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#royal heritage haveli
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Jaipur
Jaipur – the sublime & the ridiculous, the regal and the regular , the noble & the crass , the crazy and the comfortable ! Check it out ! https://youtu.be/DyfqsX7hVS8?si=BTroVajfG-ccqcPW Article follows ……
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bookwyrminspiration · 5 months
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since you’re talking about languages. just wanted to say im thinking about cajun french again. my mon-mon knows it and I could technically ask her to teach me a few words but it’s different than growing up with it y’know?
Oh BOY do I know. it's like...we are going to spend the rest of our lives with this ache. There is no undoing the fact we did not learn our heritage languages as children. Learning it later in life, even if we become completely and entirely fluent, does not and cannot ever change that we had to work for it. That we had to recreate it and that we will never and cannot ever come close to what could have been
There's this hurdle when learning it too--at least in my experience--where you feel like an impostor. And there is so much shame--for something completely out of our control; we had no say in what languages we were taught as kids. I'm always straining and listening to what others say--how they've shortened words colloquially, what versions they use more (e.g. oraciones vs sentencias), because that ease and experience and familiarity in conversation in others is something I don't have. They own the language enough to shape it to themselves, and I'm just trying to keep up. It doesn't feel like my language, doesn't roll off my tongue. I don't dream in it.
But I could have. And it's so hard, maybe even impossible, to forget that. Even when you learn it
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mejomonster · 9 months
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My biggest complaint about red white and blue is the cover ToT
(Don't take me too seriously dhdhf)
#red white and royal blue#lb#by this i mean: the novel? AMAZING. excellent superb. i am enjoying it phenomenally#the cover however reminds me more of the 200 page or less romance comedies that are very lighthearted with very little#depth of stress. which is fine. thats also a good kind of book.#but rwrb has like... alex being the biggest bitch in it. a workaholic out of touch emotionally (but very Emotionally acting) man#prince henry and the Actual Horrificly Fucked reality of life in the spotlight. political Weight and stress of calling out poljticial issues#By Name and risking alienating the reader audience by REQUIRING them to learn to sympathize with alex who may be unlike them#and who Feels unlike those in power and who Feels half his heritage hes being estranged from with his moms situation#and then Also asking you the reader to empathize with henry in a way you have provably never had to do in real life with Anyone like him#because in real life we simply never meet someone in henrys situation#its not the polish of prince charming. its the heartwrenching pain and fear and tragedy of Being#The Symbolic Prince Charming. it is a much HEAVIER novel than its cover implies#and i like the cover and think the Pop Bright Cover made romcom readers give it a chance and likely#expanded the readership and got readers to try a novel the would not otherwise have given a chance. so marketing wise its Excellent.#but i feel like... the core Reader who would go out specifically looking for a novel Like rwrb would#see this cover and assumr the story isnt as heavy as they were looking for.#likewise i saw caseys other book cover and i hate it lol ToT i would actively avoid reading it#but becausr its Casey writing? i bet it IS as heavy and complex emotionally and Specific as i want a novel to be#its just the cover of bright pop orange and pink was not designed for Me. it was designed to appeal to a broad audience
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nonasuch · 3 months
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IT IS TIME: Miss Universe National Costume 2023
it's here! the Met Gala for people who actually understand what camp is!
yes I'm like 3 months late, but I sat down and watched the damn thing. I put up with the horrible little rhyming couplets for each contestant so you don't have to. and without further ado:
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Albania: Starting off very Victoria’s Secret this year! Apparently it’s gold for important symbolism reasons, not just because everything in this competition is blinged out to within an inch of its life. The wings do look nice in motion!
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Angola has a good balance of bling, actual cultural dress, and oh hey it has surprise bonus art on the back! That will be a theme this year.
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Argentina: Why is there a guy in a hat right down at the bottom edge of her cape. He looks like he’s staring at her butt. How does this represent their flag.
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Aruba: This is fine. I like the coral. She thinks climate change is bad. Her parrot is clearly way too heavy to hold up and it wobbles like crazy in motion.
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Australia: This is now multiple years in a row that Australia has just worn a fucking prom dress. It’s got native wildflowers on. You could have made this exact same dress with a Great Barrier Reef theme and I would have liked it 80% more.
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Bahamas: This costume is allegedly based on a 19th-century doll from the Bahamas “world famous straw market,” which is already bullshit; I googled “bahamas straw market antique doll” and like. they both have big skirts? I guess? Anyway now I’m too distracted by the way she has a hoop skirt awkwardly jammed under there and hiked up on one side. Minus ten for poor construction.
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Bahrain's theme is “Bahrain’s pearl heritage,” which like. I guess? The headdress and yoke are pretty. Put more pearls on the actual outfit. Kudos for getting to wear pants.
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Belgium: Girl. No. Why is your theme “Latin dance” and why are you wearing a spangly cocktail dress with a totally unrelated piece of fabric fluttering behind it? (Apparently the fabric was designed by a member of Belgium’s royal family? Who is a fashion designer? This is what nepotism gets you.)
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Bolivia saw Aruba’s parrot and was like, I can do that better. And she was right! It’s way less wobbly and the costume as a whole does work better. Also made from recycled materials, so we’ll see if that’s a theme again this year. The back of the cape is nice too.
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Sadly, Bolivia's parrot supremacy was short-lived, because Brazil was like, bitch please. I see your sad little parrots and raise you FOUR giant parrots, and also the shoulder parrots are articulated and can turn their heads back and forth. I think Brazil wins the parrot competition that only she knew she was in.
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an-adhd-infested-nerd · 3 months
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I have no real connection to my Irish heritage but every time something bad happens to the royal family the 50% Irish in me jumps up and does a jig
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vancilart · 1 year
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stupid big bark bark
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youtube
#This royal house#which stands in the Capital city Agartala covering one sq.Km. area was built by Maharaja Radha Kishore Manikya during 1899-1901.It is a two#having a mixed type of architecture with three high domes#the central one being 86′ high. The magnificent tile floor#curved wooden ceiling and beautifully crafted doors are particularly notable. The palace is set with huge Mughal style gardens#beautified by pools and gardens and tiled floors. Flood lighting and fountains have also added to its beauty.The magnificent tiles floors#ceiling of the Chinese room crafted by artisans brought from China#of the palace which now houses the State Legislative Assembly#may give some idea of the opulence and splendor of the original setting of the building. It has recently been adorned with a spectacular mu#Early in the museum's history#controversy erupted over the state government's proposed move to change the name of Ujjayanta Palace to Tripura State Museum. The Indigenou#Hamid Ansari#protesting that the name of the museum should reflect the history and heritage of the region. Pradyut Bikram Kishore Debbarma#the titular king of Tripura said#"The palace is a historical spot. It doesn’t belong to the members of the erstwhile royal family alone#neither does it solely belongs to the government. It belongs to Tripura and somebody in the government can’t suddenly impose a decision to#FOLLOW ME:#Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karimmufte/#Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karimmufte/#LinkIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahamudul...#Twitter: https://twitter.com/karimmufte#Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/c/MahamudulKar...#• Licence:#Song: Ikson - Paradise (Vlog No Copyright Music)#Music promoted by Vlog No Copyright Music.#Video Link: https://youtu.be/glMhD3EU46k#Song: Acn8 - If The World Was Ending#Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music.#Video Link: https://youtu.be/6kxyHxzilug#GoProHERO9
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melzula · 21 days
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All I Ever Wanted
pairing: zuko x reader
notes: this was originally requested by an anon but i also took inspiration from mitski’s song “your best american girl” while writing this. give it a listen during your read !
summary: as a peasant and servant girl for the palace, you should have known better than to fall for the Prince
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The sun is warm against your skin and the grass is soft beneath you as you land on your back in a fit of giggles. Azula is unamused by your antics, but Zuko finds himself laughing right along with you. It’s a peaceful summer’s day in the palace gardens, and you spend it as you would any other day by playing with your friends.
“I caught you,” you tell him with a breathless laugh after turning your head to face him.
“No way, I was just going easy on you,” he argues with playful grin, his nose nearly brushing against your own due to your close proximity on the grass. Your heart beats fast in your rib cage as you try to ignore the rising heat on your face and play it off as a result of your exhaustion and not your nerves from lying with the Prince. You haven’t realized it yourself, but you have a crush on Zuko, a painfully obvious one that he hasn’t seemed to notice yet. What you also don’t realize is that he reciprocates the feeling, and he shares the thrill that comes with being your playmate.
“Are you two done yet?” Azula finally interrupts with a roll of her eyes as she offers you her hand and helps you up from the ground. “It’s my turn to hide this time.”
“I don’t think we can play anymore,” Zuko notes with a frown as his mother makes her way towards your group. You quickly bow in respect to the Fire Lady, but she waves you off with a smile.
“I’m sorry, y/n, but Zuko and Azula must attend their fire bending lessons now. I’m afraid playtime is over for today,” she informs you apologetically.
“Yes, Fire Lady Ursa,” you reply politely before turning to give both of your friends departing hugs. “Bye Zuko, bye Azula!”
“It’s too bad you’re not a fire bender,” Azula remarks after halfheartedly returning your embrace. “Maybe dad would let us play with you more if you were.”
Her words make your body hot with embarrassment and shame, and though you don’t voice your discomfort Ursa is instantly able to pick up on it. With a scolding glare, the Fire Lady quickly urges her daughter to apologize.
“Azula, that is not a nice thing to say to a friend.”
“But it’s true,” the girl mutters under her breath only to have her mother drag her away before she can get the chance to say anything else. Zuko hesitates then, giving you an apologetic look and promising to play with you tomorrow before rushing after Ursa and Azula.
You’ve never really cared about being a non-bender, but there’s something about Azula’s words that has you questioning your worth. As the daughter of a royal family servant with no title or money to her name, you knew you were lucky to be able to grow up in the palace and play with the Fire Lord’s children. However, you never once realized that you weren’t their equal. They were royalty, a Prince and a Princess destined to become powerful benders and ruthless leaders of the Fire Nation, and you were simply a girl who would one day grow up to live a life of servitude. You had no real future or purpose ahead of you, not like they did, and yet you were the only one unaware of your unfortunate fate.
Perhaps it’s because they never treated you in such a way, and your mother did her best to shield you from your true heritage. For now you could grow up blissfully unaware of the fact that your friends would one day outgrow you.
“Mom?” Zuko asks once they’re safe inside the palace. “Do you like y/n?”
“She’s a sweet girl,” Ursa notes with a faint smile, “and she makes you both happy. So yes, I like her.”
“Then why doesn’t Dad?”
The Fire Lady’s smile fades into a remorseful frown, and she simply ushers her son forward with a shake of her head. “Let’s not worry about that now. You’re going to be late for your lesson.”
Zuko isn’t satisfied with her answer, but he isn’t give a chance to discuss it further with her. For now, he remains content with the fact that he likes you, and his mother likes you.
That is enough for him.
~~~
The day is calm as you carefully hang the clothes to dry and enjoy the warmth of the sun basking on your skin. It’s rare that you get tasked with the outdoor chores, so you savor the opportunity for as long as you can. Doing the royal family’s laundry certainly beats scrubbing the floors of the palace, and you are grateful the spirits have taken mercy upon you today.
You’re freshly fifteen and the summer is just beginning. You’ve grown into a well-mannered young woman, and you’re old enough now to be able to take on some of the work that once fell to your mother. One day you will take her place and continue to serve the royal family until you’re no longer physically able. You’ll never get to leave, but you consider yourself grateful to live on the palace grounds. You will forever have a roof over your head, food on the table, and, most importantly, your friends.
You take great care to pin Azula’s dresses down without getting any creases or wrinkles in the fabric, and you’re so lost in thought that you don’t notice the figure carefully creeping up behind you. You’re too busy reciting the words to an old Fire Nation folk song your mother had taught you to pay any mind to your surroundings, and it gives Zuko the perfect opportunity to catch you by surprise.
“Y/n!” He exclaims with a grin as his hands land firmly upon your shoulders. You nearly jump out of your skin at the act, and your reaction has the Fire Prince laughing so hard his cheeks begin to hurt.
“Zuko!” You scold with an irritated scowl as you chuck a handful of clothespins at him in retaliation. “You need to stop doing that!”
“I’m sorry, you just make it so easy,” he teases with a light nudge to your side before taking it upon himself to pick up the pins you’d discarded.
“Shouldn’t you be getting ready to leave for Ember Island?” You ask him with a quizzical look as you resume your previous work of hanging the clothes.
“That’s actually what I was coming to talk to you about,” he admits with a sheepish smile. “I want you to come with us.”
“What? You’re not serious, are you?” You retort apprehensively, halting your movements to gauge his reaction for any hint of insincerity or humor.
“I am serious. You deserve to have fun once in a while too,” he notes with a careful smile. You’re too oblivious to notice the look of admiration on his face and definitely too concerned with finding a way to let him down gently to realize he’s inviting you because he likes you. Despite your own feelings for the Prince you’ve developed over the years, you’re much too self-depreciating to ever believe Zuko could possibly feel the same. If only you knew.
“I can’t just up and leave! There’s work to be done, a-and my mother would be so upset with me if I abandoned my chores and-“
“Azula will tell our father she wishes to bring you along as a personal servant so you can come with us, and someone else will be tasked with taking on your work while you’re away. There’s no way your mom could be upset with you for serving the Princess, could she?”
“Azula would really do that for me?” You question meekly, a hopeful glint in your eyes as you hang on to his every word. You’re trying your best not to get your hopes up, but you wish for nothing more than to leave the capital city to see the ocean for the first time and feel the sand beneath your feet. As the daughter of a servant and now a servant yourself, you know you’d never get a chance like this if not for the fact that the siblings had grown fond of you over your years of friendship together. You’re lucky, because you know without them you’d truly be nothing more than a floor scrubbing peasant.
“Of course she would, she wants you there just as much as I do,” Zuko assures you. Gently taking your hands in his own, he gives them a comforting squeeze and looks into your eyes with a loving smile. “We leave tomorrow morning. Bring enough clothes to last you three days and a bathing suit.”
“I don’t own one,” you admit with an embarrassed frown, but your friend doesn’t display any sign of judgement in the slightest towards your shortcomings.
“Then I’ll take you shopping myself when we get there.”
Your heart melts at his words, your gaze falling to the ground bashfully as you try not to dwell on the fact that he’s still holding your hands. You’re in love with the Prince, and the Prince is in love with you, and everyone but you has figured out just how much you mean to each other.
Even Fire Lord Ozai, who odiously watches the scene unfold before him from the top of the palace balcony.
~~~
The shores of Ember Island are beautiful.
The waves almost seem to sparkle underneath the moonlight as they crash peacefully against the shore, and down below the lively chatter of your friends carries through the air and fills your heart with contentment. You’ve had the most perfect time here at the beach, and it pains you to know that tonight will be your last night of freedom before you must return home and resume your life as a servant girl.
The wooden doors behind you carefully slide open and closed, and soon a familiar warmth joins you out on the balcony. For a while you say nothing, simply enjoying the closeness of him as you watch Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai practice tricks in the sand below. You don’t know how to thank the Prince for all he’s done for you, for always looking out for you since you were children, for never once treating you as less than for your heritage. You don’t know how to tell him that you love him with your entire being.
So he does it for you.
“I got you something,” Zuko says after a moment’s silence, waiting for you to turn your gaze to him so he may pull out a small clam from beneath his robes. You raise a curious eyebrow at his offering as he gestures for you to take it.
“A clam shell?” You note inquisitively as you turn the gift around in your palms, carefully feeling out its grooves and intricate ridges.
“Open it,” he directs you quietly, anxiously watching your movements with bated breath.
You smile curiously at your friend before delicately pulling the top half of the shell open to reveal the contents inside. Your eyes widen in surprise at the gift that greets you, and you immediately look up to Zuko to ensure this isn’t some kind of joke.
Inside the clam sits a beautiful gold necklace with a dainty sun pendant resting in the center that shimmers under the light of the moon. It’s beautiful, and it’s certainly worth more than your own life, which is why you immediately try to hand it back to him.
“I-I can’t accept this!” You hastily insist with a quick shake of your head as you struggle to return the clam to him. “It’s too nice!”
“You can accept this,” Zuko reassures you as he carefully pushes the gift back towards you. When his efforts fail due to your persistent attempts to give back the shell, he lets out a sigh and carefully removes the necklace from the clam. “Y/n, I want you to have it.”
“But why?” You demand apprehensively, almost flinching away when he moves towards you with the necklace. You’re completely overwhelmed by his gift and unsure of what it means or why you’d ever be deserving of such a thing. You don’t want to take advantage of his kindness or his status, and you feel like he’s done more than enough for you by bringing you along on this trip, so it just feels wrong of you to take it.
“Because you deserve nice things too,” Zuko explains, and after giving you a pointed look you finally allow him to carefully put the necklace on you. The sun rests daintily along your neck, and he thinks it suits you perfectly. “I brought you on this trip because I wanted you to have fun for once, but also because… well, because I love you, and I thought a romantic setting might make it easier to tell you that.”
“You love me?”
“You haven’t noticed?” He retorts with a meek smile. “I’m not the best at words, but I know that I’ve loved you since we were children feeding turtle ducks in the pond and playing tag in the gardens. You have the purest heart of anyone I know, the sweetest smile, you are everything to me. I hope that by accepting this gift, you’ll be accepting me as someone worthy enough to be your boyfriend.”
“Oh, Zuko…” you murmur softly, eyes full of tears as you throw yourself into his arms and hug him as tight as humanly possible. You’re still shocked by the fact that the boy you love will all your heart feels the same, but you try to remind yourself not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Zuko is right when he says that you deserve to enjoy what life has to offer just as much as he does, so maybe it’s time you finally start allowing yourself the chance to finally let your guard down. You can be more than just a servant girl from the palace.
You can be happy.
~~~
You sit quietly before the vanity mirror as your mother tediously brushes through your hair to ensure not a single strand is out of place. The wrinkles in her skin crease with her nerves as she carefully begins to pin your hair back into the perfect top knot. Immediately after your return home from Ember Island, you were informed that the Fire Lord wished to speak with you. You were expected to drop your chores for the day and make yourself decent before presenting yourself to him. His request to see you surprised you considering the fact you previously believed he didn’t even know of your existence, but it made you nervous all the same. If anything were to go wrong during your meeting, you’d be jeopardizing both yours and your mother’s jobs.
“Make sure to sit up straight and no slouching,” she reminds you quietly while stopping to admire her work. “Hold your tongue until he allows you to speak and thank him for all he has done for us. It is a great honor to speak to Fire Lord Ozai, so you must treat it as such.”
“Mother, what could the Fire Lord possibly want to talk to me about?”
She doesn’t meet your eyes at first, looking away as if contemplating carefully what her next words should be. With a sigh, she sets the brush down and looks at you through the reflection. “Word has spread quickly about you and Prince Zuko, and I think he knows.”
You swallow nervously at her admission, absently brushing your fingers against the sun that hangs around your neck. You never once considered what Zuko’s father would think about his son’s choice of a partner; Ursa had always treated you as one of her own, and Azula considered you to be a good friend, but what would Ozai say of the peasant girl who had stolen his son’s heart?
You don’t have much time to mull over it further as a guard arrives to escort you from your quarters to the throne room. All eyes seem to follow you as you walk through the palace, the gold and red hues overwhelming your senses as you do your best to remain calm. You have no idea what awaits you at the end of the hallway, but there’s no escape now as the grand doors open and you’re pushed inside.
Ozai sits on the throne with a wall of flames roaring behind him. His features are stoic but his gaze is menacing as his eyes watch your meager form approach. You immediately bow in respect to the man once you reach him and kneel before his seated figure. Just as your mother instructed, you say nothing until you are spoken to.
“So you’re the girl my son has chosen to be his partner?” He drawls with a raised brow, obviously not impressed by the person before him.
“Yes, sir. It is an honor to present myself to you, my Lord,” you profess as earnestly as possible while adding another bow for good measure. You need his approval not only to continue dating Zuko, but also to ensure you and your mother are both able to continue living behind the palace walls. Even if you are there as servants tucked away in the peasant quarters, it certainly is a better place to be than out in the streets.
“I know who you are, child,” Ozai scoffs callously as he peers down at you from his place on the throne. “You are the peasant girl who managed to worm her way into the lives of my children. You are a lowly servant with nothing to your name and nothing special about you, and yet you have managed to corrupt my only son."
“Fire Lord Ozai, I-I apologize if my actions have upset you,” you quickly try to interject, but he holds a hand up and signals you to halt your pathetic rambling. Ozai does not have the time nor care to hear your excuses or explanations. That’s not what this meeting is for.
“Do you know how poorly it would reflect on me to have Zuko galavanting around the palace with a servant? Do you know how poorly it reflects on him to be seen with you? It’s a disgrace, and it is something I will not tolerate.”
“I know,” you utter quietly, trying to make yourself appear as small as you feel on the inside. Despite what Zuko has told you, you know that his father is right. You are nothing compared to him. He is the sun, the Prince, the heir to the throne. His future ahead is bright, and there is much for him to accomplish. You have no future, no plans for your life, nothing as grand or important as him and Azula. You are not the sun or the moon or even the stars that hang in his sky, you are insignificant, and you will never be worthy enough to be his.
“A future Fire Lord cannot have a maid as a wife. You must break his heart so that he no longer wants anything to do with you, so that he can move on and find a girl more worthy of becoming the future Fire Lady. You must make it appear to be your own doing and not mine, otherwise it won’t work. Have I made myself clear, child?”
“Yes, Fire Lord Ozai,” you whisper softly, a single tear sliding down your cheek as you bow to the cruel man before you. “I understand.”
~~~
The clouds that hang overhead are gray as Zuko makes his way towards the servants’ quarters. It is unheard of for any royal to ever set foot on these grounds, and so all eyes watch the Prince curiously as he approaches your humble home and knocks gently on the door. Movement sounds from the other side, and after a moment he is met with the startled face of your mother. It’s clear that she hadn’t been expecting him, and he takes her by surprise when he bows to the woman in respect.
“I apologize for coming unannounced, but I was hoping I could speak to y/n,” he utters with a look of defeat on his face. His sullen features make his lack of sleep obvious, and his eyes are full of desperation. You’ve been avoiding him for weeks and he has no clue as to why, but he hopes to figure it out soon before he starts to spiral any further.
“She’s…” your mother begins to say, glancing unsurely behind her before looking back to him, “she’s not feeling well. You can come back another time.”
“But-“
“Please, Prince Zuko, we can’t risk you catching whatever it is she’s come down with. You must go.”
She gives him no time to argue before slamming the door in his face. Zuko is stunned, but his shock quickly turns to anger as he lets out a frustrated breath of flames from his mouth before stalking off to cool himself down.
His footsteps fade into the distance as he departs, and you can only sit by the window of your room and watch him walk away. There’s a tightness in your chest that makes you feel as if you can’t breathe, and once he finally disappears over the horizon you break down into an inconsolable mess.
You love Zuko with all of your heart, so it kills you to act as if he means nothing to you. You’re trying to do what Ozai has demanded of you, but it’s agonizing and difficult. You’re too much of a coward to face him and break it off for good, so you’ve resorted to avidly avoiding the Prince at all costs. You hope that by pushing him away he’ll take it upon himself to end the relationship; it would be much less painful that way, but he’s too stubborn for his own good, and he’s persisted despite your best efforts.
The days seem to blend together as you lock yourself in your room while your mother continues to turn Zuko away. You haven’t done any of your chores or worked in days, but Ozai has not faulted you for your incompletion of tasks. Breaking Zuko’s heart is your task, and so long as you keep your word he couldn’t care less what you did with yourself.
After another week has passed, suffocation finally catches up to you and you’re forced to leave your room in order to get some fresh air. You sneak out at nightfall when the palace is quiet and your mother is sleeping so that no one can detect your presence. You retreat to the well out in the back and stare contemplatively into the water below. Clutching the sun that hangs from the gold chain around your neck, you admire the moon’s reflection in the ripples and wish you could be anywhere else but here in the Fire Nation.
“I thought I’d find you here,” a voice utters quietly, causing you to jump in alarm at the intrusion. You turn to meet the solemn gaze of the Prince, and as your back hits the cool stones of the well you find that you are cornered. You can’t avoid him now, and it’s a fact both of you are aware of.
“Zuko, I… I was just leaving,” you stammer hurriedly as you try to push your way past him, but he catches you by the arm before you can get away.
“No, not until you talk to me!” He demands, his eyes full of desperation and despair. “You’re supposed to be my girlfriend, yet you keep avoiding me. Why? Was it something I did?”
“No, Zuko, you didn’t do anything,” you insist despite refusing to meet his gaze. You’re terrified that someone will see you both together and alert Ozai, and you wish he would just release you so you could go back to hiding away in your room.
“Then why won’t you even look at me?”
Slowly, you peek your head up to meet his exasperated face. It seems he’s not going to give up without a fight, so you’re going to have to resort to doing what you’ve been trying to avoid this entire time.
“I don’t love you.”
“W-What?” Zuko stammers in quiet surprise, his hold on your arm loosening slightly. He doesn’t believe what he’s hearing from you, and his mind is scrambling to process your words.
“I don’t love you. I want nothing to do with you,” you repeat firmly, your eyes hardening as you stare up at him and yank yourself free from his grasp.
“Y/n, you don’t mean that-“
“I do mean it! I feel nothing for you, Zuko. I never have. I just felt like I couldn’t say no to you because you’re the Prince, so I had no choice but to say yes to being your girlfriend.”
Hurt flashes across his features and you’re dying inside at having to be so cruel to him. The heart of your childhood best friend is in your hands and you crush it with every word despite how much it pains you. But it’s better for both of you this way, it must be. Ozai will never let you be happy together, but apart he still has a chance to capture the promised future ahead of him. You’re doing him a favor, and you hope one day he’ll be able to see it that way too.
“I don’t understand,” he murmurs weakly, tears beginning to well in his eyes. Then, with frustration clear in his tone, “This doesn’t make any sense!”
“Did you honestly think we could actually be together?” You retort in disbelief. “Azula always said you were a fool, but I didn’t think you were this naive. A servant and a Prince don’t belong together, and you’re the only one who can’t seem to get that!”
“Alright, fine,” Zuko mutters indignantly. His sadness has quickly morphed into anger, and you hate the way it makes you feel. “Can I just ask you one thing?”
You say nothing in response, and he takes your silence as a sign to continue.
“If you don’t love me, then why are you still wearing the necklace?”
Your eyes widen slightly as your hand immediately flies to your neck to clutch the pendant, and your heart slowly begins to sink to your stomach as you realize you’ve been caught in your lie. It’s your turn now to be at a loss for words, unsure what to say as you simply stare up at him with your mouth slight agape.
“You don’t mean what you’re saying,” Zuko says firmly as he moves closer to you. “Someone else is speaking for you, aren’t they?”
“I…”
“What’s going on, y/n?” He presses gently, carefully resting a hand upon your cheek. “Why are you acting this way?”
“I can’t tell you,” you argue weakly, your own eyes becoming full of tears as you allow yourself to melt into his touch. You’ve missed the feeling of his warmth and the comfort of his closeness, and despite your mind screaming at you to remove yourself from him your heart keeps you planted in place.
“That’s nonsense, of course you can. You’ve always been able to tell me anything, so why can’t you now?”
“Can’t you just believe me when I tell you it’s for your own good?” You plead emphatically despite the wavering of your voice.
“How can this possibly be for my own good?!” He retorts in exasperation. “I’ve been miserable without you. Life feels empty when you aren’t around, and I don’t know how to deal with the fact that the girl I’ve loved all my life can’t seem to stand me.”
“It’s not like that!” You cry defensively as the tears finally begin to fall.
“Then what is it?!” Zuko demands, and you can’t seem to take any more of this torture. The lies are killing you, and you can’t help but to finally crack under pressure.
“I’m not good enough for you!” You finally exclaim as you pull yourself away from his touch. You try to choke back your sobs but the ache in your chest makes the task difficult, and you can do nothing but let your words flow freely after keeping them bottled in for weeks. “I-I have nothing to offer you, nothing that makes me special, nothing ahead of me like you do. It’s an embarrassment to the Fire Lord for you to be with me, and it will be an embarrassment for you to have me as your Fire Lady.”
Stunned by your admission, it takes Zuko a moment to process your words. He steps towards you and you flinch, effectively breaking his heart in the process. It’s clear you’re frightened, but not of him. Your fear is geared toward someone else, and the culprit must be responsible for you now feeling this way.
“Who told you such nonsense?”
“Your father,” you admit quietly much to Zuko’s dismay. His eyes immediately harden and his chest is immediately tight with anger, but he does his best to keep his emotions at bay so as to not upset you further. “He spoke to me when we returned from Ember Island and told me we couldn’t be together. Ozai demanded I break your heart so that you can move on and find another girl more suited for this life than I could ever be. I didn’t want to, I still don’t want to, but I’m doing this so that you can have a better future. I’ll only hold you back, Zuko.”
After taking a moment to digest your words, Zuko carefully steps towards you again. You don’t reject his advances this time, so he allows himself the opportunity to carefully wipe away the steady tears that fall down your cool cheeks. Despite how much of a mess you assume you must look like, the Prince still sees you as the most beautiful girl he’s ever laid eyes on.
“I don’t care what my father says,” he assures you gently as he takes your hands in his own. “You’re not an embarrassment, and there’s no other girl that could ever compare to you. I love you, y/n, and I’m not going to let anyone ever get in the way of that.”
“You mean that?” You ask with a quiet sniffle, holding his hands tight as if he’ll leave if you let go.
“Every word. Let my father and anyone else who disapproves of our relationship say what they want to say. I want to be with you, and I hope you still want to be with me too.”
His looks to you with pleading eyes that seek your reassurance, and for a moment you hesitate. Being with Zuko is all you’ve ever wanted, and now he stands here before you professing his loyalty and his love to you. The boy from your childhood had stolen your heart, and you’d be lying if you said you wanted it back.
You know being with him won’t be easy, especially not with his father’s adamant disapproval of your relationship, but you trust Zuko, and so you have to trust that everything will turn out okay. You meet his desperate gaze and gift him a faint smile, and despite knowing you’ll regret this, you wordlessly lean in to meet his lips in a kiss.
You can worry about Ozai’s wrath later. But for now, you allow yourself to melt into his embrace by the moonlit well as you share your first kiss in weeks. It feels right being in his arms once more after spending so much time apart, and you hope you’ll never have to be without his touch ever again.
| zuko tags: @ilovespideyyy @yiyibetch @eridanuswave @lammello @a-monsters-love @taeeemin @livelaughlovekuni @lovialy @alexatiu
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mybappa · 2 years
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thursdaysidjit · 2 years
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while i’m rambling- curse my parents for not naming me the male name they’d picked. LEO?! KANE?! give me them now.
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flawseer · 3 months
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Jade Mountain Academy students
#Bonus - Faculty chapter
And here, as has been requested, we have the ones in charge of the operation. And so I am left pondering that, over the course of this project, I have drawn essentially all of the arc 1 and arc 2 protagonists... with the exception of Glory. That's pretty weird.
Anyway, here goes:
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Sunny
Teaches subject(s) - Art, Cultural Exchange
Additional responsibilities- Founder, chief administrator, student admission, teacher-student relations, Silver winglet guardian
Tribe - Sandwing (partial Nightwing heritage)
Color - Sunrise gold
Relatives - Stonemover (father)
Physical characteristics - bright golden color; green eyes; no venom barb; small stature with slim to average build
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Tsunami
Teaches subject(s) - Exercise
Additional responsibilities- "Head of School", security chief, Jade winglet guardian
Tribe - Seawing
Color - Cobalt blue
Relatives - Prince Turtle (brother), Princess Anemone (sister)
Physical characteristics - bent horns; royal wing markings; small burn scar on right side of neck, small cut in wing membrane; large build, long and burly
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Clay
Teaches subject(s) - Anatomy
Additional responsibilities- Chief healer, student counselor, Copper winglet guardian
Tribe - Mudwing
Color - Bronze
Relatives - Umber (brother), Sora (sister), Marsh (brother)
Physical characteristics - curly horns; diminished mobility in right hindleg, walks with a limp; very large stature, muscular, heavy, broad
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Starflight
Teaches subject(s) - Science, Literacy
Additional responsibilities- Chief librarian, chief accountant, Quartz winglet guardian
Tribe - Nightwing
Color - Midnight blue gray
Relatives - none on site
Physical characteristics - severe burn scarring across face, neck, and chest; blind in both eyes; average size and build
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Fatespeaker
Teaches subject(s) - Science, Literacy (assisting)
Additional responsibilities- Assistant librarian, assistant student counselor, inventory
Tribe - Nightwing
Color - Dark violet black
Relatives - none on site
Physical characteristics - curved horns; small silver scales near eyes and along body; smallish stature, slim, slightly underweight
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Webs
Teaches subject(s) - History
Additional responsibilities- Assistant healer, assistant accountant, Gold winglet guardian
Tribe - Seawing
Color - Teal green and blue
Relatives - none on site
Physical characteristics - blotty, luminous markings across body, luminous birthmark on left front talon; small puncture scar on tail; medium to large size, gaunt frame
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Stonemover
Tribe - Nightwing
Relatives - Sunny (daughter)
Additional notes - Stonemover is neither a member of the Jade Mountain Academy faculty, nor a student, but remains on site as a consultant on various animus-related matters (and also because he is stuck to the floor).
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sunnytarg · 1 year
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A aemond Targaryen x velaryon reader smut ( daughter of laenor and rhaenrya ) where instead of lucerys going to storm ends she goes and he hears that she is betrothed to Cregan Stark, so he basically demands that she gives her self to him or he will kill her brothers👀. So she runs and he chases her and kidnaps her on a island where they yk and she gets pregnant… towards the end rhaenrya gets wind of her only daughter getting kidnapped and impregnated causing the war because she thinks she was assaulted by aemond.
This turned out to be so much longer than I meant for it to be so I hope you enjoy it. You can also read it on Ao3
The Song of Asteria || Aemond Targaryen x Niece!reader
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Aemond had always trodden the fine line between love and hate when it came to the eldest Velaryon sibling. He admired and hated her. He lusted after her and wanted to wrap his hands around her neck at the same time for the way she made him feel.
When they were children it was simply envy he felt toward her. While his brother ran away from his Targaryen heritage, Aemond dove in head first. He learned everything he could about Old Valyria and their ancestors. Why they could ride dragons and sometimes have prophetic dreams. Despite all of this, he was still only half Targaryen by blood and his father never talked to him about what it meant. This made it easy to hate his nephews, as they were so clearly bastards. They walked around with the name Velaryon, claiming to be the blood of the dragon when they were nothing more than a product of an affair with no one special.
His niece was different, though. She outmatched them all with her Valyrian blood. She was a Targaryen and a Valyrian and had both her parents around to tell her what it meant to be the blood of the dragon. When they left for Dragonstone he tried not to think of her much but his thoughts always returned to her. At the funeral for Leana Valeryon, he had seen her once again. In the short time that she and the rest of her family had been gone he had learned that envy could border into desire. As they stood around outside chatting after the funeral rites he could only watch his niece. Watch her silver hair catch rays of the sun that were beating down on them. Watch as her lilac eyes trailed after the dragons that flew overhead.
He had every intention of going over and talking to her but was stopped when he saw the glare that her brother Jacerys was giving him. He must have seen how he looked at his niece. It was just another thing that the Strong bastard couldn’t understand. Targaryen's blood sang out to each other like a siren luring in prey. She was calling to him but he turned the other way when her brother went to her side.
It was that night that he had claimed Vaghar. He had proven that he didn’t need a dragon to hatch. Not when he could get the oldest living dragon to head his commands and his alone. When he had climbed off of Vaghar he only had one thing in mind and that was to talk to his niece. To prove to her that despite also having Hightower blood he was just as much of Old Valyria as she was as he had claimed a dragon finally. With this news perhaps he could persuade her to accept a betrothal with him despite their mother’s hatred towards each other. They were too young to be married now but as royals, they should have been betrothed to someone already, in fact, he was surprised it took so long for Aegon and Helaena to become betrothed.
He was not met with his niece when he returned inside, though. He was met by his nephews and cousins who were angry about what he had done. He hadn’t meant for things to go as far as they did but when his young nephew, Lucerys took his eye there was no going back. Not for anyone.
The girl he sought after would never want him now, not with an eye missing and a hideous scar marring his face. He turned to look at the Velaryon siblings two of who were bloodied and one who was awake but still blinking herself awake. He saw that she avoided looking at him. He saw how she took her brother’s side despite being the one who had caused permanent damage to him. When he looked at her an intense feeling washed over him, making blood rush in his ears and his eyes narrow in on her. He had no way of describing this feeling but before he could think to give it a name he was being yelled at by his father.
-*-
It had been years since that fateful day and he hadn’t seen his niece or nephews since. Well, he saw them in court the day his father died and at that last meal but it didn’t feel as though it mattered because he didn’t get to say anything to her. That was all he wanted and yet, he knew if given the chance, he wouldn’t know what to say.
That’s why when she arrived in Storm’s End with a message from her mother for Borros Baratheon he knew this was his chance. He knew Borros wouldn’t agree to honor his oath to his half-sister. He was not only a stupid man but he got a marriage pact out of pledging his allegiance to Aegon.
“The King has at least offered me something, girl,” Borros said to his niece whose lips curled in distaste at his words. “A marriage pact is most helpful in sealing houses together, tell me, which of your brothers will marry one of my daughters?”
Her chin lifted and her voice was strong, even over the roaring storm outside. “My brothers, Jacerys and Lucerys are already betrothed. My younger brothers are much too young to marry your daughters.”
“So, you can offer nothing.” The Baratheon said with fake pity in his voice and Aemond smirked. Despite the fact that he coveted his niece, he could help the joyous monster that rose up in him when he realized that with his father dead, there was no protection for Rhaenerya and her children. “Unless, of course, you have an offer you’d like to make? I have no sons but I have a brother.”
Aemond’s blood felt as though it has turned to ice. Not because the Baratheon lord was openly suggesting going against his agreement in front of him but because the woman in front of him could be betrothed in seconds. Torn from him before he had a chance to have her. He didn’t realize he was squeezing the hilt of his dagger as hard as he was until he heard a gentle cough from beside him. His own betrothed. Although, none of that mattered when he saw the proud smirk on his niece’s face.
“I, myself am already betrothed to the warden of the North, Cregan Stark.” When she spoke those words he could have sworn she glimpsed his way. “I would not rid myself of such a strong betrothal for a match with a Baratheon.”
She spat the name like it was rotten food in her mouth. Aemond would have been impressed with her attitude in the face of the large and proud man if he hadn’t stopped listening to her when she announced her betrothal.
“You may be a proud man but you have no honor. Not having your house's allegiance is probably for the best.” She spoke up again and then bowed her head to Borros Baratheon, “I shall take my leave, now.”
She had only turned around and taken two steps before Aemond called out, “wait!”
She froze and turned slowly. He couldn’t blame her for the hesitancy in the look she gave him but he didn’t care about that right now.
"You will not wed Cregan Stark."
There was a pause before she threw her head back and laughed. “Who, my uncle, are you to declare such a thing? The rightful ruler arranged the match and it will help my family greatly. Plus, no one else worthy enough has stepped up to try and take my hand.”
Aemond couldn’t help but feel like those last words were directed at him. They felt like a dig at him and yet he couldn’t be sure. Instead of responding to that he only pulled out his dagger and smirked at her.
“I will have you and that northern bastard won’t stand in my way.” He growled and pulled off his eyepatch to showcase his missing eye and the sapphire in its place at the same time. “Think of it as a payment for what your bastard brother took from me.”
“You tried to kill him that night.” Her mouth was in a thin line. Oh, she was angry at him for mentioning her little brother. He could have fun with this he decided.
“Would it really matter if one little bastard died?” He questioned rhetorically. He held the dagger up and looked at it before twirling it easily in his hand. “If you don’t come with me tonight then I will fly to Dragonstone tonight and not only pluck out that little shit's eyes but stab my dagger through his heart.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” The certainty that was previously in her voice had disappeared and he saw her eye up the exit.
Borros Baratheon attempted to speak but with a look from Aemond and a hand on the hilt of his sword, the lord rightly closed his mouth.
“Wouldn’t I, dear niece?”
She didn’t respond as she sprinted towards the doorway and outside. He had predicted she would do such a thing so he made after her. He didn’t run to Vaghar, he knew he would make no trip to Dragonstone tonight. His niece was fast but not faster than he was and before she could reach her dragon he wrapped his arm around her midsection tightly and knocked her unconscious. He threw her over his shoulder and walked to Vaghar.
Neither of them would be going to Dragonstone or King’s Landing tonight or for many nights to come.
-*-
The sun shining on her face woke her. She brought a hand up to shield her eyes as she looked around. She was on what appeared to be a large island. One she didn’t recognize and one that didn’t seem to have any other inhabitants. She saw that vegetation was growing on the far corner and she saw Vaghar’s large form behind the only cave on the island.
“You have no clue where we are do you?” A voice questioned behind her and she saw her uncle standing behind her. He was without his jacket but still had his sword and dagger hanging on his hips. Before she could respond he answered for her. “Of course, you don’t, I doubt many people know of this place. I found it one day when I was flying Vaghar and when I returned to the Red Keep to study the maps, hoping to learn of the place I had just found, it wasn’t on any map.”
“Why am I here uncle?” She asked, ignoring his little speech. She didn’t know how to feel. On one hand, she was trapped on an island that apparently wasn’t on any map, meaning no one would know where to look for her and she was without her beloved dragon. On the other, she didn’t feel as though Aemond wished to harm her. She wasn’t sure why she was brought here but it wasn’t for him to kill her. If he wanted to do that he would have already of done it.
He held out his waterskin for her to drink without responding to her. He only looked off at the horizon and she hesitantly grabbed it from him. When the first drops of water touch her tongue she gulped down what little was rest, not realizing how thirsty she was. She handed it back to him and stood there quietly waiting for him to speak again.
It only took a few minutes for his eyes to leave the horizon and look at her. “Are you truly betrothed to Cregan Stark?”
She wasn’t surprised by his question but by the way he asked it. He sounded almost… sad.
“Of course,” she replied automatically. She took a deep breath before reciting what she had been told over and over again after the match had been made, “I couldn’t ask for a better man to have as a husband. Not only will the Starks keep their word to my mother but Lord Stark will make a fine husband.”
Aemond chuckled without any humor, “It’s a funny thing you do. You speak and all I hear is your mother’s voice.”
She frowned at that. She didn’t want to dignify it with an answer so instead, she asked again, “what am I doing here, Uncle?”
He sighed and brushed away a piece of her hair that had tangled from the storm and said, “I told you I would have you as a repayment for what your brother did to my eye.”
When she didn’t say anything he continued. “It gets awfully cold here at night. I plan to make a fire in the cave and sleep there. You may join me but know this, if you do not come to me tonight, you will eventually.”
After he told her this he turned and walked away. She didn’t look after him but turned to the horizon as he had done.
When she was younger she liked Aemond. They were forced to live together in the Red Keep as children and she had even enjoyed his company occasionally. Before her mother had moved them to Dragonstone she had truly thought that perhaps she would be betrothed to Aemond but that thought had permanently turned to ash when he had stolen his cousin’s right to claim Vaghar and her younger brother had stolen his eye. She knew that Lucerys had never meant to permanently harm Aemond. From the retellings of that night, he was only trying to protect their brother and he panicked and pulled a knife to stop their uncle from further harming Jacerys.
It didn’t matter, though. They had not talked after that night. Neither even attempted a conversation at that last meal.
She sat down on the soft grass and looked into the ocean. Her family would eventually find her, perhaps even before nightfall. When she was returned to Dragonstone she would be reunited with not only her family but her dragon that had been left behind in Storm’s End. She smiled at the thought but couldn’t shake the feeling of what to do with her time whilst stuck on this Island. Aemond didn’t seem to want to force her to spend time with him but rather to let her have her peace.
Aemond, she thought with a sigh. She had thought about him almost every day and she would only truly be lying to herself if she said she didn’t find him attractive as he has grown and she had to admit, the sapphire in place of where his eye once was only made him more alluring.
She groaned as her thoughts strayed. How could she think of him like that after the harm he caused her family? She shook her head to rid herself of her thoughts and decided to spend her time counting all of the fish that swam by in the clear waters before her.
-*-
He hadn’t been lying when he told his niece that wave a of chill came over this Island at night. He had made sure to find some goats to leave for Vaghar for the night and then proceeded to build a fire in the cave. He knew she would come in and join him eventually, especially when she heard the crackling of the fire.
The entire day he thought over and over what he would do with his niece. He could kill her. After all, a war was coming even if so many wanted to pretend otherwise. He couldn’t bring himself to even truly consider that possibility, though. She may be killed one day in battle or she may die of old age, either way, he would have no hand in it. He could carve out her eye and send it to her family on Dragonstone but that thought was quickly tossed away as well because as much as he told himself and her that he had taken her as payment for his stolen eye, it wasn’t true. He couldn’t mutilate her. He soon realized that he couldn’t bring harm to her in any way at all. He never wanted to. All his violent thoughts were reserved for her brothers and his sister.
When he curled his jacket into a ball and laid down on the blanket that he had stored in a pack on Vaghar’s back, his niece finally entered the cave. Her arms wrapped around herself and she shook silently. She looked at the fire and then at him.
“I won’t harm you, come here so you don’t freeze to death.” His whisper carried through the cave to her ears. She eyed him wearily and in return, he only patted the spot on the blanket beside himself. She moved slowly but once she felt the heat from the fire and the warmth from his body she quickly curled into him while facing the flames.
They lay there quietly. Both waiting for the other to say something first. In their silence, he couldn’t help but let his hand wander up to her silver hair that was facing him. It was curly unlike his, probably as a result of Leanor being her father, and his sister also had straight hair. His niece stiffened when he wrapped a long strand around his finger. When he let go he moved the rest of her hair off of her neck so that it pooled between her back and his chest.
Finally, he spoke, “I was going to ask if you wanted to be my betrothed that night.”
“What are you talking about?” She asked quietly but he could hear it in the way she said it, she already knew what he was talking about.
“The night I claimed Vaghar. I finally thought myself worthy of you. Before I was stopped I was headed to find you, to ask if you would ever consider being my betrothed.” He wasn’t sure what made him finally say it out loud. Maybe it was the fact that he had held it in for so long or perhaps it was the knowledge that she was to wed Cregan Stark and his childhood fantasies were soon to truly be snuffed out.
An awkward silence enveloped them and for a moment he thought she wasn’t going to say anything in return. When she did he thought his heart might have stopped at the words she spoke. “When we were children I thought we would one day be wed. Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part or maybe it truly could have happened.”
She was quiet for a moment and maybe it was because it was only the two of them on the island that she felt she could actually speak the truth. “I don’t want to marry Cregan Stark.”
He almost didn’t catch her whispered truth but when he did he asked quietly against her back, “what about what you told Borros Baratheon? Cregan Stark is an honorable man.”
“He is a perfect match for an ally, but I have never met him.” She replied. She then chuckled and said, “plus, I doubt I would like Winterfell very much. I’m sure it’s much colder there than it is here and I already feel as though I have turned to ice.”
He smiled despite the fact that she couldn’t see him.
She turned over so she was staring at him. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to see in her lilac eyes. Maybe anger or hatred for stealing her away but instead her eyes held a softness as she looked at him. Without saying a word she brought her hand up to his cheek, to the bottom of the scar. When he flinched, she stopped her hand and didn’t continue her movements until he finally met her eyes and nodded. She pulled his eyepatch off of his head and he watched as she took him in.
He wasn’t sure what she was doing or planning but when she leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips he made sure to meet her halfway. When she pulled back a fraction of an inch she breathed against his lips and whispered something that made his cock harden in his breeches, “just for tonight we could pretend that things went right that night. We could pretend to be husband and wife, no one would know other than us and the stars.”
He was too stunned to speak and decided to not even try when his niece took a hold of his hand a brought it to her hip. She leaned in to kiss him again and this time it was far from chaste. Aemond grabbed her by the nape of her neck and held her closer to him and when she squealed in response he licked into her mouth to taste her. Just the taste of her mouth was addicting and Aemond doubted he could leave this to just this one night.
He moved away from her now swollen lips and kissed her jaw and down her neck. He made sure to squeeze her hip harshly before rolling her onto her back. He pulled away for a moment to look down at her and with the way her eyes were blown with lust, her cheeks tinted pink and her silver hair fanned out around her on the ground, he was sure that he had a goddess of Old Valyria underneath him.
She reached to untie his breaches at the same time he pushed her dress up her thighs. She was not wearing a corset, shedding herself of it before entering the cave. It only made pulling her dress off all that much easier. Aemond brushed her hand away from his breeches and dove down to suck at one of her hard nipples. He brought one hand up to cup her breast and play with her other nipple as he sucked on the other. Her skin was so soft and despite the cold, she was warm. His other hand ghosted down her body until it reached the apex of her thighs. When he brought his middle finger down to run through her slit that was soaked she arched up into the air as she choked out a moan.
He watched her face closely as he delved his finger into her. She had her eyes closed and her mouth shaped into a perfect ‘O’. Aemond let go of her breast and moved to kiss her again. He pulled away slightly, his lips brushing hers as he said, “you’re so fucking wet. So ready to take my cock, just like you were always meant to.”
She nodded her head vigorously and whined, “Aemond, please.”
“Please what, My princess?” He teased with a smirked ask as he slid another finger into her warm cunt. He growled lowly at the way she gripped his fingers and could only imagine how her cunt would feel around his cock.
“Fuck me,” she said breathlessly as she wiggled against his fingers. “Please.”
He smiled and pulled his fingers from her. He brought them to her mouth for her to taste herself and she didn’t waste time in sucking them.
“In all due time, my dear niece,” Aemond said as he slid down her body. “First I plan on learning what you taste like.”
Aemond gave her no time to respond before he grabbed both of her thighs and held them open and brought his tongue to her soaking wet cunt and dove his tongue into her folds. He listened to the sounds she made and when she grasped onto his hair, he latched onto her clit and sucked. She was a babbling mess as she ground her cunt onto Aemond’s face. Aemond only sat still with mouth open and let her take her pleasure. He listened and her moans filled the cave and when she came with his name on her lips he hesitantly detached her hands from his hair and moved his mouth back up to her lips. She was still panting when she leaned down to kiss her.
She still had her eyes closed and was panting as he quickly finished untying his breeches. He pulled them far enough down to free his cock and no further. When she opened her eyes she looked at her uncle and saw him fisting his cock while looking at her. Since they started this, it was the first time she felt hesitant. She was still a maiden and looking at the size of her uncle she couldn’t help but wonder how the stretch of his thick cock would feel inside of her.
He leaned over her, holding himself up with one of his arms beside her head and he used his other hand to guide his cock in between her folds. Her whole body tightened at the intrusion and Aemond kissed her gently on her cheek and whispered reassuring words until he was buried into her to the hilt. He fought everything in him not to move and to let her adjust to him before he fucked her. He brought his other hand down to massage her thigh as she breathed deeply. As soon as she nodded Aemond pulled out slowly and thrust back in at the same speed, watching her the entire time. When the pinched look melted off of her face Aemond began to thrust harder into her. Whatever he had imagined she might feel like around his cock was nothing compared to how it really felt. He buried his face into her sweaty neck and groaned and he started to truly fuck her. He felt her breast bounce against his chest and the sounds of her moans and their skin slapping together filled the cave.
When he started to feel a coil in his stomach, letting him know he was close to cumming he brought his fingers down to her clit and rubbed at the same pace as his thrusts. His niece clenched hard around his cock as she came with a squeal.
He pulled back from her and continued to thrust, his arms caging her in. He lowered his mouth to hers and whispered hoarsely, “I’m going to fill you up. Just like I’ve been dreaming of doing for years. I’m going to fill you with my seed and I’m going to keep fucking you until my seed takes.”
The surprised look on her face made him groan and spill inside of her. He laid down on top of her, not removing himself from inside of her as they both caught their breath.
After a few minutes, Aemond pulled away and pulled off his breeches which only made his niece whine. His smile was similar to that of a dragon looking down at its prey when she whine at the loss of his body on hers.
“Don’t worry dear niece,” He said and he turned her around to lay on her stomach. She turned her head to look back at him with confusion when she saw his cock was hard again, “I’m going to fuck you several more times before the sun comes up.”
-*-
The two of them had stayed on the island longer than either of them planned. When his niece suggested that they stay for a few more days just so they don’t have to deal with the immediate headache of the succession of the throne and the problems it has caused Aemond agrees without thought. Because as much as he has always done his duty to his family, he now he’s to spend every night with his cock buried deep inside his niece and he’s almost certain there is no better feeling.
Eventually, they find themselves staying on the island, watching as the moon makes its way across the sky. They find peace with each other and not having to be in the middle of courtly politics all day every day. It isn’t until the moon passes for its third rotation. That his niece begins to act strange. When he asks her what’s wrong she tells him she has yet to bleed since Aemond has taken them to this island. It isn’t hard to guess what she’s saying. Aemond has spilled his seed into her every night and she has stopped bleeding. There really is no other explanation other than she must be carrying his child.
When a large smile spreads across his face, she lets out a sigh of relief. He suggests that they mount Vaghar and go to King’s Landing where she will receive care from the maesters for the remanding months. He rambles on about how they can be wed and have a family all while his niece thinks back to her own family on Dragonstone. They must believe her to be dead. Her dragon must have returned without her and they could have only assumed the worst, especially if the Baratheons tell anyone of how Aemond had stolen her away. Her hand finds its way to her stomach which has yet to swell. What would her mother think about her carrying Aemond’s child? She knows that her mother wouldn’t be happy but she wouldn’t turn her back on her. Would she?
When Aemond notices quickly that she has checked out of the conversation and is holding her stomach protectively. He whispers reassurances into her hair that when they get to King’s Landing that she can write to her mother about what has happened. That when the maesters are done checking over her she can even go back to Dragonstone and have their child there because as much as he loves her and would love to be a father to their child, he understands if when they leave this island she might not want to be his bride.
He only smiles softly and tells him that of course, she’ll marry him and when they mount Vaghar and finally leave the island behind, the first thing they do when they arrive in King’s Landing (after Aemond explains everything to his mother and grandsire) is marry.
His new wife writes a letter to her mother and explains what happened. They wait for a response only for a moon later to have her dragon arrive in King’s Landing with a note tied to its saddle. When she pulls the letter off and looks at it she freezes as she reads the words.
Her mother has declared war. Believing her daughter to have been kidnapped and assaulted by the brother of the usurper to have been a plan of the greens, she won’t let it slide. Not after her daughter has been impregnated and forced to carry the child of their enemy.
When she hands the letter to Aemond, he places a protective hand on her stomach which has begun to slowly grow. When he flew to Storm’s End many moons ago, he knew a war was on the horizon but he had not expected that he would have a child that would not only need protection but would most likely be brought into it.
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gay-jesus-probably · 11 months
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Let me just preface this by saying everyone is allowed to have their own opinions, TOTK is a really fun game, and I'm glad that other people have been able to enjoy the story as well.
...But I'm being dead serious with my complaints about the narrative being 100% imperialist propaganda. And I'm getting really tired of people replying to those posts by saying it can't be imperialist propaganda, because imperialism is bad and the game says that Hyrule is the good guys.
Like, guys. That's not the argument you think it is. Yes, I am aware that the game tells us Ganondorf is a flat, one dimensional character with no ambitions, interests or motivations beyond destroying the entire world for the hell of it, and also it's totally not racist because he's green, not brown like literally every other member of his race. Unfortunately literally all of these things are kind of the entire goddamn problem.
See, the thing is, everyone trying to make these arguments is accepting the game at face value. Hyrule is the perfect and almighty nation chosen by the demigod Zonai, and whose royal family has the right to rule due to their divine heritage. The other races exist to serve the glory of Hyrule, and they're happy to do it. Ganondorf is pure evil and must be stopped at any costs.
But that's not how anything works. The story informing me that Hyrule is the ultimate good that has done nothing wrong is the whole goddamn reason why I don't trust Hyrule at all. There's always more of a reason than that. And the game fucking suggests there was more going on! Ganondorf mentions Rauru has repeatedly 'invited' the Gerudo to become Rauru's subjects, and let's be clear here, it doesn't matter how peaceful those 'invitations' were, when the guy who owns every single magical nuclear missile in the world repeatedly demands you surrender to him, there's always going to be an implied threat of 'do it or get magically nuked'. Just that power difference alone shows us exactly why Ganon would feel threatened enough to invade. It's because Rauru was holding a gun to his head, and Ganon was expected to just trust that he'd never pull the trigger.
And yes, even if it wasn't intentional Hyrule was always threatening to wipe out the other nations, considering the entire royal family walked around openly wearing their magical nukes as cute accessories. If they couldn't be safely hidden away, there wouldn't be four other secret stones sitting untouched in a vault until the last second.
But that's never acknowledged. Of course Hyrule is the only nation with the right to the secret stones; even if other races get to touch them, they can only have them if they swear eternal blind loyalty and servitude to the glory of King Rauru and Princess Zelda. Ganon wanting to have one magical nuclear bomb out of a stockpile of eight of them is proof that he's dangerous and evil. I mean my god, what if he just walked around all day wearing a magical nuke and using its power for his own benefit, that would be terrifying. It's only okay when Hylian royalty does it.
And you can't argue that Ganon betrayed his own people, considering we don't get to know fucking anything about his relationship with his people. He's shows as the leader of the Gerudo, we're told he's a hero to his people, he has soldiers that loyally follow him into battle... and then oh nevermind, they all hate him and will spend eternity trying to atone for sharing a race with him. How did the entire race do a complete 180 in the span of at most a few months? Who cares, what's important is that now they accept they exist to serve Hyrule so they get to be the good guys now and we don't need to know why they were following Ganondorf, or why they stopped following him.
Basically my point is that yeah, I fucking know how the game insists everything went down. That's the entire reason I think it's imperialist propaganda, because the entire story feels like Hylian propaganda to conceal and justify some horrific atrocities that caused all of this. I literally do not believe that I'm getting the story through reliable narrators, especially considering that the only people allowed to actually tell me the story are all the characters that have the most reasons to be heavily biased in favour of Hyrule.
When the game shows me protagonists that have a massive amount of power and control over the entire world, then says the bad guy doesn't like that system just because he's evil, and literally nothing and nobody in the game says anything to oppose that take, I have some questions about what the fuck the story isn't telling me. And I'd really appreciate it if people would stop trying to argue with me just by telling me to stop asking those questions.
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Imagine a spoiled royal, heir to the throne, part of a powerful bloodline that gives them "divine right to rule". They're raised to be cruel, and told their heritage puts them above everyone else.
And then one day, it's revealed before the entire court that it's all a lie. The royal was switched at birth with the child of a servant. The real heir has been serving in the palace all this time, unaware of their birthright. Maybe they're even someone the faux-royal had been particularly cruel to all their lives.
The ruling family is quick to push out the false heir---blood is more important to them than any illusion of family---and welcome the servant with open arms.
Maybe the false heir is banished from the kingdom they were raised to rule. Maybe they're imprisoned so the truth can never come out. Maybe they're made a servant, now at the beck and call of someone they'd thought beneath them.
Does the true heir take pity on them, or do they seek vengeance from years of abuse? Does the royal family have any regrets, or have they always been cold, only concerned with holding power? What do the servants and commoners do, now that the arrogant "heir" has lost all power and protection?
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snailspng · 1 year
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Where I find images to make into PNGs
Museum / collection websites
Rijksmuseum • Metropolitan Museum of Art • National Gallery of Art • The Walters Art Museum • Europeana • Public Domain Review  • The British Library • Victoria & Albert Museum • Wellcome Collection • Risd Museum • Phoenix Ancient Art • Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden • Georgian National Museum • Internet Archive • Getty Images • Louvre • Statens Historiska Muséer • Museum of Applied Arts • Royal Collection Trust • The Walters Art Museum • Science Museum Group • Kunst Historiches Museum Wien • The David Collection • MAK collection
+ pretty much any museum site with a virtual collection
Auction websites
1stDibs • Sothebys • Ruby Lane • Live Auctioneers • Christie’s • Timeline Auctions • Heritage Auctions • Auctionet • Hindman Auctions
Various
My pinterest • Worthpoint • Etsy • Shoplook • Wikimedia Commons • Replacements
Google reverse image search > “find image source” > “visually similar images”
Other PNG blogs
goobersplat • gooberscollage • vile-things • encyclopaedia-ornithonesiae • oceantoyz • transparensies • png-magician • whizpurr • adjpngs • transpareats • transparentstickers • transparenzz • pngtrash • fruit-prince • honeyrolls • bleedingthroughteeth • png-heaven
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(I will be updating this list! If you have suggestions or would like to add or remove your blog from the list, message me)
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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HEAD OF OBA
THE BENIN KINGDOM
THE LOOTED TREASURES BY THE BRITISH EMPIRE
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BLACK HISTORY IS DEEPER THAN SLAVE TRADE
The head sculptures of the Oba of Benin, also known as the Benin Bronzes, are a collection of intricate bronze and brass sculptures created by the Edo people of Nigeria. These sculptures typically depict the reigning Oba (king) of the Benin Empire and were produced over several centuries, with some dating back to the 13th century.
They are renowned for their artistic and historical significance, representing the cultural heritage and power of the Benin Kingdom. These sculptures often portray the Oba wearing coral beaded regalia, symbolizing his divine status and authority.
Many of these artifacts were taken from Benin during the late 19th century by British colonial forces, and they are now scattered in museums and private collections worldwide. There have been ongoing discussions and negotiations regarding their repatriation to Nigeria to restore their cultural heritage.
The head sculptures of the Oba of Benin remain a testament to the rich artistic and historical legacy of the Edo people and the Benin Kingdom.
HOW THE BRITISH STOLE FROM THE EDO TRIBE
1. British Punitive Expedition: In 1897, a British expedition, led by British officials and soldiers, was sent to the Benin Kingdom (in what is now Nigeria) with the stated objective of punishing the Oba of Benin, Oba Ovonramwen, for resisting British influence and trade in the region.
2. Sacking of the Royal Palace: During the expedition, the British forces entered the royal palace in Benin City, where many of these intricate bronze and brass sculptures were housed. The palace was looted, and numerous artifacts, including the Benin Bronzes, were taken.
3. Confiscation and Dispersal: The looted artifacts were then confiscated by the British authorities and later distributed to various individuals, museums, and institutions. Many of these artworks ended up in European museums and private collections.
The theft of the Benin Bronzes remains a contentious issue, as these artworks are considered cultural treasures of the Edo people and Nigeria as a whole. There have been ongoing discussions and demands for the repatriation of these artifacts to Nigeria, which has gained momentum in recent years as part of broader efforts to address historical injustices related to colonial-era looting.
The head sculptures of the Oba of Benin, like many traditional African artworks, hold deep symbolic significance within the context of the Benin Kingdom and its culture. Here are some of the key symbols and meanings associated with these sculptures:
1. Royal Authority: The Oba's head sculptures symbolize the authority and divine status of the reigning monarch, who was regarded as a sacred figure in Benin society. The elaborate regalia, such as coral beads and headdresses, worn by the Oba in these sculptures signifies his royal and spiritual power.
2. Ancestral Connections: The sculptures often depict the Oba with distinctive facial scarification patterns and detailed facial features. These features can represent specific ancestors or dynastic connections, emphasizing the Oba's lineage and connection to past rulers.
3. Historical Record: The sculptures also serve as historical records, documenting the appearance and regalia of the Oba during their reigns. This provides valuable insights into the history and evolution of the Benin Kingdom over the centuries.
4. Spiritual Protection: Some sculptures may incorporate elements like beads and cowrie shells, which were believed to have protective and spiritual qualities. These elements were worn by the Oba not only for their aesthetic value but also for their symbolic protection.
5. Cultural Identity: Beyond their specific symbolic meanings, the head sculptures are integral to the cultural identity of the Edo people and the Benin Kingdom. They represent the rich artistic traditions and heritage of the kingdom and its rulers.
It's important to note that the symbolism of these sculptures is deeply rooted in the cultural and historical context of the Benin Kingdom, and their interpretation can vary among different individuals and communities.
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