girl help I'm yearning

Of Kings and Beasts  -  Nine

Pairing: King!Bucky X Princess!Reader X King!Steve

Summary: Born a bastard of the King of Orlen, you’re thrust to the West to marry the Kings. However, the greeting you get is anything but warm, and your life with the King is far from enjoyable. He knows it isn’t your fault his husband is gone, but that fact alone won’t prevent him from taking it out on you.

Warnings: Angst, Injuries, Fluff, Language, Violence, 

Word Count: 2.9K

A/n: Another chapter is finished!! I’ve got an idea but it’s SO DANGEROUS AND Y’ALL MIGHT HATE ME IF I DO IT BUT ITS SO TEMPTING AND I THINK I’M GONNA DO IT ahem anyway I hope you guys enjoy this!

A/n 2: I’m posting this before work so I’ll reply to asks and comments when I get home tonight! Also, I’ve got the next part of Gangsta written up if y’all want that.... hehe

THIS SERIES CONTAINS SMUT AND DARK THEMES THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME AUDIENCES!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

Series Masterlist

~*~

“How have you been adjusting to this new home?” Thor asks one morning, a smile on his face. You grin back at him, the weight of Acadia lifted off your shoulders as you take a sip of your tea.

“Quite well. Although Loki has been an interesting addition.” The raven-haired man looks up from his book momentarily and gives you a look, to which you only smile.

From the moment you entered the cottage you knew it would be good for you to stay here.

“Well, we are at your disposal. I will have to go back to Asgard within the weeks to come, but Loki and the Valkyrie shall remain here should you need or want them.” You nod gratefully, looking out the window and pursing your lips as you watch the women spar outside.

“What? What is it?” Thor asks, following your gaze.

“I want to learn to defend myself. To wield a sword and fight off an attacker.” Loki scoffs from where he sits, his nose still buried deep in his book.

“For what reason should a queen wish to learn to fight? You will always have men for that.” Your defence is up in an instant, and you clench your jaw before composing yourself enough to reply.

“I do think that considering both my upbringing and the way I have been treated in my new kingdom, I have every right to want to learn to defend myself. I have many reasons to want to defend myself, none of which concern you, however, if you had the slightest idea of all that I have endured in my short time as queen you would not question me wanting to learn to defend myself. I have been shunned from my palace because my husbands fear someone will kill me. My own husbands have brought me far more pain than I would like to admit. I have every right to wish to learn how to defend myself and I will not hear a word from you about the subject!”

His brows raise to nearly his hairline and he looks between you and his brother before burying his nose back in his book, which elicits a chuckle from the blond king.

“If the situation is so severe that I need be sent away for my own safety, I need to learn to defend myself.”

Thor nods, a strong hand patting your shoulder comfortingly.

“I knew there was a fire in you. I could see it in those eyes when you spoke of running from the Kings. I just needed to find it.” He rises to his feet and straightens his clothing. “Loki does have a special talent for pulling the fire from even the most docile creatures. But I will go speak with the valkyrie. They will be delighted to have a student to train.”

He leaves the cottage to interrupt the sparring outside, and you feel your heart skip a beat at the first piece of control that you will have over your life.

~*~

“If that will be all, You are dismissed,” King Steven says, his voice low and exhausted. The royal adviser bows then heads to the door, hesitating for a moment.

“Forgive me, Your Majesties, but I cannot help but notice the absence of the Queen. Where has she gone?” It’s not the first time they’ve gotten the question in the week that you've been gone, therefore they already have their excuse rehearsed and perfected.

“We simply have no use for her. If she cannot even bear our children then what use is she to us?” Comes Steve’s practiced response.

“We were instructed to find a queen who could produce strong heirs. Our wife cannot. So she is no longer of use to us,” James adds, his voice dripping in boredom as he looks over a document on his desk.

The royal advisor nods then excuses himself, bustling to his own office with newfound haste and purpose.

“It’s been a week and we are no closer to finding who it is than we were when she was here,” Steve murmurs after a long moment of silence, his shoulders heavy with the weight of their decision.

“I’m beginning to question whether it was a good decision to send her along with Thor. Especially after he threatened to make her a queen of his own. What if she were to agree?” James stands up and walks over to his husband, taking his shaking hands in his own and sighing.

“I would not blame her if she were to agree. We have treated her like a prisoner. I have... brutalized her and beaten her and I will never be able to repent. If she were to want him I would in no way blame her. He has provided her with a safe haven. She can confide in him and trust him in a way that she may not be able to again with us.” Steve sniffles and squeezes his eyes shut.

“We need to find who it is that has caused this and we need to make them pay.” James nods, smoothing his thumbs over the back of his husband’s hands.

“We will. But until we do, we must remain strong. The Doctor is recovering and when he is fully recovered we will ask him who it was that attacked him. We will find who is behind this, but we must be patient.”

~*~

“Again!” You raise your sword just in time to block a blow from one of the Valkyrie, grinding your teeth together as you push her back a step then swipe your own sword at her throat.

She hops backward, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“You are learning, Your Majesty. But you still hold back. Why? You cannot be afraid to hurt us,” The Captain says, walking forward and looking at you closely.

“You must show no mercy. Not when you must choose between your own life and the life of someone who means to do you harm. You will fight and you will fight to the death.”

Your entire body is burning with the exertion but you hold your ground, raising your sword and ready to go again.

“That’s what I like to see! Now, we go again!” Brunnhild exclaims, a grin on her face as she takes her fighting stance.

It’s just over two weeks since you began your training and everyone is surprised at how quickly you’re picking up on what’s being taught, but none more than you.

You’re just stepping out of the bath, muscles aching with a new type of strength that the Valkyrie have been beating into you, when your eyes catch a glimpse of movement at the window to your bedroom. A figure clad in all black is moving swiftly away from the cottage and disappearing into the darkness of woods, the setting sun aiding in the camouflage of the person.

Thinking that it’s none other than Loki going to wreak havoc on some poor defenceless wanderers, you don’t question it. Instead, you get dressed into a soft Asgardian gown and start preparing yourself for bed.

You’re just about ready to settle down with a book when a flash of white catches your eye from the window. You hesitantly investigate, heart hammering in your chest as you see a letter tucked securely in the window.

You open it and snatch the envelope before it can be taken by the wind, then shut the window again.

The seal on the envelope is that of Acadia, and your heart is in your throat as you realize that this could very well be a letter from the Kings. You’ve no idea what it may say, and cannot decide if you are more nervous or excited as you open it.

The script is not one you recognize, but your eyes greedily devour every word, the smile fading from your face at what lies on the page in your hand.

Thor finds you sometime later seated on the floor, the letter gripped tightly in your hands and your eyes focused on a point on the wall.

“(Y/n?” He asks softly, knocking against the doorframe to try and get your attention. You make no indication that you’ve heard him.

He enters the room, brows furrowed as he sees what you’re holding. “What is that? What does it say? Is it from the Kings?”

It takes a very long moment, but eventually, you find the strength to speak. But even then your voice is a weak rasp.

“Did you know the truth? Did you hide it from me as well?” Thor is beyond confused as he approaches you, taking the page from you and reading through the contents quickly.

‘Your Majesty,

Do not ask who I am nor how I know where you are, just know that you need be more careful who it is you call your lovers. They have sent you away, not for your own protection but because you failed at the task they wanted you for. They have sent you away because you failed to bear their children, this I promise I have heard with my own ears. I know not what they have told you but it is what I have witnessed. They have said this directly and I have heard it with my very own ears. You would do well to stay away from them, for they are dangerous. But I am certain that you and your late child are more than aware of that.

Consider this a warning, your majesty, for I know you are unsafe. You must take care and be far more careful of who you allow in your court.’

“Loki!” The prince is in the room within the same moment, his eyes full of confusion.

“Have the Valkyrie secure the area and find me the man who sent this! Travel to Acadia and alert the Kings. The Queen is no longer safe here.”

You’re confused. If the kings have directly told someone this, why then is Thor responding in such a way?

Loki is on horseback heading towards Acadia only moments later, and Thor is leaving the room as soon as the Valkyrie enter.

Brunnhild crouches next to you, a frown on her face as she glances at the note on the floor, its words echoing in your ears.

“Do not allow this to scare you, Your majesty. Do not give them the satisfaction of that.” You scoff and shake your head at her, “it is far easier said than done. All my life I have been punished for ever speaking, much less standing my ground. I have perfected the art of cowering, for men wish to do nothing but hurt and maim all so they can gain power.”

She sits down and shakes her head, taking your hand in hers and squeezing it tightly.

“You forget that we are all brought into this world through blood and through pain, your Majesty. We are the daughters of savage women. We are their savage daughters and we will act like it. We will bite and scream and we will take up space. We will not conform to their ideas of what women should be.” Her words are whispered into the still air of the room as if she were hiding them from any listening ears.

“Do not lower your voice for any man. Do not cower beneath them. You are a powerful being. One that can create life and you can also take it away, never forget that.” She pulls a dagger off of her belt and hands it to you, curling your fingers around the hilt before she continues speaking.

“You have the blood of goddesses and witches flowing through your veins. You hold a power that men could never understand. With every step we take, every time we refuse to cower... we honour our mothers, our grandmothers, and the ones before them. The ones who stood and fought and were torn to pieces. We will not be silenced. You will not be silenced. You are more powerful than that. You must remember your strength and your power. Do not let the men convince you that you are anything less than what you are.”

Your eyes sting and your throat gets tight, but she only hugs your shoulders and continues speaking.

“Your power is what scares them. Why else would they try to assert their dominance in such a way? But you will not fall. You will not allow them to treat you like that because you are the daughter of a savage. You are yourself a savage woman and you will act like it. Royal title be damned.”

You sniffle once, twice, three times, then nod, wiping your eyes just as Thor re-enters the room.

The Valkyrie take their leave and the King sighs, crouching down next to you and gently stroking your cheek.

“I’m so very sorry, Petal. You are no longer safe here. If someone was able to bring you this letter then I fear you are in far more danger than we had thought. The conspiracy against the Kings runs far deeper than any of us could have anticipated, and if we are to keep you safe then we must act quickly.” He pulls you to your feet and bustles around quickly, covering your shoulders in a thick cloak and packing a bag of your belongings.

“Wait, where do you mean to take me? If I am not safe anywhere?”

He tosses your bag over his shoulder and grabs your hand, entwining your fingers and giving your hand a soft squeeze.

“The only place you will truly be safe.” You’re still quite confused.

“We make for Asgard.”

Gwynriel Week Day 2 - Favorite Headcanon

Bow or Bleed

Read on AO3

-Gwyn-

Gwyn examined herself in the mirror, turning her hips and looking over her shoulder. She was technically covered, but also decidedly not, navy chiffon so dark it was nearly black waterfalled down her legs, the milky skin of her leg exposed by the hip-high opening. The top of the gown had long sleeves and a deep neckline past her breastbone, but it was also sheer – strategically placed beading and applique crept up her stomach and over her breasts. It was certainly the most scandalous thing she’d ever worn.

Azriel had warned her before the meeting with the High Lord, nearly three weeks before. Times were peaceful – something they were all thankful for – but Rhysand wanted to remind the denizens of the Hewn City of the Night Court’s might, introducing the new division of their defenses. Therefore, the three female leaders of the Valkyries were requested. Her mate had kept her hand firmly gripped in his for the duration of the discussion, and that silent support was just one of the many reasons she loved him. So was his deference to her decision. That was something that had been a little more difficult to achieve, the shadowsinger being as protective as he was, particularly where Gwyn was concerned.

They had discussed in depth what she would find in the Court of Nightmares and the expectations that came along with being in attendance in a position of power. And while, in the three years they had been together, they had explored any number of intimate situations and dynamics in the comfort of their private home, it was Azriel who had suggested that Gwyn be regarded as the dominant one of the two.

The inhabitants of the Hewn City know that I am to be feared. And I want them to see the woman who has tamed the infamous spymaster and cower. Not only from a perspective of your safety, but to be perfectly frank it would be incredibly arousing.

She had laughed at that.

And so Azriel and Gwyn had painstakingly discussed every detail, the two of them valuing preparedness and knowledge above all else. Where would they be expected to stand? How were they expected to interact with the rest of the inner circle and the Valkyries? He came with her to dress fittings, discussing how the fabric would move and working with the Valkyrie and the seamstress to ensure she looked tempting enough to draw attention, but covered enough that she wouldn’t be constantly pulling and tugging. They had even come home with a replica of the skirt so they could train together, for the unfortunate possibility that violence might become a necessity.

So here she was, with her chosen sisters, examining herself one last time before their entrance into the Court of Nightmares. When she looked up she found Nesta at her shoulder.

“Ready, Gwyn?” The redhead could see the faint glimmer of concern in her friend’s eyes.

A reassuring grin crinkled the freckles dotting the former priestess’ nose and the corners of her eyes. She trailed her fingers over the hilt of the dark blade sheathed at her thigh, drawing strength from its weight and the lingering power from the hands that wielded it. Gwyn nodded, the copper waterfall of her high ponytail brushing past her ears and cheeks.

“Let’s give them a show,” Emerie quipped with a smirk.

Gwyn regarded the two females that had been at her side, constant support and friendship and love over the past four years. Nesta was a queen in every sense, beautiful and dangerous, with a neckline that dipped even lower than her own. Her gown fit tight against her, black velvet rich and luxurious. She wore her weapon for everyone to see, the sword Ataraxia hanging from the black leather riding her hips. Her leg was also revealed by a near-indecent slit in the midnight cloth, the tightness of the dress pulling the ends apart and baring it for all to see.

And then there was Emerie, who had opted for pants, tailored just right to show off the strength in her legs. Black silk fell loosely from her honey brown shoulders creating lovely drapes over her front and baring her smooth muscled arms. The back of the garment only met at the small of her back, letting all appreciate the ripples and cords of muscle and the incredible wings that marked her as Illyrian.

Emerie smiled wryly, ready to intimidate, but it was Nesta who pushed open the wooden doors with as much force as she could muster. Gwyn was inwardly satisfied at the sound that cut through the cavern. She lifted her chin and fixed her gaze forward toward the raised dais, where the High Lord and Lady sat enthroned in dark power. She would not turn her gaze toward the shadowsinger as they strode in, footfalls synchronized as if they marched into battle. She kept her head lifted, near-arrogant smirk on her wine-painted lips.

But, Mother, could she feelhim. The flicker of power, the gold thread between them taut with heat and tightly coiled desire. Gwyn didn’t dare a glance, but she could feel the burn of his hazel gaze – likely now closer to molten gold – roaming over her.

The three Valkyries stopped at the foot of the dais, Nesta in front with Gwyn and Emerie at her shoulders. When they each fell to one knee before their High Lord and Lady, the copper-haired warrior could feel the cool, moist air prickling the skin of her now-exposed thigh. But she didn’t feel exposed, even with so much less of her covered than she was accustomed to. She didn’t feel weak, even as she bowed in the midst of this infamous court. She was a wholly different person from the quaking priestess that had been rescued from Sangravah, and it was this court that had helped build her up. She was a warrior, a Valkyrie, one of eight Carynthians to ever exist, and now she was a general. And through all that she had become a sister, friend, lover, and mate, and it was those bonds that truly gave her strength.

They rose and turned to face the court, and Gwyn did her best to observe nonchalantly. So many leering stares, expressions of disgust – so many fragile males opposed to the concept of powerful women.

“The Valkyries were legendary in the Great War, and we are pleased that these three females have resurrected their practice and built new ranks.” Rhysand’s voice was rich and dark, like the velvet that clung to Nesta’s skin. “As their skills have improved and their ranks have deepened, the Valkyries have been inducted as an official division of the Night Court defense. Even in times of peace we all know that it is imperative to remain dedicated and prepared. These three females join the ranks of my Inner Circle as generals, and they will be respected as such.” There was a pregnant pause after his statement, the court regarding the three of them, sizing them up. “Any word or action against them will be counted as a word or action against myself or the High Lady. And while all of the denizens of the Hewn City understand how I manage those slights, let them rest assured that these women will exact their own justice.” After one more glower over the crowd the females split apart, turning toward their respective mates.

That’s when she finally laid her eyes on the Spymaster of the Night Court, clothed in black leather and swathed in shadows. The angles and planes of his face, in this dark place, made him impossibly more beautiful. He was an imposing creature when he needed to be, and in the Court of Nightmares he would only be seen as this man of malice – an angel of death.

With near-glowing eyes fixed on her and her alone.

-Azriel-

This plan could have been a grave mistake.

Not because Gwyn wasn’t absolutely breathtaking and fearless, and not because he didn’t believe that any male would think twice before approaching her with the shadowsinger apparently on her leash.

No, this plan was very potentially a mistake because Azriel wasn’t sure he would be able to keep himself from swathing them in shadows and ravishing her in the middle of the damned great hall as soon as she was within arm’s reach.

He’d known what the dress would look like on her tall frame – he had accompanied her to consultations and fittings, ensuring that his mate would feel comfortable and safe during this foray into the sinister underbelly of the Night Court. The inspiration for Amarantha’s domain not-so-long ago.

To say that the idea of Gwyn stepping foot in this place had given him pause would be a grievous understatement. His shadows had twirled around his wings in agitation when Rhys had informed him, but he also knew that his mate was not the same girl he had rescued from Sangravah those years ago. He had agreed to let her hear the request and decide for herself what she would do, and he would be happy to do everything in his power to ensure that she was prepared.

The female that faced him now was nothing short of a queen.

Azriel found himself thinking back through the times that he had been rendered breathless by her astonishing beauty – more times than he could count. The first time he’d seen her in the Valkyrie leathers he thought he might have to leave the room, lest he melt into a heap on the floor before her. Their first Starfall together his shadows had frozen around him as he remembered how to breathe, her dress and eyes outsparkling the heavens. The evening of their mating ceremony, where a simple silk shift had sent tendrils of inky mist dancing and had nearly set his soul on fire.

Before him was a warrior, confident and ferocious. And his. Her skin was moonlight against the darkest blue the seamstress could find, curves barely concealed beneath lace and beading that had been expertly placed to toe the line between demure and deadly. Makeup was not something the former priestess indulged in often, but the wine-red that painted her full lips tempted him to lick his own and the kohl lining her teal pools only seemed to set them ablaze. The high ponytail was somewhat unexpected, but it was the sight of the blade strapped to her thigh – so dark it seemed to absorb any light that dared touch it – that had the breeches of his leathers tightening considerably and his twirling shadows thickening.

Truth-teller.

Neither of them needed weapons to be deadly, but that didn’t mean they would venture into the Court of Nightmares unarmed. And there would be no better way to send a message to any who dared covet his mate than for her to brandish the deadly blade that was known throughout the continent.

Gwyn strode toward him, head held high. She had schooled her expressive eyes into cool indifference, something she had likely learned from him, but Azriel could spy a glimmer of mischief. She was enjoying this game, and he was more than content to play it with her. He lowered his chin and dropped to one knee as she approached, and his shadows could hear the whispers of stunned onlookers as the spymaster placed himself firmly beneath the Valkyrie in the hierarchy. A wry grin curled his lips as he watched those exquisitely formed legs come to a halt before him and the hand at her right hip present itself. He kept his gaze fixed on the speckled flesh of her knuckles as he raised his own scarred hand, cobalt siphon flickering, and grasped her fingers before leaning in to reverently press his lips to her knuckles. He could feel the golden warmth of her satisfaction in his chest, sparks of desire intermixed.

When he released her hand it moved to his face, two long elegant fingers landing under his chin and pulling it upward. Lifting his gaze, he found her face alight with fierce confidence.

“Shadowsinger,” she purred, applying more pressure to encourage him to rise before her. Their stares were transfixed in the eyes of the other as he did so, her hand only moving far enough to land in a possessive grip toward the back of his neck. He couldn’t hide the smirk that crawled over his lips, enamored as he was with the predatory confidence that she wore.

“My lady,” he murmured, dipping his chin. “You look absolutely exquisite.” The slightest pink blossomed on her cheeks, proving that she was not completely immune to his charm. She circled him and stepped up behind him onto the first stair to the dais, keeping her palm on is neck. He had to stifle a groan, reveling in her possessive touch and the heat of her at his back between his wings. Her breath snaked across his ear and his skin pebbled, her lips like a phantom touch over the shell of it.

“You are beautiful and dark, as always, love,” Gwyn whispered before dipping her chin and pressing those soft painted lips just below where the sharp line of his jaw met his neck. His breath shuddered and his mate gave a soft giggle. “Your shadows are quite… friendly tonight.”

“Well, lovely general, I can hardly be expected to control them when you make it so difficult for me to even manage myself,” Azriel breathed.

“Hmmm. You do make an excellent point.” She gripped his jaw and pulled it to the side to claim his lips with a bruising kiss. When she released him he nearly drowned in the teal pools that captured his gaze. He could see the challenge there, the desire, the pride. He loved when he could glimpse those things in her expression, when he could put those feelings there. Gods, the way it felt to bow before her, to be the one she trusted to submit to her will. It was a distinct possibility he wouldn’t survive the night.

“I know you have duties, Shadowsinger,” the Valkyrie stated softly, dropping her fingers from his jaw. His permission to leave her side, to stride through the shadows and dark corners of this hall to ensure that members of this court still understood the price of disrespect and the power of fear. He turned, tucking his wings tight to avoid striking her. He meant to look back into those piercing, starlit eyes, but his gaze caught on Truth-teller at her thigh. He lifted a mottled hand and settled his palm over the hilt, letting his callused fingers brush delicately over that tempting sliver of porcelain flesh. Leaning down, he brushed his mouth over the peek of skin just above his thumb.

“Wine, my lady?” He straightened and grinned crookedly at her flushed neck and chest. She dipped her chin in confirmation and he turned, striding into the throng of revelers. Hopefully his High Lord didn’t expect him to listen too closely. It was peacetime, after all, and he had to contend with every delicious image of Gwyn flashing through his mind. Hopefully his shadows would pick up on anything glaring and drag his attention out of the gutter.

He had retrieved two goblets and turned back toward the dais when he felt a twinge of anxiety in his chest, tightening the golden thread that connected the Shadowsinger and the Valkyrie. He weaved quickly in and out of the dark swaths in the hall, his shadows carrying to him the echoes of words between her and a yet-unknown male.

“…quite an actress, priestess…”

Azriel quieted the snarl that threatened to push through his lips as he rounded a pillar silently, finding Gwyn’s back pressed against it and the male – one of the darkbringers, he realized – doing his best to tower over her. He stayed silent, tucked into the darkness. He had vowed not to intervene until it became obvious that she couldn’t handle the situation. And while he had felt the moment of uncertainty in their bond, his mate looked calm and nonchalant – if not a small bit annoyed.

“Although I find it difficult to believe that a timid acolyte from the library sanctuary could best the Spymaster. They say the women in the great library have experienced great horrors, but perhaps if you warm the bed of the angel of death, you’re into that kind of thing.”

The male had lifted a hand to Gwyn’s face, making to touch her. And quick as the wind she had Truth-teller in her hand, blade against a particularly sensitive part of the male who thought he could dare to insinuate what he did, much less dare to touch her. Azriel saw the rage sparkling in her gaze, all traces of anxiety and annoyance gone.

“Think very carefully about the next thing you say,” she hissed. When the male tried to smirk and play it off she pushed the blade the slightest bit deeper, the edge biting into the leather of his pants. “I am a general. I won the Illyrian Blood Rite. I have bested far more intimidating creatures than yourself. So do ask yourself if you want to test your luck.”

Azriel’s lips twisted into a sadistic smile, basking in the glow of his mate’s strength. Her eyes darted to him for a split second, and the male’s eyes followed. The color drained from his face when he saw the rippling shadows twisting and rising like flames over his shoulders and wings. But a push against the dagger at his crotch shifted his attention back to Gwyn.

“Hear me now, brute,” she seethed. “I do not always keep my Shadowsinger so tightly leashed. And he does not take kindly to unimpressive, brainless males touching the female that he belongs to.” My Shadowsinger. The female that he belongs to. Mother above, those words went straight to his already-straining cock. “So I hope that little thrill that pulsed through your undoubtedly underwhelming dick when you thought you could intimidate me and bend me to your desires… I do so hope it was worth it.”

The male stepped away with hands raised, but the copper-haired queen kept her blazing stare on him, dagger still ready in her hand.

“Shadowsinger, I hope you have that wine,” she cooed, sheathing the weapon when Azriel stepped to her side. He offered her the goblet and then offered her an arm, muscles and shadows tremoring from barely contained fury. His instincts warred within him, an urge to rip the male limb from limb against the desire to whisk his mate into an alcove and plunge his tongue between her legs until she was screaming his name. He wasn’t sure if he had ever desired her with such a feral male pride, and from the heat blooming across her chest he could tell that she could feel that pulsing need through their bond. But her breathing was slightly more shallow than normal, and he remembered that nervous twinge he’d felt before she’d nearly castrated the man. The spymaster let them to a darkened corner, shadows swallowing them and hiding them from prying eyes and ears.

“Are you alright, songbird?” All pretense and games were gone, leaving only the soft voice of a protective male concerned for the love of his eternity. He took her wine glass and set both of them on the stone floor. When he straightened he pinned her with his gaze and raised callused fingers to trace the freckles on her cheek. Gwyn sighed a calming breath and leaned into his touch.

“Yes, love. I was nervous for a moment, but I think I handled things quite well,” she smiled widely. He released a dark chuckle of his own, stepping into her and pinning her gently against the wall. Azriel tilted his head and leaned down, pressing his lips against the sensitive space under hear ear. Nipping at it, then flicking his tongue over the spot to soothe it, smiling against her soft flesh as he felt her gasp beneath him.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more aroused in my life, Gwyneth Berdara,” he uttered into her neck, voice low and guttural. He pressed his hips against her, letting her feel what she had done to him. “When you called me yours, when you said I belong to you… Gods, nothing has ever been truer.”

Azriel dragged his lips wantonly over her jaw toward her mouth, nipping at her bottom lip when he got there. He was on fire for her, every inch of him aflame with want for his warrior queen. He crushed his lips into hers, tongue beseeching. She gave in without pause, and he greedily pulled at her lips and tongue. He wanted to breathe her in, needed to taste her.

“Azriel,” she gasped, but he continued pouring himself into her, only stopping when her hands cupped his face gently. He pulled back and took in her swollen lips and lust-darkened eyes. “We need to behave, remember?” The shadowsinger groaned, earning a musical laugh from the Valkyrie. He leaned his forehead against hers.

“Fine,” he growled. “But as soon as we get home, rest assured, I will have you. And I want you to keep Truth-teller on that pretty thigh.”

Gwyn’s cheeks turned crimson and his throat rumbled with approval. He pressed a quick, hard kiss into her lips before stepping back, giving her some air to cool the heat on her face. Swiftly, he scooped up their wine goblets and offered his elbow to her.

“Ready to terrorize more unsuspecting males, my lady?” Azriel grinned wickedly, and she threw her head back, a cackle erupting from her throat. She tucked her starkissed hand into the crook of his arm.

“Always, Shadowsinger.” Quickly, before he let his shadows disperse, she pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek. “I love you.”

The bond burned golden fire in his chest, swelling with love and contentment and bliss. “I love you, too, Berdara.” He murmured, and then they were in the throng again, the music and revelry of the Hewn City swallowing them. He let his shadows wander and listen, but his attention was focused on his mate for the remainder of the evening. He marveled at her confidence, her strength, the pride she felt at being able to conquer this moment. Feyre may be his High Lady, but Gwyneth Berdara was his queen. And, if tonight was any indication, he would gladly bow before her for the rest of his immortal life.

TIME FOR A RANDOM HEADCANON POST YEEEEEEEEEE

Six: Fantasy AU

Premise: The queens are all rebels against the Tudor kingdom. They are wanted criminals as escaped wives of King Henry. Anne and Lina were the first two to group together and then decided to get the others to join their force so they could work together to finally put an end to Henry’s kingdom of terror. They then have many gay adventures together.

Aragon: a priestess from the church of Stanlicia (cause Alicia is the god of gay nirvana, no I don’t take criticism). Don’t let the holy woman vibe fool you though, she might focus on her bible, but she also is not afraid to drop kick any fucker who comes remotely close to her in any threatening manner. Aragon, although the only human of the group, is well known as the one you should not fuck with. She is the leader of the group, seeing as she is the only one who can read a map and not get distracted by colorful flowers or ancient ruins *insert Cathy and Kat feeling attacked in the background*. She has stupendous charisma and leadership skills, knowing when to be assertive and when to be cautious. She is also a distance fighter, rocking a nice bow and arrow set. Her talents are pep talks, singing, persuasion, distance offensive maneuvers, and leadership.

Anne: a fucking elf. What else did you expect? Okay, but seriously? Full on elf, raised from status and privilege, yet heavily burdened by expectations and gender stereotypes. Anne is a free spirit just like how her mother was, and after her mother’s passing she took on her mother’s dream of adventuring the world. She ran away from home with Kitty, never looking back. She is definitely the risk taker of the group, often causing chaos and laughing at their enemies failures. Truly a master of combat and swordsmanship, Anne wields dual swords that she had stolen from Henry. She struggles with magic even though she is an elf, and she is very insecure about the subject. She is also a bit of the flirt of the group, but only genuinely means it when she’s with Cathy. Often at times she can be found asking Cathy to do a spell for some impulsive idea she had. Her skills are sleight of hand, deception, persuasion, seduction, animal handling, combat, and dance.

Jane: a nymph who literally tries to adopt every plant and animal in sight. As long as it’s not among the “civilized” races, to her it has a heart and deserves love. Firm believe in fuck humanity and fuck kids, she’s a proud plant mama. A lover more than a fighter, she is more of the groups support. She has plenty of herbs for healing and knows where to go when in need of food or water, or even direction. She also befriends plenty of animals, so when push comes to shove they defend her. She can also control plants which is pretty badass, she literally used vines to yeet some of Henry’s men off a cliff into the lake once. Anne was so jealous and begged Cathy for a week to give her plant arms so she could be badass like Jane. That was a good day. Her skills are healing, navigation, empathy, nature knowlegde, basic survival skills, among a few others. Out of the group though, she is the worse fighter.

Anna: she is part demon. Demon have been banished and slaughtered for years, their existence is believed noneexistent at this point in time due to the years of war and persecution. Although minor, Anna is well aware of the demon blood that runs through her veins and constantly has to hide her dark magic or else she’ll be ostracized and murdered. It doesn’t matter how much demon blood is inside a person, they have the potential to turn into a full fledged demon, and that is Anna’s greatest fear along with the group leaving her and deeming her a monster. Although her race has dark origins, Anna is one of the most loyal and softest people you’ll ever meet, always caring for the others and doing whatever she can to protect them. She is attached to them. Sir, that is her emotional support found family. Just don’t breathe negatively in Kat’s direction, Anna will hear it and then give you a glare that makes hell seem like a playground. Her expertises are forgotten languages, sleight of hand, and tank battling styles. She is very well trained in hand to hand combat and can kick some major ass with her overwhelming strength (which is totally human and not demon what so ever.... hehehe.)

Kat: she is Anne’s baby cousin and somewhat like an apprentice, also a half elf. She is a dual axe wielder, but also quite the performer and grifter just like her cousin. Her elf nature gives off the image of status, even if she is a magicless elf whom are viewed to be worthless scum. However her human side gives her some trouble and nasty rumors, along with making her a bit more impulsive than most elves (then again, seeing Anne, that might just be the family). She is a very gentle gal when it comes to taking care of others, and she begs for a familiar everyday. Kat has a fascination with history and adventure and is the second best story teller, only falling short to her cousin Anne. More often than not you will catch her singing while she practices her axe swinging. Although small and gentle, don’t mistake her for incompetent and weak unless you want to lose a hand or your head to her axe. She might be baby, but babies don’t take shit from bigots. Her expertises are in history, disguise, music, and sneak attacks.

Cathy: She is a fucking witch, and a badass one at that. She was a gifted magic user since a very young age. While most people are able to unlock and control enough magic around the age of puberty, Cathy was able to manage hers at the age of six. This she was very proud of as her dutiful nature allowed her to learns a galore of spells, potions, and legends through her research and practice. However, it also caused her to have to pick her activation phrase and motion, something that can never be changed, at a young age. Let’s just say, she has regrets and Cathy’s parents knew she was bi since Cathy was six. Anyways, she totally kicks ass. After getting bored of mastering the basic extensive magics, Cathy decided to study mythology and psychology and dove into the dark magics. Although dark magic users are ostracized and in majority of the land illegal, Cathy couldn’t stop herself from falling in love with the subject and becoming a dark mage / witch. Her skills are potion making, knowledge of multiple languages, dark magic, sarcasm, explosions, enhancements, protection, writing, and more. She is one of the most powerful magic users in the land and have a vast knowledge of magic and beings. Now if only she could fucking figure out herself, or at the very least learn how to get a decent amount of sleep.

Thank you to everyone who read this xx

Here is the fantasy picrew I used:

Amanda 1 - Forge

Alright, you all ain’t getting rid of me just yet... I still got some stories in store I want the world to see. This one is not about an anxious Warlock who likes Clint Eastwood... but rather, her partner in crime, our beloved, rough and tough Shipwright.

Amanda and Hiver went sightseeing after speaking to Petra in the Dreaming City. Even if she had another life to uncover, the human woman did her best efforts to reassure the Warlock that she is a wonderful person, and that it changed nothing of who she was now, and what she had done for the City and for her. After making sure her spirits were lifted, they part ways.

The shipwright sits at one of the safer rocks, away from the amount of enemies that plagued the lands around, whipping out her notebook. An idea rushed into her mind-- she couldn’t let it escape. Her lover’s words echoed in her ears.

“If someday I don’t come back, I want you two to take care of each other.”

The first piece was a reminder for Hiver that she belonged in the City. That she was a Stormcaller, that she was human first and foremost. That...

That she was unique. That she was Amanda’s safe space.

While she blushed and got entranced in thought, Hiver’s croquis and the information of the piece Amanda idealized were done. A duster, just like those in the pre-Golden Age western movies, they loved so much. But it had some add-ons that she thought Hiver was going to like.

Baby just designed her first Exotic!

She started sketching another one. A dirty little secret, she thought, grinning, as her pencil gave shape to the second humanoid figure on the paper.

Giving the finishing touches on the rough shape, making a mental note to finish it later, she puts her notebook away, looking at the horizon and sighing. Then she pulls her tablet, transmats into her jumpship, and starts typing a text message for when she arrived.

FROM: A. Holliday, Chief Shipwright

TO: Victor Crux; Feizel Lomar;

SUBJECT: Armor price estimation request.

The Titan’s fist wheezed near her face, so close that some of her burnt blonde hair strands were blown to the side from the gust of air it created. She manages to crouch under a second blow and launch a fist straight into the mighty man’s face, hitting him straight on the cheek.

“Well done, Holliday.” He complements. “You are learning fast.”

“Thank you, Commander.” She replies, wiping sweat off her face. “Can we take a break?”

He nods and they both sit in one of the gym’s benches, away from the mat they previously sparred on.

Commander Zavala was surprised, but pleased when his Ghost relayed Amanda’s message to him. It wasn’t one of her usual messages talking about parts for jumpships, budgeting or days off to spend with her girlfriend.

Rather, she asked for ‘sparring lessons’.

While he didn’t understand the meaning of such a sudden idea, he gladly agreed to help her. So, they set a schedule and place in one of the many training halls used to get Guardians to shape, or just when they want to show off.

Still didn’t explain why she decided to trade punches with one of the most notorious Titans in the history of the City. So, like his fighting style, he decided to be upfront about it. He looked at his protégé as she wiped her collarbone and neck with a towel.

“Holliday?”

“Sir?”

“Why did you ask for my assistance, so suddenly?” His stone-set expression betrayed some genuine curiosity. “Can you not count on Hiver to protect you?”

“That’s exactly why.”

“Hm.”

He took a swig from a water bottle, waiting for her to elaborate.

“Sure, she’s powerful, bein’ a Guardian and all, bein’ all ‘bout gunplay and Arc Light,” She makes exaggerated motions with her hands as she talks, specially finger guns. “But… we’re intelligent. And in that, I realized there may come a time where I can’t afford to be ‘protected’, or ‘saved’.”

Zavala listened intently, his memory calling back to those Lightless Guardians who died their final deaths during the Red War. Those he couldn’t save, even if he wanted to. And thus, he did not enjoy what was coming.

“If it does come, I want to be able to fight with her. Whether that means using mom’s shotty again, or killing stuff with one punch like you do. Or, even better… shielding my friends so no one would have to die.”

“Amanda.”

She knew exactly what came next. Amanda has had one lifetime. Zavala has had dozens, and in these dozens he had both found good things — and had a lot taken away from him. The prospect of losing his quasi-daughter to the Darkness’ brutal crusade weighed heavily on his mind, but he did his best to not let it show.

Didn’t work.

“I know, Zavala.”

She remembers, clear as sunrise, the day that the Red Legion laid siege to the City, and she had to fly through the biggest war she had ever witnessed, abandoning her home and its citizens to take Zavala to Titan.

Amanda’s tablet flickers its screen on. Crux/Lomar had just responded to her mail about her project. She had to remember to pay them later.

Her pride never recovered from abandoning everything she loved to save his and her own skin. So, next time that happens — if there ever is one — she wants to go out with a bang. In her own terms, beside the woman she loved, wielding the gun that saved her childhood, making her fellow Citizens and Guardians proud that someone else had joined the fight.

She wonders where Hiver was during that time.

Zavala snaps out of his own memories and notices her starting to get lost in thought, but they have a silent understanding. He smiles, rubbing a comforting, trusting hand on her back, and speaks his mind.

“Perhaps you’d make an excellent Guardian, Amanda.”

She smiles back.

“Let’s go another?” The shipwright proposes, cracking her hand bones and fantasizing about the next things she would do.

It is a dangerous path, but she treads it gladly.

Clearing her mind, they get into position as she raises her fists once more.

"PUT YOUR SOUL INTO IT, GUARDIAN!"

She was no Guardian, and was pretty unsure of how much soul she had left to put into it.

Not like that was going to stop the Titan's motivational booming anyway. Unlike Zavala, Shaxx personally made sure that training always got rougher, to the point one could barely discern it from real action.

Today, he had Amanda do rope climbing and swinging.

With weights on her torso, hands and feet.

She was doing well for the first routines, but made a slip on the seventh set, causing her to fall spectacularly on the soft foamy pads below. While recovering from the effort, the Shipwright did not expect to see Shaxx's hand hovering above her, offering help to rise up again.

"Thought you were all for bein' rough." She says as she grunts, making the heinous effort to get up, with his help.

"I am." He nods behind his helmet. "When needed. Being rough on the recruits does not mean I can't be generous to those in need." He starts taking the weights off the girl. "Part of being a Guardian, Amanda."

She makes a mental note of this. She had never thought of what makes a Guardian 'a Guardian'. From the stories she heard, the Traveler chose all kinds of people, from all backgrounds and all natures.

“How am I doing, Shaxx?” She asked, panting. He looked at her figure, her arms and trapezoids toned by years of mechanic work and her recent throwdowns with him and Zavala. But her most intriguing characteristics were her eyes, young but fierce, lit up a jeweled green with a newfound spark.

“You’d look much better with a sword.” He says, chuckling at his own joke. Amanda was bemused, but smiled to humor him anyway.

“Honestly? Let me just say that the Crucible would be a lot more interesting if those new Lights had half the force of will that you do.” He switches his tone to be gentler. It’s the way he has of conveying his honesty behind his helmet and many years of discipline. “We could have used someone like you in the City’s old battles, Amanda.”

“Thank ya.”

“However,” he shifts his once-positive speech into a firmer one. “I am sure Zavala has told you that, but remember. You have ONE life. Pick your battles. And when you do...” He pats her on the back. “Make sure you win, will you?”

She chuckles. “Of course.”

“Good.” He says, shifting to his usual ‘fists-in-waist’ posture. “That will be all for today. Those Crucible matches won’t oversee themselves.”

Amanda nods at him and picks up her bag with the training gear she’s been hoarding over the last weeks, ready to walk out and back home. Suddenly, an idea hits her. “Shaxx.”

“What is it?”

“Mind if I take you up on that sword offer?”

He lets out a booming laughter, proud to possibly have a disciple to pass his craftsmanship and tactics to. “Absolutely! Come by whenever!”

She gives him a thumbs-up and leaves the arena. On the way home, she checks her tablet and transfers the Glimmer to Crux/Lomar, eager for Hiver’s gift to be completed. She still needs to work on her “secret-project-she-doesn’t-have-a-name-for-yet” as well. While she enters Luminosity Heights, she ponders for a while, and opens up a new window on her tablet, patching through to “NS:L723”.

“I yearn for the day she’ll notice no one uses these numbers.”

Soon a streak of green appears on her screen, and her human companion turns to face her after talking to her Ghost. Apparently she is piloting her jumpship at the moment.

“Amanda? Wassup, what can I do ya for?”

“Hey Luna. Gotta little job for ya, if you’re interested. Just don’t tell Hiver yet.”

The Hunter looks to Frost, concerned but clearly interested in what Amanda had to say.

“I’m listening.”

Shattered Reflections {11}

[Helsa RP- Fanfic]

Fandom: Frozen

Genre: Post-Frozen/ Canon Divergence

- Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Romance

Pairing(s): Hans/Elsa, Kristoff/Anna

Previous Chapter: 10.Tender Touch

A/N: 

Sorry for the late update, life got in the way, I've been busy doing other things, but a bit depressed because of the passing of my friend Rhanda over on the Helsa discord server I can't believe it's been a month already, but I do hope to be posting more often again.

11. Spilling the Tea

It had been almost a fortnight since the attack on Arendelle. There were still a lot of tasks to be done, but things had calmed down significantly. Her injured guard staff was recovering well and recruitment for new soldiers had already begun. Elsa had listened to Hans' sound advice and done as he instructed taking the next step regarding the Duke's treasonous attack. She'd sent the envoy with the letter to the Southern Isles, but had yet to receive word back.

With things being more tranquil around Arendelle, she could take more breaks without feeling guilty and stressing herself out about falling behind on her never-ending workload.

Currently, she was taking her customary tea break in the library, which she hadn't been able to enjoy for quite a while. She was doing some light research as she calmly sipped her tea. She sat near the window overlooking the fjord.

She'd been lost in her reading, when she heard a light knock at the door, which surprised her a bit.

"Come in," Elsa invited.

The door opened and the freckled Princess entered the room, she had not been expecting her.

"Oh, Anna, Come to join me?" Elsa asked, as she beckoned her to join her by the window.

Elsa was surprised to see her sister, because she didn't normally join her for tea. Anna much rather have a picnic outside than be cooped up inside for tea like Elsa. As children Anna had enjoyed having pretend tea parties with her, but Anna had not grown to be a real tea lover like Elsa. Anna had a sweet tooth and would much rather have a cup of cocoa to one of tea. So it was not common for the two sisters to share a cup of tea. Though sometimes they'd share a chat instead.

"Uh, sorta." Anna sighed a bit. These things were always difficult, but she'd been increasingly bothered by all this. Not just with the fact that Hans was in their home, but also because he had now been there after the battle for two weeks and Elsa kept visiting him. She made sure she actually knew where he was, but she didn't want to see him. She was concerned she might get violent, even though she knew he was already injured. Still, she let Olaf tell her about 'Hans the Fool' to see if she could gather anything. A few stories, it seemed, but they tended to get jumbled up when Olaf told them.

"I need to talk to you about Hans. Like, especially, why is he in our home? I mean yeah I get it, he needs medical treatment, but he was in our castle before he got stabbed, and I'm super uncomfortable with my ex-fiancee and your attacker living in our home and also apparently having access to swords. It would have been a nice thing to know sooner, and I'm getting really concerned about how much else I might not know with him walking around? The last time before the battle that I saw him with a sword, it was the last thing I saw."

That came out more frustrated and unrestrained than she planned, like everything she tried to address tactfully. Still, she wasn't wrong. These things had been bothering her for weeks now, and she needed to address it. She wished they could have addressed it sooner, but the castle was kind of in a tizzy with the guards and the cleanup and all that. Anna almost wanted to lock her door at night out of fear, but she hated locked doors more than men with swords.

Elsa's face grimaced as she realized the moment she'd been dreading had finally arrived, it was time to talk about Hans with Anna, and as she'd imagined she was a bit upset about the whole ordeal.

Elsa put down her tea cup and closed the book she'd been reading. She stood up and moved over to the sofa, patting the seat for Anna to join her.

"Let's talk," Elsa agreed.

Anna had remained by the door, but took the seat Elsa offered next to her on the sofa. The Princess plopped down beside both sat slightly turned facing each other, with a cushion in between them.

Elsa let out a heavy sigh.

"Well..." Elsa began. "Hans was sort of already injured when he arrived to Arendelle... and I allowed him to heal within the castle walls, instead of the dungeon," she winced. "He was guarded, of course," she added. "He only picked up a sword to defend Arendelle," she reasoned. "He'd surrendered his sword to me when he arrived," Elsa explained.

She understood why Anna would be wary of Hans wielding a sword once again.

"Yeah, 'guarded'." Anna used air quotes. "Usually when prisoners are in a room, they don't just get out. Wait, how was he injured before he got here? And- wait, you told me he was in the dungeon first so, was he healing in the castle this whole time or not?" There were a lot of questions.

Finally she waved her hands a bit. "Maybe, we should start this from the beginning? Go back, explain it all to me again why he's here and what he's here for and what this whole situation is- and maybe also why you keep visiting him and Olaf thinks he's a 'Fool' like we're medieval? Olaf is really bad at keeping secrets." Plus, since the attack Olaf had a lot more time to socialize with Hans, which... Anna was actually kind of okay with that. Olaf couldn't exactly get hurt and it sounded like they were at least getting along well. Just because she didn't like Hans didn't mean she wanted him to die of boredom, so hey, whatever kept him busy and out of their hair.

Starting from the beginning, that was a long story. Elsa took a deep breath in preparation.

"Okay, so, from the beginning. Well, he came to surrender himself, 'To provide if asked' and tell the truth. He just wanted a chance to atone. And, yes, I did originally send him to the dungeon, but things went awry, and I discovered that hiding the fact that he was...on the verge of death. That's when he started staying in the castle to heal. I was worried about him after seeing... how hurt he was, so I decided to visit him." Elsa involuntarily gulped. "And well...I started talking to him and asking questions. And I started to see that there was more to him than the monster I originally thought." She explained. "Olaf found the room, but I didn't want Olaf to tell you, so that's how Hans ended up becoming the fool. So yeah, the door might have been unlocked, but the guards were stationed outside. He could have gotten out anytime, if he really wanted, but he never tried it, he only left the room to help when we were under attack. He..he really isn't a bad guy. He did come to our aid after all. The only reason I didn't want to tell you all this is because I thought you'd be upset, and I didn't want you two hurting each other if you saw one another again." Elsa rambled non-stop, trying to explain everything and answer all her sister's questions.

Anna, to her credit, listened for once. She wasn't well-known to be a listener, but thankfully Elsa was talking fast and didn't leave room for a word in edgewise until she was done.

"Okay, there's a lot there," She paused to try and organize her thoughts.

"People don't just hide being 'on the verge of death', right? How did you not notice when he first arrived?" she, of course, didn't know that even Hans didn't know about the infection brewing beneath his skin. Likely it had only truly gotten established because he didn't have the wounds re-bandaged after arriving.

"I have a really hard time swallowing the idea that he's 'not a bad guy' after he tried to kill us both. But I think the most upsetting part here is, you're hiding things from me again to 'protect me', but every time you do that I feel like I'm not being trusted with anything. At least when Kristoff protects me from stuff he tells me what he thinks is going to hurt me and how to avoid it, with you it's always something or someone shoved behind a door like I'll forget about it. I can't just forget about these things, I need to know, 'Else. Tell me things so I can know what I'm walking into and not be blindsided when the guy who tried to kill me -my ex fiance- has one of the swords from the trophy room and is way too close to me for me to be happy. I'm still trying to scrub my near-dying out of my memory and to stop feeling like an idiot for trusting him the first time, don't make my mistake." Nope, she was nowhere near trusting Hans. She couldn't. At every turn her memory reminded her about her foolish heart and the way she had trusted him so easily. The warmth of his arms contrasted to the chill in his heart, and she would never be allowed to forget being locked in a room to die cold and alone.

Forgiveness would not come easy when she still remembered moving in front of her sister to stop a sword with her hand, knowing she would die from it. Feeling her heart cool until it stopped and the vibration of a sword against her hand that rattled her even as she lost her sight and feeling everywhere else.

She realized she had wrapped her arms over her chest and shivered without thinking about it. How long had she been out of it? Just a moment, but it felt like she had been thinking for a lot longer, losing herself to that train of thought. Occasionally, she still had nightmares about it. Sometimes she turned to Elsa about them. More often these days, she turned to Kristoff. She didn't tell them all the details, some things were still too hard to talk about. Some things about those dreams, she still didn't understand.

"... He's good at masking his pain."

"Anna... I'm not denying all the bad things he's done in the past, but things aren't as straightforward as they seem. I know how much he hurt you and I haven't forgiven him for that, I could never."

Elsa couldn't forgive him, because he'd deeply hurt her sister by breaking her heart and locked her in a room to die. Elsa thought she understood how much Hans had hurt her Anna, but in reality she didn't not. It did deeply pain her that her young sister got hurt, but she didn't fully understand the implications. Elsa had known heartbreak herself when she thought she lost Anna to a frozen heart, yet that heartbreak was not the same as the one caused by Hans' betrayal. Anna's heart was broken because someone she loved and thought she could trust ended up hurting them instead. In that regard, Anna's heart had been broken twice that day, once by her own sister that had accidentally struck her, and secondly by Hans reflecting that heartbreak onto himself instead. Elsa had never had her heart broken like that so she didn't understand all the hidden damage it had done. Anna could not easily disregard what Hans had done for he had: broken her heart, left her to die and also tried to kill her sister as well (which Elsa herself didn't seem to really hold against him).

It stung Elsa realizing that she might have actually hurt Anna more trying to 'protect her', than if she'd just talked it over. Anna was right. It was inconsiderate to continue concealing stuff behind closed doors, when she promised she'd stop keeping Anna out.

"It wasn't fair for you to find out the way you did, I can only imagine how it felt to see Hans again, wielding a sword, without any warning, when it wa-...A part of me wanted to tell you sooner, but I was just afraid to and really didn't know how. I really should have had more faith in you. I'm a horrible big sister, I keep pushing you out trying to protect you, but only end up hurting you instead. I guess I still haven't learned how to stop falling back on my bad old habits."

Elsa noticed how Anna shivered as she held herself, and felt guilty again for inflicting her with a frozen heart and the great pain it caused on her.

"... I'm sorry, Anna." Elsa softly said as she tried reaching her hand to Anna's shoulder.

Anna leaned into Elsa's touch and moved to curl up next to her. She was still annoyed, but she wanted to be held more than she wanted to be angry.

"I don't know how to explain to you how bad he is, and how awful that event was for me. I know I shouldn't be mad, because he risked his life to save us during the attack, but I can't not be upset. Not while I'm still having nightmares about what he did. They're worse than what really happened, but sometimes I wonder if I'm just remembering it wrong. Maybe I should go visit the trolls, they should know what to do about nightmares, right?" She didn't explain what made them so upsetting, but did she really need to?

"Just don't let him hurt you, too." Maybe she should have been more upset at Elsa for freezing her, but it wasn't the Frozen Heart that upset her. If anything, perhaps it had saved her from him.

Elsa felt slight relief with Anna accepting her touch and curling up closer.

"I know. Anna, you have every right to be upset. Maybe or maybe not, I know my mind paired with fear tends to exaggerate my own nightmares. ...I'd just be careful... if you go use troll magic on yourself, I wouldn't want you to lose your memories...again," Elsa worried. It's not that she didn't trust the trolls, per se, they were Kristoff's family after all, and she loved and trusted Kristoff, but it's just that they had played such a pivotal part in separating her from her sister.

" I promise I won't," she reassured. Elsa trusted Hans' loyalty and unlike Anna, Elsa hadn't granted him control of her heart...or at least that's what she thought.

"No, I don't want to remove anything. Just... talk. I just want to talk with them about it, some more distance, you know?" She shrugged, but didn't explain much about what she meant.

Anna curled up with Elsa, uncertain and uncomfortable with Hans being in the castle, still.

"I kind of want to keep guards close. Or at least to keep Kristoff nearby, but obviously I can't have him nearby when I'm sleeping." They weren't married, after all.

"Okay," Elsa nodded with a sigh of relief.

She didn't see any need for guards anymore, they had only been set up as deterrents, but Hans never tried anything anyway. But if Anna felt unsafe in her own home, she'd gladly grant her some comfort.

" You're welcome to have guards or Kristoff if you wish. Kristoff is always welcome to stay in the castle, if he likes, he's family after all. Of course, he won't be able to stay in your room, but nearby is perfectly acceptable."

Anna nodded. "One or two night shift guards to watch over me when Kristoff has to leave. How long, exactly, were you planning to have Hans live in the castle? I know we can't spare a lot of guards right now since the attack." She really wanted to know when she could stop being paranoid. A shame that the idea of his leaving hadn't really been explored, at least not yet.

Elsa nervously bit her lower lip as she was silence, an agonizingly long moment of silence, before Elsa opened her mouth to speak.

"Um.. indefinitely, at least until he fully heals, that is, and then...and then," Elsa voiced. And then what, exactly? She hadn't planned that far ahead. Hans would not be an invalid forever and where was supposed to have him stay after he healed? The dungeon? Obviously not, that would be unfair, Hans was no longer a prisoner to her. Yet, if Anna didn't feel comfortable in her own home, it wasn't right to hurt her anymore, by keeping him there either. Elsa was truly in a predicament, even if she would like to keep Hans nearby she didn't want her sister to suffer. She needed to think of a place to transfer him to that was the perfect compromise. Perhaps he could stay at the barracks, if he was to help train the guards. "...We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Anna looked up at Elsa with a look of doubt and concern. Not about her, but for her.

"If you say so." She seemed, perhaps, disappointed. Not angry, but disappointed. She knew there was more to this than Elsa wanted to say, but she wasn't sure she understood her own feelings on the subject, let alone how to express them.

"But if you're gonna have him in the Castle this long against my better judgement, you better be nice to Kristoff when he finally gets around to proposing." That was a joke, of course. It was more about how Elsa had explosively reacted the last time a guy asked to marry her.

Elsa looked down at Anna, and saw her disappointment, she wished she wasn't so conflicted.

"Hm?" She said at her joking remark, as she realized Anna was trying to lighten the mood.

"Of course," Elsa answered with a soft chuckle.

"I don't want to end up running into Hans by coincidence again. I don't like him having free roam, so I hope this time the guards keep him in." She had her doubts, now that she had seen how well they had done the first time.

Elsa gave a deep sigh, but nodded.

Wishing For You Chapter 1

Summary:  The Kingdom Todoroki has seen better days. Amidst the chaos, two boys work together to hunt down a wishing potion that could change both their lives. Will Prince Shoto Todoroki ever escape his life as a royal? Will ordinary Izuku Midoriya ever become a UA Knight? Find out as they discover secrets about the kingdom and secrets about each other.

The kingdom of Todoroki had seen better years. The chaos it was experiencing now was brought by King Enj Todoroki, who ruled with an iron fist. Not only was the king short-tempered and ill-mannered, but also downright cruel. His subjects learned to fear him and those who decided to dissent were purged. The purges were commonplace and citizens knew that they too could get burned at the stake just as their brothers, mothers, and lovers had. Morover, the king had a strong personal military known as the UA Knights. The knights were not all bad and some righteous individuals joined their ranks, but most of them were power-hungry. They would carry out the king’s orders without a second thought and were the ones who gathered up citizens for the king’s purges. It helped that these Knights weren’t ordinary humans, they each had a mark on their body called a wielder mark which would help them wield a certain power that would enhance their battle prowess. King Enji Todoroki held the wielder mark for fire, but some knights held the mark for water, wood or strength. Each mark had a unique shape and location on one’s body and only 2% of the population had one. However, the mark was a requirement if you wanted to become a UA Knight. Unfortunately, one Izuku Midoriya didn’t have such a mark. Still, his dream was to become one of the infamous UA Knights. Let’s take a look at him, shall we?

Young Midoriya lived on a small farm on the outskirts of the kingdom with only his mother and animals to keep him company. Still, he was a big dreamer and wanted more than anything to be a UA Knight. Unfortunately, without a wielder mark, his dream could never be.

“Izuku Baby! What are you doing!” yelled Inko Midoriya. Izuku stole his mother’s sheep herding staff once again. He would often pretend it was a sword and train with it. Although at first, his mother found it endearing, he was older now and should have known that he could never become a knight.

“Mom, I told you I’m training. How else am I going to become a UA Knight?” said Izuku with a big smile. Inko loved his smile, but his statement made her heartache every time.

“Izuku we talked about this,” frowned Inko, “without a wielder mark there is no way you could ever become a UA Knight. Besides, why would you want to be one anyway? You do know what they did to your father right?”

“I know, I know. I’m not saying that all the kights are good, but I want to be one just like All Might. He would help people and I heard he even helped people escape the purges. I want to help people just like he did.”

“I know honey, but there are other ways to do that. No one even knows what happened to All Might. Some say he was purged by the King, and I don’t want to lose you like I lost your father baby. Stay here on the farm and help me out, that way I can keep you safe.” Inko pulled her son into a tight hug. It was less for him and more for herself. She loved her son more than the entire world and promised long ago not to let anything happen to him.

“You know I don’t want to leave you Mom, but the farm is struggling. If we don’t make some money fast, then I don’t know what’s going to happen to us. If I could just become a knight, they have great pay and I would be able to support you and the farm.”

“Izuku how do you plan on doing that without a mark!” His mother yelled in frustration. To her, it seemed her baby boy was just ignoring the facts.

“Don’t worry, I have a plan,” he smiled at his mother as he headed inside to grab his book bag. “I’m heading into town, I’ll be back within a few days.” he kissed his mother goodbye and ran off.

“Izuku!!!” Inko yelled, but to no avail. She would just have to hope that he would be back safe, but that was much easier said than done.

What Izuku told his mother was true, he did have a plan. He found a book in his father’s study that held a few loose pages each highlighting different secrets of the kingdom. Various things that didn’t interest Izuku about the rumored heir, castle politics and the king himself. However, there was one thing that did, the recipe for a wishing potion which was said to make any wish come true. The recipe called for 5 ingredients: a witch’s acid, a feather of darkness, a tear of mourning, a hair from a retired knight and bark from the Amour Tree. Izuku figured that if he gathered all the ingredients then he could finally get a wielder mark and become a UA Knight. That being said, he had no idea how to get some of these ingredients. Still, he had to start somewhere and knew exactly where to get the first one.

Meanwhile, in the palace, Crown Prince Shoto Todoroki was busy listening to his father’s drivel. The prince was familiar with his father’s cruelty and wanted more than anything for the King to get what he deserved. Still, he knew that he would have to be the one to supersede him, but wanted to do anything but. The people needed a strong and kind-hearted leader now and Shoto knew that he wouldn’t be able to rebuild the kingdom after all his father had done. Why would the people want another Todoroki to rule them anyway?

“Shoto? Have you been listening to a word I said?” the King grunted in frustration.

“I’m sorry father. Could you please repeat it?” asked Shoto uninterestedly.

“I swear you are going to be King of this kingdom when I die, the least you can do is listen to me. Your 18 now Shoto, it is time to get married, yet you still haven’t decided from the many princesses I’ve shown you.” said the King. Shoto remembered the many portraits of princesses brought in. They were all very pretty, but to Shoto, that was all they were. He didn’t really know any of them after all.

“Sorry father, but none of them interest me. I suppose I’m just not in the mood to get married right away. How am I supposed to decide if I don’t even know them?”

“It’s not that big of a decision boy, you are not marrying for love. You are marrying for an heir. If you don’t marry then how will the Todoroki line continue?”

“Perhaps it shouldn’t,” Shoto muttered under his breath.

“What was that boy?!” his father yelled once again.

“Nothing father.”

“I’m tired of your insolence.” The King’s hair began to flame up, “It has been decided, you will marry Princess Yayourozu and produce an heir. I hear her wielder mark is quite powerful and you two will be able to create strong children. After that, I don’t care what you do with her. If you disobey me then I shall teach your mother a lesson. She should have raised you better after all.” sneered the King. Shoto looked up at him and fear began to overwhelm him, his father has been known to do horrible things to the queen and Shoto would not have his mother suffer any more of that.

“Yes father,” the prince bowed his head down.

“Now, let’s continue to plan your debut. We only have two weeks after all.” smiled the King. Prince Shoto was kept hidden from the outside world. The King was paranoid that someone might try to hurt him through his son and for that reason, his son never saw past the castle gardens. However, now that he was 18 the King figured it was a good idea to unveil his greatest creation, and what better day to do it on than his son’s wedding day. Shoto wanted no such thing though, he just wanted to live a normal life. Although he knew he could not let his father continue his rule. More than anything, he wanted someone else to take over. Someone who could actually lead and be a ruler of the people. How was he, someone who hadn’t met anyone out of the palace, supposed to do that? He had one hope, a recipe that he tucked in his back pocket. After his father retired to his chambers, Shoto began to pack his things. Having a little too much fool-hardy courage, he wrote a note to his personal knight, Tenya Iida, telling him to protect his mom while he was away. He knew Iida would probably be mad, and felt bad for leaving his mom, but knew that this was the only way to solve this problem for good.

For those who aren’t able to view the article.

“New York Times-bestselling author Cassandra Clare is something of a pioneer in the realm of LGBTQ-inclusive fantasy YA. Since 2007, her Shadowhunter Chronicles, beginning with The Mortal Instruments (TMI) series, have amassed a huge international following. (The books have even spurred a film adaptation and popular TV series, Shadowhunters, on Freeform.) Her most fiercely beloved fictional couple? Gay demon-fighting warrior Alec Lightwood and his partner Magnus Bane, the openly bisexual High Warlock of Brooklyn.

Now, Clare and her co-author, sci-fi writer (and proud Magnus fan) Wesley Chu, are giving #Malec the royal treatment in The Eldest Curses (TEC) trilogy. The first TEC book, The Red Scrolls of Magic, is due out April 9 from Simon & Schuster. (No worries if you’re behind on TMI books, Clare says: “It would probably enrich your experience if you’ve read the first three TMI books. But if you haven’t, you can still pick up Red Scrolls.)

NewNowNext caught up with Clare for the scoop on Red Scrolls—and an insider look at the state of LGBTQ inclusion in the world of YA publishing.

For those who may be new to the Shadow World, can you give us a crash-course and introduce Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane?

The books are about Shadowhunters, a race of people who fight demons. They have powers that they get from being part-angel, and they have a mandate to be on this earth and fight demons and protect mundanes, which is what they call regular people. There’s also people who are called Downworlders. They’re supernatural creatures we’re all familiar with from mythology and folklore—faeries, vampires, warlocks, werewolves.

So, Alec is a Shadowhunter. He’s a young man who’s very rule-abiding, very serious about being a Shadowhunter, and not very happy. In City of Bones, he meets Magnus Bane, a warlock who’s really free-spirited, fun, and pretty powerful. Over the course of TMI books, they fall in love with each other and form a relationship. Alec comes out … and Magnus has been openly bisexual since the beginning of the series … By where we’re at in the books now, they’ve been together for years, they’ve adopted two children, and they just got married.

Oh, the Lightwood-Banes are iconic. Total trailblazers. Legendary.

[Laughs] It was so fun to write their wedding!

In the past, you’ve said that YA publishers were initially hesitant to publish TMI series because it contained queer characters and a gay romance. Can you tell me more about that?

When I went out with City of Bones, that was back in 2005. I got push-back from some publishers. It was very coded. … No one actually said, “We won’t publish this book because it has a gay character.” They’d say, “Not all of these characters are ‘likeable’; maybe you could cut Alec.” I got that a lot—the idea that there was a likeability issue, but just with Alec. And then I got, “Maybe there are too many characters. You could cut Alec.” So it was very clear to me that that was what was going on. … I would also say that a lot of the push-back I got was actually after publication.

I think I was a little naïve at the time, even despite the earlier stuff. And there was a presumption, I think, back in 2005—you know, pre-Twilight, pre-a lot of things—that YA was a kid’s realm. It doesn’t make it any better, because the idea that kids shouldn’t read about gay characters is a terrible one. But there was a lot more dependence in the industry on things like book clubs in schools, school library support. … When the books actually came out, I had a meeting with the person who worked for Simon & Schuster in the capacity of selling the book to book clubs around the country. And she said, “You know, we can never sell yours.”

Wow, that’s awful.

And I was like, “Oh. No, I didn’t know that.” And she went on, like, “You know, there are certain stores that won’t take your books; there are certain school libraries that won’t take your book.” I do remember once I was in England. I’d been invited to go to this school and give a talk. I was about to get into a car to go to the school, and my publisher came out of the building and said to me, “Sorry, they found out about Magnus and Alec, and they don’t want you to come.” It was such a shocking feeling.

I feel like the climate in YA has changed so much since 2005 and is a lot more accepting of queer characters. Do you agree?

I do. I had a lot of anxiety leading up to the promotion of [TMI books] because I felt like it was important to have Alec and Magnus in this book. It was important to get these books into the hands of kids, and I felt like I constantly had to walk this line where I had to make sure there was enough Alec and Magnus in the book for them to be fully realized characters that people would care about and love. Yet, I had to be careful. I feel like now, I can be less careful. And I am less careful … There are ways I can express what’s going on—words I can use upfront—that would have been a problem in 2005 in terms of just getting the book on shelves.

I mean, we’re living in a post-marriage equality world. Things are far from perfect, but the cultural conversation at large has shifted dramatically since 2005.

It’s definitely made a huge difference. I mean, it was still the Bush administration [when City of Bones was published!] We had years of progression with Obama; we had marriage equality; and we also have a new generation with different attitudes.

I also read that you purposefully left this gap in the chronology hoping you’d get the chance to write this story. What excites you so much about Alec and Magnus’s adventures in Red Scrolls?

Partially, it has something to do with my own life: The first thing I ever did with my first serious boyfriend was take a trip across Europe. [Laughs] So with Magnus and Alec, I thought, Okay, I want to give them that really fun experience that I had. And I’m going to reference it here in this book, and I know that I can come back to this someday and do it. … I also love this category of fiction. It’s almost a rom-com, this book; it has a different tonal feel than the rest of TMI books because it’s a little bit lighter. It’s like a lot of movies I love—Charade, The Bourne Identity—where two people are racing across Europe, trying to escape the police or solve a crime, and they’re falling in love. It’s just a storyline that I adore, and I thought, I would love so much to write this story about these characters. I hoped there’d be a time where I could do that, and I’m so happy that time came.

It’s especially exciting to me as a queer YA lover to see LGBTQ characters not fall prey to the “bury your gays” trope..

Exactly. You know, getting the book that is the indulgence of a wonderful fantasy that’s romantic and fun—and none of characters are suffering simply for who they are—it’s not as common as we’d like it to be. And so, why not? If I’m going to have the one book in this series that is kind of a fun adventure, it should be Magnus and Alec’s story.

I feel like Red Scrolls gives readers a really intimate look into Magnus’s inner psyche—like, beyond his “freewheeling bisexual” exterior . Is he as fun to write as he is to read?

People often ask me if I have a favorite character, and I always say “no.” It would be like picking between your children! So I usually say I don’t have a favorite character, but Magnus is the most fun to write in a lot of ways. His interior and his exterior are … very different. When we first meet Magnus, he’s immensely confident. And one of things I do love about him is that he is willing to put himself out there exactly how he is. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have insecurities—no questions, no shadows in his past. Everyone does. In this book, we see some of the things that have made Magnus the person that he is now, some of the times he passed through when he was younger and wasn’t as confident as he was now.

Speaking of LGBTQ characters, we also get quality time with future wives Aline Penhallow and Helen Blackthorn in Red Scrolls. What was it like diving into the #Heline origin story?

I love them. They’re so much fun! I got to write about them a bit in Queen of Air and Darkness, but again, they’re really secure—they’re married, they’re dealing with outside threats … Because [Red Scrolls] is a book that focuses on romance, I figured it would be so much fun to explore when they first met each other. I love them both—I just love how Aline says everything she’s thinking.

Oh, she’s such a chaotic lesbian. I love it.

And that’s what I love about [Aline and Helen] in Red Scrolls, too—that Aline just tries to cover up how much she likes Helen from the minute she meets her. She’s attracted to her, attracted to her personality; she thinks she’s fantastic and brave and awesome. She’s trying to hide that, but she can’t.

Can you speak on creating LGBTQ characters who aren’t solely defined by their sexuality?

I can only say that when I created Alec, he’s based in part on a friend of mine who I had growing up. We loved science fiction and fantasy books—that was what we loved to read, what we loved to talk about. And he’d tell me, “I never see myself in these books… Just once, I’d love to read about how [a gay character like me] is a sword-wielding badass.” And I was really struck by that. So when I set out to create Alec, I wanted his sexuality to be a part of his life, but not the only or even main part of his story.

I hope this helps. @max--lightwood-bane

I just misread an earlier part of TGCF (CH.~41-50) and it said that E-Ming was rumored to have been made with the blood of innocents. However, knowing Hua Cheng, I wouldn't be surprised if that scimitar was made with the blood of the cliquey martial and literature gods who made fun of Xie Lian (and were subsequently murdered simultaneously by the demon king Crimson Rain Sought Flower). Knowing now from recent chapters how many boundless oodles of power Hua Cheng has, only a sword made from the remains of gods themselves would be able to handle that much strength without shattering under the power of its master.

And from the perspectives of the rest of the gods in the heavens, the ones who died were "innocent" because these gods don't consider "making fun of Xie Lian" to be a criminal offence. However, a certain idiot prone to falling (both physically & metaphorically) DOES consider that a criminal offence, one for which he Can & Will mete out punishment.

I think it's cool how MXTX explores reframing narratives through misunderstandings, mindsets, and cultural paradigms. This one event can be analyzed from multiple characters' perspectives: "Crimson Rain Sought Flower challenged all the martial gods and all the literature gods to a contest. Everyone except Xie Lian's former assistants participated and all of them lost their lives as a result of being humiliated and reneging on the wager." Hua Cheng, the one setting the wager and doing the killing, probably saw it as dealing with useless trash. Those gods themselves must have seen it as injustice. The newer gods in the heavens don't know Hua Cheng's motives, so they consider him capricious and dangerous. They regard him with fear, and attempt to pass along that fear to Xie Lian, who hasn't been to the heavens for hundreds of years and therefore doesn't know any of the news or gossip.

It's also interesting to see Xie Lian's opinions grow as he meets Hua Cheng first, then listens to hearsay afterwards. He gets to know Hua Cheng, and sees him as a carefree, knowledgeable, generous person who likes to joke around. Then he is told that Hua Cheng is a capricious and dangerous person liable to turn on you at any moment. His motives are shrouded in mystery. However, these rumors end up slam-dunked in the garbage by Xie Lian because he sees Hua Cheng differently than the rest of the gods in the heavens. Hua Cheng is generous towards and protective of him, to the point of actually fighting well when he defended Xie Lian against Pei Su and the snakes. He fought seriously that time, according to Xie Lian, not allowing a single scratch to land on the Flower Crown Prince.

The play that was performed at the Lantern-counting festival which depicted the blossoming romance between Hua Cheng and Xie Lian probably baffled some, but perhaps some of the gods now believe that Hua Cheng and Xie Lian are in love. I just realized this play might have been written by Wind Master, who saw those two get stuck together with RuoYe during the sandstorm lol

Anyways, I forget where this was supposed to go, but maybe it doesn't have a point so I can write whatever I want. Hua Cheng could have future sight which is why he warned Xie Lian to avoid Wind, Earth & Water Masters, Ling Wen, and the rest of the Heavens for a time. He could be haunted by visions of Xie Lian getting falsely accused & slandered again. We already know this is the worst torment to him, he admitted it during the dice game which was a ploy to test if Earth Master was the Reverend of Empty Words. After this each paragraph is its own idea. They aren't always connected, except through my own convoluted train of thought.

Even though Hua Cheng set his Divine SkypeTM password to something super lovey dovey and/or horny I bet he can communicate telepathically with E-Ming.

After Xie Lian gave Hua Cheng his bamboo hat when they were planting rice, I bet Hua Cheng was hyped up on "he gave me his hat to show everyone that I'm his" energy. He was probably annoyed that these lowly mortals were harassing his love about the Demon King's relationship status and sauntered over to say "I'm already married." But he was silently adding after that, "in my heart...." 

After Hua Cheng denied that whole business about having a lover, Xie Lian smiled and told him, "you liar." Mind you, this is after that scene in the QianDang Temple where Xie Lian holds up the white flower that Hua Cheng once made a symbol for him, and asks "This is the flower you are pursuing, right?" Hua Cheng is under the impression that Xie Lian is aware of his romantic intentions towards him. So he goes, "yeah that thing about me having a lover is a lie. I just haven't won them over yet." Not realizing that Xie Lian is still hurt about the joking about marriage thing from the other day.

From Hua Cheng's perspective, that joke was only considered a joke to lessen (for him) the pain of not being immediately engaged to Xie Lian. He was probably trying to see if Xie Lian was into him or not, gauge how he was doing at winning his lifelong crush's affections. Since Xie Lian has been a depressed wanderer for literal centuries, the concept of getting married and having someone to live with must be something he fundamentally believed wasn't for him. Besides, there was that whole "being the laughingstock of the heavens" thing, so he probably internalized the idea that no one would ever want him.

Hubris was Xie Lian's tragic flaw, and for that he paid with his country, the existences of every place he loved, his family, his people, his temples, his reputation + corresponding godly powers, and most importantly, his confidence. He learned humility the hard way, and now hesitates to trust other people. These are mental health problems Hua Cheng can encourage him to overcome, but ultimately the hard work must be done by Xie Lian.

Another thing working against Hua Cheng is the fact that Xie Lian is so old. Hua Cheng is as well, probably around 790 years to Xie Lian's 800, but that is not what I mean by that. Xie Lian being so old means he's gotten used to meeting people, living with them for a while, and then moving on in life as he wanders away or they kick him out or something. He considers Hua Cheng's presence an unlikely yet welcome one, but doesn't expect him to stay in his life for very long. Unless this is addressed directly in words by Crimson Rain Sought Flower, I foresee Xie Lian continuing to act like Hua Cheng is an extended houseguest when the latter believes "I live here." Even if they do end up moving to another small shrine.

Speaking of shrines, Hua Cheng never promised Xie Lian to build him shrines but did anyway. In contrast, the humans who were saved by Xie Lian end up making empty promises of shrines and such. However, Hua Cheng not only built him a shrine, he made a huge fuckin' Sword Collection just to impress Xie Lian because of the one time he got lectured on swords by Xie Lian. I haven't reread that part recently but I know the gist of it was "swords don't seem like your thing so you should use a scimitar instead that'd work really well for you." Boom: 800 years later Hua Cheng wields a legendary scimitar, E-Ming. In the times when Xian Le was still around, Hua Cheng listened to Xie Lian on everything except "forget about me." Because that would have meant ignoring Xie Lian's earlier request, "make me your reason for living." If Hua Cheng had ignored that previous request, which was filled with genuine concern for his wellbeing, he would have had no reason to live and probably would've met a miserable end. But instead, he determined to follow Xie Lian to the godly realm - by becoming a god himself. Probably a martial god, too. He had to be exactly like his hero.

Speaking of being just like his hero, I have some thoughts on why Hua Cheng didn't accept Xie Lian's offer to live at the Palace. One might think it's primarily because Qi Rong would attempt to kill him again but I bet that was simply a minor extra reason. The main reason he didn't stay at the Palace was bc Xie Lian wasn't there most of the time, either due to Crown Princely duties or cultivation at the mountain temple. Hua Cheng, even as a kid, wanted Xie Lian to pay attention to him. Hearing "live for me" was probably as much of a lifeline because Xie Lian was paying attention to him at that critical moment, an equal reason I believe to the content of the message Xie Lian gave itself. "Being encouraged by someone you look up to is a wonderful feeling" is a message MXTX also put in MDZS, when Wei Wuxian encourages the Cloud Kids during the Yi City arc. And the timing of that encouragement holds just as much weight for Hua Cheng as having his hero give him a reason to keep living.

And that reason, as was evidenced by Hua Cheng's descent from godhood to becoming a Supreme Level Demon (I think they're the strongest/rarest type? There were 4 categories mentioned in the beginning. Below Supreme is Menace), is to become strong enough to protect the love of his life. The first thing Hua Cheng did once he crashed the Volcano Party to become the strongest Demon was challenging all the gods in the heavens to the wager and killing them once they lost and didn't uphold their ends of the bargain. He was full of the same wrath that Xie Lian was filled with during his second ascension- that time Xie Lian ascended to the heavens, started an all-out brawl in Jun Wu's courtroom, and then got kicked/demoted after like 5 mins. So people were making fun of Xie Lian after this event too, and Hua Cheng, filled with righteous anger that NO ONE in the so-called "just" heavens was standing up for the love of his life, decided to take matters into his own hands. (I think one of the two assistants in the beginning mentions Hua Cheng became a Demon Supreme after Xie Lian's second ascension and before his third ascension, but I just didn't remember it until now.)

If Hua Cheng was a meme, he'd be that "I've only known Xie Lian for 800 years, and if anything happened to him I'd kill everyone in the heavens and then Qi Rong."

Because he knows if something happens to HIM, Demon Lord Supreme, there will be a power vacuum and Xie Lian's safety won't be guaranteed. Ok so that's abt it. Sorry to everyone on mobile, I threw a readmore in there but you wouldn't know that as you have to scroll through all of this rambling.

Congratulations, TRIS! You’ve been accepted for the role of TITANIA. Admin Jen: Trish, your app was absolutely astonishing. I loved how deeply you unveiled Theodora, from your intricate analysis as you explained what drew you to them, to the detailed points you made in the future plots. You seem to have a grasp on infinite directions that you could take them in and it served as the best kind of prelude to the interview where they really bloomed to life before our very eyes. Your passion for them really shines through and it’s made your application very impactful to us overall. We can’t wait to see our beloved Titania on the dash! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Tris

Age | 22

Preferred Pronouns | he/him/his

Activity Level | 8; I’m itching to write in this universe, and barring any inconveniences, I plan to spend as much time as I can doing just that ♥ I’m waiting to hear about a job, also, but until then I can get online daily

Timezone | CST

Current/Past RP Accounts | here is my most recent account & here is my account from the first round of DV

In Character

Character | Theodora Moreau “Titania” & could I change their age to 27/their FC to Medalion Rahimi, please?

“A name is just a name,” Theodora drawls, almost sleepily and with a quiet sadness, but their eyes are wide awake and their lips are curled upwards. “Call out for your God and skin your knees, or summon the devil and bleed yourself dry. It doesn’t matter which.”They inch closer, their breath all at once so bitter and so sweet. Intoxicating. They’ve studied the vices of man for so long that they’ve learned how to become one themselves.“I’ll still arrive.” Death and life are the same being; it’s just comforting to think of them as sisters at war. Theodora knows that you have to take a breath to have it stripped from your lungs, and that you first have to be hollow if you ever wish to be whole. You have to be everything. Never limit yourself to a singular title. “Sing me your dreams, and whisper your fears. I can give you both.”

What drew you to this character? | There’s a strange sort of magic present in Theodora’s biography, something that kept drawing me back to them no matter how far I strayed while reading the rest of the cast. I spent a long time looking for that perfect muse, for that one character that was going to grip my imagination and refuse to let go, and through a process of restlessly running back and forth — I realized, without a doubt, that Titania was the endpoint of my search. Their hold on me was soft, lingering, so much so that I hardly noticed it at first; but they buried themselves in my thoughts and before long I found myself envisioning my application for them coming to life, thinking of all the metaphors I could write and the development I could experience and how I’d have the opportunity to breathe life into such a fantastic, unexplainable creature.

Titania enchants me because that’s exactly what they are — a divine figure, the closest thing to a modern deity. Their status hadn’t been hoisted upwards on the shoulders of an ancient surname, and their influence wasn’t purchased with blood-stained money; those things were as much thrust upon them as they were fairly earned. That’s how the legends go, do they not? A babe in the woods, raised by a witch to speak in riddles and trained by the wolves to never hide their teeth. Perhaps they were a faerie changeling, left in a crib overnight and unable to adapt to human society. Maybe they drove their mother mad. Regardless of the tale, regardless of the tragedy, a child is always left alone in Verona. Hungry and abandoned and shackled by a mortality that does not suit them. Theodora knows their truth. How they bleed just the same as anyone else, how their stomach growls just as loud. What it means to be unloved and unwanted and to dig through trash. There was a never a forest, no mystical flowers in their hair.

But they’ve managed to cast an illusion on the people of Verona, their godhood is self-made, and that’s why I’m so drawn to them. Because someone that the city would have once eaten alive managed to switch the script, they were able to seduce Lady Luck and swindle her for all that she was worth; and now Titania is a myth. Now they sleep and only dream — of maidens that could breathe underwater and how their ability was shared with a kiss, of a man in the sky who plucked Theodora from the ground because he thought one of his stars had fallen. There are no more night terrors. No memories of clutching to the leg of someone who was destined to walk away, of crying in the crimson streets, of having to beg for help. Begging to be wanted and treasured and feared. I want to write Titania, not simply because there’s so much that I want to help them discover, but because I know that there’s so much for me to learn about myself while writing them. Wouldn’t it be grand? To be a god-emperor.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? | — I definitely want to explore their relationship with Orpheus, to flesh it out and discover their dynamic alongside Stass. There’s so much potential there, something that is all at once so mythical and so human; so beautiful and so tainted. Their love is not sweet, but it is not necessarily cruel. Not always. There’s respect there, a bond that sings of destiny, but there’s also a rift between them and I want to get to the bottom of it. I want to understand their similarities and confront their differences. Why does Orpheus always come back to them, as if he has a lack of meals to sate his appetite, and why does Titania allow him to creep beneath their skin and their sheets? Why do they want to kiss him as much as they want to devour him? I know this is an expected plot, and it’s not all that exciting to discuss, but it’s something that I’m so excited for. Zeus and Hera have a connection that has stood the test of time; I wonder if Theodora and Orpheus will prove to be deathless in their own right.

— What if their creations fail to deliver, what if their position backfires on them? What if they lose their divinity? I’d love to see Titania struggle with their humanity, for their many glamours to be broken. At the core of themselves, they are mortal. Try as they might to prove otherwise, they know the reality of their situation. They’re as clever as they are manipulative, equally cunning and inventive, and the people of Verona have always been quick to throne new rulers. All they had to do was bewitch their minds, embracing the mystery that surrounded their origins and playing those beneath them like the fine strings of a lute. And the music that thrums around them is soft, a melody that sinks deep and spreads through your bones, but all faerie magic has a weakness. An iron sword to their throat and salt in their wounds, and one should always remember that Verona is just as prone to dethroning their kings. Theodora can’t be useful forever, they know that their legend will someday become a petrified tree in an evergreen forest, and that inevitable fate is what terrifies them most. They don’t want to relive their abandonment again.

— Their hands are more calloused than many would believe, a rough touch that’s apt to break fragile things. Titania’s relationship with Catherine is soft, almost gentle, a warped reflection of how Lavinia had raised them; but the difference is that Theodora is nothing like their mentor. Not really. Whereas they had been sheltered behind silk drapes and fed honey, Titania wants to protect Catherine in a more savage way. And it’s not that they want the young girl to wilt her petals, to remove her skin and reveal the thorns beneath, but they would hate for her to spend an eternity trapped in a tower of her own making. Always looking down at a cruel and hungry world. While it’s true that Theodora found the blessing within their upbringing, how to wield all the shadows and splendor and to create something sharp from both, Catherine is not fit for godhood. To be a saint is not to be the backbone of an empire. Not like Theodora has become, with their magic and their mythos. They will do all that it takes to keep Catherine safe, to keep her heart from being stolen and shattered and replaced with something cold. Not like theirs had been all those years ago. Even if it that means being the thief.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Yes! Break my heart & I’ll break yours.

In Depth

In-Character Interview:

— What is your favorite place in Verona? ⦁ “My own mind.” They say it without pausing to think about their answer, not bothering to look over their shoulder and meet the gaze of the man that had asked the question. He has yet to realize that midnight affairs are meant to end before daybreak. Theodora watches as the early morning sun rises over Verona, as the shades between gold and silver blur until nothing is distinguishable, and they laugh. Turning away from the window, a soft halo of light breaking through the waves of their hair, they flash their teeth.

“Don’t mistake me. The city has many wonders, places that mean a great deal to me.” They close the distance between themselves and their lover, curling a finger beneath his chin and forcing him to stare upwards. Like he should be begging for mercy. Like he’s only just realized that he entered the chambers of a god. “Memories are fickle. Some remain, and some fade; but they’re always a part of who we are.” Theodora presses their fingers to his lips, smiling as he kisses the scarred and scented flesh. One bite of faerie food is all it takes to never hunger for anything more.

“Verona, I believe, has a mind of its own. And those buildings and all these soldiers and this war are all memories, some new and some ancient and some that have long been forgotten.” They pull away, walking backwards to where they had been standing and lifting their arms to grip the drapes that flow around them. “We have to share these things with each other. All the beauty and all the terror. And I’ve always been selfish.” They release the curtains and ward off the sunlight, plunging their room into darkness. “I don’t care about the landmarks and the gardens and all the places where blood has been shed. I want something that’s all my own.”

They tap a finger against their temple, smirking playfully. “I’m in Verona, am I not? And my thoughts are so wonderful. Why go to a museum when I can paint a masterpiece behind my eyelids? Why visit the symphony when I can conduct my own music?” They’re at his side before he realizes that they’ve been inching towards him, their arms wrapped around his torso and their lips brushing his throat. “Why spend my money at a brothel when boys like you are lining up to be eaten.” They tuck a stray lock of blonde behind his ear, moving to kiss his forehead. “I’m going to forget you, but Verona will always have your skeleton in its closet.”

— What does your typical day look like? ⦁ They scoff, rolling their eyes and disregarding the absurd question. “There’s nothing typical about me.” It’s blasphemy to assume anything about them could ever follow a routine, let alone be boring. After all, the Moreau heir has never experienced the same story twice. Yesterday they made love to a woman who sang the sweetest opera, a natural talent, but not quite; a bird had made its nest in her rib cage and she was cursed with its song. And tomorrow Theodora plans to kill a man who was born without eyes, who instead looks with his heart. He won’t even see them coming.

The mundane offends them, the thought that someone could ever relate to them and how they spend their time. Only Hera and the wolves have the right to say that they are familiar with Theodora. “I can’t answer.” They stalk off, disappearing within a matter of seconds and making their way through the shadows of Verona. There’s a bag of faerie blood in their pocket, a deal is waiting to be made around the corner; and it’s only then that they realize the one constant in their life. Outside of a particularly dangerous man and his dangerous smile, of course, but that’s a tale for another day. Zeus knows them, this is true, but he is nothing like them. (Right?)

Lucifer is always hard at work, but Theodora works harder. They invest pieces of themselves in every hour of each day, waiting until sunset to snatch them back and be complete once more. They are a true business-person, simple as that. They wear a silken dress in place of a suit, they hold their meetings in bars and kiss investors with liquor in their mouth, but the men of Wall Street could learn a thing or two from them. If anything about Theodora was going to be called average, something to be expected, it would be both their determination and their many enchantments. You can always find Theodora trying to bewitch someone.

— What has been your biggest mistake thus far? ⦁ “Loving.” Theodora says it quietly, a soft break in their voice, and they rise up to their feet and prepare to take flight. Courage and pride are two different beasts to tame. “I regret allowing myself to love.” They don’t tell the old woman who, exactly, but their eyes betray them. The way they glance away, how the dark brown depths begin to sparkle just barely. This is the stare of an abandoned child, and the way their fists clench proves that the abandonment followed them into adulthood.

Conversing with elders on park benches is a strange hobby, but something about the act brings Theodora comfort. They’re so terrified of old age that they prefer to confront the possibility at close range. That one day their hair will grey and their shoulders will hunch, that their bed will grow cold and empty and they’ll cease to be a god and become more of a witch. Still powerful, still feared, but a caricature of themselves; a little less divine. They gather their belongings and stand.

They wonder, often, what became of their mother. Of the father they never knew. They have no memories left of the woman beyond the one that haunts them, of a hoarse voice begging her to stay and a dead gaze that refused to look down. And then Theodora thinks of Lavinia, who abandoned them a different way, but a wound is still there nonetheless. How cruel it is, to mother something in the place of another and then to make the same departure. Orpheus crosses their mind, too, but just for a moment. They never promised each other to stay faithful.

“I must go.”

— What has been the most difficult task asked of you? ⦁ They clean their face of cosmetics and stare at the plainness of their features in a vanity mirror. There’s a note-card in their hand with a series of questions, silly things that shouldn’t require much thought, but the only way to control yourself is to know all the facets of your being. They’re caught off-guard for a moment, but they quickly find their resolve and clench their jaw. “To become a god.” And they’re looking straight at their reflection when they say it, making a metaphor out of themselves like they love to do so fondly, but the tone of their voice is more aggressive than dreamy.

Theodora lifts an elixir and massages their neck with the scent of lavender. For balance and peace of mind. It’s not regret they feel, not really, but more of a heavy burden. Something akin to what Atlas has been forced to endure for centuries. And they have to wonder if he had been a mortal boy with a hunger to be special, lifting the world to prove that he could and forced to carry it for an eternity. Maybe they’re more like him than Hera, or maybe there are too many gods living in their soul for there to ever be any serenity. They clawed their way to the top of Mt. Olympus and now they have the gall to complain about the view.

No, they’d never rid themselves of their divinity, but having to always be clever and sharp and magical can be tiring; and whereas many individuals of similar standing refuse to consider their mortality, that once they had simply been alone and afraid and starving, Theodora never allows themselves to forget. Maybe because they’re not ready to reveal their true potential, to rise through the clouds and hold lightning in their palms. Are they Zeus, too? Never satisfied and always ready to lash out? Perhaps. But they’re also just a person, living in a city of blood and brick. They’re not allowed to feel weak, to cry. Otherwise they’d flood the world. “I think I cursed myself.”

— What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues? ⦁ Theodora chuckles, almost blindsided by the question, but it’s hardly one that requires any thought. They lick their fingers clean and finish swallowing the remnants of their dessert, looking up at their companion and smirking with all their teeth on display. “Let them eat cake, I say.” It’s as simple as that. Regardless of their role in the chaos, how they’ve chosen a side, it’s the least of their concerns. The city of Verona will always be at war, and two men will always fight over control. It’s in the blindness of their rage, however, that the true rulers rise.

The Capulet emissary is much the same, playing their part to the best of their abilities, but only enough to keep the production going. What does it hurt if they’re a member of another cast? That they’re wearing enough masks to fund an entire masquerade ball out of only their likeness? Theodora laughs once more, caressing the cheek of the girl across from them and lifting a cherry to her lips. “Don’t you agree, darling?” A stream of red trickles down a pale chin. “Let them grow fat and complacent. Let their gluttony be the end of them.”

Let another pair of kings take their place; let Theodora continue their reign.

I absolutely adore your thoughts on the psychological health within the SLBP characters! If you don’t mind, could you scale MidC, DtL, and IkeSen (pick whichever game you want!), too? If it’s not too much to ask ☺️

Hello, Precious! Let’s do all three!

Again, purely for fun! And, like the last time, there will be SPOILERS!

0=unstable, 50=borderline, 100=normal

MidCin, you’re up!

Louis (65):

Tsunderes, kuuderes and yanderes, by design, are not normal to begin with, because their logic only makes sense to themselves. 

Louis being both a kuudere and a yandere are what take his score down.

Frequently thinking it to himself, and sometimes saying it out loud, Louis has obsessive thoughts about wanting to keep his love interest to himself, and fantasizes about keeping her somewhere where only he can see.

He also thinks that acting like a frigid ass, like the nobles, will somehow save her from the nobles. 

Even though Louis falls deeply in love with the princess, he will also lie to her face without a hint of hesitation, undermine her hard work, and jeopardize the stability of the monarchy.

He also entertains a suicidal fantasy, and attempts to see it through.

Sid (80):

Even though he lies for a living, Sid praises honesty when it comes to his inner circle.

He has no qualms teasing Louis left and right, because he’s made it known to Louis that he wants to save him from himself. 

Finding himself trapped in a loveless engagement, Sid makes sure that his fiancée knows ahead of time that he doesn’t love her and never will. He gives her the chance to break it off, even making sure that she understands that he will take other lovers, and is only with her to get information about her father.

Because Sid always has to be “on,” in order to take advantage of any kind of situation, so that he gets the information he needs to do his job, Sid sometimes has a problem with reigning it in and just being himself– and not his trickster alter ego.

This causes communication problems between him and princess, but Sid always knows how to smooth it over.

In every case where parents are involved, in MidCin, Sid has the most positive and supporting relationship with his. 

He is close to his adopted father, who always has his back, and builds a positive relationship with his estranged parents.

Giles (70):

Anything– and I do mean A N Y T H I N G ! –that the princess does, whether positive or negative reflects on Giles. And I mean that the princess’ reactions reflect on Giles as a person and on his capacity as a Chamberlain who knows what he’s doing. 

We all give him crap for it, but one small mishap from princess could realistically cost Giles his entire life’s work, since the first thing out of anyone’s mouth would be to question why she wasn’t taught and trained better– which isn’t Leo’s job, but Giles’.

And “well, I told her not to!” isn’t a valid answer. It’s Giles’ job to ensure.

Understandably, we can see why he has a vested interest in breathing down Princess’ neck, all the time. It’s also why he’s always so stressed out, and persnickety.

To add to that, his family life is complicated, leaving him depressed and estranged. 

Giles is also sickly, and prone to bouts of fever, so his plate is quite full.

He works himself to the bone, and cant even get a decent amount of rest due to both lack of time, and a weak body.

Fortunately, Giles’ strong character keeps him running, even we he wants nothing more than to crawl into bed and cuddle up with his cat. 

Always able to be depended on, one would never know from looking at him that he’s hiding so much turmoil inside.

Alyn (75):

His biggest “quirk” is that he hates tomatoes. who can blame him

He’s pretty damn normal, aside from his random and intense one-sided feud with his twin brother, Leo. 

Alyn knows that his brother needs help, but doesn’t really do much to facilitate that, beyond throwing a few words of encouragement at his brother’s girlfriend.

His attitude toward Leo’s anguish is basically the embodiment of the phrase: “like pouring water on a drowning man.”

However, when he’s needed, Alyn will be there in a pinch, ready to make good on his promise to protect.

Although physically strong, he can be a bit of a pushover under the right conditions.

Leo (50):

You would think for someone who has women climbing into trebuchets in order to launch themselves at him, that Leo would be a little smoother than he is. 

What brings his score down so low is that Leo’s backstory isn’t just a backstory– it’s right there with him in the present. 

He (and Alyn) experience a trauma so deep that it continues into adulthood.

As such, Leo entertains the dangerous idea of pre-meditated murder in the hope of avenging his family, not realizing that he’s also contributing to its destruction.

Byron (65):

It’s supposed to be looked at as a way to get to know him, but not being aware of one’s own feelings– positive, negative, or neutral –and questioning whether it is “okay” to feel them, or express them, is neither normal nor cute.

Byron is also given to whims, either not giving a damn at all what the nobles say, or purposefully putting them in their place with ostentatious displays of affection.

Byron is very sweet to his romantic interest, but is also coldly indifferent to others who are close to him. 

He understands that he wields incredible power, but he’s not above making his own brother (Nico), another king (Alyn), and a close friend (Louis) essentially beg on their hands and knees before he’ll lift a finger to help them.

He can also be unnervingly detached, such as when he’s attacked in broad daylight and just shrugs it off while his best friend throws himself bodily in the way to block a sword.

Byron may not like his father, but the apple didn’t exactly fall far from the tree, either. 

They may not be exactly alike, as one wouldn’t expect them to be– they’re two different people –but he is definitely Gerald Wagner’s son, by blood and to some extent, personality.

Nico (65):

When the only thing that stops you from murdering a man in the middle of the woods is that your brother and his friend arrived just in time to prevent it, because they didn’t have much trouble following the trail of other people’s blood that you’ve been leaving, have a seat because you’re not normal.

Nico started out his young life as the bastard son of a king, who was forced by circumstances outside of his control to survive on the streets. 

Even when he was taken in by his brother, Nico was forced to live in two different worlds: in the light as someone that everyone in the castle can see and here, and know that he’s there, but also in the shadows, as his relationship to the royal family was still kept secret.

In that sense, the sins of the father were carried on by one of his sons, Byron, who wanted to rescue his brother, but also treated him to some extent like the nobles who had chased Nico and his mother from the castle.

Nico says himself that no one really takes him seriously about anything, and that his opinions don’t matter. 

Albert is very comfortable with making Nico his whipping boy right in front of Byron.

Byron, for his part, barely ever defends his brother.

All of this can’t be easy for Nico, who confesses to the first person he crushes on.

Not only that, he goes way out of his way, almost killing himself, to protect the person who truly loves him, and risks displacing a monarchy to ensure that he can maintain his relationship.

Albert (75):

Albert’s flippant nature stems from the fact that no one’s checked his ass, before Princess. 

If not for her, he would continue on forever, bowing and scraping before his king, without realizing that there can be loyalty beyond fealty, and devotion that transcends admiration and patriotism.

Through love, Albert comes to understand trust and forgiveness, and how to handle one’s emotions.

Albert likes to plan for every situation, but as a tsundere, he is also reactionary.

Robert (65):

Robert’s idea of dealing with the past is never talking about it, ever, which is neither helpful nor healthy.

He also likes to literally run away from his problems, and is just fine with up and leaving at a moment’s notice, with no regard for how that might potentially unnerve, frighten, or traumatize another person– in his case, a group of four specific individuals, all still technically children, who were close to him: Byron, Albert, Nico, and Princess.

While mature in every other regard, Robert is prone to lashing out verbally when people try to talk about his past, even in private. 

He also uses stone walling and pretending the incident didn’t happen, as defense mechanisms.

He will also actively ignore any past connections until doing otherwise suits his purposes, leaving the people he used to know in the awkward position of having to guess at whether they’re supposed to try to reach out to him, or go along with acting like strangers.

Now for DtL!

Todo (30):

Todo, first name Heisuke, is the identical twin of Kyo. 

Separated at birth, Todo grew up as the wealthy little lord (bocchama) of a crime-ridden family. 

At some point, that house fell, and Todo would frequently dream that was in a futuristic place.

In one dream, he discovered that he had a twin, Kyo. 

In his dreams, Todo would visit his brother regularly, and that’s when he realized that it wasn’t a dream at all!

Todo possesses the ability to travel across time, backwards and forwards, without restriction– and what he was seeing in his “dreams” was actually real.

Oh, and he’s also a pathokinetic empath who can control the emotions and physical well-being of others, most notably, Kyo.

Apparently, the knowledge that one has powers such as these will mess a person right up, and Todo proceeds to lose his damn mind.

Because time means nothing to him, death and life also mean nothing to him, since all he would have to do is press fast forward or rewind or whatever he does, and “fix” everything. 

It would also mean, if he chose to, he could go forward in time and know everything.

Living in an era where superstitions are still deeply rooted in the culture, Todo oscillates between understanding that Kyo is a completely separate person from himself, and thinking that Kyo is literally a part of him that was split off.

Kyo (70):

Pretty normal until he takes his NOTICE ME, SENPAI! act straight into outright threatening others to stay away from the woman he’s crushing on.

He is skeptical and hard-working.

Handsy, clingy and uncomfortably honest when drunk, Kyo is otherwise a good-natured person who enjoys helping others.

Yamazaki (85):

Yamazaki is as popular with the ladies as any other ikemen, but he is also insecure and occasionally distrusting of other’s intentions, particularly around women in the RLD, whom he suspects want to use him (he’s half-right).

He also lets Okita get away with far too much, but he also possesses the power to lay Okita out like a picnic blanket, if he wanted to, so maybe it’s a good thing that Yamazaki chooses to let so many of Okita’s shenanigans slide.

An unrepentant hand fetishist, Yamazaki may look and act innocent, but he’s a beast in the bedroom.

Saito (80):

Saito is secretive and mysterious, but also kind and helpful. 

He always keeps his promises, and trains his MC in self-defense so that she has an added layer of protection in an unfamiliar place, beyond ‘I know a bunch of samurai, so don’t mess with me.’

However, he can also be distant and secretive in a negative way, such as getting himself a fiancée when he’s still in love with his MC. 

Haru/Kirisato (45):

That moment when the year is 1864 and The Silence of the Lambs novel won’t be published until 124 years later, and you’re talking about someone else’s skin belonging to you– while being completely, creepily serious –is how you know you’re not normal and never will be.

That and the fact that he’s very firmly in yandere territory. 

Haru lives a double life as a spy, hitman, and courtesan, who seems to be keeping it all together, until he meets his love interest.

Keiki (60):

Not only does Keiki start out depressed, his own MC makes sure that he can barely climb his way back out, by actively traumatizing him when he needed her the most.

Keiki still carries the pain of watching a friend die in front of him, and as such, dislikes anything that reminds him that beauty– like life –is fleeting.

He is also surprisingly trusting, once he lets his guard down, and very fragile once his trust has been broken.

Kondo (90):

His biggest flaw is that he has no sense of direction, and that he loves animals, but they don’t love him,  AND THAT HE DOESN’T HAVE A ROUTE!

Sakamoto (85):

Stubborn and brusque, Sakamoto has a preternatural intuition that has saved him and The Exclusionists more than once.

Too bad it didn’t help in that alley!

Sakamoto is typically chased down and pestered by women, and to that end tries to make himself inconspicuous as much as possible, which is easy to do when you have flaming red hair.

He is thick-headed, but also sensitive, playful but considerate.

Okubo (85):

A graduate of the Byron Wagner School for Robots, Okubo doesn’t know what love is, but wants you to show him. 

But look out, because he is chock full of naughty kinks, such as being a very frisky and bold drunk, playing footsie, an unashamed ear kissing and biting fetish, and dominating during sex.

Okubo is very observant when he’s not reading at the speed of light, and his anger is prone to his whims– sometimes he briefly says what is bothering him, and other times he is quite angsty and demanding.

Although he often vague, he is a sincere person.

He is also forgetful, and has no qualms about mooching off of others.

Katsura (90):

Energetic and suave, calculating and capable, Katsura is surprisingly sensitive. 

Unable to leave others alone when they need him, he even goes so far as to politely ignore the fact that his former friend’s wife has been coming on to him for years, all because he doesn’t know how to say ‘no,’ without hurting her feelings.

Comfortably open about his hair fetish.

Okita (55):

Okita manages to be both gullible and naïve, which are not mutually exclusive.

His score is low because he is a yandere. He doesn’t find it odd in the slightest that the first thing to pop into in his mind is orchestrating another man’s death, rather than explaining the situation.

Because of his illness, Okita is understandably depressed and anxious, causing him to react to situations in ways that a healthy person wouldn’t.

He is also intensely loyal, and finds that a life spent living without the people he’s close to, is no life at all.

Hijikata (75):

Hijikata likes to take on more than he can chew, but at the same time, doing exactly that frustrates him. He’s super stressed, but finds it difficult to say no.

Like his real-life counterpart, Hijikata believes that someone must go down with the ship, and he has sworn undying loyalty to the Shinsengumi and the shogun, alike.

Because of his workload, and the fact that he is a light sleeper, Hijikata spends his days running on fumes, barely able to get any shut-eye, until he finds his MC.

Although his devotion to Kondo and Keiki is unshakable, Hijikata folds like a cheap suit when Kyo slides up to him and tells him to break up with his MC.

Doesn’t give a damn about anyone knowing that he likes women’s accessories, and wants to dress Yamazaki in women’s clothes.  

Yuki (90):

Gender-fluid, bi-sexual Yuki is almost always bubbly and positive. 

However, he is not above threatening others when he sees the need, as he doesn’t take kindly at all to having to watch the woman he likes be with a man whom he feels doesn’t deserve her.

His kimono shop is a legitimate business, but also a front where one can buy guns, swords and yes– smoke bombs!

He sometimes pretends to be drunk to get information, or further the romance of his love interest and her chosen partner.

He is stronger than Hijikata and Sakamoto. Combined. 

Yuki also has sword skills that make Saito weep.

Takasugi (55):

Retroactively forced into the kuudere box, Takasugi is now a kuu/tsun mix of volatile angst and depression, often using silence as a weapon just as much as his angry retorts.

Takasugi knows that his illness is getting the best of him, and uses others where he cannot succeed on his own.

Stubborn and prideful, Takasugi just wants to be loved, but doesn’t know how to be straightforward about it.

Your turn, IkeSen!

Nobunaga (75):

Nobunaga has inexhaustible trust and faith in his inner circle, and rather than treat them like lesser lords, he treats them like family.

Even as an adult, he still experiences the trauma of a failed assassination attempt, and cannot sleep comfortable until he meets his MC.

He is stubborn about his feelings, denying them and excusing them away, until they become so blatant that he can’t help but act on them.

Ieyasu (55):

Hard-headed and resistant, Ieyasu has a hard time letting others care for him. Quick to try to prove himself, Ieyasu is prove to bouts of seeking vengeance even when the situation is in control.

Obsessed with affirmations of love, Ieyasu is several different dere-types, most notably a yandere. 

He takes it personally when people have talent, but squander it.

Hideyoshi (60):

Loyal to the death, Hideyoshi is devoted to Nobunaga with every fiber of his being. 

When Nobunaga is believed dead, Hideyoshi proceeds nose dive into a pit of despair so deep that he can barely feel anything.

Mitsuhide (75):

Genuinely believing that there is nothing worth loving about him, Mitsuhide is a sadodere who enjoys teasing others– the closest thing to love that he thinks he’s allowed to have.

Because Mitsuhide keeps his feelings and secrets close to his chest, he is often mistaken as a villain, which exactly what he wants.

Mitsunari (80):

Obtuse and clueless, Mitsunari lovable and pure.

His score is lowered because he actively refuses, at his age, to learn to take care of himself, and has a co-dependent relationship with the other warlords, who merely joke or chastise him about it, rather than taking him aside and demanding that he get himself together, since he is in no capacity a child.

Kennyo (55):

Self-loathing, and chock full of martyr complex, Kennyo goes from murdering madman to regretful, forlorn monk at the speed of light.

His determination to see Nobunaga fall blinds him to the fact that he has other options such as forgiveness.

Shingen (90):

Laid back and chivalrous, Shingen is mature, and dependable to those in his inner circle.

He keeps his illness a secret, which is a personal choice.

Kenshin (50):

A yandere bent on keeping those close to him, Kenshin honestly believes that he cannot die. 

The first thing out of Kenshin’s mouth is that he won’t be cowed by a hostage, but the next time you turn around, he’s wrapping himself all kinds of ways around his MC’s (hostage) finger, the better to acquiesce to her every request.

As such, Kenshin experiences the cognitive dissonance of presenting himself one way, but behaving another.

Even knowing that that is how others see him, he is quick to defend himself when made fun of, as he doesn’t like his good intentions joked about.

Battle hungry and single-minded, Kenshin is often in the grip of ennui so strong that only extreme circumstances can pull him out.

Yukimura (70):

The only thing that brings Yukimura’s score down so low is his penchant for joking even when his MC has said she’s had enough, and the act that he’s extremely reactionary under the right circumstances, such as having sex on an unprotected battlefield and leaving his love interest there, deep asleep, with no shelter or anyone/thing to keep her safe.

Masamune (75):

Quixotic and capricious, Masamune is always raring to battle. He is preoccupied with appearing cool at any cost, but is also considerate and thoughtful.

His stubbornness is what cost him a higher score, as he contributes to his MC almost killing a man to prove herself, before he realizes that prattling about his own resolve has an effect on others’.

Sasuke (80):

Sasuke is incredibly smart, but he’s also a bit of a masochist, on top of being a huge fanboy.

He also subscribes to taking forever to notice/confess his feelings, but he is extremely loyal, and down-to-earth.

A Bittersweet Sendoff

Rating: Teen Word Count: 1,741 Pairing: Zero/Original Character Tags: angst, hurt/comfort, cuddling, secret relationships, making out, commission

Original Post Date to AO3: 04/22/2019

Preview: Moments like these were spare in the days that followed war. And for Zero and Cerise, a girl from the Black Territory, it was some of the few ones they had left before he went to war, fighting for the other side. They never knew that love like this would be so complicated like this... A commission for Mitsunbun on Twitter.

Moments like these were rare nowadays. They flitted by like petals dancing on a summer breeze. With how busy things were with military duties and the impending war that loomed over Cradle like a shadow, there was no telling when friends or lovers would even see each other again. Those with connections to the other side were urged to forget them. They were only distant memories that were but an echo of a once simpler time. But some brave souls refused to let go of the moments that were precious to them. How could they? How could they let go of the treasured times that were spend with one another? Was life that cruel? As for Cerise Lennor-Nam, she adamantly refused to forget the Ace of Hearts, Zero. She didn’t want to. Forgetting a man like that would be a crime to her. She couldn’t bear the thought of her fragile heart breaking so violently—so suddenly—so soon. Their love had only just begun… and now it was being torn apart by a war that was held off for nearly five hundred years.

The days that followed the declaration of war were dismal. Grim. The sun didn’t shine as brightly. Life seemed bland. Tasteless. Cerise couldn’t find the joy in making red bean dumplings she once had. She found herself tears sting her rose pink eyes as she rolled out pie dough. Her tears made their way into different fruit tarts, adding a bit of salt and her own sorrow. But she had to stay strong, no matter how hard it was to be. Zero was always strong for her, keeping her safe from any sort of danger. So she had to believe that despite their territory difference, their love would be stronger than steel.

That evening, as Cerise was readying herself to turn in for the night she heard a tapping at her window that startled her. It was far too rhythmic to be the branches, and the wind had settled down as the sun set that day. She jumped when she heard the tapping again. Gathering up all the courage she had in her, Cerise unlatched the window and looked down. However she wasn’t ready when she found the source of the incessant tapping. Hiding beneath her window sill was a pair of familiar gentle, blue eyes.

“Zero?” Cerise whispered incredulously. “What are you doing here? You’re going to be caught if you’re not careful!” The idea of having to explain to her parents why the Ace of Hearts was sneaking through their youngest daughter’s room sent a shiver up Cerise’s spine. It was already bad that they had their opinions about the Red Army, but the fact that their daughter had a secret relationship with one of the Chosen Thirteen from the other side?

She shook her head as she helped him climb  through her window with minimal disturbances. He leaned against her modest little dresser as she plopped down on her bed. She fiddled with a piece of her wine red hair that had been freed from the neat bun she always had. “You shouldn’t be here…”

“I know. But I had to see you, Cerise,” he said plainly. She felt the weight on her bed shift as he sat next to her. His hand covered hers. A large, calloused thumb stroked over her knuckles in attempts to calm her of her unease. Worry was written all over her delicate little face. Stress tugged at her brow. “Is everything okay?”

Cerise chewed at the inside of her cheek. The way he looked at her nearly split her heart in two. How could she even begin to tell him that she was afraid of losing him? How could she even try to explain what she had been feeling the last week since the declaration of war was made by his superior? His King.

“It’s nothing.”

Zero frowned. She was a terrible liar. She always had been. He took her hand in his and lightly squeezed it. “Cerise.”

He lifted her head to meet his piercing blue eyes. The look in them knew better. They always did. And god did it make the tear in her heart deepen, and the seams began to pop. The dams were shattered. And without a word, she leapt into his arms, holding onto him for dear life. Her face was buried in his tattooed neck as he held her in his strong arms. “Hey… hey... “

His hand ran up her back as she settled herself on his lap, attempting to soothe her. The subtle weight against him was comforting. She was so small… and so warm. And it made him want to protect her more. Viciously. As Cerise pulled away, teary eyed, Zero pressed a sweet, chaste kiss to her lips. One kiss became two. Two turned to three, until they were swept up in each other’s love.

Each kiss made Cerise’s lungs burn. They ached. They begged for the oxygen she was lacking… but she wanted him. Oh god, she wanted Zero so much—she needed to feel his arms wrap around her in his warm, loving embrace. The same one that kept her safe from the nightmares that crept in the night. He was her knight in shining armor. No matter what others said about him… no matter what he said about himself… Cerise was confident in his ability to keep others, like herself, safe.

She wanted to be by his side always. She wanted to be the one who kept him safe from the monsters that lurked in the dark corners of his past. Though she wasn’t able to wield a sword, or throw a punch, she wanted to be the one to soothe him… and make him feel like he wasn’t alone anymore.

She was dragged from her thoughts as Zero broke their kiss. Big baby blue eyes were caught in bright amaranth pink irises. He could have sworn he saw the stars twinkle in her blown out pupils. His calloused hand reached to her cheek. The softness of her skin against his rough, rugged palms worn from training with a blade almost bit him—almost stung him like a bee.

There was no way in any of the Seven Hells did Zero ever consider that he would find a love as pure...or nearly as tender as the one he shared with Cerise. A love like this was something he only found in fairytales. These things never really happened in reality… not with how unforgiving it could be.

He watched as her little pink tongue dart out to wet her kiss swollen lips. A small hand slowly reached up to rest on the one that was on her cheek. Zero’s heart was like a hummingbird trapped inside his ribcage as it pounded against it, like it was trying to burst out of his chest.

Cerise leaned into his touch, smiling as she closed her eyes once again and hummed. The giddiness she felt in her heart overflowed in her. But the dark thought in the back of her head told her that this moment wasn’t meant to last. So she had to make it count. Who knew when she would be able to see him again? When would be the next time that she would be able to hold him? Or kiss him?

“What’s on your mind?” Zero asked, his soft voice slightly hoarse from the passionate kisses they shared. As much as he loved seeing her smile bloom across her delicate face, he could tell that there was a hint of melancholy to it. It wasn’t as bright as it usually was. It felt bittersweet.

A sharp pang struck through her. It was agonizing, like she was stabbed over and over again.  Of course she wouldn’t be able to hide her feelings. Not from Zero. Cerise nuzzled his hand gently. She took the hand that rested on his hip into hers, fingers weaving in tightly together.

Her eyes avoided his. “I’m scared…”

The pain of those two words hit him a bullet dead in the chest, filling it with searing agony. It burned. The budding tears in her glassy eyes only hurt him more as they threatened to fall at any moment. He pressed another kiss to her lips, his thumb stroking her cheek as it wiped away any tears that had fallen free.

“I’m scared that something will happen to you and…” The words in her throat burned her like acid. Cerise didn’t even want to even think about the possibilities that could happen. She didn't want to. But…

“Cerise… I promise you. Nothing will happen to me,” he said, his words honest and true. The only thing that he needed was his sword, and that alone would keep him safe. If seeing her again—if being able to hold her and kiss her like this ever again was what he would be able to return to, victorious or otherwise, it was all he needed to fight on. And live. For her. For them. “I love you, Cerise. I love you, and I swear, I will protect you, and come back alive to you once again.”

The conviction in his eyes gave her chills. She had never seen them burn so brightly, like a twin blue flames. And it was because of her… Zero was willing to do whatever it took to keep what they had safe and alive.

A small smile graced her face before she nuzzled him once again.

“Will you stay with me for a little while longer?” she asked, whispering against his skin. The heat of her words tickled him, making him shiver. His arms held her tightly to him, her tiny frame pressed against his sturdy chest. She could hear his heart thrumming in his chest.

“Of course. I’ll stay as long as you want me to,” he said, his voice a low rumble that vibrated between the two of them.

Time was lost as the two were in each other’s embrace. As the moon washed into the open window of Cerise’s bedroom, the outside world—the war—it meant nothing to them as they held each other, savoring these precious moments. For these moments were like petals, dancing on the summer breeze. Who knew when they would get them back? But one thing was for certain… neither one of them would go down without a fight for their love.

reign sentence starters; pt. 3

( pt. 1 ) ( pt. 2 ) i’m back at it with another compilation of reign quotes! all of them are from season 4, ep. 10. adjust pronouns as needed! as always, some of these might have been slightly altered.

“I’m not sure bedding the lover of the king is a wise idea.”

“I’m glad you’ve come.”

“Might you at last allow me to visit your chambers tonight?”

“You do still desire an heir.”

“We are wed.”

“I don’t have time to discuss this.”

“I’ll let you know when the time is right.”

“You will be an amazing mother.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“I’ll leave you.” 

“I think I’ve made a horrible mistake.”

“You treat me with the same affection you show the furniture.”

“Were you seen?”

“A firm hand is needed.”

“It won’t be easy, but you will be well rewarded.” 

“It would be your new home.”

“You don’t care about me at all.” 

“We have an arrangement.”

“I’m done helping you.”

“Have you seen Her Majesty?”

“You’re asking me to turn my back on my family.”

“There were things said, by me, that I’m afraid have made you uncomfortable around me.”

“I’ve been preoccupied with my duties.”

“Do you care for her?”

“Things aren’t always as they seem.”

“Love doesn’t need to be a thing of the past for me.”

“My life is complicated.”

“I am your husband!”

“I am your king!” 

“I may take things slowly, but you’ll still find yourself breathless.”

“I could be married within a week.”

“I’m just your stud horse, testing your fertility?”

“I know this is meant to be a relationship of convenience and nothing more.”

“You’re young and still so innocent.”

“Being with you feels like a betrayal.”

“You love me too?”

“I know you were only using me.” 

“I hate you. More than I thought possible.”

“I need you.”

“Tell me how I can help.”

“You took my life from me.”

“That’s not something I can do.”

“I apologize for my outburst.”

“I do believe it is best that we return to things as they once were.”

“Who do you want?”

“We can’t let him die.”

“I will call you back.”

“You are a good and fair queen.”

“Your people need you.”

“My only regret is that I will no longer be able to serve at your side and protect you.” 

“I would rather die than see you harmed.”

“Did you know it was a lie, even as you spoke it?”

“It was no worse than the lies you have told me.” 

“Why don’t you kill me now?”

“You’ve destroyed my life anyway!”

“I may still need you.”

“You have cost me much.”

“Enjoy the living hell that is your marriage.”

“That is your punishment.”

“How many gallant soldiers did I send to their deaths?”

“Come with me, please.”

“There’s something you need to see.”

“You saved lives today.”

“I did it for you.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“We can’t have him contesting the throne.”

“How many more people will you sacrifice?”

“Was there no other way?” 

“You still need a husband.”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“I’ve traveled this path before.”

“It won’t be easy standing on the sidelines, seeing me with someone else.”

“You will want a love of your own.”

“It’s very complicated.”

“I expect no more than what we enjoy now.”

“It will not be enough for you.”

“If our love must be secret, then so be it.”

“At least I’ll be a part of your life.”

“Sometimes a king must wield a sword to protect his people.”

“Your people will honor you for it.”

“They loved me.”

“I can still hear the crowd chanting my name.”

“I am so proud of you.”

“You’re looking lovely, as always.”

“This is not exactly the welcome reception I was hoping for.”

“You must not have received my letter.”

“There’s been a change of plan.”

“I am quite recovered.”

“You’re not disappointed?” 

“I’m a prince, who gets to do whatever he wants.” 

“This does not feel like the time for pomp or pageantry.”

“I appreciate your understanding and sacrifice.”

“Sometimes a ruler must do things they hate for the sake of the Crown.”

“I found strength in your challenge to be a better man.”

“I can take care of you.”

“I can protect you.” 

“Might you consider, at last, starting a family with me?”

“We have already started a family.” 

“I will be a good father and a good husband.”

“You have my oath.”

To: 여러본

《The Liar and His Lover 》 I admire your drawing skills, the way you manage new things in a clever way, the trivias that you share but being true to yourself and to others won't kill you right? 《Mr. MNL48 Trainee》 You are indeed a talented and intelligent person. You love to boast things about yourself, but almost all are true. Your sarcastic but honest remarks, at the same time are offending and funny. You never run out of words when you are in an argument with someone, and even though xàc you are the wrong one, you never stop. A day won't pass without you dancing, singing, boasting and being sarcastic. 《The Queen Of Catwalks 》 I adore the way you glide your feet to the ground, the way your hips move when walking, your chin up, looking so proud and your fierce look that pierces through my soul. Stand tall and be brave. Never let anyone drag you down. Don't show them your weak side and always remember just be yourself. 《Mr. Nice Guy 》 You are an obedient student and you persevere so much and I admire you for that. But sometimes you need to bend some rules to be able to truly feel what its like to be a highschool student. Stay like that and continue honing your dance skills. 《The Mood Lifter》 You are the mood lifter of the class. You have the ability to make us laugh with your jokes, with your silly acts and your humor is the best. Our day in class will never be complete without you making us happy. 《Chill Is His Middle Name》 I have never seen you panick, stressed nor get serious about things. You always plaster a naughty smile on your face, you always make fun of others, joking around, teasing your friends. I want to be as carefree as you, I want to be as relaxed as you even during tough times. But there are times where you need to be focused and serious about matters in life. 《Quiz Master 》 Whenever there's a quiz you transform into a flashdrive, and all the lessons you reviewed were saved in your memory. You were our source of answers sometimes and I'm grateful for that. You are over reacting whenever you are joking, acting like you are badly hurt, even though nothing really happened. Stay as you are, stay humble and kind. 《Mr. Good At Everything》 When it comes to academics, no one can beat you. We may be running together but you are always one step ahead of us. You're still a mystery for me. We may not be that close but I consider you as a friend. I know you will be successful in the future and I hope your dreams will come true. 《B&W》 I admire your confidence whenever you speak in front of the class. Whenever you are asked to recite, you are always ready. Sometimes you commit mistakes with the words you are saying and we all laugh at it. But I know that in time you'll be a good public speaker. 《The Organizer》 You may be seen walking with your furrowed eyebrows, you may be seen walking in with a serious face, but whenever you are with your friends all those first impressions about you disappear. You love to tease others, and I always hear you cuss, doing some 'weird noise' *you know what I mean* but I guess that's your own way of showing that you are having fun, that you are happy. 《The Scene》 Your voice is funny, to be honest. It's feminine, It's soft, and there's calm whenever you speak. You are kind and humble but I hope you'll interact more with others, that you open up. Feel free to share something and be who you really are. 《The Man Who Can't Be Seen》 You are a nice guy. You are fun to be with, your company is enjoyable and our conversations are full of silliness. Sometimes I bully you and I'm sorry for that. I know that your not the kind of person who keeps grudges. I just hope that you'll stay who you are. Stay being kind, funny and friendly. 《The Silent One》 You are weird for me. I can't predict what's going on in your mind. You are intelligent in your own way. I only see you smile and laugh when you are with your friends and whenever you are alone, you have this pokerface look, but this is just a manifestation that everyone has his own unique characteristics. You have amazing ideas whenever you share something to the class. 《Brains and Braces》 You do have the brains. You always do good in class. You have amazing ideas. You always participate actively in class lectures. You care for your friends and for your special someone. I hope you'll stay as you are and be loyal and true to those who are important to you. 《Ticking Time Bomb》 You easily get annoyed, you yell when you're angry, you cuss when you're angry. But on the other side, you are a happy person. You make your friends laugh and smile. You are protective of your friends. You don't want them having a hard time. You are a true and loyal friend, just have a more patience and learn to understand or think of the things you have in mind before getting annoyed or angry. 《Responsible Is His Nickname》 You are truly the right person appointed to be in that position. In the past months, you have proven your worth. You have proven that you are worthy of that position. You have a sense of responsibility, you have the initiative and you have the authority. You deserve all of it but you can't just accept workloads that you aren't supposed to do. Learn how to say no so others won't do it again. 《Avogadro》 You have the talent in drawing beautiful pictures and you have the talent in writing meaningful works. You are so blessed. Whenever I see your drawing or when I read your works I can't helping asking myself how can you create this kind of artwork. Your talent my lead you to your success and I wish you'll take the right way in your jounrney. 《Tall and Skinny》 I have known you since elementary. I can still remember how small you were back then, but now you've grown really good. Now I look so small whenever we stand side by side. Your personality also changed, you became more cheerful and open to others. I hope that we can still be friends for the next years. 《Joker》 Your jokes are sometimes corny and funny, but I still laugh at it. You have the writing skills. Your words are deep like a bottomless pit. You are kind and humble. Stay who you are, and I'm expecting more jokes from you. 《Warrior》 You look like a warrior whenever you are holding your pen and paper that serves as your sword and shield for the coming battle. You wield your sword and strike your enemies and those strikes are your words that can tear an army down. Despite your writing skills, there are still people who has something to say to you and I don't want to see you crying because of them. They don't derserve your tears and always know that we are always here to comfort you. 《Small and Cute》 You are fun to be with. You know my secrets since grade 9. I shared my problems with you and you shared yours. You know things about my crush and I know things about yours. We had a lot of memories together and I hope we can make some more. We were good friends and forever will be. 《Ms. One-Sided》 You are a nice friend, we share our secrets to each other. We have the same bias, we share the same interests and I'm happy that were friends. I know that you have a crush, and I hope that you'll end up with him. I want you to have more moments with him. 《Ms. Laugh Out Loud》 Your laugh is funny, your laugh is loud and your laugh is contagious. Your laugh can be heard even in far distance. Whenever you start laughing, I immediately laugh. Your laugh has a domino effect, and it gives happiness to the people around you. Continue being you, continue being an awesome person. 《Queen of all Occasions》 I thank you for always inviting us. We enjoyed the foods. We had fun while we are with you. We learned a lot about you in all the times we were with you. You intoduced us to your family and to your pets. I hope you still invite us next time. 《The Queen of Smiles》 I always see you smiling, that's why I am teasing you. Everytime I see you, you have that happy look on your face. You do have a beautiful smile. I hope you'll still have that smile on your face the next time I see you. 《Friendship Awards Goes To...》 I know that you are kind hearted, that you love to joke around, you like having fun with us and you enjoy playing around. You are one of the approachable persons. You seem so friendly and I noticed that your dancing skills are good, just practice more and you might get accepted in the MTV. 《Pretender》 I never knew that you were hurt because you are laughing and smiling whenever someone says something about you. You never show or tell anyone about your inner feelings. You always keep things just to yourself. You make others worry about you. You should open up sometimes and tell others about how you truly feel. Stop pretending like you're fine even if you're not. 《Half Filipina Half Crazy》 You are one of the happiest/craziest person in the class. I always see you laughing like there's no tomorrow. You have so many funny thoughts that you share. You don't mind others thoughts about you as long you are comfortable and happy about yourself. Stay as you are, stay happy with your life. 《The Amazona Girl》 You are brave with your words and actions. You never let anyone stoop you down. You always fight back. You are fearless, but not all the time you are on the right side. Sometimes you need to accept that you are wrong instead of acting up or fighting back. 《The Playful One》 I always see her running around with her friends. She's loves hiding and playing around. I admire her playful side. She's eupeptic and to be honest she's very pretty. I hope that she stays the same despite the stressful school stuffs. 《Beauty And Brains》 We may not be close but I know that you are kind. You're the beautiful and demure. You're silent but intelligent and I know that you always work hard on the things you do. You'll achieve your dreams in time. 《Ms. Straighforward》 You are intelligent. You're a great debater. You're words are great, but i noticed tgat you're straighforward. You blurt out things without hesitation. Keep on honing your writing and speaking skills because in the future you might use it. 《Ms. Kind-hearted》 You're my seatmate for almost ten months and you are very kind to me. I have never seen her complaining about things. She's always smiling and just being happy. Always smile 《Queen Of Queens》 You are really beautiful and intelligent. You have a funny personality. You easily blend with the others and you always make us laugh with your jokes and actions. Despite your 'kakababainess' continue being at the battle front and keep on shining and pursuing your dreams. 《Ms. Palaban》 Although we're not that close, i thank you still for everything. You're humor is great and you're so 'palaban.' You're always on for arguments. You never let anyone destroy you. I wish you all the things in life that you deserve. 《Secretly Talented》 People may not know because you don't let them see the true you, but you do have a good voice and you writing skills are good. You should show others your talent and I know they will also be amazed. 《The Alphabet Girl》 I admire your literary works. Your choice of words are great. Your works are always meaningful and it gives us realizations. I also admire your talent in singing. Your voice is really good. I hope you achieve your dreams and you can be what you want to be in the future. 《Meow》 We don't talk that much but I admire your intelligence. You are supportive to your friends. You've been through things and I know that you can pass 《Smith》 We both stan the same group and I enjoy your company. We talk about our interests and you always happy. I hope you stay optimistic and I want your wishes to come true. 《Finding Eli》 You are the kind of person who's always happy and smiling. You always mention your crush even if your crush has nothing to do with the topic. But before anyone else, never forget to love yourself first. And if you really want something (him), by all means, chase it. 《Gem》 You are kind, intelligent and hard working that's why I want you to be successful in the future. Keep on honing your skills. Never stop dreaming and never stop believing that you would achieve bigger things in life. 《My Partner In Crime》 You are the person who knows me so well. We have known each other for almost 4 years and we have made a lot of memories together. We do have a lot of common interests, like in Kpop, in food, in music and a lot of times, we have the same thoughts. I hope that we could make more memories I hope that all your dreams will not just be dreams. Work hard and never give up and as someone who truly cares for you, I just want you to be genuinly happy with your life. 《Girl Your Amazing》 I am amazed by your high scores because usually you just come to class when you feel like going. Despite your absences you still manage to cope up with the lessons and be at the top. But going to school is more fun because you'll meet your friends there to cheer you up. 《She's In Love》 You are a person who's full of knowledge. I always see you laughing and smiling. You are a nice and true friend. You are a caring classmate and you are loyal to him. I know your lovestory won't come to an end, it will go on forever. Stay lovely, beautiful and caring. Always remember that we are just always behind you. 《Chant Girl》 To you who's always loud. I never expected you to have this personality. I thought that you are not talkative but when we became friends, I have learned a lot of things about you. My thoughts about you are wrong. Continue being a happy and cheerful person. I am glad that we are friends. From: 미

In which I have replies to do and end up drabbling instead. XD

Title: Protection of Heart

Summary: Sera’s always been determined to protect Sinbad, especially now that they have their son. But she’s never known how... How do you help a man infinitely more powerful than you’ll ever be? She won’t stop until she knows how... Or tell him, and that could be a problem. Headcanon drabble, based on rp’s with the always amazing @voyagerofthesun. <3 Far easier to drabble than make a headcanon post-

Training in secret may have been a bad idea, but there was little Sera could do about it. Her lessons were going wonderfully, she'd developed a style of her own... Yet the queen still lay in the middle of one of the palace's training yards, staring up at the sky with the mighty urge to groan.

She simply wasn't strong enough. While she was, by far, not the only one who could possibly protect her husband and son, she wanted to be strong enough for them to lean on. To guard her baby, and stand in the way of anything after Sinbad- If she could prevent the threats from reaching him, he'd have no further temptations to fall. No reason to recklessly use his power, and both drain himself and push that divide in him further towards the darkness. When all was said and done, she was determined to stand between him and those who wanted to take him down.

But she lacked the strength. All the speed in the world wouldn't help her if she couldn't hit hard enough to do some decent damage, though she wished she didn't have to. Actually harming anyone was the last thing she wanted to do... Why couldn't she stop them without causing possibly lethal injury? What was wrong with capturing instead of killing? Both paths would keep her family safe, though only one sounded like it'd leave her heart and soul at peace. If she could avoid harming anyone, she would.

No matter her choices, she was exhausted, and laying in the middle of the training yard wasn't going to help her any. For the moment, all she needed was a hot bath, a snack, and to crawl into bed with her husband for the next week and a half to sleep, not to fuss over how she could protect a man infinitely stronger than she would ever be. So, with the groan she'd been holding back finally escaping her lips, Sera forced herself upright and collected her practice sword, a simple wooden blade weighted to nearly match the short, curved one she usually carried. It was a welcome fit in her hand, though as soon as she got to the bath it was hitting the floor with the rest of her belongi-

The rustling of one of the bushes lining the edge of the yard caught her attention, honey gaze drifting over to look at the shaking leaves. How odd.. There was no wind, and the sun had set long ago, the area lit only by torches casting a soft glow upon the ground. The only one who knew she was out there was Sharrkan; she'd left him with strict orders to keep Sin distracted, knowing the king would be quick to try and ease her fears. But even the Heliohaptan wouldn't hide in a bush- he'd simply barge out and catch her attention like the outgoing man he was.

It was probably one of the palace's many animals, likely a cat trying to get comfortable for a nap in the oversized foliage. It wasn't like they had any shortage of pets with how often she brought animals home, and she shrugged it off, even ignoring the shuffling sounds now accompanying it to turn for the palace. She was too tired to chase cats around to take them back to the garden's animal sanctuary, anyway.

But it was a sharp gasp that made Sera pause, eyes widening. That was no cat, she was certain of that now, but a human with a rather familiar voice... Guard raising and grip tightening on her practice blade, she spun around with the intent to protect herself, only hesitating when the form that emerged from the bush was that of her lover's. “Sin- Don't do that! I thought-”

Her voice trailed off, once more growing wide as he dropped to his knees, gasping. This wasn't right... If he was upset with her for training in secret, why the dramatics? Why was he growing so pale? “This.. T-This isn't funny, Sin. I'm sorry I kept a secret from you, but...”

He wasn't being dramatic, was he?

Sinbad's lips parted, the man sucking in a sharp breath. Pain finally crossed his features, teeth gritting; something truly wasn't right... And when he fell forward, barely able to catch himself with his forearms on the ground, the knife buried in his back told her exactly why. Yet he couldn't get his voice to work, let alone call for his djinn; darkness already gnawed at the edges of his vision, the steel lodged far too close to his backbone for any kind of comfort.

All he could do was fight the heaviness in his form, the searing pain, to turn his head at the assassin emerging from the bush behind him. He needed to put some distance between them, get both himself and Sera as far away from him as he could- “You don't die quickly, do you?”

“You like to threaten the wrong people, don't you!?”

Pain or not, Sinbad grit his teeth, Sera launching herself past him to bring her sword down in a wide arc aimed for the assassin's  shoulder. To her horror, the wooden blade connected with his body, forcing him back only a step and reminding her she wasn't wielding her normal steel sword, but one clearly ineffective in an actual battle. And not helping in the least was the fact he stood a full head and a half taller than her, a muscled wall that she normally only had the pleasure of facing in Sinbad whenever they sparred... And had a smirk that sent shivers down her spine.

Before she could recover from her failed attack, he wrenched the weapon from her, snatching both of her far smaller wrists into one large hand and yanking them above her head. “The queen, as well? My orders were only to kill the king, but it seems I get a two for one deal- Watch him die, would you?”

His grip hurt, the familiar desire to either fight or go completely limp creeping into her mind. She hated having anything tight around her wrists... And more importantly, she hated being useless, wide, panicked honey glancing to Sinbad, who'd taken to trying to drag himself to his feet, though his limbs refused to work properly. Every attempt to even get upright again led to a fresh wave of pain coursing through his body, trying to keep his back straight to avoid even the slightest shift of the knife lodged in his body.

If they didn't do something soon, he'd-

“Watch him,” the assassin snarled, grabbing her chin with his free hand and forcibly turning her head towards the fallen king. “Watch him die, Queenie- And I'll finish you with the same knife! Wouldn't that be grand for you? Reunite in death!”

The panic in his eyes matched her own; why couldn't she protect him? She knew all too well if she screamed the generals would come running, but by then the damage would be done. They'd never reach him in time- Forget her own life. As long as he lived on, that was what mattered, and a scream wasn't going to do it. The angle her body was in, she couldn't even figure out a way to kick him, get him to drop her; was their story meant to end there? Was their son destined to grow up without them, inherit a kingdom before he was even a year old...?

“Stay awake, Sin.”

Her muscles tensed, hands trying to twist in the assassin's grip. She couldn't let him die... Even if it cost her her own life, Sindria needed him to live. Their son needed them both, yet what was stopping him from going after Shayan without them in the way? They both had too much left to live for, too much left to do. Nobody else could usher in the era of peace they'd dreamed of- “You have to change everything. You can't die here- Stay awake!”

Honey met amber, matched panic increasing before her own eased some. Above her, the man's grip eased before releasing her wrists, snatching only one back to pin behind her back and push her forward for a closer view. “Watch him die, your highness! Nobody's saving you here!”

“Because I'll save him myself.”

'I beg from you the power to save him- Please, grant me power!'

Twisting her body and ignoring the pain blooming in her arm from further bending it, she threw her freed hand back and dug her fingertips into his bicep. The chill that followed made even her smirk, spreading through her fingers and hand, steadily growing colder by the moment.

'I beg of you, my household- The household of the ice djinn, Valefor- Help me to save Sinbad!'

“Such a weak grip- Cold with fear, aren't you!?”

“Household vessel: Garufor Furizu!”

Command called, she focused on the chill spreading into the muscle, seeping into veins to slow and freeze anything it touched. The process was slow, far slower than she'd have liked, but it still wasn't long before the assassin's grin faded into a pain-filled frown of his own. She could feel the ice forming beneath his skin, the muscle expanding with it, see the warm blue glow and familiar marking on her wedding ring... It was an exhausting wait, yet the moment he cried out and ripped her hand off him, releasing her wrist with it, she couldn't help but feel victory back within their grasp and stumble back.

'Please Valefor- Just a little more- Help your master- Help him stay alive-!'

“You wicked wrench-!” He grabbed at his swollen arm, a fine layer of ice crystals coating the fabric of his sleeve. “I should've killed you first-”

Ducking down, she grabbed at his ankle to repeat the process, gritting her teeth the moment his other foot connected with her back and side in a sharp kick. She was already exhausted, worn and hurting, but she refused to let him get at Sinbad again- Her own life was fine, pushing everything she could into spreading ice through the joint. If she could keep him in place, force him to stay where he was, she could at least get the generals out to finish the job...! “Then try to take my life. But I won't let you have his!”

Further kicks had her hissing in pain, glancing back to check on Sinbad, who'd fallen to the ground and slightly curled up to watch. The panic had fled from his eyes, replaced with pure anger and worry; what was she doing? Why hadn't she run yet? The longer she stayed, the more she hurt, the assassin leaning down to grab at the back of her shirt and try to rip her off. Without a firm grip on her, she rolled away, hoping to pull him away; she'd not felt the ice sink far enough down to freeze him in place, and-

To her sheer delight, it was enough to topple him, the ankle locked and frozen enough to keep from bending to take a step. Finally, she could scream for help and scramble to Sin's side, brushing violet strands from his face with still cold fingers, ignoring the pained hisses and cursing of their enemy. “Stay awake. Stay awake, don't you dare die-! We need you here, do you hear me!?”

His voice wouldn't work, but he could at least smile, lifting a slow and shaky hand to cup hers against his cheek. A household vessel... He wasn't sure when that had happened, but he was proud, barely giving her hand a squeeze. “If we freeze it-” he could hear her saying, his eyes drifting half closed with the faintest of head shakes. He was immune- Valefor's ice would never take.

By the time medics rushed out of the palace, Ja'far and Sharrkan with them, his eyes had closed completely...

It was three days before Sinbad woke again, groaning under his breath. The lights were too bright even with his eyes closed, the bed too warm, and the tightness around his middle... His limbs felt like bricks, but he still dragged a hand to his ribs, finding the tightness to be crisp cotton bandages wrapped around his torso. What had...?

“Oh thank god you're awake-!”

The kiss that pressed itself to his forehead was enough to open his eyes, lips quirking into a small smile. Above him, Sera sighed in relief, giving him a wide smile of her own through forming tears. “Don't push yourself to move yet, Sin. You're still injured- Can you talk? Do you remember what happened?”

“Sera...?”

“Thank god...” She slumped a little, nuzzling the hand he brought up to her cheek a second later. Truth be told, she'd spent at least two days fearing the worst; he wouldn't wake, wouldn't move, and his breathing had been so shallow she'd refused to leave his side, leaving their son in the care of her attendants. “What do you remember, love?”

“Some.. Some bastard hiding in the bushes...” He shifted, hissing at the shock of pain the movement sent down his spine. “Behind me.”

Sera frowned, gently pressing on his shoulders to hold him still. “Don't move... An assassin. He was waiting for you... He told everything when he realized nobody was going to fix his arm. I'm so sorry, Sin. They never should've gotten that close- I should've-”

“Should've what? Sera, you didn't know. It wasn't your fault as much as it wasn't mine.” His eyes took on their familiar sparkle, fingers trailing across her cheek until he could lay the tips of them against her lips and grin. “And I got to see your household vessel.”

She stiffened before shying into herself, face flushing red. She'd not expected him to remember, thought she could hide it... “You r-remember... I ah.. I'd h-hoped I could keep it a s-secret until I had it m-mastered... It's j-just some ice, love.”

Sinbad laughed, nearly forgetting the pain still lingering in his back. “That wasn't 'just some ice'. You just mentioned fixing his arm- You did some real damage. I'm proud of you, darling. I just hope you know I keep my household members in top shape...”

The sparkle in his eyes seemed to shift, promising long days of training ahead, and Sera laughed, laying herself down beside him. They could worry about mastering her vessel some other time; she was just glad he was awake, carefully snuggling into his side and laying her head against his shoulder, relaxing in the gentle hold he wrapped around her. Though she'd slept some, unwillingly passing out after she'd made sure the medics had him safely inside, it'd been nowhere enough. Relief added to the drain on her body, and she let her eyes slide closed after a quick look at her ring. “I'll never let anyone get at you... Work me as hard as you-” a pause to yawn, “-Have to, I won't let them...”

His next laugh was little more than a chuckle, head turning to press a kiss to her forehead. “Rest, love. Recover. I'll be here when you wake.”

“Promise?” She wouldn't sleep unless-

“I promise.”

She'd hold him to that, nuzzling his shoulder as sleep finally overtook her. Maybe she really could protect him after all...