#and then she kept trying to talk about game of thrones to us | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

erinnkenobi · 1 year

Text

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 | Pevensie's blood

Jacaerys Velaryon x fem!reader

– words: nevermind.

— 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝. may contain( I really dunno) mature language and might some violence. If you're a minor, DON'T READ.

— summary. your house has been forgotten in the darkness for too much time and that's enough, as your parents doesn't has a male heir, although they don't really care about this anymore. Nonetheless. both em wishes you to marry well, besides knowing well how Westeros is within it's kingdom's is a cruel world to be a woman, your mom wishes the best for ye, a young and clever maiden. Your mom seeks for a betrothal marriage, the revelation of your presence leaves everyone with an astonished look, whose people thought that the Pevensie bloodline was gone, though what really put them with a triggered face is that you, you got for yourself a dragon, making you been seen as a threat as well someone meant to be respected in such a young age.

However in Westeros, you are now not only a damsel in distress but also a pawn for this sick game of thrones, therefore you catches everyones attention with ye cleverness and sassy tongue.

details. your mom is the only Pevensie, except by you, that remains alive, she was betrothed to a Stark Lord, your father, the house Stark has kept this secret for themselves all way long. Cregan Stark does respect your family and house, they'd be there to aid you whenever it's needed, plus house Pevensie by its own have a bunch of soldiers, people that swore loyalty to ye family. — Emrys is bigger than Balerion, yeah, I know.

Note's: English is not my mother tongue, however I hope you folks might be able to enjoy, then be easy on me and if there's any mistake I would be glad with feedbacks.

♥︎ – if you liked. (+ Reblog – if you liked)

The cold weather created a tough path that you ye mom and retinue had to face so could make at King's Landing, the weather wasn't the only problem, it was an worse situation, time before you sat foot in the targaryen land's, your family and servants passed through the northmen, paying them tributes and giving lord Cregan Stark some gifts from your homeland twas distant from those lands, however your mom and you needed to keep on track.

You were apprehensive, thinking that appearing out of nowhere without any warning and just showing up at King's Landing was madness, that your mom went mad and also your father whose agreed with, you have just nineteen years old..

"Well... I know I have to marry, but so suddenly? Who would be mad to marry a crazy maiden who's rides a bloody enormous dragon, and not even having a targaryen or velaryon blood or valyrian culture! They might think that I had stolen them or suppose that this is a sick prank"– you mentally talk with yeself.

Oh, who knows? Sometimes you have intrusive thoughts and anxiety issues, causing you being agitated, your thoughts just ease when a low feral hums behind you, making you feel on ye skin a warmth breeze, its breath as if was wooden sticks recently burnt, Emrys.

Emrys, his snout pokes your back softly interrupting your thoughts; it was his way of showing that he cares about you, so when you become unquiet, anxious or stressed, he knows. Then he'd try to help, even if he wasn't subtle he'd try anyway help you, since the day that you both connected (or the day you claimed him and won his reliance after helping heal his front paw, you could've die in that day, however he didn't did anything to you).

– I know, I know, Am I doing this again, ain't I?-you crossed your arms hugging yourself. — It's just...It's just this overwhelming and uneasy feelings.-you turn to face the huge dragon, poor boy had to turn his head to one side, so he could see all of you with one of its eyes.– What am I suppose to do when we arrive in King's Landing? What if the dragon in there attack us and what about the first impression, you know, the first impression it is what matters.

[Emrys huffs uninterested, he knows due to his size, he'd eat all of them if they tried to hurt his precious rider]

You breath in and out, calming down.

– I have you.- emrys tilts his head, he doesn't exactly knows what you meant, but he feels and tries his best at interpreting you.- I guess with you, dad and mum, I don't need to freak out, just be spontaneous yeey.-you try to cheer youself up and Emrys.– We will soon leave Winterfell, o geez, here is like living inside an ice cube, what a place! Lucky I which have an amazing dragon, in which just standing near is warmful.- you caress his scales, but stopped when you hear two well known voice. –Lykirī.

Sybilla Pevensie and Ivar Stark, Cregan Stark middle brother, a year younger, then well, you're half Stark, but carries the House Pevensie family coat of arms, the reason was simple, you were the "only" child, no. You're an older sister, your mom and dad two years ago had your younger sister, but that's not what we're talking about. You're the one that needs a husband, you're old and your parents desperately wants you married, well your mom, she cares about the future of House Pevensie, the blood, the precious Pevensie's blood, why? Once your mother said that your blood is somehow magic and she wouldn't accept it's extinction.

– Are you freezing my dear child? -your father smiles to you and wow, seeing him using traditional Stark clothes you knew; he was in home, comfortable with it's kin. You wave your head hurrying in ye dad arms, hugging him.– My little cub, these clothes ain't enough? Should I demand the serves put on more clothes in?

– Oh no dad, it will pass.- you hope so.– Eventually, I guess I am not prepared to this weather as I thought I would be.

–It's my fault, I should've bring our family more often here, your uncle said this as well, he almost couldn't recognise you and got surprised when I showed your sister.

– And where is the lovely brat?

– (y/n), don't call her by this name, couldn't just say baby?

You rolls ye eyes, Emrys just enjoyed the time for a nap while you were talking.

– She is with her uncle and auntie, and I dare to say, Cregan is not happy that you with your mom will go to King's Landing just to find a betrothal marriage, he'd confirmed for sure, that he could find a fine men here in the North and...-your father is trying the same, he didn't want you to marry someone else, well he is your father, it's understandable his denial. Your mom cuts him off.

– I said that you wanted to choose by yourself, if it didn't work well in King's Landing, we'd come back here and just giving a spoiler so we could leave this freezing realm, I will go with you to King's Landing with some servants and soldiers, your father and sister will stay here.

– What?Why mom?!-oh no, why dad won't go?

Ivat tried to say something, but ur mom replied quickly.

– Because my young maiden, he have to solve some business with his brothers and it's brethren, me and you can't waste time, ok? The path to King's Landing might take days or hours, we got nothing to lose.

Mom's right, what if the Prince in King's Landing is already married and I lose my opportunity to share my thoughts and doubts about dragons that they've could answer.

– Then... Is this a goodbye papa?-you stare at your dad who waves positively his head, you hug him again, tightly.– I'll miss you, can I see my little brat?-you look at your mom and dad, your mom denies with a soft smile, your dad huffs moody. – OK, that's good, if she sees me and cry I know I'll come back right after her, postpone our mission.

– Yes, we can't wait anymore, each seconds counts.-Ivar look at her with a grumpy mood, he doesn't like being apart of her.– I know, I'll be careful and our girl will be safe, Emrys is by her side and you promised me to look after our baby, Odette.

– I assure you my dearest woman, if something bad happens with our baby, it won't be me who would kill, Cregan and his wife already loves her, she's with them at this moment.

– Oh, it seems my baby melted their heart.-she kisses your father.– We will be back right away.– methapor. Favoravel

...

The minutes has passed, you were in barouche with mom, before we left, Cregan and his people wishes you a farewell: – Farewell, my dear (y/n) and Sybil, before you go, a wee reminder, remarking if someone out there mess with you, both of you are Starks!

'Yeah, uncle Cregan would aid our house whenever it's needed, but everytime he refers us as Stark, he misses his brother, I guess he didn't overcome the fact that my dad uses Pevensie as his surname and not Stark.'

– Of course! If someone tries anything bad, for sure I'll use the surname as my advantage, soon we will come back! -your mom waves from inside, you do the same but sending kisses in the air.

[TIME BREAK]

It was a long travel indeed, you were bored, you wanted to go with your dragon flying around in his backwards, but the weather was awful and you could probably hurt yourself, why? You didn't have a saddlery so it was pretty rough fly on his dorse, thencenforth you usually use proper gloves, shoes and even clothes, sometimes it was painful but you got familiar with it, Emrys dorse in a special part didn't have any thorns/horns, your perfect spot.

– Is he following us from above, innit?

– Yes, since we left Winterfell... –you tried to see him out of the windon.– Mom do you think bringing him out of nowhere won't scare the other dragons? They might become nervous and attack us.-Sybil sees reflexive for a moment.

– We will see, let's hope that nothing bad will happen.

This doesn't help you anxiety, what if they'd attack? A lot of intrusive thoughts runs through your mind thinking the worse, one leg start trembling, hitting softly the barouche floor. Your mom swift touches you length.

– Whatever will be, Will be, my dear daughter, mommy will be there for you, besides we also can count with our men, we are not heading to a dangerous path without being prepared, just... A reminder, we don't need tell about our magic's blood, right?

You shake your head in affirmative.

– Well mom, at least we stopped at some point and took a great shower, we will appear tidy, that's a relief.-you babble looking out of the window until you sees amidst the foggy clouds a spot stirring. - Smart dragon.-you sheepishly whisper with joy.

Before you make a surprise entrance, your mom demands to stop the barouche, she would go inside first (which you disapproved) and you? You would go with Emrys, on his back and wait for a special signal.

– Are you certain of that mom?

– Yes, I'll handle them, just because your father is not around, it doesn't mean that due me being a woman they will do anything, at first sight they will complain but when I show this pendant.-she pointed at the necklance she's using, it was made out of pure valyrian steel based silver, it's older than even Aegon The Conqueror existence, and is well preserved, a signal of loyalty and intimacy, soon it will be yours. ‐ the king mayharps know what it means, hope it is not too late so the truth of the song of ice and fire been told and avoid bloodshed.

The pendant was made of valyrian steel, purr silver, carrying on a figure of a Pegasus, the symbol that represents your House, a gift from the House Targaryen to House Pevensie due to their intimacy (with no marriage, just reliably), a symbol from a long past friendship, when Valyria lived.

– If you sure, I'll just do my part.

– Good, your part of all of this is to be a good calm girl, go with Emrys now, he waited his friend rider for too long throughout this travel.

You give her a big smile hugging your mom.

– Thank you, go ahead, I will be right behind you, I mean... Right above you.-you chuckle kissing her cheeks, before you get out of the cabin she holds you and kisses your forehead.

– My young lady, just don't mess your beautiful braided hair.

You laughed getting out of there.

– I will see with Emrys, see you soon and take care of yourself, my marvelous mom, because we might play the ugliest game, if not avoided.

– Go.

...

At the gates of King's Landing your mom faced a little trouble with the guards, but gladly it was solved with no fanfare. A knight had to accompany them but before Sybilla were able to enter, the Knight had to talk foremost with Ser Harrold, for permission, Harrold, a lord commander of the kingsguarding so he could let her come in.

Ser Harrold doubted the knight and even threatened accusing him of lying at such critical conditions right after the petitions of Driftmark , the knight then said "If you doubt of my loyalty and my disposition in favor of your Grace, the King, see for yourself her carriage my lord, her knights said she could ease our King pain, I rather die right now over lying, I saw it will my full eyes, the symbol on ghe flags around the carriage." what a bold man.

– Show me where she is. If this is a treat or fantasy it will be considered an act of treason, if she lies and kill herself the King, all of them must die.- the knight said nothing more and just guided the way.

Before Harrold could reach his way near the barouche, Pevensie's knight put himself in front of it.

– My Grace wishes quickly for an audience, she knows somehow how this moment is cruel to your King's realm, yet as her sworn knight Lod Commander, she pledged for urgency and her desires is at her orders to take, she wants to talk directly with your King, she might explain everything, Ser Harrold Westerling.

How could they know his name if the true Pevensie were all dead, weren't their lands and Highlands ruined a year before the Valyria doom?

Harrold tried to contest, but the knight said the same thing, tough he changed the sentence in last minute: "– We are here in peace and with gifts, my grace can't loses her patience nor time, if she lost it, her temper might affect all us." After that Harrold understood and quickly ran by the other knight side back to the Palace room, a few minutes ago he was able to hear a muffled roar, he thought it was the dragons from around in the dragonspit, but his consciousness says otherwise.

At the Red Keep room where everybody were gathering, Ser Harrold entered in a rush with a grumpy face. He leans his head to whisper something into the king ears which won Princess Rhaenyra, queen Alicent and the rest of the Velaryons and Targaryens attention, not metioning the handmaidens and witnesses.

Viserys first of his name looks shocked as if he could faint at the knight words which Rhaenys tries unriddle, whatever makes the her cousin looks like that is when something really bad happened or something else that might be seen in his sight wondrous, but what was it? She cannot decipher.

– Let her come in, treat her as a guest.-Viserys says to Harrold who waves positively and get himself out of the room, Alicent was desperately by his healthy as well Rhaenyra who also tried to say and bring the maesters.

– What was that dad?-Haelena question softly.

Alicent changed stares between Rhaenyra and her husband waiting also for an answer, Lord Hand is stranged.

– A wondrous visitor, my child.

Lucerys change glances with his older brother as if them could mentally talk; "Do you know something about this?" – "I don't, it seems neither mom nor Daemon knows about it, even the one‐eyed is curious."- Indeed, Aemond didn't get his sight our of the huge doors.

It was when a big entrance with fours knights entered the room, two carrying Spears entirely made of a well known steel by Daemon and the other two with sheated swords made of the same material. Viserys is trying his best so he could see what is a head of him, is this a dream? The armors of Sybilla knights carries a Pegasus on their backs and a symbol of the same animal on the center.

– A friend that comes for help, apologise for being late, there she comes, A Queen sent by the old Gods that now is out of her homeland, far from Essos, far from their Highlands there she comes to see our King, Sybilla of House Pevensie.

The lads couldn't stopped themselves from staring the knights with their weapons and now after the declaration, there she's.

Wearing a long black dress with red in honor of the colours of the house Targaryen, Rhaenyra stared your mom dumbfounded, Jacaerys and Lucerys couldn't stand their feet anymore, what is all of this?

King Viserys were speechless by it, he didn't even seen bothered by her got herself called Queen inside his Castle. Then Sybilla walked forward, followed by her guards and a man carrying a medium box in hands.

Sybilla bows kneeling before the King, and waited for his voice.

– Rise...Sybilla of House...Pevensie.

She obeyed the man, everyone at the background were muttering:– As you wish, your Grace.

– You...Are really what they've said?-his breathing is worse than ever.

– Yes, your Grace, I am a Pevensie, an only heir, yet I know that wasn't invited and We might not be seen welcomed... To the party.-she looks down on the floor seeing fresh blood, where is a Targaryen there's trouble, cliché. – King Viserys, first of his name and King of the Iron Throne, I would like to speak freely as I don't wish to waste your time, neither the time of your family nor guests.

– Continue...-he says weakly.

– Most of you all must been doubting of the veracity of my House name and if I am a real Pevensie, extinguished more than thousands of years ago, so to proof what is the truth.- she puts her necklance out and holds so everybody could see the round steel based silver jewellery, in a side was a symbol of a Pegasus, on the other the symbol of the Targaryen House, the Dragon with it's three heads.- Your Grace, shall I continue before it could be late?

Otto Hightower changes glaces over Alicent who seems lost, Lucerys were amazed by the jewelry.

– Please.. This opportunity is... A great delight.

– My house, indeed was destroyed and our first homeland also condemned by the doom, but the real doom was our ignorance and secretiveness, we used to known great things that we didn't shared with ours brethren, yet the time when we tried to share, the spirit of envy ruined it all almost provoking our last bloodshed, glad the gods were merciful and here I stand at full length and your grace.-she approaches her body to the throne but stopped.– I would like to share with you and your personal maester a medicine that could skin over your open wounds and give you furthermore month's or years living and...-Alicent bold enough to cut your mom speech asks.

– Viserys, do you believe what is she saying? Is it safe for you?-she pledge touching him.

Before your mom could continue Rhaenyra step in.

– Lady Sybilla, could you assure it, do you have any proofs?- "mom..."-Jace touches his mother's hand.- Just in case, you know?

Aegon in the same time he was bored he also finds interesting.

– Of course, princess Rhaenyra and... Consort Queen Alicent.-she tilts her head maneuvering for one of her servants near the doors using a cloak, not showing his identity until now, the man lowered it's hood revealing a deformation not only his appearance but also half of his whole arm, some fingers missing, but miraculously all of his body is now healed.

– My good Queen saved my life, your Grace.-the old bald man bows.– She saved my life so I could stay alive with my family and also, her realm most of all pregnancies succeed, blessed is their house name, she traveled all this way so she could help you, she thought she'd be welcomed.

Viserys couldn't bear what his ears were listening, with Daemon helps with Alicent by his side, all eyes following Viserys just during to stare at Sybilla.

– How much is for... This impossible miracle?-he asks our of breathe.

Sybilla smiles, Ser Otto thought all of this was false, nonsense, yet for now he's believing, someone new is coming to the game.

– At this matter, I would likely speak only by your family presence or if you'd like to go now and apply what I brought to you...-he replies quickly.

-Everybody out!- the guests leaves one by one grudgingly, the gossip would spread sooner or later.

Minutes of a dreadful silence.

– Please, Lady.. I mean, your Gra...

– Lady is fine, your Grace, I'm a foreigner in Westeros, you're the King.-she continues.– I beg you your grace for simple things, two of 'em, first... I'd like to restore our houses friendship, not only with the Targaryens but also with the Velaryon.-Sybilla looks at Rhaenys who is more than ever interested and Rhaela.– And offer you aid, I know about the conflict on Stepstones and the issue with Driftmark inheritor plus the problems with the fleets and it's ships, your Grace, I have men willing to fight, the war and troubles might not be my problem... I have not only an army, but I've enough money, I have spice trades, extract, food, fabrics which I'd like to share if our intimacy were to be restored.

– How come?-Daemon step in.

– M'sorry?- Sybilla stares at Daemon whose can't believe.

– How come you're doing all this? Why you left your homeland, do you intend take something of the King, what do...-Rhaenyra touches Daemon arms, Viserys also shussing him.

Sybilla sighs in awe.

– Sorry for my impetulance, I must be right on the goal, I mean... Target.-she pauses.– My price and pride is more than anything that I said before, yet again I must remind that I've talked about men willing to die, an army, but for what? Why Am I doing this? Because of my precious daughter.

Viserys eyes softness, Alicent worried face is now way more than interested, she eager for what may come now out of the Queen" Sybilla's mouth.

– Are your daughter in danger?- Haelena blurted, shyness overcome her again.

Sybilla denies with a soft smile.

– Not anymore, again, I don't have only weapons that men can use, not only white weapon but also a fire one.

– What do you mean by "A fire one"?- Rhaenys question.

For the gods forsaken will them stop interrupting her? Viserys is almost dying(literally) by curiosity.

– We've got a Dragon.–silent fills the air.– My daughter five years ago, at her ten-four years old found one and she claimed it, how? I don't even know how because as far as I know House Pevensie never married neither Targaryen nor Velaryons, so this is why I'm here today, because she begged me for years she pledged me and my dear husband to come to Westeros.

– Are you married? With whom?

– A Stark, that now uses Pevensie as his surname.

– Don't tell me he is...-Otto whispers, Aemond looked at his grandsire:"what?"

– Rickon Stark middle son, a year younger than Cregan Stark.–Daemon suggests slightly amazed, but he won't tell, Rhaenyra was out of breath, Sybilla Pevensie, an angel that came out of nowhere bringing good news, she must act quickly.

Damn it, Rhaenyra thought, she already betrothed Jace and Lucerys to the Velaryons, but what if she... She doesn't even know if you hand is already taken, gods be good it would be a no. However she's not the only one thinking about a brethotal marriage, Alicent since Sybilla mentioned a daughter thought it too, Aemond was free and Otto thinks the same when both of them for a millisecond changed stares.

– Indeed he's my husband.-Sybilla continues.-Before any more question, my mother made the Stark promises an oath, creating their own son a false death so no one would suspect of a marriage with some one unknown, but this is not the time to the my fairtale.

– Do you... Have an egg?-Viserys asks, your mom's face turned dark for a moment, yet were followed by a bright smile.

– Only my daughter could answer your question, your Grace.

–Well, I'd like to see her then and...As you said and I would like you to continue, tell me more about why you want to aid us, please everyone, pay respect to our guest and don't interrupt any longer.

– Thank you, your Grace.-Sybilla bows.– I'm here today because my daughter asked for it, she's nineteen years old and rides a huge Dragon.

Jace and Aesmond thought the same:" As if wer possible, Vhagar and Caraxes are the ones".

–[...] I'm afraid she could fall and hurt herself again, she's stubborn I dare to say, but is brave enough to ride a dragon with no proper supplies, though now she wears proper gloves and shoes, she'd also would like to learn more valyrian, at our castle we used to have a septa whose taught her, unfortunately eventually she passed by old age, it has been over a year, but there's more.

Rhaenyra and Alicent all by ears now, not only them but count with Jacaerys and Aemond interest, Rhaenys read Rhaenyra face, she would need one of her boys, the eldest at least.

– Go head.-Viserys awaits.

– She doesn't know, not completely, she knows that one day she'll marry, it's her duty to go ahead with my bloodline, years has passed and now is kind an urgency for me, though I would've liked she chooses by love, then I'd propose a...

– Betrothal marriage?

Aegon muttered under his breath: " geez, she's fucked up." Viserys firstborn son looks at his brother face and sees where his eyes is on, staring with a challenging look at Jacaerys who chooses to ignore him.

Sybilla waves positively her head, she won't say anymore, she's fat fattedup.

Rhaenyra sharply look exchanged Alicent, but both of them know, who you will supposedly marry it's your choice.

– And where is your daughter?- Viserys didn't care about the Betrothal insinuation, he wishes to see the dragon and it's rider.

– She's not used to be la...- A guttural roar near the Red Castle is now heard, an animalistic sound and the Lord Commander shut his eye:" Gods be good, I was a misconception."

Lucerys and Haelena ran towards the windows so they could see what was that, not only them, Jace and Aemond ran as well.

Rhaenyra whispered something to Daemon, Daemon just waved his head slightly in agreement and holds his brother, the King that was excited.

– Before we go, your Grace, I'd like to treat you first, mayharps the Queen and the Ser Harrold, plus Prince Daemon could help?-Sybilla suggest.

– Please, Lady Sybilla... I'd like to see your daughter's Dragon first, but I now you're right, would you like to dine with us?

– It's a honor, your Grace, I accept.

– Her daughter is also invited.-Alicent proposes.

– Undoubtedly, my wife.

...

You finally found a place that Emrys could stay near the castle, you go down cautiously out of your dragon who also help you by lowering his size.

– Thanks ma boy.- you fix the dress that you were using, you're not smelling bad, but unfortunately the lowers part of your dress is not as in a good state as it was.– Mom is gonna kill me.- you stand in front of one emrys eyes.– Is my hair messy? Please be honest.

The Dragon huffs which makes you step backwards, it was a yes, when you touched the back of your head and felt all of your braids dismantled, in a hurry you try to fix, but the only way was letting your hair free with its natural beauty.

–Woah.

You turn to see the voice owner, oh shit, it's a bloody beautiful boy.

Emrys lifts his head towards the boy, but before he could do anything you touch his scales.

–No, Emrys, Lykirī.-you whisper.

When you blinked, you were surrounded by teenagers, close age you guessed, but not only them, adults were coming too. Emrys is now calm and just stares at everyone, seeing if any of them would harm you.

– Fucking hell, that woman wasn't mad when she said her daughter have a huge dragon and...-Aegon was interrupted.

–Four legs!? FOUR?-Lucerys is blank.

Should you say something or just let them talk without thinking twice? You don't mind, yourself was lost when you saw the brunette as well he was infatuated with you, and then another young handsome white haired come at sight.

"Here just have handsome boys? Oh goods... My intention is not that! Stop thinking dumb brain!"

– Hm... Hello?-you wave in the air you hand stepping in so everybody could see your figure.– Yes, his name is Emrys and yes, he has four legs.-you try to sound extroverted, but you're shy, shy at first sight.

– Sorry for our lack of manners, princess ...?-Jace tries to approach you, but Emrys whiffs as a warning, you put your hand on his snout.

– Emrys.- you look with difficult at him due his lengthy.– My name is, (Y/n) Pevensie, don't need to call me a princess since I'm not at home, and yours is...? -you says in a sing songy accent.

– Jacaerys Velaryon, but you can call me Jace.

Emrys whiffs in warning again.

Tag list: @chevelledahuman

If Emrys could speak, he would just say: "mind your own businesses, brat".

773 notes · View notes

invisibleanonymousmonsters · 1 year

Text

chapter iii – gust & flame

Eris Vanserra x Reader

Eris Vanserra has been a prisoner in his own home since the day he was born. He has done what he had to in order to survive and protect the few he loves. And he is playing the long game. Waiting, waiting, and waiting for the right time to make his move, to usurp his wicked father and become High Lord of Autumn Court. But things become even more complicated when a human girl drops into his life. Perhaps Eris can wait no longer to take his throne.

Word Count: 2,600+

Warnings: spoilers for entire ACOTAR series

masterlist

Y/N kept waiting for Azriel and Rhysand to return.

But they didn’t.

A few days past, and she gathered the courage to finally take a look around.

Food had continued to mysteriously appear on various surfaces of her bedroom. And she imagined that was the sentient part of the house Rhysand was talking about.

Y/N was grateful for its attentiveness, for she wasn’t used to eating so consistently.

When Y/N finally tiptoed out of her bedroom, she was surprised to find no one guarding her door.

She knew better than to trust people. And despite Rhysand repeatedly saying she was safe in the Night Court, she had learned the hard way not to trust men…or males.

Y/N took a few steps and then realized she was leaving the safety of her bedroom completely weaponless.

Similar to how Rhysand looked up when speaking to the house, Y/N did the same. “Umm…do you know where I could get a sword…or-or-or perhaps a knife. Maybe even a bow and arrow?”

Suddenly, a sheathed knife dropped from the sky. Y/N caught it easily and smiled down at the weapon in her hand. This place really did have a mind of its own.

“Thank you,” Y/N said sweetly to the ceiling.

And then a second object dropped.

This was a belt that the sheath could attach to, so the knife was discreetly at her back. It made the weapon easily accessible, but slightly hidden at first glance.

Y/N smiled even brighter, “Thank you again!”

But then she hesitated, realizing she had no idea where to go.

So she started to walk toward the nearest windows. But quickly realized they weren’t windows at all. It was open to the elements. The sky outlined beautifully by grand arches. The opening faced the opposite direction of her bedroom windows, which was what peaked her curiosity in the first place.

But nothing could’ve prepared her for the view.

Below was an entire city. A fae city.

Y/N’s eyes widened at its beauty. She had only ever resided in the mortal lands. And she had been to a few larger cities, but none compared to this – even viewing from so far away, she knew this.

“How do I get down there?” She whispered to herself.

But the House of Wind still answered.

Suddenly the sconce a few feet to the right of Y/N flickered brightly with faelight. And then another one down a hall lit.

Y/N quickly realized the house was showing her a path. And she didn’t hesitate to follow.

A few minutes later, she was at the tallest staircase she’d ever seen in her life.

“Fuck,” Y/N hissed as she looked down.

And even that echoed creepily down the dark and windy passageway.

“Isn’t there any other way?” She asked the house, looking up.

But the house’s only response was lighting all the sconces down the spiral stairwell.

Before Y/N could try and take the first step, a gust of wind came through the archways, blowing past her.

Her eyes closed to listen.

“Are you sure?” She whispered to the wind.

Another gust, stronger this time, swirled around her.

Y/N opened her eyes and nodded shakily as she slowly tiptoed to the edge, looking down at the drop.

And with a small step off the ledge, Y/N fell.

–––––

Despite it being midday, Azriel was fast asleep in his bedroom.

Being the Spymaster of the Night Court often meant Rhysand sent him out on missions at all hours of the night. And it often left Azriel to become slightly nocturnal.

But it seemed his shadows had no intention of letting him find rest.

“She’s left the House of Wind. Velaris. The steps. Velaris. The wind. Wake up!”

They all spoke at once, making it hard to understand at first.

But Azriel sat up and managed to figure out that Y/N had clearly left the House of Wind.

Impossible, he thought.

Nesta was the only person he knew that ever managed the entire staircase. But Y/N was human, which made it even more impossible.

–––––

Y/N was right: it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen.

She felt like she had found some sort of Utopia. Everyone seemed so content with their lives. There weren’t beggars everywhere, desperate for their next meal. Everyone looked clean and well-fed…and dare she say…happy?

Hadn’t these people just recovered from a war?

Y/N was so in awe of the city, that it took her a few moments to notice that everyone seemed to be eyeing her curiously. There wasn’t judgment per say, just mostly…confusion.

She looked down at her outfit.

There had been clothes in the wardrobe of her bedroom. And by some miracle, they had all been made perfectly in her size, which could she could only imagine was done on purpose. There were equal pairs of pants and tops as there were dresses, as if whoever picked the clothes out was prioritizing her comfort over anything else.

Y/N eventually picked out the least fanciful dress, but it was still the most lavish and expensive piece of clothing she’d ever worn.

“It’s not your clothes,” a deep voice said behind her.

Y/N whipped around to find Azriel watching her a few yards away with an amused expression on his face.

His shadows were peaking over his wings and sides, as if they wanted a glance at Y/N, but didn’t want to frighten her.

“Though I’m sure they are wondering why you have an aversion to shoes…” Azriel added, nodding toward her bare feet.

Y/N’s face heated. “I…I do not like things covering my feet if the elements allow it. I find it easier to move about swiftly and discreetly.”

Then a few males walked by – High Fae, to be exact – and all three stopped their conversation to study her as they passed.

Y/N shifted her weight awkwardly, hating the attention.

“They’re looking at you because you are human,” Azriel finally explained, taking a step closer to her and giving the males a warning look.

Y/N’s mouth opened at the revelation. Then, rather sloppily, she brushed her hair to cover her ears.

“That won’t do you any good,” Azriel commented. “It’s your scent.”

“Oh,” she said lamely.

“How did you get down here?”

Y/N shrugged. “The stairs. The house showed me.”

“Those stairs are made out of 10,000 steps. Each a foot tall. I would know, I’ve been made to go up them as punishment many a time in my youth.”

“Well, then I guess I am much faster than you,” Y/N dared, raising a brow.

Azriel fully smiled at the comment.

“Are your shadows spying on me?” She accused.

“What would make you think that?”

“How else would you know I made it down here?” Y/N crossed her arms. “You are the Spymaster, after all. Your High Lord says I am not a prisoner, yet you locked me in a castle with only one impossible exit. And you are having me followed.”

“Your safety is important to this Court.”

“Why?” She challenged.

Azriel knew he was entering dangerous territory. Rhysand had made it clear that no one was to expose that Eris was her mate.

“Because you are our guest,” he finally answered smoothly.

Y/N narrowed her eyes, proving that she didn’t believe him.

“Come,” Azriel quickly changed the subject and nodded his head in the general direction behind her. “The High Lady’s studio is near and she has been wanting to meet you.”

As he stepped closer, Y/N didn’t realize her right hand had moved behind her back to grab the hilt of her dagger.

“And where, may I ask, did you find a weapon?” Azriel asked evenly.

“The house,” was all she said.

“She seems to have taken a liking to you,” Azriel smirked.

“She?”

“Nesta would cut off our balls if she ever heard us refer to it as a ‘he’…”

“The one they call Death?”

Azriel’s gaze narrowed. “You told you that?”

She suddenly looked nervous. “No one. Never mind. I’m sorry”

Then she started walking quickly with her head bowed.

Azriel decided not to push her. Clearly Y/N knew things that she shouldn’t. And Azriel wanted to figure out how. Because she was convincing Azriel more and more that he was right about her being a spy, a plant.

A few minutes later, they were standing in front of an art studio.

“The High Lady has a studio?” Y/N asked.

Azriel nodded. “After the attack on Velaris, she used it to help those who were recovering, particularly children.”

He pushed open the door and found that they had walked in on a session.

Feyre looked up and smiled at Azriel. Her smile dropped only slightly when he noticed who was with him.

The High Lady whispered something to the only other adult in the room, probably asking her to take over with the children.

“Hello, you must be Y/N.”

Y/N figured she was supposed to do something in the presence of royalty, so she started to do something between a curtsy and a bow. (When meeting Rhysand, the thought hadn’t even occurred to her. She was too busy trying to think of how to escape or defend herself from a possible attack.)

“Oh, please,” Feyre rushed forward. “We don’t do such things here.”

“Ohh,” Y/N stuttered, clearly embarrassed.

“Would you like some tea?” Feyre asked sweetly.

“I…umm…sure? I mean, yes." Her eyes widened. "Please!" Her head bowed in shame. "Ehm. Thank you.”

Feyre shared an amused look with Azriel.

I don’t think she has spent a lot of time around other people, Azriel spoke to his High Lady through her mind.

Rhys had told me he assumed the same, she agreed. I just wanted to speak with her alone. Rhys also believes you males don’t make her very comfortable.

I shall stay with the children.

–––––

Y/N looked around at what appeared to be somewhat of a study or office.

A cup of tea was placed in front of her, snapping Y/N out of her observations.

“I have no intention of pretending to know what you’ve been through. But I can only imagine it was very hard,” Feyre started, sitting in the chair adjacent to hers.

“Do you wish to use me?” Y/N whispered quickly.

Feyre leaned back. “Pardon?”

“Use me.”

“Whatever for?” Feyre asked.

“I don’t understand why you’re being so kind to me. Keeping me in your palace. Giving me food and fancy clothes. What do you want from me?”

“Nothing. We want nothing from you, Y/N. You are our guest.”

“I’ve lived long enough to know that kindness isn’t freely given. It comes with a price. And I would rather know what is expected of me before it is too late.”

Feyre sighed and put her teacup down. “I don’t know how else to convince you, Y/N. But I understand your weariness to trust us.”

Y/N stared into her tea. “They say you are good. You and your…mate. Your intentions virtuous and progressive.”

“They?” Feyre asked.

Y/N shrunk into herself, realizing she shouldn’t have said what she did.

Feyre shifted closer. “What I am about to ask you is intrusive and you do not have to answer? But it is important that I ask.” She took a deep breath. “Are you a…witch?”

Y/N couldn’t help but smirk at the word.

Then Feyre looked down to see that Y/N’s tea was stirring itself.

“My mother forbid me to use that word,” Y/N whispered.

Feyre leaned closer. “Why?”

Y/N’s eyes finally lifted to meet her gaze. “Because we are not evil.”

Then she closed her eyes and winced. “Yes, I am a witch. But not all witches are bad. We do not drink the blood of others. We do not harm anyone. We have our ways, and all we wish is to be left alone.”

“We can sense it, you know?” Feyre said gently. “Your power.”

Y/N scoffed at that. “We are too powerful to be accepted by humans, but too weak to even compare to Fae.”

“That is why you asked if we were planning on using you?” Feyre asked softly.

Y/N nodded. “My kind has been kidnapped and used against our will for centuries. People who are desperate for power think they can manipulate or torture us into helping them gain it.”

Feyre gave her a sympathetic look and risked scaring off Y/N by reaching across the table to place her hand over Y/N’s.

“I will not pretend to know your story, Y/N. But not even a fool would fail to see that you’ve been through hardships that no one should. I hope one day you trust me enough to share your story.” Then Feyre’s eyes turned sad. “I have learned that keeping such trauma in one’s head only leads to more suffering.”

Thankfully, Y/N didn’t wince at Feyre’s touch. In fact, it seemed to actually comfort her.

She gave Feyre a grateful nod, but that was all.

“You are lucky to have a mate who has access to your head,” Y/N commented.

Feyre seemed taken aback by the surprise.

But when Y/N started giggling, Feyre couldn’t help but join in.

––––––

Eris sat in his quarters staring into his enormous fireplace, mentally exhausted from another day of political games and devious scheming.

His father had already forgotten about the lost merchants. Most likely because his associate already had another shipment of mortal slaves to replace the lost ones.

It made Eris sick knowing such trading was going on in Autumn Court. Even worse, he couldn’t put a stop to it without bringing the wrong attention onto himself. And if Beron found out he was meddling in his investments, it would only cause suspicion and...terrible punishment.

Eris was about to finally allow himself rest when a note appeared on the side table next to his left hand.

His entire body froze.

He already knew who it was from.

Eris had not requested correspondence from Rhysand. Because he did not dare risk it.

But the High Lord of Night Court was no fool. He sent a letter that was untraceable and could only be read for its intended recipient.

Eris slowly picked it up.

She has recovered swiftly. Y/N is her name.

Eris’ teeth were grinding hard enough to crack.

Why? Why did he have to tell him?

Rhysand understood more than anyone the lengths a male would go to protect his mate. Didn’t he understand? The High Lord of Night Court almost let his mate marry another to ensure her happiness. How did he not understand that the further Eris was from her, the safer and happier she would be?

Eris lit the note on fire and watched it turn to ash in his hand. If Rhysand expected a response, he would not receive it.

But now Eris could not forget that name. It was engrained in his mind, in his heart, in his very soul.

As he slept that night, his dreams changed.

Y/N was nowhere to be found.

Eris was walking in the forests he knew so well, air golden from the sun reflecting off the orange and red leaves.

He felt anxious, as if he were looking desperately for something.

Suddenly, a gust of wind whipped around him. So strong, that it stopped him in his path.

But with the wind, traveled a voice. Though he had never heard her speak, Eris knew it was Y/N speaking to him through the wind.

“Won’t you tell me your name?”

–––––

I should've warned the 4 people reading this that it was going to be a slow burn. I know you're probably anxious to see Eris and reader interact. But just...be patient.

but please let me know if you're liking it!

what do you think will happen when they finally meet?

what do you want to see?

chapter iv

#eris vanserra #eris acotar #eris x reader #eris vanserra x reader #acotar #a court of thorns & roses #eris vanserra reader insert #autumn court #feyre archeron #high lady of night court #azriel

447 notes · View notes

dialovers-translations · 1 year

Text

DIABOLIK LOVERS CHAOS LINEAGE Yoyaku Tokuten Drama CD ”Awakened to Chaos”

Original title: 混沌への目覚め

Source: Diabolik Lovers CHAOS LINEAGE Yoyaku Tokuten Drama CD

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Toriumi Kousuke, Katsuyuki Konishi, Midorikawa Hikaru, Kaji Yuki, Hirakawa Daisuke, Kondou Takashi, Takahiro Sakurai, Kimura Ryouhei, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Kishio Daisuke, Morikawa Toshiyuki, Morikubo Shoutari & Tomoaki Maeno

Translator’s note: Phew. This CD was quite the challenge since it’s a whole 40 minutes long. I have translated long drama CDs plenty of times in the past but it honestly had been a while since I came across one which is longer than half an hour. I guess this CD is meant to be kind of an introduction to the game since it’s pretty much just every boy realizing that something feels ‘off’ about their current family as well as harboring strong feelings for Eve which they cannot quite explain since they’ve all lost their memories and are therefore under the assumption that she’s an absolute stranger to them.

Ayato: God…Ruki really had to force us to sit through some long-ass strategy meeting as soon as the Supreme Overlord passed away. They talked ‘bout way too much useless crap! All that really matters is that tomorrow we should go and steal Eve - the vital piece in becoming the next Overlord - from the Church, right?

Yet he kept on ramblin’ on ‘bout other random bullshit. …No way in hell I’m lettin’ those other bastards have Eve. I’ll burst into that Church first and make her mine, no matter what. I won’t let Ruki have her either. I could care less that he’s the ‘oldest’ of the family. I don’t see why I should give her up to him. I’ll become the Supreme Overlord and rise to the top! ーー Exactly. That’s the only reason why I’m interested in Eve in the first place. …Or at least, it should be. So why does something feel off? Is that really…the only reason why I want Eve so badly? Or do I have an even better reasoning for yearning after her…? Hm…

*Rustle*

Ayato: Argh! Enough thinkin’...! I’m gonna see her tomorrow anyway. That might help me figure this out.

Ayato keeps on walking.

Ayato: …Ah? Where am I? I was just mindlessly wanderin’ ‘round and ended up quite far away. …Aah!? Isn’t this place close to the Scarlet family’s manor!? Fuck… Did I really come that far? …Wait, is that?

*Rustle*

Ayato: That’s Shuu from the Scarlet Family sittin’ by that tree, isn’t it? Why is he sleepin’ over there? …Heh, whatever. Imma kick his ass to get rid of this annoyin’ feelin’.

Ayato approaches Shuu.

Ayato: ーー Oi, Shuu! Why are you nappin’ over here!?

*Rustle rustle*

Shuu: Nn…Nnh…

Ayato: Wake up! …Get up and face me.

Shuu: Oh…Ayato, it’s you. What brings you here?

Ayato: I’m feelin’ restless right now. Which means it’s the perfect time for a fight!

Shuu: God…I can’t even sleep in peace here?

Ayato: Oi, get a grip of yourself! What’s the fun in fightin’ someone who’s still half asleep?

Shuu: Shut up…I’m not going to fight you. Go away.

Ayato: Oh come on, be my opponent! Stand up already!

Shuu: Pwaah…

Ayato: Che…You don’t know how to have fun. Guess there’s no point in tryin’ to battle a damn sissy. Whatever! I’m goin’ home!

Ayato stomps away.

Shuu: Haah…He finally left, huh? Guess I’ll go for another nap.

*Rustle*

Shuu: Oh…Tomorrow we’re heading for the Church to steal Eve, aren’t we? What a pain. Oh well. I guess it won’t matter if I’m not there. I’m sure Reiji will fix it somehow. He was really in his element during our strategy meeting earlier. Reiji wants to make Eve his and rise the throne as the Supreme Overlord. I’m not interested in doing so, hence why I don’t mind helping him out where I can but…What’s even the point in defeating the other families, claiming Eve and earning the title of Supreme Overlord? Doesn’t he know that when you earn something highly valuable, the responsibility might become too much as you’ll crumble? Even if you try to overcome that, you’ll only find the pressure weighing down on you, leading to nothing but pain and suffering. Does Reiji realize that?

I’m not strong enough to crawl my way back out once I’ve fallen down that pit of misery. I honestly don’t understand Reiji for trying to put himself through all that pain and suffering.

Well…I guess I can think about it all I want, I won’t find the answer. I’m sure things will become clear once he brings Eve to our manor tomorrow.

Eve…shall be mine. ーー Wait, what? What did I say just now…? Ugh…Enough of this. Nothing good ever comes from me wanting something. Exactly…It has always been like that.

Huh…? Why…? Why would I…think that way…?

Yuma approaches him.

Yuma: Oi, Shuu! Get the fuck up already!

Shuu: Hah? …Oh, Yuma, it’s you.

Yuma: ‘Oh, it’s you’, my ass! I already found it strange how ya left right after the meeting and just as I thought, ya were snoozin’ over here. Try and think ‘bout those ‘round you! I’m always the one they ask to come fetch yer damn ass. Stop makin’ it hard on me.

Shuu: Guess I’ll go back or else Reiji will scold me for the rest of the day.

Yuma: You do that.

Yuma walks away.

Shuu: Where are you going? You’re not going back with me?

Yuma: Nope. Reiji said he wants some of my fresh veggies for cookin’, so imma drop by my garden real quick. There’s a few I still have to harvest first.

Shuu: I see. I don’t need any, okay?

Yuma: Aah!? You won’t eat my veggies!? Stop seein’ everythin’ as a chore and just give them a try! They’re so good, even the guys from the other families were surprised when I fed them to them! …Of course, it’s entirely up to me whether I share with them or not.

Shuu: Haah…Yuma. As soon as we make our move tomorrow, a fight over Eve will break loose and we will become actual opponents So you probably shouldn’t mention anything about giving food to the enemy, even if it was meant as a joke.

Yuma: Ugh. …Haahー I know. Don’t get all serious.

Shuu: I sure hope you do. …Oh well, whatever. The final decision is still up to you. Just don’t cause me trouble as well.

Yuma: S-Sure…

Shuu: I’m heading back inside.

Shuu leaves.

*TIMESKIP*

*Snap*

Yuma: These tomatoes are first-class…both in terms of color and size…

*Snap*

Yuma: …The other families are now our enemy in every sense of the word, huh? I mean, I didn’t need to have him tell me that. …Still, I wonder why…When I think ‘bout that, for some reason those three come to mind…Azusa, Kou and Ruki. It’s not like I’ve forgotten that they’re our enemy and I really just want to share my vegetables with my brothers but…Why do I somehow feel the need to have those three try them as well? Am I feelin’ pity for the enemy ‘cause food is scarce in this area…? Is that why I want to feed them…or maybe…?

*Rustle*

Yuma: Ah, it’s no use! I can’t figure it out! …But what’s the point in even rackin’ my brains over this? …Actually, now that you mention it…Whenever I was feelin’ stressed out like this…I believe there was always someone there with me, smiling and tellin’ me everythin’ will be alright…? Some silly girl who could be surprisingly stubborn yet way too good for this world…confrontin’ me directly with no fear despite bein’ a weakling. …Fuck! Enough of this. I’m only makin’ myself feel even more confused…

He gets up.

Yuma: I better head back to the manor already. ーー Wait! You bastard! What are you doin’ over there!?

Kou: Oh shoot, he saw me!

Yuma: You’re Kou from the Violet Family, aren’t ya!? …Why does this guy have to show up right now?

Kou: Hm? Did you say something?

Yuma: No, nothin’! Anyway, how did you get in!? And that’s one of my carrots in your hand, isn’t it!? Give it back!

Kou: Eeh~? Come on, you can share a little with us, can’t you? See you! I’ll gladly take this~

Kou makes a run for it.

Yuma: Wait, you bastard! …Fuck. He’s quick to flee. He better believe I won’t forget ‘bout this!

*SCENE SHIFT*

Kou: …Haah~ That gave me a scare. I didn’t think Yuma would be there on the field. I was in the mood for a quick snack after having to sit through Carla-kun’s never-ending strategy meeting, so I don’t understand why he had to get so upset over it. However, we don’t grow our own vegetables at the manor and it isn’t fair how only the Scarlet Family gets to enjoy fresh produce, right? I mean, we do have food over at our place as well and I’m not exactly a picky eater either, but the stuff we have at home just doesn’t fill me up.

Kou starts walking back home.

*TIMESKIP*

Kou: …There we go! I better store the food I stole away. I’m hungry but I’ll just have to bear with it for now. I’m sure Azusa-kun would like to eat together after all.

*Thud*

Kou: Now that I’m getting a better look at them, these carrots really look delicious! I guess it’s not exactly fair how I got to have such high-quality vegetables for free? Maybe I should give them something in return?

But they’re our enemy. …When you get something, you have to give something back in exchange. The world is all about give-and-take after all.

Regardless of one’s personal relationship, everything comes at a price. That has never bothered me and it never will…I guess?

…I wonder why? For some reason…I felt like I just doubted my own thoughts…Someone’s kind words…Their warmth…As if there was someone who told me that…sometimes people don’t expect anything in return…And this person opened my eyes to what ‘love’ is…learning me how to hold someone dear…Fufu…No, must be my imagination. We’ll get to meet Eve tomorrow, so that’s probably why my emotions are a bit all over the place, right? I wonder what she’s like? I’m so excited~

Somebody enters the kitchen.

Kou: …Hm? Oh? What are you doing here in the kitchen, Subaru-kun?

Subaru: Che…So this is where you’ve been.

Kou: That’s how you greet me? How cold. Maybe you should try being a little nicer to your Onii-chan~? So, what brings you here? Were you looking for me?

Subaru: Not me. Azusa was looking for you. …He needs to tell you somethin’, I believe.

Kou: He does? I’ll go to him then. See you, Subaru-kun~

Subaru: Waitー! Azusa went outside in search of you!

Kou: I see! Gotcha! Thanks for telling me!

Subaru: Haah…I can’t believe Kou…He’s seriously goin’ out to look for Azusa? He doesn’t know where exactly he is, does he? …Those two never change. The way they always cling to each other makes me gag. I prefer bein’ alone, that’s the best. That’s why I can’t relate to them. How do they keep up with that buddy-buddy crap?

I don’t…get it? No? I shouldn’t…but…Why does it feel like there was someone who tried to understand my point of view and take it into account…? Somebody who would be there by my side, smilin’...Always comin’ back no matter how many times I would push them away…Hah! …There’s no way. I can’t believe someone as naive actually exists… I will always be alone. I don’t give a damn ‘bout Eve either. We’re gonna take her tomorrow and that’ll be the end of it. Then Carla will take the necessary steps to become the Supreme Overlord.

…Che. For some reason, it doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t give a damn ‘bout bein’ the Supreme Overlord. But…I’m not sure why but…I just don’t like the idea of Carla claimin’ Eve - who is the key to earning that title - as his… I wonder why I feel this way? …Eve is just some random chick I’ve never even met…So why would I care ‘bout her?

He moves to the living room.

*Thud*

Carla: …Subaru. Where have you been?

Subaru: Oh, Carla. You’re still in the living room? The strategy meeting ended a while ago, didn’t it?

Carla: And what have you been doing, wandering around the manor?

Subaru: Shut up! That’s none of your business, is it!?

Carla: Hmph. For now, perhaps. However, I believe the tension between the different Families will increase as a result of the fight over Eve. So you better believe that I shall not allow you to act of your own accord.

Subaru: Tsk…I know! Fuck off…

Subaru leaves the room.

Carla: Including Subaru, all of my younger brothers obey me to a certain degree, but I cannot sense any devotion from them. Is this what I can expect from a younger brother? I wonder why they just seem lacking in that regard…? No, I suppose it is a mistake on my part for trying to expect anything from them in the first place. As long as they do what I want from them and do not get in my way, I suppose I can oversee their other shortcomings.

I should think of the bigger picture and present myself as generous and large-hearted. There is nobody out there who is more fit to become the Supreme Overlord than I am. I shall make Eve my bride without fail and rise the throne. …Marry her? No. I suppose that will not be necessary. While obtaining Eve is one of the conditions to becoming the Supreme Overlord, I do not believe it is necessary to marry her.

Yet…Why? Why would I say that I will make her my bride? Did I speak without thinking? I wonder if there is part of me who wants to marry her? That does not make any sense. I do not need a younger brother who will vow his loyalty to me, nor a wife willing to spend her life alongside me. Everything I do are but the necessary steps in order to rise the throne as the Supreme Overlord.

However, is that actually true? Why should it be like that? Hm…It is unusual for me to experience internal conflict. I suppose I should step outside and get some fresh air.

Carla leaves the room.

Carla: …Hm? That is…? What is a member from another family doing, sneaking around our manor? Looking at them from behind…I believe that is Shin from the Orange Family. What has brought him here?

Carla approaches Shin.

Carla: You fiend! What are you doing over here?

Shin: ーー !?

*Rustle*

Shin: …Ugh.

Carla: What’s wrong? Are you not going to answer my question? What are you doing nearby our manor?

Shin: I’m out on a walk…

Carla: A walk? Silly jokes do not work on me. Now tell me the truth.

Shin: Should have figured as much. I guess I shouldn’t underestimate the eldest son. …They’re always on top of their game.

Carla: Hmph. You’re as much of a goof as ever. I shall let it slide this once. Now leave at once.

Shin: Really? You’re letting me go surprisingly easily.

Carla: Tomorrow is a very important day. I would like to avoid wasting unnecessary energy now. However, do not misunderstand my words. We will not show any mercy the moment you attempt to do us wrong.

Carla walks away.

Shin: And with that, off he goes…I thought he’d attack me, but I lucked out that he just went back to his manor. Carla…Whenever I run into him, I can sense that he’s no ordinary guy. Like I have to stay sharp or I’ll get completely overwhelmed. For some reason, I can’t help but want to surrender to him. That honestly pisses me off. Must be nice to be so confident in one’s capabilities. But you better not think things will go as you want…

While the big guys are fighting it out, I’ll wait for the right time and swoop in to make Eve mine… Carla, I’ll surpass you as well. …And my own Nii-san as well. Once I claim Eve for myself, I’ll mess her up right in front of you all. I’ll show you just how powerful I am.

Hah…Or at least, that was the plan but for some reason…The mental image of this girl whom I’ve never even met in tears makes me uncomfortable! Shouldn’t I get a huge kick out of making her scream out in pain!? Yet I find myself…wanting to see her smile instead. Why!? How!? Why do I think that way!? Somewhere deep down, I don’t even care about becoming the Supreme Overlord or not…Instead, all I want is for her to be by my side…

What scares me more than anything else in this world…is losing her.

*Rustle*

Shin: Ugh…What am I even saying!? I haven’t even met her before!? Are my emotions out of control because we’re going to steal her from the Church tomorrow? …I should stop racking my brain over useless crap. No matter what happens, I’ll be the one snatching her away and showing everyone what I’m made of. That’s all I need to do right now. That’s why I’ll play the role of your obedient dog until then, Nii-san.

Shin walks away.

*TIMESKIP*

*Thud*

Shin: I’m home, Nii-san. So you were in the living room.

Ruki: Yes. You’ve come back from your investigation, Shin?

Shin: Yeah. I went to check up on the Violet Family, but it didn’t seem like they were up to anything in particular.

Ruki: I see. …However, I doubt our enemy is as stupid as to do anything that will make them stand out at a time like this. We will keep our guard up high just in case they are plotting something behind the scenes.

Shin: Good idea, Nii-san. I’ll go and rest up in my room then.

Ruki: Yes. Good work.

Shin leaves the living room.

Ruki: Not only does he heed my orders, but he never forgets to report back to me. It cannot be denied that Shin is very competent. I should have nothing to complain about with a younger brother like that. Still, I wonder why…? It feels as if something is missing. At the same time, I get this same kind of strange feeling from Ayato and Kanato, who both refuse to properly listen to me. I’ve lost count of the amount of times they’ve gotten into arguments with Shin as well. Are those three actually my siblings…?

However, for now that shouldn’t be an issue. I should focus solely on how I can become the Supreme Overlord and let other trivial inconveniences slide. I am the only one who is suitable to inherit the legacy of the former Ruler and rise to the throne next. My devotion and respect is perfect proof of that. I won’t hesitate to make Eve mine and become the Supreme Overlord. However…What if she refuses me? Will I be able to insist on the fact that I am worthy of said position nevertheless? Will I be able to tell her that I am the suitable King, and therefore she should choose me…?

*Rustle*

Ruki: No, I am stressing myself out for no reason, aren’t I? …Eve…I am sure that she - as someone who has endured a never-ending onslaught of pain and suffering - will surely choose me. …!! …What was that just now…? Why did I speak those words just now…? Why would I assume such ridiculous things about a girl I have never even met…?

Somebody enters the room.

*Thud*

Ruki: Hm? Who’s there?

Kanato: Ah, Ruki. This is where you’ve been. …I’ve run out of sweets for the day. Please do something about that right now.

Ruki: You again, Kanato? How many times do I have to tell you that you will simply have to make do with your daily amount?

Kanato: And how many times do I have to tell you that this ‘daily amount’ is simply not enough to satisfy me? Are you perhaps doing this on purpose because you want to see me in distress? You are, aren’t you!?

Ruki: You can cry and complain all you want, but you’ve gotten your amount for the day. You should learn to hold back a little. You are being too much of a glutton.

Kanato: …I am absolutely starving for something sweet and you’re just going to completely disregard that? You’re basically saying that you don’t care about me at all, do you!?

Ruki: Nobody is saying that. However, I do believe that you should try and limit your snacking.

Kanato: Kuh…Whatever! There’s no point talking to you!

Kanato storms out of the room.

*SCENE SHIFT*

Kanato: Good grief…It’s outrageous how I’m not allowed to indulge in sweets to my heart’s content! I’ve had enough of my life at that manor, I simply cannot stand it anymore. Now that I think about it…I wonder how exactly I survived with an older brother like that for so many years? Ruki has always been the one supplying my sweets, so you would think that I would have grown accustomed to it by now, yet…Hm…How odd…I feel as if there was a time where I was able to actually get my sugar fix…

…Haahー This craving for something sweet is driving me absolutely crazy. I wish that stubborn Ruki would also get a taste of this pain! …Ah. Right! I suppose it wouldn’t be a bad idea if I were to claim Eve as mine, seeing as that’s the only thing Ruki is actually desperate for.

Besides, everything seems to be after all. I am sure it will give me access to truly sweet and delicious blood~ There are plenty of reasons as to why I would want to get my hands on her. …Fufu. It’s strange. For some reason I’ve got this warm feeling inside. Just thinking about Eve fills me with a sense of joy. ーー I shall make her mine. Mm~ Wonderful! It was just spontaneous thought at first but right now I want to have her no matter what. But I wonder why I’m getting so excited over some random girl whom I’ve never even met before…?

Somebody approaches him.

Laito: What are you smirking about, Kanato?

Kanato: Ah, if it isn’t Laito. I do not want to hear that from the guy who always has that creepy grin on his face.

Laito: Oh come on, no need to be so rude to me. I don’t see why we can’t have a friendly chat just because our families aren’t on good terms? There’s still a couple of hours before we start fighting over Eve after all.

Hey, tell me. What were you thinking about?

Kanato: Nothing special. Just that I’m kind of tired of my life here.

Laito: Heeh~ How come?

Kanato: Shut up. I don’t see why I would need to tell you.

Laito: Ah! Then why don’t I tell you what has brought me here today instead? Carla sure knows how to work his younger brothers to the bone, you see. When I’m at the manor, he’ll assign me all sort of taーー

Kanato: Did I not tell you to shut up!? Don’t talk to me, please.

Kanato walks away.

Laito: Ahーah~ Off he goes. Hm…I didn’t know Kanato hated his life here that much. I kind of enjoy it myself though. There’s five of us brothers but we all get along so well, it’s lovely~ Well, I have to say that I don’t know how everyone truly feels about it deep down.

Anyway, I’m very much looking forward to welcoming Eve to our manor tomorrow~ I wonder how her face will twist in pain when I mess with her? Maybe she’ll beg me to stop as tears stream down her cheeks? Nfu~ Just thinking about it makes me all excited. Although I’m sure Carla will want to keep her all to himself, but I should be able to get a little taste as well, right?

But…Deep down, I also can’t help but think of how nice it would be if she could be mine instead. …I could care less about becoming the Supreme Overlord. All I want is for someone to show me affection because they truly care for me, not because I’m someone’s substitute. I don’t want to lose that sort of person…Fufu, just kidding. What am I even expecting from a girl I’ve never met? Oh geez. I’m not acting like myself, am I?

…Huh? Walking over there, is that…? …Fufu~ Azusa-kuuun~!

Azusa: …!?

Laito approaches him.

Laito: Why do you seem so surprised? Did you think I was the enemy or something?

Azusa: …Y-Yeah…I thought I would get ambushed…which spooked me…

Laito: I guess I can’t blame you for feeling that way, considering the current situation. Anyway, what has brought you here?

Azusa: Ah…Um…I left to look for Kou…

Laito: Heeh…I see. So that’s why you’re this far from our home? You’re almost at Scarlet territory, you see?

Azusa: I see…I couldn’t find Kou inside the manor…So I figured he might have gone outside…

Laito: Even so, don’t you think you wandered a little too far away? Besides, I actually spotted Kou in the kitchen right before I left the house myself. I’m sure the two of you missed each other.

Azusa: I see…In that case…I’ll return to the manor. …What about you, Laito?

Laito: I’m going to wander around this area a bit longer. Carla’s just going to get on my case if I go home now.

Azusa: Mm…Gotcha.

Azusa walks away.

Azusa: Kou…I want to talk to him before he goes to the Church…We decided that tomorrow morning, he will go there together with Laito to steal Eve away…Meaning Kou will have to put himself at risk…There is not much I can say but…I want to at least give him a few words of advice…Also…Once we’ve welcomed Eve to our family…I want to try and be kind to her…so she doesn’t feel anxious…

Carla wants to become the Supreme Overlord…That’s why…Carla will probably make her his but…Still…I want to spend time with her as well…However, am I allowed to ask for something so selfish…?

Azusa comes to a halt.

Reiji: Oh dear? Well, if it isn’t someone from the Violet Family…

Azusa: …!? …Ah…Reiji-san…Right…This is Scarlet territory…

Reiji: You did not realize that you had gotten close to our manor? It was rather careless of you to enter the enemy’s territory unarmed. Perfect timing. I suppose this is a great opportunity to get rid of you.

Azusa: …!! I have to run…!

Azusa runs away.

Reiji: Fufu…So he made a run for it? I suppose being quick to flee is his only redeeming quality…What a disgrace. Well, I suppose I will not recklessly chase after him either, so I shall let this happening slide for once. …That being said, where could Kino have run off to? I cannot believe that both Shuu and him would vanish right after the meeting ended. Kino in particular is always acting off his own accord. He is quite the handful.

That being said, while Shuu and Yuma have been following my orders so far, I do not actually know what goes on inside their heads either. I wonder if perhaps…They feel as if I am not cut out to be the eldest son of this family? If they wish to look down on me and assume that I am not even capable of keeping one family together, let alone become a proper Ruler, then so it shall be. …I already have a plan. Tomorrow morning, I shall make Eve - who is the key to becoming the Supreme Overlord - mine. I shall train her well to the point where not just her body, but her whole soul shall succumb to me as well. I am sure that by winning her for myself, they will reconsider. They should instantly acknowledge me as worthy! ーー No, I will make them acknowledge me. Eve is a tool to achieve my goal.

ーー Exactly, she is nothing but that.

…Or at least, she should be. I wonder why? On one hand, I realize that she is nothing but a tool…but at the same time, I feel things for her which would point to the exact opposite. On one hand, I want her to heed my every command and learn to behave in a way proper to that of a young, elegant lady. Yet at the same time, I know that she is not the kind of girl who would let others dictate how she should behave. She has a strong mind of her own. I cannot help but feel that way. How strange of me. I wonder why I am harboring these kinds of feelings for someone I have never even met? I should not ignore these emotions which I cannot even put into words. Everything should become clear when I make her mine tomorrow morning.

Oh…? If it isn’t Kino over there…?

Reiji approaches him.

Reiji: Kino! So that is where you’ve been! What are you doing, laying on the rooftop?

Kino: Ah! Reiji-nii-san…You found me.

Reiji: You’re playing around on that weird device again? Kino! It’s almost dinner time. You should come down already.

Kino: …This is called a ‘smartphone’ and I’m playing a game…

Reiji: Did you say something?

Kino: Nothing! I know. I’ll be right there.

Reiji: Then please hurry.

Reiji walks away.

Kino: It’s so annoying to have a family member like Reiji. It doesn’t matter what I do, he will always have something to complain about. Also, he doesn’t understand what’s so fun about these kinds of games at all. ーー But, tomorrow is the day at last. I’ll be able to get my hands on Eve, who has been slumbering inside the Church. I’m sure that everyone is after her. Reiji went through the trouble to set up a whole strategy meeting, but that’s nothing but a waste of time. She shall be mine after all. I will show everyone - not just Reiji - that I am the strongest.

I mean, it only makes sense for the Prince to wake up his sleeping Princess, right? I will capture both your body and soul, to the point where you cannot live without me. …Eve, please wait for me until then, okay? …Well then, time to get my head back in the game. ーー To win Eve’s heart.

ーー THE END ーー

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #shuu sakamaki #reiji sakamaki #ayato sakamaki #kanato sakamaki #laito sakamaki #subaru sakamaki #ruki mukami #kou mukami #yuma mukami #azusa mukami #carla tsukinami #shin tsukinami #kino #diabolik lovers translation #diabolik lovers drama cd #drama cd

247 notes · View notes

nimata-beroya · 4 months

Text

20 Questions For Writers

This was sitting on my notifs for a few days and i finally took the time to do it. Thank my darling @takadasaiko for the tag!! 💕💕

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I have 88 works in total, 31 of which are for Star Wars.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

574,873 words.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently, I'm only writing for Star Wars. But I used to write for Arrow and Supergirl, and ASoIAF, Dark-Hunters and Chronicles of Nick are in standby. I'm waiting for right motivation to come back to any of the last 3.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

I'm only talking about Star Wars fics here...

Kadala (The Mandalorian) [and 4th place in most kudos of all my works]

Rough Awakening (The Bad Batch) [and 5th place in most kudos of all my works]

Welcome to Yavin IV (Rebels)

An Explosive Situation (Rebels)

Rescue on Ryloth (The Bad Batch)

And the the rest of my all-time fics with most kudos are

Take Your Breath Away (Arrow)

Undisclosed Desires (Arrow)

Made For You (ASoIaF/Game of Thrones)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try my best, but sometimes I forget, and then it's been weeks and months since I got the comments that I'm embarrassed to reply them after so long. Even though, I think it's important that a writer let the reader/commenter that they appreciate it, even if it's with a simple "thank you" or an emoji. I know I'm being a hypocrite here since I fail to do what I preach, but it doesn't make it less true.

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I think that would be Drifting, because it's kind of open ending, left to be interpreted, so it could end however the reader wants. Although, I left an author's note at the end saying what's my preferred ending, which always will be inclined to the happy side.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

High Above the Ground because is the happy ending i want for Commander Fox and Riyo Chuchi. They deserve only the best!

8. Do you get hate on your fic?

No, not really. I've gotten only 1 stupid message of someone criticizing a fic, but that was years ago when I still posted on FF dot net. The joke was on the reader because I moderated all the comments there so I just deleted it and nobody saw it but me. Honestly, I just laughed about it cuz their argument was just stupid.

9. Do you write smut?

I do, all kinds -from the most tame thing to the most perverted. But I used to wrote way more in my old fandoms, especially for Arrow. I think for Star Wars I've written just 1 or 2 smutty fics, and tamed at that.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I've tried a couple of occasions but never finished them. I'm not opposed to them obviously, but I do think the combination of fandoms has to be just right to work. Or at least, when it's me doing the writing.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes! Many, many years ago in the first fandom I ever wrote for. It was awful and hated it! You see, this was in the stone age of the internet when fandom specific sites abounded and not everyone had an account on FFnet yet (and Ao3 was not even a dream). The site I published on was split in 2 sections because the ships war in the fandom was bloody and ruthless, so to avoid the slaughter, I kept myself in my preferred side. But one day, a friend who read fic on both sides told me that someone stole my fics. Avoiding to get caught, the person who did it published them under a pen name that was almost exact to mine, she only added a period at the end, which could easily go unnoticed. Oh, and she interchanged characters names so it'd fit the other ship.

At first, my friend thought I had posted them but she knew I'd never write for that ship, like ever. In the end, it turned out that I wasn't the only one who had being plagiarized. Several people ON BOTH SIDES were. Thankfully, the person was caught and banned, but we almost burned the site down because of the whole shitshow.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

By me, yes, several. All into Spanish (my mother tongue). By others, not that I know of.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

Yes! A couple of times for different fandoms, and I loved it. I hope I'll do it again. The thing is that you need to find the right partner for it, or it can be a nightmare.

14. What‘s your all-time favourite ship?

I don't appreciate this question, let me tell you. It's hard to choose. But I think I have to go with Olicity. I love them still (even if the show ending ruined it for me). Close second would be Braime (and I'm glad that there's still hope for them on the books, because as usual the show fucked them so but sooooo bad)

And as Star Wars specific, I don't think anyone will be surprised if I say it's Kalluzeb, right 🤣 They're my babies and I adore them!

15. What’s the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Anything for Arrow or Supergirl. I sworn off those fandoms after their respectively awful endings.

No promises, but there's still hope for all if my unfinished works for Star Wars 😅

16. What’s your writing strengths?

Coming up with ideas. So, so many ideas. All the time and I want to write them all.

17. What’s your writing weaknesses?

Finishing writing the above-mentioned ideas. I tend to splay myself too much when I'm writing, and it takes me forever to get to the portion I really want to write (usually the idea that sparked the whole writing process) and I lose steam. That's why I have so many unfinished WIPs. I wish they'd write themselves.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

It's ok if used sparingly. A word here, a phrase over there is fine, but if a wall of dialogue that the reader needs to scroll down to the notes or click on a tooltip to find out the meaning it's the worst!!! A better solution for a writer that really needs/wants to have a whole conversation in another language for plot reasons or whatever, then all they need to do is to say once that the characters are talking in the other language and put the dialogue in the same language they've been writing the rest of the narrative and in italic.

The characters who don't speak the language won't understand what's being said, but the reader will and their reading will be more pleasant and fluid.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

An Argentinian show called Floricienta. A modern retelling of Cinderella.

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

I don't like this question either! All my fics are my babies! How do you want me to choose?!! There are so many I'm proud of. I guess I'll point the most recent one: Feed Me Poison, Fill me till I Drown I really like how this story is coming along. It's not done yet (what else is new? 😅) but what's coming is so so good!

Tagging (no pressure): @renee561 @thecoffeelorian @genericficerblog @airlockfailure @mistr3ssquickly @insertmeaningfulusername @fanfictasia

#20 asks for writers #ask game #the mandalorian #the bad batch #sw rebels #kalluzeb #braime #foxiyo #mare writes star wars #and other things #olicity #long post

29 notes · View notes

genz420 · 4 months

Text

Beauty of Scars & Flowers - Chapter 5: Sacred Places.

Master List

Previous Part - Next Part

The throne room within the Red Keep was not as great as the one in Harrenhal. Lyanna had come to that conclusion. The Hall of a Hundred Hearths could be called a ruin, but when all hearths were lit, their warmth would make up for the drafts that wisped through the hall. But the great hall was underwhelming, small, and the air stiff. The pungent smell from Blackwater Bay made its way into the room just as it did in every other place in the Red Keep. Lyanna still had not grown used to the smell, yearning for the scent of ash, earth, and freshwater that Harrenhal had throughout.

Yet all the lords, ladies, and young knights in the great hall did not seem to hold the same thoughts as she. They all kept their attention on Otto Hightower as he sat on the Iron Throne with smiles on their faces, happy to be welcomed in the hall. But Lyanna wasn’t happy. She didn’t like King’s Landing. She missed her home, the smell of nature, and the people of Harrenhal she called her family.

Lyanna let out a small huff; she couldn’t help but wonder if she could sneak out of the hall and try to find Helaena to spend the day with. But her uncle wouldn’t be pleased with her doing that. He is the reason why she isn’t spending the day with her friend. He had insisted that Lyanna stay in court all day to try and catch the eye of a lord or knight so that she could return to Harrenhal and no longer be his responsibility.

Aemond didn’t know why he couldn't keep his gaze on his grandsire. Usually, when audiences were being held, he would take a break from whatever he was doing and stand by the throne to listen and watch his grandsire act on his father's behalf. Yet his gaze drifted away from his grandsire and Riverland lord, who was complaining. It kept drifting towards the soon-to-be lady of Harrenhal.

He noticed how she rocked herself on her feet, how her gaze darted to each face in the hall and towards the pillars in the room. How her eyebrows were pulled together, meaning she was in thought about something.

She would have the same expression while she read, Aemond noted.

Aemond didn’t fail to notice that today, she was wearing a blue dress, the same strong blue he could remember from his childhood. A colour he thought he disliked, but he did not mind it on her.

Aemond did not mind that she was adapting the styles of the other ladies of the court. Wearing her hair in the same southern style as the other ladies, he couldn’t help but wonder if she would soon wear the same green dresses that ladies often wore to show their loyalty to the throne. Lyanna had made it a point to wear browns, yellows, reds, and now blue. But never green, even if it was one of her house colours.

Aemond rolled his shoulders and puffed out his chest as he looked back toward his grandsire. It was inappropriate for him to be looking at her for so long. He reminds himself that. He reminded himself that he was a prince of the realm and should not be staring at a lady for so long. Yet, as Aemond looks up to his grandsire, he can’t help the feeling that he should take one more peek at Lyanna.

With one eye scanning around the hall, Aemond noticed that no one was looking at him; instead, they were watching the argument or talking between themselves in hushed whispers. No one would see if he slipped away from his spot and made his way down the sides of the hall to stand elsewhere.

Lyanna moved her weight from one foot to the other as she watched the people around her. Her eyes scanned each face in the room as she tried to remember everyone's name and title, a fun game she would play with other ladies at Riverrun or the Twins. She only knew a handful of people in the room, and the suffocating feeling of loneliness and falsehood crept up from her stomach and into her chest.

Across the hall stood Ser Alan. Dressed in his house colours, his short curls were not as neatly put together as the prince that loomed over Lyanna. Yet Lyanna's heart yearned as she watched Ser Alan whisper in the ear of the lady he stood behind. Not even hours ago, she was in the same position as that lady, giggling and blushing as the young knight spoke quiet words that only she could hear.

Lyanna is no fool; she knows that she and Ser Alan were not betrothed, but a small part of her had hoped that she was the only lady that he was interested in. Yet if only Lyanna turned her head towards the man standing beside her, then she would see how he studied her movements and face like it was a piece of artwork he saw for the first time.

The young prince couldn’t help but take note of the defeated look on her face as she watched the pair across the room. She quietly huffed through her nose before strengthening her back and releasing her clenched shoulders and jaw like she was resetting herself.

Aemond lets out a low hum as he turns to watch his grandsire. Lyanna snapped her head toward him, nose scrunched up as if she had just smelled something rotten. A cute expression, Aemond determined. Yet his face still held the cold expression he had mastered long ago.

Lyanna couldn’t help but feel like the prince was trying to gain her attention. Yet, as she watched him and noticed his eye was not focused on her, she wondered if she was going mad and just imagining the sounds he usually made.

Lyanna straightened her back and licked her lips before she chose to break the silence. “Is something the matter, my prince?”

Aemond moved his gaze back toward Lyanna, and part of him was happy to see that she was already looking at him. Aemond hummed before speaking, “Nothing at all, My Lady Strong.”

Lyanna nodded before turning her head back toward Otto Hightower. If anyone were to look at them, they would only see the prince standing a little too close to a Lady he is often seen spending time with.

Aemond looked away from Lyanna and back to the Riverland lord, who was throwing a tantrum. As he tried to focus on what was the matter, he could only take note of the faint smell of flowers and a hint of spice. The scent was as faint as the forget-me-nots that Lyanna had pressed for him and Helaena.

“You’re from the Riverlands,” Aemond said the words as if they were more of a statement than a question.

Both of their gaze stayed away from the other, doing their best to appear to be paying attention rather than engaging in conversation. But as Aemond broke the silence between them, Lyanna leaned slightly more toward the prince. The distance between them was becoming smaller and smaller.

“I am,” Lyanna whispered back to Aemond; her response was enough for the prince to lean closer to her. Close enough for Aemond's shoulders to gently graze the back of hers.

“Why is Lord Bracken often here, nanging about something the young lord Blackwood has done?” Aemond asked her in the same low whisper.

“It’s hard to say why; this feud goes back to when they were kings and queens, before your family conquest, before the Andals. Blackwoods and Brackens will hate each other until the end of time. And each house has a version of why it started,” Lyanna answered the best she could in a few words. She could go on about the feud between the two houses for hours, and there would probably still be something she left out.

Like most of the Riverland nobility, she favoured the Blackwoods as opposed to the Brackens.

“It’s foolish,” Aemond commented, keeping his gaze forward. He supposed he did not understand just how far back the feud goes. He had read every history book he could get his hands on, yet the history of the first men and the history before the Andals were not interesting or even considered studying.

“I suppose, but it’s part of who they are. Rooted in the very foundation of their houses,” Lyanna continued, now allowing Aemond's coldness to stop her from talking. “They are raised to hate each other. Hatred like that can’t just end because a king demands it,”

Aemond looks at Lyanna, taking in her words as she watches the Bracken complain. She was right; if someone is raised to hate another being, it won’t just end because someone demands it to. Aemond looks away from Lyanna, realising he has been looking at her far too long. Even just leaving his regular place and choosing to stand by her was already a risky move. He could play it off that he is keeping his sister's friend company.

“I heard that Lady Alysanne Blackwood has grown tired of the feud and is now spending her time in the Twins with the new Lady Frey,” Aemond breaks the silence, causing Lyanna to snap her head towards him. Mouth slightly agape as he spoke, as if she did not expect him to know that.

Aemond does not know why he said that. There was a good chance that Lyanna knew Alysanne Blackwood and that she would not humour such rumours. But that is one of the few things he knew about House Blackwood or House Bracken, hearing the rumour from both his sister and younger brother. He just wanted to give a contribution to their dying conversation, to keep Lyanna talking to him rather than going to watch the people around them.

“My prince, I do not think this is an appropriate thing for us to talk about,” Lyanna whispered back to him, shock still on her face as she tried to take in what Aemond had said.

“I did not take you as someone who did not gossip,” He comments; he knew that Lyanna does gossip. He overheard her tell Helaena many of the old and new rumours she had encountered.

“I did not take you as someone who does,” Lyanna shot back.

She and the other ladies she had talked with thought that the one-eyed prince was a man a few words. They would say that he would rather just stare and use his eye to talk than his words. Many of the ladies she has met in her short time would often go on about how to catch the prince's gaze. How handsome he looked without the eye patch he often wore. Even rumours that, unlike his elder brother, he did not need to visit the streets of Silk to find a woman to warm his bed.

But none of the gossip included how he, too, took part in talking about the people around him.

“People talk. I listen.”

“Do you wish for me to talk?” Lyanna asked after a moment of silence. She turned her head to the side, not looking at Aemond, but the movement allowed him to see her face and the look of concentration on it.

It would be no different than her and Helaena talking over tea or wine. The only difference would be that Aemond was a prince and not a princess. For all she knew, Aemond enjoyed gossiping with everyone. But the truth was that the prince only talked to people outside of his family and close circle at feasts or because his mother would make him. That Lyanna was the first person, outside of his sister, that he has talked about the rumours of court with.

“I do not hate when you do,” Aemond answered her after taking his own pregnant pause of silence.

Lyanna nodded as she looked around the hall, trying to choose what rumour she would share. She didn’t want to appear rude but also wanted to disappoint the prince by not sharing something. Her gaze eventually landed on a trio: two young knights and a lady. The lady, Talla, had an extravagant shawl thrown over one shoulder that hid her midriff and chest, a fashion statement that she claimed would soon catch on, but most knew the truth as to why she suddenly chose the new article of clothing.

“Do you know why Lady Talla has chosen to wear that ridiculous shawl?” Lyanna asked Aemond as she nervously smoothed down the skirt of her blue dress. She was worried that someone might overhear her and the prince.

Aemond looked around the hall, settling on the Stormland Lady and the two young sirs who stood close to her. The prince let out a low hum, telling Lyanna to continue.

“She is trying to hide a swelling belly; thinks that the shawl will take attention away from it, but I just think that it makes it obvious she is trying to hide something,” Lyanna continued in a quiet voice as her gaze flickered between Aemond and the group she was talking about.

Aemond nodded along with the words before he leaned closer to Lyanna, close enough for her to feel the warmth of him and his smell. Closer than they had ever been before. Close enough for a few whispers to start around the hall, but neither of them cared.

“I often see her and Ser Rycherd walking together,” Aemond added, hoping to keep the conversation going.

“And Ser Henly,” Lyanna quickly added; the two of them looked towards the two men behind Lady Talla, and Lyanna didn’t miss the look the two men gave one another. “Sometimes all three of them walk together, I hear,”

Aemond hummed at the revelation, thinking it over and wondering where Lyanna had heard such things. He doubted that she heard it from Helaena, and as far as he knew, Helaena was Lyanna’s only friend at court beside him.

“I was hoping that a duel might happen in the training yard,” Aemond said as he turned to look at Lyanna. She had a smile on her face and her cheeks slightly red. “Would have been good fun to watch,”

Lyanna couldn’t hold back the giggle that escaped as Aemond finished talking. She quickly bowed her head down to hide her face as her hand covered her mouth and the noises that were trying to escape.

The actions were enough for Aemond to smile slightly, but the feeling of onlookers caused Aemond to look away from the giggling lady and around the hall towards a few older couples whispering and looking at them.

That was enough for Aemond to straighten his spin and take a small step away from Lyanna. Putting distance between the two of them. His action pleased the onlookers because they turned back to look at his grandsire. Once Aemond was sure no one else was looking at him and Lyanna, he returned to his previous spot.

Aemond watched as Lyanna did her best to compose herself, but it seemed that she could not contain her laughter as her shoulders shook. Aemond rolled his shoulders as Lyanna finally calmed down.

Aemond knew that after the audience was finished being held, Lyanna would either find her way to Helaena or might even be convinced to join Ser Alan for a walk around the gardens. It was a 50/50 chance that he wouldn’t be able to spend the rest of the day with her, a chance he didn’t want to take.

“My Lady Strong, have you visited the Dragonpit yet?” Aemond whispered.

“Princess Helaena has asked me to accompany her,” Lyanna answered without thinking. She had no desire to visit the dragonpit besides the fact that Helaena wished to show her the dragon she had bonded with. “Why, my prince?”

“You could accompany me today,” Aemond offered her, a sure way that would make sure the two of them spent the rest of the day with one another and allow Lyanna to see the true strength of the house of the dragon.

The question caused Lyanna to turn her head towards Aemond, her hair flying over her shoulder and her eyebrows pulled together. Aemond kept himself composted as Lyanna looked at him with a shocked expression.

“You want me to accompany you to the dragonpit?” She asked, her voice loud enough for the people surrendering them to look and judge.

Aemond looked away from Lyanna and toward the people now staring at them, two youngsters with stern expressions.

Aemond nodded his head now in apology before he placed his hand on Lyanna’s lower back, gently guiding her away from the crowd and toward the giant pillars in the room. If Aemond had only looked toward the throne, he would have seen his grandsire watching him and Lyanna with a puzzled expression.

Once they were in the darkness and quiet behind the pillars, Lyanna turned to face Aemond. Leaning against one of the pillars with her hands behind her, the action was so quick it left Aemond’s hand that was on her back in the air.

“I don’t think my uncle would allow that,” Lyanna told Aemond, a worried look on her face.

In truth, Larys would be more than happy to allow Aemond to take Lyanna to the dragonpit. But she was scared. Scared because she had grown up at Harrenhal, a clear reminder of what the beasts were capable of doing.

Aemond hummed as he walked to stand in front of Lyanna, looking down at her as he hummed in response. He wasn’t going to force Lyanna to the dragonpit, but he still wanted to share that part of his life with her.

The two of them had spent hours in the Godswood reading with one another, and Aemond knows that to Lyanna, the Godswood is the most sacred place for her. He might not follow the gods of Valyria, but he knew that it might impress her for him to also share something sacred with her.

“There is another way of seeing a dragon without the danger,” Aemond told her, slowly thinking of his plan. “If you would accompany me,”

Lyanna nodded, and Aemond offered his arm for her to take. Aemond knew that the two of them should stay in the great hall and wait for the Bracken lord to finish his rant, but he feared that the lord could go on into the hours of the night.

Once Lyanna took his arm, Aemond guided them toward the doors. He was glad they had been kept open, but he still knew that remours could spark why the two of them were leaving.

But the most judgmental gaze came from the man who sat on the Iron Throne. Otto tuned out the lord speaking and focused on his grandson and the lady on his arm.

– –

Aemond kept glancing at Lyanna as they descended the stairs; he noticed how she held up the front of her skirt rather than holding onto the rail beside her. Perhaps she felt that Aemond would prevent her from falling more than the railing, or maybe she did not wish to bruise the prince's ego by taking her hand off his arm. Whatever her reason, Aemond did not mind, for it kept her hand gripping his arm.

As the two of them got closer and closer to their destination, the air grew cold and still. The freshness of cold water was a welcome smell to Lyanna, and the pungent smell of Blackwater Bay was left in sunlit corridors.

The worry that someone might have seen the two of them sneak away was slowly being replaced by anticipation of where Aemond was taking her.

Once the two of them reached the bottom of the stairs, Lyanna gasped and removed her hand from Aemond's arm. Moving towards the giant Dragon skull that hung from the ceilings with a bed of candles under it.

Lyanna couldn’t believe what she was seeing; the warmth of the candles in front of her reminded her that she was not dreaming. She had heard stories about Belarion but always thought they were over-exaggeration. However, she might think they were under-exaggeration.

The skull was a smooth black, and its teeth were longer than her arm. The dragon could undoubtedly eat her in one bite if he were still alive.

He didn’t know why he brought her here. He rarely came down to the skull, but maybe he just wanted to show Lyanna a part of his own culture. He also doubted Lyanna would want to spend time in the Sept.

Aemond walked past the threshold of the stairs and toward Lyanna, who stood in front of the skull. He chose to stand beside her, resting his hands on the pommel of his sword as he looked between Lyanna and Belarion.

Aemond didn’t believe the sight before him, the way that the flames from the candles danced across her face and reflected in her eyes. The candle flames made her eyes look like flames, and the smile on her face warmed him.

“It’s hard to think that one creature could do such damage,” Lyanna spoke up, her eyes dancing all over the skull, trying to commit every detail to memory just as Aemond was doing with her face.

Aemond let out a hum as he turned to look at Belarion. Vhagar was getting close to his size, and Aemond hoped his dragon could last longer than her male counterpart.

“Are they just as scary in person?” Lyanna broke the silence as she quickly took a glance at him before looking back at Belarion.

“I wouldn’t say they are scary,” Aemond told her.

Sure, when he was younger, the dragons did scare him, but once he was bonded with Vhagar, that fear turned into appreciation, and now he could see the beauty of one of the most destructive creatures to grace the realm.

“Just as big?” Her tone told Aemond that she was jesting with him, but he still held his stoic expression.

“No,” Aemond answered as he looked back at Lyanna. “Vhagar is the closest,”

The mention of his dragon sent pride flowing down his throat and into his chest—a show of his greatest accomplishment and greatest sacrifice.

“Your dragon?” Lyanna asked, even though she already knew the answer.

The smile that graced her face was enough for one to creep onto Aemonds. He nodded yes as he turned to look at the skull, hoping that turning away from her would be enough to hide the smile.

“My dragon,” Aemond confirmed, and Lyanna hummed as a comfortable silence fell upon them.

Lyanna and Aemond stood in silence, with Lyanna turning back to look at the skull. To imagine what the beast must have looked like when he was in his prime. When the dragon flew above the gods eye and used its black flames to melt the great castle, she had lived her whole life.

Taglist: Reply if you wish to be added to the taglist!

@delaynew @coldmermaidhologram @snh96 @sahvlren

22 notes · View notes

lilyandthegenshinbrainrot · 1 year

Text

So it seems like the people of the desert have at least a healthy respect for the wind, maybe not specifically to Barbatos, but definitely to his principles.

It's likely because they can literally watch the wind move as it forms and removes sand dunes, causing sandstorms and obstructing travel, so Barbatos is associated as he is the Anemo Archon, and so I would guess that might influence a relation to Barbatos' ideals since the lullaby Jebreal sings seems reminiscent of a couple core Mondstadtian themes: time, roses, wine, and rest.

Jebreal's line about the desert is incredibly metaphorical, and without knowing his story, I'm going on a limb by saying that he sounds like a single father who has been trying to give his daughter a life where she will never have to live the same way he did, especially as he says that his previous life wasn't bad but there was a better one for her to walk. Perhaps he lost his lover to the desert, and it reminds him of her, and so that's why he calls it the past with no future. I think he took this commission as a last ditch effort to learn about his late wife's death. Especially since he refers to what is under the sand and wind as "the truth" .

Another line I want to draw attention to is the reference to a crown of roses. Roses in Teyvat don't have a specific symbolic meaning unless you're in Mondstadt in which case they refer to secrets being kept, but Sumeru roses are also called a "rambler's rose" which would counteract the effect of a Mondstadt's rose. A reason for this line in game might be talking about letting go off burdens shouldered, since crowns are identifiers and often placed on those with great importance. If this line is more allegorical for real life player's enjoyment, then it may reference the biblical crown of thrones that is used as a tormenting device of christ. In this case, it would fit the song talking about getting a moment's rest.

This is a curious world quest that seems very intentional about developing the relationship between Sumeru's citizens and the history of the desert, so I look forward to all the things they have to say. Except for this researcher's racist ass remarks toward Jabreal and Jeht, that's... certainly a choice hyv has made.

That concludes tonight's posts about golden slumber<3

#game screenshots #sumeru #sumeru world quest spoilers #golden slumber #genshin impact world building #jeht #jeht genshin impact #jebrael #jebrael genshin impact #genshin npc #genshin impact

173 notes · View notes

jimblejamblewritings · 1 year

Text

The Dragon Heir | part 2.

Summary: What happens when King Viserys' only current heir is a choice between his twin daughters? The realm will not accept a woman but you have no care for what the realm thinks it won't accept.

Warnings: it's the game of thrones realm, and obviously incest comes with the Targaryen package but it still deserves a second warning

Pairing: Daemon Targaryen x black!reader, Daemon Targaryen x targaryen!reader

Word Count: 4.6k

Previous Part | Series Masterlist

A/N: Italics dialogue is them speaking in High Valyrian

Your father wasn’t exactly happy about you and Rhaenyra leaving, particularly you. He really saw you as his only heir. He was almost more stifling than before. You didn’t care though. You accomplished your goal without bloodshed. It worked exactly how you expected.

In the end, Viserys had nothing else to say except that he was going to announce his intention to marry at the next council meeting. You nodded, knowing you had to be there for the announcement. Lady Laena was… duty. The only nice thing you could say was marrying her was the correct thing to do in terms of duty. However you did love your younger cousin and would look after everything she needed.

Viserys kept reassuring you as you waited for the other council members to come in. You weren’t sure why. You knew you were the heir. To say otherwise might actually be your death now. The other council members came in, taking their seats. You nodded to your father as he stood up. He looked out at everyone. Slowly, your face dropped at his announcement. He wasn’t marrying Laena. He was marrying Alicent Hightower. You and Rhaenyra looked at each other, feeling betrayed. Lord Corlys stood up from the table.

“This is an absurdity. My house is Valyrian, the greatest power in the realm.”

“And I am your King,” Viserys said.

Lord Corlys looked at Otto before storming out. You were in too much shock to say anything to him. How could this have happened? When did Alicent start talking to him? The only thing you knew was that Otto Hightower was responsible. He was responsible and he needed to be stopped. Alicent tried to look at you but you left the table. Rhaenyra was quickly on your heels.

Three years had passed and you and Rhaenyra still never recovered from what you felt was Alicent’s betrayal. She was married to your father, had a son named Aegon, and was pregnant again. Despite caring for children, you couldn’t bring yourself to be at Aegon’s nameday celebration. Not if Alicent would be there. As his mother, of course she would. So you hid out in the Godswood with Rhaenyra and a bard. She laughed as you distracted her from her reading by dancing to whatever song the bard was singing.

You stopped when your sister’s smile faded. Turning around, you saw Alicent entering the Godswood. Your smile faded as well. Wasn’t she supposed to be at the feast before they left for the hunt? Did she insist on ruining all of your peace?

“Your presence is wanted in the outer courtyard. The Royal Hunt readies to depart,” Alicent said.

“I’ve decided to remain here instead and read.” Rhaenyra lifted up her book.

You nodded. “I am listening to her read.”

Alicent sighed. “You may go, Samwell.”

“You are to stay by order of the Princess,” you cut in.

“The Queen commands you to leave the Godswood at once.”

You looked back at Rhaenyra. Alicent tried to step closer.

“Your Grace, The King, wishes for you two to join us.”

“My father can ask us to join him if that’s what he wishes.”

“He wants all of us to be together. Perhaps the hunt could be fun.”

Rhaenyra came to stand next to you. “Is it the King’s command?”

“Yes, bu—”

“Then let us leave before we waste more of his time.”

You and Rhaenyra linked arms and walked away. You had no desire currently to make amends with Alicent. Nor was it your responsibility. She did this. That was how you felt. It would take more than hiding behind your father to try and make amends. The carriage ride was awkward, not that Viserys noticed. Rhaenyra looked over you to see Alicent.

“Should you be traveling in this condition?”

“The maester said being out in nature would do me well.”

“This isn’t nature, it’s hunting,” you commented. “He should have suggested the Vale.”

Viserys smiled. “You will be with your own child sooner or later and understand. And I’ll be a proud grandsire.”

“And I will never take the Grand Maester’s advice.”

Your father nodded. “I know. I was just suggesting a hunt and nature are similar.”

You knew better than to dampen your father’s mood. “You and I have very different definitions of nature walks. I would hate to see what you consider fun, Father.”

It was enough to make him laugh. Pretending for his sake wasn’t the easiest, especially now. Even if your relationship wasn’t strained with Alicent, you didn’t want to be here. It was a hunt. What fun was a hunt? And they killed the animals cruelly. Worse than necessary to hunt them for meat.

It wasn’t an affair that you ever thought was fun. Hanging out in a large tent with too many lords and ladies was also not fun. Waiting was a major part of hunting. You and Rhaenyra split up, walking through the tent just looking around.

You were particular about avoiding where Viserys was sitting. Many men had come on the trip just to ask for your hand in marriage, disappointed when your father said no. They had also asked about Rhaenyra but you were the real question. But Viserys was keeping true on his promise. You were still young that he wasn’t concerned about it being too late for heirs. There was plenty of time and you were okay with taking all of it. It wasn’t like you weren’t looking.

It was just none of the men were catching your eye. They needed to stimulate you mentally like Daemon, be kind like your cousin Laenor, be entertaining like the Bard, and attractive like Ser Criston. You supposed you could look over the attractiveness or even being entertaining if they were kind and witty like Laenor and Daemon. You knew for a fact it wasn’t Jason Lannister who was currently talking to your father.

You ended up hearing some gossip after seeing Larys Strong — the youngest son of the Master of Law — sitting with the women because he was unable to use one of his feet. You wondered if he was born that way or if something had happened in his childhood. Either way, he was stuck in the tent like a lot of you. You quickly darted away when one of the ladies called on Rhaenyra passing by, leaving before she could spot you.

Despite the fact that they were talking about you being heir, you still left. If they thought of themselves as so inferior they could only see a man on the throne then let them gossip. Gossip was all they could achieve anyway. You left Rhaenyra to deal with them. Besides, she would enjoy out-witting them.

You enjoyed walking around the tent and eating until Rhaenyra stormed in. Viserys looked at you, beckoning you to come over. Rhaenyra wasn’t happy about men asking for her hand in marriage. She never wanted to hear. Rhaenyra didn’t want to get married. It was because she didn’t want to end up like your mother. You would never let that happen to her but she wouldn’t hear it. Viserys raised his voice.

“Even your sister is going to follow tradition, you are not above it!”

You closed your eyes when she stormed out of the tent. Comparing you to her wasn’t the smartest move. You had more freedom because it was the only way Viserys was going to get you to agree. Despite wanting to follow her, you left her alone. Ser Criston was going after her anyway. Rhaenyra wouldn’t want to see your face at the moment. Not when you were getting a bit more freedom to choose. Your father looked at you.

“Have you chosen?”

“I’m trying, I promise.”

“I know. I know. The Septa tells me you discuss it every morning.”

“None of the good ones are coming close to us. They’re all men I wouldn’t look at even if I was a farm girl.”

You both looked over at Otto when he stepped in. Viserys and you held matching faces of disgust at the notion of him suggesting your half-brother. He had just turned two. How could Otto even think such a thing? Even with Aegon the Conqueror marrying his sisters, they were all close in age. Not to mention, you didn’t want to marry your brother. It wasn’t necessary to keep it that close in the family. You looked Otto in the eye.

“Your politicking isn’t welcome in my affairs of marriage. Especially not when you’re considering offering up a babe that can’t even talk. Father, don’t you have a hunt to attend? Or more pressing matters like Daemon’s war in the Stepstones?”

Viserys nodded. “Yes, the White Hart.”

You stormed out of the tent. Otto was avoided when morning came. You chose to abandon the camp entirely for the day. You didn’t go very far, choosing to rest against a tree that overlooked the tents. You’d have to pick a husband or have a plan. There was one you thought about but it would require Rhaenyra being on board with it.

Faint bleating shook you from your thoughts. You scrambled to your feet. A large white stag looked at you. The White Hart. The creature everyone believed the true ruler would kill. It was supposed to mark the Gods smiling favorably on your rule. Carefully you stretched out a hand, the animal connecting his nose with your palm. You smiled and began to walk away. You stopped when you heard clomps behind you.

“If you come with me, you will die. They are hunting you.”

The stag kept coming closer. Gently, it took your billowy sleeve into its mouth. You followed the deer with all sorts of questions in your head. You paused at what you were being shown. Another stag was near, white as well. But the poor creature was injured. It wasn’t going to live for much longer. As if it heard you, the stag took its last breath. The living White Hart nudged you.

“You want me to take it?”

You severely underestimated how heavy a stag was, especially a dead one. Pulling it, more like dragging it, by the antlers, you slowly made your way back to the camp. The entire camp was already outside after Rhaenyra had come back with blood on her face and a dead boar being carried by Ser Criston. You and your sister had given your father a scare. More Rhaenyra than you because he didn’t think you would just run off.

Viserys stood up when he saw you. The camp was focused on you, mainly on you dragging a large beast behind you. You dragged it all the way to your father’s feet. He looked in silence. You wiped your hands on the skirt of your dress and held out your hands to hold your little brother. Aegon babbled as you held him. You gestured to the stag.

“The White Hart,” Viserys whispered.

You took Aegon’s blade from the sheath attached to your father’s belt. You crouched down, sawing one of the antlers off. Aegon’s blade was returned to its sheath. You stood back up, Aegon in one hand and a large antler in the other.

“I shall make Aegon some rings, maybe even a whistle. I would also like the other one to be ground and then boiled so the kitchen can make fruit jellies. I picked some berries for myself yesterday, I’d like to enjoy the fruits of my harvest.”

You walked away before they could say anything. For you, the rest of the hunt was spent shaping the antler into rings and a whistle like you promised. There was more than enough antler to make stuff for you and Rhaenyra as well.

Others hadn’t quite gotten over you and the White Hart. You, on the other hand, didn’t care. Your father had finally decided to help Daemon, Corlys, and the Stepstones. But after sending a message, you all had heard nothing.

You couldn’t quite focus on that. You were still getting marriage offers. From men too old, too young, too horrible. It was starting to become quite a problem. So much so that your father actually took the Septa’s place in helping you go over proposals in the morning. He hated them as much as you did. So did your sister. You threw down the paper.

“This will take forever.”

“We don’t have forever. I can barely contain them for another month,” Viserys said, taking a drink. “They want a marriage and they want it now.”

You sat down. “I have an idea… But only if Rhaenyra agrees. I’ll only do it if you agree.”

Both your father and sister listened to you. You weren’t finding a partner in a month. It wasn’t happening. But you could announce complications with your body. The Septa, one of the few women wholeheartedly on your side, would lie to the maester about complications in your menstruation. With questions on if you could get pregnant. Rhaenyra would get married in the meantime.

She would provide distraction and potential heirs. You were twins. It was unknown who was the first-born. Rhaenyra’s kids would be legitimate heirs as much as yours, in line before Aegon. It wasn’t a plan that would last forever but it would last long enough for you to find a proper husband.

Of course, Rhaenyra only agreed after you sent your father out of the room for a bit. She only had to be married for a little bit, and of course she could have whoever she wanted. It just had to be a secret. You breathed out relief. Rhaenyra would buy you some time and that was all you needed. Some time. Relief at your plan didn’t last forever. Your father entered your room without even knocking.

“She keeps refusing, is this your list?”

Viserys snatched it from your writing table, groaning at the new offers. They were all horrible. You set down the quill and looked at your father.

“Good morrow to you as well.”

“I’m sorry. Good morrow. It’s your sister. Not only is she refusing every suitor, she has come back.”

You stood from your seat. “Back? She’s supposed to be on tour for a few more months or until she picks a suitor.”

“I know,” Viserys said through gritted teeth.

There wasn’t time to process his words. You and Viserys were summoned to the throne room. Daemon’s dragon had been spotted. The entire court was a bit tense for different reasons. Most were concerned with the possible Daemon sighting. You and your father were looking at Rhaenyra who wasn’t currently supposed to be in court. You went to go stand next to your sister.

“Why are you back?”

“Did you see the men?”

“Yes. I specifically sent some of them to you.”

Rhaenyra put a hand on her chest. “I thought you cared for me, sister.”

“I do. They’ll either die in a month or only become of age after I have a husband and you can divorce them.”

“But what if they want children right away?”

“Who said you had to give it to them? We have more than enough moon tea. Maybe you face fertility complications like me.”

“Did you really send that old man? I don’t think I could lay with him even once. What if he dies on top of me.”

The two of you started laughing. “Maybe I did choose someone too old. But you don’t have to pick the right husband. He’s just for the public. You’re the princess and the heir’s sister. In the castle, you can do whatever you want. We ju—”

Your words were cut off by the doors opening again. A man you almost didn’t recognized walked in. Daemon’s hair had been cut and he was wearing a crown of wood on his head. You remembered he helped Lord Corlys reclaim Driftmark and the Stepstones from the Crabfeeder.

But then you hadn’t heard from him. Part of you hoped Daemon was dead. Because him being dead was better than the suggestions that he might be rebelling. But there he was, walking in with a crown on his head.

He pointed an axe at Viserys before throwing it down. “Add it to the chair.”

Daemon took off his crown and kneeled in front of his brother. Relief went through you when your father gave him a hug. Thank goodness everything ended relatively well. Although, you were going to interrogate Daemon later. Right now, it was time for a gathering in the courtyard to celebrate your uncle’s return. Viserys bragged about his little brother to no end.

“Congratulations on your victory,” Rhaenyra said.

You immediately whisked your sister away and to a long bench in the garden after your father gave her a look. You rolled your eyes when Alicent walked over but Rhaenyra said nothing, letting Alicent have a conversation with her.

You both stopped looking at your laps and looked at her when she said she was glad that Rhaenyra was home. It was hard for all three of you to admit you missed each other. Technically, you could forgive Alicent. You could let yourself believe that it was all her father’s idea and she just went along with it as a stupid girl. But it just made your disdain for Otto grow even more.

Alicent suggested you three raid the kitchens like you did in the past. The three of you thought that was a fantastic idea. You grabbed some shortbread, excited to stuff your face. Rhaenyra’s chamber was the closest and no one liked going to her room. The three of you started to walk when you spotted Daemon in the Godswood. Telling the other two that you’d meet them soon, you went to go speak with him.

“I thought you were content in Dragonstone. Why did you come back?”

Daemon chuckled as he turned around. Only two people he cared about spoke High Valyrian and had feminine voices. “I just wanted the comforts of home.”

“Oh, please, Daemon. Speak the truth with me.”

“I see you still have a line of suitors, as does Rhaenyra,” he evaded.

“Don’t remind me.”

“Oh.” Daemon raised his eyebrows. He walked towards the outdoor table that still had food and drink on it. He poured you a glass. “Marriage is a political arrangement, after it you can do whatever you want.”

“I’ve made my own arrangements… But I’ve tried to tell Rhaenyra what you’ve told me.”

“Then is there a problem?”

“For men, marriage is a political arrangement. You don’t even see Lady Rhea, Daemon. For women, it is a death sentence.”

Daemon played with the rim of his cup. “Your words or Rhaenyra’s?”

“Who do you think?”

“Then shouldn’t you make new arrangements for yourself.” Daemon pulled you to the wide chair he was sitting on when you didn’t respond. “But you already know that so what is the problem?”

“Childbirth didn’t kill our mother,” you whispered. “Our father did.”

“Laelara. What happened to your mother was a tragedy. But this is a tragic world. You cannot let your fears control your life or you will forsake all the best parts of it.”

You pulled away from Daemon holding your hand. “No. I’ve kept it a secret all these years. I was in the room when it happened.”

Daemon stopped smiling. “You witnessed her death?”

“Her murder.”

“What happened, little dragon?”

Daemon listened intently as you told him the horrors of what you had witnessed years ago. You tried not to tear up at finally being able to tell your secret. You would have done your duties years ago if you hadn’t witnessed what you had. There was no way you would ever take a marriage that wasn’t for love.

“I can protect Rhaenyra from her husband. There is no one to protect me from mine. I will not let a political ally choose to cut me open for his ticket to the throne. I can’t die that way, Daemon. Yes, I am afraid. Yes, I will let that fear control my life. Because without it… I won’t have a life.”

“Your arrangement is for love?”

“There’s a book in the library about pregnancy and birthing. It’s at my usual reading table, they never clean it up. Look at it if you want to. A man that truly loves me wouldn’t do that to me. He wouldn’t ignore my cries and cut me open anyway. I will only marry in that manner. Now if you excuse me, I’d like to eat with my sister and our friend.”

You enjoyed your entire day with Alicent and Rhaenyra. It was like old times. The three of you felt it. You and Alicent left Rhaenyra’s room only when it got dark and the various Kingsgaurd knights started to take positions in front of everyone’s rooms.

Thankfully, the servants had lit candles in your room. Although, they seemed to have missed a few. You wanted to get ready for bed when you passed by a note on your writing desk. It came with a bundle.

“Hello, Ser Criston,” you said as you approached Rhaenyra’s room holding the bundle.

He bowed his head and let you into your sister’s room. You threw the bundle at Rhaenyra and let her read the note. The note from Daemon. Naturally finding out that your sister’s chamber held a secret passage to the outside made you want to explore it. You gave Rhaenyra the boys’ clothes and wrapped yourself in the hooded cloak so you could both sneak out.

“Isn’t it kind of exciting?” you whispered as you two walked down a tight corridor. “A secret passage behind your bed all this time and we didn’t know it.”

“You won’t be sneaking for much longer if you don’t learn to be quiet,” Daemon said as you two reached the stairs.

He grabbed your hand and you took Rhaenyra’s, the three of you starting off on your journey. You had seen King’s Landing plenty of times but never at night. Daemon led you and your sister through the streets. There was plenty to see, including a stupid play making fun of you simply for being a woman. You stuck close to Daemon and let Rhaenyra roam around because she was in the better disguise. But you watched everything with excitement.

“Why’d you tell us of this?” you asked Daemon.

“You should see the people you are to rule one day.”

“But I already visit Flea Bottom regularly.”

“They put on their best behavior for you, Princess. Now, you can actually see them… Oh, no.”

You looked over to where Rhaenyra had taken some food from someone. You didn’t see the big deal. You took food from here whenever you visited. Daemon’s words quickly made sense. That’s right. You guys weren’t princesses at the moment. Right now, Rhaenyra was just a little boy that stole something.

You immediately ran with your sister. Daemon could deal with the vendor. You and Rhaenyra were laughing before she smacked into a knight. Quickly, you darted into the shadows.

“Ser Harwin,” Rhaenyra greeted the man.

Harwin Strong wasn’t amused. He started to walk closer to your hiding spot, insisting he saw someone with Rhaenyra. You were thankful for Daemon’s return. You only left the shadows when Ser Harwin was gone.

“Enjoyed that, you two?” Daemon asked.

You ignored him and kept walking. Eventually he overtook your pace, leading you to wherever he was going. You and Rhaenyra paused at the building. A brothel wasn’t in your plans. Very quickly, Daemon was lost. Rhaenyra tapped your arm as you passed by naked women doing tricks.

“Don’t touch anyone,” you told her. “You know what they would say about us. Princesses have to keep their virtue.”

Your sister nodded. She left to have fun looking while you wandered further into the brothel to try and find Daemon. You wanted to go home. This idea wasn’t fun. Watching naked people just kiss and have sex and get drunk wasn’t exactly touching to you. You found Daemon, not with a woman but with a drink. Two of them. He handed you a cup.

You looked at it with a grimace. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“Is this not to your liking?”

“Not really. Where’s your cloak?”

“Lost it in a bet.”

“Won’t the people here know who you are?”

“They already know who I am. Let your sister enjoy herself a little more then I’ll take you home.”

“We leave before the hour is over.”

“Agreed. Come.”

Daemon led you towards the other side of the brothel where it was emptier. You went down some steps, surprised when he pulled back your hood. He smiled at you.

“Have fun.”

“It’s a whorehouse.”

“Then have fun like a whore.”

“You’re horrible,” you said with a laugh.

You held onto his arm as you walked past the rooms. They had no doors, only sheer black curtains. Now you knew why the hallway was empty. The rooms were for private fucking. Rhaenyra was probably enjoying herself, watching all this. Daemon looked down when you reached for his hand.

“They’re looking at us.”

“Of course, they think I’m going to pay them for services. Or you.”

“Disgusting,” you said loudly before apologizing to the women and men.

They just laughed and went back to having sex. You were grateful when you had moved to an empty hallway. Completely empty. You looked back at the other hallway before looking at Daemon.

“Why do you even like this place?”

“It’s a pleasurehouse. People come to take whatever they want. It’s as pleasurable for the woman as it is the man.”

Daemon stepped closer to you. He was close enough that you had to tilt your head up to look at him properly. You could feel his breath on your face. He played with one of your white curls.

“A marriage is a duty but that doesn’t stop us from doing what we want. Maybe this will show your sister that.”

“A night in a brothel won’t make her pick a husband. I’ve already been preparing myself for that since she left for that tour.”

“Tell her the truth about your mother.”

“I can’t,” you whispered. “She would never forgive our father.”

Daemon kissed your forehead, cradling the back of your head. “Then what are you going to do?”

“Suffer.”

You looked on in surprise when Daemon knelt down. He grabbed your hand. “I said I’d kneel when you were worthy of the crown.”

“Because I’m going to suffer?”

“Because you are willing to consider it. You will get through this, I promise.”

“Daemon?”

“Yes?”

“Can we find Rhaenyra and leave?”

He laughed but stood up. You rolled your eyes when he left the two of you once entering the castle. Rhaenyra was clearly too into the brothel. You took off your cloak as you two kept walking down the hall.

“Please do your sister a favor, Rhaenyra, and dry yourself out before seeing me tomorrow.”

She gasped in fake indigence before shoving you practically down the hall. The two of you were giggling the entire way to her room. Your laughter didn’t stop as you headed to your own chamber. Ser Criston was so surprised to see you both out of bed. You knew the poor knight would be wracking his head for weeks to figure out how you could have possibly walked past him.

Your laughter continued into the morning when Ser Criston appeared at your doorway.

“Good morrow, Ser Criston.”

“Princess, I have a message from the Queen.”

(part 3)

PERMANENT TAGLIST:

@venomsvl @peaches-n-sunscreen @summerellaz @supernaturallover2002 @sambucky8 @9daykrisr @thebitchinleo @23victoria @scarlets-widow @pagetpagetpagetpaget @lovexnatasha @awesomebooklover17 @1234-angelika @imatrisk @blackreaderatrisk @princess-jules47 @alexloveskili @a-marie-a @siriuslysirius1107 @i-have-no-life-charlie

#house of dragon fic #house of the dragon fic #daemon targeryen x reader #daemon x reader #targaryen!reader

132 notes · View notes

cosmic-croissant · 1 year

Text

so, so many thoughts on west end newsies. it was absolutely wonderful. spoilers ahead!!

the best way i can describe it is that it was a feast for the eyes. literally everywhere you looked there was something happening. there were so many little details, so many stories and games and jokes playing out on stage that were just slipped in and amongst everything else, and that just added so many layers to the whole show!! some of my favourite "little moments" included:

the opening. oh my god, the opening. it was possibly my favourite moment in the entire show?? it started with race alone, on stage, bending down to look at a pape on the floor then calling out to henry who ZIPLINED over to him. and then the entire space just came alive with newsies (i started crying immediately, which is incredibly on brand for me). there were newsies trying to sell things to the audience, playing games with each other, jumping, dancing. one sweet moment that was really blink-and-you-miss-it was when two newsies (i couldn't tell exactly who from where i was sitting) were tossing two apples around with each other and there was this other newsies who was sat away from them who seemed kinda sad, and the other two gave him one of their apples before running off. and the newsies who had been sat on the floor smiled and said "yes!!" before running off too. MY HEART.

in carrying the banner, albert (?) used the rag he was using to clean his crotch to clean his face after lmfaoo (there was a huge audience reaction to that)

one thing i really, really loved was how the newsies themselves moved all the staging and stuff. @jack-kellys made a wonderful point in their analysis about how it really cements the newsies as the working boys of new york and that's so so true!! when they brought on katherine's chair for "watch what happens" one newsie jumped on the chair and glided across the stage on it, and then they offered it to katherine like a throne when she sat. and the way the newsies just slept around the stage until they were needed to move set again was a really nice touch. also, in medda's theatre, the newsie operating the spotlight was arguing with the announcer man about how he was holding the spotlight during medda's performance 😭

another moment from medda's that made me laugh was that when the bowery beauties were kicking their legs in the air and davey covered les' eyes

also in medda's theatre when she said "hey baby i was just talking about you!" and the newsies who were watching the show from the front scrambled amongst each other before one of them was like "shut up, she's talking about me!" lmfaoo

something that was incredible painful but also a really realistic touch was the way romeo (? i think) screamed after he got hit in the face by a cop after sieze the day, and then kept screaming as he was guided off stage. it made the stakes feel so much more real and reinforced the fact that they were only kids.

this has got quite long so i'm gonna make another post later!! stay tuned :)

#newsies #uksies #west endsies #it was so wonderful in so many ways #croissant speaks #croissants talks about uksies

58 notes · View notes

aparticularbandit · 10 days

Text

Of An Endless Infinity: Remnants (III)

Summary: What does it mean to be the Ultimate Hope?

Is it only hope on the big scale? That the world is not so dark and depressing and destructive as the villain in front of you says it is? That you can win, even when everything else says that you can’t? That maybe it is better to live your life, even afraid, than it is to keep yourself sequestered away, alone?

Does it not also mean hope on the small scale?

Or: Makoto sacrifices himself in the hope that the other survivors might be able to help Junko. It remains to be seen whether this will actually succeed.

Chapter Rating: T. Fic Rating: M for Danganronpa reasons.

AO3

previous chapter | next chapter

Elsewhere….

“I knew ya’d come ta see me soon!”

His teeth are still filed into points. He’s not the sort to eat people – that’s Teruteru’s specialty, something he makes explicit note of saying has more than one meaning – but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still bite them or shred their skin with his teeth if attacked. Most people don’t get that close to him, though; he’s got more than enough machine guns fixated everywhere to kill them if—

Well.

He is the one who put the guns on top of the school in the first place, isn’t he? The one who helped craft all of the mechanics in those executions her beloved put on during the show?

If your most qualified Future Foundation member couldn’t get to the school, then they couldn’t get to him either.

The only reason she and that hope-obsessed fool can get through is because she alerted him to their coming, using the same messenger he’d created for them all when her beloved first started this whole thing, when she’d first chosen to live undercover with her classmates rather than stay with her horrors.

She’d hidden, and he’d given them a way to keep in contact no matter where in the world they were: a small plush bear like Monokuma, designed after the first one her beloved created. He’d modified that one, too, of course, after her beloved gave him permission to do it, but that one had gone dark after the last Trial.

Her beloved told them not to contact her during the Game. She couldn’t afford any distractions.

She’d tried to contact her so many times since then, but there’s nothing.

No response.

She can only imagine what her beloved’s old classmates might be doing to her to prevent her from—

“We need your help, Kaz.” She tugs on the chain wrapped around the fool’s neck, grins when he stumbles, when Kaz laughs, loud, at him. It’s a form of appeasement, at least. “We’re trying to get to her.”

Kaz’s once pink eyes darken, that sharp, sharp maroon a reflection of who he is now, the same that the once faded bruise of her own eyes now holds the tint of something redder, fresher. “You saying ya want me ta shut off my guns? I can’t do that. She told me ta—”

“Now, now, Kaz,” the fool chides. “She said no such thing.”

“Shut your mouth!”

Kaz jumps down from his pile of – it’s probably a bunch of half-finished projects, or completely finished ones that he’s still tinkering with, but mostly it looks like a throne of trash to her – and shoves his hands into his pockets as he stalks towards the fool. “You’re trying to get to her, which means ya gotta go through my guns, which means you’re going ta get shot, which means you’re only here to get me ta shut ‘em off. And she told me ta—”

She places a hand on his arm, and he stills. “You’re so much smarter than that, Kaz,” she purrs. “I’m sure you can think of some way to get us through without turning them off. Can’t you?” She leans in close, smells the putrid copper on his breath, and whispers, “If you do, I’ll tell Sonia you helped us. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Sonia hasn’t talked to him since the Game began. She’s complained about it with her. Kaz kept trumpeting about how much he helped her beloved, as though it was about him instead of about her. (She would have been just as frustrated as Sonia was, if she’d heard it from him, but she would have responded in a much more…physical way.)

Once, she told her beloved that maybe someone should tell him to stop pining for Sonia, as it obviously made both of them uncomfortable. But her beloved said that his constant hope that something might happen was also a source of constant despair for him, that Sonia’s constant hope that he would stop was a constant source of despair for her.

It was only then that she understood.

This, too, is a gift.

One that Kaz gave to Sonia; one that she gave right back to him.

And yet Kaz still shivers at her words, which is how she knows that she has him. He leans back, shoves a hand through his spiked pink hair, a brighter color than her beloved’s has ever been, and shoves his other hand deeper into his pocket. “Well, I can get ya through the guns; that’s for sure. But even if ya get through the guns, ya gotta get through the door, and I can’t do nothing about that thing.”

“You can’t?” she asks with a hum. “Just imagine how proud Miss Sonia would be of you, if you helped us save—”

“I got an idea!”

Kaz grins, hands clenched into fists, his tongue stuck out in his excitement. His eyes sparkle, gleam, bright as stars in the sky. (Bright as they used to be, anyway.) He leans forward, right into her face. “I just got one question for ya.”

She raises a brow and tries not to recoil at his breath. “What’s that, Kaz?”

“How much of a ruckus we causing here?”

6 notes · View notes

aita-blorbos · 7 months

Note

(NEXT-GEN OCS)

aita for sacrificing myself for my twin?

so me, my sister (16F) and 14 other people (all 16F) had been trapped in a (weridly kept clean) abandoned school made to kill eachother, long story short people did infact die and then get executed, and me and my sister were alive for all of this (even when she got a werid disease where she was highly guilliable and i was one of the few people not to have gotten it)

we were nearing the end, with 7 people (including me) when the headmaster introduced a motive that was "if we kill someone, we get information on our parents"

i was worried about my sister being vulnurable in this situation, since we are very close to our parents (and considering our situation, one of us would have to choose to get on the throne) or she could have been killed by her close friend or just- i dont know, i just didnt want her to get effected by this alright

so i grabbed a bat and i just swung it at someone in some dark room no one was using, i made sure it was an instant death as i didnt care for the motive, just my sister (i told the headmaster to fuck off and to not tell me what happened to them) so she could move on and atleast survive this

my sister walked in and we have a conversation which led to her disguising herself as me (we are identical, the only difference is that our heterochromia is flipped and i have a small scar from a can opener) and i had to stall time and hide somewhere, and then i saw the mastermind

the mastermind was someone we thought died awhile ago (we had a small party at the time, and someone tried to overdose me at lunch so i was out most of that time), ill call the mastermind K, so K and i just kept talking with me trying to not be so pissed off, (I TRIED TO KILL K! I DID! she threatened to break my arm and to kill my sister with me if i tell everyone who the mastermind was) she just acted so different, i didnt expect it

and at this killing game we have to guess who the culprit is, and my twin had told everyone she went to sleep in her room while she disguised herself as me while hanging out with them, she was SO close to making everyone vote for her instead of me, untill we were talking about alibis, and because i wasnt there i didnt know what we were doing, my twin said something she shouldnt have known (they were hanging out on the 3rd floor, the bedrooms are on the 1st floor) and they peiced it together that it was me,

in the end the headmaster revealed everyones parents situation (our dad was apparently dead but our mom was alive) and since we were splitting images of our dad (me in particular, since i have a scar on the same side of my face) the headmaster made fun of us by saying that our mom would have a hard time looking at us because of that and such and how were "like father like daughters" or something

i remember how i told the headmaster to send me off to my execution and my twin tried to grab me away and stop it, how she looked at me when i gave up before death, it was scary

it turned out, all a simulation by some jackasses that chose us because our parents were also in these simulations for no reason other then "yeah you guys signed a paper to play a game, sorry not sorry"

my sister had "survived" before getting executed last minute by K, turns out K doesnt act like that a virus that makes her the mastermind took over like a possessed corpse and she is terrified, MY DAD WASNT DEAD AND THEY BOTH SAW EVERYTHING BECAUSE MY TRIAL WAS SENT TO THEM VIA MAIL VIA RECORDED VIDEOS AND MY SISTER EXECUTION WAS JUST SHOWN ON TV

my sister tells me she still has nightmare about me dying sometimes and i feel so bad that i wanted to sacrifice myself and she still died in the end and im worried my parents wouldnt look at me the same and the girl that died has no idea it was me

AITA???

#aita #am i the asshole #unreality #child death #child endangerment #OVERDOSE MENTION

9 notes · View notes

music-is-love-90 · 2 years

Text

I have some thoughts about Daemon and Criston and why Daemon is the better one despite being psychotic.

Let's start with Daemon. Low hanging fruit and all.

Daemon is as amoral as they come. What he wants reigns supreme and god help who ever gets in his way. Wanna be single? Kill your wife. Wanna prove your brother wrong? Make a suicide run. What you see is what you get with Daemon. For all his reputation of being this supremely villainous figure, we actually see him do very little manipulation and what he does try, he gives up fairly quickly.

Which brings us to Criston. He is all manipulation. We've all made and seen the jokes about him being an incel, being a Nice Guy tm, but it's not really a joke.

He acts the part of the perfect knight, attentive and upstanding. He is there to protect the princess and he does it well. But from practically the beginning, there is a hint of something else. The perfect knight openly taunts a Prince of the Realm on the bridge to Dragonstone. He takes it upon himself to try to kill the White Stag before Rhaenyra stops him.

And then the night. He took oaths, talked about how thankful he was to be elevated, his name written in the White Book, but the first time those oaths are tested, he capitulates almost immediately. Oh, he puts up a performative protest, but if his oath actually meant something, he could have walked away. Yes, Rhaenyra is the Princess, but she was risking just as much, if not more, by doing what they did. He could be killed, yes, but she would have to destroy herself to destroy him. Rhaenyra is savvy enough to know that that isn't really worth it.

But instead, he does what she wants and he breaks his oaths. (Also, let's not pretend that every Kingsguard has kept that oath. This is Game of Thrones world. If even half of them have, I'd be shocked, but I digress) He falls into her bed and decides that it is okay, because he's in love with her and obviously she feels the same, despite no evidence. And the moment she declares that something might be more important to her than him, his whole world crashes down.

And he blames Rhaenyra. He blames her for his loss of honor, refusing to take responsibility for his actions. Say what you want about Daemon, but he never shies away from what he's done. He doesn't openly admit, but he never blames anyone else.

We see both men savagely beat someone in moments of weakness and both go to commit suicide immediately after.

Daemon goes to end a war. Yes, the move is mostly selfish, he wants to stick it to Viserys. If he dies, his brother will have to live with it, but, if it works, he'll also be saving his men. He'll be ending a long, bloody war and finishing what he set out to do. And he survives because of his skill and the men he went to sacrifice himself for.

In comparison, Criston's suicide attempt is one last fuck you at Rhaenyra. He goes to the Godswood, a place he has guarded her in over and over again, where he knows she takes refuge and he tries to take that from her with his bloody death. And he doesn't save himself, he doesn't change his mind. He is stopped by Alicent. He protested being Rhaenyra's whore only to become hers because he couldn't stand that he might not be Rhaenyra's first choice when faced with a decision between him and a crown.

I'm just endlessly fascinated by the idea that the man who is the most selfish man in the Seven Kingdoms ultimately channels his anger into a selfless act to use his death to save others, while the pinnacle of virtue ultimately tries to use his death to hurt the woman he claims to love.

I gotta get over this show.

#House of the Dragon #HotD #Daemon Targaryen #Criston Cole #Rhaeynra Targaryen

64 notes · View notes

youve-doomed-us-all-jerk · 11 days

Text

and finished it ,got dat true ending yes def had a great time on the game 8/10 (but yeah performance def docked some points as well as some writing threads that felt kinda dropped, but am trying to in good faith piece it together in me mind so just gonna ramble spoilers under the cut:

when people said this is what they wanted the original DD to be i can see that but like i feel like the lead up to the game kept hearing people who know more about the originals history talk about how "40-60% of the original vision was cut down" from dd1 and i feel like my brain unfortunately interpreted that as "oh cool so were gonna have 100 new vocations like the monk and 100 monsters and the parallel worlds(technically true☝🏽🤓) and the moon stuff, neat" thats on me lmao but yeah removing those expectations and seeing it for what it is, its def the spirit of the the first game but its systems deeper and more fleshed out not good at all the techny terms but im not very into or good at action games but this one made me want to be cuz the combat was fun haha hmm writing wise there was a point where i felt like everything just suddenly got dropped once the godbane stuff started happening and youre suddenly barreling to the ending while everything else just wasnt important anymore lmao, but trying to interpret the story as a story the pathfinder is weaving, i think its meant to feel like that cuz we see the pathfinder essentially write us out of problems, give us a griffin to escape slavery, gives us a clue to where were supposed to go and the big one he like straight up changes ambrosius mind about giving us the godsbane when it wouldnt make sense for him too, the old man by harve even alludes to this by saying the real world is much messier when hes telling you about how fake everything is, like the watcher said everyone there is there to play a part in a tale hes laid out and i think he wanted to get to the ending faster. It's definitely another layer they added from the first games cycle, but do wish if that is what theyre going for(and if im not delusional lmao) that they did more like the ambrosius thing just watching as he ass pulls us out of dead ends making us feel what rothais felt when he realized all his feats and hardships didnt matter, also just would have liked more sidequests with fun characters lmao.

Also did enjoy the endings of the 3 major peoples in the unmoored world and felt like their side quests really fleshed them out and led them there to their endings well,mostly, very cool idea to bring it all together like that. elves wanted to stay isolated but they needed outside influence to break tradition, to save their tree and how it all built to them agreeing to seek refuge with the other races rather than die with their way of life. Ironic that disa was half right about sven needing to inherit the throne but ofc she was also half wrong cuz she a tyrant and wants him to have it mainly cuz of blood, but he deserves it cuz his sidequests were about him getting to know the common folk and becoming self assured lmao battahl tbh full disclosure i messed up the queen nadias sidequest to the rose chateau, tried to scare the dick head shopkeeper into giving me the medicine for the beastren and got arrested so idk how that one ends(will find out in NG+ lmao) but based on the ones i did do, it seems like the nations whole thing was about always being in conflict with each other and how the unmoored quests there are about making people put there differences aside and band together, including the arisen teaming with phaesus. Also like the irony of their view on pawns being right at first but by the end of the game they end up being wrong. but yeah do feel like they didnt get into that more, along with what the lambent flame is? (googled that there was lore texts you can find that explain how an earlier emperor is deceiving the people about it and what it really does) they also dont go into the fact vermund was a nation of beastren, started by a beastren and then history was wiped?? and how theres vermundians fear of beastren and human children always look like beastren and yet wilhelmina is a direct contradiction of this?? that seemed like a really juicy plot point but they didnt really do anything with it. and lastly idek where to start with the pawn and arisen ending, found out theres slight differences in the affinity ending (got the high affinity one cuz reds my my gurl i always revive run straight to her to revive her🤗) but watching them talk about how happy they are to have their own will while saying theyd still do anything for you filled me with something, dont even know what but was crazy.

oh also before i forget another way its in the spirit of the first game for me is just like in the original i also forgot to talk to the person i was romancing and giving them flowers before the endings and got diff people appearing there just like my first playthru of the dd1 lmfao( got manela with grigori and sara in the true ending, was going for ulrika this playthru lmfao) def gonna NG+, maybe do a magic archer and get the stuff i missed and try and get the other endings. Also hoping for another expansion/dlc like they did with dd1 down the line with more vocations and monsters.

#dragons dogma 2 #dd2 #dd2 spoilers

2 notes · View notes

separatist-apologist · 2 years

Text

Last Young Renegade- Bonus Pollen

Summary: A war on the continent is looming. A Death God approaches, his curse slowly unravelling. A firebird screams through the night.

And Elain Archeron can see it all.

Read More: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | AO3

Chapter Summary: Deleted scene from the original plot in which someone spikes the wine at a party with sex pollen. Mostly NSFW, may spoil some of the later plot. Erina + Elucien

I will keep this linked in one-shots

“There you are,” Eris crooned, looping his arm through Elains as she all but jogged through the hall. “Are you headed towards the festivities?”

She tried to yank away but Eris held firm. “Not with you.”

“Nonsense. We are family, after all.”

There was no use arguing, not when Eris’s hand was holding her in place or when, technically, he was her brother in some form or fashion. Besides, Eris’s sharp eyes kept all the other males from looking at her too closely and after weeks of being nonstop ogled, Elain could admit it was nice to use Eris as a shield.

“Do you plan to participate today?” Eris asked conversationally. “I’ve heard it’s quite the spectacle.”

“Participate?”

“How poorly they inform you,” he chuckled, as if her ignorance was funny to him. “All the males compete to be crowned champion as part of their little games.”

“Games for what?”

“Independence,” Eris said dismissively. “This land was once controlled by a different sort of Faerie. Crueler, more powerful…Gunnar’s ancestors threw off the yolk of oppression and they remember every year with their little revels. This morning they’ll fight and this evening they’ll dance and at some point the whole thing devolves into fucking…or so I’m told.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet your were,” she grumbled as Eris grinned widely.

“I’m sure I won’t be the only one. You know, I thought the frenzy would last longer than a few days—”

“Maybe that’s your problem, Eris,” Elain interrupted sweetly. “You think about things you have no business wondering about. Imagine what you could accomplish if you spent less time thinking about what Lucien and I do in the privacy of our own bedroom.”

Eris chuckled. “I like you.”

The two entered the great hall, reassembled to look like a huge obstacle course—one designed, primarily, for battle. Males, the majority shirtless and coated in whorls of blue paint, stretched and sparred with each other, holding massive silver swords half as tall as her. Eris hesitated, eyes sweeping the room.

“What do you make of this place?” he asked after a moment. Elain was only half paying attention, her eyes on the lovely Hilda, already sitting on her iridescent throne practically dripping in glittering diamonds.

“She looks so miserable,” Elain murmured, noting the vacancy in her blue and green eyes.

Eris released Elain’s arm to ghost his hand over the middle of her back. “Her father sold her for pennies.”

Elain looked up at him, surprised Eris would offer her any information about this place. His own expression was muted—unreadable.

“That would make me miserable, too,” Elain murmured, wondering if Eris wasn’t speaking from some experience. She’d heard the story of Morrigan, of the evil, ugly Eris Vanserra who left her to die with a nailed note in her body. Elain thought, her hand reaching for the crook of his elbow all the same, that Eris wasn’t talking about himself as he watched.

“This place reeks of rot,” he finally said.

“How can you tell?”

“I’m the Lord of rot and ruin,” Eris murmured, eyes cutting towards her. “What do you think is lurking beneath the jeweled leaves of Autumn’s famed forests?”

“What are you truly doing here, Eris?”

A smile ghosted over his lips. “I’ve never fucked a female from the continent–”

“You’re so gross,” she complained, trying to pull away. Eris caught her, keeping her at his side as they watched, half hidden at the far end of the room.

“Oh, come on. Lighten up. Surely you didn’t think you’d bat your pretty little eyes and I’d spill my guts?”

Elain poked him hard in the ribs. “You’ll tell me everything before you go home and I won’t even have to ask.”

“Oh, I’m certain of it,” Eris agreed. “But not today. Today I just want to observe.”

“And tomorrow?”

Eris grinned. “I hope to be too sore to even get out of bed.”

She poked him again.

“Speaking of spending my day in bed…what do you know about Helion’s scholar?” Eris asked, catching sight of a golden dipped Arina swanning across the room. Every head turned as she walked, not that Arina noticed. Or cared. Eris was no better, watching with that same hungry stare.

“She doesn’t like you.”

“I’m serious. Helion doesn’t get involved…he likes to let Rhysand do his dirty work. Thesan, too. The solar courts are more united, fight less often. Tell me what you know.”

“Why would I help you?”

“I’ll owe you a favor?”

“I don’t need a favor,” Elain retorted. “And I don’t want Lucien’s father—”

“My father, too,” Eris reminded her without any of his usual amusement. “I wonder if any of us know what game we’re truly playing.”

“What does that mean?” she asked. Eris only shook his head.

“You’ll come to trust me, Elain. And when you do, I’ll still owe you that favor.”

Eris shooed Elain towards the ladies, sauntering off to torment some different lord, leaving Elain to join Arina on the outskirts of the revel.

“What did he want?” Arina asked, watching a very shirtless Gunnar stride into the room. The whole chamber grew quiet at the sight of his honed, muscular body covered in that same whorling blue. Only Hilda remained unmoved, as if she’d seen it all before and it hardly impressed her. Both Elain and Arina watched, a soft haze filtering over the ugliness of the upcoming competition.

This place reeks of rot.

Elain looked across the room to Eris, arms crossed over his black coat jacket. He was staring, too, his eyes hardly gloating. She knew what he was trying to say.

You sense it too.

Eris thought it rot but Elain considered it the pretty film of magic. Gunnar lifted a sword as he strode into that ring. The iridescent light that coated his skin, the air, her very eyes, shielding them all from the vicious display. Lucien often complained that everyone let Gunnar win when they played cards, that he was a poor loser. A spoiled king, was the all but stated words.

Not here, though. If there is magic to be had, it’s in the way Gunnar wields his blade, moving like silk in the air. Every inch of him seems to be born to do nothing else—he is forged of the very blood he draws, made of the dripping iron and howling cold.

Male after male came forward to challenge him, sword gripped in hand. Gunnar needed no crown to prove his mettle, required no proof he was lord of the land to take down his foes. Elain watched, after each defeat, how he looked to Hilda with the same hopeful eyes she’d seen too often on Lucien.

Do you see what I would do for you?

Hilda offered no praise—not in her body, or gaze, or lips. She might have been carved from the same stone that once hewed the mountains for all she seemed to care. Elain almost felt bad for Gunnar as the day wore on. He pushed through punishing task after task, always turning to his wife and always rebuffed. Perhaps he had humiliated her too many times for her approval now. Maybe once she’d been like the other gathered females, watching with heated interest, her body pulled in fascination. Even Elain couldn’t help the admiration she felt. He was beautiful. You’d have to be blind not to notice. Arina, too, had shifted, her gaze softened. What had once seemed predatory and menacing seemed approachable.

Safe.

Elain glanced over the room throughout the day, always finding Eris’s eyes. Always with that leveled stare, his lips flat with accusation. You’re falling for a trick, his body seemed to warn. Something in her mind, too. Something that continuously pulled her away from fully walking into the glimmer, the same feeling when her dreams were just a little too lifelike.

Lucien.

Lucien, off on his own, chatting casually with courtiers and lords like he had no care in the world. Lucien, in a coat so purple it was nearly black, the color offsetting the copper hues in his hair vibrantly. Every time Elain looked at him she saw something new, some little trick of the light bouncing off his cheekbones or his muscles shifting beneath the black of his pants that reminded her he was real. The room would clear, the walls spread back to their original place and sometimes Lucien would see her, offering a whisper of a smile.

Arina tugged at Elain when it was time to change. “They say this dance devolves into an orgy,” Arian told her as they walked from the hall, both of them shaking off a day of milling about watching men fight and climb and swim. “After midnight, when the children are asleep.

“I’ll be asleep too,” Elain replied, reaching for the staircase. Arina grinned.

“Well, I’ll be up.” And Elain wondered if she hadn’t decided on the king after all.

~*~

It took Lucien a moment, blinking as he was, to realize the music hadn’t abruptly cut. There were still revelers, dancing and twirling and smiling. People still milled about tables piled high with food and wine, still sat on settees and reclined against iridescent walls. They were still talking, voices a low hum beneath the strings of the music thudding in his veins, the chandelier still pouring soft fae light into the massive, arched space.

Only—maybe it had all vanished and he was standing among the heavens because Elain had stepped in draped in plunging, clinging gold and robbed him of air. Tumbling curls fell over bare shoulders, dark eyes framed by even darker, longer lashes and Lucien was certain she was not real. He’d merely imagined her and any moment she would shimmer into nothing.

He needed her to dance with Gunnar. He’d had it planned all day, had kept his distance specifically so the king might sidle up, might think her more willing than she was. Now, standing across the room, Lucien only felt hotly burning jealousy. Gunnar wasn’t anywhere here, was talking to his absurdly beautiful wife who was, somehow, not even the most beautiful female in the room. Elain outshone everyone and if Hilda wanted to compete, she had to settle for bronze. Arina, shimmying in beside Elain in that vibrant Day Court white, made one of the violinist's bow slip loudly. How was it, he wondered, to be so outshone by these foreign females in a place you out to have held dominion? Lucien turned, gulping down his cup of wine before setting to the table so he could pour twin glasses for Elain and Arina. It gave him a reason to go talk to them, to sweep Elain up at least once before he unleashed her on Gunnar.

She was a prize and every male in the room knew it. Stunning, sweet, and mated. Elain radiated pure, hazy sunlight—softer than the warmth pooling at Arina’s feet and draped about her skin like a cloak. If Arina was the midday sun then Elain was radiating dawn. Lucien all but sauntered to them, pushing the cup into Elain’s hand.

“You look nice,” he lied. Nice was all wrong—Elain was ethereal, his every fantasy come to life. She beamed before pressing red lips to the glass. Lucien’s whole body tightened at the sight, earning an irritated look from Arina who gratefully did not comment on the scent he knew must be rolling off him. Elain might trust the Day Court princess but Lucien didn’t—not yet, at any rate. Not when his brother was watching her so hawkishly, caught up in the rivalry that had always existed between their courts. Lucien didn’t trust Arina to keep Elain safe if it came between Helion and Lucien’s mate.

“I was hoping you’d let Gunnar dance with you,” he murmured, hand trailing down her back. Little pearl buttons lined against her spine, creating the most delicious friction against his palm. He needed to get himself together. Lucien took another long, slow drink to try and steady himself.

“Why?”

“Because he wants you,” Lucien replied. “And I’m getting nowhere with him. I want to see the border but he’s suspicious of me. Maybe you could work a little of your magic?”

Elain’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at him, her fingers brushing over the back of his hands. “And what magic is that?” Lucien licked his lips. How did he even begin to explain? “You’re doing it right now.”

She pressed just a little closer, hand pressed against his chest. “I’m just looking at you.”

He almost called the whole thing off. Lucien almost pulled her into his own arms so he could dance her silly and stupid, could let everyone else watch her twirl in his grasp. Jealous. And in his mind, he didn’t gloat though his eyes told everyone watching what they all knew—she’s mine.

It was hard to pretend, even as Elain offered him one last dazzling smile before slipping away, finishing her drink and leaving the cup with a serving fae. He could only watch, eyes trained on the slight sway of her hips. Gunnar had noticed too, giving up on seducing his own frigid, angry wife. She was in a mood and Lucien could guess why. Rumors abound that he’d been caught with the Vallahan emissary the night before who just so happened to be some sort of relation, though that might have been just a vicious court rumor. He’d embarrassed her and now she would shun him, for all it deterred anyone. She didn't want to leash her ladies and as a result, none of them respected her.

Elain was caught in Gunnar’s easy grasp with a friendly smile. Game on.

“You’re letting him touch her?” Eris asked when Lucien went back to the table, his body warm from all the liquor. Eris held his own glass between two fingers, his expression one of supreme boredom. “Say the word and I’ll cut off his hands.”

“Since when do you care who touches Elain?”

Eris glanced over at Lucien before swirling his cup absently. He threw it back like a shot, shuddering at whatever it was he tasted. “She doesn’t belong here with the monsters, Lucien.”

“Sure she does,” he replied with just an edge in his voice. What did Eris know about Elain or where she belonged? She wanted to be here, dancing with the King of Rask. She could have been his consort for how fluidly she moved, how utterly regal she seemed. Elain, whether she thought so or not, had been born to be High Fae. Maybe even a King’s wife, had she not been paired up with him. Lucien could see it all so clearly, how powerful men would fall to their knees just for a kind word from her lips.

Mine.

“She doesn’t,” Eris grumbled, looking into his empty cup. “If we were smart, we’d leave tomorrow.”

“Then go.” Lucien’s words were a dismissal. He didn’t want to have this conversation with his brother, not when he was watching Elain laugh, head tossed back so the tips of her hair brushed against the soft swell of her ass. Lucien had always been attracted to Elain but tonight felt different. He was needy, achy. The mere sight of her hands sliding up Gunnar’s shoulder, as if he were the most fascinating male in the world, was doing something strange to him. It wasn’t jealousy—not exactly, anyway. It was desire. Watching her was enough to ignite a flame in his stomach, raw, rabid lust shooting into his cock. Eris was watching with the same lurid fascination, as if he’d never seen two people dance before.

Gunnar dropped his face, blonde curls spilling over his forehead and Elain arched into the touch, letting his lips brush over her cheek. Lucien imagined what it would be like to touch her like that, to drag his tongue over her skin and taste the sweet, musky salt of her body—

“Oh fuck,” Eris snarled, slamming his cup to the table behind them. Lucien’s attention snapped to his brother, catching the rough smell of arousal…not just from Eris, but everywhere. He’d been so busy staring at Elain that he hadn’t noticed a pair grinding against each other a mere ten feet away from him and Eris, pulling at each other’s clothes with talons and teeth.

“They spiked the fucking wine,” Eris swore.

It should have alarmed him, given Gunnar had Elain flush against him, his hand sliding down her back. Her eyes were heavy lidded, body pliant beneath the Kings touch. Lucien thought to join them, perhaps. Or maybe he’d—

Eris strolled across the room, all but dragging Elain out of Gunnar’s embrace. She was laughing, nearly tipping to the ground. Only Eris, his hand firm against her arm, kept her on her feet. Lucien trotted just behind, unsure what to say. “Eris,” she was giggling, shoving futilely against Eris’s grasp. “I was having fun.”

“You were about five steps from falling to your knees,” he grumbled.

“I would never,” she protested, twisting in Eris’s grasp to look at Lucien. “Tell him. We have never—”

“Yes, Elain, why don’t you scream it a little louder,” Eris interrupted. “I am well aware of what’s happening between you two.”

Eris all but shoved Elain into Lucien’s grasp at the foot of the stairs.

“Take her to your room and bolt the fucking door. No orgies.”

Lucien frowned before hauling Elain up over his shoulder. “Wait! Eris, wait–!”

He paused, the tension in his body practically rippling beneath his skin. “Find Arina. Don’t let them…she’ll be so upset in the morning.” Eris’s eyes darkened. “Done.”

Eris vanished before Lucien could remind his brother that her regret would extend to him, unable to do much more than suppress the groan building in his chest. Elain’s breasts were squashed against his shoulders, the scent of her arousal practically in his nose. It was effort, dumping her on their shared bed before turning back for the door to bolt it. He did the sliding door, too while Elain giggled on the bed, kicking off her shoes.

“How long is this going to last?” she asked him breathlessly and fuck if Lucien remembered. The last time he’d had wine like this he’d been practically a boy running amok in the Forest House. It had been one of his older brothers to lace their drink during Autumn Equinox and their mother had been irate, silent tears streaming down her face the next morning. At the time, Lucien had assumed she was embarrassed by how they’d defiled the forest but now…he knew she’d hated how the wine made her want her husband, how she’d all but crawled in Beron’s lap that night.

“Hours,” he panted, back pressed against the closet door. “Until the wine is out of our system.”

Elain’s eyes were blown out, so dark he could practically see his reflection. It wasn’t like her nightmares—there was bright light just behind, making her seem particularly mischievous.

“If you lock the closet—”

“Why would I do that?” she murmured, kicking off her shoes. “I like you where you are.”

He exhaled hard. “You’re not thinking clearly–”

“Or maybe I’m thinking clearly for the first time since we met,” she replied, rising from the bed like his every fantasy come to life. Lusty bedroom eyes beckoned him before she turned, sweeping her hair with one fluid motion to the side. “Will you at least help me out of this dress?”

“And into what?” he whispered, his fingers already undoing her buttons. Inch by inch, Lucien began barring her tanned skin, his fingers trailing over her smooth body.

“You could help me into bed?” she suggested when he’d finished. She held the front of the dress against her breasts, pulling her arms from the sleeves before she let it pool entirely at her feet. Elain was all but naked beneath, her body hidden in a matching pair of pink, lacy underthings she presumably wore because she liked them and not because she imagined he might see. Lucien’s knees shook at the sight.

She slid into bed with all the grace of a practiced seductress. “Elain, I—” Her eyes silenced him. His mate.

“You’ll regret it in the morning,” he managed, his fingers reaching for the silver buttons on his jacket.

“I don’t think so,” she murmured appreciatively when he pushed the offending cloth from his shoulders, letting it join her dress on the floor. “Shirt, Lucien.”

“You want to see me with my clothes off?” It was meant to sound suggestive–flirty. It came out sound awed, breathless.

“Yes,” she agreed. And so off when his shirt, and then his boots, until all that was left were his pants and his aching, raging cock just behind. His blood pulsed in time with his heart, thick and heavy, urging him to do something about his aching need.

He crawled up the bed, both terrified and desperate, so certain he’d screw this whole thing up. And Elain, pliant and warm and wonderful Elain, let him guide her back to the mattress. “I’ve only done this once before,” she told him, eyes dark and wide.

“I’m not fucking you,” he breathed, running his nose over the hollow of her neck. “Not yet, anyway. If I only have this one night…” If he only had one night and the magic of the wine laced with aphrodisiac, Lucien intended to make the best of it. He wanted everything, wanted her to remember his hands and mouth just as surely as she’d remember his cock.

“If you only…oh…” she whispered as his mouth replaced his nose, kissing softly against her neck. It was supposed to be this way…but it wasn’t. Elain’s hips flew off the bed, grinding against him and Lucien’s last little thread of control shredded to dust. Maybe, if she ever let him touch her again, he’d give a slow, sweet seduction. The sort that would take hours to finish, the kind where she’d tremble from just a featherlight touch. The wine urged them to take, to do something about the burning desire they both were writhing beneath. Lucien pushed his cock against her, groaning at the heat he felt radiating between the cloth separating them. Lucien needed to taste her, needed to put her pussy on his face. He reached, her mouth sliding against his own and Lucien was utterly lost, awash in the taste of the wine still bright against her tongue, the heady honeyed smell of her mingled with the musky sweetness of her arousal.

Fingers threaded through his hair, tugging at his careful braid until the strands cascaded around them. Elain moaned, unsatisfied with his scalp. He pushed against her, desperate for relief when those same nails dragged over the skin of his back, sliding into the band of his pants to grasp at his ass and push him harder, to all but forced them together, over and over until they’d created a bruising pace, grinding their half naked, sweat slicked bodies against the other. Nothing had ever felt better in his entire life than kissing her with all the pent up passion he’d been forced to swallow those last five years, her body rolling rhythmically beneath him. She was going to come—Lucien could feel how she trembled, how she was seeking more friction, was gasping into his mouth, her eyes rolling backwards. He might have pulled away had the sight not been so intoxicating. Let her, he decided just a moment before she came apart, grinding so hard against his pants he could feel the wet soaking against his cock.

Only then did Lucien find some semblance of strength, peeling himself off her. Elain watched, breasts jiggling with each new breath, practically spilling from that lace ensemble. “Did I buy you that?”

“Yes,” she whispered, running her hands over the skimpy fabric. Lucien let himself admire her for one more moment, dressed in the underthings he’d purchased for her.

“Take it off,” he ordered, rubbing his own erection through the wet stain of his pants. Elain arched her back, reaching for the clasp in the back, sending his eyes rolling back into his head. Elain tossed them to the side, eyes daring him to tell her to keep going.

“Touch,” he managed, his voice hoarse. She did, her hands reaching for the soft swells, fingers tugging at the rosy tipped peaks.

“And the rest.”

“What about you?” she demanded softly, breath hitching in her throat. Lucien stepped forward, gesturing at his pants.

“Come look at what a mess you made.”

Elain rose to her knees with a curved, wicked smile. “You know,” she began as she rested the most perfect ass Lucien had ever seen on the heels of her feet. “The ladies of court have discussed quite loudly what they’d do if they were to ever get their hands on the laces of your pants.”

He was only half listening, drunk on her gentle tugs, a mere moment from freeing him into her hands. “They talk of all sorts of terribly wicked things.”

“Like?”

Elain reached, squeezing her soft hand around his shaft. It was with nothing but pure, masculine pride to see her fingers unable to touch, at the stripe of untouched skin where she couldn’t quite grasp him.

“I wasn’t aware you could use your mouth,” she said, lowering her face so her lips touched the crown of his cock, her breath fanning over the sensitive skin. Elain looked up through thick lashes with her fuck me eyes and Lucien realized she knew exactly what she was doing.

“You’ll tell me if I do something wrong?”

He threaded his fingers in her hair, nodding desperately as her petal soft mouth linked the length of him, tongue swirling against the head. Hollowed cheeks swallowed a third of his shaft into her throat with relative ease for someone who claimed to be unpracticed. Lucien groaned, using his hand to guide her head.

“That’s it,” he praised. “My pretty girl.”

Elain hummed her approval, squirming with pleasure. He needed to eat her. “Elain,” he tried but she was rubbing her tongue in time with the movements just beneath the tip of his head and oh, Gods, he’d come if she did that. “Get on your back.”

She released him with a wet pop of her mouth, the sound so obscene he could have died. “Is something wrong?”

“I haven’t eaten tonight,” Lucien all but growled when she did as he asked though she was all wrong. Her legs hung over the bed and Lucien very much was not done feeling her silky tongue caress him.

“I’m starving, Elain.”

He turned her, spilling her lovely hair against the edge of the bed as he came towards her. He could feel the strands brush against the hair of his leg. He reveled in it, cock in hand as he rubbed it over her swollen lips. “Take your clothes off.”

Elain scrambled from her underwear, balling it into a wad and throwing it to the end of bed. The noise that escaped him was hardly elegant–the desperate keen made her smile. She wiggled a little before her knees fell open, draped over the bed like the most tempting offering he’d ever seen.

Carefully, Lucien slid his cock back into her mouth, all but bruising the back of her throat. Elain pressed at his thighs, telling him when she’d had enough. “Good, that’s good,” he praised, spreading his legs wide so he could control the angle of his thrusts even as he hovered over her. “I’m going to fuck your mouth with my cock while I fuck your cunt with my tongue. Would you like that?”

She whimpered, swallowing him down when he moved his hips and fuck Lucien was already too close, too desperate. It was all he could do but grab her by the legs and bury his face between her thighs, taking that first needy taste of her. It was meant to be a teasing lick, his tongue slow as he worked up the length of her. Elain practically sobbed with pleasure, the rumbling vibration of her moan settling in his sac. Lucien was trying to control his hips, to resist the urge to slam into her throat and make her take all of him whether she wanted to or not. Instead, he distracted himself from the wet slide of her mouth and her perfect little tongue by spreading her wide open with his thumb.

He’d never get over the slight of her gleaming, trembling pink cunt, still swollen from when she’d come against his clothed erection. Elain ground against him, inadvertently taking more of his cock with the new angle of her body. They moaned in time, Lucien taking every inch he could get before he gave up, once again, trying to draw her out.

“Make a mess of my face,” he ordered, speaking the words against her clit before he did as promised. She whined, choking softly when a little more of his length pushed against the back of her throat. He could feel her working to breathe even as she kept her lips wrapped tight, sucking in air before he slid back in, over and over.

Lucien was let wild need take over, feasting on her pussy like it was the finest meal he’d ever had. It was easy enough to figure what she liked, to slide his tongue as far into her tight heat as he could before dragging it up her middle and swirling over her clit for a hot, wet kiss. Elain bucked and writhed, covering him in her slick arousal. If he was close, so was she. She could feel her shaking legs clenched tight around his face.

She hit at his thighs, not to tell him to stop but in warning. Elain screamed when his lips closed once again around that swollen nub of flesh, dragging him into climax with her. Lucien poured himself down her throat, grunting with each thrust of his hips.

Lucien pulled his still aching cock from her mouth if only to crawl over her, to pull her back to the bed. “You want more.”

It wasn’t a question. He knew she did because he did, too. Elain, panting and flushed, her lips bright red from swallowing his cock, watched him with those dark, lust stained eyes. “Say it,” he ordered, if only to give himself something to fantasize about when she inevitably decided they’d made a terrible mistake.

“I want more,” she said, her voice clear—strong.

“You want my cock,” he continued, pushing apart her legs, taking himself in hand. “You want me to fill you up?”

“Yes,” she whimpered, licking her lips as Lucien dragged the head of his aching arousal up her slick cunt, teasing her clit until he, too, was practically panting. Lucien all but fell over her, his hand closing around her neck.

“There will be no one else,” he whispered against her jaw.

“Regardless of what happens in the morning. There will only be me, only be you.”

She looked up at him, fingers grazing his stubbled jaw. “Mate.”

He hadn’t meant to thrust into her the way he did. It was as if she’d pulled a string and Lucien had merely obeyed the command. Elain gasped, her whole body tensing and too late, Lucien remembered what she’d said at the beginning. Only once before. When she’d been human, about to be married. Lucien slanted his mouth over hers in apology, holding himself utterly still despite the wild flame demanding he claim her. Lucien kissed, tongue stroking her own, until she relaxed against him, her rigid body warming, her fingers sliding up over his back.

“You’re doing so well,” he praised, kissing her cheek, her neck, behind her ear. “You take my cock so well.”

Elain arched, letting him suck one of her nipples into his mouth and lavish it with the same sweet praise. Sweet, pretty mate, he through, trading one breast for the other until she began to whine, lifting and wiggling with need. Lucien was coming apart, the seams that held him together slowly unraveling. Elain, with her tight, perfect pussy and her soft, warm body that conformed to his every contour. Lucien couldn’t be slow, couldn’t be nice, couldn’t give her the slow seduction he’d once dreamt of when they were newly mated and he’d been sure she’d come around if he only gave her time.

Driving need pushed Lucien to thrust back into her, withdrawing to the tip only to push back. Elain met him savagely, lifting her hips to grind against him. He wasn’t the only one who was working out whatever was happening, whatever had been happening. “Five fucking years,” Lucien growled against her neck, sucking the skin until she yelped. He soothed the little hurt with his tongue. “You’ve denied me this sweet pussy for five fucking years.” She kissed him, sinking her teeth into his bottom lip. “You’ll fuck me when I say you can,” she whispered when blood flooded into his mouth.

Lucien had never been harder in his life. He put his hand back around her throat. “You’re a fucking brat.”

Elain’s eyes found him. “Your fucking brat.”

His balls tightened painfully, forcing him to squeeze his ass to keep from pouring himself into her. She was so fucking sexy, so utterly stunning. He was losing his mind. “Come on my cock, Elain. I want to fuck you again.”

She moaned, grinding against his body until she’d found that sweet spot. Elain broke with a scream he all but sucked from her throat, strangling it with the press of his fingers to her windpipe. Climax couldn’t have come a moment too soon. Lucien all but burrowed himself in her cunt, spilling every last drop of come into her body.

“Oh, my Gods,” Elain whispered, throwing her head back against the pillow. Lucien knew why. He kissed her mouth.

“Again?”

She nodded. “Please.

3.5 [Eris bonus pollen]

Find Arina. Eris stalked through the palace, trying to ignore the scent of arousal burning in his nose. When he’d hoped for a devolving orgy, he’d hoped for consent, if nothing else. Everyone was mindless with need, hardly caring who touched who or if they even liked each other. For some pairs, like his idiot brother and giggling Elain, Eris thought it was likely to work out.

For him, though?

Eris stopped in the throne room. There she was in that clingy white dress, her back bared save for a thin line of chains draped against her skin. Arina wasn’t Autumn Court–she was pure Day and Eris knew the reputation of Helions court. She clearly had no compunction with reaching for the first person she saw—some pretty little strawberry blonde, tits already bared. Eris halted, ignoring the way his control was fraying.

Arina wasn’t just Elain’s friend or Helions scholar or emissary or lover or whatever she fucking was. Arina was his mate. The snap had been brutal, near violent in its intensity and since he’d felt it, Eris had been merely ignoring her. He didn’t know if she’d felt it too, though he’d seen her eyes on him often enough.

Unlike Elain and Lucien, who were fun to taunt, Eris avoided Arina entirely. No conversation, no traded barbs. Nothing that might make someone look at her twice, that might cause them to think she was a tool that could be used against him. Until that moment, Eris had made peace with sending her back to Helion, to maybe seeing her again in two or three centuries when Beron was dead and he’d brought Autumn to heel.

That was before he watched his mate drag her tongue over the other female’s neck. She wasn’t looking at whoever she touched—Arina was looking at him. Eris’s lips parted and some small part of him wanted to be difficult. He wanted to turn entirely and leave her there. Let her see how little he cared.

But fuck she was so gorgeous. He had an excuse, he told himself. If he fucked the Day Court scholar under the influence of an aphrodisiac, Beron would hardly care. No one would think twice about it. She was there, he was there…this other fucking female he ever much wanted to get rid of was there.

“Are you going to just watch?” she taunted as he approached. Eris cracked his neck as if he wasn’t being ridden hard with lust.

“Maybe. I see this shit every day.”

Arina shrugged, reaching for the broached clasps on her shoulders. With one easy tug, she removed every stitch of clothing. Eris nearly knelt before her. She was glorious, all soft bronze skin and lush curves. “Every day?” she challenged, turning her backside to him to go back to her quivering female. Eris grabbed her around her middle, keeping her from sinking to the floor and burying her face into cunt.

“I don’t think so,” he whispered, grinding his hips against her ass. She gasped at what she felt, his painful, aching erection sliding over her bare skin, leashed only by the laces of his pants.

“Jealous?” she taunted breathlessly.

“Desperately,” he agreed, hauling her into his arms, limbs flailing, to take her out of that throne room. He’d be damned if anyone looked at her perfect body but him.

“Is this the kind of male you are?” she asked when he tossed her on his bed. She looked good there, spayed out among his immaculate sheets. “Possessive?”

“To a fault,” he agreed, reaching for the buttons on his jacket. She all but crawled to the edge of the bed, blonde hair falling around her perfect face. “I don’t want your lips on anyone but me.” Her arousal was sweet in the air, driving him insane as he peeled himself from his clothes. Arina merely watched and he wondered how often she called the shots. Maybe Day Court males liked being bossed around.

Eris fucking didn’t. Not when he had so little control anywhere else in his life. Not when he knew his mate would yield, would trust him. No one trusted him. Eris walked to the bed, erection bobbing between his legs. Forest green eyes looked at nothing else, head cocked as she drank him in. He let her for one anxious moment. It was a terrifying thing.

Do you like me?

Arina’s eyes found us, a smile curved over her mouth. “Who knew the sons of High Lords were so well equipped?” His hand shot forward, wrapping itself in her long, silken hair. “Get on your knees, Arina.”

Defiance flared in her eyes. “Or what?”

“I’ll make you,” he replied coolly. “We both know what you want.” She let him tug her from the bed. “And what’s that?” Using her hair as a leash, Eris dragged her flush against him until he was nestled in the cradle of her thighs. Their eyes met, breath mingled in the inch of air between them. “You want to please your mate.”

She sucked in a breath. “You feel it?”

For one stupid moment, Eris nearly pulled her into his grasp and held her against him. Maybe if he’d only been overcome with his usual lust he could have slowed himself down, could have reassured her of his terrible–yet honorable–intentions.

“I feel it,” was all Eris could manage as he pushed her to her knees.

“Open your mouth.”

There was no hesitation when she looked up at him. No fear. Even the females in his own court couldn’t quite manage that. Oh, they tried. They wiggled and teased and did everything he asked but he saw the flicker of uncertainty if he was just a little too rough, a little too bossy.

Beron.

Arina blazing defiance, her unguarded trust made his legs shake even as he pushed his cock against her firmly closed lips. “Open your mouth,” he ordered again, praying to the Mother above she wouldn’t.

Let me show you what we could have.

“Make–” she didn’t get to finish that bratty fucking sentence. Eris pushed past her teeth, hissing at the scrape before he had himself in her throat. She gagged, a tear slipping over her cheek. He thumbed it away, tilting her head, stuffed to the gills with his cock, and smiled. “You’re so fucking sexy like this.” He had practically no control, dragging himself a mere inch out before plunging back in. She gagged loudly, eyes flooded. Eris exhaled a breath. “I wish you could see how well you swallow me.”

He had no intention of finishing this way—at least, not the first time. Eris wanted to watch his come drip out of her pussy, wanted to see it stain the sheets beneath them. He was merely jealous she was going to put her perfect mouth on one of Gunnar’s worthless courtiers. It was an absurd thing to expect her to be like Elain—chaste to a fucking fault, likely upstairs crying all over Lucien’s chest while he politely divested her of her virginity. Eris liked Arina’s experience, liked the sheer faerieness of her.

And he was jealous, all the same. Jealous of everyone she’d ever opened her mouth for, jealous of every cock that had ever spread her legs.

Eris withdrew himself when her face was a mess of mascara and lipstick. “Fuck,” he breathed, hauling her to her feet for a bruising kiss. She tasted like him—like his salt, his musk, mingled against her own citrusy sweet scent. Eris swallowed it down, tongue chasing that taste as he walked her back to the bed. “How do you like to be fucked?” he moaned, hand sliding between her legs. She was dripping, her thighs practically coated in her slick arousal. Eris brought his fingers to his mouth to taste.

Arina crawled on the bed, burying her face into the mass of silken pillows and Eris thought he might be in love. Her round, curved ass wiggled in the air, cunt presented in all its gleaming, wet glory. Eris came up behind her, sliding his hand over her cheek before slapping hard. “Is this what you like?”

She whimpered, turning her head to look. Eris slapped again and again, until her skin was ruddy and imprinted with his hand. He liked the look of it. Maybe, he thought as he lowered his chest to the bed, he’d cover that pretty body of hers in come, too.

“What are you—”

“I’m hungry, Arina,” he interrupted, pushing her legs further apart.

“Let me eat in peace.”

She whined, the sound music to his cock. Pretty, pretty mate, he thought with delight, sliding his tongue up the center of her. His fingers hadn’t done her justice, had barely scratched the surface of the heady arousal now branded in his mouth. Eris knew he’d never get that taste from the back of his throat. It was worth it, though he knew it would be torture to go back to pretending she was nothing, to have this one little moment with her. To know what was waiting if he was patient enough, careful enough.

Arina was responsive, grinding her cunt against his face to get what she needed. He wasn’t going to give it to her—she’d come on his cock and only his cock. At least this time, at least. Perhaps if there was another stolen moment where he could risk being drenched in her cunt and he wasn’t under the influence of laced wine. He’d lay her out and have her properly, would make love to her and tell her he thought her beautiful—and whatever else he felt, assuming he felt anything at all. He only knew what he could see, was too afraid to learn anything else about her. Anything that could be pulled from his mind and used against him. It wasn’t just Beron constantly trying to hurt him. Rhysand was always digging in his brain for secrets. He’d seen what they done with Elain to keep Lucien docile. What was stopping Night from asking to borrow Arina for a century or two?

“Eris,” she whispered, bringing him back to the task at hand. He was offering her slow, languid licks. Working her up without letting her crest any further. Teasing was good, he reasoned, dipping his tongue as deeply as he could before withdrawing. Arina all but sobbed for relief but Eris didn’t offer her an ounce of mercy. He wanted to hear her beg, was rewarded when his lips closed around her clit, sucking softly.

“Eris, please!” she pleaded near- incoherently. He removed his mouth entirely, slamming himself to the hilt into her soaking cunt. His rolls backed into his head at the tight stretch of her body, of the way she immediately came, the walls of her pussy convulsing around him, sucking him in. He hadn’t been prepared for that. His fingers curled against her hips, bruising her flawless skin. Eris felt like a unseasoned male all over again, fucking his very first female. He could have come from her climax alone, was already bruisingly on edge.

He slapped her ass, enjoying her breathless yelp. “You come when I say you can.”

She pushed against him, ass flush against his abdomen. “Come for me, mate,” she whispered instead, squeezing around him until Eris had his head thrown back in ecstasy. He needed more, had to wrap his hand back in her thick, golden hair and pull her back so he could kiss her.

“It’s not the fucking wine,” he growled against her throat. “This is us. Say it.”

“This is us,” she whined before he captured her mouth in a bruising kiss. Eris came, pouring more than just come into his mate. He pressed his forehead against her sweaty back, kissing and licking as his hips bucked. He couldn’t stop, even after he’d poured out, using his own emission as lubrication.

“I’m going to come for you,” she whispered when he got her on her back. She reached for his face, caressing his cheek. Eris leaned down and kissed her, wondering if the tightness in his chest wasn’t arousal at all. Wondered if he wasn’t, impossibly, in love with this female.

“I hope you do.”

#this was originally part of chapter 3 if you can believe it #anyway #LYR deleted scene #collectors edition #sorry im making you wait so long on chapter 5 #i swear im trying

57 notes · View notes