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seokjinsdisciple · 4 years ago

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It’s a Deal- three

supernatural! johnny x reader x jaehyun, mate!au

its heating up my friends and boy is the plot gonna be spicy

Word Count: 1.6k

warnings: language, supernatural stuff

series masterlist

You had decided that whatever happened yesterday was just a dream, some sort of midterms week hallucinations. And you were never, NEVER, going to think of them again. You had to attribute it to a momentary lapse in sanity, because nothing else would be able to explain the absolute shitshow that was yesterday, and to be honest, you didn’t really want any explanations.

So you continued on with your day as you normally would. You worked your shift at the cafe, attended your classes, and nothing happened. You were relieved. You felt the tension that had been building up in you all day long ebb out.

It happened when you were walking home from your last class. You chose to go through the student center, the chill of the night air enough to drive you inside. Something you never allowed yourself to do. You liked walking outside, but tonight, you felt an inexplicable pull towards the student center.

You saw him near the dining hall. He was leaning against the wall and when he noticed you staring he smiled. It was a stunning smile, and it showed his dimples. He chuckled a bit as you stared, walking towards your frozen body. He drew looks from everyone around, and you felt your heart swell with, what was it? Jealousy? Pride? After all it was you he was walking towards. You couldn’t hide your grin as the people around you looked you up and down in shock.

He was in front of you before you could take a deep breath. And now you were stuck breathing in his heavenly lavender scent. It was intoxicating and you were overwhelmed.

“Long time no see,” he giggled, his dimples deepening. You swear you melted, his giggle and his dimples probably the most adorable thing you had ever witnessed.

“That’s something humans say, right?” he asked quietly, taking a quick glance around.

“Yeah some people say that,” you smiled back, “What exactly are you doing here? Don’t you have… I don’t know, prince stuff to do?”

“I do,” he smiled, “but I quite like pissing off my father, and enrolling here also allows me the pleasure of pissing off my brother.”

“Wait- you enrolled?”

Jaehyun just shrugged and nodded, like enrolling in college was some simple thing. Oh my god. The money he had to have spent to enroll, and to not even want to learn something! You could never imagine wasting that much money, let alone even having that much money.

“Why do you look so worried, pet?” Jaehyun said, intertwining his hand in yours and pulling you brusquely through the student center, “Hurry, we’ve got an important event to attend.”

“What event?” you asked, “Jaehyun, where are we going?”

He ignored your questions, mischief in his eyes as he lead you to a part of campus you had been avoiding all day, the quad where you knew the portal to the faerie world lay. Knots formed in your tummy, nervousness seeping out of every pore of your body that Jaehyun had to wrinkle his nose at your now distressed scent.

“Jaehyun I don’t wanna go there again,” you said, halting your movements, “You can’t make me.”

“That pet, is where you are wrong.”

With a flick of his thumb across your hand, and with his words making you more angry than you should be, he effectively distracted you just enough to go through the portal. Before you knew it, you were standing in front of the most magnificent palace you had ever seen. Your anger dissipated as you took in the pearly white stone mansion in front of you. You were in complete awe.

Faeries loitering around the front gate bowed their heads as Jaehyun waltzed passed them, not even glancing in their direction. He was too busy staring at you. He couldn’t help but grin at your wonder, your mouth open in awe at the sight in front of you. He had to admit, the palace was exceptional, even if he hated every moment he spent in its walls.

You took one look at your oversized sweatshirt and ripped jeans, suddenly feeling extremely unconscious. How could you enter a palace in such a horribly under-dressed way.

As if he read your mind, Jaehyun chuckled, “Don’t worry, I picked out a dress just for you, pet.”

You just swallowed, touching the necklace that he had given you around your neck as you followed him through the palace into a decadent blue room. It was the most expensive looking room you had ever been in. Gold detailing on the walls and ceiling. The gold resembling trees, and animals and stars and so many other things. But the stars entranced you, their gold sparkling shapes looking too real to be painted. Plus, you could’ve sworn you saw one of the stars move.

Your eyes fell onto a gown that was hanging in the corner, a gasp leaving your mouth before you could even control yourself. It was a beautiful gown, a dark navy blue that looked expensive as hell. You took one look behind you, to say something, anything to Jaehyun that would express how you could absolutely no way wear something that expensive, but he was gone. Several faeries stood at the door, their makeup and hair done extravagantly already.

“Well what are you waiting for?” An older looking woman said with a smile, “Put it on.”

And you did. The dress was more than you ever expected, flecks of gold and silver shining as you walked. It looked like a piece of the night sky had been cut and made into a dress. You blushed as you looked at yourself in the mirror. Much more of your skin showing that you would’ve guessed just by looking at the dress hanging up. Then again, faeries were less modest than humans, so you supposed no one would notice the extra skin.

The faeries crowded around you at once, hurrying to pull your hair up and do your make up. They were done so quickly you couldn’t believe it. The woman from before, smiled gently at you as she pulled out a golden headband adorned with gold metal stars. Your outfit completely taking you aback, I mean you looked like a completely different person. You looked like a fae.

You took your appearance in, the past 30 minutes feeling like a complete dream. You had never been taken care of like this.

You heard a cough from behind you, and turned quickly to see Jaehyun in an equally stunning emerald silk top. He smiled brightly as he took in your appearance.

“You look magnificent, pet,” He bowed slightly, offering his hand out for you to take.

“Jaehyun, I-,” you started, “Thank you for this, but I really can’t accept something so expensive, and for me to take all this time in your room, I shouldn’t.”

You were halted in the middle of your sentence by a laugh from him, “This room is far too simple to be mine, it lacks many luxuries and necessities. This is simply one of our guest rooms that I thought was perfect for you, along with that dress.”

“Still, you have to let me wear something else, or at least pay you back.”

This received a snort from the prince, “You couldn’t pay the price of this dress in your lifetime pet. So please, let me gift it to you. I picked it out with the thought of you, and would be so offended if you refused. I thought a dress of stars was perfect for someone with a galaxy twinkling in their eyes.”

Now, you weren’t stupid. You studied mythology and creatures everyday. But Jaehyun’s compliment had knocked you off of your game for just a second. Taking a deep breath, you tried your hardest to focus. Knowing if you were going to be indebted to him was important.

“And do I have to give you something in return?” You asked, a sudden lump in your throat.

“Nothing is free here, pet.” Jaehyun smirked, “It’d be best to remember that tonight. You’ll be surrounded by very curious fae. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

You had a sinking feeling as you followed behind Jaehyun warily. The magnificence of the halls sterring your thoughts more towards their decadence, rather than the debt you now owed. You reached large white and gold doors, that Jaehyun pushed open with ease. Jaehyun pulled you into a banquet room filled with elegantly dressed fae, you left to follow behind him helplessly. The laughing and chattering subsiding at the Prince’s entrance.

Jaehyun held your hand tightly as he guided you up the stairs towards the throne where his family were seated in their respective seats beside an older looking faerie. Jaehyun’s father looked you up and down once, before sending a chill down your spine at his words.

“The court welcomes YN LN, beloved betrothed of Prince Jaehyun, and future Queen of Longate Isle.”

You heard a gasp, and you genuinely didn’t know if it came from you. It took you a bit longer to process the words that were just spoken, but when you did, panic overtook you. You whipped your head towards Jaehyun, who was too busy thanking his father for him to notice. You felt a pair of eyes bore into the side of your face, whispers and gasps echoing throughout the room as the shock from the news spread throughout the room.

“Consider us equal for the dress now pet,” Jaehyun whispered in your ear, a sly grin on his face.

You looked at Johnny, realizing he was the one who had been staring at you intently. He was standing, a fact that he didn’t find as troublesome as his sister, who was desperately trying to pull him down by his pants. His gaze was wild and furious, and for a moment, you thought he was pissed at you. You quickly realized he was staring at Jaehyun with murder in his eyes. He cleared his throat, glancing away from his brother and towards you, his face paling the more the news started settling into his brain.

His anger morphed into panic the longer he looked at you. Which made you wonder what the hell you had just gotten into. You were scared. You were mortified of whatever Jaehyun had planned. And you were pissed that yet another faerie tricked you into doing something that would change your life. Your fear was multiplied by Jaehyun’s one word whisper as he passed Johnny to sit down, your shocked frame falling into his lap easily.

Jaehyun’s voice saying checkmate repeating over and over in your head.

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azrielsiphons · 6 years ago

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Shadows and Darkness: One and the Same (ch. 16)

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This fic is meant to be read in connection with my Azriel-centric prequel stories. I would highly suggest reading those first to get the full reading experience of this fic.

ONE YEAR OF NO UPDATE AND I RETURN WITH A DOOZY. Thanks for reading if you choose to, please like and reblog (I always read reblog tags) or drop in my ask and let me know what you think. I’ve really loved bringing this story back and I hope some people who kept up with it it way back when are still around and enjoy it <3

Lena was painfully aware of the fragmented mirror in the pocket of her Illyrian leathers as Jareth led her out of his castle’s trove. The whispers were gradually fading, but her magic still sang with its promises.

“You’ll have to forgive me if I rush back to Prythian.”

Jareth’s chuckle reverberated in Lena’s bones as they ascended the staircase, the darkness of the stairwell setting her at ease like a familiar friend.

“After everything you showed me about your mate I’m surprised you haven’t already rushed back.”

Lena was silent at that, though the corners of her lips tugged upwards in thought of Azriel.

That small smile soon vanished like mist though as she remember the stinging truths he had forced her to confront before she had left.

“Lena, I don’t know how to live with the fact that you killed those people in my name.”

“You killed innocent people for the King because you thought you were protecting me.

“…the burden of their deaths isn’t just on you anymore.”

“…the Lena I know and love would have never killed someone innocent for selfish purposes.”

Though they had promised to be more honest with one another, Lena knew thst she herself still needed to come to terms with her wrong-doings. She needed to own up to the seventy-six innocent lives that she had taken because of her toxic love for Azriel.

There was no blame to be placed anywhere other than unto herself. Not the mating bond, nor the King, nor Azriel himself were at fault for the lives she took too early. Only Lena herself was at fault for her wrongs. And it was time to confess — truly confess.

“Jareth, I know I have already apologized, but,” the King of Vallahan’s wrist was warm under Lena’s fingertips as she reached for him, “I am truly, utterly sorry for what I did to Danias and his family. To your family. I know that you are not helping Prythian simply because of me, but I am indebted to you all the same.”

Jareth’s gaze was piercing as she lowered her head. It did not escape his understanding the significance of someone of her power and unofficial rank bowing to him.

“I accept your apology,” he said, clearly meaning his words. “And I may call upon that debt one day.”

Lena raised her violet eyes, which flashed with delight. “If we survive all of this, I will be sure to answer that call.”

Suddenly heavy, running footsteps echoed throughout the throne room. Lena immediately moved her hands towards the knives sheathed at her side.

“My King!” the running guard called out, a young man with freckles like constellations across his face. “The Summer Court, they’re — they’re under attack!”

“What?” Lena and Jareth both cried out incredulously. “By whom?” Jareth demanded, his voice every bit a King.

“Hybern,” Lena whispered. “They’ve made their first move.” She looked to the guard, her mouth a hard line. “How long would it have taken for that message to get here?”

“Three hours maybe? Perhaps longer.”

Lena cursed under her breath, knowing in her bones that her family would have gotten the message back in the Night Court since she had arrived in Vallahan. And she knew just as well that they all would have gone to aid them.

She swirled on Jareth, the golden crown atop his head reflecting her own resolved expression.

“I have to go to them. My family will already be there. Please, prepare your armies and wait for word from me. Hybern is moving quicker than I anticipated and—”

“Vallahan will be ready when the true battle comes,” Jareth declared, resting his hands on her shoulders. “Go to your family.”

Lena grasped his forearm tightly. “Thank you,” she said, violet eyes shining.

Lena stepped away and wrapped herself in darkness without another word, winnowing to the Summer Court as fast as her magic could carry her.

~~~~~

For all of her time as Hybern’s weapon, Lena had never been in a true battle. No, she had always been the knife in the dark, the assassin at the King’s behest during her time under his thumb.

But not anymore.

She winnowed straight into the middle of Adriata, more specifically to the place where she had once been to a festival there as a girl — with Azriel no less. But the sight there was nothing as she remembered.

The coppery tang of blood filled her senses, and the screams echoed in her ears. Two things both incredibly familiar to her, and yet never in this context.

Hybern’s soldiers were everywhere — High fae, faerie, and more of his horrendous creatures she knew no name for. There were Illyrians already on this street fighting them off — undoubtedly Cassian’s men as she observed the skilled way they fought.

Her observations did not last long though as a green-skinned Hybern faerie gave a horrendous yell, running at her with sword in hand. Lena blinked once, narrowing her eyes as she fell into the killing calm she knew all too well.

And so it began.

She alternated between her magic and her blades, both of which decimated every Hybern soldier in her path. The Illyrian soldiers watched her in awe as they took down enemies of their own — unaware that they were fighting alongside their High Lord’s sister who was also the former weapon of Hybern itself.

Time seemed to pass quickly as she created a haze of blood — odd, considering each mission as Hybern’s weapon seemed to drag on. War was completely different, though the killing felt the same.

An hour had passed when there was finally a break in the bloodshed. Her sword swung hard and true, beheading the last of the ugly winged creatures on the street closest to the docks.

Lena’s chest heaved as its disgusting body crumpled beneath her, its head rolling into the gutter. Licking her chapped lips, she tasted blood as she sheathed her sword once more. Illyrian soldiers whispered behind her as she ran her hands over her cheeks, trying and failing to wipe away all of the red.

It was in the midst of this break that she felt it. The weight upon her magic, the oily slickness preventing her from reaching fully into that well of power deep within.

There was only one person that could be the cause.

In the midst of all the fighting, she had only occasionally tapped into that power for fear of not being able to control it — she was a knife in the dark after all, unaccustomed to full battle. She didn’t want to accidentally mist half of Cassian’s men in an attempt to end the battle early.

And in doing so, she had been oblivious to the dampening power radiating from what could only be the King himself.

With only the slightest hesitation, she reached out with her mind to anyone — everyone in her family.

I’m here, she sent out, wincing at the abnormal difficulty of using her power. Where is everyone? I—

Lena, leave! Rhys’s voice was like a blow to the side of the head, practically screaming inside her head. Get back home before he—

There was nothing she could have done to prevent what followed. Blinding light that was all too familiar ripped her from the very cobble-stoned ground she was standing on. It tore at her skin, making the scar cutting across her face flare in an agony that she foolishly believed she had escaped.

She landed upon a wooden surface face-first, crashing as though she had been flung down from the very heavens. She felt hands grappling at her immediately, pulling her to her feet as she groaned in pain.

Rhys pushed his sister behind him in one smooth motion, his hand reaching back to grasp her arm hard enough to bruise.

Lena blinked away a drop of blood that fell from her brow bone, looking past Rhys’s shoulder at her centuries-long torturer himself.

“Hello, my pet,” the King of Hybern crooned, a sick smile plastered across his face. Not a drop of blood graced his personage. “Thank you for joining us. I have missed you dearly.”

“Do not speak to her.” Rhys’s voice promised a slow, painful death.

“Rhys,” Lena spoke, cursing herself for her wobbling voice, “I’m fine.”

“Are you, dear?” the King asked with a bemused expression. “You look a little pale beneath all of that blood. That lovely scar is still visible as ever though.”

“I wear this scar with pride.”

“Let me guess. You wear it to show how you got away from me, how you survived centuries of torture at the hands of the evil King,” he mocked. The muscles in Lena’s jaw jumped as she grit her teeth. “My dear, you should wear that scar with shame as it was intended. Let it remind you of every day that you stayed when you could have walked right out.” His voice was like the hiss of a snake.

“I fell for your lies, I’ll admit,” Lena spat, pushing past Rhys despite his warning look. “You manipulated me well. But no more. I am free and that kills you, doesn’t it? It must drive you insane that I finally escaped you and now you have to do all of your dirty work yourself.”

“Are you though?” he asked like a lover. “Are you truly free of me, dearest weapon of mine?”

“I will be when you’re corpse is soon rotting in an unmarked grave.”

“Enough of this,” the king said with a flourish of his hand. Lena felt Rhys reinforce his shields. “Before you arrived I was just telling your brother how I plan to reclaim what is rightfully mine. And that does not include the mortals you and your kin deign to coddle and protect.”

Lena looked up to her brother, seeing the burdens written across his face that he held so well. He met her gaze, twin eyes of violet briefly sharing the same mind.

Lena looked back to the King, offering a sly grin. “We’ll see about that.”

Rhys created a javelin of pure power in less than a second, flinging it hard and true at the King’s chest. Just as Lena was about to release her power and mist the King’s cold heart within his very chest — the javelin went straight through him, without leaving a mark.

A mirage. The King wasn’t there at all.

“Did you think I’d appear at this battle myself?” He waved a hand toward the soldiers still watching. “A taste—this battle is only a taste for you. To whet your appetite.”

Then he disappeared.

The dampening magic that had been leaking over Adriata disappeared with him, and the full use of Rhys and Lena’s powers flooded them once more.

The siblings met eyes, shock and fear written over them. The soldiers remaining on the boat looked at the two with nasty smiles, their murderous intent rippling across the boat.

Rhys breathed deeply, preparing for what he had to do. But Lena stopped him with a hand.

“Don’t. I’ll do it.”

The soldiers had barely lifted their swords before Lena misted them all into a cloud of red.

Rhys and Lena stood there in silence as the blood fell — staining the wood and the churning sea waters below as the seconds passed.

“When did you—”

“About an hour ago,” Lena answered, her eyes downcast.

“And you’re okay?” She nodded. Rhys breathed in deeply, casting his eyes across the water to the city — once shining and lively, now running with blood and screams.

“Everyone is here? Everyone is...” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the question.

“Yes. Feyre is…” he gazed off into the space ahead of him, undoubtedly speaking to Feyre through their bond, “…with Tarquin.”

“Go,” Lena said, breaking Rhys out of his reverie by placing a hand on his arm. “Go to her. I’ll find Azriel and the others, and help tend to the wounded.”

“You can’t be seen,” Rhys insisted. “No one else knows that you’re alive.”

“I’m hardly recognizable right now, Rhysand,” she replied, gesturing to the blood and swollen scar across her face. “And no one is going to be paying attention to me anways. Now go to Feyre.”

Rhys’s heavy shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath, his lips pursed together in a forced smile.

“You handled him well,” he said softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize he was only an image earlier.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that. He’s a manipulative bastard.”

Rhys nodded, swallowing thickly. Even though Lena could tell he wanted to rush straight back to Feyre, he hesitated.

“I’m proud of you,” he said, looking straight into her eyes. “You did well, and I’m proud of you.”

Lena did not bother trying to hide the effect of his words. She hugged him tightly, unbothered by the blood on her leathers she was transferring onto his pristine suit. He would undoubtedly magick it away when he went to Feyre and Tarquin.

“Go,” she repeated, voice thick with emotion.

Rhys vanished in a flash of darkness that mirrored her own. Alone on the blood stained ship, Lena took a deep breath, reaching out with her magic until she felt Azriel and Cassian. They were moving the injured up the hills above Adriata to where they would likely set up camp.

With one more breath, Lena winnowed to them.

~~~~~

Azriel had one arm hooked under an injured Illyrian’s shoulder, carrying most of the male’s weight as they made their way up the hill. The soldier was moaning in pain, his free hand pressed against his abdomen to hold in his innards.

Azriel shifted his hold to take on more of his weight as they neared the crest.

“Almost there,” he murmured.

Darkness flashed next to them and Azriel felt as though his heart had turned to ice as Lena appeared covered in blood from head to toe. He began to breathe again when he realized it wasn’t her blood she was covered in.

With no more than a quick glance at Azriel’s person to make sure he was alright, Lena shouldered her way under the soldier’s other arm, shushing his groan of pain.

“Hey, hey, you’re going to be alright,” she said to him in a soothing voice, pressing her own hand against the male’s shredded abdomen as well. The male cursed her, but she paid no mind.

The trio reached the top of the hill, handing the injured male off to another able soldier. Azriel turned to face Lena, a line between his eyes as he beheld her.

“You’re alright?” she asked, scanning him from head to toe.

He nodded. “You?” He could not tell if any of the blood was hers. He could tell, however, that the scar across her face was significantly more predominant.

“I’m fine,” she brushed him off. “How many more are injured?” She turned to look down the side of the hill they had just ascended, seeing soldiers limping or being carried up. Cassian was yet to be seen.

“About a hundred if I had to guess.”

“And Cassian?”

“No serious injuries. He’s flying over the city making sure no one was left behind or mistaken for dead.”

He didn’t miss the way Lena flinched. Her chin bobbed as she swallowed thickly.

“What do you…” She turned back to him with wide eyes. “What do we do now?”

Azriel’s heart clenched as he beheld his mate. She was a killer through and through — but she was no soldier. This was new territory for her. The aftermath.

“We get the rest of the injured up the hill and set up camp. I’ll set up a tent to gather information, and then we will separate the injured based on severity.”

“And the… the dead?”

“We bury them. Individually. Cassian will visit their families in the coming days.”

Lena’s breathing was shaky, but she nodded with feigned confidence all the same.

“Then let’s get to it.”

~~~~~

Lena and Azriel immediately set into motion, alternating between carrying, winnowing, and flying the injured up the hill where the rest of the uninjured soldiers set up a camp.

Lena never flew, not wanting to startle any Illyrians with the brands on her wings, but she did winnow many, which tended to startle them just as much. She thought ahead enough to glamour the color of her eyes so that no one might suspect her relation to Rhys and jump to conclusions — no matter how correct those conclusions might have been.

The sun quickly fell, and fires were started, casting a red glow over the wounded. Lena, along with Feyre and Mor, bustled around the camp and helped wherever needed. She stitched wounds, held in innards, wiped away blood, and more.

Azriel had set up his tent to gather various facets of information from soldiers right away, so Lena did not see him after that. Hours passed swiftly, the air tinged with copper and moans of pain that mixed in with the crickets chirping in the night.

This was a side of violence that Lena had never seen before. The aftermath of battle. She had always killed and then typically left before her victim’s body had even hit the ground. Never had she been a part of something so big. So painful.

It soon dawned on her the responsibility weighing on her brothers even in the midst of this aftermath. The soldiers looked to Rhys wherever he was near as he made rounds through the camp, and persevered through their pain as Cassian offered them words of encouragement. She knew her brothers must have been tired and in pain themselves, but they never wavered.

As the hours carried on and the more severely injured struggled to make it through the night, Lena sought out the worst wounds personally. Hybern must have had another stash of faebane beyond the one that she and Azriel had destroyed weeks prior, for many injuries were untreatable with magic because the weapons used against them had been tipped in the drug.

But Lena could offer comfort and ease. She knew how to soothe, how to take away pain. The ones that could not be saved she could help go peacefully into the night.

In using this magic though, she became distracted, losing sight of the glamour on her eye color. The violet of her eyes that clearly matched Rhys’s combined with the blood on her face sweating off had whispers spreading across the camp.

“…eyes like the High Lord’s…”

“…magic like his…”

“…I thought she died…”

“…she must be a spirit…”

“…Daughter of the Night Court…”

Lena paid no heed, not thinking anyone would actually believe that she was the long dead heir come back to the fold. She focused on the injured, pushing past her own fear and exhaustion.

It was a few hours before dawn when one of the soldiers grabbed her wrist in an iron tight grip as she knelt at his side.

“You’re going to be alright,” she whispered, resting her hand at his temple and allowing peace to come over his mind. Her power was weaning but she still had plenty left. “Shh, just rest.”

“You’re her,” the male choked out, his eyes slowly dulling as his mind adjusted to the peace she offered him. “You’re the Daughter of the Night Court. Your eyes are just like his.”

“Rest,” she repeated, wishing he wouldn’t push himself so much. “Don’t worry about who I am.”

“I saw you fighting. Down there.” That gave Lena pause. “You saved us. We were done for until you came.”

Lena swallowed thickly. “I’m sure you would have been fine without me. You are going to be fine.”

The male shook his head, licking his cracked lips as he tried to stay awake. “No, you came for us. You came for us, you…came for…us.”

The male’s head rolled to the side as he fell unconscious. Lena panicked for a moment until she realized it was only the exhaustion that had taken over him, and his pulse beat steadily.

She took a deep breath, standing to her feet as she tried not to show how the man’s words had affected her.

“Hey.”

Lena whirled at the sound of Cassian’s voice. She had only caught his eye once in passing since the camp had been set up. She had never seen him so… worn.

She surged forward and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders tightly. He returned the embrace without hesitation.

“You should get some sleep. You’ve done more than enough,” he said softly into her ear.

Lena chuckled, pulling back and smiling softly at him. “You should take your own advice, General.”

He tried and failed to muster a grin of his own.

“They’re all talking about you. Half of them think you’re a ghost.”

“Yeah, well,” Lena glanced around the camp at the sleeping soldiers, “so much for keeping a low profile about my return from the dead.”

Lena gestured for Cassian to walk over and sit below a tree with her. As soon as they were both off of their feet they sighed in unison.

“I never thought that was a good idea anyway.”

Lena lifted her head from the tree trunk, blinking at Cassian. “Never thought what was a good idea?”

“Keeping it a secret that you were back,” he said, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. “The ones out there that don’t think you’re a ghost haunting them are encouraged by your return. They already had respect for the one fighting alongside them down there,” he gestured to the city, “but then realizing that the one that saved so many of them was a royal heir that defied death itself? That means something to them. It gives them pride in their Court leaders where there’s usually only contempt.”

Lena was silent, her brow furrowed in thought. Cassian leaned his head back against the tree trunk, eyes slipping shut. Within seconds, he was asleep. Lena chuckled weakly, touching his arm gently and winnowing him inside his tent on the other side of the camp.

Stepping back out into the cool night air, Lena looked to Azriel’s tent. She stepped over a few sleeping soldiers, calling out her mate’s name softly as she reached the entrance.

“Come in.”

Azriel was standing over a small table filled with notes, his shoulders tense and the bags under his eyes prominent even from where she stood. He did not bother to try and force a smile as he looked up at her.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” he whispered back, his head drooping forward once again and eyes slipping shut.

“What can I do?” she asked, walking to him slowly and covering his hand with her own. The siphon there was dull — only a flicker of blue swirled beneath her fingertips.

“Nothing,” he assured her, leaning into her as she rested her head against his shoulder. “This is enough.”

“You need to rest.”

“I know,” he replied, turning and pressing his lips to her forehead. “You do, too. I heard the soldiers talking about you down there. And Rhys showed me what happened with the King.” He looked deeply into her eyes. “You should sleep.”

“I will. I just… I think ou need to know what happened in Vallahan.”

Azriel leaned back, staring down into her violet eyes — dull with exhaustion. He nodded, silently leading her to his small cot. They sat side by side, hands grasped tightly.

“Jareth agreed to help us,” Lena said, her voice weary but firm. “He has given us the full support of his army when the true battle arrives, but not before.”

Azriel absorbed the information with his full attention, asking questions about the size of Vallahan’s army, where they would be located, the best ways to contact Jareth when the battle arrived. Lena answered to the best of her abilities, focusing on the logistical rather than the emotional side of her visit.

“And Jareth, was he…” Azriel hesitated, “did he try to hurt you?”

“No,” Lena said with a weak smile. “He wasn’t thrilled to see me or find out who I really was, of course, but… we worked things out. The best way people with our kind of history can, I suppose.” She looked down at their hands, running her fingers through the weak shadows rippling across Azriel’s wrists.

“What is it?”

“While Jareth and I were sorting things out, I… I realized something.” She took a deep breath. “Our bond is… overwhelming to me sometimes. Since the moment it kicked in, I’ve had this sort of… tunnel vision when it comes to you. What you said to me yesterday was all so true. The person that I was before would have never killed so many innocent people — not even for you.”

Silver lined her eyes, tears coming easily considering the tired state she found herself in. “I loved you too much, Azriel. My feelings for you got distorted in my mind and I did so many horrible things that I told myself was out of love, but was really only out of… selfishness. And I hope you’ll understand how sorry I am that I did those things in your name. And seeing this battle today,” she laughed weakly, turning her head as she wiped away her tears, “it just reminded me that this is all so much bigger than me and you. And I’m sorry I didn’t see that for such a long time. I’m truly sorry.”

Azriel squeezed Lena’s hand tighter, leaning over and pressing his lips to her forehead firmly, lifting his other hand to rest against her cheek. She leaned into his scarred palm as more tears fell.

“I love you,” he whispered against her skin.

“I love you, too.”

They sat like that for a few more silent moments, holding each other tight. With a deep breath, Lena leaned back and smiled, her eyes just the slightest bit brighter than before.

Suddenly her eyebrows rose as if in shock.

“What is it?” he asked, his muscled body tensing.

“I forgot,” she said quickly, rotating her torso to reach into the inner pocket of her leathers. “I might have taken something from the Vallahan trove that was… a bit too interesting to simply pass by.”

“Lena,” Azriel tried to scold, but he was so tired it carried no real bite.

“You heard Elain when she had that vision the other day,” Lena said simply. “She told me to take the mirror. Her exact words were, ‘you have to take the mirror.’ So... I took the mirror.”

Azriel closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He wanted just one day where his mate did not do something that made his anxiety rise higher than the Illyrian Steppes.

“Here it is,” she said, finally pulling out the mirror fragment that whispered to her with a new kind of magic she had never felt before.

Azriel narrowed his eyes, taking the fragment in his hand. He turned it back and forth, observing the reflection on both sides.

Lena watched as well, the whispers from before emerging louder and louder with each passing second. It didn’t whisper words, but rather… feelings. Experiences. The mirror told her of another world similar to their own, but… not quite the same. It spoke of a helper, a friend of the truest kind, a—

“It’s just a mirror.”

Lena blinked, startled out of her reverie. “Wait, what? You don’t… you don’t hear it?”

“Hear what?” Azriel asked, looking at her oddly. “Lena, I don’t hear anything. I don’t feel any magic from it at all.”

“That’s not… that doesn’t make any sense. I can hear it, like it’s speaking to me right now. Well not with words exactly but… with feelings almost.”

Lena waited for the judgment, for the placating pat on the shoulder to assuage her.

But Azriel did neither of those things. He only listened, nodded, and looked back to the mirror with curiosity.

“Perhaps it has individualistic magic. It picks the person to share its power with. In this case, you.”

Lena smiled softly. “You believe me?”

Azriel lifted his eyes to her incredulously. “Of course. We don’t lie to each other.”

Lena felt the bond between them grow tighter, renewed with more shadows and darkness between them. She smiled as he looked back to the mirror.

“What did Jareth say about it?”

She faltered. “Well, you see, about that…”

“Lena.”

“It was nothing, really. He said something along the lines of... power unheard of and vanishing and... I don’t remember it all, I wasn’t paying much attention at that point.”

Azriel blinked slowly. “Tell me again why you took this?” He held up the mirror.

“Elain told me to!”

“And you’re choosing to trust the untrained seer?”

Lena thought for a split second. “Yes.”

Azriel loosed a breath that spoke of long-suffering, dropping his head into one hand and extending the mirror fragment back to Lena with the other.

“Please, for the love of the Mother, don’t get hurt trying to use that thing. I can’t handle it, Lena, I can’t. I can’t lose you, especially not right now.”

“Hey,” Lena surged forward, placing her hand on his cheek and lifting his face to hers, “I’m not going anywhere.”

~~~~~

The sun was just about to make its ascent and Lena lay wrapped in Azriel’s arms on his cot. He had fallen asleep immediately once they had finally lay down, but Lena had only got a couple hours of rest before waking up once more.

The mirror fragment in her pocket continued to speak — to call to her.

Lena had been around dark artifacts before. The King of Hybern loved to have them and to use them in various instances. She knew what cruel magic felt like.

And this mirror felt nothing like that. It felt… light. It felt almost like family. Not greedy or unkind. It only held promises of compassion.

But the small voice in the back of her mind — which Azriel would likely call Common Sense — told her that might be the dark magic’s play at work.

Regardless, she could wonder no longer.

Silent as the night itself, Lena winnowed into the woods far enough to hear if someone shouted her name, but not so far as to be heard herself.

With a deep breath, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the mirror fragment. She turned it on each side, feeling the whispers grow louder and louder.

“Well what do you want then?” she murmured.

She turned the mirror once more, and that was when a dark, onyx colored eye appeared.

Lena yelped, dropping the mirror in her shock. And as it fell to the ground, with every turn of the shard she saw that eye looking directly back at her.

When it hit the forest floor, Lena vanished within.

~~~~~

Lena knew she was no longer in Prythian, or in… anywhere, really. It felt too different. The air itself was different, it was almost as though she didn’t even need to breathe.

Nothing was around her. Nothing at all — only empty space.

And yet she felt no panic. No fear or anxiety. She was able to recognize that something had happened and she did not now how to get back to her home or her family, but yet… she was unafraid.

“Hello?” she called out, her voice coming back to her in an echo. “Hello!”

She received no reply. She looked all around, but was met with nothing and no one.

Lena felt his presence before she saw it. She turned slowly, somehow knowing that she was going to be met with those onyx eyes she had seen back in the forest before vanishing within the shard.

A wolf stood before her. Its fur was white and spotless, its eyes that dark onyx she knew to expect. It stood watching her, clearly as curious as she was.

“Hello?” she called out to the wolf softly.

The wolf seemed to… smile.

And then suddenly before her was no longer a wolf. Now there stood a male, tall and incredibly built, with bronze skin and curly golden hair. He smiled wide, canines showing. His ears were pointed like hers.

His eyes were onyx as the white wolf’s had been.

“Hello to you, too,” the male said, his lips quirking upwards in an amused grin.

Lena cocked her head to the side, noting in the back of her mind that she should feel much more defensive and on her guard with this stranger than she did. What sort of magic was in this mirror?

“Who are you?” she asked carefully.

The male chuckled and extended his hand.

“I’m Fenrys. And you are?”

~~~~~

#acomaf #acowar #acomaf fanficiton #azriel #acowar fanfiction #IM BAAAAAAAACCCCKKKKKK #what did yall think #did i return in glory or fail spectacularly #i know my readership is going to be DRASTICALLY lower than the 150 or so i typically had for each chapter a year ago but #maybe theres some of yall out there reading this #and maybe that cliffhanger will generate some more interest #please like and reblog and all the things #i love reading tags on reblogs btw its like my favorite thing #ive lovedlovedloved gettting back into this story #and drop in my asks if ya feel like it pls #leave reactions or just say hi or something idk #what if nobody reads this #mmmk bye then

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tanyawrites · 6 years ago

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Supernatural Nightclub *title subject to change*

Triggers: murder, alcohol, maybe some social anxiety

As my cab pulled to a stop at the curb, I could hear the loud, bouncy music. I tried to ignore the flutters that were in my chest as I stepped out in front of the infamous supernatural nightclub. I’d never been inside, but I’d been hearing things for the last few weeks. My coworkers, neighbors, and coffee baristas, even, have been talking non-stop about the beings that occupied the space inside. It’s not like the knowledge of their existence is a new thing. We’ve known for years that there were those who weren’t altogether human walking around and interacting with us. No, it was the fact that only just two weeks ago, these same beings were letting humans inside their sacred place, the one place where no one would ask questions about their unique individual lifestyles. That’s what was big news. That we could see how the other half of the population lived and let loose.

I stared at the giant ostentatious neon sign that sat above the entryway where a formidable looking bouncer stood, watching the walkers on the street pass by. I adjusted my dress so that my appearance would match the confidence that I only pretended to have. I don’t know why I’d been talked into this. I didn’t even like going out to clubs, especially by myself. When I’d said as much to my friends, they told me that I had to step out once in a while, making me feel a little ashamed at myself for letting my fears get the better of me. Which was why they set something up with someone on the inside. I shook my head to clear it of my anxieties and walked up towards the bouncer. He immediately stepped in front of me.

“Do you have an invitation?” He asked, leering down at me. He was over six feet tall compared to my five foot six. I opened my mouth but closed it again. I hadn’t actually gotten anything for this. My friends had told me to meet the person they’d set this up with outside the club.

“Well, not exactly.” I replied, hoping he might be able to help. “You see, I’m looking for – “

“No invitation, no entrance.” He stated simply. He stared at me for a brief moment before he went back to looking over my head, as if I hadn’t spoken.

“No! You don’t understand. I’m looking for someone.” I tried to explain.

“Who?”

I stopped. They’d just said he’d meet me outside. “Well, I don’t exactly know – “

“Not my problem.” He said. I resisted the urge to groan in frustration. This was a bad idea. I knew something was going to go wrong, I just expected it to go wrong when I was inside, not before I had even stepped foot on the threshold. “Please, if you could – “

“Ease off, Logan. I believe she’s with me.” The voice came from a man stepping outside the door from behind the giant bouncer.

I felt relief wash through me, but it was short lived. I had no idea who this guy was or even if he was who he said he was. I didn’t want to end up back in the world of Fae forever indebted because one of them had saved me. But when I looked at him more closely, he didn’t seem to have the ethereal beauty that defined the Fae as unique. He wasn’t deathly pale like a vampire. He looked human, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was tall, but not as tall as the bouncer. He was probably in his mid-twenties. He smiled at me. “Violet?” He asked, holding his hand out as if to shake mine.

I slowly nodded and grabbed his hand. He must be a shifter, I thought as he let go of my hand. This must have been the man that Tasha had talked to. “Your friend, Natasha called.” I felt another wave of relief wash over me. This was the man that I was supposed to be meeting. “She said you were interested in seeing the place?” I nodded again, not really sure what to say. He knew my name, even knew the name of my best friend, but I didn’t know his name. He chuckled to himself for a moment before he introduced himself. “Drake Evers.”

“Nice to meet you.” I finally managed to get out. Could he read minds?

“Ah! You do speak!” He said with a grin. “Come. I’ll bring you inside. Stay close so no one thinks you are free game.” His grin slipped off as he said this last part. I didn’t ask what he meant, nor did I want to know what he meant. I simply nodded and tried to stay close as he led me inside. The music got even louder, almost too loud. There were people dancing and drinking all over the place. Drake led me over to a bar, inviting me to stand next to him. “Would you like a drink?”

“Yes, please.”

He called to the bartender. “A beer, please.” He glanced at me. “Pick your poison.” He grinned cheekily.

“Just a rum and coke.” The bartender glanced at me a little longer than necessary, as if sensing that I wasn’t one of them, then went to make the drinks.

“Why did you want to see this old place?” He inquired as he sipped his beer.

“Oh, ya know.” I replied flippantly. What was I supposed to say? I was too chicken to ever want to see it myself, so my best friend had to set up a time for me to be a functioning member of society with a social life?

He laughed. “No, that would be why I asked. I know why others were curious. But why you? You don’t seem like someone who’s in it to gawk at us nonhuman citizens.”

I sipped my drink while I tried to find a way to respond. “You’re right. That’s not why I’m here.” I took another swig, hoping to have something better to say. “My friend, Tasha, she thought I’d be interested, is all.” I played with the napkin that the bartender had set down in front of me. “No reason, really.” I was hoping he wouldn’t think I was just another fan girl. “Besides, how do you know Natasha, anyway?”

He swigged some more of his beer. “I frequent the diner she waitresses at. Owed her a favor.”

I nodded. “That was nice of you.” I thought for a moment about what I wanted to ask next. I blurted it out before I lost my nerve. “So, correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m guessing you’re a shifter. What do you shift into, if you don’t mind my asking?”

He began to answer me, but then glanced over my shoulder. I turned around and found a man and a woman walking towards us. They were definitely Fae. Even in the darkly lit club, they seemed to glow with an unnatural shimmer. The woman had very long, very straight blonde hair and her skin had a blueish tint to it. Her violet eyes passed over me to Drake and she smiled. The man had short spiky hair, also a platinum blonde, his skin though had a blue-green tint to it, very subtle, almost as if his skin were reflecting the sea. He sneered at me briefly through eyes of ice blue and then he, too, passed over me.

“Drake!” The woman said, kissing him on both cheeks. “It’s been too long!” Drake reciprocated then went to shake the male Fae’s hand.

“Drake.” Said the man, shaking his hand.

Drake smiled politely. “Ivy, Crighton, always a pleasure.” He sat back down. “This is Violet.” He swept a hand towards me. I smiled and nodded my head.

Crighton looked me up and down, as if judging whether or not I was worthy enough to talk to. That was typical with the Fae. They didn’t think humans were worthy enough to kiss the soles of their boots. “So, consorting with humans, are we, Drake?” He looked away from me. “I thought you were better than that.” That was the other thing about Fae. They didn’t care who knew of their disdain.

I smiled awkwardly, and Drake cleared his throat. “Violet is a mutual friend.”

Ivy smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “I can see.” She stared at me coldly and then went back to Drake. “So, on to business. Any headway?”

Drake glanced at me for a second then back to Ivy. “Uh, no. Not yet. We’re still looking.”

Crighton’s expression turned dark. “People are dying, Evers! Our people! It’s not a game! If you can’t do this, I’ll find someone else who can.”

Drake looked tense. “I understand that. I’m working on it.” He took a long drink of his beer again. “This is not the time to discuss this.”

I felt awkward. I shouldn’t be here. This should obviously be a private conversation. I wondered if this was Ivy and Crighton’s way of telling me that I was an outsider, that I didn’t belong here. Well, luckily for them, I wouldn’t be here after tonight. I had decided that I wasn’t coming back. I took a drink of my coke. I was hoping that they would go away soon. I had planned to ask a few questions before heading out for the night.

The faces of the two Fae were dark and angry. “Be prepared for a lengthy inquisition.” Crighton threatened. He and Ivy turned around and stormed off.

Drake laughed awkwardly. “Sorry about them. They’re Fae and they’re…Ya know….” He looked to be searching for the right word.

“Snooty?” I suggested with a smile. “Pretentious?” I could supply more, but I didn’t think I should push his hospitality.

“Yeah. That.” He said with an amused grin. “But Ivy and Crighton have been acquaintances of mine for many years. I can’t just turn them away at will. It was a great insult to them that I put your company ahead of business.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. I finally settled on “I’m sorry.”

He waved it off. “Don’t be sorry. They knew better. That was a power trip.”

I hummed in response. “I thought that might be the case. If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to freshen up a bit.”

He nodded his head and pointed and then I made my way to the restroom. The hallway was quiet, not a soul was seen. Yet, it still felt like there were eyes everywhere. It was an uncomfortable feeling. I chalked it up to the location, being in a place where just about every person could kill you at the drop of a pin. When I passed a fourth door, I started to second guess my memory and ended walking into the wrong door. I would regret it for the rest of my life.

I’d opened what must have been a closet. But it not only had cleaning supplies in it, but a dead body in it as well.

Crighton’s dead body.

#writeblr #supernatural #shifters #faerie #vampires #fantasy #murder #tanya writes

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doctorlaelia-ffxiv · 6 years ago

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who tells your story

Claudia fae Caelius couldn’t remember most of the days that had passed over the last fortnight. All she was overwhelmingly aware of was the gnawing emptiness in her chest.

Her daughter’s funeral had been carried on with much pomp and circumstance that Laelia would have grimaced at and never would have wanted. Colleagues, professors, legionaries, nurses, doctors, friends, family -- people from all walks of life lined the halls of mourning. Claudia was like a woman frozen in time as they all passed her and wished her their condolences, told her the different ways that Laelia had touched them. Remus stood beside her, another pillar of ice, his face even stonier and more distant than it usually was. All that Claudia could clearly recall was the sennight before.

The man at the door hadn’t even been even to look her in the eyes when he declared that Laelia was now declared dead rather than missing. She remembered screaming and collapsing into her husband’s stiff arms as he began to thank the man for doing what he could, for delivering the news--

“She isn’t dead!” Claudia wailed, rounding on the man at their snowy doorway with wild eyes. “My child isn’t dead! She turned twenty four winters just a day ago-- I would feel it if she was gone. Find my daughter! Damn it! FIND MY DAUGHTER!”

She was dragged from the doorway by servants, still screaming at the messenger, a woman possessed.

Now, Claudia fae Caelius lay still in her bed and watched the snow gather on the windowsill of her empty bedroom. Remus was scarce since their daughter’s funeral, even scarcer than he usually was. He locked himself away in his study and looked over battle tactics, over maps that he and Laelia had shouted over when she was just a child, arguing against the actions of the Tribunus and his men with words and knowledge far beyond her tender years. Her temper flared in a way that left even her staunch mother standing in the doorway rather than join in, Laelia’s passion burning her from the inside out as she slammed her hands against her father’s desk and bore her eyes into his.

Passionate. Brilliant. Kind. Stubborn. If only she’d had more time... if she had more time, Claudia thought, Laelia would have taken the world by storm even more than she did at just her meager twenty four winters. That’s what she had always wanted. She had wanted more time to research, to study, to help everyone that she possibly could. Laelia poured herself into others and glowed with that passion rather than raged in her work. The youngest neurosurgeon that Garlemald had seen in decades, accomplished and intensely skilled, was Claudia fae Caelius’ only child.

She wished she had told her that she was proud of her. She had said it, of course, when the girl was accepted into the top medical university in the capitol at the tender age of thirteen. She had sung her praises to the heavens at the fantastic and fascinating brain that Laelia had. Claudia had told her she was proud of her every day of her life... but never in the right way.

“You’re honoring Garlemald. You’re honoring your family! I am so proud of you. You’ll bring glory upon our Empire every day that you breathe.”

You have accomplished so much by yourself. Your kindness leaves me in awe. Your resilience makes me swell with pride. And the way that your mind works makes me want to cry. I am so proud of you, my snowdrop. You have dreamed dreams that I never dared to speak. You have risen your voice against the injustice and cruelty you see in this Empire. Your softness has never been a weakness. It has only even been the most beautiful strength. I am so proud to call you my daughter, Laelia Caelius. I love you.

Her head turned to the letter she received in that morning, left laying upon the bed. Her hands shook as she picked it back up, eyes moving slowly across the page. Claudia’s mind struggled to wrap around the words, the lump in her throat rising and giving way to tears once more.

I knew your daughter.

Medicus Caelius was the head neurochirurgeon at the Castrum where she met her demise. I worked under her as a nurse. She was the one friend that an out of place conscript had in a place like that. She would speak in Doman to me. My family lived high in the mountains; we rarely heard or spoke Common. But Medicus Caelius spoke to me in my mother tongue so that I would understand. At every turn, she made every effort to make me comfortable and to protect me from the other doctors who would see me beaten when I did not understand.

When I saw her for the first time in the operating theater, I thought she must always be that intense and serious and focused. It was later that I saw that her defining characteristic was not focus, intensity, even her brilliance; it was her kindness. It was her passion and compassion. It was her refusal to be anything but good, no matter what the Empire demanded she do. It was her willingness to stand up and say no, to refuse, sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly.

The woman we experimented on was one from Hingashi, a young geisha they believed hosted a primal. The medicus protected her more fiercely than a mother would. She was smarter than the other doctors, even the overseeing chirurgeon. She knew how to make it look like her work was being done while ensuring that the Hingan woman could endure it. The two of them communicated in a way I cannot describe. It was signals, eye contact, certain touch; I wouldn’t learn until later that this silent language was communication on how the medicus would come to free this woman wrongly imprisoned in a laboratory. She asked how much she could endure, if she could keep pressing on until it was time. If the Hingan woman could not do another day of experiments, Medicus Caelius was always able to convince the other doctors that she needed a break or they’d see no results.

Later, she would come to me and the other conscripts and teach us that silent language in the dead of the night. One of the other nurses was a man from Doma who had followed the primus medicus from the battlefield. He would tell me about how she helped the rebels in our homeland, would patch up our soldiers and assist in getting us out of Garlean controlled land out to Hingashi. She brought new life into this world and saved lives in swamps and jungles and never complained, never told the Domans that their lack of trust in her was unjustified even if she had saved their lives. She took everything they threw at her and bore the brunt of their anger, only to move to a Castrum where she was even more closely watched, only to continue the rebellion.

When the Castrum came crumbling down at the hand of the Hingan woman demanding her freedom, Medicus Caelius - Laelia - stayed in the burning building and refused to leave until it had been cleared. I remember her taking my hand tightly in hers, covered in ash and burns, and her looking in my eyes.

“Run to the west. There’s an airship. You remember the airship we talked about. Go. Go! There’s no time!” she had said to me with the same intensity and urgency I had seen in the operating theater the first day she arrived. Only this time, she smiled at me. “I’ll see you again.”

Senator Caelius, you’re probably wondering why a stranger who was subjugated by your people is writing you this. It’s because Laelia saved my life and the lives of countless other people that day-- no, over the course of her entire career. She was selfless. I find myself afraid that your people will not tell her story correctly. They will not speak of her selflessness, of her rebellion, because they didn’t know it. Not like I -- we -- did. They didn’t even know her mind like we did. I write this letter with the help of several people she helped escape from Doma and to Hingashi. We live in Kugane and hear the stories of the medicus from even more refugees. Many of us are assisting in the Doman Restoration. It would not have been possible if your daughter -- if your Laelia -- had not been half the woman that she was.

I live indebted to her, to her kindness and ferocious strength that was often so quiet. People believe that if a person does not know how to fight, or if they are not loud and shouting and visible in all that they believe that they are not strong. Your daughter is the epitome of that not being true. Her heart was strong. Her mind was strong. She smiled in the face of tribulations and overcame them, no matter how difficult they were. I am pregnant, now, with my first child. I intend to name her after the medicus that saved my life, and the life of my husband -- the nurse that had followed her from the battlefield. He still has a scar on his spine from the surgery she conducted in the dead of night in enemy territory, saving him from becoming paralyzed.

This is the Laelia you deserve to remember. I hope you love this Laelia. I hope you love this madwoman who still worried she had not done enough while that Castrum burned. I hope in her last moments, she came to know that, yes, she had done enough. I pray for her spirit to rest and to find peace. As strong, as kind, as patient, as smart as she was, Laelia was haunted. You could see it in her eyes. Too young to have seen all that she had seen.

Senator Caelius, mourn. Mourn the loss of your child. But know how many lives she touched. Know the woman she was in the face of extreme challenges to her ethics and morals. She did not waver. She did not break. She stared in the face of men greater in position and age and refused to budge. Like a phoenix, she rose from the ashes each and every time. And... she loved you. She missed you. I can only believe that there are many pieces of you in her. Thank you, for Medicus Laelia lux Caelius.

Claudia pressed the letter to her chest and doubled over as she sobbed, nearly crushing the parchment in her hands in her desperation. If she pressed hard enough, she hoped the words would imprint into her skin, that the empty words others had offered of her daughter at her funeral would disappear in return. This was the truth of her child, who had never asked for anything and had given everything back to anyone who needed it.

“I am so proud of you,” she whispered to the paper, pressing her lips to it. “My snowdrop. My Laelia. You deserved so much more.”

#hey y'all laelia is pronounced DEAD in garlemald #ffxiv stories #writing #ff14 stories #ffxiv rp #doman #garlean #garlemald

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qmhansel-blog · 6 years ago

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The Faery Etiquette

1- Not giving fae your name. Even if you think that this fae can be trusted or it's not a fae that's known to want to hurt people, it's never a good idea to give a faerie your full name. They could give your name to someone else, there could be someone else listening, they could not be as nice as you thing, or they could be perfectly nice and do something they think is good for you but you view as harmful. As for why names are important, names- especially full names- are actually a pretty intimate detail. Think about it, when humans want to dedicate themselves to something, they sign their name on it. Not only can fae think you're agreeing to something by giving them your name or do something with your name, but they can also feel they're indebted to you in some cases. You don't want a fae owing you or trying to make good on a debt. You're better off giving them a nickname or an alias, preferably one you actually use, but don't use that often, and/or saying "Call me BLANK" instead of "my name's" or "I'm". That way you aren't lying, but it doesn't have the same sense of identity that your actual name has and there are less tricks to be played by any fae who know that name. For example let's say your name is Alexander, but you usually go by Alex. You run into a faerie in the woods and they ask you your name. Not telling them would be rude and we know what happens when you're rude to fae. Instead you should say they can call you "Al" or "Xander" or a computer handle or nickname that people don't call you out loud but is technically your name or that you do go by just not out loud.

2- The "thank you" one is not on it's own a good rule and is kind of dangerous on it's own, but it has a point. "Thank you" in a way is a suggestion of debt, and there is almost never a good time to say it to a faerie. That not to say you shouldn't give thanks to or show appreciation to a fae, but the specific words "Thank you" can be dangerous and even offensive when said to fae, and it's hard to explain. There's a certain intimacy and gravity to it. The only situation I've come across where it was comfortably excusable is when it's a protective fae usually living on the person's land. "Thanks", "Thanks so much", "you have my thanks", "That was very nice/generous/sweet of you" are safer alternatives, but still should not be said to excess. Faeries don't do things to be thanked, they do things because they want to or they feel it's right; and they tend to be very annoyed with how easily humans throw around their thanks. Honestly, if you feel indebted to a faerie folk, the best thing you can do is leave a gift where you met them.

3- You usually shouldn't ask for a faerie's name. Like I said names are quite valuable, and asking for their name can imply a debt or even be offensive. Usually they'll give you their name once they know yours, it often won't be their real name but it works all the same much like the first rule, which is another reason you shouldn't give them your full real name. If certain boundaries have already been breached by the faerie, (as in they're in your house, they've lead you off into the middle of nowhere, they have you more or less cornered, etc) it's acceptable to ask them their name along with other more useful questions in trying to gather their intent. Usually though, you'll get a more honest less violent answer by asking a broader question like "Who are you?".

4- Don't trust faeries is kind of right and wrong too. Plenty of faerie are perfectly harmless and completely trustworthy and many like to be nice and helpful to humans. But that being said, they are a different being all together and live in a very different context than humans and often don't understand humans at all. They can think they're being nice, or they can think it's okay to not tell the whole truth because they think it's not a big deal, even if it has a severe impact on the person that they hardly even comprehend. The best way to explain it is a conversation my mother and I once had "Hey mom, do you think that the lady of the lake would help someone get back to their realm since she can use lakes as portals?" "Well, she could..." "Could she get them there alive, without them drowning?" "I don't think she'd really care if she got them there alive. She wouldn't understand the problem with not getting there alive. She'd figure them and their souls got back home, so it's fine. Yeah, 'but their dead', but she wouldn't understand what the issue was with them being dead."

5- This one is tough. While you should be very careful going anywhere with anyone, especially a faerie, I'd be hard pressed to say Never go anywhere with one. But you should be very very cautious about following fae. First, of course, do not follow them without permission. Secondly, slow it down, ask "Before we go anywhere, I want to ask you a few questions. Will you answer them?" If they say no, say you won't go then, and walk away if you're able. If they say yes, question them. Where do you want to take me? Will you promise my safety? Will I be hurt? Will I die? Will I be allowed to come back? I need to return here by [specific time/event later]. I can only go if you promise to bring me back by then if I so wish. Do you give your word you'll bring me back if I ask you to? If they give favorable answers, and you chose to go with them, if they made promises to you, YOU MUST TRUST THEM COMPLETELY. If you don't put your trust in them but accept those promises and go with them, they do not have to keep those promises and don't have to keep true to anything they told you. If you have any doubt you shouldn't go with them. If you choose not to go with them you should tell them very firmly "I'm sorry

but I will not follow you."

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spiritionary · 8 years ago

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Fae Facts - Refactored

So I caught wind of a discussion of “Fae facts” that were listed on the web, and what was true and what was not on it, and I’ve decided to write an article about it from the fae perspective…

‘Fae’ range from anything like goblins and imps to the little pixies with the wings that everyone associated with fairies to the seven-foot tall members of the royal courts. some even consider the banshee to be fae. (also trolls, gnomes, elves, djinn, dwarves, leprechauns, will-o-wisps, etc.)

Partially true. There are actually many more fae than mortals can imagine. There are fae unicorns (though not all unicorns are fae), merfolk are fae, there are some mortal species that can become partially fae (like changelings) and there are fae that no mortal has ever even heard of. Additionally other cultures have fae under other names and courts, such as yokai, spirits (tho not all spirits are fae), and others. Fae exist all over the world, in different cultures, with different names, and often their own Courts.

Some think the fae are evil, some think they are fallen angels, but most are considered to be a chaotic neutral force. some might call this ‘whimsically evil.’

False. Angels/Demons and fae are not related. We generally come from nature or Faerie, and the angels and demons are created directly by a divine being for a purpose. Also our ‘alignments’ are all over the map, just like mortals.

Honey makes them drunk.

Mostly False. Honey is the base for honey mead. Honey mead is the base for Faerie wine. Honey has more of an ‘effect on us’, but it doesn’t generally make us drunk. We however do make the Best Wine fron it.

Iron poisons them, as it does many magical beings.

True. Almost all the fae I know have some reaction to iron.

Some were-creatures were probably just fae in disguise, since fae can assume any form.

Somewhat true. Not all fae can shapeshift, but some were-creatures are fae. Not all fae that can shapeshift can take any form, but some can. I can’t take the form of a human (at least as fae), and the number of animals I can turn into… well that’s not unlimited either, but it is alot. Also fae shapeshifters usually have a base form that they prefer. Sometimes that is called their ‘sleeping form’ because some can’t maintain it when they sleep.

They sometimes lure humans with music that makes them want to follow and dance. They have to dance for what feels like a year and a day but it’s actually only seconds.

False. This is the other way around, please see my article on faerie rings. If you enter a faerie ring, and dance for a day, when you exit (on average) a year will have passed. If you have danced with the fae in one of these rings for a year and a day, don’t return to Earth as you’re already dead there.

True names of the fae have power over them. they often use aliases when dealing with non-fae.

True.

Some people are gifted with fae sight, which allows them to see the fae and also sometimes peeks into the future through their dreams.

Partially true. Except that those people who have ‘fae sight’ are usually partially fae themselves. Also it gives no insight into the future. However they are easily able to travel to Faerie in their dreams.

Cats hate the fae, and the fae hate them back.

False. Some fae ride cats around. Some fae become cats, particularly when they want to become a witches’ familiar. Pixies have the most trouble with cats, because cats think they are moths and chase them around. But in general, the cats just want to play, and are not hated by pixies for this.

Iron horseshoes over the door can act as a fae deterrent.

Partially true. Also other things can deter fae, like salt. Why would you want to do this?

They sometimes kidnap human children and leave their own children or elderly behind. these are called changelings.

True. It still happens today. Additionally some fae end up incarnated into mortal bodies, by choice, obligation or force. These are also considered changelings. In a society that denies fae exist for the most part, those changelings may not know about their true nature right away. Changelings and faekin are functionally similar.

Fae are generous with gifts, especially for polite people, but prefer gifts in return.

True. But should this be considered unusual?

That being said, better to avoid accepting gifts. You probably don’t have enough to pay them back. By saying ‘thank you,’ you acknowledge that a gift was given and that you now owe something in return. Being indebted to the fae = bad time.

Partially true. Often mortals do not understand the value of what is given. It will help, if you are going to ask a fae for something, to have the payment already in hand. Then we will know how much of it you want in advance.

Fae can’t lie, but truth and honesty aren’t always the same.

Partially false. Fae can lie, we usually won’t. Not only are lies draining to maintain, but why would we bother? I don’t lie.

Asking for a favor will cause offense. Make it seem like it’s their idea to help you.

Partially true. Don’t just come to us to ask for favors all the time, what would you think about another mortal that did this?

Most things offend them, actually.

Mostly untrue, although the idea that mortals think everything offends us, is offensive…

Some fae can smell a lie. there’s no way of knowing which ones unless they tell you.

True. Actually most of us can tell when we’re being lied to. But again is this unusual?

Fae use ‘glamour’ to hide their appearance or habitations around humans. ‘Glamour’ can be gifted for use by humans.

True. Also you all can learn glamour on your own if you put some effort into it.

It’s better for fae to have half-breed children than no children at all, so relationships with humans are fine. It just rarely works out fine for the human.

Partially true. There are plenty of fae changelings in the mortal realm, even today. But there is very little reason it can’t work out fine for mortals to have these children.

Iron, salt, and bread (any kind) will ward fae away. so will rowan and hazel.

Partially true. Iron, yes; Salt, conditionally yes; Bread, no; Rowan, yes; Hazel, no.

Rowan and iron will ward most bad things away, actually.

And I guess good things too. I don’t like where some of these facts are going.

Ringing church bells at dawn and dusk will drive fae and/or changelings from your village.

Mostly false. Though most of us aren’t a big fan of churches.

Alternately, cream and butter and cakes (not bread!!) will attract them.

? … Well I like cream and butter and cakes. There’s nothing wrong with bread. What were people putting in their bread back in the old days?

They have many names. fair folk, the good people, the gentry, the wee folk. my favorite is the good neighbors.

True. And even more names than that. Humans have 1100 distinct languages and a word for us in most of them.

There are places where the veil between worlds is thinner, and these places see more fae. Ireland is said to be one. transient places (crossroads and bus stops etc.) are said to be another.

True. Also see ‘liminal spaces’.

Musicians are often taken to their world. they may come back but they won’t be the same.

Partially true. Sometimes mortals wander into our world, attracted to what we’re doing. Sometimes musicians hear the music and come. If you come to Faerie long enough, you’ll become fae. It can’t be helped. But there’s really no discrimination.

Adder stones (also called hag stones, witch stones, snake eggs, adderstanes) can reveal fairy or witch traps if seen through the hole in the stone. You can’t trick an adder stone.

Probably true. Though this presumes the fae and witches set traps for humans in the first place…

The fae are highly sexed. Orgies are common.

Mostly true. There are exceptions as always. The fae tend to love first and ask questions later. We can fall in love immediately with someone with a spirit that attracts us. We don’t need your ‘spin-up’ time.

Random body pains were attributed to the fae. this was called elf shot.

Mostly false. Random body pains can be attributed to any type of magick, energetic or psionic attack. Check your shields.

Tangled hair in the morning was also considered their fault. this was called elf locks.

Usually false. Though pixies playing in your hair at night is not unheard of.

Consumption (tuberculosis) was attributed to the fae as well, for forcing young men and women to dance all night.

False. I think this goes without saying.

Basically if you were sick and there was no cure, blame the fae.

LOL. Mortals blame everything on everything but themselves…

Alchemists sometimes called on certain fae to assist them. No word on how well this worked out for them.

True. So do witches. So do other types of magick practitioners. Sometimes we even teach things. It worked out well for most. It depends on whether you want to learn our arts or just depend on us to do our arts for you. Don’t be lazy.

Millers were thought to be ‘no canny,’ which means in league with the fae, owing to their ability to control elements. (fire in the kiln, water for the burn, wind for the mill, general control of machinery)

Mostly true. Except any practitioner of any trade can have a relationship with the fae in their work. The closer to nature you work, however, the more you can expect the fae to be involved.

If you know a fae’s true name, you can summon them at any time to do your bidding. But this is a double edged sword. If they learn your true name, they enslave you right back, and the things they do would be far worse than anything you could think of.

Partially true. No right-minded fae is going to give you their true name. If you find it out, however, and never abuse that power, no harm no foul. If you begin to abuse it, though, then it’s only prudent to learn yours and get you to stop. Most of the people who have formed the foundation of this ‘fact’ abused a fae’s name.

Some myths have lesser fae paying a tithe (a tiende) to their royals. Some myths have them paying this tithe directly to hell.

Partially true. Some Courts have taxes. I mean, castles don’t defend themselves and if courts don’t have reasonable resources to solve the Big Problems then the Court doesn’t really work. This being said, we bear no association with the mortal concept of Heaven or Hell and we certainly do not send energy or mammon to their leadership.

Mortal midwives were sometimes summoned to the fae realm to assist in the birth of another kidnapped mortal woman. They sometimes offer an ointment for use on the baby. if the midwife uses it herself, she will gain fae sight.

Partially true. She will become partially fae. Hopefully that’s what she was going for. If you’re going to do this, at least split it between you and the baby. Why would you want to hurt the baby?

Lesser fae can die or be killed. To witness one of these funerals is bad omen.

Partially true. Its pretty hard to truly kill a ‘lesser fae’. Even changelings spirits will return to Faerie. It’s not impossible though. If you’re witnessing one of these funerals, you’re probably already fae. Take that as you will.

Credit and references are given to the following sites for being the source of this list:

https://faerielore.tumblr.com/post/162470095402/starbiter-some-fae-facts-from-lore-pt-2-pt-1

http://starbiter.tumblr.com/post/157281741328/some-fae-facts-from-lore-fae-range-from-anything

~ @alynnafoxie

---> Have questions? Send them to us at SpiritFAQ!

#faefolk #fae #faeries #neutral #faefacts #factchecking #nature #spirits #submission #alynnafoxie #primcon

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elsewhereuniversity · 8 years ago

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Your comic is amazing, clearly inspiring hundreds (and maybe even thousands) of people, myself included.

It got me thinking, judging how mostly successful Elsewhere University is for the Fae, that other lessor courts would do similar things at other universities, some more successful than others. Possibly even forming rivalries between the courts/schools.

This is just a quick set up of one other university, doing things somewhat differently than Elsewhere, but the game and the rules of the Fae are still the same.

—–

Elsewhere University is not the only University of its type.

The University of Fairfield

The University of Fairfield is old, established sometime before the Industrial Revolution.

Fairfield is named such due to its location, an open field where the weather is somehow always fair: sunny, a few clouds, a light breeze.

The founders of the school had not done their research. Or perhaps they were otherwise influenced. For Fairfield has its name for another reason.

It is home to a court of Fairfolk. (make no mistake it is no field, it is a fairy hill with old and strong magic to appear not as such)

The University of Fairfield was small, only a couple of buildings built upon the land of the Fairfolk. (although the silly mortal humans did not realize their error until it was too late) They had failed to ask for permission to build, but the Fairfolk let them, thus a favored was owed. The price of that favor was people, regularly. So people went missing and some, not all, came back and they came back changed. Some clearly fae-touched, others simply charmed, most just scarred from the experience.

Officially the University of Fairfield did not even last a decade, shutting down and closing after a couple of years.

Unofficially, the University of Fairfield still operates to this day. Those that didn’t (read couldn’t) leave, kept the University in some form of operational, just enough to bring students in for the Fairfolk. For those that had returned to the world of mortals owed many favors to the Fairfolk. In the early years they would simply lead travelers off the beaten path to Fairfield, some would conscript letters and mail them out to colleagues as there were notable professors that had been charmed and indebted. This kept enough mortals coming in to see the University of Fairfield survive to modern day.

The Fairfolk of Fairfield had heard of Elsewhere University, easily able to identify the work of their own. It was only recently (read the last fifty years or so) that They decided to contribute to the maintenance and upkeep of the University of Fairfield. With college being something that each coming generation was expected to go to more and more, it would be most profitable for the Fairfolk of Fairfield to revive the University of Fairfield. College students were so desperate and most were easy pickings, much of Fairfolk Lore and Myth had fallen to the wayside with the industrial revolution, technology, and the prevalence of iron.

But Fairfolk cannot lie. And the University of Fairfield was barely a university any more. So first the Fairfolk tricked professors, administrative staff, and the like into coming to Fairfield.

Fairfolk cannot lie, only distort the truth and twist their words. But the humans charmed and indebted to them could. History was edited (falsified) by these mortals. The University of Fairfield had not closed, it merely shifted from a Public Institution to a Private, Invite-Only University. Records were created from nothing, prestigious and important individuals that were alumni of the University of Fairfield. Lies and lies and lies, but none from the Fairfolk as the Fairfolk cannot lie. But they can make those who owe them favors, who they’ve rightfully charmed by their rules, lie.

The Fairfolk of Fairfield used up most of the favors owed to them and the mortals charmed to be theirs withered. But this did not concern them. Mortals always die. There are always more mortals. And They were set to receive a new string of mortals every year, new and eager students. They already had replaced the staff, professors and administrators alike, making the University of Fairfield a University once more.

Invitational letters are sent out, only in the hundreds, every year, for the Fairfolk know only a small few will ever not end up attending the University of Fairfield. And those that do not, do not remember their invitations. Glamours are used to make everything look official or to tantalize (trick) prospective students into coming. Some letters offer full rides, Fairfolk know how desperate youth are to attend school at the cheapest cost. (a full ride counts as a favor and thus the students who accept owe the Fairfolk a favor back) Some letters include a small snack or treat. (free food is a great way to get students, they never turn it down) Some letters need not include any trickery, the mere prestige of the school is incentive enough. A very small number of letters are sent out in response to letters received by the school, usually some youth pleading to attend the university (though there have been some professors and staff and even some nontraditional students over the years).

And price (money) never seems to be an issue. (the other price, that on the other hand is hard learned by the students) For students who wish to attend, there are plenty of scholarships. And there are always wealthy students from old money. (old enough money to know better than to send their children to such a school but do so anyway)

Dropout rates are unusually high. But are merely written off as a prestigious university with high standards (the highest), not everyone is suited to such rigorous demands. After all, the University of Fairfield prides itself on being fair (in its invitation process and nothing more) and thus invites people of all backgrounds and standings. Only students who have earned (survived four years living near, around, and with the Fairfolk) their prestige degree receive it. The University also prides itself on its perfect four year graduation average. (the Fairfolk of Fairfield tire of the students quickly, this four year graduation pattern keeps things interesting enough for them)

The Fairfolk of Fairfield do not have near as much as experience dealing with mortals and humans as the Fairfolk of Elsewhere but they are learning. Just recently they put out a contract, looking for construction work to expand the university. The University of Fairfield is looking to leave a greener future for those who follow, insisting that construction must be down with environmental friendly materials, smart plastics and the like. (the Fairfolk only minimally care about the health of the mortal world, they’re much more concerned with keeping iron far, far away)

——

A Student’s Take on the University of Fairfield

The University of Fairfield is old and prestigious, more so than most prestige school as it’s invitation only.

Every year, a few hundred students from around the world are invited to attend. It would seem all invited accept. I mean why not, it’s a prestigious school with great programs for just about any major. (But I warn you, heed the hushed whispers of students and the cryptic messages of the professors) I suppose, though this upcoming year will have many more new students in attendance, as the expansion construction is set to be finished and ready to be used by then. I doubt the university will invite transfers, which means the population will be majority of freshman. But that’ll even out over time.

The dropout rate is high, the university doesn’t believe in anyone falling behind the four year track. If you cannot be in and out in four years, this university is not for you. The coursework is hard and rigorous as expected. Also it is college and things happen, experiences you’ll never forget and ones you can never remember. Most professors do their best to be understanding.

Most students go “missing” at one point or another, they’re usually found a couple of days later having been on a studying binge or a break. If not, they usually turn up by the end of the year, ready to drop out. Common locations of these “disappearances” include the deep corners of the library, the basement laundry room, the greenhouse, and the north quad on nights of the new moon.

Also, memorize your student ID number. That and a couple of nicknames you don’t mind being called. It’s university tradition, college is a time to explore your identity and what not, people will refuse to call you by your name so it’s best you come up with a nickname or two you like or risk being called whatever people come up with for you. Another tradition is during the first week for everyone to be handed packets of salt at random. Just take them, shove ‘em in your pocket (remember to take them out when washing your clothes) and carry them with you. It started as a prank, a couple of students wanted to see if they could actually get people to carry around salt and now it stuck. You only have to do it for four years (or less if you dropout).

You can learn a lot while you’re here. Just be careful and wise about. Take precautions, do work ahead of time, don’t dive head first into college life, and be kind to everyone and everything, favors are powerful things. And as a growing adult, you’re bound to screw up at least once.

Overall, it’s a university. Engineering majors are doing god knows what at all hours. Biology majors are a little too curious sometimes. Psych majors will evaluate your mental health at random. Art majors are all over the place, they can be found anywhere and everywhere at any and every time. When you come across one, just gently pat them on the shoulder and maybe direct them to coffee. English majors will be reciting lyrics, poems, plays, and quotes at any and all times. Smile and nod, give a couple of small claps for a particularly rousing recitation and move on. Though theater majors belong in the theater, you will probably see them there rarely. Some say it’s because their creativity and their art cannot be contained, others because they’re tired of being stuck inside all day.

Don’t look too closely at majors other than your own, keep your friend groups small and tight. Keep your secrets close. Oh, and you’re gonna need a lot of butter and cream, just trust me on this one.

Most importantly:

The University of Fairfield has rules. The University of Fairfield has rules.

You must be the smartest, the cleverest, the bravest, the strongest to survive. And even then, it’s not guaranteed.

(x)

I love this it’s a ghost town and an elaborate scam at once

#adannyontheinternet #the university of fairfield #stories #submission

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mor-rigan · 8 years ago

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Part 2 for the ToG AU! I just briefly edited this, so please forgive any errors. Prompt by @aelinsassryvergalathynius Also tagging: @underthe-mountain @theassassinsbooks @aelin-firebreathingbitchqueen

Family Ties

Celaena walked through Rifthold, looking through shop windows to pass the time. She’d told herself when she left the castle that she was just getting some new clothes for her voyage, but it had turned into a book haul for the voyage instead. Along with various chocolates and sweets she’d seen walking through town. She snacked on a bag of chocolate truffles as she walked.

Her mind was every where. The trip to Wendlyn, Aedion’s sudden appearance at the glass castle, and how exactly she planned on disappearing in the time she was gone. It wouldn’t be easy, especially since the Fae Queen, Maeve, lived across the sea—who had been adamant of meeting Celaena when she was a child.

Then there was the fact that magic still existed across the sea. Imagining her destructive powers given life again made her stomach uneasy. And suddenly the chocolates didn’t taste as good. She tied off the bag, then placed it in the bag holding her books.

As she turned back for the castle, she thought of Aedion again. How it had been nearly a week since their reunion—and how much he must loathe her. Ten years since her disappearance and acclaimed death, and all she gave him was threats from the Captain of the Guard. And even despite his threats, she knew they weren’t necessary. Aedion knew when to back off when told. At least, he’d been that way when they were young.

It would have been easier, Celaena decided, if she really had died all those years ago. That way she wouldn’t have to live a lie and push her last living family away. How cruel the gods were.

Celaena reached the castle and ignored everything as she went up to her rooms. She packed her books amongst all her other things that she was taking to Wendlyn, though it was a small bag no good for more than one day of clothing. Dinner was served in her rooms, which she quickly ate, then got in the bath to prepare for bed.

Nightmares roused Celaena from sleep. She awoke in cold sweat—the images of Nehemia’s body and the ridderak still fresh behind her eyelids every time she blinked. Her heart rate was through the roof and her breathing ragged. It was all she had not to vomit or cry as she calmed herself. A chill snaked through her, making her shiver.

She looked to the tapestry that covered the secret entryway, as if a phantom draft came from there. Memories of the hallways beyond had Celaena getting her dressing gown on and leaving her rooms, despite the moon still being high in the sky.

The castle was empty, save the guards at their normal posts. Not even late working servants scurried about. Celaena was thankful for this as she emerged into the gardens. The flowers and bushes bathed in the moon eased her mind as she ignored the clock tower. It was warm and peaceful out here. She found herself effectively relaxed.

Her bare feet padded on the stones, barely making a sound. Crickets chirped nearby, and—footsteps thudded in front of her. A guard changing shifts, she tried to tell herself. But when a familiar blonde head came into view, she froze.

When Aedion saw her, as well, he stopped in his tracks, too. Celaena contemplated running again, but what would be the point? She at least owed him an explanation. And after seeing the hope on his face, even from this distance…

For the first time in ten years, Celaena ran to her cousin and wrapped her arms around him in a crushing hug. Tears flowed freely from her eyes when he returned the hug. Such relief with his presence and his smell of home—of Terrasen.

When they separated, Aedion went to say something, but Celaena whispered, “Not here. There are guards close by. Follow me.” She led them inside and to a servant’s door.

Once Celaena was sure no one was listening, she turned to Aedion as he closed the door behind him. The hallway was dimly lit, but it was enough. Where did she even begin?

Instead, Aedion spoke, “I…I can’t believe you’re alive, Aelin.” And there it was. Her past and all the rest of her nightmares crashed into her at the sound of that name. Celaena swallowed thrice while avoiding his eyes—tears sliding down her cheeks.

“Don’t,” she choked out, “Don’t say that.” Her heart was heavy as she finally looked to her cousin. The shock on his face was enough to make more tears pour from her eyes.

“What? You mean your name?” Aedion wasn’t demanding or rude, but Celaena flinched at his words. She wrapped her arms around herself. She hadn’t imagined it would be this hard to talk to him.

“That hasn’t been my name for ten years, Aedion. And I don’t want it to be my name,” Celaena said firmly. There were so many emotions on Aedion’s face that it was hard to read.

“What are you talking about? You don’t want your father’s name, or your uncle’s? With you, we could go back to Terrasen and—”

“And what?” Celaena snapped. She tried not to cower at the mention of her father and uncle. “There’s nothing we can do, Aedion. Even if I wanted the throne and that title, there’s no court, no army, and no money. We—I have nothing in Terrasen anymore. And no offense, but no matter how good a warrior you are, you can’t take Adarlan’s army on your own.”

Aedion couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I have the Bane, and you used to be an assassin. You’ve got to have ties somewhere.”

“I don’t want ties or to be indebted to anyone ever again,” Celaena said through her teeth. She tried not to think of Arobynn, and the hell she’d been put through because of him.

Aedion ran his hands through his hair. “Aelin, we could do this—”

“No.”

“I don’t underst—”

“I can’t.” Celaena was being to become frustrated. She felt the outburst coming.

“Why? Just tell me why then—”

“Because I’m going to Wendlyn!” She shouted, then dropped her voice to a practical growl, “And I’m never coming back to this hell.” Rivers of tears poured down her face.

Aedion’s eyes widened. “Are you insane? What’s in Wendlyn for you besides an ancient Fae Queen that your mother tried to keep you away from—”

“I don’t care. I haven’t cared for a long time, Aedion. Caring about the past doesn’t change anything or bring anyone back. My parents are still dead, Uncle Orlon is still dead, and Terrasen believes me to be, too. It’s best it stay that way.” Celaena cried.

Aedion looked at his cousin in complete sorrow. He saw it now—how broken she was and just how much weight was stacked on her shoulders over the past ten years. They were practically the same. Both having to serve the kingdom that slaughtered their family. And Aelin was right: they couldn’t do anything about it. Despite everything, he couldn’t bring himself to blame her for leaving for good.

“I will always support you, Aelin. And if things ever change, or if they don’t, I’ll find you in Wendlyn some day. Though I hope you’ll come back home. At least for me.” Aedion brought his cousin into his embrace, and she hugged him back.

Deep down, though, they both knew it would take a blessing that no god could provide for things to go back to the way they were before their kingdom fell. No, it would need nothing short of a miracle that could rattle the stars.

#aelin ashryver galathynius #celaena sardothien #aedion ashryver #tog #hof #au #my writing #mine

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seokjinsdisciple · 4 years ago

Text

It’s a Deal - four

supernatural! johnny x reader x jaehyun, mate!au

so we have SOME answers,,, but tbh they raise more questions

Word Count: 1.2k

tags: @thatonekpopsweater, @yunception, @yourchasingsunsetslove

send me a dm or an ask to be on the taglist

warnings: language, supernatural stuff, kinda angsty

series masterlist

You sat on Jaehyun’s lap on a throne made entirely of gold. If you had told someone this yesterday, they would have been jealous. But you were considering the circumstances, and the fact that these two fae men and their stupid faces had a way of making you lower your guard, which in turn, made you get tricked. Bamboozled. Whatever other adjective that could describe the betrayal you had felt from Jaehyun. Whom you had clearly trusted too much.

Jaehyun’s arms wrapped around your waist tightly, too tightly. It felt as though he was trying to suffocate you, a feeling that only made you more panicky. Your thoughts raced, causing you to not truly paying attention to your surroundings. What the hell had just happened. What idiotic thought had crossed through Jaehyun’s head? Was this all to make Johnny jealous? By the way his gaze was boring into the side of your face, Jaehyun’s plan had worked. If that was even his plan at all.

You let out a sigh, willing your brain to stop thinking about this situation because it only made you more confused. You tried to focus on the present, noticing that the chatter from before was back in full swing, fae laughing and talking as if a bomb hadn’t just been dropped. You also noticed that members of the royal family had gotten from their seats. This was your chance to get some answers and confront Jaehyun.

You stood quickly, yanking Jaehyun as hard as you could in order to drag him into the hallway behind you. Your initial shock was long gone, and rage coursed through you.

“Jaehyun, what the FUCK?” You yelled, loud enough for him to shush you and drag you into a room nearby.

You were ready to repeat yourself, and had a few choice words in mind for telling this stupidly handsome boy off. However, Johnny was hot on your heels. He had followed the two of you into the room, and immediately strode over to you.

“What the hell have you done, you stupid arrogant boy,” Johnny seethed, his arm yanking you away from Jaehyun and against his own chest. He wrapped an arm tightly around your waist, as if he was afraid you were about to bolt out of the castle. Which, to be fair, had crossed your mind more than once in the span of five minutes.

“You asked me to protect her,” Jaehyun said simply, “You never specified how.”

“Announcing her to be your wife in front of all of the foreign dignitaries we have sure as hell isn’t keeping her safe. Doyoung probably has already heard the news, and you really think he won’t hesitate to kill a mortal girl?”

“Relax brother, Doyoung wouldn’t dare do anything right now. After his failed attack this week he has lost confidence.”

“Don’t tell me to relax.” Johnny spoke, fingers digging further into your stomach. The slight pain brings you out of your thoughts and back into… well whatever was going on right now.

“What the hell is going on?” you asked, eyes locking on Jaehyun as you pried Johnny’s hands from your waist.

“You can’t refuse me pet, you owe me, you’re indebted to me.”

You felt a growl leave Johnny’s throat at that, his arms finding their way back around your torso, despite your protests.

“YN, where did you get the dress?” Johnny asked, carefully leveling his voice to try not to break away from you and rip Jaehyun to shreds.

“What?” Jaehyun just smirked, “You get to make unfair deals but I can’t make one? We agreed to play a game Johnny. And you cheated. You can’t possibly expect me not to even the playing field.”

“We didn’t agree to play a game,” Johnny snarled, “You promised to help me… find her.”

You had had enough. Yes, the two men’s glares were enough to scare you, but you were getting angry at the way they were speaking about you.

“I am not some chess piece,” you muttered, tearing yourself out of Johnny's grasp once again, “I am not some game the two of you can play or whatever. This is my life you are talking about. Protecting me is none of your concern, Johnny.”

You spun to face Johnny, your anger fueling you, “I am not your love, I am not your girlfriend, the only reason we are dating is because you tricked me. And Jaehyun, where do I even start?” you twirled on your heels, facing him.

“You can't just decide you get to marry me. I don't care what I owe you, or what debt needs to be paid. I am so fucking pissed at both of you. I may just be some dumb, weak human girl to you, but I will not just sit here and look pretty while you destroy my life.”

“Love,” Johnny tried to grab your arm, but you yanked it from his grasp. You almost, almost, felt bad for the hurt look that crossed his face.

“I already said that I am not your love,” you glared at him, “Now one of you is taking me to that portal and BOTH of you will be leaving me the fuck alone.”

Johnny just sighed, but took your hand anyways, “Fine, I’ll take you to the portal,” he glared at Jaehyun before adding, “You and I will talk about this later.”

“Whatever brother, but you’ll miss out on my engagement party.”

Johnny started dragging you behind him with that, totally convinced you would kill his brother before he got the chance to. He still called out to the man behind him though, the mischievous smile not quite reaching his eyes, “If I had known that's what this party was for, I wouldn’t have attended anyways.”

Johnny just smirked as you landed a hit to his shoulder, causing you to scoff as he dragged you through the halls of the palace. The two of you made your way way outside of the constricting palace walls. You had found them so beautiful when you had first arrived, but now as you gazed upon the white stone all you felt was helpless. What if you really did have to marry Jaehyun? And who the hell were they trying to protect you from?

“Johnny?” you asked, hoping that he would give you some answers, “Why’d you want Jaehyun to protect me?”

“Our kingdom is in the beginning stages of war. I figured Jaehyun being the crowned prince was the best bet to make sure you weren’t harmed. But of course the idiot did something to put you in more danger. By tomorrow every fae in these lands will know your name. And that’s dangerous.”

“I don’t understand why I would be in danger. I mean I’m just a regular girl.”

“You are anything but regular to me,” he smiled sadly, before clearing his throat and swiping his hand across the air in front of you. The portal back home opened, “Alright, well, this is your stop.”

You tried to fight the grin from your face, but you were exhausted, and frankly you were over caring what these men thought of you. You were about to go through the portal when Johnny grabbed your shoulder.

“YN,” he started, “I’m really sorry about the bargain, and if I could take it back I would. I just thought it would help protect you. As for Jaehyun, I’ll try my best to get him to change the terms of his debt, but he’s stubborn, and faerie laws are hard to change.”

You just nodded, confused as to where this nice attitude was coming from.

“Thank you,” you whispered, not waiting for a response before stepping into the portal in front of you.

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