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harrystylesfan2686 · 2 months

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Jealous

Pairing: Rhysand x Reader

Summary:Rhsyand reacts to you giving Helion the attention he wants.

A/N: hehe First ask! I hope you like this!! @dragon-grisha-fae

Dialogue prompts Masterlist

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You were at the High Lords meeting with Rhysand. As a part of the Inner Circle, you are to be there and with the coldest persona as a mask of Night Court. Everyone else puts it on, not letting anyone see their actual personality, but not you. No. You are all happy and talking with everyone, still rude to the people who deserve it, but overall, no.

You feel Rhysand's glare at the back of your head while talking with Helion and ignore it. It's the ending of the meeting, several people have already left but you just couldn't leave without talking to Helion first. He is your actual High Lord after all. You having come from Day Court at his command as his emmesary to Nigh Court 'to straighten the bond between the two courts' as he said.

You were angry him at first, almost throwing a tantrum but refrained for for you dignity. You heard all about the cruelties of Night Court and were scared to go there, not that you would ever admit. You had especially requested to saty at Valaris if you had to, and rejected all the options that included going to the Court of Nightmares, which irritated Rhysand.

When you realized that you rather enjoyed the irritated and unhinged look on Rhysand, you made it your life mission to anger the hel out of him. It's not like he could throw you out, you were a important person.

So now, you go against every order he gives. Doesn't matter if he's your high lord, you'll still disobey him. It's how it's always been between the two of you. You never listen to anything he says and he keeps trying to get you to.

Helion and you laugh loudly at his joke, which gains you looks from the other people surrounding the room. You hear someone clear a throat behind you and turn to look at Rhysand who has a weird expression on his face."As sadden as I am to intrupt you two catching up, I'm afraid we have to go."

"Already, Rhysand?" Helion raises an eyebrow at the two of you and you sigh. Rhysand nods and you stay silent, glaring at him as he and Helion exchange goodbyes.

"Alright, then. Goodbye Y/N." Helion turns to you and you instanty beam at him with the brightest smile as he kisses your cheek. You then follow Rhysand to the rest of your group. You eye him from the conner of your eye because he's glaring ahead at nothing.

You try to think back of any moment that would've happened durning the meeting that upset him but can't think of anything. When you are all back at Velaris, in Rhysand's office, discussing notes of the conversations. You try to add something to the current topic and Rhysand scoffs, saying, "I didn't know you were paying attention while giggling with Helion all day."

You are caught off guard and can't do anything but stare at him in confusion for a second but gather yourself quickly and respond with a smirk, "Why? Are you jealous?"

He scoffs but thankfully stays silent for the rest of the evening. When the inner circle meeting is over and every body leaves except for you and him. You are sorting through some papers when you accidentally knock down the pen stand to the floor.

You sigh and bend to clean the mess you made at the same time you hear Rhysand say under his breath, "For gods' sake, can't you do anything properly." You freeze and wonder if he actually said it. You stand and turn to him,"What's gotten into you?" He doesn't even look at you as he says,"Whatever do you mean."

"You have been scoffing and huffing over day when I haven't even done anything to you." Your brows furrow in anger. He rolls his eyes.

"Rhysand!" You yell when he doesn't say anything.

"What?!" He finally looks at you.

"What is your problem?"

You watch him clench his jaw so hard, you think he'll break. After a minute of you keeping your eyes on one another in anger, he closes his eyes in annoyance and finally says,"You- smiled at him."

You blink.

He sighs again and stands up, taking a step toward you, he says in a lot calmer tone. "You smiled at him. You never smile at me." Your eyes widen in realisation.

"No way. You are actually jealous." You can't control the laugh that comes out of your mouth.

"I am not." His brows furrow in annoyance.

"You know I never thought I'd see the day, when you, the High Lord of Night Court would be jealous of Helion." You are still laughing. Rhysand frowns at you. "Not that I'm saying he isn't attractive, he is. A lot but-"

"Stop it." He snaps.

"Will you admit that you're jealous?" You smirk.

His lips curl up. Both of you breathing heavy, the only thing you can focus on right now is how close the two of you are to one another. How perfect he looks, flushed with anger and eyes dancing over your face. And then before you know it, Your lips are to his.

You don't know who started it, only that he feels oh so good in your arms as your hands roam over his body as if having their own mind. And before you realize what was going on, you're laying naked in his office, limbs tangled with each other and wondering what you'll do now.

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#acotar #acotar fandom #acotar fanfiction #rhysand x reader #rhys #rhys x reader #rhysand #rhysand x you #rhysand x y/n #rhys x you #rhys x y/n

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separatist-apologist · 1 year

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What do you think about the theory that Rhysand was never supposed to be the main love interest? I can kind of see it, but was curious about your thoughts.

I disagree vehemently, and I would argue that there were a million obvious hints in ACOTAR that show Feyre was always going to end up with Rhysand. I think two things can be true: that she loved him and he was always going to be her first love AND that Rhysand was always meant to be her last love.

But just to back it up:

As early as page 15, the infamous:

I slung off my outer clothes onto the sagging dresser- frowning at the violets and roses I'd painted around the knobs of Elain's drawer, the crackling flames I'd painted around Nesta's, and the night sky-whorls of yellow stars standing in for white- around mine.

And then again, on page 31 when discussing why she'd chosen Isaac as a lover:

Relatively handsome, soft-spoken and reserved, but with a sort of darkness running beneath it all that had drawn us to each other, that shared understanding of how wretches our lives were and would always be.

When Lucien pays Feyre his backhanded compliment on page 53, he uses familiar night imagery often used to describe Feyre:

Your eyes are like stars, and your hair like burnished gold.

Here, on page 87, an amusing bit of foreshadowing about Feyre's future:

Prythian was ruled by seven High Lords- perhaps this she was whoever governed this territory; if not a High Lord, then a High Lady. If that was even possible.

When Feyre is faced with the Bogge and wants to look, she soothes herself (pg. 90):

I stared at the coarse trunk of a distant elm, thinking of pleasant things. Like hot bread and full bellies....A starry, unclouded night sky, peaceful and glittering and endless.

On 116, when Feyre finds the map of Pyrthian of all 7 territories, only one is spared any detail outside of the place she currently resides:

The other six courts of Prythian occupied a patchwork of territories. Autumn, Summer, and Winter were easy to pick out. Then above them, two glowing courts: the southernmost one a softer, redder palate the Dawn Court; above, in bright gold and yellow and blue, the Day Court. And above that, perched in a frozen mountainous spread of darkness and stars, the sprawling, massive territory of the Night Court. There were things in the shadows between those mountains- little eyes, gleaming teeth. A land of lethal beauty.

On 125, Feyre considers what she might want if she were immortal:

Did Tamlin or Lucien ever grow tired of day after day of eternal spring, or ever venture into the other territories, if only to experience a different season? I wouldn't have minded endless, mild spring while looking after my family- winter brought us dangerously close too death every year- but if I were immortal, I might want a little variation to pass the time. I'd probably want to do more than lurk about a manor house, too.

The first time Feyre really starts to relax around Tamlin and find joy in Prythian and her circumstances is at the pool made of starlight, which is such a long passage I'm just glossing over. Tamlin does comment she makes TWO jokes that day, and I'm choosing to draw a parallel between this moment and in ACOMAF when Feyre smiles for the first time after her ordeal under the mountain during Starfall. Feyre feels most at peace surrounded by starlight. [pg 159ish]

On 169, when Feyre thinks of her nightmares:

And though my dreams continued to be plagued by the deaths I'd witnessed, the deaths I'd caused, and the horrible, pale woman ripping me to shreds- all watched over by a shadow I could never quite glimpse-I slowly stopped being so afraid.

When Feyre can't stay away on Calanmai / mating bond language that SJM loves (pg. 183):

There was a string- a string tied to my gut that pulled me toward those hills, commanding me to go, to hear the faerie drums...

And then obviously this, on page 188:

Standing before me was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen

Like Feyre, Rhys is couched in Night imagery (pg. 189):

As if he'd been molded from the night itself I could have sworn tendrils of star-kissed night railed in his wake (190)

On 235, when Rhys goes to visit Tamlin, he alludes to the fact that he has his reasons for aligning with Amarantha, which are later explained in ACOMAF:

Her whore I might be, but not without my reasons

Also Feyre describing Rhys through the entirety of the scene in the Spring Court dining room is like...a brick to the face (starting page 234):

Rhysand smiled- heartbreaking in its beauty.

His voice dropped to a whisper- an erotic caress of sound that brought heat to my cheeks

Rhysand laughed- a lovers laugh, low and soft and intimate

And from the way darkness seemed to ripple off him, from those violet eyes that burned like stars...

No- I would never dare to pain that dark, immortal grace-

Rhysand, when he realizes Feyre (who he is beginning to suspect might be his mate) is there (pg. 237):

A flicker of excitement- perhaps even disbelief- flashed across his features

Again, described in the same night imagery:

The sunlight didn't gleam on the metallic threads of his tunic, as if i balked from the darkness pulsing from him

on 310, when Amarantha demands Rhys explain the mix-up with humans, she thinks this when he lies:

Humans all look alike...I didn't believe him for a second. Rhysand knew exactly how I looked- he'd recognized me that day at the manor.

On 312, once again hating Rhys but thinking this about him:

She must have allowed him more power than the others, then, if he could still inflict such harm while leashed to her. Or else his power before she'd stolen it had been...extraordinary, for this to be considered the basest remains.

The obvious on 328:

"Yes, I'd say almost my entire court bet on you dying within the firs minute; some said you'd last five, and"- she urned over the paper- "and just one person said you would win."

Amarantha frowned at her list, and she waved a hand. "Take her away. I tire of her mundane face. " She clenched the arms of her throne hard enough that the whites of her knuckles showed. "Rhysand, come here."

The bargain of chapter 37, too numerous to detail (this is already so long)

The entire scene of Feyre in his bedroom, but especially this on page 342:

Indeed, it was still Rhysand's face, his powerful male body, but flaring out behind him were massive black, membraneous wings- like a bat's, like the Attor's. He tucked them in neatly behind him, but the single claw at the apex of each peeked over his broad shoulders. Horrific, stunning- the face of a thousand nightmares and dreams. That again-useless part of me stirred at the sight, the way the candlelight shone through the wings, illuminating the veins, the way it bounced off his talons.

344:

They grabbed for me, but he bared his teeth in a mile that was anything but friendly- and they halted. "No more household chores, no more tasks," he said, his voice an erotic caress. Their yellow eyes went glazed and dull, their sharp teeth gleaming as their mouths slackened. "Tell the others, too. Stay out of her cell. And don't touch her. If you do, you're to take your own daggers and gut yourselves. Understood?

When Rhys is trying to get a rise out of both Amarantha AND Tamlin on 349:

The Faerie Queen straightened a little bit- even Jurian's eye seemed fixated on me, on Rhysand. For the rest of my life- he said it as if it were going to be a long, long while. He thought I was going to beat her tasks.

Page 355, when they're talking (more mating bond foreshadowing):

Sadness flickered in those violet eyes. I wouldn't have noticed it had I had not...felt it-deep inside me.

His help in the second task, but especially this pep talk when she's breaking down over the thought of nearly dying on 366:

Don't let her see you cry. Put your hands a your sides and stand up. Stand. Don't give her the satisfaction of seeing you break. Good. Stare her down- no tears. wait until you're back in your cell. Count to ten. Don't look at Tamlin. Just stare at her. Good girl. Now walk away. Turn on your heel- good. Walk toward the door. Keep your chin high. Let the crowd part. One step after another.

369, this feels blatant:

It took me a long while too realize that Rhysand, whether he knew it or not, had effectively kept me from shattering completely.

Rhys visiting Feyre after that kiss and explaining why he's been making her dance, and what he hopes to accomplish on page 384:

Regardless of his motives or his methods, Rhysand was keeping me alive. And had done so even before I set foot Under the Mountain.

-and-

"When you healed my arm...You didn't need to bargain with me. You could have demanded every single week of the year." My brows knit together as he turned, already half-consumed by the dark. "Every single week, and I would have said yes. " It wasn't entirely a question, but I needed the answer.

A half smile appeared on his sensuous lips. "I know," he said, and vanished.

390:

Darkness rippled near the throne, and then Rhysand was here, arms crossed- as if he'd moved to better see. His face was a mask of disinterest, but my hand tingled. Do it, the tingling said.

394, Feyre once again drawing our attention to Rhysand during this horrible moment:

Rhysand's face had gone pale- so, so pale.

399, obvious foreshadowing:

Rhysand yelled my name again- yelled it as though he cared

400-401, more mating bond language:

Rhys's arms buckled as he fought to rise, and blood dripped from his nose, splattering on the marble. His eyes met mine. The bond between us went taut. I flashed between my body and his, seeing myself through his eyes, bleeding and broken and sobbing.

Chapter 45, when Feyre is dead but tethered to Rhys's soul, like COME ON.

412, more mating bond language as Feyre goes to Rhys:

I was pulled from sleep by something tugging at my middle, a thread deep inside.

414-415, two final scenes:

"You never told me you loved the wings- or the flying." No, he'd made his shape shifting seem...base, useless, boring.

He shrugged. Everything I love has always had a tendency to be taken from me. I tell very few about the winds. Or the flying."

-and then-

His eyes locked on mine, wide and wild, and his nostrils flared. Shock- pure shock flashed across his features at whatever he saw on my face, and he stumbled back a step. Actually stumbled.

Sorry this was so long. It escaped me BUT Feysand was always right there from the beginning. They were always going to be together, from book 1. SJM is a fated mates writer, and I think it's a blatant misrepresentation of the book she wrote to say ACOMAF is a retcon, and Feysand was never going to happen. People are free to disagree with me, of course, and say I'm wrong (but I'm not).

#feysand #pro feysand #all the tamlin asks lately like i know what yall are trying to do and i came prepared #im not saying feyre didnt love tamlin or that she didnt do all that for him #but i am saying books are written intentionally #and feysands groundwork was ALWAYS there #it was never going to be anything but feysand endgame

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superloves4 · 3 months

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The Flame we Held (Fëanor son of Melkor AU) - Chapter 5

Relationships: Melkor/Mairon, Melkor & Fëanor, Mairon & Fëanor, Fëanor/Nerdanel Summary: Miriel made a deal with Melkor, she'd be able to bear children but in return the dark lord asked for her firstborn. When he gets imprisoned she believes herself to be free of her promise but Melkor shall claim his prize. TW: none! A/N: Mairon: Christianity? Near my child?? Are you crazy?!

Masterlist and on Ao3

Fëanor was crying, it was the third time that month. Melkor was looking at him with a shit eating grin and Mairon was doing his best to ignore it.

Perhaps he had taken some measure of pride that the child never cried with him, and perhaps this was far more humiliating than he cared for, and perhaps it was a great pain to the ears. Mairon hated to admit to it, but he had no idea what to do now.

“I’m just waiting for your words, precious,” Melkor said, holding back the laughter.

He bit his tongue but through his teeth he hissed “I need help”

Melkor’s laughter bellowed through the halls of Angband as he clapped his hands in delight, rushing to grab the nearest orc he could find.

The orc came back with one of the elven thralls, a shivering thing who thought their end was nigh, and it would, if they didn’t make Fëanor stop crying. Mairon’s eyes must’ve betrayed his irritation for the thrall stopped dead in their track at the door.

Mairon sighed, honey, not vinegar, he reminded himself.

He beckoned the prisoner closer and the orc dragged them whenever needed “If you are able to solve my problem, you and the others of your company shall receive an additional loaf of bread for a week.”

“Oh, you’re truly desperate.”

Mairon ignored his lover.

The thrall gulped, staring ahead, trying to ignore being under the scrutiny of the Dark Lord himself, noticing then the cries they’d heard came from a crib, a very well made, with very expensive covers, new crib. Was that the Lord of werewolves and the Dark Lord’s child? Had their terrible romance born a new abomination? They took a step forward, only to see a child, a normal child, if it wasn’t for the people presenting him, Sùlben would’ve thought it was elven.

“Have, have you fed him?” they asked, withering under the lord’s glare.

Mairon’s voice echoed in the palace “Do you take me for a fool?! The child has been fed and changed and yet has not stopped crying in days! What is the cause?!”

Sùlben was no healer but there was nothing that they could tell to be wrong with the baby and if all his needs had been met, maybe. They reached towards the baby but their hands were grabbed by the Dark Lord.

“I can kill you faster than you can do anything,”

Sùlben shivered again “N-no! I didn’t want to hurt the child! I just-”

“Let them, love.”

Sùlben thanked all the Valar’s they could think of, watching as the two lords stared at each other instead of them.

“Are you sure?” the Dark Lord looked at his lover, waiting for his permission, it was almost strange to be able to pry as such on their relationship, to see as the Dark Lord acted not so differently from the wolves waiting for their masters command. It was almost normal in a way, Sùlben thought maybe that was why the child was so normal.

Mairon nodded and Melkor let the thrall go.

Sùlben cowered a little but once more reached into the crib, taking the baby into their arms and just rocking him, they would’ve liked to have a child once, alas they’d never found the one for them but it was nice to know that holding one was as soft as they always imagined. Singing a little ditty from the Journey they never finished, choosing to remain for king Thingol instead.

Mairon watched in confusion as the prisoner seemingly stupid actions did, in fact, yield results, Fëanor’s cries diminishing to nothing, and the thrall hadn’t even used songs of power! Mairon didn’t want to use too much power on Fëanor, he had no idea what consequences it could have, but with the constant crying he had, so he could at least have some peace, so why had he been forced to do so but not this lowly thrall?

“What are you doing?”

“You do not hold your child much, do you?” the prisoner asked cheekily, too cheekily, they quickly changed their tune at another glare “All children want to be held by their parents”

Mairon would have disagreed on the parent part, he was merely the overseer of his lord’s prize, but the elf didn’t need to know that much.

“It is unnecessary,” he answered, holding his head higher, ignoring Melkor’s snickering.

The thrall bit their lower lip before continuing “Babies do need to be held, they could die without it, besides,” they hesitated again but Mairon ordered them to continue “Babies want to bond with their parents, do not deny your child as much, lord.”

He scoffed, for all his knowledge, elven children had that kind of weakness? That was something he never took in consideration before, but with elven babies being so helpless, the forming of a strong bond with the caretaker was an advantage to help them survive, yes, it made sense, he had to write it down later. To think the answer was so close all along… did that make him the mother? Mairon shook that image from his mind.

“Give me,” he ordered.

Sùlben gulped and grudgingly handed over the baby.

They then hesitantly said “Do not forget the rocking, it soothes children.”

Fëanor stared at him, not a tear in sight for the first time in a week, Mairon could cry, it was almost funny and it appeared to amuse the child as well, for Fëanor chose than moment to smile for the first time, the screaming little beast finally appeased. He’d gladly fight Manwë’s champion instead.

“Very well,” Mairon proclaimed “You are dismissed.”

Sùlben was quickly approached by the orc that had brought them there and they knew they were expected to run along and not to disturb but they gathered whatever courage they still had to ask “The bread, shall you keep your word, master?”

They squirmed under Mairon flaming look but amidst the pounding of their heart in their ear, they heard:

“So be it, be gone now.”

And gone they were, as quickly as their legs could carry them.

Melkor intently watched the elf leave before leaving to stand closer to Mairon, who seemed more preoccupied with letting Fëanor play with his fingers, it was something he was noticing more and more lately, Mairon would pay more attention to Fëanor than their projects and it displeased him, the child had been his idea but he never meant for that to become a priority.

“Should I kill them?” Melkor asked, taking back Mairon’s gaze.

The lieutenant thought about it for a moment, before shaking his head “No, I see there is still much I don’t understand about the eldar, that prisoner will be good for my studies” his flaming eyes sparkling for the project to come.

“You could just leave Fëanor with them, you won’t have to see to it so,” he shrugged “personally.”

Mairon rolled his eyes while in his arms, Fëanor cooed “And let his elven ideals poison the child? Next you see, he will be worshiping the damned Valar”

Melkor pouted.

#baby fefe: if I smile everyone forgets I tormented them!#silmarillion #the silmarillion #feanorians #feanor #silm #tolkien #silm fic #my writing #elf oc #melkor #morgoth #mairon #sauron

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istumpysk · 1 year

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Operation Stumpy Re-Read

ADWD: The Watcher (Areo I) [Chapter 38]

"Let us look upon this head," his prince commanded.

Areo Hotah ran his hand along the smooth shaft of his longaxe, his ash-and-iron wife, all the while watching. He watched the white knight, Ser Balon Swann, and the others who had come with him. He watched the Sand Snakes, each at a different table. He watched the lords and ladies, the serving men, the old blind seneschal, and the young maester Myles, with his silky beard and servile smile. Standing half in light and half in shadow, he saw all of them. Serve. Protect. Obey. That was his task.

George should have been meta and named this chapter The Watchman.

Doran having two maesters makes me like him more.

+.+.+

His slippers whispering against the floor, Maester Caleotte crossed the hall to Ser Balon Swann. The round little man looked splendid in his new robes, with their broad bands of dun and butternut and narrow stripes of red.

Caleotte's a fashionista!

Why is he not in grey? Is that noteworthy after the last chapter?

+.+.+

Ser Balon Swann was taut as a drawn bow, the captain of guards observed. This new white knight was not so tall nor comely as the old one, but he was bigger across the chest, burlier, his arms thick with muscle. His snowy cloak was clasped at the throat by two swans on a silver brooch. One was ivory, the other onyx, and it seemed to Areo Hotah as if the two of them were fighting.

That's enough for me to know House Swann will be divided in the war to come.

Ser Balon's unease was plain. "Donnel erred, but he is Tommen's man now. You have my word."

"It's not Ser Donnel the Constant who concerns me. It's you." Jaime leaned forward. "What will you do if brave Ser Donnel gives his sword to yet another usurper, and one day comes storming into the throne room? And there you stand all in white, between your king and your blood. What will you do?"

"I . . . my lord, that will never happen." - Jaime VIII, ADWD

+.+.+

The man who wore them looked a fighter too. This one will not die so easy as the other. He will not charge into my axe the way Ser Arys did. He will stand behind his shield and make me come at him. If it came to that, Hotah would be ready. His longaxe was sharp enough to shave with.

Areo Hotah is a bit of a clairvoyant.

He correctly predicted there would be a day he fights Arys.

One day, he sensed, the two of them would fight; on that day Oakheart would die, with the captain's longaxe crashing through his skull. He slid his hand along the smooth ashen shaft of his axe and wondered if that day was drawing nigh. - The Captain of the Guards, AFFC

He had these unsettling thoughts about Obara.

She had left her spear outside. For that, Areo Hotah gave thanks. Quick and strong as she was, the woman was no match for him, he knew . . . but she did not, and he had no wish to see her blood upon the pale pink marble. - The Captain of Guards, AFFC

And now Balon Swann.

Areo Hotah, Balon Swann, and Obara Sand are together in the Dornish mountains right now.

+.+.+

The skull rested on a bed of black felt, grinning. All skulls grinned, but this one seemed happier than most. And bigger. The captain of guards had never seen a larger skull. Its brow shelf was thick and heavy, its jaw massive.

I trust this is Gregor Clegane's skull.

So what is on top of Robert Strong's shoulders? Spooky.

+.+.+

"That is as it may be, my lady," said Balon Swann, "but Ser Gregor was a knight, and a knight should die with sword in hand. Poison is a foul and filthy way to kill."

Lady Tyene smiled at that. Her gown was cream and green, with long lace sleeves, so modest and so innocent that any man who looked at her might think her the most chaste of maids. Areo Hotah knew better. Her soft, pale hands were as deadly as Obara's callused ones, if not more so. He watched her carefully, alert to every little flutter of her fingers.

Creepy's back.

Areo Hotah is on high alert whenever Tyene's around Doran. Might be telling us something!

"Oh, I must pray that I never see you frightened, Uncle. You might forget to breathe." She raised a hand . . .

The captain brought the butt of his longaxe down upon the marble with a thump. "My lady, you presume. Step from the dais, if it please you." - The Captain of the Guards, AFFC

+.+.+

The prince left it to Ricasso, his blind seneschal, to rise and propose the toast. "Lords and ladies, let us all now drink to Tommen, the First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms."

What a show! Well done spineless Doran, craven Wyman Manderly couldn't have done any better.

+.+.+

The white knight did drink, as was only courteous. His companions likewise. So did the Princess Arianne, Lady Jordayne, the Lord of Godsgrace, the Knight of Lemonwood, the Lady of Ghost Hill … even Ellaria Sand, Prince Oberyn's beloved paramour, who had been with him in King's Landing when he died. Hotah paid more note to those who did not drink: Ser Daemon Sand, Lord Tremond Gargalen, the Fowler twins, Dagos Manwoody, the Ullers of the Hellholt, the Wyls of the Boneway. If there is trouble, it could start with one of them. Dorne was an angry and divided land, and Prince Doran's hold on it was not as firm as it might be.

Must remember these names.

The Fowlers and Ullers seem like the most noteworthy.

Half of the Ullers are half-mad, the saying went, and the other half are worse. Ellaria Sand was Lord Harmen's natural daughter. She and her little ones had been locked away with the rest of the Sand Snakes. That would have made Lord Harmen wroth, and the Ullers were dangerous when wroth. Too dangerous, perhaps. The princess did not want to put any more lives in danger. - The Princess in the Tower, AFFC

Lord Fowler might be a safer choice. The Old Hawk, he was called. He had never gotten on with Anders Yronwood; there was bad blood between their Houses going back a thousand years, from when the Fowlers had chosen Martell over Yronwood during Nymeria's War. The Fowler twins were famous friends of Lady Nym as well, but how much weight would that carry with the Old Hawk? - The Princess in the Tower, AFFC

+.+.+

Tyene declined Ricasso's toast with a murmur and Lady Nym with a flick of a hand. Obara let them fill her cup to the brim, then upended it to spill the red wine on the floor.

+.+.+

Arianne touched the pin that clasped his cloak, with its quarreling swans. "I have always been fond of swans. No other bird is half so beautiful, this side of the Summer Isles."

"Your peacocks might dispute that," said Ser Balon.

"They might," said Arianne, "but peacocks are vain, proud creatures, strutting about in all those gaudy colors. Give me a swan serene in white or beautiful in black."

Ser Balon gave a nod and sipped his wine. This one is not so easily seduced as was his Sworn Brother, Hotah thought.

Hey, Sansa likes black birds too.

+.+.+

Midnight was close at hand when Prince Doran turned to the white knight and said, "Ser Balon, I have read the letter that you brought me from our gracious queen. Might I assume that you are familiar with its contents, ser?"

Hotah saw the knight tense. "I am, my lord. Her Grace informed me that I might be called upon to escort her daughter back to King's Landing. King Tommen has been pining for his sister and would like Princess Myrcella to return to court for a short visit."

Princess Arianne made a sad face. "Oh, but we have all grown so fond of Myrcella, ser. She and my brother Trystane have become inseparable."

"Prince Trystane would be welcome in King's Landing as well," said Balon Swann. "King Tommen would wish to meet him, I am sure. His Grace has so few companions near his own age."

"The bonds formed in boyhood can last a man for life," said Prince Doran. "When Trystane and Myrcella wed, he and Tommen will be as brothers. Queen Cersei has the right of it. The boys should meet, become friends. Dorne will miss him, to be sure, but it is past time Trystane saw something of the world beyond the walls of Sunspear."

"I know King's Landing will welcome him most warmly."

Why is he sweating now? the captain wondered, watching. The hall is cool enough, and he never touched the stew.

"As for the other matter that Queen Cersei raises," Prince Doran was saying, "it is true, Dorne's seat upon the small council has been vacant since my brother's death, and it is past time that it was filled again. I am flattered that Her Grace feels my counsel might be of use to her, though I wonder if I have the strength for such a journey. Perhaps if we went by sea?"

"By ship?" Ser Balon seemed taken aback. "That … would that be safe, my prince? Autumn is a bad season for storms, or so I've heard, and … the pirates in the Stepstones, they …"

The Watcher is picking up on something.

Trystane will not be going to King's Landing. I'd like to believe the show killed him because they didn't have a Quentyn to off.

He ate little, Hotah observed: a spoon of soup, a bite of the pepper, the leg off a capon, some fish. He shunned the lamprey pie and tried only one small spoonful of the stew.

↓

Why is he sweating now? the captain wondered, watching. The hall is cool enough, and he never touched the stew.

Add The Watcher to the list of flawed narrators.

+.+.+

"I am eager to see her once again," said Ser Balon. "And to visit your Water Gardens. I've heard they are very beautiful."

"Beautiful and peaceful," the prince said. "Cool breezes, sparkling water, and the laughter of children. The Water Gardens are my favorite place in this world, ser. One of my ancestors had them built to please his Targaryen bride and free her from the dust and heat of Sunspear. Daenerys was her name. She was sister to King Daeron the Good, and it was her marriage that made Dorne part of the Seven Kingdoms. The whole realm knew that the girl loved Daeron's bastard brother Daemon Blackfyre, and was loved by him in turn, but the king was wise enough to see that the good of thousands must come before the desires of two, even if those two were dear to him. It was Daenerys who filled the gardens with laughing children. Her own children at the start, but later the sons and daughters of lords and landed knights were brought in to be companions to the boys and girls of princely blood. And one summer's day when it was scorching hot, she took pity on the children of her grooms and cooks and serving men and invited them to use the pools and fountains too, a tradition that has endured till this day."

Nice bait from the author.

This Daenerys won't be choosing the Dornish prince, is on the verge of prioritizing her own desires, and will not be making peace with Dorne.

+.+.+

"Do that, and we will never see the girl again, and your son will spend his life a hostage to the Iron Throne."

"Do you take me for a fool, Obara?" The prince sighed. "There is much you do not know. Things best not discussed here, where anyone can hear. If you hold your tongue, I may enlighten you." He winced. "Slower, for the love you bear me. That last jolt sent a knife right through my knee."

Obara slowed her pace by half. "What will you do, then?"

Her sister Tyene gave answer. "What he always does," she purred. "Delay, obscure, prevaricate. Oh, no one does that half so well as our brave uncle."

I think it's time to go back to your cell.

+.+.+

Not until the doors of his solar were safely closed behind them did he wheel his chair about to face the women. Even that effort left him breathless, and the Myrish blanket that covered his legs caught between two spokes as he rolled, so he had to clutch it to keep it from being torn away. Beneath the coverlet, his legs were pale, soft, ghastly. Both of his knees were red and swollen, and his toes were almost purple, twice the size they should have been.

I think the author would like me to believe Doran will die from natural causes.

You can't fool me, sir.

+.+.+

"The skull is large enough, no doubt," said the prince. "And we know that Oberyn wounded Gregor grievously. Every report we have had since claims that Clegane died slowly, in great pain."

"Just as Father intended," said Tyene. "Sisters, truly, I know the poison Father used. If his spear so much as broke the Mountain's skin, Clegane is dead, I do not care how big he was. Doubt your little sister if you like, but never doubt our sire."

There's three things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and Tyene Sand poisoning someone.

+.+.+

Obara bristled. "I never did and never shall." She gave the skull a mocking kiss. "This is a start, I'll grant."

"A start?" said Ellaria Sand, incredulous. "Gods forbid. I would it were a finish. Tywin Lannister is dead. So are Robert Baratheon, Amory Lorch, and now Gregor Clegane, all those who had a hand in murdering Elia and her children. Even Joffrey, who was not yet born when Elia died. I saw the boy perish with mine own eyes, clawing at his throat as he tried to draw a breath. Who else is there to kill? Do Myrcella and Tommen need to die so the shades of Rhaenys and Aegon can be at rest? Where does it end?"

+.+.+

"It ends in blood, as it began," said Lady Nym. "It ends when Casterly Rock is cracked open, so the sun can shine on the maggots and the worms within. It ends with the utter ruin of Tywin Lannister and all his works."

One point for Casterly Rock being cracked open.

+.+.+

"I could wish that he died at my hand." Lady Nym settled in a chair, her long black braid falling across one shoulder to her lap. She had her father's widow's peak. Beneath it her eyes were large and lustrous. Her wine-red lips curled in a silken smile. "If he had, his dying would not have been so easy."

"Ser Gregor does look lonely," said Tyene, in her sweet septa's voice. "He would like some company, I'm certain."

I don't know how you send these two to King's Landing.

+.+.+

Ellaria's cheeks were wet with tears, her dark eyes shining. Even weeping, she has a strength in her, the captain thought.

"Oberyn wanted vengeance for Elia. Now the three of you want vengeance for him. I have four daughters, I remind you. Your sisters. My Elia is fourteen, almost a woman. Obella is twelve, on the brink of maidenhood. They worship you, as Dorea and Loreza worship them. If you should die, must El and Obella seek vengeance for you, then Dorea and Loree for them? Is that how it goes, round and round forever? I ask again, where does it end?" Ellaria Sand laid her hand on the Mountain's head. "I saw your father die. Here is his killer. Can I take a skull to bed with me, to give me comfort in the night? Will it make me laugh, write me songs, care for me when I am old and sick?"

Can you believe what the show did to Ellaria Sand? Tyene Sand was right there. She existed. She was portrayed by Rosabell Laurenti Sellers.

"When I take King's Landing, I'll send you Cersei's head."

And will that bring my Ned back to me? she thought. - Catelyn II, ACOK

+.+.+

"My prince." Ellaria kissed him on the brow and took her leave. Areo Hotah was sad to see her go. She is a good woman.

When she had gone, Lady Nym said, "I know she loved our father well, but it is plain she never understood him."

Alright, you too. Back to your cell.

+.+.+

"Darkstar did it," his little princess said. "He tried to kill Princess Myrcella too. As she will tell Ser Balon."

Nym smiled. "That part at least is true."

"It is all true," said the prince, with a wince of pain. Is it his gout that hurts him, or the lie? "And now Ser Gerold has fled back to High Hermitage, beyond our reach."

"Darkstar," Tyene murmured, with a giggle. "Why not? It is all his doing. But will Ser Balon believe it?"

You lying LIAR.

+.+.+

Obara snorted in disbelief. "She may lie today and lie tomorrow, but soon or late she'll tell the truth. If Ser Balon is allowed to carry tales back to King's Landing, drums will sound and blood will flow. He should not be allowed to leave."

The reality Doran Martell refuses to face.

Don't worry Doran, the Sand Snakes will handle that for you.

+.+.+

"We could kill him, to be sure," said Tyene, "but then we would need to kill the rest of his party too, even those sweet young squires. That would be … oh, so messy."

What's more insane, Doran sending Quentyn to Meereen or Tyene to King's Landing?

+.+.+

Prince Doran shut his eyes and opened them again. Hotah could see his leg trembling underneath the blanket. "If you were not my brother's daughters, I would send the three of you back to your cells and keep you there until your bones were grey. Instead I mean to take you with us to the Water Gardens. There are lessons there if you have the wit to see them."

Quick rundown of Dorne going into TWOW.

Before they go their separate ways, everyone will travel to the Water Gardens. After that,

Arianne Martell will travel to Griffin's Roost.

Balon Swann, Areo Hotah, and Obara Sand will travel to the Dornish mountains in pursuit of Darkstar.

Tyene Sand and Nymeria Sand will travel up the kingsroad to King's Landing with Myrcella Baratheon.

Ellaria's first daughter, Elia Sand, will accompany Arianne.

Ellaria's second daughter, Obella Sand, will serve as a cupbearer at Sunspear.

Ellaria's third daughter, Dorea Sand, will remain at the Water Gardens with Doran.

Ellaria will return to Hellholt with her youngest daughter, Loreza Sand.

Two things jump out at me.

Areo and Doran have been separated, and Myrcella is under the care of Tyene and Nymeria.

If you're wondering how either of those things were allowed to happen, I'm right there with you.

+.+.+

"Aye," the prince said. "I told the story to Ser Balon, but not all of it. As the children splashed in the pools, Daenerys watched from amongst the orange trees, and a realization came to her. She could not tell the highborn from the low. Naked, they were only children. All innocent, all vulnerable, all deserving of long life, love, protection. 'There is your realm,' she told her son and heir, 'remember them, in everything you do.' My own mother said those same words to me when I was old enough to leave the pools. It is an easy thing for a prince to call the spears, but in the end the children pay the price. For their sake, the wise prince will wage no war without good cause, nor any war he cannot hope to win.

+.+.+

Your father and I worked more closely than you know … but now he is gone. The question is, can I trust his daughters to serve me in his place?"

Hotah studied each of them in turn. Obara, rusted nails and boiled leather, with her angry, close-set eyes and rat-brown hair. Nymeria, languid, elegant, olive-skinned, her long black braid bound up in red-gold wire. Tyene, blue-eyed and blond, a child-woman with her soft hands and little giggles.

Tyene answered for the three of them. "It is doing nothing that is hard, Uncle. Set a task for us, any task, and you shall find us as leal and obedient as any prince could hope for."

The author is on a roll.

Her straight black hair, worn in a long braid bound up with red-gold wire, made a widow's peak above her dark eyes, just as her father's had. With her high cheekbones, full lips, and milk-pale skin, she had all the beauty that her elder sister lacked - The Captain of the Guards, ADWD

Convincing words from Tyene Sand. Lol

+.+.+

"That is good to hear," the prince said, "but words are wind. You are my brother's daughters and I love you, but I have learned I cannot trust you. I want your oath. Will you swear to serve me, to do as I command?"

"If we must," said Lady Nym.

"Then swear it now, upon your father's grave."

Obara's face darkened. "If you were not my uncle—"

"I am your uncle. And your prince. Swear, or go."

"I swear," said Tyene. "On my father's grave."

"I swear," said Lady Nym. "By Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne, and a better man than you."

"Aye," said Obara. "Me as well. By Father. I swear."

I want to smack her.

Myrcella's going to die because Doran Martell believes in the power of pinky swearing. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

+.+.+

Prince Doran took a jagged breath. "Dorne still has friends at court. Friends who tell us things we were not meant to know. This invitation Cersei sent us is a ruse. Trystane is never meant to reach King's Landing. On the road back, somewhere in the kingswood, Ser Balon's party will be attacked by outlaws, and my son will die. I am asked to court only so that I may witness this attack with my own eyes and thereby absolve the queen of any blame. Oh, and these outlaws? They will be shouting, 'Halfman, Halfman,' as they attack. Ser Balon may even catch a quick glimpse of the Imp, though no one else will."

Partly covered in Cersei IV.

Qyburn, Varys, Taena Merryweather, and the men involved in the ambush appear to be the only candidates. I'm not sure we'll ever get the answer to this.

+.+.+

"Seven save us," whispered Tyene. "Trystane? Why?"

"The woman must be mad," Obara said. "He's just a boy."

"This is monstrous," said Lady Nym. "I would not have believed it, not of a Kingsguard knight."

Uh huh.

Four lives will suffice for me. Lord Tywin's golden twins, as payment for Elia's children. The old lion, for Elia herself. And last of all the little king, for my father."

"The boy has never wronged us." - The Captain of the Guards, AFFC

"We could kill him, to be sure," said Tyene, "but then we would need to kill the rest of his party too, even those sweet young squires. That would be … oh, so messy." - The Watcher, ADWD

+.+.+

Obara's face was flushed. "Give me back my spear, Uncle. Cersei sent us a head. We should send her back a bag of them."

This one is still a problem too.

+.+.+

We will travel to the Water Gardens, where he will hear Myrcella's story and send a raven to his queen. The girl will ask him to hunt down the man who hurt her. If he is the man I judge, Swann will not be able to refuse. Obara, you will lead him to High Hermitage to beard Darkstar in his den. The time is not yet come for Dorne to openly defy the Iron Throne, so we must needs return Myrcella to her mother, but I will not be accompanying her. That task will be yours, Nymeria. The Lannisters will not like it, no more than they liked it when I sent them Oberyn, but they dare not refuse. We need a voice in council, an ear at court. Be careful, though. King's Landing is a pit of snakes.

When a plan stems from a lie it has disaster written all over it.

+.+.+

"And what of me?" asked Tyene.

"Your mother was a septa. Oberyn once told me that she read to you in the cradle from the Seven-Pointed Star. I want you in King's Landing too, but on the other hill. The Swords and the Stars have been re-formed, and this new High Septon is not the puppet that the others were. Try and get close to him."

"Why not? White suits my coloring. I look so … pure."

She's bordering on parody.

You want my prediction? None of the above happens.

I don't know if you've noticed, but Doran Martell's plans never materialize. Nym serving on the small council with Cersei Lannister is a little hard to believe. Tyene getting close to the High Septon is laughable.

I don't think either of these girls have any intention of obeying Doran,

Nym and Tyene may have reached King's Landing by now, she mused, as she settled down crosslegged by the mouth of the cave to watch the falling rain. If not they ought to be there soon. - Arianne II, TWOW

and I don't think they'll be reaching King's Landing anytime soon.

Tyene has already told us what she wants.

"War," said Tyene, "though not my sister's war. Dornishmen fight best at home, so I say let us hone our spears and wait. When the Lannisters and the Tyrells come down on us, we shall bleed them in the passes and bury them beneath the blowing sands, as we have a hundred times before." - The Captain of the Guards, AFFC

She wants the war to come to them. How do we make the Lannisters come?

"If they should come down on us."

"Oh, but they must, or see the realm riven once more, as it was before we wed the dragons. Father told me so. He said we had the Imp to thank, for sending us Princess Myrcella. She is so pretty, don't you think? I wish that I had curls like hers. She was made to be a queen, just like her mother." Dimples bloomed in Tyene's cheeks. "I would be honored to arrange the wedding, and to see to the making of the crowns as well. Trystane and Myrcella are so innocent, I thought perhaps white gold . . . with emeralds, to match Myrcella's eyes. Oh, diamonds and pearls would serve as well, so long as the children are wed and crowned. Then we need only hail Myrcella as the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, and lawful heir to the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and wait for the lions to come."- The Captain of the Guards, AFFC

Crowning Myrcella? There will be no crowning of Myrcella Baratheon.

"You know the Fowler words? Let Me Soar! That is all I ask of you. Let me soar, Uncle. I need no mighty host, only one sweet sister."

"Obara?"

"Tyene. Obara is too loud. Tyene is so sweet and gentle that no man will suspect her. Obara would make Oldtown our father's funeral pyre, but I am not so greedy. Four lives will suffice for me. Lord Tywin's golden twins, as payment for Elia's children. The old lion, for Elia herself. And last of all the little king, for my father." - The Captain of the Guards, AFFC

Oberyn Martell went to King's Landing, and King's Landing sent back a bag of bones.

I don't think Cersei is getting two Sand Snakes, I think she's getting a dead daughter returned to her.

+.+.+

"Good," the prince said, "good." He hesitated. "If … if certain things should come to pass, I will send word to each of you. Things can change quickly in the game of thrones."

You have no idea.

(Title drop!)

+.+.+

Prince Doran shared his secret smile with her. "From Lys. A great fleet has put in there to take on water. Volantene ships chiefly, carrying an army. No word as to who they are, or where they might be bound. There was talk of elephants."

"No dragons?"

"Elephants. Easy enough to hide a young dragon in a big cog's hold, though. Daenerys is most vulnerable at sea. If I were her, I would keep myself and my intentions hidden as long as I could, so I might take King's Landing unawares."

"Do you think that Quentyn will be with them?"

"He could be. Or not. We will know by where they land if Westeros is indeed their destination. Quentyn will bring her up the Greenblood if he can. But it does no good to speak of it. Kiss me. We leave for the Water Gardens at first light."

There's that familiar optimism right before everything collapses.

+.+.+

"Until the Mountain crushed my brother's skull, no Dornishmen had died in this War of the Five Kings," the prince murmured softly, as Hotah pulled a blanket over him. "Tell me, Captain, is that my shame or my glory?"

"That is not for me to say, my prince." Serve. Protect. Obey. Simple vows for simple men. That was all he knew.

The last time we see Doran Martell in this book a blanket is being pulled over him while he talks about his shame and glory. . .

Final thoughts:

Goodbye Areo Hotah. Excellent job standing there.

I want to go back and count how many total words he spoke.

-> return to menu <-

#operation stumpy re-read #adwd #the watcher #areo i

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ask-healthy-light · 5 months

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With introductions now made, Nox thanked Captain Inferno for gathering so many Guards on such short notice, to which the Dragoness merely leaned closer, and quietly told Nox it was not by her command that they were prepared so quickly; for when her letter arrived, every Guard that stood before them stepped forward on their own accord, and willingly joined the force that was heading to the Empire.

In nigh perfect unison, every Guard saluted the Captain and the two Princesses, before returning to their former positions, accidentally causing the ground to quake as they put their hooves and claws down; but although the garrison was ready to head out, Nox noticed that Luna let out a deep sigh as she put her hoof to her face, before she asked for a moment to clear her mind, and stepped outside.

After she asked Inferno to wait, Nox followed Luna outside, where she sweetly asked her if anything was wrong, to which the Princess of the Night quietly admitted that the sight of such a great force reminded her of the times before peace; and Luna shuddered as a chill ran down her back, not daring to talk about the horrors she witnessed on the fields of battle, from whence few had ever returned.

But when she felt Nox place her paw on her shoulder, and she opened her eyes again, she looked upon the kind eyes and gentle smile of her Daughter, before she sweetly said that she was there for her; and even if she would rather not talk about what she remembered, Nox promised her Mother that there was no shame in showing weakness, knowing that she witnessed terrible times of turmoil and tragedy.

A small smile once again grew upon Luna's face after Nox's caring words, but as she gently took her paws, Nox noticed her Mother's eyes started to well up with tears, before she quietly begged Nox to be careful; for although she was with good friends, and she knew they were capable of great things, the map would only go so far for a reason, and she knew not what awaited them to the furthest East.

At that moment, they heard the quiet voice of Inferno speak up behind them, and when they turned to look back at the barracks, the two Princesses watched on in silence as the massive Dragoness closed the doors; and the Captain solemnly bowed to the two, before she sincerely apologised as well, both for listening in on their conversation, and for so boldly claiming that she had an answer for them.

In turn, Luna stepped forward, and politely thanked the Captain for her apology, before adding that she had nothing to apologise for, for if she truly knew a way to ease her worries, she would gladly have her explain what she had in mind; and after the Dragoness took a deep breath to calm her mind, she offered to accompany the group they mentioned was going East, even if solely to be their guide.

As Nox and Luna pensively looked at one another, Inferno continued, growing increasingly nervous as she spoke to the two Princesses, and said that she was willing to pass the command of the Guards to Lord Shining of the Empire, if needed; for with the added strength of the force, not only would the Empire be safer, but it would help them determine how many Guards could join the group headed East.

But even though they both knew that it would greatly ease their minds if their company was greater, neither Mother nor Daughter wanted to be the one to have the final say in the matter, and they only became ever more insistent that the other should decide; but they were interrupted by Inferno, when the Dragoness blurted out they should head to the Empire first, where they could make the decision.

To their relief, the Captain's commanding voice managed to silence the Princesses, who both quietly chuckled as they thanked Inferno for breaking their stalemate, before they gestured for her to lead the garrison to the Courtyard, where they would form the second focal point; and the Captain nodded in return, and hurried back inside as Nox and Luna trotted off, only to be overtaken moments later.

As the army charged past the two, Luna and Nox heard them heartily sing a song of battle…

(Thanks for reading! And if you enjoyed, please reblog! Thanks in advance!)

Send an ask or request! | Start at the beginning! | Next part!

Featuring: Nox Lunarwing from @nox-lunarwing

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luna-writes-stuff · 1 year

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CHAPTER XXXII

A Kili X OC fanfic

Previous chapter // Next chapter

Tw: Battle, mentions of violence through weapons, decapitation, Raewyn being a badass, Thorin battling dragon sickness, Bilbo and Raewyn part ways. Feels (IT’S BEEN TEN MONTHS OKAY I AM SORRY)

—————————————————————————————————————

Sure, she’s lost her mind last chapter, but she’s okay now, guys!

The mad king had proclaimed war. The end was nigh, all could feel it, but the king proclaimed war. Raewyn did not dare spare Thorin one look, scared she’d climb back up the moment she did. As the ranger neared her other friends, the ground began to shake catching the armies off guard. Looking up the hills, the crowds spotted tiny dots running down the mountains. Heavily armoured dwarves tumbled down in loud uproar, led by a single dwarf riding a pig, clad in equally heavy armour.

“Ironfoot,” Gandalf uttered, looking down at his two friends as they observed the commotion. Cheering erupted from Erebor as the dwarves watched their kin run to their aid. From the sidelines, Thranduil commanded his army to hold their shields up, a command they swiftly obeyed. Then, the elven king rode through his army whilst they took off from the gates of Erebor. It wasn’t until Gandalf began to walk as well, that Bilbo and Raewyn caught up.

“Who is that?” The hobbit asked to no one in particular. “He doesn’t look very happy.”

“It is Dain, lord of the Iron Hills,” Gandalf explained, to which Raewyn’s face shot white. Yes, now she recognized him. “Thorin’s cousin.” She continued for Bilbo, even though her speech was closer to a question asked to the wizard. He said nothing in return, affirming her suspicions.

“Are they alike?” “I always found Thorin the more reasonable of the two.” The wizard revealed. Looking up at him, the ranger rolled her eyes, exhaling deeply.

“Oh, joy.”

“Good morning!” A voice called, suddenly closer than anticipated. Gandalf urged himself through the crowd, the two smaller creatures trailing behind him. “How are we all? I have a wee proposition, if you wouldn’t mind giving me a few moments of your time. Would you consider…just sodding off!”

People began to move backwards anxiously, while the elves readied themself to engage. Raewyn subconsciously followed their lead, pulling a dagger from her belt, seeing as she abandoned her ax at Erebor.

“All of you! Right now!” In response to the dwarven leader, Bard encouraged his folk. “Stand fest!”

“Come now, lord Dain!” Gandalf spoke, announcing his presence to the said dwarf. Bilbo and Raewyn remained in the crowd as the wizard walked up front, nodding his head in acknowledgement when the dwarf recognized him.

“Gandalf the Grey!” He voiced. “Tell this rabble to leave, or I’ll water the ground with their blood!” “There is no need for war between dwarves, men and elves!” Gandalf interrupted sternly. “A legion of orcs march on the mountain. Stand your army down!” But the pleas went unheard. Or heard and ignored. Knowing dwarves, it was likely to be the latter.

“I will not stand down before any elf! Not least this faithless woodland sprite!” As he pointed towards the elven king atop his stag, Raewyn nodded her head to the side in mutual agreement, but kept her face blank. “He wishes nothing but ill upon my people! If he chooses to stand between me and my kin, I’ll split his pretty head open! See if he’s still smirking then!”

With that, he took off again, marching to his armies who halted halfway across the hills. “Dain, wait!” Gandalf called after him, but - yet again - the pleas went ignored. Once more, cheers erupted from the mountain, but they were this time joined by Dain’s army. Passing through the crowd, Thranduil moved forward, staring the dwarf down who disappeared in the distance. His head slowly turned to Bard, addressing him specifically. “Let them advance. See how far they get.”

“You think I give a dead dog for your friends, you pointy-eared princess?” Dain continued taunting as he finally joined his army. “He’s clearly mad, like his cousin.” Thranduil continued.

“You hear that, lads?” Dain responded, chuckling lightly at the spoken words. “Let’s give these bastards a good hammering!”

“Stand your men down. I’ll deal with Ironfoot and his rabble.”

With those words spoken, Bard silently urged his men to stand down, making way for the elven army. Shouts and commands were heard from the dwarves on the other side of the hill, before a second string rumbling filled the earth. Hordes of battle rams battered down the mountains, more heavily clad dwarves atop of them. In response, the elves formed a barricade in front of the rest of the armies. Drawing their bows, they awaited the words of their commander.

“This is madness!” Gandalf protested loudly, yet he took a couple steps back, urging his two companions with him.

Thranduil uttered a shout, causing the soldiers to release their arrows. Rains tumbled down upon the dwarves, before catapults were launched. As they flew, it seemed as if knives twisted at the end of them, cutting the elven arrows in half before landing in the midst of their army, cutting down hundreds of soldiers. Raewyn’s eyes widened upon the sight, harshly grasping Bilbo’s coat as she began to walk quicker.

She did not witness the second rain, nor the shock on the elven king’s face. The only next thing she remembered were the wide eyes from the people around and Gandalf shouting the following words. “Were-worms!”

“Kitum,” Raewyn mumbled on her breath. Finally turning around, she saw the huge worm-like creatures emerge from underneath the mountains. Their mouth filled with enormous teeth, sharp enough to cut through the rocks of the earth, making their way to the mountain. Behind them, an army filled with orcs came marching down. Staring at their new companions, the ranger turned back to Bilbo, nodding to his sheathed sword.

“Slash, don’t pierce. It’ll require more effort if you do.”

Confused, the hobbit looked up at his friend, resting his hand on the hilt of the blade. “I don’t wish to fight.”

“Nor do I,” She sighed, forcing an encouraging smile onto her face. “For your sake, but I fear you might have to. Stay with Gandalf.”

“What will you do?” Grabbing Raewyn’s sleeve, he stopped her steps halfway, forcing her to stay. She looked down at him in remorse, but stopped halfway when she heard the loud roaring of Azog. Her eyes followed the source of the sound, before she found him atop a tower on a hill in the distance.

“Fight,” She answered curtly, still looking at the creature towering over all armies. “I will not let the orcs divide more families. Their reign ends here.”

The dwarven army began to march towards the new threat of the east, the elves slowly standing down. The difference between both armies was apparent; the dwarves were in the clear minority.

“They won’t make it.” Bilbo whispered, mostly to himself, though he secretly hoped Raewyn heard it as well. She did. She simply chose to ignore him.

“Our ways part here.” She stated, silently cursing herself for leaving her axe at Erebor. She was left with daggers now, and though they were usually efficient, she wouldn’t win battles with them. She’d have to steal on from the floor.

“Raewyn-“ “We shall meet again, Bilbo,” She interrupted, looking back at her friend one last time. “Keep up hope. And don’t part from Gandalf. There is nowhere you will be safer.”

Then, Bilbo took a bold step forward, before wrapping his arms around the Asha’s middle, pulling himself closer. Almost immediately, Raewyn reciprocated the gesture, wrapping her arms around the smaller hobbit, placing a light kiss atop his hair.

“Your armour is really uncomfortable.” Bilbo muttered against the iron, but refused to let go yet.

“Kili insisted.” She tried to joke, though her face fell lightly upon the mention of his name. Stepping away from him, she gave him a last farewell nod. “Go!”

As Raewyn took off towards the dwarves, who had now formed a protective line in front of the mountain, she dared to risk one last look over her shoulder. But when she did, she almost stopped running. For there, over the other side of the hills, a second army began marching, but not towards the battlefield. They were heading for Laketown at Azog’s command.

“Bard!” She shouted over the chants and screaming of the fighting armies. Luckily, the man appeared to be listening immediately, his head turning towards the Asha hidden in the narrowing empty land between the elves and dwarves. “They’re heading for the city!”

His head turned around upon the words, looking on in fear as Raewyn’s words appeared to ring true.

“Azog - he’s trying to cut us off!” Gandalf agreed, having heard the ranger’s shout.

Bard took action, turning his horse around, speaking to his army in panic. “All of you, fall back to Dale! Now!”

With the men retreating to defend their home, Raewyn was somewhat relieved to see the elves fight alongside the dwarves. But even then, their numbers were scarce. Too scarce for a fight on this scale. She would have seconded it, was it not for the orc marching straight towards her. Making up her mind immediately, she clutched her dagger tighter. Diving to the floor, she missed the swing of his blade. As she rolled around, she used her dagger to stab his thigh, before kicking the creature to the floor. Grabbing the sword he had dropped, she fiercely swung it down, instantly ridding its body of its head. Though unbalanced and riddled with dirt and blood, the ranger opted to keep the sword now. At least until a lost axe was to arise somewhere.

Wrestling herself through the crowds of orcs and elves, Raewyn finally arrived in the midst of the battle. All around her riders on war pigs and dwarves ran, clearing the enemy before she could even try to reach them. Though their attacks may have been brutal, the strategy was poorly executed, or simply nonexistent. Where one orc fell down, it looked as if two more appeared. As if their army didn’t stop growing.

Her eyes fell on a particularly threatening orc, looming over the dwarven lord and his pig without his notice. Thinking quickly, she took the sword in one hand, grabbing her dagger again with the free one. Taking one quick second to calculate her line, she threw the dagger directly into the back of the orc’s head. On impact, it collided to the floor, uttering a warcall and a final whail.

At the sound, the dwarf whipped around on his pig, aiming his weapon threateningly at the woman. Yet, when he came to face her, it wasn’t an orc - as he had expected. She looked like a dwarf in that armour. But her face gave her away. He did not quite know what to do, but looked at her in disdain, rather than gratitude.

“Who are ye?”

“Raewyn Asha,” She answered swiftly, slashing her - or, temporarily her - sword towards an oncoming enemy.

“Asha?” The dwarf repeated, the gears in his head turning. His face morphed from disdain to disgust, now approaching her, the pig snorting angrily.

“You might not like me,” She explained, still occupied in her fight. “Thorin might not like me, but I am fighting for your kin.”

Silence passed between the pair as Raewyn resumed to fight off the orcs. Dain merely seemed nailed to the floor all of the sudden. He observed her for a short moment, before nodding his head. “Aye,” He ultimately concluded. “I hope yer father taught ye some tricks.”

The Asha only smiled at him, throwing her blade between the shoulder blades of an oncoming contender. The damage wasn’t nearly as high as she was used to, for the sword only managed to slice the skin briefly. Huffing in frustration, she tried again. Annoyed, the orc spun around, raising its own knife to end Raewyn. But she was quicker, more skilled. The sword was clearly not made for the slashing she was used to, but it was still heavy enough to dismember a thick-skinned orc. Its arms fell to the ground, quite literally, followed by its head.

“Ye could use an axe, though.” Dain called over his shoulder, fighting his own battle.

“That obvious?” The woman tried to joke, slowly forgetting about the ordeal on the mountain. The mind plays wonderful tricks once it’s in a life or death situation.

Slowly, but surely, the dwarves were being driven back more with every passing second. Raewyn began to notice it when the amount of dwarves in her area kept shrinking.

“There!” Dain suddenly called, his arm gesturing towards a discarded axe mere feet from him. Slaying the orc in front of her, she took off running towards the weapon, only dropping the blade once the axe was within her reach. It wasn’t structured in the way she was used to, but it would have to make do.

In the meantime, Dain had wandered back even more, now also taken notice of the scarce amount of dwarves around them. In his moment of short absence, the pig underneath his body gave out with a squeal, a weapon lodged within its skin.

“You buggars!”

More angered, he began to headbutt his enemies, clearing a path, though it wasn’t one forward anymore. Fatigue settled within him, Raewyn could see it. Frustration slowly turned into despair as he looked around the battlefield.

“Where’s Thorin?” He roared, bludgeoning many orcs encircled around him. “We need him.”

Almost ahead of him, the ranger whistled loudly, not gaining the attention of the creatures around her. She didn’t need to. From above her, Farris flew down to her partner, landing on her arm.

Fishing down in her boots, Raewyn pulled out her last dagger, the handle small enough for the owl to hold.

“Sent for the dwarves of Erebor.” She whispered, holding her up as Farris took off, now making way for the mountain.

——

Erebor had begun to grow silent under the shouts of battle outside. Thorin had locked himself away in the throne room, occupying the large chair, crown atop his head. Outside the halls, his companions looked onto the war brewing. A war their king had initially started. A feeling of dishonour had washed over all of them. All but one.

“Since when do we forsake our own people?” Storming into the throne room, Dwalin shot the king a helpless look. “Thorin, they are dying out there.”

“There are halls beneath halls within this mountain - places we can fortify.” The king concurred absentmindedly, staring off into the walls. “Shore up, make safe. Yes…”

Looking up, Thorin faced the taller dwarf, standing up from his throne. “Yes - that is it. We must move the gold further underground - to safety!”

With that, the mad king began to walk away, readying himself for moving his treasure somewhere safer. But the notion did not go warranted by Dwalin.

“Did you not hear me?! Dain is surrounded! They’re being slaughtered, Thorin.”

“Many die in war.” Thorin shot back, halting his steps momentarily. “Life is cheap. But a treasure such as this cannot be counted in lives lost. It is worth all the blood we can spend!”

“You sit here in these vast halls, with a crown upon your head, and yet you are lesser now than you have ever been.”

That seemed to tick him off. Angrily, he marched up to his old face, his face set in a dangerous tone. One Dwalin easily recognised as the one Raewyn often received from the same dwarf.

“Do not speak to me as if I was some lowly dwarf lord…” His voice wavered halfway, staring at his hands confused. But then, he spoke up again. “As-As if I were still...Thorin...Oakenshield. I am your king!”

In anger, the dwarf roared, pulling his sword. But his stance was unbalanced, his mind not entirely there, and he nearly fell over, dropping the sword in shock. Dwalin looked on in near sympathy, his shoulder dropping with his words.

“You were always my king. You used to know that once.” Bowing his head in sorrow, the dwarf continued. “You cannot see what you have become.”

Panting heavily, the king stared at his subject, his chest heaving with every breath. “Go! Get out...before I kill you.”

In defeat, the heavier dwarf retreated, leaving Thorin alone with his thoughts. A dangerous move to be made, for him and his mind could no longer be trusted. The king himself had realised it too, but the fight in him wavered. The room changed before his eyes. The golden floor remained its new colour, but the sky seemed darker. More threatening, almost.

“But a treasure such as this cannot be counted in lives lost...” His own voice echoed in his mind. As if listening to it, Thorin stilled his movement, seemingly nailed to the floor.

“A sickness lies upon that treasure...” Balin. His oldest friend.

“The blind ambition of a mountain-king…”

“Am I not the king!” His own voice. Again. “This gold...is ours...and ours alone...”

“Treasure…”

“I will not part with a single coin...”

“He could not see beyond his own desire...”

“That crown on your head means nothing…” His biggest taunting ghost: the Asha.

“As if I was some lowly dwarf lord…Oakenshield.”

“A sickness that drove your grandfather mad...”

“Oakenshield...”

“This is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror...”

“I am not my grandfather…my grandfather.”

“You are the heir to the throne of Durin...”

“They are dying out there…”

“You cannot deny them the help that they deserve…”

“Take back...take Erebor...”

“Dain is surrounded... surrounded...is surrounded...Dain is surrounded...” His friend’s voice, begging for help.

“Take back your homeland…” The grey pilgrim.

“You are changed, Thorin...” Bilbo.

“I was a fool to consider you might have changed…” Raewyn.

“I am not my grandfather…”

“Is this treasure truly worth more than your honour...”

“I am not my grandfather…” The words were now spoken aloud.

“You can trust him…” Raewyn’s vow. Her vow for him.

Suddenly, the voices stopped, leaving a deafening silence. Shadows moved under his feet, below the floor. As he looked down, he saw the wings of the dragon. Its tail, its head, its paws, slithering from underneath him.

“This treasure will be your death…”

Screaming in agony, the floor beneath him gave out, sinking him into the golden sea. He tried to fight his way out, clawing at the edges, trying to out swim the gold, but it wouldn’t work. The sea won, and it swallowed him whole.

Gasping audibly, Thorin staggered, observing his surroundings. He was still there. Standing atop of the golden floor that had taken him seconds again. The crown on top of his head felt heavier than ever. In panic and anger, he ripped it off, throwing it onto the floor.

Finally, his mind had returned to him.

——

Taglist: @errruvande @writingawaymylife @justnerdystuffs @spidergirla5 @fallenangeloflight @bianavacker-is-bi-as-hell @lxdymormont @deathofafangirl01 @the-cranck-hobbit @chaoticpaintsplatter @zaddyluvr @bxtchopolis @derangedcupcake @radbarbariancupcake @gay-destiel

It’s been a while, so if you wish to be removed from the taglist, I can understand this. Send me a message to let me know and I’ll remove you from next chapter forward! <3

#tolkien #the hobbit #starcrossed losers #kili x reader #kili #kili durin #kili imagine #thorin oakenshield #fili and kili #kili x raewyn #raewyn asha #kili x oc #the company of thorin oakenshield #raewyn supremacy #the company #raeli #fili durin #fili #lotr

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pugzman3 · 9 months

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Mark 13:3-37 KJV

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?

5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:

16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.

17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:

22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

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speciosuspoematis · 1 year

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@enoqian || LIKED for a STARTER

He sits, quiet and reserved, in the light dusting of falling snow and chilling breezes; the bi-colour of hair tousling across staring, blank eyes. For those of whom knew the poet, they would see his current downtrodden and bleak appearance as entirely normal, his ebbing melancholy one of his most obvious traits.

Eyes, glassy and pale, raise upward to briefly watch excitable children run passed in order to dart through the Crozier, shopping list in hand. There is but a small element of joy to be found in witnessing another's, the ease upon the streets of Ishgard since the ending of the war something in which ought be celebrated.

But losses still haunted those of whom lost much.

'T is only in passing, in a brief crossing presented by fate that Cyvel hears the fragmented end of a conversation - a mention of the warrior of light and their presence within the city walls. Anger and grief are quick to swell within his chest, his sensitive heart sinking into the empty pits of his stomach as mixed emotions flood the entirety of his lithe person.

He isn't so blinded by his weighted mourning that he cannot see the reasoning behind all that had occurred; the long letter from the Lord Commander had detailed more than enough of the events that had eventually lead to the slaughter of Ser Guerrique, along with the rest of the Heavens' Ward. It did not, however, soothe that primal hurt that came with losing a family member; done wrong or otherwise, Cyvel had known him as a once great and different man... And knowing he had been robbed of a future alongside his brother was nigh overwhelming at times.

It isn't hard to espy Eorzea's hero from where he is sat, tucked away in the corner near to the Aetheryte fragment - those that look and chat as she moves through the Crozier make her easily identified, even if not personally witnessed prior to that moment.

Mixed emotions flare once more, the threat of tears within eyes swiftly quelled through willpower and the quick wipe of a frilled sleeve; but he stands, brushes down the snow that had begun to settle unto his shoulders and quietly did he approach.

He knows, at a distance, some have mistaken him for his brother - still does it happen to that day, much to his dismay- but he is shorter, far less built, his hair does not hold a honeyed glaze but instead a monochrome perfectly fitted to his present melancholy.

Cyvel knows not how to address her; warrior of light seems far too formal for the quick chat he was hoping to gain, if only to soothe the burning within his very soul;

"My lady-" He settles with, keeping his gaze lowered and his hands clasped idly before himself; "My name is Cyvel Montrohain... I was rather hoping to speak with you." And it seemed easier to use his fathers surname, as his brother did, in the hopes it is easier to form an identification - despite his usual habit of carrying his mothers name. "If you've time to spare, that is."

#I Bare Words from the Heart and a Will to Speak Them || Starter ||#Poetry is the Spontaneous Overflow of Powerful Feelings. It Takes Origin From Emotion Recollected in Tranquillity || Replies ||#here you go cybee heres the WoL! The one who killed ye brother. :)

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rcsegilded · 25 days

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First Loves | Elissa Rowan

Lady Elissa Rowan. Daughter of Lord Mathis Rowan of Goldengrove. One year older than Margaery herself, she was a tall and willowy young girl with honey-gold hair and blue-green eyes.

Elissa was sent to Highgarden in 292 AC to become one of Margaery’s companions following Loras’s departure to Storm’s End. Though she was the oldest of the group by a year, Elissa was the shyest by far. It took her longer than the others to grow past the homesickness but she warmed to Margaery first.

Once opened up to the other girls, Elissa’s personality came out in full. While reserved in mixed company, she had a sharp sense of humor that never failed to make the group laugh. Even as they grew older, Elissa remained the most easily frightened of the group and was decidedly less bold than the others. She had a particularly lovely voice and liked to sing. (Margaery would prefer to listen to Elissa sing hymns rather than attempt them herself). She loved horses and was as proficient a rider as Margaery at a given age. Elissa was fond of Willas’s hounds and forever envious that Margaery had been gifted a pup of her own. She was less fond of birds, though, and preferred to stay behind when the others went hawking.

Of the three companions, Maragery was closest with Elissa. When social hierarchies were still being established among the girls, they would confide in and stand up for each other. Margaery herself would eventually come to command the envy and respect of their little group but Elissa was content with a more background role. Not particularly fond of the spotlight but always eager to be the object of Margaery's attention. Before long, the two girls were nigh on inseparable. Elissa was the person she was always most eager to see each morning. The person she wished to speak to first and with whom she would share her secrets, such as they were.

In 296 AC, their relationship shifted and the underlying feelings between them became decidedly romantic. For Margaery, it was unexpected and exciting yet the most natural thing in the world. That the person who knew her best also held her heart was only right. The months and weeks that followed were full of laughter and joy and eager kisses around quiet corners. Given Highgarden's comparatively lax attitudes towards same-sex relationships, the shift between them went relatively unremarked upon by those around them. If anyone took notice, they remained silent or feigned ignorance. And so, they lived out their fledgling romance both in the full light of day and the quiet behind closed doors.

It was not always bliss between them, however. They were both young and immature and learning the boundaries of love and desire. And they would test those boundaries, sometimes without the soft touch required to protect the other's feelings. As a group, all four girls would often giggle and speculate on the sort of men they would someday marry. Following the beginning of her relationship with Margaery, Elissa seemed less and less enthusiastic with such conversation. Often, her mood would sour and she would find herself snapping at the others with less provocation than usual. Desmera and Elinor did not seem to make the connection but Margaery certainly did. And she would quickly soothe her love with sweet whispers and soft kisses when the others weren't looking.

The feelings of discontent and conversations long avoided finally came to a head in early 297 AC. A visit to the Arbor was an exciting prospect for all four girls though it was perhaps most memorable for Margaery herself. It is there that she strikes up a flirtation with Addam Rhysling, a younger son to one of Lord Paxter's vassals. It was by no means a serious thing but it would mark her first experience with a traditional sort of courting--clumsy and doomed though it was. For Elissa, watching Margaery accept and return the flirtations was equal parts confusing and hurtful. In her excitement, Margaery was either unable or unwilling to consider the other girl's feelings on the matter. For the duration of the visit, their conversations were peppered with sudden snaps and sharp jabs.

Even after returning to Highgarden, their air between them remained cold. With Desmera having remained behind at the Arbor, it fell to Elinor to keep the peace and attempt to coax them out of their quarrel. While they were no longer openly angry with each other, they refused to speak to each other directly--preferring to talk to Elinor, servants, or really anyone but each other.

The stalemate lasted several weeks, until Elinor came down with a stomach sickness that left her bedridden and unable to keep much down. All of this happened just as the young people of Highgarden were readying for a long hunt and hawking expedition—planned long in advance for Willas' nameday and scheduled so it could coincide Loras' short visit.

With Elinor so ill, Marg hesitated to go even though it would kill her miss such a trip with her brothers. The night before the hunt, she and Elissa found themselves alone together in her rooms. They managed some small talk (mostly about how Elinor was doing) before an uncomfortable silence falls. After a while, Elissa tells her to go, that she will stay and keep Elinor company until she's well. Marg still wasn't sure until Elissa takes her hand and presses it to her chest. She insists, saying that she's still angry with Marg and needs a few days to think. Marg eventually agrees, determined to take the time to center herself and reconnect with her brothers.

Before they leave the next day, Margaery says a tentative goodbye to Elissa in her chambers and—though there's still tension—she was hopeful that the time apart will allow them to have a better discussion when she returned Elissa's small smile reassured her even further.

But the gods--and the men in power--could be cruel. Upon her return, Margaery found two things: Elinor, much recovered from her illness and Elissa not at all. It was explained to her that Lord Rowan had recalled his daughter, having deemed it was passed time she was courted and betrothed. Margaery was distraught and could not understand why it could not have waited until she returned. Worse, Elissa had not left so much as a note behind for her.

Margaery would not find out why for many months. The truth of it would change her and harden her heart.

#[ i'm still tweaking w elissa as a character #but this is the gist of it #i love her very much ]#. : : HEADCANON

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childofchrist1983 · 5 months

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Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. - Matthew 15:7-9 KJV

Jesus often told the Pharisees to stop being hypocrites and they couldn't see it. In another place, Jesus Christ will tell the people to listen to the Pharisees, but not to act like them. The Pharisees were considered the teachers and upholders of the Jewish traditions. We also need this reminder that we can say we love Him, and yet, not love others. Hopefully, Jesus would not say this about us. We all know the saying, "Do as I say, not as I do."

What example do we give others? If we are known as Christians, do our words and actions proclaim it? I am aware that we have discussed this question before, but it is in line with what we are reading today and we need to reflect on our behavior often. We can't take for granted that we are living as Jesus wants us to live if we don't pay attention. Just as in Lent, we are called to a greater sense of reflection in Advent, as the Holy Bible reminds us that this life is not our final home. It can be overwhelming to try to see all of the areas that might need improvement, so I'm suggesting that we take just one of the Ten Commandments that we might have some trouble with and see what changes we need to make to become more faithful to God. Perhaps we have trouble with the truth. Maybe we gossip, wanting to be the first to pass on juicy pieces of information. It might be that we need to clean up our speech and stop swearing and cursing. It can be anything that we find interferes with our relationship with God. If it interferes with our relationships with other people, it interferes with our relationship with God. After all, loving God and loving our neighbor are connected to one another. As John says in his first letter, if we say we love God and hate our neighbor, we are liars. We can't lie to God. We can lie to ourselves, but we cannot lie to God. Let us take this opportunity to prepare ourselves to live eternally with God. May He be with us daily to guide us in His will and ways.

We must come to Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ with sincere hearts to ask forgiveness and follow Him and His Holy Word and Spirit always. We praise Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the mercy He bestows upon us and we are grateful for His grace and mercy and infinite blessings. By surrendering our hearts and our lives to His will, we see all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. God our refuge and our salvation and our constant provider. We lift our voices to Him in praise for His steadfast love, mercy and understanding. May Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ open our minds and hearts more and more to perceive and embrace Him and His truths. May He help us to find time to pray and read and study the Holy Bible daily and to find power in prayer, praying according to His Holy Word and will. May He help us to come to Him in true repentance and with faith in Him and His grace and merciful nature. May He give us the grace, courage and strength we need to walk with Him and do His will daily. May He teach us to watch our words when we pray to Him and to speak reverently and rightly. May we continually ask God to transform our hearts and make us faithful and humble as we walk with Him daily. We must come to Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ with honest, humble and repentant hearts. We must seek Him and His will and choose to follow Him all the days of our lives. May He help transform our hearts, help us to seek and live for Him above all else and to grow spiritually and build our faith and relationship with Him with each passing day. May He forgive our sinful nature and help us always make Him and our relationship with Him top priority.

As true and born-again Christians, we choose to walk in His righteous path and lead a life that is pleasing to Him. We desire Him and His will above anything else. We desire to walk in accordance with the love and light He has shown to us through His Holy Word and Spirit. We long for a deeper relationship with Him and a deeper fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ as well. When we fall into temptation and sin, we must turn to Him for forgiveness, strength and guidance. When believers learn to walk in accordance with God's Holy Word and Spirit, they have deeper fellowship with both God and one another. And the sin that could threaten to destroy that fellowship, if confessed (1 John 1:9), is covered in the blood of Jesus Christ and no longer a barrier between us and God. May we ask Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ to forgive us for any sins we have sinned this day or in days past. May we be faithful to Him and His Holy Word always. May He help us to walk more consistently in the light and to not neglect long to confess and forsake any sins that hinder our walk with Him. May He lead us in the direction He wants us to go so that we may seek and serve Him faithfully. God is holy and almighty and deserving of all praise honor and glory. We rejoice in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, knowing He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8). May our hearts always be filled with thanksgiving and rejoicing. May He help us to praise Him freely and honestly like all believers who came before us. May we live a life that showcases our love and trust in Him and His Holy Word and Spirit as He uses us draw others to Him and His soul-saving Gospel Truth daily. May He continue guide, correct and protect us, so that we continue to grow in Him and not weaken and stray. May we all remain faithful to Him and to this duty and purpose He has called us to. Seek and put your faith and trust in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ and let Him do the rest. May He humble our hearts and help us focus on following and serving Him daily and helping others with joy and happiness. We lift our voices in praise to Him for His love, mercy, peace, faithfulness and grace - For EVERYTHING!

It is vital that we remain rooted in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit and that we live and walk as a beacon of His light and love and share and spread the Gospel Truth daily, so that the lost souls in this world can come to know Him and be saved. The more we focus on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, growing spiritually by building our relationship with Him, leaning on Him and His Holy Word and Spirit, the better off we will be. Thanks to this and our faith in Him, we know that everything will be alright. And we will forever be grateful to Him. As true and born-again Christians, we believe in Him and His Holy Word and we strive daily to walk in His Holy Spirit. We know though our mortal bodies should die, He will raise us up and into new and glorious bodies (The Rapture). We who are truly His and alive at His second coming will never die, and our bodies will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and so shall we ever be with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven forevermore (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This is one of many promises given to us by God Himself. Thank God for His strength and guidance when we are faced with sin and temptation. Thank Him for His mercy and grace. Through Bible study and prayer, God reveals His wisdom and guides us to see opportunities to grow closer to Him and grow spiritually. He gives us direction to live our lives daily according to His will.

Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven (John 3:5, 14:6), the ONLY way to salvation (Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9) and He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26). Jesus Christ the LORD of lords, the KING of kings, the GOD of gods (Deuteronomy 10:17, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16) - He is the Living, Almighty and Everlasting God (Isaiah 9:6, Revelation 1:8, John 3:16, John 3:36, Jeremiah 10:10). There is no other God besides Him (Isaiah 45:5). We MUST humble ourselves before Him, turning our backs on false teachers, false gods and idols and our sinful ways. We MUST repent and turn back to God and recognize who He is and love Him in return for His great love for us. We MUST make God top priority everyday! May we be motivated to spread God's Holy Word and Gospel Truth to all the Earth, knowing that it is the only hope of all those lost in their sins. Let us not hold out a false hope for men to be saved without the Gospel, but instead, strive to do our part to get the Gospel out to a lost and dying world.

Leaning on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit strengthens us and our knowledge and wisdom about God and His Gospel Truth, exposing these imposters. May God help us to seek and lean on Him daily to gain the strength, wisdom and spiritual discernment needed to expose Satan and his imposters who seek to destroy us and God's ultimate Truth. Everyday, we must remember to share Jesus Christ's Gospel Truth with the world and to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and from the eternal damnation of Hell. In all we say and do, may all praise, honor and glory always be given to Him and His Kingdom of Heaven.

With renewed minds, hearts and wills, let us serve Him humbly and faithfully out of pure love and grateful rejoicing. May He remind us of His presence and to remain at peace, fully knowing that all will be well because He is always with us. Let us seek Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ today and everyday with all our heart and being, looking for His love, light and will for our lives with each step we take. Let us seek to please Him with our thoughts, words, and deeds and seek to advance His Kingdom of Heaven and His glory with our lives. Let us seek Him from a pure and humble heart, and when we so seek, we believe Him and His promise that we will find. May He help us all to be more sensitive to the teaching ministry of His Holy Word and Spirit, relying on Him and allowing Him to speak to us and guide us every step of our Christian journey.

God gave us the Holy Bible - His living and Holy Word - to let us know of Him and His abiding love and care as well as guide and prepare us for all our lives. May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will.

May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

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theprayerfulword · 6 months

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October 29

Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Psalm 34:18 ASV Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.

Romans 12:1 NIV Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Habakkuk 3:17-18 NASB Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines … 18 Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

Isaiah 64:8 KJV But now, O Lord, Thou art our father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand.

2 Corinthians 5:7 NASB for we walk by faith, not by sight

May you consider eternity, where your future awaits, and turn to the Lord, in Whom your cleansing lies, lest disobedience to the Spirit bring you grief and your foes become your masters. Lamentations 1

May you look with compassion upon those whose sins have been woven together into a yoke, and who understand that they have rebelled against the righteous commands of the Lord, that you may comfort them with the comfort you have received from the Lord as He turns their captivity and brings deliverance in the midst of their sorrow. Lamentations 1

May you never forget, in the midst of the discipline and correction of God, that His anger does not make Him your foe, for the wounds of a friend are better than the kisses of an enemy. Lamentations 2, Proverbs 27:6

May you be faithful to allow the Word of God to expose sin, that it may ward off judgment if repentance follows. Lamentations 2

May you arise, crying out in the night, giving yourself no relief and your eyes no rest as the watches of the night begin, as you pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord, lifting up your hands to Him for those who are dear to you. Lamentations 2

My child, a time of change can bring emotional pain, distress, anguish, grief, and questions. When you come in repentance to Me, tears of sorrow flow as you realize how wrong you were in your beliefs and actions, but they soon change to glad tears of joy as you realize that My forgiveness is real, and it is yours, right now, immediately, not after long penance, but the very moment you turn to Me in believing faith. The time of delivery for a child is full of distress and pain for both the mother and the infant. When you labor in prayer for someone I have placed on your heart, entreating the Father for that person to have the same life-changing experience I have given you, you quickly face the fact that even with all the loving grace and mercy that My Spirit extends to your loved one, they may not have fully realized the truth of their standing in eternity and the reality of their spiritual condition yet. You find that you must battle in prayer against the wiles of the enemy to silence the lies that, like hard ground and rocky soil, stunt a restlessly seeking heart from reaching for the truth. You must stand on My Word to bind the fears that, like thorns and briers, distract a willing spirit from the path to My loving freedom. It is the work of My Spirit to grow the seed of conviction in their heart, that it may be watered by your tears and nourished by Christian relationship, in order to come to term and bring in the joyous harvest of full redemption, bearing the peaceable fruit of righteousness. A transition in relationships can open wounds, bring tears and recriminations, and raise questions. As you grow in the Spirit of Christ, you will find that I will remove some people from your life, and bring other people into your life. You often long after the relationships you have known, and are sometimes slow to develop the relationships that are new. You may question Me, feeling anger at your loss of the familiar and rejecting the advances of the new. But I am patient and enduring, continuing My work within you, well able to outlast your resistance, covering you with My healing love. The pain dims, the regrets lessen, and when you find you are able to accept what I am doing in your life, having no angry questions, raising no disputing issues, you will know that you have grown in faith and have become steadfast in your relationship with Me. You will be able to patiently wait before My throne and humbly go where I send you and willingly speak what I give you, comforted by the knowledge that I always care for you and I am ever perfecting that which pertains to you.

May you be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ, for then your love will give great joy and encouragement because you have refreshed the hearts of the saints. Philemon 1

May you sing praise to the Lord for His love and justice as you seek to walk in your house with a blameless heart, setting no vile thing before your eyes, waiting for Him to come to you. Psalm 101

May you despise the deeds of those who turn aside from God's ways, and shake them off, having nothing to do with evil and placing distance between the places where men of perverse heart are found and where your heart dwells with Christ. Psalm 101

May your eyes favor the faithful of the land so that they may sit down with you and be your companions, that you may be blessed by them and learn of them, honoring those who walk with integrity and without blame as your heroes. Psalm 101

May you put to silence, every morning, all the wicked voices who stand in your presence speaking falsely, and may you daily cast out of your house those influences that practice deceit and entice you into evil, that you may dwell in the city of the Lord forever. Psalm 101

#daily #blessings #prayers #scripture

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lesfeldickbiblestudy · 1 year

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Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 3 * PART 3 * BOOK 68 BUT NOW - YOU ARE MADE NIGH – PART 3 Eph. 2:13; Eph. 4:20; Phil. 2:27 It is good to have everybody back after your coffee break. Again, we would like to welcome our television audience and thank you, again, for all your kind letters, your financial help, your prayers, and everything. I’ve said it over and over how we appreciate your letters. My goodness, what a compensation it is for the ministry. Before we go any further, I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. We’ve got two people that are so intrinsic to our ministry. They do all the transcribing for the closed captioning as well as for the books. The first one over here is Sharon Martin. She’s the gal that’s usually got the “red” hair. Everybody comments who’s the lady on the front row with the red hair? Well, that’s Sharon Martin. Jerry Pool is the second one. Where is he? Jerry’s back over there. Sharon does the closed captioning, and then Jerry and his wife Lorna put the little book together out of it. This is what made me aware of it. I’ll just share this with all of you in television. I just happened to be someplace where the program had the closed captioning. I just sat and that’s all I watched. And it was letter perfect. I was just flabbergasted. Most closed captioning, you know, makes some goofs here and there, but these two people have just done a fabulous job. I wanted to give them their due. Okay, now we’re on the same verse we’ve been on. I thought we’d do that in half of a program, and here we’re going into the third. But anyway, that’s the way we teach, and I trust that’s what the Lord has blessed. So, we’re going to come back to Ephesians chapter 2 once again. We’re on that “But Now” where everything had been Jew only, and the Gentile world was without Christ, without the covenants and without hope. “But Now” on this side of the revelation of the mysteries, verse 13 again. Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus ye (Gentiles, you and I) who sometimes (at one time) were far off (because God was dealing only with the covenant people) are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” This, of course, is another reference to the work of the cross, and His glorious resurrection. Now, let’s just carry on here in Ephesians chapter 2 on this side of the “But Now.” Ephesians 2:14a “For he (Christ) is our peace,…” That is that peace with God. Remember Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God.” God has no controversy with the believer. If suddenly the Lord should come this afternoon, I’ve said it over and over and over again, you’re not going to come before Him shaking in your boots because of some sin. That’s all been obliterated. You’ve been forgiven! All right, so we have peace with God. We don’t have to fear being brought into His presence. Ephesians 2:14 “For he (Christ) is our peace, who hath made both one, (Well, who are the both? The Jew and the Gentile, the only two groups of people that Scripture deals with, and He has brought them into the one body.) and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;” Now that, of course, was a reference to the Temple complex where there was a wall that Gentiles did not dare go beyond. But that’s been broken down. Now both Jew and Gentile have access. All right, verse 15. Ephesians 2:15 “Having abolished in his flesh (This is all in reference to the cross.) the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of the two one new man, so making peace;” Now, we always have to recognize that Israel was so involved with the Mosaic Law that that in itself kept them separated from the Gentile world. The Gentile had no concept of living according to the Law of Moses. But, that Law of Moses was such that--, now come back with me to Acts chapter 15. Boy, I thought for a minute I wasn’t going to find it, Acts 15 verse 8. Now, I guess I should go back to verse 7.

This is Peter rehearsing his time at the house of Cornelius. And again, I always like to point out that Peter didn’t go to the house of Cornelius until after Saul’s conversion, so it was already opening the door, now, to the revelation of the mystery to the Gentiles. But the Jewish believers remember, from Jerusalem, were still undermining Paul’s Gentile congregations by demanding circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses. So, they had to set up this big meeting in Jerusalem, which is also covered in Galatians 2 in about 51 AD. That’s about what? Twenty years after Pentecost, twenty-two to be exact. All right, but now Peter is finally recognizing that Paul was right by claiming to be the Apostle of the Gentiles. Acts 15:7a “And when there had been much disputing,…” Arguing over the fact. Paul said my converts don’t have to keep the Law. They don’t have to be circumcised. And Peter and the Jews at Jerusalem said yes they do. Well, they finally settled it, and Peter comes around to Paul’s line of thinking. Acts 15:7 “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago (Now, from this point in time, it was 12 years already that Peter hadn’t said a word. He just sort of put it back in the recesses of his memory.) God made choice among us, (That is among the Twelve ruling there from Jerusalem.) that the Gentiles (See, here we come.) by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.” Acts 15:8-10 “And God, who knoweth the hearts, (That is of Jews as well as the house of Cornelius.) bare them witness, giving them (the house of Cornelius) the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;” (Here it comes.) 9. And put no difference between us and them, (Jew and Gentile) purifying their hearts (Not by law keeping, but how?) by faith. 10. Now therefore (Now, this is Peter.) why test ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, (Or these Gentile believers, now watch this.) which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Now, what does that tell you? The Law was a burden for the true believer. They could hardly breathe for the yoke that was around their neck. So, Peter is recognizing that it’s good riddance to get rid of that yoke that had been on the neck of the Old Testament fathers as well as Peter’s generation. So, that’s what he means when he says, “which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.” Acts 15:11 “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” Well, there’s Peter now addressing the Gentiles with regard to the house of Cornelius. All right, come back with me now to Ephesians chapter 2, again, where Paul now is alluding to that same breaking down of that wall of partition between Israel and the Gentiles. But the Gentile is not forced into the law-keeping that Israel tried to put upon them. All right verse 17 of Ephesians 2. The same God in verse 16, or the same Christ up in verse 13, the same God-- Ephesians 2:17 “And came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to them that were nigh.” Well, that doesn’t need a theological explanation, does it? The Gentiles were the ones that were way out there without any hope. The Jews had always been next to the covenant promises. All right, but now this Gospel is going to go to both Jew and Gentile. Ephesians 2:18 “For through him (That is through this Christ who finished the work of the cross. Through him Jew and Gentile--) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Now verse 19, we’re going to pursue this to the end of the chapter. Ephesians 2:19a “Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners,…” Now remember, what are we referring to? Go back up to verse 12. It’s been a half-hour, now, since we talked about it. Let’s go back up there, verse 12. This was the lot of the Gentile before Paul came along, Ephesians 2:12-13a “That at that time you (Gentiles) were without Christ, being aliens from

the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13. But now…” See? On this side of the cross. I constantly ask people, why do you stay on the front side of the cross? That’s not where it’s at. You’ve got to come on this side of the cross, after the death, burial, resurrection, and the shed blood. But, oh, they just insist on staying in His earthy ministry, which Paul said he no longer has a thing to do with. Oh, it’s just…I can’t understand it. I can’t comprehend it. Why do they want to stay on the front side of the cross, when on this side is where all has been supplied. All right, reading on, back to verse 20. Ephesians 2:20 “And are (you’re) built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone;” Now, that again isn’t hard to explain. This whole Book is the inspired Word of God from cover to cover. Does that mean that just because Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles we don’t use the rest of it? Of course we do! It’s a progressive revelation, and the more you can understand of the Old Testament promises, the easier it is to accept Paul’s revelation. It all unfolds step by step. All right, so we’ve been built on that of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone of everything. Ephesians 2:21 “In whom (in Christ) all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: (Now verse 22 and we’re going to chase down some references.) 22. In whom you also (Now don’t forget, who’s he writing to? Gentiles. You and I. Who at one time had nothing to do with the Temple at Jerusalem. We had nothing to do with the law-keeping worship of Israel.) In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” That is the Holy Spirit. All right, come back to I Corinthians chapter 3. Let’s just see how this all fits so beautifully. Oh, my goodness, we have to start at verse 10. And again, this is repetition. We touched on these, I think, not too many programs ago. I Corinthians chapter 3, now I guess I should use verse 9. I Corinthians 3:9 “For we are laborers together with God: (Why?) you are God’s husbandry, you are God’s building.” Now, it’s the word building that we’re going to look at, because what did Ephesians say? We are the habitation of God. Well, what does habitation refer to? The place where you live, your dwelling place. All right, now here it comes, verse 10. I Corinthians 3:10a “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder,…” Now, what does that refer to? Building something. A home. An office building. Whatever the case may be. We’re talking about building something. I Corinthians 3:10b “…as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation,…” This is the basis for anything that is going to be worthwhile. You can go back to Jesus’ illustration of building on the sand. What good is it? Nothing. The first time the wind and the water come, away it goes. The foundation is everything. That’s where we start. I Corinthians 3:10c-11 “I (Paul says) have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereupon. But let every man (that means every one of us) take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Now see, Paul isn’t claiming to be the foundation. He’s the builder who lays it. Then we’re going to start building on that foundation which is Jesus Christ, of course crucified and risen from the dead. All right, now verse 12, here come the building products. I Corinthians 3:12 “Now if any man build upon this foundation (As a believer, you’ve placed your faith in that finished work of the cross. Now, you’re given opportunity to work, to build. And here are your materials.) gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;” Now, I always like to stop and make a comparison. You take someone who is out there looking for gold, silver, and precious stones.

He’s out there facing the elements. He’s probably climbing the mountains. In fact, we were just rehearsing last night the time we had a lunch with a gold prospector in Colorado. It was a unique experience. He was up there in those rugged mountains all by himself, because that’s where you have to go if you’re going to get the things that are worthwhile. Now, the other three materials, I always make people smile. Sharon knows. I always refer to the little old grade school story of the three pigs. What did they use, the first two? That which was easy: sticks and straw. I wonder sometimes, if the guy that wrote that story didn’t have this in his background. But see, that’s what most believers are doing. They’re just like the three pigs. They’re out there just doing what little bit they can, and they think that God’s going to be satisfied. No. God expects you to get out there into the mountains and grub out the gold and the silver and the stones, the things that are worthwhile. All right, read on. I Corinthians 3:13 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: (It’s going to be put in the spotlight of His fiery eyes.) for the day (the Bema Seat day) shall declare it, (Now, we won’t be at the Great White Throne with all the lost people. We’re going to be at the Judgment Seat, the Bema Seat. So, the Bema Seat day, if I may put it that way--) shall declare it, (It’s going to declare what our rewards are.) because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” Now, I guess I’d better show Scripture. Come back with me to Revelation chapter 19. Keep your hand here in Corinthians, because you’ve got to compare Scripture with Scripture. Revelation 19 verse 11, and don’t forget what we’re here for. At the Bema Seat Judgment the Lord Jesus is going to examine the works of every believer. Now again, don’t forget that’s in eternity, and in eternity there’s no time. So, He can examine millions of people in what we would call ten minutes. Because otherwise, you wonder, well, how can he examine every individual believer and still have it all done before the Second Coming. Okay, here it is. Revelation 19:11-12a “And I saw heaven opened, (That’s the Second Coming, remember.) and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (But here’s what I want you to see.) 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire,…” Now, come back to Corinthians. With these fiery eyes He’s going to penetrate the works of every believer. Now, when those fiery eyes hit wood, hay, and stubble, what’s going to happen to it? Up in a puff of smoke, figuratively speaking. But, when it hits the gold and silver and precious stones, what will it do? It will just magnify it, because heat purifies, if anything. So, the whole name of the game as a believer is, are you building on your salvation that which amounts to something? Are you putting in gold, silver, and precious stones? Are you making an effort to build, or are you just going out like the three little pigs, or the two, and picking up straw and sticks and thinking it suffices? Oh, listen! Millions of believers are going to be so disappointed when they come to this Judgment Seat. They’re going to have remorse, I think, to a degree. I know it is heaven, but nevertheless, why didn’t I do more? Why didn’t I do more? So, this is the admonishment. Get out there and get out the gold and the silver and the precious stones. I Corinthians 3:13-15 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall test every man’s work of what sort it is. 14. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, (can survive the fire) he shall receive a reward. 15. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: (Of reward. Not salvation, but rather loss of reward.) but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

” All right, now here’s the verse that brought me back here. Here’s the verse, we’re building a temple, verse 16. I Corinthians 3:16-17a “Know ye not that ye (Now, he’s talking about individual Gentile believers at Corinth. He’s talking the same to us.) are the temple (the dwelling place) of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17. If any man defile the temple of God, (that is this body) him shall God destroy;…” Now listen. Do you wonder what he’s talking about? You smokers out there. What are you doing? Every time you inhale, I always say you’re choking the Holy Spirit. He’s indwelling you. But not only that, you are destroying your temple. I just had a letter yesterday from a fellow in the last stages of emphysema, having smoked three packs a day all his life. Well, he asked for it, and he admitted that he did. We had a fellow out in our Albuquerque seminar who was running around with a little oxygen tank. He said, “Les, whenever I see kids smoking, I walk up to them unannounced and I say, “Look, kids, this is where you’re headed.” Carrying that oxygen tank. Well, that’s what this verse is saying. If you’re going to misuse your physical body, you’re going to see the consequences. I Corinthians 3:17 “If any man defile (or does damage to) the temple of God, (which is your body) him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, (Now watch that next few words.) which temple ye (What?) are.” Okay. Go over to chapter 6, still in I Corinthians. Now, these things are repeated for a reason. This is what we have to be aware of, that we are building on the foundation of the Gospel with works of gold, silver, and precious stones, because the Spirit of God is indwelling us. This is His dwelling place today. All right, chapter 6 verse 19. I Corinthians 6:19-20 “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple (the dwelling place) of the Holy Spirit who is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (They both belong to God.)” All right, I think there’s another one in II Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14. Now this is just as valid for us today as it was for the Corinthians. II Corinthians 6:14-16a “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? 15. And what concord (or what agreement) hath Christ with Belial? (This is a reference to one of the Old Testament idols.) or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (or an unbeliever) 16. And what agreement hath the temple of God (Hear that? What’s it a reference to? Your physical body.) with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God;…” It’s been a while since you’ve heard that, hasn’t it? But that’s what you are. If you’re a believer, for you out in television, if you’re a believer, you are the dwelling place of God Himself, in the person, of course, of the Holy Spirit. All right, reading on. II Corinthians 6:16b-17a “…as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Now then, verse 17, here’s the admonition. Again, you don’t hear this much anymore.) 17. Wherefore (since you are the temple of the Living God) wherefore come out from among them, (Who are the them? The infidel’s of the world, the unbelievers.) and be ye separate, saith the Lord,…” And so on and so forth. All right, our time is just about gone. Let’s come back for our closing seconds to Ephesians, once again to chapter 3. I’m going to take this right in to where we were a couple of programs back, because it’s so appropriate. Chapter 3 verse 1 of Ephesians and then it will be time to quit. Ephesians 3:1a “For this cause…” What cause? What we’ve just been looking at. That as a member of the Body of Christ, you’re building on the foundation, which is the work of the cross. And as a believer, you are to be building up for reward with gold, silver, and precious stones.

You are to be separated from the unbelieving world in your lifestyle and in your everyday behavior, because you are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit today. And you know, I always say, what’s important is not the past, but today and tomorrow. The past you can’t do anything about, but be ready to show your colors from hereon if you haven’t before. Ephesians 3:1 “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,” So, the whole afternoon I’m going to be emphasizing that this is what happened when God turned from Israel and raised up that other apostle and sent him to the Gentile world.

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