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itsagrimm · 11 months

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He Who Comes from under the Water

Chapter 10 - Little Giants

Monster!König X she/her afab Reader

CN: Near drowning, fear of drowning, dead animals, food and drink mention, mentions of slaughtering and preparing hunted animals, animal blood, mentions of kidnapping and abusing women, technically what Bride does is self-harm.

Notes for better understanding at the bottom!

Beta-read by the patient @queenquazar. thank you so much for reading several versions and listening to my ramblings.

6.3k words

Masterlist

I wanted to put more into this chapter but +7k words pre-edit made it unavoidable to cut it at some point. that's why the ending is a bit sudden. sorry.

I made a playlist for this series. Enjoy.

Your dream was hazy like all dreams are. It was the golden hour of day with the summer heat cooling down, and the light of the sun turning everything into the most pleasant of sights. It changed you too, with your wedding dressing and braided hair. In all your golden shine, you floated over the fields and forest grounds like you were weightless, nothing standing in your way as you travelled to your wedding ceremony. No human walked with you - the village was long behind you, your family dead. Instead, there were laughing Rusalkis greeting you, the Fox and the Heron peeking from behind trees, swamp lights dancing happily and leading the way further and further until you arrived at-

The pond.

A dark green abyss, a maw in the ground of the lush summer forest, ready to take you and swallow you whole.

You were happy as you finally stepped onto the wood planks where your grandfather used to fish so long ago.

One, two, three… With quick steps you made your way to the end of the planks and gazed down into the dark murky water. There was nothing to see. Only endless water and darkness. For a moment you wavered, uncertain if this was what you wanted as the maw stared up to you with unforgiving finality.

You stepped back, unsure of what to do. That is when König arrived.

He came from under the water, rising from the pond like a being of a different time with water running down his skin and eyes burning in a blue you have drowned in already. His hair was wild and tangled with all that was in the water. His hands were clawed and his appearance as frightening as the first day you saw him.

“You are afraid, Bride,” he said and straightened up high into the sky, so much higher than usual, nearly touching the sky and so far out of reach. The water of the pond followed, rising with him and bit by bit closer to the shore, to the planks.

You screamed as the water touched your feet, the hem of your dress, your knees, and hips. Screams like you had heard outside of your house sounded through the forest, dreadful and frightening. You tried to run and reach for one of the trees to get up higher and away from the dreaded water.

“König!”you screamed, “what are you doing? I am afraid!”

But he could not hear you over the rush of water and screams, so far up and away from you. Did he even care?

The water rose higher and higher to your belly, your chest and shoulders, your neck. Fear was gripping at your heels, making you stumble as you dragged your body through the floods and closer to the shore and treeline.

A wave splashed in your face, and you gasped for air only to swallow water.

“Please!” you cried, reaching upwards for anything to save yourself.

“Please!” you managed one more time before the water reached your head, punching all air and hope out of you. The maw trying to swallow you whole.

Please, you thought to yourself before closing your eyes. All strength leaving your body and bubbles of precious air making its way up where you belonged too but could reach no more.

It was cold, dark, and wet.

Your kicking feet were starting to freeze in the dark water, cold, so cold.

Trying to escape the dark you opened your eyes, gasping for air as your body tensed up from the lack of oxygen and swallowing cold maw closing in on you.

Above you was the all familiar sight of your room's ceiling greeted you, indifferent as always with its knots in the wood staring down at you like unblinking eyes.

At your feet the lingering sensation of cold and wet stayed as the dream faded.

You sat up and screamed.

König was deep asleep and draped around your bed like a sea serpent encircling a besieged island. Water flooded your room up to your bed with your feet already in the closing in water and not much dry space left for you to save yourself too.

“König!” you screamed in terror, “Wake up!”

No reaction, his deep breathing stayed slow and peaceful, undisturbed by your screams of help from the dreaded flood.

You scrambled up onto your pillow and grabbed your blanket, bunching it up into a ball and throwing it at König’s head.

“Have you lost your mind? Get up!”

The walls and the water started to come closer, looming over you as if just waiting for a chance to strike and take you as your eyes darted through the room without focusing on anything

Asshole.

The thought went through your body like lightning hitting a tree, setting you ablaze and forging you into something sharp.

Giant, sleepy asshole.

Anger was taking over your panic.

Yes, this felt better. Fury gave you the will to think and move instead of freeze and drown. The water was a problem. It had to be Königs doing. But this was your room?! When did he enter and why? And how did he flood the room?

A shiver went through you at the thought of König flooding the whole region for good – the village, the garden, your family’s house.

You screamed again hoping it would wake König up. Your muscles tensed with welcome strength as you howled like a trapped animal.

Still no reaction from him except for a few louder snores.

Of all the bad past mornings you had waking up, this was the worst.

“I hope you are having a lovely dream” you seethed as you tried to avoid as much of the little waves threatening to flood your last sanctuary.

“Hello?” You called, “Anyone here?”

If König was not waking up, you had to save yourself from this, not ready to wait and hope for the best as the water slowly threatened to sink your sanctuary. Your eyes fell on König and his sleeping frame. He looked peaceful, indifferent to the havoc he caused. His long limbs were wrapped around your bed as if still in sleep he had guarded you. Tangled, messy hair hid most of his face as always. And his skin had the shimmer of scales on it. Asleep and half submerged in water, König looked at peace.

Maybe there was an explanation for all of this.

It’s better be a good one, you thought to yourself as you tried to calm yourself enough to get yourself out of this flooded mess of a room. A different emotion reared its head inside of you as you watched König, regretting that you yelled at him in fear – soft and filled with hope that this would turn out okay.

König snored softly as he shifted his body around your bed, causing your mattress to lift and float on the little waves.

You looked around for a way to help yourself. Your chest with your clothes was solid enough to not be moved by the currents yet was flooded and under water. And the door would be impossible to open with the pressure of the water weight in your room pushing it shut. But the window was close enough for you to… Carefully you got up on your little mattress island, stepping forward onto König’s shoulder jutting out of the floods and finally making your way to the window, opening the window frames, and saving yourself onto the windowsill.

He only shifted around before calming down again and continuing his deep slumber.

“This is a nightmare”, you moaned as you peaked outside.

Outside the garden was as usual. No flooding, no water and most importantly no ladder for you to climb onto and get down into the garden.

You looked back into your room were the water sloshed around your room in its full implausibleness while the rest of the world continued as always.

“Ah, you made it. I knew you would make it. Yes, yes.”

You looked around to discover the Heron standing on the ceiling and watching you from its spot.

“Heron! Why did you not help me?”

The bird shrugged as much as a bird could shrug.

“No hands,” It explained. “How was I supposed to open the window for you, hm? Really, I am just a regular bird after all.”

“Sure” You deadpanned, not feeling like arguing with the speaking bird. “Would you mind helping and getting someone who can help me climb down from here without breaking a bone, and who can help wake up König?”

“The honourable Vodyanoy is asleep?” The Heron asked. “I suppose that should not be a surprise, he has pushed himself a lot these past weeks. Everyone has their limit.”

The bird nodded to himself and stretched out his wings before taking off.

“Stay where you are, I’ll be back in no time.”

Obviously, where was I supposed to go from here? You thought to yourself bitterly and brought your knees up to your body. It was a lovely summer morning, but the heat had not set in yet and you were perched up on the shadowy side of the house wearing nothing but your simple night dress.

You looked back at König.

Had he really pushed himself so much that he had passed out, still trying to do right by you and keep his promise to keep you safe even in his sleep and curling around you like a mother cat around its young?

Not that it had helped much. Your room was flooded now. Your heart was still beating like you had barely survived a drowning, which was not too far from the truth. And you could not wake König for the life of it.

Why did he not say something? How was I supposed to know how tired he was?

The thought of being sheltered and kept in the dark because König thought you untrustworthy or helpless hurt you more than you wanted to deal with, and you pressed your nails into your legs, trying to fight the cold numbness and your dark thoughts away.

A breeze kissed your cold and clammy skin and you pressed your teeth together to distract you.

“Ha! The Bride did not run off!” The Heron cackled as it landed back on the ceiling.

“Funny.” You turned back from watching the soundly sleeping König and faced the heron. “Thank you for your help, Heron.”

“Don’t mention it.”

You eyed the Heron, who probably saw this as a new amusing way of getting itself into your good graces, absolutely hoping you would mention it later to König at some point or get it some fish or another less obvious favour.

“Who did you get, Heron?”

“Your future brother-in-law.”

“What?!” It snapped out of you with a sharpness that surprised you. But freezing and trembling on your windowsill after escaping your nightmare first and your flooded room second, you felt yourself less and less willing to engage with niceties.

Regardles of what you had always been told – to be nice and make a good impression on your in-laws.

“You look stressed.”

You shrieked, nearly falling off the windowsill, and looked up to follow the sound of the deep voice.

Above you, as if leaning over the house like a child’s doll house, was a giant. With unblinking eyes, he stared at you - dark and unmoving. As if he was a being unaffected by time and you just a curiosity that would vanish in a human heartbeat if he blinked. He had a mask over his head, a deer’s skull maybe for it had antlers. But there were sharp teeth in it, reminding you that König had mentioned more than one being out there on the hunt for your flesh.

Unable to move and hoping for the best, you just stared up.

“What happened with my brother, little Bride?” the giant stranger asked after what felt like an eternity.

You blinked and the world was still there.

“He fell asleep, and I cannot wake him,” You answered with a thin voice and hoped for the best.

The giant shook his head, and it was like a giant tree shook its giant crown, with wind rustling through leaves and a flock of birds taking off somewhere in the giant's crown.

“The boy overdid it again. Allow me.”

The giant stepped around the house, looking like he was shrinking himself before standing comfortably before you and peaking inside your room.

“You are in the way,” He said and grabbed you from your spot, lifting you up and putting you down on the grass before you could even catch your breath to scream from surprise.

“Hey, fishhead!” the giant grumbled and stretched his arm inside your bedroom window.

“Wake up! You are flooding your girl’s room.”

“Минуточку,” you heard out of your room as you got onto your feet and crossed your arms to keep warm as you watched the giant trying to wake up your future husband.

“Forget минуточку! You are being rude and making a flood again. Get out of that puddle.”

“Urgh. Отстань.”

The terrifying giant rolled his eyes and stepped back.

“Sleepyhead,” he mumbled to himself before looking down at you.

Instinct was telling you to step back, to run away or at least lift your hands and shield yourself from what was about to happen to you next.

Instead, you froze to your spot.

“Pardon me,” the giant declared and stepped closer, shrinking himself into an even more manageable size to talk to you yet still looming over you like a tall human would.

“We have not met before, and I had not expected to stay long enough to introduce myself. I am a brother to your future husband. They call me Keeper of the Forest. But, I do not care about titles. You may instead call me Ghost.”

He bowed slightly and it looked concerning like an oak tree shaking in a terrifying storm.

You felt tiny, unsure and at a loss of words.

What was the appropriate thing to respond now?

Maybe it was best to rely on what your family always taught you after all – be polite and honest.

“Hello. You know who I am.” You said and bowed in greeting. “Thank you for help, Ghost. I had hopes we would have met under more usual circumstances but-”

“You mean the wedding. I was not planning on attending.” He interrupted with the finality of a falling tree.

Your heart sank.

“Oh.”

The pleasant song of birds in the morning was hanging over you as you stumbled through your thoughts to find anything useful to say.

“Is there something wrong with me and König marrying? I do not want to cause anything bad,” You asked.

Ghost looked at you, his skull covered face unmoving and unforgivingly blank.

“Do not worry, little Bride. Nothing wrong with you.”

Dread creeped up your spin and you shivered, unsure if it was of fear or from the cool morning breeze. Ghost, even in his smaller size loomed over you with dark eyes. And his words worried you.

Can I believe him? Was he a friend or a foe?

“You are cold, Bride. Let’s get you inside and warm. My brother would not forgive me if I would not keep you well while he is…” Ghost shifted his head around like he was considering plenty of words before settling on one, “… busy.”

Unsure if you even could say no you nodded and walked towards the house entrance. Ghost, without a sound, followed you and you could do nothing but watch his shadow casting figure behind you. At the door you turned to Ghost who followed you.

“Will it be safe, or will there be water, too?” You asked, eyeing your door for signs of a flood awaiting you behind it.

“We shall see.” Ghost stepped past you and opened the door, peeking inside before humming deeply with approval.

“No water.” He declared. “It seems like my brother's dreams only included your bedroom.”

Surprised by his teasing you felt your face go hot at the implications of Ghost's words and stepped into the kitchen.

“Wait here. Do not open the door,” He ordered and turned around, leaving you alone.

You looked around while you waited. Königs axe was outside. The broom was small and would not keep you safe from someone like Ghost. And you shivered like a branch in the winter wind before grabbing a forgotten blanket from an evening spent at the oven.

Covered with the blanket, you took a seat in your usual spot. It was warmer this way, having no dry clothes to change in with your wood chest under water.

You sighed. This would have to do.

Ghost was strange, terrifying and threatening. Unlike König with all his oddness and sheer size, you felt like petting a wolf who liked to play with its food.

König on the other hand…

He would never harm you.

You thought back to your dream and your flooded room above you.

Well, König would not harm you consciously, you thought, wishing he were here now.

The door opened again, and Ghost stepped inside, bowing his head to fit his horns through the door frame.

“I got you wood and water. Start a fire. I will be back.” He declared and left again as if there was no doubt you would do as he told you.

Wondering what Ghost was doing, but too afraid to ask, you got up from your spot and did as he told you. A fire to warm your cold and damp body and to make tea for you and your apparent guest, was reasonable enough to follow Ghost words.

After a while, right as the tea was ready, you started to set the tea table for you, Ghost and König, Ghost came back with a deer.

It was dead, hanging off his shoulder like it weighed nothing.

“I’ll carve it up for you. Here, I got something smaller for now.”

With big eyes and careful steps you took the skinned hare from Ghost's hands.

Meat.

You could not remember the last time you had the luxury of meat.

Quickly you started to prepare a meal after Ghost left again, cutting up the rabbit and saving every bit of it while grabbing herbs, vegetables, and grains from your storage.

Putting everything in a pot over the oven, you stepped away. Still wrapped in your blanket and feeling a bit better, you argued with yourself what to do now. Ghost could have killed you or taken you away, instead he had brought you food and made sure you were alright. You weren’t entirely sure about him but maybe it was best to treat him like you were taught to treat any guest.

With a big breath you mustered up all your bravery and grabbed a cup with tea for Ghost.

Before your house, with König’s large axe in his hands, Ghost had started to skin and cut the animal. With the blood dripping into a large blood bowl, you could not help but squirm at the sight of the horned and masked giant with blood on his hands.

“I brought you tea,” You called over and placed the delicate little cup onto the cutting block normally used by König cutting for wood.

Ghost nodded and continued his work and you went back inside.

That went well enough.

You decided to stay close to the warm oven, stirring the stew and seasoning the buckwheat with wild garlic and a precious amount of rabbit bone.

At least you will be eating well thanks to Ghost’s help. You looked up to the ceiling. König would enjoy this too. He liked trying out whatever you prepared him, always eager to have cooked food the human way, as König liked to say.

Maybe you should try to wake him up again? Fighting the thought of water right above you, and with a final measuring look at the simmering pots, you wrapped your blanket firmly around your shoulders and went upstairs. No sound except your own feet on the old wooden and creaking stairs greeted you as you made your way up and to your own bedroom door.

“König?” You tried and knocked.

Behind the door waves crashed. Storms rose and quietened again. A whole ocean threatened to flood continents.

Guess he is still tired; you thought to yourself with disappointment and went back down again.

In the kitchen Ghost was awaiting you, having finished his work in the garden he was stringing up parts of his catch up above the oven to have it dried and preserved. With Ghost's uncanny ability to grow and shrink as he pleased, you wondered if König could do that too. If he could become the giant flooding the world on your wedding day like you had dreamed. Or if he could be tiny enough to sit in your lap as you played with his ever-tangled hair.

“Still asleep?” Ghost asked and stepped away from his work.

“Aye,” You answered and busied yourself with the food instead of having to face Ghost.

Ghost watched you before sitting down like a human would have done, choosing your brother's spot like he knew where he was supposed to be.

“He will wake up soon. Don’t worry, little Bride.”

You smiled politely and nodded.

“König had always been like that. Pushing himself and overdoing it instead of asking for help.”

You blinked.

“What was there to push himself for?”

“You.” Ghosts’ words rasped over your skin like a piece of dry wood. “Our kind is strong but not invincible. Everyone can break.”

Why? I am just the bride.

“It’s been a few stressful days and König has been doing a lot,” You looked down at your hands. “He will have his various reasons for it. Not just me.”

You looked up to give Ghost your bravest smile.

“Besides, what kind of fiancé would I be if I wanted such a sacrifice?” You added.

Ghost crossed his arms in front of his chest, watching you carefully.

“I suppose you are right, little Bride. No love requires sacrifice to be true.”

You shifted around again, uncomfortable talking about love with a stranger, future in-law or not.

“May I ask…“ you started carefully to change the topic, “Have you been inside a human house before? You move indoors with much more familiarity than König. You did not take to the floor and you knew about tea and cooking.”

“Not everyone in the family spends their time sitting around in swamps.” Ghost replied, sounding nearly amused.

You smiled at Ghost’s little jab, remembering how clueless König could be at times.

“But you are right, little Bride.” Ghost continued, more serious now. “I once was engaged. He lived in a house not unlike yours.”

“Was? What happened?”

Ghost shrugged, his antlers softly knocking against the wall behind him.

“He vanished as spring began without a word.” He began slowly. “One morning, just as the snow had started to melt, I woke up and he was gone. No trace left to track. Nothing. There is no one better at following the trails and tracks in the forest than me. But with no clue, there is nothing to trace.”

He paused.

“The only other option left is that I, in my ravenous dreams, swallowed him whole, eating my love in one bite.”

Ghost’s dark unforgiving eyes pinned you to your spot.

“Is that really-” you squeaked but his eyes bore into you like arrows.

“That is what we are - dangerous to the delicate and fragile humans. Even if we do not intend to kill or harm, we do. You witnessed it today how different my family and you are.”

Wide eyed you looked at him, unable to move. The power of his gaze was enough to subjugate you. Despite your clothes warming up you felt cold fear wash down your back and your limbs turned heavy as if you would fall down onto the floor the moment his gaze passed from you.

“That’s why you told König I will die,” You whispered, not daring to speak up.

Ghost nodded and the intensity in his eyes vanished, allowing you to move again and you fell onto your knees.

“Are you alright?”

His words confused you, his cruel demeanour so different to these three words.

“Why are you doing this?” you asked, staggering back to your feet.

The blank skull mask on Ghost's face told you nothing. But his eyes shifted and turned sorrowful.

“Actions have consequences. I will have to live with mine,” Ghost stated. “But I hope I am wrong so that König will not have to live with his. I need you to understand how vulnerable you are so that you stay alive.”

You balled your hands into fists. How dare he do this to you? Make you crawl onto the floor of your own house and tell you how weak you are.

“I am sorry about what happened, Ghost,” Your voice was shaking but it was not from fear anymore. “But König - with all his flaws - is not like you. And I am not a doll you can just throw around and mistreat. I understand that you and your family are powerful while I am not. Believe me, I am very much aware of that. But if you really want to help me, do not intimidate me in my own house. Put your act behind your words and show me how to stay alive instead of how I can die.”

Ghost stared at you.

For a moment you feared that you had misspoken and that he would just get up and wring your neck or invite the villagers in while König was asleep. Your life ran through your fingers like it was drops of water falling down. All that anger started to leave you, making you feel shaky and cold again.

“The little Bride may have no teeth or claws, but she has brain and tongue to keep herself alive,” Ghost hummed approvingly under his skull mask. “You will fit right in with us.”

He paused.

“I am sorry.”

You stared at him in disbelief.

“You heard me, Bride. I will not repeat myself.” He paused and something akin to mildness crept into his eyes . “What do you need me to do to stay alive?”

You swallowed.

The fear and rush of confrontation was still in your bones and you staggered to the table and to your seat like a newborn calf.

“Are you really okay with helping me?” you asked finally after a few moments of your thoughts running wild and still not believing that you had fought and won for once.

“Aye.”

You eyed the giant at your kitchen table.

“Please tell me more about the family I am marrying into, Ghost.” you asked.

He nodded.

“It is as simple as it is complicated. I don’t remember where we were from, but I remember being together as family. There were many of us, but some vanished. And some found their home far away from my forests or König’s waters, so I do not know what happened to them. But König and I were close until our nature called us away from each other. The water is as enticing to him as my forests are to me. He can not die or be harmed when he is in the water while I am strong when I walk among the trees.”

You listened intently.

“But we had another brother. He was very different from us. Graves, the Koshey. He calls himself King of Bones and Battlefields. Graves finds great liking in gaining more and he is never satisfied. However-”

Ghost eyed you pensively.

“- Graves is a great sorcerer and it is said he is immortal.”

You felt your face light up

“König mentioned Graves. He said Graves could help me survive but was hesitant about asking him and then he was busy. I can not write so I did not do it myself but maybe Graves can tell me how I survive the presence of beings like you and König?”

Ghost hummed.

“A fair assessment. Graves loyalties and sides as he pleases. He cares little about anyone but himself and the occasional maiden he keeps in his castles.”

Ghost crossed his arms again, leaning back against the chair.

“But-” he added, “he has a thing for beautiful women and he likes to present himself as benevolent at times. It could be worth a try.”

Beautiful woman. Me?

You felt your eyes search your hands or the floor again instead of facing Ghost.

“I would like to try and get his help,” You spoke, trying to collect yourself again.

“I will write the letter for you if you want.”

You nodded and Ghost got up to get birch bark and a knife to write.

Quickly, he returned and started carving. While you tried to catch letters and words with your slow, unaccustomed eyes in between checking on the food.

I will practise, you promised to yourself as you watch in awe how quickly and fluently Ghost wrote.

After a while, he was done and leaned back.

“Would you like me to read it out to you?” he asked but you shook your head.

“You know Graves better than I ever will. I am sure you phrased it better than I could.”

And I would not know if you lied to me anyway, you mournfully thought to yourself.

Ghost nodded and passed you the rolled-up birch bark.

“Now you just need to find a way to send it to Graves.”

You lightened up.

“That won’t be a problem.” You called out and grabbed the bark. “Thank you so much.”

Quickly you turned on your heels, grabbed a dried-up fish and went outside to call the Heron.

It was lounging in the grass, cleaning its feathers.

“Fish.” The Heron stated. “You want something, Bride.”

“Am I that obvious?”

You stepped closer and sat next to the Heron in the grass.

The bird titled its head.

“I think you know the answer, Bride. Tell me what I can do for you while I eat that delicious fish in your hand and ignore what looks like a Messenger job in the other.”

You passed the Heron the fish and fixed the blanket around your shoulders.

“Would you like to have some cooked fish, too?” You asked innocently.

The Heron eyed you as it swallowed the fish in one go.

“Go on.”

“This letter needs to be delivered to my future brother-in-law, Graves.”

The Bird jolted up.

“What?! You want me to fly to the Koshey? What if he will eat me?”

“He will not.”

You looked over your shoulder to find Ghost standing in the doorway watching you.

“My brother, the Koshey, will not eat you, birdy.” He repeated. “You are too bony.”

“That’s so reassuring. Thank you so much!” The bird cried angrily. “The king of bones and battlefields is not known for his kindness. What if he feels like keeping me like he does with girls he likes?”

“You are the messenger of the future Vodynitza.” Ghost explained with annoyance in his voice. “As part of the Queen of Under the Water’s entourage and as a court messenger, you have protection.”

“I am more of a jester if you think you can send me to that wretched place!”

“You will quickly turn into an appetiser for me if you don’t start flapping your wings-”

“Please,” You interjected, giving Ghost a begging look for him to shut up, and turning back to the Heron.

“I am sorry I am asking for so much from you, Heron,” You started, laying your words out carefully. “It sure sounds terrifying. But do you really think Graves would start a fight with König and I simply because he feels like it? He sounds more like the clever type.”

The bird flopped back down.

“I suppose you are right,” It replied weakly.

“And you are a messenger carrying my letter. I would take great offence if something happened to you. And that would anger König.”

“Yes,” It croaked.

“See, you will be safe.”

The Bird rattled with its beak.

“Fine.” It gave in. “But I want soup once I am back. Shchi. Warm one. And made by you.”

“Consider it done, Heron. I will serve it in the most beautiful chalice I can find.”

The Heron staggered up and stretched its wings.

“Wish me luck, queen.”

“I am not yet- “you tired but the bird snatched the letter from your hands and took off.

With quick flaps the Heron rose into the sky and disappeared.

You watched from your spot before getting up and turning back to the house.

Ghost was still watching you.

“You are doing well for a delicate little human Bride.”

You gave Ghost a forced grimace.

“I am just trying my best.”

He grumbled something before stepping out of your door again and watched the treeline, listening to the song birds. The dark forest was inviting, its branches waving invitingly to come closer. It was like Ghost had changed from a man, odd and terrifying and full of powers you did not understand, to the Leshy. As if just the sight of the dark green rejuvenated him. Was this how König felt, too? How he craved to and needed to be in the water, in the swamps, in the rivers and ponds to feel like he was supposed to be? You thought back to the sleeping König and how peaceful he had looked as the water slowly filled your room. How much more he had looked like himself.

“I need to go back soon.” Ghost rasped like an old oak. “Let’s try to wake up König one more time.”

Cultural Context Notes:

Quick reminder that hair weaving or braiding is a traditional way of wearing longer hair in many Slavic cultures and due to imprecise translations, it can mean all types of braided hair styles.

I was thinking about using old church Slavonic for their little banter but using Russian was easier, sorry.

The somewhat random binary about men’s or women’s work is not really a thing when looking closer at history. Yes, plenty of women were expected to make clothes and do crafts. But so were men if they had the time and skill. Ghost stitching and crafting a Kokoshnik is not that off.

I understand that not everyone is comfortable with meat as food or thinking about animals as something consumable. I have a hard time with it too. But meat was, and is, an incredibly luxurious item for people in central and eastern Europe, especially when it’s wild game. Daily meals historically included much less amounts of meat than most consume today because it was so expensive or hard to get. Wild game even nowadays is reserved for special occasions like Christmas or birthdays. And a Leshy bringing hunting meats when König as a Vodyanoy brings fish to Bride, is very coherent.

Yes, blood bowls are a thing. My grandparents have some as heirlooms from their parents who owned a farm and animals. But while these very wide, massive and simple bowls are perfect to catch and contain slaughter blood, nowadays they are primarily used as fruit bowls at my grandparents' place. However, I thought I’ll include this little detail because many people aren’t familiar with items that were used for food processing at home. Also, blood is used in several dishes to really use up everything from an animal. I am most familiar with the German style blood sausage but it appears to be a thing in other cultures as well to not waste very nutritious parts of the animal.

It's wild garlic season here but please be careful while collecting it. It’s easy to mistake it for poisonous plants like lilies of the valley.

Salt and plant-based fats were extremely expensive and hard to come by not long ago in central and eastern Europe, so a lot of seasoning included using the natural salt and fat content of animal products. I am only slightly sorry that this is slowly turning into educational historical cooking commentary. Also, I have to mention at this point that I am a vegetarian.

Plenty of eastern-European fairy tales have heroes with different qualities than in the central-European tradition. Being honest, knightly, and virtuous are qualities that are appreciated. Many of the main heroes regularly lie, cheat, or trick their way into luck. Being lazy or slow but still making it, is a regularly celebrated feature of many heroes in eastern-European tales. The reasoning is that due to the hero’s smarts and charisma they are good because they end up doing the good thing e.g. saving the princess or slaying the dragon. In comparison in more central-European tales the heroes are being “born good” and always make the right decision with their moral compass never being challenged or evolving because they are already perfect, therefore they are the heroes.

Shchi / Russian: щи is a type of soup. I only knew it as a fish soup but apparently there are meat versions of it as well and the fish version is only eaten during fasting times or when meat is not available. It’s a cabbage-based soup with some form of protein like fish or meat cooked with flour, cabbage, and spices. I included this because it’s an old food that has been around since the 9th century in the Kievan Rus. Also, this recipe is fascinating generally. Its name comes from the word "съто" which means so much as satisfied or not hungry anymore and apparently was a popular travelling food because it can be frozen and cut up in portions as needed. The last part is a bit funny but considering the continental climate in many eastern European and central Asian regions it absolutely checks out that foods mirror the climate they originate from.

Would like to be tagged as well? send me a message.

@thesinsoflust @kdkj122920 @die-prophetin @lillianastuff @1234ilikecowsthanyoumore @fatedeniedhope @queensidillasworld @agspgrwasb @silelda @unlikepoltergeist @matcha-flavored-cake @blvkwondaland @diamondnightdreamer @brooklyn-1918 @thorns-x @icepancakes @sizzlingsaladpeach @peachymonsters @blackrockshooter780 @cl3rks @king-thunderstorm @hosshihusshi @id0nthaveidea @perilous-pasta @lothiriel9 @berryjuicyy @blvkwondaland @asmohunny @@amatis-gray @blubumblebee @ofmenanduhhhwellmen @c00kied0ugh44 @quesowakanda @moonlitmoonpie @ktmjoslin @globalmilk03 @interactive-brain

#monster!könig #monster x human #könig #könig mw2 #könig cod #he who comes from under the water #hwcfutw #grimmwriting #monster romance #monster x reader #monster!ghost #ghost mw2 #simon ghost riley #call of duty mw2 #call of duty #call of duty modern warfare #call of duty modern warfare ii #philip graves

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captain-mj · 1 year

Note

thank you for monster handler part 5! I love ghost ruffling soaps hair so much :3 and how to deal with kids when parents divorce? hilarious

can I pls request part 6?

Of course! Also, did you guys know this was originally PriceGhost? They were never endgame, but they were there

Soap saw Ghost's hands later and frowned. They were bandaged, clearly done by himself.

Had he missed something while he was checking him? Now that he was thinking about it, he hadn't made Ghost remove his gloves. He had been moving around a lot.

Soap felt like an idiot. The bandages were clumsy and he wondered if Ghost wasn't good at it or if it was the claws making it hard to do. He reached over without thinking and started to fix them.

Ghost's skin felt so cold without his gloves. Soap wondered idly if all of his skin was that cold. It explained why he wore so many layers.

Neither said anything else about it, but he saw now that the knuckles were busted. "What happened?"

"Got in a fight with a punching bag. I won." Ghost's wings made a small twitch. Soap pretended to not notice they were not nearly as tightly tied as they should be.

"Next time, you can come to me."

"That would be giving you what you want."

Soap glared at him, noticing how close they were to each other. "Come on, Ghost."

Ghost stared at him. Soap found them hypnotizing. He remembered one of the recruits on their first mission had referred to them as empty. Soulless caverns. Soap had no idea what he was talking about. There was so much there. Multitudes. They were such a pretty brown too.

"Ghost."

"I will… come to you next time." He sounded very soft. Not soft like a teddy bear, soft like a fresh wound. Put too much pressure and it'll tear.

Soap nodded. "Good." He felt a small flash of pride that he had managed this tiny bit of trust. "Do you want me to make you a cup of tea?" Ghost was British. It was smart, he could lure him in.

"Okay." Ghost watched him the entire time. Mostly likely to check he made it right. Regardless, Soap made it and handed it to him. Ghost did this funny thing where he held the cup and let the heat soak into his fingers. Since he had bandages, his gloves weren't on, so Soap could see the gentle way he pressed closer, like a snake sneaking warmth.

Soap watched him while he fixed himself a cup of coffee. He sat with him again, hoping this could be something they did. Maybe they could get matching mugs.

Ghost looked… not peaceful. Hard to say a man looked peaceful when you couldn't see the majority of his face. But his eyes were closed and he didn't look stressed.

There were lines along his cheeks and around his chin. Probably from where he had to wear the muzzle during meetings. They didn't look too deep, but they were right over his Glasgow scars and Soap internally winced.

"You're staring."

"Sorry." Soap muttered.

"You get why I wear the mask right? Not exactly pretty. Monstrous." Ghost smiled, but it was… sad. Clearly it was something Ghost was sensitive about.

Soap frowned, trying to think of what to say. Ghost looked human there. The skin he saw was the same color as the skin around his eyes. He saw, right at the edges of his shirt, that the skin started to streak with the telltale inky black that likely led to his wings and his hands. Personally, he did think Ghost was beautiful. Ethereal, unearthly. But that wasn't what Ghost wanted. Ghost wanted to be human.

"You look like a regular British bloke. Don't know what you're talking about." Soap sipped his coffee.

Ghost paused and stared at him. Soap didn’t acknowledge it.

Eventually, Ghost disappeared.

That was fine since it gave Soap an opportunity to talk to Price. He went to his office and closed the door.

“I have some questions.”

Price nodded. “What’s going on, Soap?”

“So Ghost.” Soap got comfortable. “His care. I don’t… think I’ve been doing it very well. After missions, he gets… weird. Jittery and tense. He almost jumped out of his skin when I tried to talk to him. Scared the shit out of everyone around him too. I was wondering if you did anything to help?”

Price stared at him for a moment, as if checking something before nodding. “You need to wear him out. It’s the adrenaline. Its hard for him to come down from him so he needs an outlet.”

“He apparently went training afterward. Does stuff like that normally work?”

“Yeah, that’s good. Just be there for him when he crashes. He always does and he always does crashes hard. I find being quiet with him helps.”

Soap started to write these things down. “Good. Good. What else?”

“Soap, you read the file.”

“Yes and the file is lacking. It’s a bunch of rules. I’m supposed to take care of him. I want advice.”

Price sighed. “Fine. First, keep doing what you’re doing. You’re becoming faster friends with him than anyone else I’ve seen. Second, treat him like a giant cat.”

Soap frowned. “Explain.”

“You can’t push too hard. Let him come to you. I’m sure you’ve noticed if you hang around for a while, he appears right? Always acting as if he just happened to be in the same room.”

Now that Price had pointed that out… It wasn’t uncommon for Soap to be in the bases free areas such as the lounge or the mess hall and Ghost happened to be across the room. Ghost never acted like he was paying attention to him so he hadn’t really put it together.

“Third, he likes the base of his wings scratched. Save that. Don’t use it too early. If he turns his back to you and you’re alone, try it. “

Soap felt like he learned forbidden knowledge. He couldn’t wait to try it. “His… ear thingies. What are those?”

“Feathers. They aren’t actually ears at all. We think Roba was trying to emulate a horned owl with them.” Price sighed. “Also, he won’t admit it. Roba used to keep bright lights on him. He’s sensitive to him. If you want to show you care, dim the lights for him.”

Soap thought of all the bright harsh leds in the base. Yikes. His room would probably be hellish for Ghost.

Not that Ghost would be in his room.

“Alright, now what exactly did you do to wear him out? Laps? Sparring?”

“We fucked.”

Soap paused, waiting for the laughter.

There was none.

“What.”

“We had sex. It was the only thing that worked for a while.” Price stared at him. “He initiated. I just… I don’t want you to think I took advantage of him.”

Soap stared for a while longer. “Oh… Should I…”

Price laughed. Ouch. “He’ll eat you alive if you tried. It’s part of the thing I mentioned. If he initiates, that on him.”

Soap decided this was too much information. Far, far too much. “Okay… I’m… i’m gonna��” He left without another word.

He ended up going to the training room.

Ghost didn’t appear.

Soap felt disappointed. He wasn't sure why, but he did.

That was... such an odd thing to think about. Did Ghost think that's what he was going to do that day?

Soap groaned. He had told the man to strip. No wonder Ghost had look so alarmed. Had he thought Soap would just jump him?

No. Soap would...

Ghost's dark brown eyes popped into his head.

Wouldn't...

The way he moved so flawlessly. The dorky tattoos.

This was just because of what Price said I mean really...

"Johnny."

Soap jumped and whipped around to look up at Ghost. "Oh... hey... buddy."

"Spar with me?"

"Of course, Simon!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adding a tag list!! Just comment

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callsign-bunnie · 1 year

Note

Monster!Ghost x Rudy, Dubcon perhaps?

I'm going to assume this is for Horror Night

Rodolfo had been working late. He shouldn't have, he knew Alejandro would yell at him the next day for it, but he had so much paperwork and he needed to get it all done. So, he'd worked late.

It didn't look good to their guests, apparently. Didn't it make them look like hard workers?

He rubbed at his face when he finally got done, looking at the time. 11 at night, jesus christ. Alejandro should be in his quarters, sleeping, so maybe he'd get by without him even knowing.

Doubtful, but he could have hope. He stood and gathered up all the paperwork so he could file it, yawning a little. Fuck, he was tired.

Carefully, trying to be quiet, since the Vaqueros were known to tattle on him to Alejandro, he went to the file room. He slipped in, carefully, but this was all almost immediately undone when he saw Ghost sitting on the table and he almost screamed.

"Ghost!" He managed to exclaim, instead, still trying to be quiet. "It's so late..." He frowned. Why was Ghost in there so late?

Ghost shrugged, not speaking. Rodolfo sighed and relaxed. Maybe he'd not been able to sleep. Everyone said he was odd, maybe this was part of it. He turned to the file cabinet he needed to be in, no longer bothering to be quiet. Ghost would no doubt tell Alejandro, anyway.

"You're up late." Ghost finally said. His voice sounded odd. Different.

Rodolfo frowned but shrugged. "Paperwork." He offered a smile to Ghost and then turned back to the file cabinet, continuing what he was doing.

Ghost didn't respond again. He was really starting to unnerve Rodolfo. Rodolfo tried not to let it get to him, though, instead just focusing on the file cabinet. Ghost was always like this. He'd gotten used to it, or so he thought.

He tensed, suddenly feeling a presence at his back. He didn't turn around. He didn't need to. He knew who it was. "Can I help you with something?" He tried not to let it show just how nervous Ghost made him.

"Yes, actually. I think you can." Ghost's voice was even more different. Distorted, somehow.

Something wrapped around Rodolfo. He wasn't sure what it was, but he didn't think it was Ghost's hands. It felt like it wasn't actually there, even if Rodolfo would swear that it was.

Rodolfo's breath quickened and he tensed a little. "What can I help you with?"

Again, no response. Finally, he felt hands on his skin, sliding under his shirt, fluidly. Didn't Ghost wear gloves? Rodolfo tensed. "What are you-"

"Shh..." He wasn't even sure it was Ghost's voice anymore.

Rodolfo couldn't help the soft whimper he made when he felt nails- no, these were too long and sharp for nails- claws dig lightly into his skin. Not enough to hurt but he could feel them.

Breath on his neck, how he didn't know. Ghost was so much taller than him.

The hands started to slide Rodolfo's shirt up and he tried not to tremble, slightly, his heart quickening it's pace. He tried to push them back down, but to no avail.

Rodolfo closed his eyes as he was turned around by the hands, getting the feeling he wouldn't like whatever he saw.

"So sweet..." Ghost laughed. "You can't even look at me?"

Rodolfo wanted to respond but the fear stopped him. He just shook his head, tensing when he felt the claws dig in deeper, and gasping a little.

"That's probably smart, don't want you crying on me. I'm going to pull off your clothes. Are you going to try to stop me?"

Rodolfo shook his head, immediately. Even with how scared he was, there was no thought in his head of saying no.

"Good." The somehow colder hands started to pull Rodolfo's clothes off, somehow guiding him to the table, Rodolfo assumed. It was in that general direction.

Ghost lifted him up and set him on the table when he was over there. Rodolfo shivered at the cold feeling of the table on his skin.

"I can hear your heart racing." Rodolfo couldn't help but tensing at the words. He didn't know why.

Rodolfo was pushed down and he finally opened his eyes, almost regretting it as soon as he did it, and immediately squeezing them shut again. The flash of imagery he'd gotten only made his heart race faster, an almost painful pace. Mangled wings stretching out, greying skin, black veins, and blood red eyes...

"You see why I stay covered now, don't you?"

Rodolfo immediately nodded, managing to suppress a shudder of fear.

"Maybe for your own sake, keep those pretty eyes shut."

Rodolfo nodded again, not needing to be told twice. "What are you going to do to me?" His voice was small, and even he could hear how thick his accent was. He was glad he could even still speak English at all.

"You'll see. You'll like it, don't worry. I've stalked you enough to know that."

Rodolfo gasped at his legs being pushed apart, digging his nails into the table. "Stalked?"

No reply. A finger felt between his legs before pushing into his hole, making him tense and cry out a little. There was still no response, though. No acknowledgement beyond the finger just moving. It was too long to be human, Rodolfo could feel that.

A hand laid on his stomach, the claws digging lightly.

When Rodolfo barely warmed up to the feeling, another finger was being added and he was tensed again, whimpering. But there was again no response, just cruel movement.

Again as before, when he had warmed up to it, another was being added, restarting the cycle. Rodolfo's muscles burned slightly from being so tense for so long and not getting to relax.

And then again, once more, now stretching him further than he thought he could withstand. But, pain mixed with pleasure, now, and he couldn't help his soft moans, as well as his whimpers of pain.

When Rodolfo barely got fully adjusted, they were being removed and then Ghost was pushing what Rodolfo hoped was his cock in, though Rodolfo had had enough sex to know that it didn't feel like the average cock.

It was much too big, it felt like Rodolfo was being torn open, and far far too long. Rodolfo covered his mouth, tearing up slightly from the feeling. Thankfully, Ghost wasn't cruel enough to keep moving just yet, instead bottoming out and then going still.

More cold skin pressed against his, and Rodolfo could feel feathers brushing against his arms. Teeth, though they were much too sharp and closer to fangs, positioned themselves again Rodolfo's inner arm. Rodolfo couldn't even imagine how Ghost could crane his body to get into a position that allowed him that, but Rodolfo knew for a fact that he didn't want to see to find out.

Right as Ghost started to move, the teeth sunk in, almost immediately breaking the skin, though the hand on his stomach rushed to cover his mouth, muffling the cry of pain.

Pleasure danced with pain and Rodolfo was already dizzy, somehow. He arched as Ghost slowly pulled out, pulling away from Rodolfo's skin. Rodolfo could feel blood drip down his arm, pooling under him on the table.

"You taste so sweet..." Ghost's voice was now a distorted growl which sounded nothing like the original and Rodolfo couldn't help trembling, before screaming into Ghost's hand as he slammed back in, his vision whiting with pleasure.

Ghost again bit Rodolfo, his collarbone this time, as he carefully pulled back out, and tears fell down his face, this time.

Ghost slammed back in when he pulled his fangs from Rodolfo's skin, and Rodolfo forgot the pain immediately as he screamed.

And so a pattern was set. Ghost would sink his fangs deep into Rodolfo's skin when he pulled out and then he would thrust in so sharply that Rodolfo wouldn't be able to even think of the pain.

Rodolfo could barely breathe, barely think, and all he could feel was extreme pleasure mixed with intense pain.

Finally, Ghost changed, and he moved to a different pace, steadily thrusting in and out. His hand stayed covering Rodolfo's mouth, but he stopped biting, and instead licked over each wound, almost feeling like he was lapping up the blood.

Rodolfo sobbed with pleasure, arching his back into Ghost. The feeling of feathers again his wounds occasionally sent shivers and trembles through him.

When Rodolfo worried it would be too much for him to bare, Ghost was suddenly kissing him deeply, pushing his tongue into his mouth. The world became fuzzy around the edges and Rodolfo's sobs calmed.

Everything melted into a deep, intense pleasure and Rodolfo just relaxed into it.

He tensed when he started to get close and Ghost's pace quickened, until Rodolfo was screaming into his hand again. Ghost grabbed Rodolfo's hip and dug his claws deep into him, breaking the skin.

It was barely a moment before Rodolfo could feel hot thick cum coating his insides and Ghost was growling softly, his pace slowing to a stop.

Ghost pulled out faster than Rodolfo would have liked and Rodolfo finally let his eyes fully open, melting at the soft pink filter over everything.

Ghost looked down at him, amusement in his red eyes. He licked over his fangs and Rodolfo reached up, lazily, wiping at the blood on the corner of Ghost's mouth. His blood.

Rodolfo's eyes trailed over wings which were missing feathers, and let his head fall back, barely noticing the thump it made. He was so so tired.

"Sleep..." Ghost pet his hair and Rodolfo could only nod. He wanted nothing more than to give into the command.

Rodolfo jerked awake, sitting upright. He looked over his body, which was still naked, only seeing fresh unbroken skin, save for the scars which had already existed.

He didn't even feel sore. There was no hazy pink filter over everything, no pain in his body.

He winced at seeing his phone was ringing, answering it when he saw it was Alejandro. "Rudy! You're late! You weren't up all night again, were you?!"

"Of course not, commander! I'm on my way!" He rushed out of bed, yanking his clothes on as fast as he could and rushing to the meeting room.

On the way, however, he almost crashed right into Ghost, who quickly caught him and righted him. "Careful, now." He grunted.

Rodolfo jerked away, flushing dark as he remembered his dream from the night before. "Sorry, Ghost."

Ghost nodded a little. He looked like he was about to walk away, but when he was behind Rodolfo, he leaned down and Rodolfo tensed, his breath catching when he heard him speak. "Don't tell anyone, and I'll do it again."

Rodolfo squeezed his eyes shut, but he immediately nodded, and then quickly continued on his way. There was no idea in his mind of telling anyone.

#bunnie's horror night #yellow #ghost cod #simon ghost riley #rodolfo cod #ghost x rodolfo #monster!Ghost #threw in slight wing kink #call of duty #rodolfo x ghost #rodolfo parra

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lildoodlenoodle · 1 year

Text

Changeling Simon Riley, another AU! Everyone say thank you to @captain-mj

#my art #changeling #changeling!ghost #simon riley #simon ghost riley #ghost cod #changeling!simon riley #monster!ghost #creature!ghost #creature!simon riley #cod #mw2

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marypsue · 5 months

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Keep seeing that post where OP starts like 'Thinking about...grieving the undead' and then adds on about like. Real life situations where people have not died but have left your life and you would have reason to grieve them.

All respect, that's an important concept, but that is not what I am thinking about when I read 'grieving the undead'.

#your brother is a vampire. he's sitting across the table from you chatting with your mother about her day #and he's dead and he's gone and he's never coming back.#he laughs the same and he talks the same but his arm is cold when he grabs you in a headlock and your dog won't be in the same room with hi #he'll still hang around watching TV with you and give you wedgies and make stupid jokes #but you can't tell him about the bullies at school anymore because this thing with your brother's face will just find them and kill them.#and not even stupid fucking Jason deserves what the monster in your dead brother's skin would do to him.#your brother is dead and lost and right there in arm's reach and gone forever with no hope of ever getting him back.#i'm sure there are corollaries to be written about like ghosts and zombies but this is the one i'm personally hung up on recently

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whereserpentswalk · 13 days

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Reblog to curse your followers and mutuals.

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redbuddi · 2 months

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Things that don't exist in Scooby-Doo:

Ghosts

Things that exist in Scooby-Doo:

Jetpacks

Aliens

Instant Hypnosis

Machines that put you in the computer

Realistic hologram technology

Were-Cats

Meteors made of Gold

Self-Aware AI

Underground Egypt Cult

Cthulhu

Soul-Sucking Triangles

Transylvania, PA

Moon Resort

Magical Space Guardians

Transgender Potion

Courage the Cowardly Dog

Warlocks

Ghosts

#scooby doo #theres no such thing as ghosts #scooby doo taught me the real monsters were jetpacks aliens realistic hologram techn

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monstersovka · 7 months

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some autumn character designs 🍂🎃🧺

#illustration #character design #anthro #monster #fantasy #artists on tumblr #flowers #halloween #autumn #creature #ghost #mushrooms

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gremlingottoosilly · 3 months

Note

Ok what about kitty reader that finds some red string and starts to play with it, and what if kitty reader gets wrapped around in the red string all tied up just when the 141 monster yanderes gets back from hunting (their testosterones are runing so high)

Oh no, little kitty is all tied up and dumb because she resisted too much, and now her cute ass is on display for everyone to use...I'm sure that no one from your beautiful packmates is going to use this. Gaz definitely won't just haul you over his shoulder to everyone's dismay so he can drag you to his nest like the prettiest little toy and then play with your pussy that is way to wet for someone who meowls so much about not wanting for him to spread her legs and then tug on her fluffy tail...Gaz just killed a bunch of enemy monsters in the altercation, he wants someone cute to tell him how strong is he! Soap doesn't have the patience to let you be tied up, unfortunately( out of everyone, he'd love you tied up and cute - when he actually has time to make elaborate knots and not when his balls are going to burst from your tits sticking out so much while all tied up and perky. He promises he'd be gentle, but his claws are already ripping out the bindings and his tongue latches on your tits, keeping you in place. He would leave some of the string intact - mainly for your hands, so you won't be able to push him away or tug on his hair - but you're still stuck in a place like a lovely little plaything. Ghost wouldn't ever disturb the ropes because, fortunately, he has the power to just push his shadow tendrils in your warm, sticky holes, filling you up without the need to prepare you or spread your legs too much. If anything, he doubles down on the number of restraints - seeing you so helpless, with your tail wagging around in panic and your pointy ears trembling, he just loves to put his tongue everywhere, playing with the temperature. As a cat hybrid, you are warmer than a normal human - but oh, Ghost is so cold, he loves to suck on your hot pussy and make you squirm from the contrast( Price would be so mean( bullying you for being a dumb kitty who got stuck in the strings, and now her cute ass is on display for everyone( he is the type to leave you to be fucked by his teammates just so he could lift your limp body in his hands later, making his dumb little kitty warm his cock like a good girl. You are usually too squirmy and active to sit on his cock like a good girl - so it's only for the better that you're tied up now, not writhing away from him like some dumb girl who doesn't know any better.

#cod #cod x reader #yandere cod #tw: monster fucking #monster!gaz #monster!ghost #monster!soap #monster!price #price x reader #soap x reader #gaz x reader #ghost x reader #yandere ghost #yandere price #yandere gaz #yandere soap

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tactax-art · 1 year

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A proper recolor forAlb!Ghost, plus a closeup of the mask cause i like how it turned out.

#cod mwii #cod mw2 #call of duty modern warfare 2 #simon ghost riley #cod ghost #monster!ghost #mind this is his most human form buuut *shrugs #tactax mwii creatures au #alb!ghost

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20tmblwd01 · 1 month

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Imagine getting fucked by a ghost or an invisible force in front of a mirror. There’s nothing you can do but feel and see your gaping pussy. The best part is that you never know when they’re going to fuck you again since you can’t see them <3

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itsagrimm · 1 year

Text

He Who Comes from under the Water

Chapter 9 - Of Moons and Monsters

Monster!König X she/her afab Reader

CN mentions of death, mentions of murder, mentions of cannibalism, arranged marriage, disrespecting and displaying a corpse, ableist language, internalised toxic masculinity, creepy observers with no understanding of boundaries, warning for those who have issues with paranoia, König has issues and needs fairy tale therapy

Not sure how the phases of the moon work? Click here.

Notes for better understanding at the bottom!

Partly beta-read by the amazing @queenquazar. There are typos in there but I need to publish this asap before spiralling into another round of rewriting this for the 10th time. also, thank you so much for baring with me.

6.9k words

Masterlist

this is a hit or miss chapter. love it or hate it. i am ready to throw out my laptop bc this chapter was hard to write.

Oh and I made a playlist for this series. Enjoy.

As the King of Everything from Under the Water, König never grew tired.

As a man, König felt like he was grinding his bones into dust.

The never-ending work started to get to him, eternal weariness was wearing him down like a stone getting chipped away in the currents.

He yawned.

During the day König worked on the Half-Palace. The Half-Palace was getting close to being done, rising up into the sky as high up as it reached down low and deep into the waters. It was a marvel. But König was not done yet, working tirelessly to finish his new residence to finally marry and bring his fiancé home safely.

During the night König guarded his Bride. With his axe in his hands, he stalked her garden, carefully avoiding her strawberry patches and making sure no villager or malevolent creature harmed her. The rumours of a human maiden marrying the Vodyanoy had made its rounds, and König started to see more unusual unwelcome guests creeping in the shadows. Sometimes he found villagers too, boys who turned on their heels just at the sight of König’s giant frame, axe, and piercing deep blue, ever-seeing eyes. Not all the trespassers were clever enough to run away at the sight of him. Twice König used his axe and spilled blood. First time it was a Tschort trying to sneak through the kitchen window. The other time a Kikimora nearly made her way to the Bride’s window. König got to them both in time, killing the intruders with quick blows of his axe and hanging them up in the alder tree around the bride’s house for the night as a warning. The first time his bride cried out at the sight of it, the second time she did not cry anymore.

During the few moments in between when he walked at the lakes beach with her or closed his eyes for a moment, worry consumed any thought in König’s mind. His Bride was fragile. The creeping beings in the shadows wanted her blood, her tender flesh, her inheritance. There was danger everywhere and König started to feel on edge from being on the lookout all the time. In all his life he had experienced worries and insecurities. Now he had learned to fear - for her.

In those moments König wished he could just ignore all tradition and carry her to the half-finished Half-Palace before the wedding to keep her out of the hands of those that wanted to tear and bite and kill and devour her. But then he looked at his own hands - long clawed fingers that could wrap around her neck and break it like a twig or drag her down the deep waters until she was nothing but a lifeless body. The first time that realisation hit him, it had mortified König. He was a danger - just like all the others. And she was just a girl. A girl that managed to get tangled up with him. Baba Jaga’s words still hung over him, telling him he had to sacrifice something to keep his Bride safe. Something deep inside of him knew he had done it wrong, all of it so far. Her fear of water was testimony of it. And so he sacrificed everything for her. But one question remained.

Will it be enough?

Feeling tired and drained, König sighed and made another round to check for danger. For now, no one was there but the moon, rising over the gable of the Bride’s house.

Peaceful, calm, familiar.

König nodded in greeting to the silent lunar wanderer. At least the moon was not out for his Bride. For now.

Of course, the thin slice of the waxing crescent did not nod back.

It was the moon after all.

König let himself fall onto the grass again, leaning against her door and closed his eyes.

A moment, just a moment of rest.

Rest.

Rest…

Sleep was alluring. It called to him like the Rusalkis called for him to return to just being in the water.

Just a little bit...

Just a bit closer…

No harm in it…

With a low “thud” the axe slipped out of his hands, waking König back up from his light short slumber.

König shook his head.

No! He had to stay up. Another Tschort could try to crawl in any moment or Ivar might wipe up the village into a frenzy and come for her. His Bride was so frail in comparison to him, a little maiden and nothing more. Just yesterday she cut herself with a kitchen knife. Or was it tomorrow? Does not matter! One day she would hurt herself again and he had to make sure that would not happen. He could take it, not sleeping and working every moment. His body will withstand. He was a king after all! He was her guardian, her fiancé and soon-to-be husband, her man.

And she was worthy of König to grind himself down as a payback for the life he had condemned her to and the pain he would cause her with his huge hands and sharp claws. Sleep and labour was a necessary sacrifice.

“You are an idiot.”

König looked up, searching for the source of those words.

“Oh, don’t look so surprised. You are an idiot and deep down you know it already.”

König got up from his spot, taking up his axe.

“Who is it! Come out! Show yourself!” The king called.

“I am not hiding myself. You just don’t see what is in plain sight like the fool that you are.”

Confused, König's head whipped around, searching for whoever was talking to him.

“Here, little king. Up!” The voice called. “You are not used to looking up when speaking, aren’t you?”

As told, König looked up while raising the axe in expectation to see a new threat, a new danger, a new assailant.

What he saw instead was the moon.

“Hello.”

König blinked, not understanding how and why the thin lunar sickle was smiling down at him.

“Don’t look so surprised!” the moon scolded with a laughing tone. “You greeted me yourself.”

“How?” König asked, lowering the axe.

“You are asking me how I can speak?”

König considered the moon's words before smiling shyly like a kid getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Okay, that’s fair. You can speak just like I can.”

If the moon could nod it would have done so. Somehow König felt like far out in the interstellar realm of implausibility the moon indeed did nod at him.

“Why after millennia of not speaking to me you do now, moon? I greet you twice a day.”

“I grew to like you, little one. And I got bored watching you self-mortifying yourself. It was entertaining for a while until it became the most pointless thing I have witnessed in a long time.”

“What do you mean, Moon? I am not mortifying myself! How would you even know.”

The moon raised an eyebrow at König. Somehow it did that.

“Please. I have better eyes for that than you, little king. I do nothing else but watch and witness.”

Unconvinced, König crossed his arms.

“What do you know about me and my worries?” He countered.

“Only about half of it. I just see you at night.” The moon admitted. “Shame really. You doing everything else but talking to your fiancé is quite the sight.”

“What is there to talk about?” König replied. “Spare me. Everything is clear. She is just a nice girl who ended up engaged with me, so I have the duty to protect her.”

“Sure, little king. Then you would have no issue just crossing that doorstep of hers and telling her that. Sacrifice the facade and just take her to that Half-Palace of yours and be done with it. It’s all just formalities and traditions at this point. You are just concerned for her safety.”

“I am concerned for her safety.”

König gazed around the dark garden. There was the spot where Ivar had threatened his Bride. And the alder tree König had strung up those that had wanted to harm her. And the axe with which nowadays he did as much killing and fighting as he did building.

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

XXX

König looked at the Bride’s door. The familiar wooden frame she walked through every day. It would be easy to just open it and go in. Or knock? König felt like she would appreciate a knock before getting dragged out of her family home in the middle of the night in the name of her safety and his pragmatic marital claims.

Up in the night sky the thin moon sickle was grinning at the sight of the fool calling himself King, silent and expectant to watch something - anything - happen.

But it did not.

Not every night was calm and spent in solitude.

A bunch of laughing and giggling Rusalkis decided to join him and the occasionally appearing fox on his guard post. König looked around, seeing the half-moon rise above the horizon. It had been silent ever since that night a while back.

Of course, the Bride was still sleeping in her own house.

Of course, he had not even attempted to move her from it.

They were still unmarried.

It was tradition König told himself.

She would not want to be in the nearby finished castle with him anyway.

“Why so grim dear Vodyanoy?”

Startled, König spinned around, teeth barren and the axe in his hands.

“Easy.” A rusalka straying behind soothingly replied, her hands up.

König stilled.

“Oh it is you, Lada.” He said and lowered his axe, “I am sorry. I thought someone had crept up to me.”

Lada leaned forward. Her pretty eyes gazed up at him as she lowered her hands.

“You know, not everyone is out there to get you or the Devitsa, Vodyanoy. Take a rest. We can guard her in the meantime.”

“No.” He grumbled. “It’s nice that you are here to help, but she is my responsibility to carry. I brought this upon her.”

Curiously, she leaned forward.

“Oh, you do that a lot these days, König.” Her words splashing down her lips like a lively spring, unimpressed by the near display of violence moments before. “Always responsibility. Always offering yourself up like that makes a difference. Tell me, is this spectacle for you or her?”

“It’s not a spectacle.” König replied, moving back from her and crossing his arms before him.

Lada grinned.

“Alright. Sure. Good luck.” She declared and waved a goodbye at him before, jumping back like a firefly raving in zig zag over a pond's water. König watched Lada return to the other Rusalkis, giving a sharp, toothy and nearly careless smile to flirt with the Fox. They seemed so content with chatting in the moonlight. As if stalking and hunting intruders was a Rusalki past-time. Knowing the Rusalkis it probably was.

König suppressed a yawn, unwilling to admit Lada was right. He really needed to take a break. Soon, when he was married and the bride was safe. He would have given anything he had in him then. But until the wedding there was no point of even thinking about rest or the life leisure he had known before.

Was he really that busy all the time?

Unapproachable and lost in his own thoughts nowadays?

König remembered how much time he used to spend with the Rusalkis. Oh, he did. They had played, filling the air with splashed water, with laughter, with moans.

It felt so long ago.

He hadn’t even thought about it.

Would his marriage remove him forever from that part of his life?

He stilled as the realisation hit. It hurt. But only a little.

Thinking about the Bride's little human fingers that tangled his hair, asking him how his day was, telling him about hers pleased him. König had gotten used to the Bride in his life so quickly, he wanted more of it.

But enough to stop lust and satisfy his more carnal desires?

She…

You promised to guard her, protect her, make her your Queen. Nothing else. König reminded himself unhappily and looked up, searching for answers in the night sky.

There were none, only the looming moon.

It was as if the half-moon was watching him with mockery, observing König’s thoughts and temptations.

König grunted.

Fine, maybe she was charming in many ways. He had to admit that to himself. But maybe that was another sacrifice he had to make for the sake of her. König was sure they could find an arrangement at some point. There was little he promised nor expected from her outside of their marriage. But that was for a moment in the future when he had the right words for it.

Until then, his tasks were easy: No sleep, no leisure, no lust.

König tapped on the hilt of the axe. It’s been a couple of days since he had to use it as a weapon and the calm waiting was wearing him down nearly as much as thinking about his forbidden Bride - her clever remarks, her unrelenting will to life, her careful steps around water. If he asked her opinion about his sacrifices she would say something wise. She always seemed to do, giving him little knowing looks over tea cups, over the lake, over hot puffs of breath escaping her lips. And when she spoke her words rang in his ear like music. Melodic syllables falling from her mouth like raindrops and teaching him of the world.

Now the bride's words were siren songs to him.

He sat down into the grass and watched the house of the bride. There she was, sleeping her well earned rest. And he was outside where he belonged with his claws and flaws and desires. He looked up to the sky. Cold stars and the unmoving moon grinned down at him, silent and calm unlike his thoughts. König wondered if it was easier that way, just to watch and never to do. Just to witness but never to participate.

No wonder the moon is a judgy creep.

König frowned, wishing he did not feel drained, unsure and like he had made the wrong decision.

Let them see. I will do right by her - König promised to himself.

XXX

The night was pleasant but cold. It had rained and the now cleared sky and fresh breeze added to the unusually cold summer weather. König was sitting right under the ledge of the roof, watching drops of the previous rain roll down from the leaves and running into little pools of water. It was calming. And with humid weather like that he knew at least no villager would show up, giving him one thing less to worry about.

König heard her steps before he saw her step out into the night. He looked up.

“König.” She greeted with a blanket around her shoulders. “Would you mind company? The full moon is so bright, and the rain kept drumming against the roof. I cannot sleep.”

He nodded before suspiciously eyeing the massive, silent luminary above them.

Creep.

She settled next to him under the dry roof, facing the dark garden and treeline with him.

“Are you okay?”

Her words reached into him and laughed at his convictions. Just hearing her voice made something stir in him.

“There was so little time these past days and we hardly spoke.” She continued. ”Can I help with something?”

König shook his head before even thinking.

His burden, not hers.

“No, Bride. You cannot fight the monsters lying in wait. You can’t even lift my axe.”

The thought of her facing another Kikimora, a Tschort or an angered, disapproving Rusalka terrified him. She did not even have teeth to tear and bite.

“Is fighting the only way to help?”

He looked down at her, the little pretty thing that he spent the day admiring while working and the night desperately trying not to think about.

She pressed her thighs closer to her body for warmth.

Tangled limbs, desperate touches, heated kisses. He could warm her up.

Instead, he lifted his arm and silently invited her closer. No point in keeping her cold.

“Yes, it is but it is unpleasant work, my Bride. We will marry soon, and you will be safe in the Half-Palace. Do not worry yourself.”

She moved closer, pressing herself into his warm body. With a stern look more for himself than to others König commanded the last of the drops on the grass and from the dripping roof not to touch his shivering maiden.

Of course, she did not notice, only purring like a cat before the warming fire.

For a moment they stayed like that as if she was thinking about his words while König closed his eyes for a moment, indulging in it.

“What will happen with my family’s house? I am fond of this place.” She asked finally.

König sighed and opened his eyes.

“Whatever you want, Bride. It is yours and it always will be.” He chuckled grimly. “Maybe you want to stay here every once in a while, when you grow tired of my company.”

“Do you think you are an unpleasant presence to be around?”

“At times.” He admitted.

“I do not.”

“You are too kind.”

“I doubt that.”

There it was again, the banter. She met him exactly at his level, hitting him playfully where he would never expect it. There was a lightness in her words that made him nearly believe her. König could not help but grin to himself while pressing her slightly closer.

“Any idea about the sacrifice?” She asked while leaning into him to cover his massive frame with what was left of the blanket. A cute but pointless gesture.

“I have some ideas,” König resigned. “But there is no way to be sure it is working and I doubt you want to test it.”

She shivered.

“No.” Her voice was thin and frail, hitting him with guilt.

“I think I need to ask my brothers for help.” König continued. ”But I'm not sure that is wise. It could be dangerous.”

She nodded. “I suppose dealing with family can be like that sometimes.”

König stilled, thinking about her words and listening to the drumming sound of the rain.

“Hmm, I suppose you know a lot about that,” He hummed and paused before daring to speak again. “May I ask … are you angry at your family? For marrying you off to me?”

It was as if he was asking the bravest question of all.

She shifted around.

“Sometimes,” She admitted. “It’s hard because till this day I love my family. But to be fair, marrying me off to a stranger was just the last thing of a long line of things that weren’t as well thought through or kind as they might have told themselves. Who knows. They are dead now and I am here. Could be worse.”

He nodded, trying not to feel too much about her words. Marrying him was bearable. König hardly blamed her. Still, it hurt more than he had expected. Was that pain another sacrifice?

“Could be worse.” He repeated flatly.

“Well now you make it sound bad. That’s not what I meant.” She muzzled into him as if she truly wanted to be there.

König closed his eyes, reminding himself not to lie to himself. This was just a practical arrangement for her. For him.

He cleared his throat.

“So, what do you think we should do?” The Vodyanoy changed the subject. “One brother you already know of is Simon. We used to be close but something happened and since then he is like a ghost of himself, moody and withdrawn but capable of kind and terrible things at the same time. It’s hard to know with him. He never formally claimed his kingdom, but everybody knows not to cross the master of the forest, the Leshy.”

The forest turned silent as if knowing that König talked about its master.

“What are the things that make him dangerous to be around?” Her voice was so little in the woodland's silence, so brave to speak.

König swallowed, remembering his days with his brother. They were long gone, lost in a sea of blood.

“Simon taught me how to kill.”

The forest stayed silent, as if trying not to breathe like an animal of prey sensing a possible predator.

“Oh.” Brave like a single flame in the dark she whispered into the night, breaking the silence, and releasing the forest from the dark grip of its master.

“I have other brothers but the one who could help is the deathless one - Koschei, the master of bones and battlefields. Nowadays he goes by the name Graves.”

“Charming. Leaves little to the imagination why he could be dangerous.”

He grunted in agreement.

“That’s quite a family I am marrying into.” The bride paused. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Scared?”

She shrugged.

“Only a fool would not fear a brother-in-law who is called deathless or for whom the forest dies down.”

Brave one.

“You do not have to marry me and into this family. You know that, right my Bride?” It felt right to say it and offer her a way out from the terror that was his presence.

She stared into the cold wet forest, unmoving and expressionless.

König wished he knew what she truly thought of right now.

“Do you not want me as your bride?” She asked finally with a flat voice.

Her lips singing the siren song. What does marriage even mean at this point?

“I promised it, did I not?” He said instead.

She nodded, a stony expression on her face.

“So, we stick to it.”

“Aye.”

König felt tired. Like he had run out of words, keeping it short and safe instead of pouring out his heart and burdening her. If only he could rest, lay down next to her and close his eyes.

“You say Simon was here?” The Bride mused. “He was the one to point out the danger to me. If he knew how to get rid of it or wanted to help, he would have done it. But he did not. I don’t think we can count on him here. Which leaves…”

“Koschei.”

König felt the corners of his mouth drop down into a disapproving frown.

He knew she was right. Still…

“Maybe there is a safer, cleverer way to engage with him?” The Bride continued. “He is the Deathless. I am sure he might know something and maybe a simple letter or a messenger will be enough. What do you think?”

Still unhappy, König considered her idea. It was sound. Yet the mere thought of having to ask his brother for help and being in debt to him worried him more than he wanted to admit. Graves always had a thing for pretty girls. And for his Bride to draw the attention of Koschei the Deathless did not only feel like asking for disaster but evoked new fears in König.

What if Graves would like her and do as he had done with many girls before?

A new ugly thought roared its head up.

What if the Bride would prefer Graves over him?

“If i keep practising my writing I can write to him.” His dearest Bride added. “I could ask for his council as a bridal gift. What kind of man would refuse or violate that?”

König took a deep breath. He hated how right she was.

“I could work but-”

“Perfect. Let us do it soon.”

Her voice left him as little room to argue as there was left under the blanket between her and König.

“Fine.” He surrendered like driftwood to the currents.

Instead of pushing for more she just sighed herself, relaxing into him and staring into the dark.

She will just be my Queen. König thought to himself, surprised by his own possessiveness. As long as she is safe, it will be fine. No need to worry more than usual.

She was here, at his side and safe.

Nothing more than someone like him could expect or ask for.

He closed his eyes again to enjoy the feeling of the Bride so close to him before straightening up and concentrating on being on guard again.

She yawned, muzzling closer.

“I might fall asleep here.” She admitted. “Is that a problem?”

“Not at all, Bride.” König replied with a feeling he wasn’t familiar with, “I’ll be there.”

xxx

It felt ridiculous how much König loathed the thought of his Bride meeting Graves. He knew it was unfair, hating what his own insecurities and worries did to him. The Bride had suggested a plan and he was the one not sticking to it, that odd feeling in his stomach stopping him from teaching her how to write or write Graves himself. Instead, König could not help but make excuses.

It’s late…

I am busy right now…

Maybe tomorrow…

König told himself that his worries and reservations were justified. He was just cautious. It was Graves after all, the Deathless, the one called master of bones and battlegrounds. And the Bride was so fragile in comparison to all those monsters and men.

“Just talk to her, boy!” The moon nearly shouted down from its high place one night right before vanishing behind a cloud.

König only shook his head.

The Bride was his responsibility and it was his duty to protect her from the world. That was his sacrifice. It had to be the answer. But then doubt whispered again to him.

Not good enough, Graves will be better for her.

A day passed, a night, another day. The Half-Palace was shaping up and König was dreading to be finished. He would bring her home then, far away from all those who were out for her blood.

But then she would be alone - with him.

Suddenly the axe was looking tiny in his hands, just a simple twig in clawed fingers made to rip and tear and drown.

He felt stuck - he was the reason for her troubles but also the key to her safety. He wanted to keep away but then how was he supposed to guard her? He wanted to marry her and be done with it. But what did marriage even mean for him? For her? Was it the delight in her presence he felt? The excitement of just talking to her? The secret longing to take her deep into the waters and embrace her with everything minor that he was, feeling her bare skin and tangled limbs and bubbles of air escaping her moaning lips and reminding him it would be the death of her.

Confusion dripped more into his tired and worn mind.

He was scared of himself and what he was capable of doing.

But no one could understand what he was anyway.

And so König kept it to himself.

That night he was alone. The Fox had gone home. He had young to play with tonight, he had said, and König had only nodded.

Yeah, yeah, sure, I understand.

Lada and all the other Rusalki left for some rest in the ponds, and rivers and lakes.

Deep down König knew that he needed some break as well.

But he was afraid of leaving the Bride alone or staying alone in the house with her. He was a danger too after all.

Defeated, he sat on his regular spot next to the door, gazing through the garden and hoping for nothing and something to happen at the same time.

The axe in his hand had started to rust a bit from all the blood it had spilled. A long time ago it had been a gift from his brother Simon, back when they were close.

“It does not have to be this painful, you know?”

König looked up, searching for the source of the voice. The garden with its tidy strawberry patches and attempts of growing buckwheat and sunflowers was as untrodden as it had been the last time he made his rounds.

“Still up here, little king.”

König looked up and the thin crescent of the waning moon smiled down softly at him.

König leaned back against the wall of the house.

“What do you want, Moon? I am tired. I don’t need a lecture or getting shouted at again.”

The grand luminary of the night sky stayed silent. König wondered if that was all then and prepared to get up again for another patrol round.

“I am sorry. I should not have done that.”

The Vodyanoy blinked in surprise.

“Is the mighty Moon apologising? To me?”

“Don’t make this harder than it is, little king.”

König crossed his arms but nodded.

“Fine. Your apology is welcome. What do you want, Moon?”

“I just want peace between us. Of all your brothers and the old beings walking this earth I feel the closest you. The waters and I… There is some magic working between us and I felt responsible to say something but I overstepped. That is not how good-”, the moon paused, “Neighbours, let’s say neighbours are supposed to be.”

König huffed.

“You are a creepy neighbour, you know that?”

Moon in its interstellar ways giggled.

“I am the watcher in the night. What else did you expect?”

“Maybe, but I don’t have to like it.”

The moon kept smiling.

“If you ever have children I will watch them and keep them safe just like I watch you and just like I watch your Bride.”

“I don’t trust that. And I doubt I will ever have children.”

“Who knows. That’s not up to me.”

They stayed silent.

Nervously, König grinded his teeth and considered what he had heard.

“You watch her too?”

“Yes.”

“Is she okay? Clearly all of this must get to her. And the arranged marriage…”

“Little King”, the moon whispered near softly, “Isn’t that something you should ask her yourself? Be brave. Talk to her.”

“You keep pushing me to talk to her!” König cried out in frustration. “Why? It wouldn't matter anyway! There is nothing to say. Our marriage is just a facade. I am the one most likely to harm her and there is nothing I could say or do to remedy that.”

The anger of the past months, bottled up and pushed down, made their way out of König. Like a hurt animal he howled his words up to the moon.

He jumped up. The axe was ready swinging in his hands, clawed and ready.

If he could, König would have picked a fight with whoever crossed his path just for the sake of it. But there was just the moon - cold and far away.

He screamed in anger.

“I do everything! And it’s not enough. I AM NOT ENOUGH!” König stalked around the grass and felt his anger dissipate with every step getting heavier and heavier.

“I am not enough.” He repeated with finality and came to a halt. “And I never will be.”

It was silent.

Conscious about his outbreak he looked around. Not a leaf dared to move around him. Ashamed he fell into the grass and covered his face.

“I am sorry. It was too much.” König mumbled as he tried to catch his breath and fight the tears. “I am not like that normally.”

“I know, König. It’s okay.”

The moon's words felt like the last push. König cried. He did not know why. Some of it he understood. But a lot were just tears he had to shed years, months, nights ago and now he did not know why he cried.

Heaving for air in between his sobs, König hears the moon's soft words.

“Oh it’s okay, König. It’s fine, little king. It’s fine…”

He was the water and the water him. Köng’s tears flowed endlessly until he was done and only a tired void was left in him.

He looked up to the moon, staring down at him. The soft smiling crescent unchanging and familiar, surrounded by a countless number of stars shining down at him.

“I am sorry for … this.” König started.

“No.” the moon interrupted. “Don’t you dare to apologise for crying. I mean it. It’s okay. Next time, just leave the axe out of it, okay?”

König looked at the axe a bit off in the grass. He had let go of it at some point, feeling like failure again - even in his sadness he was intimidating.

Vodyanoy nodded.

“Listen König, may I say something?”

Another nod.

“You breaking down like that was inevitable. Don’t torture yourself like that. You don’t need to carry it all alone. And I guarantee your the Bride would be the first to listen to you.”

A tired smile made its way up to Königs lips. “There it is again - you want me to talk to her. But she is so fragile. She can never do what I can. What’s the point?”

“You build her up in your mind as mighty as that castle of yours. She is the most fragile, the most worthy, clever and beautiful - don’t deny it. I watched you yearn for her for too long. But she is just a person and not your dream of her. And all your sacrifices are great but the one that truly matters you did not give.”

“Which one?”

“Honesty - with her, with you. You two need to talk with one another instead of silently offering yourselves up. She is not as weak as you make her out to be. And you, little king, are not always strong. It’s painful to watch.”

Defeated but not yet passive, König tried to reason. “You don’t understand. Besides, what is there to talk about?”

“That you care about her maybe? And that you care so much, that’s close to twisting into a mindless adoration suffocating both of you. Let her be strong and be to you what you are for her instead of sheltering and keeping her away. She is an ocean worth discovering, not a cup of water that needs to be kept out of the sun to not evaporate.”

König looked down at his hands. The same claws as always.

“Don’t start that again, boy. Get up, knock at her door and ask if you can sleep there. And tomorrow you can talk.”

Slowly, König eyed her door.

Disturb her? Be a burden to the one he wants to keep all burdens away from?

“Be brave, little king.”

The moon was wrong. Nothing could be fixed with talking. But what if the moon was right?

The door drew him in like nothing before.

And he was so tired.

König got up, collected his axe and stepped forward.

Should he really do it? The moon stayed silent, waiting for König to walk to the door and knock.

He took a deep breath, wiped his hand over his face and stepped forward.

This was it. It felt like the bravest, hardest thing he had ever done.

He knocked.

Cultural context

Tschort (literal translation: devil) can be both a plural and singular. It can be translated as demon or devil. But that only captures the word in its Christian context and not its presence in mostly in pagan traditions in folk and fairy tales. It’s easiest to understand a tschort as a type of evil or at least ill-meaning supernatural male being.

A kikimora is a bad female house spirit known for haunting dreams or generally the household. I know her as an entity that drives humans insane by whispering, stealing eggs, spinning spider webs and confusing her targets but there are other tales about her in which she has other abilities. There are proposed links between the Kikimora and the ancient Greek Moiren, the Germanic Nornen, and obviously the old Slavic goddess Mokosh. Funnily enough in the game “The Witcher 3” the kikimora is a type of giant spider.

Erle / alder is a very important tree in central European folklore and especially German speaking folk. Alder trees are part of the birch tree family, making them very resistant trees. The alder grows on very humid soil, often appearing close to bodies of water or moorlands. Since moors were associated with the dead, alders were considered a bit spooky. Alder trees ‘bleed’ a reddish liquid when being cut, adding to their spooky association. There are several rites around alder and alder twigs. The Erlenkönig or Alder king is a very famous German poem about an elven king trying to seduce a sick child to come and live with him. A german – English translation can be found here https://www.ogn.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/bellcogo2015.pdf All in all the alder tree is just a cool spooky tree with plenty of pagan-Christian connotations around it.

There are a few stories about the moon and as far as I am concerned, they all coexist in a semi plausible way. In the 1964 soviet, kids’ movie ‘Морозко’ the sun does not rise out of kindness to give the protagonist time to finish her nightly chores. The man on the moon or the moon face is a story drawing from German speaking tradition that the moon is a single wanderer watching out for those that cannot sleep or work late at night. It’s a kind presence and there are lullabies for kids about the nice man on the moon guarding them. Also, the moon as the cause of ebb and flood would be of interest to a water being like the Vodyanoy even though many Slavic folk traditions come from landlocked places therefore not noticeably experiencing the tides. At last, the moon is a way of keeping track of time, not just for eastern or central Europeans.

The Rusalkas name is Lada. Lada is a name used till this day. The origin of it is interesting. There are conflicting theories about ‘Lada’ being a possible Slavic goddess of marriage, fertility, love, spring and much more. Since primary sources on beliefs before Christianity in eastern Europe are basically non-existent, I would be careful with set ideas about the goddess Lada. The word лада appears to have further linguistic roots and connotations in old eastern Slavic and modern spoken Slavic languages like significant other, fret, lover, maiden, husband, etc. However, my Russian is far from good enough to get into this and I also don’t speak any other languages from this region. So please be mindful of that. If someone feels like educating me here, I would be very interested in learning more.

Little reminder – Rusalkis are something akin to mermaids or nymphs. They are loaded in symbolism as being promiscuous but also connected with children and childbirth, playful but also dangerous as they kill and drown those who harm them, spinning and washing clothes but also leisure, very much alive but also connected to suicide by drowning. In the stories I am familiar with, Rusalkis can leave the water if they want to, however there are stories where they don’t. Since Rusalkis are a staple in a lot of eastern European folk traditions, there is no one set idea what the right Rusalka is.

Koschei / Коще́й in Russian is the recurring male bad person in at least Russian Slavic folklore. Koschei is also called the immortal or the deathless. The name Koschei translated literally can mean something along the lines as the one of bones. Supposedly he is unkillable because he keeps his soul or heart secured in a separate place than his body. Often that is an egg which is placed in other animals which are guarded. Stories about Koschei tend to place him as the antagonist or love rival. Koschei is supposed to be rich and likes gold. He tends to kidnap, enchant, or marry unwilling young beautiful women (which require rescue of course). He is a sorcerer. Often, he is named as head of a castle or larger hall which indicates a ruler position. This is stressed with many tales naming him tsar / царь / ‘king’. There are links between Koschei and the other classical bad girl in Slavic folklore – Baba Yaga. That is symbolised by helping each other or being related somehow. However, they rarely appear together.

Addition by 'Uroo7kuro0': "Кощей" can come not only from the word "кость"/"bone". Also perhaps he's the prototype of another god whose name is "Карачун"/"Karachun" who was in charge of the cold. Interesting fact in some fairy tales Koschei and Baba Yaga were equally negative characters, while in others Baba Yaga helped the main characters kill Koschei

Devitsa is a transliteration from the word ‘девица’. It’s not well translatable but means something along the lines of maiden, mistress, damsel, maid or lady. Here, it is used like an honour title but like all honour titles the word Devitsa can and is used ironically. Nowadays in spoken contexts

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