; so special that he’s always loved breaking the rules to visit it with Bee. “I think about it, too… Being alone with you, especially up here. The view is almost as beautiful as you are.” He smiles at her a little softly, walking up to stand beside her next to the railing. “Hermione seems to have forgiven me for that… Maybe it had something to do with my perfect grades, or when I rescued her and her friends from Draco. But I still haven’t forgiven her for interrupting the best kiss of my life.” He looks at Bee up and down almost shyly, stepping towards her. “That day on the train is my best memory.” He felt safe; happy, in love… all with the incredible girl he’d just met.

before regulus she lived a pretty lonely little life, sure she had her childhood friend luna and her brother cedric, a mother who loved her but something always felt like it was missing....like a dark hole inside of her that could not be filled with boys like dean or trying to get the approval of her stubborn father. it's not that regulus defines her life, she's learned the hard way that she can live without him but living without him was a darkness she never knew, everyday aching in her chest watching him be with someone else even if it wasn't technically his choice he was still holding the hand of a girl who wasn't bee, who could never love him to his fullest the way she did. it makes her feel sick inside the more she thinks about it...she never knew what being in love exactly meant until now.

love was beautiful and refreshing, it was a feeling greater than all the stars in the sky, it was aching and pain when you couldn't be near them. it was seeing the best in someone even if he didn't always see it within himself. she saw the world in regulus black, he was more than just his namesake, more than the blood that flows through him. he was the sweetest most sensitive and smart boy she's ever met, he taught her so much not just educational like potions but he taught her how to truly feel a genuine sense of happiness, slowly but surely she was becoming more comfortable in her own skin, enough to tell him every little thing that was on her mind even if it wasn't the most flattering thing to hear.

her eyes soften as he talks about his family, how it makes him feel and it's one of the things she understands most about him. though she figures his situation is a little more extreme than hers, it's already hard having a family who expects so much of you but to have awful rumors about you and your family going around the school like being a death eater...even if he was, she knew it wasn't really his choice, none of this was. he was just too good to say no, too naive to an extent. "they're missing out...their selfishness keeps them from discovering what an amazing son they have. " she says softly. "my dad always expects me to be like cedric, at least be as good as him...he's never been proud of me, not since I was a child and I know how much it hurts but if the cost of happiness is losing your family than they were never truly family. it's not only about blood you know?" she bites down on her lip, hoping she didn't overstep too much but she just wishes he would let himself be free, partly selfishly so he would love her but mostly because she sees so much in him that he wont set free because of his parents. "astoria got lucky to have a dad who loves her so much, I almost envy her for it..." she laughs sadly, even though astoria didn't really agree with her father he still cared deeply for his child, sometimes bee wonders if amos would ever feel the same. she frowns a little when he says he's still scared, squeezing his hand gently. "I just want you to be happy regulus..."

daphne seemed so proud to be near regulus but it wasn't for the right reasons...bee tried not to be hateful, she tried to be understanding of even the most unlikeable of people like regulus's cousin draco, who seemed more concerned with making his family proud than letting himself form his own outlook on life. he wasn't a bad person, he just seemed, confused...butt bee struggles to find that same grace for the males girlfriend, maybe it's jealousy but something about the blonde rubbed her the wrong way. she wasn't like regulus or astoria who seemed more like victims of their up bringing, if anything she truly seemed proud of who she was and where she came from. "it doesn't make it hurt any less seeing you with her...seeing you kiss her and have her knowing you were hers. I hated it so much and I guess it doesn't help that she and pansy have apparently been talking about me." she shrugs, shaking her head a little.

after kissing him on the lips regulus leads her out of the dungeon and towards their special place in the astronomy tower. it was her second favorite place in the school after the greenhouse, it's often where the pair would meet just to get away from the world because students didn't often use it unless it was during class hours. she holds his hand tight as they walk despite it being past curfew by now. just as they're about to take another step mrs.norris is standing there, looking up at them with her eyes. that poor cat, bee would be rather grumpy too if her owner was a grumpy old man with an unhealthy obsession with punishing teenagers...still, bee wishes she could befriend the poor kitty. but before she can think about it too long regulus is tugging her back, pressing her against the wall as their hands still interlock. she holds her breath without really thinking of it, eyes closing as his warm breath brushings against her ear whispering a spell inside as the pair go invisible for a moment and foot steps of the old man come closer, muttering something to his cat as bee leans into regulus a little looking for comfort as her heart pounds, hoping mrs.norris doesn't tip off the squib. eventually the footsteps get quieter as he walks away, the cat not fair behind leaving the pair to get away with their sneaking around.

it's like he reads her mind, showing pity for the kitty as he jokes about her needing a raise. "sometimes I wish I could whisk her away and give her all the belly scratches and sardine's her little heart desires, poor thing." bee says softly, smiling up at him as they approach the winding steps. she misses his hand when he lets go but she walks ahead to reach the top of the tower, the cold night wind brushing against her exposed skin as the fresh air and smell of wood makes her feel a little more comfortable, it has become a bit of a safe place for her and a good alternative outside of the smoke filled party.

she walks over to the railing, tilting her head up to look at the stars in the sky tonight, they were so beautiful especially when it was so quiet out tonight. "it's so beautiful up here at night." she says softly, smiling a bit as she looks over at regulus for a moment before looking back at the sky. "you know, it sounds silly but I always look forward to being up here with you...it's like my favorite thing in the world. I thought about it all summer...no daphne or dean, no classes to worry about. just you and me, alone...like the first day we met other than hermione of course." she laughs at the embarrassing part of that memory, when the frizzy haired girl interrupted her perfect kiss. "I sometimes still look over my shoulder to see if she's lurking, ready to ruin my perfect moments with you."

[quibbs126]

Old Garmadon, how I’ve missed you…

[somethingsomethingeyyymacarena]

Two Aliens Walk into the Empire [SWTOR SECRET SANTA]

By: ReneTheStan/fatheriimaginedyoutaller

SWTOR Secret Santa Gift for: @space-unicorn-dot/ @tiredassmage

Fic also avaliable on AO3

Summary: Savosta, a Chiss, The Renagade Sith Chiaros Curo, Half Human Zabrak, Darth Nessight and Dark Lord of the Sith

Two very different embodiments of what it means to be a Force user, have a tense conversation about the paths they chose to take in life.

Special thanks to: @chokit-pyrus

[Fic under cut]

Drommund Kaas looked like an old decolored corpse that had come alive again and regained all of its senses at once.

Aliens of every stripe were outside celebrating in the streets of the sacred city. Dancing and throwing out firecrackers like their lives depended on it. A clash of cultures and colors made the gray walls reflect a rainbow of living organisms that were breathing and experimenting with happiness for the first time ever.

Savosta could see them from his balcony, doing things he would never dare to do in the cities controlled by the Empire, speaking in Tongues that were forbidden until a few minutes ago and eating food from planets far away from here.

The Chiss sighed and relaxed his shoulders as he felt the warm wind coming from the jungle’s south. He let it wrapped him in an embrace and tried to ignore how the happy atmosphere of the event contrasted with his gloomy usual personality and current mood.

A thing he would rarely admit was the fact he did not understand something.

But at least he could admit it to himself, into a dark corner of his head of course, and he could then try and suppress it forever. 

But what was the thing he didn’t understand?

“I knew I would find you here…”

Suddenly the warm breeze stopped and Savosta frowned. He knew what was gonna happen next. But he foolishly believed he had more time.

Savosta sighs and rubs his temple. Of course she would know where to find me. . .I’m the only blue skinned idiot who's not out there celebrating. . .

“Shouldn’t you be out there celebrating?” Chiaros asked with a smirk as if the Force had given her the power to read minds. 

“Shouldn’t you be at a stuffy old party giving a speech?” he replied without turning back to look at his old Academy companion.

Even saying that caused an uneasy feeling inside him. Another thing to suppress forever. He told himself to not be overwhelmed by her presence. 

Because he knew the truth, even before she took out that damn metal helmet and showed her horns and tattoos to the society that would have shunned her if she hadn’t had the power of a goddess practically running through her veins, he knew who Chiaros Curo was.

And he had a feeling she knew that too..

“I was never too much of a fancy party kind of woman,” she shrugged. “My crew will take care of it. . .”

The Chiss rolled his eyes. Who was she trying to fool? Honestly he was surprised it didn’t take this much for her to start treating her own crew like that. The history holocrons would remember her as the Sith Who Ended Slavery. The Breaker of Chains. . .

“Why are you here?” he challenged as he turned around to face her “Only to gloat on your newfound power?”

“Is that what you think of me?”She pressed a hand against her chest pretending to be hurt. “That I’m some sort of madwoman blinded by lust for control?”

It seemed like even the streets knew of the unnerving tension between them as a firecracker suddenly went off and exploded in a  million red colored shards of light above them.

“What I think,” he said as the effect vanished “Is that perhaps there’s more of your father inside of you than you care to admit…”

He knew he crossed the line with that one.

“Why?” She spatted, another firecracker went off, this time blue. “Because I have a lightsaber, an attitude problem and I’ve killed? Is the bar for evil truly that low these days?

Savosta rolled his eyes again, turned around and looked at a group of twi’lek children running through the streets, “Forget it, I knew you wouldn't understand…”

“And I knew you wouldn’t care to explain…”

There was a time where they would’ve died for each other, the Chiss lamented. Because for Savosta, even thinking about it brought him a great amount of pain.

He heard the steps of the new Dark Lord getting farther and farther. At that moment however it seemed like his body and voice were possessed by a Force Ghost that he couldn’t stop from using its power to pronounce words and turn around to face his old ally.

“Is it true what you said up there?” he said.

He witnessed the cloaked figure stopping in her tracks and facing him once more 

“What?” she asked as she crossed her arms.

“That you would eliminate any Jedi who would get in your way?”

Chiaros’ expression turned inquisitive “Well I didn’t say only Jedi…”

“Don’t joke around, not now.”

“Why do you even care?” she shrugged nonchalantly “Since when are you above tormenting a few peaceful flower children of the Force?”

“I’m not like that anymore and you know it…” Savosta defended himself.

“And that’s your curse to bear,” She added and seemed about to joke again until her expression morphed into a knowing one. “You…you have acquaintanced with one of them, haven’t you?...

“You’re friends with a jedi now?”

“I would appreciate it if you stopped using your Force Intuition on me, thank you very much.”

“Don’t joke around, not now.” she parroted him. 

“So what if I did?” he shrugged as if imitating her too. “Aren’t I on my right to do so? I mean, stranger things have happened, right? Like a certain Zabrak falling in love with an Empire Capt–

Another firecracker went off at the same time his oxygen was taken away by the Force and he started levitating off the ground. He coughed as he was dragged by Chiaros’ pulse via her raising her arm. 

She used the force to drag him in front of her .

“Do.Not.Talk.About.My.Husband.Or my crew.Ever.” she warned menacingly.

He kept coughing and nodded but the new Dark Lord didn’t seem satisfied with the answer. She kept her eyes locked on Savosta. That gave him an opportunity to sneakily pull out a dagger from his pocket and shove into her ribs.

She winced as another firecracker went off and both aliens fell into the ground with their faces illuminated by a purple light.

They both laid on the ground for a while 

“Alright… then… do not talk about my… acquaintances again, how is  that for a fair deal?” he managed to say between gasps for air. Savosta looked at his former friend as she used the force to heal her wound and regained composure. 

“It’s all a contest of who can swing a sword better, you know that right?” Savosta continued. “We’ve both had our reasons to choose our side on it and we won’t apologize for it…

Another pause amongst them.

“No,” Chiaros Curo, Darth Nessight, Dark Lord of the Sith said. “I suppose we won’t…”

[halfblood-princes-crown]

What is your opinion on Regulus black? Mauraders always say "Regulus deserves better" but do not bother to give him a unique and logical story they make him knockoff Snape, Regulus can't be a nice and fair teacher if he was double agent, He would of been murdered. If Regulus deserves anything, it's better fans.

Hi Anon!!!

You are absolutely correct, Marauder stans act like they don’t like Snape but then give all of their precious plot piece characters his flaws/achievements. Regulus Black is literally nothing. He was mentioned like once💀✋🏽. He did nothing but make things harder and he was literally (canonically) obsessed with Voldemort…and since Snaters like to use this argument: he only changed sides because someone he cared about was in danger. Literally. Every time I see something from a regulus stan it’s always like “What if Regulus was in love with James and after he died he swore to protect his son, so he became a professor at Hogwarts and was nice to Harry and told him about his father and-“ BRO! Literally Walmart Snape…I don’t like Regulus Black only because of his fans, especially considering we don’t know literally nothing about him in canon except that he was useless and obsessed with his evil wizard crush...

Like you said, I don’t think they realize that Severus was literally teaching the CHILDREN of DEATH EATERS…if one of them caught whiff of him being all sweet to the kid the Dark Lord was after…and SNITCHED? Crucio wouldn’t even begin to describe what Voldemort would do to him…It’s even said on Pottermore that it’s a facade. Do I think some of his attitude was genuinely him? Yes, but he kinda had no choice but to be an asshole. He was a double spy. But Marauder stans don’t seem to have a brain so we can’t explain that to them.

@serpenera explained here why Marauder stans like these plot devices and hate on Snape. Going by your question I think you’ll find it interesting!

[breaniebree]

SNEAK PEEK

Chapter 348 -- The One With Operation Kill the Sodding Bastard

“There’s the whiny brat,” Wendall Selwyn declared.  “I promised Thaddeus I would take care of you if he couldn’t.”

Theo raised his sword.  “I’m not the one who killed my father.”

“No,” Selwyn said, his lips curving.  “That was Malfoy, but you still played a part in ruining his life.  If you want to suck cock, he wouldn’t have stopped you, but a real man knows to keep that a secret if you’re going to carry on the pureblood name.  I told Thad I would teach you a lesson.”

“Oh?  And how are you going to do that?”  Theo taunted.

Selwyn licked his lips.  “I was going to start with killing your boyfriend, but it seems that’s already been taken care of.  So instead, I’ll stop you from looking so pretty.”

The first cut sliced down his cheek from the corner of his eye and Theo blinked back blood before he swung his sword to hit the spell that came at him.

Selwyn grimaced.  “You think you’re a big man, don’t you, Nott?  Too good for the likes of those you belong with?  Too good to be a pureblood?”

“Not too good,” Theo spat.  “But that much better.  Flippendo!”  

Selwyn went flying and sailed back into the wall, flipping over the stone bench.  His head was bleeding when he stood up and when he made a sword appear from the end of his wand, he licked his lips.

“I’m going to gut you like you deserve for abandoning your true family.  I’m going to gut you like the traitor you are.”

Theo tightened his grip on his own sword as it clanged against Selwyn’s magical one.  

“I’d like to see you try.”

The sound of their swords clashing was all he could hear over the boom of the music and the battle sounds around them.  Theo knocked him back again and again and when Selwyn’s blade drew blood on his arm, he twisted and sank his blade deep into the old man’s gut.

Blood dribbled from his lips as his eyes widened in shock.  Theo twisted the blade.

“How does it feel to know that a man who loves cock was the one to push a phallic shaped weapon inside of you?  Take that, you homophobic dickwad!”

Then he pulled the weapon out and watched Selwyn collapse to the ground just as Goyle ducked to avoid the spell sent at him by Crabbe.

No, Theo thought, this was far from over.

~ ASC ~

The last person that Greg had thought he would end up fighting against was Vincent Crabbe.  But in all honesty, it made sense.

Crabbe had been his only real friend throughout Hogwarts and even then, he wouldn’t exactly have called it a friendship.  They more or less were always thrust together since neither of them had anyone else.  But after everything that happened with the Dark Lord and with Pansy, Crabbe was the last person that Greg wanted to fight.

“Stop, you tosser!”  Greg exclaimed, knocking back the spell that Crabbe sent towards him.

“Stop?  Seriously?”  Crabbe demanded.  “In case you didn’t notice, Goyle, we’re in the middle of a bloody war!”

“And you chose the wrong side,” Greg shot back.

Crabbe looked stupefied by this.  Greg rolled his eyes and before Crabbe could raise his wand again, he used his fist to knock him straight out.  Crabbe’s eyes rolled as he stumbled back and landed flat on his arse.

“Nice punch,” Theo exclaimed from behind him.

Greg turned to look at where Theo was brandishing the bloody sword.  “You, too.”

Theo wiped the bloody sword on his trousers.  “Tie him up.  He’s a moron, but he’s not exactly evil.”

[melancholypancakes]

Author note: Thessaly is a canon character in the sandman universe she an immortal witch and former lover of Morpheus from the comics

Every female protagonist when she is literally in a love triangle relationship with an edge lord/brooding mystery bad boy love interest and a sweet guy love interest.

Female protagonist chooses Edge lord love interest all the time ;)

Exhibit A for Markiplier TV

Darkiplier x reincarnated!Y/n x Markiplier

Y/n could go with a sweet, loving and manipulative boyfriend Mark and go on adventures with him.

Or

Y/n can go with the brooding, emo, edge lord Darkiplier himself who actually gives a damn about her and her well-being :)

Who do you think she is going to choose?

*Y/n deciding*

Y/n: let’s see…Mark is sweet, loving but also manipulative and wants to go on adventures in different timelines and he fuck Dark over along with my friends.

*Y/n looks at Dark and immediately blushes nervously*

Y/n: On the other hand…Dark is very brooding, Edgy, bad boy but deep down really cares about me and my well-being more than Mark ever could.

Y/n: he’s also more handsome than Mark…and didn’t screw wilford over and my other friends. And…he um…

*Y/n just red as a tomato staring at Dark for a long time*

Y/n:…He’s quite a romantic even if he doesn’t show it and a great dancer! He also is cares a lot about me!

*Dark looks at Y/n with adoration while she nervously smiles at him with a red face*

Y/n: 👀👀👀

*Y/n jumps in Dark’s arms*

Y/n: take me home please!

*Mark is shock Y/n chooses Dark over Him while the viewers knew Darkiplier x Y/n was endgame*

Exhibit B for The Sandman

We’re going to use a made up Sweet normal mortal man as a love interest for Witch! Y/n since I can’t think of any canon character for her lol

( I won’t use Hob because all tumblr wants to do is have a three way with Morpheus, y/n and hob)

Morpheus x Witch! Y/n x Henry

Witch! Y/n is a capable woman to take care of herself, make her choices in life and even lovers.

She is a lovely and caring young woman who capture both hearts of the endless and Henry a young mortal man who she could have a normal life with.

Now, Witch! Y/n could have a normal life for a change with Henry who is very charming, sweet and soft.

He can take care of her as a husband and father to her children she would give birth to in this normal family scenario.

She could spend the rest of her mortal days being in love with a mortal man who cherish her ( hopefully not cheat) and have a family in the suburb.

A loving husband, three children, a lovely home and a normal life with no evil or monsters to fight and grow old with her lover.

Or

Witch! Y/n could take the high road, take a chance, a leap of faith, destiny and a risk to be with Morpheus of the endless.

Morpheus, Dream of the endless, ruler of the dreaming realm. A king to rule his subjects and protect the dreaming and waking realm.

Morpheus was brooding, edge lord, a lone-wolf and mainly touch starved after all he was trapped for decades by a mage.

An endless that would make her feel alive, make her heart beat fast, make her desires and dreams come true more than she could imagine.

It’s not an easy life Y/n would have but it would exciting and thrilling!

Y/n heart would beat fast more than she could ever known, make her blush red and see stars and hearts everywhere.

Morpheus had many failed lovers ( mainly his fault) but he would like to change that.

Morpheus adores Y/n, cherish her, he would love her more than Henry ever could for he was just a mortal man who truthfully wouldn’t last long with Y/n.

Morpheus would make Y/n’s dreams, desires and needs come true, she be a Queen of the Dreaming realm and love her for eternity.

While Witch! Y/n cares for Henry, she also adores Morpheus and wonders what would it really be with Morpheus an endless being.

She has never been with someone like Morpheus, he wasn’t a man and it could be good…bad or it could actually be thrilling and worth her while.

Would Y/n really be different from Nada…or even Thessaly?

Could she be worthy of him?

Could she be loving wife towards Morpheus better and understanding?

Could she be better?

If she were to have children with Morpheus could they still be happy and be a loving family?

As Y/n ponder on these thoughts she felt a pale hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Morpheus.

She tilt her head back and looked into his star eyes as he gave her a small smile of adoration.

Y/n couldn’t help but smile back at him and held his hand gently and squeezing it lovingly.

Maybe…just maybe this could work, she could be with him for eternity, be his wife, mother of his children and love sick.

Y/n knew both of men were madly in love with her but she had to choose between a charming mortal man and an endless who adored her more than anything.

Y/n had already made her choice…

*Witch! Y/n thoughts*

Witch! Y/n: Henry is a very charming a sweet man, could be a great husband and father to our children and I could have a normal life…that would be nice.

Witch! Y/n: But…Morpheus could offer me so much more, he could be a great husband, I could be a good wife to him and queen of his realm and on top of that he can make my dreams and desires come true literally.

Witch! Y/n: he could make me feel alive…and he is actually the man…the endless I truly love and that’s better than any normal life.

Witch! Y/n: besides…there no such thing as a normal life especially with me involve.

*Witch! Y/n chooses Morpheus*

Morpheus holds both of Y/n’s hands and kisses them as he looks deeply in her eyes and she smiles as her face turns red.

Morpheus: Y/n…my beloved I shall cherish you for all eternity, love you with my very being, you have no idea how much I adore you my dear…if you wish it I will make your desires and dreams come true if you’ll have me of course…

Witch! Y/n: Oh Morpheus….of course I’ll have you. But am I truly worthy of you?

She says as she looks down in doubt.

Morpheus looks at her with a confused look, he wonders why would she ask such a silly thing?

Morpheus: of course, you are darling why ask such a buzzard question? Do you doubt worth?…

Y/n looks at him with glossy eyes as tears fall, “It’s just….I….I” she struggles the words as she breathes in.

Witch! Y/n: Am I truly worthy of your love? Am I worthy of you more than Nada….or Thessaly? Will we last…will you not get bored of me?

Morpheus is shock about her doubts.

Morpheus: Of course, you are worthy of me my love my past has nothing to do with us for you are not them and they are not you.

He says as he lifts her chin up and she looks at him, Y/n smiles through the tears as Morpheus wipes her face.

Morpheus: Don’t cry my dear…these negative thoughts don’t deserve your tears.

She giggles as she leans in and kisses Morpheus which he returns back with a passionate kiss.

Y/n had chosen Morpheus over Henry, over a normal life and she knew she want meant to be with the endless as he did too.

He was delighted she had chosen him, he finally had his Queen in his arms and she had her King in her arms…

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Pressure

Finale to Push and Pull

Warnings: noncon sex, oral, violence, abuse, and death.

This is Lee Bodecker (who is already dark!af) and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Life changes and you’re swept up in the tide.

Note: Alright, here’s out final part! Lee is such a bastard man.

Hope you enjoy it. Thank you. Love you guys!

Please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

“You left a stain On every one of my good days” 

-Disease, Matchbox Twenty

🚔

Arn had quickly taken up your father’s mantle as a moonshiner. When he got home, he went to the shed and tinkered with the sill. He met with the same men your father had and even began to act like him. Quiet, terse. He ordered you and your brothers around as he emulated the dead man.

Will had grown quiet. In those days he spent at home with you, you’d noticed how distant he seemed. He was the youngest, the sweetest. When your mother had passed, he had been the most distraught but he seemed numb to your father’s absence.

And Cal; Cal was just as oblivious as ever. You almost admired how he always went through life without heed for the past or future. He only seemed to live in his own little bubble as he floated along; untouched and unaffected by the taint of Knockemstiff.

And you, you were just an afterthought in the lives of the men around you. You cleaned after them, cooked for them, and saw that all was in order for them to exist. They didn’t give a second thought to their dirtied dishes or torn trousers. They just left them for you to tidy and mend.

And Bodecker. You hated just the thought of him. Hated the way your stomach churned as you recalled that mighty heat he’d stoked within you. The feeling you knew was so wrong. How could you feel that way when he was touching you? When you didn’t want him to touch you? You didn’t want it, right?

Your nightmares were stained in your father’s blood. You woke with a start at the gunshot as it echoed inside your head. Every morning without fail. Visions lingered as you dressed; the gun, Lee’s voice, the blood seeping into the dirt. You shuddered and pressed your hands to your face. 

Had it really been so long? A month already.

You descended the stairs and yawned into your sleeve as you hugged yourself in the early morning chill. It was early, the men would not rise for another hour or so.

Maybe not. You heard the crackle of a log and the whisper of a page being turned. You stood in the doorway of the living room. Will sat on the rug before the fire, bent over a book as the flames licked behind the grate.

“I couldn’t sleep,” he spoke before you could. “But I’m almost done my book.”

“That’s good,” you neared and lowered yourself beside him, “What are you reading anyway?”

“Lord of the Flies,” he marked his page, “I think… I think it’s about good and evil. If people are born one or the other, you know?”

“Oh?” You crossed your arms over your knees.

“Yeah, I mean, if we were allowed to make our own rules, would we make them for us or the for the good of everyone?” He wondered, “Because even with the rules, we do the worst, don’t we?”

“I suppose but… the rules don’t really make much difference around here.” You snorted. “Not in this town.”

“You think it’s different somewhere else? In the city? Maybe in another country?” He chewed his thumbnail.

“I like to hope so, not that I’ll ever know,” you said, “Is this about daddy?”

He shrugged. He dropped his hand and stretched his long legs before him. “All the good went with mama.”

“Don’t say that,” you admonished.

“It’s true. How many times did he take the belt to you? And why? Because you made him think of her.”

“You really think that?”

“He was nasty to all of us,” he sighed, “But nastier to you. And I can’t even be sad that he’s gone.”

“Death is hard, Will,” you touched his shoulder, “It’s hard to know what you’re feeling about it. Sad ain’t so clear as it should be. It could be staring at the wall or tossing and turning in your bed or sitting up in the early hours and readin’ some book by yourself. It’s not always a feelin’, sometimes it’s in the things we do.”

“It’s just a book,” he muttered.

“But you lookin’ for daddy in it, ain’t ya? Askin’ if he was good or bad.”

“I know he was bad,” Will said, “It’s why I don’t feel bad for him. Probably ran his mouth at whoever it was who gave him what he got.”

“Don’t talk like that,” you took his hand and squeezed, “Please. For me.”

He looked at you. The light of the fire flickered in shadows across his face. “You know, you never had to take care of him. Or us. You should got out and married.”

“Maybe I didn’t have to,” you sidled close to him, “But how could I leave my little brother, hmm?”

“I’m a man now. Almost.” He said. “Arn won’t let you stay. I know it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Him and Rose from the diner. He’s gonna marry her. Won’t be no place for you here. Or Cal. Or me.” Will said. “And I’m gonna go work down at the yard. Or maybe the factory.”

“You should finish school.”

“For what?”

“You’re the only smart one. You could find your way. Get a degree.” You urged. “You should do all of that. You shouldn’t stay here.”

“And leave you behind?”

You sniffed and hung your head. “No, I’m grown. I’ll find my way and I won’t get in yours. You got half a year left. You’re too close to quit.”

“I don’t know…”

“Mama always wanted you to do something big. She always said you were special.” You said. “A lawyer? Maybe even a doctor. Imagine that.”

He was quiet. He squeezed your hand and wobbled his foot as he thought. “You should leave too. Leave this town. We could both go once I’m done school.”

“No, no, you can’t be takin’ care of me.” You argued.

“Why not? You’ve taken care of me.”

“Because that’s what women do. I promised mama I would.” You liked the idea of leaving but it was terrifying. Even if you did have that courage, you knew you wouldn’t be gone for long. And if fate didn’t bring you back, you expected something, or someone else, would. “If Arn decides to toss us to the curb, I’ll see you through the rest of the year and then you’re gonna go out and make mama proud.”

He nodded and leaned back on his hands. “I know no one else ever gave you a chance but you should start givin' yourself one. You’re too good for us. Too good for everyone in this damn town.”

🚔

When the Sheriff showed up next, you were alone. He walked into the house without knocking, as had become his habit, and sat at the table as you prepared a roast for dinner. He watched you silently and you tried to ignore him. You were waiting for his command. 

How did he want you? What vile things would he do to you that day?

“When’s the boys gettin’ home?” He asked.

“Soon,” you answered as you turned on the oven. 

“You got something sweet,” he reached in his pocket and pulled out an empty wrapped.

You slid the cookie jar towards you and plopped it before him on the table. “Made ‘em last night. Chocolate chip.”

“You’re always so good to me,” he smiled and you choked down your revulsion. “Too bad it took me so damn long to get here. I really wanted to have some fun.”

You turned back and opened the stove. You slid the roasting pan inside and snapped it shut.

“Them dresses you got, they really do nothin’ for ya,” he said through a mouthful of cookie, “‘cept when you’re bending over.”

“Why are you here then?” You crossed your arms as you turned back to him.

“I gotta talk to your brothers,” he said, “But let’s be clear on something, girl. You don’t ask me my business unless it’s to do with you.”

“I know about you,” you sneered, “Everyone does. Why don’t you get one of your whores and leave me alone?”

The chair nearly toppled as he stood and tossed down the cookie. He rounded the table and stomped over to you, cornering you against the counter.

“You’re my whore,” he snarled, “You got that?” He pinched your tit roughly. “Now, if I wanna, I can bend you over right now and let your brothers see what a whore you are.” He grabbed your chin and pushed his body against yours. “You should be flattered, you know? I ain’t touched another bitch since I been in you.”

You bit down and glared at him. Your lip curled but you said nothing.

“I ain’t gonna leave you alone,” he rocked his body against yours and exhaled. “What do ya think is gonna happen if I do? If I toss you out like the used bag you are? You got me or you got nothing. No man’s gonna marry a flower without her petals.”

He pushed harder against you until you could feel his bulge through his pants. His stomach crushed you against the counter. He leaned in and kissed you. You were shocked by the gesture, disgusted at how you could taste the chocolate on him.

“I really need to fuck you,” he growled as he drew away, “Fuckin’ hurts so bad.” He pushed himself from you and turned as he cleared his throat. The loud rumble of the Ford truck called from just outside as it pulled in. “Guess that means I’ll have to pay you back in kind.” 

You narrowed your eyes and went to the fridge. You poured him a glass and slammed it down as the front door opened and the boys’ voices mingled in the hallway. Bodecker drank deeply and cleared his throat as he watched you retreat.

Arn entered first, followed by the other two as they chattered noisily. “...in the shed, we-- Sheriff Bodecker,” Arn shook the sheriff’s hand as he stood. “Figured you were waitin’ for us. You know, we got everything sorted with the shine.”

“That’s good to hear but sadly I’m not here about that,” Bodecker said, “Other business. ‘Bout your daddy.”

“Ah, okay,” Arn glanced over at Cal as Will took a seat at the table and grabbed a cookie from the jar. Your youngest brother looked at you as he took a bite. “What’s, uh, what’s goin’ on?”

“Well, we think we got the prick who did it,” Bodecker began and you stiffened, “Found your daddy’s belt buckle and same caliber gun. Some rat down by the tracks. Been arrested before for robbin’.”

“You found him?” Cal asked, “Well, suppose that’s good.”

“We will be chargin' him to the full extent of the law. Shouldn’t see a free day ever again.” Bodecker said. “Out of courtesy, I figured I’d tell ya before the papers ran the story.”

“Thank you, Sheriff,” Arn said. “You know it’s been tough tryna get everything together since he been gone but… this’ll be good for all of us. Now that we have some peace about it.”

“Oh, you got big plans?” Bodecker asked.

“House is mine now. Figure I need a wife. And the boys… well, they gotta go find a place of their own, ain’t they?”

“Mmm,” Bodecker hummed, “And your sister, too.”

“We have an aunt. I’m sure she could use the company.” Arn said.

“What?” You sputtered, “You just gonna send me away to live with Darlene?”

“What else am I gonna do with ya?” Arn barked. “If I got Rose here to do my cookin’ and cleanin’, I don’t see the use in keepin’ you around. Don’t know why daddy didn’t find someone to take ya before.”

“I ain’t askin’ you to do nothin’ with me,” you huffed, “But I ain’t goin’ to Darlene’s. I’ll go out on my own. I’ll clean someone else’s floor and get paid for it in more than spit and stupid.”

Arn snarled and Will stood slowly from the table. Cal squinted as if lost.

“Now, now,” Bodecker clapped Arn’s shoulder, “Lots to be done, lots to be done. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This is a lot. Big news. I say, take some time, have some of that shine your daddy left you, and calm down, huh?”

Arn looked at the sheriff and shook his head. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right, I s’pose.”

Will lingered by the table, his eyes never left his older brother as his hands balled into fists. You neared him and touched his arm softly. He glanced over at you, his face tensed with anger.

“I won’t let him do it,” he whispered. “I told you, we can get out together.”

“So let’s give it a day,” Bodecker boomed, “I’ll be back tomorrow. We’ll talk business and… well, I think you’ll be happier after we have all that figured out.”

Arn nodded and shifted his weight.

“You got big shoes to fill,” Bodecker said, “Gotta make sure you get ‘em laced on right.”

🚔

As promised, Bodecker returned the next day, this time after your brothers. He joined them in the shed, a relief as you worked at stitching one of Will’s shirts. Cal appeared as you held up the shirt and eyed your work. You sensed his shadow and dropped the fabric to your lap.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” you assured him.

“You need to come out to the shed,” he ignored your promise of a hot meal and you frowned. 

You stood and slung the shirt over the chair. You grabbed your jacket and boots and followed him out the door. You hadn’t been to the shed since before your daddy died. Your teeth chattered as you slipped through the door and Cal slid it closed behind you. Arn sat in your pa’s old armchair, Lee on a stool, and Will on the crooked bench with a space free for his other brother.

“I don’t know why she needs to be here,” Arn said, “But she is, so let’s get on.”

“Well, the only way you’re gonna expand across the county is through me, Arn,” Bodecker talked as if he were addressing a child. “And I’m up for re-election. That means we need each other. Means we need to set this little partnership we have down in stone.”

“How’s it that you need us, sheriff?” Cal asked as you swayed by the door.

“Well, my reputation ain’t exactly pristine. I need to tidy up the edges,” Bodecker leaned forward and twined his fingers together. “I’ll see that you get your shine from one end of the county to the other and I’ll also take a little weight off your shoulders. I need a wife and your sister needs a new home.”

Your mouth fell open and even Arn seemed surprised by the proposal.

“No,” Will said, “You can’t… you can’t marry her.”

“I don’t see why not. She’s gettin’ up there in years, I don’t see anyone else lining up.” Bodecker chortled.

“Because she--” Will looked at you helplessly. “She deserves to be happy.”

“I don’t think any woman be unhappy being the sheriff’s wife,” Bodecker hissed, “Won’t be no different than her cleaning up after y’all. If anything, it’ll be easier.”

“Take her,” Arn said, “Two birds, one stone.”

“And Cal, I’ll get him on the force by the end of the year. Always good to have another set of hands.” Bodecker continued. “He’ll make good enough money to get outta your hair.”

“And Will?” You said. All the men turned to look at you. “He’s gotta stay in school.”

“School ain’t shit,” Arn scowled.

“I don’t see why he can’t finish,” Bodecker said. 

“I ain’t takin’ care of him,” Arn said. “He either gonna work for his lot or he can live outside.”

“Say what you want about daddy, but at least he had the decency to see to us,” you said. “You think you’re the big man now he’s gone.”

“You better shut your fuckin’ mouth if you know what’s good for you,” Arn stood and the sheriff did too. He stepped in front of the younger man.

“She’s grievin’. You know the ladies don’t handle all this so well,” Bodecker said, “I’ll see after the kid. I was gonna up my take to twenty percent but I’ll settle for fifteen if you keep him on.”

“Up your take?” Arn scoffed.

“We’re gonna be family and I’m gonna make sure none of my officers get in your way. Boy, that’s gonna mess with numbers, you get me? You can’t get without givin’.” 

Arn lowered his chin and looked between you and Will. He blinked slowly.

“He got a roof till he’s done school. No longer than that.” Arn sat back down heavily, “And you be best to get a leash on my sister and quick. The sooner she’s out of my house, the better. Rose is getting awfully antsy.”

“Y’all got a date yet?” Bodecker said.

“Wait? Just like that? You’re gonna marry me off--”

“Fuck’s sake. You ain’t never know when to shut up!” Arn hollered as he reached for a jar of shine.

“And you’re gonna drink away your years just like daddy,” you snapped.

“Hmm, maybe, but you’re gonna do what I tell you and get on your back for our sheriff.” He spat, “Or I’m gonna dump you on the corner and you can see who else will have you.”

“Arn, you can’t--” Will began.

“You two can go off and see how far you make it,” Arn bit back, “I’m done arguin’. The next person pipes up, I’m gonna tar ya.”

You looked at Will and shook your head. You knew what wasn’t being said. If you didn’t do what you were told, it wasn’t that you’d be out of your home. You wouldn’t have anything. The sheriff had a stranglehold on every citizen in the county. He’d make sure you were helpless until you were forced to grab his outreached hand. You’d take what he gave you, as you had to that point.

“Fine…” You uttered, “You know what mama would think, Arn. As much as you think daddy’d be proud, you know she wouldn’t.”

“Go back to your kitchen,” Arn took a gulp of moonshine, “You got a month, Sheriff. You get her out and you got your fifteen.”

🚔

You didn’t expect your wedding day to be so gloomy. A winter ceremony in the town church with a man you didn’t and couldn’t love. You’d always thought you would wear your mother’s old gown but he wasn’t worthy of that. So you wore the plan dress from the local shop with a short veil and a pair of white flats.

The sheriff had done his best to clean up for the ceremony. Freshly shaved, hair combed neatly, his stomach barely continued above his cumberbund. This man, your husband, your jailer. 

Your brothers sat in the first row as you listened to the priest. Your vows were nothing special, the same template handed out by the church. To love and obey. Only one of those would be true. You stared at the loose stitches of the veil, your surroundings blurred beyond the white lace.

You hated Arn for trading you away like livestock but you knew deep down your father would’ve done the same. He would’ve done worse. You recalled his last words; he would’ve had you on the street. Maybe this was the best you could hope for.

The room came back into focus as your veil was lifted. Your husband kissed you. He still sent a shiver up your spine every time he touched you. You turned back to the audience, his hand around yours as he led you between the rows of strangers. Your brothers were the only familiar faces though they were hardly welcome. 

Arn had quickly taken up your father’s part in mistreating you, Cal was his mindless followers, and Will, you only saw pity in his eyes. Bodecker guided you between the pews and the doors open to the frigid winter afternoon. He ushered you to the waiting car and was quick to climb in behind you. There would be a dinner awaiting you at town hall; a whole room rented out for the occasion.

“So,” Bodecker’s hand settled on your thigh, “Are you wearing it?”

You nodded. He had brought you the lurid attire only nights before. A lacy brassiere and satin panties, stocks and frilly garners; all in as if you were still a virgin. He stretched his arm over your shoulders and pulled you close.

“It’s gonna just be you and me, honey,” he purred, “No more hiding.”

“Yes, Sheriff,” you spoke into your lap.

“Lee, or sir. No need to act strange anymore,” he dragged his nose up your cheek and his hot breath choked you. “I can’t wait until tonight. I’ve been holdin’ it in so long, god, I could blow now.”

“You know I hate you, don’t you?” You looked at him dead in the face.

A smile slowly spread across his face as he played with the hem of your veil. “Well, don’t really matter now, does it?”

🚔

Bodecker, Lee, your personal tormenter; whoever he was, ate as you avoided the same. You felt too sick to do anything but wait out the night. You accepted the congratulations of family and friends that weren’t yours and bided your time as he did all the talking. You expected your new life would be filled with these people eating out of the hand of their sheriff in hope that he didn’t swat their heads.

He drove you home in his cruiser. A strange end to a strange state of affairs. His house was large and closer to town. It was more modern than your father’s old farmhouse but not so tidy. A man living on his own didn’t have time to do his dishes before his wedding or put his used socks in the hamper

He closed the door behind you as you looked around. Cleaning was never a pleasure for you, an obligation, a ritual which kept you from dwelling on the bad. At that moment, you wanted to clean up the mess of this man’s life to keep from dealing with your own.

You jumped as he slapped your ass hard enough to make you stumble. You rubbed the stinging flesh beneath your dress and drew away from him. He caught your arm before you could go far.

“The bedroom’s through there,” he nodded to the doorway on the other side of the room, “A lot better than the car… and the coffee cups… hmmm?”

“It’s all the same,” you muttered.

“It gets better each time,” he pulled you against him and groaned. “You’ll see it soon. You’ll feel it.” He leaned in and his hot breath tickled your lips. “Go to the bedroom, get that dress off and wait for me.”

He tapped your ass and let you go as he turned away. He removed his jacket and hung it as you watched his back. You looked at the door. Where would you even go? Your mama once told you marriage wasn’t for love, it was practical. A roof over your head. What more could you ask for?

You walked down the hallway and stopped to look at the picture. The fresh-faced corporal didn’t look like the ruddy cheeked man with the wrinkle above his brow. Even in black and white, his eyes seemed brighter then. You tore yourself away and found the bedroom at the end.

You supposed you were different too. Different from yesterday, different from a month ago, a year ago, ten years ago. So much could change in so little time. 

You reached back and unhooked the top of your dress. You struggled to undo each button along your spine as the fabric drew taut across your stomach. A week ago, the dress had seemed looser, same with much of your wardrobe. 

You shimmied out of the dress and folded it over the walnut dresser. You looked down at yourself and the underwear better fit to the racy scenes in the theatre. You didn’t dress like this. You weren’t Marilyn or Elizabeth. You were just you and you were entirely out of place. 

You slipped out of your shoes and unpinned your veil. The ring on your finger chafed your skin. You sighed and turned to sit on the bed. It bounced beneath you as you toyed with the diamond. Say what you would of the man, it had all been adequate. More than.

“You look good,” Bodecker said and you raised your head as he entered. He began to undress as he strutted across the room. “Wife.”

He unbuttoned his shirt as he neared the bed. He looked down at you with a smirk as his bowtie hung loose from his neck.

“You know what would happen if I didn’t marry you?” He pulled his tails loose and wiggled out of the shirt. He tossed it away with his tie, his stomach poking out slightly from his undershirt. “I mean, you could have my bastard inside you right now. You think anyone else wants it?”

Your eyes widened and your lashes fluttered. You bunched up the blankets in your hand as you teetered on the edge of the bed. You shook your head.

“You see, unlike all those whores, you got more than what’s between your legs,” he unbuckled his belt and undid his fly. “You work, real hard. And despite yourself, you’ll always need someone to take care of.”

He reached into his underwear and rubbed himself before pulling out his cock. You closed your eyes as he groaned and reached out to caress your cheek.

“Open your mouth, honey,” he purred. “Let me show how a wife serves her husband.”

You hesitated and he gripped your chin. He squeezed, a warning, and you opened up. He pressed his tip against your lips and pushed so that you let him in. His skin was salty and warm as it slid over your tongue. He hit the back of your throat and your eyes welled.

“Mmm mm mm,” he hummed, “That is good. Come on… just a little--”

He grunted as he forced himself down your throat. You choked and he shuddered as his hands held your head firmly. He moved his hips carefully. He slid back and slammed back in. Your eyes rolled back and you tried not to gag as he repeated the motion, each thrust harder than the last.

“Fuck, girl, I love that mouth,” he cooed, “Now it’s all mine.”

He pulled you forward as he pushed himself as deep as he could. He jerked into you even harsher than before and you grabbed the top of his pants. He dragged you off the bed and you fell to your knees. He fucked your face and shoved your head back against the mattress. He planted a hand on the bed and hammered into you over and over. Slobber spilled down your chin and you slapped helplessly against his thigh.

“Fucking take it,” he growled.

Your vision began to spot as you went limp and he stopped suddenly, halfway down your throat. He snarled and slipped out of your mouth and let you drop to the floor. You leaned forward as you coughed and his belt jingled as he stripped off his pants.

He stepped past you and climbed onto the bed. He fell heavily on his back as you looked up and bent his hands behind his head. His cock stood, glistening, and he grinned.

“Better climb on, girl,” he said, “We ain’t done yet.”

You grabbed the edge of the bed and pulled yourself up. One knee, then the other, you crawled over to him. It was the first time you’d seen him entirely naked. You stood shakily and reached to the top of the satin panties.

“Ah,” he tutted, “Just pull ‘em to the side.”

Your brows drew together but you didn’t argue. Your only hope was to bide him until you were on your own. Make yourself numb to his company and you could reward yourself in your solace.

You got down on your knees and reached between your legs. You took him in one hand and pushed your panties aside with other. You paused as his tip prodded at your entrance then lowered yourself onto him. You withdrew your hands and the satin was taut around the side of his shaft. You stilled and tried to adjust to the fullness.

“Well, come on,” he grabbed your hips and tilted them, “Move.”

You carried the rhythm and rocked atop of him. Your crumpled panties rubbed against your clit and added to the storm brewing in your core. His hands swept up your sides and he cupped your tits through the lace bra. His thumbs rubbed your barely concealed nipples and he groaned.

“Shit, it’s so good, honey. So good.” He moved his hips beneath you, “Faster.”

You obeyed and he tugged down the cups the brassiere. He pushed his head into the pillow and gritted his teeth. He grabbed your sides and pulled you to bend over him. He nuzzled your titts and nipped at the tender flesh. He took a nipple in his mouth and sucked as you kept your hips moving.

His hands skimmed over your curves and he gripped your hips. He pulled your ass down harder and you flesh clapped against his loudly. He turned his head away as your breast hung over him and you sped up. You were close. So close.

“I’m gonna cum,” he rasped, “I’m gonna--”

You threw back your head and cried out as you orgasmed first. You dug your nails into his arm as you fucked him through your climax and felt him burst inside of you. That joy, that second of joy, was enough to forget, a spark of happiness before it all came back.

You slowed and stilled atop him, out of breath. You sat up, the straps of your bra sagging down your shoulders as he tickled your thighs.

“You know,” he poked his finger between your legs and flicked your overwrought clit. You twitched and he chuckled. “I can’t wait til you got my child inside of you. Seein’ you all big. I’m still gonna fuck you.” His other hand rubbed your stomach, “If you’re anything like your mama, we’ll have a whole herd of our own.” He licked his lips as he took your hands and placed them on his chest. “But you remember, your husband always comes first.”

[ivarisms]

Forbidden Romance

Summary: Ivar the Boneless finds a Princess during one of his raids on Mercia, a sign from the Gods he decides. She is a Christian and he is a Viking, a forbidden romance on both sides of the sea. But Ivar does not care what others think, and he won’t start now.  

Story Rating: Mature — 18+

MASTERLIST

                   CHAPTER TWO --- TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

​The great wooden Viking long ship creaked and swayed violently against the battering swell of deep blue waves, and the bitterly cold water accompanied with white froth lapped up the sides of the hull, a terrifying sight for Freya who had never experienced the wrath of the North Sea. The young Mercian princess huddled herself into the stern of the ship, pulling her knees up into her chest and holding them there with trembling arms as the weather took a turn for the worse. She was freezing, colder than she believed she had ever been before, and she had experienced many terrible winters back home. She remembered them well, vast blankets of white snow as deep as her knees and whistling winds that could freeze her stiff if she stayed out in them too long. But there had always been firewood to keep her warm, out here in the middle of the sea there was nothing but the clothes on her back.

A great crack of thunder tore through the sky above, startling her from her memories. The sound made everyone on board flinch in surprise and Freya for a moment thought the heavens had split open. Commands were shouted between the Vikings in a language she couldn’t speak or understand, but she watched their faces and seen for herself the fear in their features. This was not good.

We are going to die out here, Lord please save our souls. 

She thought, trying to quell the rising panic in her chest along with the horrific sea sickness that swirled inside her belly by closing her eyes and pretending everything was fine.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Opening her eyes at the sound of the familiar voice, she found Ivar looking back at her from where he sat opposite her. She could have sworn he hadn’t been there before, or was her mind playing tricks on her? It didn’t matter. She was terrified, and no amount of reassurance from the very man who had stolen her from her land would make her feel at ease.

“I’m not.” She lied through chattering teeth, not convincing even herself of her own attempt to seem fine but she carried on with the act anyway, glowering back at him to let him know she could handle herself. “How long until we get there?” The question left her lips as more of a plea, but she hoped she didn’t sound desperate. 

The corner of Ivar’s lips curved into the subtlest of smirks and his deep piercing blue eyes narrowed just enough to make her doubt herself, he was good at that, too good. It was if he was silently mocking her, scheming some devious plan in that wicked mind of his.

He knows I am afraid, and he likes it. 

“Three days if we are quick.” He told her, never once looking phased by the chaos of the sea around him. There was a small pause before he continued, furrowing his brow. “Is this your first time on a ship?”

“Yes.” She breathed, lowering her eyes to her gloved hands to avoid his gaze. “I hate it, I hate the s-sea.” She stuttered, feeling colder by the second.

“You’ll grow used to it.” He sighed breezily and rolled his broad shoulders into a shrug. “You may even start to like it, in fact I’m sure of it.”

“I doubt it.” She murmured, shifting her weight until she turned herself away from him. Laying herself down onto the hard deck, Freya curled herself into a ball and closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep until they arrived to where they were going.

Ivar remained seated, not moving to join her but instead keeping a watchful eye on her instead.                                  

                            ❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅

Some time later, Freya started awake. Her entire body trembled from the freezing rain that pummelled down onto the ship from the grey clouds above. Groaning, she pulled herself up into a sitting position and winced at the dull ache in her neck from the position she had been sleeping in. How long was I out for? She thought. With teeth clinched, she tried to stop her jaw from rattling but she was freezing. She couldn’t feel her fingers or toes anymore, and her chest was so tense that she could no longer breathe in without hurting. Her ribs were tender, as if she had been punched a few times.

“I’m dying…” She whispered, tears pricking her soft eyes. She believed she wouldn’t survive this perilous journey to Norway and maybe that was a good thing. Just then as she gave into the deep depression that washed over her, Freya heard a dragging noise sound coming from her side.

Ivar. 

Her stomach lurched in surprise when she saw the Viking crawl up the deck and into the space next to her, his strong arms carrying the bulk of his weight on calloused hands that were bound with black leather wraps. She supposed crawling was how he got to one place to another when he didn’t have the support of his cane. It was unsettling to witness, almost snake-like.

“…I…” She attempted to speak up, tried to muster enough strength to tell him she was ‘fine’ and to tell him to get away from her but her mouth seized shut involuntarily with the chills. She didn’t want his company, she would much rather freeze to death alone than have him anywhere near her. He was the sole cause of her misery.

“Sssh, don’t talk.” Ivar hushed away her futile attempts to protest and pulled himself up to sit by her side. She leaned away from him, not wanting him to witness her vulnerability and mock her for being weak, but as much as she expected him to bite at her with some sarcastic comment, he didn’t. Instead he began untying the tassels that held his black fur cloak in place around his broad shoulders. “I promise you that things won’t always be this way, we will be home soon.”

His voice was smooth as he tugged the cloak from his back and wrapped it tightly around her shivering frame. Freya didn’t know how to process the gentle way he handled her, she truly wanted to run from his foreign touch, but she had nowhere to run to. Feeling herself sink into his chest in defeat, sadness swelled in her chest as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in close to him to keep her warm.

“You took everything from me…” She whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks and onto his black armoured chest. “I have nothing, I have nobody.”

Ivar’s eyes softened at the sound of her pitiful voice, and he let his nose dip into her hair as he stroked her back. He was fully aware of the fact that she hated him, it was to be expected but in time she would see things from his perspective.

“I took from you what needed to be taken.” He told her lowly, allowing his lips to linger against the top of her head. “Your life back in Mercia would have amounted to nothing if I had not have saved you, princess. Your pig of a father was willing to let you be raped and die in exchange for his own life. He gave this ‘evil Viking’ his permission to do with you whatever I wanted, so if it had not been me to raid your town and some other raider had got there first --- you may not have been so lucky. Remember this when you try and convince yourself I am some monster dragging you into the dark!” 

“He never would have done that to me.” Freya lifted her head then and glared at the Viking who held her gaze. “You’re lying.”

Pressing his tongue against the back of his teeth, Ivar raised his brow and leaned in towards her, his nose brushing against hers. “You think so?”

Freya tensed as Ivar challenged her with that look, the kind that buried itself deep in her soul.  “He told me you were tucked away inside the chapel with your bishop when I nailed him to his cross.” He continued. “He told me you were beautiful with eyes as green as emeralds and hair as gold as the sun, and he wasn’t wrong. You truly are beautiful.”

“Stop.” She whispered, pulling her teary eyed gaze from his face. “Please, just stop. I don’t want to hear anymore.”

Her voice broke then and she slumped into herself, defeated by heartbreak. “The truth hurts sometimes, but it needs to be heard. There must be part of you that believes the Gods have plans for us.” He told her bluntly. 

Freya didn’t know if she believed in anything anymore. She was at a loss. Ivar the Boneless was the grim reaper, wherever he went death followed along with a murder of crows. And yet as much as she thought him to be a monster, she leaned into his solid chest and listened to his heart thump steadily against her ear. A monster doesn’t have a heartbeat. She thought to herself. A monster would never be as warm as he feels to me now. Breathing in the fur cloak that had his scent all over it – a mixture of the sea, soil, musk and firewood, Freya decided he didn’t smell all that much of a monster either. Closing her eyes, the Mercian princess felt herself drift.

“I think your Gods brought you to the wrong Freya.” She broke her silence. “I am a Christian, you are a Viking --- we are not the same.”

“They are never wrong.” He told her. “It is true, you are a Christian and I am a Viking. I don’t understand it myself but I have faith things will become clearer in time.”

Freya was asleep before he finished his sentence, exhaustion taking over. Leaning his head of dark braids back against the wooden stern, Ivar sighed as he let the princess sleep against him. His fleet of ships continued their perilous path towards Kattegat. 

tag list:  @punkrocknpearls​  @youbloodymadgenius​ @strayrockette​ @tgrrose​ @istorkyou​ @ivarhoegh​ @adrille88 @jadelynlace​​

[diavolosthots]

Feeeeeeeeeeeeeed me hot fallen Simion. My pussy is dying, for a dark, feral yandere fallen angel 💓💔

***REQUESTS ARE NOT OPEN THIS IS FROM LAST TIME***

Heres my disclaimer for all things yandere: I'm not the best at it lol

Warning: Yandere, unhealthy relationships, kidnapping, manipulation

Falling ( YANDERE!FALLEN!SIMEON X GN!READER )

In retrospect, you really already knew it was going to happen. Simeon had been odd for a while now, straying further away from the light while Luke so desperately tried to pull him back. A child clinging onto its parent, begging them not to leave, but it was too late. You guessed it had started way before you even came into the picture, like a lot before. Your gut tells you it’s the aftermath of the war. The guilt and conflict, the inner debate over what both sides stood for and if he had chosen the right one, only to find out much later that he really hadn’t. He had served an absent father for years, taking orders from Michael blindly until he woke up one day and realized how badly he wanted to think for himself; to be his own person. 

Simeon fell, and he fell hard. Bright wings burning in the sky as he crashed into the Devildom, bruised and beaten, but with a smile on his face. You, especially, had been worried; that must have hurt, but he wouldn’t have any of it.  At first he was still much like himself; kind, funny, a little mischievous… until one day, he just… changed. His humor turned dark, much like Satan’s except so much worse. He would gamble, albeit more successfully than Mammon, and his confidence borderline narcissism, much like Lucifer and Asmodeus. His appearance changed, too. The white flow over his shoulders, the heavenly pants mixed with the leotard, all of it turned into leather. Dark leather pants matched with equally dark shoes. A black button up that only had the last two buttons buttoned on the bottom, stuck into his pants and otherwise revealing his naked chest. He wore jewelry too, his hair gelled back to reveal gold earrings that too closely resembled that of a snake, a traitor. Simeon became meaner, too, hating and ignoring everyone who didn’t like him or what he stood for, but most of all Simeon became jealous. Jealous of Diavolo and what he had, of Solomon who seemed way too happy in his own skin, and of you, because in all of this, you never left his side and it irked him. 

Your heart of gold stood out to him, something he hated but also felt the odd need to protect. He brushed it off as his angel side talking; the fall hadn’t been too long ago so it would make sense for some of the good to still shine through, but he really didn’t want it to. He felt more free, having fallen, and was one of the few that actually rebelled and took his dark side seriously. You had to beg Lord Diavolo more than once to let Simeon off the hook, which he found amusing and teased you for, “please, Simeon, just stop…” Your pleas to him were even better than your begging to the Demon Lord and he found himself laughing, “please what, (Y/N)? Do you not like me anymore?” It’s not that, he it wasn’t that. On some level, you actually loved him, but it was becoming too much for you. “Come here.” he’d always do this. He would mess up and then cradle you in his arms, keeping you close against his exposed chest while he promised things that he will never fulfill, and you fell for it every time. 

To you, the idea that something so full of light and love could actually turn evil doesn’t make sense and you desperately clung onto the sliver of hope that deep down he was still his old self. “Ssshh… it’s okay. You don’t have to protect me.” But you did. With tear stained eyes you looked up at him, finding yourself in an unfamiliar room that you would soon figure out, you could never escape out of. A soft smile graced his face and although you knew it was fake, it still brought some comfort because it looked like him, like the Simeon you knew. “But I do… you’re destroying yourself, Simeon… you’re trying so hard to be someone you’re not. You didn’t have to fall.” His hand cupped your face, his face turning even softer, looking at you like you were a child that just didn’t seem to understand the world. “My dear (Y/N)... you don’t understand. I don’t expect you to… your silly human mind just doesn’t have the capacity to.” Tears streamed harder. You felt like you were just being brushed off and you hated that he treated you this way. At some point, you used to be his equal. At some point, he treated you like you were worth something, but lately he had just been crushing you, making you feel smaller and smaller. 

“I’m not a silly human… I-I… I don’t need protection…. “ He shook his head, wiping your tears, “of course you do. They’re out to get you, (Y/N). You know why, right? Because you’re just that, a human. Tiny, fragile, and helpless. Nobody cares for you.” His words made you choke, quickly pushing off of him as you looked at him in disbelief. You managed to stand, trembling legs and hands finally finding the courage to walk around the room, the room you didn’t recognize, in an attempt to free yourself, “let me out…” your voice was timid, scared of what he might do. He had gone crazy before, picking a fight with Beelzebub in which the latter barely made it out alive had it not been for Lucifer stepping in. You knew Simeon would only need to use a quarter of the strength on you that he used on Beelzebub in order to break you, and you feared that. “Oh? Pushing me away, I see…” he stood up, slowly walking over to you, backing you up against the wall, “Why are you trembling? Are you scared?” It was a rhetorical question, he knew the answer to it of course. 

It was almost funny to see. You wanted to be there for him so bad, to make him see that you loved him and tried to guide him in the right direction, but at the same time he was so scary, too unpredictable, and so malicious. “Awe.. come here.” You shook your head, trying to go anywhere but near him, which was hard since he had you trapped. A laugh escaped him, his arms catching you and pulling you into his chest a little too tightly, barely giving you enough space to breathe, “don’t fight it, (Y/N). You belong to me. After everything you went through for me, trying so hard to prove your love… you don’t think I’ll let you go, do you? No… Honestly, I hate it. I hate how you try so hard to make me something I’m not… You try so hard to give me the same light that you see in yourself, it’s pathetic, really,but…” he pulls back just far enough to look at you, a sadistic grin playing on his lips, “but that’s going to make breaking you so much more fun. 

You shook your head, struggling in his grasp but his grip on you only tightened, laughter roaring in your ears as he turned you around and pushed you against the cold wall. Your face made contact with the bricks and you closed your eyes tightly, your body tensing when you felt him move just a little too close. His hot breath was tickling your neck when he spoke again, “oh Simeon… please… you don’t have to do this…” he was mocking you, knowing exactly what you were thinking. You whimpered, the tears falling harder as you sniffled, but he was quick to lick them away with his tongue, “don’t worry… I’ll be gentle… at least if you bring me more of those sweet tears.” 

[trashcapableofsentience]

Quotes from The Second String by Eider_Down

'The ‘greater good,’ Elphias? Yes, yes, I can see that. But after today, I cannot help but wonder what it will take to finally subdue that elusive beast! If we keep on as we have been, sacrificing decency and right for the sake of this greater good, I suspect when we finally track it down we’ll discover only the corpse of a thing we killed long ago with a thousand arrows made from all the littler evils that we perpetrated and allowed.'

- A politician on the forest and the trees

'I just don’t like seeing people I thought were good not being good, I guess. Makes me think of how they would have treated me if things were just a bit different … And I’m mad at myself for never noticing how people like you are treated, I guess.'

- A police officer

'I know, lad. Been times I don’t want to be human either. But I am. And you are.'

- A bartender

'No one cares about the truth when it involves the likes of us. I expect you know that already, but don’t dare forget it.'

- A word of advice, from one squib to another

'Leave the real world for those of us who know how to live in it.'

- A word of advice, from one teenager to four

'…sometimes being thought nothing is a lot safer and smarter than being something.'

- A boy's reasoning on how he will stay safe

'It’s different because I chose to be here.'

- On homes, old and new

'It is so very easy, after all, to occupy the moral high ground when the responsibility for orchestrating a defense of thousands does not rest on your shoulders, isn’t it?'

- A war general to his brother

'Lily, this is war. But it isn’t a war between side one and side two. There’s lots of other people involved, people risking everything. I’m guessing that if they believe they can trust you, they’ll risk their lives to help your family. But you can’t just ask for someone’s help and not be prepared to help protect them in turn.'

- A response to a plea for help

'...most think we’ve reached a lull in the war. We haven’t. Just the ‘right sort’ aren’t dying right now.'

- A tired pirate Captain who is, ostensibly, of the right sort himself

'Maybe I just didn’t know the man he had been, only the man he became... And maybe Dumbledore wouldn’t have become the man I trusted back home if he hadn’t done all those things in his past that make me trust him a little less now.'

- On reconciling one's past self with the present

'Stupid’s too stupid sometimes to make sense.'

- On hate

'If you ever become a father, do your kids and favor and let someone else pick the names, boy.'

- A good point made to Harry Potter that he didn't heed in canon

'...you’ll find as you get older that people come in and out of your life like customers in a shop. Sometimes, you’ll meet someone – a friend, a lover, whatever – who seems the most important person who ever lived to you. At least for a while. And then you part, for whatever reason, and they become just a memory. This person was never family. No, lad, one day you’ll look back and realize that your truest family were those who entered your life, maybe even without you noticing much, and just stayed around as long as they could, long past all the others who entered in a blaze but whose importance to you gradually fizzled away.'

- A fitting eulogy to a man who was family to all who lost theirs

'It was all so horribly final.'

- A boy grieving the loss of his second life, a third of the way into his story

'Make no mistake, this ain’t evil or a Dark Lord we’re rallyin’ against. It’s a civil war.'

- An unfortunate truth about war

'Cause the world is bloody unfair and shitstains who don’t deserve it tend to get ahead.'

- A squib on why he assumed the best for a crap person

Got too stuck into the story from here and forgot to record more quotes, so I stopped. Show this to anyone who thinks fanfic isn't worth anything.

[nonbinarykai]

Fake green ninja Kai au s1-5

Basically the au is about what if at the moment where Kai was saving Lloyd in the volcano and realized he was the green ninja he also realized that if Lloyd became the green ninja he would probably be traumatized. So Kai asks Lloyd if he can pretend to be the green ninja for Lloyd so Lloyd wouldn’t have to deal with the burden of losing his childhood and father.

- Lloyd uses some green ninja energy stuff to make it look like Kai is the green ninja when he unleashes his true potential

- Nya instantly goes “wait kai never gets anything he wants in life what’s going on here” she approaches Kai initially thinking he was doing it out of greed or something but once he explains what’s happening she agrees to keep it a secret and help him cover his tracts.

- for the first few season kai tries to excuse his lack of using the other powers by saying he prefers fire more. He eventually learns how to control lighting ((control, not master it like jay)). Nya helps with the ice stuff and Kai is super strong in general so that’s already covered.

- lord garm vs Kai custody battle of Lloyd FIGHT!

- Lloyd never gets aged up in this au and ages normally

- Lloyd still defeated the overlord in s2, everyone was under dark matter or rlly far away so everyone still thought Kai did it. The only people who knew he didn’t r Nya, Lloyd, garm, and Misako.

- speaking of Misako and garm, they also agree to keep it a secret from the others and especially wu.

- Misako realizes she kind of fucked up so she’s helping Kai as a way to try to make it up to Lloyd

- Lloyd is rlly mad at her throughout s2-s4 like he deserves ❤️

- when garm gets good he adopts Kai and Nya as a way to say thanks for not traumatizing his son

- Nya and Kai try to train Lloyd themselves, mostly just to teach him how to defend himself in case it ever gets to that point. They make sure to not overwork him and also try to give him a bit of a education

- after s3 Kai blames himself for zanes death, thinking that if he didn’t pretend to be the green ninja then maybe the overlord would have been defeated for good and Zane wouldn’t need to sacrifice himself.

- instead of the red shogun thing Kai just does what Lloyd does in show and tries to distract himself by working as a ninja

- Kai tries his best to help Lloyd while he’s grieving, garm provides the most support for Lloyd bc hes ya know an adult.

- Kai forbids Lloyd to go to the tournament but he sneaks onto the boat anyways because he’s a bastard

- skylor 🤝 morro “wait you didn’t take this title because your fucked up and evil?”

- when morro possessed Kai he was taken aback about how Kai is only pretending to be the green ninja for selfless reasons

- he continues possessing Kai because he cares more about the title then the actual power and everyone thinks he’s the green ninja

[lloydshoulddyehishair]

Home Is Where You Are

Summary:  Morro loved his cousin more than anything in the world. Sadly, the rest of Ninjago couldn't seem to share that kind of affection. or In which Lloyd gets stabbed and Morro would like to do nothing more than join forces with his uncle and burn the entire city down.

[Movieverse]

Sometimes Morro wanted to beat up the world. Punch it until its only remains were about the size of a football and then burn it until the ashes of the ashes had ashes.

Sometimes, was most of the time.

But it really wasn’t his fault that the world had to be a stupid place filled with stupid people, that formed a stupid society that had somehow normalized the bullying of a fifteen year old boy, for something he had no control over.

That fifteen year old boy also happened to be his cousin, Lloyd Garmadon, son of evil Lord Garmadon, a warlord who attacked Ninjago on a weekly basis, trying to conquer it.

And while, obviously, everyone in Ninjago had labelled Lord Garmadon as “evil”, their tiny, tiny brains (if brains the size of a peanut could even pass for brains anymore) somehow had come up with the idea that Lloyd was “evil” too. Why? Because he was his son. Simple as that.

No one cared about the fact that the boy had never met his dad, hell, he had never even as much as exchanged a single word with him and Morro wasn’t even sure if Garmadon knew that his son existed.

But somehow that went over everyone’s heads because Lloyd Garmadon was blamed for every attack and every inconvenience in the city – he was easily the second most hated person in Ninjago, right after Lord Garmadon himself, of course.

The thing was, Lord Garmadon had it easy – in Morro’s humble opinion – because the warlord got to attack the city and then simply vanish back into his volcano in the middle of the sea – with no one able to reach him. And with Lord Garmadon being out of reach, Lloyd had to catch all the fists flying at him, all the insults people would throw against his head. The people just wanted to let their hatred and frustration out at someone – and that someone, was his little cousin.

Morro did his best to protect him as much as he possibly could, he loved the boy with his whole heart, he was his whole pride and joy. He was like a light in a dark for him, leading his way, giving him something to hold onto. But sadly, Morro wasn’t always able to be there, when he needed him. He couldn’t always pick fights for Lloyd and he knew that the fifteen year old would rather die than fight someone. His cousin wasn’t much for physical violence.

He understood why, though.

If Lloyd were to snap, it would be instantly used by everyone as some stupid “evidence” that he was just like his father, that he was evil and that he was going to destroy them all and join forces with Lord Garmadon.

Bullshit. The elder hated how stupid and blind Ninjago's citizens were.

Lloyd wasn’t evil, never had been evil, never even did anything remotely evil.

They were the real bad guys. All of them. Hypocrites. How dare they call his baby cousin a “villain-in-the-making” when they were the ones cursing him out, insulting him on the daily, trending disgusting songs about him and beating him up. And what did Lloyd do? He just took it. Took all the insults, took all the punches, never daring to stand up for himself or returning the favor. And why?

Because Lloyd was good.

Too good, for his own good, Morro thought as he looked up at his cousin's face, seeing silently tears streaming over his cheek.

“Tell me who did this to you,” the raven head's voice stern and stable as his hands made his way to his bleeding abdomen again, pushing a tissue on it to try and stop the bleeding.

Lloyd bit his lip, like he always did when he was nervous. His eyes continued to stare at the tiles of Morro’s bathroom, filling with tears once again. He shook his head quickly, blond locks stained with blood falling into his face.

“Lloyd.”

A sigh escaped him.

He loved his cousin but sometimes he just wanted to take him and squeeze his stubbornness out of him.

“This wasn’t a usual attack anymore, Lloyd. They stabbed you! They are getting bolder with their stupidity. You need to go to the police with this, they–”

“‘They’ what?” Lloyd’s head turned to him, looking at him in desperation and anger. “Don’t you get it? The police don't care about what happens to me! They could find me bleeding out on the street and they would just walk over me as if I were–,” the words suddenly seemed to be stuck in his throat, making him lower his gaze, once again, in – in embarrassment? In sadness? He wasn’t sure.

Morro’s eyes widened slightly, once he realized that Lloyd was right.

The police were just as shitty as the rest of the citizens of Ninjago. They already treated him as if he were a criminal, even though Lloyd probably had the cleanest criminal record in the whole city.

Stupid police, stupid people, stupid–

He silently nodded to himself, trying to think of what they were going to do next.

“Okay, no police then, but we need to get you to the hospi–”

“No!” The teen interrupted him once again, which was honestly getting quite annoying. Usually he would be the one interrupting the other. “No hospital! My mom can’t know about this and–” a hiss escaped his lips as Morro pulled the tissue from his wound, dry blood ripping from his skin. “–we can’t afford it. We need to deal with this on our own, it’s not that deep anyways.”

“Lloyd, it’s a stab wound.”

“I’ve gotten away with worse injuries, without going to the hospital.”

He felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

Morro was quite aware of the dozen of times Lloyd would come back from battle with his Ninja Gi looking way too much like Kai’s because – oh, hadn’t he mentioned?

Lloyd was the Green Ninja, sworn to protect Ninjago from his father. Protecting the people that bullied him. Just another reason he sometimes wanted to burn this city down and go a bit warlord like his uncle – but that would also mean that he would, probably, have to fight Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes. So he shrugged his warlord ambitions under the rug.

“Okay, we can deal with this,” the elder bit the inside of his cheek, silently wishing for his dad to be here to deal with this instead.

He didn’t like seeing Lloyd hurt. It broke his heart.

“It’ll need stitches, though.”

He noticed immediately how the younger's palms started to grab the rim of the bathtub he was sitting on, as if his life depended on it, knuckles going white. “Okay,” he gritted out quietly.

He hated this, everything about this. It felt so, so wrong.

Lloyd shouldn’t be sitting in his bathroom, white as a sheet, seemingly near to passing out from blood loss. Morro shouldn’t have to stitch him up because he couldn’t go to the hospital or the police. His tiles shouldn’t be coated in Lloyd’s blood. And for fucks sake, Lloyd shouldn’t have been spotting a stab wound to begin with.

“I hate this too you know,” the blond’s voice was quiet but audible, nonetheless. Morro could only nod as he grabbed his medical kit from the cabinet.

---------------------------------------------

"If I had the chance to, I'd kill the people that did this to you."

"I know, that's why I'm not giving you their names," Lloyd's voice sounded a bit too calm, too collected to be talking about the people that had just tried to kill him.

Morro hid his face behind his palms, trying his best not to scream in frustration. "You shouldn't be protecting them like this. They're criminals, they tried to murder you and all you do is– is–,” a groan escaped his lips.

“Lloyd, I swear to fucking god, you can't keep doing this.”

His words made the room go quiet, not one of the teens daring to say another word. The nineteen year old's eyes wandered over to look at his cousin, who was currently busy biting onto his lip, his expression unreadable and Morro worried that he might have gone too far.

The young teen’s head tilted, teary emerald eyes meeting his own. “Do you think I like this?” a bitter laugh escaped him, though it sounded more like a gasp for air. “I don't like this any more than you do, believe me! You have no idea what it is like to wake up and be scared because you don't know what people will do to you! But there's nothing I can do about it and I've accepted that.”

The raven head felt the blood in his hands run cold, grabbing his cousin by the wrists, shaking him slightly. “Lloyd, you shouldn't accept it just like that! You– you deserve better than how these people treat you.”

“Morro, I know you mean well but,” the blond twisted himself out of his grip. “I was hopeful for so long. I tried to believe that people would change and I tried to let them see that I'm not who they think I am but it didn't do anything – it only made me feel worse. There's nothing I can do. I can't fight back, you know that.”

And he hated how right Lloyd was.

He still remembered how, a few years ago, the younger would cry himself to sleep every night because he just couldn't seem to find friends, no matter how hard he had tried. He still remembered how he would cling onto Morro and sob his soul out until he simply didn't have any tears to spare because he thought something was wrong with him. Otherwise the entire city wouldn't hate him, right?

Morro also still remembered the stinging pain in his chest as he had wiped away the smaller's tears and held him close – trying to be as much of a help as he could but still feeling absolutely useless.

So really, Morro was a fool to believe that Lloyd wouldn't stop caring at some point. It had done nothing but worsen the pain.

That didn't mean he had to like it, though.

“Listen, I know I've told you this many, many times before but–,” he looked out the window, onto the city that had hurt them so much. Onto the city that was ruining Lloyd's life. Onto the city that would possibly be the death of him at some point– He pushed the anger, threatening to overflow, back into the bottle of emotions where it belonged. “What they say,” he spoke quietly but with so much venom in his voice that Lloyd couldn't help but wince. “It doesn't matter. Nothing they say matters, so don't you dare put any worth onto their words–,“ anything Morro had planned to say suddenly vanished to dust as two arms threw themselves around him tightly, blond locks tickling his face.

“I know–,” his whisper left the room numb as a sob escaped his throat, his head just pushing itself more onto Morro's chest. “I know and I'm just so glad that I have you and the others.”

He could feel the tears starting to soak through his shirt and started to play with the blond strands of hair, in an attempt to calm his cousin down.

“It's just so much sometimes and I– I–,” the small voice broke and Morro could swear he could feel his eyes starting to sting.

Silent shushing and sobs were the only sound that filled the room from then on. It was almost suffocating, the contrast from his once so happy and bubbly cousin to– well, to how he was now. The citizens of Ninjago had managed to break his spirit in unimaginable ways.

They broke his baby cousin because they were stupid and egoistic, because they wanted someone to let their anger out on and decided to use Lloyd as a punching bag instead of going to therapy or something for their anger issues–

The nineteen year old, however, really shouldn't be the one talking about people and their anger issues, considering how his own bottled up anger at the citizens started to slowly make its way back to the surface once more.

“I would burn this entire city down if I could,” his voice was drenched in bitterness, Lloyd nonetheless found the strength in himself to laugh, making him calm down slightly.

“That seems like something my dad would say.”

“Well, it seems like him and I would agree on that part, then.”

“Mhm.”

Morro looked down to where his counterpart had now comfortably snuggled up on him, his eyes still puffy but no longer as teary like they were half a second ago. He released a breath he didn't know he had held.

He didn’t know how to fix this. Hell, he didn’t even know if he could fix this even if he really wanted to. The only way he knew he could protect Lloyd from this city was by simply taking him and running away, going somewhere else where nobody knew them. He knew that that was impossible though. Aunt Koko couldn’t just leave everything behind and even if she could, Lloyd probably wouldn’t even want to leave because of his duties as the Green Ninja – because he was a self-sacrificing fool who apparently never learned to put his own needs before others.

And Morro wanted to be proud of him for it – really wanted to, because his cousin sacrificed his needs for the greater good. It was brave and noble of him and he should be proud. Perhaps the nineteen year old was a terrible person for even questioning it but– Every so often, usually when Lloyd came home spotting injuries which he knew hadn’t come from fighting Garmadon, he wondered if risking your life for a city that couldn’t care less whether you were alive or dead, was worth it – and in Lloyd’s case they would probably be more than thrilled to see him gone.

Well, until they’d notice that they no longer had a Green Ninja to protect them.

Cowards.

“Your angry thoughts are practically clogging up the air. Can you turn them down, for just one second–”

“Brat,” Morro huffed under his breath a small smirk placing itself onto his lips. It vanished as soon as it had appeared. “My cousin showed up on my front porch with a stab wound, I think I have every right to be angry,” Lloyd frowned, letting go of the elder.

“Morro, not this again. I swear–”

“I mean, you never show up and the only reason you did today was because you were bleeding to death. Seriously, am I not cool enough to get a visit by my annoying cousin anymore,” the raven haired teen grinned at the blond with his eyebrows raised, in an attempt to lighten the mood and get rid of the tense feeling that had settled between them ever since Lloyd had sat down in his bathroom.

He could always let out his bottled up anger on that Chen guy from the Cheer Squad. The smaller had told him something about the boy giving him a hard time, some time ago, hadn’t he?

“What? No! You’re plenty cool– I just didn’t– you know school stuff and my dad and–,”, he stumbled over his words making Morro laugh.

“Lloyd, chill,” he said, making his way up to his desk to get his phone and text Aunt Koko. She probably was already worried sick now that he thought about it “I was just messing with you. I know you’re busy, it’s fine.”

He felt the other stare at him for a second, unable to make out his thoughts, just before–

“You miss me!”

He almost dropped his phone in surprise at the sudden statement. “Wait, wait, no– Who told you that?”

“It’s obvious,” Lloyd mused, walking up behind Morro and placing his chin on his shoulder. “You miss me~ Morro misses me~”

For a second he stopped typing, sighing. “Shut up, I see you enough on TV, to not miss you– For real do they ever show something other than clips of the oh-so-great Green Ninja? Like, we got it, you’re cool and all that. Can we move on? I wanna watch the new episode of Starfarer.”

“Sounds like someone’s jealous.”

“Am not.”

“Sure are. Bet you wanna be the Green Ninja yourself. Do I have to lock myself in my room when I sleep at night because you might come in and murder me to take my spot–”

“Oh you definitely should because I might come in and choke you to death for being annoying,” he rolled his eyes, sending the text to his aunt. “Besides, I got my wind powers. What do I need a stupid title for anyways?”

“Not like you use them a lot,” Lloyd replied snarkily, already going over to Morro’s bed and letting himself fall onto the, in his opinion, too hard mattress. “I guess that I’m staying the night?”

Morro just nodded, already looking for more comfortable clothes for Lloyd to sleep in. “Sure are. You don’t think that I’m letting you go out alone right now, do you?”

His cousin sighs. “I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”

“We saw how that went, didn’t we?” Morro replies a bit too harshly, almost wanting to take it back immediately, but he knew he was right. The sun had already set outside and Lloyd had just gotten stitches, if he was going to be attacked there’d be no way for him to get out of that fight unharmed. So Morro was going to keep him right where he was. With him.

He only got a hum in response, the younger probably being either too tired to take up another discussion on the matter or just not caring enough to try. Either way, he was fine with it.

“Hey sleepyhead!” he called, throwing the pair of joggers and a shirt right at Lloyd’s face, making a startled cry escape the blond. “Don’t you fall asleep on my bed, you’re sleeping on the couch.”

“You’re a big meanie,” the young Garmadon mumbled, taking the clothes off of his face but smiling slightly, nonetheless.

“Yeah, yeah,” he rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna get some water now. If you drift off while I’m away, I will wake you up.”

And true to his word, he left the room, not even waiting for an answer from Lloyd and entering the kitchen, collapsing on one of the chairs, suddenly feeling the tension pushing him down like weights that weren’t actually there.

He buried his face in his palms as soon as he felt his eyes starting to sting.

“Get a grip,” he hissed quietly to himself. He was a Wu for God’s sake. He didn’t cry, that was something for bratty little Garmadon’s with blond hair and no sense of self-preservation, who got themselves killed almost every day and– Fuck.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, which was soon followed by hot tears streaming down his face.

He was angry. Angry at the city for treating Lloyd the way they did. Angry at Lloyd for not being more careful. Angry at himself for not having been there– But most importantly, he was scared. (Not that he was going to admit that to the Green Ninja, who already felt enough like a burden, even though he wasn’t.)

He was scared of losing his cousin. This whole ordeal had started with petty comments and glances, now they actually went out of their way and harmed him physically, stabbed him. Where was this going to end? When would it be enough for them?

Morro gulped. The only answers he could think of for these questions were terrifying and implied scenarios in which he would no longer have a little cousin to be annoyed at, he’d no longer worry if his family would still be whole after yet another Garmadon attack (because it wouldn't be whole to begin with), there’d be no more clips on TV of Lloyd fighting a bit too overdramatically and doing far too many backflips and there would be no more “Hey Emo-Boy, can I crash at your place? I’m bored” texts, hitting him at 3 am every once in a while.

A world without Lloyd would be an empty one, Morro figures. It would be cold and it would be lonely and he would rather die than live through it.

His legs carried him to the sink, filling the glass in his hands, which he didn’t remember grabbing, with water and chugging it down immediately. Maybe he should grab one of the bottles in the fridge for the teen in the other room – aside from blood loss he really did not need to face dehydration as well.

He spent a second leaning against the fridge with his forehead, desperately attempting to collect his thoughts. He couldn’t be an emotional mess in front of Lloyd, especially not now. He was supposed to be the strong one, the one who always kept a clear head. 

But after stitching up your cousin's wounds you were allowed to be at least a little shaken up, he supposed.

He took a deep breath, opening the fridge and taking one of the cool water bottles, before making his way up to his room and entering it, just to be greeted by– snoring?

For fucks sake-

Morro’s eyes fell onto the boy laying still on his bed, almost about to shake him and send him to the living room to sleep, but instead he froze, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and– Oh God, if his heart hadn’t broken yet it definitely was now.

He had been so focused on his wounds and being mad at the city that he hadn’t even noticed how exhausted Lloyd looked.

He bit hard onto his lip, only watching the boy, his mind suddenly going blank.

The Son of Garmadon hadn’t even properly put the blanket over himself – but hey, at least he had changed out of his Gi. Morro was going to give him credits for that.

Walking up to the nightstand next to the bed as quietly as he could, the Master of Wind placed the bottle he was still holding onto the little table, for the other to find once he woke up.

Seemed like he would have to sleep on the couch, after all. He made a face at the thought of the back pain he was going to wake up in tomorrow, but at least Lloyd would get proper rest for a night. He could be happy enough that the boy would even be able to be here tomorrow.

Before he knew it his hands had already grabbed the blanket, softly tucking his cousin in. If Lloyd could see him right now he’d most likely call him a big sap, which he, maybe, was but it’s not like his counterpart was any better. And it wasn’t exactly like the young Ninja wasn’t testing his sanity on the daily.

He hummed quietly to himself, already walking out of the room again and turning the lights off. His eyes fell onto his sofa in the living room.

“You and me, huh?” he mumbled, looking like he was on the way towards his deathbed.

But sleeping on the sofa was worth all the back pain in the world as long as he did it for Lloyd.

Because that meant that he still had a squeaky voiced, self-sacrificial, idiot cousin to return to.

[hitory--chan]

Day 5: Queen of the Garden

(Ranked T)

Title: In my withered roses you lay resting

Around the forest there were always legends of all kinds, about fantastic creatures and horrifying monsters beyond human imagination, about nymphs, fairies, werewolves and giant snakes that would devastate the entire town in a few minutes if they wanted to; they were just legends, stories to amaze or scare whoever would listen to them, hypnotizing the virgin ear that listened to them with their magnetism, leading their victim to demand more, driving them mad in the search to satisfy that need.

But there was one in particular, the biggest, the most fantastic, the most sublime and the most terrifying no one ever dared to tell, the one whose existence was only known to the oldest of the town who defended tooth and nail its veracity, but nevertheless only tell each other, remembering and crying the intense agony that each word conveyed.

The legend of Hinata, the queen of the garden in the heart of the forest, and Sasuke, the infamous king who without any army was able to penetrate the invulnerable barriers that protected the queen.

The king who never returned.

“My King!” One of her courtesans shouted. "Please, I beg you to reconsider!"

He ignored her, tightening the draws of his armor as the guards placed the shoulder pads and handed him his helmet, which he took.

It was still dark, the moonlight hanging over the entire sleeping kingdom as he prepared to leave.

"My lord, he turned, now listening to his first officer, Kakashi, who was speaking to him "Are you sure this is a good idea? Going into the forest alone?"

"It's not something I didn't do before, Kakashi, you should know" he replied without much interest as he grasped the reins of Onyx, the majestic black horse that had accompanied him for years.

"I understand, but it's not the same, your majesty, it never got beyond the Stone River" the man said, his voice so slow and dull as if it was something he was trained to say, but Sasuke knew him better than many as to know that there was concern hidden behind those dead tones “It is a great risk to take to find a woman that we do not even know exists”

"People are dying Kakashi, of hunger, of disease ..." He inclined his head a little towards his first officer, not enough to really see him “If that woman, that… witch exists, it will be our chance to solve all the evils that afflict us, if I find her, then I save my people”

“And if you do not find her, my lord?”

“Then we will have to take more drastic actions, actions that I don't think we're ready for right now, Kakashi”

The silence that followed told Sasuke that the man knew what he was referring to.

They had recently fought a war against a rival kingdom that wanted to take over all his lands. They attacked in the middle of the night, cowardly seeking to have the tactical advantage darkness gave them without expecting the surprise that they were ready to fight back with much more violence than would be expected of a small kingdom that barely prospered in comparison to others. Many lives were lost on both sides, but his army had kept the slightest advantage over the invaders and captured the main officers of the intruders, executing him right on the battlefield as he had ordered them to do, closing any openings to negotiation the rival might propose.

They rose above them and conquered, drove the remaining invaders from their lands and proclaimed their victory, but they had not come out without casualties, as happened in any other war.

Their crops were burned and their women desecrated. Bodies of infants who had adventured out of their hiding spots now laying among the corpses of their fathers and men who sacrificed their lives in the name of the king's sovereignty, waiting to be buried or burned while their mothers, wives, and brothers mourned their losses.

Soon after came the diseases, plagues so violent that even the best physicians in the kingdom had succumbed to permanent contact with the infected and were now lying in beds, signaling with weak voices to proceed to their charges.

The only hope was the woman who dwelt in the depths of the forest, a queen in her own right, the oracle told him, whose miraculous fingers brought life to everything she touched. A witch, servant of the devil, counterattacked the priest, who would only bring bliss before plunging them further into misery.

A queen, a witch, Sasuke didn't care, he only wanted her hands to heal his people, determined to cut them off if necessary to save the few that were left.

Then Sasuke mounted his horse and reached out his hand, taking the sword that Kakashi had prepared for him and fastening it to his waist strap, where it would remain with him throughout his journey.

"Itachi will be in charge while I'm gone" he decreed, looking at his court, who looked at him in surprise and disbelief.

“My king, my lord!” The woman spoke again “His majesty is very ill for this task, I fear that his condition is too delicate to carry the role, your highness!”

“My brother already ruled once in a worse state than the one he currently is in while waiting for me to grow up to cede the throne, he certainly can do it a bit more while I'm gone”

“But sir…!”

"In case his condition worsens ..." he interrupted, with a tone of voice as icy as the look he gave the woman "in case he´s not an act to continue, then Kakashi will make all the decisions in my absence and my brother's disability”

Several indignant murmurs were heard from the other members of the court, annoyed by the possibility of a military man would rule them, but with the same look he gave the insolent woman, he quieted them all.

"Kakashi" he called and the man walked with him towards the limits of the kingdom that served as the border of the forest, trotting slowly as his first officer followed him with great ease "I trust you to keep everyone safe, especially my brother” he said, stopping his steed and staring at the man.

"My king's orders are my perpetual la," Kakashi recited, quoting the motto of imperial strength as he brought his right hand to his heart and bowed to him.

Sasuke nodded, but before starting his horse again, he spoke for the last time.

- And Kakashi ... execute her

Kakashi bowed again and Sasuke pulled the reins of his horse to start running, going into the forest when the first rays of dawn hit the ground, and knowing his order would be carried out without hesitation.

-----------------------------------

Inside the forest the thick trees hid any trace of the sun, giving the illusion that it was still night even though Sasuke knew it must be after eight.

Still he didn't back down, mentally reciting the directions the oracle had given him to find the mysterious woman.

“Once crossed the river of stone, the road will split for you, one more dangerous the other, competing for the new prey that appears before them. Be guided by the horrendous noises that make the bones of the strongest of men tremble, by the trail of perdition from which your eyes will not be able to turn away, from the putrid stench of those who defied the sanctity of the earth who stepped on impure feet.

Along the way you will find death's favorite resting place. Do not drink or eat the natural delicacies that will be shown for you, instead you must use your senses, facing the great beast that will attack from the shadows.

If the combat is satisfactory, then the beast will show its respects by leading you to its queen, otherwise, there will be the place of your last rest"

Naturally, oracles liked to be cryptic with their words to the point of making them indecipherable, but the more than a century old woman who had served three generations of her family had put those fanfare behind her, preferring to be as clear as possible in her revelations than risk a bad future for the kingdom because of misunderstandings out of her tongue.

Upon reaching the Stone River, he took a moment to observe the waters peacefully.

That river had been named this way not only because of the rock formation that simulated a natural bridge in the center of that great pool, just covering its surface with a thin layer of water that made it extremely slippery, but also because of the rock at its bottom, arranged in the shape of spikes so sharp that even the slightest fall on them could cause fatal injuries to the unfortunate victim.

He allowed Onyx to drink some of the water before venturing across the stone bridge.

His horse, fearless just like his owner, also had some afraid. On rare occasions he’d tried to cross that path through the waters with the equine, but his partner had acquired a phobia at that particular step when, being very young, he slipped on the stone and it was almost impossible for him to get back on his feet, almost falling to the bottom of the river when with desperate movements he slid to one side before finally reaching the bank of the river and climbing, being completely exhausted on the grass, all under the frightened gaze of his owner who had remained on dry land while his horse struggled.

He remembers that, after that, he had remained with Onyx there for longer than he ever was in that place, being found by the royal guard and brought to the castle only to remain expectant all night at the possibility of having to sacrifice the animal.

Now, Onyx was a majestic and imposing stallion with more history than half his stablemates, but from time to time he would turn back into a fearful foal when they were near that place.

However, while he normally wouldn't push him any further than he considered Onyx could take, this time around he couldn't afford to be understandable to his horse or to be left without a mount for the rest of the way.

“Come on boy!” He encouraged him, shaking the reins several times and smiling as Onyx, refusing at first, approached the rock and put his front legs on it, whinnying loudly as he took small terrified steps.

Even in the slippery material, the new horseshoes he had had his horse put on were being especially helpful in preventing the equine's legs from slipping over the rock even when Onyx's steps were somewhat shaky, leading the horse to gain a little confidence with every step until he was finally on the other side.

“Well done, Onyx!” He congratulated the horse, patting and stroking his neck before pulling out an apple, which he happily accepted.

He wasted no time and continued with the journey, reaching the place where the road divided in three.

At first glance they did not seem dangerous at all, leading him to wonder if the oracle had been wrong with her interpretation or if he had deviated from the correct path himself, but the sudden sound of something sliding on the ground caught his attention and put his whole body on guard again, waiting for any sign of attack.

Instead what he received was the cawing of birds, crows, he recognized, noises of something sliding and the screeching of bats that flew directly to his face at that moment, causing Onyx to panic and stand up on his two hind legs, almost making Sasuke to fall.

When he regained his balance and Onyx was back on all fours, Sasuke looked at the central path, remembering what the oracle had said and thinking that this should be the way to go, so he made the horse move forward, despite the reluctance of the animal.

The putrid stench started only a few minutes on the road before dead animals began to appear on the road, being replaced only a few meters later by human corpses in various states of putrefaction, from skeletons to bodies that should barely have been there for a few days. , and even recognized the uniform worn by the third-rank guards in his kingdom, only stuffed with bones, each corpse wrapped by vines and other local weeds.

He was forced to breathe as little as possible when the stench became impossible to bear, coming to vomit in the section where everything was strongest, without having the opportunity to breathe until the road began to clear of so much death, showing to his sight a great stone plateau clothed with climbing vines and rosebuds.

He got off his horse and gave him another snack, tying the reins to the tree farthest from the ferns and other plants full of fruit that he knew they shouldn't eat.

Slowly and carefully he approached the great structure, gazing at it in fascination. Up close, he noticed the spines that protruded around the roses of different sizes that decorated the plateau, which, he noticed, were deceptively sharp, cutting him at the simple touch and spilling a thick drop of blood that bathed the thorn that caused his wound.

The sudden tremor in his spine appeared as the slight trembling of the earth beneath his feet, accompanied by the sound of something sliding - something that must have been big and heavy, from the way it sounded - and then deafening silence was present. .

“Onyx!” He shouted, turning around when he heard the horse whinny and stop suddenly, expecting to meet the animal where he had left it, however in its place he found another type of animal, giant and with shiny black scales, which were only cut with the three red lines of scales on the tip of its tail, raised in the air with a swaying motion.

The gigantic snake kept its eyes fixed on his, hissing and showing off his forked white tongue.

Eyes wider than they had ever been in his life, he diverted them just a little to the rest of the great reptile's body, almost growling in pain at the bulge protruding from where, he guessed, was the stomach of the immense snake, sure it was the product of his horse swallowing.

Feeling the flame of fury ignite and grow in him, he grasped the hilt of his sword in a slow motion and drew it lightly, as the serpent rose a little higher above him.

With one swift movement he pulled it out completely as the snake lunged at him, barely being fast enough to avoid its jaws, but not fast enough to dodge its tail, which slammed it against a tree and left it stamped there until he nailed the sword almost halfway.

Even his powerful armor hadn't been enough to shield him from that blow, catching his breath cut short by the pressure of the limb that had held him captive, but he had no time to think about that as he tried to get away from the great perimeter that covered the snake.

The injured tail slammed into the ground next to him, causing him to stumble from the din it caused.

The reptile's head also collided with the ground a few feet from his back and then glided at high speed towards him, using its nose to push him up when he collided with him and sent him flying into the air as the snake rose again, now with its jaws open.

But Sasuke was able to hold on to the tip of the animal's nose and avoid being swallowed as he had done with his horse by resting his feet against the bottom of the snake's mouth and giving a little jump before it closed it, being helped by the impulse that the same reptile gave him before the abrupt movement it made while trying to make him fall.

Sasuke stayed on the snake's skull and held onto its scales as best he could before stabbing his sword - which he had clung to as much as he could during the attack - into one of the animal's eyes, which let out a shrill and strange sound before, to Sasuke's immense amazement, it made a 180 ° turn and threw himself hard against the floor, taking him with and crashing him on the flat surface, a blow so violent that it caused him to lose his helmet, his mobility and his strength.

--------------------------------

Only seconds before he lost consciousness he saw the towering snake - now one-eyed - rise above him before launching itself with his jaws open just as Sasuke's eyes finally gave up.

When he woke up, the first thing he noticed was the immense throbbing pain in his head that only got worse when he tried to open his eyes, being hit by the brightest sunlight that forced him to close them again.

Where had so much light come from?

After a while, and when he was sure he could resist it, he opened his eyes again.

It took him a long time to regain the clarity of his sight, but once everything was clear he was astonished at what he saw.

In front of him a large colorful space, green above all, stood proud in all that light. Huge trees were here and there, casting great shadows, covered with fruit in great quantity.

A few meters from him was a lake with crystal clear waters, reflecting everything that was shown from above.

It was only when a slight movement behind him caught his attention that he realized he had been leaning against something cold, and when he turned around he felt as if his entire being had left his body when he found himself face to face with the giant eye yellowish that he recognized instantly.

He backed away quickly, grunting in pain as his muscles protested at his sudden movements, but instead of stopping to ease them, he fought them and reached for his sword at her waist, surprised not to find it.

The snake stared at him for a few seconds before lazily deflecting its head toward the center of the thread that had turned its body.

—You must not fear, it will not hurt you

He turned quickly and looked around, searching for the soft voice that he had said those words.

"Onyx" he breathed out, seeing the mate he had thought he lost, now lying on the grass, asleep on the other side of the lake.

Naturally those words were not said by the animal, but by the other person next to it, who was gently stroking the mane of his horse.

Their eyes met and he forgot how to breathe, incredulous of the moons that were his pupils, beautiful, and that without a doubt were looking directly at him.

The woman stood up and he could see her completely: snowy skin, long dark hair that swayed with every step she took. Her body was covered in leaves, branches and flowers that clung to her like a second layer. The upper part of her was covered by vines up to the middle of her breasts, being enough to cover the most. The lower part was a skirt, much less rigid than the upper one as it was made entirely of green leaves in different sizes, stopping only a few inches above her knees.

A long vine rested in the center of her abdomen, joining the two pieces as one.

She was barefoot and her hair was decorated with the most elaborate flower crown he had ever seen in his life.

As he passed by the lake, he stopped, crouching in the direction of the water, taking from the ground a large leaf of a plant that he did not recognize - and which he had not realized was lying there - and wrapped it gently until it formed a bowl that she plunged into the water until filled it, rising again and resuming its way towards him, now with the makeshift pot that spilled tiny drops from its bottom.

When she finally got to him, he saw her more clearly: thin and natural pink lips, a small and upturned nose, perfectly shaped eyebrows and long eyelashes that only marveled her appearance even more, also highlighting the lack of the slightest freckle on her face.

She offered him the bowl but he did not take it at first, still fascinated and hypnotized by the beauty of the woman in front of him until she pushed it to his chest, forcing him to hold it as she took one by one his hands between her smallest and drew them to the sides of the blade, releasing it when she made sure his grip was firm.

She, with one of her index fingers, touched the surface of the water three times in different parts, and when her hand lowered three different flowers grew in the water: a lotus, a calla and a water lily, which immediately disintegrated and mixed with the liquid, giving it a color that ranged from pink to purple.

"Take it" she said, looking into his eyes "it will help you heal."

He didn't know why, but he obeyed her and took the entire tonic in one gulp, grimacing when the bitter taste of it touched his tongue and she slid down her throat.

She smirked and turned around, walking back to where Onyx was now awake, looking at them wearily.

"It's you" was the first thing that came out of his mouth, looking at her completely uncovered back as she walked away from him “The witch”.

Her walking stopped and she turned around again, looking at him now with a frown, offended.

“That's very rude!. I am not a witch" she protested "My name is Hinata Hyuga, and I am the queen of this garden" she said proudly, turning to resume her march as if her statement was enough to deny his word.

But he would not be fooled; he had witnessed for himself what she had done in the water she had given him to drink.

He looked around him and his sight fell on his sword and armor, arranged neatly on the grass near the giant serpent's tail.

Slowly and careful not to be heard he approached his things and took the sword at the same time that with difficulty he took three steps back as the snake's tail moved to hit the ground and then returned to its original position.

It took a bit of trouble, but he was able to raise his sword and hold it with both hands, directing the tip in the direction in which that woman - that witch - was, now again sitting on the grass, stroking the back of his horse, looking at him unimpressed.

"Witch, you will come with me" he demanded "Everything will be easier if you do not resist, you will get a decent treatment: you will sleep in the softest bed, you will wear the finest clothes ... otherwise, if you resist, you ... you ..." He stopped for a moment, not for lack of words, but from shortness of breath —If… if you resist… the dungeon… the smallest and dirtiest dungeon will be…

"You’re hurting them" she interrupted, and he didn't understand.

The witch looked down and he followed her eyes, stopping at the sword that was now stuck in the middle of a small group of flowers.

When had he lowered his sword?

“What did you do to me?” He growled, aware of the progressive loss of strength to which he was subjected.

"It's the medicine" said the witch, calmly "for your body to heal, it must first rest”

And as if that were a command, his body fell apart, causing him to fall to the floor on a tall grass bed that he could swear was not there a moment ago.

- Witch! ... You will pay...

Unconsciousness welcomed him.

--------------------------------------

When he woke up there was still sunlight, quite clear, so he thought that maybe he had only slept a few seconds, but the environment felt different from before and he could hear the distinctive galloping and neighing of Onyx, going here and there as his footsteps slightly covered the happy laugh of the female.

He could not move his body freely, only just his fingers, and mentally he cursed himself for having taken that concoction that this evil woman had given him, clearly using her sorcery to weaken him.

“Your body still needs rest” he could have shuddered at the sudden voice if it weren't for the fact that he was paralyzed, shortly afterwards the witch's face appeared in his visual range, tilted from above so he could see her “you´ve been very hurt by your confrontation with Munda, your injuries will take a little longer to heal”

He grunted, annoyed.

“Why have you risked your life to get here, mortal?” She asked him, now in a more serious tone.

Then and once again without really knowing why, he began to tell her about his kingdom, about the moments of wealth and prosperity before the war struck, about the deaths and the lack of food that besieged them, making their situation worse. He told her about his brother and his mysterious bedridden illness, about the sudden barrenness of his lands, and how he had preferred to make this trip alone rather than take away much-needed protection in case they tried again to invade them during his absence.

In her face there was no sorrow, annoyance or joy for their misfortunes, instead it was pure curiosity what he could see while he finished explaining the reason why he was looking for her.

"Okay, I'll go with you" she answered with conviction.

He, who had gradually regained mobility to the point where he could now sit up and the waves of heat attacked him insistently, looked at her in surprise, unable to avoid questioning her decision.

"I'll go with you" she confirmed again "However, the starting path is more dangerous than the one you traveled to get here, so you will have to make a full recovery first" She stood up and looked at him “I cannot be away for long, this place depends on me, so I will help your people and leave immediately, it is my only condition”

He watched her, almost denying immediately that he could leave that easily, but he was quick enough to bite his tongue before speaking.

"Okay, then we have a deal" he agreed.

She nodded pleased and stood up, walking away from him and up a tiny hill where she began to press with her fingers the closed buds and the withered flowers that surrounded her, opening and coming back to life with the simple touch of her.

Despite having accepted, in his mind they only danced ways of how he would interrupt her departure, it would be very foolish of him to let her go that easy, a person with her abilities, whether witch or not, was unique, one in a million , and no self-respecting kingdom would let her go that easily.

He could try to convince her by showing her everything that she obviously didn't have in her "garden", the wonders of modernity, and if that couldn't convince her, well, he had dungeons at his disposal that he could trick her into or even without them, but surely he would not lose those abilities from his hands.

Satisfied with that plan, he began to touch the back of both of his hands, searching and removing the splinters that he did not know how he has nailed himself.

Even though Hinata's tonics were helping him recover faster than he normally would, it felt like it was actually taking forever.

There, the days and nights seemed to last longer than normal, as if the clock had 36 hours instead of 24.

Each remedy that Hinata gave her were different and she healed something different, like the one she used to make his bruises disappear, which were a combination of wild flowers and citrus fruits that melted in the water as soon as she created them and released. Those bruises that would normally take a week or more to fade, she had done it in almost three days.

The problem is that she could only give him a tonic for one thing at a time, along with the first one that she had given him so his body relaxes and rests.

Now he was drinking one that she claimed would help with his internal ailments, and he guessed she was referring to the bruised bones that barely allowed her to walk or breathe. This was particularly bitter and she had to take it several times a day, which was a mini torture considering that these wounds would take even longer to heal.

He was washing his armor when he heard her scream.

“No! Go away, you can't be here!”

His skin prickled when she heard it. Had someone entered that place? An ally or an enemy? The great snake that was supposed to be the only one that could make someone else reach that place, Munda, hadn't moved from the rock it had spread on the day before, almost looking dead if it weren't for the hiss it left escape from time to time, maybe someone had found a way to enter without facing the great reptile?

“No! Get away!”

Wasting no time he dropped the piece of armor he was washing into the water and instead grabbed his sword, gripping it tightly and ran - or rather, he limped quickly - looking beyond the trees and bushes until he saw her midnight hair, covered with small flowers of various colors, and he went quickly towards her, who kept her fists clenched and her arms stiff down, slapping the floor with one foot while she kept yelling at whoever was there to leave.

But as he got closer to her, he still couldn't see anyone else; maybe it was some invisible person? It would not be unreasonable to think about that.

Finally, when he got to her side, he saw whoever caused her annoyance.

"This… creature…" she began, making an exasperated gesture with her hand at the wild boar that nonchalantly ate the blackberries from the orchard it raided "This annoying creature won't go away!" I've tried everything but it keeps coming back”

He looked at her in disbelief.

“So much fuss over a wild boar?”

“Is this the name of this demon spawn?” She asked him, looking at him intensely "Do you know him?"

"It's a wild boar, there are hundreds of them in the forest" he said more calmly, dismissing the accusation of her previous question.

“Hundreds?!” She gasped in disbelief.

"Calm down, just ... get rid of him."

“I´ve tried it! But this ... boar keeps coming back”

He let out an exasperated sigh, thinking of suggesting of making her pet snake eat the animal, but dismissed the idea as he thought the reptile was pretty useless when it don´t came to attacking and killing unsuspecting humans and their horses near the plateau of stone.

Since he first woke up he had only seen it move a few inches and change position, so another idea occurred to him.

“Can you hold it?” He asked him “with your ivy?”

She looked at him curiously and suspiciously, but instead of answering vocally, she raised a hand and made a few short movements with her fingers before clenching her fist, catching the animal that began to screech in panic.

He approached it, and with a certain movement, cut off it head.

When he heard her loud gasp he looked back and there she was, her brows furrowed, her eyes staked and both of her hands covering her mouth.

He looked back at the now dead animal, grabbed it head and raised it before asking.

“Do you know fire?”

.

.

.

Sasuke sat on a rock while at the same time bringing the now cooked boar meat to his mouth, biting off a large chunk and tearing it from the rest so he could eat it.

Sitting on another rock on the other side of the bonfire he had made, Hinata found herself with her arms crossed and her brow furrowed, looking at him with such intensity as if she wanted to make his head explode with just her powerful gaze.

She was upset with him, that was clear. Since he had killed the animal and cut its meat into smaller portions so he could stick them into branches and put them on the fire to cook.

The turning point, however, was when he gathered branches and leaves and started the fire that he had surrounded with rocks of different sizes as a barrier so that the fire did not spread.

Apparently, she could forgive him for killing an animal even if she was clearly against it, but lighting wood and using leaves as a burning material was where she drew the line, practically declaring enmity at the prolonged silence she had maintained.

It was funny to tell the truth, even if preparing that meat and the dressing he had bathed it with to give it a little more flavor had been torture for his sprained wrist, it was worth it if I could see her normally relaxed and smiling face distorted with annoyance and disappointment, her lower lip sticking out childishly.

Furthermore, and despite the wide variety of fruits she had been feeding him - more delicious than he had ever eaten - he had really missed the taste of meat on his palate.

“Hey!” He called her even though it wasn't necessary, since she hadn't taken her gaze from him for a second. "Try a little" he said, spreading some meat even though he was too far for her to reach.

That scandalized her.

“I will not do it!” She vigorously refused, looking quite offended by his proposal “I'm not a savage!”

"Me neither" he said, shrugging even though he wanted to burst in laughs at her expression.

“You are eating a living being”

“You eat the children of your plants, but I don't judge you for doing that”

The expression on her face finally overcame him, making him laugh.

With difficulty and care, he rose to his feet and walked around the fire, sitting next to her and extending with his good hand the piece of meat he himself had previously been eating.

"Try a little" he repeated, but she pursed her lips and turned her face away, refusing.

“No, I do not like”

"You can't say you don't like it if you haven't tried it yet" he told her, repeating the words his mother had repeated so much to the fussy eight-year-old he was.

But she kept refusing, so he took another approach they used to use with him when he was especially difficult to feed: negotiation.

"How about this" he began “If you try a little of this, I promise I won't complain and take all your strange meds even if they taste like hell itself, you don't have to like it, just try a little”

She looked at him scrutinizingly, apparently looking for some kind of dishonesty, but he just brought his injured wrist to the center of his abdomen, in a well-camouflaged dirty little manipulative move, which he knew was working when she looked at his wrist and then again to in his eyes.

“Just a little?” He nodded "And will you take the medicine without complaining?" He affirmed again.

Hinata closed her eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out again in the form of a long sigh.

She opened her eyes again, now with a look of determination and nodded.

He smiled and brought the meat to her mouth.

“W-wait!” she yelled, holding his wrist.

He was really having a hard time not laugh again.

Without letting go his wrist, she barely opened her mouth and bit into some of the meat, chewing it and stopping after swallowing it.

He looked at her expectantly, watching as she frowned again and sudden tears began to fall from her eyes.

Was it really that bad?

He began to feel guilty for forcing her to do so, but he was surprised when she now took a bigger bite, taking the meat from his hand to grab it herself, saying between sobs

"It's good!" she sniffed and cried harder as she ate more of it.

________________________

That night he woke up because of the pain that attacked his healthy wrist, grunting and looking for the reason for that, and when he looked at it, he was surprised and out of breath to see how a bracelet of branches wrapped him, which would not be a problem if it was not for the fact that they seemed to come straight out of his skin.

________________________

Another few days passed and he had kept thinking a lot about his situation.

Due to his suspicions, he decided to do an experiment.

For a few days he stayed especially close to her, touching her skin with his fingertips in the most subtle way he could, leading him to offer help during the moments when she did her self-imposed tasks that were not really necessary - there was not much to entertain herself with, he supposed — and despite confusion at his sudden need to help, she agreed and directed him what to do, frustrating him when any of those tasks kept him away from her.

But at the end of the day he touched her enough without going overboard - tapping her shoulder to get her attention or patted it awkwardly as he congratulated her with a "good job" - and then he walked away from her and went to the makeshift cot she had created for him, leaving her more confused than at first.

The first night he waited awake for something to happen, for the branches to start coming out or for his skin to turn green, he wasn't entirely sure what could happen, but he waited.

And he received nothing.

He repeated the experiment several more times and nothing happened, so he thought maybe it was a side effect of the last potion she had given him to drink? It would make sense that his body is no longer producing more vegetation by changing the type of medicine she was giving him, and it would also make sense that she did not know that effect as something out of the ordinary, since her own body seemed to produce by itself the plants that dressed her.

Then he forgot the topic, classifying it as a one-time occurrence.

Until he wasn't.

That morning, when he no longer had any kind of ailment and was beginning to feel he was finally regaining his strength, he had helped Munda - who, he learned, was really peaceful when he was not protecting the entrance to that garden - to get rid of the little debris that had stuck to him after his last shedding of skin.

"Good work," Hinata said, patting him on the shoulder as best she could since he was significantly taller than her “Munda's shedding of skin is usually a disaster because it is more resistant than normal, so I always have a hard time cleaning it when it's in season” she revealed, now with her hand fixed on his shoulder “you are very good at that”

He accepted her congratulations with a small hint of pride on her chest.

They passed the day with normally, and at night, while taking a bath in the lake, a sudden pain attacked his shoulder.

When he tried to move his shoulder in circles, he couldn´t, the pain and stiffness prevented him from the slightest movement, then he brought his other hand over said shoulder to try to massage himself, but when he felt his fingers prick, He stopped.

Surprised, he looked at his shoulder and couldn't believe what he saw: it was covered in thorns right where Hinata had touched it.

The fire of anger ignited in him and spread like forest fire, was that it? Her hands? Were her hands causing his body to produce leaves and thorns as if it were a simple plant? Although, now that he thought about it, he had been a fool not to realize it before, after all, she was nothing more than a witch whose hands could grow trees and flowers out of nowhere.

He had been fooled. He had let his guard down and this witch was turning him into another plant in her garden.

Who many more had she done this to?

He looked at the surrounding trees for the hint that any of them were once a man, but he had done his job so well that there was not the slightest trace of a previous humanity in them.

Angry, he left the lake and put on his pants, not caring they were dirty and dusty from the activities he had done that day. He dressed in his armor and took the sword with him, searching for Hinata and finding her, as always, in the center of the small flower-covered hill that surrounded her.

His quick and heavy steps caught his attention, turning and smiling at him when she saw him approaching, but that expression quickly changed when he entered, stepping carelessly on the flowers that she loved so much.

"Sasuk ..!"

"In two days we will leave," he interrupted, placing the sword under her chin and applying enough pressure so the tip dug lightly into her neck, hurting her “I have already lost a lot of valuable time with your stupid games, as of today, I command”

He turned around without giving her the opportunity to speak and went to the farthest part of that garden, where he found what seemed to be the oldest tree of all, the most leafy, where he sat down and pressed his back against it, crossing his arms with his sword still in his hand, quickly creating in his mind all the logistics of what he would do next.

______________________

The desperate neighing of Onyx woke him up.

He hadn't realized when he had fallen asleep, but it seems as if the apocalypse had taken place once he closed his eyes.

He blinked, trying to clear the blurry view of him until everything was terrifyingly sharp.

In front of him, Onyx kept crying, rising on his hind legs and then dropping the front legs in heavy blows, kicking up the dust with each fall.

It was daytime, he could tell, but the whole environment was so bleak that his brain had a hard time understanding it.

He looked around him, all the space that had previously been green and colorful had turned to the darkest gray he had ever seen. The trees shed their leaves at an impressive speed, the same ones that were now on the ground, surrounding him.

He tried to take one, but the blades were so brittle they broke with the simple touch.

"Onix, take it easy" But the horse ignored him; instead, he whinnied louder as if urging him to stop and then ran, leaving him behind.

He walked carefully, looking everywhere: the bushes were dry but still held some of their fruits, of which he took one and put it in his mouth only to spit it out instantly, disgusted by the horrible taste of the previously delicious blackberry had taken. As he walked, a foul stench began to fill his nostrils, aggravating the closer he got to the lake, until he realized that was where it came from. The waters, previously clean and clear, were now as black and thick as tar.

What was happening?

It didn't take long for him to find the cause.

Still on the small hill was Hinata, motionless and with her head bowed, the flowers around her were wilted. Munda surrounded the hill, making a great circle with its whole body, as trying to be a wall of protection for her owner.

The great snake gave him a warning hiss, glaring at him, now with both of its healthy eyes, as if it was challenging him to come closer.

Even with the threat of the reptile, he did, he knew how protective he was, but he had learned that in here Munda was more like a puppy playing at being brave than the gigantic and terrifying snake really was.

Already within the circle of protection of him everything was more horrible, here the flowers were not withered, and instead they seemed burned. Hinata's body remained immobile, not even seemed to breathe, and when he surrounded her and was face to face with her, he was surprised by the horrible state that in just a few hours she had gotten.

Her skin was as gray as the rest of the earth, her previously pink lips were now dangerously close to black, almost all the flowers in her hair and crown had lost their petals and the ones that remained would fall at any moment. Her eyes were open and she kept them that way, without blinking, and the only sign that told him there was still life in her was the trail of tears that fell without stopping.

He crouched in front of her and called out, but he didn't get the slightest bit of recognition from her.

He grabbed her face and winced at the ease of movement he had from her, even if her body seemed stiffer than could be possible.

Then the dark green trail that fell from her throat to her abdomen caught his eye, and he felt as if he had been hit with the strongest metal as he remembered what he had done.

Was this his fault?

"Hinata," he called her, lifting her face so he could look into her eyes, which seemed to be empty. "Hinata, I'm sorry."

But his attempts were in vain because she did not respond or make the slightest movement that indicated she would do it at some point.

Desperation began to fill him and he didn't know what to do, stroking her face and trying to wipe the tears away, but they kept falling and instead, sliding over and around his thumbs, mocking his unsuccessful attempts to stop them.

Then, in a moment of utter despair he did something he had only thought would happen in his dreams, and kissed her.

His lips froze over the cold, chapped of hers, and all ambient sound that he had previously not actively noticed disappeared. He made no move, just stood with his lips joined, praying inside his mind for a reaction, until her lips trembled.

One sob left them, then two, until it was totally a symphony of wailing.

He hugged her and pressed her to his chest, quietly apologizing to her and preferring to hear her cry than remain in the deathly silence of moments ago.

----------------------------

Recovery was slower than he could have imagined. While it took less than one night to produce the disaster, fixing it was a matter of a long time.

She avoided talking to him and he couldn't blame her, not after all that he´d caused.

She was just getting back to her normal color and at the same time so did her garden, slowly returning to the green it was when he had arrived.

He hadn't given her a reason for his action in the first place, and he didn't think he'd do it sometime soon - never, if he could.

He just helped her silently, discovering that when he kissed her, she recovered a little more.

So he kept doing it, morning, afternoon and evening, until the pink on her cheeks appeared and the flowers in her hair began to bloom.

That, however, came at a price, and it didn't take long for him to realize that the mere touch was more powerful than that of her fingers.

It first reflected on his nails, which turned brown and their textures became like that of a tree trunk. Then on his chest, where leaves and thorns came out again.

It was a much faster process than he had thought.

"I think we can leave tomorrow" were the first words she spoke to him after days of silence, smiling shyly at him, speaking in a low voice.

He nodded as best she could, his neck stiff from the changes taking place in him.

That day his feet stuck to the ground, and pulling them off felt as if he had lost a limb.

"Sasuke" Hinata called him the next morning, worried about what she was seeing. "Since when has this been happening?"

He looked at her, but he didn't answer.

He was still lying on his grass cot, trapped by the ivy that had tightly encircled his arms, torso, and legs to keep him in place.

"Wait." The desperation in Hinata's voice was palpable, but he could barely recognize anything.

With her hands, Hinata touched the plants on top of him, but was surprised to see that instead of obeying her and disappearing, they seemed to tighten around Sasuke.

She looked at her hands without understanding what was happening and tried again, her eyes clouding over as she obtained the same result as the first time.

The tears left her eyes and the sobs soon appeared the more she tried and failed, becoming more energetic and miserable with every second more.

"Hinata," he called out, barely a hoarse whisper as he felt a new plant grow from his stomach and slide its roots through his esophagus, slowly exiting his mouth "There is no time for me…”

“Do not!" She shouted shakily" Don't say that!”

“S. Save them ... my people ...” he said, barely breathing.

"I-I will, but-but first ..." A sob interrupted her "you first..."

Sasuke wanted to deny, but he had neither the strength nor the mobility to do so.

"There ... there is ... no time for ... me" he repeated.

“Sasuke”

“Please”

Without finding the words to answer him, she just nodded.

Sasuke smiled and looked at her, grateful as a single tear slid down the side of his face as more roots came out of his mouth.

"Thank you" he said, his voice cracking, closing his eyes, "I lo ..."

But he couldn't finish his sentence, losing the last breath he had and finally letting the roots slide out of his mouth and dig into the ground beneath him.

A heartrending scream came from Hinata's mouth, the loss, for the first time in hundreds of years, completely ripping her apart.

She cried over his body, feeling a pain much worse than that of a few days ago completely invade her, feeling again how she was fainting rapidly.

But she still had one last promise to keep.

Unwilling to leave him, Hinata placed both hands on the ground and gathered all of her strength, screaming as she transferred her power beyond the forest, filling all around with the life that he had come looking for.

The earth shook and great thorny walls rose above all of her garden, joining in the center without closing completely, and leaving a small gap through which the sunlight entered.

Exhausted, she walked to where Sasuke's body lay covered in roots and she dropped down beside him, placing a hand on his chest, slowly closing her eyes and melting into him.

------------------------

From the highest tower of the Uchiha castle, the cries of the courtesans invaded the room of King Itachi, whose body was covered by a white sheet as his court surrounded him.

"You did it, my king," Kakashi whispered, watching from the window as the kingdom began to fill with the vivid green of the growing plants and the colorful buds of flowers and fruit that followed them, though his attention was really fixed on the large bud that it had formed in the farthest part of the forest.

While, at the gates of the kingdom, Onyx the steed without his king arrived.

@sasuhinamonth