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nyangibun · 5 years

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GoT S08E03 Thoughts

The fuck???

I actually have no idea how to feel about this episode or what was really even happening because jfc, the lighting was so dark and everything was moving so fast. At one point, I was wondering who the f I was even watching.

I feel with retrospect, I’ll have a lot more to say, but as these posts are my immediate thoughts, here we go.

We got another shot of Alys Karstark for apparently no reason. It’s weird that we were introduced to her in S7 so we know what she looks like and we keep seeing her in S8 without any payoff. Most characters we recognise that appear on screen serve a purpose. Ned Umber showed up because he needed to die for the Night King’s Cool Abstract Art. But seriously, I know non-Jonsa’s think the kidnap plot is ‘delusional’ but tell me, what purpose does Alys serve? Maybe it’s not a kidnap plot but I believe there will be some kind of mistaken identity or switch. I don’t know. I really don’t know why else she would keep reappearing in every episode thus far -- not to mention Sophie Turner’s behind-the-scenes photo where she is wearing a similar dress to what Alys was wearing in Ep 1.

I have a gripe with this episode (amongst others). Why the hell is Ghost out there? Why is he running with Jorah and the Dothrakis? Even if he is going to fight in this battle, it doesn’t make sense he’d choose to do so alongside people he doesn’t even know. Also, we didn’t get a death scene so is he alive? Did they seriously CGI Ghost in 2 episodes to do absolutely fuck all and then die? I will riot in the streets, D&D.

Speaking of the Dothraki, what was the damn point of them? They literally died in 0.5 seconds. That was it. I know people had to die and hordes of ‘em but it felt like a complete waste of the Dothraki plotline. Also, didn’t Dani take all of the fighting men to Westeros to fight in her damn war? So now the entire Dothraki civilisation is basically massacred and there’s only the women and children left? Like damn, talk about a bad time. The Dothraki randomly charging like that was dumb AF as well. Why would you charge into an army that you know is 3-4 times the size of yours? I’m no battle strategist but I feel like that was a dumb idea.

In terms of the battle, I really don’t know what to say. There were cool moments (ie. Arya being a badass and killing wights left and right) and then there were just wtf moments. My issue with the battle sequence was mostly just the sensory overload. There was so much going on everywhere at the same time and it was hard to keep track of what was actually going on. I also felt a little underwhelmed by the usefulness of the dragons. I suppose it was to say that the dragons can be defeated and are not the tide-changing weapons they have been in the past, which doesn’t bode well for them in the future. Btw, did Rhaegal die? Like... he fell out of the sky? And then disappeared? Are we down to just Drogon?

And now, a moment of silence for our fallen brethren: Edd (thank you for saving Sam), Lyanna (my badass child, thank you for so cooly killing that giant), Beric (thank you for saving Arya) and Theon (wtf Bran?! you really knew our boy was gonna die and you were all ‘you’re a good man’ and then that’s it?!).

Okay, that’s not fair. I guess Bran saying that to Theon allowed him to reach full circle with his redemption arc. He has fully atoned for his sins against House Stark. But I still think his death was bullshit. Although I loved the moment between Bran and Theon when Bran tells him that all of his decisions had led him here: home. That was definitely what Theon needed to hear and I am glad he got that before he died.

I just want to talk about Jonerice. The scene before the battle starts, they are standing overlooking the battlegrounds together, but there is a considerable amount of distance between them physically. The framing is definitely still pitting them at odds with each other since last episode’s reveal. And their conversation is also heavy with tension. It’s a good reminder that Dance of Dragons 2.0 is very much still on the table despite them working together in this episode, though that isn’t going to last long.

Jorah’s unwavering love and loyalty to Dani serves as the perfect foil to Jonerice’s weak and unconvincing romance. Time and time again, he has proven the depth of his feelings for Dani and it is him that comes to her rescue, not Jon (though ofc Jon has bigger fish to fry). And despite her not reciprocating her feelings for him, Jorah is someone she cared about and I think his death will be something she holds against the North. What I mean by that is she will think that because she has fought for the North and lost half of her army and someone she loves, they must bend the knee or else. I mean I get where she’s coming from 100%. Dani risked a lot to fight, whether her reason was altruistic or not, she has. But the problem is the North can’t afford to fight in her war with Cersei. And yes, she fought for them but they have also been through hell serving foreign rulers. This is going to be a huge point of conflict going forward but we already knew that. Now there’s just this added element.

Also, wait... Both Lyanna and Jorah are dead. What happens to House Mormont now? Is there even another Mormont left?

I know there weren’t any Jon x Sansa interactions and that sucks, I admit, but it’s also okay. I was happy with Tyrion and Sansa’s interactions there. Sansa has effectively said goodbye to all of her potential suitors. When Tyrion says ‘maybe they should’ve stayed married’ and Sansa responds with ‘it wouldn’t work between us; we have divided loyalties’, that ends all of the speculations that Tyrion and Sansa would re-marry or legitimize their marriage. And Sansa’s right. After the battle is over, the politics begin and their loyalties are divided. Tyrion is loyal to Dani who wants the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms, and Sansa is loyal to House Stark and Northern Independence. Like I said, this is going to be a huge focus in the upcoming episodes for all of the characters. They came together despite differences to fight for the living but now they will have to choose sides on the future of the living. Tyrion and Sansa will be on opposite sides but I do maintain that Tyrion will eventually lose faith in Dani and betray her.

In any case, Sansa basically points out that in order for a marriage to work, their loyalties and thus their goals for the future would have to be the same. Now, whose loyalties and goals coincide with Sansa’s? Jon. They are both loyal to House Stark first and foremost and then to the North. At this point, let’s be honest, there are no more eligible bachelors that we know of in Westeros. I mean technically, there’s Jaime, but as if that would happen with all of the Braime scenes this season and the lack of any interaction between Sansa and Jaime. I also don’t think Jaime will survive the season. I hope he does but I just don’t have a lot of faith he will. Redemption arcs and all that. Jon still remains her most viable option to further the House Stark line. Unless everyone dies in the end, succession is an important aspect of the story.

I also remember someone mentioning that Tyrion could be a possible reason why Sansa gets kidnapped, as in he’ll betray her to save his skin when Bronn comes to kill him. I don’t know how much I believe this tbh but he does say that Sansa underestimates the lengths he’ll go to in order to avoid being apart of the Army of the Dead. While he is talking presently and maybe only about dying and becoming one of them, he might mean death itself. Take what you will. I’m not sure how much I believe in this theory.

As for Arya, well, what is there to say? She is the best and I love her. I really didn’t expect it at the start of this episode she’d be the one to kill the Night King but after Melissandre’s comment to her, it was pretty obvious. I don’t really have anything to say about that just that I love her and want to protect her. I also like Melissandre a lot and Beric and hers are the only deaths in this episode that gave me a sense of closure. Their story had come to an end and it made sense. For everyone else, I am still very wtf about it.

Anyway, so let’s do a head count of the survivors: all the Starks (Jon, Arya, Bran, Sansa), Tormund, Brienne, Jaime, Sam, The Hound, Dani, Drogon, Missandei, Tyrion, Varys, Gendry, Davos...

People I have no idea if they survived: Podrick? Gilly and lil Sam? Ghost? Rhaegal? Grey Worm? Alys?

Am I missing anyone?

#jonsa #game of thrones #jon x sansa #anti jonerys #anti daenerys #spoilers #got spoilers #got s8 #my thoughts #long post

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shytalia · 4 years

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A Prince & a Pirate’s Fate - 15

— ♠ — ♠ — ♠ —

Chapter Fifteen

Start at Chapter one here:https://shytalia.tumblr.com/post/611878754309079040/a-prince-and-a-pirates-fate-usuk-fanfic

Also available on my AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shytalia

— ♠ — ♠ — ♠ —

Alfred sat stock still, silent as the rocking of the ship made his head bob every so often. He was surrounded by men loyal to the Spade’s kingdom and yet he felt like he couldn’t trust any of them. Not that he felt he was in any danger himself, in fact he was in a rather comfortable position all things considered. He was sitting in a well decorated room, on a comfy chair, with food and drink at his disposal if he so much as uttered a word.

But, Arthur was not.

Despite trying to convince the navy men that Arthur hadn’t forced him into becoming a pirate and he had gone to him on his own, they treated his captain like a kidnapper. His wrists remained bound behind him, with chains Alfred quickly found out were enchanted to keep the wearer’s magic docile.

They interrogated the Brit about the bruise forming on Alfred’s face and on his back. Which technically had been from said pirate, but Alfred wasn’t angry about them at all. Arthur had the right to be mad at that moment, so he took the pain with a patient understanding. But with the way they spoke to Arthur it was like he wasn’t their future queen at all and just another, dirty criminal for them to seize and destroy.

Worst of all, they didn’t even allow him to talk to him, even though the man was effectively tied up and thus posed no actual threat.

He had tried repeatedly, but was blocked off from the bound blonde. He had been polite at first and asked for passage, only to be told it was too dangerous for him to be near his future queen. Talking about Arthur as if he were just some sort of wild animal sent a twinge of anger through Alfred and he raised his voice and demanded they let him through. He was their prince and they would obey his orders.

Even that didn’t work.

There were, apparently, direct commandments from the King and Queen that their son was not to let near such a savage man as Arthur Kirkland. He simply could not be trusted.

So, after several hours of trying to convince the guards to let him see Arthur, he gave up and went back to his own, designated room. They were sailing back to the main capital in one of the many royal navy ships sent to ambush Arthur and his crew. He hadn’t heard much but from his own desperate pleading he convinced them not to execute the entire pirate crew right then and there. Instead, they agreed to push their punishments down the line in favor of getting him home to safety back at the castle. As such, Arthur’s ship was also trailing behind them, its crew as useful as its captain.

He had also demanded to see Peter safe and sound, to which his sea-faring subjects almost seemed sympathetic. Almost.

He could see the distrust gleaming in their eyes at just the mention of Peter’s name. Their pity may have come from him being just a boy but the truth of his identity as a Joker turned that sympathy into one of suspicion and hate. This must’ve been what Arthur had been talking about before, the prejudice Peter faced based on nothing but a mark on his skin he never asked for. Even him being only a child meant nothing and Alfred could tell from the subtle looks that these men wouldn’t care if Peter lived or died.

Still, they assured him that the boy was safe. And it was true that after Arthur had been imprisoned on the navy ship that Mathias had lowered his gun from Peter’s head and handed him off, not to the navy men, but to two of his own crew mates. Tino and Berwald were tasked to dutifully watch Peter and ensure he didn’t try anything fishy while they rode to the capital.

At the time Alfred had balked, was enraged even, that the soldiers around him would allow Peter to be given willingly to a bunch of pirates, but now? Now he could see why and he truly understood what Arthur had meant. They cared little for what they saw as a monster in a child’s body.

So here Alfred sat, guarded in a nice room fit for a prince like him. But he felt far from deserving of its comfort as the sea rolled them forward to their destination.

--- ♠ --- ♠ --- ♠ ---

The return of the beloved Prince of Spades was loud and bright. People gathered by the docks and along the city streets to catch glimpses of the carriages that would be bringing the missing royal home.

They cheered when they saw him, not one taking a moment to understand why his blue eyes suddenly looked so dark. If they did, they chalked it up to being exhausted from whatever horrible life he had been living under the iron boot of Captain Kirkland.

Decorations of Spadian Blue blinded Alfred as he rode through the streets of the city towards the castle. He was propped up on a carriage and paraded around like a god among his people and they loved it, to see their kind prince again after so long with their very own eyes. They screamed his name and waved, and Alfred did his best to smile and return the gestures of affection they gave him only for the sake of appearance. However, in the back of his mind, he was still terrified.

He knew, though he wasn’t allowed to actually see him, that Arthur rode only a few carriages behind him still bound and hidden. Thankfully the Brit wasn’t in the public’s eye like he was, which Alfred was silently grateful for because he knew the crowd’s loving cheers would be nothing short of curses and rage at the sight of the terrifying pirate.

Soon enough, he could see the familiar sight of the castle coming into view and a chill ran down his spine. Never in his life had his home felt more cold and empty than in this moment. This was not how he envisioned bringing Arthur back home, this was more akin to walking him to the gallows rather than to his wedding vows.

Alfred didn’t get much chance to argue when Arthur was dragged away after they reached the castle. The Brit was carried off, his eyes cold and his tongue sharp against the men who pulled him out of Alfred’s sight.

Tired as he was, the prince was set on figuring out just what the hell was going on. It was easy enough to find his parents, the king and queen made a grand display of greeting him in their throne room surrounded by adoring servants.

But something felt off. Alfred couldn’t quite place it, but something about the look in his parents’ eyes made his skin crawl. If he didn’t know better, they almost looked predatory as they watched him with an unwavering gaze.

It wasn’t until later that he would find out why.

“What the hell do you think you were doing?” The King’s face was red and tense with anger. The three of them, the king, queen, and young prince, were now alone in a small but lavishly decorated room out of public view. “You went to find that monster on your own?”

For what little credit there was, Alfred at least appreciated that his father seemed a little worried about him, in some strange way. His mother, however, was more on the teary side.

“We were terrified! Oh my gods, we thought we lost you. You left a note saying you were leaving but didn’t tell us where, and I just--” She covered her face with her hands, muffling a sob.

“I had to! Arthur is my queen, it’s only right I should convince him to come back with me.” Alfred argued but the reality of the situation boiled in his veins. That isn’t what happened and now Arthur was being treated no better than any other criminal, if not worse. The trust he had worked so hard to build was shattered into a million, unmendable pieces.

“He is a murderer and a coward. He runs from his own fate.” The King snarled back.

“Don’t talk about him like that.” Alfred’s hands curled into fists at his side, a protective vice gripping him and making him shake.

“You do not tell me what to do, boy.” Was the sharp response, a threat lingering on the edges of each word. “He may be your queen but he is no less a rot on this earth that I wish I could erase. The only thing saving him from hanging on a noose is the mark on his back and you would do very well to remember that.”

Alfred was seeing red, a fury he had never felt before. “Don’t you fucking dare--”

Alfred was interrupted by a heavy blow to the side of his face, forcing his head to the side in an uncomfortable angle and his feet to stumble.

"Do not talk to me like that again. I am your king and your father, my say is final." The older royal glared.

Alfred brought a hand to his face and stared with disbelief. His father was never exactly the kindest man but he had never hit him before, not like that.

"You need to rest. Kirkland has obviously gotten into your mind, made you question yourself...and me." The King's frown deepened harshly at that accusation, ignoring the betrayed look on his son’s face. "Arthur Kirkland will become the next Queen of Spades but he will not be a free man to do with this kingdom as he pleases. He would very well run everything we've worked for into the ground. You will rule and Arthur will be there, but his power is no more. I have seen to it myself."

“What do you mean?” Alfred accused, voice raising despite the slight shake of his hands.

“I mean,” the elder man started. “He will be immobilized, metaphorically speaking. We can’t quite do so physically without ruining the public image, tainted though it already is with him being a criminal...but emotionally and magically, he will be eviscerated. He will never use an ounce of magic ever again.”

“What? You can’t do that!” The horror of it struck Alfred to his core. His own parents would do that to someone? To his queen, no less? He knew how seriously Arthur took his arcane studies and the thought of the man he loved losing something so important to him made his heart ache. Arthur would absolutely be destroyed.

“I can and I will. Our mages have already begun preparing it. Kirkland’s magic will be nullified and nonexistent by the time they finish with him. Just to ensure he is no longer a threat to you or the kingdom.”

“He won’t let you do that!” Arthur would never, would he? Though he did have enchanted bonds on, he may not have a choice and it could be forced upon him. The realization made Alfred’s face pale.

“Oh, but he will. Otherwise, I’m told his younger brother is very important to him and it would be such a shame if something happened to him should Arthur act out of line.” The King stated plainly, his intent clear. He was using Peter as a pawn against Arthur and had no remorse about it once so ever.

“It will be safer this way for everyone, Alfred. Especially you.” His mother spoke now, a bit softer but her tone did little to appease her furious son. No matter how kindly she spoke, she was still on board with these monstrous claims and her sweet voice held no regret.

Suddenly, Alfred remembered what Arthur had confided in him back on The Island of Britannia.

“You tried to have Peter killed even before all this.” The prince grit his teeth together painfully.

“We did.” His father agreed, unfazed by his son’s red-hot glares. “As would any respecting monarch in any of the kingdoms who found a Joker in their midst. You may ask them yourself, when they come to visit in just a few, short weeks. They intend to meet Arthur before the wedding takes place, as is custom.”

“What?” Alfred practically hissed, the pain in his cheek a dull throb. “Arthur hates me now.”

“And? You knew he would hate you when you so foolishly chased after him on your own.” The King waved his hand and turned away, seemingly done with the conversation. He almost looked bored, which only served to piss Alfred off even more. “Nonetheless, the new queen is here. The wedding will commence as soon as possible.”

With that, the ruler dismissed himself and his faithful queen followed suit behind him.

Alfred had never noticed how much his mother resembled a leashed hound until that moment.

--- ♠ --- ♠ --- ♠ ---

Ignoring the pleas of several worried servants, Alfred climbed his way through the castle and to the room they had imprisoned Arthur in. It was actually a very large room and extravagantly decorated, as most of the castle was. It was a room fitting for a future queen, and he supposed that was the point. If there weren’t two armed guards standing outside the door it would’ve been easy to mistake Arthur as an esteemed guest.

And yet, Alfred came face to face with the two armored men who stood at attention and nodded respectfully upon his arrival.

“Let me in.” Alfred deadpanned. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, resisting the urge to push the men aside himself and storm in.

“Sorry, your grace. However--”

“I don’t give a shit! You will let me in.” Alfred yelled back. “He’s already chained up, he can’t do anything!”

Why were they acting this way? They were obviously scared and yes, he understood Arthur was a powerful and sometimes unpredictable man with a temper to match, but he was already caught. They could treat him better than this!

“I’m sorry, your highness...”

Alfred groaned and backed off. He knew trying to fight them physically was not a good option, despite his urge to push them aside and fall to his knees in front of Arthur and beg for forgiveness. He didn’t want to do that, the men were simply following orders and Alfred knew better than to think his father wouldn’t lock him up as well if he lashed out.

No, he had to be smarter.

Turning on his heel, he stormed down the hall. He knew the castle like the back of his hand and, as the mischievous young prince he was, he knew more than his fair share of secrets. Much like he knew ways to sneak out of the castle, he knew ways to sneak around in it as well.

All he had to do was wait until nightfall.

When the sun had set, Alfred made his way to an unoccupied guest room, only one floor above the one Arthur was using. He snuck his way into the door, making sure to close it again as he entered, and ran to the window. He knew he still had to be careful, they were several stories above the ground and one wrong slip would send him tumbling to a very splattery death. But he was determined to show Arthur what he meant to him and so his own safety was disregarded in favor of getting to the grumpy captain below him.

Pushing the window open was the easy part, he tossed his legs across the window frame and carefully gripped the ledge. Slowly, he eased himself down and across the stone surface of the outside walls until he was just far enough down to drop onto the balcony below. He landed with a pained grunt, the impact hard on his knees and he flopped onto his side before he could catch himself.

“Fuck, that hurt.” He muttered to himself, attempting to push himself up onto his elbow only for it to send a searing agony through his left side. “Shit!” He hissed, rolling to his other side and using his good arm to push himself off the ground. He took only a moment to assess the damage done, unsure if his elbow was just going to be badly bruised or if he actually had broken something in it when he landed. He didn’t have the time to care, he stood up holding his throbbing arm and pushed forward.

Arthur’s room was dark and cold as he stepped inside. Thankfully the balcony door was not locked, he figured the guards knew that even Arthur couldn’t rightly escape from so high up without the use of magic to aid him. At least, not easily.

“Arthur?” Alfred whispered into the dark room, his blue eyes searching for any sign of movement. He knew there were still guards posted dutifully outside the main door and if they heard him then his struggle to get into the room would be for nothing. “Are you asleep?”

Suddenly, a pain rang out through his head as he was hit and he stumbled a ways away from the culprit.

“Leave.” Someone snarled.

Alfred jumped at the sound ghosting right into his ear, whirling around to catch a glimpse of glaring green orbs in the dark only mere inches away from his face.

“Arthur,” The prince spoke softly despite the pain, instantly stepping towards the familiar emeralds with his arms stretched out. “Artie, I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’m so sorry, I--”

“I told you to leave.” Came the cold response as the Brit stepped back and out of the other man’s reach. “I don’t care what your intentions were. I made mine perfectly clear, I didn’t want this, and you simply didn’t care.”

As much as he didn’t want to, part of him believed Alfred hadn’t planned this. Gazing into pleading, saddened blue eyes it was easy to see that the secret royal felt a guilt unlike any other. And yet, Arthur couldn’t find it in himself to give a fuck. He had made it more than crystal clear that he did not want to be queen and had told Alfred such many times, he had even told him why, which was a punch to the gut itself. Alfred knew the truth about his family and still, he lied. He used him like any royal would.

“It’s not like that,” Alfred begged softly, stepping forward again only for Arthur to mirror it and step back. “I wanted to find you on my own and to understand...understand why you didn’t want to be mine. But now I get it, and I wanted to tell you the truth but not like that, gods Arthur, never like that.” The horror stricken face when is mark was revealed was one Alfred never wanted to see on his betrothed ever again and it hurt to know that he was the reason it had appeared there in the first place.

“It doesn’t matter now, does it? You got what you wanted.” Arthur’s words were cold and made Alfred shiver.

“No!” Alfred clamped his hand over his mouth to stop himself from shouting too loud or else he would alert the guards outside the room. The last thing either of them needed was to be found out. “No, I didn’t. I want you as my queen, of course I do, but more than anything I want you to be happy with me. I can’t stand this, Arthur. I can’t stand you hating me.”

“I’m afraid you are in for a rough marriage then, dear.”

Alfred felt his fingers twitch, the harsh tone of Arthur’s voice striking a cord in him that he didn’t know he had. He was trying to apologize and make things right and Arthur was standing there mocking him! Without much thought, he reached out much faster this time and grabbed a hold of Arthur’s wrist and pulled.

“Oi!” The Brit started to protest but they were drowned out by lips crashing roughly into his own. His green eyes went wide in surprise at the sudden contact as Alfred’s arm then snaked around his waist and pulled him in tighter.

“Please, let me make things right.” The prince pulled back only enough to speak, his breath grazing along the shorter man’s lips as he whispered them. “I’ll fix this, I promise.”

“You can’t fix this, it’s already done.” Arthur muttered back.

“I will. I promised you, I would be your hero. Please, let me do that for you.” He ran a slow hand across the smaller man’s back, tracing his spine up and down with gentle fingers. “My father wants to...take your magic, says the royal mages are already planning some sort of nullification to take your powers away. He’s afraid of you.”

“He should be.”

Alfred flinched at that. It wasn’t the reaction he expected, it was as if it wasn’t a surprise at all to the Brit. He expected screaming and anger, not just an icy agreement. His stunned silence must’ve been all the question Arthur needed.

Then again, Arthur probably knew that blowing up and alerting the guards standing outside his room would end much more poorly for him than it would for Alfred.

“I know what he’s planning. The navy men who brought me here were not exactly keen on keeping secrets they thought would make me squirm.” Arthur mumbled, his lips softly moving against the side of Alfred’s jaw as he spoke. “Your father wants me to stand at your side and obey. It is exactly how I told you it would be...they want the body with the mark, but they don’t want me.”

“I want you.” Alfred corrected quickly. Despite his shock that Arthur knew his father's plans and his boiling anger that the navy personnel that brought him here were cruel enough to tease him, Alfred knew more than anything that he wanted Arthur for who he was and nothing less.

“Until you are king, what you want doesn’t matter, and by then it will be far too late.” The pirate said in return, his head tilting down and away from the warm breath. Still, he could feel Alfred’s kisses in his hair as he turned away. “If I don’t do what they ask they will kill Peter. The only reason they haven’t yet is they know what will happen if they do.”

Alfred’s grip tightened instinctively around the other man’s waist, drawing him even closer until he was squished against his chest.

“What will happen if Peter dies?” His voice was hesitant, barely audible at all. Deep down he knew he didn’t want the answer to the question he had just asked because he had a feeling he already knew.

Arthur didn’t answer immediately, he remained silent for a few, long moments and let the thick silence wash over them. “I won’t live if I lose Peter.” He finally voiced softly. “If I lose him, I’ve lost everything. I won’t allow myself to live if he dies.” He felt another arm wrap around him, though it was looser than the other he ignored that.

Alfred, as much as it hurt, used his injured arm to wrap around Arthur’s shoulders and into a hug. The implication that Arthur would kill himself should something happen to Peter wasn’t that surprising, but it was not something Alfred wanted to have to worry about. He planned on taking care of both of them.

For the first time, Alfred realized how small Arthur really looked in this moment. His eyes were cast down and his skin was ghostly. There was a sense of brokenness to him that had never been there before.

“I won’t let them hurt him.” He promised quickly. “I’ll be your hero, just like I said I would. Yours and Peter’s, I swear.”

“I won’t hold my breath.” Arthur muttered back, his arms still limp at his sides as if they didn’t work at all. They still did, of course, the blow to his head was proof enough of that, but for Arthur and his magic, they might as well be broken.

Realizing this, Alfred pulled back slightly and allowed his hands to roam from Arthur back down his arms. When they reached the pale wrists, he lifted them up and glared hard at the metal shackles encircling them. His face twisted into an angry sneer at the thought of Arthur’s magic being contained like this, of him being forced here and locked in a room like a cage.

His fingers shook as he stared down at the enchanted binds on his fiance with narrow eyes, mentally cursing his father as he did so.

“I don’t know how long we have until the mages are finished creating the nullification magic.” Alfred admitted as gently as he could, but didn’t fail to notice the way Arthur tensed up slightly.

“They can take my magic as long as Peter stays safe.” Was the quiet reply, but his voice betrayed the pain nuzzled between the words. Arthur was terrified, but he would be strong if it meant saving his brother. He would give up anything for him.

When Arthur said nothing else on the matter and only pitifully resigned to his fate, Alfred pulled him close again and buried his nose into his messy hair. He planted soft kisses throughout it, trying his best to bring some form of comfort. “You should rest, love.” He told him. “Come on, I’ll get you to bed.”

Walking to the large bed, Alfred pulled back the covered to make room for Arthur to lie down. The man did so wordlessly, normally fiery green eyes now a dull ember of what they once were.

“I’ll come back as soon as I can, I promise. We’ll figure this out together.”

And he did.

After Arthur was in bed, Alfred easily snuck out the balcony and avoided the patrolling guards with a light step. He knew their routines like the back of his hand and just how to get around them. It came with being a trouble making prince, after all.

It also helped him keep his promise, returning to Arthur night after night. During the day, he tried to reason with his unrelenting father for some sort of mercy, only to receive a scolding. It frustrated Alfred to no end that he was no closer to figuring out a way to save Arthur even as several days passed and talk of visiting monarchs began bubbling up more and more. Not that Alfred cared about them, he was too concerned with Arthur to give any potential guest a second glance.

But during the nights, when he could sneak easily through the halls and down a cobbled wall into Arthur’s private room, he felt his heart swell. Each greeting was like a breath of fresh air, sending his body into a blissful calm as he wrapped his arms tight against the man he loved so dearly. He wasted no time assuring him that they would be okay and reminding him that he truly did love him.

At first, Arthur was cruel. It was obvious his mistrust in Alfred was still weighing heavily on his mind and the prince did his best to right his wrongs.

Night after night Alfred climbed the walls to Arthur and eventually found himself falling into open arms instead of a nasty scowl. It was slow, sure, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“I brought you this,” Alfred told him one night, his voice only barely audible. “I thought you might like it. It’s from the garden.” Reaching into his coat pocket, the younger man produced a crimson rose and presented it proudly to the captain. Its petals were slightly bruised and its stem was twisted from the journey, but he didn’t mind. “I know you love roses. I want to show you the actual gardens soon...once I get you out of here, I promise I will. You’ll love them.”

The motivated sparkling in his ocean eyes was enough for Arthur to actually believe him for once.

Nearly two weeks into Arthur’s confinement and the talk of visiting royals was more than just a rumor. Apparently, representatives from each of the other kingdoms wished to come and visit the newly captured queen. Alfred wasn’t sure of their motives, he knew Arthur had a lot of enemies not only in The Spades but in each of the other realms as well. Still, to appease his father and hopefully gain some leeway with him, the prince promised to play nice.

Only a few days before the other royals were meant to arrive, Alfred landed gracefully onto the Brit’s balcony once more. He had perfected the landing by now and greeted his queen with open arms as he stepped into the room.

“I’ve missed you.” He smiled, pulling Arthur close and leaving kisses across his face. “I always miss you, babe.”

The pirate let out a small snort at that but allowed himself to be dragged into a tight embrace.

“And I you, you insufferable git.” He muttered back, running a hand over his lover’s hair.

Alfred pulled back only enough to send the shorter man a large grin before snuggling his face into his hair. “There are representatives from the other kingdoms coming to meet you soon.”

“I know.”

“I don’t know exactly who’s coming yet...but be careful. I can’t bear to think that anything else might happen to you.” Alfred spoke softly. “You or Peter. I heard him and your ship are still in the harbor outside the captial. Most of your crew is still alive, but awaiting punishment. They’re in the dungeons...but I’m trying to convince my father to release them for rehabilitation instead of execution.”

Arthur let out another chuckle, this one darker and unbelieving. “Rehabilitation for a bunch of pirates? Your father must think you’re quite mad.”

Alfred returned the smirk with one of his own. “He already does because he knows I’m dead in love with you, but what he thinks doesn’t matter to me.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Arthur’s forehead.

The Brit let out a light hum, tracing his arms around the taller man’s neck and pulling him back down for another kiss on the lips. After the connection was broken, Alfred leaned his forehead snuggly against the other’s and stared down at him seriously. He could see the faint hint of hesitation in those emerald eyes.

“I’ll be there with you, you know, when the other royals come. I’ll be by your side, I’ll make sure of it.” He tried to smile encouragingly. “Come on, you look tired. Let’s get you to bed, love.” He said, putting his hand at the small of Arthur’s back and leading him towards the decorated mattress. But as he moved to cover the Brit up with the blankets, his motion was stopped by the pirate sitting up without warning. Without a word, the shorter blonde reached out and grabbed the prince’s shirt, pulling him roughly until he came barreling down onto the bed as well.

Alfred had to physically restrain himself from letting out a shocked yell, relieved that somehow the guards hadn’t heard the groan of the bed as he landed on it with a flop. “A-Artie?” He sputtered, his eyes wide as he watched the lean man straddle on top of him and glare. Normally the image of Arthur on top of him was a welcome sight, but this wasn’t exactly a friendly face.

“Stay for a moment.” The Brit commanded, sending Alfred into an array of confusion and bliss.

“What?” He couldn’t help the amused grin that tugged on his lips. When he only received a short grunt as a response he chuckled. “You know I can’t stay, Artie. What if we get found out?”

“I said only a moment.” Arthur echoed, only more annoyed this time. To complete his request, the captain shifted until he was lying down half beside Alfred and half on top of him, effectively locking him in place. He wrapped his slender arms around the other man and rested his head on the crook of his neck, inhaling the sweet scent that lingered there.

Alfred’s grin was still plastered to his face but couldn’t stop the beating of his heart when Arthur effectively wrapped around him. He’d be lying if he said this wasn’t the greatest thing he could’ve ever asked for. He reached up and began idly running his fingers through the Brit’s hair, earning him a soft huff of contentment as his eyelids began to feel heavy. He could rest for a while, he told himself, as long as Arthur was there and willing, he would gladly stay by his side as long as he could.

--- ♠ --- ♠ --- ♠ ---

Alfred awoke to a loud gasp.

His eyes snapped open but the maid was already scrambling out of the door, making way for the guards to enter instead. The prince tightened his grip around the warm body next to him protectively, growling at the predatory way the two uniformed men glared at them.

He hadn’t meant to spend the night with Arthur. Truthfully, he had fully intended to wait until the Brit fell asleep and then would slip out undetected before morning. It seemed, however, that his body had other plans and he had fully fallen asleep.

“Your highness,” One of the guards sounded both appalled and furious. “What are you doing here? You have to leave immediately.”

Beside him, Alfred could feel Arthur stirring and in an instant venomous green eyes were matching the glares of the two guarded men before them.

“Piss off, can’t you see we were trying to sleep? Are all you capital wankers really that rude to interrupt someone's sleep?” The tired pirate swore, sending them a snarl of his own.

They were caught, there was no denying it now.

“Please, just exit the room. I’ll be out in a moment.” Alfred urged, more gently than Arthur in hopes to get them to listen. Unfortunately, neither guard faltered.

“We’re sorry, your majesty. However, we can’t leave you alone with him.”

“Your father will be more than displeased by this.”

“We can’t allow him to remain here either, we will have to remove him to a more secure location.”

“Of course. Please, your highness, so we may proceed. The sooner we do this the lesser the punishment will be for your...queen.”

Alfred grit his teeth. To hell with what his father thought! Obviously he was unharmed, so why did they still distrust Arthur so much? Why could they not see they were the ones being foolish. He gripped Arthur tighter against him, his face scrunching into an angry sneer. They looked at his queen like he was little more than a wild animal in a cage and Alfred wanted nothing more than to wipe those judgmental faces right from them.

“I said I will leave on my own.” The prince challenged, finally relenting his iron grip on the man beside him in favor of pulling himself slowly out of the bed. He realized somewhere in the back of his mind that he had never even taken off his shoes before falling asleep. Not that it really mattered now anyway. “And you will not bother him. Am I understood?” The edge in his voice was unlike his usual, childish self.

He was the beloved Prince Alfred of Spades, the golden boy, a kind man with a spirited heart. His people adored him for this. But, when faced with a possible threat to the one he cared about, his warmth turned into an uncontrollable wildfire that threatened anyone in its path.

His darkened gaze did not go unnoticed, as he saw the subtle fall of the guard’s faces as he sized them up. He could take them, he concluded. Even if they were armored and held weapons, they wouldn’t use them against him of all people. He was the prince, after all. That didn't mean the two would not get physical if they needed to. Even still, Alfred was confident he could out match them even if the numbers were not in his favor.

“Sir, we really can’t do that. Your father--”

“To hell with my father!” Alfred shouted, successfully shocking both guards, Arthur, and himself. Not that he cared in this moment, right now he was only worried about keeping his lover safe from prying hands and potential harm. “You will not touch him.” He growled, fists clenching at his sides.

“Alfred, you’re not helping things.” Arthur’s brows furrowed together in confusion and even some irritation. They were in deep shit already now that their secret meetings had been discovered, the teen didn’t need to make things worse by getting into a fight with the guards.

His argument fell on deaf ears because the second one of the guardsmen braced himself and told Arthur to “keep your filthy mouth shut”, Alfred lost it and lundged right at him. He tackled the man to the hard ground with a carnivorous sound emanating in the back of his throat, possessive of what was his and unwilling to accept any threats. He raised his fist behind his head and brought it back down on the man’s face with painful accuracy.

He heard another shriek from the hallway, no doubt the same maid from before who was peering into the room. He didn’t care, even when he felt more hands on him, pulling him off the other male and holding him down.

It all happened in a flash, the blur of his anger blinding him to the rushing of more guards and even some mages into the room in a panic. He heard Arthur yelling something, but when he turned to look, the prince felt a sharp blow the to head and his world faded into darkness.

#usuk #usuk fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #hetalia #aph #aph america #america #aph england #england #cardverse #pirate au #protective Alfred is my jam #hot damn

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hamliet · 5 years

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Three Queens: Dany, Sansa, & Cersei

The moment three of your top four characters are pitted against each other in a fandom war or a canon war. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Sansa’s been my favorite since season 1, and then we have Jon, Dany, and Cersei. Dany’s arc is pretty much exactly hitting the same beats as Jon’s arc, but in a yin/yang type way so that they are likely intended to meet in the middle. But I’ve talked about Jonerys before and now I want to discuss Sansa and Dany’s foiling, as well as Cersei’s and Dany’s, and what it may mean for Dany’s endgame in particular (Sansa will be fine, Cersei will die, that seems pretty narratively certain to me).

Sansa and Dany are both raised with stories and dreams: Sansa for love and being a queen, Dany for being a queen in another sense. She and Viserys were on the run her entire childhood from assassins, facing the scorn from people who would have loved them a few years ago (which is exactly where Sansa’s arc will take her after her father is executed). The same person is involved in both of these: Jaime Lannister, as the show showed us in the confrontation in episode 2.

Sansa always wanted marriage to a handsome man; however, when she’s granted a betrothal and then a marriage, it turns into hell--but through that hell, she learns to be a good ruler. Everyone comments on how well respected Lady Sansa is--wise and brave. She’s foiled with Tyrion in this aspect, in that she’s called the “smartest person I ever met” by Arya, and she tells her former husband in name, Tyrion, in the same episode, “you used to be the cleverest person I ever met.” Tyrion used to be a good hand of the king; now, he’s making pretty poor judgment advising Dany because he’s facing the same issue as Dany: power or love, but more on that another time.

But Sansa has made her choices. She chose her dream (not power, but a romantic fantasy) in the first season and went to Cersei after Ned told her they would be leaving, thereby leading to her father getting caught. Now she’s chosen her family and has come into her own. She has grown up, in other words, and she didn’t grow up when she married Ramsay Bolton or escaped, but when she decided to write that letter to the Knights of the Vale, when she stood up for herself, when she decided to do what she could for the good of her family (Jon & co) instead of just what she wanted (to kick Littlefinger to the curb).

Sansa is an adult right now, having crossed that hurdle of coming of age in the story. Dany (and Jon and Arya) are still trying to find out what growing up means for them, despite Dany (and Jon) being technically older than Sansa.

For Dany, as she says, Viserys always told her about a throne, and she’s been fixated on that through all she’s been through each and every season. Therefore it’s worth asking whether this was what Dany wanted, or whether it’s a coping mechanism to cope with exactly what she tells Jon she’s been through in season 7:

I have been sold like a broodmare. I’ve been chained and betrayed, raped and defiled. Do you know what kept me standing through all those years in exile? Faith. Not in any gods, not in myths and legends, in myself. In Daenerys Targaryen.

It’s easier to survive these horrors if you keep a dream waiting for you, irl and in the show. Dany hoping for a future in which she has everything that was stripped from her before her birth is completely understandable and normal. But, it’s not much different than Sansa’s romantic fantasies: it’s a child’s dream.

The story is asking Dany if she wants to grow up, if what she wants is the love that made her happy, or the power fantasies her brother imbued her with when he couldn’t even handle it himself. I’ve talked about the dead literally rising and coming for them all and it’s symbolism before, and it’s asking Dany if she wants to be controlled by the dreams and wheels of the dead, or if she wants to make her own life. Because Dany’s caught between the desire to rule--control--and the desire to set people free (freeing slaves). Does she want to continue the Targaryen dynasty, or does she want to break the wheel, because she can’t do both. Is she making her own fate, or does her blood control her fate? She doesn’t want to be a cruel man like her father, as she tells Yara in season 6, but if she rules, then she has to take responsibility for the good and the bad in the Targaryen dynasty. Which she tried to do in regards to Rhaegar last episode, but... well.

The show is setting up a choice for Dany, as Sam outlined in the first episode to Jon: the throne, or Jon (love). Her dream has just been rocked; her faith in herself, her belief that there was a greater destiny guiding her because of her bloodline. Because it wasn’t even true. She is not the rightful heir to the throne; Jon is. But Jon doesn’t even want the throne, though he would probably support her if she is pregnant and won the throne, so the issue with the reveal, for Dany, is not that Jon is now a rival: it’s that everything she fought for and believed in is not true.

Not only that, but she’s seen that the North desperately wants its freedom after being horribly treated by the Lannisters, the Starks abused and murdered cruelly. Dany, who has always supported freedom for people, is going to have to ask herself what that means for a kingdom.

And it’s telling Dany was there for Sansa and Theon’s reunion. Like with Dany and Jorah, Sansa forgave Theon a terrible crime. Dany listens to Jorah now as her unofficial advisor, but I’ll be shocked if Jorah survives the battle next episode (’I’ll see you later’ is basically fiction’s most obvious death flag) and find it likely she’s going to lose that too. After Jorah, the only one she really has is Jon (she and Tyrion don’t seem close on a personal level), and her dragons (for now...)

Like with Sansa, Dany’s entire life has been losing people she loves. Is the throne really worth it, if it means giving up the one person who matters most to her, who chose her not because of her crown but knelt to her crown because he loves her? With her faith in herself likely rocked and with the death flags for Jorah, she can either sink into grasping the throne at the cost of Jon, or she can grasp Jon and they can try to figure out how to swim together--without a throne weighing them down.

The reason I don’t see the Mad Queen option as likely is for a few reasons, but let’s discuss one: we already have a mad queen. Two would be... a bit much.

Cersei in the books and in the show perpetually fears being usurped by a younger, more beautiful queen. She at first thinks it’s Sansa, and then Margery, and now I’d say it’s clearly Daenerys. As such, Cersei has always been positioned as a foil not just for Sansa, but for Dany. She’s what Dany could become, if she chooses the throne and power over her loved ones. Because Cersei has always done precisely that. She couldn’t conceive of a life without power, and when Ned literally gave her the chance to escape with her life and her children, she refused, because she wanted power too.

Cersei’s desire for power really comes down to a matter of control; we even see it in how she loves her children. As Tyrion said, that’s her one redeeming quality, and yet, she desperately tries to maintain her power over her children.

Its root is, like Sansa and like Dany, Cersei had no choices growing up. As she tells Sansa during the Battle of Blackwater, she was raised to be sold to the highest bidder for her father’s power, whereas Jaime was given a sword.

When we were young, Jaime and I, we looked so much alike even our father couldn’t tell us apart. l could never understand why they treated us differently. Jaime was taught to fight with sword and lance and mace, and l was taught to smile and sing and please. He was heir to Casterly Rock, and l was sold to some stranger like a horse to be ridden whenever he desired

Because she has no control, now she compensates by being smothering. The conflict with Margery never had to happen but for the fact that Cersei hated that she would not be in control of her son’s choices anymore, and she’d given up on Tommen before he killed himself after she killed the woman he loved.

Cersei lost three children. Dany has three “children” in her dragons; honestly I’d be surprised if she doesn’t lose all of them by the end/if they aren’t the cost for love. Because Dany lost one of her children--Viserion--already not out of trying to keep dragons small and chained up (though she made that mistake at the same time Cersei did, but for far less petty reasons) --but by using them to do what dragons do: fly, and save the man she loves. As Tyrion warned her, going to save Jon north of the wall was a foolish decision especially if she wants the throne; Dany went anyways because when push comes to shove, she chooses love over power. There’s a pattern of just this in Dany’s arc whereas there is not in Cersei’s; I have no reason to think it would change.

For Dany and Jon... Jon clung to his principles and lost Ygritte last time, and Dany recently echoed Ygritte’s line about just staying out there forever, away from everyone. If they want to break the cycles that the wheel of power establishes in Westeros, and the cycles in their own lives, they need to choose to ditch that throne. That’s the ending I’m seeing built up for her now, especially given the foreshadowing about a human child between her and Jon last season, but we shall see.

#daenerys targaryen #sansa stark #Cersei Lannister #jonerys #jon snow #got meta #got #game of thrones #got theory

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solis3clipse · 6 years

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Gendrya and its chances of becoming canon - part 1

this post contains spoilers from most of the seasons of Game Of Thrones

Gendrya, also known as the shipname of Arya stark and Gendry Baratheon, has become a quite popular pair in our fandom. In this masterpost i will try my best to list and discuss most of the reasons why it has a huge potential of becoming canon.

DISCLAIMER:

in no way shape or form am i going to force someone into believing that they're going to be a romantic pair in the following season. There's obviously a possibility of their relationship staying exactly the same; this is purely based on theories and real facts from the show.

The masterpost will provide you with information from the show, not the books. In all honesty, George Martin treated the ship more fairly than the show and respectfully gave them way more scenes, so to avoid messing up the whole post, i'm going to be speaking about the show!gendrya.

i'm going to be using some very interesting information from the blog of my good pal @jj-justwriteit. They make some very thoughtful points so definitely check out their blog if you're up for some great Gendrya discussions. Please keep in mind that there are some things you might have already heard of; and definitely correct me if i get something wrong.

Before meeting each other.

I think it is best to start from the very beginning, and by that i mean even before Arya and Gendry first met.

A very interesting theory i've been thinking about is Robert Baratheon who is obviously the father of Gendry, telling Ned that they would join their houses with marrying their children.

''I have a son, you have a daughter, we'll join our houses''

. The first thing you probably think of when reading this is Sansa and Joffrey who were supposed to marry each other and as Robert hoped, join the houses to bring peace. Though we all know how that ended,-Joffrey (who wasn't even Robert's son in the first place) ended up dying and Sansa's future took a whole different path to the point where you'd think her desire for marriage had completely disappeared. This might be them foreshadowing the potential future of Arya and Gendry. I'm not saying they'll get married, but i am saying that this could simply represent the development of their relationship in a romantic way. It would be sort of ironic to see them getting married since Arya had been strongly against it since the very beginning of the show. that leads us to the noticeable twists game of thrones has,- Ned died in the first season when no one expected him to, Robb didn't even get the chance to rule Winterfell when half of the fandom was convinced he was going to be the next king, Jon fell in love with daenerys which was not only never mentioned in the books, but was also rushed and happened very quickly (unlike Gendrya who had plenty of time to develop feelings for each other, they practically closed an important chapter of their lives while they were together); that being said, you can never really predict where Arya's path takes us next. The show always hits us with changes and whether they're good or bad, they're often very unexpected. If you ask me, Arya's story is one of those that has not yet ended and there is exactly that one twist missing that is going to wrap it all up. I believe that ''twist'' has something to do with Gendry. All the other questions in her storyline are answered,- she chose to remain her identity and not become no one, she got back to her family and proved she would never betray any of them, she chose to follow her childhood dream and became her own hero. The last part is love, i believe. And Arya will need to figure it out and battle with making important decisions one more time. Their ''slow burn'' romance as i like to call it has been leading up to that all this time and i'm hoping they will be able to fit it in and drop the bomb in the last season.

Bringing the attention to Gendry, his purpose and identity is really interesting if you think about it. Let's go way back and start from the main point of his role in the show. Gendry Waters is the Bastard son of Robert Baratheon, right? That's very clear when you observe how he acts, how he looks and even talks,-if he had been around earlier the king would instantly recognize him as his bastard kid because Gendry is a perfect definition of the name Baratheon. His appearance - dark, rough looking hair and beautiful blue eyes flawlessly portrays the house. Anyone from Cersei's children could not even compare to how much Gendry looked like his father. There are countless similarities which you can read more about on @jj-justwriteit 's blogif you're interested, but i'm going to swiftly turn back to out main topic to avoid confusion. If you take a minute to observe the plot, the show could've been perfectly fine without him. That came out harsh but don't get me wrong, - i love him to death and he's one of my favorites, he has in fact done very heroic, important stuff but realistically speaking since he isn't technically one of the protagonists, Gendry could've been easily replaced with any random character be it male or female, with someone like Podrick, without messing up the whole story. Instead the author strictly made him to be a bastard son of king Robert who would later meet the princess of Winterfell. See? the puzzle instantly fits. Not to mention that there were quite a few characters similar to Gendry in the show who died or were very close to dying while despite disappearing for a entire season, the boy still remained alive and received a big development from just a bastard boy who wasn't even aware of his identity and spent his life serving others, to Gendry, the son of King Robert Baratheon who befriended Arya's brother a.k.a our future king and placed a huge role in helping the queen make progress in the battle. There are characters that you'd never expect to lose, there are characters that you know will die. but there are also a few people in GOT that have big chances of making it till the end for various different reasons, i think Gendry is one of them. May i mention how they brought him back in the last season and made him play a huge role? The writers would not make Gendry stand out if he didn't have a future in game of thrones, period. He is important and his story isn't over so killing him would be BLOODY DUMB. You started his journey and made it more significant than it could've been, now it's your job to respect your own decisions and not act like Gendry was nothing to the show. Like mentioned above, he could've been replaced with literally anyone who would be less relevant but noo. It’s Gendry Baratheon. As you keep watching the show and analyse his role in Arya's life, there are so many things about his persona that just make sense. His name makes is easier for me to connect the dots and get to the point which just screams gendrya. and That's one of the things that convinces me that Gendry is going to pull through this and stay in the show till the end.

A very significant scene to me is also his first meeting with Jon. Many people were upset because he didn't mention Arya and i'm not gonna lie at first that left me feeling kind of bitter as well, but after investing into it more i managed to find possible explanations. I like to look at it from the bright side considering that the scene is so much more than just some boys interacting. Gendry's meeting with Jon was done in a way that strangely seemed too much like Ned and Robert's and i can bet my whole life that it was done this way on purpose. It didn't feel too ''formal'', serious or tense, which is what you would normally expect since Jon is literally the legal king of the seven kingdoms. remember Ned and Robert meeting in the very first season? It went exactly like Jon and Gendry’s; They started off with a slightly tense atmosphere until shortly after it transformed into them laughing and hugging. the chemistry between the characters was undoubtedly there,- they jokingly made fun of each other and instantly got along which speaks a lot about his future relationship with the Starks; name any other character Jon talked to in such a friendly, ''domestic'' way as if they had known each other since forever. If Gendry left such a great first impression on Jon, that means there's a clear possibility of him being in contact with not only him but the others as well. and by others yes, i mainly mean Arya. Why would he want to become good pals with Jon? Because he's Arya's brother. He wants to make up for the fact that he was part of the reason they got separated in the first place and get as close to her as possible. As for him mentioning the girl, none of us know what was going on in Gendry's head and that's why there are so many thoughts and theories about this. Probably an opinion closest to reality is that as the fandom agrees,- Gendry might've thought Arya was dead. Obviously after being seperated for quite a long time plus Arya completely disappearing from Gendry's life, he would think she wasn't alive anymore. It seems logical. Even if you don't agree with that particular version, Gendry never really got a chance to ask about her either. Once he joined the others to help out on their mission, clearly all they were focused on was the duty, therefore i hightly doubt D&D would give us the fanservise and focus on anything else than the white walkers. If you think about it, all they discuss throughout the seventh season is the plan and how to accomplish it. Rescued from serving people he didn't want to serve at all, Gendry gave it his all to concentrate on correcting his mistakes, which is the best excuse for this situation. He put off any of his personal issues and wishes to devote himself to saving the world legitimately, meaning he never let himself catch a break and did whatever he could to stay right beside Jon. The boy prevented himself from expressing his emotions which is comprehensible,- even if he didn't think Arya was dead, i reckon Gendry wouldn't dare to ask about her when it was his first proper interaction with Jon, she was said to be his sister after all and the last thing he would want is to make things uncomfortable and awkward between them. Both reasons are quite coherent, believe whichever you want. His commitment towards Snow perfectly showed how much he cares. Not only about the people, Jon or the world. But how much he cares about helping out someone whose sister meant so much to him.

Gendry (still) is in the process of realizing that hey, he could be suitable for his highborn lady after all and if they get the confirmation from Jon(or Daenerys) who will probably become the king, there's no problem in them being together. It's apparent that Daenerys strongly dislikes Robert, but she was the one trying to prove that the child should not be punished for their parents' mistakes, which speaks a lot about how she might've reacted. By now it's obvious that she isn't cruel nor is she stupid. If Gendry and Arya did get together, i personally see no possibilities of Daenerys denying their relationship. Even if by some chance she did, Jon would proceed to convince her to make it happen because he would be perfectly aware of the fact that it could make Arya happy. Besides may i bring this back,- Gendry left a very good impression on him which assures Jon that his sister would not be in any sorts of danger. I firmly believe he trusts him by now. What i'm trying to get across is that in my opinion this just proves that Gendry shares his part of the story with Arya, that's why they are destinied to end up together. it just makes sense.

Lets move on to Arya before and after meeting Gendry. Unlike the boy, Arya did get screentime before meeting him since she's one of the main characters so it's easier to discuss what changes i spotted in her persona. In the first season, up to until the third one we see a tough little girl dreaming about becoming a warrior and being just like her father. It's obvious that she did not even want to imagine her and marriage and continouesly denied the idea, even making fun of Sansa for liking Joffrey. I think that's quite normal and does not mean that she is incapable of falling in love with someone. Arya was very young in the first season, still practically a tiny child so i think it's not surprising that she thought marriage was stupid. In no way am i saying that she suddenly changed her point of view when she grew up, but Arya had a very strict opinion about even considering liking someone romantically let alone spending her entire life with them and that's usually how most children think. Arya, around like 11 years old, would never admit anything like that. That's why i'm now emphasizing on the fact that her behavior and actions drastically changed later on, a very good example is her checking out Gendry's naked torso in the third season which i'm going to discuss more later. This sums up her growth quite well, she went from the kid who was convinced she was never going to dedicate any time to love, to a girl with her first crush. As i mentioned above, her and Sansa could be on the path of switching their roles. Sansa is either going to lose interest in getting married or finally find a good partner for her(which i doubt will happen to be completely honest) and Arya falls in love with Gendry despite starting off with different expectations.

during the time period when her and Gendry got separated, there isn't many scenes with Arya mentioning him either. Believe me i was hoping for gendrya the whole time as well but just like with his situation, i was able to quickly understand the case. Arya's storyline throughout season 6 was very important for her to get where she is now. I believe it was essential to make her go through all that stuff to prove a point: It was not for Arya. Besides the way i personally see it is that In the gap between their reunion, there really was no time for them to be mourning over each other's loss. Arya tried to become someone else and forget everything from her past. It didn't work out. She failed to become no one for a reason, she decided to keep calling herself Arya Stark for a reason. If her story contained no love,- be it platonic or romantic whatsoever, i don't think she'd bother to give up so easily OR come back to Winterfell. This may seem like a reach to some people, but for me it makes complete sense,- Arya came back because Joaquin's path didn't cross hers. The life she thought was perfect for her didn't turn out to be suitable at all and i'm glad she was able to realize that early enough. No matter how much she changed, she belonged (still does) to Winterfell from the very beginning, there were certain people in her life that she could not let go. The writers made her change her mind and come back because there was so much more waiting for her there, because that leads us to what comes next.

other ships

some people seem to ship Gendry and Arya with other characters and I'm certainly not here to fight them because of that, but for my fellow gendrya stans, i'm going to try and explain why there's no chances of either of them ending up with someone else. I guess what you could call ''the most popular ships besides gendrya'' are sansa and Gendry and Arya and Joaquin. Let's start with strongly denying the first one.

I don't know where to even begin because i find it challenging to comprehend what gave people reasons to ship Sansa with Gendry. On a very simple note,-they haven't even met. They have NOT interacted while Gendrya has had a major build up since the third season. When it is seemingly clear that both of them started gradually developing feelings for each other, i can't imagine Sansa proceeding to literally betray her sister and try to steal her man, lol. She grew up, became more mature and as i mentioned earlier, probably lost a big part of her interest in romance. I personally can only imagine Sansa hyping up their relationship and teasing Arya about how in love she is. Hear me out,- the writers have made tons of questionable decisions throughout the years of shooting the series, but i believe this is where they cross the border. They are perfectly aware of the fact that making Sansa and Gendry canon would stir up drama, not only because people ship gendrya, but also because it does not make sense. It would be wrong, rushed and very, very weird turn. Gendry has never expressed any interest in Sansa nor has he even metioned her.

As for Joaquin and Arya, i think i am able to get why people like the pair, though in no way do i encourage anyone to do so because it will never happen, obviously. Do i believe that Arya loved Joaquin? No. I personally see them as two individuals who had a very weird friendship connecting them. Arya never really had friends and Joaquin was one of the first people she dared to refer to as such, so of course she would be shown expressing some type of platonic feelings towards him, for instance her choosing him as her teacher or that one time she genuinely got scared, thinking he had died. Joaquin and Arya's friendship was one big rollercoaster which i'm struggling to fully figure out to this day. Probably the only aspect i'm completely sure about is that they weren't in love. Both of them knew they had found someone with similar goals and personality so obviously they were left on good terms and managed to even work together for some time. Joaquin taught Arya stuff that gave her a different view on certain stuff and more experience which came out quite useful in the following episodes. The two of them were never destined to be together and Joaquin's death was one of the things that proved that. Almost every pair in Game of thrones has a mutual connection, great chemistry and are visibly suitable for each other, however Arya and Joaquin never had that. There was not a bit romance in their scenes and they had no development in that terms whatsoever.

We already know Gendry has eyes on Arya and only.

That being said, anyone can ship what they want, but once again,-this is for gendrya shippers who think that either of the ships mentioned above have any potential of becoming canon. No they don't. I'm pretty positive that the author and the creators of the show would never do that to us.

Their scenes

As mentioned in the top of this post, George Martin spoiled us and included quite a few moments of Gendrya in the books. If you've read the series there's NO way you didn't interpret their relationship as a romantic one just because it's clearly coded that way. Like i promised i'm not going to be going in details about why George is amazing, but it will surely take more effort to analyse the moments from the show untill i manage to get every detail of like the three scenes we got written down and examined.

Starting from the very first scene we saw them together in. I have so many thoughts about it. We all know Arya and Gendry are incredibly badass together or separated and that scene was a very good example of how well they work together. The bull and the wolf,-they're a perfect team and it seems as if the writers wanted to get that across immediately once they had met.

I adore the first scene. Arya gains the courage to stand up for herself despite two strangers probably scaring the shit out of her trapped at a place she knows nothing about. As she finds the energy within herself to stand up and point Needle towards hotpie's chin, forcing him to steadily step back, Gendry joins from behind and threatens the boy to leave Arya alone. What i love the most about the scene is Gendry's bitter words mixed with humor (*insert his sentence here*) and the way he defended the innocent kid. It already gives you a general idea of how lovely and courageous his personality is, leaving the best first impression for a character if you ask me. The scene is done so well in the show, he doesn't even think twice before scolding hotpie and shrugging it off shortly, treating Arya quite decently. As if he already knew he was dealing with a princess.

look at them.

Now this is a tricky thing to discuss, though one of my personal headcannons that can potentially be very true, is that show!Gendry knew Arya was a girl from that exact scene. What i mean is that he didn't even need to try and figure it out since he knew in the first place, while others were confused even after finding out she wasn't a boy. ''do you think i'm as stupid as the rest of them?'' he says once he sees her surprised face after admitting that Arya had done a poor job lying to him; and it's true, he isn't. Gendry is incredibly smart despite not being perfect at reading and writing which by the way, was not his fault at all. Every scene with Gendry in it in the show truly does make him seem more intelligent and clever than the people he mentioned. It speaks a lot about his difference from the other boys and really makes him stand out; also adds another reason to the list of why they'd be a perfect pair. Despite being raised as a bastard and having to go through so much rough stuff at such a young age, Gendry inherited some of the best traits of a Baratheon and grew up to be a bright man. He is quite strong and fit physically, but he is also competent and wise which if you ask me, makes him perfect for Arya. It's her. There's no way she would fall in love with someone less cool than her, so i think it's safe to say that Gendry is the only one right for her.

Moving onto the scene where he finds out about Arya's true identity, that one is definitely one of my favorites. There's so much that needs to be said about it because it describes so many parts of their relationship. It's a good portrayal of their bond, trust, chemistry.

I love how Arya didn't expect him to find out about her at all and tried her best to hide her shocked reaction the first time he confronted her about it. Gendry was very casual and subtle about it, just sliding the topic into their small banter as if it hadn't even been a huge deal and i find that endearing in a way. It expresses how mature he was at the age of 15, any other boy would most likely freak out and act as if they'd seen a miracle.

Arya could've easily rejected him and found more ways to lie in order to convince him otherwise, yet not only did she come clean, but also trusted him enough to admit who she really was. That was an another clear sign of ''they met and instantly found the courage within themselves to trust each other even with their deepest secrets''. Of course the boy was very honest with her as well; Tell me Gendry apologizing for peeing in front of her and claiming he should've been calling her ''M'lady'' wasn't the cutest thing you saw throughout that season. What left me thinking is how he believed her immediately. Sure, Arya's explanation seemed pretty legit, but i doubt anyone else would let themselves to trust her that easily. He gained much more respect for Arya after finding out that the person he had been talking to wasn't just any other girl but the highorn lady of Winterfell. I love how Arya is already comfortable with playfully punching the guy because he had called her a lady; and the dialogue in that scene is hilarious and well done. They're already acting like best friends despite not even knowing each other that much and the apparent flirty tension often gets mixed within their conversations which i find very lovely. It's so sweet how the angry bean Arya makes Gendry full on giggle and look up at her with the most ''in love'' look in his eyes. That right there, is good acting.

I bet Gendry had a hard time hiding his shock when finding out that the highborn lady of Winterfell was that badass and fearless instead of a bit more girly and petite as he would've expected. And i'm strongly convinced that was the thing about Arya catching his attention and making him realize how different, stronger and better she was than any of the women he had met before.

One of my absolute favorite scenes is Arya sneakily checking out her man. The scene is so incredibly iconic and remarkable that it most likely popped up in your head instantly. That's when any viewer immediately realizes that the writers' intention was to show Arya's developing first crush.

As Gendry trains, fully focused on his weapon, Arya literally glances up and down his body with that hungry ass look in her eyes. sorry. had to be said. It's the truth.

We had definitely never seen the girl impressed on that level by a man in any previous (or following) seasons. Arya was just a tiny girl and as she grew up she started feeling different emotions, therefore i think it's quite obvious that we got to experience that with her in the said scene. Maisie's acting was so damn good. She managed to portray the exact same feelings Arya had perfectly which just added more reasons for people to ship the pair.

The most important scene in my opinion is of course, ''i can be your family''. I'm going to begin with firmly emphasizing on Maisie's comment about the scene.

Rolling stone: she obiously has family on her mind in this episode. But when she tells Gendry ''i can be your family'', it sounds like she might mean something very different - even if she herself barely realizes it yet.

I really love the way this was put because they tried to avoid any major spoilers, but gave us higher chances of finding out more about how Arya feels towards Gendry. Bless them for bringing this up. It's clear that everyone, be it people from the fandom or outside interprets their relatioship as a romantic one.

Here's what Maisie answers:

''At first i read it as ''You can come to winterfell, i'll show you how everything goes, and you can come and sit at the table with us'', i thought it would be a bit like Theon. But when i was doing the scene, director Alex Graves said ''when you say that last line, 'i can be your family', say it like 'i love you'''. And that's the take that they used.

To this day i'm still struggling to believe that's real, but it is. Maisie practically said that Arya never saw Gendry as a brother (like Theon) but as something else. Something more. With that exact words she realized she had certain feelings towards Gendry that made it so difficult to let him go and leave. I can't help but mention their acting one more time because it was absolutely phenomenal. Game Of Thrones has something for every type of viewers, Fantasy, adventure and romance,-that's one of the reasons it's so popular. That being said, we've had tons of different pairs with their love stories; The ones who ended up dead, the ones who survived. One aspect connecting all of them is the story of how they met and fell in love. Now this is a very bold thing to say so not many people might agree with me, but i personally think that Gendrya, the ship that hasn't even become canon yet, is the most romantic and epic yet, it leaves us with so much feels and want. I never felt so much love and passion towards any other ship from the show and it's very apparent to me why. I don't remember any couple from GOT that had such a slow burn, amorous and well developed plot. Gendrya does. They have so much potential. Both Maisie and Joe understand that and they give it their all to make Gendrya so obvious. In the said scene, Gendry looks like he is legitimately holding back tears as he rejects Arya's offer and decides to stay. He seems like as if he's having second thoughts and doubting his choices, there's so much pain depicted on his face and yet he doesn't have enough time to reconsider. Maisie does say the last like just like ''i love you''. There's indeed much more said than just ''come to Winterfell and stay with us'', it's her trying to express unconditional love and fondness. Arya is aware of her feelings towards Gendry and by the time she fully realized that, she had to leave. Just like Gendry, Arya looks just as upset and hurt. Looks like in that moment, it took all her willpower to turn around and go.

A classic Gendrya moment is her being immensely worried when the red woman took Gendry, disappearing without any explanations. I can't get over how mad she got and never stopped worrying about him. ''I don't talk to traitors'' CAN YOU BELIEVE HER. Arya was beyond aggrieved to the point where she even refused to talk. Her expression when Gendry gave in and they basically tied him up so he wouldn't be able to escape was priceless. I've seen the scene about a hundred times and it gets me every. damn. time. A simple question could sum up how much she cares for him,-have you ever seen Arya so worried and hurt about something (besides Ned's death because DUH) throughout the season? no. She learned how to control her emotions and literally never show them, but the agony was so visible on her face in that moment. That's not surprising since her friend got taken away to a place she knew nothing about, but again, i've never seen Arya so furious. She was worried sick and probably was ready to do anything to bring him back.

Gendry's Jealousy

Hoo boy. Don’t even get me started. It’s a popular headcanon in the fandom that Gendry is a jealous man when it comes to Arya, but i’d say we could freely call it canon since it’s painfully obvious that he’d kill any other man if he saw them kissing his girl. lol Emphasizing on the scene where Arya was talking about Joaquin; Gendry, visibly startled, literally asks: ‘you need him?’

Now obviously he didn’t know why Arya might’ve needed the stranger and that’s one of the reasons he got so uncomfortably surprised. The way Joe acts out the scene, it does seem like Gendry looks very uneasy and actually kind of pissed? rewatch the scene and tell me i’m wrong. Even before getting together the boy wants to make sure he has no competitors and that’s purely because he loves her so much. He would obviously never be controlling around Arya, but he would make sure to subtly but not really remind everyone that she was very much taken. It’s just how he is. I imagine Arya finding his behavior very cute and just laughing about it every time she’d notice him getting mad because of something so irrelevant. You know Gendry doesn’t actually have any reasons to be jealous, right?

I don’t know if we get more scenes of Gendry being jealous, but there sure are slight chances of that happening since he’s most likely going to reunite Arya and have tons of screentime with her. At this point i’ve stumbled across more than approximately 5 posts of people mentioning how Maisie and Joe were spotted filming together so i’m pretty sure we’re getting something. There are lots of expectations but who knows what might happen?

forgesex2019.

there has been a theory going around about Gendry and Arya's reunion which i personally really like. It's what they deserve and it's what we've been craving ever since we got to know them. I think it's a very logical explanation of the end for their relationship. @jj-justwriteit is literally the best at discussing how it could go so it would be great if you'd read here headcanons, but i'll talk about it here as well. Lots of other pairs got their moments. They even managed to fit Jonerys and their sex scenes in the last scene, so i have high hopes for this. As my friend exclaimed in one of her posts, forgesex is most likely going to happen which i believe on a high level. So far it's a headcanon, but it will hopefully become canon in the final season. If anyone is still worried about the age difference (which is literally just five years), both of them are grown up, nearly adults. There's literally nothing to worry or argue about since Gendrya isn't the only pair with age difference. Drogo and Daenerys? She was about 14 years old when she lost her virginity but people shipped her with Khal regardless. Gendrya is just pure and completely normal, non toxic. They're very allowed to do whatever they want without it seeming weird. period. Arya isn't a child anymore.The way i personally imagine forgesex is WILD. I mean imagine a Baratheon and a Stark in love, who by the way, haven't seen each other for ages so the passion, love, want all of that building up in them is going to burst into flames and boom. Clothes literally ripped, on the floor, hands on each other and kisses everywhere. It would be the most epic scene any other pair has had. I imagine their reunion would be calm and just full of love at first. It's a clichee thing to describe but Gendry would see her first and softly mutter her name, thought loudly enough for her to hear, Arya would flinch at the familiar voice and swiftly turn around, seeing him. I already know Maisie is going to kill this. She has been great at characterizing Arya's intentions and actions, so when they reunite, it's going to be good. No matter what, it's going to be outstanding. I feel it.I can't WAIT to see Arya, Sansa and Jon meeting Gendry altogether. Imagine the flustered girl trying to hide her blush while Jon, confused attempts to find out how her sister knows Gendry. Sansa would know instantly and jokingly tease Arya later.Back to forgesex, can you imagine them getting some time fo themselves and just going at it. It would be a one big sloppy mess but at the same time for them it'd be very special and beautiful. By now Gendry already knows that he's a Baratheon so he allows himself to not hold back, which will be the result of him pining her against a wall and. well, you know the rest. One thing i'm absolutely sure about is that Arya would still have to initiate the process and strike first. Gendry notices that yes, she is in fact sure about this and wants the exact same thing, so he would start playing along. Gendry knows he has a gorgeous body, okay. Besides Joe dempsie hasn't been working out for NOTHING. We will get more naked Gendry and it will be for Forgesex.

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

i probably missed a lot of details and forgot stuff, so if anyone reads any of this at all, a part two will be added to the whole masterpost! this was just a very quick recap slash analyzing the ship so if anyone wants me to get even more in depth and write all my feelings and predictions, simply let me know.

a huge thank you to @jj-justwriteit ! you inspired me to even start this masterpost. I could never discuss this stuff as well as you do, please check them out and send love and gendrya in the ask box <3

#gendrya #arya stark #gendry baratheon #game of thrones

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merlinsmushrooms · 6 years

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Bird in a Cage: Cedric and Wormwood

“You’re nothing more than a goody-goody now. Leave my presence, you traitor.”

The corvid’s hostility was understandable, but ridiculous at this point. He had no room for attitude; he had failed and was now prisoner. To bark orders at him? He wouldn’t take it. Not any longer. He had put up with enough over the years, and now, after weeks of relentless anxiety and looming thoughts, he could get an answer. The sorcerer would not be leaving without one.

“So you can what? Rot in here miserable by your lonesome? I think not.”

“I think so, you bumbling buffoon. An eternity in solitude would be better than having to converse with you. Did Roland promote you to dungeon master now? Are you here to torture me?”

“Yes.”

The malicious answer was entirely warranted at this point; he had been tortured by losing the one he felt was dearest to him. His first friend — his companion. There was absolutely nothing wrong with a touch of petty revenge, and he couldn’t help but delight in a bit of his old dreams coming true as a smirk warmed across his expression. Luckily for his own personal investment, it was a new - warranted - target for the childish sadism rather than anything truly horrible as he had once daydreamed.

Wormwood’s exasperated groan was one he had heard so often before the betrayal, but this time, it wasn’t at his lack of aptitude. It was where a sigh should be placed, and it signaled him to pace the bird’s new permanent perch and ponder. Where exactly was he going with this? And why did he ever think coming down to confront him was a good idea? Midnight frustrations were not anything he should be prompted on, but here he was already. He had better make the best of it; shut the door. It was unlikely his former familiar would want it open again anyways.

“Why did you betray me?” Cedric would ask bluntly after bracing himself for a most obvious answer.

“Goody-Goody.” the raven would taunt with guttural malice, fluffing his feathers.

“What makes you think I’m so perfectly good now? Just because I don’t want to take over the kin-”

“Any kingdom. You’ve lost your drive. Your spark. The thing that made you bearable to be around. Your ambition made your failures at least tolerable, but the fun is gone, and any dreams I had of having power were stripped the moment that brat took your eyes off the prize. What point is there to you anymore?”

So it was all about him. He wanted power, and from the sounds of it all from before and now, he never truly cared about anything but. However, the raven had made a grave mistake, and while it was unlikely he’d want to be educated, an explanation was still in order.

“I have power now, Wormwood. I technically did before, and you blinded me to it. I am the royal sorcerer; the most prestigious mage in the kingdom. I was bl-”

“You never had prestige. A title means nothing if nobody respects it.”

“And would they have respected me if I took the Kingdom by force? Or would they have marched upon the gate and stripped that power from me?”

It was a reoccurring nightmare that he had ranted to the raven about from time to time. What if they had taken over the kingdom? Tyranny could easily grant him the throne, but it also made him a target to those who preferred the former ruler. People could rise up, and even though he had deluded himself in the past, the truth to his nefarious desires was more than clear now; he would not have held the throne for long. Perhaps with Grimtrix’s plan things would have gone smoothly, but at that point, his statement still held strong — nobody would have respected him. Perhaps not even the other monarchs.

“Probably. But that was to be your problem, not mine.”

He had to restrain himself from smacking the cage. The audacity! If it weren’t for the pangs of the past reminding him of how close they possibly were, he would have accused the bird of unspeakable words, but he couldn’t help but also feel there were mind games being played here; it was obvious Wormwood was fond of them. And if it were games the raven wanted to play - old schemes that he begged to be revived - then he would indulge. Perhaps then he would see the benefits of his “goody-goody” status.

“And now you have your own set of problems, Wormwood. One which your friend has no desire to help you with. I can only say that I am lucky to have lost you. My life has only improved with the new me. It’s a shame that your head is stuck in the clouds.”

“It’s a shame you’ll never amount to anything, Cedric the Great.” The insult wasn’t even worth a response — the irony of it all was lost upon the captive, nor did he deserve the chuckle that Cedric expertly managed to hold back.

It seemed there would be no talking sense into him at this point. Perhaps it was too soon, but that was not for him to dwell on at this moment. He had gotten the closure he desired, or at least the end of a chapter. Wormwood had always been stubborn, and it was obvious now that he would need to show the raven the truth; that he was Cedric the Great, and that he indeed had power without needing to resort to extreme deviancy.

But such things would take time, and as of now? Wormwood had plenty of it. Perhaps then - when his eyes were opened - things could go back to some semblance of normality. But for now, the sorcerer would leave the animal helper to his lonesome. While he was indeed disappointed at this particular outcome, he couldn’t help but smile as he returned to his abode; he would amount to something, alright. And Wormwood would regret leaving his side. It would only take time.

#sofia the first spoilers #sofia the first #..{{A Better Me}}..#{yeah ya'll knew I had to write a drabble about Cedric and Wormwood}#{they shoehorned Cedric into being too good too quick}#{but I can't help but feel he still gets up to his old ways in... better ways}#{u show him whose boss Ced}#{this was written at 2am with sleep deprivation plz no judge me}

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intraxvagor · 6 years

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Capricorn

@favoritefadedfantasies‌ || Song || From here

Rynn watched, waiting for the inevitable freak-out the man was likely to have. She didn’t judge him for it - if she’d just woken up a statue, she’d have reacted the same way. He didn’t scream though, which surprised her - instead he disappeared. Well then.

She had a moment of confusion before he reappeared in front of her - ah, teleportation. It seemed he possessed magic too. And there he stood in front of her, ready to draw a weapon. Rynn raised an eyebrow as she looked on in amusement - did he really think she was going to hurt him? After he’d done her such a huge service?

She let out a sigh, she’d only just woken up - there were plenty of fights to be had, but this was not one she desired. For that reason, Rynn did not yet stand up - she didn’t want to startle him even more. Fortunately, he paused a moment, then spoke quite a lot. She had to admit she understood, and found some amusement in his confusion. That was, of course, reflected in the light grin that crossed her lips.

And with his words, it was her turn to process.

“You mean they’re right? The story is right?” Well, at least her horrific back-stabbing family had had the courtesy of telling her story, so it seemed people knew about her. She had to wonder how much.

“Vale! The place is called Vale.” She’d heard of Vale - it had been a bustling city to be sure, but not anything worthy of being called a capital. Interesting.

And then he got to what she was most interested in - the year. The words left his lips and a gasp left hers. They’d moved to a different calender? And it was 3023 RGE?!

She been imprisoned in 2,719… 300 years had passed.

It was then that her smirk cracked, giving way to an expression that was difficult to describe. A thousand things passed across her pretty features - rage, pain, suffering, joy, relief, revenge. But what was revenge if she’d been gone 300 years? Her family was long dead, and she was a creature of myth…

One thing at a time - she owed him an answer.

“There’s no need to be so formal. Rynn is fine.” She answered, maintaining an even tone despite the storm raging in her mind. She finally stood up, gripping the arms of the throne firmly to push herself to her feet. There was no telling what state her body was in.

Much to her surprise, she merely felt weak and shaky - as if she’d had a particularly intense day of training. It seemed the magic had at least somewhat preserved her strength. Thank whatever gods still listened for that gift. Slowly, carefully she stepped off the dais and moved towards Aspen, coming to a stop a respectful distance away.

Now that she was alive and moving and off the strange altar she’d been placed upon, she looked remarkably human. Standing at a very reasonable 5′7″, she was noticeably shorter than the brunette across from her. Rynn had a slim build, but toned and strong - clearly that of a warrior who favored speed and trickery to brute force.

Though her normal attire was basic, fitted leather armor, she was currently clothed in something quite a bit different - she had been at a festival after all. Instead she wore an outfit as crimson as her hair - a fitted top leaving her midriff bare and a flowing, red skirt that hung low on her hips and was cut so that it would flow with the dances the festival had promised. Gold details covered the clothing, making it clear that she had been a woman of status. It was an outfit that she was all together quite uncomfortable in, but there were many other issues to address before she got to her clothing. For example, she still had to answer several questions.

“Well for starters, I’d love to hear whatever tale you’ve been told. Just as a basis of comparison, of course.” Rynn sighed, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before addressing everything else. It was a lot to process, after all.

“All thing’s considered I didn’t so much get here as I’ve been here for quite some time. 300 or so, if we’re being picky.” Emerald eyes trailed around the temple, taking in its disarray. Oh yes, it had been many, many years since anyone had cared for this place. It did not bode well for the fate of her kingdom.

“This is the Temple of Griannan,” she paused a moment, curious to see if he’d recognize the name of their sacred goddess, “she was- or is, I’m not sure - the patron goddess of my people. This used to be the most important temple in Embrell.” The name of her kingdom felt strange, alien - she’d held such loyalty for it and they’d betrayed her the way they had.. it cause a rage she had to quell before she lit this entire place on fire.

“Any chance you can tell me the fate of Embrell? Then I’ll tell you how I ended up here and why.” Rynn asked - she wanted to take this at least semi slowly. The entire story would be a lot to unload, it was better to know what he knew first.

Aspen might have easily been described as a swallow in flight, his mind flicking and darting from piece to piece even as he physically seemed to bound about, but it didn't mean he was unobservant nor stupid. No, he noticed things and he was able to make determinations. He was quick to judge, and while he was willing to change his mind if things came up, he didn't often have to. Something about this woman felt regal and elegant, her beauty as strong as the energy he had started to feel from her. Yeah... she'd be someone he had to watch, though for good or ill he couldn't tell yet. Her very presence demanded attention, with that flaming red hair, that rigorous bearing, and the flash of emotions flickering as quickly as a flame in the wind. Fire. Yes, that's what the stories had spoken of and that's the impression she gave off. Aspen knew fire. He knew how quickly it could go from warm and comforting to consuming and dangerous. While he had nothing but good memories when it came to people born to fire, he knew personally how fast their temper could break loose.

The raven dropped back another step or two when Rynn came to her feet and stepped down from the dais, trying to determine if he should in fact bow to her highness or if he should simply watch to see what she would do. Rynn, as she had commented informally, didn't seem to stick to the formalities that most royalty might, and technically Aspen held no allegiance to her this this age or before. His family came from that rivaling kingdom rather than the one rumored to have birthed a child of the sun. Always better to be cautious around magics, even when bearing his own. While his flash judgement had determined that she wasn't any immediate threat to him, it didn't mean there wasn't going to be some sort of backlash to the information he had already shared. She seemed to be seeking after all, seeking more than he had already offered.

Her own information, delivered with a bitterness she probably didn't mean for him to hear, was curious. Embrell was still an active country, enduring the age despite the hardships that it had befallen it. Three hundred years of history, and this woman was asking him the details of it. Oh bother, was she asking the wrong guy. While he could give some generalized detail and could probably identify when an item was made within that timeline, he knew he was by far not an expert. If anyone could be trusted to know what went on it was one of his siblings. To have Azalee here... she'd love this! Maybe if he could get away to get her. No. Wait, there was a reason he hadn't yet. "Yer wasting our ploughin' time! C'mon yah scatterbrained idiot!" As rough as ever, again a voice filtered in from the outside, and Aspen swore softly. Aspen might have been willing to give Rynn here the benifit of the doubt for now, but he didn't much like the others who had brought him to this location. Technically he was the hired in this instead of the leader of this endeavor, which put him in a bit of an awkward position. "Look, I'd be more than happy to answer your questions fully considering what it seems like you're going through, but I'm not sure my friends out there are the patient sorts. They might start just knocking their way in, who knows how stable this place still is." Nervously a hand went through his hair again as he shuffled past Rynn to look up at the hole he had made unintentionally. This would give her a good chance to observe him in full, from the nine inches he had in height on her, to the almost lightweight build he had; Light but toned. He shared her build, speedy and quick more than anything. "I don't think you're quite what they were looking for and I'm not sure how they'll take it when they find out you're the most interesting bit here." His hands set onto his hips, the man started running through ideas in his head, a process that caused him to start impatiently tapping his foot. "While I can promise you I'm not here for plundering purposes, I had a bad feeling about this whole arrangement. They were the only ones willing to put any money out there to start the exploration though: no one else believed the stories could possibly be true, not when no one else could really pinpoint the location of this particular temple. Yes, I recognize your Goddess." Aspen offered her a flash of a grin.

"I'm hoping she won't mind the loss of a few baubles, will she? I'm thinking I help these blighters out, let them get a good look around without the main prize, and see about getting you outta here another way. Is that acceptable to you, Rynn?"

#[c]:: Like the Wind #favoritefadedfantasies #[v]:: Capricorn

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foxofthedesert · 5 years

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RQ OUaT FF | OGA: Ch. 11

Chapter 11 – A Whale of a Conversation (Ao3 Link)

The guest chambers Red has been placed in pales in comparison to the cavernous suite reserved for the Royal Couple. There is little furniture to speak of, just a modest armoire sizable enough to accommodate the wardrobe of a visiting dignitary and a similarly scaled mirror-topped chiffonier. The attached bathroom is only just big enough to fit in the small tub, lavatory, and an antiquated garderobe retrofit at great difficult to utilize the recently developed sewage disposal system – yet another gift from Victor's more technically and scientifically advanced realm – being slowly but surely installed throughout the castle. Plain black velvet drapes hang over the two narrow windows cut equidistant into the outside wall the chamber is built out from, and there are candelabras enough to read by in any corner of the room at any time of night. It is also dreadfully quiet, having somehow received extra insulation during construction, which incidentally also makes these rooms Red's favorite escape to shield her sensitive ears from the cacophonous bustle of the castle. In the absence of the blood rushing in Regina's head, the silence here is especially deafening.

Having regained some semblance of control over her faculties after that fit of despair, she can feel Victor's gaze on her before she hears him speak.

"There's nothing I can do for her. I'm sorry," he says, his tone dull and devoid of his typical arrogance.

She has no idea how long she's been locked in the unforgiving grip of her grief when his apology arrests her attention. The only indication of the passage of time is the candle perched upon the end table, which has burnt through a tenth of its weight. However long she has been trapped upon this tumultuous ride over waves of a seemingly endless sorrow, she is glad for the interruption. Not wanting to appear any more pathetic in front of the physician, she willfully forces herself to face him.

Once calm, she wipes her face of the tears smearing her cheeks before turning her attention to the only other conscious occupant of the room. Now fully alert, Victor is hunched over in the chair so that his elbows are resting upon his knees, eyes underscored by dark patches, skin tone washed out, hair frazzled, a picture of defeat. Never has she observed the man to be so downtrodden and laden with guilt. As if only passively aware of her studious appraisal, he stares at Red forlornly, unmistakably portraying just how much he cares about his current patient. It is startling to witness Victor show so much emotion, and for perhaps the first time since they met all those years ago, Regina cannot help but sympathize with the clinically detached scientist.

Red is the only true friend Victor has in the castle by virtue of her indomitable courage to butt into his life regardless of whether he asks her to or not. With time, her persistence in occasionally dragging him out of his laboratory to commiserate over ale and bread resulted in him adopting a slightly more personable attitude. Few if any aside from Red could have accomplished such a feat when most give up on the aloof doctor within the first conversation. But Red is relentless with her friendship, and it's obvious that Victor loves her for unwillingness to give up on him. That, and he owes her for his very important and incredibly lucrative position within the kingdom.

It was only because of Red that Regina sought him out with an offer of employment in the first place. On route to Midas' realm for a diplomatic event, this was before Midas' daughter Abigail ascended to the throne, she and Red had stopped halfway between to lodge for the night. While there, they dined at the local establishment which, although quaint, cultivated a warm, jovial atmosphere that was inviting enough that Regina could overlook the stained floors, worn surfaces, and unpleasant smells associated with a tightly packed throng of human bodies boasting various states of cleanliness.

"It's good to mingle below your station every now and then," Red had reasoned, dragging Regina by the hand. "I know this isn't your scene, but people like to be reminded once in a blue moon that their rulers aren't so different as they are when it comes down to the nuts and bolts. Everybody likes to drink and eat and laugh and tell terrible jokes, even highly dignified individuals such as yourself. So at least this once let these folks see that you're one of them. Please? For me."

Well, Regina wasn't one of them, but she was a pushover who humored Red far more than she should. Despite her initial reservations, they had a lovely meal and the service was more than adequate, though that was to be expected when the entire staff was sure to be on their best behavior with two Queens in their midst. Regina had concede that she actually enjoyed herself, though she did have to give the evil eye to a few bold individuals whose unwelcome stares lingered a little too long in their direction for her tastes. It was only after finishing an excellent dessert cake featuring strawberries and cream that she caught sight of a familiar crop of blonde hair. Tucked away at a corner table, it was as if he was trying to make himself disappear, which probably would have been preferable to what came next.

The very second Regina recognized Victor Frankenstein, the mellow atmosphere vanished in a flash of searing anger. The ensuing confrontation was not pretty. Nearly everyone in the little eatery went rigid and bug-eyed when she thundered across the small space, as if field mice having heard the slithering and sibilant hiss of a viper's approach. Thankfully Red was long used to her mercurial temper by then and quickly sprung into action to curtail any undue acts of destruction against person or property. Even so, she could not prevent Regina from dragging Victor outside by his lapels, where she proceeded to threaten his life should she ever lay eyes on him again.

Later on after much coaxing from Red, Regina recounted the disastrous debacle with Daniel's heart. She spared no details in describing how Victor had built up a false hope of resurrecting her slain stable boy and then proceeded to mercilessly crush it by lying to her. Left with only a devastation that refused to abate and a murderous rage at being so cruelly betrayed, she was a ripe and low hanging fruit for the Dark One to pluck. She learned some years later what really happened, that Victor had made a deal with Rumple for an Enchanted Heart and she was the unwitting sap they used to get it. Rumple's reward was a disciple ready and willing to cross lines of decency she previously she could not.

During the harrowing tale, Regina idly mentioned that Victor was a scientist and a physician of peerless skill in his world, which was why Rumplestiltskin often consulted with him. Because the royal physician back at the Dark Palace was an old man set to either soon retire or drop dead at any moment, Red had seen an opportunity that could not be passed up. Regina, as might be expected, did not take the suggestion well. Trusting the man who had so swiftly and brutally stabbed her in the back with their health seemed too ludicrous an idea to even consider. Red disagreed.

They bickered well into the night about what was best for the kingdom before Red eventually won out with a series of increasingly effective arguments. The first was that Regina should consider Victor as a tool to be used and nothing more. Employing him, Red insisted, did not mean trusting him implicitly. Furthermore, prudence would be exercised for everyone's sake by putting him under surveillance until such time her very reasonable suspicions abated. To increase the pressure she was already feeling to make an objective decision, Red then swore to take on personal responsibility for Victor should Regina find herself amenable to hiring him on a trial basis. The coup de grâce was delivered when Red shamelessly resorted to the tried and true tactic of pouting and batting her eyelashes – a combination to which Regina had a well-documented susceptibility. It worked, too. Damn the woman and her irresistible charms.

The next morning with Regina's provisional approval, Red had rode ahead of the caravan and met up with Victor on the road. Regina never found out what was said to convince him to come work for them, only that when Red returned, a triumphant smile was plastered across her lips. Like with everyone else she encountered, it wasn't long before Red wormed her way into the cold scientific heart that beat within the chest of one Dr. Frankenstein.

For her own part, Regina still does not care much for Victor personally, but Red trusts him, and that is enough for her to do so as well in professional matters. Three years on and he has yet to disappoint that remarkable show of faith. As long as that continues to be true, there will be never be any cause for her to make good on the promise she made at that modest inn among the rolling hills near the border with what is now Abigail's realm.

"I've failed her just like I failed Gerhardt," Victor then says, pulling Regina from her thoughts. The mention of his dearly departed sibling is another stirring piece of evidence as to how guilt-ridden he is over being hamstrung in Red's treatment.

There is much for Victor Frankenstein to regret in life and many unpardonable sins weighing upon his shoulders, but his inability to cure a supernatural malady such as Zelena's curse is not one of them. From the brief exchange with her sister, Regina is painfully aware that this plague is beyond even his prodigious medicinal acumen.

"You haven't failed, Victor. This is all my fault," she replies as she traces the outline of her wife's face. With slow, deliberate movements, she runs the pads of her digits down a strong jawline and then across full lips that she fervently wishes were moving with unfettered excitement as the latest amusing story or breathtaking adventure is described. "I'm afraid there is nothing either of us can do at present," she adds, her voice choked with emotion. "This affliction is one that cannot be remedied by science or any magic available to us here in the Enchanted Forest."

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Victor's eyes narrow intently. "You know what this is. Don't you?"

Regina responds with a tight, stunted nod. "It is a sleeping curse. An altered version that even True Love's kiss cannot break."

Victor studies her face carefully, looking for something. She isn't sure what, although she suspects he is dubious about her analysis. His next words confirm that.

"Not that I doubt you," he says, though he clearly does, "but I'm curious as to why you are so confident in your assessment. I've seen a lot of magic during my tenure serving as your chief physician, and a fair few sleeping curses as well, but nothing like this. This is something entirely alien to me."

"You wouldn't have ever encountered it before," Regina answers, surprisingly steady now as her mind temporarily diverts from grief over Red to a technical discussion about the magic currently afflicting her. "The ingredient preventing magic from working to dispel this curse originates from another realm: Oz to be specific." Victor's brows raise at that. "As to how I came by this information, the person who cursed Red told me from her own lips. She is my elder half-sister, Zelena, who incidentally also hails from Oz."

Victor's expression turns almost comical by the time she is finished. It is an understandable reaction. In addition to her healthy skepticism, Regina was equally shocked at the claim.

"A sister? I was unaware you had a sibling. I thought you were an only child."

"As did I," she tells him. "My mother was a precocious liar, so I am not the least bit surprised she kept such an enormous secret. And while Zelena did not give much away, I was able to infer by her reactions to some things I said that she was abandoned like so much trash immediately after my mother squeezed her out from between her legs. She hates me because of that...among other preposterous reasons I won't bore you with."

Giving a prolonged sigh, she turns her eyes to Red, whose pallor is grossly unhealthy and flushed with fever. Yet she is still so beautiful that Regina's entire body aches with want – want to see those pretty green eyes, to hear that angelic voice call her name, and to be given one more blinding smile. She loves this woman more than all of the wealth and power the world can afford, more than her own life, and it is that fundamental nature of her love for Red that Zelena ruthlessly preyed upon.

"In essence, she wants to see me suffer, which is why she targeted Red rather than me. She knows that this is hurting me far more than any physical damage she could inflict upon my person. I believe my sister is categorically insane, but she is far from an agent of pure chaos. There is an undeniable method to her madness, a devious intelligence dead-set upon wreaking as much havoc as possible upon my life. I suppose that is a genetic trait I have Mother to thank for."

For a long moment, Victor stares at her as if not quite sure how to react to all he's heard. Eventually he says, "Wow. That, uh...that's heavy. For what it's worth, I'm sorry about all of it."

Regina gives him a curt smile that is nowhere near genuine. "Thank you. But my suddenly and tragically expanding family tree is not my present concern, as should be obvious."

Victor nods sharply, then stands and clasps his hands behind his back. He paces back and forth at the side of the bed for several seconds, flitting his eyes down at Red as he digests what he's learned. It is his method of processing information so that he can come to a conclusion about a complicated question or a solution to a vexing problem. A moment later, he stops to address Regina.

"Did your sister give any indication of what this mysterious ingredient was?" he says. "In my limited experience, when poisons are crafted from herbs or fungi or fruits, the antidotes are found in close proximity. Nature generally provides a locally accessible method of escape to preserve balance."

"That makes sense," Regina replies, then shuffles off the bed to take up position next to Victor. The wheels in her head begin turning as she analyzes her memory for clues. It takes some concentrated wracking of her brain to recall the finer details of Zelena's conceited diatribe, but she does manage to summon up a mention of how the reagent was concocted. "Now that I think about it, she did reveal something – more than she intended, I believe. A critical mistake. Her hubris may just play in our favor. I remember very clearly that she said the unique reagent she used was made of ground up leaves from a tree that grows high in the mountains near the Emerald City."

The information evidently intrigues Victor, who lets out a hum then deliberately taps his finger a few times against his lips before speaking. "Interesting. Occasionally in nature there is a dichotomous symmetry where one part of a plant is poisonous while another heals. It's no concrete rule of thumb, but it happens more than you would think. If the remedy can't be derived from a plant that grows nearby, perhaps it can be taken from the same tree."

His deduction is the first ray of hope in Regina's increasingly bleak world. She already knows where the tree grows, so finding it will not be a problem. No, the problem is transportation. And it is a big one. The supply of magic beans has dried up and there hasn't been a sighting of one of those enigmatic tornadoes on the continent for years. Pixie dust lacks the oomph to punch a hole through the fabric of space into another world, not that the Fairies would help considering Blue's contempt for her. They are just the sort of sanctimonious hypocrites who would refuse to help Red – who is the primary reason their precious Snow White still lives – in order to spite the woman to whom she is married. Furthermore, the purportedly all-powerful Sorcerer has not been seen or heard from since his arrival in Camelot and his apprentice is reportedly also in the wind along with his famous wand. There is only other reliable method to traverse worlds she can think of, and that is not an option either, all because of her.

"While that information is no doubt promising, there is the small matter of finding passage to Oz," she says, frustration lacing her words. "The giants have stopped trading with the rest of the world thanks to George's buffoon of a son and his expired wench, so beans are no longer a feasible method of traveling across worlds. All other means I am aware of are lost to us as well."

"Ah," Victor drawls, finger that was formerly on his lips now held aloft, "but that isn't a problem at all. I recently received a letter from Jefferson stating that he had returned home, and was set to inform you the moment I verified it's veracity, which I subsequently have." When Regina reacts visibly to Jefferson's name being spoken, Victor's eyes soften just a touch. "I know he is a sore spot for you, but the hat would get you to Oz and back should you be able to convince him to help."

"Jefferson's escaped Wonderland?" Regina wonders aloud. "However did he manage that?"

Last she had heard, which was some time before she'd met Red, he was still a prisoner of the Queen of Hearts, whose true identity was that of Regina's mother, Cora. Her mother's successor was nearly as appalling an individual, so she hadn't held out much hope for the hatter to survive too long.

Victor shrugs. "With Rumplestiltskin's help if I had to wager a guess. To what end the Dark One lent a hand, I don't know. The letter did not say much, and I haven't spoken with Rumple since...you know."

Regina hums in contemplation, ignoring the reference to their sordid past. After considering her options, she realizes that whatever she decides, she will be required to make a sacrifice. If she chooses to seek out Rumple for more information, she will be forced to sacrifice her pride, something she has never been good at. At the same time, if she does nothing, she will be essentially sacrificing Red's life, and that is an even worse outcome than her being pathetically humbled before her old mentor.

"Well," she eventually says, "it's not an ideal scenario to involve either Jefferson or Rumple, and were Red's life not on the line, I would surely seek other avenues in order to avoid them altogether. But this is the one scenario in which I must rein in my pride. I would know what plans Rumple has for Jefferson, not only for Red's sake but for the realm as well. Also, I should like to pick his brain about Oz. I know for a fact that he has been there before. He mentioned his visit to me once during one of his babbling lectures. And since I learned the apothecary arts from him, he may well have useful knowledge of this specific tree."

"Dealing with Rumple is never a pleasant experience," Victor says, his unease unmistakable, "nor is it ever profitable. All the same, should you decide to consult him, I would like to be present, if only for the benefit of my patient."

For a split second, Regina considers refusing the request. Seeing Victor and Rumple together in one room again is bound to dredge up some old, unwholesome feelings. She only reconsiders because she's desperate and, more importantly, Red's needs must come first. It would be prudent to have her physician present to advocate on her behalf as well as for the purpose of his extensive medical knowledge.

"Very well," she says, giving her assent before sending a gentle smile in his direction. "I should thank you, by the way, for sitting with her while I was indisposed. It eases my mind to know she hasn't been alone."

Victor waves her thanks off as if unnecessary. "Don't mention it. It was the least I could do for the friendship she's extended to me. Beyond my obligations to her as a patient, she's important to me. I want to see her whole again. Perhaps not as much as you, but I do all the same."

Feeling benevolent, and somewhat hopeful now that there is a plan of attack to save Red's life, Regina reaches out to give Victor's shoulder a friendly squeeze. "I know you do. For what it's worth, she feels the same. And no matter how complicated or strained our relationship is, I appreciate the honor you show her by keeping her trust. As long as that remains true, our past will stay there so far as I am concerned."

Relief and gratitude wash over him like a cool summer shower. "Thank you. I won't let either of you down."

"See that you don't," Regina says, releasing him as she gives him a snarky smirk. "I don't fancy replacing someone of your prodigious skill. Snatching you up was a great coup for our kingdom that I would hate to see squandered."

Victor grins back, his blue eyes twinkling. "No chance of that, Your Majesty. Not only do I want to keep my heart in my chest and my head attached to my neck, I actually like it here." His expression turns soft, then, almost vulnerable as he glances down at Red. "I'd never admit this under ordinary circumstances, but this is my home now. In large part because of her."

"She would be thrilled to hear you say that," Regina says, her own focus turning back to the incredible woman who, despite all odds, has bound two former enemies together. If only she knew she and Victor were the test case, and that a few more reconciliations would follow, all prompted by a shared affection for one goofy, sweet, loyal, and loving werewolf.

"Then I'll make sure to tell her when she's awake." Victor then draws in a weary breath before releasing it slowly. "Well," he says after scrubbing his face with both hands, "much as I'd love to collapse face first into my bed, I have a lot of research to do. I'll leave you alone with her while I go rifle through my materials. Also, while I'm gone, and with your permission, I'd like to consult the herbalist that lives in the village below. She is well traveled and has an encyclopedic knowledge of herbs and plants that may be of some use."

"That's acceptable. Thank you, Victor. You may go," Regina says as she carefully sits on the bed at Red's hip, gaze never leaving her unnaturally still wife. Victor shuffles away, and when she hears him turn the doorknob, she calls to him one last time.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" he answers.

She casts a sharp glance at him over her shoulder. "Just so you know, I will summon Rumple in two hours. With or without you."

"I'll be here," he says earnestly, then resumes his exit.

Once he is gone, Regina leans back down over her sleeping wife to better study features with which she is so intimately familiar. Red is always gorgeous. Always. Even under a withering curse, her beauty leaves an ache in Regina's chest that is as familiar as it is unwelcome considering the circumstances. Now, it is a stark reminder there was a time she visited this very fate upon Snow White.

So many preparations were made for the day she finally caught up with the perpetual thorn in her side. Acquiring the imprisoned Charming from George had been the cake. Forcing Snow to eat a tainted apple of her own making at the site of Daniel's grave was the delectable icing. She'd been so euphoric over that victory that for a week Red's molten fury and bitter disappointment didn't make a dent in her celebrations.

Fate, it seems, is not without a depraved sense of humor.

She cannot help but conclude that Red's dilemma is the just desserts for her crimes against an innocent young girl whose only mistake was to trust someone who in her limited experience should have been trustworthy. Snow's own mother, from what Regina knew of Eva, had been a veritable saint, a paragon of virtue who epitomized motherhood. It was no wonder the girl had trusted Cora to do the right thing; Snow was not raised by a heartless witch who destroyed everything good in the name of power. It was only natural she assume Cora would have Regina's best interest at heart.

Instead of putting the blame for everything that went wrong in her life where it rightly belonged, Regina heaped it all upon the narrow shoulders of an ignorant child. She had wrung her hands together in glee as she had plotted and contrived and meticulously arranged the princess's demise, and now she is getting a taste of her own medicine. Only Red is paying the price rather than the real culprit. The guilt of that is almost more than she can bear.

"I'm so sorry, my love. This is all my fault," she whispers.

Bitter tears begin to fall once more now that she is alone – alone in a room occupied by two. The thought is utterly abhorrent. Red should never be so still, so lifeless, not when she is almost always in perpetual motion at any given time. Not when her presence alone is sufficient to inundate the most spacious of rooms with her buoyant and vivacious personality. Red brings vivacity with her wherever she goes, but now she has been reduced to an empty shell and it makes Regina sick to her stomach. Her wife's body is present, yet her spirit is absent, having departed the planes of this world to be imprisoned within a place of torment from which there is no escape. And it is all her fault.

"I'm so sorry," she raggedly gasps, and the phrase turns into an anguished mantra as reason flees the premises. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry! I'm so, so sorry!"

Without Red's steady warmth and encouragement to stabilize her faltering foundation, all Regina can do is cave in under a weight of sorrow that threatens to crush her very soul.

#once upon a time fanfic #red queen #featuring a helpful Frankenstein

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tatticstudio55 · 6 years

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Moved chat pt 3

boHi @mollyraesly! Thank you for being respectful.

“looking back just suggests that Dany is LOST, though. That’s not supposed to be a good thing for her character. It suggests that her love of Jon will endanger her or hold her back. Also, this is something I’ve never understood, so please let me know your feelings on it. When I’ve read the books/watched the show, I do so through many lenses: literary, shipping: character analysis; and lastly political. And that last lens has always prevented me from rooting for Dany because She is the daughter of a mad king who went through some bad times that made her very sympathetic but now she wants to use her dragons to conquer an entire seven kingdoms. They are not her right. Even without Jon’s claim, she is the third child of Aerys and a girl. It’s never been her birth right to have the throne!!! She’s only gotten there by accident!! (And having her older brother murdered before her eyes) So while I respect your opinion to ship Jonerys, I’m just wondering what you see as their endgame. Do you think them ruling is really how the story should end? We just go back to Targaryens dominating everybody and ruling incestuously? “

I wouldn’t say that Dany looking back mean she’s lost. Quite the opposite, actually: “you can’t see the forest through the trees”, as they say. You can’t look back on a mess you’re still bogged down in. First, you need to take a step back (aka: looking back) Now, will her love for Jon endanger her? Sure, and it’s already had. Will it hold her back? Many would say that’s actually a good thing.

Now, about her having dragons: sure, it’s a brutal sight, but taken at face value, it’s no different than having a large army. Soldiers who fall on the battlefield rarely die a “clean” death whether or not there’s dragons involved. If you take a sword through the head, or if you��re torn to limbs by a direwolf or fall down from an exceptionally high wall, are those deaths any less painful, cleaner or quicker than being incinerated by dragon fire? Questionable.

Dany only started pursuing the IT after she became (as far as she knew) the last - and first - one in line. From an inheritance perspective, it became hers by right. Now for the Jon/Dany endgame: I see them together more than I see them ruling together (or even separately, for that matter). Jon doesn’t really care about being king, and tbh... neither does Dany. You read correctly. I think you read the books, right? So you’ll know that Dany hated sitting on a throne all day. She hated wearing a heavy crown. She hated having to deal with nobles. She hated having to marry for duty. In other words, she hated being a queen. After the end of book 5, the only possible reason she could still have for wanting the IT is because she views it as the only possible way for her to be able to live in Westeros again without being killed. Is ASOIAF leading to a Targaryen restoration? I don’t think so, at least not in the traditional sense. That said, here are a few things I could see happening - if we assume that Jon/Dany is endgame:

1) The lords of the north have been shown to be fickle. All of a sudden, they hear Jon pledged them to a queen whose name they loath. And then (uhoh), they learn that Jon himself is a loathed Targaryen. And then (double uhoh), an ice dragon show up, potentially destroying large parts of their homes. Who should they blame for that? Daenerys? They're currently too much in need of her help, not to mention would be too scared of her to do that. Blame Tyrion? How would they know the Wight Hunt was his idea? Blame Jon? Probably. What could be their next reasoning? “F&?%cking Jon Snow betrayed our trust and we lost everything because of him. If it wasn’t for him, that f*&?%cking wall would still be standing. He doesn’t even belong here, he’s a Targaryen! He’s the Mad King’s grandchild! F&?$ck him. We should’ve picked Sansa as our queen. In fact, she is our rightful queen. Anyway, if Jon cares for us in the least bit, he’ll marry that Targaryen b*&%tch and speak up for us in KL, make sure we’re treated well. He’s the one who gave us to her anyway! Yeah, ok, let’s do that. Jon! C’me here, we have to talk!” Bittersweet? It would be for Jon: to be politely disposed of after everything he’s done for the North. On the other hand, marrying Dany might just be the best he could do for them.

2) Since there’s technically no proof of Jon being a Targaryen, it could actually suit both Dany and Jon if Jon was legitimized as a Stark. The northern lords would never know of Jon’s true lineage (I don’t think Jon would want them to know in the first place.) If, then, Dany marry Jon, she becomes a Stark herself and the Targaryen lineage dies. The current problem with this is that if Jon was named Stark, he’d be inheriting everything that belongs rightfully to Sansa, and I don’t see Jon wanting that. That said, if ever Sansa didn’t make it to the end... well, it’s a possibility. If this scenario plays out, the north would probably get their independence, with Jon/Dany as K/Q, and if I have to guess, I’d say the South goes to Tyrion.

3) One of them, or both of them dies (I really hope not, but it’s a possibility)

4) Some sort of peace treaty is signed, the north goes to Sansa as rightful Stark heir, the South goes to Tyrion as rightful Lannister heir (if we assume that Cersei’s a goner), Jon and Dany stay together, Dany doesn’t have to worry about her survival any longer. Where do they go, what do they do? I have no idea. I admit this one is a bit fairy tale ish.

I know a lot of people have problems with the “incest” part, but 1) if Jon and Dany ever got married, I’m absolutely sure none of them would care about keeping the bloodline pure anymore, hence their kids (if they have any) could marry whoever they want, and 2) a lot of people would rather see Jon with Sansa, which wouldn’t be illogical from a political perspective. From an “incestuous” perspective, however, the line between “aunt” and “cousin” is rather thin.

#jonerys #game of thrones #jon snow #daenerys targaryen #game of thrones prediction

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ayma-nidiot · 4 years

Text

In the White Light - Prideshipping fanfic Chapter 24

Also on AO3.

Chapter 24 – Second Chance

“‘Hmm… I think I’ll buy some good cards so Grandpa can have better cards to sell at the shop.’”

“Yes, that is what I said after I won Battle City, Joey.”

“You know, I’m sure Pegasus would have given all of those to you for free. I mean, you did save his soul from the Orichalcos. Plus, he’s almost as loaded as rich boy.”

“Still, it would feel like stealing,” spoke Yugi as he and Joey entered the former’s grandfather’s game shop.

“What a goody two-shoes you are, Yug.”

Before Yugi could present his grandfather with the multitude of new cards, he tripped on his own two feet. Unfortunately, in so doing, he opened a tear in the leather suitcase, causing a single card to fall out.

“Yugi!” Grandpa Mutou came out from behind the counter. “Are you all right?”

“Y-Yeah. I should be asking you that question. At any rate, here are some cards to help your business.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to go through all that trouble, grandson.”

“Wait, you dropped a card, Yug.”

“Then I better- Huh? It’s… Enemy Controller!”

“Ugh. Rich boy had one of those, didn’t he? If you hold onto that card, it’s some bad mojo, if you ask me.”

“…No, I think I’ll add this card to my deck. And I don’t mean my other self’s deck, either. I don’t know why, but this card is going to save my skin one of these days.”

_________

“And this… is that day.” Yugi managed a slight smile when he saw the card he just drew. “I’ll first summon Mystical Elf in attack mode, then I’ll tribute her.”

“For what? You can’t Tribute Summon the same turn you Normal Summon, Yug!”

“Who said, I was trying to Tribute Summon? I tribute Mystical Elf… for this card that you said was going to bring me ‘bad mojo.’ Enemy Controller!”

“Huh… Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Me too, Wheeler.”

“I will use the code left, right, AB! Now your Quintet Magician is mine!”

“But only for one turn. After you destroy my Dark Magician, Quintet Magician will come back to my side of the field again.”

“Oh, I don’t plan to destroy your Dark Magician, pharaoh. Quite the contrary, actually. I use Bakura’s Change of Heart to take control of him too!”

Atem smiled, knowing well that this duel was as good as over.

“Magicians, attack the pharaoh directly!”

“So now that makes three guys who defeated Atem – Rafael, Kaiba, and now Yugi.”

“Tristan, we all know that that one with Kaiba was a crock of bullshit. Surely, even you do.”

“Joey, I think we’ve got something even more pressing on our hands…” Téa pointed to both Atem and Kaiba, who after the duel’s conclusion had both passed out.

“Can’t we get a break from death for a day?” Weevil huffed. “Jeezuz leweezus!”

“Can’t you tell the difference when someone’s dead and when someone’s passed out?” Rex poked Kaiba’s cheek to confirm he was alive.

“When will they wake up, then?” Mokuba fretted.

“Ra only knows,” answered Isis.

_______

Kaiba awakened for the second time that day, and the lack of any ground beneath annoyed him. At least this ethereal realm wasn’t as dreary as the last one. “Great, not another near-death experience. I swear, ancient Egypt is all about giant rocks and near-death experiences.”

“You may be right, but-”

“Gaaah!” Kaiba jumped at the sight of Atem. “Good gods, Atem. Wait, are you dead, too?”

“Neither of you are dead,” replied an even louder female voice from a light just up ahead.

“Who are you?”

Kaiba was certainly surprised to hear Atem speaking to this ball of light as if they were old friends. “My lady Horakhty.”

“‘Horakhty?’ I’ve heard her name before… You’re the Creator of Light, aren’t you?”

Horakhty took on a more concrete form. She had the wings of Obelisk, a helmet of Ra, and the shoulders and chest of Slifer. Her body was all gold, save for pearl-white arms and a long skirt. “That is correct, my child.”

“Then if we aren’t dead, have you come to take us to the afterlife?” Kaiba asked.

“Such would be your fate in any ordinary situation. Atem has used up almost all of his power to sing the Pharaoh’s Incantation during your fight with Zorc. Then there is the duel with the young man named Yugi. However…”

“‘However?’” Though he was a little more used to it by this point, Kaiba still had much to learn about ancient Egypt’s magic and lore.

“The two of you have suffered so much in your past lives. Your love ended tragically before it got a chance to really flourish… Thus, I will grant you my blessing to truly live your life together, if you would so take it.”

“You mean… I don’t have to go back to my own time? I can live with Atem forever?”

“The power… is yours…”

_________

“Ugh… I’m tired of the movie and show references.” Kaiba groaned while still technically asleep. “Captain Planet isn’t an Egyptian god.”

“As an Egyptian, I can totally confirm that.”

It was Atem’s voice that woke Kaiba up in the throne room. Seeing his new friends – as well as the surviving priests, including one he hadn’t seen before – really woke him up. “Who’s this goon with the Millennium Eye? Don’t tell me that Pegasus is a High Priest too?”

“This is… Aknadin, Priest Seto’s father.” Atem spoke with reluctance.

“Wh-What?! And you just let him waltz in here?” Kaiba half-shifted at this news. “Let me at ‘im!”

“Peace, peace,” Atem ordered before turning to Aknadin. “Aknadin, this is the reincarnation of your son, Seto. His name is Kaiba.”

“So, my son lives again.” Aknadin couldn’t look Kaiba in the eye.

“Do you know why I haven’t executed you as readily as I did Anubis?”

“Pray tell.”

“It was because I want to give you a second chance, as the Creator of Light gave me a second chance. I remember well your last words to Seto and I before you joined Anubis… ‘You are a disgrace to the royal family and to the High Priests!’ If you want to redeem yourself, then treat this man with respect. Can you do that?”

“I… I’ll try…”

“You.” Kaiba withdrew his wings and tail as he spoke to Aknadin. “When I was but an inch from death, I saw him. I saw your brother and your son. If it wasn’t for their power, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat Zorc. You know what Seto’s last words to me were? ‘If you see my father, tell him I wish things didn’t have to end up like this.’ Even after all you did to him, your son still had it in him to forgive you. Your brother did too. They were hurt that their only immediate family betrayed them.”

“Is that so?” Aknadin’s voice shook.

“Yes. So you better believe you’ve got a lot to make up for.”

“So do you, rich boy!” Joey interrupted, much to Kaiba’s annoyance. “We’ve been gone for gods know how long, and that German dude is probably wondering where the heck you are.”

“Joey, we’ve time travelled,” Tristan spoke up. “I’m sure that that German dude hasn’t noticed a thing.”

“You’ve got something smart to say for once! By the way, his name is Roland.” Mokuba chuckled before turning back to his brother. “You are going to come back with us, right, Big Bro?”

“…” Kaiba took Atem’s hand into his own.

“Seto?” Mokuba’s happy expression fell, as did that of everyone else there.

“I’m going to stay here in ancient Egypt with Atem.” Kaiba could already feel the tears coming on.

“What?” Mokuba didn’t want to believe it. “You can do that?”

“The Creator of Light Horakhty has granted him permission to do that, yes,” answered Atem.

“Plus, if you were listening to an iota of what we were talking about just know, you’d know that.”

“No!” Mokuba broke into a sobbing fit as he hugged Kaiba. “I don’t want you to go, Big Bro! I’m never going to see you again! And what about KaibaCorp?”

Kaiba knelt down and patted Mokuba’s head. “KaibaCorp has a new, highly capable president. And his name is Mokuba Kaiba.”

“Oh…” Mokuba cried even harder at this promotion and hugged his brother even more tightly. “Thank you, Seto! I’ll be sure to take very good care of our company!”

“I know you want to say your goodbyes, but we need to get going soon,” Atem finally spoke up after letting the brothers bond one last time. “Let us go outside. I will sing the Incantation to enable all of you back to your time.”

Not a single tear was dry on the entire walk outside. Even Joey, who swore straight up and down he hated Kaiba’s guts, couldn’t keep a stiff upper lip.

“Oh come on, Joey.” Kaiba rolled his eyes. “Then again, you are a sniveling puppy.”

“What was that?” Joey scowled. “Here I am, actually sad that I will never see one of my favourite rivals again, and you have the nerve to call me that?”

“Come on, man.” Tristan patted his friend’s back. “I’ll be sure to keep him on his toes.”

“How, exactly?” Marik eyed Tristan curiously. “You’ve just started to learn how to duel. I, on the other hand, have placed second in Battle City while Joey only placed third!”

“You mean you placed fourth while Joey placed third,” Téa corrected.

“Whatever.” Marik turned his attention to Atem and shook his hand. “Thank you for providing me with a worthy challenge back then, pharaoh. I’ll be sure my gravekeeper family keeps the memory of you two alive for generations to come.”

“Thank you for believing in our friendship for a change,” Téa spoke to Kaiba. “Even though most people tell me they’re tired of my friendship speeches.”

“And to think, I thought you didn’t believe in that ‘friendship bull.’” Yugi laughed.

“You… You better not surrender your title of the King of Games to anyone else, Yugi? You got that?”

“I promise, Kaiba.” Yugi nodded.

While everyone else gathered in a circle in preparation for the ride home, Rex and Weevil stayed behind, still on their knees.

“Hu and Sia…” Atem remembered Rex’s and Weevil’s past incarnations well, as they had raided the palace many times. “I’m sorry, Rex and Weevil. Not just for calling you by the wrong names, but also for causing you much trouble during the-”

“Sniff… Sniff… Pharaooooh!” Weevil cried pathetically as he fished for some cards in a deck box. “Here’s a token of my apology for being such an asshole at Duelist Kingdom, and during the Orichalcos mess, a-and during the KC Grand Tournament, and-”

Rex bopped Weevil on the back of the head. “If you’re gonna list all the times we’ve been assholes to Kaiba and Atem, then we’ll turn into mummies!”

Atem looked at the cards Weevil offered to him. “The five cards of Exodia…”

“And here’s something from me, too!” Rex presented his Red-Eyes Slash Dragon. “A-And take my beanie, too!”

“What’s all this for?” Kaiba eyes Rex peculiarly.

“Since we can’t be at your wedding, I figured we’d give you these sweet wedding gifts!” replied Rex.

Kaiba squatted down to look at Rex with a sincere expression. As Atem returned the “wedding gifts” back to the short duelists, the dragon spoke, “Thank you for the thought, but we’re good. We may not have known each other for very long, but I enjoyed dueling alongside you. You remind me a lot of myself – a fiery duelist who shows his tender side only to a select few. I’m going to miss you a lot, my friend… Rex Raptor.”

“Aaah!” Rex hugged Kaiba so strongly that he knocked the latter onto his bum. “I’ll miss you, too!”

“And I suppose so will I.” Weevil couldn’t help but feel jealous.

Kaiba brought himself and a still-crying Rex back to their feet. “I’m just sad that I can’t attend your guys’ wedding, Weevil.”

“Wh-What?!”

Weevil blushed, and would have had more to say, if Atem hadn’t urged the both of them to join the circle. “Don’t worry, guys. We’ll still be with each other in spirit. Now, then. Etiumaza o etebus o erono… Irawotok ugumust…”

“Then…” Yugi started as the “Dweeb Patrol” floated in the rising water for the last time. “This is goodbye. Pharaoh…”

Yugi’s last sight of Atem before he had been completely submerged was the pharaoh giving him a thumbs up.

#yugioh #ygo #prideshipping #fanfiction

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thephantomcasebook · 7 years

Text

Someone said “Jonerys babies” So I come’a runnin ...

It happens once in a generation. It something that they sing about in songs that make young girls swoon and young men strive. But how many times will the Seven Kingdoms bleed for young and impetuous actions of chivalry? Prince Rhaegar had done it for prophesy and it turned into a deep and all-encompassing love that nearly destroyed his entire family. Daenery’s Targaryen had done it for an alliance with the North, and her machinations turned into a soul consuming attachment that cost her a dragon, her child, and engulfed the realm in a war for the dawn. All, because, the man she loved was at death’s door … and she couldn’t live without him. A Grandfather, a mother, all making the same mistake … risking everything they hold dear for a Northern lover. Was it any wonder that one of them, one of these miracles that she bore wouldn’t blink at the chance of making the same mistakes, when that passion was in their blood?

Aemon Targaryen was a handful before he even was born. Daenerys labored for days in one of the coldest winters that had ever been recorded. Though he was gone, King Jon sat outside the birthing room with his sword, convinced that the Nights King had returned to seek revenge against the King and Queen that had defeated him. The baby came into the world raging with passion as his mother lay drained and pale. Though Tyrion and Sam wished to discuss the likelihood of the Queen’s death, King Jon would not hear of it. He locked himself in the room with her and wouldn’t come out till she was strong again. In the meantime the baby was wrapped in his mother’s Crimson sash by Gilly Tarly, and was named by her Lord Tarly. He spent his first months of life cared for by his Aunt Arya. The wild and mysterious beauty took the baby deep into the King’s Wood, where she nurtured him at her breast by the fire, while guarded by Ghost, his father’s direwolf, in a place where no Queen’s Guard dare follow. It was there that the Dragon that had possessed his older brother and sister, had passed over Aemon, and he became the Lone Wolf within the Dragon pits.

When Daenerys held him for the first time, she immediately saw how much trouble he would be. Fore she didn’t see a wolf staring back as others did … she saw only herself. It wasn’t just that he looked like her, with the exception of his father’s black curls. It wasn’t even that he was somewhat like her. It was that Aemon Targaryen was too much like her. Not the meek little girl whose beautiful body was fondled and unwantedly worshipped by a cruel older brother. She had given too much of herself, too much of her fire, to the boy. And since then it has been as if Daenerys Targaryen had declared war on herself.

The boy was as wild as his black and white streaked Direwolf, Shadow. A daredevil of the highest order that was brash, and too brave for his own good. He took his parents orders as more guidelines than pinpoint instruction. He rode against Dortharki disguised as a Mystery Knight, despite his father and certainly his mother’s explicit order that their son not participate in such barbaric sporting practices such as Tourneys. Upon Aemon’s identity being revealed to the shocked Lords and Ladies as “The Knight of the Laughing Tree”, he informed The King and Queen that they never said he couldn’t fight. It was, technically, true. They had told his older brother, The Crown Prince, he could not, him being five and ten. But they never dreamed that they would have to extend their ban to their ten year old as well.

His antics had stoked flames of resentment amongst the younger Dorthaki that had developed Westrosi prides in the generation born away from the Great Grass. Their fathers pressured by their perfumed and silken Khaleesi and westernized sons, demanded retribution against the young prince for the humiliation. The Queen threatened to burn the Khals alive for threatening her youngest babe, and King Jon refused to hold a trial for a small boy, despite his natural skill with a blade. But the pressure placed diplomatically upon the Crown in sight of a full on Dortharki rebellion, led to what Queen Daenerys saw as the greatest mistake of her life.

She exiled her son from Westros.

She swore to the boy that it would be only for a short time, till they settled things with the fragile state of the Seven Kingdoms and Dorthaki. The boy refused to look at her. His last words were said by addressing her as “Your Grace” instead of Mama. Once again from a weakened mother, young Aemon was passed to his Aunt Arya. The mysterious woman with a beautiful face that sometimes wasn’t her own, took her nephew as her apprentice and squire and together, with the boy’s direwolf to guard, the two set off for the unknown regions to chase dreams and adventure.

It had been seven years since. The elder Dorthaki still showed their allegiance, their sons showed more and more arrogance, and their mothers muttered mutiny against this Dragon Queen and her beautiful and perfect children. But the young sons of the Khals in silk, fur, and eye shadow would not let go and could not live down their humiliation at the hands of the Queen’s youngest child. He had stayed away for years, they only hearing of his exploits and adventures from far off places.

So they, with encouragement of their mothers, began to plot their revenge.

A fast walking, sleek, figure with long tumbling silvery blond tresses stormed ahead. Her tall black boots thundered down the upper gallery of the Throne Room with loud echoes. Daenerys Targaryen, the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, wore a black padded doublet, skin tight leather pants. A red sash was draped across her chest, clasped by a silver dragon head’s broche. She hadn’t aged a day since Jon Snow first saw her sitting on the throne in Dragonstone, but she was different than she was now. It had been a good long while since she had fought a war. And between that time she ruled an empire and raised children … and through all of it, she had only loved one man. And he was all she wanted to hear from at the moment.

“Your Grace, times of are different!” Lord Tyrion was panting as he tried to keep up with his liege. The dwarf’s hair was more white than blonde these days when age was starting to catch him. “You can’t just ride Drogon to Starfall and burn them to a cinder!” He pleaded with her.

The Queen stopped. “I warned their fathers, long ago!” She pointed a finger at her and Jon’s Hand. “I warned them that I’d burn my enemies alive. Not “our” enemies, my enemies!” She raged.

“We worked so hard to integrate them into the Kingdoms, into society. If you take Drogon down to the mountains of Dorne and burn them, the Khals will see it as an attack on all of them, on all of Dorthraki culture. You’ll ruin everything we’ve spent almost twenty years building …!”

“They’ve ambushed my child!” She snapped. “They’ve ran him down and trapped against the sea! I don’t care about your progress or integration! They were savages before I brought them here, now their child brides wear King’s Landing cuts and Highgarden perfumes! And I’ll roast them in their silk for even presuming to even look at one my children! Aemon is my son, my youngest child! I’ll destroy this entire world till there is nothing left but ash, before I EVER allow you to talk me into betraying him again!” She turned her back on Tyrion. For his part, the dwarf looked stricken with his own shame of the incident seven years past. She never knew how many nights, the Hand had laid awake, thinking of the ways he could’ve done it all differently.

The door to the small council chamber flew open when the queen burst inside in a fury. But she paused when she saw a man at the table observing a map of Dorne. All the fire in her bright eyes left her and she looked vulnerable. She had come in, ready to demand action, to not be questioned. And there she found Jon Snow, being every bit Jon Snow, being everything she ever needed. He was already dressed in a suit of battle armor, and Long Claw was on the table next to the map.

“It’s days like these, I miss Dragonstone.” He replied with a tired sigh.

He looked older, older than her. There was some snowy white in his beard and a streak of it in his hair. He said that it was a gift, but his age made her self-conscious in the lack of hers. All the time she arose unburnt from ashes, and she never once thought how deep the magic went, how much of herself was pure magic.

“It was much easier back then …” She felt foolish for saying it, looking the way she did, like she could’ve stepped right out of his memory of those days. “When it was just you and I, Tyrion, Davos, and Missandei, and Cersei and the dead were our enemies …” Her eyes glassed over. “Anything was possible in those days … the world was ours for the taking, before we gave it …” She nearly broke a moment, her voice shuttering. “Before we gave the world things to take from us.” She finished with a whisper. For a long moment Jon Snow and Daenerys locked eyes with each other. Gone was the fearless conqueror, the elemental storm that everyone knew her as. Alone, in the safety of his gaze, Daenerys entrenched herself in the darkness of her husband’s eyes, in the inexhaustible strength within this paragon of everything she loved.

“I, uh … meant the painted table.” Jon looked down at the map. “It was better topographically.” He knocked the polished wood underneath the map.

“Oh …” Daenerys cleared her throat. “Yes, it is …” Sniffed and looked away. There was a long awkward pause between the two. Slowly a smirk overtook the older king as he looked back. The queen bit her lip to stop the grin that his smirk always dragged out of her. But the sputtered scoff was mostly a laugh even as tears ran down her cheek.

She was grateful to feel the cold steel against her breasts as she felt him take her in his arms. She placed her face against his as he nuzzled her cheek. She felt a deep wroth of guilt spread through her, an old wound, near mortal as a poison blade to the shoulder. He had begged her to reconsider seven years ago, pleaded that Aemon being a “handful” was no reason to do this to their child. She had planted her feet, said that she was doing it all to protect him. At first she was convinced it was the right decision, that someday he’d see it her way. But as the years melted one to the other, she began to realize how wrong she had been. And the worst part was that he never stopped loving her. She had spent long periods of time away from him afterward. They didn’t talk for years. He went back to Winterfell for a time, leaving her alone to contemplate her ‘righteous decision’. But every week she received a raven from Winterfell, from the ruins of The Wall and Castle Black. It never said anything but the same thing every time.

I love you.

“I’m sorry, Jon … I’m so sorry.” She whispered. “Please …” She begged him not to say anything, not to forgive her for this. But she couldn’t stop him from being Jon Snow, any more than she could stop loving him.

“I’ll bring him home … I swear to you, Gendry and I will break through that siege, or die trying.” He swore.

Dany sniffed and looked up. Her strength returned, her face portraying strength. “You cannot die, Jon Snow …” She shook her head. “I never gave you permission to … leave.” She stumbled when she realized that they have had this conversation before.

She expected him to reply to it the same way he once had when they … when he was young. But instead he did what he had wanted to do when she had first said those words to him. Since then they had fought wars, had children, and spent years apart, but this time there was nothing stopping him as there was a million reasons back then.

Jon Snow kissed Daenery’s Targaryen.

#Jonerys #Jon X Dany #Snowstorm

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