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rabuhiiro · 1 year

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heart forecast

...oh dear god, please help me today!

[suou tsukasa / fem!reader]

SYNOPSIS — the smell of melted chocolates remain in the air after the 14th of february. most people would think that valentine's is over, but a certain knight thinks otherwise as he prepares a gift for someone whose birthday is two days after the holiday.

WARNINGS — gendered reader, with a set birthday and preference!

GENRE — fluff, (kinda) valentine special? dedicated to @narukape !!

"Maybe she'd like something a bit more bitter—? No, that's ridiculous. What kind of sweet tooth would like something bitter? Maybe something minty would go well with the occasion—"

"What the hell are you doing, Kasa?"

Yelping, the red-headed leader of KNIGHTS stood up from his crouching position, eyes wide as he faces his blue-eyed senior that had his hands on his hips. "S-Sena! What brings you here?"

"Look, I can't just stand here and watch you murmur to yourself while you ruin your posture crouching at the bottom cupboards." explained Izumi, sighing. "I can smell chocolates—didn't Valentine's already pass?"

Tsukasa fumbled with his uniform. "I know I could've had my gift ready two days ago..."

"Whaaatt? You're giving someone handmade chocolates!?" Izumi raised an eyebrow, leaning on the counter with a teasing glint in his eyes. "My, my, Kasa, I never took you to be that kind of person."

"I-It is only polite to gift someone something for their birthday, Sena!" The purple-eyed teenager retorted. "There's nothing else behind it!"

Izumi tilted his head. "Wait, birthday?" He paused. "Aha, is it I think who it is?"

Tsukasa looked down in shame. "Please don't tease me about it..."

"Well that is indeed gentlemanly of you, Kasa!" Said Izumi with somewhat sarcastic praise, not listening to his plea. "Especially since you're aware of her big and obvious crush on you, no?"

"I-I am fully aware, yes...!" Tsukasa exclaimed, a pink blush adorning his cheeks. "It would make her happy! It is only proper to make a lady happy on her special day—!"

"But you'd give her false hope, Suu," said Ritsu from behind the red-head with a mischievous grin. "Though, that wouldn't be a problem unless you like her back~?"

"I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, RITSU!" Yelled Tsukasa in panic, turning around to face his black-haired unit mate with his ears turning red. "As I mentioned earlier, it is but a formal gesture!"

"But you didn't deny the fact that you like her?" Taunted Ritsu. "Oh dear, we have a bad case of a crush here."

Tsukasa started gripping his hair in irritation. "I don't like her, either! She's messy and forgetful, she doesn't even try to tidy up her hair after tying it, she overworks herself, she stresses out too much on things she shouldn't—!"

"Kasa, Kasa!" Izumi slapped the back of his head. "Liking someone isn't gonna kill you, idiot! No need to be so in denial about it!"

The KNIGHTS leader shook his head, on the verge of pulling his hair out because of his seniors. "I'm not in denial!"

Ritsu sighed, walked over to Izumi, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Let's leave him be, he'll figure out the obvious himself."

Izumi scoffed. "Fine," he replied, turning away and walking out of the kitchen with a wave of a hand. "I'll go find Leo so we can practice after lunch."

"Heh," Ritsu chuckled, leaning towards Tsukasa's ear with the same grin. "She likes milk chocolate with raisins and nuts, by the way."

Tsukasa crossed his arms and huffed, cheeks going pink. "How picky."

The older idol laughed. "Right?" He then gave him a pat on the shoulder too. "Good luck with your chocolate." He said before leaving the kitchen, probably to nap under another tree.

"...thank you." Murmured Tsukasa who was back to being alone in the kitchen in ES.

His eyebrow twitched. They're making me think I'm in denial, He thought. Which I'm sure I'm not. I'm only doing this purely out of formalities, yes. No more thoughts will eat my brain.

He was wrong.

Tsukasa stood in front of a theatre arts course classroom the next day, holding a heart-shaped box of what was obviously chocolates behind his back. His purple eyes wandered around the room to find a certain girl laughing and chatting with her friends. He was unable to take another step—he didn't know why, himself.

He watched as she talked, holding a notebook and pen in her hands at the same time. It looked like a graphing notebook—perhaps her unfinished math homework? He bit the inside of his cheek. She could've finished it the day prior. He thought.

[name] suddenly laughs at her s friend's statement, slamming her pen on the table they surrounded and coughing in surprise. Her [hair length] [hair color] hair was messy as usual, even if attempts to make it tidy were evident.

He liked her laugh. He never got to hear it a lot outside of school due to differences in jobs, but it was entertaining to say the least. Her laugh wasn't elegant or even formal in anyway—rather, it was funny. He almost laughed himself after hearing it with a little snort.

[name]'s classmates then started noticing the idol was waiting for someone as he stood in front of their doorway. Why was the leader of KNIGHTS in the theatre course area of Yumenosaki? [name]'s friend asked themselves that as they nudged her, nodding their head at Tsukasa's direction.

The girl glanced at him, her eyes turning wide and her cheeks turning pink. She stood up quickly. "K-Kasa! What brings you here?" She asked, her voice cracking.

Tsukasa cleared his throat, tightening his grip on the box behind his back. He could hear the little giggles from students passing by as they get a good view of the obviously romantic gift. He wanted to jump out of the building that moment.

...dear God, please help me today. He thought to himself.

He inhaled. "Do... Do you have a minute?" He asked slowly. [name] immediately nodded and shuffled through the classroom that now had their eyes on the two pink-faced teens.

"Yes...! I do have a minute!" Said [name] after standing in front of him. She ran a hand through her [hair color] hair. "Do you need anything?"

Tsukasa looked down at the floor, the ceiling, the rest of the classroom—anything that wasn't her eager eyes. He gulped, his mouth starting to feel dry. "W-Well, it's your birthday, right...?"

[name] nodded again. "Mhmm! I'm growing older, now—against my will, mind you."

The boy resisted the urge to chuckle and took a deep breath. Slowly, he revealed the heart-shaped box of chocolates from behind his back, handing it out to her whilst bowing. He was thankful his hair was long enough to cover his reddening face. "H-Happy Birthda—no, Valentine's? I mean, it is your birthday, but..."

She wasn't given any time to respond as the cheers of her classmates roared in the room, attracting passerbys that were curious enough to see what was going on. Murmurs mixed with the excited squeals that were deafening to their ears. A moment after, the school speakers started to ring, alerting them of the voice that was to be heard a second later.

"Aaa, aaaaaa—CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME!?"

Every single person either flinched or covered their ears from the loud volume of a rather familiar voice. Tsukasa had sensed danger from the voices alone and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Leo! The volume is too loud, you could've made everyone deaf!" Said a scolding voice from the speakers. "I can't believe you even dragged me into this nonsense, we're not even supposed to be here, we're graduates!"

The massive iconic laugh of the person named Leo echoed throughout the whole school. "But we did get permission from Emperor, right!? We're fine~!"

A sigh was then given. "Please forgive us for taking your time, everyone." The voice apologized. "As you know, I'm Sena Izumi, and the loud idiot who almost bursted your earsdrums is Tsukinaga Leo. We are here to broadcast a message on Suou Tsukasa's behalf."

The previously silent school then started booming with whispers and excited giggles. Tsukasa felt many eyes on him—as he was supposed to be used to it, their gazes were not of the usual ones he knew was to be given. He hadn't expected this; he wasn't even expecting his own seniors to interfere! It was supposed to be a short interaction: him giving his gift to [name], greeting her a happy birthday, and then getting along with his day. But NO! They just HAD to do something stupid!

Tsukasa stood up straight, still holding out the box of chocolates, and then glancing at the speakers. "That is a complete lie! I hadn't requested anyone NOR any of you to deliver a message for me PUBLICLY!" He stated.

His two seniors seemed to have heard him clearly somehow, both chuckling at his response. "We know you didn't ask us to do this, Suo~! But it's for your own good, y'know?" Leo said, making Tsukasa's ears turn red in embarrassment. "It's not a want, it's a need!"

"WH—WHAT DO YOU MEAN—!?"

"Not everyone knows, but a certain friend of ours just turned older today, and it was a big deal for our dear little Kasa." Izumi started, ignoring Tsukasa's pleas to stop talking. "It was quite annoying seeing him fumble in the ES kitchen yesterday, wondering, 'What would [name] even like!? Dark chocolate? Milk chocolate!?' He had been murmuring the same thing over and over since the 14th! Why couldn't he have asked her? Because he's a coward, that's why!"

Giggles and teasing glances were thrown at the red-faced Tsukasa as he stood still in his place, powerless and unable to even speak a single word. [name] stared at the speakers with wide eyes, wanting to question the boy in front of her immediately but decided to listen in on the story more.

"Suo~ had been anticipating this day so badly, y'know?" Leo added. "He was more excited than [name] herself. I wondered if the Christmas spirit was late to get to him until Naru explained why he was as fidgety as a little kid. I was like, 'oh! So that means he wants to gift [name] something big? Does he like her that much?'"

"And Kasa was quick to retort with, 'no I do not! It is but a simple gesture of gratitude and formality!' and all the other things he says all the time." Sighed Izumi. "It's like that every time we mention [name]. 'She's messy and disorganized! She frequently stays up late, her eyebags can be mistaken for emo make up!' he says!" Laughs erupted from the surrounding students, making Tsukasa's hands shake in nervousness as the 'broadcast' went on.

Leo laughed along and sighed. "We are here today to show how proud we are of our little leader of KNIGHTS, despite him being in denial most of the time!" He stated. "You were in the process of giving the chocolates to [name], no?" He asked, and everyone knew he meant Tsukasa.

He stiffened. [name], meanwhile, glanced back at the boy after looking up at the speakers the whole time, her flustered expression catching the eyes of the witnesses from all around her.

"Hey, [name]!" Leo called. "There's a crumpled letter taped under the lid of the box—it's obviously written by Suo~! Fortunately, Naru was able to sneak it back in the gift before Suo~ could leave for school!"

The red-head perked up at the mention of the letter. Before Tsukasa could even react, [name] was swift enough to open the gift and take off the letter from the lid, moving it away from his extending hand as she read the contents with her hand raised up high.

"From what I remember, the letter says," Leo hummed. People could visualize him rubbing his cheek as he looked up at the ceiling in thought. "Thank you for being born. You are very special, and I appreciate you. Happy Birthday, dear."

Everyone went silent as they all processed the contents of the letter—the intended recipient staring at the said crumpled paper, her face slowly going as red as a sweet and ripe cherry. 'Dear'? She thought. ...DEAR!?

Tsukasa's thoughts were in an endless spiral.

He didn't think they'd find the letter he wrote on a whim—he thought it would be too much to give. He didn't even like her that way, he thought. But denial was a river in Egypt, and [name]'s feelings being reciprocated was definitely real.

He was slowly learning to accept it, and he kind of hated that.

[name] slowly lowered her hand, eyes glued onto the letter. Tsukasa then grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles, causing both of their heart rates to increase simultaneously. He smiled against the skin of her hand, murmuring,

"Happy Birthday, and Happy Valentine's."

Cheers, screams, yells, and somehow the sound of metal clanging spread across the classroom. [name] and Tsukasa's flustered faces being displayed for everyone to see, it caused the word to spread like literal wildfire and eventually, the school erupted with celebration.

Ritsu and Arashi popped out from the back of the classroom, both giggling as the former held a camera in his hands. "The others are gonna love~ this."

Arashi sighed, leaning her head on the palm of her hand. "They look so adorable together! I wonder when the wedding will be~?" She asked, purposely increasing the volume of her voice to tease the two at the front.

[name] was speechless at that point—staring Tsukasa and their joined hands back and forth, stammering and unable to think straight. It was a hilarious sight for most.

...but it's a cute sight for me. Tsukasa thought, smiling softly to himself.

After realizing what kind of words his brain had just formed, he let go of her hand and grabbed his hair, squeezing his eyes shut in embarrassment. "GAH!"

The girl jumped in surprise. "WAH!?"

NOTES — HAPPY BIRTHDAY BITCH

#enstars #enstars x reader #ensemble stars #ensemble stars x reader #ensemble stars x y/n #suou tsukasa #tsukasa suou x reader #suou tsukasa x reader #tsukasa suou

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the-fandom-is-now-my-life · 14 days

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Kengan's writer saw I became 3% hetero because of kengan omega and truly was 'oh, ups, my bad, let me fix it' and dropped strike it rich with the shark teeth lady and Sena who is 20cm taller than me

#kengan #kengan omega #kengan ashura #kenganverse #strike it rich #isshou senkin

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celepom · 3 months

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FAVOURITE GRAPHIC NOVELS OF 2023

The Infinity Particle - By Wendy Xu

In this gorgeous graphic novel by Wendy Xu, co-creator of the award-winning Mooncakes, a young inventor falls for a lifelike AI and confronts questions of freedom and autonomy. Clementine Chang moves from Earth to Mars for a new start and is lucky enough to land her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an Artificial Intelligence pioneer. On her first day of work, Clem meets Dr. Lin’s assistant, a humanoid AI named Kye. Clem is no stranger to robots—she built herself a cute moth-shaped companion named SENA. Still, there’s something about Kye that feels almost too human. When Clem and Kye begin to collaborate, their chemistry sets off sparks. The only downside? Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye’s growing independence and won’t allow him more freedom. Plus, their relationship throws into question everything Clem thought she knew about AI. After all, if Kye is sentient enough to have feelings, shouldn’t he be able to control his own actions? Where is the line between AI and human? As her past and Kye’s future weigh down on her, Clem becomes determined to help him break free—even if it means risking everything she came to Mars for.

Not Sew-Wicked Stepmom - By i r u, Yir, Mo9Rang

Once upon a time, there was a lovely young princess who suffered under her cruel stepmother…that is, until a children’s clothing designer is reborn as the evil stepmother! All the new Queen Abigail Friedkin wants to do is dote on the adorable Princess Blanche and give her the happy childhood she deserves. The problem is, the previous Abigail has garnered a reputation for being extremely jealous and materialistic—and to top it off, her smile is the stuff of children’s nightmares! Will Abigail be able to convince her stepdaughter that she might not be so wicked after all?

(TW, childhood SA of the main male lead)

Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist

A bravely blunt autobiography about confronting the tangled traumas of gender dysphoria and workplace sexual harassment. Nonbinary manga artist Poppy Pesuyama is excited when forms offer the option to choose “neither” for gender and thrilled about their new job working as an assistant for mangaka X! But then he sexually harasses them, treating them first like a girl and then like something less than human. It only lasts a few months, but in some ways it never ends. Born into a body they hate and still reeling from the abuse they faced seven years ago, Pesuyama begins to rail at their past, their friends, and even their mother as they try to come to terms with who they are and what happened to them.

Belle of the Ball - By Mari Costa

High-school senior and notorious wallflower Hawkins finally works up the courage to remove her mascot mask and ask out her longtime crush: Regina Moreno, head cheerleader, academic overachiever, and all-around popular girl. There’s only one teensy little problem: Regina is already dating Chloe Kitagawa, athletic all-star…and middling English student. Regina sees a perfectly self-serving opportunity here, and asks the smitten Hawkins to tutor Chloe free of charge, knowing Hawkins will do anything to get closer to her. And while Regina’s plan works at first, she doesn’t realize that Hawkins and Chloe knew each other as kids, when Hawkins went by Belle and wore princess dresses to school every single day. Before long, romance does start to blossom…but not between who you might expect. With Belle of the Ball, cartoonist Mariana Costa has reinvigorated satisfying, reliable tropes into your new favorite teen romantic comedy.

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich - By Deya Muniz

Lady Camembert wants to live life on her own terms, without marriage. Well, without marrying a man, that is. But the law of the land is that women cannot inherit. So when her father passes away, she does the only thing she can: She disguises herself as a man and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage to start over as Count Camembert. But it’s hard to keep a low profile when the beautiful Princess Brie, with her fierce activism and great sense of fashion, catches her attention. Camembert can’t resist getting to know the princess, but as the two grow closer, will she able to keep her secret? A romantic comedy about mistaken identity, true love, and lots of grilled cheese.

#book rec #book recs #graphic novel #manga #comic #romance #scifi #romantic comedy #autobio #slice of life #fantasy #isekai

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ventiaoo · 2 years

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HIIII....!!! Can I request Izumi being a total simp to FemS/o but he complete denies it. Thank uuuuuuu

You Are Such A Simp

Characters: Izumi Sena, Arashi Narukami, Leo Tsukinaga, Ritsu Sakuma and Tsukasa Suo.

(Warning): Izumi being a simp.

Whehehe I really love this idea, Izumi being such a simp then denying it because of how prideful he is. Anyway- sorry this took very long, school is stressing me out. College is right on the corner ya'know but yeah, Hope u enjoy this anon <33

The music within the practice room eventually stopped, as Leo clapped both his hands together, "Well done my gallant knights..!!" He exclaimed, grinning broadly.

Arashi perked her head to the side, a gleam of curiosity filling her eyes as she approached wee bit closer to Izumi who is apparently distracted by his phone, too preoccupied typing away on his phone, messaging who knows what, but Arashi had an impression of who this person might be.

"Who are you texting Izumi-chan?" The lady query whilst handling a cold bottle to the model

The aforementioned model gladly accepted the bottle but his eyes remain fixed on the phone within his grasp "I'm texting [N/N]-chan, making sure she won't do anything stupid that may possibly injure her, that idiot girl can be super reckless. Ugh, I just can't seem to take her out of head, especially if I know she's hanging out with another Unit that I am not well familiar of." He whispered the last part.

But this wasn't unheard to Arashi, then a frown loomed his confront. He clicked his tongue "tch, why are you even asking? mind your own business."

She tittered in exchange, undisturbed by the man with the silver hair's crude statements, "Oh my, you appear to be genuinely smitten with [Name]-chan, I never known you have this sidee, Izumi~ such an adorable pair you guys make." She singsong teasingly while applying a foundation across her cheek.

Similar to a beaming light, Izumi was quick to avert his eyes from the phone and jerked his head to Arashi, sporting the most shocked expression.

"Excuse me? Are you even hearing yourself right now? Naru-kun? Are you calling me a simp?" He scoffed in disbelief and vexation

"Well are you not? I am pretty sure you're absolutely infatuated over [Name]-chan with how you continually mentioning her, daydreaming about her. And let us not forget how you gaze at her with hearts popping out of your eyes like a love-sick puppy." Arashi closed-eye smile, furthermore teasing the male model

She chuckles once she takes notice Izumi's dumbstruck expression and remarks, "There's absolutely no reason to be bashful, Izumi-chan. It's likely to occur for a lover to get completely enamored over his girlfriend."

Tsukasa merely nodded his head in agreement after listening the entire exchange between his seniors. "I agree with Narukami-senpai, I may not be a specialist in the love department, but is it not customary for a partner to make their significant other feel special?" he inquired.

The red-haired male hummed, contemplating "Besides, it is one's knights responsibility to treat their beloved like a princess." Tsukasa established a strong, straight-faced statement, prompting Arashi softly chuckle at the junior's innocence, whereas Izumi was not having neither of them.

Izumi, who is egotistical, will never ever tolerate being lectured from someone who is younger than him.

"Ha-?! I am certainly not smitten over [N/N]-chan!" Izumi snaps back at Arashi, obstinately denying the obvious "And I do not need a lecture from a person who doesn't even have the experience having a troublesome lover to constantly have to take care of..!!" He added, confronting Tsukasa.

"Secchan is being in denial~" Ritsu chimed in, stretching's out his limbs and dragging out a sleepy yawn as he groggily opened his eyelids, "We all know you adooooreee [Name]-chan so much~ it's fairly evident you see, I say you are a huge simp."

Ritsu slyly smirked, aggravating the third year male even more

"I am not a SIMP."

"Whahahaha! Sena is a SIMP! S-I-M-P! SIMP..!!" The current king of the knights hurled out in laughter.

"I'm not! Say that again, you're dead." Izumi seethed, darkly glaring down at Leo who is still laughing uncontrollably, blissfully oblivious to the glare he was receiving from silver head "Now, now you two, let's not have a fight."

Arashi sweatdropped, gently tugging Izumi away from Ou-sama as possible she could, withTsukasa stood in front Leo to ensure Izumi won't pounce over the King.

"I'll prove it," Izumi spoke, his tone seeping with conviction. Grabbing the attention of everyone, including the eccentric leader "I'll prove that I am not simp, I prove it by denying all [N/N]'s pleads and request for the whole day. Just watch me, humph." Izumi puffed out his chest with internal pride swelling inside.

"Are you sure about this Izumi-chan?~"

"I am."

"Oh, are we initiating a bet? Then I'm in, the loser shall follow every orders of the winner." Ritsu quipped, a devious grin creeping onto his lips.

The enthusiasm in Leo's eyes shone as he proclaimed, "A wager? I'm also in..!! I want to participate, I would really like to join. Whehe I bet Sena would inevitably lose; be prepared to forfeit Sena since the King would win this thing! Whahahaha!"

The previously mentioned Sena simply scoffed with confidence at the declaration "Like hell I would be loosing." Tsukasa anxiously gulped

"I-I don't think this is a great Idea, it's quite a bit childish. Onee-sama won't be happy if she finds out about this..- E-eh?! O-Onee-sama, when did you get here?!" Tsukasa shrieked, genuinely flabbergasted by your sudden entrance.

You laughed "You seem to be surprise about by presence Tsukasa-kun, am I not welcome here?" You pouted, feigning hurt. Tsukasa hurriedly shook his head as a result.

"Of course not! You are more than welcome to come here whenever you please. I'm simply startled by your unexpected arrival. Speaking of which, if it's not too much to ask, when did you get here Onee-sama?"

You tilted your head to the side "Hm? Oh– I just arrived recently." You smiled, beaming.

"Anyway– Zumi-chan~ there you are, I've missed you so muchhhh…!!" Izumi let out a yelp as you leaped into his arms and then quickly wrapping your arms around his neck before snuggling adoringly against the crook of his neck.

Izumi cheeks reddened over what you did, nevertheless he was inwardly appreciating it. Of course, he wouldn't admit it to you out loud, even if you drag him to his death:

"Tsk, don't go jumping over me all of a sudden, I almost lost my balance you idiot." He snared, giving you a brief lecture.

Knowing how your lover behaves, you simply grinned in return. Even though he appears he doesn't seem to like your childishness, he absolutely loves it, especially when you show him how very much you care for him~ <33

"Sorry~ Sorry~ I'll be careful next time, I promise."

"You better be, what are you even doing here? I thought you are too busy tending the newbies?"

You blinked repeatedly before then nodding in confirmation "Oh, that? Yup! I am still pretty busy taking care of the new units actually." You replied, popping out the 'P'

"Though– I decided to visit you for a moment." Izumi triumphantly smirked at that, feeling very a tad bit smug about it, a cue of Arashi quietly snickering in the distance "And I actually came here to ask If I could borrow your sweater for tomorrow."

Borrow the what? Izumi swears he overheard some stifled chortles behind his back, recognizing the facial expression on his face, your smile begun to waver.

"Can I...? Or I can't.."

Stop pouting! Izumi mentally screamed, If there hadn't been any bet and he weren't so arrogant, Izumi would already have immediately responded 'yes' And if only he had been sincere enough to confess that he was madly in love with you.

Ugh, You simply had to ask at the worst possible time, do you?

Izumi batted an eyebrow "Don't you have your own sweater? Why do you have to use mine? What are you? A broke person who can't afford their own clothes?" He snarkily remarked, praying the back of his head you would drop this subject already.

Cause you are giving him the hardest time saying 'No' to you when you are imploring the cutest pleading expression. And the pout portraying your lips isn't helping him!

The pout deepened more, as you sent a half glared to your boyfriend "Am not, I have my own sweaters back at home of course, I just prefer your sweaters better because they are more soft than mine and they smelt like you." You explained in the most nonchalantly way.

Immediately sending Izumi to have a heart attack. Izumi was so deeply in love with you right now that he was required to employ all of his might to restrain himself from embracing you a tight hug and squeal how cute you are.

When Tsukasa spotted Ritsu sneer and cackle diabolically whilst also radiating a dark aura which thus warned of impending peril, he backed away from the languid self-proclaimed vampire.

Ritsu was aware that Izumi was already finding it challenging to say 'No' to his significant other, He simply needed to make light use of this predicament without needing to spend any efforts and energy.

He only needed to give Izumi a little prod here and there to be able to win the wager; afterwards, the silver head knight would be completely under his power.

"Hm? It seems like Secchan is a little reluctant to lend you his sweater [Name]-chan. If you would like, I can lend mind, it may not smell the same as Secchan, but is super-duper soft."

"Really? Mhm– I guess its not a bad idea, Sure! I'll borrow–" Before you could even the sentence, Izumi abruptly interrupts you before you can finish.

"You aren't borrowing anyone's sweater." Izumi sharply glared, "But you won't let me borrow yours, so why not use Ritsu-kun's instead?" You ask with a frown

Your boyfriend rolled his eyes and flicking your temple "I never said 'no' did I? You can borrow mine, just make sure you won't ruin it once you've returned it, got it?"

Your eyes lightened up "Really?! Ahaha~ My boyfriend is really the best! Can I borrow your shirt to? Pretty please…~" You fluttered your eyelashes, giving him the puppy eyes, Izumi can't say refuse to your puppy eyes.

Izumi slipped out an exasperation sigh, his eyebrow twitching from irritation "Aren't you just so demanding? How annoying~ fine, you can borrow it to. I better not see you tomorrow wearing someone's else clothing that isn't mine."

You enthusiastically nodded, Izumi's eyes fleetingly softened, his irises helding with pure adoration as he gaze at you nothing but fondess glinting on his matched blue eyes, a sweet smile briefly appeared on his lips before it quickly vanished.

Pressing a delicate kiss against his cheek, you smiled giggly "Thanks again izzun-chan~ bye-bye! I love you to the moon and back~" You exclaimed brightly, Izumi affectionately rolled his eyes

"Yeah, Yeah whatever, don't do anything stupid and make sure you return my stuff without a single scratch." Once you've finally left, Izumi huffs, the smile returning to his lips as he stared at the door where you had left.

The minute he turned around to face his fellow members of the unit, who were shooting him a knowing stare, his smile dissipated.

Izumi narrowed his eyes and subconsciously threatened his unit mates to speak up, however they didn't particularly express any apprehension, seemingly unfazed by his intimidation. After all, it is Izumi Sena, therefore why would they be scared?

Leo poked his tongue out and formed the Loser hand-sign while exclaiming, "Whahaha, Sena lost!!" Sena is such a loser, and a massive S-I-M-P.

Ritsu yawned, smirking playfully at the blushing Izumi Sena laid before them, "And thus it shows you lost the bet, which means you shall obey our commands throughout the day without hearing any grumbling from you, and ultimately this consistently shows, you are indeed a full-fledged simp." He all together clarified.

Arashi rested her cheeks on her palm, smiling amusingly "Fufu, you two are really such a cute couple."

"Izumi Sena, the ultimate SIMP, you must now submit to your king and diligently carry out my orders with pride Whahaha!" Leo laughed out loud "Hey, Sena, should I start calling you Sena the Simp from now on? Sena? Or should I say, Izzun-chan?" Leo persisted to hearty laugh, taking pleasure in the enraged grimace that covered Izumi's features.

Condescendingly, Izumi responded, "Say that again, and I'll kill you," although it appears that this actually motivated Leo to tease him further rather than convincing him to stop before it escalated into something more.

"Wait, Is it Zumi-chan? Or Izzun-chan? Ne, Sena the Simp, what does [Name]-chan calls you again?"

"Why you little…sh- that's it, you're dead."

"E-eh?! Violence is not a knight's approach, Sena-senpai! Stop at this at once, and Leader! quit behaving so immature, don't provoke him further, this is not how a king should act!"

"Oh my- Izumi-chan calm down!"

Ritsu yawned, casually witnessing the mayhem take place in front of him behind the scenes. He stood there staring into nothing before lying down and allowing the madness to unfold on its own.

"Good night..~"

#ensemble stars #ensemble stars x reader #ensemble stars x y/n #ensemble stars x you #enstars #knights #enstars imagines #izumi sena #ritsu sakuma #leo tsukinaga #tsukasa suou #arashi narukami #izumi sena x reader #sena izumi #sena izumi x reader

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most-hated-blorbo-bracket · 7 months

Note

any chance of an updated list?

Of course!!

Also, this is the NEW and FUCKING IMPROVED LIST, I alphabetized it so it’s even better than before >:3

Currently, we have 340 unique characters (if I counted right) and 487 total submissions. The top three most submitted fandoms are Homestuck, Danganronpa, and One Piece, excluding submissions that were spelt wrong or spelt differently. The top three submitted characters are Haiji Towa, Vriska Serket, and Stella Goeta (stella has so many submissions it’s funny)!

Finally, this is the raw, unedited list of characters submitted so far. Just because they are here doesn’t mean they’ll be in the tournament; it just means they’ve been submitted, regardless of media or what character they are!

as always, list under the cut!

This first list is for characters with two or more submissions. Characters who have three or more submissions will get first dibs in the tournament!

Akechi Goro

Akio Ohtori / Himemiya

Anakin Skywalker

Ansem the Wise

April O’Neil (2012)

Ardyn Izunia

Ayin

Azula

Bill Cipher

Boston

Bramblestar

Buzz McCallister

Caillou

Chibiusa

Childe

Cici

Cullen Rutherford

Darkstalker

Dazai Osamu

Dio

Dio (Zero Escape)

Donald Trump

Donquixote Doflamingo

Dr. John ‘Jack’ Seward

Drannus

Eichi Tenshouin

Elias Bouchard/Jonah Magnus

Eridan Ampora

Evan Hansen

Every Genshin Impact Character Ever

Glenn Quagmire

George Wickham

Greg Heffley

Haiji Towa

Happosai

Her Imperious Condescension

Higashikata Josuke

Huey Emmerich

Ibara Saegusa

Izzy Hands

Jace Herondale / Wayland / Lightwood / Morgenstern

Jin Guangyao

John Gaius

Julia Mazzone

Junko Enoshima

Jurgen Leitner

Katsuki Bakugo

Kokichi Ouma

Kristoph Gavin

Kromer

Kusaka Masato

Kylo Ren

Kyubey

Lance Dubois

Le’garde

Live Action Buggy

Makima

Mal

Marvin Falsettos

Meenah Peixes

Merlin

Micah Bell

Michael

Minoru Mineta

Mr. Bungee

Pierce Hawthorne

Pierre

Princess Daisy

Ranpo Edogawa (Beast)

Regal Farseer

Ronaldo

Rose Quartz

Santa Claus

Sasuke Uchiha

Scrappy Doo

Sentinel Prime

Shiver

Shou Tucker

Simon

Simon Laurent

Sosuke Aizen

Spamton

Stella Goetia

Teddy / Kuma

The Maverick

The Metatron

The Once-Ler

Thistleclaw

Tony Stark

Tsumugi Aoba

Ty Betteridge

Val Velocity

Viren

Vriska Serkat

William Afton

c!Dream

Ōchi Fukuchi

The next list is for characters only submitted once. If you want these characters to have a higher chance of being added to the tournament, feel free to submit more propaganda for them!

Absalom

Abyss Sibling

Adam

Agamemnon

Airy

Akane

Akito Shinonome

Akito Sohma

Alastor

Alexander Hamilton

Ali Lectric

All For One

Aloise Trancy

Anatole Kuragin

Angel Dust

Anne Hathaway

Any Character From Welcome to Nightvale

Anyone From The Locked Tomb

Aranea Serkat

Ashfur

Astarion

Asuka

Bella Swan

Ben Jackson Walker

Betsy Wolfe

Billy

Billy Hargrove

Black Pete

Blackbeard

Blitzo Buckzo

Booker

Box

Bro-Strider

Buck Cluck

Buzz (cheerios)

Byakuya Togami

Caesar Clown

Caliborn / Lord English

Captain Kuro

Cersei Iannister

Chloe Bourgeois

Chris McClain

Chrollo Lucifer

Cicero

Clara Oswald

Coco

Cozy Glow

Cynte

Damian Wayne

Dan Moroboshi

Dean Venture

Dean Winchester

Detective Saracusa

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd

Disembodied Voice

Don Flamenco

Dr. Henry Miller

Drew

Duke

Edelgard

Elias Ainsworth

Elon Musk

Equius Zahhak

Erebus

Eric Cartman

Erlina and Brugaves

Eugene Coli

Every Single Country In 1993

Everyone In Romeo And Juliet

Father / Dwarf In The Glass

Feferi Peixes

Five

Five Pebbles

Floch

Foreman Oyun

France (Hetalia)

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu

Gamzee Makara

Georg Weissmann

God

Goeffry St. John

Gordon Blackwall

Graham Spector

Gra’ha Tia

Haiji Senri

Heath cliff

Henry Miller (OC)

Henry the Eighth

Himiko Toga

Hisoka

Hiyoko Saionji

Holly Blue Agate

House

Huey Laforet

Ianthe Tridentarius

Il Dottore

Inspector Tobias Greyson

Itsuki Shu

Izumi Sena

Jacopo Bearzatti

James T. Kirk

Jayne Cobb

Jiren

Joe Destefano

Johnny

Jonah Magnus

Jonathan Groff

Judith Ford / Natalie Cook

Judo

Julia

Julie-Sue

Ken

Kevin

Kusunoki Muu

Kyouichi Saionji

Ladd Russo

Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Lebreau Fermet Viralesque

Light Yagami

Liontari

Lotor

Louie

Louis

Luke

Mahiru Koizumi

Makoto Itou

Marie

Marlon

Mary Keay

Master Crown

Matou Shinji

Matpat

Medusa Gorgon

Meredith Rodney McKay

Michael Scott

Miguel O’Hara

Millions Knives

Moash

Moeka Kiryuu

Monokubs (Except Monodam)

Mori Ougai

Morris

Mr. Collins

Ms. Valentine

Muu Kusunoki

Muzan Kibutsuji

Mystery Hunter (Jeremiah Hartley)

Nagito Komaeda

Nanami Kiryuu

Narumi

Natsumi Sakasaki

Nefera DeNile

Nickel

Nikola Tesla

Noor Pradesh

Ocelot

Octavian

Ogai Mori

Orochi

Otto Apocalypse

Paul Von Oberstein

Pencil

Petyr Baelish / Littlefinger

Prince Louis

Queen Scarlet

Quiche

Quill Kipps

Rafal (FEE)

Rafal (SGE)

Rafe Cameron

Randy

Raven Queen

Rebecca Costwolds

Redd White

Riley Finn

Roger

Rohan Kishibe

Roland

Roshi

Rumpelstiltskin

Ruruka Ando

Sakazuki Akainu

Sandy

Sanji

Sebastian Mechaelis

Sheldon Cooper

Shen Jiu

Shiki Tohno/Nanaya

Shinonomes (both)

Shredder

Sigma Klim

Silver Spoon

Skizzleman

Slayer

Solf J. Kimblee

So Sejima

Splinter

Stark Sands

Steven Universe

Stormcaller

Subara Akehoshi

Tatsumi Kazehaya

Teruhashi Makoto

Teruteru

The Eleventh Doctor

The Entirety Of Homestuck

The Groke

The Little Palace Mistress

The Mage

The New Ninja

The Old Palace Master

The Operator

The Pale King

Tim Drake

Tom Wambsgans

Tomaru Sawagoe

Touichiro Suzuki

Trishna

Tumblr Staff

Valens Van Varro

Verstael Besithia

Victor Frankenstein

Vivienne Medranno’s Impsona

Voice In The Calm Ad On Spotify

Volgin

Wanderer/Scaramouche

Wen Chao

Whiteout, Clearsight, and Benjamin

Will Shuester

Willy Stampler

Woodes Rogers

Xisuma

Yoshiharu Hisomu

Yu Ziyuan

Yumichika Ayasegawa

Yuri Briar

Zeke Jaeger

Zenos Galvus

Zhou Zishu

#mod speaks #not a poll #most hated blorbo bracket #ask answered #this is very silly

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mikubilliards · 6 days

Text

Hey guys I’m back with another ridiculously long appreciation post! There will be massive spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in it, be warned. It’s still probably my favorite game of all time so please play it if you haven’t before you read this…or don’t…I can’t stop you…

Alright so

Miyabi Xenoblade Chronicles 3

She’s probably my favorite side character in this game, maybe even favorite character as a whole. Something about her is just so relatable to me and also just like, she’s genuinely so well written is actually insane.

In the flashbacks with Mio, she’s presented as just like an average person, maybe even a little below average when it comes to fighting and such. Mio is obviously upset that she’s paired with her cause unlike with Sena she isn’t just inferior at fighting in her own head. She’s actually not that great at it, but she tries her best to contribute either way. Immediately this clashes with Mio’s sense of having to be the best and deserving to be an elite soldier, not to be relegated to off seeing duty. She doesn’t initially put that much stock in the whole deal, and sees it as a waste of her talent.

But then there’s one scene, seeming about midway through their 10 year lives, where both of them are sending the soldiers who died off. Mio confronts Miyabi about her issues with the role, and Miyabi looks at her, and tells her that this is the most important role they could be playing. That they are helping their fellow soldiers find peace in the beyond. And that’s the greatest gift they could give. She wants her to know that even if they aren’t fighting the enemy, they are still serving their fellow soldiers and that’s something to be proud of. This conversation instills that same mindset in Mio, and even allows her to connect with Noah later on since he shares that mindset. It’s kinda crazy how little Noah and Miyabi interact given their similarities but that’s for a little later. This conversation is the start of Mio’s own journey towards discovering that fighting isn’t everything, and you can see it going back to some of the earlier scenes with her. You can almost see that conversation playing back in her mind during some of those early scenes at the end of chapter 1.

I don’t have nearly as much to say about Miyabi’s hero quest, mainly cause it’s not as much about her as it is about Y and the experiments that are going on. It gives more lore for Moebius and how they got the world to the position that it is now but not too much on Miyabi herself cause she’s mind controlled essentially for most of the quest. Not a knock against the game, especially considering this hero quest is part of the story so it makes sense that it’s more of a broader story than about one single character.

But that brings us to her ascension quest. What do you think her ascension quest, the way to further develop her character after all that we’ve seen from her previously, will do? Well, her feelings of insecurity regarding her own talents and abilities never really went away. She was able to suppress them through her own actions before, but now that the world has been turned upside down for her, shes struggling to find a new way to do what she wants, to serve people in a way that brings them something positive. Enter: the City’s cooking competition. A place where everyone can enter to compete and see who can make the best dish. Since she’s already hanging around in the city, she decides to compete, and even affirms her desire to Mio, who notes that it isn’t really like her to compete in these things. Manana enters too, she’s the resident chef after all, it would be a waste not to compete. So they go ahead and go look for ingredients to make something with. One of those ingredients is a special sauce produced by one of the families in the city. Apparently Miyabi had spent some time with that family, and so the lady who makes it is more than happy to lend her some free of charge.

And thus, the competition begins and everyone makes their dish! The whole competition is filled with fun moments, like Ghondor having to judge her mom’s dish and reluctantly admitting it tastes good, to the ever glorious Mr. Boomer line. Manana’s dish blows everyone away obviously, that’s her job as chef. But then we get to Miyabi’s dish. Compared to the stuff that the other chefs had made, it’s rather plain. It doesn’t look extravagant, use any ultra rare or bold flavors, or any of that. But every judge notices something that isn’t really present in the other dishes. It’s a dish with a certain feeling, that of hominess and warmth. If there’s anything that reflects her character, it’s that spirit of warmth she brings to everything, even her food. And thus, the competition ends and the victor is decided. And the winner is…

Manana.

Yeah, Manana. I mean of course she’d win. Given the new lore from the art book she’s probably been doing this for centuries. What hope did anyone else have against a cook that proficient, right? But yeah, Miyabi loses. Of course, she’s not too bummed about it considering who she was up against, but you can feel that twinge of sadness at losing either way. But that’s when the lady whom she borrowed the sauce from comes up to her. She had sampled the dish and wanted to express her appreciation and proudness that Miyabi’s dish was as good as it was. And that’s when it clicks. Her goal was never to be the best at anything, not since the beginning. She knew she wouldn’t be the best. Even so, she can still make a difference in people. She doesn’t have to be the best or win in order to make others happy. She just has to be herself. She, and everyone for that matter, has the ability to serve and better themselves and others, and people will appreciate it regardless of whether what she did was the best or not. Thats the message of her character, and that’s the message I hope people can take.

As for my own commentary, man it was just awesome rewatching that scene for this, there’s so many details that you don’t pick up on first viewing that you see later and are just like OOOOHHHH I GET IT!!!! Man I should really do another playthrough of the game, I don’t even know how much I’ll pick up on that I don’t see right now or didn’t when I first played. Maybe over the summer when I’ve got days off between work…

Anyways, thanks for reading and have a good day/night/ambiguous time!

#xenoblade3 #miyabi xenoblade #xenoblade chronicles 3 #Xenoblade #xenoblade chronicles #mio xenoblade #appreciation post

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aliferousdreamer · 11 months

Text

🌷💗🌷 dizi leading ladies 🌷💗🌷

characters/actresses/shows used:

devin akın (aile) played by serenay sarıkaya + rüya yıldırımlar (alev alev) played by dilan çiçek deniz

eda yıldız (sen çal kapımı) played by hande erçel + efnan payidar (aziz) played by simay barlas

leyla çaka (üç kuruş) played by aslıhan malbora + bahar yöndel (üç kuruş) played by nesrin cavadzade

yağmur kara (son yaz) played by hafsanur sancaktutan + ceylin erguvan (yargı) played by pınar deniz

sena koçovalı (çukur) played by dilan çiçek deniz + eylem aydın (içerde) played by damla colbay

mahur türel (maraşlı) played by alina boz + nihan sezin (kara sevda) played by neslihan atagül

dila bilgin (kuzgun) played by burcu biricik + esra erten (aşk mantık intikam) played by burcu özberk

selin sever (her yerde sen) played by aybüke pusat + melek yıldız duman (içerde) played by bensu soral

sibel yıldırım (ramo) played by esra bilgiç + mona ünkap (kusursuz kiracı) played by dilan çiçek deniz

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sydsrichie · 1 year

Text

'til queendom come, ch. 7

[masterlist] [Ao3] [playlist]

aemond targaryen x targaryen oc

wordcount: 10,004

ch. 7, pariah: "It is about time you young ones learned what it is to play the long game. Now is not the time for the rashness and hot blood of youth. It is time to dig in before winter and lay plans, Lady Visenya. Will you trust me on that?"

warnings: canon-typical violence, canon-typical incest, abusive parent/child relationship, nsfw/18+ in later chapters, mentions of canon sexual violence & abuse (including against minors), spoilers for HoTD/F&B

a/n: each and every ask, reply, reblog puts a gigantic grin on my face, guys, so thank you so so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Once the maester came to tend to her father, Sena did not waste any time in using the distraction to slip out of Dragonstone. The wind on the rolling moors before the keep’s walls was ice cold and it penetrated Sena’s dress like so many knives. She wrapped her arms around herself, her splinted one still aching angrily, and carried on up the incline to the smoking home of her family’s dragons.

The tunnel she found was a familiar one, and the skeletal remains of fish and seabirds littered the floor as she retreated into the cave. It was dark. So dark. And cold. The blackness was only broken by a thin few shafts of light penetrating the ceiling. She usually would have asked Grey Ghost for light, but she did not find him there. He was not coiled in the cavern, dozing safely and happily, knowing as sure as the sun rises in the east that it was only his master who approached him. His master, his only friend, who would never let harm come to him.

Sena’s chest started to constrict and spasm and she threw her weight down onto the cavern floor.

The sobs started wracking her body like they were being drawn from the depths of her stomach, the marrow of her bones. Her throat felt raw and her cheeks stung as she swiped at them angrily. She could not draw breath, could do nothing but gasp and pray desperately to every God she knew of that she would find air. The sounds that were shredding their way out of her throat echoed off of the rocks around her and bounced back to her ears like the wails of a ghost.

Maybe she was a ghost, doomed to haunt this smoking isle forever, lonely and lost. Try as she might to pretend otherwise, she was still little more than that sad child who fifteen years ago had wandered off into the hills, searching for a fabled dragon of the fisherfolk who was as alone in the world as she was.

The last few moons were nought but a bleak blur in her head. It had been savage blow after savage blow. Aemond, her poor, sweet uncle, Aegon’s crowning, Luke, Grey Ghost… and now this.

She had promised Jaehaerys they would race his uncle and sister on her own Grey Ghost. Now… now Aemond seemed an entire world away, and Grey Ghost was dead at her hands, and poor Jaehaerys. It did not bare thinking about. A tiny blood-soaked body… Helaena screaming.

Sena hit her hands off of the cave floor until they were raw and bleeding. She screamed and screamed until her voice failed her, throwing every rock and shard of bone she could lay her hands on, listening to them ricochet in the dark.

Her father.

The wet arc of his blood spattered across the front of her gown.

The split in her lip that leaked her own blood onto her tongue. The aching of her jaw where her father had struck her.

She needed to move. The castle garrison would come looking for her soon, once Prince Daemon was bandaged. When they asked the guards on the walls and found out she’d made for the Dragonmont, the empty haunt of her lost dragon would be the first place they checked. She had to move.

The only problem was that she could not see anything. Her hands were aching, her left arm had lost much of its sensation, and she was desperately cold, shivering even as she dragged in ice cold air like a dying man. Was this how Grey Ghost had always felt, like he was stumbling around in the dark? This was how she had killed him, flying him into a storm and taking his sight from him.

She got to her feet shakily. The cold air of the Dragonmont felt like knives in her chest. She needed to find somewhere safe to hide, somewhere in the smoking hill. Somewhere closer to the molten veins, far from the surface, far from where the Queen’s guards could find her.

Would she hang for it, she wondered? What sentence would the Queen pass down for an attempt on her consort’s life? Hanging was probably too kind - if they did it right, it would snap her neck and end it all instantly. No, her father would not like that. Maybe it would be Caraxes? The Blood Wyrm would do it, certainly - he held no love for her, did not even tolerate her like Vhagar did. But then, her father’s words rung in her head like a struck bell. He had no intention of wiping her from the face of the earth until he had first hurt her each way he could.

She would not be a prisoner until that day came, she decided.

The floor of the Dragonmont was uneven and slippy beneath her feet, damp in the cool air of the nearing winter. Her cotton dress and shift were like a paper shield against the penetrating cold, so she pushed forward, up the connecting passage and deeper into the heart of the hillside. She felt her away along the wall, probing carefully with her feet before her with every step so as not to be caught unawares by a sudden drop. Meagre sunlight broke up the darkness when it could, but she was mainly on her own, her eyes straining for any kind of guidance.

It was while she fumbled in the dark that she first heard a low growl. Fuck. She was just trying to find warmth, light, not step on the tail of a sleeping dragon-

The grumble grew louder and she crouched into the wall, as if it could give her any cover. It had to be one of the bigger dragons she had stumbled across, as the sound was distant and echoing, like it was coming from overhead. Not Syrax, Vermax or Tyraxes. She winced. Maybe Caraxes was about to put a swift end to her after all. “Lyks,” she hissed urgently. “Lyks. Lykiri.” Peace. Calm down. She crouched down before the beast, making herself small, willing the racing of her heart to slow.

The dragon did not set fire to her, at least. Not straight away. Recognising its own tongue, the blood of the dragon, the way she was only sitting somewhere close by and not actively trying to come nearer, was enough to get the beast to settle some.

Sena let out a long breath and calmed her racing heart. “Nyke jeldan naejot sagon mērī,” she said, I wanted to be alone. “Kesan daor jenigon ao.” I will not bother you.

The dragon grumbled its assent. The cavern was warmer, at least, with the great beast’s breath filling the air, and Sena felt her shivers subside as she set herself down on the stone. The floor radiated a little heat, closer to the glowing heart of the Dragonmont. She could stay here - for awhile, at least.

She focused on her breathing. In and out. That was it. That was all she had to do.

-----

Sena had no idea how long it was before she heard boots approaching and distant calls of “Lady Visenya?” Men’s voices. More than one. The castle garrison. As soon as the dragon she shared her cavern with heard, it shifted in the dark and growled, low and menacing.

The steps in the hallway faltered. “Careful,” one man hissed to another. “That one doesn’t sound friendly.”

“We have to find her,” the companion hissed. “We can’t go back to the Queen empty-handed.”

“We won’t go back to the Queen at all if we get torched.”

The second man made a sound and said, “C’mon, then, craven. We’ll look for her elsewhere.”

The footsteps retreated again.

Sena could feel the dragon’s gaze on her, the beast’s steady breathing causing her skirts to ruffle a little. She hoped the beast would not decide her to be more hassle than she was worth and just torch her there and then.

It wasn’t until many hours later that she heard someone approaching again. She’d been passing in and out of a light sleep, her thoughts exhausting her and her stomach starting to growl. But she heard light feet on the hallway she had come down, and the dragon sharing the cavern stirred once more, growling at the incomer.

“Lykiri,” came a woman’s voice. “Nyke māzigon isse lyks.” I come in peace.

The woman bore a torch, and blinding light flickered across Sena’s field of vision for the first time in hours. She flinched and averted her eyes. Gods, could no one in this damned family leave well enough alone?

Princess Rhaenys stood at the mouth of the cavern, her eyes catching on Sena’s crouched form with an unreadable look on her face. “There you are, my lady,” she said. “You’ve had the entire castle garrison and all the family scouring Dragonstone for you all day.”

Sena gritted her teeth at the idea of Jace, Baela and Rhaena knowing what she had done and being made to search the entire isle for her. “The dragon kept the garrison away.’

“He could do that, yes,” the Princess raised her torch, and the light caught on a truly fearsome beast, bronze in colour and twice the size of Sena’s Grey Ghost. The dragon peered at Rhaenys through a slit of eyelid, then lay his head down to go back to sleep, unbothered by the intrusion. “He was my grandfather’s mount, once upon a time. I flew across the realm upon Meleys with him on a royal progress, when I was a young woman. The same progress where I told my grandfather I intended to marry Lord Corlys.”

Sena gazed up at the bronze beast in wonder. “Vermithor?” She breathed. The name was like legend in her family. The mount of her great-grandfather, Jaehaerys I, the progenitor of all living Targaryens and the greatest King their House had put on the Iron Throne. The King who seized back power and restored order to the Seven Kingdoms after his father’s throne was usurped by Maegor the Cruel. The Conciliator. It had been Vermithor who bore Jaehaerys I across the realm, from the North to the Stormlands, cowed his enemies and sired clutches of eggs that had birthed many of their current dragons.

Rhaenys had a wistful look in her eye. “Those were better days,” she said, and looked down at where Sena still huddled on the cavern floor. “If you had told me then as a young woman that my good, kind Uncle and bawdy, courageous Aunt would sire a man like your father… I would have been too naive to believe you.”

Daemon never told her about her grandfather and grandmother, Baelon the Brave and Princess Alyssa. Truthfully, she thought he struggled to speak of them. Childbirth scared her father - he had not been with Rhaenyra through any of her births after losing both his mother and his second wife to the birthing bed. And if someone who seemed so destined for greatness as her grandfather Baelon could die of something as menial as a burst belly… she sometimes thought it had put a recklessness in her father, a distaste for patience, reserve, morality. He could die at any moment and it weighed on his mind constantly. It made him dangerous. “So you’re not here to drag me back to Dragonstone and clap me in chains then?”

Rhaenys gave her a wry look. “If I was, I wouldn’t waste time by standing here talking to you, girl,” she said. “Your father has left for his troops in the Riverlands. The Queen commanded him to stay and heal, but he is as wilful as he is foolish.”

“’Twas only a letter opener,” Sena said darkly, “he’ll live.”

“I can’t decide if you meant to kill him or not. Lord Corlys thinks you did. My grandchildren think you did not.”

“I knew I couldn’t. Like I said, it was only a letter opener. I just… wanted him to feel the fear he inflicts on others,” Sena said, rubbing at her eyes with the backs of her hands. There were still specks of blood on them, she noted with a grim smile. “So I guess there isn’t an answer to your question.”

Rhaenys nodded, as if that was answer enough. “Are you going to come back down to the keep for supper and a salve on that bruise or shall I have to send your sisters up with a plate?” She asked. “The Queen will not punish you tonight. The immediate threat to Daemon’s life is over and I do not think she would wish to lose the loyalty of any more dragonriders.”

Sena looked at her, really looked at her. Took in the snow white streaks in her hair and the fine lines on her face. She envied the Princess her wisdom, she realised with a pang. She envied the assuredness and the strength that Rhaenys walked through the world with. The kind of certainty you only get from having your world fall to pieces and putting it back together many times over the years. The assuredness that nothing in life was unsalvageable if you knew how to pick through the rubble. Sena did not know if she was strong enough to make it as far as the Princess had, not if her next twenty years were to be anything like her first. “Am I supposed to just go back to normal? Pretend nothing’s happened?” She asked and her voice was hoarse from the screaming.

“No,” the Princess said, shaking her head. “I am not asking you to do that. But it is about time you young ones learned what it is to play the long game. You will not get your revenge today, my lady… or tomorrow, or in the next moon, or maybe even next year. Now is not the time for the rashness and hot blood of youth - you tried that today and it failed spectacularly. It is time to dig in before winter and lay plans, Lady Visenya. Will you trust me on that?”

Sena considered her and thought about it. It was true, rashness had not prevailed today. Her father was still breathing and more livid than ever, even if he had run off to the continent to lick his wounds. She also knew she had lost much of her favour with the Queen. Not that she could truly care who liked her, not while Helaena was leagues away, drowning in agony and grief. But if she wanted to stop this war, wanted to stop the pain, the death, wanted to right the wrongs that had been done to her and the people she loved… she sighed. “I guess I had best keep my strength up, if it’s the long game we’re playing,” she said and pushed herself up from the ground, a little wobbly.

Rhaenys gave her the barest hint of a smile. “Now you’re getting it.”

After that day, Rhaenyra was loathe to be in Sena’s presence. Whether it was fear or anger or shame, Sena did not know. But truthfully, she did not mind. She too could not stand to be in the presence of a Queen who either had not known that Daemon had set his eyes on Prince Jaehaerys or had elected to ignore it. So Sena trained instead, and helped train Jace and Joffrey and Baela, and wandered the Dragonmont when she needed some quiet, some time alone. And with every meal and prayer and parry and heartbeat, she thought of Helaena.

Helaena, Alicent, Aegon, Daeron… Aemond.

The maester to her father’s army reported his swift recovery. Targaryen blood burned out infection better than all others and she had clearly missed everything vital. Sena made a grim mental note to herself to study the veins and arteries of the neck when she got the chance.

Harrenhal fell quickly to Prince Daemon’s burning wrath, and by all reports it set the green council ablaze. Ser Otto Hightower was dismissed from the Tower of the Hand, with Ser Criston Cole taking up his office and the Usurper’s armies being ordered to march. It seemed the war of words was well and truly over, and the storm of swords was about to begin.

It was the day that Maester Gerardys removed the splint from Sena’s arm and she was testing out her healed arm that a new line of dominoes began to fall. She had managed to dress herself and was overjoyed at being able to wear her favourite gowns again when her handmaiden, Sophey interrupted her. “Pardon me, m’lady, but the Queen is requesting your presence at the war table.”

Sena looked up, shocked. “Are you sure?” She asked Sophey and the doe-eyed girl nodded hurriedly. What could Rhaenyra possibly want with her at the war table? She had not spoken to Sena in two long moons and this was how she chose to break the silence? “Okay,” Sena nodded stiffly. “I’ll be right behind you.”

When she entered the makeshift throne room in Dragonstone’s great hall, she curtseyed low to the Queen. Rhaenyra was more gaunt than the last time Sena had seen her, clearly was not sleeping well, and let Sena stay crouched in a curtsey for a moment, seemingly deciding whether or not to relieve her legs. “Rise,” she commanded eventually, coldly, and Sena’s thighs burned with relief as she followed the order.

Around the war table, the Queen, Prince Jacaerys, Princess Rhaenys and Lord Corlys were focused on the small corner of the map they currently stood in, the mouth of Blackwater Bay. Sena could see black dragons on Dragonstone, Driftmark and Harrenhal, showing their forces, and a green dragon advancing up the coast. “What news do we have?” She asked, drawing close to the table to observe the troop positions.

“Duskendale has been sacked,” Lord Corlys said, “with heavy casualties for us and the death of a member of the Queen’s black council. Now, Ser Criston Cole lays siege to Rook’s Rest, and Lord Staunton is asking for our aid.” He slid the letter across the table to Sena, who took it up to read it.

Some 3000 knights, men-at-arms and sellswords at the gates of a town garrisoned by a hundred men, and that was not even considering the usurper-king on dragonback. It did not look good for Lord Staunton. “Then we should send dragonriders. The greens are attacking our declared allies to prevent further defection in the Reach, the Riverlands, the Crownlands. If we are to gain more supporters, we must defend the ones we already have.”

“Our allies?” The Queen bit out. “You still count yourself amongst our number after making an attempt on the life of your Queen’s consort, your own father?”

“Mother,” Jace warned in a stiff tone.

“It’s alright, Jace,” Sena placated him with a small smile. He looked so grown, standing there in his fine wool and steel, his brow adorned with a circlet. “It seems as though I’m here because you are asking me for help. Is that right?” She asked the Queen, who looked away from her with a flicker of rage.

Lord Corlys seemed to be suppressing a weary sigh when he said, “Yes, my lady.”

“What do you want from me?” She asked and eyed Princess Rhaenys. She remembered her words in the Dragonmont that day - that it was time to dig in and lay plans. Sena would not end this war today or tomorrow, as much as she might wish it. But if she was to have any hand in it coming to an end sooner rather than later - fuck whoever sat on the damnable throne in the end - it was high time she rolled her sleeves up and started incurring favours and loyalties.

Princess Rhaenys gave her a knowing smirk, and Sena felt a burst of pride. It was high time she sharpened up and learned to play. Aemond would be proud. “We think it is time you claimed another dragon and joined me in defending Rook’s Rest.”

Sena raised her eyebrows and looked to Lord Corlys, who was clearly in on the plan, eyeing his wife. The Queen was stoney faced, and Jace seemed even less pleased. “Do we have a shortage of dragonriders on Dragonstone?” Sena asked, a little perplexed.

Jace frowned unhappily and was ready to speak up when his mother silenced him with a hand. The Queen met Sena’s gaze. “Baela’s Moondancer is much too young to go to war. Rhaena has no dragon, no experience as a dragonrider and I will not put my sons into the monstrous paths of my half-brothers again. Nor will I risk making them orphans by going myself.” The implication that by comparison Sena was expendable was clear.

“I also have no dragon,” Sena said. He died, trying to save your son, she longed to say. “Aegon’s beast is young, still not so large. Smaller than my Grey Ghost. The Red Queen is more than a match, Princess,” she told Rhaenys.

“Nothing is ever so certain when dragons dance, my lady,” Rhaenys said grimly. “If we can stack the deck in our favour, we ought to. Make a decisive victory of it and shatter Cole’s advance.”

Sena considered it. “What dragon did you have in mind?” She asked. “We have a number of riderless ones. Will it be a case of wandering the Dragonmont like it is the Street of Silk until one takes a liking to me?” She got a hint of a smile out of Jace at that.

“I think one already has,” Princess Rhaenys said dryly. She was a somewhat humourless woman, Sena thought, and found she liked that about her. “My grandfather’s mount is not a kindly beast. He is ferocious, only tolerates my presence because I have been around him and pulling at his tail since I was out of swaddling clothes.” Lord Corlys looked a little horrified at that, as members of other houses were wont to when they heard of children playing with dragons. “The fact that he did not eat you that day I found you in his cavern is enough indication to me that you could be a good match.”

Sena thought of the gigantic beast, the colour of beaten bronze, large enough to ride a horse down his gullet, and shivered. “Just because he liked me enough not to make a meal of me does not mean he will let me ride him or command him,” she said. “Even if he did, we would need time to bond so I could control him. Time we do not have. I will not have a repeat of what happened above Storm’s End.”

Princess Rhaenys, Lord Corlys and Jace all stiffened at the mere mention of Storm’s End, and the implication that it had not been entirely under Prince Aemond’s control. It was so much easier to hate him, call him One-Eye and kinslayer if they could believe him to be evil to the core. But for the love she still bore the Prince, Sena would not have it. The Queen glared at her. “On the contrary, that might be exactly what we need. Put an end to the Usurper and I’ll make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.”

“I do not see what that would achieve,” Sena said coldly, her tongue dripping with acid. “I am already rich, and Aegon has heirs… unless we were planning on murdering Aegon’s other infant son, as well.”

Queen Rhaenyra gripped the model black dragon in her hand hard enough to splinter and clenched her jaw. “If that’s what it takes,” she said, but it sounded weak to Sena’s ears, like she could not bring herself to mean it.

Rhaenys looked like she was stifling an eye roll at their dramatics. “This war will not be ended by cutting off a single head, for two more will always grow in its place,” she said plainly. “We need to do this with force, with decisiveness. And with unity.”

Sena sighed and looked across the table at her cousin. Rhaenyra looked tired and broken. “If my Queen will have me, I will join this fight, Princess.”

Rhaenyra looked up at her from across the table and her expression was conflicted. So vengeful, and yet Sena thought faintly that it was not directed at her. She was just unlucky enough to be close at hand, catching the brunt of it. “I will have you,” Rhaenyra breathed, and Princess Rhaenys gave a barely audible sigh of relief.

Sena nodded at her cousin, then looked down at her dress. “I guess I had better go change, then.”

-----

The morning was brisk as Sena pulled her dragon-hide gloves into place. The leather under her chainmail felt strange on her body, too stiff, too new. The armour was an inky black and her breastplate was emblazoned with the crest of her family, a crimson three-headed dragon reaching for its own tail. As she stalked up the incline to the Dragonmont, she prayed to every god who would listen that Vermithor would be in a pliant mood.

Thrice. That was how many times she had ridden Vermithor so far. She could barely even work the chains on his saddle that kept him from throwing her midair. But needs must, and Rook’s Rest was in distress, so she was approaching the great bronze dragon with trepidation in her chest, ready to meet Rhaenys and Meleys on the cliffside.

Vermithor surveyed her with amber eyes as she entered his dwelling. He was still young enough not to be as sluggish as Vhagar and that made her even more nervous, being surveyed by a dragon big enough to swallow her whole, nimble enough to catch her off her guard and interested enough to bother doing it. “Lykiri,” she commanded as Vermithor’s tail flicked with irritation at being disturbed once again. It had been some five-and-twenty years since the Old King’s death, and Vermithor had grown used to being his own master. “Dohaerās.”

The dragon did not seem pleased to see her but did not protest as she started the long clamber up his wing and onto his back. As soon as she brought him back from Rook’s Rest, she would be adding some sort of ladder to his saddle, but there was no time for that now. With a grunt, she jumped and caught the stirrup and back of the saddle with her hand and elbow, and her left arm twinged as she dragged herself up. Undignified, but worth it to be riding one of the largest dragons her House had ever hatched. That was, if she could control him and not accidentally set a killing machine on the people of Rook’s Rest. She had some comfort in the fact that Vermithor was familiar with Rhaenys and Meleys - at least they would be safe from whatever carnage she unwittingly unleashed.

The ground shook as Vermithor moved, and he clawed his way forward, out of his cavern and onto the side of the Dragonmont. When he met the fresh sea air, he let free a deafening roar that almost had Sena clapping her hands over her ears. She hurriedly fastened the saddle chains to her armour before he could take flight and throw her off with a well-timed flick of his tail. “Gīda,” she commanded the beast. Calm. Whatever good that would do.

Above her on the side of the Dragonmont, Sena saw the vibrant red of Meleys emerging from her cave and a sharp salute from the Princess. “Are you ready?” Rhaenys bellowed down the hillside.

“As I’ll ever be,” Sena gritted out below her breath. Then, “Sōvēs,” she commanded the dragon in a strong tone, and the bronze giant lurched forward. His size meant he was not so manoeuvrable as Grey Ghost, and instead used the sea cliffs to drop off of to take to the air. Sena’s heart lurched every time he did it, pitching them both over the edge and letting them fall for seconds that felt like hours. Then, with a solid, swooping beat of his wings, they would soar up, up into the clouds.

Meleys followed behind her on the wind as Sena turned Vermithor due west. It would not be a long flight - as they climbed into the sky, she could practically see Rook’s Rest on the horizon - but every moment, her heart was in her throat.

It was bizarre, to ride a dragon this large. Larger than her father’s own Caraxes, larger than Syrax and Vermax put together. Vermithor’s wings covered vast swaths of the bay, blotting entire islands from Sena’s view, and sometimes, when she pulled at him or bellowed commands, she felt like she was trying to reign in a glacier, so vast and uncaring was the beast.

She could do this, though. She needed to believe it. If she was to have any chance at putting a stop to this bloodshed and torment, she would need to be riding a dragon like Vermithor. The only thing her family ever bowed to, the thing they had been wielding as a weapon for more than a century now was the pure, unadulterated power given to them by their dragons. Without them, they were nothing.

After some time in the air, with Meleys close behind, Rook’s Rest drew closer until it was beneath them. From here, Sena could see the town’s walls and the thousands of soldiers marshalled outside, laying siege and blockading every road in and out.

Trying out her control of him, she commanded Vermithor lower and he swooped down over the King’s army. She squinted her eyes and could make out dragon banners, mounted knights, men at arms. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and turned to the sky to watch the two dragons circling overhead, one a vicious red and the other monstrously large. Sena’s breath caught in her throat when she laid eyes on Sunfyre - proclaimed to be the most beautiful dragon to have ever lived. He was a fine beast and shone like beaten gold against the burnt ground he coiled on, watching his kin circle above him with lazy interest.

Sena sighed and commanded Vermithor down to land in the town square. It was barely big enough - she gritted her teeth as smallfolk rushed out of the way and Vermithor’s tail knocked the top of the spire off of a sept, but she was suddenly surrounded by gasps of relief and cheering, so she guessed she was forgiven.

She met Lord Staunton in his keep with Princess Rhaenys. He was beyond relieved to see them - the people of Rook’s Rest would have needed to start slaughtering the horses to keep eating if relief had not arrived soon, he informed them. “Relief is here,” Princess Rhaenys said, standing tall in her armour and doing her best to calm him.

There was little to be done to calm anyone when the letter from the encampment outside arrived, however.

Aegon Targaryen, Second of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men and Protector of the Realm requests the presence of the Bronze Dragon at parlay. In one hour, a pavilion will be erected before the gates of Rook’s Rest. Guest right will provided in the form of bread and salt so that negotiations may proceed peacefully and safely for all parties.

The Bronze Dragon. Sena gripped the letter in her hands and nodded at Rhaenys. It had been what they wanted. They had hoped that Vermithor’s mere presence would be enough to scare off the enemy and end the siege without blood being shed. She could only hope that Aegon would be smart about this. “I will go-“

“I will come with you, my lady,” Princess Rhaenys said firmly. Sena’s pride smarted at that. The Princess caught her look and sighed. “I mean no offence but in these matters, you remain as green as grass.”

Sena set her jaw, knowing that Rhaenys meant it in more ways than one.

Within the hour, a pavilion was hastily erected before the town gates, and Sena and Rhaenys approached under a peace banner. Their dragons stayed inside the town but the women remained armed for their own protection.

Sena ducked under the tent flap and came face to face with Aegon and Ser Criston for the first time in many moons. Aegon could not be said to look kingly - he was as gaunt and tired-looking as ever - but he was still the handsome lad she remembered and he sent her a menacing grin. Ser Criston nodded his head at her but showed little warmth despite knowing her from girlhood. The badge of his new office shimmered on his cloak.

Both men were less impressed when Rhaenys followed behind her. Aegon huffed and poured them wine, which they hastily ignored in favour of the bread and salt Ser Criston pushed towards them across the table. Sena chewed at the dry heel of loaf the enemy had scrounged up and grimaced at the salt on her tongue. Aegon might have been enough of a cur to not care for the symbolic protection of guest right, but Ser Criston was nothing if not a stickler for the rules. When it suited him, at least.

“What is the meaning of this?” Rhaenys asked as soon as she had swallowed her own guest right.

It was Aegon who spoke, leaning forward in his seat. He shone from neck to toe in polished plate, his circlet of Valyrian steel and rubies nestled in his silver blonde hair and the other ancestral blade of their house hung at his hip. Sena was not fooled. It would take more than Blackfyre and the crown of the Conqueror to make Aegon a King. “We simply wish to give you an opportunity to turn tail and leave before things get… messy,” he said with his familiar lilting smirk.

“It’s more than you gave Prince Jaehaerys,” Criston cut in, surveying them both stonily.

Sena clenched her jaw and Rhaenys balked at that, going pale in the face and rounding on Aegon. “If it is mercy you speak of, what sort of mercy did your mad dog of a brother show my grandson?” She spat.

Aegon grinned at the mere reminder of Lucerys’s fate and it only set Rhaenys further on edge, reaching for the hilt of her blade. Sena laid a hand on her arm to stop her, trying to catch her gaze with a glare. Where were her lectures about rashness and hot blood now? Was it just that she did not know Aegon? Did not know how purely aggravating and contemptuous he could be?

But it was Ser Criston who spoke up, cutting through the thick tension between the Princess and the would-be King. “Careful, Princess. You speak of someone who is very dear to all those around you,” he said, and Sena glared at him, her cheeks flaring with shame.

Aegon looked at her and smirked at the embarrassment on her face. “Everyone knows, goodsister. It’s alright.”

“Shut it,” she snapped at him and Gods, if she could only reach across the table between them and clobber him with his own crown.

Ser Criston was not looking at her, though, and addressed the Princess. “We are willing to incur what casualties we must to raze Rook’s Rest to the ground, Princess. It would certainly show your allies how little the support of their so-called Queen is worth. You need only look outside this pavilion to see we are equipped to accomplish this,” he said. He crossed his arms over his chest and surveyed Princess Rhaenys with a hard look. “Of course, neither of us truly desires a battle where considerable life will be lost, and potentially another dragon. We would like to discuss the terms of a mutual retreat, if that is amenable.”

Sena looked at Ser Criston in confusion as he rounded the table. Mutual retreat? What in the name of the Gods was this about? It made no sense. Ser Criston offered to escort Princess Rhaenys from the tent, and rage flared inside Sena. The disrespect of it all, speaking as if she was not there-

Once they had left the tent however, Aegon turned to Sena, furious, and it all became a little clearer. “Why did you bring her? I asked for you and you alone.”

Sena rolled her eyes. It was all a ploy. “Do you think I can command her about like a servant? Do you truly think I got a choice in the matter, fool?”

Aegon scowled at her. “It’s King Fool to you.”

“Fine then, King Fool. Do you care to explain to me what in the seven hells this parlay is about? You don’t truly expect me to believe you would give up so easily, or expect us to,” she said, leaning over him where he sat.

Aegon considered her for a second, clearly trying to come up with some pithy response. He eventually realised where he was, though and that time was of the essence. He cut to the chase. “He won’t fight you.”

“Who?”

Aegon screwed up his face like he was talking with a simpleton. “Gods, Visenya, who do you think?”

Her brow shot up. “Aem-“

King Fool stood up swiftly and slapped a gloved hand over her mouth, eyeing the tent flap where Ser Criston and Princess Rhaenys had been moments earlier. “Shut the fuck up,” he hissed.

Sena’s blood thundered in her ears. “He’s here?”

“Yes,” he nodded and her heart swooped, suddenly turning her head this way and that like Aemond was going to materialise in the corner of the pavilion or pop out from under the table. “This was a trap for Meleys, but even my clever brother did not think to anticipate you swooping in on the second largest dragon in the known world. You really ought to have words with him - underestimating you like that shows a certain lack of respect, no?”

“Aegon,” she hissed, willing him to focus.

“Right,” he said, conceding with a nod. “So we’re at a stalemate. He does not wish to fight you - I think the whole nearly killing you the first time thing is weighing on him, y’know? And if I know this ridiculous little lovesick dance of yours well enough by now, I know you do not wish to fight him. So what does that leave us with?”

Sena thought about it for a second, leaning down to the table to cradle her head in her hands. Aemond was here. He was near her, near enough to talk to, near enough to explain, near enough to babble apologies, touch, kiss until they were drunk on each other. “We both go home,” she breathed. The thought was agonising. “Aemond goes to King’s Landing, I go to Dragonstone.” And in the ensuing battle, Meleys would snap Sunfyre’s neck, she thought grimly.

“No way,” Aegon waggled a finger at her. “Not good enough, goodsister. I would like to propose you and Princess Rhaenys turn around and go home and leave us to Rook’s Rest. No bloodshed, no sad ballads to be written about star crossed lovers dying on each other’s swords today.”

She scowled at him and looked around her. “Where is he? You can’t expect me to stand here and have this conversation with King Fool. Gods, even Cole would be better.”

“No,” Aegon snapped, his expression gone hard and he looked so like his little brother in that moment that Sena’s heart leapt to her throat. “You don’t get to speak to him. You don’t get to bat your eyelashes at him and say pretty please, none of that shit. You are going to turn around, go and explain to our sweet cousin Rhaenys that the largest dragon alive is sat behind a hill five leagues away, and go home. You won’t win this fight, Sena. And I know you think I don’t care about this family, but I won’t watch my brother destroy himself by killing you.”

“I can’t, Aegon,” she hissed, her throat burning. “I can’t counsel retreat. Don’t you think they already mistrust me enough, for how I love your sister? For how I feel about your brother? If I turn tail now, my own father will take it as a betrayal and slit my throat in my sleep.”

Aegon looked as though he could not care less. “Not my problem, sweet Sena,” he said. “You could have switched sides anytime you liked… you still can.”

Sena ignored that vehemently, blazing right past it. “And what if we hold fast? What if you turn around and go home?”

“We don’t go home,” he said. He was growing weary of this now, his expression sullen. “There will be a fight if you do not retreat, Sena. And Aemond is dutiful, he will do what I command of him and turn Vhagar against you if he must. I don’t want that to happen, but the alternative is giving up the crown and losing my fucking head. Not just mine, all of our heads.”

Sena leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. “I guess we’re at an impasse, then.”

Aegon shook his head at her in disbelief. “Trust my brother to love the most stubborn fool in the Seven Kingdoms. It seems we are, Sena.”

She surveyed him. The armour that was tailored to him perfectly but still did not seem to fit, the crown that was seemingly causing his neck to buckle under the weight. She eyed Blackfyre on his sword belt. Could think of few people in her family less suited to wield it. “I’ll speak to Rhaenys,” she said at long last. “If I can convince her to retreat, you will have my word by daybreak tomorrow.”

Aegon nodded his acquiescence and sunk deep into his chair, raising his goblet to take a long gulp of wine. “Think about it carefully, Sena. And I meant what I said. Whatever you feel towards me, there will always be a place for a stubborn bitch with a big dragon in my army.”

Sena shook her head at him and turned to leave. She paused at the tent entrance though, and her heart stuttered in her chest. She could not stop herself saying it. “I’m sorry,” she said, “about your son. He was a sweet boy.”

Aegon’s petulant manor froze and his jaw went tight. “Why are you sorry? You didn’t kill him,” he said, and she could hear a quiver in his voice.

“I’m sorry it has come to this, Aegon,” she said softly.

He frowned down into his lap and the crown slipped deeper down his brow. “So am I.”

Sena braced herself with a breath. “How is Helaena?”

But Aegon wasn’t having it. He shook his head at her. “You have made your choice, Sena. I think you have lost the right to ask me about her.”

“Aegon-“ she said with a pang in her chest, but he cut her off.

“Good day, Lady Visenya. Consider my terms carefully.”

-----

“There is not a decision to be made,” was Rhaenys’s answer to Aegon’s proposal over supper that night. They had been given Lord Staunton’s private dining room, and a fire crackled low in the grate, their food barely touched. Sena felt guilty for wasting what was already in short supply, but her gut was churning so much it was unthinkable to eat. “We must stand and fight.”

Sena dragged her hands through her hair with a weary sigh. “It’s not truly a decision, is it? If we turn back now, we’ve as good as lost this war. Our lives will be forfeit.” What hope did they have of suing for peace if their allies saw their words meant nothing? What leverage would they have to stop Aegon storming Dragonstone and putting them all to the sword? “And if we fight… the odds are about as even as they’re ever like to be.”

“Even? We’re still a hundred against an army.”

“The real battle is the one in the air, you know that,” Sena said, eyeing Rhaenys. Their family’s battles were fought and won with their dragons - the Conquerors had shown what little use men-at-arms were against the winged wyrms of Old Valyria.

“So it is the dragon battle you’re concerned about?” Rhaenys asked and Sena knew that was what she had been probing at all along.

Sena narrowed her eyes. “I would be a fool not to be concerned about it. I ride a dragon I have no bond with against two of my cousins, one of whom rides Vhagar.”

“It is not Vhagar you are worried about, though, is it?” Rhaenys said, leaning back in her seat and holding her wine goblet close. She surveyed Sena with hard eyes, and the words caught in Sena’s throat. Rhaenys sighed. “You shall take Vermithor against Sunfyre and I shall take Meleys against Vhagar. Do you think you can do that?”

Sena raised an eyebrow. “With all due respect, Princess, I don’t think that is a fight you can win.” There were few dragons alive who could hope to survive a bout with Vhagar and at first glance, Sena would not put Meleys among them.

“You give me little choice, Visenya,” she said, and pushed her chair back with a scrape. She composed herself and went to leave, the matter having been decided.

“If it was Lord Corlys,” Sena said, stopping Princess Rhaenys in her tracks. “If you found yourself on opposing sides with the Sea Snake, could you truly meet him in battle?”

Rhaenys turned back to her and gave her a pitying look. “If what you feel for that brute is a shadow of what I feel for Lord Corlys… you are truly lost, Visenya,” she said, and Sena’s heart plummeted. The elder woman sighed, not uncaring. “And truthfully, I do not know what you are doing here.”

Neither did Sena.

Daybreak came and went, with no peace signed.

It was midday by the time Aegon’s vanguard made to breach the gates. Lord Staunton’s men held it valiantly and defended their position, but the two dragonriders knew that their time had come. With a nod to Rhaenys and a prayer to the Gods, Sena took to the skies upon Vermithor. No sooner had she chained herself to his saddle than she caught sight of Sunfyre rising with her, a brilliant gold-and-pink blur against the sky. She set her sights on her target and steadied herself.

It was only when she saw Vhagar’s monstrous form looming in the distance that dread flooded through her like ice water.

As Vhagar drew closer and Meleys circled above her, Sena suddenly knew for certain that this did not bode well for Rhaenys. Meleys was not a small beast by any measure, but Vhagar loomed nearly twice as large.

Before she could intercede though, Sunfyre was tackling Vermithor and the battle in the sky begun. It was as though the brothers could read her mind exactly and knew they needed to divert her to give Aemond a chance to take down Rhaenys.

But Sena forced it all from her mind for now and focused on her own battle. Vermithor was new to her, did not know her well enough. That coupled with Sena’s own gnawing uncertainty was enough to draw the fight between Vermithor and Sunfyre nearly equal as Meleys and Vhagar clashed behind her.

Sunfyre banked and rolled, resplendent in the high noon, missing Vermithor’s gnashing teeth by the breadth of a scale every time. Sena could hear Aegon laughing. Could hear the howls of Vhagar and Meleys tearing at each other on the wind.

Gods be good, if this was the end, she wasn’t going to die fighting Aegon.

Sena directed Vermithor for one more wild snatch, letting Aegon become complacent and arrogant, as he was wont to do. He was a lazy swordsman, and even bearing Blackfyre, he could not make up for the fact that his next move shone on his face like a lit beacon in winter snow. The same principle seemed to carry over into his dragonriding. Sena and Vermithor came around on Sunfyre and Aegon one more time, and, at the most logical moment for the larger dragon to dip and lunge, she screamed “Navemanon!” into the wind. Vermithor hesitated - it was not a Valyrian command, not even a word in their tongue, but it sounded enough like it to Aegon and it worked beautifully, because whilst her dragon was confused and trying to work out what she wanted him to do, Aegon turned his entire head to the right. There. “Nābēmagon, Vermithor! Paktot!” Attack, Vermithor! Right! And as Aegon feinted right to dodge the first, false attack, Vermithor lunged with him and clamped his teeth down into Sunfyre’s wing.

The scream from the golden dragon was piercing, and it was all Sena could do not to let go to cover her ears. Vermithor gave one good shake of his head, shredding the membranes of Sunfyre’s wing, and the King’s dragon screamed, spewing flames back at Vermithor. But Vermithor was too large, his scales too thick, and with a sharp “Dracarys!” from Sena, he caught the King’s dragon in a blast of his own flame. Sunfyre roared and began to wheel desperately in circles, only born aloft on one good wing. Sena commanded Vermithor to bank so they could take a final swipe and be done with Aegon for the time being, but there was no need, as the King’s dragon was falling from the sky at speed.

That was when she caught sight of Vhagar raking her claws down Meleys’s back in the distance. There was an almighty roar from the Red Queen as steaming blood began to spurt from the wound. “No! No!” Sena screamed. Aemond would not add another dragon or another Targaryen to his headcount. Vermithor sharply banked towards Vhagar, nearly colliding midair with Meleys who was reeling in descending loops, fighting to stay airborne. To deal so much damage to such an experienced dragon so quickly… Aemond was either letting Vhagar wreak carnage as she saw fit or he was the greatest dragonrider in a century. Sena found herself not wanting to know the answer.

She spotted Rhaenys on Meleys’s back - shaken but unharmed - and commanded Vermithor around, determined to keep Vhagar’s attention away from the failing Meleys. Vhagar seemed to have the same notion, deciding to deal with the fitter prey before finishing off the weakened one. As the two mighty dragons set on a collision course towards each other, Sena felt her blood run cold as she thought of Luke, and whether Aemond had any control of the ancient beast right now.

Sena threw herself flat against Vermithor’s back, bracing for impact, letting free a wild howl as the dragons came closer and closer. And then, Vhagar feinted left, and the force of the wind from her wingbeat would have knocked Sena clean from her saddle if she had not been chained down. The message from Aemond was clear. Stand down.

Vhagar followed a long arc downwards to where Meleys was reeling, pulling up at just the right second to catch the Red Queen’s neck in her maw. Claret blood spurted and steamed as the Red Queen gave a feeble shudder. It was too late by the time Sena brought Vermithor round and slammed down onto Vhagar. It knocked all three dragons - two living, one in the final throes of a bloody end - the last thirty feet to the ground. Vermithor and Vhagar hit the ground with enough force to knock every soldier within a league on his back. A wave of searing pain and nausea hit Sena as her head whipped off of Vermithor’s hard-scaled back, her nose burst with blood and her vision swam out of focus.

“Fuck,” was all she could manage, and Vermithor was furious at her handling of him. He roared and swung his weight in an attempt to throw her from his back, but her chains held her down. He then moved as though to roll with her still on his back, crushing her beneath his weight, and Sena’s stomach lurched, desperately pulling at the chains on her belt.

At the last second, she unhooked her entire sword belt, wrapped her hand around the hilt of her sword and threw herself from dragonback.

She hit the ground hard, and Vermithor screeched once more. Her head swam as she staggered to her feet, desperately trying to drag air back into her lungs, terrified the dragon would round on her once more. But instead, free of his rider, Vermithor took his chance and rose to the sky again.

“Well, fuck you then!” She screamed after him and attempted to staunch the blood flowing into her mouth with her glove. She stood there on the field, a wide circle cleared around her where her dragon had fell, sword in hand and watching her dragon retreat West. She was utterly alone in a field of green soldiers who were staggering to their feet, watching her, waiting for orders. She was truly fucked now. Meleys was down, twitching in her last throes of death, and Sena could see no sign of Rhaenys. Sunfyre and Vhagar were down too, the former seemingly for good, the latter only dazed, somewhere on the field behind her. Sena turned to watch Vermithor’s retreating form in the sky and groaned in frustration. Vhagar would be free to torch the entire town now once she regained the air-

“Back,” snapped a commanding voice. “I’ll deal with her myself.”

Sena spun around and her heart lurched in her chest. Aegon’s troops had fallen back from her at the sharp command, Vhagar was watching her from across the field with beacon-like eyes and her rider… Aemond stood before her, sword drawn, clad in armour from head to foot. He raised the corner of his mouth in his soft smile. “Pure ingratitude,” he said, nodding at Vermithor. “Most men would kill to have you all to themselves.”

She swallowed around a lump in her throat. “I don’t know about most men,” she said and her voice was barely a croak.

“Fine, maybe I meant I would kill to have you to myself,” he said.

It was a poor choice of words and her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. Her blood surged rebelliously in her veins. “You’ve killed for less.”

His expression faltered. “I have,” he said wearily, shamefully. “Lay down your sword and I’ll get a maester. Your nose needs seeing to.”

She clutched her sword tighter. “I can’t.”

He shook his head at her, looking tired. “Stop fighting,” he told her. “Please. Let me take care of you.”

“Take care of me?” She asked, her voice trembling. “You killed Luke, Aemond. And Grey Ghost-“

“I thought I had killed you.” he said, his own voice shaking, drawing closer to her. His eye was glossy. “When I watched you fall, I thought I would die with you.”

She clenched her jaw and raised her sword as he tried to approach her. She kept him at arm’s distance with the point of her blade.

He let the point of the blade catch on the centre of his chest. Met her eyes with a beseeching look. “Give up this folly, my lady. Come back to King’s Landing, come home and marry me.”

“You’re betrothed,” she bit out, and that was another part of this that stung like hell.

He shook his head in disbelief. “There’s not a woman in the world I would not spurn, not an oath I would not break for you. How can you not know that by now?”

Her eyes were swimming with tears, her knuckles gone white from how hard she was grasping her sword. “Give up everything I believe in? Give up my Queen, my sisters, my brothers, to come stand silent at your side and bear your sons? No, Aemond. No.”

He held his expression carefully blank, though she could see the bob of his throat. “You would not be you if you were so easily swayed,” he said, “but to hear you reject me so plainly, reject us and our children… it hurts more than I thought it would.”

Everything in her was shaking. She needed to end this now, before she went weak. Before she folded. Before she succumbed and pulled him into her arms.“I can’t let you take this town without a fight, Aemond. I owe it to my family, to everyone your army will put to the sword.” Her voice was shaking. She wrapped both hands around the hilt of her sword, the point still resting against his armour.

“I understand that, Sena.”

Sena. Her name from his lips had haunted her dreams since all this began.

A breeze picked up behind him and his long hair blustered around his face. Leather, brimstone, rosemary filled her senses.

“Why did the gods make me love you, Aemond?” She asked, her voice shaking.

He smiled a sad smile as he stepped back and raised his sword. A tear rolled freely down Sena’s cheek. “Because they made me for you.”

Their swords clashed between them and at long last, they danced.

They knew this dance well, knew each other well, and it showed in each parried blow, each perfectly timed deflection and dodge. Aemond’s bare steel swung through the air on a counter and she met it with a sharp ringing sound, throwing his strength back at him and slashing with a backswing. He stepped backwards, grimacing as a few strands of silver hair were cut loose from his head, and looked at her with fire in his pretty eye. “You’re going to have to do better than giving me a haircut, issa jorrāelagon.” Sena’s heart seized. My love.

“Don’t call me that,” she snapped and swung at him again.

Time and time again, her strikes fell. And time and time again, he batted them away like he was swatting flies, but never advanced on her. She grew frustrated, grew furious and howled with rage as she swung at him again. He caught the blade inches from his shoulder and deflected it, sending a sharp glare at her, but she did not care, swinging her arms back up again-

It was Ser Criston that caught the next blow, approaching from the side. She’d been so focused on Aemond, she did not even see him approach. Neither did Aemond, his mentor coming at them from his blind side, and he flinched away from the ring of their steel meeting.

“Stand down, my lady,” Ser Criston Cole commanded her sharply. “We have you surrounded. There is no way out.”

But Sena was too angry. Seething at the thought of it all. Luke, Aegon, Jaehaerys, her father, all of it, all she wanted to do was win, just this one time. She struck out one final, savage blow at Aemond, but it was sloppy, made in anger and exhaustion. He side-stepped her easily and pulled her back sharply towards his chest with an arm around her middle.

Ser Criston Cole knocked her hard against the head with his armoured elbow and the scorched field tilted out of focus.

Her vision spotted, her stomach rolled. The ground did not so much rush up to meet her as she was lowered to it. She thought she heard Aemond - her Aemond - murmuring in her ear. “It’s okay, love. It’s okay. Look at me. You’re okay.” She couldn’t be sure.

But she did feel cold shackles closing around her wrists, and a murmured “Apologies, my lady,” from a misshapen blob that looked like Ser Criston Cole.

Then, there was something sweet on her tongue, and the world went black.

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