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ellienightengale · 5 years

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The bitterness of Immortality

(In which Eleanor makes a mighty offering to a Loa)

Eleanor had pondered over this trifle thing called age ever since she had met Um’tika. It saddened her he would be gone in the blink of an eye and for months she had looked for ways to stop that or at least slow it down enough so she could enjoy the days spent with him.And then it came to her in some stroke of brilliance; Eleanor would cut her own life in half and give it to Um’tika. Both would live their days out by thousands of years, having all the fun in the world! “But how?” Eleanor had mumbled to herself as she sat hunched over a desk; endless parchments astray. The elf had considered the pools of Youth in Pandaria but after witnessing what it does, she scratched that idea out. There was little to nothing on how she could extend his life without paying some type of boon, and she knew Bwonsamdi was out of the question.

That Loa she did respect but had little trust in him and his deals. Not that she’d admit it to his face! She had yet to get a definitive answer on how this rather complicated endeavor was to be pulled off. The seat of the Pantheon she considered, then realized they were not in Argus anymore; having already won that battle they retreated elsewhere. That left not nearly enough powerful titans to grant Eleanor her boon.

A sigh would come from her as her quill scratched out another shot down plan on the parchment. A headache was forming just from the sheer volume of thinking Eleanor had done over the past few months alone and it was starting to take its toll on the elf. Rajah had been slumbering and was starting to wake up from his light dozing when he heard “Ahah!” come from the desk. In red, was a name circled upon the parchment and Eleanor smiling in victory.

Um'Bwati

Eleanor could recall the bits and pieces of that Loa from her wonderful talks with Um’tika. He was life and death, two halves of the same coin. Without even hesitating; Eleanor began scrambling around her home to pack the supplies she would need for that journey. Food, water, offerings, a tent were the most Eleanor would bring since she could easily find an inn and sleep for the night. It would be a day or two before she would set her sights upon the altar belonging to the Loa umtika’s family. Settling down, Eleanor took the moment to observer her surroundings.

The jungle was an assault on all senses. The virescent hues were the foreground, the background and as high up as you could see. The heat and humidity pressed in on the skin making sweat pointless. The air tasted both sweet and fresh, like flowers blooming on your tongue. It was little wonder that Um’tika loved his home so much and fought for it with heart and soul.

A platter of food was slowing being prepared along with silvermoon port. The heavenly and delectable scent of the food was then placed on the altar as a means of an offering to the loa. She then began to pray. “ Loa of my beloved’s family, I ask you to come forth and hear my prayer; I am in need of your assistance with a mighty gift I wish to bestow upon my beloved” Eleanor prayed.as she made her offerings and called out her prayer she would feel as if a presence was watching her, before too long, it would grow very dark around her and she would hear the sound soft barefoot steps around her followed the tapping of what sound like something wooden covered in metal. As she waited, what would greet her was what looked to be an old Zandalari, he held in his right hand a cane in the shape of a devilsaur in traditional Zandalari design, "Well now, I was wonderin' when you would be contactin' girl'eh. what can Ol' Um'Bwati be doin' for y'ah," though his voice had a heavy roughness, he spoke with the energy and vigor of a younger looking troll.

The area she knelt down in grew darker and the gentle thudding of feet indicated her prayer has been heard and well received. Wood tapping against stone brought her head to slowly tilt up to meet the gaze of Um'bwati; he appeared much as Umtika described: two halves, life and death. before her appeared a wizened troll that had seen much and could teach her much. " Honorable Um'bwati, I wish to seek your help in a mighty gift I want to bestow upon Umtika." She would ask him and then faintly blushed at her next little confession of love and devotion. " I want to spend my days with him, I love him dearly. But I cannot help but fear my immortality will prevent me from being with him; it saddens me to think I will outlive him with our future children. I, I want to give him immortality; half of my lifespan"Um'Bwati listened to her prayer, her desire, and would place his hand on his chin as if in thought, with his free hand he waked it clearing the darkness around them and it would seem she had transported to a small room made to simply relax and speak he would sit on one of the silken seats which sat close to the floor he motioned to the other right across from him for her to sit, "Come child sit and we will discuss this dire request you be wantin' t'ah give."

She could tell he was thinking on this one and Eleanor understood it.Her request was a strange one, if not dire; not many people were willing to give such a great gift so easily. In Eleanor's case, she just wanted more time to be with Umtika; a hundred years was a mere blink in the life of an elf. The clearing morphed into a small relaxing room suddenly with silken cushioned seats.

Eleanor approached and took the seating across from him and awaited his wisdom in how to go about this dire request of hers.he would think for only a moment longer as she would find herself comfortable, "Now girl'eh, you know d'at even transferin' life force be very hard even for a Loa, now you be offerin' somet'ing d'at, yes would make it easier, but d'ere could still be consequences," he spoke calmly to her not wanting her to be afraid, but of course to understand the dangers, "You spoke of living on wit'out him along wit y'ah future children, one downside to what y'ah askin for could be d'ah inability to bear children, deary," he would lean forward a little resting his cane against himself, "D'ere are minor t'ings, but i would be able to wave d'ose away, anot'er major one is your life entirely," he said that one in a more sadden tone, "And i don't want to take d'at chance girl'eh, however, i might have somet'in'.”

Eleanor listened to him speak of the consequences her actions could have upon her. She would be happy yes, but she would also be suffering with the inability to bear children if that happened. The other one major one would just make everyone miserable and sad. At the mention of having another trick up his sleeve, Eleanor leaned forward just a fraction with interest showing in those golden orbs " You have another way?" There was a faint spark of hope in her voice as she spoke.He would nod to her wisely, "There be much you still need to be learnin about us Loa, if we be needin' some one to stay alive, we can take d'at mortal spark and simply ignore it, allowing said Devout to live well beyond d'eir years, now, I could also somewhat mix in, your little idea, but it will take me some time t'ah make sure it is flawless and it may not be ready till you two be ready t'ah bear y'ah first child."

Her head canted to the side at his words and she nodded along, clearly listening to him." I have not heard of a Loa able to make a devout immortal by those means; yet not many are immortal among the living, just long lived" Many called the elves immortal,yet they were the ones considered long lived; even they died. " I, I see, so years is what I am to understand?" Eleanor had done a mental tally of how long that would be before she was mated/married to umtika and able to conceive their firstborn child."it is how Rastakhan was able t'ah live for so long, girl'eh, I can make him long lived yes, at least until d'ah little plan you had hatchin' in y'ah head comes to its conclusion, and i can see y'ah doin' d'ah tallies in y'ah head," he chuckled as he would reach over and lightly tap her nose, "Let y'ah feelin's guide d'ah time it takes, y'ah und'ahstand, not d'ah days," he would chuckle softly as he leaned back in his seat.

" What will happen once I bare him a child?" she asked, only to wrinkle her perky little nose when he tapped it. She furrowed her brows and simply let a small smile come forth at the mention of letting her feelings guide her down the path " Feelings are indeed what brought me to this dire point in my long lived life" Eleanor also leaned back in her chair just a bit since this conversation was going to take awhile."I know, I know, girl'eh, and what i be sayin is I got y'ah back in d'is, y'ah don't need t'ah worr'eh after all, before i became a spirit Loa i was a watcher of man'eh little ones, and i treat d'ah Wraithtusk and all who help or become apart of d'em just as I would one of d'ah family," he would give her almost a fatherly smile, "And tell y'ah dadd'eh t'ah not worr'eh so much, I be lookin' after his little girl, cross my heart."

Eleanor could only chuckle and agree with him " I shall endeavor not to worry so much Um'bwati" Laughter would come from Eleanor at the mention of her father and his worrisome ways. " A father is a father, no matter what. He;s doing what he can from the Emerald Dream. He only wishes to be here physically" No matter how old she got, he would be a father, a worrisome father. " I shall pass the message along to him when I enter the dream realm next."

"D'is i know, and he be a good fadd'ah," he would shake his head and raise his hand gesturing for her not to worry, "You continue being you girl'eh," he would chuckle heartily, "now was d'ere anyt'ing else y'ah wanted to discuss, while i be here d'at is." he offered incase there was maybe something she was still confused on or if she simply wanted a little advice.

" Yes, he still is." She took the gesture with good will and smiled while being able to mentally breath for once. The whole time she was conversing with him, Eleanor could feel a million things racing through her mind until they finally hit a wall and just stopped. " I can certainly do that Um'bwati" She motioned to herself with a quick sweep of her hands. " That was all, I had been thinking on this insane request for months, every since our courtship deepened. I do not know what else advice you can give; but I will gladly take any you can offer me"

"Oh i know , child, I be watchin' y'ah for some times while you lost sleep over d'is, even though y'ah nev'ah prayed t'ah me I still watch ov'ah d'ah Wraithtusk as a whole," he said getting up and propping himself on his cane and reaching over and ever so gently giving her cheek a pinch much like a grandparent would their grandchild, "And d'at means you, y'ah be one of my children, now more so cause you made an offerin' a ver'eh fine one at d'at."

" Yes, I've lost sleep over the sheer fear of losing Umtika. Not through wounds, but through time, I just wanted to see if I could find a way to prolong his life on my own; but I know now I should've asked for help in this matter" Eleanor felt her cheek being pinched, similar to a grandparent that is cheekily scolding their grandchild. " I have nothing more to give him but myself, body and soul; that includes my life"

"D'en until y'ah need me again, little Eleanor, i will return y'ah to d'ah altar y'ah came t'ah, i hope i be see in' y'ah again, girl'eh," he would chuckle heartily as he and the area he made manifest would slowly fade, leaving her in the same area she was once before, but this time hopefully more at ease and enlightened.

" I thank you Um'bwati for your wisdom and council in this matter and I shall certainly call upon your aid should I ever need it" The area around them dissolved and she realized the two were back at the altar, as if they never left. She did indeed feel more at ease and light hearted. As if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. " I can expect all the family loa to come to the wedding?" She jokingly asked, yet probably knew they would make appearances. "Don't y'ah be worrin' we be there, wouldn't miss it for d'ah world, Girl'eh, same for Nak'tika, and Cammotz... oh and Baleloth, Hero's very first Companion d'at i help get ascended," he said chuckling, "We will all be d'er."

Nodding in acceptance and a bit of excitement, said elf boldy reached out to Um'bwati, wrapped her arms around his body and hugged him for a few moments before letting go and smiling brightly at him. " Thank you, for everything" She would say. feeling her hug him only beckoned for a gentle chuckle as he would do the same to her, giving her a gentle hug, "I be seein' y'ah, and nev'ah be shy to leave an offerin ever'eh now and d'en," he said chuckling as he would vanish slowly in thin air his chuckling echoing into the distance.”I won’t!” Eleanor called to the fading Loa and she turned to walk back to the temporary lodgings, a spring in her step.

#world of warcraft #wow #blood elf #wra horde #wow horde #worldofwarcraft #wyrmrest horde #loa #zandalari

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kitten1618x · 7 years

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GoT Afterthoughts 7x06 Beyond the Wall (Jonsa Edition) SPOILERS

Hello lovelies ... apologies for the delay! As most of you know, my Marine was home briefly. ❤️

We begin our episode with the war room map/table in Dragonstone and a fire crackling in the background -ominous foreshadowing? We then join Jon and the boys hiking through the winter wonderland. Tormund being Tormund pokes Gendry for some fun, before the talk with Jon takes a more serious turn. He asks about the Dragon Queen, and Jon tells him that she'll only help if he bends the knee. Tormund tells Jon he's spent too much time with the freefolk and now he doesn't like kneeling.

Now, what Tormund said next admittedly confused me (and I'm paraphrasing): "Mance was a great man, a proud man, but how many of his people died for his pride?" To my knowledge it was Mance himself who died because he refused to kneel -not the freefolk? Were Wildlings slaughtered off-screen unbeknownst to us? I'm not being facetious -if I'm wrong in my confusion, someone please correct me. Otherwise, what we have here is a plot hole -almost like Tormund giving Jon a reason to kneel, to not be like Mance and not put his family and people in peril over his pride. I'm not ready to bag on the writing just yet, but this is a blatant inconsistency -just sayin'....

But moving on ... Gendry airs his grievances with the brotherhood and the Hound tells him to suck it up buttercup and that's that for now. We are then brought to Jon and Jorah speaking not of Dany (which, ya know -would make sense since this whole "epic romance" plot and all) but instead, they are bonding over their fallen fathers.

Jon: “my father was the most honorable man I've ever met, he was good all the way through, and he died on the executioners block.” (We'll come back to this).

Honorable Ned's son, honorable Jon takes off Longclaw and offers it to Jorah. Jorah insists that Jon keep it, deeming himself unworthy.

Jorah: “It's yours. May it serve you well, and your children after you.”

Cue WINTERFELL music and a pensive looking Jon. Contemplating your future children, Jon? Imagining their red hair and curls? Tully and Stark looking? Okay, I'll stop now -but come on guys -what an Easter egg! And right from there we jump to Winterfell (SURPRISE) and Jon's future wife (and mother of his children).

Our lovely Stark sisters are in the traditional Stark spot upon the battlements. Arya tells a heartwarming tale of Ned catching her practicing archery and clapping when she finally hit the bullseye. It was sweet, and lovely, and everything I'd been praying for for weeks, but then the accusations fly and all is lost. Arya has the letter that Cersei made Sansa pen to Robb. Sansa is naturally upset about this and defends herself with the truth: they made her write it (even Robb knew that when he read it, geez Arya come on -It's not like you did/didn't do things, too!). Does everyone remember when she was Tywin's cupbearer? Because I do.

I don't blame either of my precious angels for what they did/didn't do to survive as scared, isolated and traumatized little girls -and dammit, they shouldn't either! But more on this later ....

Now, I don't like what they made Sansa say about Arya "should be on her knees thanking her" -it's not that she isn't right about the part she played in re-taking Winterfell, but THAT was definitely some shitty writing.

We flash back to our boys, and Tormund is attempting to bond with the Hound. Aside from being some of the best comic relief this show has delivered in a long time, I'm becoming sweet on Tormund x Brienne. Stop me! I love Brienne x Jamie too much! I'm trash! Someone just wheel me out to the alley and light my ass on fire!

We got a nice little callback to Ygritte and naturally Sansa too -because "Gingers are beautiful, they're kissed by fire". More on this later, too .....

We switch over to Beric and Jon first discussing how much Jon apparently doesn't resemble Ned (sure Jan) and then the creepy religion (again, burning children is bad, guys -I'm with Varys on this religion). Jon doesn't serve the Lord of Light, he serves ONLY the North. They do seem to agree on one thing: they are protectors, and Jon recites some of his Nights Watch vows: "I am the shield that guards the realms of men." More on this later .... (Are you guys picking up a theme here yet? Let's see if you figure it out before I get to the end of this post). 😉

After the Hound points them towards the mountain he saw in his vision, we go to Dragonstone where Dany decides to compliment Tyrion by insulting him? lol What she likes about him is that he's not a hero -heroes are stupid with their constant pissing contests (she's not wrong) -except I'm not sure I'd consider Daario or Drogo heroes? Tyrion points out that all these brave men have fallen for her -including Jon Snow, because apparently unbeknownst to US the actual viewers, he's been oogling her ....?? Daenerys denies it, but you can tell by her body language that this pleases her. But -"he's too little for her" ???? What does that even mean?

Honestly, I can't figure out my Little Lion this season and it's kind of pissing me off. Is he cracked out on Dragon love too? Or is he being clever and playing the game? Varys did say he needed to find a way to make her listen. Does Tyrion think Jon can influence her? And where the hell is Varys, by the way?

Dany brings up the upcoming meeting and her impulsive temper comes up -and the Tarlys (expect them to come up again in the near future too, guys). Tyrion warns her about ruling with fear and then the convo shifts to the subject of Dany's mortality and her line of succession. Dany jumps into serious angry paranoia mode (Targ trait) and flings accusations of Tyrion's loyalty at him again. Look -I fully understand that this is a touchy (and rightly so) subject for Dany, but I don't think he's in the wrong here -the line of succession is important to any monarch, and especially one that intends to ride into battle. But ...not today Tyrion, not today.

We jump back over the wall, and now the boys are traipsing through blizzard-like conditions. Is it still the same day? Has night fallen, or is it just dark due to the snow storm? Ugh, this episode is leaving me with more questions than answers! They spot, and are spotted by an undead bear, and a few redshirt Wildlings are taken out. Thoros and Beric light the sonofabitch on fire, Tormund whacks it with his battle axe -I mean, this damn thing takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin', and ends up with Thoros in its mouth, before Jorah takes it out with a dagger (assuming it was dragon glass?). A chug of alcohol and a cauterizing of the wound, and he's miraculously up on his feet and ready to continue.

On a side note: poor precious hound and his fire PTSD. 😔 Cant wait for Clegane bowl -hope it ends with fire and Sandor conquering his fear while exacting his revenge.

And now we're back in Winterfell, and a distressed Sansa is confiding in Little Finger. If ya'll didn't pick up that she was sniffing him out, then I just can't help you. Sansa doesn't trust him. I strongly suspect she knows that letter turned up because of him. I'm 99% confident she was jugging him for info ....

Sansa is nervous about the letter, though -rightly so, because if the lords see it, they may withdraw their support -BUT she isn't worried for herself, she's worried for Jon and keeping his army (amassed to 20k now -when did that happen? Go Sansa!) -so wake up and suck a fat one, Sansa haters! Don't you guys get it yet?!?! Sansa is loyal to Jon -shit, even Little Finger gets it. Why do you think he's so bent on sewing discourse between the sisters, now? Because all his attempts to drive a wedge between Jon and Sansa have failed!

We return to the winter wonderland, and now it's Jorah/Thoros bonding time. I'm sorry that I don't care enough to repeat their exchange -it wasn't exactly riveting, and I pretty much knew that it was his "death knell". Anyone else getting whiplash from all this back and forth?

Upon their climb, they hear the clinking of an undead scouting party. Interesting .... they send scouting parties ahead? The NK and his Generals are pretty smart. Which caused something to pop into my head: are Gilly's brothers the NK's Generals? But back to the action ... they start a fire to lure them in and ambush them. Jon kills the General and all but one of the wights fall. Aside from the convenience of all but the one they need falling, this is also interesting. If they take out the generals who raised them, the wights will automatically fall -so if the NK is taken out, then his entire army would perish! Hmmm ...

So, my dudes tackle Bones and he lets out an ear piercing screech, which apparently alerts the others (hmmm -they communicate, too?). With an avalanche of the undead rolling down upon them at high speeds, they collectively shit their pants while hogtying Bones, and Jon orders Gendry to run for Eastwatch and get a Raven to Dany, declaring that he's "the fastest". Well, this is all well and good, but please explain to me just exactly HOW Jon knows this? Because I didn't know Gendry was fast ...did you? And not only do they send this poor kid who's never even seen snow before, off into the arctic wilds by his lonesome, entrusting his supposed internal GPS (I guess???), but they take his freaking weapon so he has no means to defend himself, to boot!

And off he goes, while Jon and the crew race for shelter and find themselves standing over the weak ice of a frozen pond/lake. With no other place to go but forward, they take their chances and make for the rock in the middle, as the dead close in on them and after grabbing a few more redshirt Wildlings, the wights break the weakened ice and begin falling into icy water, creating a barrier and a trap for our boys. Winded, but alive, they freeze their tushes off, as night falls and an exhausted Gendry collapses before the gate of Eastwatch. Daddy Davos comes to cradle on of his fostered sons as Gendry breathlessly pleas to send a Raven.

It's morning on the rock, and our dudes have snuggled to keep warm overnight. The Hound rouses from his comfy Jon Snow pillow to kick the grumbling Bones, who's probably just salty that he didn't get invited to the slumber party. Sandor gives him a good morning kick in the ribs, and when Bones squeals in displeasure, so do some of the wights surrounding them. Another clue of their links?

Unfortunately, Thoros hasn't made it through the night. They burn his body and Beric says the creepy Lord of Light's prayer. I hope someone had the good sense to take his flaming sword first, but I doubt it, because while I love my boys -they aren't exactly clever ...they did go on a wight hunt, after all. 🙄

Jorah and Jon discuss the connection and Jorah suggests trying to take out the WW's as their best chance of survival. Jon says no, they need to take that thing (Bones) back with them and a Raven is on its way to Dany -she's their only chance. I suppose she has the same magic GPS as Gendry. 😳 Beric joins them and counters that argument with just taking out the NK -he turned them all after all ...kill him and they all fall.

Now, Jon puzzles me here. His reply to Beric's suggestion is: "You don't understand."

What Jon? What don't we understand, baby?? Tell us!!!! Is Jon suddenly afraid of his own mortality? I don't think so, but then -what don't we understand??????

*screaming internally*

Beric counters with how the lord brought them both back and maybe this is why. I'm not sure what Jon's thinking while his chest heaves and he eye fucks the NK -but .... perhaps he really is afraid? Maybe of failing and being forced to rise and fight on the NK's side? Suggestions are welcome here .... really.

We jump back to Winterfell and Sansa has received an invite to KL. So, who sent this invite? Sansa refuses to go -and is certainly justified considering .... She intends to send Brienne in her stead, but Brienne is uncomfortable leaving Sansa unprotected because of Little Finger. She requests to at least leave Podrick behind, but Sansa denies her request, and after trying several times to politely put her off, she finally rudely dismisses her. Now, I have no doubt that Sansa is truly frightened to go to KL because of Cersei, but I also think that she specifically chose Brienne to represent her -not only because she trusts her to represent her interests, but also because of what Little Finger implied earlier -about Brienne intervening with Arya if necessary. I'd like to think that Sansa is not only protecting her little sister, but also Brienne's honor of having to side with one of the sisters should things get ugly. (They won't, trust me).

We flip over to Dragonstone and Tyrion tries to convince Dany not to run off to the rescue, but (thankfully), she doesn't listen. She mounts Drogon and off to the rescue her and her lizard babies go!

We're back at the boulder now, and an apparently bored Sandor is throwing rocks at the "cunt" wights. Not that I blame him, but we all knew where this was going, right? The ice has re-frozen and slowly, the dead advance on them again. This shit was really unbelievable, tbh. With the sheer amount of wights surrounding them, they should have been swarmed, but somehow manage to keep most of them at bay. Jon yells "fall back" (to where????) as Tormund gets grabbed and, oh my heart!!!! I swear I had a mini stroke! But thankfully, Sandor grabs him just in time (he knows he fucking LOVES fire kissed Gingers, okay?)!

And just when it seems that all is lost, Dany and lizard puppies arrive to fuck shit up!! Okay, despite their destruction to actual human life a few weeks ago -this was beautiful and visually very satisfying! This is what the dragons are for! They take out a good chunk of the NK's army -which is WHY I assume he targets the dragon still flying overhead and raining down hellfire on his army, rather than Drogon who was chilling while they all saddled up. I mean, it's just a guess, but it's truly the ONLY logical explanation I could come up with. 😐

Dany reaches immediately for Jon, but a wight charges, and Jon turns to dispatch it, as well as a few of its comrades while the others climb atop Drogon. You know, Jon being the hero he was accused of earlier in the episode? The NK marches forward and takes aim at Viserion -who is still fucking up his army (as I mentioned above, and why I think he may have targeted him), as Jon continues to blindly fight the wights instead of climbing his dumbass on the fucking dragon! Why? So it can be HIS fault for what happens next, of course!

I legit cried when Viserion died. I'm a grown-ass woman, and I don't give a shit! It was heartbreaking, to watch him plummet from the sky and crash into the lake, his eye drifting closed as he slipped below the ice ... and personally, I think Dany's facial expression nailed it: gut wrenching shock. As a mother, my heart broke for her, even though I know that the dragons future demise is necessary.

An angry Jon charges right towards the NK for a standoff, as if he took Beric's words to heart and was prepared to sacrifice himself right then and there to kill the NK and save the whole damn world! But the NK doesn't want to scrap -instead, he reaches for another ice spear, and Jon seeing that he intends to take out another dragon, screams for them to go.

He turns to sprint for Drogon (I guess? Because Drogon had already begun to take off?) but he's tackled by wights and dragged into the icy water. The group hauls ass into the air as an ice spear whizzes towards them, but Drogon avoids it and almost sends Jorah to an early grave. Dany glances back for any sight of Jon as Drogon flies them to safety.

After the dragons fly off, the NK and his army nonchalantly shuffle on as if nothing happened. We get a shot of Longclaw by the ice hole and suddenly Jon lunges out of the water and uses its hilt to drag himself out of the icy lake. Soaked and frozen and probably figuring this is the end, he raises his sword to go out fighting and uncle Benjen drops in to save the day! He hauls a popsicle Jon onto his undead? horse and tells him to ride for the pass, declining Jon's offer to come with him and telling him "there's no time". Now -I've seen this part criticized, and I get it, I do -except what is Benjen supposed to do? He can't pass the wall -he's dead too. Guess he figured it best to go out fighting then endless undead loneliness. Maybe he figured he had no more dumbass nephews to save from beyond the wall anymore? Whatever the case, it was sad to see yet another Stark perish -even if he was technically already dead.

We're back at Eastwatch now, and the Hound is dumping Bones in a dingy, as Beric says farewell and they'll meet again. The Hound says he fucking hopes not, but I don't think he means it. 😉 Atop the wall, Dany gazes forlornly at the landscape below, as Jorah tells her it's time to go (and calls her "Your Grace", and not Khaleesi? Since when?). As she turns to leave, the horn blows and Benjen's horse comes into view (and where have I seen this scene before?) only this time, WITH a rider. Hey -how the fuck did he get his horse back, anyway?

The Targ ship unfurls its sails, and we're in Jon's cabin as Davos literally peels the frozen furs from his trembling body, and sweet mary mother of God, Kit's abs! 😍 As Jon freezes to death, I'm just praying that Davos continues with his disrobing of Jon (and the camera follows), but nope ... 😔 Dany watches from the doorway with a mixture of worry, awe and since she's only human, probably lust (I feel you girl, I really do). On a serious note: she's privy to all those horrid scars that were never stitched and are still literal almost gaping gashes in his chest -and one directly over his heart. I bet Davos' words are ringing in her ears again.

After that gratuitous abs scene, we head back to Winterfell, where Sansa is snooping through Arya's room -probably looking for the letter. Instead, she stumbles onto Arya's face collection. WTF! Naturally, Arya catches her snooping, and begins to terrify Sansa, and myself collectively, with some creepy dialogue that rings as an ominous threat -except, well ... let's break this down a bit. She is sharing some of her past. She wants to play the Game of Faces, but Sansa is not having any of this shit.

I'm pretty sure that Arya drops a MAJOR foreshadowing bomb here: "We both wanted to be other people when we were younger. You wanted to be a queen, sitting next to a handsome king on the iron throne and I wanted to be a knight riding off to battle."

Okay, back to the terrifying conversation... Arya: "With the faces, I can become someone else, live in their skin, speak in their voice. I can even become you ..."

*she picks up the catspaw dagger and steps closer to Sansa*

(With the dagger in her hand): "I wonder what it would feel like, wearing those pretty dresses, to be the Lady of Winterfell. All I'd need to find out is your face."

*she flips the dagger and hands it to Sansa HILT first*

When Sansa takes the dagger, Arya casually turns and leaves the room.

ARYA WAS PLAYING THE GAME OF FACES. Yes, it's shitty, and she gave her sister a mini stroke, but here's the thing: I believe they are BOTH playing Little Finger separately -to protect one another AND Jon, they just don't realize that the other is doing it yet. I'm fully confident that either Bran is going to sit our Starklings down, or they're going to figure it out on their own. And speaking of Bran, where the hell is he? Is he off with Varys? WTH?!

Okay, and we're finally at the scene that y'all were dreading .... Jon's eyes drift open to a teary-eyed Dany who's relieved to see him wake. Immediately, he apologizes for her loss. She shakes her head and lowers it to hide her tears (probably trying not to make him feel worse), and Jon reaches for her hand. He tells her he wishes he could take it back and that they'd never gone. Dany shakes her head again and disengages her hand. She disagrees -she needed to see to understand.

She tells him that the dragons are her children -the only children she'll ever have, and asks him if he understands what she's trying to convey. Jon shakes his head yes, as Dany vehemently professes her support in helping Jon defeat the NK.

Now, I received an ask earlier last week when this episode leaked, about whether I thought Dany was doing this only for vengeance -and certainly, that does factor into her decision, I'm sure. And I don't fault her one fucking bit, tbh. I'm a mother -if you hurt my kids, I'm coming straight for you -why do you think the term "mama grizzly" was coined? But, on the other hand -she's now seen this horrific undead army, and what they are capable of. As someone who freed slaves, it only makes sense that she'd want to help make sure that humanity is not enslaved by the NK and the dead. This is WHY Dany is here, you guys. Not to be queen. Not to be Jon's wife. But to help save humanity with her fire-made flesh dragons, and die in a very messianic way -as such has been the arc they built her character upon.

Jon immediately thanks her, and calls her Dany. She's taken aback -and explains that no one has called her that in a very long time. She brings up Viserys and in a roundabout way, says he was a dick, as to which Jon replies: "alright, not Dany. How about my queen? I'd bend the knee, but ..." he nods his head towards his injured state, as Dany asks about the people who've sworn allegiance to him (because she suddenly cares about that now?) and Jon says (and like I TOLD YOU ALL LAST WEEK when I watched this leaked scene, how very important and almost foreboding his words are): "They'll come to see you for what you are."

WHAT YOU ARE. Not who you are. Not how caring you are. Not anything other than ambiguously WEIRD: what you are!!!

Dany is still touched by this seemingly heartfelt declaration, and with more tears welling in her eyes, grasps his hand and proclaims that she hopes she deserves it, and Jon reassures her that she does. After some silent eye contact, she pulls her hand free from his grasp and tells him to get some rest.

He obliges and closes his eyes, and then when she leaves the room, his eyes reopen and he looks -guilty? As he releases what sounds like an exasperated sigh.

And finally, we end the night with the dead dragging Viserion from the icy depths with some heavy duty chains, and the NK reanimates him. Okay, I just have to say how fucking stupid that is. Where did these massive chains come from? Why didn't he just raise his arms and raise Viserion like he did the Wildlings at Hardhome? It would have been a lot cooler if he came lunging out of the water all blue eyed, rather than be dragged up with chains. Ugh whatever!

Okay, so for a penultimate episode, I'm not majorly impressed, but I didn't hate it.

So, some things we need to go back and touch on (as noted throughout). Have you all figured out where I was going with it? Yes? No?

Okay - SO MANY CALLBACKS TO THE NIGHTS WATCH HERE, GUYS!

We got Ygritte callbacks with "Gingers are kissed by fire". We got the Jon/Beric convo which was kind of reminiscent of Half Hand/Jon's convo when they were with the Wildling's as prisoners, and Jon even recited a piece of his Nights Watch vows! We've got Tormund bringing up Mance, and his refusal to kneel AND we've got an almost replicated scene (horn blowing and all) of Uncle Benjen's horse riding for the gate of the wall, only this time, WITH a rider!

What does that remind me of? Well, a previously duplicitous undercover Jon infiltrating the Wildlings -using them to achieve his goal of getting back to Castle Black alive, to warn the Watch of the impending attack and to do his duty -hold the Wall against the Wildlings. How did he do that? By deceiving Ygritte -despite his feelings.

Now, I'm not saying I'm right, and it's just a theory -but I truly do believe that Jon is playing Dany. BUT, I also truly believe that he does like her, and that he does really believe she has a good heart. She did just lose one of her children to save him and the crew ... Jon's odd and ambiguous words: "They'll see you for what you are" is for our benefit -a clue to know where the story is headed. However, I do think that the fact that he actually admires and cares for her (cares, NOT loves) is making him feel pretty shitty for what he is/has to do, on top of the guilt he feels for being at fault for Viserion's death.

It's no coincidence that he couldn't look in her eyes when he offered to bend the knee. It's also very telling that he did so when no one was around to hear/witness this. While Dany has been wearing her obvious heart eyes on her sleeve for a few episodes now, Jon has been pretty guarded, he hasn't shared ANYTHING personal, his expressions have been odd -and blank, mostly (as in this scene, as well) ... this developing "romance" has felt "off". With Dany's attraction being so blatant, I think that Jon easily picked up on her feelings for him, and he's using that -playing on those feelings, to secure an alliance.

So why is this necessary if Dany already agreed to help him? Truth be told, I feel like Jon just doesn't fully trust her. Good heart or not, she is a stranger, he's seen her temper and how quickly she turned on Tyrion that day -this is Jon being smarter than Father (also brought up several times in the episode -as well as his honor) and Robb -who ironically was also brought up in this episode by way of Sansa's letter!

Addressing the weirdness of Jon calling Dany, "Dany"? I believe this was to assert a familial tie -in the same episode where her brother was brought up, and ironically, the dragon that died, was named for. They are reminding us they're actually FAMILY (incase we forgot) because of what's going next episode, y'all. They want us to be kind of squicked out when it happens.

All the mentions of Dany's inability to conceive? Well, for two reasons, really- to hit us (and Jon) over the head with the fact that Dany can't get pregnant, so boatbang can happen, basically -and Mr. "doesn't want to sire a bastard", feels confident to hang up his vow of celibacy if there's no shot of getting Dany pregnant. And also, for all of our tongues to be wagging about "oh no, could their be a magic Targ baby"? like many have been. A red herring for the red herring, anyone? A baby requires a time jump -a time jump cannot happen -the dead are literally KNOCKING on the Wall. If you've got a logical explanation for me -let's have it. And yes, I've heard the shadow baby theory, and while I think it's uber cool, I'm not really onboard with it -who would it kill, as that is their purpose?

Also -the NK and his Generals are impervious to fire -unlike the wights. But -will dragon glass and Valaryian steel kill the NK? I'm starting to doubt that ...

And before I sign off on this, I wanted to address one more thing (that I specifically looked for in my re-watch) -the mention I saw floating around here, of the Wolf eyes on Longclaws hilt opening as Jon emerged from the frozen lake -it did look like that, but it was just a shadow-a trick of the light, if you go back and watch it. 😉

Thanks for tuning in again. See you next week for my final recap of the season. And FYI: my kiddos start school the next day, so I can't stay up til 2 am recapping -my recap will be posted on Monday, instead. ✌🏻

#got afterthoughts #got recap #jonsa edition #jonsa #jon x sansa #got season 7 spoilers #SPOILERS

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cookieswriting · 7 years

Text

Something More Than Love Pt. 5 (SSC/Rosvolio)

Some slightly adult content at the very end, nothing crazy though

As she approached the very same cell Benvolio had occupied just days before, Rosaline shuddered and had to remind herself that he was safe back at House Montague. He no longer awaited execution...he’d been cleared of all accusations leveled against him. She’d seen him back to his home...his villa now, though the transfer of title and power had not yet been formally made...before excusing herself under the guise of seeing her sister. She would see Livia...after making this brief stop first.

Damiano Montague looked up as the guard led her to him. The same guard, she noted, that she’d bribed to allow her to see his nephew. “L-Lady Rosaline! Thank the Lord you have come, perhaps you will be able to speak sense to Benvolio! The Prince will surely execute me if he does not rescind his accusations!”

Fury burned her cheeks, and Rosaline took a calming breath before speaking. “Your nephew is a good and honorable man, Signor Montague.” He flinched at the informal title...one small victory. “Despite his upbringing, he grew into a kind and gentle soul...seeking to love and be loved above all else. He would far sooner offer his hand to help someone up than raise it to harm even an enemy. He is the best man I know...despite you.” The man, staring at her dumbfounded, opened his mouth to speak, but Rosaline silenced him with a glare. “I will never hope to understand how you could have deprived a hurting boy affection, security...love. I cannot fathom how you justified to yourself abusing him day after day. I am sure I will never know the true extent of what you did to him...and yet.” An affectionate smile curled her lips. “And yet, he would not see you dead. Your nephew requested that the Prince stay your execution...that he allow you to live out your days in this prison. In spite of all the grief you brought to him, he refuses to see the last of his blood killed. Make no mistake, though, Damiano.” She stepped closer to his cell, all pretense of nicety gone in an instant. “So long as there is breath in my body, I will do whatever it takes to ensure he does not suffer another moment by your doing. You failed in every attempt to break him; instead, he became the Lord your House truly deserves...he became the man I imagine his father would have raised him to be.” Her proud smirk left Damiano withering before her. “I suppose that means you have failed in every way...even the murder of your brother could not hinder his influence on his rightful heir. And where his blood failed him day after day, I will honor your nephew with the love and devotion he so desperately deserves. He will have the family you tried to take from him, and he will lead House Montague to a greatness that you could never have hoped to achieve. Goodbye, Singor. You shall not see either of us again. May God have mercy on your soul.”

Before Damiano could gather his wits to form a reply, Rosaline turned and left the dungeon without a second glance. She knew there was a chance that Benvolio would be displeased with her visit to his uncle, but she could not bring herself to care; if anyone deserved a champion, it was him, and Rosaline would fill that role for the rest of her life. Every word she’d spoken was true, though he would never speak most of them on his own behalf.

By the time Rosaline made it out of the dungeon and to House Capulet, Livia had gone off in search of her sister, to House Montague according to their uncle’s new steward. With an affectionate grin, Rosaline directed the carriage to follow after Livia and hoped that her loved ones would not panic upon realizing that she did not make it to her destination.

“Mauricio, is my sister here?”

The Montague steward bowed to her respectfully, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. “Yes, milady. One of the men stationed at the Prince’s dungeon reported that you had stopped there before returning to House Capulet...he arrived moments before Lady Livia, so she chose to wait here for your return.”

Rosaline chuckled softly. “Well, it is better that they know I am alive, I suppose….thank you, Mauricio. Is he where I left him?” The steward nodded, and bowed to her again as she excused herself. The Capulet made her way to the library...one he’d told her had been off-limits to him while his uncle ran the House, but one that had the best lighting for his sketchwork. She’d been unspeakably proud of him for claiming the space for the passion his uncle had tried so hard to smother, and secretly hoped that someday they might share quiet moments together there. As she approached the room, the voices of the two most important people in her life drifted to her, and Rosaline could not help but hesitate and listen.

“I cannot help but feel like a fool for trusting him,” Livia murmured bitterly. Oh, what Rosaline wouldn’t give for her sister to return to the innocence she’d known before Paris fell into her life.

“For all his crimes and faults, milady...Count Paris truly loved you to the best of his ability. He meant to keep you safe...and to give you the life of a Princess...because he cherished the light and love in your heart. I pray that you may find some comfort in that; and I pray that you might forgive me for taking his life.”

“F-forgive you? My lord, you saved Verona...you brought us peace!”

“I also made you a widow, milady...my actions caused you great pain,” Benvolio pointed out. Tears filled Rosaline’s eyes at the grief in his voice, and she could bear it no longer. As she stepped into the doorway, though, she watched Livia wrap her arms around his neck. The shock was clear on his face, but he only hesitated for a moment before returning the embrace whole-heartedly. A single tear slid down his cheek, and Benvolio squeezed his eyes shut

“You have done more for my sister and me than we shall ever be capable of repaying. Whether he loved me or not, Paris was not a good man...you freed me from what I am sure would have been a truly difficult life.”

“It is what true family does,” Rosaline whispered as she stepped into the room. Benvolio’s eyes turned to her in surprise, exasperation warring with relief in their depths. “It warms my heart to see you bonding...truly. In light of all that has happened, I feared it would influence your views of one another.”

“My wayward sister returns!” Livia exclaimed with exaggerated surprise as she drew away from Benvolio.

“I was not wayward, Livia, I was-”

“Making an unannounced visit to the dungeon, yes...it has been a habit of yours of late.” The smirk that he was failing to conceal gave her reassurance that he was not angry with her.

“One that I have no intention of repeating, my lord, so you would do well to keep yourself out of trouble for awhile, hmm?”

Benvolio’s withering look brought a smile to Rosaline’s face, and she stepped further into the room to hug her sister. “I shall do my best, beloved, though you and I know all too well how little that tends to matter in this city.”

“Beloved?” Livia echoed, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Rosaline felt her cheeks warm and bit her lip. As she stepped around her sister, peace settled her heart. Benvolio canted his head, and she knew without a doubt she’d made the right choice. The tenderness and affection staring back at her promised that he would follow her lead. The gentle touch at her waist assured that he would stay by her side, come what may. She settled against his side comfortably, facing Livia with a confidence that could only come from the man holding her.

“Aye...beloved. Livia-”

“You need not explain anything to me, sweet sister...I can see all that I need to know.” She smiled to both of them and ducked gracefully out of the room. Rosaline couldn’t help but giggle, turning and pressing her face into Benvolio’s neck. His own chuckle rumbled in his chest, and his smile pressed into her hair.

“It feels so strange,” she whispered against his skin, earning her a shudder in response.

“What is that?” he murmured, twirling a curl around his finger with a lazy smile on his face. Rosaline reached up and traced it, empowered in the knowledge that she was the cause of the most relaxed, contented smile she’d ever seen grace his handsome face.

“To truly mean it when I call you beloved. To tell my sister that you are my beloved.” Her hand settled over his cheek and drew his face closer to hers.

“And if I were to truly mean it when I call you fiancee?” She drew back just enough to meet his eyes. His lazy smile had transformed into his most charming, hopeful grin, and she knew she was lost for him. With the hand that had been in her hair, Benvolio reached into his doublet and pulled out a beautiful ruby ring. “This belonged to my mother...so what do you say, Capulet? Will you willingly bind yourself to a Montague?”

“Not a Montague, Montague…” Question flickered in his eyes for an instant, before understanding dawned in his eyes and then he was beaming at her. The hand on his jaw slid into his hair, and drew him down once more until her lips barely brushed against his. “You.”

This kiss was far different from the ones they’d shared in the past. All reservation vanished, and Benvolio was possessing her very soul. His fingers dug into her flesh, his tongue stroked into her mouth and left her weak-kneed. Carefully, Benvolio eased her backwards until her thighs pressed into something...a desk, she realized, when she reached out to feel the surface. With a smirk, she broke the kiss so that she could sit atop it and watch him through her lashes. He surprised her by drawing her left hand up to his lips and pressing a kiss to the ring finger. Blue eyes held her entranced as he slid his mother’s ring over her knuckle.

“My beloved...my fiancee.” Benvolio guided her hand back to the desk, and did the same with her other hand. Strong, sure fingers carded through her curls and guided her head back. Rosaline wasn’t sure what he was doing, but she was pliant to his touch; not even Escalus had garnered such unconditional trust, and she couldn’t help the thrill of excitement knowing they would not be interrupted this time. Her breath escaped her in an airy sigh when he latched onto her throat and sucked gently. The wet heat of his tongue followed, and Rosaline reached up to cradle the back of his head.

“Ah ah,” he chastised against her skin, the puff of breath across her damp skin making her shiver. Teeth nipped at her skin and drew a whine, but he didn’t relent. Benvolio pressed her hand against the desk once more and only withdrew when he was sure that she would leave it there. “Please, my love...no touching.” The nod she gave may have seemed somewhat desperate, but she could not bring herself to care; particularly when he resumed his work. The further down her neck he moved, the closer to her chest, the farther back Rosaline leaned. Benvolio chuckled when she adjusted her hands and in turn arched her chest towards him, and he hesitated when his lips found her pulse. “You are exquisite, Capulet...when we kissed in the dungeon, I dared not hope that it was anything more than goodbye. Yet here we are, our lives truly our own for the first time. When we were first bound by the Prince’s decree, I could not have dreamed that you would give yourself to me, that I would do the same...that I would be the cause for your racing heartbeat. I love you, Rosaline.”

“And I you, Benvolio...but if you would, milord…” He distracted her for a moment, nuzzling his nose against hers affectionately. “I would rather make the most of this time without words, if we-” He swallowed her giggles in a possessive kiss, fingers tightening in her hair and drawing a low moan that had him grinning wickedly.

“Of course, milady...as you wish.” Rosaline raised a curious brow at him as his hands moved down her body, bold and steady as they moved along the skirt of her dress over her hips, only stopping once they reached her knees. Despite the confidence he exuded, Benvolio’s eyes searched hers, waiting for permission. Warmth and affection bloomed in her chest, and she nodded. His gaze snapped to her mouth when her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and his fingers fisted in her dress.

With considerable visible effort to rein in his enthusiasm, Benvolio drew her skirt up inch by torturous inch. When Rosaline clenched her own fists in frustration and dropped her head back, he took the opportunity to return his attention to the heated skin of her chest and shoulders. Once her skirts were over her knees, featherlight touches ignited fire along her thighs and left her gasping for breath. She curled against him, pressing her temple against his jaw. “Ben…”

“What was it you said about words, sweet Rosaline?” His touch became more sure, and suddenly she didn’t know which way was up. She could only follow his guidance as he nudged her knees open with his own, could only comply when his hands took hold of her hips and scooted her closer to the edge of the desk...could only hiss a breath through her teeth when the movement brought them flush against one another. Without the layers of her dress acting as a barrier, the new, intense friction threatened to drown her. Desperate for a moment to reorient herself, Rosaline squeezed Benvolio’s bicep, and was grateful when he understood what she needed immediately. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, yes,” she breathed, and then rolled her eyes at the smug pride that glinted in his eyes. “I was simply...caught off guard.”

“Mmm,” Benvolio hummed, arrogance melting into affection as his hands came up to frame her face. He pressed gentle kisses to her forehead, cheeks and nose before returning to her lips. “It can certainly be overwhelming when you experience it for the first time. Would you like to stop?” Where she expected teasing, Rosaline only read genuine concern, and all of her hesitation dissipated.

Rather than responding, she released his arm to brace herself on the desk again. Benvolio canted his head, a slow grin brightening his handsome features with a look that she could only describe as awe, as she curled her legs around his hips and hooked her ankles together. This time, when his hands dropped to her hips once more and took firm hold, he pulled her against him slowly, intentionally, easing the friction to something deliciously sweet. Warmth pooled between her legs, a smoldering ember stoked with each touch. His lips found the slope of her shoulder, and a moan vibrated against her skin.

Despite their difference in experience, Rosaline felt somehow empowered by the knowledge that he was just as affected as her. Leaning her weight into her arms, Rosaline allowed her body to move with his; as in learning a new dance, she closed her eyes and awaited his lead, responding to the give and take, push and pull of his hands and his hips. When she found the rhythm of his movements and arched up into him in perfect time, an arm locked around her waist and teeth bit down into her shoulder, and Rosaline gave a soft cry of surprise.

Benvolio’s weight pressed against her chest, and he pressed kisses against her reddened skin as if in apology, but still he did not let her go. He took a step backwards, out of the cage of her legs and creating space between them that Rosaline ached to erase, but his arm remained firmly around her. “Forgive me, my love...if we do not stop now…”

“And yet I find myself terribly tempted to plead we continue,” Rosaline confessed breathlessly. His eyes closed and his jaw clenched at her words, and she immediately reached out to stroke his face. “You are a far better man than you believe yourself to be.” One hand moved down to his side, lifting his shirt to check the bandages there. “I thank God for returning you to me, for protecting you through all of this, and for bringing us together despite ourselves. How do you feel?”

“Well enough to marry my beautiful bride as soon as the Prince will allow,” he growled in her ear, stoking the embers inside her once more. She giggled and pressed him back far enough to see his face. “I mean it, Rosaline...if he agrees, I will marry you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow is so dreadfully far away, milord…”

Benvolio bit his lip with an affectionate grin and brushed a stray curl from her face. “Would you have me fetch him now? Say the word, milady, and I shall.”

Rosaline giggled, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Benvolio’s own arms held her around her back, and he turned to ease her off of the desk and onto her feet. In that moment she felt safer than she could ever remember. His warmth, his strength, his scent all wrapped around her like a blanket, and the world around them fell away. “Tomorrow,” she breathed contentedly. “For today, my love, simply hold me.”

#ssc fanfiction #still star crossed #rosvolio #rosaline x benvolio #rosaline capulet #benvolio montague #livia capulet #cookiewrites

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