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blankdblank · 4 years

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Oh Honey Pt 2

… Pt 1

“Spare me your pity, I don’t need it”

“You are confusing my pity with love.”

…

Out in the cover of nightfall as your patience waned you gripped the saddle to your horse you raised up to your horses’ back over the sheet you laid down to cushion the heavy saddle. Carefully you secured the straps and moved to collect the bridle that when you turned to it the leather and metal bindings sat in Thranduil’s palm. “Running away?”

“I am not running.”

Thranduil nodded as you accepted the bridle you eased over your steed’s face, “Slinking away under the cover of the moon and stars, I would call that running.”

With a sigh you replied, “I can’t just wait here for Elrond to fancy a trip home again.”

Thranduil, “You have been through a harrowing ordeal not two days past-,”

Sharply you turned to him with a glare, “Spare me your pity, I don’t need it. He wasn’t my brother, just another male assuming he had any form of ownership over someone he assumed weaker than him! He attacked me, one of you four killed him protecting me. I’m not angry, I’m not mourning, I am determined to see the end of this!”

Moving closer to you his hand covered yours as you slung the reigns over the not of the saddle you had moved to try and climb onto, “You are confusing my pity with love.” In confusion your eyes narrowed in the tilt of your head up at him making him shake his head, “That is not what I meant to say.”

“Good, because I would never assume you loved me.” You scoffed back defensively.

Furrowing his brows he replied, “I love you.”

“You don’t know me!” You replied hastily making him huff this time as you stepped up into your stirrup and climbed up on the saddle making him reach over and grip the base of the reigns at your steed’s head while he walked around it to grab the reigns on his already saddled steed you hadn’t noticed.

“I know you far better than you presume others capable from a distance you defend.” Uncertain, the glance from you over his expression made him wet his lips and he added, “Also you have a great love for his world and the history it holds, of which I am a part, so in some minute way you have a love for me in return.” Up onto his own saddle he climbed after releasing your reigns and turned his head to catch your eye, “Not just these horses but you have stolen my heart as well.” In a confirming pat that his satchel of supplies he packed was still behind him he says, “We began this journey together and Tulkas himself could not part me from aiding its end at your side.”

Playfully you respond, “You do realize you have a bit of an addiction to over dramatize things, don’t you?”

“Coming from the woman who pretends to find no shock in her own absurd actions I take that as a complementation of our settling into a courtship.”

“I am certain your wife will have something to say about that.” Making his mouth fall open readying to clarify your mistake.

“That is not all you are intending on taking with you, is it?” Your head turned seeing Glorfindel, also with his saddled steed surrounded by the twins, all with ample supplies, “You would surely starve, My Lady.”

Rolling your eyes you said, “Just lead the way to Lothlorien before the whole city saddles up, My Lord.”

Smirking at you he chuckled and Ellohrir stated, “No need for such formalities,” Turning with the two around him to guide the way.

Elladan, “We are to spend a great deal of weeks together in crossing the Misty Mountain Pass.”

Shaking your head you followed the trio only to hear Thranduil say, “I believe that was sarcasm,” the details of which he broke into leading you grateful of the steady trot getting you closer to stopping Celebrimbor from doing something impossibly foolish and damning for the whole world you had fallen into.

Closer and closer you grew and in your first night up on the Mountain Pass you sat staring up at the stars while the trio set up their bedrolls inside the onion tent, a calming addition for Thranduil at spending nights with you again. Straight to your side he strode and sat down keeping his gaze on you and not the stars shining so brightly they reflected in your eyes and coated you in a gentle glow under your wolf jacket. Lowly he stated, “I have never taken a Wife.”

Turning your head you looked him over saying, “But then what about your son, Legolas?”

“How do you know of this?” He asked in a tone more of adoring wonder as to how you knew of his child without any having stated him having one. Your silent stare at him had him answering, “Two centuries past I was coerced into taking a Consort, who not ten years past birthed my son shockingly early due to unforeseen strain and faded not long after his first breath.”

“Unforeseen strain?”

“Our borders were breached and Lattea was startled by the battle horns sounding so early while she slept. There was no danger but such a sudden shock in so delicate a time ended badly.”

“Consort, so, she was your mistress?”

Wetting his lips his eyes darted from yours in thought then back again, “It is, in this tongue difficult to explain. We marry once, and in hopes of an heir Nobles are able to take Consorts until we find out Ones Eru has destined for us to spend eternity with. It is merely a physical agreement to aid in a child.”

“Did you love her?”

“No.”

“You knew her for centuries, slept with her, what, hundreds of times-,”

“Fifteen.”

“Fi-, fifteen?”

“Yes, Elleths have certain ovulation cycles, and upon those occasions I assure you it was nothing amorous. Plainly cordial and intent upon one purpose. Between those occasions our contact was limited to withhold any bonds of affections.”

“You didn’t love her, but you slept with her, and now you say you love me, for what reason?”

“What has reason to do with love?”

“I mean, what are you expecting in return?”

“I expect your happiness and safety in return. What else could I expect? This is no bargain, there is no contract, no terms, not until a union would be agreed upon and only then verbal between us and the Valar to bind us as one in matrimony, should I win your affections in return.” For a moment his eyes narrowed in the slight blush on your cheeks before you looked forward settling your chin on your knees tucked up under your coat. “Why would you presume intended to gain from my love for you?”

“I don’t know! I’ve never had anyone tell me they love me before.” Making his lips begin to part at the worry in your tone, “I only met you a few weeks ago, and you’re a Prince, with a son and a family no doubt expecting great things of the person you choose. What could I-,”

Hastily he moved to crouch in front of you silencing you as his eyes locked on yours with his hands settling on your boot covered ankles, “Do not doubt yourself, or your greatness in my eyes. You may yet see it for yourself, however my parents will adore you, as will Legolas in his growth, he is still a toddler and quick to love yet even had he been older he would treasure his bond with you.” Just barely your lips parted and he said, “I will love you for all that you are, were and ever could grow to be. Title or no title-.” Without pause you leaned forward and your lips found his silencing him.

Pulling back you looked over his stunned expression and asked, “Was I not supposed to do that? I though you wanted me to…” Hastily your legs pulled out of your jacket and you stood up saying, “Never mind, forget I did.”

Quietly you hurried back to the tent and tugged out of your boots and burrowed inside your sleeping bag pulling the comforter over your head making the three look from you to Thranduil in the front flap still blushing from your kiss who eased his sleeping bag closer to yours after sealing the tent flap. Cross legged on his sleeping bag he sat staring at your pile of blankets as you slowly drifted off after a fight not to cry from embarrassment. Through the night he sat up choosing to take watch while the others chose to let him wait on explaining what had happened between you until morning.

But the explanation didn’t come as he was still waiting on you leading to their stepping out to start on breakfast, the first sign of stirring from you had him inching closer to you in anticipation. Half unaware of where you were or even what had happened in the past week you emerged from your warm layers brushing the blankets down to your middle lazily easing your crossed legs out into the cool air. A turn of your head had your eyes flinch wider as it all came back to you in Thranduil’s hands looping around your legs and back pulling you onto his lap for his lips to crash into yours. For a few brief moments he poured all his pent up emotions and yearning to do this very thing.

Lost to a whirling derby of your thoughts from the sudden bout of physical display of affection your eyes slowly cracked open in the tap of his lips to your cheek just by your ear. Lowly he hummed sweetly by your ear, “Elven courtship is rather restrictive. Kindly forgive my restraint in displaying my affections publicly until our courtship is secured with my parents.”

Sheepishly you replied just above a whisper, “So, it’s a secret then?”

His head drew back and sweetly again his lips met yours, “Not a secret, merely more emotional than physically demonstrated. You understand?”

“Not really, but I suppose I’ll have to get used to not understanding things.” In his gentle brush of a strand of your curls from your face to behind your ear you glanced out the tent flap seeing one twin shove the other out of sight in his own dive leaving Glorfindel staring straight up turning in a circle before walking out of sight making you sigh. “I suppose they’ll be sworn to secrecy then?”

When you looked to Thranduil again he kissed your cheek and helped you out of his lap saying, “No swearing necessary.” He glanced at the empty view outside adding, “I will aid them in preparing breakfast and allow you to ready for the day, my Love.” A ghost of a smile crossed his lips in a rise to join the others closing the flap behind him so you could change.

…

From snow coated rocky paths towards a distant patch of green you traveled and continued off into the wide green ahead. A glance back at you in the nearing of the great forest you had been aiming for revealed a glint of silver between your fingers, upon closer inspection it was a coin easing over, between and under your fingers in a loop until the horses came to a halt on the forest’s edge. Palming the coin you glanced at the men, Ellohrir took the task of explaining, “We continue on foot from here.”

“Oh, okay…seems to defeat the speed aspect of the mission.” You mumbled in swinging your leg back to climb down. Stroking the neck of your horse you let the reigns fall slack and looked ahead to the winding path between mountains of trees stretching on for what seemed forever. A change in the foliage had you peering upwards as your hand released hold of the leather straps in your wandering path off to the side in absently trailing the path of a glowing butterfly flock. Lowering your gave however had a shriek escaping you in your stumble backwards straight into Glorfindel’s chest in his try to guide you back to the right path. Wide eyed you stared at the equally as startled blonde staring at you.

Elladan hopped over a root asking, “Is everything alright, My Lady?”

“I, just, wandered nearly into this guy.” Looking him over you asked, “You wouldn’t happen to be Haldir?” The name made his brows knit together in confusion for all else you said.

Glorfindel stated, “I do not believe he speaks the common tongue, My Lady.”

“Orophin, perhaps?” Another tensing of his brows making you tap your chest saying, “Tiny,” pointing at him you asked, “Rumil Halmirion?” With a nod he looked you over and you glanced around and pointed to your right, “Lothlorien?”

Glorfindel, “It is not spoken of by that name here.”

“Oh, no, I know it, the um, Lori-, Lori-something-land?” Making your group chuckle, “Though Haldir called it, Caras, something…”

In Elvish Glorfindel spoke to the blonde who bowed his head and looked you over raising his flat hand in return to your quick wave in your being led aside back to the original path. Peering over at you Thranduil took your side offering you the reigns and said, “Careful, there are many safe holds in these lands to keep strangers out.”

“Even if I’m traveling with you?”

Glorfindel chuckled saying, “No telling who you might be. The Prince has been taken as missing, you could be holding him ransom.”

“Oh yes, because I’m some mountain sized dragon able to hypnotize others to do my bidding.”

Ellohrir looked to you then to Thranduil, “Sarcasm!” Pleased at his having caught the hints making you giggle in their ripple of pleased grins.

Elladan stated, “Naneth will love you. Our grandparents too.”

“Hmm, I’m not overly Galadriel, in the books she takes a dark turn…”

The twins’ brows knitted together asking, “Galadriel?”

“Finarfin’s daughter?”

Thranduil, “Ah, as far as we have recorded those from that line attempting to flee Valinor fell in turning to defend their mother’s kin in Teleri, falling to those from their father’s kin.”

Looking up at the twins you asked, “Who married Celeborn then?” Their wide grins were your only answer until another band of guards appeared and showed you through the gates. Under the massive treetop city you were led to the inner ring where you sighed and started the endless stairs biting back the pain in your left knee until you got about a third of the way and froze.

Gently Thranduil’s hand settled on your shoulder, “Is something wrong?”

Glancing back at him you said, “Just my knee. Never too good for more than four flights of stairs.” Looking down he saw your hand pressing on the painfully throbbing muscle supposedly tasked for keeping your knee in socket that had always failed to do so causing it to shift in and out as you walked, mostly painless until you ran or took the stairs after a bad bike accident when you were little.

Easing around you Thranduil lowered helping you up onto his back parting the lips of the guards as he said, “Forgive me for not noticing your pain sooner.” Rising up again he continued on ignoring the stares of the others while keeping firm hold of your thighs at his sides while your arms draped around his shoulders.

Softly you asked by his ear, “I take it piggy back rides are on the lists of unacceptable behavior?”

In a smirking glance at you he hummed back, “You have an injury, they can live with witnessing my act of protection.”

Resting your chin on is shoulder you eyed the stairs above asking, “How can you stand all the stairs?”

Thranduil chuckled as Glorfindel stated, “It tends to deter unwanted guests.”

“If you’re unfriendly just post a sign, ‘Invitations Only’ or something like that.” Making them chuckle again. But up to the main greeting balcony you were led and crouching again Thranduil helped you down and grinned taking your side again for the stroll after the guards.

King Amroth stood before you with Queen Nimrodel at his side greeting the others kindly until a guard stepped aside and your gaze lowered again parting the Queen’s lips and you were approached by her as she asked, “How have you come here?”

“I, um, see, I was moving and then I sort of just got in this accident and, blinked and I was in the Shire.” In her eyes looking your face over and your purple ended silvery curled ponytail you added, “I need to speak to Celebrimbor. It’s urgent.”

In a step back she said, “There is another you must speak to first.”

“But-,” Ignoring you she led the way up the short set of steps into a series of winding walkways leading to what sounded like a party ending with gasps and the twins being pulled towards their elated parents. Though the world seemed to fall silent as you spotted a familiar face across the room smiling as soon as it spotted you in your whisper of, “Mom?”

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @sweeticedtea, @ggbbhehe4455, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @alishlieb, @jogregor, @armitageadoration, @fizzyxcustard, @here2have-fun, @lilith15000, @marvels-ghost, @catthefearless, @imjusthereforthereads, @c-s-stars

Hobbit/LotR – @abiwim, @jotink78, @pastelhexmaniac

X Thranduil - @evyiione, @sweetlytenacious25, @tigereyesf, @pastelhexmaniac

#Theincaprincesswritingchallenge #30daywritingchallengebytheincaprincess #thranduil x oc

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spell406 · 5 years

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So, a friend of mine basically forced me to watch at least one episode of Netflix Castlevania.

(Disc - I am new to tumblr and had a little problems with posting this thing correctly. Sorry for spam)

So I watched one. And then another. And another… When I finished it was 3 a.m., my eyes were burned out, my brain fried, and my soul forever forfeited, but whatever, who need it anyway.

I am new to the universe, and I know that I am something like 10 months late to the review party, so instead I decided to just share a bunch of thoughts of mine. [UPDATE – Because I am extremely heavy procrastinator and it took me almost two weeks to write this thing I am already at 50% of SoTN right now I’ve finished SoTN by now]

First of all – Castlevania looks like anime, but shares almost nothing common with it. It was a relief, to be honest, as I was a little afraid of show being just another shounen with specific set of clichés and similarities that might quite not bad (or even enjoyable), but I’ve seen them too many times before – better or worse executed – to watch without a mild nausea another Bleach/Naruto in a darker scenario.

I would never demand a fantasy world to be realistic. Like, who would do, fantasy world is supposed to be… fantasy, right? I am fine with lack of realism but I can’t say the same about lack of common sense, and there is a matter of logic that I personally find quite funny. When you are about to fight in close quarters with someone, with both of you lives on stake you’ll want to use every possible advantage. In general there are two kinds of battle armors – first one is focused on providing maximum protection (like typical medieval plate armor) and second one designed to grant freedom of movement especially critical in usually legwork-heavy duels. And here are our “battle” priests in gowns. Gowns, that manage to provide neither aforementioned advantage and downsides of both. Heh. It just bothers me too much, honestly.

I really love the flow of narration; the way that every character including antagonists has its own set of motives and reasons, even Carmilla has her own background that is convicting to justify her bitchery (Well, she has seen it before, right? And Dracula wasn’t even trying to hide his apathy, so why would she like to watch as dead man wages his hollow war)(Is it only me or Dracula shows typical signs of severe depression? Apathy, lack of strength to take any decision, not taking care of himself, loss of interest – even in his own war – well, to be honest he has a good reason to do so).

Animations. Ah, that one is unquestionably excellent, although you Powerhouse Animation guys could have make use of an additional 4-5 fps – from time to time I had a feeling that there is a cat sitting on my keyboard’s space bar, pausing and starting show over and over - it happened something like two or three times. If it comes to favorite scenes – for me, it would be first meeting and fight between Trevor and Alucard. The dialogue and music is so good at reflecting rising pressure and tension between those two – let put oneself in Trevor’s boots – just day before he was rather concerned about getting some food/drink and move on and now he is standing against something that he now considers to be last boss of his life, or perhaps not, he doesn’t even know how does Dracula looks like and he doesn’t seem to be openly aggressive, or perhaps yes, he is obviously vampire and he seems to doesn’t like Belmont name, on the other hand even lesser vampire might be not so easy foe and he is kinda out of practice, and Sypha doesn’t feel like helping out, at least for now… It is all just perfect, and the sound track alone is stuff of legends. (Season 2 OST on Spotify WHEN??”)

Second best would be first phase of Dracula fight – the way which they are team working fluently to not let eachother get killed pleases my inner maniac in best possible way, although the 1 vs 1 part is kinda downgrade - but still ok.

But there is one thing that really stands out in best possible way from things I’ve seen before and that’s utilization of facial expression and body language. Like seriously, this combined with really outstanding voice acting bring interactions between characters to another damned level. (Unfortunately, national translation and voice acting is so awful that I couldn’t bear myself to finish even first season). There are few thing I consider more important in creating credible character than combining overall expressiveness and voice acting, the ability to tell words without actually using any (Finding Ciri cinematic in Witcher 3 is perhaps best known to me example) - and Castlevania does it just soooo good.

Dracula generals. When they were shown for the first time I was like “oh boy he has summoned generals, (Generals! Master tactician, the artists of war!) the oldest, most cunning and powerful beasts from entire world, now things are going to get rough.” And how did it turned out? I can understand that Dracula tasked his forge masters with overseeing the war (Although his reasoning was kind of ok, good job Dracula for nominating for executives two people, that knew least about proceeding war) Did they were incompetent so much? Then how did they managed to get their titles, if they were just a bunch of endlessly whining mischief-makers? They were supposed to know how war looks like, and how to do one, but instead they did literally nothing for war effort! If you ask me, that is at least one risen eyebrow. Excluding Godbrand, the only member of council that did anything more than grate his teeth in silent anger, killed some civilians and got taken care of quite effortlessly. Also, Godbrand wasn’t made to be the sharpest knife in a closet, but he still was bright enough to ask himself “What will we do when we’ll win a war?” Also, he managed to notice that there were no real plan to follow... That is +1 to you Godbrand, I’ll miss you my vikingy boi. In the end, if they were meant to be just a background, they did get a little too much of screen time, and if they were not, they got faaaaaar from enough of it.

By the way – not sure if it’s only me but I personally think that Trevor might be keenest (or – at least – not dumbest) of protagonist trio. He might lack classic education, but he is careful watcher (he noticed fresh oil in torch and overall state of Alucard’s hideout), he correctly chosen and quite successfully executed strategy at Gresit square (isolate, divide and destroy) and quite steadfastly shrugged off Alucard bickering (well, most of times). Also, his plan for battle with vampire generals was quite logical – avoid close quarter cause humans are in general more fragile than vampires, and Alucard as frontline. My inner maniac was most pleased.

As I said before, I really enjoy Castlevania’s overall character design but with an exception of bishop of Gresit. There is no reason for his work, I know that he is insane and reasoning usually does not apply to those like him but I feel like there is no reason in villainy (this entire talking about making a God’s own country – well, I don’t buy it), aside of being genuinely baaaaad, which kinda stands out in negative way in comparison to the rest of characters.

To highlight the issue, lets do some roleplaying here:

The night creatures are ravaging the land that you had sworn to protect in unholy war against humanity, killing women, men even your subordinates alike. The citizens are growing restless, and demand taking an action. How do you proceed?

a) Find the last descendant of family known for their prowess in fighting those beasts; but be wary – he doesn’t seem to like you very much after you branded him as heretic, exterminated his entire family and burned down his home (probably with some of aforementioned family still inside it). However, if you nicely ask for help, reverse the curse, apology for making mistake and return the estate it actually might work. (to be honest that could be quite interesting moral choice for Trevor, to help people of Wallachia and let bishop take all glory or decline the bishop proposition and screw people over in the process)

b) You can fight them, you are the Holy Church after all. You have access to unlimited supply of holy water, relics, you have enough money and authority to arm and train people’s militia properly. Your knowledge of those beasts might be as wide as Belmont family, but at least should be sufficient to minimalize the damage. Killing the Dracula, however, might be impossible for you.

c) You spent most of your time on biting, trashing, or looking for anyone to cast entire blame upon; it doesn’t matter who is that poor bastard as long as it is not you. In addition, you…

AAAAARGH I CAN’T CONTAIN MYSELF ANY LONGER! BROTHER, I DON’T FEEL LIKE I AM WICKED ENOUGH! I REQUIRE TO SEE SOME SUFFERING OF INNOCENT TO FEAST UPON! WHAT DO YOU SAY, BROTHER? I CANT HEAR YOU OVER RAGE BOILING IN MY VEINS! WHAT, SPEAKERS? OF COURSE THEY WILL DO RAAAAAARRGARGAJGIOGJIHKBYIUOL

Oh well.

Well, looks like I am done here. By the way, sorry for my English, I am not a native speaker (If I’ve commited any spectacular crime against vocabulary/grammar let me know on priv).

Now I’m going back to rewatching show and torturing SoTN

No TL:DR, just read it if you want, it is not an entire book, you know.

#castlevania #trevor belmont #sypha belnades #alucard

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